《Trails of Ascension》


 Prologue: Cataclysm

    The Cosmos.


    The eternal and endless spiral of worlds dancing in the immeasurable void.


    Countless worlds give birth to innumerable people. Among that seemingly endless sea of people, some stand out above the rest. Those people are the pillars of their worlds; bringers of change and revolution. Those who hold power to break the shackles of time and space to rise above the heavens.


    Cultivators, those who walk the path of immortality, seek to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos, comprehend its laws, and control its forces for their own use.


    Cultivators soon find that the boundaries of the worlds are mere specks of dust in a much larger cosmos, and with enough power and some luck, they start a journey beyond their homeworlds. Towards the unknown, getting rid of their mortal limits, to ascend to greater realms of existence. Becoming an Ascendant.


    Each Ascendant walks a different path, meaning we wield different powers and cultivate energies in unique ways, we comprehend the cosmos and the ¡°laws¡± that govern it in our own particular way, with our own perspective of them.


    Not all Ascendants are Cultivators from Daoist Sects or old monks who sit in meditation all day.


    There are Magi who have peered into the Source of Magic and wish to unravel its mysteries. Enlightened martial artists wishing to perfect their combat prowess. Inventors who have created machines and devices to push beyond their mortal limits. Shamans some have made pacts with entities in order to gain power. Conquerors who have achieved true sovereignty of their world thus being able to reach beyond their boundaries, in some cases even bonding and merging with their worlds.


    And many, many more.


    Some are pacifist people who understood some aspect of reality that made them immortal, while there are also mad freaks who massacre their way into ascension out of their greed for power and twist themselves into monsters.


    But we all have some things in common. One such shared truth is the notion that ¡°The Path is eternal, endless, and without a limit¡±. A simple yet infinitely profound truth, recognized by all, not by discussion and consensus, but by our own connection with it.


    Now here¡¯s the funny thing: why, if all have proved that the Path is endless, after a few ascensions into higher realms, we find a so-called ¡°Peak of the Cosmos¡±, the Divine Realm above the heavens of all worlds, and we are told that there is nothing beyond it?


    Utter Nonsense.


    But very convincing nonsense, in some ways. Despite the certainty that there was a realm beyond the Divine Realm and that there was a way to ascend once again, no one had found such a way nor achieved Ascension even after eons of trying, it was indeed very hard to do so, as expected, the more one rises, the harder it is to keep rising, as each time it requires greater power and comprehension than before, sometimes an exponentially higher one.


    Since at that level everyone got great achievements in many worlds and huge sets of skills, great enterprises appeared with institutions of many occupations.


    Like that, a rich and vast multicultural environment was born in the Divine Realm.


    Each of the beings who ascend to Divine level is different, some control worlds of their own, even ruling over other powerful beings. Many create marvels of technology and magic, while others dedicate themselves to teaching the new generations. A few eccentric ones live alone cultivating by themselves, while many established associations and communities.


    There were some that decided to pass judgment upon the universes below, in their arrogance pretending to dictate the ways of other beings simply because they had acquired more power.


    The different Powerhouses dedicated themselves to multiple activities, creating techniques, weapons, elixirs, and a vast multitude of inventions; but each was still yearning for a higher realm, always dreaming of advancing further. Or they should have.


    Still, everyone failed to ascend despite all the time and effort invested, and the ¡°truth¡± that this was the ultimate realm of existence, the Peak of the Cosmos, was spread and eventually accepted, and the newly ascended started joining the already existing groups in the Divine Realm, with a few deciding to form their own influences.


    As it turned out, ''Ascension beyond this point is impossible'' was a big lie, and the reason for that lie was that the ruling class of the Divine Realm, a group of beings from many races that called themselves the ¡°True Gods¡± wanted to keep the status quo with them as the top dogs, no one really knew how or when, but they had managed to seal the path towards further Ascension for everybody.


    To be precise, their leader had done it. The Sovereign of the Gods, the oldest and strongest Major God in existence, a being known by far too many names and titles, all signifying the mightiest of existences and authority over the Heavens.


    Worshipped across countless worlds and in a myriad of different ways across numberless religions and cults. He sat on his throne above all Gods and reigned supreme and unchallenged by eons.


    In the Divine Realm, he is often simply known as Deus, a name implying he was the first of all divinities and that he was the core of all the Gods.


    True to that title-name, he embodied all that the Gods stood for: control, power, authority, a huge amalgamation of faith, and an equally large army of zealots and worshippers under command.


    In short, an arrogant bastard.


    And thus he reigned supreme for what could only be called an eternity, sitting in the throne above the cosmos with the splendor of the stars of the lesser worlds being a mere shadow of his glory, as he possessed absolute power over everything that existed.


    Yes, that was the case¡­ until a certain someone was born.


    Someone whose very birth should have been an impossibility, a child whose dreamy eyes stared into the vast starry skies and wished to reach for them and beyond. A youth who performed miracles without following any faith, and practiced magic without obeying any dogma, cultivating energies in a system never before seen, breaking all paradigms. A man who refused to bend his knee to any other being, be it mortal, immortal or even gods, he would never yield.


    A warrior who went against the Heavens and actually succeeded, walking a path of revolution, defying fate and forging his own destiny with his own hands, a Challenger of Divinity, with a brand new type of cultivation, unrestrained and unfettered, he lived and fought through countless battles, emerging always victorious.


    This Cultivator whose strength defied logic and whose existence threatened the gods themselves, managed to ascend to the Divine Realm at record time.


    And sure enough, his clash with the Powers That Be was inevitable, as he was not only unwilling to worship the gods and obey their rule, he killed them, and as a God Slayer he openly opposed them, as he would never allow his path of ascension to halt because of the arrogance of a tyrant, complacency, nor the fear of the unknown.


    And all who were to stand in his path was an enemy, and he would meet them with deadly force.


    I know that, because that man, is me.


    My name is Navin Lakar, an Ascender, an immortal warrior who has transcended the limits of his original world and risen to higher planes of existence, I fought against the Gods to break the Seal of the Cosmos and be able to continue ascending to new worlds.


    This wasn¡¯t a simple fight or duel of honor, it was an all-out war across the Divine Realm, I was not alone in this war either, as there were many who had discomfort with Deus¡¯ reign, and he was trying to asphyxiate our advancement, which is enough to gain the eternal hatred of any cultivator worth his Dao.


    The Gods have died, many by my own hands, some by the hands of my comrades, but my allies have also died, and a conflict of such scale where the regents of the cosmos are staking everything fighting with their full powers is bound to cause astronomical devastation.


    Right now, the Divine Realm is in ruins, majestic ageless mountains are now craters, forests of divine fruits now reduced to piles of ashes, vast seas are now an abyss of nothingness, the corpses of massive beasts and colossal fighters lie across the land in varying states of destruction.


    And here I am, fighting with the strongest being known in the history of the cosmos: The Sovereign of the Gods, this guy has many titles and names across the universes, but here he is usually known as Deus, I just call him the same way he calls me: Enemy.


    We clash against each other with eyes full of murderous intent, the waves generated shatter the land and the sky, and we clash many times in each fraction of second.


    Each swing of his sword summons a storm of divine power against me, each one of his punches unleashes a myriad of meteors. My sword cleaves the storm, my fists turn his attacks into nothing.


    Attacks rain down from every direction as we continue our dance to the death, trying to take each other¡¯s life.


    I am tired, I am wounded and at the brink of death, but at the same time I am stronger and feeling more alive than I have ever been. I am in a stage of enlightenment, allowing me to read my opponent and, slowly but surely, gain the upper hand, pressure him, and wound him, pushing him back, to take each chance to win, aiming to kill him.


    Deus takes some distance away from me as I slash him across the chest, barely a few hundred meters, a distance any of us can travel in an instant, light flowing from his wounds as his essence leaks out of him, but he pays it no mind as he speaks, his voice resonating with the entire Divine Realm.


    ¡¸All Judgement of Heavens falls upon you¡¹


    So he Declares, using his authority as the ruler of this world, he commands the ¡°Divine Judgement¡± upon me, which translates into a grand display of Tribulation Lightning falling as a raging waterfall towards me.


    it is quite a useful thing, this Declaration ability. Any being at our level of power is capable of manipulating the world around us to a certain level by sheer force of will, but this is a perk on a different level, this makes the heaven and earth his home ground, the whole cosmos is his domain where he exerts control of anything, be it the elements, time and space and even the minds and souls of less powerful individuals, everything can fall under its influence¡­ well, almost everything.


    Because I am not controlled by him, nor can he influence my cultivation or my energy with his Declaration, because I am ¡°outside¡± and my path has always been one to ¡°defy¡± things such as fate and the decrees of heaven.


    Which makes me the only one with a decent chance to actually win a fight against him, but it is in no way an easy thing to do. I am currently separated from the energies of the cosmos, he can¡¯t restrain my power, but he can restrict the Qi of the cosmos from being absorbed by me, effectively making replenishing my energy reserves an arduous task, especially in the middle of combat, so I am now running with my own tank, and however vast it is, it is not infinite, while he has an entire Divine Realm of energies to feed him and recharge his power, even tending to his wounds.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I smile as the lightning descends upon me, and thrust my sword towards it.


    ¡°Heaven Executioner: Void Opener.¡±


    I speak as a ray of power rushes forwards from the tip of my sword, cleaving the storm in two, any lightning that comes into contact with my Sword Qi gets turned into nothing while it rises unstoppable towards the origin of all those lightning, his Word manifest itself as a sigil, a materialization of the command given to the cosmos, and as my attack pierces it, it gets turned into nothing, nullifying Deus¡¯ Declaration.


    I slash downwards and a wave of Sword Aura rushes towards Deus; he reacts by thrusting with his own sword, a myriad forms manifesting themselves on his Aura.


    Dragons, angels, demons, spirits, qilins, giants, phoenixes, tigers, many kinds of animals and fantastic creatures.


    Mountains, clouds, rivers, lakes, forests, volcanos, storms, the waves of the ocean and silence of the caverns, millions of sceneries and natural phenomena.


    Armies marching, people running, monks praying, teachers speaking, people hunting and people farming, all kinds of aspects of life show in the grand picture formed by Deus¡¯ Sword Aura.


    Myriad wills, thousands of paths interwoven as part of a whole, becoming one as if sharing a common source and place to return, they all unite in his sword and attack towards me.


    And then our Sword Auras clash into each other.


    It feels like I am marching into another world, entering his Sword Domain as it encompasses everything around me, manifesting all forms of Heaven and Earth, the beginning and the end of the world, the root of myriad paths and the place where myriad paths converge once again, truly an amazing technique, befitting the one who claimed the title of ruler of the cosmos.


    He covers me, planning to overwhelm me with an attack that represents his own self, like a tsunami wishing to devour a single ship in the ocean.


    However, he cannot drown me, I am more than a lonely ship facing the storm and riding the mighty waves, I am an unconquerable mountain withstanding it all. So I march onwards, piercing through his Domain and keep going forwards.


    A million animals and mythical beasts are slain.


    The myriad phenomena of the world are dispersed and destroyed.


    A thousand Intents gathered into one are severed.


    The cosmos manifested by his Sword Aura enters Extinction!


    You claim to be the Alpha and the Omega, then I will destroy the Alpha and the Omega.


    You summon a billion creatures to fight for you, I slaughter those billion creatures.


    You press me with the vault of heaven, then I will pierce the heavens!


    No matter what you throw at me, I will overcome it and reach you, and my sword will claim your life.


    This is my Sword Intent, the sword that overcomes everything and transcends everything, even the cosmos itself may be extinguished. This is the sword that has taken the lives of many Gods and countless powerhouses.


    Making all return to nothing, to that state without beginning and without end, without shape, matter, spirit, space nor time.


    The True Sword of Nihility and Obliteration.


    Deus¡¯ eyes shake fiercely for a moment, I can tell he feels fear at this moment, coming into contact with the strongest manifestation of my attack directly, he is certain that this sword can kill him, this sword brings Absolute Destruction and True Death, one that even he cannot escape.


    ¡°Deus, this is the end, you cannot escape.¡±


    I say as I shatter his Sword Aura.


    A huge scar appears on his sword, to damage an Artifact of Divine Armament rank is like making a wound on the world, especially this one, that was created as a manifestation of Deus¡¯ own Intent on being sovereign of the whole Cosmos. The sword lets out a deep wail-like sound as its energy leaks out of the crack like a mortal wound, and it is incapable of stopping the rest of the attack as it cuts deep into Deus severing his right arm still holding his blade.


    Essence runs out of his open wound, running out of his control, and even his hold on the cosmos weakens. I plunge forwards ready to stab my sword into his core and end his existence. I breathe in deeply, absorbing the energies around us, including Deus¡¯ own essence to recover my own energy reserves.


    I pierce his chest with my sword and the whole Divine Realm shakes as if my sword was piercing it too on the deepest level.


    ¡°If I am to die, then the entire cosmos shall perish to pave my way to inexistence!!¡±


    Deus roars full of fury and in his desperation does something only a madman without any care for anyone but himself would ever do.


    ¡¸All Lights of the Heavens!¡¹


    He raises his remaining hand and I watch how in a fraction of a second every spot of light in the starry sky disappears.


    The Divine Realm possesses stars, but those are not the usual balls of fire and light that shine and bring heat to countless worlds like in the lower planes, the stars of the Divine Realm are representations of the myriad worlds under it, they are the connection between realms, one of the keystones of the Seal of the Cosmos.


    To erase those stars is to sever the link of that world to the Divine Realm, and those stars also carry on them extreme levels of energy of all kinds. This madman has isolated this plane from all others.


    This shattered, dying Plane.... is now officially alone.


    With only two beings still inside it, both determined to make it be only one.


    The next instant all those stars appear on his hand, compressed completely into a single sphere with all light in the Divine Realm, blinded by rage Deus rips apart the Divine Realm with a Declaration that basically stole every source of heat and light in it, which means he has condemned any life that might have survived the war to die and also has made any life impossible to exist in this Realm anymore.


    And all that light and energy became a deadly weapon, a majestic spear that is aimed at me.


    My pupils contracted as I felt the power in the spear and the threat it represented, I cannot dodge it, we are at a point-blank range.


    It is too close to dodge, too strong to block.


    I am unsure of survival but I can do one thing: to attack and kill Deus once and for all.


    I channel my power unto my sword and the attack maims Deus form the inside, his very core suffers the blast and shatters, I see and feel his soul cry in rage and pain as it begins to vanish, falling into oblivion.


    As I feel the spear of Deus¡¯ final Declaration pierce me, I open my mouth and speak, no, I Proclaim.


    ¡ºI will not die¡»


    Utter disbelief emanates from Deus as he feels the force behind my words, the realm shivers, and I feel the greatest pain I have ever felt, my soul burns with the flares of a billion stars as all kinds of energies ravage me from the inside.


    ¡°Hey Deus, has despair finally clouded your mind? I bet you didn¡¯t expect this, eh? I have told you before, I own myself, no one controls me nor decides things for me.¡ºI am my own world¡»Even in this realm controlled by your power, even at the core of your Declared Domain, I am not restrained by the laws of the worlds, and I do not bow to the Heavens. I do not need the world."


    I laugh weakly as Deus is left speechless and drained of all power.


    "And as my own cosmos of energies and maker of my own laws, only I make the rules that affect me, thus only the decrees I Declare upon myself can affect me.¡±


    Deus¡¯s body is now turning to ashes and as the ashes spread they further decompose, until becoming nothing. The grasp he had over the cosmos is now gone, and both he and this realm are too broken to pull any force.


    I grab Deus by the head and squeeze, as my fingers dig in, I speak to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally over, enemy of mine. Your path ends here, this is your punishment for trying to suffocate everyone else¡¯s path. Now die, God of Stagnation. Be erased and never again blight this Universe with your wicked existence.¡±


    I feel the terror in him, his despair as his empire crumbles and he realizes his impending death. I have realized something else as the only powerhouse left in this gray realm: I can Declare upon this world now. Deus''s control has faltered, his hold on this realm has slippered. Without any laws, lives, or links on it, this is an ownerless world, one without even its own will left, and I have effectively conquered it. While the notion of now ruling over the ashes of the Divine Realm disgusts me, I plan on using this ability to edict a final judgment on Deus.


    "This is your end. You shall be forgotten, and upon your death, nothing shall remain of you, not your memory nor your name. And through this last severing of Karma, this Cosmos will finally be free."


    I watch as the lines of karma manifest themselves, countless threads representing his actions and influence, causes and effects, memories and the subtle machinations of Fate. So many of them, touching all known creation. The Karma of the being who had ruled it for Eons ingrained and intertwined with that of the Cosmos itself.


    Not anymore.


    All of them snap and are severed as I raise my sword and slash again and Deus, further strengthening the Declaration. A being as powerful and influential as him can¡¯t be erased and forgotten just like that, even in this weakened state of his, so I combine the effect of the Declaration with my own Sword of Obliteration.


    ¡ºTrue Death, Obliteration, and Oblivion¡»


    And thus he is erased, forgotten by all but me, as the only Powerhouse left standing in the Divine Realm.


    I exhale now that victory is mine, and feel my strength leave me. I stand alone in a fragmented realm, black skies, and gray land. The most flourishing plane of existence reduced to a barren land without life, the home of the top cultivators and divinities is now a bleak pile of dust without a future.


    And yet amidst all this, I feel hope, as I close my eyes and feel that the chains have finally been broken. There is no longer a ¡°peak¡± acting as a cover pressing down the other worlds. There is no longer a restraint on the paths of the cultivators, and all those involved in said act have been destroyed. As they are no longer alive and hold no influence anymore, the grasp upon the elements and forces of the cosmos is gone.


    I can feel it all from here. The changes, the snapping of the bindings, and the freedom that comes forth.


    I can feel¡­ Chaos.


    But amidst all the chaos there is an endless future, and new paths are opened for every world, new hopes bloom, fed by all those powers in action unfettered, now new powerhouses will rise, and new cultivators will walk on untrailed roads.


    I smile and fall back as I feel my own self begin to collapse. My wounds are too grievous, a huge burning scar marks me from my chest to my navel. This is far more than a physical wound, this is a wound in the soul, in the very core of my being, my essence is burning by the combination of energies that were on that final spear. It hurts a lot and yet, I continue to smile.


    I may die at any moment now, in the worst desolation to ever be caused by Divinities, to end my immortal life in this literal godforsaken place would have a certain irony to it.


    But¡­


    Should I accept this end?


    Fuck no.


    I truly do not know what may happen now or what events will happen in the future of this newly unrestrained cosmos, but I am sure of something: this Era has ended. A new age begins, one that does not belong to Old Monsters or Ancient Aspects. An Age that will not fear the Divinities.


    New generations shall rise in place of the old ones and bring forth the change the cosmos needs. The greatest revolution has begun and I will be here to see it, alive.


    I smirk fiercely as I force myself to sit in meditation, struggling to gain control over the ravaging forces inside me.


    ¡°This future of endless possibilities¡­ and most of all¡­¡±


    I softly whisper and raise my head to look at the infinite darkness above.


    ¡°The gate I searched for so long on my path to advance, and the stage that lies beyond it...¡±


    I speak louder and my voice resounds in the silent world, echoes of my truest and deepest desires from my mind, heart, and soul.


    ¡°I will grasp that future, and I will reach beyond these fettered Heavens."


    My sight is set beyond the plane where I am standing.


    My goal is the Higher Realm Beyond Divine.


    In isolation, I laugh as I stand grining. I Declare and Proclaim one last thing.


    The final ambition of the last madman remaining in this shattered Heavens.


    ¡ºI Will Transcend!!¡»

 Chapter 1: Aftermaths

    At the Peak of the Cosmos, two figures clashed.


    One, overbearing and arrogant, with a crown of golden stars on his head, wearing blue armor and clad in a majestic aura of white.


    The other, defiant and sharp, wears a black and silver armor with a violet coat, his whole being blazing with a crimson haze.


    They clashed, and the Universe was torn apart. In their struggle to slay each other, they reaped the lives of countless beings, each attack holding the strength to devastate a minor world, the sheer force of presence exuding from them could ravage minor deities.


    Finally, the battle came to an end.


    The Challenger slew the Tyrant, and thus the heavens shattered and the Cataclysm was unleashed.


    <hr>


    The universe of Urq, on an asteroid zone between two major planets, Diron and Haron.


    A strange phenomenon occurred, a Spatial Howl, a phenomenon where astral bodies such as asteroids begin to shiver, move or otherwise behave in an abnormal way with some kind of epicenter as the origin, most of the time it is caused by the presence of mighty beasts altering gravity.


    An enormous gravity locus started attracting asteroids in hundreds of kilometers around it, and space itself was torn as a gigantic beast emerged from the center of the Howl.


    The beast had a long neck resembling a turtle, torso like a crocodile, 4 long front legs ending in claws and 2 short back legs with webbed feet like an amphibian, a long and thick spiked tail, its head is like a serpent but more wide to the sides, with a maw full of sharp and venomous teeth. The beast is 40 meters tall, 200 meters long, a gargantuan creature with eyes full of malice and madness.


    The beast opened its maw and a voice could be heard in space, it is not sound, but rather a thought, an intent transmitted by psychic waves through the empty space.


    "Finally... I am free..."


    The voice sounds aged, tired and full of melancholy.


    The beast looked around and two planets entered its vision


    "It''s been so long... I am... hungry."


    Miasma started leaking from the beast''s open maw, it¡¯s drooling in anticipation of devouring a world after millennia of being caged.


    The beast started to move towards the 2 planets, each movement of its legs made it cover a distance of a thousand kilometers. It wouldn''t be long before it reached the atmosphere of the closest planet, Diron.


    "Finally... something to quench my thirst and hunger..."


    "Hmph, so you wish, mad beast."


    Another thought-voice resounded.


    The beast stopped moving immediately, how was it found so soon? It couldn''t feel any presence around, where was the voice coming from?


    How strong must the other party be to hide so perfectly and yet deliver such a clear message?


    It soon got the answer to those questions, as a massive golden spear materialized in front of it and, without giving it any chance to react, cut it in two halves vertically.


    The beast died, each side of its face staring at a different planet in the distance, full of regret because it could never taste them.


    The spear that slew the beast reduced its size rapidly until it was barely 2 meters long, a figure almost as tall as the spear emerged next to it and took hold of it.


    Robes seemingly made of pure white light covered his upper body loosely, immaculate pants of white linen covered his lower body, and sandals of pure gold adorned his feet. He had spotless skin like a marble, golden eyes that shone with the light of the Divine Power and long hair flowed behind his shoulders like a waterfall of gold, but the most standing feature of this being was the pair of powerful white wings on his back.


    He stood there watching the burning corpse of the spatial beast, wondering how it managed to escape from its ancient prison. Then he flew into Planet Diron, stopping above a forest. Looking at its calm sceneries of nature always relaxed him so he liked to visit such places when he had to meditate over troublesome matters.


    However, he had no idea what could have caused the escape of that beast, and he figured it was better to go back to the Palace of Jade and talk with his comrades about it.


    "I guess I should go back now."


    He said with a melodious voice. Just as he was turning to leave, a puncturing pain flashed from within his chest making him grimace, it was stronger than anything he had felt before, what was happening? It was as if someone was stabbing him over and over from the inside.


    He was a commander of the Heavenly Army, very few beings could hope to threaten him, how was he wounded?


    He didn''t understand what was happening, and now he felt a huge pain from the deepest part of his mind, as if his brain was being ripped apart from the inside. He screamed, holding his chest and head, struggling to stay awake, he needed to stay on guard, in case whoever or whatever was causing this pain decided to take a more physical approach to wound him.


    He would not be taken down, he was a Celestial Soldier of the highest order, one that had been given powers and gifts by the Divine Himself, yes, he would withstand this and then continue serving Lord... who?


    He froze for a moment, what was happening? His mind was getting foggy now, he felt he was losing something, but the moment he tried to know what it was, he even forgot he lost something.


    He panicked, something was messing with his memories!


    Such a thing should be impossible; his mental defenses had been put in place by... someone? Something? Who?


    He shook, and the pain made him throw up blood.


    "No, no... this can''t be, the Divine Lord, I forgot his name. I am forgetting him? How is this-"


    Raiel tried to organize his thoughts. He was feeling fear and despair; how long had it been since he had felt fear? Had he ever known despair? An existence of such high standing didn¡¯t feel such low emotions of lesser beings, and yet, right now he was certainly feeling them deeply.


    Another wave of pain made him scream and collapse on the ground. He felt inside him, the Mark of the Divine Spirit that was on him disappeared, and with it, many memories and a lot of power left him.


    After a few seconds, the pain was gone, yet he remained on the ground, disoriented and breathing roughly, blood still running down his chin and onto the ground.


    He raised his head to the heavens above, the place he called home now seemed to be a foreign place to him. He felt the emptiness in his soul, something was missing, something had been taken, ripped out of him in an extremely painful way, he even had moments when he didn''t know who he himself was anymore.


    "What the hell is going on?"


    He spoke in a trembling voice. He was full of fear, feeling the desolation both within himself and in the heavens above. Tears fell from his eyes as his soul was grasped by despair.


    It was at that moment that he knew that the race of Angels, celestial messengers of the gods, was going to face a huge calamity.


    <hr>


    In the Planet Tergan, a vast metropolis exists, filled with people going and coming, doing all kind of activities, vehicles move across the city at high speed as their passengers hurry up with their obligations of the day, lights of all colors flash in windows, roofs, walls, and posters. A city brimming with life and energy... at least that''s how it should have been, because now the city showed a vastly different picture.


    The world had stopped.


    The pedestrians were frozen in time, airplanes in the sky disregarded gravity as they floated in the air, dogs with their snouts open in the middle of a bark, pigeons with their wings spread midflight, the planet itself was no longer spinning.


    Yet in the middle of that silent world frozen in time, a single soul was still awake, aware of what was happening around him.


    A young man of mere 18 years of age sat on the ground with his back on a wall, he too was paralyzed, but he was aware, and what he sees terrifies him more than anything he had seen or heard before, because no horror movie ever prepared him for what he was witnessing.


    He had been going to the cinema just a minute ago, when he felt a tremor run through him, making him fall to the ground, he barely managed to avoid hitting his face to the asphalt when he noticed he couldn''t move, and while scared for his own paralysis, he saw everyone on the street freeze just like him.


    He knew, deep inside him, on a primal level beyond his concious self, that something was wrong. Something terrible was happening beyond what he was witnessing. It was like he suddenly found there was no air around him, or if the color blue no longer existed and his eyes were struggling to make sense of the new state of the world. Something was fundamentally wrong, but he could not know what it was.


    But the situation only became worse as a sudden, terrible screech sounded, it felt like a thousand nails scratching a blackboard at the same time and then the screech turned into a cracking sound like tableware shattering over and over again.


    As if the world itself was wailing.


    It was loud to the point of deafening, and when the young man started to think he would go insane because of the noise, it ended, at the same time as thin cracks started to appear on the air around him, it seemed as if he was watching the world through some glasses, if those glasses were now full of cracks.


    The rifts went through everything; the ground, the air, the buildings and the people, the only place without cracks seemed to be a small area of about a meter around the boy. As if that wasn''t enough for the poor lad to question his sanity, he felt his body loosen a little, feeling strangely comfortable and strong.


    But he didn''t have much time to wonder about his body.


    The world restarted its rotation and he saw people start to move again, but as they touched the cracks, people fragmented. It was as if each part of them passed through a different path, heads stood in place as the rest of the bodies kept walking, legs started walking in opposite directions separated from the torso, the left side started walking into the air while the right side dug in the ground.


    Some people moved and became fragmented, other people stood on the street watching their phones, some talking, everyone unaware of the cracks passing through them and dividing them, no one seemed to notice how everyone was being hacked into random-sized pieces. The only place untouched was around the young man.


    It was like some twisted kaleidoscope, and it was extremely disturbing for him to watch this bizarre scene. Watching with morbid fascination at the scene displayed in front of him, he kept sitting there in his small area without cracks for the few seconds the eerie spectacle lasted.


    And then, hell on earth.


    With another short screech and a sickening snap, the cracks disappeared as the space restored to its original appearance.


    The bodies of the people did not return to their previous positions.


    Every person was horribly sliced apart and their limbs were strewn across the ground, buildings fell apart and pieces of airplanes fell from the sky adding destruction of fire and explosions to the carnage.


    Billions of souls wailed at the same time as the world exhaled its last, and only one living person still drew breath.


    More than the horror he had just witnessed, enough to traumatize him already, pain assaulted him as a veritable torrent of something rushed into him. It was as if an ocean was trying to fit into a bottle.


    It hurt. It burned from the very core of his being in a way beyond physical, igniting his soul as a wildfire.


    In the dead world of Tergan, where only one man remained alive, Ethan Bhreg screamed at the top of his lungs, dyed in red on a land where no soul could hear his cries.


    <hr>


    Seventh Sphere of Pereastra Plane.


    The Holy City of Habika, home of the greatest temples of many of the major gods in the cosmos, it was considered by many as a land loved by the Gods, and it housed many marvels and treasures dedicated to the Gods, even some artifacts and constructions were said to have been created by the Gods themselves.


    The Central Temple, a massive construction filled with statues of the gods was the place where the ruling class of the city, the priests, lived, performed their religious duties and took decisions for the city.


    On the northern part of the city stood a giant monolith shaped like a stone gate carved with golden sigils, it was usually shining with power and a divine radiance, however, it had lost its brilliance all of a sudden, and even started to crack, looking like a dull rock.


    The priests were gathered in the Central Temple for an emergency meeting, the reason for it was that the Arc of Revelations, a divine object created by the gods and through which they communicated with the priests, had lost its radiance and the divine presence was no longer in it.


    The Arc was a major keystone of the Holy City, and a central part of their religion, since it was used for the gods to descend into the Pereastra Plane and it was said the gods would also take their chosen with them through its gate.


    But now it had lost the blessing of the gods, and by extension, it meant that they had all lost the blessing of the gods, such a thought brought despair into their hearts.


    ¡°It is too soon to jump to conclusions, we haven¡¯t received any divine revelation nor any celestial messenger has descended, there is no need to be hasting, we need to be patient and keep our faith.¡±


    One of the older priests spoke. His voice was firm and calm, although his face showed he was extremely worried about the situation.


    ¡°Correct, if our behavior, actions or decisions had incurred the wrath of the gods, they would have told us so and we would have taken immediate action to correct the issues, so it can¡¯t be that we have lost their favor.¡±


    A priestess of Ela, the Goddess of Nature, said with a serious face.


    ¡°Something must have happened in the Divine Realm.¡±


    The Head Priest of the Central Temple, a man said to be a Prophet of the Divine Sovereign himself spoke with a solemn voice.


    He was holding his chest and had a pained expression.


    ¡°Head Priest, is your health okay?¡±


    The priestess of Ela who spoke before looked worriedly at the Head Priest, he was already a very old man. Maybe these events had been too hard for his heart? Unlikely, as they were possessors of great power, blessed by the Gods themselves. They wouldn''t be taken by mere disease or old age.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    The Head Priest answered while shaking his head.


    ¡°But I have a weird sensation in me, it¡¯s probably due to the same disturbance that caused the Arc of Revelations to stop functioning, but I¡¯m not sure what it means.¡±


    He let out a sigh and raised his hand to his hair. The priests looking at him froze and stared at him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Head Priest asked after noticing their expressions.


    ¡°Head Priest, your breastplate, was it always black?¡±


    A priest of the Fire Temple said while frowning. He was trying hard to remember, but could not ascertain how the Head Priest''s breastplate looked like before.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The Head Priest furrowed his brow, his breastplate was a religious symbol depicting scenes from the legends, great deeds of the gods, especially the lead Divinity, Lord De¡­ Lord¡­ who?


    He noticed in consternation how his memory was failing him and then took a look around, the breastplates of all the priests had stained with a black color, he watched, stunned with terror, as many of the portraits and statues around started to turn to dust but the lower level priests didn¡¯t even notice there was something there. He knew there was something, but he no longer could remember what those things looked like.


    There was a loud sound as something crumbled in the middle of the Central Temple, in the most revered area where the statues of the Gods were. Right in the middle of the statues, there was a huge empty space.


    Was something even there before?


    <hr>


    In the mystic lands of Velleriut, one man stands surrounded by 6 Masters, he has multiple wounds across his body, his robe is shredded and his blood falls to the ground little by little, and yet, for each wound inflicted on him he has inflicted two on each of his assailants, they were 50 when this chase began, only 6 remain, stubbornly clinging to their ambition, they have already gone too far and sacrificed too many things, they can''t return now, they either succeed or die.


    "Give us the treasure, Marcus, and you might return alive."


    One of the men said with a scowl on his face, hatred was clear on his eyes and voice.


    "Come on, after all this, you can still spout such obvious bullshit?"


    Marcus gave him a dry laugh and mocked him.


    "You can''t win."


    Another Master, this time an elf, said with a cold voice.


    "Nah, I''m pretty sure I can win. It''s others who had to gang up 50 to 1 in order to have the balls to take action."


    Marcus answered with a sneer. The men glared at Marcus with hatred and fury. There was no doubt that they were never planning to let him leave alive, they have been humiliated by him too many times, even now, with wounds all over his body and when outnumbered, he remained unafraid and still mocked them for their cowardly attempt.


    But they had no choice, he was simply too strong.


    Marcus Eltrigga was a tall 32-years-old man with light white hair and sharp green eyes, his hair was short with a spiky pattern towards the back of his head, he wore a gray martial artist robe which now exposed his wounded torso due to the fight, a black bracelet on his left arm and black pants with wet stains of blood in them, most of it from his opponents, he wasn¡¯t wearing any shoes.


    He had risen to prominence a little over a decade ago as a young prodigy of martial arts. In a world where every major power consisted of people who studied the mystic arts and used relics of power to strengthen themselves and fight, he was a maverick who honed his physical prowess and toned up his body for combat. Every muscle of his body was developed, but it was not for mere potency or strength for lifting things, he didn''t have a massive body, it was the body of a skilled warrior, tempering every fiber to the utmost in search for perfection and martial efficiency. He valued speed and precision over brute force, but of course, he possessed a monstrous strength capable of shattering rocks easily.


    His specialty was hunting magical beasts and he possessed a high resistance to mystic attacks, at first he was underestimated a lot and bad-mouthed by many, but slowly yet surely he proved to be a force to be reckoned.


    Case in point, a year ago in the exploration of an ancient ruin, many Masters of mystic arts gathered to search for its treasures. Being a bit of a pariah, he entered alone which carried a huge risk but on the upside also meant his loot and any discoveries inside belonged to him alone.


    Inside a deep chamber that he was pretty sure belonged to some powerful wizard king of the distant past, Marcus found an artifact that radiated power like none he had felt before. Despite the huge possibility of it being useless for him, there was no reason to not take it, especially since giving it to those arrogant mystics who hated him so much was definitely a bad idea.


    However, he was found on the way back and a group of mystics tried to steal the artifact from him, resulting in Marcus killing many of them, including the head of one of the most powerful clans and the heir of another clan of similar status. The survivors who managed to run away spread the news of the artifact and claimed Marcus had stolen it from them.


    Such blatant lie was, however, the perfect excuse the clans had been waiting for, they wanted one to call a raiding party upon him, and thus a hunt began.


    "Come on, moths, don''t be so far from the flame after chasing it for so long."


    Marcus raised two fingers and pointed to the elf Mystic Master.


    "But first I really wanna hear how were you geniuses planning to share a single artifact among 50 mystics."


    He flexed his fingers, beckoning to the elf, taunting him to break formation.


    Promises of the ancient mystic artifact was a huge enticement for many Masters to join in the hunt against Marcus, but it was an illogical enticement, as it was impossible to share the artifact between all participants.


    However, the bait had worked, with the mystics secretly plotting against each other and planning to run with the artifact at the first chance.


    For a whole year, Marcus had been fighting constantly, fighting, running, hiding and fighting again, but he had claimed the lives of numerous mystics in this year and his own skills had improved significantly.


    And now the hunt has come to an end, either they manage to kill Marcus now that he is wounded after the ambush of 50 mystic masters or they die, because if he managed to get away and recover, then it will be them who will be hunted down.


    Although Marcus didn''t plan to let them live another day.


    The elf Mystic Master howled at Marcus and gathered energy for a spell, he pointed as a magic circle appeared in a second, fully charged and ready to shoot a blast against Marcus.


    And Marcus wouldn''t let such a chance slip by.


    "This fucking idiot!"


    One of the mystics mentally cursed while trying to summon a barrier, but it was too late.


    A single second, that was all that was needed for someone of their level.


    One second to summon an attack spell, one second to summon a defensive barrier.


    Barely more than what Marcus needed to dash forwards and jump towards the elf, delivering a Guillotine Kick to the neck with lightning speed, the attack was so fast and precise that the elf''s neck bones were blown apart by the kick passing through his body and yet the body remained immobile.


    Marcus landed behind the dead elf before his victim could realize what had happened, a fraction of a second later a barrier formed in front of the elf, too late to stop his death.


    "Damn it!"


    The other mystics cursed at the sight of the elven corpse.


    "You are next, fuckers!"


    Marcus laughed as he side-stepped the incoming attacks of two mystics before running towards them, half-way through, however, he jumped to the side just before a huge spike thrust from the ground in the space he was just a moment ago.


    The jump directed Marcus towards another mystic, who started to hurriedly form a defense by burning an amulet, Marcus spun in the air and kicked the air, creating a shockwave and changing direction midair, returning to his previous charge towards the two mystics who stood side by side.


    This was an amazing display of skill, but they had seen him do greater things during the initial ambush, had it not been for the elf mystic mistake of letting his emotions overcome him, he wouldn''t have been killed so easily, but they were all tired and stressed after such a long fight, and watching other powerful Masters die one after another constantly made them have thoughts that maybe the next to die would be them.


    These two mystics were more cold-headed but they couldn''t help panicking a little as they felt Marcus murderous intent channeled in his fist targeting them directly.


    They both summoned lightning and synchronized their spells, further increasing the resulting attack, just as Marcus thrust his fists forward.


    Lightning chains clashed against fist of flesh and bone, but this flesh and bone had been tempered to be stronger than steel, the lightning was blasted apart dispersing under the superior force of the martial artist, the eyes of the two mystics widened in fear as the fists continued forward, hitting them on their faces, their skulls cracked and their faces caved in before their bodies were sent flying by the impact, they crashed against trees 20 meters away with the unmistakable sound of their spines breaking. The bodies fell to the ground, never to rise again.


    "Three left."


    Marcus said, almost like a whisper, as he stared at the trio of soon-to-be corpses.


    They were too scared now, although they were too proud and ambitious to run away, their fear was evident in that now, when Marcus lunged at them, their first reaction was defense, they raised their individual defenses, cooperation was broken and their will to attack was gone.


    Just what Marcus wanted to happen.


    Losing their calm, they act on instinct, their minds momentarily forgetting they didn''t have the necessary strength to withstand his attacks alone.


    Marcus delivered a kick to the chin of the first mystic, cleaving his barrier as if it was paper, his head flew through the air.


    He dashed sideways, his feet appearing to glide on the ground as he approached his second target, sweeping with a low kick under the mystic knees, shattering them. The mystic screamed in pain as he fell to the side. An elbow strike to the head later, he was silenced forever.


    Now only one mystic was left, the one who held the barrier with a burning amulet. Marcus walked calmly towards him, the mystic stared at him for a moment before sighing in defeat.


    "This is your victory, Marcus Eltrigga."


    The mystic said, apparently accepting his death.


    "Yes, I already knew that, paper fan."


    Marcus replied in an unamused tone as he walked to his last opponent.


    "Congratulations, Grand Master Marcus, now there is no force in this world that can oppose you."


    "I never cared about such shit and you know it. it was always you bastards who touched yourselves at night thinking about the control you held over land and people."


    Marcus spoke with disgust clear on his face and voice.


    He was now 3 steps away from the last mystic.


    The mystic gave him a rueful smile and closed his eyes.


    "Yeah, I suppose that''s what you would think of us."


    He raised his head and opened his eyes again.


    "Let me ask you a final fav-"


    "No."


    Marcus cut off the mystic''s head with a swift motion of his hand. He took a deep breath and started to search their bodies for valuables, a bracelet on his left arm shone and all the items were collected inside a storage space.


    He watched the sky, now finally having the time to carefully inspect the strange phenomenon occurring. A multicolored haze covered the skies, many images were displayed on it, images of shooting stars, flying beasts, and roaring dragons.


    Marcus first noticed it about an hour ago, in the middle of the fight, but he was running while fighting, so he couldn''t pay much attention to it. However, there were 2 things that made the strange phenomenon impossible to ignore: first, he felt changes within him starting at the same time he noticed the changes in the sky, his body felt lighter, it was as if a huge weight had been lifted from him, he could even breath better now; and secondly, the artifact he had in his possession, the very same that triggered the hunt against him, was reacting, emitting pulses of energy from within the Spatial Bracelet.


    Marcus took out the artifact to take a careful look at it. It was a golden medallion encrusted with a heliotrope-colored gem in the center, silver runes of archaic design were drawn around it.


    The gem shone brightly and a magic circle was drawn in the air in front of Marcus, he smiled after feeling the energy of the gem, it was trying to open a portal.


    He did not hesitate, he stepped into the portal with a confident stride, driven by his instinct and curiosity. Marcus vanished into the portal, toward an unknown place.


    One minute later, the mystic lands of Velleriut were ravaged by meteors from beyond the skies.


    <hr>


    In the middle of the ruins of the Divine Realm, Navin sat in meditation with his eyes closed. Fire spewed from his right eye, lighting cracked on his left eye, from the numerous cracks on his body all kinds of energies gushed out, breaking it apart despite his constant recovery, he could barely keep them at bay and prevent his body from falling apart, and yet his body was slowly but steadily strengthening in this long and painful process.


    He couldn¡¯t move due to the damage caused by Deus on his body, but his mind and soul were stronger than ever before, and from the privileged position of the Divine Realm, a plane higher than all other known by him, and having so many karma threads and lines of causality connecting it to other worlds, it wasn¡¯t hard for Navin to be aware of the great changes happening in the cosmos.


    The cataclysm was terrible, and it had claimed countless lives already, some worlds didn¡¯t suffer a direct backlash from the separation with the gods, while others were crushed by the wild energies out of control, some worlds even clashed with each other, thrown into chaos by the sudden rupture of the Seal of the Cosmos.


    The races related to the Divinities lost their Grace and Gifts bestowed by Deus, as well as the protection of their patron gods who were now dead. The mortal worlds deeply connected to the Gods took the heaviest blow, as the backlash was most violent in them, resulting in the destruction of many civilizations.


    But not all was lost, not all was devastation. There was also hope, and this destruction had a purpose. A new dawn would rise for the whole Cosmos, an era of reconstruction and elevation to unprecedented heights was about to come.


    The ancient restrictions on people and lands were lifted. Those who were more sensitive to the laws of the cosmos must have felt it already, the comprehension of numerous paths was made easier and the limits imposed by the Divinities were gone now. It was time for breakthroughs and the birth of new Powerhouses. There were also some worlds that absorbed others and species that assimilated new energies in their organisms. Creatures were adapting, evolving.


    Navin watched many events happening across the cosmos, a hard smile on his face. There was still hope. It hadn''t been in vain, all the fighting, all the suffering. After this last Cataclysm, the Cosmos would finally know true freedom.


    He took out something from his personal storage space. A white rectangular canvas appeared in front of him, shining with soft energy. A strange feeling of purity, order, and void coming from it. This was a Divine-ranked Artifact created by Navin, the blank canvas known as an empty page of new creation, Tabula Rasa.


    It had been created after much effort by isolating the principle of order from the energies of chaos but preserving the creating function of Primordial Chaos. Navin had invested on it his own comprehensions of the Path of Freedom, the essence of being unfettered and unrestrained, along with an understanding of the Void. The creative energies inside it were immeasurable.


    This artifact had no attack power, and yet it was an object of the highest rank in existence, its function lied in the creation of something entirely new, completely unpolluted by outside forces, free from external restrictions.


    And now, it was time for it to be used.


    Navin placed the Tabula Rasa on his chest, and it entered his body, appeared next to the core of his soul, right in the middle of the chaotic energies trying to destroy him.


    It started to absorb the chaotic energies, preventing them from further damaging Navin, a pattern of all colors appeared in the center of the canvas, representing Primordial Chaos, it was like multiple spirals superimposed. It greedily devoured the ravaging powers, making Navin let out a sigh of relaxation.


    Taming those wild energies had proven too difficult to do in a short time, and Navin needed to take action, so despite his reluctance of using his precious creation on this, he used it to stop the damage on him.


    His body was still too damaged to move. He needed to focus on recovering, but if he let the Cosmos go berserk for longer, who knows in what state it would be once it calmed down. It was good that the potential of the worlds and the people were no longer restrained, but too much chaos would only lead to destruction instead of bringing forth change and advancement.


    Breathe in.


    Navin closed his eyes again, infusing his soul into the Tabula Rasa, a small figure sitting cross-legged in a single dot representing him appeared in the core of the spirals.


    Breathe out


    Navin extended his hands in front of him, multiple lines of different colors were projected from the white canvas inside Navin towards the cosmos around him, the lines seemed to extend to infinity and then faded until they were invisible.


    ¡°Fuck, to think I not only have to heal myself but also keep this bunch of stuff at bay.¡±


    Navin complained while feeling the great stress on his whole being.


    ¡°Well, once the worlds stabilize and people start reaching the necessary state to control these forces, my burden will be lifted.¡±


    He had no desire of ruling over the cosmos or being the controller of all the forces in the multiverse, however, he was the most capable for the job, and if he didn¡¯t step in to keep the forces from rampaging they would destroy the planes of existence.


    This was his responsibility, he was partly responsible for the current situation, after all, he was the one who led the war against Deus and other Divinities, as well as the one who killed him, so now he had to do damage control.


    There were 2 ways for him to do that:


    -Keep the forces at bay by holding the reins on the energies of the cosmos until the planes stabilize and new powerhouses capable of wielding the forces ascend.


    -Travel around the cosmos, applying direct measures to repair damage and prevent further chaos.


    He was already doing the first, the chaotic energies inside him came from the stars of the Divine Realm which were connections to the realms under it. Through those energies, Navin recreated the connections and started to regulate the energies rampaging the worlds and stopping the backlash from the rupture of the seal from continuing.


    But he also wanted to do the second, so he needed a new body, an avatar or maybe a group of clones he could move while his true body stayed here recovering.


    And he had just the treasure for it, his Tabula Rasa. After all, its original purpose was to be used in the creation of something completely new, untouched by the cosmos corrupted by Deus.


    Now he would use it to forge a new body, pure and free, with an unrestrained and unlimited path, and use it to explore this cosmos now that it was released from the Gods¡¯ oppression.


    Using his own flesh and blood together with the Tabula Rasa infused with his soul, a figure was formed. The second body¡¯s appearance was like a younger version of Navin, looking like a man in his early twenties with short dark brown hair and blue eyes, he was tall with a toned body, well-developed muscles, he wore black boots, dark blue pants, and black tunic-like shirt, he also had a white robe with violet runes embroidered covering his upper body.


    ¡°Well then, where to go now?¡±


    Navin''s new body wondered while stretching. His eyes flashed with Primordial Chaos for an instant as he read the flow of energies and felt the states of the worlds. Including the Threads of Karma now pulling at him, calling for him. A smile blossomed on his face as he stared at the possibilities starting to take form. The path of Fate now extending in front of him.


    ¡°Alright, I have decided.¡±


    He put a finger on his forehead and produced a small light, he extended his finger and divided the light into 4 small orbs.


    "Nirmita."


    The four orbs shone for an instant before taking his shape, although they were transparent, barely more than a sparkling mirage.


    These were thought-constructs emanations of his self, created by his aura and mind, they had a mere fraction of his powers, but would be enough to explore the worlds and interact with people if necessary, they could also take a more physical appearance for a short time.


    Now, he reinforced them and infused them with more power. Anchoring a mystical array with the use of these Avatars of himself.


    He waved a hand and the 4 Nirmitas flew away, descending toward the lower realms


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin this new journey.¡±


    Navin¡¯s second body said with a smile.


    And while his true body closed his eyes and focused on cultivating to restore himself, the second body teleported out of the ruins of the Divine Realm, on a quest of new adventures and to bring great changes to the Cosmos.


    The Wheel''s stagnant rotation, turning without truly advancing, had been broken and now it was a time of calamity and turmoil. Yet that too, in time, would pass.


    Then, the Cosmos would finally be able to move forwards again.

 Chapter 2: Life circumstances

    Ethan Bhreg had never been someone to think much about the future. He was a good kid, went to school, hanged out with friends, even dated a couple of girls this year.


    He liked to ride his bike and play soccer, so he was used to the occasional fall and some bruises, but nothing worthy of making a fuss over.


    Now he was in pain, both physical and emotional, it had been hours since that nightmare, it had to be a nightmare, yeah, he was probably just having a very vivid dream, or maybe he was in some weird government experiment, but what he saw couldn¡¯t be real.


    A massacre where everybody in the world is killed except one is impossible, such a thing can¡¯t be possibly happening to him, right?


    Right?


    Ethan cried while curling up in a corner of his room.


    He had run home after watching all the people on the street die horribly in front of him, throwing up, crying and throwing up again. The only slightly comforting thing was that he didn¡¯t see the bodies of his parents on the way back, not that he was carefully looking at the hellish scenery of bodies strewn on the streets, walls, and even roofs of the buildings.


    But it was impossible to not look at them, the bodies were everywhere. Ethan barely managed to get himself in the shower to wash out the blood covering him, he just sat there, crying, staring at the bathroom wall, he didn¡¯t want to think of what happened, he didn¡¯t want to think of his parents, he didn¡¯t want to think of what he would do.


    Right now, he didn¡¯t want to think at all.


    Up until today, his most worrisome things in life had been school exams and wondering what to eat for dinner, maybe wondering if the girl that usually smiled at him from 2 desks across the classroom might like him.


    Now those things were no more, his parents were no more, he hadn¡¯t seen them, but he knew, he didn¡¯t know how he knew, he just knew.


    He was alone.


    And loneliness hurt, a lot.


    His body felt hot, even after 2 hours of a cold shower, his head was dizzy, probably because of the smell of blood that haunted him no matter how much soap he scrubbed on his body.


    It felt like his heart wanted to burst out of his chest, it beat stronger than he had ever felt before, he thought it was because of his fear and the adrenaline of running, but even after hours of sitting in the shower his heartbeat still was accelerated, it wasn¡¯t normal and it hurt, just one more abnormal and painful thing to add on the list.


    With every beat of his heart he felt his whole body tremble in light spasm, his muscles were contracting, constantly tightening and loosening, he had a high fever and was sweating all over his body, the shower was barely helping.


    Maybe he was sick and all this had been a hallucination?


    Hopefully, it would be so, but he still didn¡¯t believe that he hallucinated all this, it was just too real.


    He closed his eyes, tired and disoriented, and he fell unconscious.


    Ethan saw The Rifts, shining in the darkness of his mind. A multitude of colors shone from behind the cracks in the darkness, as if they were showing a world behind a crumbling wall, a wonderful, tempting world that called for Ethan.


    Yes, The Rifts called for him, they wanted him to grasp them and to pull them open, he felt the desire dwelling in him, a desire to completely shatter the dark wall and let that light of all colors and hues bath everything.


    He approached The Rifts and stared at the colorful abyss beyond them¡­


    <hr>


    Ethan sat upright with a jolt, there was a lot of vapor around him, blurring his vision a bit, the water was still running and showering him as he sat naked on the floor.


    Where was the vapor coming from?


    Ethan was stunned for a moment as he realized the vapor was caused by him, he looked down at himself, his skin was red, not the red of a bruise or a rash, it was red like a hot iron bar.


    His body was heated up so much that water started to evaporate upon contact.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    Ethan could only mutter those words facing the absurdity of the situation.


    However, he was cooling down, and the redness of his skin disappeared. Ethan stood up and went to his room to get dressed, he put on boxers and shorts then grabbed a t-shirt before noticing his figure on the mirror.


    ¡°Holy shit.¡±


    He stared at his reflection in the mirror, it took him a few seconds to recognize himself, there were changes in him.


    He was taller by a couple of inches, his blonde hair was a bit longer and now looked more like copper-colored than the light yellow he remembered, his honey eyes looked different too, tending more towards golden now, he was also more muscular now than what he was this morning when he last looked in the mirror. Ethan didn¡¯t go to the gym but he was a bit athletic since he liked to ride his bike and play soccer, due to such activities he had a lean body, not skinny but also not fat, he considered he had an average body. But now, he had muscles, it wasn¡¯t the bulky body of a bodybuilder, but a strong body like one of those fitness models he had seen on TV.


    ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Ethan scratched his head and dropped on his bed, all of this was just too strange and he didn¡¯t want to think about it. Every time he tried to make sense of the situation it just got weirder, and if he thought about it he would undoubtedly get sad and sorrowful, so he unconsciously kept distracting himself with banal stuff.


    He sat up on the bed and put on the shirt, it was light blue with black letters spelling ¡®Cooler than you¡¯ with two ice cubes next to the words and a white snowflake on the back.


    Ethan stood up, thinking of going to the kitchen and grasp some snack when he suddenly felt the world shake.


    He froze at the disturbingly familiar sensation, it was the same as that time, when everyone died, when The Rifts appeared and killed everyone.


    Ethan trembled uncontrollably as he once again felt everything around him freeze in time as space cracked. He was scared, will he die now, like everybody else?


    His room vanished like a mirage around him, and Ethan found himself in a strange space, surrounded in all directions by freakish crystals that twisted and changed position, shape, and direction as they swirled around him in a multitude of colors that he didn¡¯t even know existed.


    It was horribly disorienting, he felt like throwing up despite having nothing on his stomach, he felt a pressure crushing him from all directions, he couldn¡¯t do anything to fight back.


    ¡°Kid, come with me.¡±


    A serene voice spoke to him in the middle of this weird place, and Ethan saw a flash of light in the distance, it must have been closer than what he thought initially because in an instant the figure in the light was next to him.


    Or maybe it was just that fast to cover the distance in less than a second.


    Ethan felt something cover him and the pressure was gone along with the disorienting feeling. The figure let go of him and Ethan noticed he was on the roof of his house. Now that he was again standing on firm ground he could take the time to look at what had taken him out of that strange space of twisting crystals, just remembering that gave him a headache.


    Ethan turned around and stood agape when he saw what was next to him, a giant golden-crimson bird floated with its wings extended over almost 10 feet in length, a magnificent crest of colorful feathers was on its head, it had long and sharp talons that looked like they were made of pure gold, and a long tail shone with a deep but soft light behind it.


    Somehow the bird seemed to be made of flesh, light, metal, and crystal, all at the same time.


    The plumage was like a crystal sculpture, ending in semitransparent tips that seemed to blur out of existence but it certainly was alive and breathing.


    ¡°Calm down, child. I mean no harm to you¡±


    The bird, no, the Phoenix spoke with a calm, melodious, and soothing voice. It made Ethan feel secure and calm, that voice gave him a warm feeling inside, as if everything would be fine.


    ¡°What are you?¡±


    Ethan managed to blurt out.


    ¡°A fair question. But you might not be ready to know the full answer to that question. My name is Navin Lakar, I have come here to check on the state of this world and try to help its inhabitants.¡±


    The Phoenix spoke with his melodious voice while looking directly at Ethan¡¯s eyes, Ethan felt like his whole being was exposed; as if his soul was being watched and scrutinized by those blue eyes that were deeper than the ocean.


    Then the Phoenix looked to the sky while he continued speaking.


    ¡°This world is damaged, its time axis is broken and now there¡¯s only one Lone Survivor in it, it¡¯s separating from the stream of time and the souls here can¡¯t even enter reincarnation anymore. It¡¯s in a very fragile state, so much that it could be turned into nothing any moment soon.¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­ do you know what happened here? Do you know why everyone died!?¡±


    Ethan asked loudly. if this strange being could answer his questions, he wanted to find out, he needed to know what happened.


    ¡°Yes, but it is complicated to explain, you lack the necessary knowledge to fully understand. I will try to explain it in a simple but not fully accurate way, is it okay with you?¡±


    Ethan silently nodded


    ¡°The cosmos is currently undergoing a Cataclysm, an event that brings destruction and chaos across all realms. There are many factors that caused this, but the most direct ones are the death of the Divinities that ruled many aspects of the cosmos, and the breaking of the Seal of the Cosmos that was placed eons ago by the Sovereign of the Gods. Your world was affected by it and suffered a backlash, resulting in its current broken state.¡±


    Ethan tried to make sense of what Navin the Phoenix was telling him


    ¡°So¡­ the gods are real, or rather were real and now they are dead, and because they are dead the universe is in chaos?¡±


    Ethan asked carefully, trying not to sound stupid when he said those crazy words out loud.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the case, and it¡¯s not just one universe, a whole cumulus of universes is affected, the multiverse is experiencing the Cataclysm.¡±


    Navin answered and continued to explain with patience to Ethan, who had a pale face right now upon listening to the magnitude of the situation.


    ¡°Then how did this happen?¡±


    ¡°War.¡±


    The Phoenix said with a solemn voice.


    ¡°War? You mean the gods went to war against something and fought each other to death?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s stupid! What kind of idiot goes and just kill each other!? A whole race was exterminated, and now even bystanders are affected by their war! How could they be so irresponsible, why did they do that? What were they fighting for!?¡±


    Ethan was exasperated, he was furious at the gods for messing with him.


    it¡¯s their fault that everyone died, all for their stupid war, those selfish bastards just went and killed themselves and fucked up the world.


    Ethan now found out who was responsible for his current situation, of course, it was just what Navin was saying, but right now he had no other answer and something about Navin made him feel like he was speaking the truth, it might be a trick, but Ethan would think about such things later.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°We fought for freedom, to be able to advance to higher realms of existence, to continue on our own personal paths. Also, the Gods are not a race, but a designated name for a group, a denomination for beings of any race, gender, age, and origin that fulfill certain criteria. There were Divinities who opposed to letting others ascend higher than the Realm of the Gods, so it naturally led to conflict among factions, it¡¯s also not like we wanted to kill each other but it was a consequence of battles of such level, no one expected such a Cataclysm to happen either, it was provoked by the violent breaking of the Seal of the Cosmos at the end of the war.¡±


    Navin once again explained calmly, his eyes were profound as he recalled the cause of the war and the events that followed.


    ¡°We? So you also fought in this war? Are you a God too?¡±


    Ethan asked, this huge Phoenix certainly looked powerful and supernatural, and if it knew about an event such as a war between gods, then it seemed natural it was some kind of divinity, maybe a minor deity who survived the war by chance.


    ¡°Yes, I fought in the war, not only that, I won the war and the majority of the divinities died by my hand. But I am not a God like those who ruled over aspects of reality and forces of the cosmos, although I am certainly at the level of Divinity, even a bit above that.¡±


    Ethan could swear he saw Navin smiling lightly as he answered the question.


    Not a god, but at the level of gods, he killed gods and won, is he¡­?


    ¡°No, I am not a Devil, those guys are another race mostly extinct long ago, I am an Ascender, that means I am an immortal cultivator who rose from the mortal realms all the way to the higher planes of existence, up to the Divine Realm.¡±


    Navin answered as if reading Ethan¡¯s mind, he had been one of the worst enemies in the history of the demon race and he had slain their top powerhouses long ago, but there was no need to tell that to Ethan, at least not now.


    ¡°What is your name, kid? I already told you mine.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s, Ethan, Ethan Bhreg, nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you too, Ethan. I wish we could have met in happier circumstances and a less chaotic time.¡±


    Ethan made a rueful smile upon hearing Navin¡¯s words, he was partly at fault for his current situation, even if he didn¡¯t do any damage directly nor with intention.


    Is that why he said he wanted to check on the state of this world and help its inhabitants?


    Ethan didn¡¯t feel like blaming and yelling at Navin, such a heated discussion could wait until later, he didn¡¯t want to fight with the only person¡­ bird¡­ well, sentient being around.


    ¡°Ethan, I want to propose something to you.¡±


    ¡°Um? What is it?¡±


    ¡°It is not safe for you to be in this world anymore. It will gradually stagnate until it is entirely frozen in time, and you as the only intelligent living being around will be consumed by it. Microorganisms such as bacteria, plants and small animals around this world are already dying at a rapid pace as we speak, soon you won¡¯t even have air to breathe. You are right now like the only hot flame in a world of cold ice and you don¡¯t have the strength to sustain yourself in such environment, this world will suck the life out of you.¡±


    Navin said with a serious tone of voice staring at Ethan.


    ¡°What, seriously? Is it so urgent?¡±


    Ethan was astonished by what Navin said, he hadn¡¯t even thought about what to do for dinner, now he was told he needed to get out of the world or he would die.


    So he must go to another universe, what kind of place would it be?


    ¡°There are many things to discuss, Ethan, but yes, it is urgent for you to get out of here. So this is my proposal to you: I will explain some things to you now and then I¡¯ll take you out of here to another universe, we can grab anything you want from your world and I will provide whatever you need to live in the new world. But there¡¯s also something you need to do if you want my full help. It¡¯s also the reason I explained all these things to you instead of just knocking you out and sending you to another world. It is very important, so please consider it seriously before answering whether you will comply or not.¡±


    Ethan was silent for a few seconds before answering Navin.


    ¡°Tell me then, what is it that you want from me?¡±


    Navin¡¯s figure was enveloped in light and sifted into a human form, a tall young man with short wavy brown hair and blue eyes wearing a robe that reminded Ethan of the clothes scholars of oriental countries used in his world.


    Navin, now in human form, spoke with a smile.


    ¡°I want you to become my disciple, and learn to cultivate energy in order to become immortal.¡±


    Ethan was astonished upon hearing such a thing, it took him a minute to close his mouth and nod his head.


    <hr>


    World of Yirlifa, Northern Continent Mengha.


    The country that rules one third of the continental territory on the western side, the mighty Kingdom of Likia, a land of warriors who cultivate the energy of the world in their bodies and control the elements, their royal family rose to prominence by being able to wield multiple flames of great power with their mystic arts, they are constantly at odds with the other 4 countries of the Northern Continent due to Likia¡¯s expansionist mindset.


    In the southwestern coast of the country, a small orb of light appeared without any sound, a teleportation performed without disturbing the surrounding space.


    The orb shines with a light of many colors, appearing as a glazed sphere that refracted the light of the moon while surrounded by a golden aura.


    The orb quickly changed its shape, until it took the appearance of a tiger, taller than most adult humans at a height of 2 meters while walking on four legs, it was 6 meters long, its legs were sturdy, and walked with grace, giving off a feeling of indomitable might.


    The tiger¡¯s eyes were sharp and seemed to pierce space disregarding any concept of distance as it looked around, more than evaluating its surrounding environment, it seemed to be analyzing the world itself.


    ¡°Hmm, this is a fine world, it has interesting energies in it. It doesn¡¯t seem to be suffering from a physical destruction from the cataclysm, then this world¡¯s tribulation will not be a direct one, eh? This place was restrained by the chains of the Divinities, so now it¡¯s flourishing at a high pace.¡±


    The tiger mused in a deep voice. He had a grin on his face, showing sharp teeth.


    ¡°ThePractitioners from this world will notice it soon.¡±


    The tiger finished examining the state of the world and turned its head towards the East.


    ¡°Well, something interesting seems to be happening there.¡±


    The tiger leaped off the ground at high speed and disappeared without a sound.


    <hr>


    In a small village near the coast of Likia Kingdom, a trial was in session.


    The courtroom had a wooden floor made with dark planks, white walls that were worn out due to poor maintenance, and a light gray ceiling.


    A judge sat behind a raised desk, behind him the plain green and gray city flag and the national flag of the Likia Kingdom, a proud golden eagle spreading its wings with three flaming tails of red, blue, and green flames on a black background, stood on poles.


    There were seats for a small audience near the entrance of the courtroom but no jury box.


    In the center of the room knelt a chained girl, she had scars all over her body, huge burns on her hands and feet, a disheveled short hair and dressed in dirty rags.


    Aina wept quietly while she awaited the judgment, the cold stares from the people around felt like daggers stabbing her, she was scared, she was in pain, and she didn¡¯t comprehend why this was happening to her, it was too much for a 12-year-old girl to bear.


    But she could do nothing to stop it, she already knew the result, she would be sentenced to death and executed, treated as a witch and shamed for all eternity.


    Her mother had tried everything she could to appeal to the judge and the people, she testified in her favor, she advocated for calling a doctor of one of the bigger cities to help understand the situation, but it was to no avail as they all disregarded her opinions and even threatened to kill her too as the mother of the witch.


    And as expected, Aina was found guilty of ¡äbeing an evil witch conspiring to curse the village¡ä.


    ¡°We hereby sentence you to death. You will be executed tonight at 9 p.m., one hour from now. Guards, take her to the plaza for public lapidation!¡±


    The judge disdainfully said.


    ¡°No!! Please, have mercy, she¡¯s just a child!!¡±


    A woman¡¯s cry was heard from the back of the room. Aina¡¯s mother, Maria, tried to get closer.


    One of the guards briskly pushed her back and shouted at her to behave.


    But she couldn¡¯t stay silent, she knew her daughter was no witch, Aina was a sweet and honest girl, she would never hurt anyone on purpose.


    What happened a couple of days ago was an accident that none of them fully understood, but the ignorant townspeople just got scared and went around blaming her for the tragedy, they said she was cursed and if they didn¡¯t get rid of her the entire village will be cursed and destroyed.


    Aina had suffered from pains in her body since she was little, sometimes she trembled a lot and recently it had gotten worse, but it had never been like what happened 2 days ago.


    In the middle of one of Aina¡¯s seizures she fell to the ground trembling, she started screaming and lightning fell from the sky towards her, upon hitting her the lightning had dispersed, burning many of the bystanders who were around Aina.


    It hadn¡¯t been her fault, one could not control lightning and will it to fall from the heavens, such a thing was under the will of the Gods.


    But that was precisely the issue, the people from the village had deemed the event as a judgment from the gods, they thought the lightning was a sign that she must be killed, and her resistance to it was attributed to an evil spirit protecting her.


    It was an absurd accusation, but the superstitious people could not be reasoned with, and so she was quickly sentenced to die, she would be publicly executed in the center of the village.


    Maria was desperate, she didn¡¯t know what to do to save her child.


    Maria was just a cook in a small restaurant, she didn¡¯t have money to call for a doctor in a big city nor the influence in the village to make the others listen to her.


    She ran to her house as the guards took Aina away, she could not legally help Aina, so she would do it illegally, she didn¡¯t have money to hire mercenaries or to bribe the guards to help her escape. She knew she was weak, but she had to do something, even if she dies she will not let her daughter die.


    There was no time to think rationally, no way to reach a peaceful conclusion, only death awaited Aina if nothing was done.


    So she ran.


    She grabbed everything that could be of a little value in her house on a bag, what little money she had saved and food for a couple of days, she grabbed 2 big cooking knives and put them in her belt, then ran to the back and took an old hatchet that she used to cut firewood.


    She grabbed everything and headed to the door, the bag was a little heavy¡­


    Maria stopped for a moment and the weight of the situation hit her, it crushed her with a sense of powerlessness.


    What was she doing? She was only one weak woman, she was no warrior, she had somewhat strong arms from a lifetime of work but there was no way she could trade blows with a soldier or the Village Watch.


    How would she rescue Aina?


    Could she fight the guards and the people present on the public execution? No.


    Would she be able to run away with Aina even if she won? No.


    Would she be able to escape pursuers? No.


    Could she even get rid of the shackles that keep Aina chained? No.


    No, no, no, and no. She couldn¡¯t do anything, she was weak, she was useless.


    Then, will she only powerlessly watch as her only daughter is killed right in front of her?


    NEVER!!


    Maria shook and bit her lips so hard that she drew blood.


    She will not just stand by, even if she was powerless to stop them, she would still stand and fight for her daughter, and she would die protecting her, fulfilling her duty as a mother.


    Maria dropped the bag on the floor, its weight would only hinder her in the fight.


    She strode outside her house with only her hatchet and two knives.


    She doesn¡¯t plan to return, she no longer has hope.


    If her daughter was fated to die tonight, then Maria would walk by her side to the afterlife.


    But the people of the village would pay with blood for that.


    <hr>


    Aina stood bound to a large wooden stake, a multitude of people had gathered in the biggest plaza at the center of the village, some were here to watch, while others were here to participate in the public lapidation, they were here to throw of stones at her.


    None showed pity for her.


    Some people had died in that incident 2 days ago, here were their friends and families, they wanted revenge for their dead, they were pointing all that anger and grief to her.


    She was the scapegoat for their loss.


    Aina raised her head and looked at the night sky, the stars were beautiful in the distance, far more beautiful than the angry torches that lightened the plaza.


    ¡°Now, begin!¡±


    Someone in the crowd yelled.


    Someone threw the first stone at her, it missed.


    Then a second stone was thrown, it hit her lightly on a leg.


    The third stone hit her head, and she felt the pain as blood started to run down her forehead.


    One man raised his arm with a stone gripped on his hand, just when he was about to throw it, he felt a sting of pain on his back.


    The man screamed and turned around as he dropped the stone, behind him was Maria with a hatchet in her hands.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    The villager didn¡¯t get a chance to finish his sentence as Maria swung the hatchet and cut him on the neck.


    The people around watched stunned as Maria killed the man, but some started to quickly react and tried to grab her.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing!?¡±


    ¡°Maria has gone crazy!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the mother of the witch, she is a witch too!¡±


    ¡°Kill her, she murdered Bob, stone her too!¡±


    ¡°Kill her!¡±


    The villagers raised their voices one after the other, many tried to grab Maria but she kept madly attacking them with the hatchet, she managed to cut many of them and crossed the crowd to stand in front of Aina.


    Then the villagers started throwing stones at her too, this time many villagers threw stones, there was no hesitation, only anger.


    Maria was hit on the face, arms, shoulders, and head by the stones.


    ¡°Mom! No! stop, stop! Mom, run, please!¡±


    Aina saw her mother getting wounded in front of her, she screamed at her, but it was no use, the villagers would not stop attacking and Maria would not stand aside, it was only a matter of time until she was killed.


    Tears ran down her cheeks as she watched powerlessly, tied to the stake, as her mother was stoned to death while defending her.


    Aina felt despair, sadness, and pain as she closed her eyes, unable to watch anymore.


    And then she felt it.


    The familiar sensation that had caused her so much pain through the years of her life, it felt as if a thousand ants were crawling under her skin, moving along her veins.


    It always started at some place inside her, but she could never pinpoint the exact origin, it seemed to move all over her body, she felt unpleasant and itchy when it was mild, but it could be very painful sometimes, and she would get spasms and fever.


    But ever since 2 days ago, it had become even worse. She felt something burning at her from the inside, wishing to be let out, she clenched her fists as she felt the burning spread from her chest towards her arms and hands, it hurt a lot and she couldn¡¯t withstand the pain, she screamed as she felt electricity coursing through her body out of control.


    ¡°Haaahhhh!!!¡±


    Aina screamed in pain and Maria turned to check on her, thinking one of the villagers had hit her with a stone, she saw her daughter convulsing while arcs of electricity covered her body and jumped up and down around her.


    Maria was surprised. She didn¡¯t know the principles of electricity, but she was familiar with the lightning in the sky when there were storms and rains. But such things were seen high in the clouds, why or rather how were they around Aina¡¯s body?


    Maria got closer to Aina but was hit on her head and fell to the ground as she heard the villagers scream again.


    ¡°The witch is doing something, stop her!¡±


    The scared people started to throw more stones and even pieces of wood towards Maria and Aina, intent on killing them faster.


    Maria struggled to stand up, she had lost her hatchet and one of the knives during the fight just now, she gripped the last one tightly.


    ¡°It is certainly scary to die. But it¡¯s not a big deal compared to the fear of losing you. If I don''t do everything in my power to help you, I wouldn''t be able to keep on living with that regret for the rest of my life.¡±


    Maria muttered towards Aina as she turned to face the villagers one more time. She felt it was likely the last time.


    No matter how hopeless this battle is.


    No matter how much I will be shamed and wounded in public or show an unsightly figure, I can¡¯t abandon her.


    I won¡¯t abandon my daughter.


    Maria raised her hand with the knife in front of her and noticed the many wounds around her body but didn¡¯t do anything to try to stop the bleeding.


    She won¡¯t forsake her daughter.


    Even if it was the judgment of gods and men, she didn¡¯t care.


    There was only one thing that mattered: her daughter needed her.


    So she would fight until her death, to gain even one more second for her daughter.


    Maria knew she couldn¡¯t win, but even so, no, precisely because of that, she must fight, to be a worthy mother in the last moments of her life.


    Her vision darkened, and all noise around seemed distant, her legs lost strength, she saw arrows approaching her at high speed, and she waited for the end.


    But it never came.


    ¡°What a courageous woman. Don''t worry, you and your daughter are safe now.¡±


    One deep voice boomed throughout the plaza, rising above all other sounds.


    Suddenly, the pain was gone, and hope bloomed again.


    As a tiger roared and lightning fell from the heavens.

 Chapter 3: Electric Girl

    Maria heard a voice that carried immeasurable power with it, the voice said she and Aina were safe, and she believed it. There was just no way to contradict that voice.


    She saw the villagers panic and tremble, the arrows one of the villagers had shot towards her were turned into dust. A wave of warmth entered her body and all her wounds disappeared as if they had never been there.


    ¡°Worthless people trying to end a life only because they do not understand her. Pathetic, that¡¯s why scum like this can only crawl in the ground envying the glory of greater beings.¡±


    Maria turned around toward the voice, it came from behind her, right were Aina was. She opened her eyes wide when she saw the source of the voice. A giant tiger stood in the air above Aina¡¯s stake, overlooking the plaza as a monarch overlooking his subjects.


    The tiger put one of its paws on top of Aina¡¯s head and her scream ceased, Maria¡¯s heart skipped a beat as Aina stopped moving, and then sighed in relief as Aina looked towards her with a smile.


    However, the lightning around her became even more intense, the wind started to blow strongly and clouds gathered in the sky.


    Lightning cracked both in the heavens and the earth, thunderclaps filled the village.


    ¡°Do you feel better now, little girl? Please stay still, you can embrace your mother in a minute, be a little patient.¡±


    The tiger spoke softly to Aina as he cut the ropes that bound her to the stake.


    ¡°Y-yes! Thank you!¡±


    Aina¡¯s first instinct was to run to hug her mom, the person behind her seemed to have read her mind. She hadn¡¯t turned around to look so she hadn¡¯t noticed it was a tiger, not a man who was speaking to her.


    ¡°Close your eyes, and focus on the feeling inside you, make sure to remember the sensation.¡±


    The tiger instructed her and she obeyed silently.


    The pain in her body was gone, and the sensation of fiery ants running through her veins and under her skin had changed to a pleasant feeling. It was now like running water, soothing the pain in her body, the raging lightning inside her was now under the control of a firm hand, guiding it through the correct path, making it build instead of destroying, strengthening and healing instead of hurting.


    She immersed in the feeling as she noticed the lightning flowing through her, she didn¡¯t know it, but she was entering a state of enlightenment right now.


    ¡°Madame, your daughter is in a delicate state right now, please stay back.¡±


    The tiger said to Maria as she tried to approach him and Aina, despite the lightning flying in the air around the two.


    ¡°Please, save her! I don¡¯t care what happens to me, just save Aina, I beg you!¡±


    Maria fell to her knees and put her head to the ground, kowtowing to the mighty spirit in front of her, it was the only real hope of her daughter surviving, she was certain of it.


    She didn¡¯t care what this supernatural tiger was, whether it was a spirit, a monster, a demon or a god was irrelevant so long as Aina could be safe.


    ¡°I offer you everything I have, everything I am, my life, my body, and soul! Please, save my daughter!¡±


    She didn¡¯t care what price he might ask of her. If it would keep Aina safe, she will do anything.


    The tiger seemed a bit surprised by her words, it looked at her for a couple of seconds before speaking with a light chuckle.


    ¡°You really are a courageous woman, and a splendid mother.¡±


    The tiger raised his head to the sky and roared.


    ¡°My name is Navin Lakar. I swear upon my name, this girl, Aina, will be safe now, she will not die tonight and no harm will fall upon her, be it from men or gods, I will protect her.¡±


    As if challenging his words, a huge lightning fell from the center of the storm above, but it broke in the air as if hitting an invisible dome above Navin, the dispersed lightning was then absorbed by him.


    Maria trembled after listening to Navin¡¯s words, and tears flowed endlessly from her eyes.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you.¡±


    She raised her head to look at the scene unfolding before her eyes but remained on her knees in front of Navin and Aina.


    The villagers were terrified, a huge tiger-like monster had appeared to protect the witch and her mother had sold her soul to it in exchange for saving her daughter¡¯s life.


    Lightning was falling from the heavens to punish the evil spawn, but the demon was strong and kept protecting her, the most worrying thing was that the lightning started to fall into other places, not only around the plaza but the whole village, starting fires in many houses and farms.


    The scared villagers started to kneel and pray to ask for the gods¡¯ protection, but it was to no avail, with each passing second the lightning got stronger and more destructive, burning not only the houses but also the villagers.


    ¡°Evil monster! This is your doing! Get away from this village, and leave us alone!¡±


    The village chief yelled but was ignored completely.


    Lightning continued to fall, and one of those hit him and burned him to a crisp, the villagers kept screaming, praying and dying.


    Maria watched all this stupefied, this exceeded anything she had ever seen in her whole life.


    <hr>


    Navin continued to watch over Aina and helping her channel her energy appropriately through her body to cultivate and manipulate her energy. He was also protecting her mother, the tribulation had been triggered by the awakening of her special physique, she was born with an extremely high affinity with lightning, to the point of making heavenly lightning react to her.


    However, there was no one who could guide her on the process of learning to control her powers in this remote village, and she had been all her life suppressing her abilities, resulting in the lightning energy in her body hurting her.


    Now that Navin was personally supervising her awakening, success was guaranteed as he used his own energy to show her his own secret way of channeling Qi, he was already thinking of taking Aina as a disciple, and taking this chance to teach her was very useful, since she was in a state where her perception was enhanced many times.


    He was also sending the heavenly lightning that fell from the heavens towards her, to help her absorb it and make it part of her own power. This was the most beneficial for her.


    ¡°You can let loose, Aina. Don¡¯t worry about anything, your mother is safe and the villagers can¡¯t hurt you. You don¡¯t have to hold back or clench your fists to trap your energy, let it run free, free but under your guidance, free but not wild.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Navin spoke to Aina as she was deep in her enlightenment, his voice resounded with power and sent his message towards her soul.


    ¡°You are the ruler of your power. Don¡¯t fear it, don¡¯t trap yourself worrying about the opinions of those ignorant villagers, the stars in the heavens never worry about the opinions of the bugs crawling in the mud.¡±


    He kept on talking as he reduced the influx of his energy inside her, letting her take control, guiding her energy with her own willpower.


    Inside her mind, Aina recalled her life.


    When she was little and her talent started to manifest, Aina showed her friends that she could make sparks flying from her hands, the kids got scared and called her a freak, she cried and stopped using her ability. This was the start of her self-imposed torture, as she resisted her innate talent and fought it back trying to get rid of it, that was when she started to close her hands to trap the lightning flowing through her.


    Aina recalled her life in the village as she grew up, all the times she saw the people around her looking at her with eyes full of fear, resentment, anger, and disdain. Looking at her as a freak because of her condition.


    Only her mother cared for her and looked at her with eyes full of love, hugging her each time she was in pain, even as Aina sometimes accidentally let the electricity flow out of her body, her mother never let go.


    ¡°Do not let the words of mortals bind you, such things are not meant for you, their rules and laws can¡¯t tie you down. Only you choose what to do and what path to follow, only you can choose what affects you. They wouldn¡¯t understand you, they simply couldn¡¯t do it even if they tried, because you are something beyond their knowledge and comprehension. They feared you and called you dangerous because you were out of their control.¡±


    That¡¯s right, they called her a witch and decided to kill her, despite her mother¡¯s cries, despite all her pleas they still hurt her mom as she stood to defend Aina.


    ¡°The villagers didn¡¯t understand you, and from now on, they will not have control over you, now you are free.¡±


    Navin¡¯s voice echoed inside her mind and soul.


    He asked the essential questions she needed to answer for her full awakening.


    ¡°Do you know who you are?¡±


    Yes, I know who I am, I am Aina Ranaborak


    ¡°Do you know what you are?¡±


    Aina looked inside herself and she knew the answer immediately, it was so simple, it was her own nature, her essence, who she really was deep down in her soul.


    She opened her eyes.


    Navin let go of her and took a step back, letting her face the end of the storm by herself, he knew she would succeed.


    She already had her answer.


    ¡°I am lightning!!¡±


    Aina raised her voice with a thunderous roar as Heavenly Lightning descended upon her, and she pushed back at it with her own lightning, coming from the core of her soul, her true nature, finally unleashed, she absorbed the lightning from the heavens and made it hers, then she threw her own lightning towards the center of the storm above.


    With a loud boom, the storm exploded. A final giant lightning gathered and descended, turning the village into a giant scorching crater on the ground.


    The tribulation ended and silence returned to the night.


    Standing in the air above the smoking ground, Navin, Aina, and Maria looked at each other.


    Navin moved them to a hill a few kilometers away from the crater, once they landed, Maria hugged tightly Aina, they cried and laughed while holding each other, they were saved, the village was gone, but so long as they had each other, everything would be okay, they would face anything together as a family.


    Navin stood silently at one side, a few meters away from them, giving them time to vent their emotions.


    Maria was the first to calm down, she gave a light kiss on her daughter¡¯s forehead and led her by the hand in front of Navin.


    They both kowtowed in front of him.


    ¡°Thank you, great spirit, for your benevolence and benefaction.¡±


    Maria said with her forehead touching the ground.


    ¡°Thank you, great spirit, for saving me and my mother.¡±


    Aina said from the same position as her mother.


    ¡°Please, stand up.¡±


    Navin said with a slight smile.


    Mother and daughter raised their heads and saw that the tiger had transformed into a young man wearing exquisite purple clothes of a quality they had never seen, he was like an emperor, standing with both hands behind his back with a confident smile on his face, as if everything that existed was grasped in the palm of his hand, as if the mysteries of heaven and earth were open and bare in front of his eyes.


    There was justsomething about him, a certain weight to his presence. Maria had a strange sensation when she looked at him. She had the impression that this person in front of her was like pure power taking a human form, as if within his body were contained large mountains and oceans, as if the stars of the night sky were shining within his eyes.


    ¡°A pleasure to formally meet you, my name is Navin Lakar. I am an immortal cultivator.¡±


    Navin spoke with a serene but firm voice, his tone was steady and projected confidence without seeming arrogant. He cupped his right fist with his left hand and bowed slightly to them in greeting.


    ¡°Ah, we are honored to meet you, Lord Navin. I am Maria Ranaborak, this is my daughter Aina Ranaborak.¡±


    ¡°Madame, you can just call me Navin, there is no need to be overly formal.¡±


    Navin moved his hand and two streams of light covered Maria and Aina, new clothes covered their bodies, the old clothes had been damaged during the previous fight and the Lightning Tribulation.


    ¡°No, how could I address you in an informal way? You are our savior, rather, it is me who does not deserve to be called ¡®Madame¡¯, I am but a simple cook in the village.¡±


    Navin laughed lightly upon seeing the flustered Maria.


    ¡°You faced a whole village and fought them to protect your daughter, and you did it without hesitation, prepared to die. Such courage and unyielding love, it is worthy of my sincere respect.¡±


    Navin sincerely praised Maria for her courage in defending her daughter. He then looked towards Aina and smiled.


    ¡°You have a great mother, be sure to be nice to her, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I definitely will do it!¡±


    Aina answered with a red face.


    ¡°Aina, I have a proposal for you, please think about it carefully before answering.¡±


    Navin walked forwards and crouched in front of Aina before he started to explain.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know, but you possess a very special body constitution, a physique with an extreme affinity towards lightning, so it is very beneficial for someone who practices cultivation. I would like to take you as my disciple, to teach you how to control your powers properly and ascend to higher realms of existence. To become my disciple implies that you swear obedience to me, of course not as a slave or servant, but a student must follow her teacher¡¯s instructions faithfully and never betray the trust put on her. You will follow me on my journey and learn my art to carry on my legacy, it also means that you will fight by my side against any enemy that may appear, of course, the same applies for me, as I will protect you, guide you, and make sure you have everything you need to be safe and happy.¡±


    There were a lot of other things that becoming a disciple carried with it, but those were the most important, Navin knew that Aina couldn¡¯t possibly know such stuff, so he explained patiently to her the implications.


    Aina didn¡¯t really need to think about it, it was a great thing for her, even if she would need to fight in the future, that would only be after she had trained and become stronger, so there was nothing to be scared of, as her Master would be by her side to guide and protect her.


    ¡°What about my mom?¡±


    That was the only concern that Aina had, she didn¡¯t want to leave her mother behind. Maria felt a pang of pain and nervousness. Was she going to be separated from Aina? She had been determined to die before, but what she valued above everything else was her daughter safety and happiness. Now that they were both alive, the thought of being separated hurt her deeply.


    And yet, she put a strong front for the sake of her daughter.


    ¡°Aina, you don¡¯t need to worry about me, I will manage somehow, just focus on your training with Lord Navin, as long as you are safe I will be happy.¡±


    Maria hurriedly said to her daughter. She had heard the tales; great Mages and extraordinary warriors who found talented children and decided they had met by fate, thus decided to pass down their knowledge to them. Maria wanted Aina to take this opportunity for greatness, she didn¡¯t want to be a hindrance to her daughter¡¯s success.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, your mom will come with us. She already accepted to work for me.¡±


    Navin said with a playful smile.


    ¡°Really? Mom will come with us?¡±


    Aina was very happy to hear that. Maria was a bit surprised, she didn¡¯t expect for an immortal to take her along just because her daughter had become his disciple.


    Wait, he said I already agreed to work for him?


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Maria realized what he was talking about, indeed, she had offered herself to Navin in exchange for saving Aina back when she thought he was some spirit or demon that she could bargain with. She made a deal with him and she even offered to give her soul to him.


    ¡°You offered, body and soul, remember? Of course, I won¡¯t do any weird thing like abusing you or taking your soul, but working for me as an attendant would suffice, that way you can also travel with your daughter and everyone is happy.¡±


    Navin laughed as both mother and daughter thanked him with tears of joy. No matter what kind of circumstances life had for them, if the pair weren¡¯t together their happiness would be incomplete and Navin was aware of it, so he made this arrangement to make things easier for them.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s leave this place, you don¡¯t need to worry about roof, food or clothes, I will take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Mother and daughter answered with a strong voice, they had no doubt the man in front of them could easily handle their basic necessities and more.


    With a wave of Navin¡¯s hand, the three of them disappeared and started their journey to explore this world.

 Chapter 4: Leaving Home

    ¡°So, what do I do now?¡±


    ¡°You get on your knees and bow your head until it touches the ground, with both of your hands extended a little in front of you with the palms down, this is the act known as Kowtow. Repeat 3 times, this is the ritual of acknowledging a Master.¡±


    Navin and Ethan were speaking on the roof of Ethan¡¯s house, there was no wind around them, even the colors around seemed somehow dull, grayer than before.


    Navin, of course, was unaffected by this, he seemed to have an aura of colors of his own, he looked as if someone had digitally edited a black and white image and added a person on full color to the front.


    Navin stood out like that, contrasting with the world.


    ¡°Hey, are you sure you aren¡¯t a God? That sounds very similar to worshipping deities in temples.¡±


    Ethan said tilting his head a little, this was definitely a show of great reverence, even adoration, kneeling with one¡¯s head touching the ground was beyond simply showing respect.


    Navin had explained to him that accepting a Master in cultivation went beyond having a school teacher, it was more akin to a paternal figure that would guide you, nurture you and protect you while you learn how to stand on your own, Disciples would be owing obedience to their Masters even more than to their own birth parents.


    It was a reciprocal relationship on a very deep level, Masters would pass on their knowledge to their Disciples to carry on their legacy, then the Disciples would advance that knowledge by their own experiences and insights. They would mutually help in further comprehending the cosmos and combine their powers when facing enemies. As they would be immortals, their bond was one for eternity, it was more intricate and meaningful than how it would be for a family of mortals.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a tradition. I didn¡¯t come up with it, and I¡¯m not particularly a fan of formalities and regulations, but it is a very effective way to seal our deal and officially establish a Master-Disciple bond.¡±


    Navin answered while holding his chin with one hand.


    ¡°Will I have to wear clothes like yours?¡±


    Ethan asked one more question taking a closer look at Navin¡¯s robe, it was certainly luxurious and elegant, it had a high quality that was self-evident with just a glance at it. But it was a design that was different from the clothes Ethan was used to wearing, it was from a completely different culture than what he knew. He felt it would be a bit embarrassing to wear clothes with such fashion in the middle of the city.


    ¡°Oh, absolutely.¡±


    Navin answered with a huge grin, he clearly enjoyed seeing Ethan¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ okay.¡±


    Ethan dropped his shoulders and let out a sigh, mentally steeling himself by imagining how he would look with Navin¡¯s robe on him.


    Maybe the clothes weren¡¯t so bad?


    Maybe there would be some girls out there who would like such style, it was a big cosmos, there would obviously be all kinds of cultures out there.


    Wait, what about girls?


    Navin hadn¡¯t said anything about dating or having sexual relationships, he wouldn¡¯t be turning into a celibate monk, right?


    Ethan grimaced, that was not a good thought, and he felt a bit embarrassed of asking that now, he didn''t want Navin to think that he was a perv that only thought about dating and lazing around.


    But that was an important and life-changing matter, so it had to be addressed.


    ¡°Hahahahahahahahahahaha!¡±


    Navin laughedboisterously, the booming sound washing over the surrounding as the waves of the sea.


    The sudden sound made Ethan jump, he turned to stare at this strange potential Master of his as said man laughed carefreely, as if he had heard a hilarious joke. Strangely, Navin''s laughter gave Ethan a sensation of calm and joy, he even felt the desire to laugh too, despite not being sure what Navin found so funny.


    ¡°You are a funny kid. No, Ethan, you don¡¯t need to wear clothes of this fashion style and appearance, what I meant was that you need clothes made this way, with resistant materials and arrays embedded on them to protect you and assist you. Otherwise, you would end up naked when fighting, flying and pretty much any situation that required real use of your powers. Ordinary clothes would turn into dust simply by releasing your aura or launching a spell, not to mention when being hit by another Cultivator¡¯s attack.¡±


    Navin had a huge grin on his face as he spoke to the flabbergasted Ethan, who silently listened to the full explanation.


    ¡°The appearance and fashion of clothes can change at will, this is merely the style most used in the world I visited before coming here and meeting you.¡±


    Navin¡¯s clothes changed in an instant without him making any move, the set of traditional long robe with wide sleeves, pants of silk and leather boots changed into an open black jacket with silver double zipper, pockets on both sides and silver rune-like figures on the sleeves and back, gray shirt with violet wave-like lines on it, dark blue jeans, and black sneakers.


    ¡°This is more like the style of your world, right? How do I look?¡±


    He looked cool.


    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡±


    And apparently, Navin can read minds, which was even cooler in Ethan''s opinion.


    ¡°Yeah, I can. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯m using any power to pry into your mind, it¡¯s simply a consequence of our difference in power. Also, your thoughts fluctuate too much and your emotions are reflected on your face, for someone like me it¡¯s like you are yelling your honest thoughts at the top of your lungs.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ then about the other thing¡­¡±


    Ethan flushed red. Although that was an embarrassing thought, the fact that Navin had noticed it meant he was saved the trouble of speaking it out loud.


    ¡°You mean about dating and sex? No problem, I¡¯m not a celibate monk nor am I part of any religious order with norms or taboos about it, rest assured. I won¡¯t impose restrictions on your private life, and what you do in private only concerns you and those you choose to share it with. However, I expect you to be responsible for your actions, I won¡¯t tolerate any misbehavior or shameful misuse of your abilities. Sinking into depravity is forbidden, of course.¡±


    Navin had a serious face when he said the last part, it was a stern warning for Ethan to not abuse his powers and to not slack on his training.


    So long as Ethan kept his moral compass, Navin would not intervene in his personal affairs.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ethan had heard enough, his doubts were solved and he didn¡¯t have any worry about Navin¡¯s morals.


    He was someone worthy of respect, a man one could look up to and follow in his footsteps with pride.


    This man would be his Master from now on.


    Ethan knelt in front of Navin and bowed his head until it touched the ground, kowtowing to Navin in a show of deference.


    He repeated the action 2 more times and spoke.


    ¡°I acknowledge you as my Master.¡±


    ¡°I accept you as my Disciple.¡±


    Navin nodded and answered solemnly.


    Ethan felt a wave of warmth spread through his body as he stood up. A connection with Navin was formed, it was subtle but strong.


    ¡°Thus the bond is forged, now you are officially my disciple. I welcome you with open arms, my Fourth Disciple.¡±


    Navin held Ethan¡¯s shoulders and smiled.


    ¡°Eh? 4<sup>th</sup>Disciple?¡±


    Ethan let out a surprised voice, there were other disciples?


    ¡°Yes, I have 3 other disciples, well, two of them can be considered to have finished their apprenticeship, the Third Disciple is a young girl I received as a student recently. Don¡¯t worry, you will meet them eventually, I think you will get along well.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    Well, it¡¯s no problem that there were other disciples, it¡¯s not like there would be a fight for succession like in royalties, Navin would always be their Master and they would be each other fellow students, according to Navin it would be like having brothers and sisters helping each other on their path to success, it was collaboration, not a competition.


    Even if some issues would present later, that was a problem for the future, there was no point in worrying about it now.


    ¡°Then Navin¡­ Master, what now? when will we leave and where will we go?¡±


    Ethan asked his teacher, it felt a bit weird to call someone Master, but he thought he would get used to calling him Master before long.


    Now the issue was where to go, a whole new universe was waiting for him,Ethan wondered if his Master already had a destination in mind, it made him nervous, all of this was happening too fast, just yesterday he was an ordinary kid with an ordinary life, now he was going to train to become an Immortal, all of this happened because of that incident with the rifts in space that killed everyone.


    That¡¯s right, everyone is dead now.


    A lonely tear went down Ethan¡¯s cheek as he thought of his parents, his friends and all the people he saw on the street, the horrific scene or their deaths might haunt him for a long time.


    Even now, if he just leaned out of the border of the roof and looked into the distance he would see the bodies of many people dismembered on the streets.


    ¡°I will take care of them.¡±


    Navin said calmly by his side and a wave of red light spread from him, Ethan saw the bodies on the street disappear as the light touched them and then continued to spread beyond his field of vision, even the blood on the ground disappeared.


    What happened to the bodies?


    ¡°I mentioned it before, but this world is messed up on many levels, mainly, it¡¯s time flow is stagnated and the souls of the people here can¡¯t reincarnate, they are trapped in a limbo, frozen in time.¡±


    Ethan paled as he heard that, his parents¡¯ souls were trapped?


    ¡°It is a complicated situation, but it is salvable, their bodies can be fixed and their souls reattached to them, essentially resurrecting them all, which would be impossible if the time flow had continued normally, their bodies have not decomposed and their souls have not entered the cycle of reincarnation, they also have not being destroyed or transported to other realms, I can see that they are frozen in time, unconscious and without pain, so don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Navin explained the situation of the people in Ethan¡¯s world, apparently, they could be saved and turned back to normal.


    But if it were so simple, Navin would have done it already.


    ¡°There is one problem, though. They can¡¯t be saved right now, because this world, even in its currently messed up and broken state, is still undergoing changes, so we need to wait until it stabilizes, once it does, we can fix its Time Axis to make the clock start turning again, then the people will be back to their normal life, and time would not have passed for them at all.¡±


    In other words, they had to wait, for now all Ethan could do was be patient.


    ¡°Then the bodies¡­¡±


    ¡°I gathered them and moved them to a flatland in a corner of this planet. I¡¯m repairing them as we speak, all ten thousand million six hundred seventy-eight thousand two hundred and thirty-one (10000678231) people on this planet besides you, all of those who died on the catastrophe.¡±


    Ethan was astonished by Navin¡¯s words; he was so powerful he could scan the world, teleport people on the other sideofthe planet by the millions and repair their bodies while holding a conversation?


    He was certainly showing a level of power that could only be called ¡®Divine¡¯.


    It was truly impressive.


    ¡°Well, then, I¡¯m done. Over ten thousand million bodies healed and ready to receive their souls back.¡±


    ¡°Master, don¡¯t you mean ¡®ten billion¡¯ bodies?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? No, it¡¯s ten thousand million, it¡¯s a one followed by ten zeroes, a billion has twelve zeroes. That¡¯s basic math, Ethan.¡±


    Ethan looked at Navin with wide eyes, and then remembered there were different naming systems for integer powers of ten in the world, some countries called billion to the multiplication of a million by a million, while others like Ethan¡¯s homeland called billion to the result of multiplying a thousand by million, thus the number of zeroes would be different.


    It was known as Long and Short Scales, respectively.


    ¡°Ethan, how tall are you?¡±


    Navin asked suddenly, the question took Ethan by surprise but he still answered honestly.


    ¡°I was 5 feet with seven inches last time I checked, but I seem to have grown a bit, I think I¡¯m now 5¡¯9¡¯¡¯ tall, but why do you ask that, Master?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡±


    Navin made a strange face upon hearing Ethan¡¯s answer, then he let out a sigh and raised one finger with a smile.


    ¡°Ok, lesson one as a Cultivator: Metric System.¡±


    ¡°That has nothing to do with Cultivation!!¡±


    <hr>


    What felt like a couple of hours later, Master and Disciple stood atop a tall building in the center of the city.


    They had gathered Ethan¡¯s possessions and even went around many stores quickly thanks to Navin making Ethan levitate.


    It was a fun experience, flying in the sky without any machine helping you. Navin had the prudence to tell Ethan about it and gave him time to prepare before casting the flight spell on him.


    It wouldn''t be fun to have a screaming teenager wet his pants because he was suddenlythrown into the air.


    There wasn¡¯t anyone to use any of the things here, be it weapons, food, clothes, books, electronics or medicines, so Ethan wanted to take as much as he could, the mysterious object called Spatial Ring that Navin gave him apparently could store this entire city and more, it just needed a mental command for usage and everything inside it would be perfectly conserved while inside the Storage Space.


    Navin had already told Ethan that he wouldn¡¯t need any of thosethings, but he understood it was something familiar that Ethan could have with him on a foreign world, so he let him take whatever he wanted, it¡¯s not like it would be any trouble to carry all that stuff inside a Spatial Ring.


    The Master looked at his new Disciple with a bit of concern, Ethan had just been through a traumatic experience, Navin was aware of it, so he had been teasing and distracting him with conversation all this time, but it would be a long process for Ethan to truly recover.


    Navin swore to himself he would make sure this child grew up healthy and happy, no disciple of his would be consumed by Inner Demons nor restrained due to trauma.


    Promising to save all the people of this broken world was the first step to give Ethan some peace of mind, at least after Navin''s explanation he wouldn''t see his parents and friends as dead people, but more akin to people in a coma, they were sleeping, waiting for him to wake them up.


    Now Ethan would slowly be healing his mental damage and will have hope of seeing them again in the future, it was a goal to keep him going forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to go, are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks again for everything, Master. It means a lot to me that you are helping the people of this world to recover their lives.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, take it as my first gift to you upon receiving you as an apprentice. Besides I am partly responsible for this situation, helping to mitigate the damage caused by the Cataclysm is the least I can do.¡±


    Ethan nodded after hearing his Master¡¯swordsand watched him transform again into his Phoenix form.


    Navin extended his wings and a bubble of light covered Ethan.


    One flapping of wings later, they both disappeared fromTerganand entered the Void between universes, for one second Ethan saw many lights of different colors moving at high speed around him with a pitch-black darkness as background, then at the nextsecond,he was standing in the middle of a desert.


    It was a very short image, but it was¡­ beautiful.


    Ethan looked around, white sand extended all around him, but a small oasis was close to them, about 200 feet¡­ about 61 meters away from their position.


    Navin, back in his human form, started to walk towards the oasis.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s sit there and relax a bit before starting your second lesson as a Cultivator.¡±


    Ethan grimaced when he heard his Master keep on joking about how learning the stupid metric system had been his first lesson.


    ¡°Okay, Master. Then what is my first lesson on cultivation?¡±


    ¡°Yoursecondlesson is the basic of all basics, the core principle behind channeling energy through your body and the first step into learning how to control any form of energy.¡±


    Navin made a small pause with a grin on his face, he really was enjoying teasing Ethan.


    ¡°One of the keystones of martial arts practice and an essential part of life itself.¡±


    Navin took a deep breath andthenexhaled slowly.


    ¡°Breathing.¡±

 Chapter 5: Breathe in the world

    ¡°Breathing?¡±


    Aina asked while tilting her head.


    She was sitting cross-legged in front of her Master next to a small lake in a forest while eating roasted pork. A couple of meters away, her mother was cooking more. Navin had made a lot of cooking utensils appear out of thin air and he even hunted a wild boar and cooked it for them to eat. He had also given them a lot of spices that were an expensive commodity as if they were cheap and taught them a few dishes.


    Maria was having fun cooking new dishes with new ingredients, she was a very passionate cook, her dream had been to have her own restaurant and be a famous chef, but living in a small village it had been something impossible.


    Navin had mentioned something about Immortal Chefs, and that had made Maria¡¯s eyes sparkle and her heart beat wildly, it was an existence out of her wildest dreams.


    ¡°Yes, breathing. That¡¯s the basis of all practice and the main method of absorbing energy from the world around us. No matter if that energy is Mana, Chi, ¨¦lan, Aura, Spirit Particles, Ether or anything else, the most direct and basic method to gather and absorb it is by breathing. So it is the first thing to learn if you want to cultivate energy.¡±


    Navin explained, he was in his human form sitting cross-legged, there was a whiteboard floating in the air next to him, words and drawings of multiple colors and shapes appeared and disappeared on the board as he spoke, it was in the language of Likia Kingdom, a writing composed on logograms, characters that represent a word or a phrase.


    Maria and Aina didn¡¯t have a high level of education, but they knew how to read and write, basic arithmetic, as well as basic skills for daily life and knowledge such as the history of their country, animals and plants found in the region, and the laws and customs of some cities.


    For complicated words that they didn¡¯t know, Navin used drawings on the board, sometimes even making the drawings move, such a scene fascinated both mother and daughter.


    ¡°Every living organism breathes and takes energy to sustain itself in other forms. Different lifeforms do things differently: plants take nutrients from the ground and water, and they can absorb sunlight, some animals eat plants and there are also animals that hunt other animals for food. Even among the same species, they will do it in many ways, some methods are more efficient than others, and some are specialized for a specific function or purpose.¡±


    The drawings in the board showed plants growing from the ground, a deer feeding from its leaves and then a wolf eating the deer, the food chain was a principle of life known by everyone, even if they didn¡¯t know the full implications and all factors involved in the cycle.


    ¡°Humans naturally know how to breathe, nobody taught you how to do it, a baby does it instinctively. However, I am going to teach you how to breathe in a special way, to take in more than just air, to gather it in a different place than your lungs, to transform it and to channel it through your body, both for storage and for usage.¡±


    In the moving drawings, a person took in light blue lines representing air and exhaled dark blue lines. Navin knew that people transformed oxygen and other gases from air into carbon dioxide, but he wasn¡¯t going to explain chemistry to them, at least not now.


    It was enough for them to know that the air taken in was different from the air taken out, and that a transformation occurred to that air inside the body.


    ¡°What I want you to do, is this.¡±


    Navin said as the images changed again, this time the person was breathing lines of many different colors, inside the body the lines gathered, mixed and changed, then the combined lines circled across the body, and dark lines started to be emitted from points in many places from the figure, not just mouth and nose.


    ¡°When you inhale, take in the elements and energies around you, not just the air for your lungs, take in the heat, the particles of light, the spirits of the world, the Mana points, the fluid Ether and the Qi of the world. Imagine yourself devouring all around you, breathe in the world and make it yours. That¡¯s the picture I want you to have when breathing. Feel the energies that enter your body, gather them inside you and make them circle around your body, then let them out of you while exhaling. The first thing is being able to feel the different energies around. Come on, give it a try.¡±


    Navin continued with his explanation and asked Maria and Aina to begin practicing, breathing while holding the image of devouring the world in their minds.


    Maria had finished cooking already, but she had been carefully listening to Navin¡¯s lecture, he had told her it was fine to listen while she was doing something else, and that he would give lectures every day to both of them, Aina was his Disciple, but Maria will become an assistant to work for him, so they both needed to learn cultivation.


    At least on the basic levels, he would teach the same to both, once they had advanced a little, he would give them separate lessons.


    While only Aina would inherit his Legacy, that is to say, his core arts, secret methods and special techniques as a direct disciple; Maria would also learn cultivation methods from him, but not the same level of secret arts a Legacy Disciple would. He had made that distinction clear for both of them and explained honestly, they had agreed without any complaint.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t teach honestly and properly to Maria, there were plenty of things he could teach to her, and he knew many cultivation methods besides his own secret arts.


    He would also assist Maria in creating her own style of cultivation, something all true powerhouses must do to reach a high stage of power, but he hadn¡¯t told her that yet, it was something for the future.


    ¡°it¡¯s a bit hard to do it, being so conscious about it¡±


    Maria told him as she opened her eyes, there was a moment she thought she was going to cough but she managed to hold it. She didn¡¯t want to do something embarrassing in front of Navin.


    ¡°Yes, it is harder to do, and a bit painful when I take a deep breath and my lungs are full. I get the feeling I want to take more, but can¡¯t. Master, I felt there were some points that moved towards me as I was breathing, what are they?¡±


    Aina also opened her eyes after listening to her mother and confirmed it was harder to breathe when she was purposely doing it, and asked Navin about the small points she ¡®saw¡¯ when she had her eyes closed and imagined herself eating everything around her with a huge mouth.


    ¡°You have already awakened your special physique, so you are more sensitive to the energies around you, especially those with lightning attribute, it¡¯s probably that when you call for the energies of the world, lightning will always be the first to respond, because such is your nature.¡±


    ¡°Ooohhh¡­¡±


    Navin explained with a smile, he was glad Aina was making fast progress and already starting to feel the Qi in the world around her.


    "Don''t be impatient trying to do it at once, it will come naturally to you. Remember to do this breathing exercises every day, whenever you have free time or when you are resting, it must become a habit to breathe this way."


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Navin.¡±


    They finished eating and then continued the practice for an hour, Maria had yet to feel the Qi in the air, but Aina was already gathering it, she made it circle her body following the route Navin showed her during her awakening in the village, the Qi that entered was constantly filtered, until there was only a little amount of it, but this Qi was many times purer than the Qi in the air around her, she kept making it move across her body, feeling a pleasant sensation, her mind felt calm and her body felt more alive than she had ever been.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s stop the lesson for now since it¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s drink some tea to refresh ourselves, we are going to continue traveling in the morning.¡±


    <hr>


    Once they had finished drinking the tea Navin made for them, Navin stood up, raised one hand and moved it in a small circle, a two-story house appeared out of thin air, it was made of wood and stone, it had a brown wooden door and glass windows, reddish walls and a yellow roof. Inside there was a kitchen, 2 bathrooms with shower and bathtub, 5 rooms with beds and furniture on the living room.


    It was a magical object called Traveler¡¯s Cabin, very convenient for magicians who traveled from one place to another and had to camp in the open, although only a powerful magician or a group could use it because it consumed a lot of Mana, for Navin it wasn¡¯t an issue.


    Navin didn¡¯t mind staying in the open, he didn¡¯t even need to sleep anymore, when he rested he meditated, keeping an active mind and never letting his guard down, but Aina and Maria needed to rest, and a comfortable rest was the best.


    Mother and daughter let out voices of surprise when they saw the big house appear before them.


    ¡°Sleep here, you don¡¯t need to worry about anything, I already set up a barrier so no one will find this place, you can explore and use everything inside this house at will, just relax and take a good night rest.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    They entered the house and Navin taught them the basic information about the artifact, showed them the bathrooms, gave them towels and new sets of clothes, then he started walking outside.


    ¡°What about you, Lord Navin?¡±


    Maria asked when she saw Navin leaving the house


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just going to explore this area, Madame. I wonder if I¡¯ll find any interesting things, I¡¯ll also bring food if I find anything good.¡±


    Navin replied with a smile.


    ¡°Have a nice trip.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Maria bowed to Navin and he nodded, he closed the door behind him and disappeared.


    <hr>


    A few kilometers south of the lake where Maria and Aina where resting, 4 people were standing watching a huge crater that used to be a village.


    ¡°The disturbance was so great it was felt in the capital, to think such an event would happen in a faraway village without any importance.¡±


    One of them, a middle-aged man with brown beard said with a surprised expression. He was wearing steel armor and had a wide black cloak covering him.


    ¡°This was obviously caused by a lightning-based attack; you can practically taste it in the air.¡±


    A red-haired woman spoke while looking around, she seemed to be 30 years old and wore a long blue robe and a long purple skirt, she carried a long wooden staff with a crystal sphere in the end and had 3 rings on her hand she was constantly caressing.


    The other 2 men said nothing as they scrutinized the area, one of them packed samples of the soil into ceramic pots, while the other man stored them into a shining box that seemed to be wider on the inside than it was outside.


    ¡°What do you think, Larn? A fight among mages or an experiment that went wrong?¡±


    The bearded man asked the youngest of their team, the one with the shining box.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Cleth. This seems like one huge explosion, not a series of attack, it was definitely lightning-based like Zita said, but I can¡¯t tell what caused it nor the motives behind the attack.¡±


    Larn answered with a serious face, whether it was a group or an individual who did this, they were strong. Many possible explanations for this event crossed his mind: troops from other countries, a monster from the forest, a fight between two strong warriors, an artifact found in ancient ruins. They were all discarded as they didn¡¯t add up to this situation, a backwater village like this wouldn¡¯t have anything of worth, and a fight between warriors would not have caused a natural phenomenon felt all the way to the capital.


    At that moment, the last member of their team, Wequim, spoke while taking a handful of soil into his hand.


    ¡°The ones most likely to have an explanation for this, are those of the Lei Clan.¡±


    He let the dust scatter into the wind as he finished his words.


    ¡°Lei Clan? Do you think they caused this? But why would they destroy a poor village in a corner of the country?¡±


    Cleth turned towards Wequim and asked while scratching his beard.


    ¡°Maybe they were testing a weapon or a new array formation that could manipulate weather to gather lightning and attack?¡±


    Zita offered a hypothesis. Lei Clan was certainly the greatest gathering of experts in Lightning-type arts. Whether it was artifacts, weapons, scriptures, arrays or medicinal plants, everything that had a relationship with the Lightning Element was studied by them, they had a fascination with it. And they were a warrior clan, they definitely had a huge arsenal of Lightning-related weapons and arrays, they were infamous for going to huge lengths in the pursuit of their arts, but they weren¡¯t the type to go around attacking innocent villagers to test it.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean that they caused this, but they are definitely more informed on such matters than us. That strange phenomenon is the key to what happened here, I¡¯m sure they have some records or information about similar events, they might give us new insight to unveil this mystery.¡±


    Wequim shook his head and explained, he proposed to ask an expert of Lei Clan to help with the investigation.


    Their team had been sent from the capital right after the disturbance was felt, but they had enough authority to draw in an external consultant, and Lei Clan was an ally of the Kingdom, they were based on the mountains in the Northeast of the territory, and had acted as Wardens to protect the Kingdom from invasions from the neighboring country Oeria for generations.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go then.¡±


    Cleth consented and took out a card from his pocket, it was a magic artifact for transportation, Cleth threw it to the ground and it grew until it was wide enough for the four of them to ride.


    The card started flying once they were all sitting on it and they left towards the Northeast, in the direction of the Lei Clan.


    <hr>


    A couple of minutes later, a wave of magic power occurred in the clouds above the village, three people floated in the air, each was standing in a magic artifact, Lei Clan had sent stronger experts than the Kingdom, it wasn¡¯t that the Kingdom was weaker or didn¡¯t have the personnel to send here, it was simply that they didn¡¯t attach the same level of importance as Lei Clan did to this event.


    Likia Kingdom viewed the strange phenomenon and disturbance felt as ¡°a supernatural phenomenon to be investigated¡± but they didn¡¯t see it as a threat or an overly important matter. They were curious, but as they didn¡¯t really know its nature, the King hadn¡¯t sent an expeditionary force beyond an investigative team.


    However, the people of Lei Clan knew better.


    They had felt the disturbance and the storm gathering, such a strong natural manifestation of Lightning Elemental Force was something they hadn¡¯t seen before, but they had records about it in their clan, teachings passed down from their ancestors.


    This event had been a Lightning Tribulation, something that occurred when a person manifested a power that perturbed the world, it wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, it was simply that the energies of the world reacted and were gathered due to a cultivator¡¯s advancement to a higher stage of power or when a powerful artifact was created.


    It wasn¡¯t seen as the world trying to destroy the person or artifact undergoing the tribulation, but rather as a beneficial matter, the lightning would help to further perfect the artifacts and purify the body, it was a stabilizing element.


    But right now what they saw wasn¡¯t the consequence of an expert gaining greater power, or an artifact creation, it was an awakening of a special body type, one that was attuned with the world¡¯s lightning.


    They knew it, and they wanted it.


    The Elders and the Head of the Clan had seen the signs in the heavens and used Divination Arts to find out, although they didn¡¯t know the appearance or gender of the person who awakened here, they knew it was somebody young and that person was alive.


    If they could get that person to join into their clan, they would get a very valuable asset, such body constitution would make a genius in lightning arts which were the specialty of Lei Clan.


    Whether it was a boy or a girl, their bloodline would have a glorious future and make them rise to prominence, such a possibility was enough for all the Elders to move, but they needed to be careful about it, no mistake would be tolerated.


    They had to find that person and take them to their clan, no matter the cost. And they would not let this child escape their grasp, even if they had to fight with the Kingdom, the Clan Head had already authorized any method to secure their success.


    So a team of elites had been dispatched immediately, they had even arrived before the Kingdom¡¯s investigators, Lei Clan team had better equipment and higher level members, they had cast a barrier to make themselves invisible when they noticed the Kingdom team¡¯s arrival.


    Moreover, they had a true powerhouse among them.


    The 3 Lei Clan members flying in the sky turned towards the center of the crater. There stood a man that seemed to be 50 years old, he had a stern face, long blonde hair that reached his shoulders and a neatly cut beard, he wore blue and white robes with golden embroidery and a purple cape, he emitted an aura of power, his eyes seemed to contain electric sparks.


    This man was a Magus of Lightning, a true master of mystic arts specialized in wielding the force of the storms.


    The head of the Council of Elders of the Lei Clan, and one of their top 3 cultivators, Artorius Lei, an old monster who had lived for hundreds of years.


    Lei Clan had taken this matter seriously and Artorius had personally volunteered for this task, it was something that could be said to be beneath his station, and he had to temporarily leave his responsibilities in the Clan to come here, but it didn¡¯t matter to him.


    To him, such a precious opportunity for the future of his family outweighed everything else. By the time other influences noticed he had moved, he would be returning to the clan with the child of the special physique.


    However, he was too late, there was no trace of the child in a 30 kilometers radius, he knew it was impossible for a normal person to cover that distance in such short time, even more so for a child.


    Someone had arrived first and taken the child.


    ¡°Expand the search area, check the mountains and then we¡¯ll move to the cities, someone took the child but we will find them soon. It would be easy to recognize a special physique that has awakened recently, and for us who are sensitive to lightning, this child will be obvious even in a crowd. Let¡¯s go, now!¡±


    Artorius thundered to his followers and turned into an arc of lightning, flying fast into the distance


    ¡°Yes, sir!!¡±


    The 3 other members of the team dispersed in different directions to continue searching.


    Likia Kingdom¡¯s team hadn¡¯t noticed the presence of Lei Clan¡¯s team, but neither of them had noticed they were being observed.


    In the distance, Navin chuckled. They had no chance of hiding or noticing his Divine Sense.


    <hr>


    ¡°So there are some people with decent knowledge and decisiveness. But you arrived too late, Lei Clan. She is already my precious 3<sup>rd</sup> Disciple, you can¡¯t take her away.¡±


    Navin stopped watching the Lei Clan people and focused on the thing in front of him.


    He was inside an ancient temple ruin on a mountain range North from the lake where he left the Traveler¡¯s Cabin.


    This was place was occupied by monsters. Usually, it would be noisy inside, due to all the monsters roaming around and fighting each other.


    Now it was silent, and there was no longer any monster inside.


    At the end of the ruins that extended deep into the mountain, in a big room with a shining orb floating atop a pillar with many inscriptions; only a 2 meters tall, 6 meters long white tiger could be found, Navin sat there in his tiger form eating a giant 20 meters long Salamander.


    With every bite, a huge chunk of it would disappear inside the belly of the tiger despite the difference in size, until it was completely devoured.


    Navin moved to the center of the room, grabbed the shining orb with one claw, then opened his jaws and swallowed it whole.


    ¡°To think there are so many Vestiges of the gods in this world, Cores of Dungeons and rite places created by Deities hold great energy, this will help me to recover faster. This old temple was about to overflow with monsters, I guess eating them all also prevented a catastrophe for the people of this land.¡±


    Navin sighed, thinking of all the things he had to do.


    This world had many places with high energy readings, many vestiges from the Gods and strong creatures living in it, it was an interesting world for Navin, and he could also make use of these resources to speed up the recovery of his True Body.


    The Nirmitas he sent to different worlds were Thought-constructs made by his Second Body, they held a fraction of his power and shared a connection to his True Body, he could use them to store energy, fight, explore, and even take things like artifacts, plants and Monster Cores for him.


    2 of those Nirmitas were teaching new disciples; another was hunting monsters in a Dark Plane, eating them to recover energy; the last one was currently traveling towards Navin¡¯s Eldest Disciple.


    Thanks to his True Body keeping the cosmic forces under control, the Cataclysm was kept at bay and full destruction was averted, however, there were many worlds that suffered damage, there were too many things to be done.


    The place where Navin was right now, was actually a tomb of an ancient cultivator, a fallen deity to be exact, a female by the name of Fanniah, she had built this place and left her Divine Spark here in order to recover from damage, but the place had been destroyed some time later and monsters had been feeding on her Divine Spark to grow stronger.


    If Navin hadn¡¯t arrived, the monsters would have consumed the spark completely and then overrun the land outside. There was little hope left for Fanniah¡¯s resurrection.


    Now that Navin had devoured the shining orb that contained her Divine Spark, there was none.


    ¡°Okay, crisis for this land averted, resurrection of low class fallen deity stopped, and monsters buffet dinner finished. Time to go back to Aina and Maria.¡±


    Navin stretched his tiger limbs and then teleported back to the lake. He turned back into human form and sat cross-legged in front of the house.


    He closed his eyes and started to meditate as he waited for the morning to come.

 Chapter 6: Basics

    ¡°Concentrate, move faster.¡±


    Ethan moved forwards and punched the air with his right hand, then stepped to the left and launched an uppercut with his left hand.


    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ ha...¡±


    ¡°Steady your breath, match your timing.¡±


    Ethan inclined his head and threw a downward right elbow strike, he rapidly rotated his hips and torso to throw another elbow strike, this time it was upwards with his left.


    ¡°Master¡­ I need a break.¡±


    Ethan complained as he threw a series of jabs.


    ¡°You will break your hand if you punch like that, correct your fist.¡±


    ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Better, remember to match your breath with your attack, inhale to gather energy, exhale to release it, do it at the same time you throw your punch.¡±


    Ethan continued shadowboxing for a couple of minutes until he completed the set of exercises. He looked towards his Master, he nodded, giving permission for Ethan to grab a bottle of water.


    Navin and Ethan were in the middle of a desert, there was nothing but sand around them. They had been in this place for 3 days and kept walking in some direction looking for something Ethan didn¡¯t know.


    Navin had refused to make Ethan levitate, saying it was necessary for him to learn to use his breathing method while walking, so he had been practicing constantly.


    Ethan was panting heavily, drenched in sweat, he had been practicing for 3 hours, it was a training session that included jumping, running, push-ups, squats and practicing the forms of punching and kicking.


    All the while using a special breathing method, under the hot sun, on a freaking desert.


    Although Ethan had to admit it wasn¡¯t so hot as he imagined, and Navin had made a wooden platform for Ethan to train on.


    Magic was very convenient.


    Every time Ethan stopped breathing the way Navin had taught him, his Master would notice and immediately call him out on it.


    He was very tired and felt every muscle on his body screaming from the exercise, at first it had been very enjoyable, feeling he was in bettershape than he had ever been, but as he reached his limit yet kept going, it had been quite a bit painful.


    ¡°Alright, sit in the shadow and rest, but don¡¯t just lie there on your back, sit cross-legged and steady your breath.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ alright¡­¡±


    Ethan reluctantly obeyed and sat under a huge tent Navin had made.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard at first, but you need to get used to constantly using this breathing method. Can you feel the energies around and inside you more clearly now?¡±


    ¡°Just a little bit more, but I still can¡¯t identify multiple energies, Master.¡±


    Ethan had managed to get a feel for the Qi in the world around him after a whole day of practice, but only a little bit of it and he kept losing track of it, it wasn¡¯t easy to absorb this energy.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this again.¡±


    Navin stood behind Ethan, who was sitting cross-legged, and put a hand on his head, he started channeling Qi into Ethan¡¯s body.


    ¡°Straighten your back and close your eyes, feel the Qi I¡¯m putting into you and observe how it moves in your body, make sure to memorize it.¡±


    Ethan obeyed and focused on Navin¡¯s hand that was on his head, there was a warm sensation extending from it down into Ethan¡¯s spine, and from there it started to expand, traveling across the body in a strange way.


    The Qi moved across his body, stimulated his internal organs, massaged his muscles, expanded his blood vessels and repaired the bruised skin. There was a special rhythm to it; breathing, heartbeat and Qi flow synchronized to heal, cleanse and strengthen the body while calming the mind.


    It was something they did after every training session, Ethan was trying to learn how to do this on his own, his Master said it was an important technique that would help him in many situations and even save his life.


    ¡°You have a strong body, you know? All your meridians are opened and they are wider and more resistant than an ordinary human¡¯s. Your muscles are well-developed and your bones are also stronger than normal, it¡¯s like you had already started cultivating before meeting me.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Really? Well, I exercised a bit riding my bike and playing soccer, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s really more than an ordinary person. Ah, Master, a bike is a small vehicle driven by pedals, it¡¯s made of 2 wheels attached to a metal frame. Soccer is a sport where 2 teams compete kicking a ball to throw it into a net called Goal that¡¯s guarded by the other team.¡±


    Ethan hurriedly explained terms from his world to Navin, if he came from another world he might not know about such things, even if he had traveled across the multiverse there was no guarantee he had been in a similar world who had bikes and soccer. However, his Master just laughed a bit.


    ¡°Ethan, I know what bikes and soccer are, but thanks for the explanation, I appreciate the effort.¡±


    ¡°Had you been in a world like mine before, Master?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there are many worlds like yours, with only one intelligent species dominating the planet and relying on technology due to the absence of magic powers.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cool, what other worlds have you seen?¡±


    Ethan was very curious about Navin¡¯s adventures, during these days they had been on the desert they had talked a lot, and Navin had told many stories to Ethan.


    ¡°I have been in many worlds, some were similar to yours, some were so different you¡¯d struggle to make sense of them, there are worlds that use magic, some have robots, some use tamed monsters to fight. Hey don¡¯t open your eyes, focus on your practice. Like I was saying, there are all kinds of worlds out there, with countless types of people, innumerable species, races, and cultures. Even I haven¡¯t visited them all.¡±


    ¡°Amazing, I wish I could see them all.¡±


    Ethan yearned for those kinds of adventures, visiting many different places and meeting new people, he had grown up listening and watching those kinds of tales in books and movies.


    ¡°Well, you have already started your journey, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I suppose.¡±


    Ethan had a bit of a goofy smile on his face as he laughed with his eyes closed, he realized Navin¡¯s words were true, he had indeed already started his journey across dimensions.


    ¡°Anyways, we had gone out of track. I was mentioning that your body is extraordinary, but you had never felt anything abnormal in you, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, no¡­ at least not until that catastrophe with the cracks and rifts in space.¡±


    ¡°You said the cracks were everywhere except around you, right?¡±


    Ethan had told his story to Navin already, how he had survived while everyone else on the planet was torn to pieces.


    ¡°My guess is that you had a particularly stable body, based on what I can see on you now. That¡¯s what allowed you to stay in place as space cracked around you, you were very lucky. You also said you grew a bit and got more muscular when you fell unconscious in the shower after that event, do you want to know why that happened?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Ethan opened his eyes and turned his head to see Navin, but this time he wasn¡¯t scolded. Navin sat next to him and started to explain.


    ¡°You are the only survivor of your species and even of your whole world. You are a Lone Survivor, which is a very painful title but it¡¯s also very special, it means you are unique and that you carry the weight of the survival of your kind on your shoulders.¡±


    His teacher didn¡¯t have his usual smile right now, he had an austere expression as he looked into the distance, then waved his hand in the air and a diagram appeared in the air.


    ¡°You know the theory of multiple timelines created when one takes a decision or makes an action, right? Countless possibilities spawning from a source, and as many individuals enter the fray, more situations can be formed, some possibilities disappear and also new ones appear. It is in that huge network of possible scenarios that we live our daily lives, taking a path among the infinite ones.¡±


    One line extended downwards and then divided into two lines that continued to expand and divide again, such a process was repeated over and over as Navin continued speaking.


    ¡°You also have games in your world where experience from killing monsters is absorbed by the killer to become stronger, right? That principle also applies to all forms of life in the cosmos, however, it is a bit different, and someone who is not a cultivator would not be able to take advantage of that absorbed life force and ¡®experience¡¯. A mortal killing dozens of people won¡¯t become directly stronger although will have some changes in him, like his mentality and behavior, maybe become a bit more skilled in doing it due to repeated action. But a cultivator will advance by leaps and bounds when killing a strong foe, whether it is another cultivator or a monster. We absorb the energy of what we kill. Even in a fight without death, when our forces clash, we gain insights and greater comprehension on our own path by studying our opponent.¡±


    The lines started to combine back, the huge net that had appeared started to contract as all lines joined into one and continued downward.


    ¡°But what happens when there is only one individual? What happens when there is only one actor left on stage, only one person to hold the potential of his kind? What happens when thousands of millions of people die at the same time and only one person is left? Even if that person didn¡¯t kill them, he is the only living being capable of taking in all that life force and ¡®experience¡¯, so he takes it all in and evolves.¡±


    The single line formed by the combination of the others descended into a human figure and that figure started to shine.


    ¡°One person carrying it all, by the will of the cosmos and the instinctual desire for survival of his species, that person who is the Lone Survivor, now possess an immeasurable potential and becomes the Paragon of his species. That¡¯s what you are, Ethan, and that¡¯s the reason for your change.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    When Navin finished his explanation, Ethan¡¯s eyes and mouth were open wide, it took him minutes to close them.


    ¡°To put it into the terms of those games you told about and loved to play so much, which are very interesting and contain shards of truth about some of the worlds and species in the Cosmos despite none of them actually existing in your world, you are a level 1 character, but you got a massive boost that made your stats rise until they were like those of a level 30 character.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh¡­ so little, doesn¡¯t seem as impressive as when you said it before.¡±


    Navin poked Ethan¡¯s forehead with his index finger and laughed.


    ¡°Greedy kid, you expected to be level 100 or 200? In those games, a character will select jobs and classes to specialize, and its stats will rise differently according to the job/class selected, right? But you didn¡¯t raise your stats irregularly, yours is an overall growth, perfectly balanced. You had unlocked all hidden attributes and possess the capability to learn all Skills. Do you see now? It is by no means a small thing, the ¡®You¡¯ right now is a cheat character starting the game with 30 times the strength of an ordinary person.¡±


    Ethan had once again his mouth agape, Navin extended his hand and closed Ethan¡¯s mouth, then put the hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s another reason why you have to train constantly, to learn how to control your new strength and use your power properly, otherwise you might hurt yourself or cause problems for those around you. I want you to at least learn to restrain and release your strength at will before we get to a city.¡±


    Ethan stood up and inclined his head towards Navin. It wasn¡¯t a proper bow and it was quick, but Navin understood the gesture and felt the honest emotions of Ethan, it was full of gratitude and respect, and a sign that Ethan was seriously reflecting on his actions.


    ¡°Wanna eat a hamburger?¡±


    Navin asked with a huge smile.


    Ethan¡¯s eyes shone like stars when he heard that.


    ¡°Yes, please!!¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Right foot, left foot. As you are moving forward, balance is the key.¡±


    Navin half-sang as he directed Aina in her training, she was practicing moving while holding a fighting stance.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t lower your hands, keep your guard up.¡±


    Navin held two sticks that ended in soft wooden balls, he lightly taped Aina in her head, neck, shoulder and any place unprotected whenever she let her guard down to show her she would be hit by an attack.


    It didn¡¯t hurt, but it was annoying to be tapped by those staves, and she didn¡¯t want to make mistakes. She was a fast learner, but she was still unaccustomed to fighting, 3 days of training could only do so much.


    ¡°Okay, try to attack now, remember your breathing and the stances.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Aina rushed forward, she stepped out with her left foot towards her left, she inhaled as she rotated her hips while raising her right knee pivoting on her left leg, then she extended her right leg and exhaled as her shin made contact with her teacher¡¯s thigh.


    ¡°Excellent, now do it again.¡±


    Navin had made his body softer for the sake of her training, if she hit him as he usually was, it would be like hitting a wall of steel, that would only harm her pointlessly, even if he could heal any wound, there was no need to make an unnecessarily harsh training since they were in no rush for making her stronger.


    He would increase the difficulty as she improved.


    Aina repeated her low kick with her right leg, this time hitting with more strength and taking longer to return to her stance.


    Navin used the pole in his left hand to push and rise Aina¡¯s right leg, making her lose balance and fall to the ground.


    ¡°Good, but remember to be careful of the recoil and make sure to return to your stance after the attack, otherwise you would be left open to your opponent¡¯s counterattack.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master!¡±


    ¡°Do it again, then kick with your left leg.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Aina was quick and decisive in her movements, she had a strong impetus. It wouldn¡¯t be long before she moved towards more advanced forms of combat, like following an attack with another and learning to use a move to create an opening for the next one.


    They kept practicing kicks and footwork until Maria told them lunch was ready.


    They were at the foot of a hill near a big city called Buri. If they crossed the hill they would enter the main road and the city would be only 20 minutes away.


    Maria said Buri City was one of the wealthiest cities in the Kingdom, it was a cultural and economic center with even its own Order of Knights stationed there.


    Due to the importance of Buri City, the City Lord possessed a big status and political influence in the Kingdom.


    The city had fortified walls 50 meters tall, with dozens of guards patrolling the walls at all times, many squads of City Watch moved in the streets inside the city keeping public order.


    Navin could feel there were runes on the walls and formations across the city, it was part of the defense of any decent city of a world with magic in it, and such an important city for the Kingdom certainly had a high-level array protecting it.


    At least, by this world¡¯s standards.


    Long lines of people were entering and exiting the city constantly while watched by the guards, some carriages of goods were inspected but no identification was asked, only in case of a legal dispute would proof of identity be required.


    Nobles and influential people could skip the queue, it was a benefit of their status and power.


    There were thousands of people inside the city, people from many races walked in the streets, talking, buying, selling and interacting in various ways.


    It was a place bustling with activity and life.


    Humans were the majority, but there were Elves, Dwarves, and Beastkins in the city too.


    Magicians, swordsmen, archers and more, there were people from all professions.


    In the area around the city, there were many scouts and spies arranged in different positions, they were part of the city¡¯s security ring and information network.


    There were also some scouts and spies from different influences stationed both outside and inside the city.


    Navin calmly explained to the mother-daughter pair the situation of the Kingdom investigating the cause of the destruction of their village and Lei Clan searching for a child with a special physique of Lightning Affinity. He told them not to worry about it, just remain alert. He assured them that he was stronger than the whole Lei Clan and the Kingdom, nothing could harm them as they were under his protection.


    Although he warned them to be cautious and to avoid unnecessary trouble, if it came to a confrontation he would immediately act, he would not allow anyone to bully or hurt them.


    They were going into the city under the excuse of getting information about the Kingdom and other countries of this world, but Navin mainly did it for Aina and Maria, he wanted them to relax in the city and enjoy some sight-seeing.


    They were comfortable living in the Traveler¡¯s Cabin and had all their needs taken care of by Navin. Food and clothes were provided without restriction so they had no complaints, but Navin wanted them to enjoy the trip more, it wouldn¡¯t be a fun trip if they were constantly hiding or afraid of being hunted down.


    So Navin wanted them to visit the city and walk through it with their heads held high, he wanted them to enjoy freedom.


    There wasn¡¯t even a need for Navin to enter the city, he had already used his Divine Sense to observe the city and listen to conversations of the people inside, he got an accurate idea of the dealings and customs of the city.


    And he was also aware of the inhabitants of the city.


    Artorius Lei was staying on Buri City right now, but Navin didn¡¯t really care about it.


    A Magus of Lightning was no threat for someone who had ripped the beating heart out of the chest of the Divine Beast of Thunder.


    <hr>


    Ethan noticed something as he walked behind Navin: his Master didn¡¯t leave footprints in the sand.


    His teacher walked with decisive steps, his back straight and head held high, proud and graceful without looking arrogant. Navin had told Ethan that he should also match breathing to walking, but Ethan hadn¡¯t really understood how to do that. He suspected it would be easier to do it once he learned how to properly channel Qi.


    ¡°Master, you mentioned using many energies, but don¡¯t Cultivators only use Qi?¡±


    Ethan asked while walking behind Navin, trying to imitate his way of walking, it was a bit awkward walking with both hands on the back and having his head high made it harder to look where he was stepping, he had almost slipped twice.


    Rolling down a sand dune was not something Ethan wanted to try anytime soon.


    Navin turned his head towards Ethan but continued walking, he smiled looking at Ethan¡¯s attempt of imitating his posture, but didn¡¯t make any comment about it, instead, he slowed down his footsteps and made his breathing more obvious, he made a colorful haze move across his body matching his Qi movement.


    Anytime is good for a lesson and practice is an essential part of his life.


    Of course, whether Ethan would be able to pick up the correct way of walking was entirely up to him and the effort he made to comprehend it.


    Some things were better when learned via trial and error, and even if Navin told him everything, it was still necessary for Ethan to experience the practice with his own body to fully understand and gain his own insights about it.


    Subtly guiding him to the answer and letting him find it will be much more rewarding and satisfactory for both of them.


    ¡°Not necessarily. In the stories of your world, Cultivators from Huaxia gathered Qi from the world and used it to become Immortals in a period of many years, right? The term ¡®cultivator¡¯ comes from the fact that we gather energies inside us and make it grow, just like cultivating a plant, carefully nurturing it and taking care that it grows healthy and strong. And just like with a plant, when the seed sprouts, the plants grow, the flowers bloom and the tree bears fruits, a fully grown plant doesn¡¯t look like a seed, right? Neither does the Qi of a high stage Cultivator resemble the Qi of a beginner, because it has gone through a set of changes, filtering, channeling, and evolution, increasing both its quantity and its quality. Even in the stories of your world, a higher-level Cultivator will wield higher-level energies, like Elemental Forces, Martial Intent, Astral Qi, Laws of the World and Divine Power.¡±


    Navin¡¯s words carried a strange power in them, he was filling them with Intent, to stimulate Ethan and make him pay more attention to the truth hidden within.


    Navin made a book appear on his hand while he walked, this was a book Ethan had given to him, a printed copy of a novel about cultivators, on the cover the title was written on the original language.


    Navin made the book float in the air and got it closer to Ethan, two of the characters that made up the novel title started shining and flew out of the cover, becoming big as a human head, then he made the book disappear, leaving only the shining words behind.


    Ethan stared at the holograms but continued walking, he kept on trying to use the technique Navin was using.


    ¡°The original word in your world for ¡®cultivation¡¯ is ÐÞÕæ, Xi¨±zh¨¥n. Xi¨± means to cultivate, to build, to repair, to study, and to comprehend; Zh¨¥n means truth, real, and genuine. So together they don¡¯t simply mean cultivation, they mean comprehension, understanding of the truth. And they are correct, because the true essence of being a Cultivator is not to simply gather the energies of the cosmos, but to study and understand them. Becoming immortal is not the goal, but a benefit, a consequence of our studies and practice, and a necessary thing to continue our comprehension to higher levels.¡±


    Navin saw Ethan was deep in thought, carefully analyzing his teachings, repeating his words over and over in his mind.


    Each world had its own languages and different names for cultivation, Navin chose to explain using the words from Ethan¡¯s world, since they would be more familiar and hold more meaning for him, even if Ethan didn¡¯t really know that language.


    ¡°Every living creature is a cultivator on a basic level, taking life force from the world around them, struggling to survive and extend their lives. Every living being instinctively tries to comprehend the universe full of mysteries that extend beyond their imagination, what makes a true cultivator stand out above the rest of organisms is that we are conscious of this, we willingly go on this Path, making active efforts into comprehending the cosmos.¡±


    Navin raised his right hand to his side with the palm up and made a fireball appear above it, floating in the air.


    Ethan stared at the fireball as his teacher continued the lecture.


    ¡°A scientist studying combustion in a laboratory to know how a fire starts and understand the process of how chemicals react with each other, transforming matter and releasing energy.¡±


    The fireball started spinning, numerous sparks flew out of it, forming smaller fireballs that danced around the bigger one, like many planets orbiting the Sun.


    ¡°A shaman who asks the spirits to grant him the gift of flames, borrowing their power in order to wield fire. A wizard who uses runes to produce fire,with chants to summon it and use it in combat.¡±


    The group of fireballs continued spinning, new shapes emerged from the bigger fireball, miniature phoenixes, dragons, salamanders, golems, fairies, and other creatures made of flames gathered around the fire, walking and flying around it.


    ¡°The many creatures born from flames and the organisms that learned to produce flares naturally with their own bodies, those who were touched by its grace and those who made fire be a part of themselves, taking fire into their very souls.¡±


    The figures all started shining and mixed with the bigger fireball once again, and it changed into a sphere of light, then it seemed to open like a curtain, and behind it, a black space with many lights shining could be seen, the cosmos revealed beyond the fire.


    ¡°They are all the same, simply looking for a way to see the truth, walking their own paths towards their goal of understanding the cosmos. On that, they are all the same, each one is a cultivator, with varying levels of power and comprehension. But there is one kind who stands above all others, and there is a clear difference between them and the rest.¡±


    The cosmos in the fire started to rotate and contract as Navin slowly raised his hand, his fingers started covering the flames as he closed his hand.


    He stopped walking and turned to look at Ethan in the eyes.


    ¡°True Powerhouses. The ones who really control the power of the cosmos, those who had truly understood the essence of it and hold it in the palm of their hands. The difference between a real Master and a mere scholar is this: true control of the aspect of the world you have understood in your studies. Don¡¯t become one with the flame; be the hand that commands the fire and bind it to your will.¡±


    Navin closed his hand and ended his speech.


    They were at the top of a sand dune. Right in front of them was a black spire, most of the structure was buried under the sand, this was the place Navin had been searching during these 3 days since they arrived at the desert.


    Ethan was silent and in contemplation, reflecting on Navin¡¯s words and the figures he had seen in the fire during the lecture.


    The Master noticed the light of understanding dancing within his Disciple¡¯s eyes that were shining with a soft golden color as he stared into the distance, deep in thought.


    Navin silently looked at the ground behind Ethan then turned his head towards the black spire while a huge joyful smile formed on his face.


    At some point during their walk, Ethan¡¯s feet had stopped leaving footprints in the sand.

 Chapter 7: The Black Spire

    It was night in the desert, Navin stood in front of the black metal structure that was mostly buried under white sand; by his side, a stone structure was built, Ethan was taking a bath inside.


    Navin recognized the material the black spire was made of; it was an alchemic product created from ores that could only be found in Abyssal Planes, it had a variety of magical properties like high energy conductivity, durability, and malleability. It¡¯s one of the greatest building materials across the cosmos.


    Thokcha, also called Black Orichalcum.


    It¡¯s also one of the best materials to use in the fabrication of spatial vehicles such as Star Ships that are used to travel across worlds, due to its capability of withstanding the pressure of dimensional portals and the energy storms that are constantly raging in the Void.


    This structure was made of such valuable metal, so it was no ordinary building.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be a temple built by the people from this world, this is not an Abyssal Plane, so Thokcha and the way to process it can¡¯t be found here. And in such abundance, it must have been someone strong who brought this here.¡±


    Navin muttered while observing the details of the spire, there were runes engraved in it, layers upon layers of magical protections that had been weakened by the passage of time, yet remained until this day.


    ¡°Did they build the structure here or did they bring the structure from another world? How did it end up buried under the desert? How long ago did this thing arrive at this world?¡±


    Navin¡¯s eyes shone with a mysterious light, like spirals of blue light his irises started to rotate counterclockwise as he peered into the river of time.


    A scene was unfolded before his eyes.


    Like rewinding a tape, time started to run backwards in Navin¡¯s vision, day and night alternated at high speed, hundreds and thousands of days flashed by as Navin searched for the moment when this Thokcha structure cameto this world.


    ¡°Impressive, so despite thousands of years passing, no one ever arrived here? Is it due to the abundance of strong monsters in this region?¡±


    During their 3 days since arriving at this world, they hadn¡¯t encountered any monster because Navin had cast a stealth field upon them, so none of the creatures in the desert could detect the presence of the duo.


    This world¡¯s natives called the desert where he was casually strolling about without a care ¡®The Desert of Death¡¯. it was one of the most dangerous places in this world, a vast extension of land that could not be claimed by any country despite multiple efforts. Many creatures roamed these white sands and it was a precious source of valuable resources, but the dangers inside it were too many.


    Judging by the level of strength that the monsters in the area had, Navin could make a good estimate of the power of this world¡¯s people. At least a relative estimation of their strength and potential. This was a semi-advanced world with abundant resources and high energy levels, and it was still growing stronger.


    ¡°Found it.¡±


    Navin¡¯s vision finally arrived at the point in time when this structure entered this world.


    Two hundred thousand years ago, this place was not a desert, it was a mountainous land full of forests, with an exotic variety of fauna and flora.


    All that changed when a rift in space occurred, beyond it, a raging storm of chaotic energies and miasma was battering a gigantic black castle to the point it was full of cracks.


    Despite its magical barriers, the castle could not hold on much longer facing the brutal assault of the environment in the Void, it happened to cross the spatial rift to this world right when it was about to be completely destroyed.


    The castle fell towards the ground like a blazing meteor covered in miasma, the impact flattened mountains and burned the forests, scorching the land and extinguishing any life unfortunate enough to be in the radius of destruction.


    But the scourge for this land hadn¡¯t stopped, the miasma that initially covered the castle now started to expand, contaminating the plants and animals in the surrounding region.


    Many died unable to withstand the plague, but others mutated and became wild monsters that rampaged and killed anything they came across.


    After many years, by the time the miasma had ended its expansion and contamination, dissipating in the now barren land, all life in the region had changed completely, even the ores underground had mutated and gained new qualities due to exposure to the foreign energy.


    The people of this world had investigated the region, discovering many changes and obtaining new resources, but they also paid a great price, since this desert had become a land of death waiting to claim the lives of those who dared to enter.


    And this castle was never reached since it was at the center of the desert, and the place where the most dangerous creatures roamed.


    Navin canceled his ability, ending the vision and returning his sight to the present, Ethan had come out from the stone house after his bath, wearing only black shorts despite the cold night.


    He was looking at Navin with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Asked Navin tilting his head a bit, his usual light smile on his lips.


    ¡°Master, what were you doing?¡±


    Ethan asked after a few seconds, he had felt something weird when he came out of the stone house and found his Master staring at the black structure.


    It was just a weird feeling; he couldn¡¯t actually put it into words.


    ¡°I was observing this spire, studying it a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Ah, then did you use some magic?¡±


    ¡°Some. Why? Did you feel the magic?¡±


    Navin asked with a raised eyebrow while he made a circular stone dais appear near them, Ethan stepped on it as he replied.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know, it was just a weird feeling.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­ well, we will discuss it later, now we have something more important to do.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ethan sat cross-legged in the center of the stone dais and closed his eyes.


    Since he had managed to channel his Qi to use a walking technique properly, it was time for him to create a Qi Center inside him, Navin would assist him on this process, but all the work had to be done by Ethan.


    He needed to do this by himself since this was a personal thing, it would be the core of his cultivation, something unique to him.


    Navin raised a finger and pointed at Ethan¡¯s forehead, a ray of light flew from his fingertip into Ethan¡¯s head.


    At that moment, a torrent of information flooded Ethan¡¯s mind, instructions on how to breathe, walk, run, eat, and even sleep flew by his head as if he was reading hundreds of pages of a book at high speed.


    Ways for moving energies across the body for each activity and movement made, channels through which energy must flow to get a specific effect, methods to turn it on and off, information about different energies and forces of the cosmos, their uses and properties, how to gather and cultivate them, etc.


    It was all there inside his mind right now, a collection of varying techniques that complemented each other, like branches growing from the same tree, all these techniques and methods shared a common root, they were part of a whole set, turning them into an art.


    Navin was passing on his own arts to Ethan, the result of countless years of studies, cultivating and comprehending the Cosmos.


    The cultivation method that raised jealousy, awe, fear, and hatred from other cultivators, causing many hunts and fights against Navin throughout his life.


    Those foolish enough to go after him were killed by the same set of techniques they were after, this energy control style let him emerge victorious through countless battlefields until only the Sovereign of the Gods could stand up to him.


    The art that enabled him to challenge the Gods and slay the top powerhouses of the cosmos, transcending all known levels of power.


    Navin Lakar¡¯s self-created cultivation method:


    Primordial Soul Profound Breath.


    The culmination of a lifetime-long study comprehending the Cosmos.


    The scriptures of this art were not in a written language, they were engraved into the soul and could only be willingly passed down by such a method.


    Inside Ethan¡¯s mind, an ethereal rune formed, this mysterious rune represented the legacy Navin had passed on to him, in it was all the information and methods that he must study throughout his new life as a cultivator.


    It was the art he would be practicing from now on, the gate towards changing himself into an immortal.


    ¡°Begin.¡±


    Navin commanded, and Ethan followed the method he just learned to gather the energies from the world around him into a core within his own self, he immersed in his practice by sending his perception into the depths of his body and soul.


    <hr>


    On the second floor of the Traveler¡¯s Cabin, Maria came out of the shower and stood in front the bathroom mirror, it had an octagonal shape and was held by a black frame that contrasted with the white wall.


    Maria watched her reflection in the mirror, noticing the changes she had experienced in only 3 days.


    Her skin was smoother, her hair was softer and more beautiful, she noticed she had lost fat and the few marks she had on her skin were gone.


    Her memory, vision, hearing, and sense of smell had all improved too, her limbs were stronger and more flexible while her figure was slimmer.


    She felt great.


    She smiled and admired her teeth, they were whiter and healthier since she started using the toothpaste and mouthwash Navin provided them.


    Her world had the concept of oral hygiene and she cleaned her mouth daily, but those chew sticks and powder had no way to compare with the toothbrush and mint-flavored paste that had magical effects.


    It even eliminated the bad breath in the morning, it was a pleasant sensation.


    She gracefully spun on the tip of her toes and grabbed her new towel, made of a wool-like material with an incomparable quality, far better than any towel she used before meeting Navin.


    She covered herself and went to her room.


    It was a huge bedroom; it had an ample bed covered with silk sheets and feather pillows, a big beautiful crystal window she kept closed because the whole house was always fresh, a desk with a chair by the side of the window, bookshelf filled with books of many subjects, and a wooden wardrobe full of clothes of varying styles, dresses that went from casual to elegant, pajamas, gowns, pants and a huge variety of shoes, were lined inside.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Maria was especially fond of a pair of black leather boots and a set of five long skirts that had beautiful patterns of varying colors on them, four of the skirts had patterns that represented the seasons while the fifth seemed to picture a starry sky.


    The room, just like the whole house, didn¡¯t use candles like she was used to, instead it used something Navin called light bulbs, crystal figures that emitted a soft white light when one touched a metal piece called switch and turned off if the switch was touched again.


    The ceiling was a soft blue color with gorgeous engravings that gave her calm every time she looked at them, she suspected they had magic in them.


    Then again, pretty much everything in this house was magical in one way or the other.


    Today was the day they had decided to enter the city, the Sun had already risen and there was a sky with a few big clouds so it was bright but not too sunny.


    A fresh morning.


    Maria got dressed and went down the stairs towards the living room, she saw Aina sitting on a rocking chair while eating sandwiches of ham and cheese, on a low table in front of her there was a plate with more sandwiches and next to it there was a jar full of juice of an exotic fruit, and 3 glasses.


    On her lap was a small white tiger cub lazily stretching and purring softly while Aina scratched its head between the ears.


    ¡°So there are many types of energies in the Cosmos that can be cultivated and used?¡±


    Aina asked the white tiger cub on her lap.


    ¡°Yes, there are numerous energies and forces acting in the world around us that we can absorb and use for our benefit. Some are found only in certain places, while others can be found all around the cosmos.¡±


    Navin, in the form of a tiger cub, explained with his eyes closed.


    ¡°Qi is a vital force; an energy we use to boost our life. It is pure potential and can take many forms and aspects. Mana is the building blocks of spells; it is organized and shaped into the different types of magic used by Magi. Aura is a manifestation of our willpower; it is mostly used to strengthen our bodies, by manipulating it we can attack, enhance and defend ourselves, as well as form objects temporally. Ether is a flowing substance that makes up planes of existence; it is a fuel that¡¯s better used for artifacts but it is also a powerful tool when augmenting another energy. Orenda is a spiritual power inherent in all that exists, it is a factor that revolves around luck and causality, it is considered one of the substances that make up the threads of fate. Karma is a force that connects people with their actions, it joins us to all those we know and those we interact with, whether directly or indirectly. It is the representation of our influence in the world around us, as well as the consequence of our own actions.¡±


    Navin waved one of his paws towards Maria, signaling her to take a seat, she sat, served a glass of juice for herself and grabbed a sandwich.


    She listened attentively to Navin¡¯s words. The sandwich was delicious.


    ¡°There are many other powers and types of energy, but those are the basic ones, or should I say, they are the primary forms of other energies, because we shape them and change their properties when we use them, and the more complex energies are formed by transforming these primary energies into something else to fulfill a specific purpose. Qi, Mana, and Aura are neutral but can take any aspect we wish them to, we shape those powers into new ones by imbuing them with intent. With our willpower, we rule the energies of the cosmos and shape the world around us.¡±


    Navin made a sandwich levitate towards him and munched it, the cute tiger cub face made it hard to imagine he was actually an immortal deity-like being that had lived for countless years.


    Maria wouldn¡¯t say it aloud, but Navin didn¡¯t really act like an old person. Sure, he was calm and collected like an experienced person and he spoke with confidence that only an expert could have, and he swiftly and efficiently replied any questions Maria or her daughter had, dispelling any doubts.


    His teachings were so effective both of them had already learned to use Qi, although neither had formed a core for accumulating their Qi; Aina could project lightning out of her body and Maria learned a trick to levitate metal objects, Navin said she was talented in metal manipulation.


    An Emperor would look at his subjects from above, a Queen would hold her head high and constantly care for her image, a Noble would control his expression and conduct when interacting with other people, the gods in the tales would always be distant, speak in short voices and booming with power, many times they didn¡¯t express emotions.


    Yet Navin, who was greater than any monarch, more graceful than any noble and more powerful than any deity, smiled constantly, laughed and joked with them, speaking with familiarity, not as a Lord but as a friend. Only during his lectures would he speak differently, but that was because he wanted to be precise and true to the information he was giving them, attentive to details and mindful that they were understanding the lessons, as a good teacher must be. He also wasn¡¯t harsh in his lessons, he was kind and patient with his explanations.


    Most of the time, he didn¡¯t seem to be Aina¡¯s Master and Maria¡¯s Lord, but a long-time friend, a family member.


    He didn¡¯t even care about projecting an image of authority that must be respected, he was more interested in comfort, both for himself and them.


    Case in point, right now he looked like a small tiger that Aina was keeping as a pet. Aina was happily caressing his hair and he lazily laid on her lap.


    ¡°Any other questions?¡±


    Navin asked as he finished his sandwich.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Answered Aina as she rocked back and forth.


    ¡°Not for now, Lord Navin. Although I would like to learn some spells that could help me cook better or faster.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, once you have formed your core and have a mana pool, I will teach you many spells, I know some very good ones that will help you take your cooking to a new level.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Maria took another sandwich and served more juice for Navin and Aina.


    ¡°Will we be leaving soon, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, in about half an hour we¡¯ll go. What do you girls think, should I go in human form or in this tiger form?¡±


    ¡°I believe it would be more prudent to have Lord Navin in human form by our side, it would keep people with bad intentions away.¡±


    ¡°Eeeehhh¡­ but Master looks cute in little tiger form! Look, mom!¡±


    Aina protested by raising Navin in front of her mother while scratching behind his ears, the white tiger cub¡¯s face showed a smile as he closed his eyes.


    Maria had to admit his face was very cute, but she still thought that it was better if an apprentice didn¡¯t move her teacher about like a little toy; but since Navin didn¡¯t complain she didn¡¯t mention it.


    ¡°Yes, sweetie, that¡¯s an adorable tiger face, but it¡¯s better to avoid unnecessary trouble, no need to make Lord Navin beat robbers if we can prevent drawing their attention, and a white tiger might attract people who come with offers of buying it, or worse, people who try to steal it.¡±


    ¡°But Master can just beat them all, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but as I said, it¡¯s better to avoid trouble. Right, Lord Navin?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, at least when entering the city, it is safer and less troublesome to be seen as a traveling family, a group of 3 is safer than a pair, after all.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Aina consented after Navin agreed with her mother.


    ¡°And I can always switch back into tiger form later when we are strolling the city, I¡¯ll be on the lookout for people with bad intentions so you can enjoy your tour happily.¡±


    ¡°Yaaay!¡±


    Aina visibly cheered up.


    ¡°In preparation for entering the city, take this bag, Maria.¡±


    Navin waved his front paw and a small bag appeared in front of them, he then made coins of copper, silver, gold, and platinum appear next to it in organized piles, all had the Likia Kingdom stamp, they had the same level of purity as the coins used in the kingdom too.


    Navin had made these coins after temporarily taking samples from the city for analysis and transmuting minerals from the earth into copper, silver, gold, and platinum.


    For someone like him, this kind of metals without magic properties could be produced endlessly even from thin air.


    ¡°This is called a Bag of Holding, it¡¯s bigger on the inside than the outside, so you can store many things inside it, it has a weight control spell waved into it so it won¡¯t get heavier no matter what you put inside, I¡¯ll also enchant it so that only the three of us can touch it, anyone else who tries to grab it would only slip their hands over the surface, it¡¯s a protection against thievery.¡±


    Mother and daughter had their eyes open wide as they saw the piles of coins, there were 1000 of each kind, it was a huge fortune.


    A copper coin was the basic unit of currency in the continent, 25 copper coins equated 1 silver coin, 50 silver coins made 1 gold coin, and 100 gold coins were equal to 1 platinum coin.


    Normal food on an average restaurant would be around 5 to 10 copper coins, maybe 1 silver coin for an expensive dish, same for staying a night on an inn. An ordinary citizen could survive for a month with 5 silver coins if they had their own house, as buying ingredients on the market and preparing food for oneself was cheaper than buying a prepared meal.


    The average citizen would gain less than 3 gold coins per month on their work, and they received their payment in silver and copper.


    Gold coins were rarely used by commoners, it was the currency only nobility and merchants with big enterprises would use on a daily basis. The only exception was high-level adventurers, strong monster hunters, and magicians of power. They were individuals with status resembling the aristocracy due to their personal strength.


    Only the wealthiest influences would deal with platinum coins; organizations such as Guilds and Clans would use them when making commercial or contractual treaties with countries. People who had easy access to platinum were only those at the level of Kings.


    Yet, here, in front of her, there was a pile of them, and Navin treated the coins as if they were pebbles on the road. Or maybe even less, as Maria had seen him point out things from nature and teach Aina about their composition, origin and uses. He had looked at insects with more interest than the passing glance he gave to the piles of coin.


    ¡°T-this is¡­ for us?¡±


    Maria stuttered, still staring at the coins. Aina was agape and even stopped scratching Navin, her whole attention captured by the riches.


    ¡°Yes, please use them as you like. I do not mind even if you spend them all, I can always make more in an instant, and they are real, you don¡¯t have to worry about them disappearing after time passes, these are real physical coins.¡±


    Navin glanced at Aina¡¯s hand that had stopped mid-air during the scratching and waved a paw, making the coins fly into the Bag of Holding, then he placed the bag into Maria¡¯s hand.


    In her own hands, Maria held a bag with more than a thousand platinum coins, right now she was wealthier than she ever dreamed, she almost fainted.


    ¡°T-thank you, Lord Navin!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it, the money of these lower realms doesn¡¯t have value for me.¡±


    ¡°Master, what coins do you use where you come from?¡±


    Navin had told them he came from another world, but he hadn¡¯t told them about the events regarding the death of the Major Gods and the Cataclysm.


    Unlike Ethan, who had personally witnessed the devastation a world could suffer, Aina and Maria were in a world that had it easy regarding the breaking of the Seal of the Cosmos, it was mostly benefitted, without any major backlash causing destruction.


    So Navin decided to take it easy with them, there was no need to rush in telling them about such stuff.


    ¡°Each world has its own currency and ways to deal with goods and services. In the higher worlds, cultivators make deals with spiritual stones charged with Natural Ether, it¡¯s like having great quantities of the Qi of the world and magical power condensed inside those beads, so they are beneficial for cultivation, hence the reason cultivator¡¯s societies accept them as currency. In the highest-leveled worlds and the Divine Realm, we mostly deal in favors, services, and information, though a spiritual and magical currency called Dzi is also used; it has special qualities and high energy values. It¡¯s very tasty too.¡±


    ¡°Ooohhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Shall we go now?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    <hr>


    Tom was a guardsman of the glorious city of Buri, one of the centers of Likia Kingdom¡¯s power, he was proud of serving as a soldier of the army, but after a couple of years of service, he decided to work for the City Watch since it was less arduous while still prestigious enough to get a good wife and the pay was good enough to raise a family.


    It was an easy job when he had to guard the walls, no one was foolish enough to attack such a fortified city filled with soldiers, hunters, and magicians of many races. That¡¯s without counting the nobles with all their fancy artifacts and ancient combat arts.


    It was annoying when he had to patrol the streets of the city and stop bar fights, especially among adventures since those bastards were strong and trained in combat. But he was always quick to respond when there was a report of robbery or assault, he really hated the criminals who sullied this wonderful city, the occasional ruffians who dared to disturb public order and harm honest citizens, were met with merciless beatings and throw into jail, sometimes they were executed on the spot if the crimes were particularly heinous.


    Today, his rotation placed him on the southern gate of the city, it was one of the most crowded gates, due to the constant traffic of goods coming in and out of the city.


    Luckily, he was a Senior Guardsman despite his young age, a sign of recognition of his fighting skills, so he could simply supervise while others did the harder work like keeping the queue in order or inspecting caravans and suspicious individuals.


    Tom stood leaning against the wall by one side of the South Gate, he was wearing the standard equipment of all guardsmen; a steel breastplate, a helmet, a sword on his belt, a shield on his back and a spear by his side. Ordinary guardsmen only carried either a sword or a spear, but Tom was skilled in both so he carried both.


    As a Senior Guardsman, his equipment was a bit different, he had spaulders on his shoulders that had the emblem of Buri City, a golden tiger on a blue field, on them; vambraces covered his forearms and greaves protected his legs.


    He had his left hand resting over his sword hilt and his right arm hugged his spear as it stood by his side, one of his feet was on the ground while the other was on the wall behind him, ready to propel him forwards in case of emergency.


    It was a relaxed posture, but he still remained on guard, weapons always close at hands and constantly watching the people around him.


    War had taught him to be cautious, and he had to either learn or die. It was that experience that enabled him to rise in rank faster than others.


    The sound of a discussion reached his ears and he turned his head to look at the groups of people causing a ruckus, two guards futilely tried to get them to remain calm, but those were 2 adventuring parties and an escort of a noble, they would not hear words, those people only listened to strength.


    Tom sighed, it seemed he wasn¡¯t lucky today, he should move soon to stop this quarrel before it turned into a real fight.


    He stepped forward and started to walk when he spotted another group heading to the gate, it looked like a family of nobles, a young couple with a daughter, but they were walking instead of riding a carriage, which was uncommon. Their clothes were too clean to be travelers from another city, maybe they were already residing in Buri City and simply decided to take a walk outside?


    The trio disregarded the queue, heading straight towards the gates ignoring the discussing group, in fact, they walked right through the middle of them.


    Was that man crazy? Did he not care that his wife and daughter could be harmed if he led them into a heated argument between armed people?


    If he tried to enter the city before those groups quarreling, they would surely aim for him, it would definitely make things get worse!


    The 3 groups of angry people discussing in front of the gate did not take it kindly when the man passed by their side silently as if they weren¡¯t there, the woman and girl by the man¡¯s side also walked without saying a word, barely spending a glance to those around them.


    Feeling offended, the noble from the carriage ordered one of his escorts to stop him and two from the adventuring group also stepped forwards, one of them even unsheathed his sword.


    Tom rushed to them ready to stop those idiots but soon froze as he saw something unbelievable: the 3 men who tried to grab the new group fell to the ground unconscious.


    The people around paralyzed after seeing this, no one saw them do anything, no move or technique was seen, no spell chanting was heard. The attackers just fell to the ground.


    The group of three newcomers continued as if nothing had happened, and crossed the city gates as if walking into their own home, none of the guardsmen even tried to question their identities, whoever they were, they were strong, and it was always a foolish idea to mess with the strong.


    The trio disappeared into the streets of the city leaving a group of astonished people behind them.


    Tom stared at the trio until they were out of sight then turned to look at the quarreling parties.


    Well, at least he didn¡¯t have to stop a fight himself, maybe he wasn¡¯t so out of luck today?

 Chapter 8: Buri City

    Aina walked into the biggest city she had ever seen. She held her mother¡¯s hand as they walked into a crowd of people, afraid to be separated from her as they followed Navin.


    She soon realized her worries were unnecessary, they never ran into other people and had a lot of space for them, the people in the street moved to the sides, opening a path for them to walk unobstructed.


    There was a mixture of surprise, fear, awe, curiosity, and excitement on the expressions of the people around. Some people just kept a safe distance from them, while others bowed respectfully.


    The whole street was silent for about 5 seconds, then it exploded with activity once again.


    ¡°My Lord, my Lord! Try this, we have robes of silk brought from Hykei Empire and beautiful dresses for your wife and daughter!¡±


    ¡°Necklaces for the Lady, cute dresses for the young lady, guaranteed quality!¡±


    ¡°We have the latest fashion here, shipment arrived this morning straight from the land of Solhar!¡±


    Vendors on the street started raising their voices advertising their products, food stands started calling for them with offers of samples.


    Sales assistants from the inns, restaurants and other establishments had renewed enthusiasm as they called names of their special dishes,


    ¡°Are you new to this city, my Lord and Lady? I can guide you the whole day and show the best places in the city for one gold coin.¡±


    "Young lady, we have the best toys in the city, come and take a look inside!"


    Navin kept his usual calm smile on his face as he kept walking, it was like he was completely used to this attention. He turned the head to his side, looking at Aina and Maria.


    ¡°Tell me if you see something that draws your attention, do you want to try the local gastronomy?¡±


    Aina looked around, the food that was sold on this street smelled good, but nothing really caught her attention, the food she had eaten during the past 3 days cooked by her mom and Master with many different spices, styles, and ingredients had been very delicious, definitely better than the things here.


    Maria seemed to think the same as she silently waited for Aina¡¯s reply.


    ¡°Nothing for now, maybe later.¡±


    Aina replied and Navin nodded.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s keep looking around the city.¡±


    The trio continued their stroll leaving the group of disappointed vendors behind, they moved into other streets and more refined commercial districts, it was a big city, so there were plenty of places to look.


    <hr>


    30 minutes later, the group was entering a richer district in Buri City, it was close to the center of the city, and a huge building that looked like a mixture of a garrison and a bar stood out among the rest.


    It was the Adventurer''s Guild, an institution dedicated to being an independent military force at the service of the populace, their services included but were not limited to: guarding places, escorting caravans, searching for missing people, hunting monsters for materials, eliminating dangerous creatures that hurt the public, and the exploration of ruins and dungeons.


    Navin was pondering the implications of the existence of an Adventurer''s Guild in this world and the presence of the vestiges of gods that he felt upon arriving at this world when he noticed strange movements in an alley; 4 men were moving in the backstreet, outside of the eyes of the public, the men surrounded a woman, she screamed for help but they pulled out knives and threatened to kill her if she made more noise.


    With his senses, the scene was clear for Navin as well as the intentions of those men.


    He also noticed there was no need for him to intervene.


    From out of that group¡¯s field of vision, four lightning arrows made an arc over the buildings next to the alley and hit the 4 men directly on their chests, killing them.


    The woman cried out at the sudden flash but after realizing she was safe, she voiced out her thanks to her mysterious savior and ran out of the alley leaving the 4 corpses behind.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ seems like he at least has some decency and sense of justice.¡±


    Navin mused as he looked towards the mansion that overlooked the city from the top of a hill north from his position.


    <hr>


    In the courtyard of the City Lord¡¯s mansion, Artorius Lei lowered his hand and turned his head back to the other 2 people sitting with him on a long rectangular table.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    The City Lord of Buri City, Howard Fiurtz, asked with a raised brow.


    They had been talking about the current political situation on the continent when Artorius gazed into the distance and cast a lightning spell to some point in a dark alley of the city.


    ¡°Just getting rid of some rats in your city.¡±


    Artorius replied lightly and grabbed a cup of wine.


    ¡°I see¡­ well, a little warning would be appreciated next time before alarming my guards by suddenly launching lightning arrows to the city.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. Well then, what were you saying?¡±


    Artorius dismissed the subject without giving importance to Howard¡¯s words but the City Lord didn¡¯t pursue the matter, such a trivial thing wasn¡¯t worth having a discussion with a powerful Magus, much less one backed up by a strong clan.


    Although in Artorius'' case, it was more likehe was the backing of his clan.


    And if he really was attacking ¡®rats¡¯ as Artorius usually referred to the low criminals, then he was doing the city a favor.


    Howard looked towards a huge map that was unfolded on the table, it depicted the Northern Continent, called Mengha, and the different countries that ruled it.


    Map: Northern Continent Mengha<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    ¡°I was saying, that the situation with Hykei Empire is worsening, they are already raising the prices of goods from their country to us and selling at a cheaper price to Oeria, the diplomatic relationships are falling, and if something is not done soon, we will be fighting a war on two fronts.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think the Shadow Wolf will move against us? He has stayed outside of our conflict with Oeria, why would he change his mind?¡±


    The third person on the table, the Captain of Buri City¡¯s Knight Order, Henmal Tous, commented after hearing the City Lord¡¯s words.


    The Shadow Wolf, as they called the current Emperor of Hykei, was a warrior of great might and over 100 years of age, but since succeeding the throne 30 years ago he has maintained peaceful relations with Likia Kingdom.


    If he suddenly decided to aid their enemies, then it would be a hard situation.


    But if he actually moved for war, Likia Kingdom would answer in full force.


    Howard explained while serving more wine for his cup, there were servants awaiting around to be of service, but he liked to serve his own drinks and the servants were well aware of it.


    ¡°There exists the possibility that his skirmish with Dusium Kingdom has reached a stalemate so he can draw forces to move to other activities. A rumor was reported to me one week ago that Dusium¡¯s Frontier Force General, Lerk Ursen, was wounded heavily. If it is true and he needs recuperation, then Hykei Empire can be free to a certain extent and exert pressure in other areas.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, that would explain this change in behavior. Well, it would be annoying, but at least there¡¯s no real danger in his actions.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The Knight Captain agreed, he was currently drinking juice, he didn¡¯t drink wine while on duty.


    No one in the Kingdom¡¯s upper echelons believed they could face and conquer the world alone, but they were far from being a weak country.


    Having already conquered the kingdom of Solhar, one of the previous great powers of the continent, in a war over 30 years ago, Likia had consolidated its position as the country with the strongest military force. The only way for Likia Kingdom to fall would be if all the other countries in the Northern Continent united against it.


    And that situation was impossible.


    Apart from the obvious reasons like the history of bad blood due to past conflicts among the countries, there was the fact that 2 of the other 4 countries were commercial allies of Likia Kingdom, namely the Falzh Federation known as the Country of Craftsmen, and the Kingdom of Dusium that existed on the east side of Hykei Empire.


    Falzh Federation was a neutral country that worked as a war merchant for any influence that could pay the right price. It was located on the northeastern corner of the continent sharing borders with the Republic of Oeria but mostly separated by a mountain range. That land was home of great inventors and artifact makers, with many strange minerals in their mines that were used in the fabrication of weapons, tools and a wide variety of handicraft that were sold across the world.


    Dusium Kingdom was a military ally of Likia Kingdom, and despite the distance, they had collaborated in multiple occasions and carried joint operations to serve the interests of both countries, it was the country that was constantly keeping Hykei Empire at bay.


    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in who or what could cause that old bear to need recuperation, he is very resilient and a veteran warrior. Did he fall into a trap from the Empire or did he encounter some monster in the wilderness?¡±


    Artorius asked, politics didn¡¯t really interest him, but whatever could wound Lerk Ursen to the point of being unable to carry on his duties was a force to be reckoned with, and Lerk was someone in an important position, he was a General protecting the western border of Dusium Kingdom, so his presence or absence was a factor that changed scenarios for the countries.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor right now, but I have sent people to investigate.¡±


    Howard answered calmly, this was a matter of importance, so he had immediately sent people to find out the truth, he should get the answer in 2 days¡¯ time at most.


    ¡°Then, Elder Artorius, can you tell us what brought you here?¡±


    Henmal asked, putting his empty glass down.


    Artorius and other 3 members of Lei Clan had arrived at Buri City yesterday, but the other 3 had left almost immediately while Artorius had stayed behind.


    It was strange, considering Artorius had a high position within his clan, a man of his power and age didn¡¯t just wander around. Whatever he was doing must be important, and the way he was constantly using Expanded Perception Spells were an indication he was either looking for something or waiting for someone to arrive at this city.


    It was suspicious, and while neither the City Lord or the Knight Captain doubted his loyalty to the Kingdom, it was still an unnerving thing to have that powerful Magus scanning the city, he was subtle in his actions and seemed to only search the streets when he went for a stroll, respecting the privacy of the citizens.


    But for someone of their position, it was hard to overlook such actions, it felt like they were criminal suspects being under investigation, it was not a pleasant sensation.


    ¡°I do not believe I must report my actions to you, Knight Captain.¡±


    Artorius replied coldly to Henmal¡¯s question.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you, Elder Artorius. I was merely curious, if we can be of any service to you, all you need to do is ask.¡±


    ¡°I will ask for your help when I need it.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Elder.¡±


    There was nothing Henmal could do but offer his help to Artorius in whatever he was doing, it wasn¡¯t like Artorius was doing anything illegal, he was merely scanning the area around him, it could be justified if he simply said he liked to be cautious.


    Could it be... he is scared of something or is he at risk of being attacked by an assassin?


    It was a real possibility given Artorius¡¯ important position and the many enemies he had made during his life; this man was a veteran of many wars after all.


    ¡°Is it already the season for recruiting disciples? It seems your juniors have been traveling to many villages in the region for the past few days.¡±


    Howard added with a bit of smug on his voice. Although he wouldn¡¯t antagonize Artorius, Howard didn¡¯t want to let him speak that way to the Captain of his Knight Order without any comeback.


    Artorius stared at Howard for a couple of seconds before starting to talk.


    ¡°If you really want to know¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°There was a poor village near the coast, about 200 kilometers away from here. It was completely destroyed 3 days ago; we were asked by the Crown to help investigate the causes of the incident.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Henmal opened his eyes wide and raised his voice, startled at the information.


    Howard had heard news yesterday about some travelers talking about a village being destroyed, but he didn¡¯t know the details since it was a faraway and poor village, it wasn¡¯t even a coastal town with a port used for travel or commerce, it was just some backwater village without importance, so no one paid attention to it.


    ¡°Was it¡­ the mysterious storm of that night 3 days ago?¡±


    If that was the case, then it was more serious than Howard had initially thought.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know, we are investigating. The causes are unknown and we are not sure of anything yet, so don¡¯t get alarmed over nothing.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    They continued talking some more and Artorius told them he would check for news on his subordinates.


    ¡°Should we go eat lunch? I can ask my chef to prepare food for you, or we can eat outside.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I heard there¡¯s a great restaurant in your city, I believe it¡¯s called Tiger¡¯s Treasure. Do you know it?¡±


    Artorius commented, the last time he had come to this city was decades ago and that restaurant was already famous, he hadn¡¯t had the time to taste its food at that time, though.


    ¡°Oh, excellent choice. I know it indeed, it¡¯s one of the best in the region, it has master chefs working there.¡±


    They stood up and went towards the restaurant.


    <hr>


    Inside a high-class restaurant on the rich district of Buri City, a place frequented only by nobles and the wealthier merchants.


    Navin, Maria, and Aina shared a table on the 3<sup>rd</sup> floor waiting for their food to be served; there were many exotic dishes and high-class cuisine. They even used expensive ingredients like magical beasts¡¯ meat.


    It was an elegant place with a nice atmosphere, excellent service, and pleasant music played by a small group of musicians taking turns on one side of the room.


    They had come here since it seemed to be the highest quality restaurant in the city, and they went straight to the highest floor and ordered for a variety of food and drinks.


    Navin chuckled and took a sip from his cup of coffee.


    He heard the conversation of Artorius and the others in the City Lord¡¯s mansion. He wasn¡¯t planning to spy on them, but he cast his sight to Artorius after he killed those criminals and kept listening to them while he walked with Maria and Aina.


    Seeing the map had been a pleasant surprise, since it was better than the old versions he found on the library of this city last time he came, back when he took samples of the coins.


    And now three of the most influential people of this region are coming here, right to the same restaurant he was in; Artorius was walking straight to Aina, the girl he had been looking for since 3 days ago.


    Just mere luck, eh? I should at least take a peaceful approach, there¡¯s no need to kill the guy just for wanting to recruit a great disciple for his Clan.


    Navin mused as he felt the 3 presences approaching the restaurant.


    Their food was served by a waiter who carried the dishes on a big tray as a waitress confirmed the dishes and asked if they wanted anything else.


    Navin and Maria asked for a bit of Sake, a type of wine made from rice, since she had never tasted it, and Aina asked juice from a fruit called Alaam, which was very sweet, tasty and looked like a mango.


    Their meal consisted of grilled meat from a Fire Bull, breaded and roasted chicken, fried potatoes, pork sausages and three types of salad.


    They asked a lot of food since they wanted to taste different dishes, they would each take a bit from each dish and they could eat it all since currently they could digest food faster using Qi.


    They thanked the waiters and happily started eating, it was delicious.


    <hr>


    Howard, Artorius, and Henmal entered the best restaurant in Buri City, Tiger¡¯s Treasure.


    Upon their arrival, they caused voices of surprise and whispers among the diners, everyone who could pay a meal in this restaurant at least knew the faces of the City Lord and the Captain of the Knights, even if they didn¡¯t recognize the blonde Magus, he practically radiated magical power, and to accompany those two he couldn¡¯t be any ordinary wizard.


    Howard was greeted by the restaurant owner accompanied by the main chef and the head of the waitresses.


    ¡°Greetings, Ronald. Give me your best table, we will decide our meals in a minute.¡±


    ¡°At once, my Lord. Tiffa, my best-qualified waitress, will take care of you and your meals will be cooked by our best chef.¡±


    At Howard¡¯s words, the restaurant owner, Ronald, immediately replied and the head waitress made a graceful bow, then she led them to the third floor.


    On the third floor, there were only 5 tables separated by a good distance to give the customers comfort and a bit of privacy, customers had to pay an additional fee to dine there, it was a luxury few people paid for since they could eat just fine on the first and second floor.


    Case in point, right now there was only one table occupied.


    At the end of the room, three people sat with a variety of food and drinks on their table.


    A graceful woman with lightly tanned skin and long black hair who looked like she was on her late twenties, she had silver earrings with sapphires and a golden necklace with a ruby in it. She was wearing a beautiful light blue dress with golden embroidery with a scarlet silk belt on her waist and a long skirt that reached her shin, revealing a pair of polished black leather boots with short heels.


    A beautiful girl who was undoubtedly her daughter, with fair skin and shoulder-length jet-black hair, wearing a stylish violet dress, white shoes, and soft pink socks. She had small golden earrings.


    A handsome man with dark brown hair that seemed to have stripes of gold when the light shone on it, deep blue eyes that seemed to contain the vast sky and pierce into the souls of people. He wore a violet velvet robe with silver linings on it, a blue long-sleeved shirt under the robe, black belt fastened by an elegant golden buckle, he had black pants and black leather boots.


    His style seemed tomatch with the woman¡¯s, contrasting yet complementing each other; maybe they were husband and wife. As a whole, they projected the image of a family of highborn nobles happily enjoying their meal with elegance, constantly smiling at each other.


    Each of their clothes lacked the flashy decorations nobles of the Kingdom usually wore, but they had an incredible quality and elegance, those clothes were pleasant to look at, and seemed far more comfortable than most of the clothes used in court and the meetings of the aristocracy.


    Howard was sure he had never met any of the three before, he would definitely remember them if he had.


    Howard and Henmal had their eyes stuck on the woman for a bit but retained their composure and looked away, following the head waitress towards a table across the room.


    Artorius, however, could not take his eyes off them.


    The man was an enigma wrapped in an aura of mystery. Even with his enhanced perception, Artorius could not detect the man¡¯s presence except with his eyes, he could not feel any mana coming from this person, but he gave off a feeling like becoming one with the world, a degree of control even a master magician did not have, Artorius felt as if he was a mortal staring at an Archmage from the legends.


    Like a child staring at the unfathomable expanse of the heavens.


    And the girl, oh, the girl, she was like a heavenly fairy, blessed with the gift of lightning. To Artorius¡¯ eyes, it looked like the mana in the air was dancing around her, revering her and competing to be the first to be absorbed in her breathing.


    This girl was loved by the spirits of lightning.


    Who were these people?


    Are they¡­ Gods?


    Artorius seriously pondered that question as the mysterious man looked at him, smiled and gave him a small nod in salute.


    Or maybe he is answering the question in my mind.


    Artorius put his right fist over his chest and gave a deep bow towards the man, then walked toward Howard¡¯s table.


    Neither Howard, Henmal nor the waitress noted what Artorius did as they reached the table.


    They sat, ordered their food and the best wine, oblivious to Artorius inner turmoil.

 Chapter 9: Forming the Core

    The stars shone brightly in the sky above the Desert of Death, in the deepest part of it, a teenager sat on a small stone platform as a man circled it.


    Navin walked around the border of a stone dais. Ethan sat cross-legged in the center of it, deep in a meditative state as he followed the method of Primordial Soul Profound Breath to assimilate energies and form his cultivation core.


    With every step, runes were formed, they extended, swirled, joined and arranged themselves on a formation around Ethan.


    Once Navin completed a whole lap on his walk, the array was competed and shone with great power.


    He continued walking, and emitted a vast aura, thick and firm like the earth; this aura started to flow in a circle around Ethan and began to be absorbed by him.


    Taking another step, Navin started to emit another type of aura, sharp as the edge of a blade and concise like a needle, hard like a shield and penetrating like a spear, hard and unbending yet malleable and adaptive, an aura of metal.


    He took another step, and another element appeared, flowing fast and changing shapes with fluidity, running fierce and calm alternatively, rising and falling like the tides, an aura of water.


    Then came an aura of wood, nurturing itself and sustaining by absorbing the environment¡¯s resources, growing tall and strong, deep in its roots, far-reaching on its branches, filled with vitality.


    An aura of fire, fierce and strong, consuming and destructive, but also protective and supportive of life.


    Another step; a white light was emitted, expanding and permeating all, refracting on a myriad of colors.


    Darkness, deep and encompassing, absorbing everything, welcoming anything to enter its bottomless abyss.


    Lightning, proud and swift, dancing with thunderous splendor, indomitable and unstoppable.


    Navin continued to emanate different kinds of energies of all elements, Qi with different intents, a wide variety of powers and forces of the cosmos entered the grand formation and swirled around Ethan, dancing in a mysterious revolution with a subtle and sublime rhythm, resembling the cosmos itself.


    Ethan absorbed all these energies indiscriminately and drove them into the depths of his body. In the depths of his mind, Ethan watched with fascination the myriad of energies that gathered on him.


    His soul commanded the energies to gather and form a spiral; in the center of it, a strange void was greedily devouring all the energies.


    This was the secret method of forming a cultivation core developed by Navin; by gathering all kinds of energies of the cosmos into a void within oneself, replicating the phenomenon a myriad forces returning to a common source, a core that surpassed all others could be formed, possessing infinite potential and an easier advancing path, being formed by studying the essence of the formation of the cosmos itself, it possessed the capability to wield any kind of energy.


    It was a Supreme Core, peerless among all cultivation arts.


    Qi, Ether, Mana, Miasma, Intent, Astral Force, Karma, ¨¦lan, Orenda, Elemental Essences, Arcanum, Demonic Energy, Divine Power, and other exotic types of energy entered the Void inside Ethan, commanded by his will.


    In the center of the Void, something came to be.


    A light appeared and expanded, fusing with the Void and forming a spiral of Primordial Chaos, all the energies rushed into it and were absorbed completely, a flash of power was emitted and rocked Ethan¡¯s body, mind, and soul.


    Ethan¡¯s cultivation core was successfully formed.


    Somewhere inside his chest, near his heart, a spiraling sphere of Primordial Chaos placed itself. It was a place that went beyond physical and if he was opened up by surgeons they would find nothing there.


    It was the seed of his future cultivation, shining with endless possibilities.


    Ethan opened his eyes and took a deep breath, taking in the rest of the energies swirling around him, the array in the stone dais rose from it and was also absorbed, arranging itself firmly around his core, protecting and sustaining it.


    The Sun had already risen on the horizon.


    Navin watched his Disciple with a smile, he felt a bit of nostalgia as he recalled his own beginning on his cultivation path, although Navin could boast that he had a greater success and a smoother path advancing in his stages of cultivation than others, he didn¡¯t have a start so privileged as his Disciples had.


    That Supreme Core he enabled his Disciples to form was the sublimation of his years of comprehending the cosmos, they started at a place where he arrived after much training and effort.


    And it was merely the beginning of their path, barely the tip of the iceberg, only a taste of the wonders that this martial art and cultivation method had to offer in the future.


    But that too was part of nature and the advancing of any knowledge and art.


    If the teachers didn¡¯t pass down their knowledge for the new generations to carry on, how would there be any advancement in any science?


    By taking on where the predecessors stopped, the successors would bring advancements and improvements, this was the way of the world.


    This was evolution.


    And Navin happily accepted it, by teaching his students without reservation and readily helping them to have an easier and more beneficial beginning, although he could not walk their paths for them, he could show them the gate and make sure they were ready for the journey.


    The rest was up to them.


    He had proudly looked at his Disciples¡¯ breakthroughs, he watched as they were facing their own challenges and overcoming them, coming up with their own theories, techniques, and inventions, they had made great contributions to his Legacy and art, Navin had benefitted a lot too.


    He didn¡¯t plan to let them surpass him though, he will continually move forward, and transcend this cosmos to go beyond, continuing his path on a higher stage.


    He would never do anything detrimental to them like slowing down their advancement or feel jealous of them, if they actually managed to overcome him, he would be the first to applause their effort and congratulate their success.


    It was simply that he himself still continued to improve and despite their privileged start, he was still way ahead, so if they one day caught up to him, he only had himself to blame for slacking off.


    And yet, he grinned at the thought, he actually encouraged them to do their best and try, that pressure on himself was a nice incentive.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    <hr>


    Ethan stood up and exhaled slowly, feeling each acupoint on his body open and close, the entirety of his being was vibrating with power.


    ¡°Congratulations on your success, you are now a cultivator. How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°I feel... great, better than great! This is amazing!¡±


    Ethan raised an excited voice and jumped around, feeling the strength of his body.


    In the middle of a jump, Ethan seemed to remember something and turned to his Master.


    ¡°Ah! Almost forgot!¡±


    Ethan rushed towards Navin and stopped 3 meters in front of him, then he kowtowed.


    ¡°Thank you very much, Master!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, you are welcome. Don¡¯t worry, I know that a sudden rush of power can be exhilarating, at least you didn¡¯t blow up anything, like a certain kid I know.¡±


    Ethan stood up with a huge grin and Navin patted his head then gave him a slap on the back.


    ¡°Well, go for a run, test your body.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Ethan started running at high speed, feeling like never before, he felt like he was flying, each step propelling him with great force, covering dozens of meters in a second.


    Inhale, absorb the power around, channel the energy, move the body, coordinate them, exhale.


    Ethan took notice of every action needed to make his movement more efficient, how putting an arm forward as the other went to the back, inclining his head, lowering his stance, extend the legs and kick the ground with the tips of his feet sometimes and using the talons at others, how to rotate his hips in coordination with the body to smoothly make a turn and change direction without losing speed, even accelerating in the process; every part of his body interacted in synchrony to carry him forward.


    All that information was in his mind, and now it was part of him, it was an instinct of his body, the subconscious mind making efforts to carry on the desires of his conscious mind, making the process much smoother.


    Ethan recalled the instructions on his cultivation art about basic running.


    ¡®Don¡¯t run against the wind, ride it. To run with the wind, embrace it and see its path in the subtlety of its variations, make your body swim in the flow of the air and gain control of it.¡¯


    It sounded crazy, even now.


    But with his core formed and being more sensitive to the cosmos around him, Ethan could actually feel the wind, he had been blindly rushing ahead, piercing through the wall of air, but now he adjusted his steps and moved in accordance to the air, no longer fighting the wind but using it to dash faster.


    He suddenly felt himself take flight while running, it was even greater than when his Master had made him levitate...


    It took him a second to notice he wasn¡¯t flying because of his own technique; his Master had made him fly.


    ¡°Sorry to spoil your fun, but you almost run right into the mouth of a monster.¡±


    Following Navin¡¯s words, a bestial roar was heard and the ground exploded, tons of sand rose into the air as a giant beast appeared from under the dunes.


    ¡°What¡¯s that thing!!¡±


    Ethan screamed upon seeing the beast that rose from the sands.


    It was like a mutated armadillo, having a yellowish carapace full of scales and spikes on its back, a row of black scutes extended along the back of its neck. It had 4 long and thick legs ending on five sharp claws that undoubtedly possessed great strength to move all that weight around.


    However, it didn¡¯t have the tail nor the head of an armadillo.


    Its tail was like a black scorpion¡¯s, segmented and carried in a forward curve above its back, a bright red venomous stinger was on its end.


    Its head was a strange thing for Ethan, he didn¡¯t know how to describe it except for it being a wolf head with mandibles like an insect¡¯s and covered in armored scales.


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a Desert Krakatoa King, pretty strong for a medium-level world, the foreign energies in the black castle must have caused this being to reach such evolution despite the environment.¡±


    Navin appraised the creature with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°So, wanna kill it?¡± Navin suddenly asked Ethan


    ¡°Whaaat!? Master, I can¡¯t kill this thing, it¡¯s too huge!¡±


    ¡°For a cultivator, the enemy¡¯s size is irrelevant, you must be able to slay titans.¡±


    ¡°Ok, but that¡¯s when I have trained a lot, right? I only just formed my core today!¡±


    Ethan yelled at his Master who joked around with something so serious as fighting this monster.


    ¡°Silly kid, I don¡¯t mean you have to kill it alone, I¡¯ll hold it for you, and you deal the finishing blow, take this chance to experience for yourself the conscious absorption of life force.¡±


    ¡°And how do I kill that? Will you give me a super bazooka?¡±


    ¡°Almost. I¡¯ll give you a weapon, and you¡¯ll shove it down his head to kill it. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a sharp weapon.¡±


    Navin made a huge 3-meter-long spear with a long and strangely shaped crimson spearhead, the shaft shone with a soft blue light.


    The whole thing practically screamed ¡®fantasy weapon¡¯ it looked like something dark elves or demons would use in an MMORPG.


    Ethan grabbed the weapon and looked at the monster on the ground.


    The gargantuan beast was completely paralyzed due to Navin, and it could only hatefully stare at them, although fear was quickly replacing all other emotions.


    Ethan was moved to the top of the Desert Krakatoa King¡¯s head and stabbed it with the spear.


    The humungous monster let out a painful squeak and dropped to the ground, it was dead in an instant.


    Before Ethan could express surprise at how easy it was to kill that thing, he felt a rush of energy enter him, he instinctively mobilized his Qi and drove the massive aura of life force into his core.


    He felt his core devour all that life force and then change it into his own, with an exhalation, Ethan felt all his muscles strengthen and his bones got sturdier as a wave of heat coursed through him.


    So this was the process to take in energy from the killed prey and use it to evolve.


    Was this how a character in a game leveled up?


    The heat felt a bit intense, probably due to the strength of the beast that had been killed.


    Navin waved a hand and both the monster and the spear that killed it disappeared.


    ¡°See? I told you it would be easy.¡±


    Navin said with a smile as he and Ethan landed softly on the sand.


    ¡°Now, put some clothes, ok? It would be bad for you to get an insolation due to carelessly going around half-naked in a desert. At least learn how to carry out photosynthesis first.¡±


    Ethan was still wearing only black shorts, he was even barefoot, but he didn¡¯t feel any discomfort, he was still high on the adrenaline rush from forming his core, running and then killing a monster, so he hadn¡¯t paid attention to such things.


    It was due to his excitement when running that he had gone far from the black spire without realizing and almost got eaten by the Desert Krakatoa King.


    He had walked more than 3 kilometers in the short 5 minutes of his run.


    "Am I supposed to be a plant now? How could I do photosynthesis?"


    Ethan asked as he got a set of clothes and shoes out of his spatial ring.


    Over his usual city clothes from his world, he wore clothes Navin made for him to be on the desert; a cream-colored cloak to cover his body and a blue headdress fashioned from a square scarf that his Master called a Keffiyeh, Ethan just called it ¡®headscarf¡¯.


    "Sunlight and heat can be used as sources of energy, you can absorb them to cultivate too. You will soon understand that it is highly beneficial for you to experience various types of energy, your core is a greedy and gluttonous thing, feed it all kind of things and it will grow more powerful."


    While Ethan didn¡¯t feel any pain like a normal person would from being like this under the scorching heat of the Sun in a desert, he wasn¡¯t really comfortable being directly hit by the Sun. The clothes his Master made seemed to be magical, he felt fresh the moment he put them on.


    ¡°Come on then, let¡¯s get you out of this desert, when we find some weaker monsters, you¡¯ll hunt them to practice. I''ll make you a weapon, so think about what you''d like to use. Of course, we''ll try numerous things before deciding.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Aren¡¯t we going to enter that weird black spire?¡±


    They had walked for 3 days to reach that place, after all.


    ¡°I already investigated what I wanted to know from it, and it doesn¡¯t have anything of value to me. It can be useful to you, but you are not ready to enter there yet, once you are strong enough to kill a King-class Beast like the one before on your own, we¡¯ll come back here and you¡¯ll raid the place.¡±


    Navin took Ethan into the air as he spoke, they flew into the distance at high speed, towards the south.


    <hr>


    Many hours later, in the City of Lauhr, located at the southern border of the Desert of Death.


    This city was a place frequented by anyone strong and crazy enough to challenge the Desert of Death from the Kingdom of Sahbadia on the easternmost side of Iben Continent.


    This was a land full of hunters and warriors seeking fame and fortune, and also a place especially watched by influences from all across the world of Tie-Gol.


    The Desert of Death was a death trap for any who dared to intrude into its sands, but it also hid countless priceless treasures within; the skin, scales, fangs, claws, and cores of the numerous beasts that lived in that land were extremely valuable, and any country valued them as well as the warriors capable of slaying such monsters.


    On the 6<sup>th</sup> day of the first month of the year 3000 D.F, a boy not older than 15 years old came out from the Desert of Death, wearing clean clothes and without any wound on him, however, he had hunted numerous beasts from within the Desert. This kid carried as a weapon only a single gray spear and was accompanied by a strange bird on his shoulder that appeared and disappeared at irregular intervals.


    No one knew where this boy came from, his racial traits marked him as human, but he wasn¡¯t from Sahbadia Kingdom and none of the scouts or Desert Watchers had seen him entering, later reports would confirm he came from deeper than their furthest outpost inside the Desert of Death.


    It was at that moment, a legend was born.

 Chapter 10: Sahbadian Nights

    People walked on the streets, hurrying on their own lives, some went to work, some went to their homes, each person carried their own worries, goals, and dreams.


    Kids ran happily, playing games of catch, eating snacks; youths ride their bikes and skateboards at the local park, some drank beer while sitting on benches, talking about the latest gossips and news on television.


    People hearing music, people playing music, the noises of voices counted by hundreds of thousands coming together into a symphony of life, work, hardships, dreams, and activity.


    One could spend their entire life without listening to this concert of noises despite being right in the middle of it and even participating of it, adding one¡¯s own sound to the mix; because when you get used to something and take for granted its presence, you become numb to it.


    Yet the absence of that noise can be the loudest scream it can produce, and also the most painful.


    Because when silence screams, the scream comes from within yourself.


    Ethan watched in horror as the fateful scene replayed itself in front of his eyes; as if reality itself was a crystal screen, it filled with cracks and the image distorted, body parts changed position in sickeningly impossible ways, moving in different directions as their owners were unaware of it.


    Then the cracks were gone, but a bloody hell was left behind.


    <hr>


    ¡°Haaah!¡±


    Ethan woke up from his nightmare with a shout, drenched in sweat. He opened his eyes and looked around.


    He was lying down on his left side, sleeping on a bed inside a small room on the second floor of an Inn.


    He was certain he could not go back to sleep now.


    He sat up. He was alone in this dark room, he channeled Qi to his eyes almost instinctively, enhancing their perception.


    There was a thin, almost invisible layer of something covering the room, it was a barrier put by his Master.


    Ethan let out a sigh and hugged his legs, tears started to run down his cheeks.


    He was alone inside this dark room, in an alien world full of strange people who spoke a language he didn¡¯t know but understood thanks to his Master¡¯s translation spell.


    There were even two moons in the sky.


    The people were strangers, the language was strange, the land was strange, the stars were strange, everything was¡­ strange.


    He usually liked new things, he was excited when he saw the traits of the people in this world, the new and delicious food, exotic plants, and the cool clothes.


    But after the initial awe, when he got time to think by himself about all this, he was reminded of how different it was to his home, and then the pain in his chest started again.


    His Master was nice to him, it was fun and interesting to talk with him, Ethan really enjoyed hearing his stories, and was practically becoming a superhuman thanks to him.


    But at the end of the day, his Master was also a stranger, some super god-like being from another dimension, they had gotten closer during these past few days, but there was a limit to how much trust and familiarity could be built in such short time.


    Sure, his Master was the savior that got him out of the bloody mess his city and his world had become, yet he had admitted he was partly responsible for that situation, the people from his world died because of the war of the deities that his Master took part in.


    And they fucked up the cosmos in their freaking war.


    The stupid gods killed each other and screwed up entire worlds full of innocent people in the process.


    They were mere mortals that got wiped out without any real reason for it, mere ants that were crushed when giants walked over them, just collateral damage, specks of dust in the grand scheme of things.


    The anger and pain caused by those thoughts welled up inside Ethan. That frustration, the powerlessness of watching everyone die without being able to do anything but watch¡­


    It hurt, more than anything else.


    Navin had said there was a way to save them, but that didn¡¯t change the current situation, Ethan was still alone, without his friends or family in a foreign land, depending entirely on what his Master decided.


    What if his Master suddenly decided he didn¡¯t want to waste time with Ethan?


    If Navin decided to leave, there was nothing Ethan could do to stop him, he would be completely alone, left to die in this unknown world.


    Those thoughts were circling Ethan¡¯s head constantly, he tried to avoid thinking about it, and was grateful that Navin always provided something to keep his mind busy, distracting him from the painful memories.


    Ethan closed his eyes and continued to cry, he cried without restraint, venting all the emotions that tightened his chest.


    And in the darkness, a light shone.


    With his eyes closed, Ethan cast his senses into himself, watching the shining mysterious rune that floated in the darkness.


    That was the legacy his Master had given him, the accumulation of knowledge about cultivation that would be Ethan¡¯s greatest tool on his path to immortality.


    Inside this rune were the secret arts that gave him power that surpassed any mortal.


    Yes¡­ with this, I won¡¯t be weak anymore.


    Ethan contemplated the rune within his mind and felt the pain decrease, and a warm feeling filled his chest spreading across his body, he felt the power flow through him, his power.


    He knew he was still weak, the numerous beasts he found in the desert proved him that there were great dangers and monsters in this world; his Master said there far worse things in other worlds.


    So he was small and weak, just a crying little child trembling in the face of true power.


    But so what?


    The realization of his own weakness will not crush him, if he was at the bottom of the ladder, then he could only go up, he may be weak now but he will grow stronger.


    And this rune right here was the key for that.


    ¡°All I have to do is keep practicing, right? Instead of crying, I can do something productive.¡±


    Ethan muttered and got off the bed.


    Standing in the middle of the room, Ethan rose his arms over his head and clenched his fists. He inhaled and exhaled a few times, then slowly lowered his fists crossing them in front of his chest for an instant before continuing their descent until they were below his navel.


    In that position, Ethan entered a meditative state, forgetting his fears and insecurities to focus on his training.


    At least, for now.


    <hr>


    50 kilometers southwest from Lauhr City, a group of 10 people rushed to the city riding on horses.


    8 of them were from a special escort unit of the Sahbadia Kingdom, wearing matching black uniforms and light armor.


    The two men at the front of the formation were the strongest of the group, the older one wore armor protecting his torso, forearms, and legs, looking like a veteran warrior; the younger one wore elegant clothes, robes with the emblem of royalty.


    ¡°Attention! Something strange is ahead!¡±


    The veteran warrior shouted to his companions, the group slowed down their ride while watching their surroundings, weapons at the ready.


    ¡°Hmph, seems like we were found out, you got great instincts, General Jiten.¡±


    An old voice sounds and a hoary-headed man comes out from behind a rock, he wore black robes and held a wooden staff on his hands, he was a magician.


    From around them, figures started to stand up from the sand, a group of 50 people covered entirely in black clothes, wielding scimitars.


    ¡°This sand crawling technique¡­ so you have employed quite the group of assassins, eh?¡±


    The prince spoke with a loud but calm voice, he unsheathed his sabre with a neat movement and looked at the sky.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°You even brought Avians with you, have the proud tribes of Formabisia really become dogs of Feld-Ehia Kingdom?¡±


    The prince spoke coldly as he stared at the clouds, 6 figures dove from overhead and circled his group, still in the air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you know anything about us, Amir of Sahbadia!¡±


    5 of them looked like men with brown wings on their backs, but their leader, the one who spoke to Prince Amir, looked like a mixture of a vulture and a man; his body and face were like a human, but he had claws instead of hands and talons instead of feet.


    He looked more bestial and far stronger than his 5 companions.


    ¡°You seem to know my name, but if you are here impeding my path, then you know nothing else about me, what a pity, you were sent to die in vain.¡±


    Amir calmly talked with them, as if his group was in no danger and he wasn¡¯t surrounded by opponents, but rather by stones on the road, about to be crushed under his horse''s hooves.


    ¡°General, I¡¯ll let you handle those Avians, I¡¯ll take care of that mage. The rest of you, kill all those stupid assassins.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    The escorts moved instantaneously, dashing at the assassins.


    The General raised his sight to the 6 men flying over his head and spoke with a bored expression.


    ¡°Did you know, birdmen? In my youth, I used to go hunting a lot, especially birds, and my favorite method was throwing sharpened sticks at them. My accuracy and strength of arm earned me quite some praise from the adults back them.¡±


    The expressions of the Avians turned angry at the humiliating comments of this man who disregarded them and held a casual conversation in the middle of a fight.


    2 of them readied their bows and shot arrows at him, yet he caught the arrows in a swift movement of his right hand; then he casually threw the arrows to a side.


    ¡°What? How did he¡­¡±


    The Avians were stunned, that degree of strength wasn¡¯t something to be underestimated. However, before they could take any other action, the General attacked.


    On Jiten¡¯s hand appeared a long and heavy halberd, the shaft was made of black metal decorated with golden writings of ancient times, the spearhead was a silver wide curved blade, enabling for cutting and thrusting, this type of polearm was called an Arbir.


    ¡°[Penta Saeta]¡±


    General Jiten¡¯s arm blurred as he moved it, he threw his arbir aiming at the Avian leader, who quickly dodged out of the way of the speeding projectile.


    ¡°Ha! Such petty tricks won¡¯t even¡ª¡±


    The Avian leader stopped mid-sentence as he turned his head right in time to see his 5 companions pierced by the same arbir Jiten had thrown at him, but these ones came from above.


    Had the spear multiplied and changed direction after passing by him?


    Jiten jumped from his horse, appearing into the air in front of the last Avian alive in the group, his arbir appeared once again on his hand as the ones piercing the 5 falling Avians disappeared as mirages.


    ¡°Die, birdman.¡±


    The head of the Avian leader separated from his body the next instant.


    Jiten landed on the ground without much noise and dashed to the assassins that fought with the escorts, even if they could handle this, it was better to not leave any chances of his men dying on this ambush.


    Meanwhile, Prince Amir rode his steed towards the mage ahead, the last enemy that posed a threat to this group, although he could do nothing alone, this ambush was doomed to fail.


    ¡°Those useless bastards¡­ Argh! I don¡¯t need them! [Root Jail]¡±


    Realizing there was no escape the mage cast a spell as he buried the tip of his staff on the ground, making thick and large roots emerge from the ground in front of the riding prince.


    On these arid lands, there were very few mages with plant related abilities, and although this man had initially spoken in the language of Sahbadia Kingdom, on his rage he spoke using the language of Feld-Ehia Kingdom, revealing his origin.


    He threw various seeds and used his magic to make them sprout and grow rapidly, turning into a group of purple dotted giant flowers.


    ¡°Take this, foolish prince! [Venom Mist]!¡±


    The mage channeled his spell through the plants, and the group of flowers emitted thick purple gas, maybe one would not be much, but there were 6 of them, making it cover a wide area, this was a strong poison that paralyzed and painfully killed whoever inhaled it, even letting it permeate the skin would make one suffer its effects in a lesser degree, an ordinary person would fall to the ground in seconds and die in a matter of minutes.


    However, Prince Amir was no ordinary man.


    ¡°[Fiery Ride]!¡±


    Amir activated a Skill, making a burning force field surround him and his horse, accelerating like a meteor through the mist. The roots on the ground that tried to grab him were crushed and burned.


    ¡°For the insolence of ambushing me and for the insult of daring to do it possessing such pathetic strength, I sentence you to die!¡±


    The prince rode forward, unstoppable. The mage¡¯s eyes opened in terror as he watched the approaching figure covered in flames.


    ¡°[Grand Tree]!!¡±


    The mage shouted as he spent most of his mana on a desperate attempt of casting faster; his staff which was over a meter long, opened outwards as if it was many branches that had been spiraling, revealing a magic crystal in its center.


    The crystal shone with power and started to turn the staff into a giant tree that would fight to protect the mage and could even turn into an Ent-like creature to help the mage escape.


    Alas, he was too slow in his cast.


    Before the spell could be completed, Amir rode past the mage, decapitating him with a [Flash Cut] of his sabre.


    The spell canceled and the magic dispersed, making the staff return to its original form.


    The prince group reunited after killing all the assassins, inspected the bodies, taking anything valuable or that could serve as identification, then they burned the bodies and continued on their march towards Lauhr City.


    ¡°These people were just a distraction, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I think the same, General. They were just dogs sent to die hoping they could delay my arrival for a while. The question is, what is the Kingdom of Feld-Ehia planning? If these guys were to buy some time, then there¡¯s something else that another group is doing.¡±


    ¡°And that action, involves our destination, Lauhr City.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, let¡¯s make haste.¡±


    ¡°As you command.¡±


    The two finished their conversation and continued their ride to the City, their objective was important, but if the Feld-Ehia Kingdom and even tribes from Formabisia are involved, then the importance might have just risen quite a bit, but also the difficulty of their success.


    <hr>


    In the sky directly over Prince Amir''s group, far above the clouds, a semitransparent golden-crimson Phoenix hovered watching them, then he flew at high speed towards the west, to a marching battalion of 300 people.


    Their destination, just like the prince and his escorts from before, was Lauhr City.


    ¡°An invading force? But that city is guarded and full of monster hunters, this small group is not capable of taking the city, even if they have strong soldiers.¡±


    Navin mused as he watched the attire of the soldiers.


    ¡°Good quality armors, some even have special effects, attuned according to their own specialties, 180 melee fighters, 50 archers, 50 mages, 20 healers. And among them, some possess talents in other areas. Not bad, for this world. Should this be considered an elite attack group?¡±


    Navin circled over them, listening to the small conversations among them. There was nothing useful like their objectives or details on the mission, such things must have been discussed long before starting their march.


    ¡°Feld-Ehia Kingdom, eh? I don¡¯t particularly care who Ethan chooses to side with, and one can¡¯t judge a country by just these few soldiers but¡­ these guys don¡¯t have good auras and the bad karma of previous actions is chaining them.¡±


    While Navin didn¡¯t really care about the past of people, and he knew there could be all kind of circumstances that drove people to commit acts that they regretted later, there were some things that simply were done because of their perversion, and such things left a mark on people.


    Navin saw the perversion crawl in their minds and decided that at least the Prince and his General were men of honor, so if he got involved, he would help the prince¡¯s side.


    That is, if he decided to intervene.


    The interactions between countries and their military activities were not something he actively wanted to involve with, each world had their own ways and history.


    People had their own lives and fates, and while he didn¡¯t care about the decrees of fate, he was not going to go voluntarily meddling in other people¡¯s lives, each person had the freedom to forge their own future.


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s watch things first, if they actually try to pull some dirty act near me, I¡¯ll just kill them and be over with it.¡±


    Reaching this conclusion, Navin turned around and returned to Lauhr City.


    The tides of the change were rising in the cosmos, and for some worlds, that transformation came through war, if that was the case for this world and its countries, Navin will not stop it.


    At least not now, since he was not in the mood for it.


    <hr>


    Deep in meditation, Ethan projected himself into the dark space inside his mind. A perfect copy of himself holding the spear his Master had made for him earlier that day.


    He readied himself as a mannequin appeared in front of him wielding a spear.


    This was one of the training methods described in the scriptures of his cultivation art, and one of the most useful meditation methods for a martial artist.


    This was called Soul Scape Incarnation Training.


    It consisted in creating a space within the mind and project one¡¯s soul into it, then making incarnated illusions to train with, it was especially useful for combat training and for experimenting the use of dangerous techniques.


    The dummy figure that Ethan created was one his Master had used during their walk in the desert to tell him about acupoints, meridians and other knowledge about human anatomy.


    And it was going to use the same spear Ethan had, it wasn¡¯t that hard for Ethan to program the dummy for sparring, it felt like in a video game, just giving the commands and the dummy would obey, the rest was letting it run on autopilot.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Upon Ethan¡¯s words, the dummy jumped forwards and delivered a front kick on his chest, followed by a fist on his right temple.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Ethan took 3 steps back, but the dummy pursued, using the walking technique Ethan had used to not leave footprints in the sand, a single step of the dummy surpassed the 3 steps Ethan had taken, enabling it to crush his nose with a knee.


    ¡°Argh! Stop!¡±


    The mannequin stopped instantaneously and Ethan started to punch it over and over until it was completely broken, full of anger and indignation at being so humiliated; the dummy had not even used its spear, which meant it wasn¡¯t necessary to use it, the thing was looking down on Ethan.


    Panting a bit, Ethan refreshed his body, erasing all wounds and tiredness. He remade the dummy and had it ready for round 2.


    He knew it had been a stupid thing to just freeze the dummy with a mental command and beat it up when it was unable to fight back. Such a thing was useless for his training even if it helped him vent some anger.


    ¡°Okay, so this thing goes machine mode like an arcade knowing the best way to use the moves of a character in a fighting game. Well, I¡¯m gonna beat it, players are meant to overcome the machine anyway.¡±


    He took a stance with his spear in front of the dummy and started to channel his Qi in preparation for the duel, he wouldn¡¯t be beaten again.


    ¡°Begin¡±


    This time, both of them dashed forward and thrust with their spears, the spearheads clashed with a ¡®clang!¡¯ and the dummy sidestepped while swinging the spear aiming to hit Ethan¡¯s head with the shaft, Ethan blocked with his own but left his lower body unprotected.


    Sharp pain above his knee made him realize his mistake, the dummy had stabbed him almost the next instant Ethan blocked the strike to his head.


    Of course, if the blunt end of the spear is aiming above, then the spearhead was aiming to the lower body of the opponent; even if it sounded obvious and was stated in the explanations of spearmanship on his cultivation art, during a real fight it was hard to pay attention to everything.


    It was something that only experience could provide.


    To get used to observing the opponent¡¯s weapon, their movement, to learn to think ahead, trying to read the flow of their moves and predict their actions, it sounded cool for Ethan, but it was hard to put into practice.


    Swinging was the essence of using a polearm, a little twist and a flick at the right time could change the whole attack and defense patterns, meaning it made the difference between victory and defeat.


    The difference between life and death.


    Ethan stopped the dummy, healed his wounded knee, took distance and calmed his breath.


    Time for round 3.


    ¡°Begin.¡±


    Once again they lunged at each other and exchanged strikes.


    It wasn¡¯t until next morning that Ethan opened his eyes, still standing in the middle of the room in the Inn.


    A small Phoenix was perched on the window, and Ethan could swear it was smiling.


    ¡°Good morning, Ethan. It¡¯s good to see you working hard.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Master. Yeah, it was hard indeed, but I think it was good.¡±


    Ethan looked at the sunlight coming from outside and stretched with a small yawn.


    ¡°Time sure flies when one¡¯s focused or having fun.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, so how was your first experience with meditative combat?¡±


    ¡°It was good, I was beaten up a lot at first, but I learn fast¡­ Eh, wait a minute, you knew what I was doing?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I created that, remember? I know how your energy moves when using that method. Although I don¡¯t know what you were actually doing inside the Mind Space, I can tell that you were using it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    ¡°So, did you learn something good?¡±


    Navin asked with a smile.


    Ethan looked at his Master and dedicated him a huge grin.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Navin laughed at the confident response.


    ¡°Good, because¡­¡±


    He looked outside the window before continuing.


    ¡°¡­you might have to put it to use soon.¡±

 Chapter 11: Confrontation

    Navin pointed at Ethan with a wing and his body was covered in a light crimson flame, eliminating dirt residues and sweat.


    Two seconds later, the flame was gone and Ethan was completely clean, even his clothes looked neater than before.


    ¡°Master, I could just take a bath, you know?¡±


    ¡°Baths are for relaxation. To cleanse the body, fire is the most effective.¡±


    This cleaning flame ability was something very useful that got rid of the bad smell, bacteria, dirt, and practically any foreign substance on the body.


    But Ethan still liked to take showers and baths.


    ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t have time for taking a bath, hurry up and change your clothes, get ready for battle.¡±


    Ethan opened his eyes in surprise but did as he was told.


    He pulled clothes out of his Spatial Ring; a white undershirt, long sleeved dark blue shirt with silver lines forming runes, black pants, blue socks, and black boots.


    These clothes were one of various sets his Master hadgiven him when they were hunting beasts in the desert yesterday, they were enchanted with protections and enhancements for the body.


    After getting changed in a hurry, Ethan leaned out the window and Navin pointed to a cloud of rising dust in the distance.


    Ethan enhanced his sight with Qi and almost fell out the window due to the surprise.


    The dust rising in the distance was due to a stampede of monsters. There were hundreds of them, mad blood-thirsty beasts running towards Lauhr City.


    ¡°Have the people in the city noticed?¡±


    Ethan asked, if they hadn¡¯t noticed yet, then they must be notified immediately.


    ¡°Yes, they are gathering people and preparing the defense of the city, this place is filled with Monster Hunters, they will manage the situation.¡±


    ¡°Should we help them?¡±


    ¡°If you want to, you are free to do so.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­ you could flap your wings and those monsters would be gone, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I could.¡±


    ¡°Then jus- ¡°


    ¡°No.¡±


    Ethan was taken aback by the curt reply.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I am not a god, Ethan. And definitely not their god. I am also not responsible for them and I¡¯m not obligated to solve their problems for them, much less one they can solve by themselves.¡±


    Ethan was silent for a moment before replying to his Master.


    ¡°Then why did you make me get ready for battle?¡±


    ¡°Because you have the right to choose whether to help them or not. Just as I can choose not to intervene, you can choose to fight.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    So his Master was giving him the chance to help the people, even if his Master wasn¡¯t planning to get involved, Ethan guessed if he got in a dangerous situation then Navin would interfere and save him, it made no sense to let his Disciple die.


    ¡°I know what you are thinking, kid.¡±


    Navin said and made a toy hammer appear out of thin air, he proceeded to hit Ethan on the top of his head with it. The hammer made a funny noise upon hitting, though it didn''t hurt him at all.


    ¡°You are not going to get yourself half-killed to make me intervene, alright? If you get beaten by the beasts, I will take you and fly away from here. So think a better strategy if you want to help to save this city.¡±


    Ethan gave his Master a little smile and a dry laugh.


    ¡°Was it that obvious?¡±


    ¡°Quite a bit. Now come on, before you go fight those beasts there¡¯s something I want to show you. I¡¯m going to teleport you to the sky, be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Oh, o-okay¡­¡±


    With a thought, Navin teleported with Ethan to the sky above the city and both floated there.


    ¡°Whoaa!¡±


    ¡°I warned you before teleporting.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me even a second to prepare!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that, this isn¡¯t your first time teleporting and also not your first time flying. Anyways, the horde of beasts is coming from the northeast, but there¡¯s another threat coming from the west, look.¡±


    Ethan stared reproachfully at his Master but still looked to the west, where his Master was pointing. There was a group of 10 people standing at the top of a dune their backs to the city as they stared into the distance.


    Navin was pointing to something ahead of that group of people, but there was nothing else in sight.


    ¡°The real trouble is this.¡±


    Navin said as he continued to point at that empty space, then something happened. As if it were the waves on a lake, a barrier dissipated, revealing a group of hundreds of soldiers galloping fast towards the city.


    ¡°Those guys are the real danger to this city, they are an advance party full of elite soldiers. While they don¡¯t have the strength to take this city normally due to the City Watch and the Monster Hunters, they are taking advantage of the beast horde to attack the city.¡±


    The soldiers raised shouts of surprise and astonishment as the expensive concealment spell they had used was dispelled, they were discovered before they expected.


    However, they were seasoned soldiers, so they continued their attack, it was time to start, there was no time to waste.


    ¡°Then what now?¡±


    Ethan asked from their vantage in the sky.


    ¡°Now you do as you please, I just wanted to show you the whole picture. Will you fight the monster horde or will you fight the soldier battalion? It¡¯s your choice.¡±


    Ethan silently pondered his options. He wasn¡¯t confident in either choice.


    Sure, he had hunted beasts yesterday, but that was a controlled situation with his Master help, now he couldn¡¯t let himself fail or his Master will take him away and the people here won¡¯t get help.


    His Master had said the city and its people were in danger, but not that it was inevitable that they would fall to the beasts and the invaders. But Ethan felt he could help, so he wanted to help.


    The second option wasn¡¯t easy either; if he fought against those soldiers, he was likely to lose; they were professional soldiers while he had only a couple of days of training, no matter how superhuman he felt, there was magic in this world, those guys were superhuman too.


    Besides, Ethan was not a murderer, and he didn¡¯t know what he would do once he killed a person. He had spent the whole night inside the Mind Space training constantly, destroying the dummy, but that was it, that wasn¡¯t murder, that was breaking a doll, not a living person.


    The vivid memory of mutilated corpses on the street sent a chill down his spine.


    There was only one choice then, he would risk it with the beasts.


    ¡°The beast horde, if we can solve the situation there, then the Hunters can go back and help defend the city from the invaders. Who are those guys that seem to be waiting for them, Master?¡±


    ¡°They are a Prince and a General of this country, accompanied by 8 escorts. They plan to fight the invaders and buy time for the Hunters to solve the monster horde issue.¡±


    ¡°A prince? Then why doesn¡¯t he go into the city and defend it from the safety of the walls?¡±


    Now that he thought about it, Ethan wondered why the Hunters were going outside of the city to fight the horde instead of repelling them from the fortified walls of the city.


    It was kind of dumb to go outside if they could stay in a safer position.


    ¡°The walls of Lauhr City are filled with magic wards and were built to withstand beast hordes, they would also be effective against an invading force trying to take this strategic spot communicating with the Desert.¡±


    ¡°Then why are they going outside?¡±


    ¡°Because the walls are malfunctioning right now.¡±


    ¡°What!? At such a time? Were they sabotaged or something?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have keen insight. Yes, a spy within the city sabotaged the mechanism that activates the walls, it will take them a couple of hours to repair it. That¡¯s why they are taking the battle outside of the city, to prevent the weaker population from getting hurt.¡±


    Even if the city was known as a place filled with hunters and strong fighters, there were many people who were not fighters, a society could not survive with only warriors, after all.


    ¡°What about the spy?¡±


    ¡°He was caught and imprisoned, some hunters are interrogating him right now.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°I see¡­ well, then. Master, please take me to the beast horde, I will help the hunters to fight it off.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, feel free to go wild, your clothes should keep you safe from most damage, but don¡¯t go receiving attacks blindly, ok? And make sure to always protect your head, keep your mind cold even if your heart is blazing. I¡¯ll watch the results of your practice with meditative training.¡±


    ¡°Master, will you really not help?¡±


    ¡°I am helping right now; I¡¯m even sending my own disciple into their fight despite this conflict having no connection with us.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean, Master.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I am not going to fight for them, ¡®flapping my wings¡¯ as you put it to kill these beasts will only bring unnecessary attention to you and they will start being a bother trying to know how we did it.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ if there was a way for you to help without killing the beasts, or without being noticed¡­¡±


    Navin stared at Ethan''s eyes, and the young man was sure that his thoughts were crystal clear for his Master.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ okay, Ethan. Tell me your plan.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Master!¡±


    ¡°This kid¡­ I feel like I¡¯m teaching Adeline again¡­¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, I''ll tell you later.¡±


    They disappeared from the sky as Ethan starteddiscussing his idea with his Master.


    <hr>


    Prince Amir¡¯s group had noticed the presence of the invading battalion due to General Jiten¡¯s instincts, and an observation artifact had confirmed the approaching soldiers, but they were surprised by the dissipation of their concealment.


    ¡°Did something happen there? Their concealment went off.¡±


    One of the escorts asked another while carefully watching the approaching battalion. They were already at spell range, the battle was imminent.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible their spell just finished its effective time or the magicians who supported it ran out of mana, but that¡¯s unlikely.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they decided they didn¡¯t need to hide anymore once they saw we were waiting for them here.¡±


    ¡°Either way, our objective does not change, prepare to engage. Remember, our goal is not to kill them, but to hold them back until the Hunters arrive after taking care of the monster horde. We can eliminate them then, but for now we must save strength for a protracted battle.¡±


    Prince Amir interceded and gave his orders.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°That said, there are some things where we can¡¯t be stingy about, launch large-scale magic, Anwe, Rufus!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    Two of the prince escort stepped forwards, holding staves in their hands, they were the only two mages in the team. Despite their melee combat prowess, they had trained in combat magic but magic was not their main focus.


    They both raised their staves and chanted their respective spells.


    ¡°Arise, sands of our land! Gallop the winds and unleash your force unto our enemies! [Sand Storm]¡±


    ¡°Roar, thunder of the skies! Gather, spirits of lightning! Come forth and strike down my enemies, [Lightning Tempest]¡±


    Anwe¡¯s Sand Storm spell and Rufus¡¯ Lightning Tempest spell were unleashed one after the other. The first covered the invaders, hitting them with great force, even making some of them fall from their horses, it also made them blind to the second spell.


    Lightning fell into the group, striking many. However, their mages reacted and managed to cast magic defenses, protecting the invading force.


    In the middle of the sandstorm, the commander shouted


    ¡°Keep going forward! This is just a short duration spell; it won¡¯t last long! Charge!¡±


    Before he could charge with his men, he heard noises of pain and horses¡¯ neighs, the enemy had slipped through his ranks using the sandstorm as cover.


    ¡°These damn desert rats! I will kill you all!¡±


    With sand hitting their faces and entering their eyes, and strong winds blowing in their ears, it was difficult to find the enemy.


    Shouts and sounds of explosions due to the mages¡¯ spells were all around them. By the time the sandstorm spell started to lessen its strength, there were over 50 soldiers of the invading soldiers lying dead on the ground, with many others wounded.


    General Jiten was specialized in fighting multiple opponents at once, and with his ability to summon and throw many spears he was the main contributor to this result.


    They had wanted to focus on those who looked like mages, but they could not get them all, they didn¡¯t have it easy when fighting people in the middle of the sandstorm either.


    30 mages, 14 archers and 6 cavalry soldiers dead, 250 more to go. It was a good start for Prince Amir and his team, but the enemies were strong and outnumbered them 25 to 1, the real fight started now.


    Each of the Prince¡¯s escorts threw numerous black spheres to the enemy soldiers.


    ¡°Now, Rufus!¡±


    Amir shouted and Rufus pointed to the enemy soldiers with his staff, throwing many small fireballs at them.


    The fireballs were weak but their objective was not the soldiers, but the spheres Amir¡¯s escorts had thrown.


    Upon contact with the fire, the spheres exploded, killing and wounding many soldiers.


    Anwe raised his staff and with a wide motion stroke the ground, making a huge wall of sand that immediately dispersed over the invaders.


    Amir¡¯s team used this as cover and attacked again.


    <hr>


    A group of 70 hunters rode fast towards the northeast of Lauhr City, they were heavily armed, ready to fight back the beast horde.


    The man leading the group was a veteran hunter called Kareb, he was tall with a muscular body and stern countenance, he was respected by most of the people in the region and recognized as one of the best hunters in the city.


    He had traveled the world and hunted monsters all his life, he possessed survival skills for almost any environment and was well-versed in many combat arts.


    He was confident in driving back the beast horde, but he also had a bad feeling about this. A spy sabotaging the city¡¯s defenses right before a beast horde was way too coincidental, now they were forced to fight outside the city to avoid getting civilians in danger, so the city defense was weakened and there was no reinforcement for the City Watch.


    He didn¡¯t like this situation at all.


    But all he could do was face the beast now and return quickly to the city.


    He was pondering about this issue when he noticed someone standing ahead of them, closer to the marching horde of monsters.


    A boy with copper-like hair, wearing strange clothes that didn¡¯t seem suited for the desert environment. Was he a foreigner? His skin looked far too white for someone living under the desert Sun.


    ¡°Hunters of Lauhr City! Please return and head to the west of the city! There are invaders from another country heading to the city!¡±


    The boy shouted at them from the distance, despite being far his voice was clear on their ears, maybe he was using some kind of magic art to amplify his voice.


    ¡°What? Invading forces?¡±


    The hunters were surprised at the boy¡¯s statement, some shouted, some laughed thinking it was a bad joke, some were silently pondering the truth in his words.


    Kareb was one of the latter.


    The boy¡¯s words confirmed his suspicions, but he could not simply turn around, the beast horde was still approaching, they needed to buy time for the restoration of the wards in the wall.


    But if the invaders arrived and took the city, then retaking the city would be extremely hard.


    A decision needed to be made, and it had to be fast.


    ¡°I will drive the horde away, you guys return to the city and help to protect it! The invaders are a troop of 300 soldiers, they are currently fighting against one of your country¡¯s princes!¡±


    ¡°A prince is here?¡±


    Kareb¡¯s pupil contracted slightly; if there were members of royalty here, the consequences of that battle would be much bigger than the loss of a strategic place near the Desert of Death.


    While the hunters started discussing among each other whether to believe the strange boy¡¯s words, they saw him start running towards the beast and then change direction to the north, deeper into the Desert of Death.


    He moved at an astonishing speed for someone so young, he was running faster than some of the hunters gathered there.


    Then they watched something that made them believe his words: the beast horde changed direction, starting to chase after the boy, like wild dogs chasing a bloody piece of meat.


    Kareb noticed the boy had some strange object in his hand raised over his head, that must be the thing attracting the beasts.


    Kareb wanted to shout at him, to tell him not to do that, that it was their job to fight the beasts, that he didn¡¯t need to risk his life that way, one of the hunters could act as bait using whatever the kid had in his hand to drive the beasts towards him.


    But he couldn¡¯t do it, the kid was too far ahead, there was no way to overtake him without getting caught by the beasts.


    ¡°Tell me your name, boy! I shall remember it as belonging to a courageous man!¡±


    That boy, no, that man was acting as bait to gain time for them, risking his life for a city that wasn¡¯t his, and informed them of the danger of invaders before heading deep into what was considered by all as a Death Zone. That was worthy of the respect of all hunters present.


    ¡°Ethan, my name is Ethan Bhreg.¡±


    The young man¡¯s voice was heard.


    ¡°We owe you a lot, Ethan Bhreg. If you survive, I¡¯ll serve a feast on your honor, and if you don¡¯t then I¡¯ll personally build your tomb on a place of honor!¡±


    Kareb made an oath of the Desert, it was something reserved only to brothers in arms and men of high respect; the other hunters were stunned after hearing him, such words were not to be taken lightly.


    ¡°Come on! We owe that youth the chance of helping our city, make haste and return, kill all the invaders and protect the prince!¡±


    Kareb turned around and roared at the other hunters. They all started riding back at full speed, some doubted that mysterious youth¡¯s words and expressed their opinions during the ride, but the majority thought otherwise.


    No one would risk their life like that for a lie.


    His words were proven right as they got around the city and noticed the fight near the west gate.


    Two groups fought while approaching the city, one was way smaller, barely ten people fighting hundreds, but they were more agile and cunning in their tactics, slowing down their riding opponents by using gas bombs, quicksand spells, and explosives to keep the invaders at bay, they were covered in numerous wounds, but still continued fighting.


    It was easy for the hunters of Lauhr City to recognize the prince due to his royal garment; he moved fast and delivered deadly blows to his opponents.


    The other prominent figure was a tall warrior with a halberd-like weapon, he sometimes summoned copies of his weapon and pierced the enemy soldiers. He was fighting with a man who seemed like the enemy¡¯s commander, a man in vermillion armor with a greatsword in his hands.


    The hunters clashed with the invading soldiers, 70 coming to help 10 and fighting against over 200 enemies.


    But they did it without hesitation. There was no need for presentations or asking for explanations, the fact was one: enemies were invading, so they would repel them, they would kill those who dared to try to steal their land!


    <hr>


    Running at his top speed, Ethan looked behind him and saw the blood-red eyes of monsters chasing him, that sight made him break his limit and run even faster.


    ¡°Are we out of sight?¡±


    Ethan asked between huffs, running and speaking was not something easy even now.


    ¡°Yeah, the hunters have left, the fight on the west side of the city is intensifying. On the other hand, the monsters have you right on sight.¡±


    Navin hovered in the air over Ethan, he didn¡¯t move his wings to fly, he was levitating with some magic.


    ¡°Ok, Master, make me fly and we can take these beasts away from the city.¡±


    ¡°Are you tired already?¡±


    ¡°No, but- ¡°


    ¡°Then keep running, don¡¯t be lazy.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say that when you are flying!¡±


    That shout almost made him lose focus on the running technique.


    ¡°Be careful with your steps and keep your breath steady. Anyways, I am not the one who came up with this plan, it was you, so you must work on it.¡±


    The Phoenix laid on the air as if he was on a cushion, spreading his wings wide and yawning.


    ¡°You should be able to run for quite a while now, right? Just be careful not to run out of energy or the beasts will get you.¡±


    Ethan sighed in resignation and kept running deeper into the desert, the beasts were chasing him fast, closing the distance.


    ¡°If you let the beasts get you, I will throw that bait into the city.¡±


    ¡°Master! Don¡¯t joke with that!¡±


    The ¡äbait¡ä Ethan held in his hand was a strange stone that attracted the monsters by stimulating their aggressiveness, his Master had given him that after he had proposed his plan to drive the beasts away.


    Ethan had originally planned to have his Master use some earth magic to make a fence or a chasm so the beasts could not pass to the city, but he had denied due to it being too flashy and hard to explain.


    Ethan then had proposed to attract the monsters with some distraction or bait, at which point Navin presented him with that blood-red crystal.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t think on getting caught, those lazy thoughts of giving up and depending on me are a detriment to your cultivation path; get rid of them, they are worse than useless.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, sorry, Master.¡±


    ¡°So long as you understand and rectify your ways, no problem.¡±


    Navin raised his beak and looked behind Ethan, there was a huge crashing noise right afterward, as if a boulder had hit a wall.


    A huge monster had crashed against an invisible barrier behind Ethan, if the barrier hadn¡¯t been there¡­


    ¡°Masteeeer!!¡±


    ¡°Just keep running, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°For how long!?¡±


    ¡°Just a couple of minutes, then we can return. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to fight these beasties?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t fight them, Master. they are too many!¡±


    ¡°Such low ambition and underestimation of yourself, you say you can¡¯t win, but have you not improved your breathing during your run?¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Ethan hadn¡¯t noticed, but he had been talking better and better during his running just now, no longer speaking between huffs.


    ¡°Silly kid, you are more talented than you think. But okay, if you don¡¯t want to fight, I won¡¯t force you.¡±


    Navin flew away into the distance, high in the sky.


    ¡°Umm, Master? Where are you going?¡±


    Only silence answered him.


    ¡°Master, come on! Hey! Hey!¡±


    His master was only a dot in the distance now.


    The monsters got really close to Ethan, close enough to reach him with their claws, tails and some disturbingly long tongues.


    ¡°Fuuuuuuuucckkkkkkk!!!¡±


    Ethan accelerated, running with the wind faster than before.


    ¡°Masteeeeerrrr!!! Wait up!¡±


    Deep in the Desert of Death, a young Disciple ran after his flying Master as a horde of beasts chased after him, while the people of Lauhr City fought for their lives and freedom against an invading force.


    Each one had their own struggles, and even if they did not know it, all of them were connected.

 Chapter 12: Clarification

    General Jiten took a look around after piercing the heart of a soldier. Of the invaders, only their commander was left standing, covered in wounds. On the ground laid people from both sides, many were dead, others were simply too wounded to stand.


    Lauhr City Forces had won.


    ¡°Surrender now, soldier of Feld-Ehia, the battle is over.¡±


    Prince Amir, while wounded, still retained his elegant demeanor as royalty, his back was straight and he held his head high as he pointed his saber at the Feld-Ehian Commander.


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯d rather die than be captured by you desert dogs.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯d rather kill you for the crime of invading this land, but you will be useful after an interrogation, so I can¡¯t let you die.¡±


    Two arrows pierced the commander¡¯s legs from behind him, and a fast strike from Jiten disarmed him.


    The prince¡¯s escorts proceeded to restrain him and knocked him out.


    Amir then turned to the Hunters.


    ¡°Thank you for helping us, you arrived right in time.¡±


    ¡°No, Your Highness. It is us who need to thank you, we are originally the people from this city, it¡¯s natural for us to fight against invaders. It was your unexpected presence here what has helped us.¡±


    Kareb replied courteously to his prince, it was truly the hunters of the city who were most thankful, they were the ones living here, it was obvious that they would fight, but a member of royalty risking his life to protect this place was something unexpected.


    ¡°It is the duty of royalty to protect the lands under our care. The hunters here are truly impressive, to think you managed to get rid of that monster horde so quickly.¡±


    ¡°Ah, about that¡­¡±


    Kareb and the other hunters looked at each other and then explained to Amir and his group the circumstances of the matter while they tended the wounded.


    ¡°I see¡­ a mysterious foreigner boy, Ethan Bhreg¡­ he is truly brave to face the monsters and use himself as bait for them. I would like to meet with him.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, I will lead an expedition team to search for him, he might have survived, but there are multiple dangers in the desert. He also may have tired himself escaping the beasts, with a riding beast it will be faster for him to return.¡±


    Kareb offered to look for Ethan, they owed him a huge favor for driving the beasts away.


    At that moment the General¡¯s voice has heard.


    ¡°Watch out, something is coming from the north!¡±


    Everyone turned their heads immediately and found what he was staring at: a huge monster bird was approaching them at high speed.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    One of the hunters asked; he couldn¡¯t identify the monster from such distance.


    Kareb stared at the beast before shouting commands to the hunters.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Voracious Vulture! Archers, ready your arrows! Those with long distance spells, start chanting! We need to weaken it before it gets too close!¡±


    His voice was loud and clear, every hunter obeyed and prepared for the incoming battle. The prince escorts got into a formation in front of Amir, Anwe and Rufus drank mana potions to prepare for using magic.


    The Voracious Vulture got closer fast and started to descend at high speed, but it was too far from them, why was it descending?


    The monster crashed into the sands with a loud boom and slid forwards due to the impulse it carried, raising clouds of sand on its way.


    Had the monster been wounded before coming here?


    ¡°It¡¯s dead.¡±


    General Jiten spoke and started to approach the fallen gigantic bird.


    Everyone stayed on alert despite the General¡¯s words; letting their guard down was a death sentence for a Monster Hunter.


    The cloud of sand settled and revealed the dead Voracious Vulture; it was a huge 7-meters-long bird with black feathered wings and scaled torso,


    Its beak was open, revealing rows of sharp teeth and a long purple tongue.


    But what surprised the groups present was not the monster itself, but the person who killed it.


    Kneeling over the spiked head of the Voracious Vulture and using a gray spear that pierced the monster head as support, a teenager with copper-colored hair was regulating his breath.


    The youth stood up and yanked the spear out of the vulture¡¯s head, the spearhead was perfectly clean despite all the blood spilling from the wound it caused.


    ¡°Huff¡­ okay, that was dangerous.¡±


    The boy muttered and got off the monster¡¯s head.


    Jiten¡¯s pupil contracted slightly as he saw the boy move.


    He lightly skipped, like taking a step into the empty air, and floated off the Voracious Vulture¡¯s head, landing softly and without sound.


    It was an exquisite movement technique.


    The General took a closer look at the newcomer, carefully observing the details as the boy turned his head to him.


    He was very tall at almost 1.8 meters, fair skinned and with a childish face that showed his age despite his height, amber-colored eyes and smooth light copper-like hair; he wore a long-sleeved blue shirt that did not hide his sturdy body, black pants and black boots, each part of his set of clothes was exquisitely made with good materials.


    On his hands, the youth held a long gray spear, unadorned but perfectly clean, it was no ordinary weapon, it had pierced the head of a Tier 2 monster from the Desert of Death.


    Jiten could not feel any magic coming from it, but all his instincts told him that weapon was dangerous.


    ¡°Um, hello?¡±


    The boy smiled awkwardly at Jiten, he moved his mouth in a strange word, but the sound that came out was Sahbadia Kingdom¡¯s language.


    So he also knows how to use Magic.


    ¡°Greetings, young man. Are you Ethan Bhreg?¡±


    Jiten asked with a stern face, still carefully watching him.


    ¡°Yes, I am. But how do you¡­ ¡°


    Ethan answered a bit surprised that Jiten knew his name, then he looked past the General and saw the hunters gathered, that explained it.


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    Ethan saw another man approach and stand by Jiten¡¯s side.


    ¡°Yes, the hunters have told us about you. You have our gratitude for your assistance during this crisis.¡±


    Amir spoke and gave him a small bow.


    Ethan hurriedly returned the bow.


    ¡°No, it was no problem, I was also staying in the city, so I thought I had to do something to help.¡±


    ¡°And quite something you did, driving away the horde by yourself.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Indeed, this is quite the courageous young man!¡±


    Kareb, the leader of the Hunters, approached. He got past Amir and Jiten, standing next to Ethan.


    Then he gave him a strong hug and patted him on the back.


    ¡°Hahaha, I am glad to see you alive, lad! I was about to go with some of my men to check up on you!¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡­ thanks for the concern, mister.¡±


    ¡°Call me Kareb, I am one of the veteran hunters of this proud city of Lauhr.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Mister Kareb.¡±


    Kareb laughed loudly at Ethan¡¯s formal response and patted him again on the back.


    ¡°Quite a respectful lad! Good, good. As promised, for your help back then, I will provide you with a feast tonight.¡±


    ¡°Mister, that¡¯s not necessary, I was just- ¡°


    ¡°A promise is a promise, lad. Besides, we gotta celebrate our victory.¡±


    While Kareb chatted with Ethan, Prince Amir and General Jiten looked at each other for a moment.


    ¡°Young man, I am the second prince of Sahbadia Kingdom, Amir Aal Majid. Allow me to once again formally thank you for your assistance in our time of need.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°I am the General of the Second Division of the Sahbadian Army, Jiten Tohktras, I thank you for your assistance in this matter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Prince Amir, General Jiten.¡±


    Ethan answered holding his right fist on his left palm across his chest and bowing slightly to them. Since they were royalty and a high-ranking official of the army formally introducing themselves, Ethan felt a more ¡®formal¡¯ salute was needed, contrary to how Kareb had introduced himself in a friendly and informal way.


    ¡°I would like to speak with you regarding your participation in this event, please come with us to the city.¡±


    Although Amir said that, Ethan didn¡¯t move, just looked at him.


    Kareb stepped forwards.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, lad. His Highness probably wants to know more about you and how you drove the beasts away.¡±


    ¡°A reward will be handled too. Despite being a foreigner you helped the city, so this is the least we can do. Please be at ease, I mean no harm.¡±


    After Amir spoke, Ethan nodded.


    They started walking to the city, many of the horses had been killed during the battle against the invaders, the ones still capable of being used were taking the wounded to be tended in the city.


    Ethan noted that the warriors poured some liquids on their wounds, which made them start to heal faster.


    Healing potions, eh?


    Ethan wondered about how effective they would be, he also had potions on his Spatial Ring, but he hadn¡¯t used any of them.


    He hadn¡¯t even touched the first-aid kit and medicines he brought from a pharmacy from his city.


    It was the first time he saw that kind of magic object at work, he was very curious about it, he will ask about potions later, he even had money from the selling a few of the beasts he hunted.


    Ethan was about to put his spear on the Spatial Ring but noticed that everyone was carrying their weapons; no one seemed to have any object like his ring, so he thought it would be better not to raise more questions about himself.


    While his Master hadn¡¯t forbidden him from revealing any of his objects, Ethan didn¡¯t know how the people would react if they knew about his Spatial Ring, it was better to avoid trouble, even if his Master could get him out of any dangerous situation.


    <hr>


    After entering the city, the group separated, most of the hunters went to check on the wounded, others went to report to the City Watch, taking the Feld-Ehian commander into custody for interrogation, while some simply went to eat and drink.


    Ethan walked along with a group of 13 people; the prince, the General, 8 escorts, Kareb and two of his hunter friends.


    The group entered a large building, the City Hall of Lauhr City.


    This was the place where the Council of Lauhr gathered to make decisions about the administration, legislation and other matters regarding the city.


    Lauhr City did not have a Mayor, instead, they had a City Council and elected a representative manager among the Council Members, Kareb and the two hunters with him were members of the Council, and they met the City Manager, a man called Roenn, inside the City Hall.


    After greeting the prince and General, the City Manager led the group to a conference room where they could discuss in private and be informed of the situation.


    They entered an ample meeting room, with many chairs and a few tables lined up, it was elegant but simple, with few decorations but neatly maintained.


    It had a strange organization and design, Ethan found it very interesting.


    There was no ample table like in the meeting boards back at his world; just the opposite, the chairs were placed on a wide circle at the center of the room and there were cylindrical cushions of varying colors standing vertically reaching just above the knees in front of each chair.


    Ethan guessed those cushions were supposed to be used as desks or small tables to put foods or drinks for each person, even if he had the urge of putting his feet over them.


    Ethan wondered briefly if it was okay for a stranger like him to be there, but realized they all probably wanted to know more about him and how he drove the beasts away, he would be curious too.


    The Captain of the City Watch entered the room too, he had news about the interrogation of the spy and the reparation of the walls.


    They started taking seats, with Amir taking a seat of honor and his escorts standing around the room, guarding him.


    One of Amir¡¯s escorts approached Ethan when he was about to look for a seat and extended a hand.


    ¡°I will be taking that spear.¡±


    Ethan frowned when he heard him.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be armed in presence of His Highness, this is a conference, there¡¯s no need for you to carry a weapon.¡±


    Ethan did not like the tone of this man.


    ¡°Everyone else here is armed.¡±


    ¡°We are the escorts of the prince, it is our duty to be ready to protect him; the others are members of the City Council, you are a foreigner even if you had rendered a good service to the city. It¡¯s protocol, please understand.¡±


    The man then reached for Ethan¡¯s spear, grabbed it and pulled, but neither the spear nor Ethan budged.


    ¡°So what you are saying is that I should trust you, a group of 15 armed strangers, while you can¡¯t trust me, a single person with a spear? Let me make this clear, just as I am a foreigner to you, you are all foreigner to me, and I don¡¯t feel comfortable leaving my spear.¡±


    Ethan spoke looking at the man in front of him, but he also noticed movement around him.


    The escort felt like he was pulling on a stone statue, despite pulling with more strength the result was the same.


    Other people in the room noticed what was happening. The hunters agreed with Ethan¡¯s words, keeping one¡¯s guard up among strangers was natural, they couldn¡¯t blame the young man for wanting to keep his weapon on hand.


    However, they kept quiet since they wanted to see how the situation would develop.


    The room fell silent for a few seconds, just as Ethan was pondering whether he should punch this man and call his Master to get the hell out of this place, Amir spoke.


    ¡°He is right, Tek. Besides, he is a guest, not the suspect of a crime.¡±


    ¡°As you command, Your Highness.¡±


    The escort, Tek, let go of Ethan¡¯s spear and bowed to his prince, then proceeded to stand near one of the walls of the conference room.


    ¡°Well, then. Let¡¯s begin this conference with the reports about what happened. Let¡¯s start from the beginning, the spy that sabotaged the wall¡¯s magical protections. City Watch Captain, please give us your report.¡±


    Amir, as a member of royalty, was presiding over the meeting.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. The spy has been identified as Larin Maprak, a Feld-Ehian assassin with camouflage and disguise skills, using his talents he infiltrated our City Watch disguised as one of our members, whom he killed and impersonated, then he used a magical artifact to cause a disruption in the mana flow of the wall.¡±


    Voices of surprise filled the room.


    ¡°Someone from the Maprak Clan? How did you find and capture such a trained spy?¡±


    General Jiten raised his voice to question the Watch Captain. He didn''t mean to slight the Watch or doubt their talent in their job, it was just that the opponent was no common spy. The Maprak Clan was known as the shadow knife of the Feld-Ehian Royal Family; they were experts in the art of killing,specialists in espionage, infiltration, and assassination; moreover, they are highly trained fighters. It was not easy to detect them, and even harder to capture them, whether it was dead or alive.


    ¡°It seems the artifact he used to sabotage the walls malfunctioned and backfired after usage, our guards found him stunned after they heard an explosion. The artifact¡¯s special effect is also affecting him right now, disturbing his ability usage, despite that, he managed to wound many of our guards during the interrogation, but we managed to restrain him again.¡±


    The Watch Captain answered, he had been present in that interrogation, the spy named Larin Maprak had been a tough fight despite not being able to use any special ability, if he had them, he would have escaped leaving only a trail of corpses behind.


    ¡°Of course, measures have been taken to restrict him, even if his abilities restore. We also keep him sedated.¡±


    ¡°Good, thanks for your efforts, Captain. Then the other matter is the beast horde, do we know how it started?¡±


    Amir moved into the next subject quickly.


    ¡°According to the prisoner, they used some incense to attract the beasts, they had placed some in the desert and also inside the city. After interrogation, we found and got rid of the incense in the city, freezing them to seal off the smell.¡±


    The Captain responded immediately and took a piece of cloth out of his pocket, there was one frozen stick inside, he handed it to Amir, who then passed it on to other people.


    One of the hunters offered the incense to Ethan for inspection, but he refused. He didn¡¯t know anything about such things, after all.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what attracted the beasts to the city, causing the monster horde¡­¡±


    Kareb muttered, the hunters looked at each other, the enemies had come prepared this time, preparing forces outside and inside.


    ¡°Then Young Ethan, I believe it is your turn now to enlighten us about your help on this matter.¡±


    Prince Amir turned to Ethan and then asked with a smile. It was time to explain how he dealt with the monster horde.


    ¡°What would you like to know?¡±


    ¡°Well, before the matter of taking care of the beasts, there¡¯s something I would like to clarify, according to the hunters you knew I was fighting the invaders, how did you know?¡±


    The detail that Ethan had known about the prince¡¯s presence was not missed by Amir, he wanted to find out about this first and foremost.


    ¡°Well, when I woke up this morning and leaned out the window, I saw the dust rising in the distance due to the beast horde. I went to a high point above a building to get a better view and saw Your Highness¡¯ group on the west, it was kind of obvious you were some noble or royalty because of your clothes.¡±


    Ethan paused for a moment to choose his words.


    ¡°I decided to help somehow, but I wasn¡¯t confident in taking on such group of soldiers, so I went to the monsters¡¯ side, upon meeting the hunters there, I told them about you and drove the beast away.¡±


    ¡°You have very good eyes, to have seen such things from that distance.¡±


    The City Manager commented with his eyes narrowed a bit.


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    Ethan replied as if it had been a compliment, despite it being more like a suspicious statement, it was better to ignore that.


    ¡°How did you lure them to you?¡±


    Kareb asked. Whatever method that could overpower the attraction of the Bestial Incense was definitely something they needed to know about.


    ¡°I attracted them using something called a Bloodvenus Crystal, it¡¯s a gem that stimulates monsters¡¯ aggressiveness and bloodlust towards it. It¡¯s highly effective so it''s used as bait for hunting monsters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such crystal. Can we see it?¡±


    ¡°No, sir. Eh¡­ I threw it into a giant monster¡¯s maw in the desert, one of those huge worm-like beasts with maw lined with several rows of sharp teeth that hide underground.¡±


    Ethan answered while mimicking the monster¡¯s gaping maw with his hands.


    ¡°Allghoi Khorhoi, the gigantic Death Worm of the desert.¡±


    Kareb intervened, providing the name of the monster.


    ¡°I suppose? Anyways, the monsters of the horde then started to jump into the maws of that giant worm, that¡¯s how I escaped. There¡¯s also no risk of it attracting more monsters to the area since that crystal breaks apart after a short period of activation.¡±


    ¡°I see, so it¡¯s a consumable item¡­ well, that was very brave, Ethan. We will discuss your reward later, is that alright with you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, thank you.¡±


    Amir seemed to have no more questions for Ethan, he was glad for that.


    ¡°Where did you get that Bloodvenus Crystal?¡±


    Just when Ethan thought the questions were over, General Jiten asked a question that Ethan really wanted to avoid. Ethan didn¡¯t want to lie; for all he knew, they could have some magic to discern truth or detect lies.


    ¡°It was given to me by my Master. I don¡¯t know where he got it or how it¡¯s made.¡±


    ¡°And where is your Master?¡±


    The Prince asked, his curiosity sparked.


    ¡°How is that relevant for this issue?¡±


    ¡°Impudent! Don¡¯t talk back to His Highness and answer his question!¡±


    One of the prince¡¯s escorts snapped at Ethan for refusing to answer the question, Ethan glared at the guard in silence.


    It was the same escort that tried to take his spear before, that guy was seriously asking for a punch.


    ¡°I was merely curious, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t tell us.¡±


    Amir spoke in a conciliatory tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, we separated in the desert.¡±


    Ethan replied with a tone that made it clear he didn¡¯t want to continue talking about the subject.


    ¡°I apologize if I touched a sensible topic. Well, do we have any other information about this matter?¡±


    Amir asked the people gathered.


    ¡°No, Your Highness. We may have more information after the interrogation of the Feld-Ehian Commander.¡±


    ¡°I see; then should we adjourn this meeting until we have interrogated that commander? I would also like to question that spy personally.¡±


    ¡°I agree, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    With unanimous agreement, the meeting was adjourned and Ethan was free to go.


    ¡°Ethan, you are not required to attend the next meeting, but would you like to?¡±


    Amir asked as they stood up.


    ¡°No, Your Highness. I came here today only to explain my participation in the matter, I only got involved because I felt that I could help, but the incoming investigation and the meetings of the council are not things I should get involved with.¡±


    Ethan promptly replied, he did not want to get more involved in this investigation, in fact, he was ready to leave this city and the desert behind.


    ¡°Alright. If you need anything, feel free to ask. I will have a suitable reward prepared for you later today.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Ethan turned around and started walking away, then he switched his grip on the spear into a reverse grip and slightly inclined the spearhead so that it was placed behind him.


    Amir and the rest suddenly had a strange feeling.


    It was as if Ethan wasn¡¯t retreating, but rather readying his spear for an attack.


    Despite having his back turned at them, he did not let his guard down; just the opposite, he had raised up a wall of spears behind him and even had readied a counterattack!


    As they watched Ethan leave the City Hall, they couldn¡¯t help but have the same thought.


    This kid... who is he, actually?

 Chapter 13: Quality Time

    After finishing lunch, which cost one golden coin, Aina said she wanted to take a nap, so Navin proposed to go to an Inn. Unfortunately, his two female companions had become spoiled by the comfortable beds and luxury of their new home in the Traveler¡¯s Cabin, so they didn¡¯t want to go to an Inn.


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go out of the city and rest in the Traveler¡¯s Cabin.¡±


    ¡°Yeees!¡±


    They left the restaurant and walked into an alley. After making sure no one was watching, Navin teleported them to a beach on the western coast of the country. A few hundred kilometers from Buri City.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Maria exclaimed in surprise upon feeling the breeze of the sea, she had thought Navin would take them back to the hill where they had been before entering the city.


    This was a pleasant surprise for both her and especially for Aina who started running on the beach happily.


    ¡°Mom, look! The sea, it¡¯s beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Aina, you are going to dirty your dress! Come, let¡¯s get changed if you want to play on the beach."


    Maria told Aina, although she was very excited about the beach too.


    Navin made the Traveler¡¯s Cabin appear and they entered to get changed.


    After a brief explanation by Maria about how was the swimwear in this continent, Navin made swimsuits for them.


    He made many different options for them to choose but decided that it was better to give them the freedom to design their own swimsuits.


    He handed them two white tunics.


    ¡°These are Cloud Silk Tunics; they possess the special quality of freely changing their texture, shape, and color. Put them on and use your imagination to design your own swimsuits, you only need to make your Qi flow through them and give a mental command. It¡¯s very simple and that way you will have exactly the swimwear you imagine and want.¡±


    The pair of females then went upstairs to experiment with their new cloth.


    <hr>


    Barely 5 minutes later, mother and daughter had changed their Cloud Silk Tunics into a dudou and short skirt set-up. While Aina''s version was full of engravings and decorations, Maria''s was simpler yet it carried a sense of elegance as it accentuated her figure.


    ¡°How do we look?¡±


    Maria asked Navin with a slightly red face, she spun around to show her swimsuit.


    ¡°Beautiful.¡±


    Navin praised her with a smile, he was only wearing blue shorts revealing his muscular body.


    Maria¡¯s face got even redder but bloomed with a smile after hearing Navin praising her.


    They started submerging in the sea and ended up playing around for 2 hours, Navin used magic to make a show of lights and water for entertainment, helped Aina build a sand castle and also took photographs as mementos.


    They were fascinated with the photographs, which Navin printed magically.


    <hr>


    After hours of playing and fun on the beach they went to relax under the sun and fresh breeze.


    ¡°Lord Navin, how does one make magic?¡±


    Maria asked while lying on a long chair under an umbrella, Aina had fallen asleep by her side. There were snacks and refreshments in a low table next to them.


    Navin was lying on the sand with both hands behind his head, he turned to her and started to explain.


    ¡°There are many ways. For a beginner, chants are very useful because they help to make a clearer mental image of what you want, they are often made like giving a command to the spell, magic or the elements ordering them to do something.¡±


    He raised one hand and made a chant.


    ¡°For example: water, gather on my hand and form an orb, [Water Ball].¡±


    A globe of water appeared over his palm immediately. He moved it to a side, where it floated in the air.


    ¡°Once you have more control of your mana and can make a clearer mental image, you can skip the chants, many mages at this level use only the name of the spell to cast it. [Water Ball]¡±


    Right after his words ended, a globe of water identical to the first one appeared.


    ¡°You will notice that there is a difference between simply saying ¡®water ball¡¯ and using those words to cast a spell, that¡¯s due to the Intent infused into those words when used as a command for casting magic.¡±


    Navin raised a bit and turned his body to be completely sideways facing Maria, one of his hands still supporting his head.


    ¡°The name of the spell and the command word for activating it can be pretty much anything, what really matters is the Intent behind it, and the mental image you are using.¡±


    Navin extended his index finger and drew a shining blue curved line on the air.


    ¡°Another way to cast magic is by using runes. Runes are symbols that hold Intent within them, they possess meaning and power, just like the command words for activating a spell. They are the way to ¡®write¡¯ magic.¡±


    The blue rune shone and then a water globe formed around it, then the rune dissipated into the water.


    ¡°So by using a rune, I don¡¯t have to say anything?¡±


    Maria asked, intrigued by the wonders of magic.


    ¡°Exactly, although to be correct, you never really need to say anything, a mental command is enough to activate magic and cast spells. It just requires more practice.¡±


    Navin once again drew the curved line resembling a wave and then made a second rune that looked like an arrow coiling on itself.


    ¡°Runes can be of any form, shape, color, language, and size; they can be written with any material and on any surface. The only thing that matters is your energy to power it and the willpower to imprint the intended image into it. For this reason, there are many different types of runes and many different ways to use them.¡±


    The two new runes shone and another water ball appeared, but this time it started to rotate.


    ¡°By adding a new rune to another, you add an effect to the spell, the possible combinations are endless, but you have to be careful to not give conflicting commands. The order in which they activate and the way energy needs to flow are also important for proper activation.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Like how one needs to slice the vegetables before putting them in the water for soup? Or to build the first floor of a house before building the second?¡±


    Maria was a bit embarrassed for her example, but she was a cook so the first image that came to mind for an example was cooking.


    She was glad Navin didn¡¯t laugh at her, he actually looked at her with encouragement, she knew he liked them to ask questions and participate during the lessons, he said that was important feedback and that new insights were always welcomed. He smiled at her and nodded.


    ¡°Exactly! There is an order and an appropriate way to do everything. It¡¯s good that you got it so fast, that way you won¡¯t become confused when using the runes. Just look at them as the recipe for your spell; runes act like instructions for preparing a dish and the types of Mana are the ingredients. Excellent analogy, Maria.¡±


    She got a red face and started to awkwardly drink from a glass of lemonade to hide her embarrassment.


    Navin drew a set of runes in the air again and next to the group he drew a separate single rune.


    ¡°Many runes used together form a magic array, which serves a specific purpose and is used when you need to keep the magic activated for longer periods of time, it¡¯s generally used for complex purposes, just like you wouldn¡¯t use a hatchet or an axe for peeling a potato, you wouldn¡¯t use a complex array for forming a water ball. Once you have more control of your magic, you can imbue more complex orders and in larger numbers to a single rune, so one rune could do the same as a group of simpler runes.¡±


    Both the small array and the separate rune activated and formed water balls that rotated and moved in a circle.


    They had the exact same effect despite being so different.


    ¡°There are many other ways, like performing rituals, using magical artifacts, or making pacts with spirits to use their powers, but those depend on an external source and thus they are not truly your power.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing, so many new things to learn, all these marvelous things to explore.¡±


    Maria said with sparkling eyes, she was imagining all the wonders she could do with magic.


    ¡°I wonder when I¡¯ll be able to use magic.¡±


    ¡°If my estimation is correct, Aina will form her core today or tomorrow, and you will form yours in 3 days at the latest.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just a matter of time, no need to be impatient. Use these next few days to keep practicing the breathing exercises and the sensibility to cosmic energies; it will help you improve your mana pool faster.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    It was good that Maria had enthusiasm for learning, she had started cultivating late, so there will be some difficulties in the process at the early stages, but Navin was confident on taking care of those issues easily.


    For a cultivator, what was more important was that they had strong determination for learning and improving.


    They continued talking until sunset when they decided to go prepare dinner.


    Aina woke up just as dinner was ready to be served.


    <hr>


    Later that night, the stars shone brightly in the sky above, a beautiful scenery by the sea.


    On this calm night, three people gathered near the beach.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Navin asked his 3<sup>rd</sup> Disciple.


    Aina was sitting on a circular stone platform, prepared to form her Cultivation Core.


    From dozens of meters away, Maria stood watching the procedure. Navin told her that her core would be formed differently from Aina¡¯s, but there was no problem if she watched, the only condition was for her to swear not to talk about it to anyone besides Navin and his disciples.


    She watched how Navin pointed a finger to Aina and made a ray of light enter her forehead, then started to walk around the platform.


    Having listened to Navin explain about runes in the afternoon, she knew these drawings were a runic array, a magic formation, but she had no idea what they meant nor the effects the runes had.


    Lights of many different colors and appearance were emitted from Navin¡¯s body as he walked around Aina, forming a spiral of energies.


    It was a fascinating scene; looking at the different streams of swirling colors and bright lights, Maria got contrasting feelings from them; sometimes cold, sometimes hot, she could look at a few lights without a problem but her head hurt when she looked at others, she got lost in her thoughts while contemplating them.


    Soon she noticed the vortex of energies was being absorbed into Aina¡¯s body; after absorbing it completely, Aina opened her eyes, shining like the stars in the heavens, and bolts of bluish purple lightning surrounded her whole body.


    It was a scene Maria remembered from the time when they first met Navin, the storm of Heavenly Tribulation had gathered and Aina had used this same lightning to push it back.


    Maria found herself looking at her daughter with reverence, the aura of majesty emitted by her was vast and glorious, Aina¡¯s hair turned the same purple tone as her lightning and moved as if pushed by an invisible wind.


    Aina took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.


    As she exhaled, the lightning dimmed and dissipated, her hair color also returned to normal.


    ¡°Congratulations on forming your core, you are officially a cultivator now.¡±


    Navin gave Aina a light hug and patted her on the head as she had a huge smile on her face.


    ¡°Congratulations, sweetie. How do you feel?¡±


    Maria approached, hugged her daughter and gave her a kiss on her head.


    ¡°I feel great! I think if I jump with full strength I can reach the clouds!¡±


    ¡°Your hair got smoother, sweetie.¡±


    Maria said while caressing her head.


    ¡°Ah? Oh, you are right! Wow!¡±


    Aina also started touching her hair, noticing the new smoothness and soft feeling.


    ¡°When advancing in cultivation, impurities in the body are eliminated and our true selves manifest as our potential explodes, our bodies change and develop new qualities too, it varies depending on the individual.¡±


    By their side, Navin explained.


    ¡°Mine got wavier and also changed a bit in color, it even shines in different colors when contacting certain energies, it¡¯s a bit funny looking, hahaha.¡±


    He extended a hand in front of Aina.


    ¡°Aina, can you gather lightning on your hand?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Aina tried flowing her energy to make lightning appear on her palm.


    Inside her, the Supreme Core formed by Primordial Chaos was surrounded by lightning, it was the same bluish purple lightning she emitted before, she could feel a special connection to that flowing power even if she still did not fully understand it yet.


    A bit of that lightning flowed up her arm to her hand, sparkling and flowing between her fingers.


    ¡°Hmm, this is quite the curious lightning.¡±


    Navin commented and grabbed Aina¡¯s lightning with his hand, taking it from her grasp.


    It was a smooth and fluid movement, Aina felt her connection with that bit of lightning was lost, but she didn¡¯t feel it forceful at all.


    As if it was a natural occurrence.


    ¡°Aina, this lightning of yours is special, and possesses extraordinary qualities; while I encourage you to cultivate it with dedication, you must also learn to use common electricity, ok?¡±


    Navin spoke after taking his eyes off the lightning now sparkling on his hand.


    He closed his hand, absorbing the lightning.


    ¡°My lightning is special?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just like there are many types of energies with different properties, when the elements interact with higher energies, they also gain special qualities. Your lightning is such an example.¡±


    ¡°What does it do?¡±


    ¡°You tell me, it¡¯s your lightning, its special qualities are due to you and your special physique.¡±


    Aina close her eyes to think about it, she could feel the strange lightning, her lightning dancing around her Cultivation Core, entering it, exiting it, and even circling around her body, she felt better and better each time it completed a cycle.


    Her body was strengthening.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Master. It feels good and strengthens me, but I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s so special about it.¡±


    Aina said with a tilted head.


    ¡°Well, you can contemplate it and study its qualities; take your time to familiarize with it and understand your own powers, that¡¯s an important part of cultivation.¡±


    Then he added with a bit of a mischievous smile.


    ¡°Or would you like me to tell you now? That would spoil the surprise, and it¡¯s always better for you to form your own understanding of it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ okay! I will study it on my own.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Navin patted her head and turned to Maria.


    ¡°Should we go to rest now? What would you like to do tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything really enticing in Buri City, I¡¯d rather stay having fun with you.¡±


    Maria said a bit distracted from watching the lightning, and quickly got embarrassed at her a-bit-too-honest reply.


    Even Aina was laughing with a hand covering her mouth.


    Navin laughed a bit but did not tease her.


    ¡°As you wish, then we¡¯ll stay here and continue training and have fun.¡±


    ¡°O-okay.¡±


    ¡°Master, can you tell me a bedtime story?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    They entered the Traveler¡¯s Cabin, that now was considered by the mother-daughter duo as their new home and not just a magical artifact, and got changed into pajamas.


    Aina¡¯s room was big just as her mother¡¯s room, and her bed could easily fit 2 adults.


    ¡°Mom, come, it¡¯s a big bed.¡±


    Aina beckoned for Maria to get in the bed with her, Maria got on the left side near the wall and Aina was on the right side, while Navin sat on a chair next to Aina.


    Navin made a small book appear on his hand.


    ¡°This is a story of long ago, about a little fish who wished to explore the vast ocean¡­¡±


    Both mother and daughter listened with rapt attention to his story after covering with the sheets, Navin¡¯s stories were always fascinating, as he told them tales from around the cosmos full mysteries and wonders beyond their imagination.


    <hr>


    ¡°¡­and so it raised its head and jumped off the water, and started to swim into a brand new sea, a sea composed by the stars in the heavens.¡±


    Finishing the story, Navin closed the book.


    He looked down at the sleeping figure of Aina by his side, hugging her mother. Maria had her eyes closed and a little smile on her lips as she returned her daughter¡¯s hug. Navin made the book disappear as he put his right hand on the border of the bed.


    ¡°Good night, girls.¡±


    Whispered Navin, he was about to get up from the chair to exit the room when he felt his hand grabbed.


    Maria, still with her eyes closed, and with a new shade of red across her face, held his right hand with hers.


    He let out a soft sigh, shaking his head with a smile.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He whispered and leaned back in the chair, keeping the hand holding.

 Chapter 14: Hunting in the Forest

    Running across the forest, a nimble figure dashes among the trees, leaping and spinning at times, climbing a tree one second and jumping high into the air the next.


    Her impulse was such she didn¡¯t even use her hands to climb, she just kept running, as if gravity was a mere option that she could choose to ignore at times.


    50 meters in front of her, a distance she could cross in seconds, 3 wolves stood together.


    Aina unsheathed a dagger and jumped off a tree branch, electricity coursed through the blade and she threw it towards a wolf, piercing its side.


    The wolf yelped upon feeling the sharp blade penetrating its skin, but convulsed and fell to the ground a second later, the electricity inside the blade scorching its insides and stopping its heart.


    The other 2 wolves reacted lunging at her with their fangs bared.


    Aina ran between the two, easily avoiding their bites and put a hand on each wolf¡¯s side.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    One exhalation later, lightning surged forth, claiming the lives of the 2 beasts.


    Aina closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, guiding the life force absorbed from the wolves into her core, where it turned into a current of energy that spread through her body, filling her with vitality.


    ¡°Nice, 3 wolves for a barbeque, all set.¡±


    She stretched her fingers a bit, feeling the ambient energy, her Master had told her to avoid using her special lightning when hunting these beasts, so she had used what he called ¡®natural lightning¡¯ which was simply using the mana in the air to form electricity.


    The cost for using normal electricity was vastly lower than that of using her unique lightning; using that bluish purple lightning got her tired as doing a lot of exercises, like running at top speed, while using normal lightning felt as if jogging lightly.


    The difference was huge.


    She raised her hand and extended tendrils of Qi around the 3 dead wolves, and with a mental command made them enter her Spatial Ring.


    It was a wonderful artifact she got from her Master this morning.


    He had stayed back at their moving home near the beach accompanying her mom who wanted to do the laundry; he had offered to wash the clothes himself, probably cleaning them with magic, but her mom wanted to do it and asked to be taught the ways of magical cleaning.


    So Aina had come alone to the forest to explore and hunt, she had her magic and the artifacts her Master had given her, so nothing could really hurt her.


    She had left over two hours ago, and if she was honest with herself, she was lost. But all was well, her Master would find her if she took too long to return, she had no doubts of that.


    She briefly wondered if maybe her mother and Master would be having what people called ¡®adult conversations¡¯ that older people had when children were not around or when they thought children were not listening.


    She internally debated whether to return or to stay hunting for a bit more; she got the dagger she used to kill the first wolf of the trio out of her Spatial Ring, it was clean despite the fact that the blade was deep inside the wolf¡¯s body until a second ago.


    She put it back into its sheath and her stomach growled, making the decision for her, running and using her magic made her hungry.


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m lost, can you show me the way back?¡±


    She spoke to the empty air around her, but she was confident that he could hear her.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Her Master¡¯s voice was heard, coming from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. A line appeared in her vision signaling the way back to the Traveler¡¯s Cabin.


    Sure enough, her Master was all-powerful.


    ¡°Thanks, Master!¡±


    She happily started to run following the path her Master marked for her when a scream startled her.


    It was a female scream, coming from the opposite direction than the way back.


    ¡°Master, what was that?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, a group of hunters in the forest fighting a monster bear, the girl who screamed saw one of her friends get wounded by the beast.¡±


    Aina didn¡¯t doubt his words even for a second, if her Master said so, it must be so.


    ¡°Are they¡­ in danger?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the bear is stronger than them, if they don¡¯t retreat they will only get more wounds.¡±


    ¡°Is it stronger than me?¡±


    Aina was already running towards the place where she heard the scream.


    ¡°Physically, yes. But you don¡¯t fight only with your physical strength, right?¡±


    ¡°A good hunter has more than one tool always ready.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s a good saying, and indeed you have another weapon besides your hands and dagger.¡±


    Aina raised her hand, electricity coursing through it.


    ¡°Yeah. Ah, Master, tell mom I¡¯m sorry for the delay.¡±


    ¡°She says there¡¯s no problem, just be careful.¡±


    ¡°Okay~¡±


    ¡°Alright, go. If you have problems, I¡¯ll handle things.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Master.¡±


    Feeling the lightning coursing through her body, Aina accelerated and enhanced her senses, moving at a higher speed than before.


    <hr>


    Tina was scared, she knew they shouldn¡¯t have chosen this quest, even with their numbers they couldn¡¯t do it.


    What difference did it make if they were 5 or 15 in front of a monster far stronger than them?


    There had been reports of a fire-type bear roaming around this area and a bounty had been offered to kill it since such beasts were a source of wealth for their meat and pelt; besides, if they were left in the area it would mess with the environment and could get near villages, endangering the people.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    So her 5-member team had joined with other 2 teams and form a 15-member joint party and came from Buri City to this place tracking it down.


    Unfortunately, the monster had found them first.


    If it was just a fire-type bear, even her team alone could handle it somehow, but this¡­ this was a freaking Firestone Direbear, a fire-and-earth-attuned monster who excelled on physical strength and had high defense.


    They were doomed to fail here.


    Their arrows could not pierce its skin.


    Their swords and spears broke against its rock-like muscles.


    Their few spells did nothing but annoy it.


    One swipe was all it took for one of their strongest melee fighters to be gravely wounded.


    Another swipe raised fire and burned them all in varying degrees.


    Some of them had already pissed their pants, Tina was sure she would have done the same if she hadn¡¯t gone to the bathroom right before coming here.


    ¡°Come on! Fight!¡±


    ¡°We can do it if we coordinate!¡±


    Two of the idiotic team leaders that brought them here shouted in an attempt to raise their morale, but to no avail.


    In front of such a beast, you ignore the screaming idiot and just run for your life, that was the only way to survive that Tina could think of.


    But even running away was not easy, they had their backs to a rocky formation, burning bits of forest to the left, a lake full of aquatic monsters to the right, and an angry beast to the front; the Firestone Direbear had cornered them.


    Turns out this beast was smarter than their team leaders. Who would have known?


    The beast growled, showing the rows of fangs inside its mouth.


    Her team leader, a spearman named Tom, attacked the beast together with the other 2 team leaders, a magician called Rual, and a mace wielder called Bok.


    The archers, Tina included, shot arrows to the monster hoping to distract it enough to not turn their teammates into mush.


    It didn¡¯t even dodge Bok¡¯s strike, it just swatted him aside, making him crash into Rual, stopping his spell casting.


    ¡°Take this, you beast! [Triple Thrust]!¡±


    Tom managed to get close enough to land a direct hit with his skill, but it was just too weak, either by Tom¡¯s strength or the quality of his spear, his attack didn¡¯t do more than scratches.


    Tom was hit by a fireball at point blank range on the chest, sending him flying to the lake¡¯s border, maybe luckily for him, since the flames extinguished immediately, minimizing the burns.


    ¡°Tom! Noooo!¡±


    Lana, the healer from their team screamed upon seeing Tom flying through the air, she ran to tend his wounds, disregarding the bit of formation they had.


    Tina always suspected those two had something going on between them. That would also explain why Tom had rejected any advance and insinuations she made to him.


    Lana got Tom out of the water, despite the fact she was unprotected and incapable of dealing with any monster that might come from the lake.


    Well, it¡¯s not like they were much safer near the Direbear anyways.


    The breastplate protecting Tom¡¯s torso had taken most of the damage, but he had still been hit hard, he could barely stand using his spear as a support.


    Lana was using her healing magic to alleviate his wounds, but there was little she could do in the middle of battle.


    ¡°Fuck, are we gonna die here!?¡±


    One of the hunters of Bok¡¯s team yelled in frustration.


    Rual stood up again and cast multiple icicles around him, he launched the magic attack with a shout, hitting the monster.


    It appeared to stun the beast for a moment, it was a fire-type beast after all, even if only partially.


    But he failed to do enough damage, the Firestone Direbear was enraged and stood on two legs, with a savage roar it covered itself in flames.


    Every adventurer present could feel death coming for them.


    At that moment, Tina saw a flash.


    A literal lightning out of the blue struck the monster.


    The beast roared in pain and fell to four legs again, the flames that covered it extinguished, revealing charred skin where the lightning struck it.


    Something blurred from behind the burning ground on the adventurers'' left and approached the Firestone Direbear in only a second, dashing past the Direbear¡¯s face and leaving two deep wounds across on the beast¡¯s eyes.


    The blur took distance as the beast rolled on the ground swiping blindly around it.


    Only then could Tina make out the blurring figure that came to their rescue.


    It was a girl with smooth jet-black hair wearing purple clothes and brown leather boots, she was beautiful and looked no older than 14.


    On her hand, she held a sharp black dagger of far better quality than any of their weapons.


    Once the beast stopped attacking wildly, the girl charged to it surrounded by electricity.


    Maybe guided by its hearing, sense of smell, instinct or a combination of the three, the Direbear shot fireballs at her, but could not pinpoint her exact position.


    She threw her dagger, now charged with lightning bolts, into the wounded eye of the monster. The dagger pierced deeply and released its electric charge inside the beast.


    It shook violently as the lightning rampaged inside its body, paralyzing it completely, the perfect chance for the girl to strike.


    Utilizing all the force of her charge, the girl jumped and raised her right leg above her head, then slammed it down to the beast¡¯s head.


    ¡°Huo!¡±


    Her shout was like roaring thunder, her kick moved fast as lightning.


    With a violent explosion of power that defied her size, her axe kick not only made the Direbear¡¯s head hit the ground but squashed it.


    The loud boom resounded in the area and made the adventurers¡¯ bodies tremble a bit.


    The battle was over; this strong, ferocious, and dangerous Firestone Direbear was dead, killed by a girl younger than any of them.


    And she killed it completely unharmed.


    Their rescuer sat next to the beast¡¯s body, huffing lightly. She must have used a lot of power in those attacks.


    The group of adventurers was still stunned by what happened, they just stared at her, then started to check for the injured.


    ¡°Thank you for helping us, miss.¡±


    Rual took a few steps towards the girl and thanked her.


    He was 30 years old, and a competent mage who knew spells of 3 different elements. He was B rank adventurer, leading a team of C ranks called Frost Fang.


    ¡°Are you guys ok?¡±


    The girl looked at Rual and then to the rest of the adventurers, they were certainly in a bad shape, but at least everyone was alive.


    And with the money they would get from the Firestone Direbear¡¯s Subjugation Quest, they could tend all their wounds and even get better equipment¡­


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    Tina just came to a realization: They hadn¡¯t killed the Direbear, this girl had, she was definitely stronger than them and could take all the reward money for herself.


    Maybe they could convince her to share the reward?


    Or, maybe she was just passing by and would leave now without taking the beast¡¯s body with her?


    That would be the ideal situation for the adventurers, otherwise, this whole endeavor would be for nothing.


    ¡°Yes, we are a bit roughed up, but we¡¯ll survive.¡±


    Rual answered her question with a bitter smile, they had almost died, underestimating a monster could cost the lives of the whole party, he really regretted accepting this quest.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    The girl nodded and pulled her dagger out of the eye socket of the beast, it was still lustrous black without any blood stain on it, definitely a magic weapon.


    She checked the blade before sheathing it; she turned to the monster¡¯s corpse and placed a hand on it.


    Tina thought maybe the girl wanted to take part of the beast as a souvenir, but the whole beast vanished before their eyes.


    ¡°Wha!? What happened!?¡±


    All of the adventurers were surprised at the sudden disappearance of the monster.


    ¡°Well, then. Take care and don¡¯t run into another monster on your way back.¡±


    The girl waved at them and jogged towards the forest, away from the adventurers.


    ¡°Wait a second, please!¡±


    The mace wielder, Bok, called out.


    ¡°What happened to the monster¡¯s corpse?¡±


    He asked with a pale face, seems he had been wounded badly by the Direbear¡¯s swipe from before, he might have some fractured ribs.


    ¡°I took it.¡± was the simple answer provided by the girl.


    ¡°How did you do it?¡± Bok continued.


    ¡°Secret.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the Skills used to kill it?¡±


    One of the swordsmen in Bok¡¯s team asked.


    ¡°Secret.¡±


    The girl replied again.


    ¡°Sorry, miss, but we really need that Firestone Direbear¡¯s body. Could you give it to us?¡±


    Rual spoke bowing his head, he did not think they could take it by force. Who knows what other ¡®secrets¡¯ this girl might have?


    ¡°I killed it, so I¡¯m taking it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but we really need it and- ¡°


    ¡°Who cares! We were about to kill it when you interrupted and stole the kill!¡±


    Rual was interrupted by one of Rual¡¯s own teammates, an archer named Bob that obviously did not know the meaning of diplomacy and had a screw loose if he actually thought they had a chance against such monster.


    Everyone present looked at him as if he were an idiot, that empty boast in their situation would bring no help.


    ¡°Look for something else to hunt, this time something of your level. Even I know that one can¡¯t hunt a beast that strong without equipment and strong team.¡±


    The girl admonished them and turned around, this time she kept jogging despite the adventurers¡¯ pleas.


    She quickly disappeared into the forest, out of their sight.


    Tina helped in giving first aid to the wounded, they decided to return to Buri City first, since they could not continue hunting for anything else in their current state, they would think about reporting to the Guild and about getting another quest later.


    No matter how disheartened or angry they might be, they were still alive, and it was thanks to that mysterious girl.


    They should have given her something for saving them, the beast¡¯s body was hers by right.


    Tina then realized they hadn¡¯t even asked for the girl¡¯s name.


    She imagined no one in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild would believe them when they told this story.


    But it didn¡¯t matter, it was the truth.

 Chapter 15: Report

    Aina jogged back to the Traveler¡¯s Cabin following the path her Master traced for her.


    As she stabilized her breath, she made the lightning run through her body again. After a lifetime of being scared of it and feeling pain while trying to constrict it, she now felt pleasure at the sensation of electricity in her veins.


    She felt the wild power coursing through her body and she felt strong, free¡­ alive. It was exhilarating, she was excited about all the things she could do now, and she dreamt about what she could do in the future.


    She dashed, moving faster and faster as she ran following the traced path. The wonders of cultivation allowed her body to reach speeds she had only heard about in the tales of her village, and what accelerated the most was not her body but her mind.


    As the trees blurred past her at high speed, she started to be able to take in more details, now they were no longer so blurry, she could see everything moving at a slower pace around her.


    She was a bolt of lightning, flying unstoppable.


    A couple dozens of minutes later, she reached the beach, Aina looked as her mother turned her head slowly towards her, a smile already forming on her lips.


    Slowly, her mother raised a hand and waved it at a snail¡¯s pace.


    Aina stopped in front of her, and stopped the coursing lightning on her, returning the world to its normal speed.


    ¡°It was great, mom! I hunted 4 birds, 2 snakes, 3 wolves, and I killed a bear that scared and wounded some adventurers, it was big and strong but Master helped me telling me what I should do to beat it. Master is amazing, with his plan it was so easy!¡±


    Aina spoke at high speed, jumping on the tips of her feet excitedly as she recounted her hunt and the fight with the beasts.


    Maria smiled and patted her daughter¡¯s head.


    ¡°Calm down, sweetie. Show us the beasts you hunted and let¡¯s start preparing lunch. Tell me about your hunt slowly, ok? I want all the details.¡±


    Aina obeyed and with a thought made the animals she hunted appear near her. She excitedly started explaining which species they were and how she killed each one.


    Maria was quite surprised at this, Aina had grown very strong in such a short time, being capable of killing a Direbear was especially surprising.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Master?¡±


    ¡°Fishing.¡±


    Maria pointed to the sea, there was a figure approaching them by walking over the water.


    As Navin rapidly walked to them, a dozen different fishes floated behind him, being scaled, gutted and sliced in the air, a ball of flame consumed the scales, guts, roe, and gills.


    ¡°We are going to have quite a feast today.¡±


    Navin whistled at the amount of game Aina had hunted. The bodies rose into the air and started to be processed.


    Pelts, fangs, claws, feathers and such were cleaned and organized for storage as they could be sold or used for crafting, while certain organs and inedible parts of the beasts were burned.


    The meat was sliced and prepared for cooking in different ways, so dishes of different styles could be made.


    Aina smiled at the spectacle, went to wash her hands, then readied a table and sat while watching her mother and her Master cooking.


    ¡°I hope you are hungry, Aina. There¡¯s a lot here.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. It¡¯s better when there¡¯s a lot, Master.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Aina never had so much good food as in the past few days, ever since meeting her Master her life had become amazing, one great thing after the other.


    She continued talking about her adventure in the forest and how she hunted the beasts, now that Navin was here, she asked about techniques and more effective ways to kill the beasts next time.


    ¡°Lord Navin, is such growth in strength normal?¡±


    Maria asked Navin, she was surprised at Aina killing so many beasts, even if by her story it was obvious she was ambushing them, many of those were not killed with their guard down.


    ¡°No, there are a few factors that enabled this situation.¡±


    Navin answered while grilling some of the Direbear meat, by one side there were frying pans filled with slices of fish.


    ¡°She has indeed gotten a lot stronger due to becoming a cultivator, and her special physique had enhanced her capabilities further, but Aina¡¯s greatest advantage is her lightning manipulation ability, with it, she can paralyze any of these low-level beasts and kill them with relative ease thanks to her dagger.¡±


    Despite that, Navin had put a defensive barrier over Aina to avoid an accident from happening.


    ¡°Master, I want to learn to fly, how do I do that?¡±


    Aina had sparks in her eyes as she asked that question, she had ¡®read¡¯ multiple sections in her Cultivation Art about flight techniques, but she figured it would be easier to ask her Master about it.


    ¡°Well, there are many ways to do it, but it¡¯s still too early for you to learn that. It requires a lot of energy and more importantly, control.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­ but I want to try it¡­¡±


    ¡°You will, I¡¯ll show you how to do it later, just be warned, don¡¯t get frustrated if you don¡¯t succeed at the first try. We have plenty of time so don¡¯t be impatient, ok?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Aina celebrated raising both arms over her head, today was going to be a fun day.


    <hr>


    Today was not a fun day.


    Tina walked with the group of disheartened adventurers into Buri City; they all had some bruises and minor burns, but some were seriously battered by the Firestone Direbear.


    While any serious wound had been healed with potions, they were tired, without a trophy to get a reward, and the thing most wounded was their pride.


    This quest had been a failure; they were really close to dying back then.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    But they had some consolation; due to the inaccuracy of the quest they would not be penalized and would get a small compensation for damages.


    Their leaders had decided to report that the beast had been killed and make a statement under truth spell that they participated in the fight against it.


    It would be a long shot, but if it went well they could get a bit of reward for their participation, even if the actual killer was another person.


    The real juicy prize would be given to that girl or whoever appeared later with the body of the Firestone Direbear, assuming they even appeared.


    That was adventuring, sometimes you won, sometimes you lost; sometimes one team would get decimated in a Quest and the survivors would obtain glory and fame, while occasionally some adventurer would obtain something from the wilderness and get everyone else into trouble due to a pissed off beast.


    All kinds of circumstances filled their lifestyle, in this case, it was a dangerous situation and inevitable defeat that still held a silver lining for them to get a profit.


    However, that was a job for the team leaders to handle, Tina just wanted to get a bath, eat, and sleep.


    They entered the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, making every head in the room turn to them for a moment before everyone returned to their own conversations.


    The group of 15 people started to divide, most of them took chairs on some tables while the leaders and a few others approached a receptionist to report about the Quest.


    One burly man stood from one of the tables and approached them, he was bald and wore an open jacket with no shirt under it, showing his muscles and a green jade necklace.


    Simon Bickherd, the leader of B rank adventuring team ¡®Serpent Wing¡¯ and a popular character among the adventurers in Buri City.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    Simon asked, he looked at each of them and noticed there were a bit dirty but with no serious injury, he also noticed by their expressions that it couldn¡¯t have gone well.


    ¡°You will have to sit to hear the whole story, bro. But believe me, this is quite a tale.¡±


    Bok went forward and greeted Simon with a handshake.


    ¡°The information about the beast was inaccurate. It was stronger than expected.¡±


    Rual explained by the side and glanced at the receptionist from the Guild, a young woman named Carol.


    ¡°We are going to report it.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Carol answered with a serious face and started getting the necessary documents.


    A misinformed Quest was a serious thing that put the lives of adventurers at risk, she understood the gravity of the situation and was glad none of them seemed to be badly hurt.


    She put the papers on her desk then put out a magic pen and a crystal orb on a golden base, it was a magical artifact used to ascertain the truth of testimonies.


    Rual put one of his hands over the crystal orb while Tom and Bok took seats by his side, Simon leaned on a wall and stood there listening to the report, as were many other adventurers in the room.


    ¡°Then we will proceed with the report. Is the information you will provide first-hand and did you witness personally these events?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good, let¡¯s proceed then. What was the situation?¡±


    Carol asked the questions professionally with a serious face and started to fill the document with the magic pen.


    ¡°We took the Quest to subjugate a fire-type bear beast; but upon confrontation, we confirmed it was actually a Firestone Direbear, much stronger than what we expected.¡±


    Rual spoke and the orb shone with a light white color.


    Carol looked at the orb¡¯s color, confirming the veracity of his words.


    She nodded and continued writing on the documents while asking more questions.


    ¡°Then what happened? Did you fail the Quest due to the unexpectedly stronger monster? We will update the details of the Quest and raise its difficulty level.¡±


    ¡°No need for that, the Firestone Direbear is dead.¡±


    Carol was surprised, their team was composed with mostly C rank adventurers, only the three team leaders were B rank, and they only had one mage with them.


    Across the room, all the adventurers were surprised, if this joined party had managed to kill that beast with so little damage then they were worthy of being B rank teams.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t us.¡±


    Rual continued.


    ¡°Please tell me every detail.¡±


    ¡°We tracked the beast¡¯s location to a lake near a rocky formation inside the forest. But the beast appeared on our rear and started a fire on our escape route.¡±


    ¡°It trapped you?¡±


    Simon asked with a frown.


    Bok turned to him and nodded, Tom extended his hand and placed it on the crystal, next to Rual¡¯s hand before speaking.


    ¡°I believe that beast actually lured us there, there¡¯s no other way to look at it but as a trap laid by the Firestone Direbear. Even if it didn¡¯t purposely lure us there, it still had enough intelligence to hide when we were on its track and to raise a firewall on our escape route.¡±


    The orb kept its white color, prompting everyone present to be shocked.


    Tom withdrew his hand from the crystal and let Rual continue the report. In front of them, Carol was quickly writing everything.


    ¡°I think the same as Tom, that thing had some degree of intelligence. And that wasn¡¯t the worst, it was strong, its Earth-type characteristics gave it a hard skin and thick muscles, our weapons and spells were unable to hurt it significantly, we got our wounds from its Fire-type attacks while we were futilely trying to make some damage.¡±


    Rual fell silent after that, he seemed to be organizing his thoughts or choosing his words.


    Carol looked at him after finishing a line in the report.


    ¡°Then what happened? If it was so strong, then how-¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it wasn¡¯t us who killed it, we were fighting it, but ultimately it was killed by someone else.¡±


    ¡°By whom?¡±


    ¡°A girl who appeared from the forest, she used a lightning magic to stun the beast and proceeded to blind it with her dagger, she then used more lightning attacks and killed it.¡±


    The crystal kept its white color, Rual knew they needed to make an honest report if they wanted to have a chance at obtaining any reward, but it still sounded amazing.


    ¡°A lightning mage?¡±


    Simon muttered


    ¡°Who was this girl, Rual?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, she didn¡¯t give us her name, I¡¯m not even sure she was a mage, she didn¡¯t use any wand and didn¡¯t chant any spell.¡±


    ¡°Describe her.¡±


    ¡°Is it really necessary?¡±


    ¡°Every detail matters, you know that.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ she was human, very young with fair skin and short black hair, between 12 and 14 years old. She wore expensive clothes. She took the Firestone Direbear after killing it and left.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ well, no one has come today with any Direbear, we¡¯ll be attentive in case she appears to claim the reward.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that. Do we get something? We were fighting it, after all.¡±


    Bok commented while holding his side, the potion had healed most damage, but it still hurt a bit.


    Tom also had bandages on his chest under the shirt, he glanced at Lana a few meters behind him, she was holding his burned breastplate, he was going to have to buy a new one.


    ¡°Once the report is delivered to the Guild Master, he will decide. But I think there will be some reward, besides, you are owed a compensation due to the actual difficulty being higher than estimated. The amount will be decided by the Guild Master after reading the report, please wait until tomorrow and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Rual and the rest of the joined party thanked Carol.


    ¡°You are welcome, this is my job, after all. I¡¯m just glad none of you has serious injuries.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we were lucky in that regard.¡±


    Tom said with a bittersweet smile, the memory of being blasted away by a fireball on his chest was still fresh on his mind, it was a miracle that he didn¡¯t get his whole head burned.


    They gathered in 3 tables and ordered some food and drinks.


    The Adventurers¡¯ Guild building also functioned as a restaurant-bar and even had an Inn next door owned by the Guild.


    They knew adventurers needed to rest and take the stress out from the constant traveling and fighting.


    The food, drinks, and accommodations were good and at a fair price, so it was very popular even among citizens who were not adventurers.


    Tom was glad to have a cold drink to fill his belly, it was refreshing and his chest thanked the cool sensation.


    ¡°So what now?¡±


    One of Bok¡¯s teammates, a swordsman called Carl asked when the food was delivered to the table.


    ¡°Well, now we wait. Tomorrow we¡¯ll have our reward and then we can make plans about the next Quest, but for now let¡¯s just relax¡±


    Bok answered while taking a spoon full of rice into his mouth.


    ¡°I agree, let¡¯s rest.¡±


    Rual nodded and took a bite of the roasted pork on his dish.


    The rest of the party members voiced their agreement and started to eat with gusto.


    Adventuring was a dangerous profession, but it was also very rewarding if one had the skills and enough luck. It was important to take rests whenever they had the chance, no one knew how long they would have to travel and sleep in the wild during journeys or when a Quest would be their last.


    It wasn¡¯t pretty, but it also wasn¡¯t a bad lifestyle. It was just like life itself, sometimes good, sometimes bad, there were fun times and sad times, and danger lurked behind every chest of treasure.


    That was their life, they could consider that they had been lucky today, even after running into a Firestone Direbear they had escaped with minor injuries.


    The ringing of the siege alarm bells sounded across the city, stirring every adventurer and making them jump to their feet grabbing their weapons.


    ¡°Emergency, the city is under attack!¡±


    Loud shouts were heard from outside but inside there were only a few murmurs among the adventurers, many were nervous, but the most experienced ones kept a serious face and looked at each other, this wasn¡¯t the first time the city was attacked, and would not be the last.


    It seemed whatever luck they had to survive the Firestone Direbear was running out.


    Buri City was under attack.


    One member of the City Watch opened the doors of the Guild and ran inside, he looked at all the adventurers standing with their weapons.


    He looked at them and nodded, then spoke only one word to explain the situation.


    ¡°Goblins!¡±

 Chapter 16: The Attack Begins

    Goblins.


    Every adventurer was familiar with that name; Goblins were one of the most annoying species out there, they pillaged towns, killed men, raped women, it was said they even ate children.


    They were nasty monsters hated by everyone of any intelligent race.


    Goblins had a high birth rate, so it had been impossible to exterminate them despite the active effort of hunting them down. Every city had rewards for killing goblins, any sighting would be reported and subjugation party would be sent.


    They were mostly weak individually, but due to their high birth rate they could become a huge horde in short time, and in great numbers it was inevitable that strong individuals would arise.


    Goblin Chieftains, Shamans and the like would appear once the tribes rose their number of members, and they would become a serious threat to any city.


    ¡°Is it a raiding party? How many are there?¡±


    One of the adventurers asked.


    ¡°That seems to be the case but I¡¯m not sure of their numbers, they were spotted by a scout in the north. The alarm was sounded it must be hundreds, the streams of people rushing into the city have increased but the Watch will handle that, we need the adventurers to go towards the Northern Gate and prepare for engaging the Goblins.¡±


    The guardsman spoke and turned around to leave.


    Buri City was a wealthy commercial city where many goods were gathered and traded. So there were always long queues of people entering and leaving the city.


    The problem now was that due to the emergency, people had to be left inside the city for refuge, the guards couldn¡¯t just close the gates and leave them to be killed by the Goblins.


    And among those people there could be some who carried illegal goods, wanted criminals and other undesirables trying to sneak inside during the confusion.


    To prevent this kind of situations, the City Watch prepared areas next to the gates where the people who had just entered would be gathered and inspected, after inspection they would be free to enter the city.


    It would be a hassle to do it while the City was under attack, but they also couldn¡¯t let criminals into the city, so they needed to hurry up and thankfully they had spotted the Goblins from quite a distance away.


    Thus the solution would be for the City Watch to handle the people in the inspection areas while the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and Knight Order would face the invading threat, whether it was by staying in the walls or by sending troops to meet the approaching enemy was up to them to decide according to the situation.


    The adventurers started to move towards the Guild¡¯s door. It wasn¡¯t the first time the city was attacked, it was surrounded by wilderness and many areas were filled with monsters.


    Likia Kingdom was also fairly hated by other countries and there was constant conflict, especially for an important commercial city.


    Of course, it was also the reason Buri City was full of armed guards, knights, and adventurers every day.


    ¡°Just a normal day in Buri City, right?¡±


    Simon spoke loudly, he and his team walked in front of the rest. He turned his head to look behind him to the rest of adventurers.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, those guys from Saber Tooth are probably running to the walls already, don¡¯t let them take all the fun. Even if they are A rank, let¡¯s show them we can¡¯t be looked down upon.¡±


    There were some laughs and sounds of agreement from the adventurers.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what kind of crazy bastard is trying to take the city this time.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s kill some goblins!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    The adventurers went out and ran towards the Northern Gate.


    <hr>


    Tom, Senior Guardsman from Buri City, stood over the Northern Wall and watched the approaching Goblins in the distance. A raiding party of over 400 Goblins.


    ¡°Yo, Tom! How¡¯s adventuring going?¡±


    Watch Captain Teresa Martdlein smiled at him, she had never stopped teasing him since they had met a B rank Adventurer that was also called Tom.


    It didn¡¯t help that the adventurer Tom was also mainly a spearman and even was kind of similar to him, tall with auburn hair and brown eyes.


    He just sighed and returned the smile, he had already given up on making her stop on that teasing so he just played along.


    ¡°Looking good, Tess. Maybe my namesake will be joining us in the fight later. Have you decided on the battle plan?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Hmm, I just wish your doppelganger was as good with the spear as you. We are going to let the Goblins approach and attack from the distance with magic. If we see they don¡¯t have much fighting power, we¡¯ll send troops to exterminate them.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. But isn¡¯t it too relaxed?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. But the City Lord has informed us there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    Teresa went a bit closer to Tom and lowered her voice.


    ¡°It seems there¡¯s a big shot from Lei Clan, a really powerful Mage, I bet the City Lord will have him shower some lightning on the Goblins.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Tom¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°If it¡¯s them¡­ well, those guys are famous for their lightning magic, just what we need to get rid of those Goblins quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m more worried about the crowd that just entered the city, can I count on you to check on them later?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Tom replied with thumbs up, Teresa took a step back and patted Tom on the back.


    ¡°Thanks, Tom. Be right back, I¡¯m gonna go shout at some lazy guys.¡±


    She turned around and started giving commands to the Watch members, checking that her previous orders had been done and giving new ones.


    Tom was planning on inviting her for dinner tonight, but that would have to wait until the battle was over.


    The city gates had been closed and the Goblins¡¯ raiding party was getting closer, they didn¡¯t plan to get around the city.


    ¡°Stupid Goblins, as if this city could be taken by so few of them.¡±


    Tom had constantly fought against goblin hordes in the past. He knew they shouldn¡¯t be underestimated, but he also knew this raiding party had no chance of taking the city.


    Unless the goblins had a more numerous group in another location, maybe circling them?


    That shouldn¡¯t be the case, the scouts would have spotted them. Nevertheless, the strategists must be considering those options if they decided to play it safe and fight from behind the walls


    ¡°We learned the hard way to never underestimate those pests.¡±


    Tom had a grim expression as he remembered scenes of the past when he had lost friends and nearly lost his life while fighting Goblins.


    ¡°Never again.¡±


    He spoke resolutely, awaiting the arrival of the enemy.


    <hr>


    Goblins.


    They were known to all; they were despised, hated, feared, insulted and killed by everyone and everything that encountered them.


    An oppressed race, living in constant fear and hatred.


    People experienced many different emotions when they hear the word ¡®Goblin¡¯ and even more when they actually meet a Goblin.


    And none of those emotions were ever good, no one felt love for them, care or even pity. They were considered monsters, pests that deserved to be killed at sight.


    And they would be right, but also would be wrong.


    Goblins simply did the same as everyone else. Kill? The humans, elves, beastkins and any other ¡®civilized and intelligent¡¯ race also killed both for survival and for pleasure, both others and their own.


    Goblins weren¡¯t great crafters and they could not trade goods with other races either. What kind of commerce could be established if they weren¡¯t even allowed the chance to start a conversation? Could agriculture or mining industries be made if they never had the chance to settle down without being hunted down and exterminated?


    So they ambushed caravans to obtain goods, they also looted towns and cities they successfully raided, that was the glory of conquest and was practiced by every species.


    Then why was it glorious when an intelligent race did it, but infamous and tragic if Goblins did it? The arrogance of those people was something Goblins always hated, and if other species would not give them a chance to live in harmony, Goblins wouldn¡¯t give them peace either.


    This discrimination and conflict were too old to stop now, the history of bad blood went back hundreds, even thousands of years, nobody knew when it started and nobody cared either, it would only stop when one side was wiped out.


    A poke on the side made Kar get out of his own thoughts and focus on the task at hand. He turned his head and saw one of his fellow Goblin making signals, he pointed to the side, then joined his hands mimicking a butterfly.


    The other raiding parties were ready, so were they. It was time to begin the attack.


    Kar nodded his head and spoke in the Goblin tongue, a guttural and semi-bestial sound came out of his throat.


    ¡°Get ready to fight.¡±


    The other Goblin nodded and ran off, shouting to the others the order.


    Another Goblin approached Kar, not just any average Goblin, it was a Hobgoblin, the next step in their evolution.


    Hobgoblins were stronger, faster, tougher, and smarter than average Goblins. Of course, there were exceptions, but that was the usual case, they were usually taller too and more handsome, even by other species¡¯ standards.


    ¡°Strong city.¡±


    The Hobgoblin, whose name was Tur, spoke in their language. He was worried about the upcoming fight, Buri City was a fortified city, with walls enchanted with multiple magic wards and a numerous well-equipped army protecting it.


    Kar was not a Hobgoblin, but he was strong as one, and smarter than most Hobgoblins he had met. He also had a proper name, which was not common among normal Goblins. So he was recognized and given an important position by his Chieftain. Kar was the leader of one of the 3 raiding parties attacking Buri City.


    So even if he wasn¡¯t a Hobgoblin, he commanded Hobgoblins.


    ¡°Big prey. We are bait.¡±


    Kar answered and looked to their target, a mountain of treasure and food surrounded by walls, but all that treasure was zealously guarded by the soldiers like mad dogs.


    It was the dream of every Goblin to raid that city and loot its treasures. One day, Kar hoped to be the one to do it. But it won¡¯t be today, Kar knew it.


    The mission of his raiding party was to attack the Northern Gate of the city and draw their attention, then after a short fight they would retreat to lure troops to chase after them.


    An ambush by other 2 raiding parties would be getting ready and kill those troops sent outside. Even if Buri City sent more troops to rescue the first ones, with 3 raiding parties they were confident in handling the situation.


    Kar didn¡¯t approve of this action, they weren¡¯t ready for this. But the Chieftain had gotten drunk on his newly acquired powers and called for an attack.


    His Chieftain, a red Hobgoblin called Feneh was the strongest Chieftain in the region, commanding over a thousand goblins in his Tribe, in recent days he had grown stronger, and with more strength came more ambitions.


    Their plan carried lots of risk for Kar¡¯s raiding party and required a lot of sacrifices, but if it went well they could obtain lots of equipment.


    He didn¡¯t like it, but orders were orders, so he would obey and hopefully survive.


    ¡°An important job.¡±


    Kar said, trying to justify this mission both to Tur and to himself.


    ¡°True, but I don¡¯t like being bait.¡±


    Tur answered with a grunt and extended a clenched hand towards Kar.


    ¡°For another meal.¡±


    Tur said.


    Kar laughed and bumped Tur¡¯s fist with his own.


    ¡°For another meal.¡±


    Kar repeated and nodded.


    It was a Goblin expression, it meant ¡®to live another day, enough to have another meal¡¯, basically how Goblins wished ¡®good luck¡¯ and ¡®don¡¯t die¡¯ to others before doing something risky or stupid.


    Which in Kar¡¯s opinion, was true for their current mission in both accounts.


    Tur raised a battle axe over his shoulders and strode ahead.


    Kar unsheathed his weapon, an iron sword, and shouted the command that would change his fate forever.


    ¡°Attack!!¡±

 Chapter 17: City Defense

    The Goblins attacked Buri City.


    Each side loosened arrows to the other, starting a series of long-distance attacks.


    Arrows and stones flew at high speed towards the guards on the wall, but it was easy for them to cover and prevent any damage.


    Such mundane things won¡¯t hurt experienced guards that are going on the defensive.


    The Goblins raised wooden shields to protect themselves from the arrows, Kar grunted as he saw some of his Goblins being hit by arrows.


    He raised his voice and shouted, ordering another attack, then the second volley of projectiles came.


    Explosions sounded across the land and blasted away the unlucky Goblins as fiery arrows and bottles filled with combustible concoctions were thrown at them.


    ¡°Shamans!¡±


    Kar roared, his eyes flashed for a few moments as he looked at the wall. He turned to the Goblin Shamans. pointed at a spot of the wall and drew a wide arc in the air with his finger.


    Three Goblins wearing robes and bone ornaments nodded at his order, raised wooden staves and pointed at the wall, shooting a series of fireballs that rose above the wall and then descended beyond their view.


    <hr>


    The walls of Buri City were wide, they were designed to allow personnel to run back and forth to tend any trouble that might present during a siege, they had many stairs reaching up, and passages enabling a quick response and access to any point. beyond and under the walls there were rooms for storing weapons, ammunition like arrows and even explosives


    On a stair heading towards the top of the Northern Wall, a group of guards shouted in alarm as they noticed the fireballs flying towards them, they were carrying boxes filled with the flammable substance, if the fireballs hit them there would be a huge explosion and the alchemic flames would spread across the area and reach other groups of soldiers.


    The guards desperately covered the boxes with their own bodies on an attempt to avoid the worst.


    A shadow passed over them, a Senior Guardsman wielded his spear at high speed, intercepting the shower of fireballs and extinguished them.


    ¡°Move, quick! Get out of here, now!¡±


    Tom shouted at the guards and they grabbed the boxes and ran towards their intended location while saying words of gratitude.


    ¡°How the fuck did they do that?¡±


    Tom cursed as he ran to the border of the wall. If those boxes had caught fire it would have been a heavy blow for the Watch, these guards carrying the alchemic concoctions were not visible from the Goblins¡¯ viewpoint, and they also had cover, but the Goblins had somehow located them and launched a spell that changed directions mid-air to hit them.


    They had effectively pinpointed the explosives¡¯ location and launched an attack, it was mere luck that Tom had noticed the fireballs making a strange turn.


    ¡°How¡­¡±


    Tom watched the Goblins as they ran around the field in front of the Northern Wall; little green creatures with yellow sclera and red irises standing at a height like a human child¡¯s; some were raising shields while others loosened arrows to the Watch members on the wall.


    There was one Goblin that stood out among the others. He was looking at the guards while grunting orders to the rest of the raiding party. He was a bit taller than the rest of Goblins, but he wasn¡¯t a Hobgoblin, he was guarded by 2 Hobgoblins and a dozen regular goblins.


    ¡°Is that their chieftain? No, probably a commander.¡±


    Tom muttered while observing the Goblin leader, that Goblin had a lean body and spiky black hair, wore light leather armor and had an iron sword in his hand.


    The Goblin turned his head and the two interlocked their gazes.


    Sharp eyes, clear and intelligent, a calculating gaze.


    Tom felt danger on that Goblin¡¯s eyes, he didn¡¯t know why, but he decided to follow his instincts and kill that Goblin at the first chance he got.


    Tom turned his head and shouted for the Watch Captain.


    ¡°Captain! I found their leader!¡±


    Watch Captain Teresa looked at him right as many fireballs rose to the air above the wall, the fireballs should have just flown over everyone¡¯s heads and dissipate high in the air, but they abruptly changed direction in a sharp angle, aiming at Teresa.


    She reacted immediately with her spear, the spearhead shone as she made an upwards thrust, shooting a wave of energy towards the descending fireballs.


    The two attacks collided in the air causing an explosion.


    Teresa strode forwards until she was next to Tom and looked at the Goblins. That was the second time a dangerous attack had come from an unexpected angle.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    The guards started to shout in surprise and anger, the attack had changed direction and aimed at a position that wasn¡¯t visible from the ground.


    Moreover, it was an accurate attack on an important target.


    ¡°It¡¯s him! The leader of the raiding party, he is the one telling the shamans where to shoot.¡±


    Tom pointed at the Goblin leader right as the Goblin stared at them. Tom saw him grunt some orders and the Goblins started changing their formation.


    ¡°Oh, no you won¡¯t.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Teresa spoke as she touched a long and wide metal bracelet on her left arm. It was the artifact that controlled the magic wards of Buri City¡¯s wall, there were only 3 of these bracelets, each in possession of the 3 people with the authority to use the magic wards of the walls and the duty to ensure the safety of Buri City: the City Lord, the Knights'' Captain and the Watch Captain.


    Watch Captain Teresa highlighted a rune on the bracelet with her finger and it shone for a second before disappearing.


    The tips of the towers across the wall shone and emitted electricity, many arcs of lightning converged in a single point forming a giant sphere of lightning.


    ¡°[Lightning Rain]!¡±


    Teresa shouted the command words and pointed with her finger directly at the Goblin leader.


    The lightning sphere burst forth with immense power, showering the Goblins with countless bolts of electricity.


    Screams and cries were heard from the Goblins as they suffered the lightning strikes, their wailing was even louder than the rumble of thunder in the area.


    However, the image that presented to the Watch members as the dust began to settle wasn¡¯t what they expected.


    The Goblins had suffered, yes. Most were on the ground still trembling due to the electric discharge, but they were alive.


    At the center of the impact point knelt the Goblin leader and the 3 Shamans, using their combined strength, they had managed to reduce the power of the electricity that hit the rest of the Goblins, minimizing the damage.


    ¡°How? This is ridiculous, what did they do?¡±


    Teresa¡¯s stared at the Goblin leader incredulously. That wasn¡¯t done by the Shamans, if anything, they had supported him, but the key of them avoiding death was that Goblin in the center, his hands still shone with a bit of power.


    Had he used a barrier? Some spell of dispersion? Perhaps a Skill? It wasn¡¯t nullification. Did he absorb the damage or did he spread the lightning uniformly to reduce the power?


    Countless questions crossed the Watch Captain¡¯s mind, but she quickly discarded them as meaningless. How he had done it was irrelevant, there was only one thing to do: kill him!


    ¡°Tom!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡±


    Tom stepped forwards with a spear on each hand, neither was his regular spear, that was too valuable for what he was about to do.


    These two were javelins, light spears designed and made specifically to be thrown.


    Tom raised his right hand holding the javelin on the crease of his hand, lifting the javelin up above his shoulder until it was lined up with his eyes. He had a relaxed grip on it as he turned his palm towards the sky, the whole javelin shone with red light as his energy coursed it.


    He extended his arm fully behind him and activated his Skill. His eyes were still locked on the Goblin leader.


    ¡°[Bursting Javelin]!¡±


    Tom thrust forwards and let go of the javelin, it pierced the air at high speed aiming directly at the chest of the Goblin leader.


    He saw the Goblin eyes widen in fear as the javelin approached, but a Hobgoblin jumped in front of him and swung a battle axe to intercept the javelin.


    The two weapons clashed, both covered in red light. The Hobgoblin had also used a Skill.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough to stop Tom¡¯s attack.


    The javelin exploded, breaking the battle axe and shattering the Hobgoblin¡¯s arm, blasting him away.


    The first javelin had been successfully intercepted, but Tom had two of them.


    ¡°[Piercing Javelin]!¡±


    Using another Skill, Tom threw the javelin on his left hand, shining with a light blue color.


    This attack was even faster than the previous, the Goblin leader barely managed to raise a wooden shield, it was pierced as if it was made of paper, piercing the Goblin on his torso, he had managed to avoid the worst result.


    ¡°Are the Knights ready?¡±


    From behind Tom, Teresa asked someone.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Tom heard a female guard reply, he didn¡¯t turn his head, still looking at the Goblin leader, the javelin had pierced his left ribs and he stared furiously at Tom.


    Tom returned the gaze coldly.


    They held mutual hatred for each other and clearly recognized the other as a threat that needed to be killed at the first chance presented.


    ¡°Send the troops out! The Goblins are tired and wounded, kill them all, especially the leader!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Teresa ordered and the guards ran downstairs to give the command to the troops near the city gates.


    She hesitated whether to use the city¡¯s magic defenses again to make sure or saving the energy and trust the troops to eliminate the Goblins.


    Using the city defenses required to consume large quantities of Mana form the Mana Stones reserves. While the city had a vast amount of those in reserve, it was a commonly practiced policy to use other methods if one could avoid using the magic wards.


    She decided to not use themagic of the wall if it wasn''t needed, the knights and the adventurers going with them should be able to handle those wounded Goblins.


    By her side, Tom grabbed his spear.


    "Captain, will you use the magic wards again?"


    "I don''t think it''s necessary, at least not yet. The troops on the ground will take care of them."


    "Alright."


    Tom nodded but raised his spear like the javelins before.


    "But I should at least make sure that Goblin is dead, don''t you agree?"


    Teresa chuckled in agreement.


    "Go for it."


    <hr>


    The city gates opened, knights and adventurers ran out of the city, ready to attack and eliminate the Goblins in front of them.


    Not a shred of mercy on them, no sympathy, only hatred and disdain, Goblins were only seen as monsters, pests to be eliminated.


    ¡°Hurry up! Go back!¡±


    Kar growled as the wound from his side sent a wave of pain through his body. The javelin had pierced his wooden shield as if it wasn¡¯t even there, not even slowing down a bit, and opened a clean hole through Kar¡¯s ribs before lodging itself on the ground behind him.


    Kar ordered the retreat and the Goblins started to run back to the forest, however, they were organized, they ran maintaining formation while shooting arrows to the approaching troops.


    Kar looked to the side, a few meters away from him, Tur lay dead, burned and shredded by the javelin that was meat to kill Kar.


    He gritted his teeth, his friend was dead because of him, Tur had died protecting him.


    No, it was that human¡¯s fault. He was the one who had tried to kill Kar, the one who had killed Tur.


    Kar was enraged, but he couldn¡¯t let his grief to overcome his rational thinking, there were other lives depending on him.


    He was a leader, and a leader did not make emotional decisions, much less when angered, he would avenge his friend if the chance presented, but he wouldn¡¯t let other Goblins be killed, that would waste Tur¡¯s sacrifice.


    Kar poured healing potion on his open wound and it stopped bleeding, slowly but surely closing the hole in his flesh.


    Before running in retreat with the others, Kar glanced back at the city, not to the approaching troops, but the guardsman on the wall, the spearman who had nearly killed him and took his friend¡¯s life.


    He had another weapon on his hand now, it wasn¡¯t a javelin, but a more standard spear used by the guards. Was he going to throw again?


    Kar felt a shiver down his spine, this man was dangerous, those 2 javelin throws from before had proved it.


    Kar couldn¡¯t use his barrier skill again yet, he had just used it to disperse that giant lightning attack from before, he barely had any strength left to run.


    A spear covered in red light crossed the distance of over 200 meters between the guardsman and the goblin, like a crimson shooting star auguring death for its target.


    Kar felt the earth under him shake. When the spear was barely 10 meters away from him, the ground in front of him exploded, raising dust and stones into the air.


    The crimson spear entered the cloud dust not a second later, and a bright blast lighted up the area. The shock wave pushed Kar, making him fall to the ground.


    While coughing, Kar stared reproachfully at the figure in the cloud of dust and smoke in front of him.


    ¡°You are late, idiot Chieftain.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha, you are alive, right? Then I made it in time.¡±


    A deep voice answered Kar¡¯s complaint as the smoke dispersed, a tall and muscular red figure stood with his fist extended, his back towards Kar.


    There were bits of fire across his arms and shoulders, yet it didn¡¯t bother him at all, sparks flew around him as he drew back his arm.


    He was a gray-haired red Hobgoblin with the Gift of Fire.


    Barefoot and bare-chested, proudly displaying the tribal tattoos on his chest and arms, black bandages covered his hands and wrists, faulds and tassets of steel protected his waist, hips, and thighs over black leather pants.


    He had a wide manic smile on his face as he looked at the troops in front of him and he laughed with a booming sound under the gaze of the Watch members standing high on the walls.


    The red figure, akin to a flame demon, spoke in Likia Kingdom¡¯s language.


    ¡°Be afraid¡­ and burn!¡±


    Flames danced around his body as he launched his first attack on the knights and adventurers on the ground.


    Feneh, Chieftain of the Blaze Cave Tribe had arrived!

 Chapter 18: The Goblin of Fire

    Several balls of fire danced in the air before turning towards the defenders of Buri City.


    The attack wasn¡¯t aimed at the riders on the frontline, the target was their horses.


    The animals neighed loudly as the fireballs hit them, most were burned on the head and eyes, causing them to rear dangerously and making the riders fall off.


    Feneh quickly dashed among their ranks, casting fireballs around him in quick succession.


    The knights and adventurers reacted swiftly, but Feneh was too strong for the average fighter to handle. He was not only a Hobgoblin, a naturally stronger version of Goblins, he was also experienced in combat, and there were 2 factors that made him significantly more dangerous than a normal Hobgoblin:


    One, he was a Chieftain, which meant he not only commanded Goblins, he gained strength from the members of his tribe, and his tribe had over a thousand Goblins in it.


    Two, he possessed a Gift of Fire, which gave him the ability to produce and manipulate flames to a certain degree, along with resistance to fire and heat, a vast and strong aura, and a large mana pool.


    The combination of these two characteristics made him a formidable foe to anyone, he was Category A monster to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, an A rank adventuring party would be required to hunt him down.


    Ordinary knights and adventurers below B rank were helpless prey in front of him.


    Feneh¡¯s fist connected on the helmet of a bulky knight, producing a sickening crack, the knight was dead instantly; Feneh dodged swords and deflected spears as he continued his barrage of flames and punches.


    His fists clashed fearlessly with the blades of the knights pushing them back, his flames burned the adventurers on the face, torso, and arms, each of his strikes had enough strength to break bones, and he moved at high speed.


    Over 20 people had been killed before Feneh¡¯s assault was brought to a halt. Simon Bickherd¡¯s great axe clashed with the Goblin Chieftain¡¯s fist, sending shivers down Simon¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Guh!¡±


    The monster was too strong; Simon was pushed back while Feneh only stopped running, but that was enough for other adventurers to start the counterattack.


    Arrows flew from 3 different directions, charged with different Skills to produce various effects.


    Feneh jumped forwards and rolled on the ground, dodging the incoming arrows, he rose from the ground in a swift motion, casting a moving wall of fire to his left, while he ran towards the right.


    He was confronted by a man of spiky blue hair, the feline ears on his head and sharp fangs on his mouth showing he was a beastkin from the tiger clans.


    Huin, leader of the A rank adventuring party Saber Tooth.


    Huin swung his sword in a flash, clashing three times with Feneh¡¯s fists, so fast that they even produced sparks as Huin¡¯s blade moved along the surface of the black bandages that covered Feneh¡¯s hands and arms.


    The sparks grew in an instant, turning into fireballs that attacked Huin. He managed to avoid the flames but was hit in the abdomen by a kick from his Hobgoblin opponent sending him flying over 3 meters away but not causing any real harm, Huin quickly steadied himself and slashed again at the Goblin Chieftain.


    His sword flashed with a bluish light as it moved at high speed in a descending swing, it was met by a flaming uppercut.


    Sword and punch collided fueled by the auras from both fighters, the resounding clang made everyone¡¯s eardrum vibrate.


    That sound was more akin to two heavy metal plates hitting each other.


    The red Hobgoblin opened his mouth like shouting, but what came from his mouth was not a yell but a flashing flare.


    Huin reacted immediately jumping back but was still covered by the blazing fire. He rolled on the floor and took out a bottle from his belt, shattering it on the ground, a huge rain cloud emerged from the broken bottle and covered his body, extinguishing the flames immediately.


    Feneh turned to his left while crossing his arms in front of him and covering them in fire, just as two magic arrows with freezing effect hit him.


    The collision of ice and fire made him back away, but he remained standing, snarling at an elven archer many meters away.


    Ilura, an A rank adventurer and archer from Saber Tooth, nocked another arrow, drew the bowstring and loosened the arrow, all in one second.


    The [Piercing Shot] was unfortunately dodged by the Goblin Chieftain, who immediately made the motion of throwing a punch to Ilura, shooting a potent and fast fireball from his hand.


    She was protected by one of the knights, a female knight who raised her shield shining with a light barrier.


    Feneh¡¯s attack exploded on the knight¡¯s barrier, shattering it, but unable to pass it, so both the adventurer and knight were unharmed.


    The Chieftain looked around him, his assault on the troops had been fast and deadly, even when fighting a strong opponent, he still found the chances to attack other people around, his fireballs continuously dealing damage and breaking their morale.


    But there was a limit to how much he could do alone.


    Many wounded and dozens of dead were lying on the ground, but the ones still standing had taken distance from Feneh, and were surrounding him.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Unfortunately for them, Feneh was not alone.


    From both East and West sides of the formation of troops surrounding the Chieftain, the ground caved in, and many roars and growls could be heard coming from underground.


    From the 2 openings on the land, hundreds of goblins poured forth, shooting stones and arrows at the surprised defenders of Buri City.


    Hobgoblins led the charge, spearheading into the Knights¡¯ formation and aiming to reunite with their Chieftain,


    At the same time, groups of goblins from both sides rushed to the city gates.


    Watch Captain Teresa hesitated. It was her responsibility to protect the city and prevent the goblins from entering, but if she ordered to close the gates, the people outside would be in great danger of being overrun by the goblins.


    She couldn¡¯t just abandon them but couldn¡¯t let the goblins cross the gates either.


    Hesitation wouldn¡¯t help with anything and inaction could be even worse, so she made her decision, traced a rune on the City Ward Bracelet and stomped her foot.


    The city gates went down in an instant, forcing their descent with magic. Teresa would see that the troops outside received back-up immediately, but closing the gates was first.


    Tracing another rune, she rained down hundreds of magically constructed arrows on the goblins, their large numbers only made them a bigger target for the wide area of effect from the city¡¯s magic wards.


    ¡°Protect the troops outside, prepare another group to reinforce them!¡±


    Teresa shouted commands at the guardsmen and they immediately carried them out.


    She activated the Lightning Rain again, this time killing dozens of the goblins in an instant, the Goblin with the barrier skill was too far away to do anything.


    The guardsmen shot arrows and spells to the goblins, but the situation didn¡¯t look good for the troops outside, the goblin horde had abandoned any attempt to enter the city and instead focused on attacking the troops outside, only shooting arrows at the guardsmen on the wall to delay their attacks.


    The knights and adventurers were surrounded, individually most of the Goblins were weaker than them but there were over 600 Goblins here right now, vastly outnumbering them.


    The Goblin Chieftain smirked wickedly at them, clearly enjoying their predicament and anticipating their deaths. Flames covered his body with renewed intensity, probably in preparation for another attack.


    He started to dash at the troops again and suddenly stopped, looking to the sky with a surprised expression.


    Over 20 meters above the wall, one figure stood, disdainfully looking down on the goblins on the ground, the figure¡¯s gaze focused on Feneh, making him feel like needles were traveling down his spine.


    Feneh felt the air around him was charging with electricity, he was certain of it, the man floating in the air above, was like a force of nature, he was a storm given human form, full of the power of thunder and lightning.


    This sensation in the air was the omen of a storm, promising the advent of lightning.


    He roared, igniting the flames on his body to their utmost, unleashing his full strength for the first time in this battle. A whirlwind of flames surrounded him and he roared orders in the Goblin language.


    The Hobgoblins reacted immediately, obeying their Chieftain¡¯s command. They pulled black spheres out of their pouches and bags, throwing them into the air while the Goblins started to run back to the subterranean passages whence they had come.


    The black spheres exploded, releasing black smoke that covered the area, enabling the Goblins to hide from the sight of everyone.


    In the sky, Artorius Lei raised one hand above his head, making a magic circle appear over it for an instant before lightning surged and the crack of thunder could be heard by everyone around.


    3 seconds was all it took for a sphere of lightning even bigger than the one used by the City Wards to be formed.


    ¡°[Spear of the Storm]¡±


    The spell condensed into a massive spear, over 4 meters long and 50 cm wide. It floated in the air above Artorious, and he hurled it down towards the blazing Hobgoblin on the ground, like a deity passing judgment on the mortals.


    The Goblin Chieftain let out a savage roar, propelling the whirling of fire around him to his hands and punched towards the incoming lightning spear.


    ¡°[Plaited Flares]!!¡±


    He snarled in the Goblin tongue, activating a Skill at full strength.


    Feneh¡¯s attack was a blazing tornado full of destructive power, clashing with Artorius¡¯s spear over 20 meters in the air.


    A blinding flash of light, the heat of the flame and the sound of thunder covered the area. The smoke from the explosion hid Feneh from their view.


    ¡°Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.¡±


    The Goblin¡¯s laughter echoed in the area.


    He couldn¡¯t be seen because of all the smoke around, but his voice resounded loudly, mocking and arrogant.


    Artorious put both of his hands in front of himself, one above the other with the palms facing each other.


    ¡°[Frost Lightning]¡±


    Bluish white electricity surged from his palms, connected with each other and spread around him. As the Magus separated his hands giving more space for the spell, the Ice-attribute lightning became denser and denser, making the temperature around drop at a fast rate.


    Artorius spread his hands and aimed his attack, he never lost track of the red Hobgoblin¡¯s presence, even with all this smoke, he could sense his location.


    As if feeling the imminent danger, a flash of red appeared among the smoke, about 200 meters away from the wall. Feneh prepared to face Artorius¡¯ spell by igniting his fire around his body then gathered all in one place, compressing the flames over and over.


    He wasn¡¯t good at controlling this type of attack, he simply gathered his mana and aura to fuel his flames, further strengthening them, and centered them between his hands.


    The fire around him extinguished, now all focused on a single ball of condensed red flame.


    ¡°[Meteor Blaze]¡±


    Feneh made a move similar to Artorius, thrusting both hands forwards, almost like pushing the ball of fire away from him, in the direction of the Magus¡¯ spell, an explosive blast propelled the fireball to fly at high speed.


    The Frost Lightning crossed the air freezing everything in its wake.


    The Meteor Blaze carried with extreme heat and explosive force to destroy anything on its path.


    The two opposing forces collided, and for a second the world seemed to stand still and silent as red and blue colors bathed the two sides of the clashing point.


    And then sound returned, loud as a thunderclap, making even the guardsmen on the wall feel the vibrations, they could even swear they felt the wall shake a bit.


    The next second, blue overcame red, and Artorious spell pierced through Feneh¡¯s flame, albeit with difficulty and vastly weakened.


    The remains of Frost Lightning disappeared inside the clouds of smoke that covered the area, but Artorius knew that it struck the Goblin Chieftain head-on.


    The Hobgoblin¡¯s mana signal disappeared and everything fell silent, but Artorius didn¡¯t think he was dead.


    ¡°Heh, hehehe¡­ hahahahahahahaha!!¡±


    Sure enough, the Chieftain¡¯s laughter could be heard again, but this time Artorius couldn¡¯t pinpoint his position.


    ¡°Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.¡±


    The troops of the ground were silent, the guards on the wall trembled, some from fury, others out of fear.


    The laughter continued on, growing more distant with every passing second.


    Buri City had repelled the attack, but this didn¡¯t feel like a victory at all.


    As the smoke cleared, only some corpses of horses were left on the ground, the Goblins had taken the dead as loot for their equipment; weapons, armors, and anything valuable on their bags would be taken, then who knew what the Goblins would do with the corpses.


    The tunnels had been closed by earth magic from the shamans, it would be impossible to follow them, and only a madman would go underground to fight hundreds of Goblins.


    The Goblin¡¯s laughter finally stopped, silence returned to the land, the City Gates opened again, the adventurers and knights walked inside.


    There was no clamor, no celebration.


    The Hobgoblin¡¯s laughter no longer sounded in their ears, but it still echoed in their minds, and it would take a long time before they could get it out of there and get rid of the emotion clutching their hearts.


    Fear.


    For the Goblins might have left, but they would surely return, and that laughter promised a greater fight in the future.


    And the Magus of Lightning still hovering above the walls would not be here next time.

 Chapter 19: Stages

    Ethan entered his room in the Inn, he had been quite nervous about been attacked from the back on his way here, he didn¡¯t really trust the people here, despite how polite or grateful they seemed.


    ¡°Stupid Master, flying up on his own.¡±


    Ethan muttered a complaint as he threw himself on the bed.


    ¡°Ha! What''s that way of talking about your Master? Silly kid, I haven¡¯t left you alone.¡±


    His Master¡¯s voice sounded right beside his ear, making Ethan jump up.


    Next to the bed, a small golden-crimson bird stood looking at him. Ethan noticed the barrier in his room reappeared as last night.


    ¡°You think I¡¯d let you alone among those monsters? And later in the city?¡±


    Navin tilted his bird head to one side, sometimes Ethan felt silly when talking to his Master when he was in this form, which he kept doing at random intervals, apparently because it amused him.


    ¡°Well, you did fly away, and I only heard your voice when you told me to throw the Bloodvenus Crystal into that hole and it turned out to be a giant monster.¡±


    ¡°Well, I figured you¡¯d be safe and capable of returning on your own, I didn¡¯t expect you to ride a Voracious Vulture, though. That was funny.¡±


    Navin changed back into his human form and sat on the floor cross-legged, he signaled for Ethan to do the same.


    ¡°Besides, it was better for you to think I was away from you, so you wouldn¡¯t need to lie when they inevitably questioned you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­ Master, did you hear the interrogation then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they don¡¯t see you as a threat yet, but they are curious about you, your origin, and your Master, as well as the things we have, but they aren''t planning on taking any hostile action for now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Then what now?¡±


    ¡°Now we do whatever we want, whether you want to stay here or go to another city or another country is fine by me. I actually encourage you to travel and explore, but training is still the top priority.¡±


    ¡°Can we go to another world?¡±


    ¡°We can, but there are still some things I want to investigate in this world, though it¡¯s nothing urgent. This place will also provide a good environment for your training, so let¡¯s stay. At least until you are Tier 3, then I can take you to a higher realm.¡±


    ¡°Tier 3? Ah, the ascension stuff you mentioned.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s casual reply earned him a strike on the head by a magically summoned toy hammer. It made a funny *Pikin* noise when it hit.


    ¡°This is important information, Ethan. Keep that in mind and focus on studying it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Come on, look within yourself, search about the stages of cultivation.¡±


    At his Master¡¯s words, Ethan recalled the information within his mind, the mysterious rune that hid the secrets of his cultivation art was still shining as ever within him, but it didn¡¯t give him all information.


    Although he could glance at it, Ethan could feel and ¡®see¡¯ that the information was layered, he could ¡®read¡¯ through the first and second layer without issue, but on the third layer there were things covered by fog, with the 4<sup>th</sup> layer covered in darkness and from that point on the layers only let vague ideas and feelings about what was inside be detected.


    It reminded Ethan of some video games from back home where there were locked characters or scenarios that you could only see as a black figure or a giant lock stamped over the image of the future map covering most of the view.


    Navin had explained the existence of Tiers or Stages of cultivation when Ethan had asked about this situation yesterday before going to sleep.


    ¡°Every system for absorbing, manipulating, and cultivating energy is divided into Stages or Tiers. How much you understand that energy and how well you can utilize it determines the amount of power one possesses. Greater comprehension means greater amounts of power and higher energy levels.¡±


    Ethan started speaking and closed his eyes, carefully choosing his words. He started drifting more and more in the information while looking at the mysterious rune.


    Every path of cultivation was different, every world used a different system for manipulating energy, and even within the same world, there will be many different schools and people using different methods to cultivate and comprehend the Cosmos.


    However, while the names and the methods may vary between practitioners, there were some things that were common, and that was the existence of Stages or Tiers in the process of advancing in cultivation.


    Each stage had its own characteristics that defined it from other stages, although those characteristics varied between Practitioners of different systems, and the titles held by those in a certain stage was different in each world, the number of Stage and Tiers remained the same.


    According to the information provided by the Rune within Ethan''s mind, there existed 12 Stages of Practice in the Cosmos.


    In ordinary mortal worlds, there were 3 Tiers that could be achieved, and one would need to ascend to higher worlds in other to cultivate to higher stages.


    In Advanced Worlds, there could be people up to the 6<sup>th</sup> Tier, whereas in the Greater Worlds, one could reach up to the 9<sup>th</sup> Tier.


    Once aPractitioner had reached the 9<sup>th</sup> Tier, they were considered Deities and could step into the realm beyond all worlds, the Peak of the Cosmos, the Divine Realm.


    Within the Divine Realm, there was also a division between high and low, with the Major Gods being of Tier 10. They were the Regents of the Laws of the Cosmos, with only one being above them.


    The Sovereign of the Gods. For eons, he was the only one in the history of the Cosmos to reach the 11<sup>th</sup> Tier.


    Until Navin appeared.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Right now, Navin was standing at the threshold of Tier 12, which would be Transcendence. Enabling him to go beyond this Cosmos, to the Realm Beyond Divine.


    Humans and most creatures were born as mortals, which was considered Tier 1 or the Stage of Accumulation. That was when people started to cultivate by gathering Qi, Mana, Aura, and other energies from the cosmos. It was when they learned how to use basic Skills and techniques.


    The Second Tier was known as the Vessel Tempering Stage, where the body or mind would be strengthened to really supernatural levels depending on the practice method or system that one used. Swordmasters, martial artists, axe wielders, archers and such would be strengthening their physical bodies and senses, while mages, shamans, psions, and other such practitioners would be enhancing their minds and mental faculties. It was during this stage that people would have what Ethan called ¡®superpowers¡¯ and also extended their lifespans.


    The Third Tier was called Awakening, it was when one unlocked the hidden attributes of the soul, opening oneself to the Cosmos and realizing the path to ascension.


    But Ethan couldn¡¯t look at the information about Stage 4, all he knew was that someone of that level couldn¡¯t be in an ordinary world, the density of their existence would pull them to a higher world.


    ¡°It¡¯s basically that when I am higher-leveled I can enter higher realms, right?¡±


    Ethan said while opening his eyes.


    Across from him, his Master smiled broadly.


    ¡°Finally awake? You really are quite something, entering a meditative state so easily and naturally.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Navin chuckled at the sight of his flabbergasted Disciple.


    ¡°You were silent and deep in your own thoughts for hours, but that¡¯s good, it means your understanding of what you were reflecting about will be greater. Ah, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not like you would suddenly fall into a cultivation coma while meditating, a simple slap or a push would have snapped you out of it. When you gain more control over your thoughts, you will be able to control it. This happened because you let your mind drift while staring into the Primordial Soul Profound Breath Rune, since it is so advanced and mysterious, way above your current level, you are naturally entranced by it.¡±


    Ethan looked outside, indeed it was getting darker.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Ethan replied absentmindedly. It hadn''t felt that long for him, just about a few minutes as he read the information inside the Rune, then properly analyzed it and ordered his thoughts for replying his Master. He hadn''t expected that, in reality, entire hours had passed.


    ¡°Anyways, to answer your previous question: yes, that¡¯s the case. Also, attempting to enter a higher realm without the proper preparation would be very harmful. It¡¯s like trying to swim deeper into the ocean, it gets darker and the pressure gets higher on your body until the point it is unbearable.¡±


    Navin explained in an amused tone. A practitioner from a lower realmcould enter a higher world, but if they didn''t have proper assistance, like a protective artifact or a high-level practitioner to cover them, the oversaturation of energies would be fatal. There were some who managed to adapt despite the sudden jump and big difference in the environment, but those were rare exceptions.


    ¡°But Master, if you have the necessary equipment you can dive deeper than without it, and one can take submarines to explore the depths of the ocean. Can the same be done with worlds?¡±


    Navin considered it for a moment and answered with a more serious tone.


    ¡°Yes, it can be done, but it¡¯s still not the same, right? Being confined on a machine can¡¯t compare to actually swimming inside the sea. And as cultivators, we need to be able to stand on our own, not depending on external sources.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    Ethan agreed with it, it wouldn¡¯t be the same, obviously, and his recent experience in the desert had shown him that there were very scary and dangerous monsters out there; the monsters would only be stronger in a higher world, so if one wasn¡¯t high-level then they would only be a prey to be eaten by others.


    ¡°And the same applies on the reverse, someone from the higher realms won¡¯t have it easy to descend to lower worlds. If the gap is small, it¡¯d be like asking a gigantic fish from the deep sea to go to the surface, the surface would be lacking the environment that can sustain it, both in the sustenance for breathing and the food. If the difference is bigger, then it would be more like asking a giant to feed on ants, he would only starve to death and produce damage to the environment if he attempted to satiate his hunger.¡±


    Navin continued the explanation. He made some projections in the air to clarify his examples. If a low-level practitioner entering a higher world was like a shipwrecked person drowning due to the raging waves of the sea, a high-level practitioner descending to a lower world was like a wanderer in the barren desert suffering starvation and dehydration.


    ¡°The higher realms have greater energies on them, and the Qi there is way denser than in lower worlds, going unprepared to a world that¡¯s too advanced for you would get you killed. Even the very laws of physics in that new world could be completely alien to you and the air be unbreathable for you, so if you don¡¯t have the necessary power and the ability to adapt, you¡¯d die almost instantly. You could get crushed by the gravity, shredded into bits by the wind blowing, turned into ashes by the radiating energies, and a very long etcetera. Of course, the higher worlds have people born there and they aren¡¯t born with a high level of cultivation, but their physiques are different, adapted to the environment thanks to their parents.¡±


    ¡°Evolution at work, eh?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    They both smiled. An idea surged inside Ethan''s mind, he looked at his Master for a moment before asking his next question.


    ¡°Then how are you here Master? You are at the very top of the Stages, right? I saw it¡­ read it¡­ ehm¡­ learned it, yeah, learned it from the rune. You told me you fought alongside and against the Gods, right? If you are so powerful, this world shouldn''t be able to hold you in, or I should be dead if we entered a world capable of housing you, no?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok to say it any way you want; hear, see, read or feel, it is all those at once and more. As for your question, well that¡¯s due to 2 main factors: one, after you reach a certain level you can bypass the restrictions of the worlds, you need to be above Tier 7 to do it and one needs to restrain the use of power or the entire world could get damaged, but it can be done. Two, this is not my real body, but a thought-construct, a Nirmita; consider it an Avatar of myself.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, cool. Is that why you take that Phoenix form sometimes?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s part of the reason. The type of Nirmita I use is different from a normal one, I use a special formation as the base, and this particular Nirmita I¡¯m using right now is even more special, since I used a unique ability to strengthen it.¡±


    ¡°Awesome, so you are in many places at once?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my real body is in the Divine Realm, while my second body and 4 Nirmitas are traveling through the cosmos doing different things as we speak.¡±


    Navin turned back into a small Phoenix and hovered in front of Ethan.


    ¡°Sounds very convenient. But isn¡¯t it hard to do or confusing, Master?¡±


    ¡°I got used to it, besides, I have a strong mind and soul, so I can do it with ease. Well, that Hunter guy is coming here to look for you, probably for the feast he promised. Go have some fun, I¡¯ll guard you from a distance. Don¡¯t worry about poison, I can detect it and warn you in advance, even if you ingest it, I can erase it easily. Just be careful about not making any promises with them, ok?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master. But¡­ shouldn¡¯t you come with me openly? That would be better to deal with them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, maybe, but I don¡¯t want to, and they would be nervous in front of me, so it would be boring. You go, have fun.¡±


    Finishing speaking, Navin covered Ethan in a cleansing fire before disappearing and the barrier on the room dissipated.


    Ethan let out a resigned laugh at his Master¡¯s whimsical attitude and stood up. He contemplated changing his clothes, but decided to keep them and just get some robe over his shirt for going to the feast, he didn¡¯t know what to expect, but he figured that a simple cream-colored robe would do fine.


    Barely 5 minutes later, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Hey, Ethan. Are you busy now?¡±


    Kareb, the veteran hunter, spoke in a friendly manner once Ethan opened the door.


    ¡°Not really, I was about to go out for a walk, I haven¡¯t toured the city yet.¡±


    Ethan answered casually, pretending he didn¡¯t know why Kareb had come.


    ¡°Hahahaha, you are quite an interesting lad! To think there would be someone to come to this far and dangerous place and speak of a tour!¡±


    Kareb laughed merrily. Lauhr City was definitely not a tourist attraction, as it was on the border of one of the most dangerous locations in the world. It saw a lot of business, true, but that was done only by those whiling to risk their lives here, not those aiming to have fun.


    ¡°Are you ready then?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go. Where are we going, anyway?¡±


    Kareb slung an arm over Ethan¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I promised before and I am a man of my word. For the help you gave us earlier today, I¡¯m gonna get you a feast!¡±


    He started walking ahead and Ethan went behind him, he couldn¡¯t help but smile at the jovial energy Kareb projected.


    Suddenly, Kareb turned around after going downstairs, he stared intently at Ethan.


    ¡°Hey, you can drink alcohol, right?¡±

 Chapter 20: A Feast in Lauhr City

    A man stood in front of a mirror within a room in Lauhr City¡¯s City Hall. His dark skin and black hair were cared for and his clothes were luxurious yet practical, enabling him to possess the elegance of royalty while still able to fight comfortably and secure.


    He had enchanted rings on both hands, 3 on the right, 2 on the left; he wore enchanted chainmail under the golden and white robes of silk that covered his torso and arms. He wore white pants and polished leather boots.


    His entire attire was a mixture of enchanted artifacts and clothes made from monster materials. A perfect balance between a warrior¡¯s combat armor and a noble¡¯s opulent clothing.


    Amir Aal Majid, second son of the King of Sahbadia. He was both a warrior and a prince, and he served his country and family with fierce loyalty on both accounts.


    He had come here to Lauhr City, a strategic point bordering with the Desert of Death with a personal mission, but it was also something that would help his Kingdom and its people.


    Yet nothing had gone as he had expected.


    So far, he had been ambushed on the road, although by a very weak group compared to his own, but attacked nevertheless. Then a spy had infiltrated the city he was heading to, disabled its defenses and started a monster horde while also sending an elite group of 300 people to invade.


    It had been a nasty surprise after another. It was a miracle that they had managed to survive so far, there were many moments in the battle with the Feld-Ehian soldiers when he thought he would be killed, only to barely dodge the attacks that would claim his life. He saw similar situations happening around his escorts too, the enemy spells would get delayed or even backfire a bit, the arrows would take a slight turn that made them miss their targets or the soldiers would slip when they were about to deliver a killing blow to his people.


    He couldn¡¯t pay attention to it during the fight, and even now he thought it was ridiculous, but the more he recalled the fight and even checked with his subordinates, this idea gained more strength. Nevertheless, he hadn¡¯t told anyone about it, it was meaningless anyway, a series of fortunate events during a battle was welcomed, but it wasn¡¯t something that one could possibly rely on.


    There was also the matter about that foreign kid, Ethan Bhreg. He had appeared in the hour of need and helped the city by driving off the beast horde. The senior hunters of the city now held him in high regard, and despite it being a suspicious coincidence, Amir couldn¡¯t just arrest him when he had helped them and saved their lives.


    The kid didn¡¯t seem to be a spy, but what spy did? It was still early to jump to any conclusions, and he decided to postpone the matter for now.


    There were more pressing matters right now.


    The enemies knew his identity and knew the route he was taking; they knew his destination too. The real important question was whether they knew what his real goal was.


    Interrogation of that Commander will clarify some of his doubts.


    All this made him a bit restless, but the possibility of a spy was an issue he had to deal with since he was a child.


    Life for royalty might seem all pomp, luxury, authority and wealth from the outside, but there was far more to it than that.


    People tended to forget that nobles were constantly fighting each other, and not just in the fields with troops.


    In this world full of constant conflict that they lived, battles and bloodshed were common scenery. The threats came from every direction and in every possible form. Wars between countries over petty reasons were not unheard of, even the clans and noble families from one country would fight against families of another nation without neither side having the backing of their countries.


    The Kings constantly made plans and actively looked for opportunities to seize land and resources from their neighbors, all the while covering their backs so they wouldn¡¯t be betrayed and killed by their own side.


    Battles against monster hordes and powerful beasts were also something that could be seen any day. The land of this continent was constantly drinking the blood shed by its inhabitants.


    However, for all the blood and gore that could be seen in war, Amir preferred it a hundred times over the constant backstabbing, manipulation and venomous tongues of the nobility.


    The court was a battlefield on a different level, each banquet was a stratagem, each word spoken out loud and each word unspoken were part of a scheme.


    The clothes they used when attending a ballroom, the type of food served during meetings, who owed you favors and to whom you owed favors were all weapons, shields, walls, and artillery used at every presented chance.


    Even if on the surface they were allies as members of the same kingdom, politics was never a simple subject to handle. They were on each other throats all the time, and they did it with hypocritical smiles.


    Amir hated it, but he understood it well, and knew the necessity of it, to a certain extent.


    Now his trip to this region was compromised, and he might face further obstacles, but it didn¡¯t matter, he would push through it all and succeed.


    Amir grabbed his saber and walked out of the room, his guards were waiting for him right outside.


    ¡°Then?¡±


    Amir turned his head and spoke to one of the mages, Anwe.


    ¡°The kid stayed in his room all the time, Your Highness, Elder Kareb has gone to look for him and will bring him to the plaza for the banquet.¡±


    He answered with a clear voice, they had already checked the area so it was safe to speak.


    Amir frowned.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t contact anyone?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Highness. Nobody entered his room and we checked for magical signals but there was nothing abnormal. It seems he went to sleep right after locking the door.¡±


    ¡°I see. Did you find more details about his background?¡±


    ¡°Nothing new, he only arrived yesterday to the city, coming out from the Desert of Death. He brought some bodies of beasts he had killed, sold them at the Hunters¡¯ Guild and then went into the Inn. He ate there and then went to his room to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Curious. I think I¡¯ll have to ask him myself if I want more information. Good job.¡±


    Amir mused then nodded to all of them.


    ¡°We live to serve.¡±


    They answered at the same time with a small bow.


    Amir and his escorts walked through the corridors of the City Hall.


    The banquet was ready and there would be good food, liquor, and entertainment. At least he would get to relax for a bit, being so far away from those damned nobles.


    <hr>


    There were torches already burning in the main plaza of Lauhr City by the time Ethan and Kareb arrived there.


    Tables of polished wood and chairs had been arranged around the plaza, many of the long tables were already filled with food. There were decorations all around the place, even a wooden structure had been built in an area of pure white sand surrounded by a circle of stones, it looked like huge bonfire would be starting any time soon.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Did you arrange this? It seems a bit excessive.¡±


    Ethan asked Kareb while looking at the scenery in front of him.


    He had imagined Kareb would take him to a restaurant or something, but they were in the center of the city, in a wide plaza next to the City Hall.


    ¡°Me? Nah, this was arranged by the prince. I was going to offer you a lot of food and drinks in the banquet hall of the City Hall, but the prince insisted on making this fancier when he found out.¡±


    Kareb answered with an apologetic look.


    ¡°But well, this way more people will get to relax after the battle, so I think it might be better like this. I¡¯ll get you a more modest meal another time.¡±


    ¡°I told you already, you don¡¯t need to do that.¡±


    Ethan replied shaking his head lightly.


    He didn¡¯t really care about any of this, although he was curious about the food and culture here, he wasn¡¯t in any mood for a banquet with the prince and his retinue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, It¡¯s tradition to offer a feast for someone who makes a remarkable deed for the city or who makes a big favor, you did both by getting the beasts away from us.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but stop feeling like you owe me this, I didn¡¯t help you for a reward.¡±


    ¡°I know, but that just makes it more worthwhile to give you one. Ah, before I forget, here.¡±


    Kareb threw a small bag to Ethan, it was filled with coins.


    ¡°That¡¯s for the Voracious Vulture you killed and brought to the city.¡±


    ¡°That? Seriously you didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s fair is fair, and that beast was killed and brought to the city by you, so obviously the Hunters¡¯ Guild bought it and gave you the fair price for it. Stop being so stubborn, lad. Now let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Kareb had a big grin on his face and Ethan resigned himself to participate in this fancy open-air feast.


    ¡°You¡¯ll enjoy it, I assure you, there will be great entertainment, we can relax a bit since the walls are already active again. There are great dancers in here, I bet you haven¡¯t seen something like this before.¡±


    Kareb patted Ethan on the back while they walked through the plaza.


    Ethan only made a light snort. Well, Kareb was right about Ethan having never seen a Sahbadian dance show, but he could bet the movies and concerts of his world would blow everyone¡¯s mind here.


    To be fair, it had been a common occurrence in the last few days for him to have his fair share of surprises and astonishment.


    It was a new world for him, after all.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want any alcohol?¡±


    Kareb answered as they sit on what seemed to be the most important table, it was covered by a beautiful tablecloth, the chairs here were of a notably higher quality than in other tables, there were many plates full of foods that Ethan had no idea what they were called or even what they were made of, and also a lot of elegant bottles full of alcohol.


    One of such bottles was already on Kareb¡¯s hand and he served a cup of wine for himself, then threw an inquisitive look at Ethan, expecting his answer.


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m only 14 years old, I know I¡¯m tall for my age, but it¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t doubt you. Anyone who takes a look at your face can see you haven¡¯t lived long.¡±


    Kareb assented but continued with a tone a bit more thoughtful.


    ¡°Though you give me the impression that you have lived quite some things, despite your short life.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and for a moment he recalled the images from his home. He pushed the thoughts back and shook his head.


    ¡°Just¡­ some stuff.¡±


    ¡°Everyone carries their own burdens of the past, lad. Just don¡¯t let them overwhelm you¡­ sorry if I touched a sensible topic.¡±


    He added after a pause, still looking at Ethan¡¯s face, he spoke a bit softer and sounded sincere.


    Ethan shook his head again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    He looked at the food on the table and changed the topic.


    ¡°What are these dishes? I have never eaten them before.¡±


    ¡°Oh? This is quite good food, I assure you. Some of these are very famous, you know?¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, I didn¡¯t have anything like this back home, so it¡¯s all new to me. What¡¯s this?¡±


    Ethan pointed at a bowl filled with what looked like some kind of rice with spices and meat, but he was completely sure neither of the ingredients could be found on his world.


    The rice was red and green, yet it didn¡¯t look gross but nicely prepared as if it was colored during the cooking process, the meat was ground and roasted in a spiral shape, it had a nice smell that made Ethan overcome the initial aversion to the strange orange color of the meat.


    ¡°This is called Fire Drill Rice, it¡¯s one of the local specialties, want to try it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    Kareb signaled to one of the attendants standing away from the table to come forward. The young men and women dressed in black-and-white tunics were maids and waiters working directly for the City Hall of Lauhr City, they held a respectful distance from the table to give privacy to the dinner guests, only coming close to attend them when they were called.


    A young woman with olive skin and brown hair tied on a ponytail quickly walked over and Kareb asked for some of the dishes, she served the food with practiced ease.


    ¡°Do you have some juice or a non-alcoholic drink?¡±


    Ethan asked the woman.


    ¡°Yes, sir. Which juice would you like?¡±


    The woman answered with a polite smile.


    Ethan briefly wondered about it, but he guessed the fruits from his world may not be found here, if the food was any indication.


    ¡°Anything fresh that can quench the thirst. Better if it¡¯s sweet, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Right away, sir.¡±


    The woman bowed and turned around, walked over to another table with decisive steps and returned with a glass jar full of a yellow juice that reminded Ethan of mango juice.


    The maid served a glass of juice and put it in front of Ethan, next to the plate full of Fire Drill Rice.


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Ethan said to the woman.


    ¡°At your service, sir. Let me know if you need anything else.¡±


    She bowed and returned to the line of standing attendants.


    ¡°You are more courteous than most of the people I know, lad. You say ¡®thank you¡¯ a lot of times.¡±


    Kareb commented a bit amused.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s just the way I was raised.¡±


    Ethan answered distractedly while taking a sip of the mango-like juice. It was very good, sweet with a bit of citric taste to it.


    He smiled and took a large swig of the juice. He proceeded to take a mouthful of the rice along with a bit of the meat; it was a bit spicy, with a taste like pepper with other spices he couldn¡¯t identify.


    ¡°It¡¯s very good, delicious.¡±


    Ethan said between bites, enjoying the taste of this new and foreign delicious food.


    ¡°Hahaha, where¡¯s the courteous and well-mannered kid from a while ago?¡±


    Kareb laughed and took a bite from the steak on his plate.


    Ethan laughed a bit too but focused on eating this exotic food. During these past few days he had been eating food provided and cooked by his Master, it had been the best meals he had ever tasted. But he liked new stuff, even if his Master¡¯s cooking was better than this, it was still very delicious. He attributed Navin¡¯s godly level of cooking to the fact that his Master was, as a matter of fact, godly.


    Ethan was wondering if it was okay to ask for another dish, he was very hungry, and with the Qi running through his body he could eat and digest food a lot faster than normal.


    <hr>


    They were finishing their first dishes when Amir and his team of eight guards entered the plaza and walked to their table. The guards spread around, only Amir would sit to eat now. They had already eaten before and Amir had arranged for individual portions of the dishes here to be put away for the later enjoyment of his escorts.


    Ethan and Kareb stood up as the prince approached.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡±


    They said almost at the same time.


    Amir let out a chuckle


    ¡°I¡¯m still surprised at how you can speak so fluently our language, is it a skill or an enchanted item? Ah, please, sit down. I¡¯ll also enjoy this feast.¡±


    Amir sat with them and signaled for an attendant to serve him food. This time a man approached swiftly, the woman from before was serving another table. Ethan took the chance to ask for a new dish and Kareb did the same.


    ¡°It¡¯s a translation spell, Your Highness.¡±


    Ethan answered when the waiter was gone.


    ¡°Ah, very convenient, very few people are actually able to use that spell, and even then it¡¯s of short duration and with only one or two languages. It¡¯s impressive that you are such a capable mage at your age, I thought you were a warrior.¡±


    Amir spoke half musing, half proving. There was an implicit question in his tone of voice. Ethan noticed but decided it was alright to answer a few of his questions.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t cast the spell myself, Your Highness. It was my Master who did it.¡±


    Ethan answered with the truth, but he didn¡¯t speak about him being a warrior nor did he deny being capable of using magic.


    ¡°Oh, for your spell to be still active after all this while, it seems to have a very lasting effect, surely your Master is quite a talented mage then.¡±


    Amir asked in a casual tone as if it wasn¡¯t important, but he kept his eyes fixed on Ethan¡¯s face.


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    Ethan smiled and took a swig of juice. It was very good, he thought of finding out what fruit was used and maybe buy a few to eat tomorrow.


    Amir didn¡¯t seem to take offense for Ethan¡¯s ambiguous answer and decided to let the matter be for now.


    ¡°Your Highness, where¡¯s General Jiten?¡±


    Kareb asked after swallowing a mouthful of something that reminded Ethan of a boiled cassava but tasted a bit different. Ethan turned to look at him while biting on a fried version of the cassava look-alike.


    ¡°He is interrogating the Feld-Ehian Commander; I believe he will be back soon.¡±


    Amir answered with a smile and served a cup of wine for himself.


    They continued talking and eating for a while until a group of people marched up to the front of the tall wooden structure inside the circle of sand.


    A mage cast a fireball, setting it ablaze.


    The mage cleared the area immediately and went to sit on one of the tables.


    Four people stood in front of the huge bonfire, they were wearing light clothes from fabric of different colors, they all held swords in their hands. No armor, no shield; the clothing they wore didn¡¯t look like a fighter¡¯s outfit, more like an acrobat¡¯s or a dancer¡¯s.


    And yet, they gave off the distinct aura of a warrior, they took stances with the fire on their backs and the plaza fell silent.


    Suddenly, music started.


    Drums sounded and the red fire burning behind the performers turned into a deep blue, burning brighter and making shadows dance around at the rhythm of the flames.


    ¡°Prepare yourself, lad. You are in for a great spectacle. The sword dancers are quite a sight to behold when they show their traditional arts.¡±


    Kareb whispered to Ethan, he nodded, his eyes fixed on the four performers.


    ¡°He is right, Ethan.¡±


    Ethan heard his Master¡¯s words, somewhere between a soft voice by his side and a thought in his own head. A strange sensation.


    ¡°Watch the performance carefully, it will be a good show for you.¡±


    The music changed, and the four people started moving at the same time.


    This night, for the first time in his life, Ethan witnessed the dance of the swords.

 Chapter 21: Swords Dancing

    Fire and drums, swords and shadows.


    The dancers¡¯ feet touched the ground at the rhythm of the drums, their blades moved, making flashes of light dance around them.


    There were four dancers. Two women in the center and two men on the flanks.


    The man on the left wielded two sabers, he was dark-skinned and tall. Next to him, an olive-skinned woman with short black hair held one longsword.


    Next to the pair, a red-haired woman of tanned skin held two single-edged blades in her hands, while the medium-height young man on the furthest right of their formation had a bastard sword in his right hand.


    They moved at the same time, full of elegance and fluidity.


    Ethan watched them move, and a mysterious feeling filled him. It was such a strange sensation, a contradiction, a paradox. It was absurd, but also wonderful.


    He watched their steps, how they coordinated with the movements of their arms and weapons. He noted the path of the swings and how it seemed to lead seamlessly to the next movement.


    Simple at first, their moves got more complex as the music continued, faster, more fluid. Each of them immersed in their own dance, and yet they were part of a whole, the picture could only be complete with the four of them together.


    They were dancing, there was no doubt of that, but they were also fighting. Performing slashes and thrusts at empty air, as they circled and swirled. Shifting positions swiftly, dodging and parrying invisible attacks with their dance moves.


    At some points, Ethan could swear the swords left their hands and still kept spinning, swinging and slashing the air by themselves.


    It must have been an illusion, he thought, and yet the more he looked the more he was certain it was all real.


    It was chaotic yet organized, there was a meaning there, but he couldn¡¯t grasp it yet.


    The swings were not blind or brutish, they had a purpose, an intent.


    Intent, a will.


    Then he saw it.


    Amidst the ever-changing swings of the swords, a pattern was woven. Lines were drawn in the air, pieces of truth hidden in their attacks, the Intent behind each strike and step.


    It was complex and strange, something Ethan had never seen before, but he trusted his feeling and followed the Intent he had detected. Sure enough, a pattern emerged.


    It wasn¡¯t the forms of one dancer alone. Sometimes a move would start on the man on the left, then continued by the red-haired woman on the right, further developed by the man next to her, and ultimately executed by the woman on the left.


    Sometimes there was a much straightforward move, smoothly performed by all the dancers at the same time or an obvious sequence that went uninterrupted from right to left. Those were meaningless, dead moves without the real Intent of the dance.


    There was a message hidden in the dance, like a code to be deciphered, this went beyond simple moves, it was a collection of movements integrated into a whole, sharing the same root.


    The dancing, the dodging, the jumping, the swinging, the spinning, and the drums. All were part of each other, influencing and leading the rest to create a beautiful masterpiece.


    This... was an art.


    Ethan watched with fascination as new patterns unfolded for him, the music changed and the dancers¡¯ formation changed with it.


    They started attacking each other in their dance, but the swords never actually clashed, always slashing empty air where the partner had been just a moment before.


    The beating of the drums gained speed and the dancers accelerated, their blades sometimes becoming a blur almost invisible.


    Ethan noticed something else now, it wasn¡¯t just the men and women on stage who were dancing.


    The swords were dancing too.


    A flick of the wrist, and the blade came up.


    Another flick, and the blade swung down.


    Moving the arm up and down quickly as a whip made the swords twist in serpentine ways.


    Taking a step forward extended the reach and taking a step back took them out of the opponent¡¯s attack range.


    But the opposite was also true.


    Stepping into the attack to duck under the swinging arm, taking a step back to instantly change the target of a thrust.


    Ethan observed such scenes over and over unfold before his eyes.


    Then the dance reached its climax, with the echo of the drums and the dancing flames.


    The Intent of the dance emerged again, filling the four sword dancers. They moved at the same time, each making a different move yet the same Intent was inside all of them; the truth was there, four parts of the same, four pieces of a puzzle hidden in their art, waiting to be whole again.


    They swung their blades together, each different, but he knew it was the same.


    Their shared Intent coalesced and its essence made clear to Ethan.


    This was the flow of the clouds on a moonlit sky, the dance of pearly sands with the desert breeze, the howl of the wind under the blazing sun, the trail of life among the barren dunes.


    As Ethan took a deep breath, taking in the manifested truth of this dance, the last beat on the drum resonated in the night, causing the bonfire to flare one last time, proud, hopeful, strong and full of life, reaching for the stars in the sky.


    The moment passed, the music paused and the fire extinguished.


    <hr>


    The dance was over, applause resounded in the plaza, the whole audience standing and cheering loudly.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Yet, as the crowd in the plaza gave them a deafening ovation, the performers only had eyes for one person among them all.


    A youth of copper hair that stared at them with a piercing gaze, as if their deepest secrets were laid bare before his golden honey eyes.


    But there was no ill-intent on him, quite the opposite, he projected a heartfelt admiration for them and their art.


    The young man silently stood and cupped one hand on the other across his chest, bowing his head deeply. Respect and gratitude so intense that was almost physical.


    They all bowed, returning the salute. He was someone who definitely was worth speaking to.


    But it would have to be later, for in the same table as the youth sat one of the Elder Hunters and the Second Prince of Sahbadia.


    The four dancers walked away, reaching a corner of the plaza where a robust old man waited for them while sitting in front of a pair of drums. He stood up and dedicated them a huge grin as they arrived.


    ¡°Elder, did you notice it too? Did you feel that?¡±


    The red-haired woman, Issima, asked when they reached the man.


    ¡°I want to know the origin of that boy, the feeling he gave me¡­ the way he was peering at our dance, it was like the ceremony with the spirits of the ancients.¡±


    The dark-skinned man, Taus, commented and received nods of agreement from his companions.


    ¡°He is an interesting lad indeed. He has already made quite an impression for diverting the monster horde, but to think he could influence our performance of the ancient dance¡­ interesting, very interesting.¡±


    The old man, Edek, caressed his own beard with a pensive look, but he was unable to hide the smile on his face.


    ¡°Have the ancestors blessed us with a new chance? I wonder if that''s the case. In any case, we should speak to him later, he is sure to have an interesting tale to tell us.¡±


    He laughed, full of vigor. The four young men and women in front of him were surprised by his words and enthusiasm, but they smiled too, the sensation they had during the dance just now was still with them.


    It was liberating and hopeful, they were excited and a bit nervous, but the smiles on their faces wouldn¡¯t be erased any time soon.


    ¡°Alright, boys and girls, let¡¯s feast! Celebrate and rejoice, we faced death today and witnessed hope tonight. Go, enjoy the rewards our ancestors have gifted upon us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Elder!¡±


    Edek announced with a laugh and the dancers saluted, then proceeded to go back towards the feasting area, fully intending to eat and drink until they were full.


    <hr>


    ¡°Great performance, right? I think it¡¯s the best I have seen in a long time.¡±


    Kareb turned to Ethan and spoke as they sit back down.


    ¡°It was amazing.¡±


    It was all that came out of Ethan¡¯s mouth. As he distractedly stared at the retreating dancers


    ¡°It seems like the Sword Dancers made quite the impression on Young Ethan. Was it your first time watching such a performance?¡±


    The prince commented by the side.


    The dancers were no longer visible, Ethan turned his head to look at Kareb and Amir


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the first time I have seen such a dance. Did you call them Sword Dancers? What are they? They don¡¯t seem like simple dancers to me.¡±


    Both older men frowned and exchanged a look.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about Sword Dancers? They are very famous, one of the oldest traditions of The Desert, their history goes back thousands of years and though those Clans are very secretive, they are renowned for their skills and sense of honor.¡±


    Kareb spoke, looking half amused and half surprised.


    ¡°They are also one of the strongest influence on this side of the continent, even if a lot of their ancient arts have been lost with the passage of time, they are a force to be reckoned with in war.¡±


    Amir complemented, his face already back to a serene semblance, a carefully trained mask to hide his thoughts and emotions.


    ¡°Your country has a fascinating culture, Your Highness.¡±


    Ethan praised honestly.


    Everything he had seen so far in this city had been very interesting, it had been one new thing after another, and it was only the first city he visited.


    He was already eager to explore more of this world.


    Amir smiled after hearing Ethan¡¯s words.


    ¡°This is but one of many wonders of these lands, Ethan. If you are interested, you can travel with my group when we head back to the Capital.¡±


    Amir said his words casually, as if they were not a big thing. Kareb gave him a glance from the side but made no comment.


    ¡°Thanks for the offering, Your Highness. I¡¯ll consider it, but first I will have to speak with my Master.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s nothing urgent, also, don¡¯t feel forced to accept, it¡¯s an invitation, nothing big.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    A new group of people walked to the place where the Sword Dancers had been just a few minutes ago.


    This group was a band of musicians, none of them carried weapons.


    ¡°Another performance?¡±


    Ethan asked excitedly, he wanted to see what the music of this country was like.


    Not all the music would have magical properties and make fire dance to the rhythm of the songs, right?


    ¡°It¡¯s time for dancing, especially for young people.¡±


    Kareb had a strange smile on his face, and the tone he said it made Ethan wonder if there was something he was missing.


    Someone approached their table, the red-haired Sword Dancer from before.


    She walked in front of the table, taking a moment to look at the Prince¡¯s escorts that stood silently around the table.


    ¡°Your Highness, Elder Kareb.¡±


    The young woman put a fist on her chest and bowed slightly.


    ¡°Issima of Thaliss, it¡¯s been a while. It was a great performance just now, a great pleasure watching your group improving.¡±


    Kareb greeted her with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s our pleasure to perform the dance of our ancestors, sir.¡±


    Issima answered, it seemed she and Kareb knew each other from before.


    ¡°A superb performance, the art of the Clans might one day regain its full glory.¡±


    ¡°May the ancestors hear your words of blessing, Your Highness.¡±


    After exchanging brief greetings with Amir and Kareb, Issima turned her attention to Ethan, meeting his eyes.


    She had beautiful hazel eyes, sharp, decisive, and curious.


    The music of the string instruments started, a soft melody for a quiet evening, contrasting with the rapid and powerful sound of the drums from before.


    ¡°Greetings, fellow warrior. My name is Issima Klaidev from the land of Thaliss, It¡¯s a great pleasure to meet you.¡±


    She dedicated him a smile of pearly teeth that made Ethan skip a beat and extended her hand to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ethan Bhreg, it¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    Ethan stood up and clasped her hand, she gave him a firm handshake and let go.


    ¡°Tell me, Ethan. Would you share a dance with me?¡±


    Issima asked after a few seconds of looking at Ethan.


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    That sound of surprise was all that came out of Ethan¡¯s mouth, he didn¡¯t expect for her to invite him to dance.


    Moreover, he wasn¡¯t sure what kind of dance she meant, it could be a normal dance as some couples were doing right now in the plaza, or she could be meaning a sword dance, involving the use of blades.


    Either way, his first instinct was to decline, she was a beautiful woman, but he had no clue about the dances of this world, he didn¡¯t want to embarrass himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miss Issima, but I do not know how to dance.¡±


    Ethan gave her an apologetic look.


    Issima looked surprised for a bit and seemed to be thinking of something when Kareb intervened.


    ¡°Hey, Ethan. It¡¯s disrespectful to refuse the first dance of the night, you know? It¡¯s also an omen of bad luck.¡±


    Kareb looked at him with a stern expression.


    ¡°Really? Ah, I meant no offense, Miss! I seriously don¡¯t know how to dance.¡±


    Ethan replied instantly, but Issima remained silent.


    ¡°Nevertheless, you must accept. Besides, the dance is not complicated and she can show you how it¡¯s done. But if you refuse it¡¯s like insulting her appearance and status. You¡¯ll trouble her.¡±


    Kareb spoke with a serious tone.


    Ethan looked troubled but let out a sigh and bowed to Issima.


    ¡°I apologize if I offended you, Miss. I will gladly share a dance with you.¡±


    She smiled and extended a hand again, he grabbed it and they walked to the dancing area in the plaza.


    Once they left, only Kareb and Amir were on the table.


    Kareb face changed into a mischievous grin.


    ¡°You lied to him.¡±


    The prince spoke with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Well, of course, but there¡¯s no way he would have danced with her if I hadn¡¯t made up that excuse, it¡¯s for his own good.¡±


    Kareb answered with a laugh. Amir¡¯s eyebrow rose higher on his forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will be grateful for being tricked into a dance he has no knowledge of.¡±


    ¡°Hah! He will dance with a beautiful girl; she came to invite him herself! This is a rare occasion; she usually doesn¡¯t pay attention to anyone. Do you know how many people would kill for a dance with her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure a talented young Swordswoman like her must have a long list of admirers, but isn¡¯t that worse for him?¡±


    ¡°Naah, he¡¯ll be fine. He might be a shy lad who can¡¯t drink wine yet, but he can take care of himself.¡±


    Amir shrugged after hearing that, whatever happened couldn¡¯t be any big deal.


    Or could it?


    ¡°Say, Elder.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I bet 10 gold coins that they kiss tonight.¡±


    Amir raised a cup of wine.


    ¡°Ha! That shy boy and that picky princess? Now that¡¯s quite an interesting bet, I accept!¡±


    Kareb laughed and raised his cup too, they clinked their cups and drank.


    It was a fun feast and the night was young, there was plenty of time for enjoyment.

 Chapter 22: Dancing and Scheming

    Issima took the boy to the dancing area near the musicians, holding his hand all the while.


    She turned to look at him, he was tall and robust, his hand was soft but firm. Issima was confused by the aura he projected; he had the athletic body of a warrior, but he didn¡¯t have the smell of blood that killers possessed. This young man walked without checking his surroundings, something any trained warrior of the desert would, but he didn¡¯t have any obvious opening on him, Issima was sure that if she attacked him right now, he would be able to react, that¡¯s what her instincts told her.


    He should have some status too, since he was eating at the same table as an Elder Hunter and a Prince, although his assistance during the horde incident today might explain it to some extent, there must be something more.


    And above all else, the way his eyes had pierced through them during the Dance of Four Forms; it was impossible for an ordinary person to do that.


    She had decided to come and find out by herself.


    Her companions were eating and drinking while having conversations with people who gathered here, they had thought that waiting for the appropriate chance to talk with this person in private was best, and they knew that Elder Edek would be speaking to Prince Amir in a while, but Issima didn¡¯t want to wait.


    So she went to the table and offered a dance.


    Back home, men and women would fight over the chance of sharing time with her, but most of those were insincere with ulterior motives, either lusting after her body or her status within the Clan. Issima had very few people she trusted and valued as friends, it was unheard of that she would go to someone else to invite them to any activity, much less a stranger.


    But this was the best excuse she came up with at the moment, and it had worked, thanks to the convenient white lie by the Elder Hunter; he probably had lied just to have fun at expense of young people or maybe he wanted to chat in private with the Prince, but it didn¡¯t matter, that help was welcomed.


    Now she could talk with him alone and sate her curiosity. True, it wasn¡¯t ideal, but they could always dance away from others and go for a quieter place to have a conversation.


    She wanted to know, she needed to know who was this person and what was it that stimulated them during the Dance of Four Forms. And most importantly, she wanted to know what did he see when he watched the dance.


    Issima pondered about how to properly ask her questions as they reached the dancing area; few people were dancing but the music was already filling the plaza, more people would start joining them soon.


    The few couples currently dancing were quite a distance from each other, leaving room for a bit of privacy in their conversations. Issima stopped walking and turned around, just in time to see him halt his steps in a fluid motion. He didn¡¯t stagger or flinch in surprise either, he simply stopped as if he had planned ahead to stop at that place.


    The thought amused her a bit, then she noticed he was looking at her with a mixture of expectancy and shyness, he was probably feeling awkward because of her and the dancing.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    They both started and stopped, and now Issima was feeling awkward too.


    ¡°Please, Miss Issima, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, and just ¡®Issima¡¯ is fine.¡±


    She looked up at him and smiled, he blinked and avoided meeting her eyes. Was he embarrassed?


    ¡°Hmm, alright. What did you want to say, Issima?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to tell you what the dance moves are. It¡¯s not too complex for this type of song; it¡¯s more about keeping the pace rather than the fluid movements, although if we stay for a while there will be more rapid dances.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I-I see.¡±


    The boy showed a forced smile; he really wasn¡¯t much excited at the prospect of dancing, eh?


    She noticed he was looking around the dance area, his gaze was on the other dancers, the couples happily dancing repeating moves that they had learned as little kids. Everyone on the desert lands knew these songs and the corresponding dances, but this young man in front of her was a foreigner, she had to be patient.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Asking questions while he was in an uncomfortable situation might be useful, but she didn¡¯t want him to get angry out of embarrassment and leave.


    ¡°This is how we dance; first, you do this¡­¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°What do you think of Ethan, Elder Kareb?¡± Amir asked after putting down a cup of wine.


    Ethan and the princess of the Sword Dancers left a few minutes ago. That the people from Thaliss were interested in him wasn¡¯t much of a surprise, any person with half a decent net of informants was trying to gain information about the foreign boy who drove out the beast horde, but that she came personally and so openly instead of a quiet inquiry made Amir think it was a personal matter.


    Could the girl be interested in Ethan? It was unlikely that there was romance involved, since they had never met before. But there was something he was missing here, and the Prince didn¡¯t like being left out of information.


    ¡°Do you ask me my opinion as a person, or as an Elder Hunter of Lauhr City?¡±


    Kareb turned to look at the prince.


    The expression on Amir¡¯s face was relaxed but there was a sharp seriousness on his eyes.


    ¡°I ask you in my position of Prince of Sahbadia, what is your opinion about the foreigner Ethan Bhreg?¡±


    Kareb looked at the prince for a moment before nodding, he finished his cup of wine while ordering his thoughts and began talking.


    ¡°It is inconclusive, Your Highness. We can¡¯t outright consider him a threat, as he has actually helped us so we owe him a favor, but he is an unknown factor. A foreigner of unknown origin and skill, we do not know his purpose or the level of strength of his backer, and he definitely has a backer, whether it¡¯s that Master he keeps mentioning or a larger organization, we do not know.¡±


    Amir remained silent, waiting for Kareb to continue.


    ¡°Before coming here, I checked his body; nothing too obvious, just palming him to see how strong his muscles are. What I found out showed me that this kid is not normal at all.¡±


    Kareb grabbed the bottle of wine and refilled his cup.


    ¡°His body is developed in a way that can only be achieved by dedicating years into training constantly, which is confusing, since he doesn¡¯t exactly give off the aura of an experienced fighter, but he definitely must have trained for a long time to have that body. Moreover, it was done appropriately so he wouldn¡¯t develop useless mass, he doesn¡¯t sacrifice speed for strength, maintaining balance.¡±


    ¡°So he had an intense training regime. Interesting, but not particularly important.¡±


    Amir commented while looking into the distance.


    ¡°Right, but that¡¯s not all, Your Highness. His body feels dense in a way that only a mountain would, he is not just a body-builder, he is like a concentration of massive strength on a human frame, ready to explode in motion at his command. He wasn¡¯t trained by some random pushover but a skilled teacher, and those are not commonly alone. Like I said before, he might be a member of a larger organization, whether it is a school of martial arts and from which country, it¡¯s still unknown, he said his Master is capable of that advanced translation spell, but that¡¯s not an accurate grasp of their level of skill or nature.¡±


    ¡°And a powerful spell caster training a martial artist makes no sense, unless his physical constitution is the result of some exotic magic¡­ More and more questions, each time we learn something about him, more unknowns appear.¡±


    The prince sighed while shaking his head and turned to look again to the Elder Hunter.


    ¡°What do we know, then?¡±


    ¡°Judging by personality and behavior, he is an honest kid, well-mannered, and the friendly type that likes to help others, though he seems to have experienced some tragedy in the past, the nature of which is unknown. Whether his Master or the organization behind him have any scheme, he is not part of it consciously, at least for now. I can only advise that we befriend him for now; there¡¯s no harm in that and having him under observation by the Kingdom will be more useful than taking hostile actions right now.¡±


    Upon hearing Kareb¡¯s words, Amir nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like having unknown or unpredictable factors inside the Kingdom, but making enemies needlessly is not something I want; I doubt he will take on my offer on joining my entourage towards the capital. If he remains here by the time I¡¯m gone, you will need to supervise him, Elder.¡±


    ¡°By your will, Your Highness.¡±


    Kareb bowed his head, this was an order he had expected. He didn¡¯t think Ethan was an enemy or a member of a hostile influence, but he knew that it was better to be cautious. He was curious about the kid and it would be better if he was the one assigned to watching over him than leaving the job to someone who might pointlessly antagonize Ethan.


    This was the optimal choice for them right now.


    Kareb watched as the prince¡¯s face turned devoid of all emotion and knew that the next subject would be something very serious.


    ¡°Also, no matter how curious we are about this mysterious young man, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we have been attacked, and it does not affect our plans. I will report this situation to His Majesty and will reinforce this area, I still have not received a response from the border troops that should have spotted and stopped that Feld-Ehian battalion.¡±


    Both men¡¯s eyes turned cold at the implications. If the troops could not be contacted, they were either compromised or traitorous, neither of which was a good prospect, it was impossible for the army Division to be wiped out silently, and if they rebelled against the Kingdom the matter would only get worse.


    Right now they could only hope that there was some issue in communication or some problem arose that occupied them from detecting and responding to the threat of the enemy battalion.


    ¡°So, what now, Your Highness?¡±


    Asked Kareb, all trace of amiability gone from his face, yet his eyes blazed with the fire of a lifetime of battles, a veteran Hunter expecting information about his next prey, preparing to lay a trap for it.


    ¡°Now,¡± said the Prince of Sahbadia in a cold voice. ¡°We wait for General Jiten to return.¡±


    He watched into the distance, at the other side of the plaza, where a robust man with gray beard and dark hair, Elder Edek of Thaliss, walked with calm steps towards them.


    ¡°And we prepare for war.¡±

 Chapter 23: Melancholy

    ¡°Like that, two steps back, turn to the left, arms to the side and¡­ yeah! You got it!¡±


    Issima was having fun, which surprised her and would probably make any who knew her faint out of shock.


    She was actually enjoying teaching the dance to this strange young man, he had zero knowledge about dancing, but he caught up fast and made the moves fluidly.


    The music stopped, it would be a few seconds before the next song started.


    ¡°You got talent for this, Ethan. You learned the dance moves perfectly.¡±


    Issima said with a grin.


    ¡°Yeah, and it only took me the whole song to learn them.¡±


    Ethan answered and twisted his lips into a forced smile, he had a bit of a red face, maybe the embarrassment didn¡¯t let him have as much fun as her? Whatever the case, Issima was having fun, so she decided to not tease him too much.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t be like that! it¡¯s your first dance, you did great. A new song will start now; do you want to dance again?¡±


    ¡°Well, we are already here, alright.¡±


    He sighed, looking like someone resigned to doing a tedious chore.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t make that face, is dancing with me such a bother to you?¡±


    Issima made a moue, she knew he wasn¡¯t really bothered by her but by the act of dancing, but he didn¡¯t have to be so dramatic about it.


    ¡°Not at all!¡±


    Ethan hurriedly shook his head and waved his hands in front of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not accustomed to this, I can¡¯t enjoy the dance to its fullest if I¡¯m focusing on learning the moves, I imagine that you aren¡¯t enjoying as much as you could if you were dancing with someone who knew about this.¡±


    Issima looked at him as the musicians started a new song, it was a softer and slower song than the last one.


    ¡°Dummy, I¡¯m having plenty of fun.¡±


    She said in a soft voice, then smiled and wrapped one hand across his waist and took his hand with the other, getting closer to him. Ethan was taller than her by only a few cms, her forehead being at the same height as his mouth.


    To her surprise, Ethan matched posture and embraced her waist too, then started to move back and forth in short steps.


    ¡°Eh? You know this one?¡±


    ¡°Not really, the rhythm is different, but this posture reminds me of a dance from my homeland, we call it a waltz.¡±


    ¡°Interesting, we call it Sama¡¯i. I¡¯ll lead and show you how¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Good, I was getting worried I¡¯d have to do it.¡±


    She slapped his shoulder playfully and they laughed a bit, the initial awkwardness between them had diminished a bit.


    The musicians played faster now, the notes flowing one after the other at a steady pace, metered and a rhythmic structure.


    ¡°Where do you come from, Ethan?¡±


    Issima asked raising her head to look into his eyes, hazel meeting honey.


    ¡°I come from very far, a whole world of distance away. Everything here is very different from what I know.¡±


    Issima raised her eyebrows in surprise, his comment sounded like a joke, but there was¡­ melancholy in his eyes.


    ¡°So far? Is it across the sea or¡­?¡±


    She left the question hanging, waiting for him to clarify.


    He looked troubled for a bit, hesitating on how to answer her question. Finally, he took a deep breath and decided to speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain.¡±


    ¡°Try and we¡¯ll see.¡±


    She smiled at him, and her eyes were full of curiosity.


    ¡°Very well. I can¡¯t tell you where my homeland is, at least, not yet. But I can tell you this: it¡¯s very far from here.¡±


    Ethan sighed, took a deep breath and continued.


    ¡°The country I come from is called the United States, though my parents were from different countries, they moved there due to studies and work in their youth. I was raised in a metropolis called New York, a very big city, with buildings that aimed to touch the clouds in the sky, abundance of food and entertainment, although the people were always hurrying to their jobs in vehicles in wide streets, people from all professions and classes lived together. There were problems, sure, we had criminals and issues local and foreign. It wasn¡¯t a paradise, but it was a good place.¡±


    They spun in the dance, Issima leading while Ethan absent-mindedly followed her move, letting his body move on instincts he didn¡¯t know he possessed while his mind recalled memories from home and he tried to form words that didn¡¯t reveal too much of it.


    He failed.


    He knew it was foolish to go around telling other people he was from a different world; he knew it was absurd to tell such thing to a total stranger and he also knew anyone might think he was crazy or perhaps try to find out how to get to his home.


    But did it matter? His world was gone, the people there were all dead, and it wasn¡¯t like people could just go there so easily.


    Besides, he had his Master. Navin had told him to not depend on him, but he also told him to feel free to do and talk about anything he wanted so long as he was within moral limits, this should be fine.


    Another part of him simply didn¡¯t care at all, he wanted to talk about his home, his friends, his city. He missed talking about TV shows, movies, and songs. He missed playing video games, yet he hadn¡¯t touched his console in the days he had been here, he also hadn¡¯t even looked at his smartphone despite having those things stored inside his Spatial Ring.


    He felt like an idiot each time he thought about it, but he simply couldn¡¯t do it, whether it was fear or something else that made him hesitate and give up on trying to use things from home, he didn¡¯t know.


    He raised his head and looked at the stars and two moons in the sky, such an alien image for him, and yet so beautiful.


    He looked back down and found Issima looking at him.


    He smiled, it was a bittersweet smile but it was genuine. He kept talking, and once the dam was burst there was no stopping the flood.


    ¡°Your land is fascinating; you know? I had never seen a culture like this, so rich and¡­ magical. We don¡¯t have magic back home, not even impressive mystical martial arts like yours. Although we don¡¯t have any monsters like those in the desert, so that¡¯s a bright side.¡±


    Ethan laughed a bit, like the resigned laugh of a tired man, self-mocking and bitter. It wasn¡¯t the laughter of a young boy.


    ¡°We have stories about monsters and beasts, though. Tales from writers, poets and singers who narrate the mysteries of faraway lands and exotic monsters of unknown origin from the ancient past, but those were all fantasy, made-up stories. The reality I have seen here is very different.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have mages in your country, this Union of States? Well, mages aren¡¯t exactly common, but the absence of monsters and beasts is certainly a good thing. Our economy would suffer if there were no longer any beasts, but that¡¯s because we live in this desert, countries in other places have their own ways to survive, and even we could find other sources of income given enough time.¡±


    Issima shrugged, she had grown up fighting both beasts and people; a land with food and peace sounded pretty much like a paradise to her, but she knew that every country had their own issues to deal with.


    ¡°My country extracted resources from the land, minerals, oil and stuff like that, we then used those resources to create products of all kinds in industries. You could say it¡¯s our own version of magic; we used our intelligence and joined efforts to achieve things that were only fantasy and myth in years of the past. Ah, it¡¯s United States, not Union of States.¡±


    He smiled, this time a bit more cheerfully, even teasingly.


    ¡°What if I told you that people could fly in the sky? I bet there are flight spells and artifacts that can do that, but we managed to do it without magic, we used technology and science to explore the world, innovate and create new things. Medicines to cure diseases, heart transplants, light bulbs to illuminate the streets and homes, modifying crops so they would grow faster and larger, devices to communicate with people on the other side of the globe, recording videos to watch scenes happening over and over again, vehicles that moved faster than any horse, and so much more I could spend years and never end talking about them.¡±


    Issima stared at him, he was talking about crazy, absurd things, and yet¡­ he was speaking the truth. There was a fervor in his words, a certainty, he talked like someone who had witnessed and experienced these things personally.


    She knew that look, something she had seen on the envoys at the Assembly carrying news, stories and products from other countries and presenting them to the Elders and Clans.


    There were times those envoys would be called insane until they presented evidence of their findings, and then everyone would have to accept that their fantastic stories were true.


    In a world full of magic, the wildest fantasies were only a few tries by a madman away from turning into reality.


    ¡°Your homeland sounds like a fantastical place; it must be nice to have a peaceful place with wealth and so many wonders.¡±


    Issima said while thinking about his words, it was a fantastical place indeed; if it was real, she would like to see it one day. She noticed that his expression changed a bit, it was a rueful smile, like he was thinking about something funny, absurd and sad at the same time.


    Ethan let out a short mirthless laughter.


    ¡°I suppose. The monsters were just stories back home, but then real threat were the people themselves, some becoming worse than monsters. From petty thieves to murderers, indirect long-reaching problems like corrupt politicians who wore smiles while damaging the country and more immediate threats like terrorist bombing and school shootings. Children grew up in a contradictory belief of knowing that police were there to protect you so you should call for their help at any need, yet you should stay away from them lest they dig up any nasty secrets you had and find a reason to put you in jail. Countries divided themselves with people looking for the smallest excuse to offend, humiliate and hurt each other. People used technology to create more ways to kill each other and cause destruction, producing new weapons all over the globe at the same rate other advancements were made. Absurd, don¡¯t you think? In a place where we could have just gotten along, people fought for all kind of stupid reasons.¡±


    Issima looked at him, she didn¡¯t know what to say, she hadn¡¯t expected him to speak so openly and at length about his land, however now she was glad that he did it, even if she didn¡¯t understand some of the things he spoke of.


    Some terms were strange to her. Terrorist bombing? Police? She noticed a while ago that he wasn¡¯t actually speaking Sahbadian language, but using magic to translate, which wasn¡¯t exactly rare for her since she had seen many envoys and ambassadors using translation spells, but this spell was something else.


    This spell didn¡¯t simply translate words from one language to another, it conveyed the meaning and intention behind those words, it was almost like directly transmitting thoughts.


    She got the feeling that terrorist bombings were ¡®attacks with fire and explosions to the civil population with the purpose of causing panic and terror¡¯ while also the thought that it wasn¡¯t a method for war, but an attack made in times of peace to innocents. It carried a different connotation that using fire spells and Skills during battles, it was more akin to the raiding and burning of farms and homes of villagers by bandits.


    Police were ¡®guards from the government, responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of public order¡¯. Wasn¡¯t that the same as the Watch from any city? She got the impression it wasn¡¯t exactly the same, it was more¡­ organized? A civil force trained into professionals who enforced the law.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    He had twice mentioned a ¡®globe¡¯ now, she thought he was speaking about scrying orbs or a similar artifact when he first spoke about communication, but now she was certain that wasn¡¯t the case.


    But what she got from the translation made no sense, the world was flat, not a globe. What was he talking about?


    What was this magic? It went beyond any translation spell she had seen or heard about. This was borderline on creating an image inside her head. He sounded honest when he said his people didn¡¯t have magic, but this was definitely an advanced spell.


    Maybe he met someone who put an enchantment on him? Hiring someone for such a job was expensive but a real possibility.


    Issima shook her head putting aside those thoughts, she would have time to think about it later, or maybe even ask him directly. She focused again on what Ethan was saying.


    ¡°One day I will return there, and I will fix it. I will change things, not just at home, but for my whole world. I will make sure that strife never again breaks my world apart, be it a war of gods or mortals, I won¡¯t let them shatter my home, never again.¡±


    There was a savage golden glow in his eyes for an instant and Issima¡¯s heart jumped in her chest. His last words were borderline blasphemy, but he didn¡¯t care at all; Issima wasn¡¯t a devoted worshipper of the Gods, she had been raised to dedicate her faith and loyalty to her Clan and the Ancestors, but even so, she wouldn¡¯t utter those words so nonchalantly, nor would most of the people she knew.


    She looked around, no one seemed to be looking in their direction but she knew that wasn¡¯t a necessity when eavesdropping.


    She returned her gaze to Ethan, the blazing flame behind his eyes receded, returning his eyes to the color of honey. Was it just a trick of the light? No, she was certain of what she had seen.


    He closed his eyes and exhaled. When he opened his eyes again, he had regained composure.


    ¡°Sorry, and thank you for listening to my rants.¡±


    Issima looked at him in silence, her lips slightly apart due to the previous surprise, then she nodded, her expression softened into a small smile.


    ¡°Not at all, I¡¯m glad you told me that much, I think there¡¯s more to that story, but I won¡¯t ask. I¡¯m sorry, I pried into a sensitive subject without meaning to.¡±


    ¡°No, you couldn¡¯t have known, it was a normal question to ask. It was me who vented up my thoughts to you.¡±


    Ethan shook his head and came up with an idea to change the subject.


    ¡°In fact, now that I told you about my home, then tell me about yours, Elder Kareb said that you come from a place called Thaliss?¡±


    Issima¡¯s lips turned upwards, it was a good change of subject, to a path from where she could swerve the conversation towards her desired goal.


    She was curious about what he had said before, particularly one part near the end: ¡°my world¡± he said, and if one takes into account how he doesn¡¯t know about anything in this place¡­


    Well, that was a question for another time. The list kept getting annoyingly larger with every passing minute, but she had more urgent things to ask.


    ¡°Yes, my homeland is a special place, Thaliss is a region southwest from here. It¡¯s within the Sahbadia Kingdom¡¯s territory, but we are not their subjects, we are an Assembly of different Clans sharing a common origin, we have been allies with the Kingdom since hundreds of years ago.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not a vassal state, but an enclave, eh? To maintain sovereignty within the territory of another country it means you guys are pretty strong, right? Is everyone there a Sword Dancer?¡±


    Ethan was each time more curious about them, he was wondering if it was ok to talk about what he saw during their dance. He might end up looking like a smartass pretending to know more about the dance than the practitioners, or he might offend them if he figured out something he shouldn¡¯t have; his Master had said before that Cultivators were very secretive about their arts and would not hesitate to kill to protect those, so it might be a similar case with Sword Dancers.


    Either way, he was curious about a lot of things, so he would ask about other stuff instead.


    The Sama¡¯i performance ended, and the musicians changed to another song, fast and lively.


    ¡°Oh, not at all.¡±


    Issima laughed heartily and made a dismissive fanning gesture with her hand, apparently amused at the notion.


    ¡°Although we are one of the few places that train Sword Dancers and our main force of warriors is composed of those, we are not exclusively swordsmen, we are proud of our artisans and blacksmiths too. It is very common for outside people to speak of the glory and honor of a warrior, they often forget about the masterwork sword that enabled that glory and the hard labor of the hands that forged it.¡±


    She raised a finger as she spoke, like lecturing someone in a school or reciting a text from memory.


    ¡°Another important tradition among our warriors is music, we practice dancing, playing instruments and also singing. Such practices are essential for us, more than in other places, because they pass down the teachings from our ancestors.¡±


    ¡°Amazing. So your people¡¯s warriors aren¡¯t just battle-oriented, but artists in a broader sense, you are more complex than one would expect.¡±


    Ethan had expected the Sword Dancers to be more than mere dancers or fighters after looking at their performance, but getting more information about their culture gave him a better image of them, a culture that could hide messages and battle techniques inside a dance was sure to have profound traditions and customs.


    Issima straightened her back, sticking her chest out with pride.


    ¡°Of course! We are a noble lineage that couldn¡¯t be subdued by Sahbadia nor erased by the harsh sands of the desert!¡±


    She pointed with her thumb at her own heart with the other hand on her hip.


    ¡°The dance we performed earlier? It¡¯s called the Dance of Four Forms, and there are very few teams capable of performing it correctly, even if most of us have learned it since infancy.¡±


    At this point, her eyes glittered, although she had enjoyed talking and dancing with Ethan, this was the reason she started all this.


    ¡°What do you think of our dance? You were watching our performance very intently, as I recall.¡±


    Ethan blinked in surprise. Not at the question or the fact that she knew he was watching, the fact that they turned towards him at the end of the dance and that she wasted no time to come and ask him for a dance were kind of telling, once he thought about it.


    What surprised him was the intensity of her eyes, there was a¡­ desire there, something beyond mere curiosity, like a thirst that hadn¡¯t been quenched in a long time.


    ¡°Is it really ok for me to discuss about that dance?¡±


    Ethan asked cautiously, he didn¡¯t want to offend her accidentally, she was asking his opinion about it so he was probably safe from that, but it was better to make sure.


    Issima nodded slowly but firmly.


    ¡°I think it was a marvelous performance, truly fascinating. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes away during the dance, I had never seen a similar performance in my life.¡±


    At his words, Issima nodded with a small grin.


    ¡°Thank you, but my question goes a bit beyond that, and I think you know what I meant, don¡¯t you?¡±


    She said, dropping the pretense now and crossing her arms over her chest.


    Her grin widened, the musicians were going for another song, yet they hadn¡¯t danced through the last song, they were just standing in front of each other talking while they ignored the world around them, and curiously it seemed that everyone else was ignoring them too.


    Only now did Issima notice that. It was definitely strange, but something to think about later.


    She watched as Ethan sighed and rotated his shoulders.


    ¡°Alright, you win. I saw something in your dance, you are right.¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡±


    Issima made a fist pump right there, raising her voice unconsciously.


    She hurriedly looked around, but just as she had noticed before, no one even turned to their direction, everyone around was dancing, drinking, eating or talking while keeping a good distance away from them.


    Now it was very obvious something magical was going on, and a bit creepy, if she was honest with herself.


    She looked a bit warily at Ethan, but he either hadn¡¯t noticed or didn¡¯t care. He kept talking as he was before, except now he had an amused look on his face, he might be laughing inside his head about her fist pump.


    ¡°Let me ask you something first, can that dance, the Dance of Four Forms, be performed by a single Sword Dancer?¡±


    Issima frowned, she didn¡¯t have to think about the answer.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a team dance, it must be performed by four dancers together and wielding different types of weapons each, otherwise it¡¯s incomplete.¡±


    Ethan nodded upon hearing her answer, pondering seriously about something before continuing.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m right on assuming that was something done to hide the truth of that dance, I bet your people have many other arts like that, disguising a martial art as a dance and mixing up fake moves in between, and taking it to the point of dividing the moves into four parts.¡±


    Ethan laughed lightly, he had read stuff like that before in mangas and novels, ancient traditions of martial artists hiding their secrets in plain sight.


    A living example of it was right in front of him, and most importantly, he had discovered a secret that the own successor of that art didn¡¯t know about. He might have gained insight on that secret by mere chance, and he was certain that despite the vision he experienced he was far from actually being able to use those techniques, but if he followed the Intent he had seen on during the performance, he could make out the actual moves of a different ¡®dance¡¯, the real dance.


    And that was the secret Issima wanted, it might be more valuable than he could possibly understand, there was no way for him to appreciate it on the same level as the practitioners would, it wasn¡¯t a legacy for him, after all. He hadn¡¯t been raised to pursue those teachings.


    ¡°So you saw it? The true form of the dance?¡±


    Issima asked softly, barely containing the mixture of emotions she was experiencing.


    Many thoughts passed through Ethan¡¯s mind, thoughts of asking things, the temptation of extorting something from her Clan in exchange of teaching them what he had discovered, he could probably get a fortune out of them. Some dark and lowly thoughts whispered about Issima being a beautiful woman who might be willing to do anything to recover a lost art of her clan and might be very grateful for his help in this matter.


    He recalled multiple stories he had read and watched throughout his life, tales of the hero gaining a female companion out of gratitude after saving her or providing help to her family, many of those stories ended with the hero started a relationship with said female companion, especially in the stories with a harem setting.


    After all, who would do such a big favor out of simple goodwill without asking anything in return?


    Ethan would.


    Such thoughts were pointless and stupid, so he discarded them completely without consideration.


    There was really no temptation to be had here.


    Money and fortunes were no temptation for someone who was already rich, lands and goods were irrelevant for him as he wasn¡¯t even from this world and planned to explore it before traveling to another realm of existence.


    He had all his material needs supplied by his Master, so those were useless to bait him.


    Issima was beautiful and he found her attractive, but he wasn¡¯t the kind of scum that would ask for sexual favors in exchange of help. He was only 14 and might not have experience in that area of life, but he was raised with good morals, he was not a degenerate.


    He would never be able to face his parents again if he did such low acts of perversion, that was a line he wouldn¡¯t cross.


    And lastly, but not less important, a thought that lingered in the back of his mind: if he actually had tried to do that, he might be stopped and beaten up by his Master before actually doing it.


    Sure, his Master so far had been kind and nice, joking around and at most mock-hitting him with a toy hammer, but it would be foolish to forget that his Master was, despite his refusal to be called such, a God.


    And everything so far indicated that he was the most powerful one. What¡¯s more, with all the other deities dead in the war that had triggered the events of their meeting, it would be more accurate to call him the God.


    It would be incredibly stupid and borderline suicidal to disregard the only warning that such deity had given him upon accepting him as a Disciple: sinking into depravity is forbidden.


    Thinking about it now, Ethan found it very strange that such thought was the last thing he took into consideration when making his decision, when it seemed all the more important and an immediate impediment to actually extorting any reward from sharing his knowledge.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it would work, but Ethan yelled inside his mind.


    Master, are you messing with my head or something?


    Urged by a sudden impulse, Ethan looked up.


    There was no sign of the Phoenix around, but for a second Ethan could swear that he saw the stars in the sky arranged to form the word ¡®NO¡¯ in a very big and clear manner, displaying the message in the vault of heavens.


    He blinked twice, and the word was gone, with the stars no longer aligned into such messed up formation.


    It might have been an illusion, and he really hoped that was the case, because messing with dozens of stars was something he hoped his Master wouldn¡¯t do for something so childish as answering a simple yes/no question.


    He might need to have a conversation with his Master later tonight, the result of which he was uncertain, it might even be pointless, but he felt he needed to do it, at least to have a clear conscience.


    Ethan nodded decisively.


    ¡°I did. I can show you now if you want or we can wait until a better time©¤¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no better time than right now!¡±


    Issima jumped up and grabbed his hands.


    ¡°Show me, please.¡±


    Ethan looked around. Nobody was looking at them, everyone near them was focused on dancing, and chatting among themselves, and even those people were quite a few meters away from him and Issima.


    Channeling Qi to his eyes, he noticed there was a barrier set in place around them, a very similar barrier to the one his Master had set in his room at the inn twice now.


    Another proof that his Master was watching him right now, as he said he would, before vanishing and letting him be dragged into this feast by Kareb.


    The mind-affecting theory was starting to gain strength, now they were definitely going to have a conversation later.


    And of course his Master decided to dispel the barrier now of all times.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll show you what I saw, but I think this isn¡¯t a good place to do that, right?¡±


    Issima immediately noticed that some people started looking at them, so whatever effect was happening before was gone.


    ¡°Ok, come with me.¡±


    She took him by the hand and let him out of the plaza, quite like she had taken him to the dance floor, but now there was a certainty and greater excitement in her stride.


    She would find out now what secret he had glimpsed from the Dance of Four Forms, she would make him show it in front of the others later, but right now she wanted to see it, and she didn¡¯t want to wait.


    <hr>


    In the head table of the feast in the plaza, four men sat together.


    Each one was powerful and influential on their own right, and they had discussed matters of importance for the whole nation in the span of a couple dozen minutes.


    Cunning as they were, they also were decisive, these men were no strangers to war, and war was precisely the subject of their conversation.


    ¡°So we have an agreement.¡±


    The second prince of Sahbadia spoke with a raised cup of wine.


    In front of him, a member of the Assembly from Thaliss and veteran of countless battles raised a cup of his own.


    ¡°We have an agreement.¡±


    Edek clinked his cup with the prince and they both drank them completely.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, Your Highness, I have some kids to look after and I must prepare your message to the Assembly. I assure you, we will have a satisfactory answer in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Elder Edek. By all means, don¡¯t let me hold you here. It was a pleasure and honor conversing with you, may we meet again and enjoy a feast more calmly.¡±


    ¡°May the Ancestors hear your good wishes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there they are!¡±


    Right as Edek was standing up from his seat, Kareb raised his voice suddenly.


    Every head on the table turned to him, and then to the direction he was pointing.


    On the border of the dancing area, a pair of youngsters were walking away while holding hands.


    To be precise, the girl seemed eager to go somewhere else and was pulling the hand of the lad who walked just a bit behind her.


    To be more precise, Ethan and Issima were walking away in a hurry toward some unknown place, and the district in that direction was¡­ the red-light district of the city.


    ¡°Eh, I think you might have to pay me 10 gold coins, Elder Kareb?¡±


    ¡°Night is young, Your Highness. We have no definite proof yet.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, we¡¯ll ask Ethan later¡­ or tomorrow maybe.¡±


    Edek was truly surprised by what he saw, had Issima fallen into some spell? That was unlikely, but it was just as unlikely that she was actually willing to spend the night together with a stranger, no matter how interesting individual he might be.


    He frowned, had the lad asked for a sexual favor in exchange for something? It was a possibility, but then she wouldn¡¯t be eagerly leading the way.


    It wouldn¡¯t do any good to jump into conclusions, but he needed to get moving now.


    ¡°Then, until next time, Your Highness, General, Elder.¡±


    Edek bowed slightly towards each of them as he talked and turned around to leave, he hurried towards the other young Sword Dancers, he wouldn¡¯t take them with him to follow Issima, he didn¡¯t want to lead to a misunderstanding, it''d be better if he saw to this matter personally.


    But he needed to tell them he was going somewhere else, and give instructions for their return to their rooms.


    Then he would follow Issima and find out what was going on.

 Interlude: Arcano

    Amelia Rosewyn closed the doors of her flower shop, spinning the key on the lock twice and hearing a solid clank and the soft buzz of the wards activating around the small building.


    A few seconds later, the buzzing stopped and the wards were fully active, safeguarding her business. Of course, it wasn¡¯t fail-proof, but it would stop any small-time thief from breaking in.


    If there was someone skilled enough to bypass these wards, then that person probably had way better things to steal than a flower shop.


    She had inherited the family business after her parents¡¯ death and had been taking care of it for 2 years now, the fact that she grew up helping her parents on it made it easy to handle most aspects of it, and yet made it much painful to work in there sometimes.


    The businesses in this zone had enjoyed peace and prosperity for a long time, without any significant event endangering the owners, the clientele nor the economy.


    Crime rate had been low in this part of the city thanks to constant patrols and the hidden presence of the Unseen Eyes. The Empire was flourishing, both in economy and quality of life. The advancements in magical development had made their lives more comfortable, with longer and healthier lives while also providing a wide variety of entertainment.


    Everyone knew that while dangers were still present, they were significantly fewer than years past, the criminals had been steadily diminishing each year, soon they would be only a thing of the past.


    Amelia walked down the streets towards her apartment, streetlights gave a soft white glow enabling a clearly illuminated area, people strolled in comfortable peace, enjoying the early evening breeze.


    Her home was only a few streets away from the flower shop, so she arrived in only 20 minutes. The 30-storey apartment building where she lived was called Owl Wing, one of the newest on the neighborhood; she had obtained one of the 4 apartments on the 14<sup>th</sup> floor thanks to a good use of a timely opportunity.


    Her previous house, where she grew up with her parents, was now inhabited and taken care of by a friend of the family, a kind old lady who had been her nanny when she was a little girl; she visited her every weekend and even stayed over at times, but still politely refused to stay permanently, while listening through her lectures about how a 19 years old woman shouldn¡¯t be living alone nor spending money in another house if she already had one, but there were too many memories in her old house, she was still not ready, not yet.


    Now inside her apartment, she dropped her bag on a table and went to the kitchen, a snap of her fingers made the lights go on in the apartment. In a few minutes, she had a light sandwich made, which she washed down with wine. She didn¡¯t usually drink much, but she was in a good mood today and if everything went right this wouldn¡¯t be her only cup of the night.


    After she finished her snack, Amelia went to take a shower, time was flying, and she had to prepare.


    She had a date tonight.


    <hr>


    Amelia got out of the cab as she arrived at the appointed place of her date; John Tyrwill would be waiting for her near White Dragon Restaurant, an elegant and expensive place where they would have an exquisite dinner and then¡­ who knows.


    Tonight might just be the night.


    They had known each other since they were little, and had only been ''officially'' dating for a few months. She didn¡¯t know exactly when she had stopped looking at him with the same eyes as before, by the time she noticed, John had the same look in his eyes as her and they had started to look for reasons to meet in private, sneaking out to avoid Nana¡¯s vigilance, although the old woman seemed to have known their feelings before either of them.


    John was a powerful mage and had joined the Imperial Army at the age of 15, ascending the ranks due to his talent and charisma, he had fought abroad and made a fortune due to his distinguished service, even developing a clever use of wards for counterintelligence.


    At the age of 21, he was already a valuable asset of the Empire, an official with a brilliant career ahead of him and a force to be reckoned with. He was terrible at cooking and liked to add caramel to his coffee, he could bind demons with a few sentences but cried like a baby whenever she practiced an armbar on him.


    He complained ceaselessly when he had to do any manual labor but had knelt silently by her side in front of her parents¡¯ tomb for a whole night.


    He was constantly traveling around due to his work in the Army but came to have lunch with her almost every day whenever he was in the city.


    And he looked at her with the same loving eyes as he had when they were kids taking care of plants in her parent¡¯s flower shop.


    Nana had ¡®accidentally¡¯ let slip a mention of him getting a ring a week ago, and her roundabout inquiries had been answered with a stupid grin and a ¡®who knows¡¯ on his part.


    So here she was, dressed in a black velvet dress with an off-the-shoulder sweetheart neckline, fitted to enhance her figure, and a thigh-high slit on the left; he was definitely going to gape at her when he saw her.


    And he will also choke on his own spit when he took a look at what she was wearing under it.


    A mischievous smile grew on her face as Amelia spotted John standing at the entrance of an alley on the same street of White Dragon Restaurant; he seemed to be speaking with someone but the angle didn¡¯t let her see the person.


    Amelia sashayed in his direction, anticipating his reaction when he finally saw her. John didn¡¯t look away from the alley entirely focused on his talk and even started to walk deeper into it.


    Amelia frowned and walked faster, why was he getting into the alley? As she got closer, she heard John¡¯s voice coming from the alley and a woman¡¯s voice answering.


    ¡°Be a good boy and get some sleep, ok?¡±


    Amelia heard the woman¡¯s voice as she turned to face the alley, and was received by the image of a buxom woman in scant clothes.


    Cerulean long hair cascading down her back, she had a light brown and flawlessly smooth skin; she had a black short skirt that emphasized her ample bottom, it was short enough to leave little room for imagination while still hiding her buttocks; the only thing covering her upper body was a backless top that was more like a pair of scarlet strips of silk that barely covered her breasts while leaving an ample cleavage in between, descending to her navel.


    This woman possessed an entrancing figure, almost impossibly so, Amelia could only see one side of her face but that was enough to determine she was a strikingly beautiful woman. However, all her enticing attributes failed to distract Amelia from a far more important matter.


    This woman was standing next to an unconscious John, who was collapsed on the floor while little translucent runes hovered over him.


    Amelia opened her mouth to scream, but a cold hand closed around her neck preventing her from letting out any sound and pushed her forwards, deeper into the alley.


    She raised her hand to defend herself, but with a spike of pain she felt her magic blocked. A tingling spread across her body, paralyzing her body completely.


    The strange woman looked at Amelia with a bewitching smile, cold red eyes pierced at her from head to toe, examining her, leering at her. She licked her lips with the tip of her tongue.


    ¡°Oh my, aren¡¯t you a cutie.¡±


    The woman spoke in a voice that could have been the babbling of a river, there was a cadence to her voice, an alluring cooing that entranced those who listened to it.


    A charm? John wouldn¡¯t have fallen for it, who is this woman?


    The woman approached Amelia with unnatural grace, as if they were on a catwalk for models instead of an alley.


    She raised a hand and a slim finger caressed the side of Amelia¡¯s face, slowly descending down her neck to reach the valley between her breasts, she started to playfully draw circular patterns with her finger as her face got closer to Amelia¡¯s.


    For a moment, all that existed for Amelia was those charming red eyes, she could feel her heartbeat rising due to fear, anger, and arousal at the same time.


    Amelia could smell the other woman¡¯s breath, she smelled like caramel and strawberries, Amelia¡¯s favorite dessert. Slowly, softly, she kissed Amelia¡¯s upper lip, as if she was afraid of hurting her, choosing to delicately relish the act.


    At that moment, something started to creep up Amelia¡¯s left leg but she couldn¡¯t look away from the red eyes in front of her.


    The cold sensation of scales on her skin gave her goosebumps as a long snake spiraled up her calf, knee, and thigh; like attracted by the heat between her legs, the snake turned its head and slithered over until it was placed over the front part of her thong.


    Amelia shivered as fear overcame everything else, she desperately tried to muster her mana, but it was to no avail, she couldn¡¯t move, she couldn¡¯t scream, and the entrance to the alley was definitely warded to avoid being noticed, no one would come to rescue them.


    She was powerless to avoid being used as a plaything by this woman.


    Amelia¡¯s mind raced as the pieces fell into place, only one female creature she knew possessed such alluring qualities with a propensity to violation in the dark.


    Succubus!!


    ¡°Ohh, so you noticed. You Druids were always such sensitive girls, in more than one sense.¡±


    The demon purred and placed her mouth next to Amelia¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Yes, I am a Succubus. We are gonna have a delightful time.¡±


    The succubus nibbled on Amelia¡¯s ear and grabbed her buttock with one hand as she slipped the other hand under Amelia¡¯s cleavage, catching her nipple between her index and middle fingers.


    That¡¯s when Amelia heard a voice, but it didn¡¯t bring any comfort or hope.


    A man¡¯s voice came from right behind her, the owner of the cold hand that held her throat all this time.


    ¡°Stop wasting time, the Master awaits.¡±


    The cold, emotionless voice of the succubus¡¯ accomplice somehow seemed to carry with it a tinge of irritation and boredom.


    ¡°Oh, come on. We have time, the ceremony won¡¯t start anytime soon.¡±


    Answered the succubus with her sexy voice as she kissed Amelia¡¯s neck.


    It happened too fast.


    The hand loosened Amelia¡¯s neck and a shadowed figure went around her, grabbed the succubus by the hair and yanked her away from Amelia.


    The man then spun and slammed the succubus face into the wall, turned and slammed her again into the opposite wall.


    ¡°Do not contradict me, Niira.¡±


    Said the man in the same cold voice.


    The succubus looked up at him with a bloody nose, still looking impossibly attractive despite the wound.


    ¡°Harder.¡±


    She moaned.


    The man stood there, looked at her quietly and let go of her hair.


    Her smug smile didn¡¯t last long.


    He placed a hand on her neck and she opened her mouth but no sound came out, then he pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the belly.


    Amelia was sure that the succubus would have let out a desperate wail if she had been able to scream.


    Niira¡¯s eyes bulged and she threw back her head, opening mouth in a horrible grimace of pain, arched her back while having uncontrollable spasms.


    The knife on her belly burned her insides, letting out a light smoke with a smell of sulfur.


    A few seconds later, the man pulled the knife out of the succubus, spun it on his hand and making it disappear in a single swift motion.


    He let go of Niira¡¯s throat and she knelt on the ground, gasping for air.


    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself.¡±


    Hearing his words, Niira stood up and turned to Amelia. She placed a finger on Amelia¡¯s forehead and sighed.


    ¡°Sorry, sweetheart. We might have had so much fun, but we can¡¯t due to some meddlesome guy. Sleep.¡±


    And Amelia¡¯s world went dark.


    <hr>


    Underneath the city, beyond a series of tunnels and catacombs, lies an ancient ritual ground. Layer upon layer of wards and magical arrays had been placed here across centuries, The Society had invested a lot of resources on this project, too many lives had been claimed, too much blood had been spilled and too much was at stake.


    For in this ancient place of power, they will be summoning an Archdemon tonight and bind it.


    That was the plan for most of the participants on this ritual, at least. The leader of this group of practitioners had different plans in mind.


    Tonight he would stake it all in one final bet with the Archdemon, and let it inside himself to claim its powers.


    Most mortals and even the so-called immortals would think this as madness, but Aaron Septheld was very sane, he had prepared for decades for this moment, while other members of The Society had blindly obeyed orders and kept a distance due to awe, reverence, and fear for the Archdemon they worshipped, Aaron had spoken to it directly and stroke a bargain with it, he had led The Society for years and had arranged what was necessary for the summoning.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    The Archdemon would be descending upon this arcane grounds and the acolytes hoped to obtain gifts of power and knowledge from it.


    Aaron had convinced it of this bet: Aaron would willingly let it enter him and attempt to possess him, which would provide it a far better vessel than otherwise with a great deal of freedom and power if it succeeded on the possession; at the same time, Aaron would attempt to subdue it completely, to bind it to his will and trap it within the confines of his body with a series of wards and arrays.


    The Archdemon would use Aaron as a way to achieve freedom in this Plane, and Aaron would use it as a keystone in his path to Apotheosis.


    They both knew the risks and neither trusted the other, but the potential profit made it worth the danger.


    Aaron stood in the center of a vast chamber, the dome over his head was filled to the brim with arrays of different effects, containment, concealment, defense, counter-scrying, and many more nasty surprises for anything and anyone who tried to disturb the ceremony.


    On the ground, alchemy and spellcraft had weaved a masterpiece, runes painted with the lifeblood of hundreds and formations carved into the ground using treasures of unspoken value.


    Rows of precious materials served as catalyzers, stabilizers, and augmenters for the spells, almost a hundred mages of different specializations were placed here, experts in diabolism and wizardry poured their efforts into the success of tonight.


    And on the center of it all, in a circle bubbling with dark powers was a single stone platform where the final element of the ritual laid unconscious: a female Druid, one of a kind that was extremely rare within the Empire, she would be the final sacrifice for the summoning. This woman might have been working as a simple florist but the power in her blood was undeniable; she wasted her potential by turning her back to the active practice of magic, but Aaron would put it to use for a greater purpose tonight.


    Aaron stood by the side of the sacrifice, as the single isle of calm in the middle of the storm of magic. Six long polearms that ended in sharp claws were standing forming a circle a few meters in front of him, at the precise center of the whole array.


    Those were old cursed artifacts of terrible and great power, created by the servants of the Hells in ages past, they were indestructible by anything Aaron knew and their very presence tainted the environment, life, and magic alike.


    The diabolists finished their chants and the six claws vibrated with power, like children shivering in excitement for meeting their parent, like loyal servants finally fulfilling their duties after an eternity of waiting.


    Infernal aura arose from the artifacts and merged together to rip a wound into the world, the claws jumped into the air and pulled at the air from six different directions, opening a portal to the Depths of Hell.


    And from beyond the fire, darkness, and brimstone of the portal, something heeded the call.


    Every mage in the ritual ground felt it, the moment the Archdemon cast its sight upon them, they felt a weight on their chests, the crushing pressure of the stare of a beast beyond their power and comprehension, the same beast they were attempting to subdue right now.


    It laughed, and its laughter was slaughter, blood spilling and flesh torn apart, the promise of madness and ruin to all it beheld.


    Aaron stood tall, the wards on his body activated as the ritual array flared to the maximum, he was ready.


    ¡°And so we have a deal.¡±


    Spoke the chief diabolist with steel in his voice, unwavering.


    ¡°Let the contest begin, Septheld. Winner takes all.¡±


    The devil on the other side was visible as it spoke, its horrible form was vast and mighty; over 6 meters tall, dark gray skin on its torso, head, and legs, with six black arms that ended in sharp claws, two scarlet horns extended from its forehead and curved to point behind its head, wide impossibly green eyes with red vertical pupils and a wide grin showing rows of sharp teeth.


    Aaron knew that this might not be the true form of this Archdemon, but that it might have simply chosen to appear in that form, it didn¡¯t matter. He had no interest in looking at this abomination¡¯s true form.


    He raised the knife to end the life of the woman lying on the stone platform in front of him and swung it down, aiming at her heart.


    It was now, it would all end tonight or it would all begin.


    This moment would be the pivot of his new life as a power to be feared by everyone in the Seven Spheres or he would die consumed by the Archdemon.


    He struck down with the knife, but his hand stopped as an ethereal sound filled the chamber.


    Aaron raised his head to look at the Archdemon, but it looked even more surprised than him, and Aaron might be going crazy, because he thought he saw panic in the face of the devil.


    ¡°Swing the knife! Do it, kill her! NOW!¡±


    The Archdemon screamed at him, despair was filling its voice and it was not able to hide it, it was trembling in fear.


    ¡°I can¡¯t move.¡±


    Aaron managed to force those words out of his mouth as he watched the portal begin to shift and become tainted with something else.


    He knew this feeling, it was when someone intercepted scrying spells and hacked them to either gain access to information or in extreme cases even take control of the spells, enabling to even harm the parties involved.


    But this was a summoning ritual, a connection with an Archdemon residing in one of the Hells. Besides, there were numerous arrays for protection in place to avoid such a situation from happening.


    Even another Archdemon wouldn¡¯t be able to take advantage of this ritual to step into this Plane.


    Aaron watched with a sickening mix of fascination and fear as the Archdemon panicked, screaming dark words in the Devil Tongue and attempting to close the connection as a tinge of violet filled the portal, permeating it and trapping the Archdemon.


    The violet hue was contaminating the portal.


    What in all the Planes and Hells could possibly contaminate infernal power?


    ¡°You! Get away from me! What are you doing here!¡±


    The Archdemon roared in anger and frustration, but it sounded more like a pleading cry of mercy.


    ¡°Monster! Destroyer! Demon¡¯s Bane!! Abomination!!¡±


    Aaron heard all the demons The Society had on his side start to whimper like kicked puppies, like scared kittens in front of a monster.


    And what kind of existence could the demons consider a monster to be feared?


    The Archdemon cried in pain as the violet hue surrounded it, entered it and broke it from the inside.


    It shouted one last word and all demons dropped to the ground and started to beg for mercy in different languages.


    ¡°CHAOIST!!¡±


    It was shredded to pieces amidst cries of anguish and every mage in the chamber was already trembling in place, making every effort to move even a single step while being utterly unable to run away.


    Now, that was a word that struck too close to every practitioner of the Arcane, no mage of worth would be ignorant about what that word meant.


    The title of the Lord of Magic, the man closest to becoming the actual God of Magic, legends about him abounded, great and mystifying, his origins were unknown to most, the tales of his deeds were numerous and described wonders and terrors.


    Some said he was the son of Chaos itself, some claimed he had been at the Source of Magic and drank from its secrets. It was considered a hard fact by all mages that his control, knowledge, and mastery of the different forms of magic were peerless.


    An existence of legends that was almost at the level of the Gods themselves.


    And he was coming here¡­ no, he was already here.


    After the Archdemon was obliterated, the portal changed completely, opening to a different location, a light of many colors blazed out of the gate and the six claw-like artifacts that held the portal crumbled into ashes as a figure crossed over to this Plane.


    The man that appeared in front of the members of The Society could only be described as otherworldly.


    He was dressed in robes of purple and silver, with raven hair dark as moonless night that seemed to hug the sides of his neck, white skin as jade, sharp features and bright, sparkling eyes of a deep heliotrope color.


    He stood tall with his back straight, a light smile on his full lips, he didn¡¯t move his head yet every person present was certain that he was looking at them all at the same time.


    He was watching them, seeing through them, and there was nothing they could do to stop him.


    Aaron tried to speak, but couldn¡¯t even breathe anymore.


    The Lord of Magic finally turned his eyes to Aaron but instantly disregarded him, turning his attention to the woman that would have been sacrificed for this ritual.


    The many runes painted on her for the ritual seemed to liquefy and trickled down from her body to the ground disappearing a mere second later.


    ¡°This is an interesting array, flawed of course, as it depends on sacrifices to work, but interesting nevertheless.¡±


    The Chaoist spoke with an amused look on his face, his voice was melodious, vigorous and mystifying, as if Arcane magic was permeating his every word.


    He opened his mouth and the entire set of arrays in the chamber, even the ones on the ceiling, shone and separated from the surface where they were carved, leaving it smooth. The magic formations then shrank quickly until they were but a small dot of light which entered his mouth.


    No trace of the runes or magic were left on the chamber, no mark on the walls, ground nor ceiling. Every member of The Society fell to the ground, including Aaron who felt as if air had left his lungs, as if heat had abandoned the blood on his veins, he felt drained of mana yet he still had his mana pool intact.


    This sensation was a consequence of being in the presence of such greater being, like a tiny firefly being outshined by the Sun.


    Aaron crawled away and saw that others were trying the same.


    The Archmage took one step forward.


    Every demon in the chamber let out a pathetic whimper, they were terrified; how could demons be so terrified of someone?


    He took a second step, and every demon was squashed and then burned in a silent flame that consumed them in an instant.


    A third step and Aaron and the others mages finally were the object of his attention. They all fell flat to the ground feeling as if the vault of heaven was crushing them, some were bleeding by their noses, eyes, and ears.


    ¡°Mercy, please. I offer you anything, everything!¡±


    Aaron managed to let out and was seconded by the rest of the diabolists, or those strong enough to manage to speak.


    A single word by the living legend in the room silenced them, and crushed all their hopes of survival.


    ¡°No.¡±


    The Chaoist took a fourth step, and they died, becoming less than dust.


    Simple, effortless, and absolutely overpowering.


    <hr>


    Arian Rohinel stood in front of the kidnapped woman who would have been a sacrifice to summon an Archdemon if he hadn¡¯t interfered, and let out a sigh.


    it was pure coincidence that he had arrived here, since he had been looking for an exit from the Nether Realms when he noticed the connection formed here and simply took advantage of it.


    Of course, he had been taught to not believe in simple coincidences for beings on his level of power.


    He stretched his arms and yawned, then massaged his neck.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you are lucky or unlucky, but you are safe now, so let¡¯s count it as something good.¡±


    He placed a finger on her forehead and read her recent past. She hadn¡¯t been hurt besides the altercation with a succubus, even on the way here or inside the chamber when they placed runes on her to prepare for the ritual.


    Good.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here.¡±


    In an instant, he was on the surface, in front of an abandoned old church. The woman, Amelia, was floating by his side.


    ¡°I know this is Pereastra, but where? Ah, the Fourth Sphere. Nice place.¡±


    Arian looked at the night sky, at the pale blue moon above. He could feel it, the absence there. The Goddess of the Moons was gone now, and though to most people the moons seemed the same, Arian was powerful and knowledgeable enough to notice the difference.


    He felt a bit of nostalgia, and was about to teleport with Amelia to the last location where she saw her boyfriend when a sudden movement in the Void and a light pull on his Core made him pause.


    Only two people in the whole Cosmos could do that.


    The first of those appeared in front of him with a soft flash of light, a Thought-construct exquisitely fused with a marvelous formation by a transcendental power.


    He recognized the work instantaneously, even before the figure could take form completely.


    His Master figure stood barely a few steps by his side, smiling confidently as always.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Arian.¡±


    Navin Lakar spoke with a kindness he had reserved for very few people in existence.


    Arian couldn¡¯t stop the smile that formed on his face nor did he want to, he smoothly knelt in front of his Master and kowtowed, there was no hurry in him, yet his sincere admiration, respect, and love for the man who had raised him since he was a little baby was visible in every action and movement.


    ¡°Disciple meets Teacher.¡±


    Arian spoke and rose his head, his Master was already signaling for him to stand up.


    ¡°Come here, kid.¡±


    Navin embraced his First Disciple tightly and they patted each other on the back. Only he would ever call Arian ¡®kid¡¯, even the Old Gods had been forced to recognize him as a powerful being worthy of consideration and even respect.


    And Arian felt absolutely no discomfort in being called such by the man that was in every aspect that really mattered, his father. And he was certain Adeline felt the same, though Navin made a point of not calling them any funny names in front of others.


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Everything fine on my side, Master. The array withstood the backlash and prevented the Hells from breaching into other planes, and the pressure was promptly lifted.¡±


    ¡°I see. I managed to hold the leash of the forces of the Cosmos shortly after the Cataclysm started, but I couldn¡¯t prevent them from rampaging almost everywhere, all worlds and races had been hit in one way or another. Some in truly catastrophic ways.¡±


    Arian looked at his Master, he seemed tired, even on this Nirmita of his. It had been a couple of centuries since the last time they had met, when his Master had gone to the Divine Realm for an all-out war among the Divinities and Arian had stayed in the Deep Nether to serve as a countermeasure in case the death of Divinities and the ensuing chaos could make the Hellish Planes to harm other worlds.


    It was an old plan, one for a worst-case scenario, his Master had planned for the possibility of his own death, and taken steps taking that consideration.


    Thousands of years ago, his Master had waged war against the Nine Nether Planes, the region of the Cosmos that housed the Hells, he had managed to seal off that part of the Cosmos temporarily, and slew the six top powerhouses of the demons, while Arian and Adeline slaughtered their underlings, starting a massive hunt and massacre of demons across the Infernal Planes.


    They had brought hell to the demons, the result was that the demons had been crippled in a way that had never been seen before, with no surviving demon above Stage 5 of Cultivation.


    That had been over three thousand years ago, now new demons had emerged, but none that could really pose a threat to the Cosmos, and demons still remembered.


    The fear to Arian especially had been carved deep into them, as he had hunted them down to a greater extent than Adeline, to the point that it had been inherited to the next generations of demons; the instinctual dread for the Chaoist was now part of their bloodlines, part of their souls.


    Arian had become the Natural Enemy of Demons, a predator against which they had no chance.


    In retrospect, it seemed his Master had been planning and preparing for that war for far longer than Arian had known.


    Who knew what other measures he had taken?


    Arian had entered the Hell Planes again 300 years ago, to control a vast array formation meant to once again contain the Nine Nether and prevent the demons from adding to the chaos.


    And 200 years ago, the war among Divinities had started.


    The effects to the Cosmos had been small at first, some positions in Pantheons across the Universes were heritable and thus the death of a god meant that it was replaced quickly, but it wasn¡¯t like that for Greater Divinities.


    When those died the effects would be felt in the whole Cosmos, though the fact that the chaos had been kept at bay up until it all blew up together probably meant that his Master was right about the nature of the Seal of the Cosmos and the underhanded methods used by the Sovereign of the Gods.


    The fact that Arian could not remember who or what that Sovereign was, was a sign of Karmic Annihilation and he had attributed it to the Sword of Nihility of his Master.


    He would have liked to have left immediately to search for his Little Sister and his Master, but it had taken him days to stabilize the array completely.


    His Master had survived the war, he had won the war, it had taken 200 years, but he was back.


    However, Arian knew things were not so easy, this Nirmita in front of him implied something that the Chaoist did not like in the slightest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Arian.¡±


    Navin put a hand on Arian¡¯s hair and lightly patted his head, then rubbed his hair, like a parent soothing a little kid.


    ¡°I know you are worried, and yes, I¡¯m heavily wounded, but I¡¯ll be fine, I just need to rest for some time. I already took elixirs and will search for things to concoct more healing panaceas, but it will still take long to fully recover.¡±


    Arian looked at his Master with worry, but knew that he was right, so long as he was alive, he would recover eventually.


    "I will tell you all about it when we reunite with Adeline, ok?"


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Navin smiled and then looked at the unconscious woman next to them.


    ¡°Friend of yours?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no. Wait a bit.¡±


    Arian made Amelia float again and took a step, appearing instantly in the alley where her boyfriend John was collapsed. There were runes of concealment in the alley, making people unconsciously look away from the alley and avoid it, those were placed by the demons. Above John, there was a small runic array, probably of his own making, that gave him a light protection from damage, prevented mental assault, and would send a signal of his death to a specified location if it happened.


    A clever lad, this one. This small runic array had probably saved his life, the succubus and her partner couldn¡¯t risk having Imperial Agents warned that something was happening, they didn¡¯t have that much freedom in the orders they had been given.


    Speaking of the succubus¡­ she hadn¡¯t been in the chamber of the summoning and neither had been the other man.


    Arian looked at the unconscious couple and read their Karma Lines, these two were a fated couple, that much was made obvious immediately.


    And two very thin threads of Karma connected them to the succubus and her partner. Just as Arian was looking at them, the thread became so thin it was almost broken.


    ¡°Heh, those two seem to have a brain after all.¡±


    Such a thin line of Karma was a sign that they wouldn¡¯t meet again, it wasn¡¯t absolute, but unless a really powerful being intervened, the chances were practically zero. The succubus and the other man were probably running away as fast as they could upon feeling the death of her summoner.


    Arian would kill them later.


    He took John too and with just another step they were inside Amelia¡¯s apartment, these two had lost their evening due to tonight¡¯s events, but at least they were alive and safe now. They could have more dates in the future.


    With a wave of his hand, he erased the memories of the last few hours and gave them a fake memory of meeting near the restaurant, fighting off the succubus and her partner together and returning to her apartment then falling asleep due to tiredness.


    He left them sleeping in a hug on the sofa of her living room.


    Arian returned to his Master¡¯s side and looked into the underground catacombs then snapped his fingers.


    The succubus and her partner fell to the ground, unconscious. The two idiots hadn¡¯t escaped yet, Arian decided to leave them there to be interrogated by Imperial Agents, and if the Empire was anything like it was a couple centuries ago, they would already be mobilizing to this position. Mere minutes had passed since he took the arrays from the ritual site.


    He thought for a moment and draw a rune then sent it underground, a small note for the Emperor would suffice, they had always been on good terms, a little ¡®you owe me one more¡¯ note wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°I¡¯m done, Master. what now?¡±


    Arian turned to his Master and asked, if his Master had come here, it meant that he knew he would cross planes to here, how he knew was a matter of much speculation in many debates between him and Adeline, but it mostly could be summarized in Adeline¡¯s maxim: ¡®Master is Master¡¯.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go meet up with your Second Sister.¡±


    ¡°Alright, where is she?¡±


    ¡°Thessei.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s she doing there?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡±


    Navin made a sphere that covered him and Arian, and prepared to teleport.


    ¡°And why did you call her Second Sister instead of Little Sister?¡±


    ¡°Because I have taken 2 other Disciples.¡±


    Navin gave him a broad smile. Arian looked at him in utter surprise.


    ¡°Congratulations, now you have a new Third Sister and Fourth Brother.¡±


    Navin snapped his fingers and started the teleportation.


    ¡°YOU WHAT!!?¡±


    And they left to another world.

 Chapter 24: The Truth of the Dance

    Issima pulled Ethan¡¯s hand as they rushed through the city, passing by few people in the streets, as most of the people were gathered in the central plaza for the feast.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    Ethan finally said.


    He had been silently walking with her up to this point, but he was getting a very strange vibe from the buildings around this part of the city, and the few people around seemed to be doing shady businesses and some couples hurrying about trying ¨Cand terribly failing¨C to not look suspicious.


    ¡°We are going to a private place, of course.¡±


    Issima answered instantly.


    She seemed very earnest and she looked like she knew where she was going, but in this kind of environment, he couldn¡¯t just keep his mouth shut.


    ¡°A private place¡­ here? You mean a¡­ a room?¡±


    Ethan was red as a tomato; he didn¡¯t expect her to take him to a love hotel when he asked for a private place. Had she misunderstood him? No, he had specifically said it was a private place to perform the dance.


    ¡°A room? No, why would we get a¨C¡±


    Issima looked around and took in their current location.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Now she was getting red as a tomato. Taking him through the red light district of the city was probably the source of a misunderstanding; she needed to clear this up.


    ¡°No, no! it¡¯s just that I know a place where no one can see us, it¡¯s a place where I used to play and practice in privacy, it has enough space for you to move around and perform the dance. After we pass this district, we¡¯ll be there.¡±


    Ethan nodded vigorously at her.


    ¡°Of course, of course! Sorry, I made a wrong assumption.¡±


    They picked up the pace and crossed the red light district, which wasn¡¯t really big in the first place.


    They quickly reached an open area that reminded Ethan of a park from his homeland, surely she wouldn¡¯t want him to show her the dance here? It was an area where anyone could see them, even if he didn¡¯t see anyone around right now.


    Issima ran ahead of him and got near a stone structure that looked like decoration for the place; she turned around and waved at him to hurry up.


    There was an entrance to an underground passage.


    ¡°This looks very suspicious and ridiculously out in the open for such a shady door.¡±


    Commented Ethan looking at the open door in front of him where initially had been only huge rocks, a set of stairs went down into the darkness.


    ¡°This is warded, so only those who know the password can see it and open it. Come on, there will be nobody here at this hour, and there¡¯s no underground event tonight, everyone¡¯s at the plaza.¡±


    Issima answered with a smug look, but no matter how he looked at it, this entrance seemed pretty obvious to Ethan, anyone could have found it even if there was a magic password to open it.


    They walked down the stairs and the door closed behind them, lines of soft light on the walls were the only illumination for the passageway.


    In a minute they reached the end of the stairs, and after a set of turns walking a tunnel they reached a subterranean arena.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°A fighting ring. Built many years ago, it¡¯s almost as old as this city, back in the days where laws were stricter for the city and they had to hide if they wanted activities like this. Nowadays, it¡¯s known by everyone, but the password is kept to stop children from getting in here, there are also other, bigger and cleaner places in the city for practice and entertainment, so this place is not as used as before.¡±


    Issima explained in a joyous mood, barely containing her excitement and at the border of patience, she wanted Ethan to show her the dance already.


    ¡°So there¡¯s no one here to see us, come, come, show me the dance.¡±


    She started to push Ethan to the center of the fighting ring, practically hopping in anticipation.


    ¡°Ok, ok. Calm down, I¡¯m doing it.¡±


    ¡°If I could calm down, we wouldn¡¯t be here in the first place. I¡¯m an impatient woman.¡±


    ¡°You said it, not me.¡±


    Ethan grinned as Issima gave him space in the middle of the ring. This area was well-illuminated by crystals in the ceiling and pillars, letting the people have a clear sight of the ring.


    He took off his robe, if he was going to perform the moves of that dance he needed as much freedom of movement as possible.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Sorry, can you hold this for me?¡±


    He turned to Issima and asked her. He didn¡¯t want to drop his robe into the dirty ground.


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡±


    Issima agreed instantly and signaled Ethan to throw the robe to her.


    ¡°Do you need me to lend you a sword? Maybe both?¡±


    Issima asked as she folded Ethan¡¯s robe and hung it on her arm. This was a Sword Dancer¡¯s dance, after all. A sword was a necessity, a kind of obvious one.


    Yet Ethan¡¯s answer was no.


    ¡°If what I believe is correct, then no. You guys perform it in a group but each of you uses different weapons, and half of you wield one sword while the other wields a pair of swords. I¡¯m not sure if this makes sense, but we¡¯ll know once I try it.¡±


    Ethan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, remembering the Dance of Four Forms that Issima and her companions had performed.


    He recalled the beat of the drums, the movements of the Sword Dancers, the marvelous experience of sensing a deeper Intent in the dance, and the moves that harmonized with that Intent, the way they coordinated with the music¡­


    Ethan opened his eyes, wondering if he could perform those moves in the first place, he knew them and he doubted he would ever forget them, but there was a huge difference between seeing and doing something.


    It was too late to chicken out, he shouldn¡¯t have boasted about it if he was going to back away now.


    There was nothing else to do but try, he could always repeat until he got the moves right, or show one by one to Issima and she would perform them properly.


    He also wondered if he could do it without the music, the moves were one thing, but if it actually needed music to work he would be screwed. He thought the music might help to get in the mood or maybe enter some trance for the dance, but if this was a martial art then it wasn¡¯t strictly necessary to have the music when performing the moves, they wouldn¡¯t take the drums with them when fighting, would they?


    Still, having the music would probably help him right now.


    Tuk.


    Tuk, tuk tuk.


    Tuk-tuk, tuk. Tuk-tuk, tuk.


    A soft tapping sound came from nearby, and Ethan looked to his right.


    Perching on a tall wooden stick that seemed to be used to hold torches next to the fighting ring was a crimson bird, tapping one of its talons on the wood.


    And the rhythm of that tapping was the same as the drums during the Sword Dancers¡¯ performance.


    Ethan nodded to his Master, as Issima stared curiously at the strange bird.


    Then he returned his attention to the sound and mentally went over the moves he was about to perform.


    The tapping sound changed into the beat of drums, and Ethan started to move.


    <hr>


    Issima had seen strange creatures in her life, she had fought monsters in the desert, explored the wilderness with her clansmen when she was younger, she had seen portraits of important people embellished with images of mythical beings, and drawings of fantastic creatures in books and murals.


    But she had only once seen the image of a Phoenix before, many years ago, on a marvelous painting on one of the inner halls of the Assembly Temple.


    It was a masterpiece, depicting a giant bird of crimson fire and golden light, spreading its fiery wings to cover the sky, its singing and flames brought life to the chosen and complete destruction to its enemies.


    Now one of those same creatures of legend was standing in front of her, there was no doubt, that crimson plumage that seemed to be made of dancing flames and the powerful presence it radiated, there was something holy in it, and Issima had a rising urge to kneel in worship.


    The Phoenix was tapping the wood lightly, yet the sound resonated with the force of drums, blending in the air and echoing in the silent underground arena.


    It was the same sound as when the Clans performed the Dance of Four Forms, but this felt different, more solemn, more significant.


    And then Ethan moved to the sound of the Phoenix, starting his dance from the same starting position as she knew: a simple neutral standing with arms to the side.


    He stepped forward with his hands stretched and fingers side by side, as if his hands were blades.


    He moved with precise movements, there was no hesitation in him, no uncertainty about what the next move should be, and each move merged perfectly in the dance, leading naturally to the next.


    Wind was blowing.


    Ethan spun and changed his footing swiftly, his hands were constantly dancing in the air, making sharp sounds as the swords when cutting the air.


    She recognized each move, the sequence was strange for her but each part of it was a move she had memorized since the earliest years of her life.


    The heavy slash of a great sword when making a descending strike.


    The fast swing of a saber, the elegant parry of a katana, the powerful thrust of a longsword.


    Harmony.


    The use of different weapons fused into one, their techniques marvelously displayed by an unarmed man whose bare hands seemed to be the greatest blade in the world.


    That¡¯s when she saw it.


    The only blade needed to perform this dance was one¡¯s own body.


    His feet moved like gliding over the ground, leaving subtle marks behind them.


    His body moved along with the wind and his hands cut the air, commanding the flow of the wind.


    Issima wondered for a moment if Ethan was actually a secret master who reached the legendary peak of swordsmanship. It was said that once one achieved true mastery of one¡¯s style, that comprehension would lead to not needing to use any sword at all.


    But he could not be at such a level, she noticed that despite the moves being correct, he was still lacking the proper power and fluidity that a seasoned practitioner would have.


    He knew the moves, and the Intent behind it, but he had not made it part of himself yet, he had not built up that Intent and power within him with years of practice as Issima had.


    He didn¡¯t have the aura of a true master, but this dance was a glimpse of that realm of mastery.


    She could see it clearly now, what he had meant before about this dance not needing any sword to be performed.


    This was a dance that aimed at the ideal condition of unarmed swordsmanship.


    Ethan finished the dance with a clean cutting motion, and Issima was sure that the wind itself was a blade for a moment, before dissipating soundlessly.


    She committed every move to memory.


    She could feel it in her veins, the blood boiling in excitement and the heart pounding wildly. She would master this dance and unveil the deepest secrets, she would rise and return the Ancient Glory to her Clan.


    She had seen a treasure of the Ancestors reviving, she could not stop the tears forming in the corner of her eyes.


    <hr>


    Ethan let out a long breath and looked at Issima, she was softly rubbing the corner of her eyes.


    She was crying, but why?


    She dedicated an ample smile to him and bowed deeply.


    Ethan turned to his right, his Master was nowhere to be found.


    The sound of footstep surprised both of them, Issima instantly turned and unsheathed her swords.


    An old man was walking to them, already close to the ring, too close to have missed the dance, this man had been hidden up until now.


    And they hadn¡¯t noticed.


    ¡°Elder?¡±


    Issima said after a moment and she lowered her swords.


    The old man smiled at Issima and then saluted Ethan with a deep bow.


    ¡°It is a great pleasure to meet you, young man. My name is Edek Konal, Elder of the Assembly of Clans of Thaliss. For the benefaction you have provided to us, I express my deepest gratitude.¡±


    He straightened his back and looked at the two of them.


    ¡°And I believe we need to talk about some serious matters.¡±

 Chapter 25: Responsibility

    Ethan looked at the old man in front of him; he had an athletic build, a salt-and-pepper hair that was bushy but was cut short, he had a light mustache and a trimmed beard that was black as his eyes.


    He wore a black short-sleeved robe, gray pants and brown leather boots, on his waist there was a red cloth belt from which hung a small bag on the right side and an unadorned sword on the left.


    His clothes seemed simple, but were perfectly clean and of good quality, for all he knew, those clothes might even be magical.


    Edek had walked with decisive and strong strides, and now was standing straight and tall, looking at Ethan with a serious expression.


    And Ethan just stayed there, looking back at that man in silence.


    After a few moments, the man¡¯s expression softened, then frowned and opened his mouth to speak again.


    At that moment, Ethan spoke, he cupped his right fist into his left hand and bowed slightly.


    ¡°Good evening, Elder Edek. My name is Ethan Bhreg, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Young man, I apologize in advance if what I¡¯m going to say is rude to you, because what you have done for us is a very valuable favor, but this is something I need to say.¡±


    Ethan nodded upon hearing Edek.


    ¡°Please, go ahead, Elder. What can I do for you?¡±


    Edek chose his words carefully before speaking.


    ¡°I am not sure about what school or tradition you hail from, nor do I know what type of arts you practice, but you have an extraordinary perception to have realized that hidden dance within the Dance of Four Forms. For that, I congratulate you, it is a sign of great talent.¡±


    Edek bowed lightly with his right fist on his chest in acknowledgment of the deed; by his side, Issima also bowed in a similar manner.


    ¡°Elder, I am not sure if I am really talented at this or not, my Master had mentioned that looking at the performance of Sword Dancers would be a valuable experience, and it was, but it could be just a coincidence or I might just be compatible with the Intent in the dance¡­¡±


    Ethan tried to not sound too humble nor smug at learning the moves of that dance, but he thought that anything he said might be sounding like fake humility so he decided to shut up.


    Edek simply shook his head.


    ¡°If you do not have talent, then everyone in the world is a talentless sack of stones. But you might be right about compatibility taking a part in why you learned this so fast. May I ask how you did it?¡±


    Edek stared at Ethan and the young man lowered his head, deep in thought.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t really know. Sorry, Elder Edek; it¡¯s not that I want to hide anything, but I¡¯m really not sure how it happened. It was¡­ a feeling, I sensed something when Issima and the others were dancing, and I just followed that feeling, there were moves that had that feeling, that Intent, and there were moves that didn¡¯t. Putting together the moves that had that Intent resulted in the dance I performed just now. But how exactly I came to notice that Intent is a mystery to me.¡±


    That was all there was to be said, that was all Ethan knew about how he discovered that dance inside the other dance.


    ¡°Thank you for your sincerity, young man. Matters such as this are the will of the heavens, and moments of clarity are not something that can be brought easily, epiphanies are elusive and transient, we must do our best to grasp them when they present themselves. You are truly fortunate to have one at such a young age.¡±


    Edek nodded with a serene expression. Ethan had the impression that this Elder was usually a genial man, easy to get along with, but the current conversation did not allow for an easygoing attitude.


    ¡°Every warrior has their own fortunate encounters in life, that¡¯s a teaching passed down from our ancestors, so you can¡¯t and won¡¯t be judged or persecuted by anyone from the Clans of Thaliss, we felt it ourselves when you watched us performing the Dance of Four Forms, even I, who was playing the drums, felt the power flowing in the dance. You have the blessing and permission from The Ancestors to learn that secret, of that, none of us have doubts.¡±


    Edek¡¯s tone got sharper and more stern.


    ¡°However, I must clarify something here; you have the talent to glimpse at the secret of our dances and the honesty to share your finding with us almost immediately, but that does not mean that you are free of responsibility afterwards. I apologize if this is rude or offensive, but I must speak clearly and upfront, I must ask you that you keep your findings to yourself and not show this dance to anyone else.¡±


    That was the core of the matter, Ethan thought. The people of Thaliss probably wouldn¡¯t like that an outsider had learned one of their dances, especially one that they didn¡¯t know. Edek seemed to attribute the matter to the will of their ancestors so they would not be hostile to Ethan, but they would still insist on a compromise of keeping silent about this.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, I understand. I promise to not tell anyone else about this dance, at least not without consulting first with you or another Elder from Thaliss, is that alright?¡±


    Ethan nodded and readily agreed to keep this a secret. Well, his Master already knew, so there was probably no problem there, and he doubted his Master would be interested in it anyways.


    Edek and Issima looked at each other, Ethan had agreed too fast, without asking anything in return and without needing to be coerced.


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t want any reward or compensation for it?¡±


    Edek was a bit uncertain on how to react, he didn¡¯t want to make an enemy out of this child, but he also couldn¡¯t just take his word for granted and blindly trust him to not reveal the moves of a potentially important secret, the true value of those moves was yet to be understood.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the kind of man he is. He also didn¡¯t ask for anything in exchange for showing me the moves he got from our performance. I think we can trust him, Elder.¡±


    Issima assured him while smiling at Ethan, who scratched his head and avoided looking at her, this dance was theirs originally, even if it was lost during passing down of the traditions by previous generations.


    it would be hard to trust someone to just keep quiet about a secret, I¡¯m lucky that they hadn¡¯t already started attacking me, maybe it¡¯s because I showed the moves to Issima immediately that they have a good impression of me?


    Ethan wondered what to do with this situation, he had an idea that might work, so he decided to try it out.


    ¡°My Master told me that the secrets of martial arts are extremely valuable and of great importance to any school and clan. So I apologize if I have been offensive in any way, even if I have presented my findings to you right away, the fact remains that I have stolen a secret from you.¡±


    Ethan bowed his head. This was his idea, act humble and apologize, but casually mention that he was not alone, the mention of a backer would at least pause aggressive actions until they find out more, he may need to have his Master involved, and this was far from a perfect plan, it could hardly be called a plan at all, but was the only thing he could come up with at the moment.


    Besides, he wasn¡¯t afraid of them, and the point of this was not to scare them off, it was to make them believe in Ethan and trust that he would not go around teaching those moves to others.


    The two Sword Dancers looked at him, it was hard to find a talented warrior with a humble disposition, must of them grew overconfident due to their successes and if they have been born in noble clans their attitude tended to be haughty.


    ¡°Raise your head, young man. I see you have an honest disposition. I must tell you, though, that I must report these findings to the Assembly of Clans in Thaliss, I do not know how other Elders will react, but I will report your cooperative and honest disposition. I must ask you, just in case, is there a possibility that you might come with us to Thaliss?¡±


    At that, Issima nearly jumped off in alarm and stared at Edek with wide eyes.


    ¡°Elder! What are you saying?¡±


    Edek turned his head to regard her with an inspecting look and glanced at the swords in her hands, she had not yet sheathed them, and in fact was holding them with more strength now, and almost imperceptibly she was changing their position, angling them more towards him.


    There was a dangerous undertone in that gesture, whether it was conscious or not, Edek could not be sure, but he decided to not point it out.


    Edek looked at Ethan again and evaluated his expressions and body language. So far, the young man had spoken with sincerity and in a humble manner, although his posture and footing indicated a readiness to jump into action if the necessity arose, that seemed to be a result of training rather than an emotional action.


    The young man had a troubled expression on his face, there was hesitation there, indecision and curiosity too, but no fear, no anger, no arrogance.


    Was he really not afraid of what could happen to him? He seemed to understand that Clans attached great importance to the secrets of their arts, no matter how small they were.


    Then why was he not even wary or alarmed? He mentioned a Master, then maybe he had a strong backer. Did he think his backer was enough to protect him if the Clans decided to simply kill him to eliminate a potential leak of their secrets? That was too na?f, even if he had a whole Clan of warriors to protect him, there was nobody here in this place to protect him right now, such thing was a mistake often made by young scions of strong families due to their immaturity and arrogance.


    But this youth didn¡¯t seem that way.


    Then what was it that had him so assured, so calm? Was it simply that he was trusting on Edek and Issima¡¯s moral character? That seemed a more likely mistake that this lad would commit.


    Being too trustful of a stranger was an error that good-natured people often made and ended up letting others take advantage of them.


    Not that Edek had any intention of doing such, his honor would not allow him to betray the trust of this young man who had done such favor to the whole Assembly, but he still considered that this young man was erroneous in putting his trust in a stranger so quickly.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Edek waited for the young man¡¯s answer. Ethan¡¯s expression turned apologetic and showed a thin, troubled smile.


    ¡°Sorry, Elder. But I don¡¯t think I can go there right now, and going there right now would only get me involved in troublesome stuff. I know it¡¯s shameless to just drop the matter to you but can you handle that, please? I can promise you to go to Thaliss in the future, but not right away, I¡¯m still in the middle of a journey with my Master.¡±


    Edek narrowed his eyes at that answer but didn¡¯t press the issue.


    ¡°I see, we would be glad to have you visit us, or even joining the Clans, but as you say, that is a matter for the future. May I ask when would you visit Thaliss?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know, is it fine if I answer tomorrow after I speak with my Master?¡±


    ¡°Very well, that¡¯s a prudent decision. You can find us in an inn called Scorpion Cave, where are you staying?¡±


    Edek walked towards Issima and she seemed to remember she had her swords still on her hands and swiftly sheathed them, she would apologize later.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying at the Condor Inn. You can find me there.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Edek stood by Issima¡¯s side and they both looked at Ethan, who continued talking.


    ¡°Then, can we get out of here now?¡±


    Ethan proposed this since he was starting to feel awkward just standing around here.


    ¡°Hmm, would you mind going ahead of us? I have something to discuss with Issima. I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s a bit private.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ ok. Well, have a good night, Elder Edek, Miss Issima.¡±


    Ethan felt it was weird to be told to simply leave without them, but they probably had things to talk about that a stranger like him didn¡¯t need to hear, so he simply said goodbye and went to the corridor that led to the exit.


    ¡°Just follow the corridor and push the door, it has no restriction when going out. See you tomorrow, Ethan. And thank you for everything.¡±


    ¡°Rest well, young man.¡±


    The two Sword Dancers said their farewells and stood there in silence while Ethan left the underground arena.


    Only when they were certain he had left did they move again.


    They walked up to the fighting ring and both unsheathed their swords.


    <hr>


    As Ethan walked down the underground passages towards the exit, his Master¡¯s voice reached his ears.


    ¡°Do you want a ride?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    And Ethan was immediately teleported to the surface.


    ¡°Thank you, Master.¡±


    ¡°You are welcome. What do you want to do now?¡±


    The small Phoenix perched on his shoulder, his Master looked no bigger than a hummingbird, yet still radiated the warm aura of fire and life that was famous on that mythical creature.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like going back to the feast, but I¡¯m not sleepy yet.¡±


    ¡°How about we go for a walk outside the city? Or we can take a flight around the desert, I¡¯ll cast a stealth field so no one will see us.¡±


    Ethan didn¡¯t have to think long for his answer.


    ¡°Flight.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    In a matter of seconds, they were in the air.


    <hr>


    In the underground fighting ring, two people danced while wielding their swords.


    They needed no accompanying music, no external rhythm of drums. They knew the songs by heart, they had grown up listening to the beating of the drums for the dance, they knew the moves, they knew the lyrics of the songs, something very few outsiders even knew existed.


    They adjusted their breathing for each move, permeating their bodies and swords with Aura as the dance continued.


    Their moves were the same, yet they weren¡¯t equal.


    The same spin of the upper body, with a horizontal slash with the right hand, the same rotation of the heel and extension of the leg.


    And yet those were oh so different on each dancer.


    The strength, speed, reach, and power of them were on two different levels, while Issima was greatly talented and had trained her entire life to master the arts of combat, she was far from being a match to a seasoned veteran like Edek who possessed a vaster Aura and better control of it.


    His moves had more finesse and elegance, executing them with a level of skill that could only be gained by decades of relentless practice.


    And the main difference between the two of them was the nature of their Auras, the Intent behind the dance was the same, yet each of them had a different approach to that ideal condition.


    Where Issima was like the blazing flames of a bonfire, oscillating and twisting with the touch of the breeze, Edek was like the sand of the dunes, spiraling in the air when the gales of wind passed by, forming strange patterns in their dance.


    They finished their performance at the same time, adjusting their breathing once again, feeling the wind around each other, deepening their understanding of the technique.


    And as one, they sheathed their swords.


    Edek was the first to speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s truly amazing that this young man managed to discover this, but this is only a superficial layer, the Clans must continue to study and glean the true secrets of this hidden dance.¡±


    ¡°Do you think that there are more secret moves like this in other dances, Elder?¡±


    She already knew the answer but she just had to ask.


    ¡°Definitely, the decline of Thaliss is not just the matter of a single art being lost. There are more secrets in each teaching of The Ancestors; this is only a single step, but now we are closer to that dream, no matter how small, this can be called nothing but an advancement, and for that, I will be eternally grateful to that child.¡±


    ¡°What will we do now?¡±


    Issima had a worried look on her face, about what exactly, Edek could only speculate.


    ¡°What I said before was the truth, we must report our findings to the whole Assembly, and present a favorable image of Ethan so that the other Elders won¡¯t take hostile action towards him. We will march tomorrow after meeting Ethan.¡±


    ¡°As you say, Elder.¡±


    Issima bowed in acknowledgment of his decision and caught sight of a cream-colored cloth lying on the ground.


    Ethan¡¯s robe, which she had dropped when she unsheathed her swords upon Edek¡¯s arrival.


    Issima picked it up and noticed that despite the dirty ground the robe was pristine, without a single speck of dust on it.


    ¡°So it¡¯s enchanted, eh? He said his people had no magic¡­ something he bought or found, maybe? He shouldn¡¯t drop such valuable things so carelessly.¡±


    Issima mused and put on the robe, she would return it to Ethan tomorrow, but she was curious about it, and magical clothes of good quality were always comfortable to wear.


    ¡°Hey, are you developing a crush on him or something?¡±


    Edek¡¯s amused voice came from behind her.


    She turned around with a jump, like a cat that just had its tail stepped on by someone.


    ¡°W-what!? Of course not, why would you say that, Elder?¡±


    Issima managed to avoid letting her voice rise in pitch but not in volume.


    ¡°Well, you asked for a dance to a boy you had never seen before, sneaked out of the feast with that boy you had just met and came to this dark place together, and now you are wearing his clothes.¡±


    Edek¡¯s voice was amused as he caressed his beard with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°We came here to perform the dance in private! You were here, you saw it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ but you know who was not here and would like to hear this story? Your mother. And I think she will find this story as interesting as me.¡±


    ¡°There is no story! Elder, come on!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, come on. We must meet with the others; the sooner they learn this the better.¡±


    Edek started to walk towards the exit at a rapid pace, and Issima raised her voice a lot.


    ¡°You are gonna tell THEM!?¡±


    Edek turned to look at her with an innocent expression.


    ¡°Of course, they are also members of the Clans, they must learn this dance too. Why are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°I thought you meant telling him about Ethan and me coming here alone or that I have a crush on him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you do have a crush on him, eh?¡±


    ¡°I told you that I don¡¯t!¡±


    Edek continued walking away and Issima started to consider if it was worth it receiving the punishment for throwing a rock on the head of an Elder. She decided it wasn¡¯t worth it, and strolled behind him.


    ¡°Seriously, I talk about an important discovery for the future of the Clans and she just thinks about her crush. Ah, it¡¯s good to be young.¡±


    Edek¡¯s voice reached her from ahead in a not-so-low murmur and she saw him shaking his head while sighing.


    ¡°Elder!¡±


    A rock flew through the air and a small grunt of pain was heard.


    <hr>


    On a transparent platform that could be the thinnest but also the strongest glass that Ethan had ever seen, a young man and a little bird were flying over the sands of the desert, sometimes over the clouds and sometimes under the clouds.


    After a while, Navin spoke.


    ¡°So, did you have fun at this party?¡±


    His cheerful voice was unaffected by the breeze and his size, and even the fact that he was in a bird''s form didn''t seem to matter.


    ¡°Yeah, the food was delicious, and then the performance of the Sword Dancers, it was really cool.¡±


    "Indeed, though I must admit that my favorite part was you dancing with Miss Issima, I didn''t expect you to tell her about your world."


    Ethan turned red and looked down.


    "I''m sorry, Master."


    "Don''t be. I told you before that I have no issue in you telling people about yourself, nor about any subject actually, so long as you don''t reveal the secrets of our Cultivation Art. Besides, you are young, you still lack the discipline to not go opening up to pretty girls with big smiles that take your breath away and hazel eyes that make your heart beat faster."


    Ethan''s face got even redder.


    "Oh, come on! It''s not like that."


    There was something eerie about a bird being capable of having a smug face, and his Master absolutely enjoyed that.


    "Oh, really? Then how is it? Because you left her your robe. Quite an expensive gift for your first date, you know?"


    Ethan''s eyes opened wide and palmed his body, he didn''t feel the robe on him and then looked around, nothing.


    "Aw, man. Sorry, I was careless."


    Ethan spoke in a low voice, he was so careless that he left a robe that his Master had given him and hadn''t even realized it until now. How could he be so irresponsible?


    "Hey, don''t be sorry. The things I give to you are yours to dispose of in any way you see fit. it''s up to you how you use them and to whom you give them, so long as you act in a responsible manner."


    "You are not angry?"


    Ethan looked at his Master''s eyes, and could only feel patience and warmth coming from him. It was truly mystifying how he could transmit such emotions no matter what form he took.


    "I am not. If anything, I''m having fun; there''s no need for you to feel bad about it, really. Besides, there are many worlds where it''s customary for the women to keep a piece of the clothes of their partners after a night together, especially coats, so your robe qualifies, this could be one of those worlds, for all we know."


    Ethan groaned and leaned back on the crystal platform as he heard his Master laughing again. This teasing was probably going to last some time.


    Ethan let out a long sigh and tried to steer the conversation to another subject.


    ¡°What I didn¡¯t expect was learning that dance nor getting involved with them like that. What was that, anyway?¡±


    From Ethan¡¯s shoulder, the hummingbird-sized Phoenix answered.


    ¡°You are quite sensitive to the energies of the Cosmos, and that allowed you to notice the Intent of the Dance of Four Forms, in return, the Sword Dancers also felt the interaction, which is why they noticed you and took interest in you.¡±


    ¡°So what now? Am I a Sword Dancer now?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Navin¡¯s laughter was mild and comforting, like a soft melody.


    ¡°You learned the moves and felt the Intent, you glimpsed at the ideal condition of that dance, but that does not mean you know it, much less that you master it.¡±


    The bird leaped from Ethan¡¯s shoulder and transfigured into a young man in his early twenties, wearing clothes from Ethan¡¯s world. His Master sat cross-legged with his back straight, in contrast with the more relaxed posture of Ethan, who had his right leg stretched over his bent left leg while both arms were stretched behind him to support the weight of his upper body.


    ¡°To actually learn a martial art, you require a lot more than just the moves. This is true especially for mystic arts that require chants, a certain state of mind and the usage of Qi or Aura. You don¡¯t know the way their Qi moves in their channels and you have not cultivated their Aura techniques required to turn that dance into an actual killing move, and make no mistake, that¡¯s an art for killing.¡±


    They were sitting side by side, with the wind softly blowing at them as they moved over the clouds. Ethan silently listened as his Master explained.


    ¡°The same applies to you. Our own cultivation art requires a specific breathing method, manipulation of Qi and channeling it to certain Meridians within the body and coordinating that with a movement to properly execute a technique. Simply imitating the way that you move would be useless for anyone trying. Especially for higher level techniques, since those drop the external movements and rely on other things, like internal configuration of Qi and forming arrays within yourself.¡±


    Ethan let out a long breath and laid on the crystal platform completely, staring at the moons and stars on the night sky above.


    ¡°You are right, Master. Sorry, for a moment I was excited, thinking I could just learn any technique I saw.¡±


    Ethan had mixed feelings about it. It had been strange, but he had liked the prospect of being someone capable of learning anything at once, he was strangely relieved but also a bit disappointed.


    ¡°Hmm, you can.¡±


    His Master mused and then a big grin crossed his face.


    Ethan straightened up at that.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said that you can do that. It¡¯s not so easy and you still lack both experience and power for that, but you can do it, you have a body that has all Qi Channels opened and a Supreme Core forged of Primordial Chaos, so yeah, you can learn any technique and cultivate any kind of energy in the Cosmos. I actually encourage you to try and learn as many different things as you can, but you have to be patient and consolidate your foundations first; rushing at things won¡¯t get you anywhere.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s eyes were sparkling, which made his Master laugh again.


    ¡°You look like a kitten that was promised a collection of multicolored balls of yarn. Or a ten-year-old who¡¯s been gifted a new toy.¡±


    ¡°Hey, come on, Master. How could I not be excited at this? Imagine the possibilities!¡±


    His Master raised his head and the smile on his face changed a bit, it was now a little fiercer as he looked into the distance, staring at the dark beyond the stars.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The Slayer of Gods spoke with a glitter in his eyes.


    ¡°Imagine the possibilities.¡±

 Chapter 26: Chance Encounter

    A woman sat cross-legged in meditation, her breathing steady as she imagined absorbing everything in the world, with every intake of air she was taking something more as she tried to grasp at the everything around her.


    And the bits of energy flowed inside her, gathered and coursed across her whole body in a complete circle, changing themselves and changing her body too. Then the small streams of energy gathered again and she let them out, for she could not contain them.


    But some part of it remained in her, and with each breathing repetition, that accumulation grew up a bit.


    Maria finished her session of breathing exercises and stood up in a nimble movement. Her body felt relaxed, stronger and healthier after each session.


    Out of habit, she stretched her arms and legs, then walked down the small mound where she had been sitting for the past hour.


    Standing with her back to the setting sun and the sea, her daughter was still training; Aina had both hands stretched in front of her side by side with the palms facing each other, a chain of lightning danced there, running from one hand to the other and reflecting right back in a constant and fluid movement.


    The lightning fluctuated constantly, changing intensity, size, and speed with every passing moment.


    It still amazed Maria what her own daughter looked like when she used her lightning abilities; the dark purple luster on her hair, the regal aura around her that gave her an air of solemnity, the mighty presence Aina exuded in that state was something truly marvelous.


    Lord Navin had said that it was an extraordinary phenomenon and that Aina¡¯s potential was limitless. Maria had no doubt that it was true; the solemn air around Aina could not be underestimated nor ignored, to describe that sheer power with lesser words than majestic would feel to Maria like she was insulting it.


    The chain of dancing lightning between Aina¡¯s hands reached a peak point in strength and twisted to gather in the form of a small sphere, brighter and brighter as it absorbed all the lightning and condensed it into a tiny shape no larger than a pebble.


    Then the little sphere of light floated into Aina¡¯s mouth and she swallowed it.


    The majestic feeling receded and Aina¡¯s figure returned to her usual appearance, her eyes barely opened, like she was awakening from slumber.


    She closed her eyes again, took a deep breath and slowly let it out, relaxing her posture as she finished her session of training for now.


    Maria approached and Aina turned to look at her with a big smile.


    ¡°How was your training, sweetie?¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    Aina sprung into motion, reached her mother in a split second, and hugged her.


    ¡°Great! I figured how to store lightning for later use, Master said it was a really useful thing and that learning it would be a mark of improvement!¡±


    Aina cheerfully replied while in her mother¡¯s arms. She had learned how to do this by herself, following her instincts and what felt natural for her. The idea had come from a comment her Master had made about how storing energy for emergencies was a clever precaution that almost everyone made, like packing food and water for when one goes on a trip, or having a bolt loaded on a crossbow, ready to be shot at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Aina. Congratulations.¡±


    Maria softly kissed her daughter¡¯s head and raised her up from the ground, she was a lot stronger than before, carrying Aina was no longer any effort at all.


    ¡°Let¡¯s tell the good news to Lord Navin. And you, little missy, are going to teach me your secret of how to do that, deal?¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Mother and daughter kept giggling as they walked over the beach sand, cheerfully feeling the cold breeze and smelling the salt in the air, the setting sun cast a warm orange light over them as they approached the most important person in their current life.


    A fluffy and small white tiger cub was staring at a strange figure that floated in the air in front of him.


    The figure was like a big cone made from many interconnected lines of different colors and shades, with multiple sparkling lights and many smaller figures of different shapes moving within it.


    Navin was looking at it with a pensive expression on his feline face, it always surprised Maria how he could do that, if such a thing was possible for actual tigers was entirely out of either female¡¯s scope of knowledge, but at least he was capable of conveying emotions in that way; Navin¡¯s head tilted slightly to the left, then raised a little paw and in a casual motion made the conical structure vanish softly as if it was mist dispersed by the Sun.


    ¡°What are you doing, Master?¡±


    Aina asked curiously. Maria put her down and they both sat down in front of Navin.


    ¡°Just checking up something, and thinking about where we should go from now on.¡±


    ¡°Are we leaving this beach, Lord Navin?¡±


    Maria thought they would be staying more time, they didn¡¯t have any problems right now and Navin had said there was no rush for anything. Still, if he wished to move to another location, none of them would have any complaints.


    ¡°Either tomorrow morning or tonight. It¡¯s good to travel, a journey of exploration is a great experience, especially when one is young like you two.¡±


    ¡°Master, Master, will we enter a Dungeon?¡±


    Aina asked excitedly from where she sat cross-legged, her feet were twitching slightly, as if she was holding back her impulse of jumping around.


    ¡°Aina, you are too young for that, those places are dangerous.¡±


    Maria admonished her. Dungeons were places around the world where danger and glory abound; everyone coveted their treasures, but not anyone could survive a trip inside.


    ¡°But I¡¯m strong, Mom. And Master will be there with us, there¡¯s no danger!¡±


    Aina patted her own chest with pride and gave her mother a reassuring smile. However, Maria and Navin had already had a conversation about such places, and Maria knew already that while he would protect them from any harm, Navin had no intention of taking them to a dangerous place until they had the strength to defend themselves.


    ¡°Your mother is right, Aina. We will enter Dungeons, but not now. You both have lots of things to learn and will grow stronger before entering there, but you are also right that I will be there with you and protect you. However, the most important thing is your own capacity for self-defense, ok?¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Aina looked a little down; ever since starting her training, she had been getting more adventurous, the incident with the Firestone Direbear was proof that her mentality was changing.


    According to Navin, the reason for this was the lightning within her, it was giving her an ¡®impulse¡¯ that drove her to activities where she could spend her energy. Maria¡¯s only concern was that Aina should learn to be cautious and moderate her actions so she would not get hurt.


    Navin had promised to Maria immediately that he would make sure she wouldn¡¯t be hurt and that they would both teach Aina to be responsible and careful in her actions.


    The white tiger¡¯s ears twitched a bit, and Navin turned his head to look at Maria; she nodded, indicating that she would accept his decision if he decided that they should go into a Dungeon, she trusted him to keep them all safe.


    Navin turned to Aina and gave her a comforting smile.


    ¡°We will be able to enter one in about a week, wait until then and focus on your training, that way you¡¯ll be able to explore more in there.¡±


    ¡°Ok!¡±


    Aina visibly cheered up, small bits of electricity dancing within her eyes.


    ¡°Which reminds me, did you succeed in storing a prepared lightning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master! I was just telling Mom about it.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Aina proceeded to explain how she had managed the feat. After hearing her Master¡¯s comment on the utility of having a ready-to-use energy, spell or skill, Aina had thought of storing her lightning, and tried to follow her cultivation art¡¯s instructions on how to store power within arrays, but she still didn¡¯t have any understanding on formations nor runes; besides, the electricity moved too much and it liked to run across her body instead of staying put in one place different than her own Cultivation Core.


    Then she got an idea from a book inside the house, that book showed a picture of electricity moving from one sphere of metal to another, it was one of the many books about Science that were in different languages within the Traveler¡¯s Cabin.


    Neither Aina nor Maria knew those languages but Navin had waved his hand and after a spark of light had entered each of them, they had been able to understand the languages in the books though they couldn''t speak those languages, it seemed to be translating any language they read into Likian, the language spoken in Likia Kingdom, which had evolved from an old language named Liankth, that was inherited from a civilization from centuries ago.


    So after reading a bit in the book, Aina got her idea: she used her own hands as the spheres of metal and made the lightning flow in the air between them, then she focused on it, trying to understand it more and transmitting her commands to it.


    It had taken time, but she managed to make her lightning listen to her and arrange itself in the way that the Mysterious Rune inside her had showed it should be done.


    The result had been a small sphere of compressed lightning that was ready to be used when she needed it, though the amount of energy in there was small and the sphere would dissipate inside her after a few hours, it was still a feat of skill.


    Navin changed into his human form and looked at Aina with pride in his eyes.


    ¡°Excellent work, Aina.¡±


    He extended a finger and touched the tip of Aina¡¯s nose, then moved it quickly up and down, tickling her nose and making her laugh.


    ¡°How about you, Maria?¡±


    ¡°All is going well, Lord Navin. Though I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to form my Core today or tomorrow, I don¡¯t feel that much different yet.¡±


    ¡°You will know when you are ready. Trust me, you will succeed soon.¡±


    Navin¡¯s reassuring words filled her with warmth, she wanted to hurry up and form a Cultivation Core so she would be able to do amazing stuff like Aina, so far she hadn¡¯t managed to do it.


    Navin had given her a different cultivation method for her to practice, it was an art specialized in ¡®the Element of Metal¡¯, although Maria didn¡¯t understand much of it.


    Still, she would work hard and improve. Navin had told her that this cultivation art was very powerful and she would start to notice her strength growing very soon, she only needed to be diligent in her practice.


    ¡°I will work hard, Lord Navin. I will succeed.¡±


    Her eyes were resolute and her voice was firm. Navin nodded.


    ¡°I know you will. As long as you have that unwavering resolve, you will overcome any obstacle on your path.¡±


    Navin smiled at both of them and spread his arms, as if showing them the whole world around them, presenting them endless choices.


    ¡°So, what do you girls want to do now?¡±


    <hr>


    Kar strode in the forest without a real purpose in mind.


    There was much to do in the tribe, but he had finished all his duties. He knew that the people from Buri City would be going out soon to hunt Goblins after they had attacked their walls, but he was far from there, besides, he was confident in being able to escape or at least hide from danger, it would soon be night, and Goblins had better night vision than Humans, Elves, and even most Beastkins.


    Overall, it had been a victory for the Goblins, they had obtained many things from the looted adventurers and knights, however, many Goblins had died. Friends, family, comrades in arms. Many were mourning in the middle of the joy of the victory.


    So Kar had decided that he would simply go for a walk to have some time alone and think.


    There wasn¡¯t actually much to do right now, as all they had to do to avoid trouble was keep away from the Human settlements, gathering the tribe in a safe location until the rage of Buri City had passed.


    But there was a lot to think about and a lot to prepare.


    Kar would return soon, after maybe an hour of peace and private mourning for his dead friends, especially Tur, who had died to protect him.


    Kar would have liked to retrieve the spear of the Guardsman from the wall, but after clashing against Chieftain Feneh¡¯s flaming fists the spear had lodged in the trunk of a tree and he hadn¡¯t been able to get it out before retreating under the smoke screens.


    And only a foolish Goblin would get anywhere near that city after the battle.


    Kar reached a clearing in the forest, but stopped before getting out in the open. Looking onwards, there was a pair of deer grazing.


    One of them was close to Kar¡¯s position, the other was on the other side of the clearing, but neither had noticed him.


    He considered leaving them alone, but a bit of delicious food was good for grief and sadness; he was mourning, not fasting, as no Goblin had the luxury in refusing meals voluntarily, each day could be the last for them, so they tried to live them in what little joys they could find.


    Kar quickly climbed a tree and jumped to another that was closer to his chosen prey, but upon landing on the branch it cracked a bit and the noise made both deer raise their heads in alarm.


    Cursing internally, Kar jumped from the tree branch, leaping on the deer closest to him as he unsheathed his sword.


    As he did it in a hurry, the leap wasn¡¯t as precise as he would have liked it, but he managed to land on the deer before it jumped off, and stabbed it on the side with his sword


    Kar pushed the sword deeper into the deer¡¯s body and then yanked it out, making the deer collapse on the ground, bleeding to death.


    The sound of a soft intake of breath near him made Kar jump in alarm, he hadn¡¯t noticed anyone nearby.


    On the other side of the clearing, a human child was standing next to the other collapsed deer, a look on surprise on her face, so she was the one to let out the noise of surprise, she hadn¡¯t noticed Kar either.


    The girl was almost as tall as him, since normal Goblins weren¡¯t much taller than a child from other sentient races except for Dwarves and the Smallfolk related to the Fays.


    Kar¡¯s eyes shined for a moment as he looked at her and the black short sword in her hand.


    Danger.


    He had to avert his gaze due to the pain that assaulted his eyes. Looking at her was like getting out of a cave and instantly look at the afternoon Sun; her sword was extremely sharp, an enchanted weapon of great quality, definitely. He couldn¡¯t notice anything else, but that was quite enough for him to decide to get away from that girl.


    The girl raised her weapon while she silently appraised Kar, an older woman wearing soft leather armor ran from the woods behind the girl and stood in front of her with two silver knives in her hands, placing herself as if to protect the girl from any harm.


    Kar didn¡¯t try to appraise that woman, he didn¡¯t want to risk hurting his eyes again, and he didn¡¯t have the luxury of averting his eyes from an armed adult who almost certainly would be stronger and more dangerous than the girl.


    Kar turned to run away, though he made a mental note to watch his back in case the woman might chase him or launch some long-distance attack.


    He didn¡¯t get to take a single step. Kar very nearly let out a shrill cry when he turned his head.


    A man in elegant clothes was standing right behind him, very close and without any sign of wariness or weapon in sight, and that made Kar very alarmed. No one could sneak silently behind him and without having some skill, and if the man didn¡¯t seem to have his guard raised it was merely that he already was vigilant and could attack without an obvious stance.


    The man was looking at Kar with a strange expression, as if appraising him but looking beyond him, making silent decisions as he had a hand on his chin.


    Kar stood there, not daring to make any sudden moves, but rapidly thinking of ways to get away, his mind raced with numerous possibilities and he made mental simulations of how they could play out, nothing really looked good.


    The man turned his head to look at the females.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, girls. He¡¯s a good Goblin.¡±


    Chance!


    Kar decided to start a sprint the moment the man looked somewhere else; it was risky, but to stay longer near them was even more dangerous, so long as Kar did not attack them he might have a chance of running away and hopefully they would not think to waste time chasing him without any provocation.


    Wait, did he say ¡®he¡¯s a good Goblin¡¯? No, doesn¡¯t matter, let¡¯s run!


    Kar disregarded such thoughts and prioritized escape. Kar was sure that the man had spoken in Likia Kingdom¡¯s language, and yet, it felt like he was speaking in the Cave Tongue of the Goblins, which was probably Kar being panicked and his mind racing with adrenaline that allowed him to understand more clearly the Human¡¯s words.


    Kar¡¯s feet left the ground as he started to run, but he didn¡¯t make any advancement. Kar was suspended in the air, caught by some strange magic.


    He panicked, and turned to look at the man while he kept writhing in the air, futilely trying to get out of the invisible grip that held him prisoner. The man hadn¡¯t even returned his gaze to Kar.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, he won¡¯t hurt you. He simply tried to run because he thought he was in danger, he¡¯s a smart kid.¡±


    The females slowly walked over, but they put away their weapons.


    Kar stopped struggling, realizing he was at the mercy of these people, maybe he could be able to leave a scar on the man¡¯s face as a last act of battle, but killing any of them was out of question. And he didn¡¯t think there was any Human who would spare a Goblin¡¯s life merely because of begging, Humans had no pity nor mercy for Goblins.


    He was unwilling, he didn¡¯t want to die, he didn¡¯t want it to end here, in a meaningless night with a crushing defeat by the hands of some strangers against whom Kar was as helpless and defenseless as a baby.


    He didn¡¯t want this! He refused to accept death! Not when he was so close to advancing, not when Feneh¡¯s ambition was close to being achieved. His tribe needed him, without Kar, they would be lacking in organization and strategy when fighting other tribes. They couldn¡¯t just depend only on Feneh¡¯s strength, they needed to fight smart.


    But what could he do? Hating fate or cursing the decisions that took him here would do nothing, he had to think, think of a way to survive, to escape and hide, then return to the tribe.


    He had to do it or everything would be for nothing.


    The man turned his head and looked back at Kar, deep blue eyes piercing into the red eyes of the Goblin.


    ¡°You do not need to be afraid of me, Child of Gobbel. I mean you no harm, and my family won¡¯t hurt you without provocation.¡±


    Kar dropped his sword. The man had spoken in the language of Goblins, the Cave Tongue, Kobe!


    That was impossible, no one but Goblins could speak it, yet the man in front of Kar had done so in a clear voice, fluently and perfectly, he sounded¡­ sophisticated, like someone with a higher level of culture and better mastery of the language than Kar, only the Shamans were capable of such.


    Yet this man had done it, and he had called him ¡®Child of Gobbel¡¯, so he was familiar with Goblin culture, Gobbel was a forefather, said to be an ancestor of the entire race, his name was taught by the Shamans that acquired knowledge in dreams and visions.


    Had this man captured a Shaman and tortured him to extract information? Kar didn¡¯t know such thing was within the interest of Humans, but they were well capable of torture and cruelty, and the spells of magic wielded by other races were leagues above the Goblin¡¯s magic.


    The man looked at Kar with a smirk, or what Kar wished was a smirk, because he must be crazy already for thinking that the smile on the man¡¯s face was kind and genuine.


    ¡°Hmm, you have good eyes, trained for more than just combat.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes narrowed and the grin grew wider.


    ¡°I got a question for you, kid. You are free to go after you answer me.¡±


    Kar could only nod his head in agreement, there was nothing else that he could do while he was caught in mid-air by the invisible force.


    The man spoke, still in Goblin language, his piercing eyes looking directly at Kar, feeling like they were capable of seeing through Kar, it seemed there was nothing in existence that could hide from that gaze.


    ¡°Are you familiar with the term ¡®Cultivation¡¯, little Goblin?¡±

 Chapter 27: An Extended Hand

    Kar ceased all movement, even breathing. He thought for a moment his own heart had stopped beating.


    Cultivation, this man had said.


    A term Kar had been wondering about for a long time, ever since he had found a small stone tablet in an underground cavern 5 years ago.


    The tablet had strange characters written on it, Kar hadn¡¯t been able to understand them and any effort to understand such thing would have been meaningless, or so Kar had thought, yet he liked to look at it, fantasizing about understanding the strange characters.


    And without explanation, after some time, he had slowly come to understand what the tablet had imprinted on it.


    Knowledge had come from that tablet, and he had risen in power and intelligence thanks to it.


    Cultivation, something strange and fascinating, so different to the usual Skills and Spells used by the races of the world.


    A source of strange powers obtained by training and taking energy from the world without submitting to it.


    A dream worthy of being pursued and a tool to achieve one¡¯s ambitions.


    The man placed Kar on the ground and freed him from the grip of the invisible force. The same invisible hand then raised Kar¡¯s sword and put it inside its scabbard.


    ¡°You know what I''m talking about, right? Those eyes of yours are the product of a cultivation technique.¡±


    The man was smiling, speaking in a friendly manner.


    Kar slowly nodded, there was no point of denying it now.


    ¡°You can go if you want, or you can sit and listen to a story before you return to your tribe.¡±


    The man spoke again, Kar didn''t feel the strange hold of that magic on him, so he started to move, taking some distance from the strange man who might be a Mage or a Cultivator. Either way, he was dangerous, no matter how friendly his smile and words were.


    Kar walked away from those strange Humans, he was certain that those strange people were dangerous, and they knew about cultivation, staying any longer was simply being at their mercy.


    And no race had mercy for Goblins.


    But¡­


    The man had offered a peaceful talk, and he spoke in the Goblin language, could he be a friend of some Shaman? That seemed ridiculous, but a few minutes ago the notion of a Human ever speaking in Kobe was equally ridiculous, yet he had done it.


    After taking some distance, Kar stopped and turned back. He stood a few meters away from them, and watched them in silence, waiting for their reaction. The girl looked at him with curiosity, while the woman had a gaze of apprehension, as if she was expecting him to attack at any moment, although she had sheathed her knives.


    And the man still had a calm expression, unreadable.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, you can listen from over there, no problem. It¡¯s natural to be wary of strangers.¡±


    The strange man then made some chairs appear for him and his companions, one chair also appeared next to Kar, but he didn¡¯t take it.


    ¡°Before I tell you that story, can you tell me something? What are the ranks of Goblin leaders in this world?¡±


    The man¡¯s question was a weird one, did he not know that? Goblin¡¯s culture and customs were incomprehensible and uninteresting for outsiders, but at least the Classes of the Goblin leaders were common knowledge, numerous conflicts across the centuries had seen to that.


    Nevertheless, Kar decided to answer the question.


    ¡°Stranger, Goblins have Chieftains who lead the tribes, Shamans who pass down traditions and possess magic, there are a few Goblin Lords across the continent, and it was said that a Goblin King lived in the Southern Continent long ago. Does that answer satisfy you?¡±


    Kar spoke honestly. There was no reason to lie, the emergence of Goblin Lords and Kings was always followed by war, so each time such a leader appeared it was a major event and everyone will know.


    ¡°So there are no Goblin Champions here? No Goblin Sorcerers, Assassins, Alchemists, Blacksmiths nor Engineers?¡±


    The man kept asking questions, his expression was one of curiosity and surprise.


    ¡°You keep speaking of weird things. I have never heard of such Classes among Goblins, we don¡¯t have the knowledge to become such experts.¡±


    Kar replied with a bit of bitterness in his voice, he would have thought this mysterious man was mocking him if not for the look in the man¡¯s eyes. He was serious, and sounded somehow concerned.


    The man¡¯s expression softened, his eyes looked at Kar with¡­ pity and compassion, a look not even other Goblins used to look at each other.


    Like an adult looking at a wounded child, a helpless kid who wouldn¡¯t stop crying and the adult was thinking of a way to soothe him.


    Something inside Kar felt like burning, was this man looking down on him? He was having pity on Goblins for the life they led in this cruel and merciless world where everything and everyone was out to get them, waiting for any chance to kill them?


    ¡°So, you have really lost your heroes here? I see.¡±


    The man said it softly, almost a murmur, yet it was clearly audible.


    Kar snapped at him.


    ¡°Stop saying absurd things! When has there ever existed such thing as a Goblin Hero!? We do not have such things, we are just prey! Pest to be killed by everyone else, but don¡¯t you dare to mock our existence! Don¡¯t look down on me!¡±


    Kar was furious, the man¡¯s pity only hurt more than the hatred of others. He could stand the hatred of other races, he would answer in kind and fight to kill if it was necessary, but this? This was something for which he was not prepared, he didn¡¯t mind being looked down by others, he had faced that years ago in his tribe and outside, but this man''swords of kindness were stabbing Kar in the chest as no insult ever had.


    The two females almost jumped from their seats when Kar started shouting, alarmed at his angry reaction, one of the adult woman¡¯s hands was grabbing the handle of the knife on her belt.


    But this strange Human, he simply looked at Kar with sympathy, and didn¡¯t even flinch or get angry when Kar shouted at him.


    The man shook his head.


    ¡°No, I am not mocking you. I¡¯m just surprised that your Shamans have not taught this to your kind. Goblins are so much more, but it seems that in this world you guys have suffered a lot. I am speaking the truth, even if it seems absurd to you. In other lands, Goblins are Master Craftsmen, Magic Blacksmiths, and powerful Alchemists; the marvels built by Goblin Engineering have brought great changes and influenced the fates of entire worlds. I know that there are Goblin Heroes, child. You think a Goblin reaching King Class is great? I have met a Goblin God.¡±


    The stranger¡¯s voice rang in the clearing, shaking Kar to the core.


    Kar felt to his knees, shaking. This man¡¯s words¡­ were absurd, they were madness, a dream that could not be real¡­


    And yet, Kar believed him. Because something inside of Kar shouted with great strength when he heard those words and a dozen different emotions mixed up in him surging as an unstoppable avalanche.


    ¡°A Goblin¡­ God¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not talking about some god that created your race, I am speaking about a Goblin just like you, who trained, fought, evolved, and ascended until he came to stand side by side with the Gods in the Heavens.¡±


    The women led out noises of surprise. They had never heard of such a thing, which was to beexpected, since the notion of a Goblin becoming a god was ridiculous even for Kar.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°That¡¯s the story I wanted to tell you about, about a Paragon of your species.¡±


    The man paused, and when he spoke again, his words carried a power that made everyone present tremble.


    ¡°Kharsfal Tehrek Kobelin, The Mountainheart.¡±


    Kar¡¯s ears were ringing, his whole body was vibrating, something within his very soul was resonating at the sound of those words, he felt like his blood was boiling and something within himself was reacting, trying to reach out for that name.


    The name of a Goblin God, a pinnacle patriarch of his kind, a true Paragon of their species, blessed with unimaginable power and glory. Kar could not see it, could not even picture what such a being would be like, but his blood remembered, and the feeling of awe and worship blooming from his very soul was unquestionable.


    The human spoke again, this time his words no longer causing any strange echo.


    ¡°He was a Goblin who reached Godhood by means of cultivating the power of the world, he comprehended and mastered diverse techniques, and his Affinity with the classical element of Earth was extraordinary. His vision led to the rise of a sophisticated and powerful civilization. That was millennia ago, I am not surprised that the Goblins in this world do not know about him, but to not know even about Alchemy or Metallurgy, you guys have lost all connection with your Racial Legacy.¡±


    The man then pointed a finger at Kar, pointing at his eyes.


    ¡°Moreover, you have his eye technique, but you don¡¯t know about him, which means you have found a vestige of Kharsfal¡¯s legacy, but not a complete inheritance.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what happened to him, to the Ancestor, the Goblin God?¡±


    Kar asked the most important question, this man talked in past tense, he only mentioned power and prosperity, but Kar knew there was more to it.


    ¡°It was something that happened long ago, he suffered several setbacks in his rise to power, his empire had numerous conflicts with other races and had to face many dangers by the hand of other Divinities, but the events that caused his downfall were more complex than that.¡±


    The man moved his hand in the air and a black stone tablet appeared. It was tall as a human head, its base was as long as Kar¡¯s own hand, and it was two fingers wide.


    The tablet floated towards Kar, who was still kneeling on the ground, one shock after another didn¡¯t give him the chance to regain his footing.


    Kar recognized the characters imprinted on the tablet, the same strange inscriptions that were on his own tablet.


    But this tablet was complete, perfectly preserved, in contrast to the one Kar possessed, which was damaged and corroded by time.


    ¡°This is one of the Books of Kobe, created by Kharsfal Tehrek himself, to preserve the basics of his Legacy, copies of this tablets have been spread across the Cosmos during his reign, but it seems like the one here was not preserved completely.¡±


    The man moved a finger, making a scroll appear next to the tablet.


    ¡°And this is a copy of The Refuge of the Hollow Mountain, a written record of the life and times of the Goblin God; his dream, his journey, the rise and fall of his Empire, it¡¯s all there. Read it when you have returned to your tribe, then speak to the Shamans, they will have visions and dreams about it, bits of history will be revealed. They will know it¡¯s genuine. The Book of Kobe, however, keep to yourself and those you trust the most. I¡¯m sure you already know this, but those inscriptions are not something for everyone¡¯s eyes.¡±


    Then the man chuckled lightly, as if he had remembered something funny.


    ¡°Remember this: magical creatures like Goblins have always kept their true legacies by the bloodline inheritance and racial resonance. That tablet is only a gate to Kharsfal¡¯s Path, if you want to be able to access his full inheritance, you need to evolve.¡±


    There was silence then. Kar was holding what was probably the greatest treasures of all Goblin history in this world right on his hands, he was shaking with excitement, awe, surprise, and fear. The two items were light, but the weight of their colossal significance and importance was crushing Kar.


    He didn¡¯t know what to say, he wasn¡¯t sure he was even able to say anything. He stared at the two invaluable objects on his hands with reverence, then slowly, very slowly, Kar raised his eyes and met the man¡¯s eyes.


    His eyes conveyed the question in his heart, when no words could come out of his mouth.


    Why?


    Why are you doing this? Such boundless benefaction to us, such unpayable favor to me. Why? Why do so much for Goblins?


    The man looked at Kar, he seemed to understand what Kar wanted to say, there was a tinge of sadness in his face and voice when he spoke again.


    ¡°I knew Kharsfal personally. he was a warrior of honor, a just and kind ruler who led his people to prosperity. His dreams were not mere ambition but something greater. If you are a successor of his Legacy, then I will at least help you to actually have a chance in succeeding, I know it will not be easy, but now you will know what you are doing and be aware of the path you are walking on.¡±


    The man let out a deep sigh and looked up to the night sky, the black vault of heaven with soft shades of blue and violet, the distant stars were shining brightly in the distance. He lowered his gaze to look again at Kar directly into his eyes.


    ¡°I want you to know this, successor of Kharsfal: your kind might be suffering now, but your race is something greater than you think. You are not simple scavengers struggling to get food for another day, hiding in the shadow of stones afraid to be killed by anything outside, you are not petty murderers and rapists who strike other innocents out of spite to the ones who harmed you for being weaker. You are not weak scum looking for chances to vent your anger and inflict pain on others weaker than you.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice echoed in the silent night, and his words sent images inside Kar¡¯s mind, more vivid than hallucinations, more tangible than dreams. Like memories he didn¡¯t know he had, truths that were forgotten by his kind, resurfacing now by being spoken out loud.


    ¡°I have seen with my own eyes the marvels of Goblins, you are inventors, researchers, fighters, survivors. The champions of the Gods went into battle wielding blades of Goblin Steel, the Saints dress in silver forged by Goblin art. The Stairs in the Tower of Wisdom wouldn¡¯t have been able to reach so high without the efforts of the Kobelin Academy. Do you want to know why I¡¯m telling you all of this? It¡¯s because I see you here, kneeling on the mud, thinking that your fate is cowering and starving until the day a sword pierces your heart, drowning you on your own blood, yet I know that it is not that way. The current state of Goblins here does not reflect the nature of your kind; you are more, so much more, you would do well to never forget that.¡±


    Kar looked down, not daring to face the man, he wasn¡¯t reprimanding Kar or Goblinkind, he was telling him that they had greater potential that others thought, more than Goblins themselves thought they had. His words weren¡¯t harsh, he wasn¡¯t scolding Kar, in fact, he was being compassionate, boundless patience was felt on his voice.


    This mysterious man was doing a lot for Kar and his tribe, for Goblins in general.


    This man was giving them hope for a brighter tomorrow.


    And he was doing this without asking anything in return?


    Kar knew it was true, but he felt ashamed, even if it wasn¡¯t his fault, even if it wasn¡¯t any Goblin¡¯s fault. He felt ashamed that his race was living in such conditions and not in the glory described by the man¡¯s words.


    He felt a soft hand on his face, and noticed that he was crying. Kar jerked in surprise when he saw the owner of the hand.


    The girl who had been silently listening to their conversation sitting by the side all this time, had approached him. Kar didn¡¯t move, he wasn¡¯t sure about what to do.


    ¡°You are crying.¡±


    The girl spoke in a clear and melodious voice, her hand was soft and warm, she looked at him, but there was no repulsion in her eyes, her sympathy wasn¡¯t the same as the man¡¯s, but she didn¡¯t have enmity in her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand much about what you and Master are talking about, people always said that Goblins were bad, but Master said you are not. And now you are crying.¡±


    She was speaking in Likia Kingdom¡¯s language, but her words transmitted themselves directly into Kar¡¯s mind, translating into Goblin tongue instantaneously.


    The girl took her hand off Kar¡¯s face, her hand was wet with his tears and his face still felt the warmth of her touch. She turned around to look at the man.


    ¡°Then, Master, are Goblins good and we have always been mistaken, treating them like monsters when they were actually good people being hurt and bullied by others?¡±


    The girl asked the man, she seemed about to cry. Her Master shook his head and replied in a firm voice.


    ¡°No. Good and evil are not dependent on race; just like there are good Humans and bad Humans, there are good Goblins and bad Goblins, the same applies to every sentient race. It would be wrong to vilify a large group due to the misdeeds of individuals, no one is to blame for someone else¡¯s actions. But I can¡¯t say that all Goblins are good, in this hostile environment, many of them must have forgotten about mercy and honor, focused only on the constant warfare that is their life. Of course, that does not excuse evil actions, but it does make it understandable.¡±


    The girl nodded and turned again to look at Kar.


    ¡°I¡¯m Aina, this is my mother, Maria, and my Master, Navin. Master said you are a good Goblin, so I will believe him.¡±


    She extended her hand to Kar for a handshake but he only stared at her, flabbergasted at the gesture.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    It was the only sound that came out of his mouth.


    Why were these people nice to him? Was what this man said true? It sounded true when he spoke, but it was too beautiful to be true. Goblins being safe, prospering together with other races and becoming a powerful civilization.


    Goblins being respected.


    Goblins being safe.


    Goblins being loved.


    Goblins being happy.


    That was something from a dream, not from reality, reality was not so kind. Not to Goblins.


    Or so Kar had thought until tonight.


    The girl¡¯s eyes were firm as she met his gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you, and I have always been told that Goblins were bad. But Master said that you are good, that¡¯s enough reason for me to believe that you are good.¡±


    That reply made the man and the woman chuckle softly. Kar turned to look at the adult woman, she was standing now behind her daughter, but she no longer had the same air of hostility in her, she had her hands folded in front of her.


    Kar stood up, being so close, he noticed the girl was actually a bit taller than him, not by much, but it was noticeable.


    ¡°Master¡¯s words are full of wisdom and he never lies. I read in a book that listening to a wise person¡¯s words gives one more year of life, so you should always heed his advice, Master is the wisest person I know.¡±


    The girl spoke with a smile. Behind the girl, the man asked a question to the woman and she shrugged while negating with her head, but Kar didn¡¯t hear what they were saying; right now, he only had eyes for the girl in front of him.


    Aina, that was her name.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s ok. If you are a good person then we can be friends.¡±


    She kept her hand extended to him, still offering the handshake.


    Carefully, slowly, so that he would not scare her with a sudden move, and also because Kar himself was afraid, he moved the tablet and scroll to his left hand.


    He raised his right hand and shook hands with her, his rough hand feeling the softness of her hand. He was surprised to feel some slight calluses on her hand, but compared to his own, it was like a smooth stone from the river.


    He swallowed, clearing his throat.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kar, from the Blaze Cave Tribe. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Kar.¡±


    Aina replied with a smile.


    He felt the tears flow again from his eyes, he didn¡¯t stop them.

 Interlude: Espada

    The Divinities had gone to war.


    A war among each other, with the Fate of All Heavens and Myriad Realms at stake. A war neither side could afford to lose.


    That was a war that would not have a peaceful end.


    After a series of fights steadily escalating and involving more and more Powerhouses into it, the situation had arrived at a point where all the Big Shots of the Cosmos had been participating.


    After millennia of battles across different worlds, it all came together at a single point: The Divine Realm.


    No more scheming, no more indirect exertion of might, no more plans and manipulations to shift the way mortals perceived them, no more tricks of politics, economic restraints or deals to gather followers and resources.


    No more pawns and throws of the dice to decide matters between them. This time, the most powerful beings in existence would take the matter into their hands, and face each other directly into the battlefield.


    They went to the Divine Realm to indulge in the most ancient of ways to decide a conflict, to handle things in the purest and most primal of ways: Battle.


    There, the Gods would slaughter, and the very pillars of reality would be faced against each other.


    Only catastrophe could come from that.


    They had sealed the Heavenly Realm of the Gods because, along with the Void between dimensions, it would be the battlefield where they could unleash their true powers and murderous intent without worry for third parties.


    Many people had been evacuated from the Divine Realm, many in quite a forceful manner, because once the war had escalated to an irremediable degree, the top warriors were all too far gone in their rage and way too stubborn to look for a peaceful solution.


    But many supporters of both sides had stayed behind, intending to fight as an army and back their leaders in the war.


    A foolish, na?f and arrogant mistake, for there was no place for armies in a direct confrontation between Divinities.


    When two groups of Ninth Stage Cultivators went into battle, Eighth Stage and Seventh Stage Cultivators could still play some role, managing formations, giving covering fire, supporting with artifacts or supplying resources such as medicine and energy for arrays.


    But when Tenth Stage Powerhouses fought, when the True Gods wielded the Laws of existence to take each other¡¯s lives, only 9<sup>th</sup> Stage beings could witness such fight and remain alive.


    At such a stage there was no ploy to be used nor support by outsiders, only pure individual power and personal comprehension of the Cosmos put into test against the enemy¡¯s own.


    And when the top beings in existence, the only two Eleventh Stage Sovereigns in the known history of the Cosmos clashed at full power with the whole magnificence of their wrath, unleashing their true might unto their techniques to obliterate the opponent, determined to fight to the bitter end; even the Major Gods had to avoid being within reach of their attacks, as reality twisted and realigned itself obeying the two clashing Wills, grinding to nothingness anything in the way.


    Neither side would bend the knee.


    Both sides were determined to extinguish the other¡¯s existence.


    And thus the whole Cosmos would bleed.


    In a Cosmos where no one of 9<sup>th</sup> Stage was left to keep order, the beings left outside the Divine Realm started to get arrogant, sharpening their fangs while they waited for the conclusion of the war, scheming and preparing for the seizing of the Myriad Realms.


    Due to different reasons, few beings that barely qualified as ¡®divinity-level¡¯ didn¡¯t participate in the war of the Gods; each had their own circumstances, but these beings had some things in common, they didn¡¯t have real control over the forces of the Cosmos like a Divinity would.


    But they wished to.


    And they would wait for when the time was ripe to change that situation and to turn their ambitions into reality.


    200 cycles later, the Gates of the Divine Realm opened again, and Chaos flooded out, unleashing change in a thousand different ways across all worlds with an unstoppable force.


    Now, it was a time of change. Many lives would perish, entire worlds would be destroyed, but those that rose to the challenge would be rewarded with boundless riches and infinite possibilities. The entirety of the Cosmos was in for the taking.


    Many would be focusing on survival, reacting to the Cataclysm and trying to stay out of danger, passively preserving themselves.


    But others would act. Those that had been awaiting this golden opportunity, those that had planned and prepared.


    200 years they had been patiently waiting.


    Now, it was time to rise.


    <hr>


    In a secluded world, there was a flatland without much in sight.


    The sky was green and the ground was brown hard rock, in this small and simple world there was only one thing of notice: an elegant chair of Oakwood, with an ample back, stylish armrests, and a comfortable cushion that allowed one to recline and enjoy the high-quality softness.


    On it, a woman sat.


    The world around her parted as if it were a paper being cut by a sharp blade or a waterfall splitting upon clashing against a pointy rock. She emitted a sharp aura of power, an immense amount of energy heavily condensed and refined into the sharpest sword in existence.


    Her hair was auburn with a deep red tone, falling in waves over her shoulders and upper back like reddish-brown leaves of autumn dancing in the wind. Her skin was like porcelain, with a healthy pink tone; she had almond-shaped eyes with irises of a shining emerald color, her pupils were slightly elongated in a vertical fashion resembling scabbards containing an extremely dangerous blade inside them, shrouded and hidden in the blackness; if one looked closely, they could see a tinge of scarlet and violet dancing at times within her pupils, elusive and mysterious.


    She wore a black jacket made from Dragon scales and skin woven with threads of Thokcha, with an interior covered in the soft and comfortable yet highly durable Dark Silk from Nether Arachnes.


    Underneath the jacket, she wore a white vest weaved from Heaven-embracing Cotton, a fiber capable of resisting attacks from all elements and allowed free flow of energy through it, which was turned into a marvelous piece of defensive equipment by using the right enchantments.


    From her waist down she had a three-layered skirt of blue, green, and white, with shades going from darker to lighter as they went down to her calves, being longer on the back than on the front.


    A belt full of runes kept it in place, each rune possessed a different effect and served functions much greater than a simple accessory.


    From below her knees to the ankles she had black ornaments similar to greaves adorned in silver runes, and the top of her feet was covered with a black cloth that ended in a simple and thin golden ring on her big toes.


    She wore no shoes nor anything to cover the soles of her feet, yet her feet would never get dirty, mundane filth could never sully the appearance of being of power like her.


    Every part of her attire was either enchanted or a magical object of some kind, just her jacket already classified as a high-class armor, and these weren¡¯t even close to the best equipment she had in her possession.


    She was simply dressed for the occasion, in what was for her a casual attire. She lacked mundane clothes, she had been taught to always wear quality items, and she intended to do so. True, indulging in excessive care for appearances was a dangerous path that only led to seeking outsiders¡¯ approval, but her gear and clothes were not sumptuous, they were simply of great quality, which was different to being showy.


    And she also didn¡¯t really care much about other people¡¯s opinions about her, she lived her life as she wished, what someone else thought about her was not something she factored in her decision-making process; besides, the only two people whose opinion she really valued had always supported each decision she had made and expressed heartfelt pride and trust in her judgment.


    The woman sitting on the wooden chair made it look like a throne, simply because it was she who was sitting on it. The elegance and magnificent aura emanating from her made it so.


    An empress would be an empress even if she sat in the middle of nowhere, and if this woman chose to sit on a stone, that stone might as well be the throne of the world.


    She was powerful, she was beautiful, and she was extremely dangerous, deadly to a degree very few beings in existence were.


    This warrior laid back on the wooden chair and closed her eyes, restraining her aura. The sharp blade entered its scabbard, contained for now.


    But always ready to cut down any enemy at any time.


    She waited, with her eyes closed and her mind calm, for the arrival of some people.


    Woe to them if they made her sword leave its scabbard.


    <hr>


    There was a slight vibration on space and four figures emerged from a fluctuating portal.


    Four men, human in appearance but something else in nature.


    They were 3 Piasts, beasts who had cultivated to become powerful beings after gaining spiritual awareness, and one Druk, a member of one of the subspecies related to Dragons that were also collectively known as "Drakes".


    ¡°Finally, what took you so long?¡±


    The young woman on the wooden throne smiled at them and spoke in a soft and modulated voice, but didn¡¯t open her eyes nor shift her stance on the chair. She simply sat in a carefree manner as if she was relaxing before taking a nap.


    The four newcomers were staring at her while their Spiritual Sense scanned the surroundings.


    ¡°Who are you? What did you do?¡±


    One of the Piasts, a man in blue robes like a Daoist, who was actually a Spirit Butterfly with fire attribute, asked in a deep voice.


    They had been on the way to the Grand Citadel of Tenrell using a dimensional portal, they should have appeared in the fields outside the Citadel but instead had appeared on this strange flatland.


    They were capable of identifying this place as a pocket dimension, a small world no bigger than a hundred kilometers in each direction.


    But they were trapped, unable to teleport outside.


    And the stunningly beautiful woman in front of them made each cell in their bodies scream in alarm.


    Danger.


    The woman smiled sweetly.


    Immediate, overbearing, life-ending danger.


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t really do much, I just sat here until you guys decided to go cause trouble for the good folks over there in Tenrell, and you finally appeared. So, do you still want to go there to cause trouble?¡±


    She kept supporting her head on her right hand, eyes closed as if she was sleeping, the corner of her mouth turned upwards in a subtle but confident smile.


    The four cultivators started to release their auras.


    ¡°If you think you can stop us¡­ ¡°


    The Drake started to speak but could not finish his words.


    The dangerous being sitting in the chair raised four fingers of her left hand, which had been lazily laying on the armrest of her chair.


    That simple, seemingly meaningless gesture made the four cultivators jump back at full speed, releasing their auras and changing into their true forms.


    A Spirit Butterfly covered in blue flames.


    A Draconian warrior with aquamarine scales holding a green sabre on his left claw.


    A Blacksand Jackal soldier standing on two legs and holding a black mace on both hands.


    An Armored Spike Rat that was snarling furiously.


    They took distance at the highest speed they could, raising protective artifacts and weapons, unleashing their full power in a hurry, lest they be too slow and not live to regret it.


    Hundreds of meters away, they stopped their retreat.


    Just a moment ago, they all felt the same thing.


    Death.


    They had been about to die. Those four raised fingers were four incomparably sharp swords about to slice them in half.


    They had all felt it in the deepest part of their souls, their instincts honed by dozens of millennia of battles and training had screamed at full strength to retreat.


    Retreat or die.


    Now they were fully on guard, but none of them had the confidence to actually fight her.


    Her relaxed smiling expression didn¡¯t change, she simply let her four fingers fall back, again in a lazy, careless manner.


    ¡°Were you saying something?¡±


    She mocked them without even looking at them, but they were sure she had each of their positions pinpointed and was clearly watching each of their movement in detail despite never opening her eyes.


    Her nonchalant attitude humiliated them, but her move just now had made it clear that they didn¡¯t have the qualifications to be her match.


    ¡°Now I recognize you. I feel like an idiot for not noticing immediately.¡±


    The Draconian warrior with the sabre had a grave voice, his tone was a mixture of respect and dread.


    ¡°My name is Yerass Khesar; it is an honor to meet you in person, Invincible Fairy.¡±


    He inclined his head, never letting his eyes and Spiritual Sense stop watching her.


    Once his words finished, the other Cultivators¡¯ pupils shrank slightly, they couldn¡¯t avoid taking one more step back subconsciously.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, fuck.¡±


    The Spirit Butterfly and the Blacksand Jackal spoke out loud while the Armored Spike Rat silently kept trying to teleport away without success.


    The Invincible Fairy, that was one of the titles of the woman praised as one of the greatest prodigies in the Way of the Sword in all history. The stories about her abound, far too many to properly differentiate between truth and exaggeration.


    A Sword Master with a style that disregarded the notions of distance, time, and shape; capable of striking without need of forms nor care for positioning. Possessor of Skills that defied logic and powers that went beyond common imagination, her sword bypassed legendary defenses as if they were sheets of paper, and she had opened an entirely new Path of Cultivation through the Art of the Sword.


    It was said that she had once clashed swords with the God of War and made him bleed.


    She was one who had become indifferent to the vagaries of time before she had actually stepped into the realms of Immortality proper. Now, her glory was Eternal. Through her veins flowed blood that was the Magnum Opus of Alchemy, Primordial Chaos beat at the center of her Cultivation Core. Her body was a true masterpiece, impervious to the ravage of Time by its very nature, honed into perfection by millennia of training under the tutelage of the greatest warrior ever born, her instincts and senses heightened to an extreme degree, every portion of her being was a flawless combination of a deadly weapon and an impregnable fortress.


    She was a wielder of transcendental power, and same as her brother before her, and their Master before either of them, she had slain a God, claiming the title of Slayer of Gods, and done so before arriving at the 8<sup>th</sup> Stage of Cultivation. Although it hadn''t been one of the Tenth Stage Beings that were called the True Gods. She had killed a Ninth Stage Divinity of Fire, something that shouldn''t be possible for a Seventh Stage being. But she had succeeded, making a mockery of what was an absolutely insurmountable limit to most of the existences in the Cosmos.


    Inheritor of a peerless Legacy which she carried with her head held high, her Destiny was greatness, her future was full of infinite possibilities. And she was still in the process of rising, being at the upper levels of the Seventh Stage of Cultivation. She was already considered a Powerhouse, a force to be feared and adored, standing among the greatest names in history through her own efforts and deeds.


    Her name was Adeline Ragnild, the Second Disciple and, to the eyes of all the Cosmos, the proud daughter of the Heavenly Lord of Unfathomable Mysteries, Navin Lakar.


    Just like her Elder Brother and her Master, she possessed a multitude of titles and sobriquets, given by allies and enemies alike: The Invincible Fairy, the Timeless Sword, the Witch of Slaughter, Dancer of Chaos, Empress of the Battlefield, the Smiling Slash, and many more.


    Adeline Ragnild was admired and feared by all who witnessed her might and heard of her tales. She was loved and hated, idolized and desired, dreaded as an enemy and invaluable as an ally.


    She was an individual that was impossible to ignore, as everything about her was extraordinary. From her origins to her life experience and the great prowess that she had demonstrated on the many adventures she had participated in.


    Her name and appearance were known throughout the Cosmos by all people of importance. Images of her and Arian Rohinel, the Chaoist Archmagus, were in the most famous places of Cultivation in the Higher Worlds. Images of her Master were not so easy to have, and many were reluctant to have such things in the first place, since to have the image of a Divinity-level Entity meant to have that Entity¡¯s eyes on you.


    Such an extremely powerful and dangerous individual was sitting in front of them, blocking the path to their objective.


    Yerass sighed deeply, he could already foresee the conclusion of this matter in only two possible ways.


    Either they turned back and give up, or she sliced them to little pieces.


    If even half of the tales about this woman were true, they didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    ¡°Oh, you know about me. Good, that simplifies things.¡±


    Adeline grinned. She shifted her posture slightly, that mere action had the four Cultivators tense up.


    ¡°Then, be a dear and deliver a message to your boss for me. Tell him to not mess with Thessei, they made a deal with me and now are under my protection.¡±


    Instantaneously, they felt that the space restriction was lifted, teleportation was no longer blocked.


    ¡°You can run away now, but send the message at once.¡±


    They were like ants in front of her. Three Piast of the Sixth Stage and a Seventh Stage Drake were no match for her.


    Her voice was not condescending nor disdainful, but the words and attitude were like a slap in their faces.


    And they had no choice but to swallow the insult.


    Silently, they nodded in acceptance, the Blacksand Jackal brought out a stone talisman and filled it with Qi to imbue a message, then he crushed it.


    The message would be sent and received immediately over space.


    ¡°It has been done.¡±


    The Jackal spoke. They all stared at her, waiting for her response for long seconds that extended for what seemed like an eternity despite being no more than ten seconds.


    Finally, she nodded.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    They wasted no time and teleported out of the pocket dimension, not wanting to stay even a second longer than necessary in the presence of such a dangerous individual.


    Not after she had so casually almost killed them.


    <hr>


    Adeline stayed there, rapping at the armrest with the fingers of her left hand.


    For a couple of minutes, that was all she did. Distracting herself as she waited.


    Lounging on the chair, Adeline waited for the ¡®guests¡¯ to arrive again, and she was certain they would attempt this again; after people passed a certain level of power they tended to become a bit narrow-minded in some ways, and extremely stubborn; that made them predictable.


    Overconfidence in their power caused that.


    It was one of the first things she had learned as a Cultivator, warned by her Master and Elder Brother to maintain a good disposition and flexibility in her actions, capable of adapting and embracing new things, able to recognize when one was in error and to take action to remedy it.


    To always keep a clear mind, to not be blinded by arrogance or self-righteousness.


    Adeline kept her eyes closed, sitting with one leg over the other, giving a relaxed and somewhat careless impression.


    Though to think that she was being careless would be a horrible mistake, because she never let her guard down.


    She waited there for hours, unmoving as a marble sculpture.


    Finally, she sighed and raised her head.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Really, these people are idiots. So predictable and unoriginal.¡±


    The entire pocket dimension trembled as its sky was ripped apart by the assault of multiple Practitioners.


    One Eighth Stage Human Cultivator.


    Five of the Seventh Stage; Four Piasts, and the Draconian warrior from before.


    And Eight from the Sixth Stage; five Piasts, including the three that had come initially, one Human, one Centaur and one strange Elf shrouded in a bloody aura.


    All appeared in a battle formation around her, arms at the ready and in their true forms, the Eighth Stage Human and two of the Seventh Stage Piasts raised Scrolls and opened them, activating them instantaneously.


    The Scrolls unleashed three different arrays that coordinated with each other to form one greater formation.


    They intended to contain Adeline with this restrictive array.


    ¡°Sorry, but we won¡¯t stop our goals simply because you tell us so. I know of your power, but there¡¯s too much at stake here.¡±


    The leading man said as the array consolidated and completed its seal. Adeline hadn¡¯t moved at all, she simply laughed.


    ¡°Oh, please. If you really knew about my power, you would have turned away and not mess again with Thessei. Instead, you came here with all your buddies and try to trap me, or are you trying to kill me? Nah, not even you would be so stupid to actually attempt that.¡±


    Adeline had a small grin on her face as if she was watching a funny puppet show.


    ¡°I know we can¡¯t kill you, and this array won¡¯t hold you for long, but at least it will be able to keep you here for a few days, that will be enough.¡±


    The 8<sup>th</sup> Stage man kept a serene expression as he replied.


    ¡°Really? Then tell me this: what will you do once I get out of here and go after you?¡±


    ¡°A problem for the future, and one that we do not want but also can¡¯t help but incurring. When the time comes, we will see how to make reparations for this slight affront.¡±


    ¡°What if I ask for your lives in ¡®reparation for this slight affront¡¯ as you put it?¡±


    Adeline¡¯s grin was the same, she tapped her chin with her index finger in amusement, these people were courting death.


    ¡°We have our reasons to fight, Lady Invincible Fairy. It might be we offend you now, but please understand that we act out of necessity.¡±


    The Draconian warrior spoke. He was visibly unwilling to participate in any affront against her, he seemed to be the most knowledgeable of the whole bunch.


    ¡°Yerass, right? If the matter is so important and urgent that you have to invade Thessei and offend me in the process, why don¡¯t you tell me and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    Adeline turned her head to the Druk. She might not care much about these people¡¯s lives, but if there was a way to reach a peaceful solution then it was worth considering.


    The warrior hesitated, he opened his mouth to speak but closed it as the Eighth Stage Cultivator gave him a hard look.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to explain our motives to you, we will discuss again after our goal is achieved, and settle this matter then.¡±


    The Eighth Stage man spoke and tried to scan the pocket dimension to teleport towards Thessei. Adeline had twisted the space channels, so anyone who tried to get there would instead arrive at this small world.


    So the man was looking for the second exit, if this place had been forcefully placed as a chokepoint, then it had to be connected to Thessei, and thus could be used to get there.


    ¡°Umm, actually, you guys are trapped here, you can¡¯t leave without my permission. So how will you leave?¡±


    Adeline tilted her head in mock confusion.


    The man¡¯s face twisted in anger, he summoned a giant sword taller and wider than he was. He continued scanning the surroundings with his Spiritual Sense, feeling the complexity of the initially seemingly simple pocket dimension.


    ¡°A pocket dimension inside another pocket dimension? Clever, but not enough to hold me here, Daughter of Chaos.¡±


    That was one of her oldest sobriquets, she had good memories from the day it had first been said.


    Thousands of years ago, Adeline had met a woman who challenged her to a duel and called her ¡®Adeline Lakar, Daughter of Chaos¡¯ before the battle; now, that was a great name, and she had really liked it, so up to this day Adeline still sent that woman a present every decade.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a pocket dimension inside other eight pocket dimensions, you should train to sharpen that Spiritual Sense of yours, it¡¯s very weak.¡±


    Adeline stuck out her tongue. It was fun mocking these wimpy idiots, but she was getting bored quickly.


    ¡°Nine pocket dimensions overlapped? Ridiculous! We would have noticed such handiwork, and such a thing is impossible, to begin with!¡±


    One of the Piasts shouted. Other people in the group started to make noise too and tried to scan their surroundings, but the overlap between pocket dimensions confused their senses.


    ¡°Impossible? Bah, it¡¯s barely a good trick that¡¯s a bit tedious to use, that¡¯s all. See, this is the problem with people like you, you are full of ambition but have no vision. So you just clumsily go around causing messes when you try to take things for yourselves but you actually have no idea how to do that, so you end up hurting people for your selfish desires, and then get killed after making fools of yourselves.¡±


    Adeline¡¯s smile disappeared as she straightened in the chair and turned her head to face again the Eighth Stage Cultivator.


    ¡°And I have got no more patience for idiots like you.¡±


    She opened her eyes. The figure of the 8<sup>th</sup> Stage Human reflected in her eyes just as her powerful Sword Intent was unleashed.


    Iaido, that''s how swordsmen from mortal worlds would call a move like this.


    To maintain a mental presence such that one was capable of quickly drawing a sword as an immediate reaction to sudden attacks, famous for enabling a warrior to unsheathe the sword, cutting an opponent with an extremely fast strike, and putting the sword back on its scabbard, all in one smooth and controlled movement.


    This was an example of such a principle taken to an extremely high degree of mastery by one who exceeded the limits of a physical body.


    Adeline was a Seventh Stage Cultivator; her capabilities were far above what a mortal could imagine.


    And she was no average Seventh Stage Cultivator. Her Cultivation Art was Primordial Soul Profound Breath, a peerless cultivation method created as the zenith of her Master''s lifework.


    It had been the main advantage that allowed her to jump ranks and fight opponents of higher Stages than her own. The key to her deed of slaying a Divinity.


    Adeline''s techniques were far from ordinary.


    She needed no physical sword to strike down her enemies.


    Her Will was the firmest handle, her Aura and Qi formed the sharpest sword.


    She had high comprehension on the principle of Space; for her, to lay her gaze on something was to have it within range, to focus her Intent on an action was enough to have it done.


    By coordination of her mind and vision, the condensed and previously prepared Sword Qi was turned into an instantaneous attack, like a tensed arrow that was just let loose.


    The slash bypassed the restrictions of the triple array placed by the group of cultivators, disregarding distance and time. It cut at the leader without coming from any direction, simply happening directly on the space he was occupying.


    The Cultivator tried to block, unleashing all his power and activating a life-saving treasure while he tried to counterattack by slashing with his sword.


    But Adeline¡¯s slash was unstoppable.


    His sword was cut cleanly in half. The life-saving treasure, a small totem that generated a barrier around the man, was split in two and turned into dust as the barrier was ripped open and the Cultivator¡¯s blood was spilled.


    His life was preserved, but barely. A huge gash started on his shoulder and ended on his midriff, from the open wound his life essence was gushing out.


    He retreated in a panic, unable to summon any strength to fly or fight back, and fell to the ground. One of his comrades caught him while staring at Adeline with a terrified look.


    ¡°Leave, if you try this stupidity again, I will kill you all.¡±


    Adeline commanded with a cold voice that let them all feel sharp blades against the nape of their necks. She waved a hand and the triple array that they had placed in hopes of containing her was moved aside. Thanks to the overlapping of the nine pocket dimensions, she hadn''t been trapped, the array had been settled on an empty space from the beginning.


    The restrictions on space were lifted again by Adeline.


    Once they felt that, they all started to teleport in a hurry.


    Just as the Druk warrior, Yerass, was about to escape, Adeline flicked a finger and a small ball of light landed on his claw.


    Yerass had a scare but calmed down when he didn¡¯t feel any harm. The little ball of light turned into a rectangular card like those from a deck for games and bets. On it, was the picture of a white sword surrounded by runes.


    ¡°If it¡¯s true that you really are in need and were forced to come here to attack Thessei, I¡¯ll contact you later. I¡¯ll hear your story then, and maybe I will help you.¡±


    Adeline¡¯s voice sounded right next to Yerass¡¯s ear. All the other practitioners had left already.


    He turned to look at her, meeting her gaze was like being stabbed in the eyes by a sword. Yerass bowed deeply and teleported away after putting the card into a storage item.


    Adeline sighed and got out of the nine-layered pocket dimension. Lifting the restriction but keeping wards to inform her of any strange movements towards that world.


    <hr>


    Having arrived at Thessei, Adeline walked at a slow pace to the Central Metropolis guarded by the Grand Citadel of Tenrell, the city was the center of power in this entire realm, hidden within a gigantic array kept in place by the Citadel, so the population and resources could not be taken without overtaking the Citadel first.


    She had been asked by the current Lord of Tenrell, Gaerel Folarel, to protect them. Thessei was a realm that specialized in trade with other worlds and possessed a vast information network. But despite having multiple connections, they also had multiple enemies and people waiting to take their resources.


    Gaerel was a Human warrior of the Seventh Stage, he had contacted Adeline after receiving information of hostile movements against his land. Thessei usually had too many allies to face any direct attack like the one they received just now, but in such turbulent times, it was hard to have real friends to rely on.


    Alliances made out of interest did not survive harsh circumstances.


    But Adeline had answered his call for help and made a deal to protect them in exchange of usage of their information network, a valuable resource that she could employ for a good cause.


    Adeline walked at a leisure pace, the first thing to do would be to ask Gaerel to check for any information regarding the Nether Realm''s current situation.


    As far as she knew, there had been no leakage or cracks into the Hellish Planes, so the array that Arian was managing probably had done its work properly.


    The Nether Containment Grand Formation, which she could not manage at the same degree of proficiency as him; such matters were his specialty. Without that formation, in the event of a great disturbance happening across the Cosmos, the Nether Realms would start to permeate many Planes and contaminate the organisms living there, which would make one literal hell of a problem, and such disturbance had been pretty much a guaranteed thing given the number of Divinities that would inevitably die once her Master and the other heavy-weights started bringing out the big toys.


    Divine-rank Weapons, Dao Items and Life Artifacts of the top powerhouses of the Cosmos were not prone to letting the ones on the receiving end walk unscathed.


    Even so, they had hoped it could only be a worst-case measure that wouldn¡¯t be needed to be used.


    Obviously they had been too optimistic at that.


    He might still be busy with it, so he might not be able to leave the Nether Planes. If that was the case, she would go there to discuss their course of action.


    She would need to be careful, probably enter through one of the most exterior regions of the Netherworld and go from there, she didn¡¯t want to risk damaging the formation by forcing a dimensional gate to a deeper region.


    The consequences of such Grand Formation backlashing could be extremely dangerous to the person maintaining it. She would never bet with her brother¡¯s safety, no need to take such risks.


    Adeline kept a peaceful and clear state of mind as she started to recall the events of the past two centuries.


    She had to fight, cheat, stab, beat, kill, stab, plot, scheme, seal, bribe, stab, blackmail, outsmart, coerce, stab, cut, stab, and stab again a lot of people and monsters before things could get moving and a modicum of preparation and order could be had.


    There had been a lot of stabbing and cutting, because people were idiots and too ambitious for their own good. She actually thought that monsters and beasts were the least troublesome bunch.


    Arrogant assholes in positions of powers thought that they were untouchable due to the backing of Divinities who were actually being killed at the time, while the rest of the rowdy bunch were arrogant assholes in positions of power who thought they were untouchable because there were no longer any Divinities to fear or obey.


    She might have a prejudice against arrogant assholes in positions of power, but she was trying to be reasonable and yet they still kept going with their stupid schemes and dreams of conquest for other worlds.


    Couldn¡¯t they be happy cultivating in peace without bothering other people?


    Such mindset was probably why those old monsters who were thousands and sometimes even millions of years old had not achieved the title of Major Gods, incapable of rising to the position of True Powerhouses.


    The realm above Ninth Stage was not for the pusillanimous.


    Beings who didn¡¯t have the courage to fight for their goals until they thought that all was granted because they were surrounded by weaker beings could never ascend to true glory.


    If they could only act when the victory was close, danger-free and with the required effort to take candy from a toddler, then they would never pass the Trials of Ascension.


    Although, if they had been on that level of power they would be dead now, so there was that. She had to grant them that they had at least survived until now, which was quite a deed.


    But that gave them no excuse to start causing trouble across the Myriad Worlds.


    So Adeline had beaten all pricks that caused problems initially and gotten what she wanted, for the sake of the Cosmos, for their own good, and for her own fun and amusement, but that was extra.


    Yet even all that work hadn¡¯t been enough. Because now that the Seal of the Cosmos was broken, everyone would start to move, and even she could not prevent that.


    Preparedness averted perils, but sometimes the peril was just too big, and you couldn¡¯t stop it, only brace yourself and survive it.


    She had allies and friends, and there were people willing to help to keep some order and stability, she knew there were people outside her circle of influence who were ready to fight to protect those of the Lower Planes from hostile interventions of outsiders.


    But it was one thing to be willing, another to be able.


    Most of the people could only attend to their own, and had to shield their clans, organizations, and friends from the incoming danger. Very few people were capable of sheltering others, much less to travel to different worlds and fight other cultivators like Adeline was doing.


    But that was fine, everyone could only do what they were able to do.


    There was a multitude of cases where she had to go to extreme measures to keep the worst from happening, and it still hadn¡¯t been pretty.


    Simply because the Gods weren¡¯t there to guide people didn¡¯t mean that they would stop moving; just like there were groups that would not move again until their leading Divinity came back and tell them otherwise, there were others that would not wait for confirmation from their Masters to act.


    People still had their own ambitions, and while the upper echelons of the Cosmos had known what was going on with the top Powerhouses and Divinities, most of the Cosmos was in the dark, so they acted as if it was all still the same.


    It wasn¡¯t their fault that they were in the dark about such matters, but it was their fault that they were being complete idiots and trying to cause unnecessary messes, especially among those that knew the Gods were occupied in the Divine Realm so they thought they had some leisure time to do as they pleased before the Divinities returned.


    Utter idiots, all of them.


    Adeline''s serene expression changed and her anger flared momentarily as she thought about all the difficulties in this past century.


    Multiple times she had to step up and draw a figurative line in the sand with her sword; which was more akin to decapitating the most bothersome person and then threatening the rest with being next if they didn¡¯t behave.


    Sometimes the best preparation was an old-fashioned sword slash to the enemy¡¯s head.


    A classic, if she said so herself.


    Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn¡¯t. As everything in life.


    The first century had been quite calm, with everyone still gathering the courage to make the jump, but this last century had been one crazy circus, as she moved from one bloody mess caused by idiots to the next.


    Adeline didn¡¯t like to be a cop for other people, and she would not be. But she had promised her Master that she would look out for the lower-level people of the Cosmos if it was within her reach, not that he had actually asked her to do it, but she felt it was the right thing to do and had promised him such.


    He had smiled at her and said he was proud of her and her decision. The memory was bittersweet for her, his smiling face full of pride and kindness, the confidence in his words, the warmth of a kiss on her forehead as she embraced the man who had adopted her and raised her as a daughter, and loved her more than she had thought was possible.


    It had been the last time she had seen him, already centuries ago.


    She had cried, and she knew that Arian had cried too, unable to join their father in the greatest and most important war in history. They had to stay behind, full of worries and wondering if that would be the last time they would see him again.


    She didn¡¯t regret her decision. Sure, it was a hard task, but it was worth it and she still felt it was the right choice.


    It was one thing if great influences or Higher Worlds decided to go to war against each other or continue with their natural courses of expansion and evolution, but it was completely different if they started to extend their claws to the lower worlds.


    And that was the thing she was out to prevent.


    Because guidance and benefaction were different from conquest and dominance.


    She had played as ¡®peace ambassador¡¯ between the Daoist Sects in Violet Husk World and the Daoist Sects in Spectre Whirlwind World, which were about to launch a full-scale war between the two worlds. Not everyone in those worlds was a Cultivator, so they would have started a bloodshed of bystanders.


    So Adeline had done the sensible thing to prevent casualties of third parties: lay a trap for the top dogs of both sides and lock them into a dimension where they could have fun and fight each other until death for all she cared. They would be locked there for at least a couple of decades, if any of them actually managed to get out at all.


    Putting rabid dogs and ghost-loving rabid dogs together into a closed bag was a recipe for a nasty bloody fight.


    But hey, at least only they could get hurt. Other people wouldn¡¯t have to pay for their craziness.


    Another trouble was that while the beasts from the Desolate Wilderness Plane had been in a period of hibernation after the Heavens had been closed, calmly watching the situation, after the first century of peace they had become restless and started invasions to other Realms.


    The Children of the Gods had been silent all the while, but she kept a vigilant eye on their movements, they were the group with the greatest power right now, even if they weren¡¯t much united and didn¡¯t consider themselves as a group. And she really wished they wouldn¡¯t, but she wasn¡¯t optimist in that regard.


    Sharing a loss was a way to unite people, it was a truth verified since the dawn of time, and these guys would act soon, after they had confirmed the death of their progenitors. The sons and daughters of the Divinities would try to seize the thrones of their parents, though they would not act immediately. They would be the greatest claimants to their seats of power and would attempt to take hold of their predecessors¡¯ Laws and Paths.


    The second most dangerous group was the Witenagemot, an ancient council of Sages all at the Eight Stage of Cultivation, formed by people from different races, it occupied the second place in the list of worrisome groups, they had been quiet so far, but in this case Adeline knew for certain that they were not motionless, they were simply scheming and moving pieces in the dark.


    The King of Katabria had launched an invasion against the Nether Planes 50 years ago, in the hopes of seizing one of the Nine Serenities, the nine central places of power in the Netherworld, one for each Nether Plane. Such incursion could have messed with the Grand Formation that Arian was controlling, so Adeline had intervened; which was to say, she had fought the legions of Katabria and went on to have a sword-to-face conversation with King Nekron.


    It had been a hard fight, the King was a powerhouse at the peak of Eighth Stage, already half-step into Ninth Stage. He had, after all, the strength to attempt an incursion to one of the hearts of the Nether Planes.


    They had reached a compromise, and although she didn¡¯t like it, she was winning more in that deal. He would refrain from any incursion to the Nether Planes for now, which was what mattered.


    The list of troublesome events went on and on.


    Many influences and individuals had made small or big moves in the last century, causing large and little waves in the Cosmos, most of them preparing for the moment when the result of the war would be known.


    And one week ago, it had been the moment of truth.


    The seal was finally broken, and everyone would show their true colors, and even she could not predict what would happen now, what kind of place would the Cosmos turn into.


    The different races of magical creatures had started to make noise; the High Elves, the Elemental Giants, the Dark Clans, even some of the Dragons had come out from seclusion now that the Gods were gone.


    The Seven Spheres of Pereastra were in turmoil, and at the brink of internal war between Spheres. Personally, she hoped that Tavnyr Rhizi, Emperor of the Fourth Sphere of Pereastra, would finally kick all their asses and conquer that whole Plane, those realms really needed a tough hand to put order, especially to those zealots in the Seventh Sphere. The best thing was that Tavnyr was a really good ruler, who cared for his people and made great efforts to improve their quality of life.


    Besides, he was a friend and occasional drinking buddy of her Big Brother, which gave him a lot of points in her book. She might consider lending him a hand if she got some free time.


    Many realms were broken into pieces by the backlash of the breaking of the Seal of the Cosmos, she could not tend to them right now, but she would try to do something soon.


    There was also the matter of that guy Marcus who had suspiciously arrived at one of her family¡¯s own private realms right when the Cataclysm had started. She had almost killed him when she felt the entrance, but noticing that he wasn¡¯t a threat, although he was very talented, she let him stay for a day before sending him to another realm. Turns out he had grabbed an old amulet of Arian and it had taken him to that secret realm when the disturbance started.


    She would need to talk to her brother about it when they met again.


    The forces of the Faerie Realm were moving, she knew that, but they would take longer to actually do something to other worlds, that gave her precious time.


    Many powerful clans were already fighting each other.


    Every magical creature and cultivator had gotten rid of the pressure of the Seal of the Cosmos, so now a more rapid evolution would start, so more powerful and varied creatures will appear.


    The restrictions of the Great Path of Ascension were gone, and in the feeling of exhilarating freedom, Practitioners from every tradition and legacy would rise.


    The Cosmos would move forward, and change would come, one way or the other.


    There were just too many things happening, even with some groups out there that tried to keep an orderly manner, it was just too big of a tide. The turmoil, restlessness and outright chaos were inevitable.


    In summary, now the Cosmos was free, as her Master would put it. But such state also brought with it a period of disturbances before it could stabilize into a forward tide of positive change.


    She had succeeded in minimizing the damage, and yet the minimum damage was still a catastrophe across countless worlds. There was just no way to prevent that.


    She had managed to get the top players to behave when the chaos started and kept the Major Races -which had the greatest armies, the strongest warriors and deadliest technologies- at bay so that they wouldn¡¯t go on a frenzy of conquest across worlds, at least not right now.


    This state was delicate, and would not be kept forever. The movements during the last century were mere testing of the waters, now they had confirmation that the Gods were gone so they would pull out their true strength into their movements, and even she didn¡¯t know in what kind of state her Master would be after the war.


    She believed in her Master, but she also feared for the worst.


    The powerhouses would make their move soon, and she could not stop them all nor prevent them all from moving their troops, and they knew that too. The only thing that kept this unstable equilibrium was that they all wanted somebody else to be the one to occupy her, and fortunately those bastards were too self-important and ambitious to actually cooperate with each other, they had no trust in each other, which would halt their steps for some time.


    But that would not be for long.


    The cosmos had changed, and was still changing, it was an unstoppable tide and one had to ride it or be drown by it.


    Only people like her Master could split and halt that kind of tide, but in this case, her Master was the tide, in a certain way, so there was no stopping it.


    Now, first things first, she had to get in contact with her Big Brother, and together they would look for a way to check on their Master¡¯s condition and a way to meet up with him if it was possible.


    Everything was secondary until they reunited, they could think about what to do with the Cosmos then.


    Adeline was still thinking on future plans when she felt a light pull on her Cultivation Core. She turned her head and expanded her senses in the direction of the pull.


    On a hill barely a kilometer where she was, a man in robes of violet and silver stood with a hand over his head, waving at her with a smile.


    Her Elder Brother, Arian Rohinel.


    She turned completely to his direction and started to run, after three steps she accelerated to an extreme speed and jumped towards him, her arms extended forwards.


    ¡°Arian!¡±


    She shouted in pleasant surprise as she transcended space to arrive by his side in an instant.


    ¡°Hey, Adie! Guess what? Mas-¡±


    Arian''s smile faltered for a moment, he noticed the huge force that Adeline¡¯s jump carried.


    Time slowed down for Arian, enabling him to take notice of everything around him with an enhanced perception. She really was propelling herself to his location with a tremendous force.


    She must be doing this just to mess with him.


    He took a step back and tried to take some distance. His foot was still in midair as he noticed that, despite him using a Shrinking Ground Technique, her position relative to him was not changing, they both were getting away from Arian¡¯s initial position, while Adeline was still in midair in her jump with her arms extended towards him.


    His foot still in the air in the middle of a retreating motion, Arian continued moving. The area surrounding him changed, he was no longer on a hill but on a beach.


    Adeline was still in the air in front of him, at exactly the same distance from him, which was no more than two meters.


    The location changed again; forest, mountain, desert, space, the sea, Arian moved to different places across Thessei Plane but Adeline was still in front of him no matter how he teleported.


    With a big smug grin on her face.


    Had she fixed her relative position to him in her movement? This was quite the accomplishment in the comprehension of the Law of Space.


    Still, it seemed really wasteful and petty to use it in such playful manner.


    Although he wasn¡¯t one to talk, teleporting at high speed while altering his own temporal perception to avoid her tackle.


    Once his thoughts arrived at this, he sighed before resigning himself and returning to the hill where they had started this chase.


    His foot finished the retreating movement and finally touched the ground. He braced himself, preparing for impact and spread his arms to receive the tackling hug of Adeline.


    Adeline was as tall as Arian, standing at 1.86 m, though they could change their appearances and measures at will, this was their natural state.


    Time returned to normal.


    Arian received his younger sister¡¯s tackle, redirecting the force of the impact to the air behind him, which would have caused a booming explosion, but he made a rune appear to absorb it.


    ¡°Ugh, careful, girl! I missed you too.¡±


    Arian tightened his embrace of his sister, returning the hug.


    He had been very worried; he didn¡¯t know what kind of crazy actions the different groups in the Cosmos would do, or what kind of perils Adeline would face. For the past two hundred years, he had been worried about his family as he handled the great array in the Nether Planes.


    Despite knowing that she was very powerful and perfectly capable of taking care of herself, it was inevitable that he worried.


    No matter how strong a cultivator was, they could still be surrounded and overwhelmed if the enemies were too numerous or clever enough.


    ¡°Arian, let¡¯s go. We need to get back home, then we need to find a way to contact Master, or at least find out in what kind of state he is. You just got out of the Nether Realms, right? I¡¯ll fill you in on the things that have happened in the past century, but Master comes first.¡±


    Adeline spoke at high speed, decisive and firm. The priority was clear: to check on their Master¡¯s current condition and find a way to reunite.


    ¡°Ah, actually, I wanted to tell you about that. Turn around.¡±


    Arian replied with a smile and rotated his finger, signaling Adeline to spin and look behind her.


    She turned around and found her Master standing a couple of meters behind her, unhurriedly eating popcorn without any worry.


    ¡°Hello, Addie-¡±


    Navin managed to put the popcorn aside before Adeline leaped on him, closing her arms around him, and buried her face on his shoulder.


    For a minute, they stood there silently. Adeline was tightly embracing her father as Navin caressed her hair.


    ¡°I was worried.¡±


    Adeline said in a soft voice, her face still on her Master¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I worried you, princess.¡±


    Navin kissed the top of her head. She raised her head and gave him a kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°Welcome back, Master.¡±


    She showed him a beautiful smile, relieved of worries and joyful to be reunited with her family again.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back, Addie.¡±


    Navin smiled too, now they were all together again, he could leave his worries behind.


    He turned his head to look at his First Disciple, who was looking at them with warm eyes.


    ¡°You are such a mean brother, trying to dodge your sister¡¯s loving hug.¡±


    Navin pointed at Arian with an accusatory finger and a tone of fake reprimand. Arian simply rolled his eyes but kept smiling. If his Master could joke around then things weren''t so bad and urgent. No matter the current situation of the Cosmos, they could handle it together.


    ¡°Hey, she launched herself towards me like a meteor. She is the one who has to watch her manners.¡±


    Arian defended himself in mock-offense. At that, Adeline turned to look at Arian and stuck out her tongue.


    ¡°Hmph, as if you couldn¡¯t handle that! It¡¯s called ¡®tough love¡¯, haven¡¯t you heard of it? You need to expand your knowledge.¡±


    She raised her head with a grin and puffed her chest out, while Arian was wondering what kind of books she had been reading lately. She always picked up weird ideas from her constant journeys through the different realms.


    ¡°But there¡¯s no problem, you can¡¯t dodge my [Ineluctable Hug Absolute Technique], even if you Void Walk or use Cosmic Treading, it¡¯s unavoidable! Hahaha.¡±


    Adeline announced with pride. Her comprehension of Space Principle had allowed her to create many certain-hit techniques that could only be dodged with great difficulty and if one had a higher understanding of the Laws of Space and Time than her.


    ¡°Did you actually create a technique for the sole purpose of hugging me in a way I couldn¡¯t dodge?¡±


    ¡°Of course. And it¡¯s a Masterpiece of Spatial Control, coordinating the Principles of Relative Positioning, Void Travel and even tapping on Causality. Behold, Anti-Big-Brother Technique #23 has successfully passed the test. This is a historic moment.¡±


    Adeline answered with a huge grin. Navin laughed at that declaration while Arian just looked at her in a mixture of admiration and annoyance for the creation of such a complex technique for such a mundane use.


    She had been training in different manners, even an apparently ¡®joking¡¯ technique like this could be a great exercise and it had multiple applications despite the ridiculous name.


    ¡°Never change, sweetie.¡±


    Navin kissed the top of her head and extended an arm to grab Arian.


    Having his two first Disciples in his arms, Navin closed his eyes, enjoying the short moment of bliss.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back home, we have many things to do.¡±

 Chapter 28: A Dream of Peace

    ¡°So, what brought you over here, Kar?¡±


    Maria heard Aina asking the question. They were in the middle of a forest, after Lord Navin had asked them about what they wanted to do, Aina had proposed to go for a stroll together before traveling to a new place, she had quickly gotten excited at the sight of the forest while it was getting dark, and wanted to run around and see if she could hunt something.


    That¡¯s when they had met Kar, as both he and Aina had selected a deer as prey in this clearing.


    Now it had gotten dark and Navin made small globes of light to illuminate the area with a soft white light.


    Kar brushed the corners of his eyes, cleaning away the tears. He had cried enough, to shed more tears would be a waste of water.


    ¡°I was thinking about what to do in the future. My tribe is facing great dangers and we have made strong enemies too.¡±


    Kar spoke while he carefully stored the stone tablet and the scroll inside his bag. He was itching to return to the tribe and have some time alone to read this in a safe and private place, but he had to wait.


    It wouldn¡¯t be respectful to leave this Sage and his family so hastily after receiving such gifts.


    ¡°Enemies, from where? Will you be ok, Kar?¡±


    Maria asked, it was the first time she addressed Kar, she was more prejudiced against Goblins than Aina, who was too young to know the horrible things that Goblins did and the bloody fights between the races.


    Aina had never lost a friend to Goblins, so it was easier for her to be open-minded.


    However, Maria was trying. And there were three thoughts that helped her in this endeavor:


    First, Navin had said that Kar was a good Goblin, and said that Goblins were people too, not simple cruel monsters.


    Second, Aina had extended her kindness to Kar, so Maria would try to be nice for the sake of her daughter.


    And third, and perhaps the most important reason, Maria knew that Navin¡¯s words about there being good and evil people in every race were true, not because he had spoken them, but because she had witnessed it herself. The people from her own village had attacked her daughter out of superstitious fear and had attempted to murder her; they hadn¡¯t listened to reason and hadn¡¯t given them a chance to prove innocence, that trial had been a lie, a formality for them to publicly mock her and gather to kill her.


    They had been like monsters in human skin. That day Maria had seen the darkest side of the people she had considered friends and she herself had fallen into the deepest pits of despair, she had killed people that day and she had been ready to die.


    That was the day their lives had changed and had met Navin.


    If people could be so evil as to stone to death an innocent little girl, Maria had no problem believing that ¡®monsters¡¯ could be good and kind, capable of being friendly.


    But she knew very well how despised Goblins were, they would be killed as soon as they were found. The little Goblin nodded his head vigorously.


    ¡°Yes, Madam. Goblins have enemies everywhere, but we are careful, my tribe is big and our Chieftain strong and I keep everyone organized.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are important within your tribe?¡±


    Aina asked curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m smart, so I make plans for the tribe, our Chieftain is an idiot, but he cares about the tribe, so he listens to me.¡±


    Kar laughed a bit. it was the first time that Aina had seen a Goblin laughing, but Maria had seen them before, laughing when they killed someone. This laughter was different, it was softer and without the shrill tone she remembered, it was warm and a bit high-pitched, almost like a child¡¯s laughter.


    For a moment Maria wondered how old Kar was, but she didn¡¯t ask.


    ¡°Kar, I know the path ahead of you will be hard, but I want you to always keep this in mind: don¡¯t stray from the right way because then your dream won¡¯t be achieved. Honor is one of the things that separate people from mindless beasts.¡±


    Navin advised Kar in a serious tone. If Kar¡¯s tribe resorted to pure violence and acts of depravity, then the other Species will retaliate against him and continue to hunt down Goblins with hatred.


    To bring forth a change, the first that needed to change was oneself.


    Kar looked at Navin and nodded.


    ¡°I will strive to follow the Sage¡¯s wise counsel; I won¡¯t give up until I achieve the dreamed future for my kind.¡±


    ¡°Good¡±


    Navin nodded and pointed a finger towards Kar. A hand mirror appeared, it was silver and adorned with multiple runes, it¡¯s crystal was spotless and reflected Kar¡¯s face perfectly.


    ¡°Keep this with you. When you need advice or are in grave danger, call me with this. Just hold it and imagine talking with me, my face will appear there and we¡¯ll talk.¡±


    Kar stared at the mirror, then at Navin and back at the mirror. This thing could let him contact with this Sage at any time he needed? If such a great person was willing to lend a hand to him, if this powerful man would help his tribe, then everything was possible!


    ¡°It¡¯s not to be used for every little thing; I won¡¯t be taking control of your tribe. The future of Goblins must be built by Goblins, right? But if you find yourself needing my help or don¡¯t know what to do to help your people, contact me. I can¡¯t be with you all the time and make every choice for you, but I¡¯m sure my advice will prove useful.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Navin smiled at Kar. This was a minor thing for him, to lend his advice to Kar in the arduous task of guiding his tribe would cost him nothing, and that way Navin could make sure that Kar did not abuse the Legacy of Kharsfal while keeping Kar safe.


    Kar knelt in front of Navin, grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and let it fall slowly in front of him with a raised hand. This was a sign of great respect and gratitude among Goblins, it was sometimes used to express subservience to a superior Goblin, like one Chieftain to another.


    Maria and Aina looked at Kar with a surprised expression, they didn¡¯t know the meaning of that gesture, although looking at Kar kneeling on the ground was enough to infer that it was some form of showing respect.


    ¡°I thank the Sage for your benefaction and magnanimity. I will use this wisely, and prove to you that I¡¯m worthy of receiving these gifts.¡±


    Kar spoke in a firm voice, although he was shaking slightly, his gaze was unwavering.


    Navin nodded at Kar, and the Goblin stood back up.


    ¡°I know that you won¡¯t disappoint me. It has been a nice surprise to meet with you, Kar, but I think it¡¯s time for us to part for now.¡±


    Navin spoke and raised his head slightly to look at the sky, then he looked back at Kar.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting darker now; go back to your tribe and read the scroll and the tablet. A new Path opens tonight to you, but the journey will be hard, just remember to never give up and maintain honor.¡±


    Navin smiled and pointed at the silver mirror in Kar¡¯s hand.


    ¡°And if things get too difficult, don¡¯t hesitate to call.¡±


    Kar nodded again and again in response to Navin¡¯s words. He would definitely ask for advice, only a fool would turn his back from the help of such a powerful backer. Even if it was only a little guidance, such a thing was invaluable.


    ¡°Thank you, Sage. I will listen to your words faithfully and uphold honor for Goblinkind.¡±


    Kar turned to look at Aina and Maria, he bowed his head.


    ¡°I hope we can meet again.¡±


    Kar said in a soft voice, but perfectly audible in the silent forest. Aina smiled and shook hands with him again.


    ¡°I know we will meet again, silly. Try to convince all your friends to be Good Goblins like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Kar knew that not all Goblins will listen to him, but he would strive to change the mentality and customs of Goblins, at least Feneh will listen to him, and by extension the whole tribe, that was a start.


    ¡°Be safe, Kar. I know that humans have a very bad opinion of your kind, but we are not all bad people either, I think one day there will be peace between both races.¡±


    Maria smiled at him and also shook hands with Kar, the sensation of his hand on hers gave her a bit of goosebumps, but she managed to control the subconscious response. She didn¡¯t shake and didn¡¯t let her expression change, instead, she placed another hand over their two connected hands, embracing Kar¡¯s hand with both of hers.


    ¡°It may take time and effort, but it can be done.¡±


    She gripped firmly his hands and then let go. It would be long before Goblins and Humans could live together in harmony, and that¡¯s without mentioning other races. But one step at a time, it could be done.


    ¡°I will work hard in hopes that such day arrives soon, Madam.¡±


    Kar spoke these final words to her and turned around, walking with firm steps towards the path that would take him back to his tribe.


    Just as he was about to leave the clearing, he turned around.


    He was alone on the clearing as if it had been all a dream. He touched his bag and felt the three new items there.


    No, it wasn¡¯t a dream, just something incredible. Something that was almost like a dream.


    It was hope.


    <hr>


    ¡°Will Kar be ok, Master?¡±


    Aina asked while sitting on her mother¡¯s lap. They were floating in the sky on a gigantic black triangle made from metal, on the center of it was a wide and comfortable sofa where they were sitting.


    On the ground, she could see Kar walking into the forest, he was going back to his tribe.


    The metallic triangle moved and started to fly towards the East, deeper into Likia Kingdom¡¯s territory.


    ¡°He will find many difficulties, but he will overcome them. He won¡¯t be alone on that endeavor, he is a leader who will influence many Goblins to change their ways and establish a good relationship with other Species. But there will be a lot of challenges and battles before he can achieve peace.¡±


    Navin answered by her side, he was sitting on the sofa next to Maria, steering the flying object.


    ¡°Goblins are hated by many races, not only Humans. It¡¯s going to be very hard for him to change people¡¯s minds. I wonder, how did such discrimination start in the first place? They have been hated for as long as I can remember.¡±


    Maria commented. She had grown up in such an environment, and she had actually never questioned the notion that Goblins were evil creatures. The events of tonight were making her examine her memories and wonder about how Humans and Goblins had hated and murdered each other over so many years.


    How had such horrible situation started?


    ¡°It would be hard to know exactly how this happened, such things are not the matter of a single day. Discrimination, hatred, and fear are not born suddenly, the mentality of people needs to be cultivated and molded, and such things require both internal and external factors.¡±


    Navin answered while making a tray full of skewers with meat and vegetables on them. He took one while the tray floated in front of them, Maria and Aina took one each.


    ¡°I doubt either side remembers how this started anymore. Since it¡¯s been so long. Seems very silly when looked at it that way, fighting and hating an entire race for something we don¡¯t even know or care to remember.¡±


    Maria took a bite of the meat in the skewer, but she didn¡¯t have much appetite.


    Next to her Navin replied.


    ¡°Neither side remember how it started, but they remember losing people in the conflict, they remember that a friend was killed or they were hurt in some occasion, so they tell the story and pass on that hatred and discrimination to the next generation, continuing the chain; then their children grow up under that custom and do not question it, until they meet something that serves as an example of their ideas being true, so they think that it must be right and then become the same as the previous generation, having a reason to continue the chain that they don¡¯t even know how was started.¡±


    ¡°Can the chain be broken?¡±


    Maria asked softly. She believed in Navin¡¯s words, but to change the way that Humans, Elves, Beastkins, and so many other races thought was really something that seemed impossible for her.


    That¡¯s even without mentioning changing the Goblin¡¯s mentality and behavior.


    Besides, even if they stopped the discrimination, would Goblins be able to forgive all those years of pain inflicted by other races?


    She didn¡¯t want to think about such matters, but she couldn¡¯t avoid wondering about it.


    She had even said to Kar that he shouldn¡¯t lose hope and work hard step by step to that goal. But once she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t help wondering if it was just too big of a situation to handle.


    Navin smiled.


    ¡°Yes, it can be broken. Believe me, we are in a new Era; one that will be defined by the breaking of chains and getting rid of oppression, not just in this world, but all across the Cosmos.¡±


    Hearing those words from her Master, Aina looked at both of them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. There might be a lot of things to do, but as you said, we¡¯ll do them one by one. We can¡¯t go around telling people to be nice to Goblins, they won¡¯t listen. But if Kar makes his friends be good, people will notice. And then we will tell people about there being good Goblins.¡±


    She took a huge bite from her meal and swallowed quickly before continuing.


    ¡°You said there are lots of things to do. Well, we¡¯ll do what we can, and Kar will do what he can.¡±


    Aina finished her skewer and took another, then she smiled and pointed next to her mother, to the powerful Immortal Cultivator who had changed their lives and now had convinced a Goblin to start a campaign of turning all his race into good people despite the opinions of the world.


    Navin recognized that smile, all his Disciples had shown him that smile, especially Adeline. Even Ethan had made that expression, less than a day ago.


    It wasn''t exactly a look of dependence, but more like the expression of a shrewd businessman calling out an important clause in the contract when it was convenient.


    And he knew that he could only blame himself if a 12-year-old girl was making that expression now.


    ¡°For everything else, there¡¯s Master.¡±


    Really, he shouldn''t spoil these children so much.

 Chapter 29: Species and Races

    Aina had a bright and happy smile as she looked at her Master.


    Looking to her side, Maria saw that Navin had a strange smile on his face and was barely containing his laughter as if he had remembered something funny.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Leave the most troublesome matters to me, we each do as it¡¯s within our capabilities, right?¡±


    Navin took a deep breath and smiled while taking another skewer and making appear a jar full of juice which he served on three glasses.


    ¡°Right! Thank you, Master.¡±


    Aina replied in a good mood. Even Maria was starting to cheer up a bit. She could put her worries aside, thinking about such massive matters would do her no good, and if it was really something too great for them to handle, then they could ask for Navin¡¯s help.


    Maria was starting to believe that even if it was something impossible for the entirety of the people of the world, it would be possible for Navin.


    ¡°Mom, I had always heard that Goblins were really ugly, but Kar wasn¡¯t ugly, just a bit weird-looking. Like a kid with green skin that had been playing too long in the mud.¡±


    Aina said after drinking half of the juice in her glass. Maria privately found it funny that Aina was referring to Kar as ¡®a kid¡¯ when she was just a little girl herself. Now that Maria thought about it, given the harsh life Goblins lived, Kar was probably forced to mature faster than a Human child, like Aina, would.


    But Aina¡¯s words made Maria think. She thought back to the little goblin with short black hair, green skin, and red eyes, and compared him to the other Goblins she had personally seen.


    Kar was definitely less ugly than them, he was kind of cute, in a way. His nose wasn¡¯t bulbous but pointy, his ears were elongated and pointy like all other Goblins but not the wide and rough sheets of skin she remembered seeing on other Goblins.


    His eyes were red with yellow sclera like all goblins, but hiseyes weren¡¯t bloodshot nor mad, they were limpid and intelligent, although burdened with sadness, a look Maria had seen in many people before.


    ¡°I wonder. Lord Navin, are there many kinds of Goblins? Kar looked different from the ones I had met before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are. Within every species, there are distinct populations of individuals with their own characteristics, that¡¯s what¡¯s properly called a ¡®Race¡¯.¡±


    Navin began the explanation, he didn¡¯t want to cover this subject from the approach of genetics, since neither Maria nor Aina had the background to understand technical terms of biology, but there were more practical ways to explain this matter.


    Besides, even in the most advanced worlds, with great minds dedicated to this study with the help of technology and magic, there were too many mysteries still uncovered about even the simplest forms of life and the ways of evolution.


    A superficial approach for this explanation would be ideal in this case, instead of technical terms, he would use layman¡¯s terms and cover the subjects in the same mannerthat an encyclopedic book would.


    Ample knowledge without delving deep into the technicalities that would require expertise to properly understand.


    Navin made multiple projections appear in the air in front of the sofa over the flying device. The projections showed multiple creatures of different species, including Goblins, Humans, and Elves.


    ¡°Just like in the Human Species where there are multiple groups of people with different characteristics like a certain amount of muscular mass, a particular skin color, certain facial features, a specific eye color and shade, affinity to some element, capacity for magic, talent in multiple areas, or any other trait. Each of these people is Human, and any of them can have these characteristics, the lack or possession of one or more of these characteristics does not make one more nor less Human than the rest. Now, due to multiple factors, like the environment, social structure, the activities they dedicate to, and the desire for kinship, people gather.¡±


    Navin made multiple individuals of each group of projection appear and then separated each group.


    ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s people with similar characteristics who gather due to their similarities, so everyone in the population will share a common distinctive trait; sometimes people with different characteristics gather and dueto the relationships between them, their descendants will have their characteristics and with the passage of time, the general population of that community will have common traits in them. Either way, a new group will be created that has something that identifies them as a member of the same community and sets them apart from the rest of the world.¡±


    Maria and Aina nodded at his words. While intently watching the moving projections. Aina absentmindedly grabbed more skewers and passed one to her mother as the explanation continued.


    ¡°The common trait or characteristics among a specific population can be anything. You will find tribes where everyone has the same tone of skin, you will see families where everyone¡¯s hair or eye color is the same, there are bloodlines where everybody possesses the same attribute in magic. Communities that have worked as hunters for generations will find that their children have bodies more suited for the task, which will help them assimilate the traditions and techniques of their predecessors faster; there¡¯s also the people who have lived for a long time in a place, their bodies will mutate and adapt to that environment for survival¡¯s sake.¡±


    Maria and Aina looked at the images of the different groups, the images of individuals were fusing together in pairs, sometimes turning into a single image of a new individual, and sometimes fusing and making groups of two or three individuals appear which would in turn then fuse with others and make new individuals appear, there were also individual images that would not fuse with others and silently disappeared.


    It took them but a moment to figure out that this was showing the descendants of each pair of individuals, representing the passing from one generation to another.


    ¡°And through this long process of mutation, variation, adaptation, and passing of traits across many generations, known as evolution, there are characteristics that are inherited, some that are discarded, some that stay inactive in one generation and manifest in another generation, and also there¡¯s the appearance of new characteristics that had never existed before. The end result is the wonderful world we see today, full of endless variations and countless groups of people with different characteristics both among themselves and in relation with other groups.¡±


    With a wave of his hand, Navin made the projections expand and show a vast number of people of different species and races, now there were animals and plants in the grand picture that he showed them.


    It was a vast world, vibrant with vitality and full of exotic forms of life.


    Aina was amazed by the picture, she turned her head to look at her mother who was also admiring the beautiful projection, and they smiled at each other. They both turned then to look at their lecturer and maker of this beautiful scene.


    Navin was smiling at the projected image, with a fond smile that reminded Aina of the smile her mother gave her whenever Aina made small presents for her or gathered flowers to bring back home.


    A very warm, beautiful smile.


    ¡°I have always loved and admired this particular aspect of the Cosmos, the wonder of infinite forms of life, countless paths that can be walked into an endless expanse of existence. It¡¯s truly beautiful.¡±


    He said in a soft voice, full of warm emotions, his eyes were glittering slightly as he seemed to be looking at something beyond this picture, something far vaster and more wonderful than this projection.


    A few seconds later, he waved his hand again and the vast picture changed, showing now only a group of different Goblins of different appearance.


    ¡°In Goblins¡¯ case, since they are intrinsically magical creatures, their evolution happens at a different speed than in non-magical species. This is due to a process known as Metamorphosis through which they physically develop new characteristics and change their body structure during their lifetime. You have seen how a larva turns into a butterfly, right? Well, in magical creatures and even in some Cultivators, this process happens too, but in a bigger way and repeatedly across their lives. Sometimes it¡¯s a necessity for their Ascension in their Cultivation Stages. But unlike with non-magical animals that undergo Metamorphosis as they mature with age, magical creatures only undergo a Metamorphosis when they meet certain criteria, regardless of age, they will only transform when the whole conditions are satisfied.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Some of the images of Goblins stepped forwards, they were all Goblins, but there were huge variations between them.


    ¡°The most basic and common Goblins are small, thin, and green, with red irises and yellow sclera, pointed ears and sharp tooth. After their first Metamorphosis, they become Hobgoblins, which are by a general rule stronger, smarter, taller, more muscular and more aesthetically pleasant in appearance; Hobgoblins are the first leaders that appear among Goblins, and in their society they serve as commanders in the battlefield and organizers of different endeavors within the tribes.¡±


    The first image of a small Goblin disappeared and four different figures replaced it; these were examples of Hobgoblins.


    The first was a male, red-haired, he had a lean body, wore leather armor and had a bow on the back.


    The second was female, brunette, she was taller and more muscular than the archer, wielding a broadsword on her right hand, she also had leather armor.


    The third was male, over two meters tall, fat with a big belly and thick arms of muscle, he wore no armor nor clothes on his upper body, his weapon was an enormous wooden club.


    The fourth was female, with long gray hair and a wide tunic covering her body, she had multiple tattoos on her arms and torso, red lines of painting adorned her face as she wielded a wooden staff adorned with bones of many animals.


    ¡°Just like any other sentient race, the Goblins have multiple jobs and Classes, and they carry multiple functions within their tribes, there are soldiers, hunters, scouts, shamans, and builders too. Usually, Hobgoblins are the ones who take these positions since basic Goblins don¡¯t have the Skills for it.¡±


    At that time, Aina raised her hand and asked a question.


    ¡°Master, then is Kar a Hobgoblin?¡±


    ¡°No, Kar is a regular Goblin. But he has started to cultivate thanks to the Legacy of Kharsfal he found, so both his body and mind are different from how a common Goblin would be. He is soon to become a Hobgoblin, so the next time you see him he will look different.¡±


    ¡°Ohh¡­¡±


    Aina let out a sound of mild surprise. So Kar would transform in a Hobgoblin and look different next time? Will he be taller?


    ¡°There are many paths of Metamorphosis for a Goblin, after becoming a Hobgoblin, they can transform into a Trasgu, a Lutin, an Iratxo, a Pukwudgie, and many other biological varieties of Goblinkind, which they reach depending on many factors such as their Classes as fighters, healers, crafters, etc.¡±


    Trasgus were fighters and hunters, with natural traits specialized in living and fighting in the woods.


    Lutins possessed great affinity to magic and were versed in a wide variety of tricks and spells.


    Iratxoak were great farmers andknowledgeable in many fields, they were experts in botanic and ranching, many Druids and Shamans among Goblins became this.


    Pukwudgies were stealth specialists, silent and elusive. Skilled in assassination, exploration, and disguise.


    And there were many more types of Goblins.


    ¡°Goblins had that many variations? I had never heard of it. I knew about Hobgoblins and Shamans; I had seen them years ago in some raids against villages they had carried out. I had heard about the Chieftains, Goblin Lords and Goblin Kings, but they are titles, with Hobgoblins holding those positions, not a different kind of Goblin.¡±


    Maria commented. All these many different names and variations, but if Goblins were such a prolific species with so many transformations available for them, why didn¡¯t the rest of the world know?


    It couldn¡¯t be simply because they didn¡¯t bother to learn, even if they didn¡¯t care to learn, they would have met these many transformed Goblins during the multiple battles across history.


    ¡°Correct, those are simply titles within the Goblin society and also a Class within the Classification Systems, but not a biological variation within their species. I¡¯m not sure what happened in this world, or why Goblins are so oppressed and barely surviving by scavenging. But I have seen Goblins in multiple worlds, and I analyzed Kar, the Goblins here don¡¯t have limiting traits on their bodies nor much biological difference from the Goblins in other realms. They simply hadn¡¯t manifested these Metamorphoses because they hadn¡¯t been able to, they are killed before they can fulfill the conditions for them.¡±


    Navin replied with his eyebrows furrowed. He was thinking about how to find out more about the history of this world; it couldn¡¯t have been a single event that led to this situation. If he wanted to find out he would have to search ancient ruins, history books or maybe search into the genetic memory of Goblins with some ritual. But that would be tedious, and he didn¡¯t have the luxury to waste energy on such matters.


    This entire situation was picking his curiosity, he felt there was something more at play here, but couldn¡¯t find out exactly what. This world had been tampered with by Divinities, that much was a given due to all the Dungeons in this world. Navin hadn¡¯t scanned this world with his Divine Sense to investigate in detail, but simply with his Nirmita standing here, he could feel the marks that the touch of Divine Energies had left in this world.


    He would have to let this matter wait for now and investigate when he had recovered more of his power.


    ¡°Master, those are things that happen with Goblins, are Humans like that too? What about Elves and Beastkins? I have heard of something called High Elves existing, and Mom told me that Beastkins have different animal traits but some are more human-like than others.¡±


    Aina said just as she finished the last skewer in the tray. She turned to look at her Master, both for more food and for the answer to her question.


    Navin made more skewers appear in the tray before replying.


    ¡°Yes, although Humans don¡¯t have the inherent magical traits of such species. Humans don¡¯t possess the ability to undergo Metamorphosis, although there are many ways to change one¡¯s nature. Practitioners of different traditions use different methods to alter the body, mind, and soul to better fit their arts, and many people have fortuitous encounters that enable them to enhance their physiques to gain new attributes.¡±


    Navin then pointed at Aina with a smile.


    ¡°Of course, there are also those like you, Aina. People who possess a unique and special physique, it can be a mutation, genetic variation or evolution, whatever the case, you have a body that¡¯s different from that of other people and you possess an ability that only you can use. So you are one example of extraordinary Humans who have special traits, you are one of a kind.¡±


    Hearing that, Aina smiled and let violet lightning dance between the fingers of one hand, then let it return inside her body.


    ¡°What about Elves and Beastkins, Dwarves, and other species?¡±


    Maria asked as she grabbed some skewers, the conversation had lifted her mood, and it had been very informative and interesting.


    ¡°Each species has its own variations and evolutionary path, and although there are species that only exist in certain worlds, there are some widespread species that are common in many realms of the Cosmos. Elves and Fairies are closely related species, just like Dwarves and Gnomes. In fact, they are all related to Goblins too, although they don¡¯t like to talk about it; in some cases, they even kill anyone who mentions the ancestral relationship between the species. Many like to pretend they were born just as they are now from Nature itself or by creation by the hand of the Gods.¡±


    Navin laughed. The ancient dark history of the Five Fair Families of the Cosmos, which were the Elves, Faeries, Goblins, Nymphs and Dwarves, was something very few people knew, even among the old and powerful Cultivators, since not everyone was interested in finding out such things, especially if they could offend powerful beings from those species by digging too deep on their matters.


    However, Navin knew it, and knew it very well. Like, having taken the full information of ancient records regarding their origins directly out of the mind of the King of the Fairies after winning a bet, that well.


    But that was a story for another time. Maybe he could tell the story when Ethan and Aina finally met? That would be a good occasion for it.


    ¡°Anyways, each species has its own methods, everyone is trying to survive, adapt to their environment and even change the environment to suit their needs or tastes, training to become stronger and studying to develop new arts that allow them to improve their lives.¡±


    ¡°Even you, Master?¡±


    ¡°Oh, absolutely. I never stop improving and learning. Cultivation is like swimming against the current of a river, if you stagnate then you fall behind. So one must always try to make every effort to advance in order to succeed.¡±


    ¡°Will I be as strong as you one day, Master?¡±


    Aina asked with little sparks of purple dancing inside her pupils. Navin raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation; the corner of his mouth rose as his irises shone brightly like miniature blue stars as they locked gazes.


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you, Aina. I really want you to try, and I will support you in everything you need to succeed in that.¡±


    Then he smiled mischievously.


    ¡°Of course, by the time you want to reach my current level of power, I¡¯ll be even stronger, who knows at what kind of level I¡¯ll be by then.¡±


    Aina laughed at that, she wasn¡¯t discouraged in the slightest.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, as long as we can all be advancing together, I¡¯ll be happy. I promise that I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Maria?¡±


    Navin turned his head to look at Maria, who had a serious expression as she thought about something. She turned to look at his eyes, nodded resolutely and smiled.


    ¡°Naturally, I must also strive to succeed, I can¡¯t let my daughter do all the work alone.¡±


    Mother and daughter shared a look and both nodded.


    ¡°Excellent, that¡¯s a good disposition to have. You must always do everything you can to improve, never give up.¡±


    Navin smiled and laid back on the sofa. He started to make the flying artifact descend to a place where they could rest for the night.


    Aina suddenly jumped and turned completely on her mother¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Ah, I just remembered! Mom, Fairies are real, Master said it. So you owe me a sweet pie.¡±


    That was an old bet of them, already over a year ago. One to which Maria had accepted just to play along with her daughter¡¯s games. Both of them had forgotten it by now, but with a cultivation-enhanced mind, memories flowed more clearly for Aina, so she called out the debt now.


    ¡°Ok, sweetie. I¡¯ll bake the pie tomorrow.¡±


    Maria easily complied.


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Lord Navin, do Fairies also build little castles with mud and little flowers next to Human houses?¡±


    Maria asked and Aina stopped her celebration. She wasn¡¯t the only one who remembered their bets now that they had better memories.


    ¡°Hmm, no. They don¡¯t do that, at least not in little scale and definitely nowhere near Human¡¯s homes.¡±


    Navin replied, curious about these bets between mother and daughter.


    ¡°Seems like you owe me a pie too, little missy.¡±


    Maria laughed softly and hugged her daughter playfully.


    The group landed in a hill near another city within Likia Kingdom territory, even bigger than Buri City.


    They settled for the night inside their home, the Traveler¡¯s Cabin, just as different events were unfolding on the night.


    As Aina and Maria slept warm and secure, Navin stepped outside, spreading his Divine Sense and feeling the threads of Karma and Fate moving in the area.


    His eyes had a cold light as he scanned the area and read the energies around.


    The people outside would have a very restless night.

 Chapter 30: Crawling

    The first to notice something was wrong was Sarai.


    She was a Wolfkin, that is to say, a Beastkin from the Wolf Tribes. Sarai¡¯s face was just like a human¡¯s but she possessed wolf ears and a tail.


    It was said that Beastkins who had more animal traits were stronger due to having a purer bloodline, but that was just a rumor, although Beastkins could activate Skills that turned their appearances into more beast-like and boosted their physical attributes, in normal life and even with the use of those Skills, it was only individual talent and experience what determined who would emerge victorious in a fight.


    There were many discussions about why there were so many different kinds of Beastkins, even within a single Tribe and Clan, but Sarai didn¡¯t care about such stuff.


    Besides, she liked her human-like face, though she could appreciate the aesthetics and beauty of those with more beast-like traits.


    Beastkins had better senses than other species, but Sarai was a special case even among her race.


    Sarai had always had keen senses, especially for detecting danger and lies. When she was little, she had difficulties trusting people, because she could tell when they were lying, she could also smell their changes in emotion.


    She could smell the fear, excitation, anger, lust, happiness, and even the general personality of people. She could discern lies clearly with her ears. When looking at someone, Sarai was generally able to know if they were good and trustworthy people or not.


    As a child, Sarai had instinctively avoided people who smelled of danger and anger; she sought the company of people who smelled of good moods. There were lots of details she learned to look out for and pay attention to the degree of those sensations she detected as she grew up, like the figuring out when a state of anger was temporary or if the person was generally grumpy.


    She was 17 now, and she had learned to master her senses, even being able to tell what people¡¯s jobs were by picking up details on their clothes, body language, and smell.


    Her senses had brought her some problems when growing up, but they had also saved her a lot of times.


    And those same senses were shouting at her now.


    Sarai woke up in the middle of the night, picking up a scent of rain in the wind. But there was something else, like a strange invisible fog surrounding the city.


    Something was coming, she didn¡¯t know what, the scent wasn¡¯t familiar to her, it was a bit sweet, but also rancid. There was a light hum that her ears could barely detect, but she couldn¡¯t understand what it was.


    She got out of bed, went to the bathroom to refresh, and started to change her clothes.


    Whatever was happening, it was better to be ready.


    She picked up her bow, quiver, and sword. Adventurers got a lot of business in Klata City, it was one of the cities in the road to the Capital, located East from Buri City, right next to a forest, near a mountain range and two Dungeons, though one was already considered cleared. There were always things to kill nearby.


    Sarai opened the window and took a deep breath. The scent in the air had gotten stronger as she was preparing. She didn¡¯t know what the sweet scent was yet, but she identified other smells, there was death in the air, distant but approaching.


    She decided it was better to alert the Watch and the Guild, whether it would be best or worse if she was right about some threat approaching was yet to be seen.


    She closed the window and finished her preparations; potions and pouches on her belt, knives hidden in her boots, two magical rings, one with a slight stunning effect and one with a minor recovery spell.


    B-rank Adventurer Sarai Montmer got out of the house, armed and ready, and started to run towards the Watch members guarding the wall.


    The nightmare was waiting outside.


    <hr>


    Deep within a forest, and even deeper into the ground, there was a series of tunnels that led to an underground tribe of Goblins.


    At this late hour of the night, there was still activityin the tribe. Goblins were not as governed by sunlight as other species, and while they got out and did lots of things during the day, they actually preferred night, and most activities within the tribes were carried at night.


    Kar walked towards his sleeping chambers, a comfortable space dug into the stone deep into the cave, near the chambers of the Hobgoblins and other leaders among the tribe.


    Most of the Goblins of the tribe slept next to each other in large groups within the most spacious parts of the underground territory Feneh had claimed as the domain of the Blaze Cave Tribe.


    At Kar¡¯s suggestion, they had multiple zones of activity, constantly moving out and not staying only within the confines of the cave as it would attract rival tribes and adventurers if they restricted their movements to only the vicinity of their main refuge.


    Their tribe camped above ground and even lived as nomads for months at a time, but they always returned here as it would be their safest place. They had taken measures to keep this place a secret, and it had paid out. They were surviving, relatively safe, with good numbers and strong Goblins.


    And tonight, Kar had brought a great gift back with him, a piece of the history that they didn¡¯t even know existed, and a tale of Goblins in other worlds.


    The tale of a Goblin God.


    But that would be for tomorrow, tonight Kar would seclude himself to his room and seal the door. Goblins were not prone to caring about privacy, but they cared a lot about keeping their stuff to themselves, specially Hobs as they actually had any valuable things within a tribe, so they had installed their own crude doors by using wood and stone.


    He would read the tablet and the scroll, and in the morning he would confer with his friend and Chieftain, Feneh would then decide whether or not to show the scroll to the Shamans.


    Kar could feel it in his bones, in his blood, and in his very soul. The call to transform, today had been a turning point in his life; the meeting with that Sage tonight was something he had never even dreamed about, but it would prove to be something that would change his life and the lives of many Goblins.


    Kar passed by the many Goblins in the tribe, amiably refused to spend the night with some Goblettes, and had to punch his friends who were getting drunk after the fight in Buri City to maintain his sobriety before meditation. There were even a bunch who were smoking some herbs in pipes taken from the adventurers.


    Some lamps illuminated sections of the cave, but most of the illumination was provided by glowing moss that grew underground. Goblins didn''t mind darkness, their night vision was superb, but it wasn''t perfect and they couldn''t see in total darkness, so they used this moss to illuminate their camp with its soft green light.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Other races would have troubles seeing here, but for Goblins it was just fine.


    After crossing the main camp and going in the opposite direction of the Shamans'' region, Kar walked down a tunnel and reached the living quarters of the Hobs, where he possessed a room despite not being a Hobgoblin yet.


    Kar had almost reached his room when he saw her. A slender figure leaning against the wall of hard rock right next to the entrance of his room. She was wearing a simple leather harness and a blue loincloth, she had a sharp dagger in her hand and by her side stood a short bow, lying on the ground were her quiver and a big sack.


    Mina, a Goblette from the hunting parties. She had become a Hobgoblette two months ago and thus more important to the tribe, she was talented with the bow and she was stealthy too.


    Her current name, Mina, had been given to her by the Head Shaman of the tribe after performing some ritual and having a vision, just like with Kar. Although Kar had his ritual at Feneh''s insistence, while Mina''s ritual was due to her becoming a Hobgoblin.


    When they had met three years ago, Kar had called her ¡®Mimi¡¯, which was a cute name and different from the usual pseudo-names Goblins used before they turned into Hobs and received a proper name from Shamans, although the reason behind her name was cause of some chagrin for her: Kar had called her that due to some noises she had made when they first met, her tongue had been numb and her lips swollen after eating some berries, making only a ¡®meeh-meeh¡¯ noise when he had asked for her name.


    Years had passed, and the two of them had grown closer. She was called Mina by everyone else, only Kar still called her Mimi.


    She smiled at him, sharp teeth in a green face with sharp features, red eyes full of vitality, curiosity, and adventurous spirit. After becoming a Hobgoblette, she had become taller than him, and more beautiful than any other in the tribe, at least to him.


    ¡°Won¡¯t join the celebration?¡±


    Mina asked while playing with her dagger. Kar stood next to her, returning the smile. He grabbed the ¡®door¡¯ of his room, a heavy slab of stone and inserted a bit of Qi in it, with a little push, the door slid to the side, revealing his private room.


    ¡°I got something to do now, so I can¡¯t join in their celebration tonight.¡±


    Kar answered as he turned to look at her, thinking about how to politely tell her that he needed some time alone; he doubted he could convince her of guarding his door to avoid any disturbances tonight, but he could ask.


    ¡°Oh? Something to do?¡±


    Mina said as she threw her dagger into the room. She grabbed the rest of her stuff and threw them in too. Immersed in his thoughts, Kar let her do it, realizing too late that she had every intention of sleeping inside.


    "Yes, Mimi. But I must do it alone."


    "Oh, what a cruel and evil Goblin you are."


    She turned her back to him and let herself fall towards him, dramatically faking that she was fainting.


    He caught her in his arms. Her body smelled like the wild berries that grew deep in the forest, Kar noticed she was chewing some mint leaves.


    He kissed her cheek, his joyful mood could only improve by meeting her now, but he feared that if he tasted her mouth then he would not stop there, and he was too curious about the contents of the tablet and scroll, they were important treasures for all Goblinkind.


    He had to resist temptation, at least for tonight; but the Mina-shaped temptation had different plans and wrapped her arms around Kar¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Can I join you? I was a little bored at that crazy party, but I''m in the mood for celebration.¡±


    She raised her head and connected their lips. Kar felt as if a hundred fireballs exploded on the back of his head. This was exactly why he wanted to avoid kissing her, he couldn¡¯t help but desire more of her after the kiss, and she knew it.


    The basic cultivation that Kar had managed to practice from the old stone tablet had given him great strength and a sharper mind. His will was strong, but Goblins were a species of strong desires, and as a species that focused on survival, one of their most primitive instincts was to mate and procreate.


    Kar was six years old, the age of a kid in any of the so-called intelligent species, but that much was already an adult by Goblin standards; they grew up faster, had a shorter reproductive cycle, and also had a shorter life expectancy due to being killed by everything around them.


    ¡°No, not tonight. I got things to do. Meditate, rest, alone. Tomorrow, yeah, we can celebrate tomorrow.¡±


    With great effort, Kar regained his composure, separated their lips, and spoke again, struggling to put some order in his scrambled thoughts.


    Mina licked her lips and smiled naughtily at him, still on his arms. She unloosed her loincloth and threw it into the room.


    At that moment, Kar knew that he was doomed.


    ¡°Meditate this, and rest with me.¡±


    They both entered the room and the stone door slid again to seal the room form any disturbances.


    Yeah,the invaluable legendary treasures from the Goblin God handled by an Immortal Sage could wait until tomorrow.


    There were more pressing matters near at hand to analyze.


    <hr>


    South from Klata City, there was a Dungeon that held many monsters inside, treasures of old times, and deadly traps to keep them inside.


    A Dungeon still unconquered, despite multiple efforts to reach its core and the treasures guarded inside its deepest chambers.


    Inside that Dungeon, teams of adventurers were fighting for their lives against a group of undead, they had been unlucky and triggered a trap within ¡®the Crypt¡¯, a part of the Dungeon that was called that by the adventurers due to the incredible amount of undead monsters inside.


    If it had been just the usual mindless undead, the adventurers would have killed them already, but these undead were organized, fighting in groups and surrounding the adventurers.


    At all times, there were multiple adventuring groups inside the Dungeon, it was large enough that dozens of groups could go explore different ways without running into each other.


    There were multiple passages and secret routes within the Dungeon, but also multiple traps and mechanisms that claimed the lives of adventurers.


    Now though, the Dungeon had fallen into a state of chaos, the horde of undead under the Crypt had poured out and attacked people in multiple regions of the Dungeon.


    Valor¡¯s Whip, a B-rank adventurer team, was the last surviving team inside the Dungeon. When they found themselves surrounded, they had fought desperately and opened a path to escape by killing multiple monsters, but the ground had shifted and they had slid down a very slip ramp and fallen into another passage.


    They had been running for over an hour after that, it had been hours since they entered the Dungeon, now they were exhausted and lost.


    Now a group of undead was staring down at them, behind them, a Necromancer in black robes smiled haughtily.


    ¡°The time is now, let it be known to all.¡±


    His cold and arrogant voice contrasted with his youthful appearance, a black mist spread around him as he commanded the undead in the Crypt.


    ¡°Likia Kingdom¡¯s fall starts today, and from its ashes shall rise, a new kingdom, a Kingdom of Death, beautiful and pure; and I shall rule it, as Lord of Death and possessor of undying life.¡±


    Theatrically, the Necromancer pointed at the exhausted adventurers and shot arrows of black energy.


    The adventurers died and joined the ranks of undead marching towards the outside of the Dungeon.


    The Necromancer, Eric Rauda, laughed victoriously at the easy kill. He had been planning for this for years, this was the fruit of his research, to which he had dedicated sweat, blood, and soul.


    To gain control of the undead in the Dungeon was something everyone thought was impossible, but he was convinced that he could do it, he was a genius in sorcery, but his true call had been Necromancy.


    Eric had been trying for a long time, but a week ago he finally succeeded. His initial hypothesis had been that he required access to the heart of the Dungeon to gain control of the monsters, but he had been trying to hack into a part of the array that covered the Crypt, the part that kept the undead confined inside the Dungeon.


    So far, he had moderate success in subduing tiny groups of weak undead or one strong undead, retrieving them from the Dungeon had proved even more troublesome due to the many influences staring at the Dungeon.


    But he had succeeded, something had happened that weakened the controlling array and enabled Eric to access it. Finally, his greatest creation could shine and bring him glory.


    ¡°My glory will be dreaded, my name will be spoken in awe and fear for all eternity. Tonight it all begins.¡±


    Eric laughed louder and walked surrounded by the undead, he had used the last few days gathering his forces, gaining control of more and more undead, his Mana was exhausted over and over, carrying on the ritual that gave him control of the undead.


    But it was all worth it, because now he had a tireless and absolutely loyal army.


    He thought about getting into the heart of the Dungeon, but that would come later, he would first unleash death on the city that had despised him, it would be the first to fall under his might.


    It wouldn¡¯t fall tonight, he knew that, but tonight¡¯s attack would be only the first, and then the endless waves of undead under the Dungeon would drown Klata City.


    He had even explored some deep regions of the Dungeon thanks to his undead, having them test the traps on the rooms made it easier in some aspects, although the Dungeon was not so merciful as to only have traps easily triggered, there were plenty of traps and mechanisms that would only be activated at the sign of life, which undead lacked.


    Still, he had gained things and had strengthened his control of the undead.


    Beneath the pale moonlight, Eric Rauda grinned as dark runes shone with uncanny powers across his body, his eyes turned into pools of darkness contrasting with his sickly pale skin.


    Tonight, a show to make them taste despair and know a bit of his power, tomorrow the world would fear him.


    Immersed in his wild fantasy and drunk with power, Eric advanced with his hordes of undead in the darkness of the night, promising doom to the ones who had rejected his way of life before.


    Completely unaware of the doom he was bringing upon himself, and the cold gaze of an Immortal Cultivator watching his actions while predicting the future consequences said actions would bring.

 Chapter 31: Influence

    In Klata City, the guards were on patrol.


    There was unrest among them. Although they trusted in their capacity to defend their city, they had heard the news: monsters had attacked an important city nearby, Buri City.


    Goblins had tried to breach the walls and failed, repelled by the efforts of the Watch, Adventurers, and a Magus from the famous Lei Clan.


    But the Goblins hadn¡¯t been eliminated, they had killed a bunch of people right outside the walls and then retreated when Artorius Lei had come hurling lightning down on them like an angry god.


    That Goblin tribe was still out there. Preparing, growing, probably moving somewhere else. They might even try Klata City and move on to attack the more vulnerable towns and villages.


    The Capital probably knew about it too. The Kingdom¡¯s troops would need to move soon and hunt down the Goblins, such a big and strong tribe was a huge threat to the populace that could not be left alone, assistance from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was a given, other Guilds and maybe even the nobles would move to provide support in eliminating the threat and receive merit for the deed.


    Together, these powerful groups would get rid of those monsters. However, it would take resources for troops to assemble and move, it would also take time for them to arrive and fight the Goblins and the Kingdom¡¯s Army could not let the borders unprotected.


    And until other forces handled the threat, the duty of protecting the cities of the Kingdom rested on the Watch of each city.


    Klata was a fortified city, built as a stronghold against the threat of monsters and as a resting point for explorers of the Dungeons. The walls were sturdy, tall, and wide, with multiple wards and provisioned with large quantities of armament.


    Even the first few streets after entering the city were filled with choke points and killing zones, it had been built with the thought of resisting invasion.


    Built with the intention of killing any invaders.


    Standing on the ample southern walls, Klata¡¯s Watch Captain, Selveor Goreas, closed his eyes for a moment and ordered his thoughts.


    He hadn¡¯t gotten any sleep despite the late hour. News about the attack to Buri City by hundreds of Goblins had arrived via Message Spell many hours ago, he had gathered the guards and doubled the number of people on duty tonight.


    It had been impossible for him to just stay at his office in the Watch''s Barracks, he had read all reports and was expecting more news for tomorrow. Staying inside his office might be more comfortable, but he needed to be here, with his companions, protecting their city.


    And he sure as hell wasn''t going to be at home asleep if there was an attack tonight.


    It was unlikely that Klata would be attacked by the same Goblins that attempted to break into Buri, but it never hurt to be prepared. Experience had thought him that a wave of monsters meant that another wave was coming, possibly something completely unrelated.


    Troubles never came alone, not in his line of work.


    Selveor was a Half-elf, his skin was ochre and his hair was dark brown. He was tall and muscular, over 90 years old, still in his prime by the standards of his race. He had a stern face but his heritage made it unlikely he would get any wrinkles until he passed 160.


    His pointy ears caught a slight sound from behind him, his senses already telling him that the person sneaking on him didn¡¯t have any ill intent. His hand moved to the sword on his belt anyway.


    ¡°You know, Sarai? Sneaking on a guardsman is illegal.¡±


    There was a very slight thump on the floor next to him. Selveor didn¡¯t turn his head, still looking ahead. Staring into the darkness of the forest at night was inviting one¡¯s mind to play tricks, but there was no way the guardsmen wouldn¡¯t keep a vigilant eye in that direction.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I checked. It¡¯s only illegal if I attack you.¡±


    Sarai Montmer stood next to the Watch Captain. Her bow was on her hand and she was also staring at the forest ahead, there were small torches spread around the city and next to the road in order to provide illumination for nearby night travelers and to help the City Watch detect any suspicious form approaching.


    But the forest was a different thing, a few hundred meters south from the city gates the threes were already so dense that putting any torch or mage light there was a waste of resources.


    Besides, some of the members of the Watch had [Night Vision] and other similar Skills.


    ¡°It¡¯s still not a good idea. If a guardsman attacks you it¡¯d be your fault for approaching them stealthily.¡±


    Selveor replied with his arms crossed. The other guardsmen noticed the Wolfkin girl on the wall, but since she was talking to their Captain there was no need to reprimand her.


    ¡°I know to whom I can approach, I¡¯m good at judging people.¡±


    Sarai smiled and nocked an arrow but kept the bow lowered. Her eyes were keenly focused on some point south-east from them.


    Selveor noticed her movement and looked in that direction. Too far and too dark for him to discern anything.


    But the eyes of a Beastkin archer were quite impressive.


    ¡°What brings you here at this hour, Sarai?¡±


    The Watch Captain was less relaxed now. Sarai¡¯s eyes narrowed, her gaze still locked onto the distance.


    ¡°I woke up with a bad feeling, there¡¯s a scent of death in the air, so I figured it was best if I came here to warn you.¡±


    ¡°I see, thanks.¡±


    Selveor knew Sarai since she was a little child, he was aware of her sharp senses and her uncanny ability to judge people and situations.


    And she said she smelled death in the air. That was a bad omen.


    Sarai put the arrow back into her quiver, but the Captain didn¡¯t relax. She pulled out a different arrow this time, enchanted, with a white and slightly luminous arrowhead.


    The Beastkin archer raised her bow and aimed high. The arrow pierced the air fast, flying into the dark night.


    And exploded.


    High above the forest, a flash of white light illuminated the area. The enchantment made the arrow turn into an orb of light that would decrease in size with every passing second, lasting 30 seconds in total.


    Enough time for Selveor to get a good look at the area illuminated.


    Enough time for Sarai to immediately spot the crawling zombies and skeletons among the trees, and for Selveor to find them barely two seconds later.


    The adventurer cursed under her breath as the Watch Captain raised his voice to shout at his subordinates.


    ¡°Undead!! Sound the alarm!!¡±


    <hr>


    Sitting on a throne of bones held up by eight zombies amidst the waves of undead, the Necromancer heard an explosion and looked at the bright orb of light in the distance ahead of him, right over the foremost line of soldiers of his new army.


    Immediately the sound of alarm bells echoed in the night. The undead had been spotted by the Watch.


    ¡°Uh, I guess there¡¯s no need for subtlety now. Charge, my minions. Breach the walls and kill them all.¡±


    He gave the order to his slaves and grinned.


    His horde had reached the city less than an hour after leaving the Dungeon. They did not tire and did not rest, undead were the perfect labor force, a tireless army at his disposal to conquer and destroy anything on his path.


    The result of tonight¡¯s attack was unimportant, it was only a test for his new minions, the beginning of his reign of terror over this land.


    The undead creatures started to run in a mad charge to the city, parting the wave around Eric¡¯s throne. Hundreds of undead were running, and more were still coming out of the Crypt.


    The runes covering his body shone and magic coursed through his body, making him shiver. He felt the raw magic that made him capable of ruling over death and laughed. This was his magic, this was his power, the foundations of his reign.


    He would rise up to the peak of this world, cover it in death and bloodshed, reap the lives of mortals and ascend as a deity, crowned in glory and terror.


    ¡°Now, isn¡¯t that quite a happy thought?¡±


    A voice sounded right beside Eric.


    Eric almost jumped from his throne. He turned and saw a man of light brown hair standing right next to Eric¡¯s throne.


    Standing in the air.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The newcomer was looking down on Eric.


    Something inside Eric stirred up and he struck out with his palm open. A huge amount of mana condensed and shot out as a bolt of death to the insolent stranger.


    The spell disappeared upon touching the stranger¡¯s clothes.


    With an order, some of the undead nearest to the man moved to attack him, but all undead that approached him turned into dust. The rest of the tide of zombies and skeletons was still running madly towards the city. They would obey their orders until ordered to stop.


    Eric jumped off his throne, taking distance from this mysterious individual before throwing a Fireball that was smothered out of existence almost immediately.


    Was the man covered in a magic barrier? Eric couldn¡¯t feel even the tiniest bit of Mana in this strange individual, but he could be using some artifact to dispel magic attacks.


    Suddenly, every undead in a ten-meter radius around the man turned towards the man; spears and arrows of bone were shot at him from all sides. Each projectile broke into bits before reaching their target, the attackers were all turned into dust too, even Eric¡¯s throne crumbled along with the carriers.


    The Necromancer took more distance, gathering his Mana as his mind raced, thinking of ways to deal with this strange individual.


    ¡°I wonder, however, how much of that megalomania is actually yours and how much comes from the thing whispering in your ears?¡±


    The man continued speaking while looking straight at Eric¡¯s eyes, those shining blue eyes seemed to stare through him at something behind Eric¡¯s head.


    An alarm went off inside Eric¡¯s mind.


    What is he talking about? There is nothing¨C


    Eric felt his body tremble as if a hammer had blown him directly in the guts, his heart had burst into flames, and an axe had split his skull in half all at the same time.


    His Mana stirred under his skin and coiled around him, then he felt as if a pair of hands seized him by the throat from the inside.


    The runes on his body blazed painfully as Eric felt darkness try to drag him down and devour his mind. A scream that didn¡¯t belong to him was drowning any thoughts he could have, overwhelming him as if a cold sea had fallen over him.


    The mysterious man¡¯s mouth stretched into a cold grin.


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    The sound broke whatever spell was in process.


    It shattered the hands holding Eric¡¯s soul and evaporated the tide of darkness. Whatever had been trying to possess Eric was thrown off him by a non-opposable force.


    Eric felt as if he was staring at the midday Sun and the Sun had decided to stare back; a blinding blaze was covering every part of his soul as the pain receded and was replaced by an overpowering sense of awe. Every woe, horror, ambition, and wild dream that Eric could imagine was a pale drop of water in front of the vast blazing magnificence in front of him.


    Eric fell to the ground, out of breath and feeling as if he was burned clean of everything he was. He felt empty, disoriented, and small.


    He heard a howl from somewhere behind him, but couldn¡¯t even move a finger. Eric''s eyes closed as he tried to catch his breath, the feeling of weakness threatened to make him lose consciousness, but he tried to hold on and stay awake.


    He tried.


    <hr>


    The undead kept running, obeying their last command to attack the city and kill everyone they found.


    Navin briefly glanced at them but let them run to their objective for now.


    He stood next to the collapsed Necromancer and then looked at the shadow figure floating over him.


    It was a skeleton of black bones covered by swirling smoke and crimson flames inside its eyes; this Revenant was the true artificer of the attack to Klata City, feeding this young Necromancer¡¯s ambition to use him and take possession of his body.


    The Revenant screamed and tried to fly away, but no matter how it struggled there was no way for it to escape from Navin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what information you have here.¡±


    Navin pointed a finger at it and the specter trembled like having a seizure. Soul Search techniques were extremely painful for those on the receiving end, whether they were corporeal or disembodied.


    Ancient civilizations thriving with treasures, building Dungeons for a variety of reasons.


    Ambition, zealotry, hatred, greed.


    Tests for the worthy among those in the future.


    Traps for the greedy wanting to steal the riches of the past.


    Deities descending. Gifting wonders to some, bringing damnation to others.


    A young man struggling to advance his craft as a Mage, desiring to unveil the secrets of Life and Death.


    Blood and pain, sleepless nights practicing rituals and mastering spells. Years spent deciphering grimoires, studying bodies of different species. A lifetime ofbeing an outcast, rejected by all for following his call.


    Matured and stronger, the Sorcerer worked as an advisor and as one of the Warlocks serving the ambitions of the King of the land.


    The smile of a woman, Princess of these domains. A secret affair.


    Nights of passion, Sorcerer and Princess embracing each other. He found peace and affection in her arms, she found liberation and excitement with him.


    Their love bore fruit. the Princess told the news to the future grandfather.


    The wrath of the King, relentless and unforgiving.


    The sorcerer was bound to the depths of the Crypt by his King. Mother and child put to the knife.


    Cursed, betrayed, and damned. Millennia spent in agony twisting his soul until there was only pain and hatred.


    The kingdom fell, forgotten by the world. Only the Dungeon remains.


    The undead abound. Newcomers fell to the traps and monsters, becoming additions to the horde.


    Adventurers came, adventurers went. They tried to take the relics, they failed and died.


    The Dungeon claimed more lives. The tide of undead grew.


    Time passed.


    Another young man struggling to advance his craft, desiring to unveil the secrets of Life and Death.


    Outcast, rejected, despised, and hated.


    A kindred spirit.


    Months spend exploring the Dungeon, months spent training in the Art of Necromancy, experimenting with the undead in the Crypt.


    The young Necromancer discovered array in the Crypt.


    Years passed. Minor successes, repeated failures.


    Still, he persevered.


    The Sorcerer watched, the Revenant whispered. The Necromancer listened.


    Minor successes, but fewer failures.


    Something happened. Parts of array shattered.


    Boundaries set by the Gods of old disappeared.


    Dungeon trembled, restraints weakened.


    A Chance.


    The ritual of the Necromancer succeeded, the Revenant slipped in.


    Two ambitions turned into one. Dark souls sharing a body, kindred spirits searching for revenge.


    The horde of undead marched out of the Crypt. The future King of Death carried high on a throne of bones.


    Something appeared from out of nowhere. Power incarnated in the shape of a man. Blue eyes gazed at them.


    A being vaster than the world proclaimed a word. All ambitions were turned to dust.


    The living fell to the ground, stripped from the marks of the ritual.


    The dead lingered, now a prisoner of an inescapable hand.


    A finger pointed directly at the withered soul.


    Pain.


    Navin finished the Soul Search technique.


    ¡°Rest in peace.¡±


    The Revenant¡¯s flaming eyes extinguished, its frame collapsed and gathered into a black sphere. The soul was finally freed from torment, but the energy remained.


    He stood there for a moment, looking at the unconscious Necromancer and the sphere of energy while the undead passed by his sides.


    Navin staredat the threads of Karma again, causes and effects made apparent to him. He looked at the many possible futures and saw many scenarios dissipating into nothingness.


    His actions had changed the future, as did the actions of everyone else. The future was not a fixed scenario, it fluctuated with every decision made.


    Free will was forever the artificer of Fate.


    Predictions were not prophecies, and prophecies were not absolute either. Knowing the future meant having the ability to alter it to a certain degree; with more power, the degree of possible change was greater.


    No one could know everything, and trying to explore all possibilities was a fool¡¯s errand. It would be like trying to count from One to Infinite.


    A powerful practitioner could look at the fate of a mortal and see their whole life or even stare at a location and see what would happen there in future centuries, but even for those specialized in the Way of Karma and Future-related abilities like Divination it would be impossible to look at the futures of all the people living in a city, since there were too many branches and variables. Unless there was a huge event that involved them collectively, especially one that killed them, because by terminating their lives in the future the paths were shorter, so the prediction was easier and clearer.


    Likewise, it was easy for Navin to look at the possible consequences of an action, like the attack of the undead to Klata, although that was by no means an unavoidable future.


    There would have been many casualties; monsters moving out of the area due to the undead; Adventurers arriving from other regions to handle the monster threat; troops of the Kingdom fighting against the army of another country; Eric Rauda becoming a Lich, waging war against the living as a monster full of resentment and agony.


    But Navin didn¡¯t like that scenario, so he took actions to change it. War was unavoidable, and the undead would still attack Klata City, but this Necromancer would not be leading them and the number of casualties would decrease considerably.


    Navin looked beyond, at more long-term consequences of tonight''s events.


    ¡°Hmm, this is more interesting. Yeah, much better."


    Navin nodded and stopped looking at the threads of Karma. He looked down at the unconscious Necromancer.


    "You know, kid, there were a hundred ways this night could have ended. Actions have consequences, repercussions that you can¡¯t even imagine.¡±


    The undead kept pouring out from the Crypt like water from a broken dike. Thousands were out already, howling and screaming like hungry mad dogs, eager to devour the living.


    ¡°I saw the futures, not just one, but many different possible outcomes from tonight¡¯s events. What would happen if I intervened in a certain way, what would happen if I just ignored this? What if I sent my Disciple to fix this situation? Well, there were a lot of nasty possibilities, but ultimately this ambition of yours ended in failure unless I supported you, which was stupid, so I won¡¯t.¡±


    Navin pointed at Eric''s body. The sphere of energy that was the Revenant entered Eric¡¯s back.


    ¡°Even now, there are many undead trying to break into the city, hundreds and even thousands of fighters from Watch members, adventurers, and even civilians are going to get wounded. A lot of bad things, but strife isn¡¯t that much of a problem, and if one looks at things from the scale and vantage point that I do, even the original mess you were going to make is nothing; but you see, there¡¯s also this thing called ¡®responsibility¡¯; if I see you messing things up, I should do something and stop you. It¡¯s also my right to simply ignore you and let the world deal with the mess, but... well, let''s just say I have never been one to just ''let Fate take its course'', I''m more of the ''create your own Fate'' type of person.¡±


    Eric¡¯s body trembled from the insertion of the black sphere, but stopped in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°Anyways, the point is, you were going to make a mess, and I stopped it because I¡¯m not an asshole like those dudes that liked to entertain themselves with the struggles of lower worlds, but I also understand that this world needs events to help it move forward, and you were just one of those. So, I saw that you were on a stupid path that led you to make a fool of yourself and decided to give you a push in the right direction. You are probably not gonna like it too much, but it¡¯s better than being a rotting puppet corpse, and if you are going to be a bastard then you better be a useful bastard, so there you go. Who knows? You might even find happiness and fulfillment, good stuff can still happen to you, not that I''d tell you any spoilers about your future, that would change things again.¡±


    Navin turned his head in the direction of the Dungeon, the undead had stopped coming out, the Crypt was empty. A hard battle was raging in the opposite direction. Navin looked back at Eric.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel obligated to me and I¡¯m not expecting gratitude from ruining your plan, even if at least half of that plan was the influence of that ghost in you. Seriously, don''t make another foolish attempt at building a kingdom of the undead, those never end well, ask that old man in Katabria if you don¡¯t believe me. If you want to pursue your ambitions and improve yourself then attacking innocent people is not the way to do it, stop that delusion of revenge, the people living here don¡¯t have to take the blame for those who have hurt you. I¡¯m not going to ask you to follow a plan or become a better person, but I want you to know that you can achieve your goal as a researcher of magic, and being a jerk is a detriment to that dream. Just focus on your art, keep practicing and you¡¯ll advance.Whatever else you do from now on is up to you, bye.¡±


    Navin disappeared, leaving the unconscious Necromancer in the forest close to the Dungeon, in the middle of the road that the horde of undead had taken to assault Klata.


    When Eric woke up the next day, he was bound in chains.


    And the words of the mysterious blue-eyed man were sounding in his mind, forever engraved in his memory.

 Chapter 32: From The Grave

    Arrows flew through the air, piercing heads and limbs.


    Magic illuminated the night. Spells of fire, lightning, and ice were raining down on the furious horde that crashed against the walls.


    Undead, abominations crawled out of the Crypt. Damned creatures said to be containing souls filled with only pain and hatred for the living.


    The City¡¯s Watch stood in formation above the walls, using crossbows to shoot bolts after bolts to the ravening tide of monsters.


    Mages stood together preparing large area spells. Some stronger Mages stood alone, throwing large fireballs and conjuring gigantic chunks of ice that crushed large numbers of undead.


    These monsters were apparently mindless, but they were fearless and relentless in their attacks. And the stronger undead possessed a semblance of intelligence, being capable of more complex attacks and independent movement.


    Skeletons, zombies, and ghouls. Spearmen, archers, and swordsmen. Creatures of foul blood and rotten flesh.


    There were too many to easily get rid of them.


    The first wave had been eliminated easily. A large wall of fire had been cast by some Mages and the Undead had walked straight to it, catching fire and burning until they collapsed.


    But there weren¡¯t enough Mages to cover the entirety of the City with flames. Barricades of ice and stone could be raised, but the area they could cover was limited.


    The undead reached the wall, and senselessly stroke the solid rock, achieving nothing except becoming targets of the crossbow bolts. But they started to pile one above the other, making ramps out of themselves without paying any heed to the attacks raining on them.


    Explosions blasted them away, the magic wards of Klata City¡¯s wall unleashed destruction on the invading horde. The fire spread among the undead, rapidly making them fall as the heat made them collapse.


    Watch Captain Selveor Goreas controlled the City defenses and coordinated the guardsmen with the teams of Adventurers efficiently.


    His attacks were precise, choosing large groups of undead as targets. His orders were obeyed without delay by everyone, which enabled a sturdy line of defense and the different teams didn¡¯t hinder each other.


    But the undead attacked en masse. Hundreds of arrows were shot at the defenders every couple of seconds. The undead didn¡¯t fear any damage, they didn¡¯t feel any pain. They kept marching forward, running and attacking without taking a rest while the Watch and the Adventurers were forced to take cover and raise defensive spells.


    Many were wounded already, despite the advantage of a high ground position in the walls. But the undead didn¡¯t have a plan, they didn¡¯t seem to have a leader, and thus they were disorganized.


    The living could hold the wall.


    ¡°Over there! Western corner, there are undead piling up!¡±


    One of the guardsmen shouted and pointed to a place near the corner of the Southern Wall. A group of undead was clawing at the wall and at each other, rapidly creating a ladder with their bodies.


    The Captain of the City¡¯s Watch used one of the wards to form a giant pillar of flames that enveloped the undead.


    They burned fast but didn¡¯t stop trying to form the ladder. Hundreds of monsters together, they stomped each other in their haste to climb the walls.


    The pile grew larger and larger with every second. It was a burning ladder of undead, rising smoke and spreading a pungent odor around.


    ¡°Stop them!! Knock them down!¡±


    An archer adventurer yelled as he loosened three arrows at the same time towards the rising ladder of undead. His arrows shone midair and turned into 15 arrows, they pierced the heads of different monsters and exploded.


    A group of Mages stepped forwards and raised their staves and wands.


    ¡°[Rock Spear]¡±


    ¡°[Icicle Storm]¡±


    ¡°[Wind Blast]¡±


    ¡°[Force Arrows]¡±


    ¡°[Wind Scythe]¡±


    Multiple spells fell together on the undead, tearing them apart and pushing them to the ground, where they were crushed by either spells or the weight of other undead.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Some are trying to break the gates! Blast them apart!¡±


    One of the guards noticed a large agglomeration of undead hammering the gates and shouted for Mages.


    ¡°Wait! Use Ice spells better! That way the ice will block the gates!¡±


    A senior guardsman spoke. The Mages agreed with his idea.


    ¡°Alright, let''s go! [Icicle Storm]!¡±


    ¡°[Ice Wall]¡±


    ¡°[Giant Whirlpool]¡±


    ¡°[Freezing Gales]¡±


    With the collaboration of Water-type and Ice-type Spells, many undead were pushed back and restrained, while another layer of protection was added to the city gates.


    ¡°Damn, where are all these things coming from?¡±


    ¡°Some Necromancer? A horde so big doesn¡¯t come out of nowhere.¡±


    Some adventurers discussed as they shot arrows to the Undead beneath them.


    ¡°Look where they are coming from. The Dungeon is in that direction, if the undead inside the Crypt got out¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be, the Crypt has restrictions in it. The monsters in there can¡¯t get out so easily.¡±


    ¡°Then where the fuck are all these skeletons and zombies coming from?¡±


    ¡°How the fuck would I know? Do I look like a Seer to you?¡±


    ¡°All of you shut up and kill more of these bastards!¡±


    Despite the situation of combat against a huge number of enemies, since they had the vantage point and a fortified position over the walls out of the reach of the horde of undead, the fighters were starting to relax.


    Adventurers and Watch members continued striking from afar. As the minutes passed, they started bantering. The danger was manageable, so long as they didn¡¯t let their guards down they could safely deal with all these mindless undead.


    Watch Captain Selveor noticed the number of undead had finally started to significantly decrease. Once they had stopped coming out of the forest the situation had improved.


    The undead were no longer piling up in ramps or ladders, and were now more evenly spread out along the wall. The task of eliminating them had become easier, even a bit dull, but the few people who dared to be careless had paid for it receiving nasty injuries.


    Fortunately, no one had died yet, and if he could help it, no one would.


    ¡°Alright people, listen up! We are going to get rid of these damned creatures, we can¡¯t let them get away, if they reach towns and villages it will be a bloodshed. We¡¯ll crush them here now.¡±


    There were shouts of agreement and acknowledgement, many of the Mages were resting after having spent huge amounts of Mana from all those successive spells.


    Now the main fighting forces were the crossbows and bows. The archers had really made an impression tonight, doing most of the job together with the Mages.


    The Captain of the Watch turned around and saw one of the senior guards approaching. A Human woman in her mid-thirties, she had black hair tied on a simple ponytail and dark brown eyes.


    Her face was tense and resolute, she was one of the fiercest melee fighters Selveor had ever met.


    ¡°Something happened, Cordelia?¡±


    Selveor asked. Cordelia had been tasked with overseeing the other walls, in case the undead decided to turn around and attack other points. Ultimately they had focused most of their forces to the South Wall.


    ¡°Captain, give me command of 30 guards to investigate the cause of the undead attack.¡±


    She spoke straight to the point. Selveor frowned.


    ¡°Why? Going out now means taking unnecessary risk. It¡¯s still dark and there could be more undead lurking around.¡±


    Selveor didn¡¯t say no immediately. He liked to consider the options, to hear the arguments of his fellow guards to take the best decision. Cordelia shook her head.


    ¡°The fight is as good as over, we need to set out as soon as the number of undead decreases to a manageable amount that melee fighters can take care of. If we waitany longer, the culprit might escape, or the clues could get harder to follow. All witnesses have confirmed that all the undead came from a single direction.¡±


    She pointed with her spear towards the forest, in the same direction Selveor and Sarai had first spotted the foremost line of marching undead.


    ¡°The Dungeon¡¯s Crypt. That¡¯s where we must go and investigate, the sooner the better.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a job for adventurers, not for us in the City Watch.¡±


    The Captain pointed out. The task of entering Dungeons was first and foremost an Adventurer¡¯s business, as was the task of hunting down monsters in the wild.


    ¡°But the Adventurers are tired, while most of the Watch didn¡¯t have to fight. Most of it was Mages and archers, only our crossbowmen got to fight tonight. I can take a platoon of spearmen with me, maybe some Mages that aren¡¯t too tired and some crossbows.¡±


    Her request was reasonable, but Selveor didn¡¯t want to send anyone out into the forest. However, if she could go with a capable group and investigate, they might be able to find something, maybe the cause of this event. It was dangerous, but such was the life of a guard.


    ¡°Alright, but take 50 guardsmen with you, and any Adventurer that wants to join, especially Mages and Scouts. Follow back on the trail of the undead and retreat if you find any danger, have the Mages ready to send a distress signal in case of emergency. Understand?¡±


    Cordelia smiled upon hearing her Captain¡¯s agreement.


    ¡°Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Corie. At the minimal sign of danger, I want all of you back here. It¡¯s too risky to fight in the forest at night.¡±


    Cordelia¡¯s brow creased at hearing her old nickname.


    ¡°Come on, old man. You know I hate that nickname.¡±


    ¡°I do, but for some reason, you only truly listen to me when I call you that. I¡¯d much prefer to not let you go and wait until dawn, but you might find something valuable to explain this situation. So, will you be careful and retreat at the first sign of danger?¡±


    ¡°I will. Now can you stop being grumpy? You are gonna get wrinkles before me.¡±


    ¡°Stop giving me lip and get moving before I change my mind, Corie.¡±


    Cordelia ran off and started to shout orders and gathering people. Many adventurers were eager to go with her platoon, especially those that didn¡¯t have much chance of fighting tonight.


    Selveor looked back down at the last batches of undead. It could have been worse, if a Necromancer had been there to guide them and direct them with real strategy, such a vast horde could have breached the walls and cause damage inside the city before being eliminated.


    Instead, the undead had attacked a single wall, and besides the occasional attempt at piling on top of each other, it had been quite safe.


    Was this just a test? Some powerful Necromancer giving an order and watching his undead blindly obey it without any care for success?


    He didn¡¯t have any answer yet, maybe Cordelia¡¯s group would find something useful.


    Selveor turned his back to the forest and walked down the stairs that went to the barracks, heading to his office.


    There were many reports to make, the cities around the area would be in quite the unrest for some time. He would add a commentary urging the troops to move as soon as possible to handle the Goblins.


    Really, as he had feared earlier that night, troubles never came alone. Not in his line of work.

 Chapter 33: Soothing

    Flying in the sky over the desert sands of Sahbadia, a young apprentice and his teacher discussed matters of great importance to the whole universe.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m OP, right?¡±


    Or maybe, just for the ego of the young disciple.


    Ethan had a smug smile on his face. He was sitting next to his Master on a crystal platform. Near them, there were bowls full of popcorn and glasses filled with Cola that Navin had made appear. The taste was the same as the food and drink Ethan knew from his home, it gave Ethan a sense of melancholy, but he pushed that down to the bottom of his mind for now.


    There were more joyful things in which to focus his attention.


    ¡°OP?¡±


    Navin asked with a raised eyebrow. He understood what Ethan meant, the intention seemed correct, but something about the use of that word seemed¡­ wrong.


    ¡°OP means Overpowered. It¡¯s when a character is super powerful, to the point of making the game seem unfair, due to the huge difference with others.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the correct word be ¡®overpowering¡¯?¡±


    His Master asked again. His face tilting to the side in confusion.


    ¡°No, the term here refers to the fact that they have been overly powered by the game makers.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. But it still seems wrong. I¡¯m no expert in your world¡¯s languages but that error seems pretty glaring. It¡¯s like the difference between punching and punched, or more similarly, the difference between being overwhelming and being overwhelmed. One is something you are or do, while the other is something that happens to you.¡±


    Navin made two columns of words appear in the air between him and Ethan, one showing words ending in ¨Cing, while the other showed the counterpart of those words but this time ended in ¨Ced.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Overwhelming</td>


    <td>Overwhelmed</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Attacking</td>


    <td>Attacked</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Watching</td>


    <td>Watched</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Touching</td>


    <td>Touched</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Overpowering</td>


    <td>Overpowered</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Ethan stared at the two columns for a whole minute. He decided his Master was very possibly rightbut shrugged anyway. He had never really cared about the logic and origin of the phrase and terms.


    Slangs just needed to make sense to the speakers, not to the dictionaries.


    ¡°Whatever. I guess colloquial terms never care much about proper grammar rules anyways. Let¡¯s just call it OP, alright?¡±


    Navin shrugged too. Not interested in engaging in a discussion about grammar. There was a more important point to address among everything his disciple had said.


    ¡°As you wish. Your culture has a funny way of naming things. Yeah, you have amazing potential, I had already told you that when we first met, but don¡¯t let it go to your head, okay? Getting arrogant will make you commit dumb mistakes, that is a fast-track way to get yourself killed. You are only getting started, you have seen nothing of what you are capable of doing.¡±


    Arrogance was a weakness many people with talent had, and if it was allowed to grow unchecked then it would twist their behaviors. Making them prone to having conflicts with others out of petty reasons, and taking unnecessary risks due to blindly believing themselves invincible.


    ¡°Fiiineeee. I won¡¯t get cocky about it. What a killjoy.¡±


    Ethan mumbled the last part and munched some popcorn. His Master, of course, heard him perfectly.


    ¡°Better to have you mumbling at me now than have you screaming for help later. It¡¯s fine to be proud of your talents, but don¡¯t grow overconfident.¡±


    Navin commented while laughing lightly. He grabbed a bunch of popcorn and made a hamburger and a bowl full of fries appear.


    He pointed at the new food, silently inquiring to Ethan whether he wanted one too. Ethan shook his head and grabbed some popcorn, he had eaten a lot of food during the banquet in the plaza of Lauhr City.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Not arrogant, just confident in my abilities. I will keep it in mind.¡±


    Ethan replied with a laugh and continued eating popcorn distractedly as he looked around. The stars were brilliant and beautiful in the predawn sky.


    And then he remembered something and put the bowl with popcorn down.


    Ethan remembered a moment during his dance with Issima, when he had mentally asked a question to his Master and saw the stars form the word ¡®NO¡¯.


    He wanted to believe in that answer, but he still felt like he needed to ask the question again, to obtain a face-to-face answer. His face turned serious and his voice was low when he spoke again.


    ¡°Hey, Master? I want to ask you something.¡±


    Ethan spoke in a low voice. Navin finished his hamburger and looked at Ethan, noticing the change in his emotions.


    ¡°What is it, Ethan?¡±


    Ethan looked at his Master in the eyes. Pure blue eyes regarded him with full attention, silently studying him. Ethan knew those eyes could read him like an open book.


    And yet, Ethan kept his gaze locked at them. He had to ask, he needed to voice his doubts out loud, and he needed to hear the answer.


    ¡°You have done something to me, right? To my mind, I mean.¡±


    Ethan stared at his Master. Navin was silent, there was not even the slightest change in his expression. A perfect poker face.


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±


    That, Ethan observed, was not a denial. His Master¡¯s expression was calm, but he wasn¡¯t smiling anymore.


    Neither was Ethan.


    ¡°I had my doubts during our journey in the desert, I was always cheerfully thinking about many things, but the first night I spent here I had nightmares, just after you left. I spent three whole days without any sadness, I didn¡¯t even think about my parents, just getting distracted and focused on whatever was in front of me at the moment. That doesn¡¯t make any sense! How could I be so carefree and laughing as if nothing happened, when my whole planet is dead?¡±


    Ethan¡¯s voice rose more and more as he spoke. It was as if the fear, sadness, and frustration that he had bottled up were all gushing out, turning into an explosion of rage and confusion.


    ¡°All these days, I felt as if I was in some game, enjoying the feeling of strength and the training. That would be fine and all, but I noticed something today. You know, back in my home, I used to flinch if dogs barked at me. I avoided them, thinking that they could bite me, but I saw monsters today, giant freaking monsters! And I wasn¡¯t scared, just surprised! I was chased by a fucking horde of them and yet I steadily ran, listening to you and even rode a monster bird on my way back to the city. I even thought that the monsters were interesting and made plans of killing them as if I was some player getting experience to level up! That¡¯s not natural, that¡¯s fucked up! It''s insane! So tell me, did you do something to me? What exactly did you do to my mind?¡±


    Ethan didn¡¯t know how to feel about it. Navin was the person who had gotten him out from his world after it broke and everyone else died.


    He wanted to trust him, to believe that if he had done something to spare him the pain of grieving then it was for the best. But to think that it had been done without his knowledge was something that infuriated him. It hadn¡¯t seemed like a big deal, but now that he gave voice to his feelings he realized just how much it mattered.


    ¡°I have not played with your mind, Ethan. I swear that on my honor as a Cultivator. But you have been affected by my presence, that much is true.¡±


    Navin calmly replied and transformed into a crimson-golden Phoenix.


    Ethan could feel immediately how his mind grew calm, there was something soothing and relaxing about the warmth of the Phoenix that made him regain control of his emotions. What¡¯s more, this warm sensation made him subconsciously think of only happy or entertaining matters. His mind was already drifting into the events of today, looking at them from the angle of a cheerful adventurer enjoying a life full of excitement.


    It was only for a few seconds, yet the influence was so evident and powerful. Navin returned to Human form and the calming effect vanished.


    Ethan trembled, was this what had been happening? He hadn¡¯t noticed anything at all until now.


    ¡°Yes, I have been affecting you, but not out of malice, and I haven¡¯t manipulated your thoughts either. You experienced an extremely painful and traumatic event, it¡¯s not something that can be healed in a matter of days, it¡¯s a long process. When I met you in the rift between dimensions, you were about to collapse, when I brought you back to your world your mind was unstable, the sight of the dismembered bodies strewn on the streets could have driven you insane. To recover from such trauma, you need help. It¡¯s not something to treat lightly. Phoenixes are creatures of life and fire, their aura possesses a healing effect for the body, mind, and soul. I have been using my aura to help you recover, to maintain peace of mind whenever possible and to prevent you from falling into depression.¡±


    Navin spoke in a clear voice, his tone was calm and steady. He measured his words to try to appease Ethan and clear any doubts he might be having.


    ¡°Is that so? So what, now I¡¯m some kind of addict to your magic aura of calm or what? Are you gonna drop me into some alien shrink next? Or worse, are you playing to be a psychiatrist with my head?¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Ethan was in pain. It wasn¡¯t something physical, but emotional. His mind was in disarray; he didn¡¯t know what to think or feel about this situation. He didn¡¯t want to be ungrateful to the person who had helped him so much, but he couldn¡¯t control his own feelings.


    It hurt, to feel like he was no longer in control of his own life.


    Ethan stood up, not caring that he was on a floating platform at who knows how many dozens of meters up in the sky.


    As Ethan stepped away from Navin, he noticed the platform expanding underneath his feet. It had been only a few meters wide, now it was dozens of meters wide, giving ample area for Ethan to walk on, pace, and even jump all he wanted without fear of falling off. They hadn¡¯t even stopped flying.


    ¡°No, Ethan. I would not abandon you, and definitely not in your current state. By being near me, under the effects of the healing aura, your mind is healed little by little, but that doesn¡¯t mean that you are dependent on me to heal. It¡¯s a process, something that you must handle yourself, at your own rhythm. I can help, but it all ultimately depends on you.¡±


    Navin stood up too, looking back at the nervous wreck that Ethan was turning into. He didn¡¯t approach Ethan, opting to give him space to vent his emotions.


    ¡°I just want you to know, Ethan, that I am here for you, for anything you need. Remember that you are not alone and that the people you care about can be saved, they are not dead, they are in a coma. Once that world stabilizes we can go back and fix it. We can save everyone.¡±


    That gave Ethan pause. The thought of the people of his world.


    His family and friends who had been brutally killed when space fragmented, they could all be saved.


    By Navin.


    Navin had been the one to tell him there was a method to save everyone in his world. He had brought Ethan with him to another dimension while they waited for his world to stop changing and to help Ethan gain control of his newfound strength as the only survivor of Tergan.


    It was the reason Ethan had accepted becoming Navin¡¯s Disciple, and spent the following days training in the ways to handle energy.


    For that, Ethan would be eternally grateful. And because of that gratitude, he was willing to trust him.


    ¡°As for why you treat this journey as an adventure in a game¡­ that¡¯s on you.¡±


    Navin continued. His smile returned, he was actually a bit relieved to be openly addressing this issue. Since it was beneficial for Ethan¡¯s mental health to speak out his feelings and confront his problems.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a defense mechanism of your mind, to alienate the events and treat them as something different. It¡¯s because what you have been living during these past few days is something out of a fantasy in your world, in stark contrast with the normal ordinary life you had been living until now. It¡¯s fine, this is a new life for you, you are no longer the same as you were a week ago. Just know that this is real, and not a game. You can¡¯t be completely disassociated from the reality that surrounds you, but you don¡¯t have to be swallowed by it either.¡±


    Navin smile turned into a grin, his eyes shone as sapphires with a gaze that made Ethan think he was staring at an apex predator from the wilderness. But the glare wasn¡¯t hostile, it was a promise of support.


    ¡°We are Cultivators. If the world opposes us, we will trample it under our feet. If the Heavens try to oppress us, we will split them open and rise above. Look at how the world is, then imagine how you want it to be, use your power to make both coincide. And if you ever think that you are not enough to manage the difficulties on your way¡­¡±


    Navin extended his left hand and grasped Ethan¡¯s shoulder, then touched his own chest with his right hand.


    ¡°Remember that you have me with you, we are family now, and I will forever be your ally.¡±


    Navin¡¯s words shook Ethan.


    Ethan felt a knot in his throat. He closed his eyes and lowered his head. Tears were threatening to flow out.


    Ethan stepped forwards and hugged Navin, the only support he had in this alien world, the only hope he had to revive the people that he cared about.


    His Master was a stranger too, but one who had so far been helpful and had taken care of Ethan when he would have probably gone insane before dying in that wrecked place that was his homeland right now.


    Navin was the only support he had right now, so Ethan clutched to him desperately. Navin returned his disciple¡¯s hug, but he no longer released any aura to calm his mind. He just stood there in silence, letting Ethan lean on him, patiently waiting for him to recover his calm by himself.


    After a couple of minutes passed, Ethan let go of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I snapped at you.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse and low. He sniffed and brushed at his eyes to clean away the tears.


    Navin merely shook his head. There was nothing to blame about Ethan¡¯s actions, Navin wouldn¡¯t criticize a teenager who had just lost his family barely a week ago for being angry or sad. He didn¡¯t care if Ethan screamed at him to vent his frustrations.


    It was nothing that they couldn¡¯t leave in the past and move on.


    And he trusted Ethan to be able to overcome this difficulty. Navin knew that Ethan¡¯s mental fortitude was above average; besides, the boosts given to him as the lone survivor of his world and by practicing Primordial Soul Profound Breath Cultivation Art were not to be underestimated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If you ever feel the need to talk, I¡¯m right here, I¡¯m all ears. I¡¯m not just a mysterious old wizard teaching you how to be powerful. I am your teacher, here to guide you, protect you and help you with anything you need.¡±


    He waved his hand and a white wooden door appeared next to them. It opened by itself and revealed the same house design where Ethan had been sleeping and resting the last few days before arriving at Lauhr City.


    A small house that Navin made appear each time they rested, complete with bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.


    ¡°If you want to refresh and take some rest, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡±


    Ethan stopped in front of the open door and turned his head slightly. He spoke in a very soft voice, barely audible.


    ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ethan?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, for everything.¡±


    Without waiting for any response, he walked through the door and closed it.


    Navin looked at the closed door for a couple of seconds before replying in a soft voice.


    ¡°Anytime, Ethan. Anytime.¡±


    <hr>


    When Aina got out of the house that morning to do some exercise, she was greeted by the sound of rain and gray skies all around. She stepped outside, feeling the cold droplets falling on her face and arms.


    She hadn¡¯t noticed the weather while inside the Traveler¡¯s Cabin. A quick look at the house showed her why: there was a barrier around the artifact she called her new home, preventing it from being sullied by foreign substances. Dirt would never adhere to it, even the rain was just sliding off the tiles and walls.


    It might have been raining heavily during the night and she wouldn¡¯t have noticed.


    Right now it wasn¡¯t a strong downpour, but the skies were covered by dense clouds and there was a soft breeze blowing, making it a cold morning. For Aina though, it was just a fresh morning.


    She turned her head and found her Master standing in the rain with open arms. He was wearing only a pair of soft blue sports pants, smiling as the rain fell over him.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    Aina yelled at him and walked over to his side, feeling the wet earth under her feet. Every day, she felt herself growing stronger, more aware of her surroundings.


    Her senses were expanding, and she enjoyed every moment of it.


    ¡°Good morning, Aina. Did you sleep well?¡±


    Navin turned and patted her on the head.


    ¡°Good morning, Master. I didn¡¯t notice it was raining until now.¡±


    Aina replied with a smile. All around she could see gray clouds on the sky, it seemed it was going to be like that all day.


    ¡°It started raining hours ago, it¡¯s almost over.¡±


    Navin replied and resumed his stance of enjoying the rain with open arms.


    Aina stood by his side and imitated his posture, spreading her arms and feeling the rain on her skin. She took a deep breath, using her cultivation method out of habit, feeling the Qi running through her body.


    The world felt different.


    This was the first time Aina used her breathing method while under the rain, it was a completely different experience compared to using it on a sunny day.


    It was as if the rain was forming a link between the sky and the ground, energy was constantly moving around. With every breath, Aina felt the clouds gathering, the wind blowing, the rain falling from high above and the earth embracing the water, there were plants all around absorbing the rain.


    There was a rhythm to it, a cycle that encompassed all of the world which Aina was barely starting to glimpse. The more she learned about it, the more she liked it.


    High in the clouds, Aina could feel energy gathering, a rampaging force was starting to form. Aina recognized it, lightning was going to fall.


    She carefully observed that patch of clouds, feeling the energy. For a moment, she thought she could taste the electricity moving in the air. Driven by an impulse, Aina reached for the lightning with her hand.


    In her mind, she saw the energy accumulate, the lightning formed in the clouds above, she reached for it.


    And the lightning descended from the sky, striking Aina directly into her mouth as she was taking a deep breath.


    In a flashing moment, Aina felt the searing heat and force of the lightning, but the heat, force, and electricity were absorbed by her Cultivation Core, protecting her from any damage.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t wait for breakfast, eh?¡±


    Navin laughed as Aina was stunned for this strange event. She looked up to him and blinked many times.


    The lightning was channeled in an instant towards the small sphere she had prepared the day before. Despite Aina¡¯s effort in keeping it complete, the sphere had decreased in size and strength over the night, now there was barely a small spark left of it.


    But the lightning that fell from the sky was used as fuel for that little spark, and the lightning sphere was formed anew, it was even a little stronger than before.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Maria¡¯s voice sounded from behind them. She had an umbrella over her head. She had barely come out of the door when she saw the flash of lightning.


    ¡°Aina just ate a lightning. I think we should get her something else to eat.¡±


    Navin teased Aina, still smiling.


    ¡°You ok, honey?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think so.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Maria covered her daughter with the umbrella, sheltering her from the rain. A quick check showed that Aina didn¡¯t have any wounds, so she relaxed.


    ¡°So why did you eat a lightning? There are pancakes in the fridge, you know.¡±


    Maria hugged Aina and teased her too. Navin was laughing even harder now.


    ¡°It was an accident, Mom. I was just feeling the rain and then felt the lightning forming. I tried to grab it and then learned that Lightning tastes weird. It¡¯s good... but weird.¡±


    Aina spoke while making strange noises with her mouth, like trying to grasp again the taste of the lightning she had just eaten.


    ¡°Elemental forces tend to be an acquired taste. Since Cultivators take them with senses that common mortals don¡¯t have, they appear to have strange and exotic tastes, it¡¯s normal that it tastes weird to you at first.¡±


    Navin commented. He could compare it to the way people tended to dislike alcohol at first but grew accustomed to it with time. This was an especially appropriate comparison since in advanced worlds there were magic liquors made from the forces of nature.


    But Aina was a child, so he didn¡¯t mention that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you both dry and clean so we can eat breakfast, ok?¡±


    Maria looked at the both of them soaked completely, yet they were both smiling happily. She let out a sigh and they all started walking back to the warmth of the house.


    ¡°Why were you two standing in the rain like that?¡±


    ¡°I was playing.¡±


    ¡°I was imitating Master.¡±


    Aina and Navin answered at the same time. All three of them laughed.


    With such a colorful start of the day, they went to grab something to eat.


    ¡°I think I have some magical candies; I¡¯ll give you some after breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Yay! Thank you, Master.¡±


    ¡°Can I get some too, Lord Navin?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Maria.¡±


    <hr>


    Rain was falling.


    Water soaked the guardsmen of Klata City as they stood on the walls. After the last night''s battle, they were tired and sleepy, but they could not let the walls unguarded.


    There hadn¡¯t been much damage, no one had died, but there were lots of minor injuries. The smoke of the undead turned out to be poisonous, but not life-threatening. Those affected by it had nausea and horrible muscular pains if any wound entered in contact with it, but the rain had made it dissipate.


    It had rained for hours, and despite the uncomfortable situation, there was no way Captain Selveor could leave the walls right after an assault from the undead.


    The city had requested assistance from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and it had been provided. There were some scouts and archers at the top of the towers since they had better vision than most, and melee fighters were idling around, since they were the ones that fought less last night they had lots of stamina left.


    Mages were all exhausted after using their mana in combat spells over and over, so they had gone to rest as soon as the fight was over.


    Sarai had spent hours on the walls before deciding there would be no more dangers, she asked for leave and was authorized.


    She walked over the wet streets of the city. She wanted to go see the prisoner they had captured last night.


    After Senior Guardsman Cordelia had gone out with a platoon to investigate the direction the undead horde had come, she found that they effectively had come out from the Dungeon, and there was an unconscious man in the middle of the road, surrounded by the footprints of the undead.


    The Mages had said he was unconscious due to excessive Mana loss, and that he would wake up the next morning.


    Everyone had agreed to wait, given that they also needed to rest. So they had bound him in chains, restrained his Mana, and dropped him in a cell.


    The interrogation and trial would be starting soon, and Sarai wasn¡¯t going to miss it.

 Chapter 34: Rain

    Inside a private room within Klata City¡¯s courthouse, two men sat across each other, neither of them was smiling.


    One of them wore exquisite clothes of a deep burgundy color, adorned with gold and silver. His hair was blonde and his eyes had an eerie greyish-blue tone that he often used to his advantage when staring at other people. He had wide shoulders and strong build, his stern face had few wrinkles and a neatly trimmed beard.


    Klata¡¯s City Lord, Harold Bareas. 50 years old, a Sword Master from a long tradition of Martial Lords that had ruled Klata for hundreds of years. While his family had long since grown accustomed to politics and ruling, they had never left behind the traditions of combat and hard training regime. He was, first and foremost, a warrior.


    In front of him, a lean hoary-headed old man with a slightly hunched back sat while supporting his hands on a wooden cane. He wore a priest¡¯s clothing; his ample robe was white with a stylish blue pattern over it that signaled his high position within the religious order. This man was the head of the Church¡¯s branch in Klata, Bishop John Tharnell.


    Different from the City Lord¡¯s stern expression, Bishop Tharnell¡¯s face was grim. His hooded eyes were filled with worry and it seemed he had spent several days without sleeping.


    ¡°So you are telling me that¡¯s the reason why the priests didn¡¯t help fight off the undead and haven¡¯t helped in the healings of the sick and wounded for a whole week? You lost your powers?¡±


    Harold leaned forwards, his face inscrutable. There were many religious orders in the continent serving a number of different gods in a pantheon of almost 20 deities, but each country had more or less managed to organize their religions into united groups. Likia Kingdom¡¯s Church worshipped a pantheon of four gods:


    Fero, the God of Battle.


    Baraka, also called the Giver, Goddess of Gifts.


    Linara, the Goddess of Ends.


    Karu, the God of Light.


    The Clerics of the church, both the healers and the fighters, used their connection with their patron deities to call upon supernatural powers and use a special brand of magic that they called Miracles.


    And if for a whole week they hadn¡¯t been able to call upon any miracle, the implications were¡­ severe.


    Harold had noticed the strange movements of the Clerics when all of a sudden they had stopped preaching and halted the healing services, locking themselves in the quarters of their Order; but the City Lord had thought that they were in some conclave or preparing for some special ceremony.


    Now it was clear that the situation was much worse than he had imagined.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened, but we all felt it at the same time. The bridges are broken, Harold. We can¡¯t access our link to the Gods and they no longer answer any prayer, no matter what ritual we perform.¡±


    The Bishop¡¯s words were marked by grief and despair. He was in the border of resignation, there was no warning for this situation and there were no answers to all their questions. The high-ranking officers of the Church had communicated with each other, and it was immediately made clear that this situation wasn¡¯t exclusive to the Clergy in Klata, but to every priest in the country.


    Further reports indicated that the same was happening in the whole continent, and the religious orders were in the border of an abyss of massive panic.


    The upper echelons had managed to maintain order for now, convincing their brothers and sisters to be patient and exercise forbearance in the face of adversity and the tests from the Gods.


    But how long could that last?


    ¡°And there are no explanations as of why?¡±


    The City Lord pressed on, his hard gaze locked on the Bishop. John shook his head in denial.


    ¡°Nothing concrete so far. It could be they are testing us, or that something happened that is interfering in our connection with them, though we have no idea what that could be. We still have our Classes and some Skills are still usable, but the greatest Miracles have become unavailable. The grimmest opinions are that the Gods might have abandoned us, and the outright blasphemous claim that they died.¡±


    Tharnell replied bitterly, his face twisted in anger and fear when he said the last part. It was the most horrendous scenario, and yet each time he thought about that grim possibility something inside him told him that it was a very real and likely scenario, impossible as it had seemed to him all those years ago when he joined the Church.


    Now that impossible scenario reeked of truth, and it was frightening.


    ¡°And what do you think, Bishop?¡±


    Harold asked again. His face was stern but impassible, displaying none of his thoughts on the matter.


    He had summoned the Bishop to find out about the situation with the Priests and seek an explanation for their lack of help in fighting the undead and healing the wounded. Finding out that they had lost their ability to call upon the Divine Light for their Miracles was something he had never imagined.


    It meant that the Church had effectively lost most of their military, political, and tactical value for the Kingdom. They could no longer be the same fighting force, could no longer sway public opinion with their speeches and Miracles, and they could no longer be used as a medic unit during campaign nor perform public service if they were no longer capable of any healing.


    The changes within the Kingdom and the entire continent would be large, and a lot of adjustments would need to be made in both in military doctrine and in the management of the cities.


    But the City Lord doubted the members of the Church would just stay put and quietly disappear, they still had a number of Skills and a lot of experience managing different tasks, they could still be useful, although a heavy modification would have to take place.


    And before that could happen, there would be a period of chaos and panic, Harold was very clear that people driven to despair were capable of causing great havoc, so he would have to take some measures to ensure order and safety within the city.


    Bishop Tharnell was clear of that, but he could not blame the City Lord for taking measures, Tharnell and the other high officials of the Church would also take measures to prevent madness and chaos within their ranks.


    ¡°I do not know, City Lord. It¡¯s too early to be certain, but those possibilities scare all of us. If the Gods are¡­ gone, no one knows what will happen with the world.¡±


    The Bishop replied in a dispirited voice. He was in the border of falling apart.


    The City Lord let out a long sigh and stood up, silently inviting the older man to do the same.


    ¡°I think we are done for now. Will you join us in the interrogation of the Necromancer?¡±


    Tharnell stood up and negated with his head, then gave a small bow towards Harold. The interrogation would be carried in public with members of the City Council present to judge and take any decision. As the Head of the Church in Klata City, Bishop Tharnell held a seat in the Council.


    ¡°Please excuse me. I cede my vote on any decision to you, I must attend to my duties in these desperate times, and I doubt any of the Priests is in the mood for this show of politics. I will join my fellows in prayer one more time and then we will start our own council to debate our course of action. I¡¯ll inform you of any development.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    They both left the office, meeting a middle-aged Priest just outside the door. He was the personal escort of Bishop Tharnell, his face was schooled into a mask of calm, but the way his hands trembled every now and then betrayed his inner turmoil.


    ¡°Take care, Tharnell.¡±


    ¡°You too, Harold.¡±


    They took their separate ways, the Priests leaving the courthouse as Harold walked to one of the biggest rooms in the entire building. Once inside, he found a group of influential people waiting inside despite the early hour, they probably hadn¡¯t gotten much sleep after the attack of last night.


    After a round of cursory greetings, Harold made his way to the highest seat in the room, reserved for the City Lord. The other people in the room were members of the City Council.


    Some adventurers and common citizens would probably start to arrive soon.


    Harold turned his head and ordered one of the guards to bring the Necromancer. He wasn¡¯t particularly fond of the shows, facades, and schemes of politics, but such things were a necessary tool to efficiently manage a city as large as Klata.


    The guard saluted and quickly left to carry on his orders. Time to get to the bottom of this matter; that Necromancer, while not necessarily the direct responsible of last night¡¯s attack to the city, was definitely aware of something.


    It was time to find out exactly what it was.


    <hr>


    He was sitting in a throne, carried on the shoulders of servants as strong armies hailed him. The people shouted praises, celebrating their King¡¯s victory.


    But he quickly noticed that the praises were not for him.


    The shining armor of his soldiers turned old and rusted. The people¡¯s faces rotted and their skin fell off, revealing yellowed bones.


    They were not hailing him but the ghost over his head. And like a puppet, he moved by the will of the Revenant. Bringing war, death, and madness.


    Something appeared from out of nowhere. Wielding power beyond imagination, a man with eyes like the stars in the heavens overturned the world.


    A Sovereign from beyond this world proclaimed his victory with a single sound.


    The world knelt and the dream was broken.


    The horde of death became ashes and Eric was freed.


    The Deity smiled, and everything went dark.


    Eric woke up from that strange dream.


    He was bound in chains, his throat was dry and his whole body hurt, especially his head.


    Words were echoing in the back of his head, barely out of his range of comprehension. He tried to make sense of them, but the headache had him dizzy before he could make any serious attempt.


    Eric took a moment to reorient himself and check the state of his body. He turned his head to take a look around and immediately stopped, regretting that he even did it.


    The headache was killing him. Eric closed his eyes and laid his head down again.


    He took a deep breath, opened his eyes again, and slowly took in his surroundings.


    He was in a cell, likely underground. There were shackles on his hands, he still had all his clothes, but his equipment was gone.


    His wand, rings, and any magical object in his possession was inside his bag of holding, as they could have messed with the ritual, whoever had put him in this cell had taken the bag of holding. His daggers and other trinkets that he kept in his pockets and strapped on his legs and arms were all gone too, taken by whoever had put him here.


    Luckily, he still had his most secret tools: needles, picklocks, and small blades that he kept under his skin. Most people underestimated the uses of Necromancy, they ignored how a body truly worked and could be used. But Eric had been taught the rough way that one needed to be prepared for harsh situations.


    He had bruises and slight cuts on his arms and legs, probably due to falling to the ground and being handled roughly while he was unconscious.


    And whoever put him here had even cast multiple spells on him as he was unconscious. Eric could feel the aftereffects of Sleep and Paralysis spells. He must have been asleep for over six hours.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    With a grunt and suppressing a groan of pain due to the headache, Eric sat up on the bed. A simple, unadorned bed in a decrepit underground stone cell with a solid iron door.


    ¡°How quaint.¡±


    Eric muttered sarcastically as he stood up. He tried to circle his mana but found it sluggish. So they had applied restrictions on his Mana pool too? At least they weren¡¯t complete fools.


    Getting out of that place was going to prove a real challenge without any weapons and without spells. His little tools could get him out of the shackles, and maybe help him take down one or two guards, but not fight the armed guards that were bound to be outside.


    If there was any way to get back his belongings, Eric would try. But he didn¡¯t have much hope of that, better to make plans assuming that he couldn¡¯t recover his equipment.


    There was a booming echo in the back of his mind waiting to be heard. Had someone sent him a Message Spell while he was unconscious?


    If someone was just sleeping the Message would awake them, but if the unconscious state was due to exhaustion or external forces then the Messages would be relayed to the subconscious and could be activated later on, dissipating upon being read by the conscious mind.


    Eric had more urgent things to do, like figuring how to get out of the cell, but he was curious about the Message.


    Besides, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get anywhere with a mind-numbing headache disrupting his concentration, and the Message could provide some clues about his current situation, so he decided to lean against the stone wall and closed his eyes, letting the Message run its course.


    Eric noticed at once that this wasn¡¯t any Message Spell, or at least it was some variation he was unaware of.


    The first sensation was one of warmth, alleviating the pain in his head. His mind was clearer, and the fuzzy memories were being cleared of the strange fog that covered them.


    Eric¡¯s memories of the previous night were fuzzy, even the whole week seemed strange now. It all started after carrying out the ritual to gain control of the undead in the Crypt.


    He remembered obtaining great strength, even a temporary grasp on the Dungeon¡¯s array had provided him with great boosts. He remembered being capable of commanding a vast horde of undead at the same time, and the feeling of ecstasy.


    Only now he realized that it didn¡¯t seem like the ecstasy was his own. More than the pride from succeeding in his research, he had been feeling excited about being alive and free, as if he had been a prisoner for a very long time.


    Those emotions felt strange¡­ foreign, even. Like they weren¡¯t his own.


    His foggy memories ended with him going out of the Crypt, killing the adventurers that were in the area, commanding the undead, and fantasizing about taking over Klata City, even starting a war against the Kingdom and founding a new nation of undead.


    Why had he even thought about that?


    He wanted to show his success to the Mages¡¯ Guild, to prove that Necromancy could achieve great things and not just be a dark perversion of Sorcery used as a weapon against the living. He didn¡¯t want to destroy the Kingdom, he wanted to prove he was right.


    Sure, he hated the politics of the Kingdom and the restrictions he suffered from both the Adventurers¡¯ Guild and the Mages¡¯ Guild. He resented a lot of people for the discrimination and humiliation he had suffered over the past years. But he didn¡¯t want to kill them.


    Okay, he had thought about killing those annoying bureaucrats and the ignorant people who sided with them, maybe once or twice¡­ or a hundred times.


    But he wasn¡¯t seriously planning to do it, not like last night, when he had led an entire horde of undead against the city in order to exact revenge against the entire population.


    That wasn¡¯t like him.


    He had killed people before, it was a violent world and even the powerful Likia Kingdom hadn¡¯t managed to take complete control and supervision over everything in its territory, so there were groups of bandits and outlaws everywhere. Besides that, Necromancers weren¡¯t exactly welcomed by most; many people were beyond hostile and outright attempted to kill him as soon as they found about his Class.


    He had killed in self-defense, competing for resources in Dungeons, and in other conflicts due to a wide variety of reasons.


    But he never attacked unprovoked, nor would he hurt innocent bystanders. People could talk all they wanted about Necromancers, but Eric wasn¡¯t a sociopath. Even his most bizarre experiments were done on undead, and never on people he had killed.


    Eric had made many enemies during his life, some who were still out there looking to take his life, he wasn¡¯t exactly an honorable and upright citizen of the Kingdom, but he wouldn¡¯t unleash undead on people who had nothing to do with him.


    That was madness.


    Yes, madness. That¡¯s exactly what it was, last night. And even this whole week.


    Eric realized then, that he had been under external influence.


    His whole body trembled and his blood ran cold as the fog in his memories dispersed further. He hadn¡¯t just been influenced, he had been possessed. And under possession, he had commanded the undead to attack the city, a horde of thousands.


    Was that it? The undead had attacked Klata under his command, and he had been defeated, made prisoner in the cells?


    How many people had been killed because of him? How many had been injured?


    No, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for them to just subdue him. Besides, he didn¡¯t have any wound on him.


    The strange sensation coming from what he had initially thought to be a Message Spell was getting even stronger now, as he desperately tried to make sense of the situation, trying to remember the events of the previous night.


    I went outside. I led the undead. I sat on a throne of bones and proclaimed myself King of Death. The horde was marching and was discovered by the City¡¯s Watch. I ordered them to breach the walls and kill everyone inside, and then¡­


    And then what?


    Eric felt as if something inside his head broke, but not in a painful way, it was like hearing an envelope being torn in the distance.


    Memories started to flood his mind. Not from his point of view but from somewhere above the scene.


    Scenes of a meeting outside the Dungeon. As Eric was possessed by a Revenant, a strange Magus had appeared in front of him and stopped him from attacking the city.


    He hadn¡¯t stopped the undead, he had just stopped Eric. And he wasn¡¯t just a Mage, that¡­ being was so much more.


    It was the closest thing Eric had ever seen or felt that could be considered to be a Deity.


    Eric had fallen unconscious after meeting the mysterious man, but the memories inside his mind were showing what happened afterward.


    That was the delayed Message, the echo in the back of his mind, this Entity had planted the information inside Eric to show him the events of the previous night.


    Eric¡¯s entire body trembled as he remembered the sensation of that being¡¯s gaze over him, the burning feeling and the strange liberating sensation afterward.


    The Revenant had been exorcized and destroyed, but its power was preserved into a black bead, a bead that had been placed inside Eric¡¯s body.


    Then the powerful being had explained his actions, the reasons behind his interference. And then he had left, leaving Eric on his own to be captured by the Watch of Klata City.


    Fate and changing the future, eh?


    Eric thought with chagrin. He had never been one to think much about Destiny, but now he was seriously considering changing his outlook on life.


    Eric sat there, absentmindedly staring at the opposite wall. A small chuckle escaped his mouth, quickly turning into hysterical laughter.


    All of that was ridiculous, now that it was clear what had happened.


    Petty ambitions, delusional boasts of glory, dreams of figuring out the secrets of Life and Death¡­ everything was so small, so fragile, so weak!


    Eric had been possessed and about to become an undead monster under the control of some ghost from the Dungeon¡¯s Crypt, a mere puppet incapable of doing anything as his body was used as an instrument to bring ruin to others.


    And then that person had appeared and released Eric with barely any effort.


    The whole lore of legends and compendium of magic that Eric had collected and studied during his entire life was less than dust in front of a single word from that strange individual!


    A single snort from that¡­ from that Entity, for there could be no other way to name him, had shattered Eric¡¯s entire world and remade it anew.


    Wasn¡¯t that frustrating? Weren¡¯t all the petty affairs of mortals, all the wars and all the magic research completely meaningless?


    There was such an unopposable and absolute power out there, and Mages were still fantasizing about chasing the shadow of a fragment of that magnificence Eric witnessed last night.


    That was the real deal, a true Archmagus, or what Eric imagined an Archmagus would be like.


    That wasn¡¯t some distant and abstract concept like the strange source of the powers the Priests used for their Miracles, two dozen different patrons for their prayers and even more ways to worship them, and yet they all wielded slight variations of the same core Skills, Eric refused to believe there were actually that many gods overlooking the world and granting blessings.


    But this was different.


    It was a real, living and direct-involving being of great power walking among the mortals, taking action to prevent a grim fate and helping people.


    And wasn¡¯t that just hilarious? Oh, the irony of the proud and mighty rulers of land and wielders of magic. They were mere dust, and Eric knew it now.


    ¡°Who would have thought, that I would meet a Deity last night.¡±


    Eric shook his head many times. He steadied his breath and stopped his laughter, yet he could not stop smirking. The manic grin on his face wouldn¡¯t go anywhere any time soon.


    He focused on remembering the words of that Entity, committing them to memory, word by word. They were branded forever on his mind.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want me to kill and use the undead to create a kingdom of death. Well, obviously that¡¯s a stupid thing to do. Yet you let them go and attack the city and left me there to be captured. Hehehe, you have a plan, don¡¯t you? There¡¯s an objective for all this.¡±


    Eric snorted and passed a hand over his ruffled hair. It was obvious that such powerful Entity possessed abilities beyond Eric¡¯s knowledge, even capable of seeing the future and altering it at will.


    Then, each of that being¡¯s actions would surely be part of some plan. Even telling Eric not to follow any plan could be a step of a plan, influencing Eric to take one choice or another.


    To make things worse, Eric didn¡¯t know what the plan was or what choice had that Entity predicted, or if it had even predicted all possible courses of action. Just thinking about such things was sending Eric¡¯s mind into an endless loop of possibilities and complex scenarios. It was frustrating and annoying him.


    Could that being be watching Eric right now?


    Could it be listening to his thoughts? Whether that was the case or not was outside Eric¡¯s control, so he decided to not think about that or he would just go crazy.


    ¡°Damn, I feel tempted to try it after being told not to, just to screw with your plan. But I¡¯m not so foolish as to contradict such an overwhelmingly superior opponent. However, I¡¯m not a slave. Thank you for exorcizing that Revenant, but I¡¯m going to live my life my own way.¡±


    Whatever else you do from now on is up to you, bye.


    The last part of the powerful being¡¯s words resounded one last time in Eric¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Yeah, you are damn right about that.¡±


    Eric murmured, a bit calmer. At least that person didn¡¯t seem to be interested in taking any direct approach over Eric for now.


    Any future course of action would have to wait since he was still trapped inside a cell. So Eric decided to leave that thought for later and focus on the issue at hand: How to get the hell out of that Cell?


    His Mana pool was restricted, but it seemed his captors hadn¡¯t noticed the black bead of energy inside his body.


    That could very well be the chance Eric needed to escape from his current predicament.


    However, before Eric could experiment with it, the door of the cell opened with a loud noise and a guard took a cold look at him.


    ¡°You are awake? Good. Get up, it¡¯s time for you to answer some questions.¡±


    The guard didn¡¯t await any response from Eric and grabbed him by the collar of his robes and brusquely got him out of the cell.


    His interrogation was about to begin.


    <hr>


    Sarai walked fast, ignoring the splash of rain as her boots stepped in some puddles on the street.


    By the time she reached the large building that served as the courthouse of Klata, she was drenched.


    Spending even a few moments outdoors under the weather was a sure way to get all of one¡¯s clothes soaking wet, but Sarai didn¡¯t care much about it. She didn¡¯t mind getting her clothes wet and dirty, a couple of years as adventurer fighting monsters and many nights camping outside were enough to beat that out of anyone.


    Besides, there was a quick and affordable way to get oneself dry: magic.


    Upon entering the courthouse, Sarai walked to one side. A group of people equally or more soaked were standing together in front of a Mage next to a wide stone board full of arcane symbols, held in place by a tripod.


    She gave a silver coin to the Mage and joined the group.


    After waiting a minute and seeing that there wasn¡¯t anyone else coming, the Mage activated the board, making all the runes on it start shining.


    A wave of magic covered them, and Sarai could feel the water covering her body being lifted and pulled away from her. A current of warm air blew off and circled around the group of wet customers, quickly and effectively warming their bodies and drying their clothes.


    Sarai thanked the Gods for whoever had been the genius to invent that thing. Ever since it had come from Hykei about a decade ago, this artifact had been used in any big business or important location across the Kingdom whenever there was a downpour.


    Magic was the gift from the Gods to make people¡¯s life more comfortable, or so the Priests liked to say. Even if it sometimes smelled weird for a sensitive nose like hers.


    Feeling more comfortable now that she wasn¡¯t dripping water, Sarai walked further into the courthouse and asked one of the workers about the interrogation.


    There was only one interrogation so showy going on today. There were at least 5 different places where a proper questioning could be carried out, and none of them involved the huge rooms of the courthouse.


    The usual procedure would be for members of the City¡¯s Watch to question him inside a separate room either in the military quarters or in an interrogation room inside the jail, but the Mage that had been taken from the proximities of the Dungeon wasn¡¯t being treated as a witness, but a suspect of a crime. More importantly, the City Lord and many of the City Council wanted to make a show from this.


    Stupid politics.


    Sarai thought with distaste. When an investigation of something so serious as an attack on the city turned into a spectacle, you knew that the City¡¯s local government was full of idiots.


    She crossed the gates to the huge courtroom and took a look around before deciding where to sit. On a wooden bench near the public entrance, there some of her fellow Adventurers. She decided to go there and say hello.


    ¡°Hey, Sarai. I thought you would be sleeping now, after staying up watching the walls.¡±


    Camile, a B-rank Adventurer greeted her with a smile. She was a Human Rogue, part of a B-rank team, Silver Dream. Sarai usually went solo on her missions, but she was acquaintance and friend of many comrades of the profession.


    ¡°And miss this? No, thank you. I can get some sleep later, but I want to hear what this Mage has to say about last night.¡±


    Sarai replied while taking a seat next to Camile. The wooden bench was comfortable, for something that looked so old.


    ¡°Rumors say the guy is a Necromancer, one of my buddies was part of the group that found him. Apparently, he was knocked out in front of the Dungeon, and there were marks of the marching undead all around him.¡±


    Max, another member of Silver Dream, commented by the side. He was a tall Human Warrior with brown hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin.


    Sarai was about to ask if he had more information when the door on the back of the room opened. All sound in the room died out as two guards entered dragging a man of dark red hair with shackles on his hands.


    The prisoner was pale-skinned and tall, he had a lean body covered in black robes, but looking at the way he moved Sarai could tell that he didn¡¯t lack muscle strength. His hair was a mane of dark red curly hair and his pair of deep brown eyes were sharp and constantly moving around as he took in the details of the room.


    He¡¯s not nervous, he is alert, vigilant.


    Sarai noticed instantly. This man didn¡¯t smell of fear or worry. He smelled of danger, a bit of the sickly sweet scent of the dark magic that animated undead lingered over him, confirming to Sarai that he was a Necromancer.


    The man¡¯s head stood tall, he cast a disdainful look at the Adventurers and citizens in the room before turning to the members of the City Council sitting on their high seats.


    Sarai noticed the change in his body language instantly, this man despised them.


    The guards made him sit on a chair near the middle of the room, the seat where the defendant of a crime would tell their version during a trial.


    And yet, this whole trial smells like a stupid show for the masses.


    Sarai held back the impulse of letting out any sound and decided to watch how things unfolded. Who knew? Perhaps the politicians would surprise her and actually make something good.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    The City Lord¡¯s voice sounded in the room. His voice was deep and strong, the man carried the air of a disciplined fighter, for all that he was a politician, his Classes were mainly those of a warrior.


    Sarai noticed with approval that the man wasn¡¯t fond of this trial either, perhaps there was hope for the City.


    And thus, the public interrogation and trial of the Necromancer began.

 Chapter 35: Questioning

    Sarai watched as the interrogation began.


    One of the officers walked over to the prisoner and placed an object in front of him: a tall tripod holding a white gem, placed so that everyone in the room could see it.


    It was a Lie-detecting artifact.


    ¡°Identify yourself.¡±


    The distaste on the officer¡¯s voice was palpable. The black-robed Mage turned his head towards his questioner. For a moment, Sarai felt something pulse in the air, a dark feeling of danger.


    The man¡¯s smell changed and Sarai detected anger growing inside him. He was offended by the tone of the officer¡¯s words.


    Was the Necromancer going to attack? It shouldn¡¯t be possible, the City¡¯s Watch restricted the Mana Pool of any magic-using prisoners, it was standard practice. Unless they had screwed up in the procedure, the man shouldn¡¯t be able to cast even the most basic spell.


    And yet, the sensation was there.


    Sarai was about to stand up and alert them when the feeling of danger was smothered, disappearing as suddenly as it had come. The smell of anger subsided but didn¡¯t go away completely.


    ¡°Eric Rauda.¡±


    That was all that the man said. Concise and fast. His voice wasn¡¯t strong nor loud, yet it was heard by everyone in the room. It sounded a bit hoarse, though. The officer standing in front of glanced at the gem, it was shining with a soft blue light, so what he said was the truth.


    ¡°Can one of you get me a glass of water? I¡¯m really thirsty and it was a rough night.¡±


    The man who called himself Eric spoke while making vague gestures with his hand over his throat. The officer glanced at the seats of the Council, one of them nodded lightly, granting permission. The officer then signaled one of the servants in the court and a glass of water was delivered.


    ¡°Oh, thanks. What a good service.¡±


    ¡°What is your Class, Eric Rauda?¡±


    ¡°Mage.¡±


    The prisoner gave a sardonic smile as he received the water, he drank it all in one gulp. He signaled for more and the servant poured him another full glass. He finished it slower this time, let it out a sigh when he finished. The gem was still blue.


    ¡°Your main class.¡±


    Said the officer in an irritated tone.


    ¡°You just want me to say if I am a Necromancer, don¡¯t you? Fine. I¡¯ll be clear: yes, I am a Necromancer. Happy?¡±


    The gem remained blue, as Eric kept speaking the truth. One of the members of the Council cleared her throat and spoke up.


    ¡°It seems you are aware of the situation you are in.¡±


    Zalia Theressin, Head of the Merchants Guild in Klata. Her voice was strong and authoritative, while her face kept the fa?ade of a professional smile. Her eyes were sharp and calculative as she studied Eric. She also glanced at the rest of the people in the room, her blue eyes analyzing them all.


    To Sarai, the woman smelled of ambition, schemes, and deviousness. Not someone she would ever trust in anything except taking the most out of any deal.


    Eric let out a disdainful chuckle.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot. I know what happened last night, I was at the Dungeon until I passed out, anyways. Though I do wonder why you are making this a public interrogation rather than a private one.¡±


    He glanced down at his now empty glass of water and held it up, closing one eye as he peered inside it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not poisoned, right? I heard there was an old practice of using poison to silence witnesses in some regions in the south.¡±


    Eric talked in a casual tone after putting down the glass. The man seemed supremely unconcerned of his situation.


    The officer gave him a cold look and signaled the servant to back away. He opened his mouth to scold Eric but was interrupted by a more authoritative voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are not savages. You are not a witness, anyway. You are a suspect.¡±


    The merchant woman spoke again, resting her chin over her clasped hands. There was a bit of amusement in her eyes, but her tone remained grave.


    ¡°Oh, really? What am I accused of?¡±


    The shackled man tilted his head to the side, the mockery of a smile on his lips. Sarai could tell from where she sat that this man was perfectly conscious of the situation he was in, yet he was unconcerned.


    Was he that confident in getting out of this? He already admitted having been in the Dungeon last night, which is where the undead came from. Could it be that he really had no involvement whatsoever in last night¡¯s attack?


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to ask questions, Necromancer. Limit yourself to just answer them. You are here to clarify your involvement in last night¡¯s attack to Klata City by a horde of undead.¡±


    Another of the members of the Council spoke up. This one was an old man with a gray beard and dark red robes. Enner Galstain, Head of the Mage¡¯s Guild within the City. His tone wasn¡¯t one of just scorn, it was outright resentment that filled his voice. This man hated Necromancers.


    Eric shrugged nonchalantly.


    ¡°Good to know. Well then, let¡¯s get this over with. I¡¯m a busy man, I have real research to do, unlike some outdated old geezers whose only interest is piling coins and frivolous politics.¡±


    Eric¡¯s cold tone belied the raging fury and burning resentment within him, the apparent nonchalance was just a fa?ade, Sarai was certain of it.


    ¡°We already know that you were the one ordering the undead, we checked you for recent spells while you were unconscious. You are not walking away from this, insolent scum.¡±


    The Mages¡¯ Guildmaster replied with distaste. There were ways to find out what the last few spells of a Mage had been, it wasn¡¯t exactly easy, but with the resources of the Mages¡¯ Guild and with the serious situation of undead involvement, they had carried out the tests while Eric was unconscious.


    Eric answered with a mocking laugh.


    ¡°I was in the Dungeon and my spells were used to gather the undead, yes. But the attack was not exactly ordered by me. I was possessed by a Revenant. I can¡¯t be condemned for this.¡±


    Hushed whispers exploded in the room. Revenants were a superior type of undead, a very dangerous monster that always brought catastrophe.


    ¡°You expect us to believe such thing?¡±


    The officer by Eric¡¯s side spoke. Visibly shaken by the revelation. If there was a Revenant around, then the threat to the city was far from over.


    ¡°I expect you to do your job and look at the fucking gem. It¡¯s still blue, I speak the truth.¡±


    Every eye in the room turned to the Lie-detector artifact. There, the gem kept its soft blue color. The noise in the room grew louder as discussions started over the different groups present.


    The City Lord tapped the table in front of him with two fingers. The sound was like a spell hitting everyone. The room fell quiet instantly.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Tell us the full extent of what happened last night, Eric Rauda. The causes and consequences both, to the maximum scope of your knowledge.¡±


    A simple sentence, yet it carried the weight and authority of the powerful Lord of Klata. He didn¡¯t raise his voice, his tone was calm and measured, yet it felt like a command.


    A roar from a beast would have been gentler than the heavy pressure behind his words.


    The Necromancer seemed to struggle against something, unsure of how to respond. Then he gritted his teeth and bowed his head slightly.


    ¡°As you command, City Lord.¡±


    Eric started to tell the events from last night, including his suspicions about the causes of the Revenant¡¯s escape and the truth behind the undead¡¯s attack on the city.


    He wouldn''t lie, but how much information he would give to the City Council was entirely up to him.


    <hr>


    Ethan didn¡¯t get much sleep that night.


    For one, it was near dawn when he went to rest; and second, he wasn¡¯t much tired, a brief session of meditation gave him a pleasant sensation of rest and comfort all over his body.


    Deciding that he wasn¡¯t getting asleep any time soon, Ethan took a shower.


    A magic shower.


    Ethan laughed at the thought. Pretty much everything Navin had given him, even much of the food and drinks, was supernatural in some way or another, but that shower was quite noticeable.


    Upon the first touch, it was extremely cold, like droplets of water falling off a gigantic glacier. And yet, after the first moments of intense cold came a pleasant sensation of cleanliness and purity.


    As if the water was washing away all dirtiness, removing every bit of filth in his body and cleansing even his mind. It was quite an experience, leaving Ethan feeling clean in more ways than just physical.


    He wondered if this was also one of his Master¡¯s arrangements to help him cope with depression and pain. If it was, then Navin was making a lot of things for Ethan without even mentioning them.


    It was a paradoxical feeling for Ethan. It was a comforting thing, knowing that he could have someone so reliable caring for him, but it was also a bit unsettling that Navin was doing things that affected him on such deep level without consulting him first.


    And yet, Ethan realized that he couldn¡¯t complain, that would be ungrateful of him. Besides, his Master gave him a wide berth to freely choose whatever he wanted to do.


    Ethan didn¡¯t want to get in any more discussion with his teacher, especially since getting all emotional would only get him to tears. His Master wasn¡¯t the type of person to mock him for it, but there was nothing good about yelling at someone for helping, Ethan still felt guilty about their previous discussion, if Ethan had helped someone and then that person started yelling at him instead of saying thanks, Ethan would have yelled back and maybe punched the ungrateful person; but Navin had listened calmly and then explained his actions patiently while assuring Ethan that he would always be there to help.


    Ethan felt a knot in his throat at the fresh memory. Embarrassment, guilt, and self-recrimination filled his mind for a moment as the water fell over him.


    ¡°How am I even going to look at him now? He probably thinks I¡¯m just a silly kid now.¡±


    Ethan took a deep breath. Now that he was conscious of the magical effects of these things, he was actually a bit grateful for them, at least it helped him keep a clean mind instead of getting the blues.


    Worrying about how to face his Teacher was pointless, he would have to get out and meet Navin any moment now. There was probably going to be a morning session of training, whether it would be before or after breakfast depended on his Master¡¯s whim.


    So Ethan just had to go out and deal with it. Odds were that his Master would treat him just the same, but that didn¡¯t mean Ethan would feel the same.


    After finishing his shower, Ethan brushed his teeth with the paste his Master had provided. It had a soft mint taste and a lasting effect, he suspected it was more magical than chemical, given that Ethan didn¡¯t get morning breath after using it before going to sleep. That it came inside a tube full of arcane patterns was also an indication of the magical nature of the toothpaste.


    It had a suspicious label that read ¡®Lakar Cultivator.Inc¡¯, Ethan didn¡¯t doubt that his Teacher was capable of putting that label and brand name there just to mess with him.


    He got out of the bathroom and got into a clean set of clothes, well, an unused set of clothes, as whatever magic his Master had woven into the clothes he gave Ethan made sure they never stayed dirty for long. They refreshed into their clean state every hour or so.


    How that worked out was not something Ethan was in the mood to figure out or ask about.


    He got into a comfortable pair of blue shorts and a gray t-shirt before opening the door outside the house that he was fairly sure was located in some separate dimension. Each time he looked out the windows it showed a different scenery.


    What greeted him on the other side was the sight of his Master cooking breakfast, or rather the breakfast being made by some invisible force while Navin stood in front of the stove. Despite not needing to eat or drink, his Master sure loved to eat, even if it was supposedly just an avatar of his real self.


    On a frying pan, onion and tomatoes had been sliced and eggs were being added to the mix, Navin then added a pinch of salt and used a steel spoon to scramble the eggs. Next to the ¡®kitchen¡¯, a pair of plates filled with fried plantains were on a wooden table.


    Ethan looked up, taking in the sight of an elegant white fabric that made up a wide marquee that sheltered this area from the heat of the sun.


    ¡°Good morning, Ethan.¡±


    Navin greeted him with a smile. He was wearing a vermilion T-shirt, black trousers and sandals. It seemed he had grown fond of Ethan''s world style of clothes. Or it could be that he did it to give Ethan some sense of familiarity. Whatever the case, Ethan didn''t mind.


    ¡°Good morning. Where are we?¡±


    Ethan looked around. The white marquee over their heads extended for over 20 meters on each direction, but there was nothing blocking his view of their location. They were on top of some rocky formation, no sight of any settlements around.


    ¡°A bit southwest from Lauhr. Come, get some breakfast before going back. You have your date with Issima, after all. Her group will be heading to the Inn to search for you before noon, but we still got time.¡±


    Navin replied as he turned off the fire and took the frying pan from the kitchen stove. Ethan didn¡¯t bother asking how his Master knew that. He could be watching Lauhr City right now and Ethan wouldn¡¯t be surprised.


    ¡°Appointment, not date. And it''s with her whole group, not her alone.¡±


    Ethan pointed out as he walked to the table. Navin divided the scrambled eggs into two equal portions and served them.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    His Master drawled, sounding equally disbelieving as teasing. Ethan wisely decided to not pursue that line of conversation, choosing to eat his meal instead.


    Four jars appeared on the table, undoubtedly his Master¡¯s work. One had juice, another had coffee with milk, the third had water and the last one was sealed with runes so Ethan couldn¡¯t see what was inside, not that it mattered since that particular jar was filled with literally anything.


    That last jar was enchanted to produce any beverage that one desired, and Ethan had found that it could produce a lot of drinks from his world.


    He decided to drink the juice as his Master served coffee on his own cup. He took a bite of the fried plantain, enjoying the taste. It always surprised Ethan how Navin was capable of making simple cooking taste so good.


    ¡°Have you thought about where to go?¡±


    Navin asked. He had already said that it was up to Ethan where they would go and with whom. However, there was one flaw in that masterplan.


    Ethan didn¡¯t have even the slightest idea of where to go. Besides the vague notion that there was the Desert of Death to the north and a hostile country to the west, Ethan didn¡¯t know anything else about the geography of this world.


    ¡°Nope. Without a map, we would be going blind, anywhere except north seems the same to me. Why don¡¯t you choose our route, Master?¡±


    ¡°Where would be the fun in that? If you want a map I can get one for you, and a rough idea about the locations around us, or we could take a look at the countries, they have quite different cultures.¡±


    Ethan hummed in agreement. It was better if his Master handled that kind of stuff.


    ¡°You can scan the whole world, right?¡±


    Ethan asked suddenly. He remembered that the first time he met Navin, he had scanned the world and taken the bodies of every person.


    Couldn¡¯t he do that here and they would have a perfect map of everything?


    Ethan saw his Master hide a smile behind the cup of coffee. He narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°You won¡¯t say that you just forgot or that you haven¡¯t done it because ¡®where would be the fun in that?¡¯, right?¡±


    Ethan glared reproachfully at Navin. Yet his Master was unmoved and calmly put his cup down while shaking his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. Your world was easier to scan because there were no longer any laws holding it. To make an analogy, scanning your world was like looking at a photograph, it¡¯s easier to look at an static image and take in the details than if it were a moving video. Scanning this world would require more energy, which I¡¯m not willing to spend unnecessarily. And yes, where would be the fun if I just planned everything for you? Pick a direction and let¡¯s go, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything to be afraid of.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, if you say so. Well, I¡¯ll think about it and decide later, alright?¡±


    His Teacher nodded in agreement and didn¡¯t say anything else.


    They finished their breakfast in silence and Navin took away the dishes with a flick of the wrist. Ethan stood up from the table and stretched, already feeling his body processing the food.


    It was a strange sensation, everyone knew that there were organs working all the time within the body carrying different functions, but it was something entirely different to actually be aware of it and feel them work.


    According to the information within his mind, self-awareness was a key aspect of being a Cultivator, being conscious of the state of one¡¯s body and mind all the time. Ordinary people let the subconscious mind handle most aspects of life, and let the organs work on their own, but a Cultivator was capable of joining the conscious mind with the subconscious, reaching a higher level of mental capability and also gained total control of their body when advancing to higher Stages.


    Ethan could feel the Qi within his body moving through his organs, enhancing them and optimizing each process. Ethan wasn¡¯t on the level to be able to notice all this at every moment, but so long as he wanted it, he could feel it.


    ¡°So, what will we do today?¡±


    Ethan asked once he finished stretching, just that light movement already stimulated his body, making his Qi flow rise and filling him with energy.


    Navin turned to look at him with a pensive expression.


    ¡°Well, I had meant to see how much you had learned during your meditative practice, but since you only ran from the monsters and baited them to their death, I haven¡¯t been able to confirm your progress regarding fighting ability. We still got time before the Sword Dancers go pick you up, so let''s make the most of the time we have.¡±


    They walked outside and with a snap of Navin¡¯s fingers, a huge wooden platform appeared in front of them.


    ¡°Congratulations, today will be your first sparring session.¡±

 Chapter 36: Practice

    ¡°Sparring, eh? Alright.¡±


    Ethan stretched his arms and legs while looking at the wooden platform. Was he going to spar with his Master? That would surely be quite an experience, although he doubted he would be capable of landing even a hit on his teacher.


    ¡°You told me before that you have read and heard stories about how a practitioner obtains a cultivation book or manual of mystic arts and then sits in meditation for years to master its secrets. Such a thing is inaccurate, to say the least, or as you would so poetically and elegantly say it, bullshit.¡±


    Navin spoke as they got up into the wooden platform. There was some kind of barrier over the edge, it felt as if they were crossing some bubble to enter it. Ethan laughed.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t sit in secluded meditation for years? That¡¯s a pretty common trope in every novel about you Cultivators.¡±


    He was a bit unconvinced. The meditation for long periods of time was almost universal in every cultivation story he had ever read about. He had even fallen into a contemplative state that lasted hours, as he was barely beginning his practice. Ethan could easily imagine that a higher level Cultivator would meditate for far longer periods of time.


    Navin raised a finger.


    ¡°About us, Ethan. You are a Cultivator too now. Stories are shards of truth, filtered by the minds of mortals and modified by cultural information. But they have inaccuracies, even if it¡¯s quite interesting that you have information about this when no such thing really existed in your world. It¡¯s a subject we¡¯ll debate about on another date. Anyways, we do meditate for long periods of time, sometimes for centuries, but no one can master an art with mere mental simulations in seclusion. Especially not in the lower stages, like you are right now. The practice of secluded meditation is done to consolidate knowledge, come up with new ideas, and stabilize internal energy, even to recover from injuries. But to truly comprehend something you have to test it, a hypothesis without experimentation will not yield as much new knowledge as a tested one, and only practice can enable you to truly become an expert at something.¡±


    During their days in the Desert of Death, Ethan had told Navin about many things from his world. His Master had used the expression ¡®shards of truth¡¯ when Ethan had told him about RPGs and about the many novels he had read. Unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t elaborated much on that, because his Master had the strange habit of being cryptic at random intervals.


    ¡°Hmm, that makes sense. It¡¯d be foolish to pretend to learn how to swim without ever entering the water, right?¡±


    Ethan nodded in agreement. That made sense, attempting to learn a martial art without actually exercising the body would be nonsense, even if said martial art contained a lot of mystic stuff.


    ¡°Indeed. So let¡¯s get you into the water and check whether you sink or swim.¡±


    Ethan finished stretching and raised his fists, his teacher was unarmed, so he supposed the spar would be of unarmed combat. Navin raised a hand to signal him to wait.


    ¡°Before we begin the actual spar, let¡¯s go over a bit of the basics of our cultivation art. What is the ideal truth of Primordial Soul Profound Breath?¡±


    To answer Navin''s question, Ethan replied from memory what he had learned from the mystic rune inside his mind.


    "Autonomy while pursuing balance. Harmony with the Cosmos around us yet unfettered independence in our own internalized Cosmos. In the duality of Void and Chaos that manifests myriad forms of existence, we study the way of the evolution of the Cosmos to evolve ourselves, embracing everything and reshaping it in ourselves with renewed purpose."


    Primordial Soul Profound Breath was a cultivation art that emulated the Cosmos within the practitioner, with a Core built from Void and Primordial Chaos, enabling the assimilation and use of the energies of the Cosmos in an easier way than other arts. Reproducing the creation, evolution, changes, and even the collapse of the universe within oneself, a greater comprehension could be achieved and thus a greater power could be obtained.


    Although Ethan only had the barest understanding of it for now.


    "Which are the three basic principles of our Cultivation Method?"


    ¡°Perception, Assimilation, and Adaptation.¡±


    Ethan replied immediately, mentally going over the information provided by the mystic rune within his soul.


    Perception of the Cosmos, to comprehend the many truths outside and within ourselves, awareness of our own state and our surroundings, to respond adequately to any given scenario.


    Assimilation of the energies, to absorb and utilize the forces of the world, properly channel our own power and even take advantage of the strength of our opponents.


    Adaptation to any situation, to be fluid and changeable, steady yet not frigid, unfettered yet ordained, in order to be able to embrace what benefits us and discard what does not. Overwhelming power born from versatility.


    His Master nodded, a pleased smile on his face.


    ¡°Correct. Those are principles to the way we fight, and also to the way we live and practice Cultivation. Once you make them part of your life, they will enable you to effectively make the best out of any situation with the tools at your disposal and even make a new tool to respond to any necessity that may arise.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite an awesome thing, but can one truly do it?¡±


    Ethan replied with a question. If things were as easy to be done as they were said in a textbook, everyone would be a successful expert or an invincible warrior.


    ¡°Of course we can. I¡¯m not saying that it¡¯s easy, though. This kind of things are principles to live for. They are ideals to pursue. Their function is to guide the practitioner towards advancement, so long as you always make efforts to improve, they fulfill their purpose.¡±


    Navin continued in a modulated tone. His words resonating with the ones within the rune in Ethan¡¯s mind. Perception, Assimilation, and Adaptation were the precepts that guided the practice of this cultivation method and were pursued in the study, creation, and application of any technique.


    Ethan nodded in agreement of his teacher¡¯s words and awaited the next question, which he knew was coming.


    ¡°What are the five basics of our combat style?¡±


    His teacher asked, and without hesitation, the answer was given.


    ¡°Breathing, Channeling, Swerving, Treading, and Releasing.¡±


    Ethan replied confidently, feeling the Qi within himself flowing stronger, confirmation of the truths of his Master¡¯s art beating at the rhythm of his heart.


    If the three before could be called philosophical principles, these five were the practical basis of their martial art. Each of the techniques that Ethan could see right now in the rune within his mind could be considered to belong to one of these five ¡®categories¡¯ or a combination of them.


    Breathing, different methods to perceive the world and gather energy from the surroundings.


    Channeling, to move the energy and shape it within oneself for usage.


    Swerving, to guide external forces into new directions, its main application was in defense.


    Treading referred to footing techniques and movement skills.


    Releasing was mainly offensive in application, it referred to the use of energy in the techniques, especially when used in an attack or a strike.


    ¡°Excellent. Keep in mind that these have endless applications, and a single technique can have a bit of all five basics into itself. For example, deflecting strikes and dispelling their strength to avoid damage are applications of Swerving, Channeling, and Releasing. The same goes for an attack, as you have seen during our practice the days before, throwing a punch is more than just making a fist and moving it towards something, it requires adjusting your breathing to match your movements, establishing a firm footing, analyzing the distance and channeling your strength in a correct way before releasing it at the appropriate time for the strike to be successful. The same happens when countering and when using throws or locks. As you advance and improve, you will learn new techniques and come up with new ways to use your abilities, which I look forward to.¡±


    Navin put his right hand behind his back and stood a bit sideways facing Ethan. He beckoned with his left hand.


    ¡°Now show me what you have learned. It¡¯s alright if you use your spear too, don¡¯t hold back.¡±


    Ethan thought about getting his spear out of the Spatial Ring but decided otherwise for now. He raised his fists and took a deep breath, slowly he exhaled.


    ¡°Alright, here I come.¡±


    Ethan stepped forwards and threw a jab at Navin, which was promptly slapped away with a precise movement. Ethan followed with an uppercut, but Navin¡¯s left hand whipped at his wrist and made the attack miss.


    Ethan took a step back before trying again, this time with a series of punches. They were all blocked or deflected with casual ease. Suddenly, Navin caught his left wrist and swept at Ethan¡¯s feet with his leg, making Ethan fall to the ground.


    ¡°Steady your footing. If your attention is only on your arms and you lose focus about the rest of your body, you¡¯ll be open to attacks. If you are not aware of some part of yourself during a battle, your strength will falter and it can cost you your life. This is not something easily gained, it¡¯s built by experience. A good way to train that is by making you stay alert, looking out for hits coming from multiple directions.¡±


    Navin spoke as he helped Ethan stand up. Situational awareness was an acquired skill and something necessary for survival, so he would put emphasis on that. They took distance and Navin beckoned Ethan again.


    ¡°You are not gonna make this a painful beating now, right?¡±


    ¡°No, I am not. Do you really think I would do that?¡±


    Navin asked back with his head tilted to the side and open amusement on his face. Ethan looked at him for a long moment before replying.


    ¡°Yeah, I kind of do.¡±


    ¡°Your unfounded distrust of your loving teacher hurts me deeply.¡±


    Navin said in a theatrical way, putting his hand over his chest and pretending to be shot by an arrow.


    Ethan looked at him with unveiled skepticism.


    ¡°I mean it in a philosophical way, sort of.¡±


    Navin added with a grin. Ethan just sighed and resigned himself to the training session. He actually doubted that Navin would punch him hard, but he had to ask anyway.


    Standing again, Ethan tried a kick with his right leg. Navin caught his ankle and held his leg in the air, Ethan tried to pull it down but to no avail so he decided to try something else. Ethan jumped and kicked with his left. Navin noticed that there was a slight revolving wind around Ethan¡¯s foot.


    Navin raised Ethan¡¯s leg, shielding himself from the incoming attack of the other leg. This left Ethan in an awkward position of having both legs in the air, leaving him making a handstand.


    ¡°Interesting move, was that from the Sword Dancers?¡±


    Navin asked as he let go of Ethan¡¯s ankle. Ethan stood up with a jump and took distance before replying.


    ¡°Yeah. You noticed?¡±


    ¡°There are signs to this kind of things. The way energy moves, mainly. Nicely done, by the way, though you are relying too much on instincts rather than your own consciousness so you didn¡¯t bring about its full potential.¡±


    Ethan nodded and raised his guard again, then he decided to try something else. With a thought, he brought out his spear from the Spatial Ring.


    The spear his Master had made for him was fairly simple, it was made from the sand of the Desert of Death. Navin had drawn a circle in the sand and told Ethan to put his hand there and pull at the sand. When Ethan did, this spear came out.


    The shaft was like polished wood with soft gray color, yet it had to be stone but was actually a bit flexible and smooth. The spearhead was extremely sharp, looking like something halfway between metal and stone. It was joined to the shaft by an adorned section of rings and as far as Ethan knew it would neither get dirty nor lose its sharpness. It was all one body and allegedly the same material, yet it upon closer inspection Ethan had found that it also seemed to be a composite construction.


    With a slight flick of the wrist, Ethan made his Qi flow through the weapon, alternatively making it flexible and rigid. The more he used it, the easier it was to alter it.


    Magic weapons are cool.


    Ethan took a stance with the spearhead pointing to the ground, his left hand in front and his right hand holding the latter section of the shaft. He took a deep breath, gathering energy and tensing his muscles in preparation for the attack. Navin let him do it, watching carefully as Ethan got ready.


    Letting out a soft breath, Ethan dashed forwards as fast as he could. Once he got close enough to his teacher, he made a forward thrust with the spear, exhaling sharply as he aimed at Navin¡¯s chest.


    Navin skillfully sidestepped to the right to avoid the spear and strode forwards, feeling the air behind him be torn apart by Ethan''s strike. He placed his left leg behind Ethan¡¯s legs and slipped his left arm between Ethan¡¯s arms, grabbing his right shoulder and pushing while using his hip as leverage.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    The result was another throw, and Ethan went to the floor again, hitting his head.


    ¡°Careful when you fall; either roll with the throw or disperse the impact with your back and arms, protecting your head is one of the priorities during a fight.¡±


    Although the pain was gone almost immediately, the warning was necessary. The head was a vital part of the body so one must always be careful of avoiding damage. A single strike on the head might have fatal consequences, even if it was only a slight hit it could disorient the fighter and leave them open to a mortal wound.


    ¡°When you attack, be careful to not overcommit to the strike. If you put everything into the attack without reserving some strength for defense or evasion, then you are done for if the strike fails.¡±


    He helped Ethan get up again, who hesitated a bit before speaking.


    ¡°You know; I have to ask if there¡¯s really a point in me sparring with you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be able to actually hit you, right? I just think that it might be better to spar with someone that isn¡¯t so abysmally better than me.¡±


    Navin considered this for a moment. Ethan¡¯s words had some truth in them.


    ¡°Well, the purpose of this spar was never for you to hit me, and neither was it for me to hit you, just so we are clear. It was so that I could measure your current state, pointing out your flaws and strong points to devise future training. And another thing, don¡¯t get all fatalist with ¡®I have no way to hit you¡¯, if you think that way then you lose before even trying.¡±


    ¡°Master, do you think I can manage to land a hit on you in a fight?¡±


    Ethan asked with a mirthless smile. It wasn¡¯t that he actually expected to defeat Navin in combat, but being so easily taken down was not something enjoyable at all.


    ¡°Well¡­ no. But that doesn¡¯t have to stop you. Even if I don¡¯t think you can do it, that doesn¡¯t have to prevent you from trying, as such attitude defeats the purpose of the training.¡±


    Navin admitted it. There was a dimensional gap between their levels of skill and experience, it was impossible to deny that. If Ethan actually managed to land a hit on Navin, it would be quite a prodigious achievement. Still, that was no reason for him not to try, and the spar was never about that.


    Navin was deep in thought as he considered the situation. Suddenly, he smiled and closed his eyes for a few moments. He then beckoned Ethan to stand by his side at the edge of the wooden platform.


    ¡°Alright, I see your point, and I think that I can get you a suitable sparring partner.¡±


    Navin waved his hand, making multiple statues rise from the sand and rocks, armed with different sets of equipment and weapons. They formed a neat line by the side of the wooden platform.


    ¡°Pick an opponent and fight it, don¡¯t worry, they aren¡¯t as hard as they appear, and I have set them to have the power and skill sets of a First Stage practitioner. So they won¡¯t be as hard to fight as me.¡±


    Ethan walked down the stage and started to examine the statues.


    <hr>


    A few minutes later, Ethan was still carefully examining the statues. They had all been made from the sand of the desert, but as expected from his Master¡¯s magic there was nothing sand-like about them. They were, if anything, extremely life-like.


    Each statue was different from the rest, some were male, some were female, there were a few that Ethan couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a man or a woman. Some wore armor, others had their upper bodies exposed, one particular pair was even wearing a set of robes.


    Most of the figures carried a weapon of some sort. Swords, sabers, spears, hammers, axes, clubs, dual daggers, even chains. All made from sand skillfully shaped. There were some that were unarmed, like a particularly brawny-looking statue and the pair of robed statues that seemed to be holding long pieces of cloth in their arms.


    So I am supposed to fight them. These are more than just average statues. Magical dolls, more likely. And if this test is to show what I learned during meditation, then¡­


    Ethan looked at each statue carefully before settling for the one carrying a spear. During his meditative training, Ethan had fought a doll carrying a spear, and he wanted to show his achievements in that type of combat.


    He thought about picking one of the unarmed ones, but he didn¡¯t think even for a second that his Master wouldn¡¯t do some weird thing with them, like making them some kind of super masters of martial arts beyond what appearances showed.


    Ethan gave a sideways look at his Master and found him smiling at him with an amused grin.


    Yeah, I¡¯m definitely not picking one of the unarmed ones.


    ¡°This one.¡±


    Ethan pointed at the one with a spear. The other figures instantly stepped back. The selected statue saluted Ethan and started to walk towards the wooden platform.


    Upon setting foot on the platform, the air around the animated statue rippled, and all appearance of it being an object disappeared as if being washed away by water.


    An olive-skinned woman stood in front of Ethan, her skin a bit darker than his Master¡¯s own tone. What used to be sand and stone now was flesh and bone. His opponent was wearing light leather armor and boots, on her head she wore steel helmet with an opening behind through which her black hair passed in a ponytail, she had a wooden spear with a steel blade in the head and a knife in her belt.


    Brown eyes studied Ethan with clear intelligence. Nothing about her showed any indication that she was actually a statue.


    Was it some illusion? His Master was capable of amazing things, Ethan already knew, but to make a statue appear so human-like was a bit disturbing albeit very impressive.


    His opponent saluted again and silently took a low stance with her spear, a thin smile on her face.


    Navin stepped down from the platform, choosing to stand by the side. Navin smiled and pointed to the statue-that-no-longer-seemed-one that stood on the other side of the platform. The woman seemed to be respectfully awaiting her turn to act.


    ¡°Speary will be your sparring partner, try to put to use what you practiced during the Soulscape Training. No need to hold back, it will be a match closer to your level, but she has more experience fighting than you, so be careful.¡±


    Ethan snorted out a laugh. Was that name because she used a spear?


    ¡°Speary, really? That¡¯s the best name you could come up with?¡±


    The spearwoman¡¯s brow furrowed a bit, looking annoyed at Ethan¡¯s comment. She tightened her grip on her spear and took a low stance with her right leg in front and the left hand holding the latter part of the shaft. A left-handed stance.


    Really? Even the facial expressions are so life-like?


    Ethan noticed with admiration that if someone saw the two on the stage right now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to tell that the woman was a statue constructed just a couple of minutes before.


    ¡°Ah, you offended her. Mocking an opponent¡¯s name has consequences, Ethan. Prepare yourself for her anger.¡±


    Navin chuckled in amusement and waved a hand. A bright red number 5 appeared in the air between Ethan and ¡®Speary¡¯. The signal to start the sparring session would be when it reached zero.


    ¡°Within the boundaries of this platform, any wounds you receive will be rendered inexistent, as immaterial as an illusion. So don¡¯t worry about anything and go all out, but beware of getting any wounds, it will still be a bit painful.¡±


    Navin warned as an off-hand comment. The warning was something serious, despite the casual tone it was spoken in.


    Ethan turned his head to look at his Master and narrowed his eyes at him.


    ¡°Was that there before?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why the pain from when you hit your head on the floor was gone in a second, I didn¡¯t mention it because I wasn¡¯t really planning on hitting you, but it wouldn¡¯t be a real sparring if you didn¡¯t feel the pressure of a fight, right? Speary will take care of that, rest assured.¡±


    Navin grinned at him in what Ethan thought was a mixture of childish enthusiasm and the dickish humor of a prankster.


    ¡°I hate you.¡±


    ¡°Ahh!! Disciple¡¯s hatred, a Master¡¯s only weakness!!¡±


    Navin clutched at his chest and dramatically started to sink into the sand with one hand extended to the sky. His body disappeared completely into the sand and there was a sound like an alarm ringing coming from the floating number between Ethan and his sparring partner.


    Ethan had to use all self-control to not laugh. He turned away from the spot where his Master disappeared and faced his sparring partner.


    Speary was still standing with her weapon ready. Her lips quirked in a thin smile. Ethan took a stance too, inhaling deeply and slowly letting out his breath.


    Energy flowed through his body and his senses sharpened in preparation for the fight.


    The countdown proceeded.


    5, 4, 3, 2, 1.


    The countdown reached zero, announcing the start of the fight.


    Ethan let his opponent seize the initiative, and it cost him.


    Speary lunged forwards and made a thrust. Ethan raised his spear to block it but the spearhead passed barely an inch away from the shaft of his spear, that was never the objective of her move. The direction of the thrust changed into a downward strike aiming at his upper leg. Ethan back-pedaled to avoid the wound and found the attack already changing. Striding ahead, Speary continued her move and switched her footing, with her left leg in the front and her left arm swinging the shaft of her spear with all the gathered momentum, the swirling of her weapon bringing forth an increased force as she hit the right side of Ethan¡¯s head.


    He fell to the ground and while his head hurt a lot for a couple of seconds, the pain receded as if he had never been hurt.


    Ethan heard his teacher voice from the side.


    ¡°Remember the advantages of a polearm; while a spear is mainly a weapon for stabbing, so thrusting is its main form of attack, it is not limited to that alone. By accumulating momentum during a swing, a spear can deliver a crushing blow with its shaft. And due to its shape and length, a spear¡¯s attacks are fluid and changeable. A thrust can easily become a swing coming from a completely different direction in a single moment and vice versa.¡±


    Ethan saw Navin spoke while inclining his head to the side, standing by the side of the platform as if he had never left that spot.


    Being taken by surprise in the first round was a rookie mistake, the real sparring would be in the later rounds, once Ethan adjusted his mentality to the fight.


    Ethan stood up while mumbling about his teacher, but took a low stance similar to the one Speary had. The spearwoman silently prepared for the next round.


    The countdown reached zero again and both stepped forwards.


    Ethan stepped to the left, channeling Qi through his body. A single step covered the distance of three of his usual strides and he positioned himself to thrust at Speary.


    She made an upwards swing, not aiming to block his attack. Instead, she slashed at his hands. Feeling the biting pain on his fingers, Ethan¡¯s right hand let go of the spear, leaving him open for Speary¡¯s next attack. With a precise movement of her hands and a quick change in her grip, she swung upwards again, the back of her spear aiming at Ethan¡¯s chin.


    With what looked like a small skip, Ethan jumped back and took distance from his opponent. Over three meters were covered in that jump, he was already panting. Speary did not pursue him, choosing to instead return to the initial stance. Her eyebrows raised twice in mockery, a thin smile still plastered on her face.


    Ethan glanced at his right hand, the wound was gone, not even a trace of blood left behind.


    ¡°Steady your breathing, Ethan. You are wasting energy in big moves and draining yourself. You need to keep it simple, fight smart and use your energy efficiently. And be careful of your hands, there¡¯s a reason gauntlets were invented.¡±


    Navin advised him again. Ethan had decided to go into the spar in his casual clothes, which Navin hadn¡¯t stopped. There was a lesson to be learned there too.


    Ethan took a deep breath and gathered energy, he let it flow through him, strengthening him. Anger was boiling in him, the annoyance of being hit mixing up with his own hurt pride. He could put gauntlets or gloves, he had them on his Spatial Ring, but he didn¡¯t want to, not yet. If the wounds incurred here were nothing more than a momentary pain, he could deal with it.


    Navin took a look at his stubborn apprentice and sighed. That was fine too, getting a bit of pain endurance was important, though Navin was in no hurry of subject him to a pain tolerance training.


    Letting Ethan check his own limits by himself would be much more fruitful in the long run and enable him to take accurate measures to overcome them.


    Time for round 3.


    Both spear wielders charged. Ethan made a thrust aiming at Speary¡¯s chest but she parried the attack, letting the spearhead pass her by. They were now too close to each other for the spears to be appropriately used, and while Ethan thought about taking distance, Speary dropped her weapon. She punched him in the abdomen and then grabbed his arm and in a fluid motion threw him over her shoulder to the wooden floor.


    Navin spoke again. Ethan just stayed on the floor, catching his breath.


    ¡°Another important thing, do not forget that while the weapon you wield is useful, it is not the only tool at your disposal. This is a common mistake among weapon users; they become too dependent on their weapon, so when they fight they think all the time about chances to use it when they should be looking for any way to win. Worse, they panic and become vulnerable the moment they can¡¯t use their weapon, which is a horrible weakness. Your body is the first tool you have and is the one you should hone the most, along with your mind and soul. Relying too much on an external thing will be counterproductive when you are separated from it.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of if he would be separated from his weapon, but a matter of when it would happen. In a battle, there would be many factors involved and one could not choose all battle conditions, so having a glaring weakness like dependency of a weapon would be something any decent opponent would exploit.


    While his Master spoke, Ethan listened in silence, but his eyes were fixed on Speary. There was a smug smile on her face as she looked down on him.


    She was just too life-like.


    She took a few steps back, giving him space to stand up. Ethan looked to his Master.


    ¡°Is she real? I mean, is she actually alive?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why do you ask? You saw when I formed the statues. But if you think she is alive, then she is alive.¡±


    When Navin finished speaking, Ethan heard a giggle by his side, in Speary¡¯s direction. He turned to look at her and found her with an austere expression, no trace of emotion remaining on her face.


    ¡°If it¡¯s you, Master, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you could animate a rock to be sentient. But whatever, don''t answer if you don''t want to. Have you seen enough?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to try again?¡±


    Ethan looked at Speary for a long moment before standing up again.


    "Alright, one more round."


    <hr>


    Five rounds later, Ethan was on the floor panting.


    By his side, Speary stood with a straight back. Navin pulled out a bottle of water and made it levitate to Ethan.


    "Do you want to try again?"


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m sure I can¡¯t beat her yet."


    Navin smiled and walked over as Ethan caught the bottle and drank from it. It was refreshing and invigorating. Despite the sparring session not being more than an hour long, Ethan felt as if he had been exercising for hours. He took a moment to catch his breath before continuing speaking.


    "Whether you are guiding her moves or if she is alive doesn¡¯t change anything. The fact remains that I can¡¯t defeat her right now. And I have an appointment to meet.¡±


    Ethan sighed and passed a hand over his sweaty hair. He looked at his sparring partner, uncertain on how to address her.


    "I don''t know if you are truly alive, but if you are, thanks for the sparring, Speary."


    Talking with a statue wouldn''t be the craziest thing he had done in the whole week, anyway. That he could see the amusement in her eyes as she silently nodded could be his imagination or his teacher''s illusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s a laudable attitude. Very well, I have seen your current strengths and flaws, I¡¯ll design a training plan to take care of it, don¡¯t worry. You did well for your first spar, too.¡±


    Navin clapped Ethan''s shoulder with a smile.


    ¡°So you say, Master, but I was just being thrown around.¡±


    After taking long pulls from the bottle, Ethan pointed an accusatory finger at Navin.


    ¡°Nothing about this was ¡®a closer match¡¯. She¡¯s way better than me.¡±


    ¡°She is more experienced, true. But as I said before, the skills, speed, and strength she used are those of a First Stage practitioner, Speary¡¯s job is to show you how to efficiently use them. Learn from her, and improve. You are just starting, so there¡¯s plenty of space for you to get better.¡±


    Navin replied and sat next to Ethan. Ethan had only a few days of training, it wasn¡¯t like he would be able to become an expert instantaneously. His potential was astonishing, and his abilities were already above those of an ordinary human, but making an easy target for Ethan to destroy during their training would not help him.


    "Alright, let''s get you back to Lauhr for your date."


    "Appointment."


    "As you say. But first, regulate your breathing and meditate for a minute to stabilize your energy."


    Ethan nodded and sat cross-legged. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes to guide the energy within himself. In a minute, he felt the tiredness wash out of his body. This time he was sure that he hadn''t stayed in some trance.


    That''s when Ethan noticed his teacher looking into the distance, towards what he guessed was the direction Lauhr, shaking a bit as if he was trying to hold back his laughter.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I just looked at your friends in Lauhr City, they are panicking a bit.¡±


    Ethan''s heart jumped. Were the people of the city in danger again?


    ¡°Another attack?¡±


    ¡°No, hahaha. It''s just that you didn¡¯t go back to the Inn last night, and now you are nowhere to be found in the city. So they are getting a bit worried and suspicious of each other.¡±


    Navin let out a burst of laughter after that. Ethan just let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Alright, then I guess it¡¯s time to go back, Master.¡±


    Ethan stood up and looked down at his clothes, which were sweaty and covered in sand from the sparring. Unlike the clothes made by Navin, his normal clothes didn¡¯t have a self-cleaning enchantment. He groaned and started to walk to the marquee.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up first.¡±


    He crossed the door to the house where he rested and prepared to wash a bit and get clean clothes.


    <hr>


    Navin stood up and looked to the side, Speary stood there with a smile on her face.


    ¡°So, what do you think?¡±


    Navin asked her. The woman bowed before replying.


    ¡°Talented, but a bit reckless. The new young lord has a good disposition, seeing that he doesn''t get angry over a loss, but still needs to be more patient in a fight.¡±


    Speary said and extended her hands in front of her. She clenched and unclenched them.


    ¡°He managed to redirect half of the force of the strikes to my own hands near the end. How long has he been training?¡±


    ¡°Six days, and it¡¯s only been two and a half since he formed his Cultivation Core.¡±


    Navin replied with a smile and the woman went still, eyes open wide in astonishment. She then regained composure and bowed deeply.


    ¡°One by one, each successor is extraordinary and possessor of infinite talent.¡±


    She straightened her back and smiled at Navin.


    ¡°It is good to see you again, Sovereign.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back, Vivienne. Thanks for helping here. I will visit you guys soon.¡±


    She bowed again, with her right fist over her chest.


    ¡°The Illusory Phantom Corp exists only for you, Sovereign. We will obey your commands for eternity. I will tell the others, and await you in the Land of Dream.¡±


    Like morning mist under the glare of the sun, her appearance vanished, leaving only the sand statue behind before it crumbled into dust.


    Navin raised a hand. The wooden platform and all the statues disappeared as if they had never existed.


    He hummed a light and cheerful song as he waited for Ethan to come back.

 Interlude: Hogar

    Navin and Arian stood under the open sky in Thessei, waiting for Adeline to come back from her meeting with the Lord of Tenrell, Gaerel Folarel.


    She had to report her success in fending off the invading group of Cultivators, and work out the details of the establishment of communication between her and the information network of Thessei now that she had done her part of the deal.


    Already there would be news spreading about the successful defense of Thessei by the hands of the Invincible Fairy, which would deter most of the others trying to take hostile action towards the realm, and would also encourage Thessei¡¯s allies to resume trade and support.


    ¡°So, new disciples, eh?¡±


    Arian said with a raised eyebrow. His father gave him a sideways glance and smiled.


    ¡°Any objections?¡±


    ¡°None, that¡¯s your decision to make. But I am curious, they can¡¯t be people from the Divine Realm, which means you received them as disciples after the end of the war, so barely a week ago. And taking two at the same time is strange in you.¡±


    Arian replied with a carefree smile. Admittedly there were only two cases to use as a comparison, but he and Adeline were over 3000 years apart. When Navin had adopted Adeline, who at the time was less than four years old, Arian was already a 4<sup>th</sup> Stage practitioner about to breakthrough to the Fifth Stage.


    Now almost 8000 years had passed, and they were both Powerhouses in their own right. But what caught Arian¡¯s interest was the fact that these two new members of the family were received at roughly the same time, right at the conclusion of the war between the Gods and the start of the Cataclysm.


    That could not be mere coincidence or whim.


    ¡°It was Fate.¡±


    Navin replied while holding his own chin with his right hand, which prompted Arian to laugh again. His Master had a very interesting take on what Fate actually was. Unlike most people, who view Fate as a force that altered events so everything would happen as it was meant to be or an intelligence using causality to make sure that every person arrived at their preordained Destiny, Navin thought of Fate as something that was born from the combined choices of all living beings. It was also a force that could be manipulated and used.


    As Arian matured, his comprehension of the Way of Karma had let him understand much of what his Master meant; each action was connected both to the past and to the present, and rippled across the Cosmos in varying magnitudes, causing the future. Fate was the tide made up of all those ripples, so vast and powerful that it was almost impossible to avoid or even perceive most of the time.


    How could a mortal attempt to take on an avalanche that had been gathering momentum and mass since the first dawn of time?


    And yet, it could be done, if one changed the perspective. The forces of the Cosmos weren¡¯t so simple that they could be interpreted and analyzed in solely one unique way, there were many interpretations of each Law, all of them with a bit of truth in them.


    Fate could be seen as a relentless tide, but it could also be seen as a wide and complex set of strings, painting a tapestry across all existence, its threads connected to every living being and pulling at everyone to move to their Destiny. And yet, when looking at Fate in that way, most people forgot that it was also possible to pull back at the strings of Fate.


    And Navin Lakar was someone capable of grabbing the threads of Fate and rein them in.


    So what Navin meant was that there had been a strong ¡®pull¡¯ coming from those two children, that prompted him to take them as disciples. He had accepted them and embraced that Fate. He then started to shape it together with them.


    What would come from that was something Arian was looking forward very much. Whoever his Master had chosen as disciples were definitely not ordinary people.


    ¡°Fated to meet, eh? Well, that¡¯s quite something. So, who are my new little siblings?¡±


    ¡°Wait for Addie to come back and I¡¯ll show you together. They are wonderful children; you¡¯ll both love them.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Ah, before I forget, here. Those guys will be happy to find that you are back and healthy.¡±


    Arian rolled up his sleeve and extended his right arm towards Navin.


    Multiple runes appeared over his smooth skin, shining with different colors and dancing across his arm. Navin raised an eyebrow, he recognized those runes. Those were the marks of contracts to entities that had made pacts with Navin in the past, his followers across many realms of the Cosmos. Some had been made as a group, while others were individual pacts.


    Though for the most part Navin let them do as they see fit, they had contracts of subservience to him and received a boon from him in exchange for their service. Each of them was fiercely loyal to Navin and only took orders from him.


    Before leaving for the war in the Divine Realm, Navin had gathered them all to release them from the contracts, yet they refused and argued that they would accompany him to the war, which Navin had immediately forbidden. A compromise had been reached to keep their contracts in the care of Arian ¨C as Adeline had fiercely refused to receive even a portion of them¨C while Navin was away, in the hopes that they would return to him once he returned and as safeguard that in the worst case scenario they would not be destroyed along with Navin.


    ¡°Those bastards don¡¯t even listen unless I force them to, anyway. They only helped Adeline these past centuries because it was your wish.¡±


    Arian added in a bit of an annoyed tone. While in theory they were also subordinated to Arian and Adeline, most of those entities only listened to them as an extension of their respect for Navin.


    And Arian had no desire of taking them over, he had his own influences and connections too, albeit shallower and less powerful than his Master¡¯s, he had no intention of competing for their loyalty. That Navin saw necessary to delegate reign over them to Arian had been too close to the division of inheritance of a dying man for his taste, the sooner his father got them back, the better.


    Navin clasped his oldest disciple¡¯s arm and the runes eagerly moved from Arian¡¯s arm to his own arm before he let go. The runes danced a bit across his arm and then with a flash disappeared under the skin.


    Navin¡¯s eyes lit up, the runes formed an array in his pupils and with an exertion of will he contacted them all to send a single message.


    I have returned.


    He blinked and the array of runes was gone.


    ¡°I will need a report of the activities they had carried out during my absence, Adeline will have another for the movements of the different groups during this past couple of centuries.¡±


    ¡°I already got one ready along with the situation in the Nether Planes. Though even Adeline won¡¯t be able to have a full scope of the current situation across all the Cosmos.¡±


    Arian replied as he put a finger over his temple for a second. As he removed the finger, a light silver colored sphere came out from his head attached to it. He then pointed at his Master and the sphere of light flew into his forehead.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I got a firmer grasp on the state of the Cosmos now, and the best vantage point.¡±


    Navin spoke as he quickly went over the report. Arian had spent the last 300 years inside the Nether Realms, and the last 200 he had maintained the Grand Array to prevent the contamination of other worlds while cultivating in seclusion. The different contracted entities had been mostly carrying on as normal, though Navin would need to ask for reports from each of them later.


    Although, there were some matters that drew his attention.


    Adeline teleported next to them at that moment, which prompted them to turn towards her.


    ¡°Alright, all settled. Ready to go?¡±


    Adeline cheerfully spoke as she extended her right hand towards Arian. Her brother raised his own left hand in response and touched hers.


    Black and white Auras emerged from both of their hands and started to swirl and form a circle as their hands separated. The black-and-white spiral grew until it was five meters in diameter and finally stabilized to form a solid circular gate with the shape of a Taiji Diagram.


    The door had two equal parts of Yin and Yang, clearly defined into it. It shone for a moment before the two halves separated from the middle, vanishing into the borders of the circle, leaving an open path for them to step on towards a light of gold and purple.


    Both disciples stepped to the sides inviting their Master to proceed ahead, giving him the honor to be the first to enter. Navin strode forwards and grabbed each of them by the shoulders as he passed them by, walking with them side by side into the gate.


    Instantaneously, the gate closed and vanished from existence without leaving any trace in the realm of Thessei.


    <hr>


    Most people had a place they could call home, whether they actually lived there or spent most time away from it.


    Many Cultivators opened a school in a mountain, practitioners of every tradition would have a special place to gather and hone their skills.


    Every major influence had a control center for their people to live and perform duties, a headquarter for its armies and a focal point for their administrative, political, and economic reach.


    Every deity had a seat of power, sometimes a whole realm or secluded dimension where they would live and from which to govern their subjects and order their followers.


    While there were plenty of rogue cultivators and wandering individuals of great might that never stayed for long in a single place, they all had an anchor of some kind, a place where they truly belong.


    For Navin and his disciples, this dimension was what they called home.


    They crossed the Taiji Gate and took in the sight surrounding them.


    A floor of black marble adorned with multiple golden lines forming patterns of arcane arrays around depictions of constellations in multiple realms, set over a wide platform of pure white jade that floated over a boundless sea of rolling purple clouds.


    There was no sky, only a rippling ocean of the purest water, clear as the liquid of an untouched spring, extending as far as the eye could see. And beyond it an iridescent aurora shone down from just out of reach of clear sight, bathing the whole realm uniformly.


    There was no touching that vault, one could spend an eternity rising up without ever reaching the liquid ceiling of this world, just like there was no bottom for the sea of clouds below, nor a lateral border to the extension of this dimension. Should someone attempt to find such things, as both Arian and Adeline had tried, they would find themselves no further than ten thousand meters away from this platform at the moment they decided to give up.


    The trio walked down the central path of the platform, flanked by the constellations depicted on the floor.


    Two lines of columns with a height of ten meters adorned with images of mythical beasts led to a grand golden archway twelve meters tall at its highest point, standing at the opposite extreme of the large platform.


    Alongthe top of the archway, words could be read. Those were not in any language, yet could be perfectly understood by any sentient being who cast its senses in that direction.


    Abandon all doubt, you who walk this path.


    Beyond the archway extended a set of stairs, enchanted so that it could only be ascended in exactly a hundred steps. It embodied many principles of the Great Dao.


    This rising stairway led to the center of the realm. It was that place which could truly be called their home.


    The palace at the center of the boundless realm, Alekya.


    Surrounded by a circular silvery wall engraved with figures of armies and monsters, a vast array of multiple layers provided protection to it. Six white towers rose along the inside of the walls, ending in tips of black.


    Multiple buildings with different functions laid beyond the walls, and at the center of it all stood the grand palace.


    It was within those halls that Arian had first glimpsed at the high mysteries of sorcery and Adeline had honed her techniques of swordsmanship.


    No other place commanded so much reverence in their hearts like this one, it was both the holy land for all who were in the service of Navin and the most beloved home for his two disciples.


    Though they loved to travel and explore the Cosmos, having multiple adventures and experiences to learn, this place was the one place to which they always returned, their last safe haven even if the rest of the universes collapsed.


    Navin took the lead in walking up the stairs, with Arian and Adeline walking side by side behind him.


    Even now, after all the knowledge and power they had acquired, this place was still a marvel for his disciples and even for the occasional visitor.


    Every single step bathed them with a different principle, like walking from a domain to another as they walked their personal path to ascension. Every principle seamlessly blended into the next, different yet part of the same whole, just like the myriad paths of the Cosmos.


    Reaching the end of the stairs, they crossed the gates and stepped into the palace proper. Obsidian pathways decorated with thin lines of varying colors led to the different structures around the main building.


    To call Alekya a city would be an exaggeration, as it was nowhere that vast and didn¡¯t have the usual locations nor the inhabitants to be called such. But to call it simply a palace would be inaccurate, given that within those walls there were multiple structures surrounding the main palace, each with its own purpose.


    There was the Observatory, a divination tower with many arrays and artifacts for clairvoyance and farseeing, and many charts for the reading of the past, present, and future; it was also used as an intelligence gathering tool.


    Storehouses filled with artifacts, armors, and weapons, neatly classified and ordained. One building had the purpose of being used for alchemic concoction and experimentation, filled with tools for assistance in the preparation and safe storage of the products.


    There was a training ground with layered protections and multiple simulation grounds to test oneself against a thousand different kinds of scenarios, from single combat to army charges and forces of nature.


    There was a greenhouse with a space-altering effect that made it bigger on the inside. It was filled with exotic plants, and farming fields where food was harvested and alchemic ingredients were cultivated. Multiple magic formations made each section especially suitable for the farming of each kind of plant inside.


    The Workshop, where they practiced craftsmanship and smithery, countless materials were aligned there, perfectly organized and ready to be used in the making of wonders of technology and magic.


    The Grand Library, where vast collections of books of all subjects, arts, and sciences were neatly placed and studied. Scrolls, books, stone tablets, crystals, computers, soul sparks, runic arrays, obelisks, and more. Multiple different methods to store information were used to save and collect this knowledge. In its deepest section, a million different cultivation methods from thousands of different species from all around the Cosmos had been collected.


    These and more were found within the boundaries of Alekya, all part of the palace complex.


    Walking down to the center of the complex, the trio met the only inhabitants of this realm beside their family. Men and women of different ethnicities and races, dressed in a multitude of clothes, were walking out of the buildings and coming from different sections of the complex to join in the greeting.


    A ripple extended across their bodies, and their appearances changed. Humanoid figures made entirely from crystal stood lined up along the path.


    Krustali, a kind of artificial lifeform created by Navin. They possessed artificial intelligence and were capable of multiple tasks. They lived in this realm with the duty of maintenance, cleaning, and protection.


    At a glance, they seemed to be made from liquid crystal magically taking shape, a circuit of multicolored lights extended along the interior of their bodies and doted them of their intelligence and capability of movement.


    ¡°Welcome back, Creator. Congratulations on your glorious return in victory.¡±


    All the figures genuflected as one and spoke at the same time in perfect synchrony, all speaking in the same melodious voice. Then, still kneeling, they welcomed the disciples.


    ¡°Welcome back, Lord Arian. Welcome back, Lady Adeline.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for greeting us. It¡¯s good to be back and see that you are all in good shape and health.¡±


    Navin greeted them with a smile. Multiple colors lit up inside the kneeling Krustali, expressing their emotions. Joy, gratification, glee, pride, admiration, enthusiasm.


    Arian and Adeline waved at them in greeting, recognizing each of them individually, even in their current appearance, which they took when they convened their collective consciousness in a hive mind, there were traces of each individual. The pair of disciples had learned to identify them, and now that they had the enhanced senses of high-stage Cultivators, it was way easier.


    ¡°We are honored by your words, Creator. We are happy to see you all again here.¡±


    The Krustali replied as one, standing up.


    ¡°And I¡¯m happy to see you all too. Please, return to your current activities. Thank you for your hard work during our absence.¡±


    Navin clasped his right fist with his left hand and bowed. Adeline and Arian did the same. Without the Krustal doing their laborious job, many of the facilities wouldn¡¯t be able to function properly.


    Colors lit up again in the Krustali¡¯s bodies, reverence, gratitude, satisfaction, deference, abashment, fulfillment, respect, love, hope, determination, happiness.


    A ripple covered the surface of the bodies of each Krustal standing in attention, and their appearances changed back into those of people of other species. These appearances marked the individuality of each particular Krustal.


    They bowed deeply and walked back to their previous locations to continue with their activities and carrying out their duties. Navin¡¯s group then continued walking to the center of the complex.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Entering the main building, they walked into a side room and Navin sat in an ornamented chair as his disciples took a seat side by side on a couch in front of him. Navin let out a sigh.


    ¡°Finally at home.¡±


    The pair of disciples watched their father lay back on his seat and close his eyes, relaxing as if he was taking weight off his shoulders, for a moment looking extremely tired and¡­ vulnerable. They shared a worried glance for an instant, conveying with a look what a thousand words could not.


    ¡°I know you kids are worried. You have questions, and I will answer them, but there will be a time for that later.¡±


    Navin said with his eyes still closed. His two oldest disciples shared a glance again and Adeline cleared her throat before speaking.


    ¡°Dad¡­ what happened there?¡±


    It was rare for her to call him Dad. Even after all this time, the most common way for both Arian and Adeline to address Navin was as Master, although they had long since considered him their father. It was only in private and even then only in few cases where they called him such.


    Worry was palpable in her voice as she asked the first question of what would surely be a long list.


    Navin opened his eyes, a thin mirthless smile on his lips.


    ¡°Before that, we have other matters to attend. Can you make a report about the things that happened in the rest of the Cosmos during these past 200 years?¡±


    Adeline seemed to want to pursue the matter but decided to obey. Her father wasn¡¯t prone to keep many secrets from them, so now that she had asked, he would answer. But he was right that there were other matters of importance and more urgent. Though if she was honest, those things took second place after her family.


    She put two fingers on her temple and closed her eyes for ten seconds. When she opened her eyes again, she threw two silver spheres of energy, one to Navin and one to Arian. They both let the spheres enter their foreheads and took a few seconds to read and analyze the contents of the report.


    Arian was the first to speak, letting out a soft breath.


    ¡°So many worlds are gone?¡±


    He asked looking at Adeline, she grimly nodded in confirmation. Worlds of all levels of existence have been damaged, some were outright destroyed. There were some who didn¡¯t have any major immediate changes, but they were all affected in many different ways. Many were struggling to survive right now.


    Which wasn¡¯t made easier by those that wanted to take the Cataclysm as a chance to seize resources and territory, or launching attacks on rivals that were weakened.


    Adeline nodded.


    ¡°Entire sectors were obliterated. And it¡¯s only getting worse now, beasts are rampaging now and the bastards in many of the Sects are licking their lips in anticipation of conquest.¡±


    ¡°Most of these people are behaving the way I expected them to. Really, can¡¯t they just focus on their cultivation? Then they have the nerve to get upset because younger people catch up to them. Wasting their time with this petty stuff, how could they expect otherwise?¡±


    Arian ran a hand through his hair. It was one of the reasons why so many young talents across the Cosmos had conflicts with ancient organizations. While the new rising stars had the desire to advance, the old mountains wished to maintain their positions by oppressing others, which inevitably led to battles.


    He knew many of the powerful beings that ruled the different worlds below the Ninth Stage. Some were his friends, some were his enemies, most were indifferent or shifted loyalties and sides at the drop of a hat. Many of the alliances made by power were dependent on that power to keep going; the moment one of the sides faltered, the other would move against them.


    ¡°I know, right? Pure schemers and they don¡¯t have anything to show for all their complicated plans. If they actually spent some time sharpening themselves, maybe they would achieve something from their backstabbing.¡±


    Adeline agreed with her brother¡¯s assessment. That those idiots were even thinking about attacking others instead of taking care of their own was evidence of their unmeasured ambition and stupidity.


    She looked at her father, who was silent even though she was sure that he had read the report completely by now. His gaze was focused at empty space, eyes slightly moving as if he was reading at something neither of his disciples could see.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Arian asked after noticing the same as her. Navin flicked his wrist and a figure appeared in the air between them.


    White and silver lines of light drew in the air the outline of a two-meters tall cone pointing upwards. Complex patterns formed on its surface until they joined in the apex. The apex lit up softly and formed a sphere, like a sun partially overlapping with the top of the cone. The inside of the cone grew dark and then multiple figures of varying shape and color appeared floating inside the darkness of the cone. Colorful dots and moving blocks, swirling spirals and flowing currents, all could be seen on the inside of the cone orbiting a soft golden line that went from the vertex to the center of the base. The exterior walls of the cone were divided into different sections; each was dyed in a soft shade of different colors.


    The nine-layered cone was completed and floated in the air as the figures inside of it moved slowly.


    Both disciples knew what this was.


    It was a representation of the entirety of the known Cosmos, the closest thing there was to a complete mapping of it. Though to be more accurate, it was a scale model, a projection of the ensemble of worlds and realms that made up the whole Cosmos.


    ¡°Some of the things Arian reported to me before drew my attention, now your report makes other things stand out, Adeline. Joining them with my own observations, it paints a more accurate picture. While it is interesting and promising, there are some worrisome aspects of it.¡±


    Navin spoke as he waved a hand and the projection duplicated. As both models floated side by side, Navin pointed at one of them and wrote an array in golden threads over one of the large sheets in the exterior of the cone, Arian recognized that reddish section as the one corresponding to the Nether Planes.


    Then Navin pointed a finger at the top of that model and the shining sphere at its apex vanished, snuffed out like a blown candle.


    The effect was both instantaneous and catastrophic.


    The cone opened up like a blooming flower, the lines that previously converged at the apex now extended in different directions, most of the colors of the exterior walls started bleeding into the interior of the previously cone and multiple dots of light being tainted and consumed by those colors. Other figures crashed into each other, different cracks spreading over a whole section and some parts were turned upside down.


    Chaos, corruption, and utter devastation was displayed for them in the scale model of the Cosmos.


    Its significance was starkly apparent for all of them.


    Navin¡¯s eyes shone with spirals of energy as he contemplated all of this, analyzing it, running simulations and gaining comprehension.


    Making plans and thinking of countermeasures.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡±


    Arian started to talk but let the words trail off. Adeline finished his words in a grim voice.


    ¡°The current state of the Cosmos.¡±


    They both looked at Navin, though it was an effort to pull their gaze away from the scale model. He nodded and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Roughly, yes. And the only thing currently keeping this scenario from worsening and turning into total destruction is me.¡±


    Adeline brightened up hearing that, but Arian kept a solemn expression. This was related to the cause of his worry from the moment he laid eyes on his father in Pereastra.


    He was using a Nirmita to meet with them. Arian had identified it as the Dragon Avatar of the Four Guardians Incarnation that his Master used as a special formation when forming powerful Avatars of himself. More importantly, it was evident to his eyes that his father was terribly wounded. Adeline should have noticed too, though he wasn¡¯t sure whether she was willfully ignoring it or just hadn¡¯t carefully looked. It might be that she was simply confident in their Master¡¯s capacity to come out ahead, which he was too, but he could not avoid worrying.


    His hands clenched tightly.


    ¡°How bad are your wounds?¡±


    Adeline stilled. Navin shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. There are other things that first¨C¡±


    ¡°Do not coddle us, father! It¡¯s just us here, tell us clearly what¡¯s going on!¡±


    Arian interrupted him with a harsh tone. Adeline¡¯s face went blank and stared firmly to her Master. Navin looked at their faces and saw unyielding resolution there. A bittersweet smile formed on his lips.


    Slowly, he nodded and waved to the two models of the Cosmos, making them move to the side. He leaned forward and started to speak in a modulated tone.


    ¡°I know that you wanted to ask about what my current state is and what happened during the past two centuries in the Divine Realm. I wanted to address that subject later in the conversation after we had talked about other urgent matters, but so be it.¡±


    He added the last bit with some frustration, but he couldn¡¯t get angry at them for worrying about him. He would have done the same.


    He looked at Adeline first.


    ¡°War, Addie. In its purest and rawest form, unfettered and unrestrained. We fought with our full powers and massacred each other without pause over the course of two centuries until there was nothing left but two madmen aiming at each other¡¯s throat and as consequence of our battles the Divine Realm is now a ruin, barely a hollow husk where there is only desolation. And in the center of allthe remnants of destruction, lies my true body.¡±


    He was speaking in an even voice, yet both of his disciples could notice the emotions laying below the surface. There was a mixture of them. Anger, sadness, and grief, but there were no regrets, their father was not someone to lament over the decisions of his past nor the consequences of other people¡¯s actions. They also noticed hope, excitement, and desire, with the unstoppable drive to keep moving forward.


    Judging from the way their father was speaking, it was clear that he was the only survivor of the Grand War. He had lost friends and comrades, not all the Divinities were enemies, some of them had friendly relationships with Navin and even had personally known Arian and Adeline. The worry for their Master had overridden all other concerns before, but now the broader situation was sinking in.


    Many entities of great power that they had grown up admiring and respecting were now gone, and a great void of power had been left on the Cosmos as consequence.


    The pair knew that Navin wasn¡¯t prone to grief, his life was one of a warrior, he had lived through countless battles and lost many friends. Though he would not forget, he would not be overcome by the sense of loss, especially when there was so much to do right now, he would hold at bay his emotions with an unshakeable and implacable force of will, putting them aside until the moment he could rest.


    Navin¡¯s gaze moved to Arian before continuing.


    ¡°I¡¯m currently the one holding the reins of all the major forces of the Cosmos, keeping it in an unstable equilibrium, not because I have ascended and become absolute ruler and controller of all existence, but because if I didn¡¯t then the destruction would have gotten out of hand and devastated everything until there was nothing left. I was the only one left to clean up this mess, and no one understands Chaos as deeply as me, so I can guide it to bring forth a positive change, but the risk is astronomical.¡±


    Navin raised a hand and with his index and middle fingers traced a line from his neck to his midriff. He let out a mirthless laugh and continued speaking with a wry smile.


    ¡°Besides, I got to experience first-hand the forces that move the Cosmos, it was quite a painful experience that I do not recommend to anyone, but I gained great insight and some degree of influence over them.¡±


    Navin raised a finger and touched his forehead. His figure changed in the blink of an eye. What sat in front of Arian and Adeline was no longer one of their Master¡¯s Nirmitas, but something much closer to his true body.


    Navin¡¯s second body switched places with the Dragon Avatar and continued the conversation where the other body had left off.


    ¡°Near the end of my last battle against the Sovereign of the Gods, that bastard ripped off the stars of the Divine Realm and made a spear with them, pierced me with it and very nearly killed me. But I managed to survive and killed him. Then I erased him from existence, and removed him from everyone¡¯s memories with Karmic Annihilation.¡±


    Both disciples nodded at their Master¡¯s explanation. They had noticed some of their memories had grown transparent since the start of the Cataclysm. There were two main reasons Adeline could still notice the loss of memories: One, the individual that had been erased was far too influential to disappear completely, even if they were no longer remembered, there was still a void noticed, and the notion that there was a ¡®Sovereign of the Gods¡¯ still remained, which had interesting implications she would discuss with her family later. Second, she was an extraordinary existence, she had the attribute of being Timeless due to some fortuitous encounter millennia ago, so things that involved Time, Fate, and Karma did not affect her the same way that other people, if at all.


    Arian could retain some notion of the memory loss due to the same first reason as Adeline and thanks to his powerful Soul, as he was close to being Ninth Stage and was extremely well-versed in Sorcery.


    ¡°You guys can remember something of him?¡±


    Navin asked with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°I remember there was a Sovereign of Gods, nothing else.¡±


    Arian answered and shook his head.


    ¡°I have some memories that have grown fuzzy and transparent, I know they are there, but can¡¯t get to them. The Sovereign of Gods had a family, that much I know. We have even met with them before.¡±


    Adeline said with her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.


    ¡°To erase his presence completely was impossible, that son of a bitch was too powerful, too ancient and too influential. His absence is noticed, but at least I have made sure he can never return.¡±


    Navin commented in a disgruntled voice.


    ¡°I will help you guys recover your memories once I have enough energy for it. Anyways, after the fight. I used the Tabula Rasa to create this new body and transferred the raging energies that were ravaging my true body from the inside. It¡¯s not enough to ensure recovery, but at least it won¡¯t get worse. Then I used them to connect to the different forces of the Cosmos and restrain the Cataclysm.¡±


    ¡°A sympathetic link using the remnants of the Divine Realm¡¯s stars to connect to the different worlds and stabilize the situation, it¡¯s a grand enterprise, and very risky too. So, your true body is¡­¡±


    Arian commented. His voice still sounded angry, and despite the interesting bits in his Master¡¯s words, Arian swerved the conversation back to the most important topic: his father¡¯s current state.


    ¡°Deep in secluded meditation to recover, but it¡¯s also taking hold of the Cataclysm, so the process is slow. In my current state, I can¡¯t use even a hundredth of my power and I might even have problems trying to kill an Eighth Stage practitioner, though I am not defenseless. Still, it will take me a long time to even be able to move my real self properly, but I will survive. I appreciate your concern, kids, but while I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m alright, I assure you that I am not going to die.¡±


    Navin tried to reassure his disciples, but they just stared at him, carefully discerning the reality of the situation. He let out another sigh.


    ¡°Okay, there is a chance that I may die, and we have to plan in case of that, but while it¡¯s not zero, it¡¯s pretty remote.¡±


    The air in the room grew cold, twisted and vanished. Both of them stared daggers at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even say that.¡±


    Adeline¡¯s voice was firm and sharp, making it clear there was no room for debate. Both of them, on a very fundamental level, refused to accept the possibility of his demise. The sight warmed his chest and he couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh.


    ¡°Alright kids, I already told you that I¡¯ll pull through. Take it easy, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s your responsibility. I promise that I¡¯ll manage, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a possibility.¡±


    ¡°There is no such possibility.¡±


    Arian replied, his voice echoing in every language known and some unknown, rippling with arcane power and barely contained emotions.


    To even consider that possibility was an affront in their eyes. Navin fell silent. Noticing their father¡¯s silence, Adeline and Arian looked abashed due to their earlier display of aggressivity, but none of them would apologize for their words.


    Navin gave them a minute to calm down. They were barely pacified, but at least the air around them wasn¡¯t twisting anymore, so that was progress.


    ¡°Anyways, there are a lot of things we need to do. And both of your reports highlighted some things that need consideration.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    Arian asked, his tone calmer than before. Though there was still an edge in his voice.


    ¡°For instance, Katabria launched a campaign 50 years ago attempting an invasion to the Nether Planes, and was stopped by Adeline.¡±


    Both of the disciples frowned at that, why was that event significant? Adeline had fought the Legion sent to make a breach and made a deal with their King. In exchange of her promise of not attacking him or his domains for two hundred years, he would refrain from any further incursions in the Nether Planes for two hundred years.


    ¡°The thing that drew my attention is that 50 years ago was when Atropos died in the Divine Realm.¡±


    Hearing his words, both of his disciples opened their eyes wide, understanding what he was implying.


    One of the most powerful entities to ever exist in the Cosmos, a Tenth Stage Major God that was rumored to be half-step into the Eleventh Stage.


    Hadrial Atropos, The God of Death.


    That the King of Katabria, a powerful being of 8<sup>th</sup> Stage with powers related to Death had launched a large scale invasion to the Nether Planes the same year that the God of Death was destroyed, painted a very suspicious scenario.


    It couldn¡¯t be a mere coincidence.


    ¡°But, how could he know? No one in the entire Cosmos knew what was going on in the Divine Realm.¡±


    Adeline spoke in alarm. If that old monster in Katabria was capable of knowing some of the things in the Divine Realm, he might be even more dangerous than she had expected, and his goal when invading one of the Nine Serenities might be more complex than expected.


    ¡°I will visit him later to clarify this matter. But there are other worrisome things to deal with.¡±


    There were other events, like the stampede of beasts from the Desolate Wilderness, which could be related to the deaths of some of the Divinities. He would need to investigate personally to be sure.


    Adeline and Arian shared another look. Now that their greatest worry had been addressed, they would move on to the next worrisome matter. Something about the way their Master had been referring to the other Deities felt off.


    Navin said that they died and left it at that. But they knew perfectly well that such things were not so simple. Divine beings were not so easily eliminated.


    Deities, as a general rule, werefreed from the constraints of age and removed from the cycle of reincarnation by their power and nature. And while that didn¡¯t mean they were indestructible, they were extremely hard to destroy.


    Even when they were killed, the vast majority of them had at least one method of resurrection, it was part of the reason there were so many Deities in the Cosmos. Of course, such methods were not perfect, they were incredibly difficult and expensive to use, and there were ways to prevent them, but to possess such safeguard was an extremely valuable thing.


    There also existed some ways to kill someone in such a thorough manner that both resurrection and reincarnation became impossible, like their Master¡¯s Sword of Nihility, which could even erase someone out of existence if used at full power. Few existences possessed such methods, but the ones involved in the war were the top powerhouses of the Cosmos, so it was to be expected that many of the casualties in the war would be permanent.


    However, that none of them could come back was hard to believe.


    ¡°Master, you said you eliminated the Sovereign of the Gods, but what about the other Deities? I can still remember them all perfectly, so they were not erased, right? Will they return?¡±


    Arian asked. They could speculate well about how the different groups and influences in the Cosmos were behaving, but if some Divinities were actually capable of returning while others couldn¡¯t, then the situation would be unpredictable.


    ¡°No, they weren¡¯t erased. When the conflicts across the Cosmos escalated to the situation of no return and all-out battles to the death, we agreed to fight in the Divine Realm and settle things there. To let the loser side to return from death would just enable the conflict to start again after some time and get us in an endless cycle of destruction. So when Deus, that¡¯s the Sovereign of the Gods, and me closed off the Divine Realm, we made sure no one who died there could resurrect. Mostly taken as a measure against each other, but effective for everyone else by extension.¡±


    A ban to resurrection enacted by the two most powerful beings in existence. A seal formed by the collaboration of the two only Eleventh Stage Sovereigns of the Cosmos would not be bypassed by anyone.


    The past two hundred years had been brutal, and every participant of the war fought with the intention to obliterate the enemy, and they all entered it knowing full well that they might not be able to return.


    But they fought because it was something they all considered was worth dying for.


    ¡°So, Auntie Selene, Lord Tathagata, and the others¡­¡±


    Adeline asked in a soft voice. Navin shook his head.


    ¡°They are all gone, killed in ways that make resurrection impossible.¡±


    Navin hesitated, then slowly chose his words before continuing.


    ¡°However¡­ reincarnation might be possible for some. Mahesh did something there, right at the start. He didn¡¯t really participate in the war. He sacrificed himself when we had sealed off the Divine Realm for the war. He performed some kind of ritual, putting everything that he was in it. But even that was not enough to enable resurrection of those who died in the Divine Realm, and I doubt that was ever his intention. He was always a preacher of ¡®second chances¡¯ and that¡¯s what his sacrifice aimed for. The only one I¡¯m sure that can¡¯t reincarnate is Deus. The rest is a throw of the dice, and even then it¡¯s possible it¡¯d take them hundreds or thousands of years before reincarnating anywhere across the Cosmos, and they won¡¯t have their memories, much less their powers.¡±


    Navin sounded frustrated and passed a hand through his hair before leaning back in his seat. His disciples looked at each other before letting out a soft laugh.


    ¡°That¡­ really sounds like something Lord Tathagata would do.¡±


    Arian commented and Adeline nodded. Extending the chance of redemption to his enemies and despite the bloody war among Deities, he gave up his own existence to enable everyone, both ally and enemy, to reincarnate.


    The kind of selfless act that such a Saint would do.


    Navin mirthlessly let out a sigh. He had been furious when it happened. Mahesh was one of his closest friends, vastly older and more experienced than Navin. He was a person of great honor and integrity, one of the few beings that Navin wholeheartedly respected and even admired.


    Tathagata¡¯s death had been a great blow to their side. Not only Mahesh¡¯s sacrifice gave the others a chance of reincarnating after the war was over, leaving a potential danger on the loose, but left their side without one of its most powerful fighters.


    Different from the many powerhouses above Ninth Stage who reigned as Gods of a particular Law of the Cosmos, Mahesh Sakya was an Immortal Cultivator who had ascended to the pinnacle of power via Enlightenment.


    He, like Navin, trained and comprehended the Cosmos to advance, instead of simply being the Regent of a single Aspect of the Cosmos like so many others.


    He was a Tenth Stage Powerhouse, only surpassed in power by Navin and Deus. He was also the possessor of many titles and names, the most common of all was Tathagata.


    He was worshiped as a Sage who guided countless worlds to wisdom throughout the long history of the Cosmos.


    The wondrous Lord who dispels the darkness of ignorance and bestows the light of truth, knowledge, and enlightenment.


    In other words, a Buddha.


    ¡°That guy always did as he pleased.¡±


    Navin said with a rueful smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t we all?¡±


    Adeline replied with a smile. Navin narrowed his eyes at her and she stuck out the tip of her tongue at him as Arian laughed. Navin accepted the comment. He really wasn¡¯t one to talk when it came to doing what one pleased. Besides, Tathagata had stayed true to his nature and his Path, so there was no badmouthing him. Even if Navin disagreed with his actions, he would respect his choice.


    Which, as much as Navin hated it, extended to letting even his enemies have a second chance in reincarnation. Otherwise, that sacrifice would be in vain.


    ¡°Fair enough. Alright, enough of the past, we can talk more about it later. Now we need to focus on what¡¯s happening and what will happen in the Cosmos.¡±


    Navin spoke and both disciples straightened in their seats. The humor from before being short-lived, their moods turned serious once more.


    Arian cleared his throat before speaking as he glanced at the model of the devastated Cosmos.


    ¡°Alright, what should we do now? The Cataclysm presents opportunities for beings all across the Cosmos. The question then is how to use it to guide the Cosmos in a better direction, right?¡±


    Adeline nodded. Her expression was serene but her sharp eyes were focused and her voice was firm, filled with power. Her entire body language changed, her aura was stirring, sharpening in preparation for the upcoming events.


    ¡°Change is coming, a new age will begin and its arrival is inevitable. That much is certain.¡±


    ¡°Chaos and war are catalysts for change. But we need to be careful if we want to bring forth a positive change. These factors are already at play, what we have to do is take advantage of them.¡±


    Navin said rising from his seat and walking up to the floating model of the Cosmos. His disciples stood up, picking up the intent behind his words.


    ¡°Chaos already started, it¡¯s spreading across every world in some manner or another as the first consequence of the Cataclysm."


    Arian said, his voice was the herald of mysteries and miracles, horrors and wonders unfolding within the light in his eyes as he gazed at the Cosmos.


    "New paths are being created right now, and a myriad more will appear tomorrow. The seed for the second catalyst is planted in the minds of all who hold a key to the future in them; the madmen and the followers, the ambitious and the fools, heroes and villains both. All who would look at the world and make a claim for something better. They will arise and when their paths clash, only one thing can happen.¡±


    Navin said in a clear voice. There was no hesitation in him, only the cold certainty of what was coming, and the blazing determination to face it.


    ¡°War.¡±


    Adeline spoke one word and needed to say no more. The word rang with the power of certainty. The Empress of the Battlefield studied the changing Cosmos, already searching for the place where her sword would be unsheathed.


    Navin stood next to his disciples and took a deep breath, ready to walk with them the uncertain new path spreading in front of them. At the end of that path, like a beacon shining in the darkness, was the gate to Transcendence.


    But before he could enter it, many things would need to be done, and he could already feel the pieces moving, the rising lines that would draw the future of the entire Cosmos.


    ¡°So it begins.¡±


    He said, and so it was.

 Chapter 37: Morning

    In the frontier city of Lauhr, which served both as an outpost to keep the Desert of Death under close observation and a commercially important place where materials from the monsters were gathered before being sent south to other cities for trading and processing, multiple people were on the move.


    Each group had different goals.


    Some were in the shadows, carrying their activities in secret, others were out in the open. Some had good intentions while others were plotting death and destruction. Whatever the case, they were all in the same city and despite all carrying out their objectives apart from the rest, they affected each other in some ways.


    <hr>


    Amir Aal Majid, Prince of Sahbadia, stood in front of the mirror in his room with half of his personal retinue by his side. There were two outside the room as guards, and one sent to ask for any developments to the last member of his retinue, who had been tasked with keeping an eye on the strange foreign boy Ethan.


    The two members of his retinue that had abilities in magic, Anwe and Rufus, were reciting incantations after placing an array on the mirror.


    Anwe took out a small piece of glass, a piece of a mirror without any ornaments. He carefully placed it on the center of the bigger mirror where they had placed inscriptions and the two objects fused into one. Then he and Rufus stepped back to stand behind the prince.


    The mirror rippled like the surface of a lake as the runic inscriptions shone with power. When the ripples stopped, what reflected in the mirror was the image of another room. A two-ways scrying link had been formed for communication.


    On the other side of the link, stood a middle-aged man dressed in a pure white long-sleeved tunic and black pants. Black hair dropped over his shoulders and a carefully trimmed beard. His skin was of a brown tone, further tanned by a lifetime under the glaring sun of the desert, though not as dark as the Amir¡¯s skin, who had inherited it from his mother. His eyes were warm and kind as he looked at the prince, the same brown color as Amir¡¯s own eyes.


    He was tall and had broad shoulders with a frame of solid muscle built for the battlefield. His back was straight and while the man had a kind expression on his face, his body emitted an aura of strength that was undeniable. This man had the body of a warrior and the composed poise of a ruler.


    He was Nasir Aal Majid, the ruling King of Sahbadia.


    As soon as his figure was clearly shown in the mirror, every person in the room except for Amir lowered their heads and put one knee on the floor, genuflecting in silent reverence to their king.


    ¡°Father, it¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    Amir smiled and bowed. His father smiled back fondly.


    ¡°My son, you had me worried. What happened? I received vague reports from the region and thought you would contact me yesterday.¡±


    There was no reproach in the king¡¯s voice, just the calm relief over the safety of his son. His voice was calm and deep, compelling in a different way from the authoritative tone that was so common in other monarchs.


    ¡°I apologize, father. Scrying from here to The Capital is a tiresome matter that puts a strain on my attendants since they aren¡¯t specialized in this type of magic. We were too tired and wounded after the battle against the Feld-Ehian troops, though nothing serious. I deemed it necessary to wait until we were recovered. I didn¡¯t trust the Mages here for this session of scrying.¡±


    Amir said in an apologetic tone. After the battle, they had few wounds that were troublesome, but both Anwe and Rufus had exhausted their Mana. It would have been possible for them to carry out the ritual, but Amir was unwilling to put them through the task when they all deserved a good night of rest.


    Besides, there were some matters that he had wanted to clarify in the city before contacting his father.


    ¡°I understand. It¡¯s good that none of you had any grave wound. I don¡¯t think the soldiers were any weaklings, how were the casualties on the Hunters¡¯ side?¡±


    ¡°Yes, father. We were fortunate indeed. There were no casualties in the city, actually. We received unexpected and very useful help.¡±


    The king¡¯s face showed surprise upon hearing his son¡¯s words. This should be interesting.


    ¡°Tell me everything, my son.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Amir started the recounting of his journey to the city, the interception midway and the events during the attack to the city. Both the coordinated attack of the beast horde and the Feld-Ehian soldiers, and the surprising help from the foreign boy named Ethan Bhreg.


    ¡°We are still trying to ascertain his origins, but so far he doesn¡¯t seem to have any hostile intention to us. The Hunters had taken a liking to him out of gratitude and respect for the bravery shown when he helped the city. He was also contacted by the Sword Dancers led by Elder Edek Konal.¡±


    Amir finished his words on the matter. There wasn¡¯t much to report about Ethan since there wasn¡¯t much known, yet at least a favorable impression of him could be presented. It was Amir¡¯s personal assessment that Ethan and whatever influence was behind him had no hostile intention to Sahbadia, and he told so to his father.


    ¡°If he has no underhanded plans towards us, nothing is lost by befriending him.¡±


    King Nasir nodded. The presence of an unknown foreigner in the region at such a key time was suspicious, but he had helped them so there was no point in being hostile to him, though a careful approach would be needed.


    ¡°Father, what will be our response to Feld-Ehia? Elder Edek assured me that the Assembly of Clans in Thaliss would readily support military retaliation since this attack endangered both one of the Elder Warriors and the heiress of the Klaidev Clan. An attack on our cities is enough reason for war.¡±


    The king was silent for a moment before replying.


    ¡°Where is General Jiten?¡±


    ¡°He is watching over the captured spy and the commander.¡±


    Larin Maprak and Otto Rembert, respectively. That a high-level spy and a powerful commander had taken part of the same military operation was blatant proof of Feld-Ehia Kingdom¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°I would have liked for him to be here, but it is no problem. My son, hear my words, for this is a matter of importance.¡±


    The King of Sahbadia¡¯s face turned more serious. When he spoke again, it was no longer addressing Amir as his father, but as the monarch of the nation.


    ¡°Feld-Ehia¡¯s actions are a declaration of war, and we will respond in kind. However, not right now. There are some matters we need to have in consideration before we commit to the offensive. There are other pieces at play here. I wish you could return immediately to the Capital. But I know you hold an important mission and are determined to achieve success.¡±


    Amir bowed when he heard his father¡¯s words. He trusted his wisdom, if he said that there were other things to consider then he would trust his father to handle those matters and prepare appropriately. In the meantime, Amir had a personal task to carry out here.


    The King¡¯s face softened as he looked at his son.


    ¡°Please be safe and return alive. That¡¯s all I ask of you. If you succeed then it will help us greatly, but failure would not harm us, your life is worth much more.¡±


    ¡°I understand father. Have faith in me and await my successful return.¡±


    Amir replied with a confident smile. His father looked him directly in the eyes and saw unyielding determination there. The king nodded slowly.


    ¡°Always.¡±


    The king turned his gaze at the kneeling guards of his son. He smiled and called each of them by name.


    ¡°Anwe, Rufus, Zain, Elif. Thank you for protecting my son, make sure his bravery doesn¡¯t surpass common sense and keep him safe.¡±


    Amir winced when he heard his father¡¯s words. His guards covered their smiles by lowering their heads. Only Elif, the only female in the room, raised her head and replied to the King.


    ¡°You can count on us, Your Majesty. We¡¯ll tie him up if necessary. I have learned a new restricting technique just for this journey.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Ah, you are reliable as always, Elif. I can be at ease then.¡±


    Nasir replied with a laugh as Amir let out a sigh. He traced the runes on his side of the link.


    ¡°I will pray for your soon and safe return. Be careful, all of you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡±


    Amir and his guards replied at the same time. The image of the king faded and the small magic mirror was extracted from the bigger one.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. We have things to do.¡±


    Amir said and took a deep breath. He was already at the door of the room when he turned around to glance at Elif.


    ¡°Did you really learn a new technique to restrain movements?¡±


    Elif looked at him and offered the most innocent smile she could, which he would have trusted if he didn¡¯t know her so well. As it was, that smile only made her seem more suspicious.


    ¡°I only said that to give His Majesty peace of mind.¡±


    She replied putting a hand over her heart.


    Amir stared at her for three seconds before turning around with a sigh. He decided it was better if he didn¡¯t actually know.


    The four last members of his retinue awaited him outside the room. Amir frowned when he saw them, they all had a serious expression on their faces. They were not really concerned, but rather as if they were seriously pondering something.


    ¡°Tek, what¡¯s going on? I sent you to ask Samir about Ethan, not to bring Samir back here.¡±


    Tek and Samir both bowed before replying.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. But something came up, there was no need to be still watching the Inn. Ethan Bhreg never came back to the Inn.¡±


    Tek replied with a serious face. Despite his short discussion with Ethan, he was well aware that the boy had some importance and could be a valuable asset for the prince to gain a new ally due to the influence behind him.


    His disappearance after talking with the Sword Dancers could complicate things.


    Amir stood in silence for a moment. And without any response, he started walking with a steady stride down the hallway.


    His retinue walked behind him. They didn¡¯t need to ask him where they were going.


    <hr>


    Issima was gleefully smiling as she walked down the streets towards the Condor Inn, accompanied by her fellow Sword Dancers and Elder Edek.


    Her mood was great, after practicing the dance that Ethan had discovered inside the Dance of Four Forms, Issima had gained new Skills.


    [Wind Slash] and [Feather Steps].


    Two Skills at the same time!


    They were acquired as a reward for embracing a long-forgotten art of her Ancestors. To receive two Skills at the same time from the Ordinance of the Heavens could only mean that the [Dance of the Wind] ¨C as the Ordinance had called it after she had learned it together with Elder Edek ¨C was a powerful art.


    She and the Elder had performed the dance in front of their astonished fellows and they too had learned it and acquired Skills.


    However, only Issima and the Elder had gotten two Skills, though he hadn¡¯t told her what he got. He might still be a bit miffed about the stone she threw at him last night.


    It didn¡¯t matter, they were all rejoicing and already wishing they could arrive as soon as possible to Thaliss and show the discovery to the Assembly.


    In this good mood, she and her group moved through the city of Lauhr, in search of the young man that made this possible.


    Issima had Ethan¡¯s robe folded and carried it on her arms, it was a very soft fabric, and enchanted too. Warm at night and cool during the day, keeping a fresh state for the wearer. It was so comfortable that when she tried it last night out of curiosity she hadn¡¯t been able to take it off. Well, she could. She just really hadn¡¯t wanted to take to take it off, she had a great night of sleep thanks to it.


    Elder Edek had said that such robe also had a high defense, but they hadn¡¯t tested it, obviously. What if they had damaged it? No, they hadn¡¯t done such a thing.


    It even cleaned itself! This was a very convenient piece of equipment, which probably made it extremely expensive and had convinced the Elder that Ethan must be the heir of some powerful family or something.


    Too bad they had to leave the city so fast, she would have liked to get to know him a little better, a lot of what he had told to her last night was fascinating, and becoming friends with someone so talented was something encouraged for everyone in the Clans. But they had duties, and after trade in the city had been completed their group had no need to remain here. Now they even had a reason to hurry back to Thaliss and it was Ethan who was responsible for that.


    Lost in her thoughts, she didn¡¯t notice her group had stopped and almost slammed her face on the back of Taus.


    The dark-skinned man was the tallest member of their team, even taller than Elder Edek, and was a ferocious fighter with his two sabers. He was extremely well-mannered and calm for a man with such an imposing body.


    Issima glanced around and saw that Qasim and Carina stood by the sides of Elder Edek as he looked ahead.


    In front of the group stood the Second Prince of their nation, Amir Aal Majid. His eight guards were standing in a subtle formation behind him.


    The prince smiled politely, yet there was something cold in his expression, like a hidden hostility in it.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s good to see you in good spirit in this morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Elder. I hope that I¡¯m not interrupting anything. You seemed to be walking with a bit of haste.¡±


    The prince cast a glance at the four young Sword Dancers. His eyes paused slightly when he looked at Issima, or rather, at the robe in her arms.


    ¡°None at all, Your Highness. This is a wonderful morning; we are feeling full of energy today.¡±


    Edek laughed, but he too had realized there was something odd about the prince.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you are in such great health, Elder. May I inquire where are you going? Surely you aren¡¯t leaving the city so early in the morning, right?¡±


    ¡°Actually, we were planning to meet with that young man, Ethan. The inn where he is staying should be just a little further down this street. But we will be leaving soon afterward, Your Highness.¡±


    The smile in the prince¡¯s face didn¡¯t change much, but in a subtle way, there was less hostility in him. Elder Edek kept smiling broadly, there was no reason for hostility between them, had something happened?


    As Issima wondered what this was about, the prince glanced again at her and spoke again.


    ¡°I am actually looking for him, you see. I wonder where he is right now, after all, the Innkeeper informed me that Ethan hasn¡¯t returned to the Inn since he left for the feast last night.¡±


    Now Edek¡¯s smile faded. Ethan hadn¡¯t returned to the inn? Maybe he had stayed in some other place? Surely Ethan couldn¡¯t have left the city in the middle of the night, right?


    Or had someone harmed him?


    The Sword Dancers looked at each other, surprise and questions filling their minds.


    ¡°I was actually wondering if you knew anything about this, after all, you and Miss Issima were the last people to spoke with him right after leaving the plaza. Is that Ethan¡¯s robe that Miss Issima is carrying on her arms?¡±


    Prince Amir lightly pointed at the robe Issima was holding. While his tone of voice and words remained polite, the smile had faded completely from his face. The implicit accusation was not unnoticed by them all.


    Edek frowned. This wasn¡¯t a matter they could just overlook, though the first thing to do was clear the prince¡¯s misunderstanding.


    ¡°Your Highness, I assure you that we don¡¯t know anything about where Ethan is right now. We had an agreement to meet in the morning.¡±


    Edek replied and Amir silently looked at him. Hesitantly, Issima stepped forward.


    ¡°Ehm¡­ Your Highness, Elder, I think he might be with his Master.¡±


    Both men turned around and looked at her. A second later, everyone else in both groups turned to her too.


    ¡°What makes you say that, Miss Issima?¡±


    Amir asked as Edek recalled their conversation last night.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Ethan said he would speak with his Master before talking with us today. You think he may be with him, Issima?¡±


    ¡°Maybe? I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s possible.¡±


    Issima replied to Edek¡¯s question.


    ¡°He mentioned yesterday that he and his Master separated in the Desert of Death, though I¡¯m not sure if he had any way to contact him. Unless his Master had entered the city without us knowing?¡±


    Amir considered the matter. He didn¡¯t want to doubt an Elder from Thaliss, but he had to cover the most obvious possibility first.


    Then the question remained, where was Ethan?


    And just at that moment, the young man turned a corner towards them. Wearing sandals and some strange short pants and a simple blue shirt while holding two bags made of an unknown material filled with what looked like a couple of boxes.


    The strange boy, wearing strange clothes and holding strange items, smiled at all of them and said strange words as he raised the bags in his hands.


    ¡°Hi, everyone. I have ice cream!¡±


    <hr>


    Early that morning, deep inside a series of caverns, while many Goblins carried out some activities and others simply slept, one goblin got out of bed.


    The piece of furniture that was his resting place was actually a hammock, but it was where he slept, so it was his bed.


    He stood up with dreamy and excited eyes, careful to not wake up the other occupant of the hammock.


    Kar laid eyes on Mimi, who was completely naked, yet his gaze remained fixed on her face. He smiled fondly. The sight of his lovely partner sleeping peacefully warmed his chest in a different manner than the heat of sexual arousal.


    It was a softer and in some ways more pleasurable kind of warmth. Purer, perhaps, without the savage drive of their racial instincts.


    After a few more seconds, Kar turned around and walked away from the hammock, then rummaged inside his bag in search of the stone tablet.


    The Book of Kobe, as Sage Navin had called it. A simple black stone tablet with strange inscriptions imprinted on it, yet it was so valuable and powerful.


    Kar placed the stone tablet on a wooden stool, placing a rock behind the tablet to keep it straight. He found to his pleasant surprise that there was no need for such support,the tablet kept itself standing without needing to lean on anything.


    He sat on the ground, the stool making the tablet be at the height of his eyes, and started to read it.


    The experience was different from when he read his old stone tablet, which was damaged. There was no need to remain focused on it to start to glimpse the contents, which was certainly an improvement.


    Instinctively, Kar¡¯s eyes shone as he circulated energy across his body. A soft ray of light was emitted by the stone tablet and Kar¡¯s mind was inundated with information.


    The Book of Kobe unfolded itself to share its mysteries with a seeker of the secrets of Goblinkind.


    In his mind¡¯s eye, Kar no longer was sitting in front of a stone tablet, but a broad and tall stele of black stone. A gigantic monolith with grand inscriptions and marvelous ornamentations.


    In there, Kar saw history and glory, war and horrors, peace and prosperity. Goblins standing tall as Titans and wise as the greatest wizards. He saw machines, artifacts built by Goblin hands that could destroy fortress and pave ways through mountains, Alchemy that could burn the world and fetch life from the hands of the Grim Reaper.


    He saw dreams and ambitions of the past, and also the hope for the future.


    At the center of it all, one depiction captivated him, demanding his attention. A strange smiling Goblin, not much taller than the average Human, yet he seemed to see beyond everyone else. He was not very muscular either, yet he seemed capable of shouldering the burden of his entire species.


    He was but an engraving on the stele, but those powerful eyes were blazing like they were more alive than anything else in the world, because what burned in them was not a simple soul, but the hope of his people, and that would not be extinguished even if his soul was shattered.


    It was an image of Kharsfal Tehrek Kobelin, and on his face, Kar felt kindness and intelligence. Then he realized that the carved image was looking back at him, like it was studying Kar, evaluating him.


    A heartbeat passed as Kar went completely still.


    Then the Goblin on the stele smiled in approval and the Goblin God¡¯s legacy revealed in front of its accepted successor.


    Kar entered deep meditation as comprehension filled him, feeling every fiber of his body tensing and relaxing alternatively. His acupoints opened and power flooded into him.


    When he opened his eyes again, Kar was a Hobgoblin.

 Chapter 38: Verdict

    Mina was deep in joyful slumber after a pleasurable and long night when she was woken up by the light scent of smoke.


    With her eyes still closed she felt at her side, noticing the absence of Kar in the hammock, and thought that maybe he was cooking something.


    Kar¡¯s personal quarters were big enough to compare to a small house in an average city of the Kingdom. It even had a space for cooking and a passage in the back that led to a private restroom further deep.


    But this smoke didn¡¯t carry with it the scent of food, just burnt wood or burnt meat. After a while, she decided to check for the source of the smell, maybe Kar had messed up with the cooking.


    Mina blearily rolled in the hammock and raised her head to take a look around and found Kar sitting cross-legged in front of a black stone tablet. Somehow he looked a bit taller than before.


    From where she was, she could see the side of his body. He had his eyes closed.


    He was smoking, probably got his hands on some of the herbs gotten from the Humans, or so she thought until she noticed the smoke did not come only from Kar¡¯s mouth but the shoulders, legs, and back too.


    She blinked a bit to make sure she wasn¡¯t seeing things due to being half-sleep. Then she looked again and cursed.


    He really was smoking, but from all over his body.


    That was definitely not normal!


    Shaking the sleepiness away, she jumped down from the comfortable hammock and make her way towards Kar in alarm.


    ¡°Kar!¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond, sitting completely still. She didn¡¯t dare to touch him lest she made whatever was happening to him worse or get herself affected too. But she had to do something, she could leave Kar like that!


    Mina looked around the room and spotted a big basin filled with clean water.


    In her hurry as she went to get it, she didn¡¯t notice Kar¡¯s hand raising to signal that he was fine. Instead, she hoisted the basin and poured its content over Kar just as he opened his mouth to tell her to not worry.


    He opened his eyes in surprise, but stayed put, still sitting cross-legged as he looked at Mina.


    ¡°Kar, you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?¡±


    Mina stared at him with naked worry. Especially the naked part, as Kar soon noticed. He blew out a puff of smoke and spat water at the same time.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mimi. I¡¯m training.¡±


    ¡°You were smoking, and not in a funny way. I thought you were on fire.¡±


    Mina glared at him and Kar just grinned. The Goblins who liked to smoke the strange herbs from the big cities or the ones found in deep parts of the forest always had funny expressions when they smoke.


    ¡°Do you see anything different in me?¡±


    He said and spread his arms, inviting her to take a closer look. Mina looked at him closely, the earlier worry fading now that she saw him speaking normally. He didn¡¯t seem to be hurt either.


    Now she noticed the changes. And wow, there sure were some changes in him.


    He really was taller than before; it hadn¡¯t been her imagination. His skin was a darker green color and he had gained some muscular mass. His face looked a bit sharper now, but more mature. He had a weight to his presence that had nothing to do with physical mass.


    Comprehension dawned in her as he dedicated her a grin full of sharp fangs.


    ¡°You are a Hob!¡±


    Mina jumped at him and gave him a tight hug, a big smile blooming on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you. You deserve this, more than any other in the tribe.¡±


    She spoke with enthusiasm as he returned the hug. Kar had been a Goblin for more time than anyone expected. He was strong as a Hobgoblin, stronger than some of them in fact, and he was definitely smarter than all of them. It was well about time for him to transform into the next step.


    ¡°Thank you, Mimi.¡±


    Kar held her close in his embrace, rejoicing at hearing her congratulations. He had woken up early and got to reading the tablet given by the Sage, and what he had glimpsed there had been glorious.


    He had envisaged that reading the tablet would provide a greater comprehension of the techniques he knew, which it had, but it was so much more. He had seen what it was like to be a Goblin, he had felt the call within his blood to rise and be better, as he had answered it.


    His body had changed now, he was stronger, more powerful, with a better understanding of the Skills he had gained across his life.


    Kar was a Hobgoblin now, and that was only the beginning.


    With this tablet, the tribe could rise, they could all become better and face all challenges by using the legacy of the Goblin God.


    Kar felt Mina¡¯s hands stroke his shoulders and back, then slowly glide along the shape of his arms and abdomen. The touch was ticklish but pleasurable, sending soft shivers along his spine. Kar turned away from the stone tablet to look at the giggly Goblina with the naughty smile next to his face.


    Mina, whose hand was caressing a little bit too low to be merely feeling his new muscles, mischievously licked her lips, desire was burning within her bright eyes.


    Kar smiled in complicity and finally took a look below her face, relishing at the sight. She wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes and neither was he.


    Well, time to put his new body to good use.


    Having a breakthrough in power and spending joyful time with the one he loved. A fantastic way to start the day.


    <hr>


    Waking up in a cell without his material possessions right after being possessed by a vengeful spirit, and then being interrogated in a room filled with people that he despised and who despised him in turn.


    This had to be one of the worst ways to start the day, Eric thought bitterly as he spoke in front of the City Council to explain the events that led to his current situation.


    The City Lord had ordered him to tell everything he knew about the events of the attack to the city last night, and there were obviously some Class shenanigans at work, as Eric felt the weight of the order almost make him drop to his knees.


    Ruling Classes were powerful and useful, with a wide variety of Skills that literally outclassed their equivalents used by those of lower castes. Just like the [Grand Slash] from a Knight was more refined than the version from a Warrior and the [Greater Strength] that a Fighter would have was better than the [Enhanced Strength] of a Builder or a Farmer, Ruler-type Classes had Skills on a league of their own, both in reach and effectiveness.


    It was also said that Rulers who specialized in combat, like [Martial Lord] and [Conqueror King], possessed extraordinary abilities that even the Champions and Paladins didn¡¯t acquire.


    Things similar only to those Skills of [Heroes] in the legends.


    Apart from their own increase in personal power and the ability to influence other people, people with those Classes had Skills that affected armies, the economy, and even the harvests. It was the only reason that Eric could find for why Nobility and Royalty were so strong and stayed on top of the countries despite people like Adventurers and Mages wielding great combat prowess and influence.


    Now Eric just got to experience first-hand what it was like to receive a direct order from a Lord. Even without the use of a Skill, it was like a constrictive command. The pressure was suffocating, compelling him to obey.


    And yet, he didn¡¯t bow to it.


    Because Eric had just experienced something that such a mortal Lord could not hope to compare to. After being face to face to a Deity, how could he remain the same man? How could earthly authority make him bend his knee?


    He inwardly smiled, hiding his satisfaction and the desire to gloat, keeping his emotions out of his face. It would not do to have the Council notice that it didn¡¯t have that much force over him.


    So Eric spoke, he told them what they wanted to know. What he told was not a lie, yet it wasn¡¯t the complete truth. Oh, he told them a lot, sure. That he had been in the Dungeon and studied the Undead, and how a week ago something had changed in the Dungeon that enabled the monsters to get out. It was at this point that they had been most worried, but he didn¡¯t know much about it besides the fact that the Revenant had gotten out.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    And then he had been possessed by the Revenant, which had led to the attack to the city after he had gained control of the Undead in the Crypt, so he couldn¡¯t tell them exactly how the Dungeon restrictions worked even if he wanted to.


    Their worries had been put to rest when Eric had said the Revenant had been destroyed last night, resulting in his liberation of its influence.


    When pressed about it, Eric had simply said that an unknown individual had exorcized it and left afterward. They pressed for a description, which he had readily given.


    Hah! Good luck finding that guy.


    If such a powerful entity didn¡¯t want to be found, there was no way to find him. And even if he let them find him, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to him, not that there was any reason to be an enemy of him, they couldn¡¯t antagonize him after killing an Undead monster.


    How would they find him, anyway? Would they get every light olive-skinned young man with wavy brown hair and blue eyes that they found and ask ¡®Hey, are you the man who exorcized the Revenant near the Dungeon?¡¯? Yeah, right.


    That being could be on the other side of the world right now. Or in another world, if some legends were to be trusted.


    And thus the questions had ended, since after the exorcism Eric had passed out and woke up in the cell as a prisoner right before being brought to this courtroom.


    All that he said was true, yet he didn¡¯t say any word about the technicalities of the ritual, what his experiments had been, nor what the mysterious stranger had said to him. Eric had managed to keep the Council¡¯s attention on other matters, like the types of monsters down in the Crypt and how the Revenant had seized control of him.


    Now it was time for Eric to let a smile show on his face. The gem in the Lie-detecting artifact had remained blue all the time, so they could not accuse him.


    By law, he could be exonerated of fault if he had been under magecraft influence or possession.


    At most, he would need to pay a fine for endangering the citizens due to his experiments, just like an Adventurer who endangered the city due to activating some trap or letting a monster loose while in a Dungeon or attracting beasts to the city while exploring the wild regions of the Kingdom, but they could not jail him nor execute him.


    There were too many witnesses here, the ploy of making him look like the evil Necromancer that attacked the city in front of everyone had backfired on them.


    Lie-detection artifacts, while not infallible, were very powerful and not easy to fool. The presence of such a useful tool in the legal system of any big city had made judgements and accusations very smooth and fast. There were still many crimes, of course, but if a suspect was presented to the authorities, they could instantly clear them of culpability and move on with the investigation or get an instant confession and clear the case.


    It was a bit more complex than that if Nobles or powerful individuals were involved, of course, but then there were other measures taken. It was just one of the truths of this world that even Justice was not the same for those of the upper levels of society.


    While resenting such thing, Eric had already accepted it as the way of the world.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°That is all. I was brought here immediately after waking up.¡±


    Eric finished his recount of the events and the room fell silent. The people of the City Council were looking at each other, unsure of how to proceed now. Finally, all eyes fell on the person with the greatest authority in the room, the City Lord.


    ¡°I understand now.¡±


    Harold Bareas spoke with a firm voice. He stared at Eric for a moment and made a decision.


    ¡°Under the law of the mighty Kingdom of Likia, you cannot be held responsible for the actions committed by the monster that possessed you. There will be no fine either. However, I must restrict your access to the Dungeon unless under the supervision of either an appointed member of the City Watch or a member of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. You had already been possessed once, we must be careful to prevent further such threats.¡±


    Whispers spread across the room as they heard the verdict of the City Lord. Members of the Council showed different expressions; surprise, anger, frustration, and even suspicion, then they all schooled their faces into carefully blank masks devoid of emotion.


    ¡°I order you to remain in the city¡¯s area of influence so that further investigation can be carried out, and you must collaborate with it to the fullest of your capacity. Am I understood, Eric Rauda?¡±


    ¡°Yes, City Lord. Thank you for your wise and fair judgement.¡±


    Eric replied and bowed his head, hiding his surprise. He didn¡¯t expect it to go that smoothly. The City Lord hadn¡¯t asked any compensation, which he was certain had pissed off some members of the Council. Even if it was obvious Eric couldn¡¯t pay any large sum of money, they expected him to be fined anyways, just to make a point.


    Yet the City Lord hadn¡¯t made such a thing.


    Eric doubted that he had been released out of the kindness of the City Lord¡¯s heart. Harold Boreas wasn¡¯t a man famous for his sentimentality nor mercy, although he had a reputation of being strict but fair in every action.


    The key must lie in the last part of the verdict. He had said there would be ¡®further investigation¡¯, so Eric was clear of suspicions for now, but not released from involvement in the case. The City Lord planned to keep Eric in the city, but why?


    What would be his objective in this action? What was there to win from that?


    Eric pondered this as the officer from the Watch took off the shackles binding him.


    ¡°You understand that if you try to flee the city without authorization, you will be fined and hunted down, right?¡±


    The officer from the City Watch told him. Eric uttered a ¡®hmph!¡¯ in disdain, not giving any proper response.


    ¡°There were some items in my possession that were¡­ collected by the City Watch while I was unconscious. When will they be returned to me?¡±


    Eric asked to no one in particular, but his voice was loud enough and his gaze was ambiguously pointing at the City Lord, instead of to the officer next to him.


    The officer turned to look at the City Lord, who calmly nodded and the officer left the room. A few minutes later, the man returned with Eric¡¯s Bag of Holding and a mundane leather bag that held the objects they had confiscated from him, like his daggers and other trinkets.


    Eric grabbed them, noticing with satisfaction that the seal he had placed on the Bag of Holding was still intact. Either they hadn¡¯t tried to open it due to lack of time or their Mages hadn¡¯t been able to open it.


    Eric had put a strong seal to his Bag of Holding, but he doubted the Mages¡¯ Guild was so incompetent as to not be able to open this. They were corrupt and a bunch of bastards, but not complete idiots.


    He was about to use a spell to make sure the contents were complete, but he was aware that there were multiple eyes on him right now.


    Besides, there was a restriction to his Mana Pool, he couldn¡¯t use magic. Not by ordinary means, anyway. Eric still hadn¡¯t tested if he could use the dark sphere made from the Revenant as a source of energy yet. Better not try his luck right now.


    ¡°How long until the Mana restriction wears off?¡±


    Eric asked to the Guildmaster of the Mages. The old man eyed him with contempt but replied anyways.


    ¡°Just about an hour left, or you can pass by the Mages¡¯ Guild to get it removed earlier.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I¡¯m not giving any of you bastards any coin. I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    Eric replied and the Mage Guildmaster gritted his teeth in anger. Eric wasn¡¯t going to let any of them get their hands on his body and risk them finding about the dark sphere inside him. Although if they hadn¡¯t found it when placing the seal on his Mana Pool, it was unlikely they would find it when unsealing his Mana Pool. It was better to not take unnecessary risks.


    Eric bound the Bag of Holding to his belt and turned to look at the City Lord.


    ¡°May I leave now, City Lord?¡±


    He forced his voice to be respectful. At least this man, whatever his reasons, had been respectful and let him go without any problem. So Eric replied in kind.


    There was also nothing to gain and a lot to lose if one was impolite and got on the bad side of the City Lord.


    ¡°You may, but remember to not leave the city unauthorized, report to the Watch if you want to go anywhere, and the Adventurers¡¯ Guild will provide supervisors if you intend to enter the Dungeon.¡±


    The City Lord replied to Eric and then rose to his feet as the Guildmaster of the Adventurers gasped in outrage.


    ¡°This court season is over. You are all dismissed. Members of the Council, I require your presence in another room.¡±


    And with that, he left the room by a door on the back, followed by the members of the City Council, who wore expressions of intrigue and annoyance.


    Eric was led out of the Courtroom, while the gazes of dozens of people fell on him.


    He got out, feeling the slight rain falling on him and the cool breeze blowing. Eric took a deep breath, enjoying for a moment the sensation.


    Eric grinned, showing too many teeth to be a fully amicable smile.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what Fate has for me.¡±


    He walked down the street, feeling the black sphere inside him stirring with energy.


    <hr>


    Reaching the back of the courtroom, there was a door that led to a hallway at the end of which was a stair to another floor.


    A private meeting room for the judges and auxiliaries to deliberate before making decisions in a case. It also served as a place for the members of the Council to discuss in private, or to discuss about an important case, like the one that had just taken place.


    But the problem was, that they usually gathered before reaching a verdict, not after.


    ¡°Ok, what was that, Harold? Why the fuck does the Guild have to supervise that bastard¡¯s activities? Lock him up if you still hold suspicions but don¡¯t bother me with that crap.¡±


    Once they all sat at the table, the head of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, Johannes Vasarut, voiced his frustration.


    ¡°He is right, City Lord. Why didn¡¯t the Necromancer get any fine? I do not mean to gainsay your decision, but I know you have something in mind. Would you kindly share your plan with the rest of us?¡±


    Zalia Theressin, Head of the Merchants Guild, inquired in a serene voice while leaning back in her seat. She wasn¡¯t the kind of straight-forward and unmannered person that Johannes was; she was a businesswoman, not a glorified mercenary as the Adventurers.


    She knew better than contradicting the City Lord, and Harold Boreas was not the type of man to do things on a whim or without a plan.


    The City Lord smiled.


    ¡°There was no point in giving him a fine that he can¡¯t pay. That would only put him in jail and I want him outside. Eric Rauda reached deeper in the Crypt region of the Dungeon than any other before him, Johannes. Aren¡¯t you curious about the things down there? I am, and I don¡¯t make a living out of it.¡±


    ¡°Then we should just force him to take us there. I can gather an expedition and raid the Dungeon, we would only need him to guide the rest, many of the undead attacked the city, the Crypt should be more vulnerable now.¡±


    Johannes replied. He didn¡¯t see much point in letting the Necromancer go. Yet the City Lord disagreed.


    ¡°If we did that, he wouldn¡¯t honestly guide us and could put the rest of the expedition in danger. Besides, you can¡¯t force anyone to be a guide in a Dungeon Dive, Adventurer or not. Long-reaching approach, while slower, is more certain and safer. The looser the leash, the less he will struggle against it.¡±


    ¡°That only works if the leash is not completely loose. Prudence, City Lord, but not carelessness.¡±


    Zalia commented and the City Lord nodded in agreement. Then he looked at every face in the room before speaking in an even tone.


    ¡°Indeed, but that¡¯s a relatively minor matter. I didn¡¯t gather you now to discuss that subject.¡±


    Everyone in the room showed varying levels of confusion on their faces.


    ¡°Two matters need our deep consideration today: One, the recent summon for a Goblin Extermination Troop in view of the recent attack to Buri City by a tribe of around a thousand Goblins.¡±


    Harold took a deep breath. Telling them the next bit of news would likely cause unrest but he couldn''t keep quiet about it. There were too many influences and enterprises related to the state of the Church that would get affected by this. It had been a week already since they had been crippled, the rest of the Council could not be kept in the dark. Especially the Adventurers, since they actively risked their lives and came back to the city looking for priestly healers for their wounded.


    Everyone¡¯s expressions got serious when they saw Harold''s face, some of them showed sharp and cold eyes. But they were not prepared for the next words of the City Lord.


    ¡°Two, the situation with the Church. As of a week ago, all the Priests have lost their ability to work miracles and their Healers can¡¯t call on the Holy Light to cure anymore. This is happening all across the continent, possibly the world. At the very least, the Priests are now unable to contact any Gods. We must now face the very real possibility that the Gods had forsaken us and the Church has lost all their effective power.¡±


    Silence took hold of them all for ten long seconds.


    And then, as if someone had thrown a fireball in the middle of an Alchemist¡¯s workshop, they all stood up and started showering him with a dozen questions at the same time.

 Chapter 39: Ordinance

    Ice cream.


    It was an awesome invention, a dessert that almost everyone liked and it was a real blessing on a hot day.


    Ethan had brought it to Sahbadia, from one world to another, because he thought that if he was going to present food from his world to the people here, it better be something amazing that they would remember fondly, right?


    So he had gotten ice cream of four different flavors and served it inside transparent disposable plastic cups and gave them plastic spoons to eat it.


    Ethan briefly wondered if bringing plastic stuff to a world where factories to process this material probably didn¡¯t exist and where they might not have a notion of proper recycling could have some environmental damage.


    He didn¡¯t want to be the first to land a blow to the clean environment of this world, enough damage had such things done to his own homeland. So he decided he would collect the cups and spoons afterwards and he could throw them inside his spatial ring were they wouldn¡¯t contaminate anything. Supposedly. He would ask his Master later, just to be sure.


    Ethan had taken a lot of things from his city before leaving it ¨C and his Master too, for that matter. His Godlike teacher had gotten all twinkle-eyed when he had seen the candy stores and the food courts inside the mall, which they had both raided to their heart¡¯s content ¨C clothes and food were the top of the list, he had also taken some technology gadgets, though there was not much use for them in a place without internet or electricity.


    Ethan¡¯s conscience and ethics about stealing so many things had only lasted until his Master said that whatever they got would be returned to the world when it was repaired, mentioning it had to do with ¡®Time Axis realignment¡¯ or something like that.


    Technicalities apart, As Ethan understood it, the important thing was that even if he took, broke or ate everything there, it would magically reappear when the world was fixed by his Master due to them practically winding back time.


    Which unfortunately would have to wait a few years according to his teacher. But he had sworn he would do it and Ethan had chosen to believe him.


    Anyways, Ethan used the diplomatic power of ice cream to get everyone in a good mood. Apparently they had been getting worried that he was missing, which was weird for Ethan since he barely knew these people, but his Master said that they were speculating about his origins and that sort of thought made people get all paranoid.


    The effect of ice cream had been immediate, and they had all rejoiced in the taste. Even for people grown accustomed to the heat and glare of the sun in the desert, a cold dessert was a welcomed treat.


    While they had looked at him skeptically when he had offered it and were wondering about the magic that had made the four boxes cold, they had all shut up when they had tried the ice cream. Well, not exactly shut up, since they had all let out gasps of surprise, praises, and in the case of a woman named Elif from Amir''s retinue, a moan of enjoyment as she jumped around.


    Ethan smugly smiled when looking at the blissful and surprised expressions of everyone in the room.


    These weren¡¯t even the craziest flavors of ice cream out there. It was caramel, chocolate, cherry, and vanilla. But the quality was excellent and they had never tasted ice cream before.


    Even that grumpy bodyguard Tek got all smiling when he got his cup of ice cream, for all he had demanded it be tested for poison first.


    ¡°This is quite an excellent dessert, Ethan.¡±


    Amir said as Ethan refilled his plastic cup with balls of chocolate and caramel. They were all sitting inside the City Hall of Lauhr, since getting inside a normal inn would draw too much attention to them due to the Prince.


    Sitting in the same table as Amir were Edek and Ethan, while in the table next to them sat Issima and her three friends. Amir¡¯s guards were divided, some spread around the room while others had gone outside, but they all had a cup with ice cream in their hands.


    ¡°I know, right? This thing can be sold and make quite a profit. I¡¯m sure every wealthy merchant and noble would like to have this dessert.¡±


    Edek cheerfully said as he dug his spoon in the last bit of ice cream left in his cup.


    ¡°What is this made of, Ethan?¡±


    Issima spoke while presenting her empty cup for a refill.


    ¡°It¡¯s made of milk, sugar, and assorted ingredients for the flavors. I¡¯m not really sure of the process to make it, though. But I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not complicated, any household can make this.¡±


    Ethan replied as he refilled Issima¡¯s cup with her desired flavors, Caramel and Cherry.


    ¡°Any household?¡±


    Everyone at the table exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not complex to make and the ingredients shouldn¡¯t be expensive¡­ I think.¡±


    Ethan hesitated when he took into consideration that he was in another world, where the common ingredients from his world might not be within the reach of everyone.


    ¡°That¡¯s really wonderful. Delicious food that both commoners and nobility can enjoy. We should get more of this.¡±


    Amir said with a thin smile. Ethan got the impression he wasn¡¯t speaking about more ice cream, but about more food that people from all social classes could enjoy.


    Ethan had read in books that royalty of old times had tended to look at people from lower classes in disdain. But Ethan didn¡¯t think that being rich or from royalty made anyone a bad person, and he wouldn''t judge someone due to stereotypes.


    Besides, Amir had been nice and polite to everyone so far. For all Ethan knew, the royalty from this world might be really nice people or the ones from his world''s past just were depicted in a bad light.


    Nevertheless, he got along well with Amir.


    ¡°The only problem with ice cream is that it needs to be kept in a cold container or it will melt.¡±


    Ethan said and got soft laughter from the people in the tables. Edek waved a hand dismissing the minor issue.


    ¡°Any half-decent mage can put a low enchantment on the container to keep it cold, no problem. They probably wouldn¡¯t charge much either. The only issue would be if they had to keep it for a long time. What¡¯s this box made of, anyway? Seems like wood but not at the same time. And these characters, are they runes? How strange, I can¡¯t feel any magic on it.¡±


    Edek said while lightly tapping the side of the cardboard boxes that contained the ice cream. Issima and her companions were fiddling with their plastic cups and spoons; touching, watching and pressing them until one of them got a crack. Disposable plastic cups were easy to damage.


    ¡°This is called cardboard. It¡¯s a paper-based material, so it comes from wood. I¡¯m not sure if it can isolate the cold, I think that¡¯s more due to the plastic cover. Those aren¡¯t magic runes, they are letters from my homeland, it¡¯s a regular language, so there¡¯s no magic there.¡±


    Ethan explained. He supposed English alphabet seemed strange for the people of Sahbadia, who used a completely different language.


    ¡°Fascinating.¡±


    Amir commented while tracing the words on another box. One of his guards entered the room and walked over to Amir, whispered something on his ear and Amir nodded with a serious face.


    ¡°You will excuse, everyone. I¡¯m needed somewhere else. Feel free to use this room as long as you need.¡±


    Everyone got up and said goodbye to Amir, but he asked Ethan to refill his cup and those of his retinue before leaving.


    Now there were only Ethan and the Sword Dancers in the room.


    ¡°Well then. Now that we have some privacy¡­¡±


    Edek stood up and quickly walked to the door, checked for something on his belt and put on a ring. It shone for a moment and then a ripple of power went across the room.


    Then he bowed down, Issima and her friends did the same.


    ¡°Ethan Bhreg, allow us to once again express our gratitude for the benefaction you provided to us and the Assembly of Clans from Thaliss.¡±


    Edek solemnly said. What Ethan had provided for them was an invaluable treasure of their ancestry, even if Ethan didn¡¯t fully understand how important it was, it held a great significance to them.


    ¡°Elder, that¡¯s not necessary. I already told you yesterday.¡±


    Ethan spoke but Edek just shook his head. Ethan couldn¡¯t understand the depth of the gratitude they had, or the significance of what he had done for them.


    ¡°After we practiced the Dance you showed us, the Dance of the Wind, we not only recovered an art from our Ancestors but also gained Skills from the Ordinance of the Heavens. This was a huge favor for us, Ethan.¡±


    Issima said with a smile that made Ethan¡¯s heart skip a beat. The last of her words made Ethan¡¯s ear perk up.


    ¡®Ordinance of the Heavens¡¯ was what Issima had said, and was translated as such by the translation magic his Master had put in him. But it also offered an alternative translation: System.


    Now that was something Ethan had to learn more about.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We already talked about this last night, there¡¯s no need to be overly thankful or courteous, please.¡±


    Ethan was a bit embarrassed about the way they were addressing him. He was accustomed to more casual conversation with people.


    Issima walked forwards and presented Ethan the robe he had forgotten the night before.


    ¡°You left this behind last night.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±


    Ethan took the robe, but noticed Issima was looking at it longingly. She also had been caressing it for quite a while. Perhaps she had taken a liking to it and its smoothness?


    ¡°If¡­ If you like it, Miss Issima. You can have it.¡±


    Ethan said with a red face and offered the robe back to Issima, Navin had said he wouldn¡¯t mind, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Issima¡¯s eyes sparkled as she took another look at the robe. She had really liked it, but there was no way she could just ask Ethan to give her such an expensive item.


    There were quiet laughs from the side, and Ethan saw that the other Sword Dancers were grinning teasingly at them.


    Ethan¡¯s face got even redder.


    ¡°Oh? My, my. That¡¯s quite an expensive courtship gift.¡±


    Carina covered her mouth with a hand and commented. Her mischievous smile only got wider when Issima gasped at her.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°You are just jealous.¡±


    Issima said defensively.


    "You are damn right I am."


    ¡°Hmm, I believe Lady Assima will be very interested in this.¡±


    Taus pensively said while taking a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, which got him a glare from Issima. There was no need to get her mother involved, thank you very much.


    ¡°Are you sure you can gift this robe, Ethan?¡±


    Edek asked in a more serious tone. If the nature of the gift was different or could be misinterpreted, there might be some issues back in Thaliss.


    ¡°My Master said there was no problem. He said it was fine, and he encouraged me to get along well with you guys, he said your culture is very interesting.¡±


    It was Navin who had initially told Ethan to pay attention to the dance performance, anyways. And he had been very nonchalant about Ethan leaving his robe behind, it genuinely seemed that he didn¡¯t care at all.


    And Ethan¡­ well, he had a lot of clothes now, and his teacher had given him plenty of magic robes like this one. Though Ethan mentally swore to himself that this would be a one-time thing. He couldn¡¯t go around giving magic objects as presents to everyone.


    Edek slowly nodded his head.


    ¡°Very magnanimous of him. Well, if you say there¡¯s no problem nor bigger meaning in this, then there should be no issue.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much, Ethan.¡±


    Issima smiled and received the robe from Ethan¡¯s hands.


    Edek gestured for all to sit back down, and they all did, this time they were all at the same table. On one side sat Edek, Taus, and Qarim, while on the other sat Ethan, Issima, and Carina.


    Edek caressed his beard in thought, then realized he had traces of ice cream around his mouth, so he quickly cleaned it with a napkin before speaking again.


    ¡°You are really a generous person, Ethan. We have benefited greatly from meeting you.¡±


    Ethan shook his head.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Ethan thought about some matters that he wanted to know. This was a group of people who felt in his debt, so they were likely to provide help and information to clear his doubts.


    Ethan cleared his throat and put his empty plastic cup and spoon inside a plastic bag he had prepared for trash collection.


    And then realized that Amir and his group had left with their plastic cups.


    Damn it, so much for caring about the environment here.


    Ethan bitterly thought. He had gotten distracted and let them leave with the plastic stuff. It wasn¡¯t like he could stop Amir and his group from leaving, but he should have warned them.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    Edek asked. Ethan expression had soured a bit.


    ¡°Nothing, sorry. Remember to put the used cups and spoons in this bag, please.¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡±


    They all agreed immediately, wondering what Ethan was thinking. Ethan organized his thoughts a bit before asking this group a few of the questions he had about this world.


    If he needed to be completely honest about his origin to get answers, then so be it.


    ¡°I would like to ask you some questions, if you don¡¯t mind. They might seem weird, but please understand that there are many things I do not know about.¡±


    Ethan said in a probing tone. He wasn¡¯t sure if what he was doing was prudent. It probably wasn¡¯t, but he didn¡¯t lose much from asking. The Sword Dancers looked at each other and then finally looked at Edek, who held authority over their group.


    ¡°Yes, as long as it¡¯s something we can answer, we will gladly do it. Please, ask your questions.¡±


    Edek replied with a confident smile. He and his younger companions thought that Ethan would be asking questions about Thaliss and their dances, which they would be happy to answer within the allowed boundaries.


    However, Ethan¡¯s questions threw them off. They were not what they had expected.


    ¡°What day is today?¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    They all made the same surprised noise and looked at Ethan with incredulity, which made him turn a bit red with embarrassment.


    ¡°I mean, you guys have a calendar, right? But it is different from the one I know, so I don¡¯t even know the date. I know it¡¯s weird, but could you tell me the current day of the week, month and year?¡±


    Ethan hadn¡¯t actually seen anything resembling a calendar in this city, though he hadn¡¯t actually looked around for it either. But it seemed logical that any culture would have at last some form of a calendar.


    They let out an ¡®ohhh¡¯ noise. It made sense for them that a foreigner got confused by the traditions of another country. It was Issima who answered the question.


    ¡°Today is Shanbeh, and it¡¯s the 8<sup>th</sup> day of the first month of the year 3000 since the Dominion¡¯s Fall. So it¡¯s the start of the second week of the year and the start of spring in the whole continent, if you go to the cities south from here, you¡¯ll find some of them still celebrating New Year¡¯s festival.¡±


    So today was ¡®Shanbeh¡¯, or Saturday according to the translation magic. The eighth day of the first month, year 3000. So he could say it was January 8<sup>th</sup>? Ethan wasn¡¯t sure how much equivalence could be between calendars of different worlds, but there was a way to find out.


    By asking the locals.


    ¡°Just assume I know nothing about the world. What¡¯s the calendar like and what are the countries called?¡±


    Ethan said while fiddling with his hands. Issima gave him a smile that said it wasn¡¯t an assumption if he really didn¡¯t know anything. In the meantime, Edek and the others frowned. Ethan was making it clear that there was a serious gap in his knowledge.


    Issima, who at this point was certain Ethan was from another world, continued with her explanation. She had many questions of her own for Ethan, like where exactly did he come from and how did he arrive here, but she would wait for later.


    The calendars of each country varied in the way they named their months, but they all had 12 months and the four countries of Iben Continent marked the same year as the start of their calendar.


    3000 years ago, a great empire that was said to control the entire continent fell due to civil war and rebellions, thus making its domain divide into different countries, which over the course of millennia became the four countries currently dividing the continent, namely Sahbadia, Feld-Ehia, Formabisia, and Rillosa.


    Countries overseas, like the island country of Seau, the Academy Island Oz, and the two countries in Verdun Continent, Payari and Ilsan, had each a different calendar. Ethan was curious about them, but didn¡¯t ask about that, since he wanted to keep things simple for now.


    The calendar in Sahbadia had 12 months, the first six with 31 days and the next five had 30 days, with the last month having 29 days in normal years and 30 days in leap years.


    Okay, that¡¯s not so hard to understand. The names are a bit weird but I can just say first month to twelfth month, and with the translation magic the language barrier can be bypassed easily.


    Ethan thought about this as Issima finished the explanation. So the calendar wasn¡¯t that different from the one in Ethan¡¯s world, which also had 12 months and 365 days. Was this world the same size as his world?


    He was feeling very curious and had lots of questions inside him.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Issima.¡±


    ¡°Just call me Issima. Do you have other questions?¡±


    Ethan hesitated for a moment. There were a lot of things he wanted to ask. Their culture, what were the other countries like, and much more. But one question stood above the rest, due to Ethan¡¯s curiosity.


    ¡°What is the Ordinance of the Heavens?¡±


    Every one of them furrowed their brows. This question was even weirder for them, since ignorance of this matter couldn¡¯t be explained as being from another country.


    Every sentient being in the whole world was under the influence of the Ordinance, to not know about it was like not knowing what breathing was like.


    Edek thought maybe Ethan was asking in a philosophical matter, like wondering about the mysteries of the Ordinance that affected everything in the world, but the tone of the question made him discard that thought. Issima knew that wasn¡¯t the case, this was just another confirmation that Ethan was not from their world, although it then begged the question of how he wasn¡¯t affected by the Ordinance of the Heavens, which was known to be an absolute thing.


    Ethan looked at their faces and laughed mirthlessly. He knew they would react like that and think it was weird for him to not know. But he made up his mind and asked anyway.


    Edek spoke with a thoughtful look on his face.


    ¡°Well, no one really knows exactly how the Ordinance started or how it works. It is a source of strength and knowledge for every sentient being in the world. Those blessed with great talent are capable of gaining great Skills from it, and it recognizes our efforts by awarding us enhancements both physically and spiritually.¡±


    So no one knows exactly how the System started, eh?


    Ethan carefully thought about it. He might just know someone who did. Though now he wondered why his Master hadn¡¯t mentioned it to him before, they had been in this world for six days already.


    And when it came to his teacher, the answer would be either something extremely profound and well-thought, or something very whimsical.


    Or both.


    Ethan made a mental note to question his teacher about this Ordinance later. If it was a System placed in the entire world, then maybe Ethan didn¡¯t receive it due to being from another world, which would suck. The other possibility that Ethan thought about was his Master had prevented it from being ¡®installed¡¯ in Ethan, which would also suck, but he could talk with his Master about that.


    Whatever the case, Ethan was convinced that a being as powerful as Navin would definitely be aware of this ¡®Ordinance of the Heavens¡¯.


    ¡°So, does it speak you when you gain Skills? Do you hear a voice? Do you have Classes and Stats Screens?¡±


    Ethan asked for details, so he could have more information. Now it was evident for the others that Ethan really didn¡¯t know anything about the Ordinance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Stats Screens are, but everyone has a Class and feels the announcements of the Ordinance within ourselves when we gain a new Class or a Skill. How can you not know this, Ethan?¡±


    Carina, the female Sword Dancer sitting next to Issima, replied. Confusion was painted on her face.


    Ethan hesitated but took a deep breath and replied.


    ¡°I have never experienced such a thing. This System, I mean, Ordinance of the Heavens. I don¡¯t have it in me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd, every living person and even monsters are subject to the Ordinance from the moment they are born.¡±


    Qasim replied from the other side of the table. The dark-haired Sword Dancer had a disbelieving look as he regarded Ethan, unconvinced of Ethan¡¯s words.


    ¡°That might be the case here. But where I come from there¡¯s no such thing. There also aren¡¯t any monsters like in this desert.¡±


    ¡°Where do you come from, Ethan?¡±


    Edek asked the question that could make this entire conversation take a whole new turn. Ethan decided to be honest and reply with the truth.


    ¡°Okay, I know this might sound crazy, but please believe me when I say this is the truth.¡±


    Ethan said slowly, watching each of their faces. Issima was smiling encouragingly, Edek had a serene expression while the three others had varying degrees of curiosity and confusion on their faces.


    ¡°I come from another world.¡±


    Ethan noticed how everyone except Issima went still.


    Well, I said so many things last night, I guess she suspected that already.


    Ethan glanced at Issima but she turned to look at her companions. Edek frowned and his eyes moved from Ethan to Issima, then back to Ethan. The others just stared at him.


    Edek was the one to break the silence.


    ¡°Ethan, if what you are saying is true¡­ then the nature of our interaction might need to be reconsidered.¡±


    His expression was serious. Ethan was a bit taken aback, they were actually believing him and considering his words seriously.


    Perhaps, Ethan thought, a little bit too seriously.


    Images of movies and comics where humans experimented with aliens upon their discovery resurfaced, he really didn¡¯t want to be on the wrong side of such a story.


    ¡°What do you mean, Elder?¡±


    Ethan cautiously asked. He doubted Edek and the others would ambush him, but the poor alien guy strapped to an operating table probably didn¡¯t expect that either.


    Ethan forced his mind to focus and discard those distracting thoughts, thinking about such things would do him no good. Edek once again stood up and activated the ring on his hand, sending a new ripple of power across the room.


    ¡°Sorry if that worried you, it¡¯s an artifact to prevent anyone from eavesdropping our conversation.¡±


    Edek sat again, under the confused gaze of the younger people in the room. He cleared his throat.


    ¡°There are tales ¨C ancient tales ¨C that speak of travelers from other worlds. Among the oldest records of our Clans and the teachings of our Ancestors are stories of our origin being from a place ¡®beyond the stars¡¯ and we aren¡¯t the only ones, either. The Avians from Formabisia claim that they are descendants of a celestial being from the heavens. These stories are considered by most as things from mere folklore, but if they are true then you wouldn¡¯t be the first person to travel between worlds.¡±


    Edek put his elbows on the table and leaned forward, resting his chin over his thumbs.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t seem to be lying, surprising as the words you spoke are, I¡¯m quite good at discerning when people lie. What I meant before is that if you are to be a representative of another world, I would need to report such to the Assembly and diplomatic motions can be carried on. So, our young friend from another world, would you tell us more about yourself?¡±


    Ethan showed a rueful smile at Edek¡¯s words. The fact that other people had traveled between worlds wasn¡¯t a surprise for Ethan, it was the entire premise of the process of Ascension based on the Stages of Cultivation and power a practitioner possessed. But that they actually had records about it in this world and Edek knew about those surprised him a bit.


    More importantly, Edek was interpreting his words to mean he was an envoy from another world, like he was sent with a purpose, instead of being alone or an accidental traveler. He needed to clear that misunderstanding.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a representative, Elder Edek. No one from my world knows I¡¯m here. My presence in this world doesn¡¯t have any political or diplomatic purpose. I don¡¯t have hostile intentions to any of you either.¡±


    ¡°So you came here on your own, not as an envoy. What about your Master?¡±


    ¡°My Master isn¡¯t even from my world, Elder. I actually don¡¯t even know where he comes from. He found me in my world and brought me here, but I don¡¯t think he knows much about this world either. He said it¡¯s all part of a training trip as he teaches me, and he mentioned your world has many interesting things, but I don¡¯t think he has any bad intentions.¡±


    Ethan answered and shook his head. He was no envoy from his world, there wasn¡¯t even any other person alive in his world anymore.


    ¡°I see. So you came here with your Master on personal business. If you don¡¯t mind me asking, Ethan, was the travel done via a spell or a portal? It¡¯s mostly curiosity on my part, but if there¡¯s an active gate between worlds or something like that¡­¡±


    Edek stopped when he saw the gloomy expression on Ethan¡¯s face. Sadness was palpable in Ethan¡¯s voice when he spoke again.


    ¡°My world is¡­ gone, Elder. My Master found me and saved me, but I¡¯m the only person left alive from my world. There¡¯s no portal nor will there be any other people from my world coming here.¡±


    Silence fell on the room as Ethan finished his words.


    ¡°I apologize, Ethan. I had no intention of making you recall a sorrowful thing.¡±


    Edek apologized, Issima and the rest expressed condolences for Ethan¡¯s loss.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know. There¡¯s no need to apologize.¡±


    Ethan replied and passed a hand over his hair. Issima placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.


    ¡°So what I¡¯m saying is, I know near nothing of your world, and I would like you to tell me the basics at least. It would really help me.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Edek firmly said. That Ethan had been honest with them about his origins furthered the good impression he had of the young man.


    He opened his mouth to tell Ethan some common knowledge about Sahbadia and the surrounding countries but a huge boom in the distance silenced him.


    In less than a second, every person in the room was on their feet, then a new round of explosions sounded in the distance.


    Ethan had heard that sound many times in movies and videos, but never actually experienced it from so close in real life.


    The sound of bombs going off.

 Chapter 40: Contingency

    Jiten Tohktras, General of the Kingdom of Sahbadia, stood facing a wounded man bound in chains. The prisoner was a Feld-Ehian Commander, the only survivor of his battalion.


    The man was stripped of his armor and weapons, wearing only a simple pair of pants as he sat in a wooden chair. Ever since his capture the day before, he had been held inside a cell, given little food and water, and constantly showered with questions. But he hadn¡¯t broken under interrogation.


    Even when they used less¡­ amicable methods.


    The prisoner had bruises all over his body, his left eye was swollen, as was the right side of his jaw. The General knew for a fact some of the prisoner''s ribs were fractured. He had been in the room when it happened.


    Jiten abhorred torture, but he couldn''t afford to not be heavy-handed here. Not after that attack to the city, and not to a Commander from Feld-Ehia. Not if the possibility of more dangers ahead was still present.


    With the kind of leader the Feld-Ehian Army had, it was almost inevitable.


    ¡°Otto Rembert, what was the objective of your mission here? What is the Kingdom of Feld-Ehia planning?¡±


    The attack on the city had been well-executed, with a spy sabotaging the walls, incense to attract the beasts, forcing the Hunters to fight away from the city, and a battalion of 300 soldiers under magical camouflage to assault the city.


    It had been luck and a fortunate encounter that had saved this city. The spy¡¯s artifact had malfunctioned and incapacitated him, the young man named Ethan Bhreg had appeared out of nowhere and used an even more powerful bait to drive the beast horde away from the city.


    Even the invading battalion¡¯s invisibility had dispelled when they were still away, and there had been a series of strange coincidences during the battle. If not for those strange lucky accidents, then all of them would be dead now.


    And yet, this couldn¡¯t be all. The Sahbadian General knew there was more at play here, and this offensive action couldn¡¯t have been done without thinking of the consequences.


    For three years, the monster that commanded the armies of Feld-Ehia had focused her efforts in Formabisia. Right after instigating a civil war in Rillosa and causing a supply mess within Sahbadia, effectively making any intervention either unlikely or delayed. It had taken six months for the Sahbadian Army to be deployed and it had been too late to prevent the fall of the northeastern territories of Formabisia, and even then the Sahbadian troops had been stopped by Feld-Ehian Legions. Later forced to draw back when the assassination of a few nobles and officers had caused logistic chaos and the supply lines compromised, making a longer campaign impossible.


    And the Rillosian Civil War had barely ended a few months ago, three Noble Houses had been purged and multiple parts of the land had been burned, now they had inner instability and were focused on restoring order.


    Now it seemed that Feld-Ehia was once again setting its gaze on Sahbadia, as this attack proved.


    This attack had failed, so whatever plan they had would probably be discarded, but they must have taken some measures under the assumption it would succeed, and prepared countermeasures in the case of failure. Such was the nature of the madwoman that led the Legions; she never attacked with a single knife, and each would have a different kind of poison.


    Jiten had tried to contact with the northwestern garrison, but no communication had been achieved, which worried him heavily.


    That an armed battalion of 300 mounted soldiers could pass from Feld-Ehia to Sahbadia unimpeded and unnoticed was a liability that needed to be remedied immediately.


    And if the frontier troops were compromised, the situation was dire.


    The prisoner just laughed.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to tell you anything, dog of Sahbadia? After you killed my men and burned their remains without a proper burial?¡±


    Otto, the Commander of the invading battalion asked with a bloody smile. Jiten regarded him with a cool gaze.


    ¡°You were an invading force, you deserved to be killed to the last. Your soldiers¡¯ remains will be burned later, there¡¯s nothing to do there.¡±


    Jiten replied in an even tone. The bodies couldn¡¯t be left to rot in the desert nor sent back to their country to be buried in their own customs. The only reason they hadn¡¯t been burned in a pyre yet was that there hasn¡¯t been enough time to fill the proper report with drawings of their faces and characteristics. Identification of those soldiers might ultimately be largely irrelevant, but the objective of the procedure was to gather information about enemy troops, there could always be some soldier related to an important figure in the other country, the presence of mages and specialists in different areas could yield information about the state of Feld-Ehian troops too.


    Something flickered in the commander¡¯s eyes when Jiten mentioned the soldiers hadn¡¯t been burned yet, but the General couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. The prisoner tilted his head.


    ¡°What? You expect me to apologize, then? You won''t get anything from me but contempt.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like torture, Commander. But I will let the interrogators play with you if that¡¯s what¡¯s needed to get you to talk. You put in risk the life of a Prince and almost took an outpost to the Desert of Death. This isn¡¯t going to be forgotten nor forgiven.¡±


    Otto¡¯s bloody spit flew through the air in Jiten¡¯s direction but landed on the ground in front of the General.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your forgiveness; I don¡¯t need it. Neither does my country. Though I¡¯m surprised you bastards were here at all, I thought you would be stranded on the way to this city, but we can¡¯t trust Formabisian savages to do a good job, right?¡±


    Jiten frowned. Was he referring to the assassins and the mage that tried to stop them two nights ago? That had been a minor delay at best, they had been from the Tribes of Formabisia.


    But if this man was aware of that¡­


    ¡°Intrigued, aren¡¯t you? Now you are wondering how I knew. Good luck getting all paranoid and looking for the leak.¡±


    ¡°You will talk, eventually. We have your spy sedated and he has already given information, you will do the same soon. You will both be taken south and if you have some value you¡¯ll get ransomed back to your Kingdom, after we have extracted all information from your mouth. If not, you will just be executed.¡±


    The prisoner seemed about to make a spiteful reply but a tremor went through him. His face went blank for a moment and then he looked straight at Jiten¡¯s eyes. Cold eyes regarded him and then a savage grin stretched his broken lips.


    ¡°The Maprak told you something; and just for that, you think you broke him?¡±


    He laughed, hard and harsh. Like a wounded animal resigned to his fate yet unrepentant of the actions that drove him there. The captured commander moved his head to the sides and his neck made nasty cracking sounds. He leaned back on his chair as he smiled mockingly at Jiten.


    ¡°You guys are real idiots. It was never our objective to hold this city, but it doesn¡¯t matter anyway. I already feel it; my mission is over. He will probably go back to the shadows until the next time there¡¯s a use for him.¡±


    Jiten didn¡¯t let the prisoner¡¯s words disturb him, but it was necessary to evaluate them. He had personally checked on the man they called Larin Maprak, the spy and assassin was bound completely and kept under heavy sedatives after his first attempt at escaping. They had also broken his feet to ensure he wouldn¡¯t be running anywhere.


    The City Watch had interrogated him before his arrival and had gotten information about the incense sticks that were used to draw in the beasts from the desert and he even gave them their locations.


    Had he merely broken under interrogation or had he judged it irrelevant for the mission to give away the location of the incense?


    Or maybe there had been a hidden intention there?


    General Jiten considered this as he silently watched the prisoner. There had been a change in him, had the mention of the spy altered him? No, there was something else that he was missing.


    Otto Rembert spoke again, and his words gave Jiten pause, drawing him away from his thoughts.


    ¡°You guys underestimate us too much, that¡¯s why the Strategos will beat you all. Your armies will be toyed with by her, your lands and your Temple will belong to our Kingdom soon.¡±


    The Feld-Ehian commander rejoiced at the change in Jiten¡¯s expression before the General schooled his face into a mask of coldness.


    Jiten almost went for his weapon at the mention of the Strategos of Feld-Ehia. The highest military authority in their Kingdom, now in the hands of one of the most talented minds in history and certainly the most terrifying in at least a century. That woman was the epitome of monstrous talent.


    ¡°Was it her who planned this?¡±


    ¡°Are you dumb or just being intentionally obtuse? Of course Supreme General Polg¨¢r was the one who planned this. Our armies don¡¯t move without her saying so. Who else would craft a plan to attack another country if not her?¡±


    The prisoner grinned as Jiten¡¯s blood ran cold. Jiten knew very well exactly who the commander was talking about.


    Alexandra Polg¨¢r, one of the most dangerous people alive. She had held the position of Strategos for 13 years now and had turned the armies of Feld-Ehia into the deadliest war machine in the continent through a series of reforms in their organization, the use of unorthodox strategies, and innovative magic both in the battlefield and outside it.


    Terrifying talent and peerless insight put into motion to craft unprecedented tactics and strategies spanning the whole continent.


    Assassination of officials, interception of messengers, manipulation of messages, infiltration of spy networks, poisoning of wells and supplies, battle lines of mages, massive rituals to twist the environment to Feld-Ehian troops¡¯ advantage, and many more were all tools used by her with cold precision.


    Her schemes, plans, and strategies ran deep and wide, with deadly efficiency. And she always played the long game.


    She was the one who led the campaigns that humbled the Tribes of Formabisia. She publicly announced how she would crush them and in which order the tribes would be defeated, a whole year before she did it exactly as promised.


    That woman had left a bloody trail of broken enemies in her rise to power, and there was no sight of an end any time soon.


    Riding from one victory to another since she was 12 years old when she had first led the defense of a small town from raiders, she soon proved to be a prodigious talent in strategy and warfare. Even at her earliest shows of brilliance, she was capable of defeating forces three times the size of her own suffering minimal losses.


    At the age of 15, she was already a [General] who rose to prominence in the westernmost part of the continent. Swearing loyalty to the newly crowned [King] of Feld-Ehia, she was entrusted with the position of Strategos and given the task of putting down a rebellion within her country. Her achievements had unified the north of the continent under the authority of the young [King], who had in turn given her free rein to reform the entirety of the armies of the Kingdom of Feld-Ehia to her liking.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    And she had used that to achieve even greater glory, transforming the Feld-Ehian Army into a monster capable of striking terror in the rest of the continent.


    Currently, at the age of 29, she was the single most feared General in the whole continent, undefeated in battle and always overlooking a dozen different military operations across the continent.


    A woman who laughed in the face of Kings and made sport from veteran Generals as if they were toddlers.


    Jiten had only met her twice, and both times she had left a lasting impression on him.


    He had learned to hate her then.


    Even, if he was honest to himself, to fear her.


    The first time had been during an international meeting almost ten years ago, where she had strongly criticized the plans the attending members had proposed and she predicted a series of economic and social changes in the coming years. No one in the meeting thought the things she described would happen, yet one by one she had been proved correct. Jiten had admired her talent and keen insight then, even if he disagreed with many of the things she said.


    The second time had been on the battlefield two years ago in Formabisia. She had taken five thousand soldiers to face his 20,000 troops. He had lost 9000 men in the single day of their confrontation, when she had twisted the terrain and used it against him, causing a division of his troops and trapping a group of isolated soldiers that would then be slaughtered by her soldiers, while at the same time making it impossible for his remaining troops to pursue her. She had barely lost a few hundred soldiers during that battle.


    If the Strategos was personally in command of this operation, then there were at least three other knives they hadn¡¯t seen yet.


    And it also meant that the Kingdom of Feld-Ehia was taking this matter seriously, this wasn¡¯t going to be a simple skirmish.


    No, this would be the start of a savage war. He would need to tell Prince Amir immediately and send a message to His Majesty.


    ¡°I already expected that. Who else but her would order this kind of crazy plans? But is she nearby? Is she supervising this operation personally?¡±


    Jiten gritted his teeth. They needed to prepare, they needed to move-


    ¡°I just got this feeling in my bones, you know? It tells me that you are screwed. Maybe she is nearby, maybe she is far away, why would I tell you?¡±


    The captured commander, from his sitting position and bound in chains, seemed to actually be looking disdainfully at Jiten from a high position.


    ¡°Perhaps she will be crowned after conquering your country. She isn¡¯t one to fancy a crown, but the Gods know that she wouldn¡¯t be alone if she made a claim for it. It¡¯s not my problem anymore, too bad I¡¯m not gonna be there to see you desert rats drown on your own ashes.¡±


    ¡°If you think she can just take over the continent, you are insane.¡±


    Jiten interrupted in a harsh tone. But Otto barked out a laugh again. There was no fear in him, just spitefulness and grim determination.


    ¡°If you think she can¡¯t then you haven¡¯t been paying attention to the world, General.¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t invincible.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but she has yet to lose a fight, and doesn¡¯t seem to be starting any time soon.¡±


    Noises outside the room made Jiten look away from the prisoner, there was a struggle going on outside.


    ¡°Get him! Don¡¯t let them escape, sound the alarm!¡±


    Voices were shouting outside. Jiten rushed to the door when he heard that. There was only one other prisoner in this part of the cells, and he could not be let to regain freedom.


    The spy, Larin Maprak, was escaping. Jiten had just opened the door when he heard the mocking voice of Otto Rembert behind him.


    ¡°You are all fools, General. Now you¡¯ll pay for that. I am but one of her arrows, just like the Maprak sent here. I do not matter, but he still has a goal to achieve, so he won¡¯t be staying anymore.¡±


    Jiten didn¡¯t have time to waste on the prisoner, but he turned back to look at him when he heard the sound of the chair hitting the floor and the snap of chains breaking.


    The commander¡¯s skin was getting red and on his bloodied chest there was a crest shining with sorcery. He smiled as lines extended over his arms and face. There hadn¡¯t been any leaked mana when the spell activated.


    ¡®I just got this feeling in my bones¡¯


    That was what the prisoner had said before. A ritual carved into his bones to be activated remotely. Did Larin Maprak activate it? No, he couldn¡¯t be.


    Then there was someone else making a move, someone who was rescuing Larin Maprak and had deemed Otto Rembert as expendable.


    A pawn to be sacrificed.


    The Feld-Ehian Commander ran towards the Sahbadian General as his body was wreathed in red light.


    Jiten¡¯s arbir was summoned and he threw it towards Otto, directly to the head since anything other than a killing strike would not stop the ritual, and even that wasn''t certain. The commander leaned forwards, running while in a low position. The General¡¯s weapon passed over him and vanished.


    [Penta Saeta] was a Skill that enabled the thrown projectile to turn into five copies of itself. Jiten used it now, and the five spears pierced the prisoner in the middle of his sprint.


    But he didn¡¯t die immediately nor did he stop moving, the interrogation cell wasn¡¯t big enough for Jiten to had taken any good distance from Otto.


    The Feld-Ehian Commander was now right in front of the General.


    Even as Jiten dashed backward outside the room, he heard the voice of the dying man.


    ¡°Glory to the Kingdom.¡±


    The entire room was blasted away in a flash of red.


    <hr>


    ¡°Stay here!¡±


    While Ethan and the young Sword Dancers were standing in alarm, Edek yelled and dashed out of the room. He moved so fast that he was barely more than a blur.


    Ethan and Issima¡¯s group hesitated for a moment, but they ran out of the room too, wanting to find out what had happened. When they reached the outside of the City Hall, they managed to glimpse Edek already had covered a huge distance running towards a group of columns of smoke.


    People were running on the street. Hunters were rushing to the source of the explosion. There were a few people speculating about the source of the noise, some talked about monsters while others said it was a Mage who attacked. A few observed that the position of the smoke was near the Watch¡¯s barracks.


    Ethan was surprised. These people remained calm in the face of an attack, they were organized and moved to attend the situation while various groups moved to different spots of the city to make sure there weren¡¯t other dangers.


    The people here were accustomed to danger. They were alert, but there wasn¡¯t panic. They moved with a purpose and responded in a prearranged way.


    ¡°Come on!¡±


    Taus spoke with a deep voice as he started to run towards the rising column of smoke. They all dashed forwards, running as fast as they could.


    They were all faster than Ethan, even as he ran with all his strength, they still kept ahead of him, although he managed to not fall behind much.


    What they found ahead, was a scene Ethan could only compare to a tragedy.


    There was rubble all around, buildings were on fire, multiple people laid on the ground. Many were bleeding, while others had burns on different parts of their bodies. There were even people caught under debris.


    People were running around helping the survivors, some carried healing potions while others worked together to lift the rubble. There were a few Mages who were casting Spells to tend the wounded. A man in black robes opened a wide scroll of parchment and cold winds and snow came out of it to extinguish the flames.


    Many were kneeling by the side of burned people, fumbling with potions to pour on them in hopes of healing the damage and saving lives.


    There were shouts, out of Ethan¡¯s sight, calling for reinforcements and gathering Hunters to chase down someone.


    People asking hurried questions, only to receive shaking and hesitant answers.


    Then Ethan saw Edek, standing next to Kareb as the veteran Hunter sat in a wooden stool while shouting orders at a group of Hunters and they scattered to carry out his commands.


    A young man stood attending to Kareb, putting bandages over Kareb¡¯s torso as his hands shone with a soft green light. His left arm was missing, now only a stump covered in bloody bandages remained.


    Ethan stared numbly as the sounds washed over him. For the second time in his life, he witnessed the death of multiple people. He stood in shock, taking in the surroundings as cold fear tightened his chest.


    <hr>


    ¡°Lad, go help other people. There are others much worse than me, go to them.¡±


    Kareb dismissed the healer with a grunt the moment he was done with the basic healing. Besides his severed arm and a stab below the ribs, he had no other wounds on him. Despite the severity of the loss, he was in no risk of dying while there were people around who were grasping for their last breaths.


    The young healer evidently agreed, as he immediately ran off and hurried to tend to others with worse wounds. Mages who knew healing spells were very rare as it apparently required quite a bit of knowledge of anatomy.


    Potions were far more popular and accessible, although it was said that mage healing was more efficient unless it was one of the most potent potions, and those were pretty expensive.


    Kareb saw a group of youngsters approaching from behind Edek Konal. The Sword Master¡¯s dark eyes were scanning the area restlessly, one of his hands on the grip of his unadorned sword. Though the Hunter knew enough to not look down on that seemingly ordinary sword, much less on its wielder. Anyone fool enough to underestimate an Elder from the Assembly of Thaliss was an utter idiot who would end up sliced in pieces.


    The young Sword Dancers approached them, walking behind them Ethan Bhreg followed with a pale face, all the while looking at the destruction around. He was more visibly shaken by it than the rest of them.


    Edek turned around and frowned at the group of youngsters. His voice was severe as he reprimanded them.


    ¡°Did I not tell you to stay there? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°We want to help, Elder.¡±


    Taus, the tall and dark-skinned youth among the group replied without missing a beat. The others nodded in agreement and with eyes full of determination. But their enthusiasm didn¡¯t impress their Elder, who shook his head decisively.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you guys to help, go back and let more experienced people handle this.¡±


    Edek dismissed them immediately. None of them were healers and they didn¡¯t have enough strength to do much here. There were already workers and healers helping the wounded. These youngsters would only put themselves in danger here.


    ¡°Get the kids out of here, Edek. Go with them, for their safety. There might be other enemies lurking around. The Mapraks got away, but they aren¡¯t the only dangerous individuals in the service of Feld-Ehia.¡±


    Kareb stood up and grimaced. Two skilled assassins had come to get the one they had captured. They had bypassed the guardsmen on duty of watching the prisoners and even killed a few before being noticed. He strongly suspected they were both members of the Maprak Clan, they sure had the skill to match.


    Kareb had come across those bastards as they fled, one of them with the prisoner on his back. It had been a short fight; Kareb and one of them had barely traded a few blows when those big explosions happened.


    The distraction had cost him; a single moment was all the expert killer had needed to maim him.


    The bastards had gotten away carrying their wounded kinsman. Even parts of the Watch¡¯s barracks were blown off by the large explosions, to which there was still no clear explanation besides some babbling about dead men and flashes of red by a few witnesses.


    Kareb walked forwards but stumbled; potions hadn¡¯t gotten rid of all the poison from the wound that the Maprak¡¯s dagger had caused to his side. Mostly sedative and paralysis, which had been lucky, both because he could be dead now if it had been something lethal and because it helped him deal with the pain of the severed arm.


    He tried not to let the thought linger, this was not a moment for lamentations; it wasn¡¯t his sword arm, he would manage. There were immediate concerns to attend.


    ¡°You think there are more spies.¡±


    Edek said and it wasn¡¯t a question. Kareb nodded with a snarl.


    ¡°Absolutely. So many explosions aren¡¯t the work of two people, and the bastards need an escape route. They aren¡¯t alone in this.¡±


    Kareb had just sent runners to the city gates to get them closed, but he doubted that would be enough to capture experienced spies. They needed to move and organize a manhunt immediately. Enemies were hiding somewhere in the city, and needed to be found now.


    ¡°Elder, we can help! If you need people to deliver messages or carry the wounded¡­¡±


    ¡°We can also help with the debris, to get those trapped underneath-¡±


    ¡°Enough. There are already people here for those tasks.¡±


    Edek started to discuss with the youngsters, Kareb left them to it. It was for the best if he took them away, they would be safer that way, there wasn¡¯t much they could do here anyway.


    Kareb walked towards a group of people, they had gathered the wounded survivors; members of the Watch, Hunters, and some civilians. They had varying degrees of burns, lacerations and bone fractures. Some had lost limbs, like him.


    They would be transported to another building for treatment and to give them a safe place to rest.


    Kareb heard Ethan raising his voice, yelling at someone about helping. So he was probably taking the other youngsters¡¯ side on wanting to help.


    Well, he certainly had made it clear he is the type that wants to help those in need.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing for those kids to do here, unless they suddenly gained the ability to heal grave wounds. Kareb decided to ignore the discussion behind him.


    The veteran Hunter¡¯s eyes moved to the smoking building that was used to keep prisoners and interrogations. The Prince and a few of his guards had entered it, they had also helped extinguish flames and remove rubble, going ever deeper into the building.


    Now they were coming out.


    ¡°Healer! We need a healer!¡±


    The prince yelled as soon as he was out of the building.


    Two of his guards were carrying the General in a pane of conjured blue light. The sight was hideous, the General¡¯s left arm and leg were gone,exposingshattered bones and seared flesh. It was likely he had been the victim of a direct explosion. Half of his face was horribly ruined by the fire, despite evidently having been poured a potion by the Prince, the rest of his body was covered in ashes and his clothes were torn apart.


    It might be a grim thought, but Kareb didn¡¯t have much hope for the man. The General was strong, but being right in front of such a blast would do more than burn flesh; it would shatter bone and burst internal organs.


    There were wounds that were simply too severe, that even the best healing potions and magic healers could not mend. He clutched at the stump that used to be his left arm, one type of wound that nothing except the highest sorceries could amend.


    Healers came forward at the Prince¡¯s call, but they could not save a man¡¯s life when it was already half-way into the grave. Kareb saw the healers surround the wounded General, hands shining with soft light; they poured potions and covering wounds with bandages. It was all for naught.


    Kareb heard them tell the Prince that they could only delay the inevitable, he watched the second son of the Monarch lose his temper and curse loudly. It might be unbecoming of royalty, but it showed that he cared.


    There was more shouting behind the veteran Hunter, the voice of a young man speaking in a strange tongue that was nevertheless perfectly understood by everyone who heard him. Kareb turned around.


    A foreign young man strode forward; he was shaking and pale-faced, but his gaze was unwavering and his steps werepurposeful.


    Kareb saw the young man walk towards the group of wounded.


    And witnessed a miracle.

 Chapter 41: The First Miracle

    In a certain region of the Cosmos, belonging to the middle layers of existence, there was a vast space between the clusters of worlds. In this interstellar medium, many energies were rampaging out of control.


    Superheated plasma, gigantic magnetic storms, nebulae of strange gases, astronomical avalanches of cold matter and many ethereal forces were clashing against each other and moving at high speed across the universe out of their natural flow. The size of this rampaging clash was such that it was bigger than solar systems.


    If even one of these extremely strong phenomena got into contact with an ordinary world, that world would inevitably perish.


    And in the center of this world-ending storm of powers, there was a single oasis of serenity, inside of which a figure stood calmly. Unaffected by the raging energies around him, the figure waved his hands, intending to control the different mediums and energies to return them to their original state and direct them back to their natural course of flow.


    The identity of the figure was Navin Lakar¡¯s Phoenix Avatar, the one he used to interact with his newest disciple Ethan. Even if he liked to spend time with that funny kid, he had matters to tend to in many places around the Cosmos, so Navin usually left a spark of his consciousness with Ethan to protect him and communicate with him, while the Avatar spent most of his time traveling around repairing the damage in different realms. The situation was the same with Aina and Maria, who were accompanied and protected by his White Tiger Avatar.


    While Ethan was meeting with the Sword Dancers in Sahbadia, most of the Phoenix Avatar¡¯s attention was focused on dealing with this raging storm; in case any hazard to Ethan¡¯s life were to occur then the spark of consciousness that Navin left with him would notice immediately and react to deal with the situation, in worst case scenario summoning the Phoenix Avatar to Ethan¡¯s location. If nothing happened, then whatever Ethan did would just be ignored and only relevant information would be transmitted, because Ethan had right to his privacy and Navin respected that. It would only stress the teenager if hewere to believe he was being observed day and night, very few people could be comfortable with that kind of situation and Ethan already had enough trauma to deal with.


    Despite spending day and night with the new members of his family, it was just a fraction of Navin that interacted with them, while his Nirmitas¡ªthe true nature of his Avatars, constructs created by pure mental power and Qi¡ªtraveled different worlds dealing with the aftermath of the Cataclysm.


    Case in point: these energies and clusters of matter would normally never cross each other¡¯s path since they were separated by astronomical distances; so this astral storm that could destroy planets should never have occurred. But the Cataclysm had caused twists and tears in space, warping the currents of flowing matters into this region and endangering countless lives in different worlds if left unattended.


    The thinning of the boundaries between different layers of the Cosmos made it so that even with Navin currently holding the Forces of the Cosmos at bay, some tears in space could still happen.


    Further stabilizing the Cosmos would still need some time but after a whole week of relentless work, Navin had managed to solve most of the immediate crises.


    Navin quickly repaired the different tears in the space to ensure no more of these energies and matters would cross and get out of its natural course.


    Then he extended both arms to his sides as if to encompass the boundless magnitude of the Universe around him, and drew his hands closer.His hands were shaking ever so slightly due to the effort, what would have been easy to do a couple of centuries ago was a burdening action for his current self, even more so for a Nirmita that held only a fraction of his real body''s power.


    Space was twisted, not to disperse the storm but to capture it all into a spherical bubble and warp it to a single location: Navin.


    In a matter of seconds, the gigantic astronomical storm of supercharged matter and radiation was compressed in a small sphere held between Navin¡¯s hands. He then opened his mouth and swallowed the sphere.


    Calm was restored. At least, for now.


    Navin¡¯s Avatar stood floating in the silence of space.Extending his Divine Sense in such a wide range of trillions of kilometers to fix the damage and gather the storm of matter and radiation was a huge strain for him now.Luckily, this didn''t require much detailed observation with his Divine Sensebut merely covering the area that would be affected by his ability.


    He took a moment to assimilate the substances he had just absorbed, restoring a bit of his energy and alleviating the pain. He had spent the last week traveling around the Cosmos with his Second Body and four Nirmitas, minimizing the destruction from the Cataclysm and making efforts to repair the damage in the different regions of the Cosmos, while his True Body sat deep in meditation to recover from the wounds received during the war among the Gods.


    During the past week since his return from the Divine Realm, Navin had seen far too much destruction in many places, he couldn¡¯t afford to stay still.


    His only rare moments of mental repose had been the time spent with his Disciples and Maria, and even then his Avatars would be moving around, he was never completely resting, nor could he give them undivided attention. The portion of his mind that spent time with those children was a very welcome rest from his current stressful state and it gave him quite a bit of joy and mental peace, training his new Disciples was a very important task and much more enjoyable than repairing the Cosmos.


    A couple of seconds passed, Navin finished assimilating the energies this Nirmita had absorbed and decided to move towards another world. He was wearing the simple clothes he had used when meeting Ethan earlier that day: a vermilion T-shirt and black trousers. But he would be using this Nirmita to pay a visit to certain respected individuals soon, so a change in his attire was in order, as to not wound sensitivities.


    With a swing of his hand, new clothes appeared on him.


    Layered crimson robes made from an amalgamation of materials from four different fire beasts, the outer layer of the robes taking the resemblance of Phoenix feathers for fleeting moments when he moved, Orichalcum highlights with multiple runes decorated the robes. Under them, he wore a close-fitting Yin Spirit Tunic. Armguards made from the scales of a Black Dragon covered his forearms, a belt made from the leather of a Titanic Bull adorned with a buckle of Soul-calming Silver was on his waist. Scarlet loose-fitting trousers woven from Summer-ascending Silk from the Fairy Realm and black boots made from leather of a Violet Lightning Dragon.


    An equipment set of extremely high quality, each of the articles he was wearing wasan Artifact of great might. Yet they were a mere decoration for him and he had no need for them, neither for defense nor attack. What¡¯s more, these objects hadn¡¯t actually been crafted from any materials, they had been conjured into existence by Navin¡¯s own Qi.


    Constructs of this level could easily be crafted by power alone for someone of the 10<sup>th</sup> Stage, and Navin was close to being on the 12<sup>th</sup> Stage.


    Creation out of nothingness, an illusion strong enough to be anchored into reality, forged by Intent and Qi. Like in all Thaumaturgic workings, perspective was paramount, and from Navin''s perspective, these artifacts were an extension of his Nirmita. As real and as transient as dictated by his will.


    Artifacts were extremely valuable treasures for anyone even in the Higher Realms, but only Divine-rank Artifacts were truly valuable riches for Navin. Of course, Divine Artifacts couldn''t be used as casual clothing. Such objects would only be summoned when there was a need to activate them, and would otherwise remain hidden within the user¡¯s body and soul.


    He felt comfortable wearing these clothes and he would be paying a visit to some important peoplein one of his next destinations, so proper courtesies should be respected.


    He would move next to the Unseelie Fence, a sensible region of the Fae Realm. According to what Navin could detect, the Fence was still working as a barrier separatingdifferent worlds from contacting the Fae Realm, but the strain of withstanding the backlash caused by the breaking of the Seal of the Cosmos had debilitated it, so if left unattended the Unseelie Fence would collapse.


    When the Fae noticed it, they would act and fix it, but Navin wanted to take no risks, so he would handle it. He could amend it in a matter of minutes and without using any resources, which couldn''t be said by the Fae. He might encounter some of them but he would not stay long, once the Fence was fixed he would move to the next location, where he would spend a few hours: The Horologion within Azure River Pavilion, a Cultivation School in an 8<sup>th</sup> Stage World.


    The Pavilion Master was a female Dragon of great strength and a Disciple of the Goddess of Water, while the Clock Watcher and the Prophetess that managed and lived in the Horologion were ¡®guests¡¯ of the school, providing service for them while enjoying the protection of Azure River Pavilion.


    All of them were people worthy of respect.


    While Navin could go wearing whatever he pleased and nobody there would say anything about it, it could be seen as a slight towards his hostess. Thus, Navin would wear an attire that would show he cared and showed respect to her, which in turn would give honor to her and Azure River Pavilion.


    Navin hadn¡¯t announced his visit, which was actually a small breach of protocol and courtesy, even if he was of a much higher status than anyone in there. Still, he wanted to talk with them about something and there wasn¡¯t much time to follow all proper etiquette. He decided that he would give them some present for the trouble.


    Navin hadn''t visited any Cultivation School, Ancient Clan, Higher Realm Kingdom or any of the powerful factions in the Cosmos yet. He hadn''t gone around announcing his survival and victory in the Divine War. He had no intention to be perceived as the new ruler of the Cosmos, even if he was currently the most powerful entity in existence, he didn''t want their adoration nor worship.


    That Azure River Pavilion, a peaceful Cultivation School that provided the services of the Horologion and the Prophetess to the Cosmos without discrimination, would be his first visit after the war, was essentially sending a message: He wouldn''t become a ruler commanding over the Cosmos and ordering the other influences around.


    His only desire was to cultivate his own Path.


    The most complex part of the aftermath of the Cataclysm would be the people, Navin was certain of it. He could repair the damage and stabilize the Forces of the Cosmos, but the actions of people would be a far more complicated matter. Ambition, greed, desires, oaths of vengeance, and many other motivations would make the different factions move to chase their own objectives.


    And those objectives would clash with each other, thus causing wars across the different realms. And no two wars were the same, situations varied and it was not easy to determine culprits and decide what was right and what was wrong.


    Morality was not simple black and white, and the Cosmos was not ruled by such subjective concepts.


    So much to do, so little time. So much strain for him to withstand. It didn''t matter, because he would simply shoulder this burden and carry on. Wounded and weakened he might be, but he was still the only existence above Stage Nine. So while he would not rule as monarch of the Cosmos, he still had the responsibility to take care of the people within his reach and he would at least act to prevent unnecessary harm to the lower worlds and innocent people.


    Navin was about to teleport when he heard his 4<sup>th</sup> Disciple¡¯s voice calling for him.


    Ethan was quite an interesting existence, a funny kid that had unfortunately experimented a tragic event that he was still dealing with; but he was someone with a bright and endless future ahead, Navin had no doubt of that. The fact that the kid carried with him a bundle of possibilities and a spiral of ever-growing power within him, made it a certainty that he would ascend to great heights.


    What gave Navin pause, however, was the grief that was transmitted along with the call.


    Why? Ethan shouldn¡¯t be in any danger or the spark of consciousness Navin had left with him¡ªwhich was the thing enabling this call to happen in the first place¡ªwould have reacted long before Ethan even noticed any danger to himself.


    Ethan was feeling sad and alarmed, and there was a sense of urgency when he called for Navin. So Navin postponed his travel and focused his Avatar towards his Disciple. Even if there were very important things to do, those duties could wait for a bit.


    Family came first.


    <hr>


    Ethan stared numbly at the destruction around him. He stood trembling as his sense of smell was overwhelmed by the scent of blood and smoke.


    Once again, in front of him there were dead people on the street, but this time it was not dead silence all around him. There were people screaming as their friends struggled to hold them still. Cries of pain and despair as they looked at their missing limbs, shouts for help, sighs of relief as a potion poured on a wound took effect, and the cries of mourning as members of the Watch and Hunters closed the eyes of friends for the last time.


    ¡°Did I not tell you to stay there? What are you doing here?¡±


    Edek¡¯s voice drove Ethan out of his thoughts as the Elder reprimanded them with a severe expression.


    ¡°We want to help, Elder.¡±


    Taus, one of Issima¡¯s friends, answered with a serious voice. He was the oldest of the group of young Sword Dancers, his face was full of determination but Edek simply shook his head.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you guys to help, go back and let more experienced people handle this.¡±


    That was a normal thing for an adult to say to any teenager near a disaster area, Ethan thought. It was the sensible thing to do, to let professionals or stronger people help in a more efficient way.


    Ethan knew that there existed risks if inexperienced people attempted to help the wounded during an emergency, erroneously performing CPR or wrongly using a tourniquet could instead cause the demise of the people they were trying to help. Carelessly moving someone with bone fractures or internal damage could be fatal, so children were instructed to seek for adults and the adults knew that they had to call for professional help, like calling an ambulance.


    Even in a different world where such protocols weren¡¯t established, the common sense of letting experienced people deal with emergencies was still present.


    Ethan saw Kareb turn towards them as the healer that had been tending him turned around and went to help other people. Ethan¡¯s gaze was drawn towards the bandages on the Hunter¡¯s left arm, or rather, what was left of it.


    ¡°Get the kids out of here, Edek. Go with them, for their safety. There might be other enemies lurking around. The Mapraks got away, but they aren¡¯t the only dangerous individuals in the service of Feld-Ehia.¡±


    Kareb had a grim face and was obviously in pain, but he stood up and spoke to Edek. Ethan saw him stumble but the veteran Hunter gritted his teeth and kept his back straight.


    Ethan remembered ¡®Maprak¡¯ being the name of a clan of assassins of some sort that they mentioned in the meeting after the attack from the beast horde and the other country¡¯s soldiers. The City Watch was supposed to have one spy from that family as a prisoner somewhere in the city, after the man had sabotaged the walls¡¯ magic defenses.


    Ethan saw Edek turn to look at Kareb again and they exchanged a few words before being interrupted by Carina and Qarim. Ethan paid them no mind.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Ethan took deep breaths to calm himself and force his mind to look for somethinghe could do to help.


    There were two ways to help that came into his mind:


    One, use the medicines he had in his Spatial Ring.


    Two, ask his Master to heal the people here.


    The first idea could provide some help, Ethan had medicine from a whole drugstore along with first-aid kits. Although those drugs would have very limited use in the current emergency they could still help to prevent infections, treat fever and pain, while also prevent the wounds from worsening. He also had various magical medicines that his Master gave him in the Spatial Ring, which Navin had assured him were far more efficient than the medicines from Ethan¡¯s world. Ethan hadn¡¯t tested any of them, but he would take his teacher¡¯s word for it. However, there were many people dead or on the verge of death in the area, and also people caught under the debris, reaching those people could take time, time that they didn¡¯t have.


    The second idea was the sure-fire way to save the wounded, his Master was pretty much a God that could easily heal people; whether or not he could resurrect people Ethan wasn¡¯t sure, but he would bet on yes. However, Ethan knew that his Master wouldn¡¯t like to be so directly involved in the matters of people unrelated to him and could refuse.


    Still, he didn¡¯t lose anything by asking. And if he refused? Ethan didn''t know, but he first had to try.


    Ethan took deep breaths until his heart had calmed and then called for his teacher inside his mind.


    Master.


    "Yes, Ethan?"


    Sure enough, Navin¡¯s voice sounded inside Ethan¡¯s mind. However, the young man remained silent, hesitating on how to say what he wanted. Just as Ethan was about to send a reply to his Master, a voice sounded right beside him.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Navin stood next to Ethan, looking at the wreckage around them with a calm gaze.


    ¡°So this is what you wanted to tell me. No wonder you were so shaken.¡±


    ¡°Yes, these people need help, please.¡±


    Ethan replied while turning to take a look at his Master. Unlike how he had dressed since they left Ethan¡¯s world, this time Navin had strange clothes similar to the ones he had worn on their first meeting. The closest Ethan could compare it to were traditional oriental clothes back in some countries from his world, and even then, from a period of history centuries past.


    This clothing was somewhat similar to the style of clothes Navin was wearing when they first met. The apparel of a Cultivator in the stories Ethan had read in his world, the so-called Daoist robes, was something like a mixture between a scholar¡¯s clothes and a martial artist¡¯s uniform.


    However, Ethan was not interested in the fashion sense of his teacher, nor was this the moment to ask questions about clothes. This was a state of emergency.


    ¡°Can you help?¡±


    Ethan asked with a grim look on his face, he didn¡¯t like how the sound of his own voice sounded so pleading.


    Navin looked at him and tilted his head to the side.


    ¡°You have medicinal pills and elixirs in your Spatial Ring, right? Those could be used to heal the wounded.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but there are more people under the rubble. It¡¯d be much faster and efficient if you do it.¡±


    Navin stayed silent for a moment, seemingly considering the issue, then he shook his head.


    ¡°Their conflicts are inconsequential to me. Why should I get involved?¡±


    Ethan felt his chest tighten upon hearing Navin¡¯s words. He stared at his teacher angrily. What the hell was he saying in a time like this?


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®why¡¯? To not let them die, of course!¡±


    ¡°Ethan, this is just like when they were attacked before, I have no relation with them, so they are not my responsibility and I have no desire to participate in the wars of mortals.¡±


    ¡°But this is different! This was done by explosions, like a terrorist attack!¡±


    Ethan yelled in frustration. Every moment they wasted discussing was a moment when people would be dying. He saw his teacher sigh and a cool breeze blew around them.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing as before, actually. This was a continuation from the previous attack, a countermeasure in case the initial attack failed. I have told you this before, their wars are not something I should get involved with, hazards made by mortals should be handled by mortals.¡±


    Ethan saw his teacher taking looks around with a serene expression. Had he assessed the situation already? Could a mere look around enable him to know the causes of the incident? Ethan wasn¡¯t sure, the faculties and senses of Deities and high-level Cultivators were extraordinary. His Master could be sweeping the entire city with his Divine Sense and nobody would know, yet he would gain an understanding of the big picture and situation in an instant. There was a look of detachment printed on his teacher¡¯s face, as if he was a bit disappointed that this was happening, but not particularly bothered or worried about it.


    ¡°Even so. Help them, please. This isn¡¯t intervention in their war, this is helping and rescuing those in need. You don¡¯t have to fight, just heal.¡±


    Ethan asked once again. His Master was the best solution for this problem, it could be over in an instant if Navin intervened. Ethan was burning with urgency, yet the Cultivator remained unfazed. Apparently no longer interested in the surroundings, he locked his gaze on Ethan.


    After what felt like an eternity, he nodded.


    ¡°Alright, I will help."


    That was what Ethan wanted to hear.


    "Awesome! Then-"


    Navin raised a hand, interrupting Ethan''s excited voice.


    "But I¡¯m not simply going to fix things for them. If you want to get involved in their wars, that¡¯s on you. I will help you, but you will have to handle these things yourself. It will be very troublesome for me if I were to act directly, and it would be annoying if they start adoring me.¡±


    His Master¡¯s calm and measured voice contrasted with Ethan¡¯s heated and urgent tone. They were in the middle of what Ethan could only call a terrorist attack, there were people dying around them¡­ and Navin was talking as if he was sightseeing in a park? Seeing him so calm was infuriating.


    ¡°Why would that be troublesome? Just do it in a way that they don¡¯t know it¡¯s a god¡¯s actions. A random stranger coming to help or a powerful Mage using magic to heal them will do the trick! If I can come up with a solution surely you can do much better.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but it''s not so simple. Every action has consequences, Ethan. And my direct involvement would have great consequences here, which would make this place my responsibility even more than it already is due to your presence here. I really don¡¯t have the time to deal with that.¡±


    Ethan was at a loss for words, staring incredulously at his teacher for a long moment. It was as if he held no regard for the lives lost here. He was talking as if he was annoyed for doing a domestic chore like washing dishes or sweeping the floor. That made Ethan angry, he wanted to snap at his teacher and yell in frustration for not getting to work on saving the people instantly. But he could not do it. Frustrating as it was, he had no right to yell at him and this was also not the moment for it.


    "Will you shoulder the responsibility of helping these people, Ethan?"


    Navin asked. Ethan gritted his teeth, this was not the moment to discuss, or think long about useless stuff. There were people who needed help.


    ¡°Yes. What do we need to do then?¡±


    ¡°Simple, I will give you the power to heal them and you will heal them. Cool, right? It¡¯s a roundabout way, but this indirect intervention is better. I will provide you with the base material and guide you through the process, but you will be the one to craft it.¡±


    Navin explained while grabbing Ethan by the shoulders and turning him around, then pushed him in the direction of the wounded.


    ¡°Craft what?¡±


    Ethan asked as he started to walk, still unsure of what he was supposed to do and how.


    ¡°What these people need, of course.¡±


    Navin replied as they got closer to the group of wounded unconscious people lined up that was about to be moved to a different location for further treatment.


    ¡°A miracle.¡±


    <hr>


    Navin had arrived at Ethan¡¯s location. Although he only revealed his presence to the young man.


    As expected, Ethan was safe. The cause of his grief and urgency was made apparent the moment Navin took a look at their surroundings.


    Upon arriving, he instantaneously scanned the area with his Divine Sense. There were collapsed buildings, some still on fire, wounded people and dead bodies both on the street and under the debris. A large section of the Watch''s barracks was collapsed.


    With a single thought from Navin, the wounds of the survivors stopped worsening, their lives were no longer at risk. It was easy to figure out what Ethan wanted to ask him to do.


    For Navin, who had a great comprehension of the Way of Karma, the causes and effects of situations in a mortal world were clearly displayed to him, especially about such recent events.


    Information flowed into his mind. Images of the recent past flashing in quick succession to provide him with an understanding of the situation.


    This had been an act of war, it wasn¡¯t even a new plan, but a follow-up from the previous attack. The soldiers sent to take this city hada ritual for self-destructioncarved within them; even in death, the runes carved unto their bones hadn¡¯t disappeared and were used by someone to detonate both the dead soldiers and the surviving Battalion Commander.


    A back-up plan in the case of failure, both to prevent leaking of information from captured soldiers and to deal a blow to the enemies despite having lost. A ruthless measure, planned by a cold mind and carried by devoted soldiers.


    The ritual had been a willing sacrifice; the soldiers had accepted those runes on them knowing what it would do.


    The chain of events unfolded before Navin. Infiltration of some spies into the Watch¡¯s barracks, the use of Necromancy to move some of the corpses of the fallen Feld-Ehian soldiers, the extraction of the captured spy, and the detonation of all the bodies that possessed the carved ritual in them, the Commander included.


    While speaking with Ethan, Navin extinguished the fires that were still burning in the surroundings.


    Navin told his Disciple about this being a continuation of the previous attack, but Ethan had no interest in it. His only concern washelping the people.


    That was a good thing, that spoke of Ethan¡¯s kind-hearted nature.


    However, Navin had no interest in getting involved in the wars of mortals. An entity of power like him would create vast ripples¡ªboth physical and metaphysical¡ªwith each of his actions,so if he took an active, visible, and direct involvement then he would be twisting and changing this world¡¯s Fate in ways that he really didn''t want to.


    If he helped them once, why not twice? And if you have saved them twice then might as well save them thrice. The chain of Karma and responsibility would only prolong and the forcefully severing of it would cause bigger damage.


    He couldn''t simply declare one country and say ''I support this country, it has my backing and protection'', such a thing would completely overturn the political situation of this world.


    What if he decided to take this whole world under his protection and make it so they would have no more wars?


    That would, in some ways, be even worse. His involvement in conflicts to prevent the mortals from killing each other could lead to adoration, new religions forming, dependence on him and then the people of this world leaving the decisions into his hands, discarding their wills and offering their fates to him to decide.


    No, he would not do that.


    He was already very busy keeping the Cataclysm at bay and fixing up the myriad of problems around the Cosmos that were caused by the deaths of the Powerhouses and Divinities. He could not waste time intervening in the course of a mortal world¡¯s history.


    He would not take over that world, he had no desire to be worshipped. He would not become a puppeteer playing with the lives and fates of the people.


    Even with good intentions, those courses of action didn''t tend to end well.


    Many powerhouses had tried to save everyone, traveling around the Cosmos to many worlds spreading prosperity and innovations everywhere they could find. It wasn¡¯t a pointless enterprise, it was worthy of respect and admiration, but there was a limit to what one could do to help. Creating a perfect paradise was an impossible objective. No one could be everywhere, no one could stop all conflicts from arising, and problems were bound to happen.


    No one could change that, no matter how much one ascended and gained power. Bringing perfect bliss, peace, and happiness to every single existence in the Cosmos was something beyond the ability of anyone.


    No one could shoulder that Karmic burden.


    Life was not perfect. There were all kinds of situations, both good and bad, happening across many dimensions and affecting an infinite number of people. And as long as people possessed free will they would make choices that would go against the choices of others, creating confrontations.


    But, it wasn¡¯t like that was a reason to stop helping people. Just that one had to accept that there were things out of one¡¯s control and be careful in the way one provided help.


    Ethan wanted to help the people, but he lacked the means to do it so he had asked Navin to help. That was fine, Navin would provide the means to help.


    If Navin acted directly, he would create a ripple of consequences in this world. But if he acted through Ethan, then the ripple would significantly lessen.


    It would also mean that Ethan would embark on a journey shouldering the responsibility of a savior, it would not be an easy and uneventful path. But if he wished to save people, then he needed to walk resolutely and accept the consequence of his actions.


    Navin thought about this in the seconds it took him to push Ethan towards the area where the wounded were. It would serve as a wonderful training for his young disciple.


    <hr>


    ¡°A miracle, really? That¡¯s your great idea? What part of that doesn¡¯t scream ¡®Hey, there¡¯s a freaking God intervening here¡¯?¡±


    Ethan said, his voice still filled with annoyance and some anger. He was now in the middle of the street, rubble and wounded people all around him.


    His teacher replied from behind him.


    ¡°It will be fine, just call it a Skill or a spell from you when they ask about it.¡±


    ¡°I call bullshit. It would be much simple to just heal them yourself.¡±


    ¡°Would you please stop with that coarseness and impolite words? Trust me, this is better. And it''s not exactly a lie, anyway. It''s a miracle in the sense that it''s a supernatural working made from the power of a higher entity, but it''s a spell in the sense that it will be formed by yourself and molded by your will. Now shut up and focus if you want to help them.¡±


    ¡°Fine! So what now?¡±


    Ethan wanted to protest more, but if his Master was willing to help then Ethan would shut up and save his questions and complaints for later. He looked around, noticing something was off.


    It was too quiet.


    Everyone had stopped, frozen in time. The eerie similarity to the moments before the event that had killed everyone in his world sent shivers down Ethan''s spine. Was his Master was doing something to them?


    ¡°Nothing happened to them, it¡¯s you who have been accelerated.¡±


    And apparently, that acceleration didn¡¯t stop him from reading Ethan''s mind.


    ¡°You had it written on your face, I assure you that your privacy and thoughts are respected and entirely yours. I can make oaths if you want.¡±


    Ethan thought about pointing out that he was, in fact, with his back turned to Navin, but decided there was no point in continuing that discussion.


    ¡°So? What now?¡±


    ¡°Just focus on my energy and guide it into the shape you want. Normally there are four things necessary for a Miracle: a source of power, a wish, willpower, and faith. The power is usually given by an entity of higher power, the wish is to call forth the intervention to materialize the desired phenomenon, willpower is what gives shape to the miracle, and faith that the miracle will happen strengthens the working, a strong conviction is important in this kind of things. I will provide the power and assist you to craft the miracle, the rest will be handled by you.¡±


    Navin put the index finger of his right hand on Ethan¡¯s back, behind his heart, and poured the energy into him.


    Ethan''s breath stopped as he felt the power flowing through his veins, flooding him with something beyond a mortal¡¯s grasp. It was different from the gentle Qi his Master used to teach him the way to flow energy and meditate during his early days of training in the desert, this was of a much higher quality and strength.


    It was somehow searing and soothing at the same time. It was intense and powerful, to the point of almost overwhelming Ethan¡¯s senses. With every beat of his heart, Ethan could feel the divine energy coursing through him.


    Was this the power that his Master carried with him all the time? How could he contain this overwhelming strength and walk around so casually without making everything around him turn into dust?


    ¡°Focus, Ethan. Make a clear mental image of what you want to happen and what shape do you want to give to this power. I will guide you through it. This is no different from making a strong wish upon a shining star.¡±


    Ethan closed his eyes.Ethan burned with questions as he felt the energy coursing through his body.


    What do I want? What is the miracle I want to craft?


    Does it need to be specific? How do I mold it to what I want?


    The power in him was burning with a desire to be used, and as he inhaled he felt himself gathering more and more of it. He had no notion of how to do magic, so he did the only thing his Master had told him to do: make a wish.


    Ok, what do I want? To save the people who are wounded.


    The power moved,feeling Ethan''s intention. He felt it dancing and flowing across his whole body before circling around and making another trip across him. Ethan felt as if he was going to explode, he moved his own Qi and the blazing power followed it without obstruction or resistance. Both energies flowed together until finally moving towards Ethan''s Cultivation Core.


    What kind of miracle do I need? Healing. Yes, I need healing if I want to help these people.


    Ethan found himself standing in a silent place surrounded by darkness and without any apparent source of light, yet he could see his own body perfectly even if everything around him was dark.Ethan imagined tendrils of flame and light dancing, curving and solidifying, swiftly taking different shapes and drawing many patterns over the dark space. Rows of symbols forming, moving, twisting, and arranging themselves into a mysterious formation.The symbols were unknown to Ethan, but he knew their purpose, they were magic runes, and they existed to materialize his wish.


    Healing, yes. But not simple healing, it can¡¯t be something to a single person, it has to be wide, reaching the people under the debris too. What if the debris is trapping them or piercing them? The magic needs to get rid of that too. Can it fix the collapsed buildings, too?


    If he was going to borrow his Master''s power to do it, then he may as well do it in a grand way and make the best spell possible.So Ethan pulled more and more from the endless well of power that was being provided by his Master, a sea of purifying flames, an ocean of healing light.


    Ethan realized that the thing from which he was drawing greedily, what he believed was akin to an ocean, was actually a single drop.It was simply so vast and massive, that it might as well be considered an ocean for him. Ethan could not envisage what the real ocean of that power was like, its true extension was beyond his imagination.


    He watched as more symbols joined the array, some changed their positions, others dissolved into tongues of fire before taking another shape. Light delimited the array, completing a beautiful perfect circle.


    What I need is something that can fix everything, heal all wounds, erase all infection, rearrange and mend broken bones, recover blood loss, cure any and all ailment. What I want is a complete and thorough recovery.


    A memory came into his mind. The fire that his Master wielded to cleanse and purify things, the same that had a calming effect on body and mind.


    A Phoenix¡¯s flame.


    Ethan used that image and fed it into the array.The array vibrated with jubilation, brimming with divine might, then something clicked inside Ethan''s mind and he understood that it was ready.


    Ethan had a strange sensation, he felt as if the array were alive; as if it had a will of its own and had a desire, an intention.


    A purpose.


    Ethan realized that the array was calling for him, asking him to activate it, to enable it to fulfill the purpose for which it had been created.


    Ethan opened his eyes.


    He was no longer accelerated, time was flowing like normal around him. There were voices again, some were crying in pain, some were calling to him, a single cloud covered the scorching Sun, conjured by the whim of a Deity. Ethan ignored it all, his mind was focused on a single thing and there was no time to waste.


    He raised both hands over his head and the array was made manifest between his palms. For a single moment, it shone with a light that attempted to outshine the blaze of the Sun in the sky. Crimson and golden flames burst forth taking the shape of a fiery bird extending its wings to take flight.


    A nameless spell, a miracle crafted with borrowed power for the purpose of saving unknown people in need.


    The bird raised its head proudly, as if commanding all creation to behold its magnificence, the Phoenix opened its beak and a melodious cry was heard, thundering across the city and the sands of the desert, echoing in the stunned silence of all who witnessed the flame or heard the sound.


    Light bathed the whole city with its warmth and somehow they all had the same thought within their minds.


    It was going to be alright.

 Chapter 42: Restoration

    Amir Aal Majid, Prince of Sahbadia, helplessly knelt on the ground next to the scorched body of General Jiten Tohktras.


    General Jiten was strong, wise, and brave. A veteran of many battles who had served the Kingdom of Sahbadia valiantly all his life. He had brought victory to their homeland and led the soldiers in harsh battlefields against many threats.


    He had acceded to Amir¡¯s request to accompany him to the Desert of Death, in search of what Amir hoped was a great help to the kingdom but could very well be an empty myth and even certain death.


    And now that mighty General was dying, and Amir could do nothing but powerlessly watch.


    Jiten had lost an arm and a leg, his remaining arm had been twisted and bone protruded from his remaining leg. The healers said that fractured bones had even ruptured his internal organs. Fragments of stone had pierced his back and he had suffered massive blood loss. His face had been disfigured by the explosion, his clothes torn and his torso scorched by the heat of the flames.


    There were healers working together to mend his wounds. They had used expensive high-grade potions, healing spells and various Skills.


    It was to no avail.


    There was nothing any of them could do to save him. The damage was just too great. They were trying, but it was not enough. With each passing second it was more difficult to keep the General¡¯s heart beating.


    Suddenly, a cool breeze blew. Amir felt a shiver going down his spine. It felt unnaturally cool for such a hot day, especially because there were still parts of the buildings burning.


    The prince looked around and found the multiple fires had extinguished. Had someone used a spell?


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Lad, where are you going?¡±


    Voices were raised around the Prince, calling for someone.


    Perhaps in an attempt to distract his mind, maybe out of curiosity, Amir turned his head to look for the reason of the voices.


    It was easy to find the reason. In fact, one could argue that it was impossible to miss him as he walked towards the wounded.


    The tall young man with golden hair that showed a coppery tone when light shone on his head. He was wearing simple clothes, but those were in no way ordinary.


    His short-sleeved shirt was of a bright blue color. The sleeves had black lines as decorations, perhaps they held some meaning or symbolized a rank, but their exact nature was unknown to the prince.


    On the front of the shirt, there was a strange pattern drawn by black stake-like figures aligned to shape multiple cubic figures put together to shape some sort of ascending stair.


    More importantly, Amir could not identify what materials had been used in the making of that piece of clothing.


    But all that was secondary, because that young man, Ethan Bhreg, was walking while ignoring everything around him and moving his mouth without actually looking at any of the people that were calling out to him.


    Amir saw some of the healers try to approach Ethan, but it appeared that they couldn¡¯t get anywhere near the young man. Amir saw Ethan¡¯s lips move, but could not identify any of the words nor hear what he was saying.


    From out of nowhere, a cloud covered the Sun. It had been a clear day with almost no clouds in sight, where had that dense white cloud come from?


    Then Ethan raised his hands and a formation of shining symbols appeared. Had he been chanting a spell?


    What kind of spell would he-


    A flash of light, and Amir¡¯s thoughts came to an abrupt halt.


    From between Ethan¡¯s hands a huge bird made of flames emerged, growing in an instant to surpass the size of the boy. Proud, magnificent, and glorious. The bird extended its mighty wings, it opened its beak and its cry was like a thousand melodies in perfect harmony; flute, lyre, harp, and zither playing at the same time in a marvelous composition that soothed the soul.


    The song of the Phoenix had no lyrics, it didn¡¯t need any. Its cry and chirp were beyond sound and words, it was magic and wonder. It didn¡¯t simply reach the ears but the soul, producing visions in all who were within range to perceive it.


    The fiery creature shone with radiant splendor, with an intensity that was bright like the blaze of the Sun but didn¡¯t harm the eyes to contemplate it. In fact, to look at that radiance was to be healed.


    Golden light filled the world, then a myriad of colors.


    An overflowing feeling of safety, warmth, relaxation, and calm filled him. It was as if he was being bathed with¡­ love. As if the light was covering him, embracing him to nurture and protect him from all harm.


    Amir felt his muscles relax, the stiffness of his shoulders disappeared, his sore throat stopped aching. From the tip of his fingers to the top of his head, the prince felt himself be renewed, he was certain that everyone around was experiencing the same.


    It lasted for only a few moments, but the memory of it would remain in them for all eternity.


    The brilliance ended, and every head was turned towards the boy. Amir saw Ethan stumble as if his strength had left him but stopped in a strange angle, it was as if he was being supported from the back, leaning on something that wasn¡¯t there.


    The boy shook his head as if to chase away the tiredness and looked around.


    A sharp intake of breath by his side made the prince turn his head sharply, noticing with pleasant surprise that his body felt as if he had rested for a whole day and was now in top condition.


    Then he stared at what he saw, unsure if he was seeing reality or illusion.


    General Jiten had his eyes opened with a frantic look and turned his body to stand up. He was completely healed, not a trace of burnt skin, or broken bone on his semblance. His clothes were still torn, but underneath there was clean skin and not the mess of gore and ashes that had been there a moment before.


    ¡°Your Highness... what happened?¡±


    The General said with uncertainty, as he examined his own clothes and body in numb confusion. Unaware of how he had gotten to the outside or what had happened after his vision was flooded by the flash of red.


    Amir had no words, so he merely did the same as everyone else and turned his head back towards the boy who had stunned them all.


    <hr>


    Across the city of Lauhr, people moved their heads looking for the source of the warm radiance and the beautiful song. Shouts of surprise and exclamations of happiness were heard on the streets and within the buildings.


    This was a city predominantly visited by warriors and hunters, people who lived from fight to fight and earned money by facing dangerous encounters, be it against monsters or other people. So despite this being a place full of healthy and strong people, it was also a place where people had plenty of scars on them, some had missing limbs, like fingers or even arms, limping legs due to old wounds that were not treated properly, aching muscles and joints grown sensible due to a lifetime of hard beating and effort.


    Adding to that all the people who were afflicted by sickness and ailments of varying degrees, the number of people rejoicing after the light passed through them was astonishing.


    Wounds were healed, scars vanished as if they never existed, missing limbs were reformed in a show of flare and light, people were returning to perfect health all across the city. Exhaustion and sickness were washed away like the shades of night broken by dawn¡¯s light. Upon realizing the miraculous situation, it was impossible for the people to not let out noises of surprise and joy.


    Among the benefited were also three spies hiding inside a building, a safe location owned by one of the Feld-Ehian agents infiltrated in Lauhr. They were alarmed by the sudden wave of light, as their first instinct was to think that it was some kind of searching spell, but immediately relaxed upon feeling its effect.


    Most glad of all was Larin Maprak, who until a few moments ago had his arms and legs heavily wounded. The Watchmen had taken measures to ensure he would not attempt to escape again, after his first attempt had made six guards lose their lives and another four get heavy injuries.


    He stood up and grinned as he looked at his fellow clansmen. Unexpected situations were presenting one after another in this city, but at least this one was a strange but definitely welcomed thing.


    <hr>


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Ethan¡¯s body trembled, his knees almost gave up due to exhaustion. His Master didn¡¯t mention anything about being this tired from using this thing.


    He nearly fell on his back as a wave of dizziness hit him, but his teacher¡¯s hand supported him until he managed to steady himself.


    ¡°Easy there, kid. How do you feel after wielding miracles for the first time?¡±


    Up until a moment ago, he had been fine. Tapping on his Master¡¯s power had been quite the experience, it was like being filled to the brim with something extremely powerful. It was really weird, but not exactly harmful.


    Now, though, Ethan felt as if someone had kicked him in the nuts, turned him upside down and then spun him for five minutes. All of this, while being set on fire. Ethan had the impression that even if he tried to throw up now nothing would come out because everything inside him had been burned to less than ashes by the flame and light.


    A vial of some liquid appeared in his hand, Ethan took the cue and drank it without much thought. Sure enough, the nausea went away.


    ¡°You are just tired. You¡¯ll be fine after some sleep or a session of meditation.¡±


    ¡°Is it always like this?¡±


    Ethan caught his breath. He still felt very tired but it wasn¡¯t physical exhaustion anymore, he realized, not like when riding his bike for an entire afternoon; it was more as if he had been reading one of his mother¡¯s advanced math books for hours and now just wanted to lie down and close his eyes.


    ¡°Usually the tiredness is more moderated, but you had no previous experience on this and also used all your Qi when guiding the spell. Anyways, good job on your first magic. Now my job it¡¯s done, so I¡¯m out of here.¡±


    Ethan saw his Master smile and waving his hand lightly as if saying good-bye. Where was he going to? Even if the dizziness and nausea were gone, Ethan¡¯s mind was still not working as normal, his reactions were a bit slower than usual, so he simply stayed silent as his teacher carried on.


    ¡°Actions have consequences, Ethan. Did you think that saving all these people in a flashy manner would be simply ignored?¡±


    Navin looked at Ethan with a playful look in his eyes. Something in that look gave Ethan a very bad feeling.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take you with me where I¡¯m going, and you can¡¯t leave this place. You just saved lots of people, they will want to speak with you, likely express their gratitude. I advise you to think of a good explanation, fast. Because I predict that you will be showered with questions by the people here, questions that you will not be comfortable answering.¡±


    And with that phrase, his figure turned transparent as he walked backwards and vanished like a drop of water falling into a lake.


    Ethan looked around to see his surroundings and saw the people getting out of the surprise and fixing their gaze to him. Prince Amir and his retinue, Edek and the Sword Dancers, Mister Kareb numbly rising his eyes after staring wide-eyed at his restored arm from which bits of bandages were hanging loosely, the group of healers had their mouths agape, numerous wounded who were waking up and standing up, the people who were helping and even those who had been simply watching the scene.


    All were now looking straight at Ethan.


    In an intense silence.


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡±


    As Ethan grumbled under his breath, sound exploded all around him. The healers reacted first, checking the people who were previously wounded. Those who had been healed exclaimed shouts of surprise, and their friends were hugging them and speaking fast and full of emotion. Then people started to rush towards Ethan, some bowing and even kneeling in front of him. Crying and shouting praises and blessings in thanks.


    They also showered with lots of questions.


    Ethan found himself in a strange and awkward situation that he had no idea how to deal with.


    He closed his eyes and as he resigned himself to what was coming, Ethan mustered all his mental power and gathered it into a single word to express his feelings.


    Fuck.


    In response, Navin¡¯s ethereal laughter sounded softly in his mind, somehow being right next to his ear and far in the distance at the same time.


    <hr>


    Two hours and a lot of questions later, Ethan sat in a room within the City Hall of Lauhr City, letting his head rest against the back of his seat as the other people in the room paced about restlessly.


    Despite the initial shock, they had enough people calm enough to remember that there still people under the rubble, but it only took a couple of minutes for them to return yelling that everyone under the debris was completely fine, those that had been trapped under rocks were now next to piles of dust. It didn¡¯t take long for all the wounded to return to consciousness.


    Unfortunately, there had been some deceased. The miracle had made everyone with any chance of recovering to be returned back to perfect health, there were even some that the healers were certain had been dead before the light bathed them, but there had been some guards blown up to tiny pieces by the blasts, so they had been beyond recovery.


    There had been many questions afterwards, from nearly everyone. Then Prince Amir had managed to take charge and tell them to go to the City Hall and had dismissed most of the crowd. Which still left a lot of people.


    Amir and his retinue were a given, General Jiten had bowed deeply in gratitude to Ethan after being told what had happened, making a vow to return the favor one day. The leaders of the Hunters had been here but left shortly after to search for the spies, leaving only Kareb behind, and finally the group of Sword Dancers, that at this point Ethan had figured out they were some sort of nobility or at least Edek was of enough status that everyone including Amir addressed him with respect.


    ¡°Are you certain that you can¡¯t use that again?¡±


    Amir asked again from the other side of the large table. Despite having visibly calmed down, the prince was still a bit shaken. That kind of massive healing was something unheard of as far as anyone here knew.


    ¡°I had never done that before either, as I just told you before. The power just came to me, and now it¡¯s gone. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be able to do that again.¡±


    Ethan replied while glancing at Amir and then closed his eyes again. It was probably very rude to do that to royalty, but Ethan was tired. He had tried his best to answer the questions but he had been nodding off for the better part of an hour.


    The prince glanced at a ring on his left hand, as did some of the others in the room. They were exchanging glances and their minds were racing with questions and possibilities. But Ethan was too tired to care about what they were thinking, he would probably be in another city the next day, and if any of them had any weird intention to Ethan then his Master would protect him.


    So as the room fell into silence, Ethan finally fell asleep.


    <hr>


    As the golden-haired boy slept on a chair, the people in the room were not so relaxed.


    Amir sat in a different table on the other side of the room, conversing with General Jiten, Veteran Hunter Kareb, Elder Edek from Thaliss, and the City Manager Roenn, who had left after a while to coordinate the different operations in the city and just returned after being gone for over an hour, there was a need to arrange for the funerals of the few guardsmen that had died, hunt down the spies, man the walls, give an explanation to the citizens, and arrange for many other things.


    The prince glanced at the table where Ethan was sleeping. The boy was deep in slumber without a care in the world; as if he hadn¡¯t just a couple of hours ago wrestled the life of dozens of people from the claws of the underworld with a single flash of unearthly light. Maybe the spell was taking a toll on his body and left him exhausted. Next to the boy was the heiress of the Klaidev Clan and around the two were the other three young Sword Dancers of Thaliss apparently distracting themselves in banal conversation, but their eyes never stopped looking around the room.


    During the previous questioning, Elder Edek had been sitting just one seat away from Ethan, silently showing that the boy had his backing. No one was aiming to attack Ethan, Amir would never be such an ungrateful and dishonorable person as to harm someone who had just provided healing and saved the life of a General of the Kingdom, but the fact that the Elder had shown such protective attitude was important.


    ¡°What are your thoughts?¡±


    The prince looked at the other people on the table and asked their opinion. General Jiten was the first to speak.


    ¡°That young man saved my life, that power of his is extraordinary. If the wounds I received are as grave as Your Highness told me, then his ability is invaluable.¡±


    ¡°He restored my arm in a second, that¡¯s not supposed to be possible. Reattaching, yeah. But restoration? That¡¯s unheard of. And my severed arm is still around, this arm was entirely made by that magic.¡±


    Kareb spoke and tapped his left arm for emphasis. Everyone nodded. The City Manager cleared his throat and opened one of the many scrolls he was carrying.


    ¡°It¡¯s not only that, reports had been arriving from all over the city. Everyone in the city was healed of whatever was affecting them, and I mean anything that could be considered an ailment. Scars had been erased, limbs restored, sickness cured, one of the Hunters felt an itch under his eyepatch and realized his eye was back. What¡¯s more, the healers assure me that there were some guards that were dead at the moment of the light appearing. They say it wasn¡¯t that they had given up on them, but that those people had already stopped breathing, their hearts had stopped, one man even had a hole on his skull. They all came back to life and stood up as if nothing was wrong, all wounds were gone as if they had never been there.¡±


    All the men at the table muttered under their breath. This was beyond their expectation. Ethan hadn¡¯t just saved people; he had resurrected them. If news about this spread¡­


    ¡°But he couldn¡¯t save everyone, there were still some dead.¡±


    Edek noticed the limitation of the phenomenon. Roenn nodded vigorously and pulled another scroll.


    ¡°According to the Watch Captain, the three guardsmen who died were blown away to pieces by the explosions, it seems the damage to their bodies was so massive that there was no body left behind, so I believe that''s why not even that miraculous light could save them. They were simply too unlucky.¡±


    Indeed, those guards had simply been too unlucky. If enough of their bodies would have been left behind, then they would be alive right now.


    ¡°There¡¯s also that bastard, Otto. He blew himself up.¡±


    General Jiten spoke with ire. The image of the Feld-Ehian commander was the last thing he had seen before a wave of pain had covered his body and he had been put on the brink of death.


    ¡°We are hunting for the spies, but not much has come up yet. It¡¯s also possible that the light healed the escaped prisoner, so they are no longer slowed down by a wounded person.¡±


    Roenn said with a grim face as he presented another scroll for Amir to read. The Watch had found one suspicious person and moved to interrogate him, but the man had swallowed poison when he found himself trapped.


    The prince mentally cursed, it was indeed likely that Larin Maprak had been healed by the light that healed everyone in the city indiscriminately. This was dangerous, if the Feld-Ehian agents were still roaming around then they would take the information about Ethan¡¯s existence to their superiors.


    The spies needed to be hunted down, that was the top priority right now.


    Ethan said that he didn¡¯t think he could do it again and that he had never done it before. He had been telling the truth as far as the [Lie Detection] spells and Artifacts could tell. But that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t do it again. When one awakened new Skills it could be a completely new experience, something never done before.


    They all agreed that this was likely the case for Ethan¡¯s miraculous light.


    The ability to produce such massive and effective restoration, enough to thoroughly cure everyone in a small city, was invaluable. It would be coveted by every country, the Kingdom of Sahbadia included. Steps would need to be taken to ensure that Ethan remained an ally of Sahbadia, they would need to protect him and prevent him from being snatched by other countries, especially Feld-Ehia.


    Was that why Edek was so protective of Ethan?


    Amir¡¯s mind raced. Thaliss was not a vassal state of Sahbadia, even if from the outside it seemed that way, they had been allies for centuries and had a close relationship with the Kingdom, but they were ruled by themselves and had their own laws.


    The prince noticed the red-haired young woman sitting next to Ethan and remembered the two youngsters had danced together and then left the plaza by themselves just the night before. It was a possibility, but there shouldn¡¯t be anything concrete in such a brief time after their meeting.


    It wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem even if that happened, Thaliss was still Sahbadia¡¯s closest ally, so if Ethan made ties with them then he would still be Sahbadia¡¯s ally. He would still need to talk to Ethan again after the boy awakened, though.


    So many things to consider. Amir caressed his temple and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Someone find us something to eat¡­ and wine, lots of wine.¡±


    It would be a long day, and likely a long night.

 Chapter 43: Hunters and Hunted

    ¡°There¡¯s something else, Your Highness. I apologize for only bringing this up now.¡±


    General Jiten said as he turned to Prince Amir. His own testimony had been joined with others to confirm the cause of the explosions, although the actual method still was unknown. It was a magic of some kind, likely a ritual that used their bones as catalysts, but the specifics were largely unknown.


    ¡°What is it, General?¡±


    ¡°I was interrogating Otto Rembert when the explosions happened. Not much information was extracted from him during the interrogations, but once he felt his death was imminent he loosened his tongue.¡±


    The General remembered the moment when the Feld-Ehian commander changed his attitude. It must have been the exact moment when he felt the ritual that would take his life activate.


    ¡°Otto Rembert admitted that this attack was planned and supervised by the Strategos of Feld-Ehia, Alexandra Polg¨¢r herself.¡±


    The reactions across the table were as expected from anyone who had known the terror that woman could bring about when in command of an army. The faces of everyone turned serious and their gazes sharpened as if they were in the middle of a battlefield. Good, the General thought, for the machinations of the Strategos had turned Lauhr city into a battlefield already and so it should be treated as such.


    ¡°Is she nearby?¡±


    The Elder from the Assembly of Thaliss spoke in an even tone. The General of Sahbadia shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s uncertain. Otto Rembert didn¡¯t elaborate, but I think she is unlikely to be in this area. If she had moved, then our agents would have known.¡±


    The others nodded, less alarmed but still on edge. Kareb cleared his throat.


    ¡°So she might not be here, but is still watching.¡±


    The Hunter spoke while clenching and unclenching the fingers of his left arm, which had been restored by the magic of that mysterious young man much like Jiten¡¯s own arm and leg. If His Highness¡¯ words were to be believed, the General had been almost a dead man, little more than scorched flesh and broken bones, when Ethan Bhreg bathed the city in golden light. That was a debt owed, and Jiten would remember it for the rest of his life.


    ¡°Indeed. We must proceed with caution. Our priorities should be to catch the spies, both to prevent the leak of information and to extract it from them, also we must find a way to contact with the northern troops. His Majesty should also be informed of the situation as soon as possible.¡±


    Jiten spoke and everyone on the table agreed. They could not face this threat alone, if a fight against more troops from Feld-Ehia was to happen, then they would need the Sahbadian Army.


    They could only pray that the closest garrison was in good condition to help.


    <hr>


    Larin Maprak stretched his body, testing his mobility and flexibility as he finished gearing up. There was no doubt, he was in perfect condition right now.


    It was a bit disconcerting, how scars that had been on his body and those of his companions for decades were now gone as if they had been an illusion. Whatever that light had been, it had restored him to peak condition and handled all wounds, old and new, leaving no trace of injury behind.


    There would be worth in investigating such an incident, but that was not his duty and so he would not take risks for such a thing.


    He turned to look at his two clansmen, Iris and Alajos, who had rescued him from imprisonment. Iris Maprak¡¯s shoulder-length brown hair was styled into multiple braids and there was a carefree smile on her tanned face as she finished a bit of beef jerky, her bright green eyes shone with interest as she inspected a magic artifact; Larin was certain that her skin looked a bit more smooth than he remembered. Near the window on the other side of the room, Alajos sat on a wooden chair as he looked at the outside; the hood that covered his head before and the cloth that usually hid his lower face were pulled down, revealing short black hair and brown deep-set eyes on a pale face; it was a bit weird to see his friend and cousin without the old scar he had received on his face during his teenage years, but definitely a good thing.


    Larin had been captured after the Artifact that had enabled them to disrupt the function of the city wards, the Urn of Rupture, had malfunctioned and exploded. Upon realizing that his Skills were not working properly, Larin had taken the decision to inform his torturers where to find the Beast-alluring Incense within the city. Since his team wasn¡¯t made up of idiots, the location was under constant vigilance, the presence of the Watch had been taken for the message that it had been intended: Larin had been caught but was still alive.


    So his clansmen had mounted the rescue operation afterward, because unfortunately the Battalion had been obliterated and the beast horde was taken away by a teenager using an even stronger bait that their incense.


    Plenty of unknown variables had emerged and unexpected situations happened. The best course of action would then be to retreat, and they had just the Artifact for that. They had recovered it from the Watch barracks along with Larin¡¯s possessions during the rescue operation.


    ¡°Are you sure it will work?¡±


    Alajos Maprak dubiously said as he turned his head towards Iris, who was holding an ornamental black-and-yellow box with a ruby embedded on the top taking the eerie shape of a staring eye. It was the Artifact that had covered the battalion sent here with a layer of invisibility, Larin knew it as ¡®the Eyelid of Concealment¡¯ but Iris had given him an earful about proper names of Artifacts and how this thing was supposed to be called La-Nazar and apparently was one of a very special breed of magical objects that involved protections and hiding.


    ¡°It will work, Alajos. It still has enough energy to last us for many hours, since it will only be covering a small group.¡±


    Iris spoke with discontent. She didn¡¯t like to be doubted in matters of magic; while she enjoyed discussing those topics and loved to show her work, she didn¡¯t like it when people cast doubt to her judgement or her skills.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t seem to work for Rembert¡¯s battalion, though.¡±


    Alajos replied without missing a beat, still unconvinced about the efficiency of the Artifact. Larin thought that his point was valid, if that Artifact had stopped working before the intended time, it could do the same to them and leave them exposed without any warning at the worst possible time.


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know what happened. There¡¯s no damage in the Artifact, so they might have simply turned it off.¡±


    Iris replied, a tad defensively. She wasn¡¯t sure about what had made the battalion reveal their presence before being in proper position, but she was certain the blame wasn¡¯t in the magical object.


    Alajos gave her a look that showed he was highly skeptical about that explanation but decided to not pester her again about it. Instead, Larin saw him turn his gaze towards him.


    ¡°Ready?¡±


    ¡°Ready.¡±


    Larin answered as he picked up a cloak and tightened it on his shoulders. They could wait longer, he knew, and maybe take the risk to check for news around the city, even take advantage of this Artifact to attempt an assassination on the prince that had stopped their plan. But that would be an unnecessary thing, their priority would be getting out of Lauhr and report back to their superiors.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The concealment Artifact would be their way out. By the time the Sun was down they would reach the city of Ahfer in the west, they had the necessary Skills to make the journey despite being on foot, then they would find transport to Feld-Ehia before the tensions on the borders increase.


    Having taken everything that they needed, Alajos opened the window and Iris activated the Artifact and as a dark lid covered the ruby eye Larin felt a soft ethereal mantle covering his body.


    Out they went, first onto the streets and then beyond the city walls, like invisible and silent wafts of wind rolling over the desert sands.


    <hr>


    Deep underground within the domains of Likia Kingdom. On a series of tunnels where a certain tribe of Goblins made their home.


    The Blaze Cave Tribe wasn¡¯t the strongest tribe in the Kingdom, not by far, but they had a good number and worked well together. They had a strong leader, Feneh, a red Hobgoblin with the Gift of Fire, which in turn made their Shamans more powerful and adept in using flames.


    They also had a tactician, a smart Goblin named Kar who made plans and coordinated the work of the Tribe. It was this tactician who was now walking with firm steps through the tunnels.


    There were gazes directed to him, noises of surprise and celebration, teasing and joking by some of the Goblins who were drinking and smoking some of the stuff stolen from merchants.


    They recognized him and immediately noticed the change in him. Because up until the night before Kar had been a strong Goblin, but now he had transformed into a Hobgoblin, and as such was truly a member of their elite in every aspect. His strength must have surely soared, too.


    Kar walked with purpose, his destination was the chamber of their Chieftain. A pair of big Hobs sat near the entrance, the area around was illuminated by glowing moss.


    ¡°Oh? Finally turn Hob?¡±


    One of the tall and fat Hobgoblins guarding Feneh¡¯s chambers greeted Kar with a laugh. The other had taken a bit to recognize him and was now grinning too.


    ¡°About time, Chieftain will be happy.¡±


    ¡°Aye. Maybe we¡¯ll get to eat and drink good stuff tonight.¡±


    Kar approached and smiled at them. He was feeling elated, for more reasons than one. He nodded towards the entrance to the room.


    ¡°Lots of reasons to celebrate. Is Chieftain awake?¡±


    The two guards nodded and signaled for him to go on. Kar thanked them and strode into the room.


    The Chieftain of the Blaze Cave Tribe had a nice and big room, the biggest personal chamber in the whole system of tunnels that made up their private territory. Feneh wasn¡¯t given to keeping many riches, but he kept some weapons, furniture, and food inside his room.


    Kar found his leader and friend lazily lounging on a hammock as he ate a bit of fruit, long bandages covered his torso and shoulder, the Ice Lightning of that Mage that flew over the walls of Buri City had caused a big wound to Feneh, even if he didn¡¯t want to admit it.


    Feneh raised his head and opened his eyes wide as he looked at Kar. Then he laughed, happily and boisterously. The Chieftain jumped from his hammock and gave Kar a hard hug with a few painful slaps on the back.


    ¡°So you are now a Hob! Good, good! You grow stronger, our tribe grows stronger. Do you get smarter? Is that even possible? Come, let¡¯s sit.¡±


    Feneh happily sat on the ground and shared some of his fruits with Kar, who took them and hungrily bit at one. Only after he had finished it did Kar speak again.


    ¡°Feneh, I came to tell you something.¡±


    The red Goblin rose an eyebrow and scratched his head.


    ¡°Going to challenge for the position of Chieftain already? Urgh, can¡¯t you wait ¡®til I¡¯m healed? Can¡¯t give you a good fight like this.¡±


    In response, Kar threw one of his fruits at Feneh¡¯s face. The grinning red Hob snatched it from the air and took a bite. Kar sighed.


    ¡°We talked about this already. You lead, I plan. You are the muscle to keep the Tribe in line and I¡¯m the brain that makes sure we don¡¯t die stupidly.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Feneh answered, sounding utterly unconvinced, he was someone who thought that the person making the plans should be the one giving orders, on account of the plans being obeyed. But they had already decided this years ago and had worked fine until now. Strength was the way Goblin Tribes worked and you needed strength to make others follow you. Maybe one day their positions would change, but for now Feneh was Chieftain and Kar was Tactician.


    ¡°Then what you want to talk about? Another plan?¡±


    ¡°Not really. We already did enough since you got insistent on testing your new strength on Buri. We should stay quiet for a while to avoid being hunted down.¡±


    Kar replied as he ate more of the fruits. The attack on Buri city had been made on Feneh¡¯s insistence, arguing he wanted to test his recently grown strength. Usually, Kar could have convinced him to not do it, but Feneh had been a bit drunk and boasted of his strength in front of other Hobs of the Tribe and the Shamans, so Kar had to simply go along with it and make a plan that would not get them killed.


    ¡°Last night, I met a strange group of people when I was looking for something to eat. One man, a woman, and a girl. Humans, apparently, but different from any I have ever met. They were friendly to Goblins, for starters.¡±


    Kar recalled his meeting with those three strange people, it felt like a dream, even now. But the objects on his bag were proof of the reality. And his recent transformation told him that it had all been real.


    ¡°Friendly to Goblins?¡±


    Feneh incredulously commented, repeating the words slowly as if tasting new food. Kar nodded firmly.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t believe it if I hadn¡¯t seen it myself. The man even spoke in our tongue, seemed even more fluent than a Shaman.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s quite impressive. What did they do then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to tell you about. You see, that man was a Sage, immeasurably wise and powerful. He told me things I didn¡¯t even imagine and sent me back with proof of his claim. It¡¯s thanks to him that I became a Hob.¡±


    Kar noticed how Feneh¡¯s eyes were alight with interest and curiosity replaced the initial doubts. He rummaged in his bag and pulled the things he wanted to show Feneh. One black stone tablet, one large scroll made of a strange material that was neither paper nor parchment, and a strange mirror adorned with silver runes.


    ¡°What if I told you, there was once a Goblin God?¡±


    The Chieftain sat there, listening with attention to the tale his Tactician narrated. Then he stood and paced around the room, unable to remain still as he heard the tale unfold. Incredulity, amazement, outrage, sadness, happiness, fascination. A whirlwind of emotions filled the two Hobgoblin as one relived the mystical experience and the other reacted letting out sounds after sounds as he stared at Kar and the three objects he had brought back from his meeting with the strange man named Navin.


    Then they were both calm, or as calm as someone burning inside with renewed purpose could be while holding invaluable treasures for their entire species.


    It was time for plans, time for preparations.


    More importantly, it was time for change.


    <hr>


    Deep in the western forests of the Republic of Oeria, where birds flew in the sky and beasts roamed on the ground, multiple plants grew unrestrained, flourishing without being defiled by the hands of humans, elves or beastkins.


    On this day, the ground of this forest was covered in blood and corpses.


    Swords of steel shattered shields of hides and wood. Spear thrusts charged with Skills pierced green bodies one after the other. Multiple arrows rained down the sky and magic spells blasted apart the Goblins one volley after the other.


    They were Adventurers, here to claim rewards and bounty in exchange for the lives of those their Guild considered monsters.


    Warriors clad in leathers and armor laughed and unleashed their strength; axe and sword, spear and club, breaking bones and shedding blood over the ground and on themselves. Mighty beastkins with claws and Aura, tearing apart the smaller creatures, predators slaughtering their prey. Mages covered in multicolored robes armed with staves, rings, and books, overwhelming the sorceries of the Shamans. Elves, children of Nature same as Goblins, but born in higher standing to the eyes of society and regarded as superior beings; with skill and grace they kill, murderous their duty, ruthless their proceeding with bow and blade and spell.


    Hundreds of Goblins fought in desperation and madness, dying by blade and spell, by trap and dart, by disdain and hate. For they had been judged as not part of the people and so the people had come to erase them.


    Some ran and were caught, surrounded as their settlement was, their cries of mercy fell on deaf ears and their shouts of indignation were answered with death.


    In the wake of the battle, death and gore covered the ground, smoke and the Adventurers¡¯ victorious cheers rose to the skies. They laughed, tired but content, they have won so their people would be safe. The monsters were dead and they would collect gold for this.


    The entirety of the Good Leaf Tribe had been slaughtered, taken by surprise as they lazed under the morning sun. Over 700 Goblins lost their lives in the spans of a single morning by the hands of a group of barely 40 elite Adventurers of A and B ranks.


    As they left, a single Goblin child rose from under the rubble and corpses, body still wet with the blood of her mother. Bruise on her head and stab wound on her shoulder, the child stood up. She took in the devastation around, the ashes of what had been her home, and knew this to be the truth of her world. Goblins were hunted, killed and butchered for no more than simply being alive.


    She cried, for no other could mourn for the fallen. But in silence, because the shining grim reapers still lurked in the area. Scavenging what she could find, she left in a hurry in a different direction from the one the destroyers had walked away. Every moment counted for survival and soon the beasts of the forest would come to feast on the corpses.


    So she walked in silence, tears and blood leaving a small trail behind her, accompanied only by physical pain and emotional grief as her mind replayed the scene over and over, still hearing the dying cries of her tribe.


    The nameless goblin walked away, cursing the Adventurers, cursing the world, and cursing her weakness above it all. Her heart was filled with sadness and sorrow.


    And relentless, ever-burning hatred.


    For one day, she would return this tragedy hundredfold.

 Chapter 44: Trampoline

    Maria of Bara thought of herself as a simple woman.


    She was hardworking, fairly smart, she knew how to read, write, and perform basic math. She was skilled in cooking and a dedicated mother. She had also occasionally received some flattery for her looks, though she paid little attention to such comments. She simply went through life doing what she could to ensure she and her daughter could live and fill their bellies. That was all.


    Her life hadn¡¯t been exactly easy, but she had made her peace with it. Living in the small village of Bara, a village so small that it wasn¡¯t even shown on most maps, life was very ordinary.


    Her life hadn¡¯t been too hard either. With only occasional worries about a bad harvest and very few monster attacks, since their village wasn¡¯t near any important location nor any dangerous monster¡¯s nest, it could be said that she had a fairly uneventful life in relative safety.


    Her only concern had been her daughter, who she loved deeply and to whom she dedicated her life.


    After the only man she had ever loved and from whom she had taken her last name, Matthew Ranaborak, had died in an unfortunate fire in the woods a decade ago, Maria had closed her heart and never loved another person. That event was one of the few true tragedies of her life, one of the saddest days in her memory. Many people had lost their lives that day when monsters had attacked them in the forest and set it aflame.


    A tragedy of the past, which she would not forget but still tried not to think too much about.


    Maria had raised their daughter alone, a hard duty but one she did with a smile and a heart full of love. Aina was a lovely child. Cute, honest, clever and hardworking, but she had sadly suffered since early childhood due to painful tremors. Maria knew that her daughter was a kind and good girl, but was also a bit lonely due to the lack of friends.


    There had been hard times, but also very good times. Their simple and ordinary life together in the village had carried on for a decade, the pair supporting each other and enjoying the mutual company.


    That was, until that day one week ago, when everything changed.


    That day one week ago, when lightning had fallen from the sky directly on Aina and killed the people around her.


    The terrified and superstitious villagers had declared her an evil witch and condemned her to die, not caring in the slightest about Maria¡¯s pleas for mercy or her request of calling for authorities from the cities.


    Then they had carried the sentence, and a mob had gathered with the purpose and intention of throwing stones to a little girl until she died.


    How could such a barbaric thing ever be called justice?


    Maria had despaired and faced the fact that her daughter would die that night. So she took the decision of fighting to protect Aina, hopeless as that was, and to take as many of the villagers she could with them before they killed her. Maria had taken the decision to die protecting Aina, for if there was anyone wishing to harm her daughter they would only do it over Maria¡¯s mangled dead body.


    Unfortunately, despite her resolution, Maria didn¡¯t have combat Classes, she was a [Cook], not a [Warrior] or a [Hunter].


    Ultimately, she hadn¡¯t been able to stop the mob of villagers, barely killed two before getting heavily wounded. She still thought about those moments sometimes, when she was alone. The fact that she had killed people could not be erased and should not be forgotten as if nothing had happened.


    She did not take pride in that, she hadn¡¯t enjoyed it. But neither did she regret it. If anyone tried to hurt her daughter again, Maria would fight with everything she had again.


    Although now that notion seemed like a silly situation. The pair had, after all, gained a powerful protector beyond their wildest dreams.


    Maria would never forget the moment when everything was getting dark and she felt her life leaving her. The tiger¡¯s roar that shattered all her fears and despair.


    The moment she had first met Navin Lakar.


    The giant white tiger wreathed in lightning in front of which she had knelt to plea for her daughter¡¯s salvation, offering everything she had to give, in hopes that the mighty spirit helped them.


    Little did she know, that the being in front of her would not demand anything from her and had immediately moved to save Aina.


    Their village had been completely destroyed and the villagers killed due to the massive storm that formed during Aina¡¯s tribulation. Something that wasn¡¯t made any easier on Maria¡¯s consciousness just because many of them had been trying to kill them. There were good people in that village too, children and elderly people who didn¡¯t participate in the stoning.


    It was something that she would need to carry for the rest of her life. But the feeling of sadness and guilt were overshadowed by the feelings of awe, the happiness, and sheer enjoyment that Navin had brought to their lives.


    After rescuing them from the villagers, Navin gave them a new home. The giant white tiger had turned into an almost ludicrously handsome man with a bright and warm smile who had taken Aina as a Disciple ¨C the third disciple, he had said ¨C and taught Maria that she could be so much more than what she had ever dreamed.


    Their lives had changed drastically since that night, and good did not seem to be a word that made it justice. The improvement had been far too great and amazing for that simple word.


    Lord Navin had shown them the world in a way they had never imagined.


    They had flown in the sky, explored the forests, had fun for days on the beach and even seen what the underwater territory was like. He had given them a fortune in gold and platinum, cooked amazing food for them, taught Maria how magic was done, and they had even met a Goblin that was a good person.


    It had been an entire week of pure bliss and wonderful surprises. And all this seemed to be just the prelude of what promised to be a lifetime of amazing things.


    Maria thought about all these things as she baked a cherry pie. She owed it to Aina, after all. Maria could hear her daughter¡¯s cheerful voice coming from outside, no doubt she was playing around with something, maybe Lord Navin had given her something to entertain herself. Maria danced around the kitchen of the Traveler¡¯s Cabin, cooking in this place was quite an experience, everything was so easy with all these tools and multiple ingredients.


    Ovens and stoves that cooked food very fast and efficiently, without the need to use wood or coal. A refrigerator that kept food fresh and drinks cold, filled with an immense amount of fruits, various vegetables, and spices that she could use to cook to her heart¡¯s content. A freezer full of meat from different animals and another that had that delicious dessert called ice cream in many different varieties.


    Maria was certain that many of these ingredients weren¡¯t even from her world, and the kitchen seemed to always have whatever she was looking for. There were multiple cooking utensils and appliances, some of which she was still learning to handle to help her to prepare new dishes.


    It was a dream come true for a cook like her, enabling her to cook to her heart¡¯s content and test any recipe that caught her interest.


    Maria sliced onions, garlic, red and green bell peppers, celery and other vegetables. She peeled and cut some potatoes into little cubes but also took others and turn them into thin slices to be fried later. White onion, fresh tomatoes, and lettuce would make a good salad. She put those aside for the moment and went to the freezer to get the main ingredients for her planned meal.


    She took from the freezer a bit of ground beef and a pair of boneless and skinless chicken breasts.


    She was going to prepare different mixtures and thus required multiple skillets and saucepans, but her wonderful magical kitchen was up for the challenge and didn¡¯t fail to provide everything she needed.


    Maria was going to prepare some dumplings. To be more precise, a type of deep fried dumplings called empanadas. Although they could also be baked in the oven. Maria decided she would make different styles too.


    She would have loved to try some of the more extravagant and eye-catching recipes that were supposed to be ¡®Immortal Meals¡¯ but while the house and Lord Navin might have provided her the ingredients, she had no idea how to prepare those high-level dishes, since they required not only ingredients she was not familiar with, but also the use and manipulation of Qi during the cooking process.


    How was she supposed to cook ¡®Crystal Mountain and Spirit Rivers Stew¡¯ anyways? How could she prepare ¡®Kraken Karaage with Dozen Sacred Sauces¡¯ or ¡®Thunder Dragon Steak on Blazing Soul Wine and Hundred Flavors Herb with Thousand Mantras Rice¡¯ if she needed to use those strange ingredients and ¡®harmonize her Qi with the Aura of each ingredient and guide them to concoct the meal while tempering their residual Intents¡¯? Crazy recipe books.


    It was frankly beyond her level of skill and the knowledge of any chef of this world. She doubted anyone on the continent would recognize what even a tenth of those ingredients was.


    So she would settle for preparing mortal meals for now, thank you very much.


    For about an hour, that was all she did: cook. Following the recipes that she had recently learned and happily experiencing the challenge of new dishes.


    She heated olive oil in a large skillet. Added the ground beef and cooked it until it browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Minutes later, she added chopped onions and cooked until they were soft for about 5 minutes more. Then Maria stirred in sliced tomato, olives stuffed with minced pimientos, minced garlic, dried oregano, and ground black pepper, thus forming the sofrito sauce, whatever that word was supposed to mean. Lowered the heat and simmered until the mixture thickened. Thus the beef mixture was ready to be put into the dough.


    For the chicken, Maria put the chicken breasts in the bottom of a large pot, then seasoned them with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Covered the chicken with an inch of water and boiled it on the stove for a few minutes. After checking that it had reached the appropriate temperature of 73.89 ¡ãC using an ''instant-read meat thermometer'', a cooking utensil that looked for all intents and purposes like a thin metal stake with a little crystal rectangle on the top for Maria but enabled to know the exact temperature of things safely, although Maria didn''t have any notion of the degrees of temperature, she simply did what the recipe said; so once the chicken reached those numbersand it was properly done ¨Cnot dry nor tough¨C, Maria placed it on a plate, covered it, and let it rest for five more minutes. Once it was cooled, Maria shredded the chicken. In a saucepan, she melted butter, added chopped green onions and cooked for about few minutes until it was tender, added 2 cloves of chopped garlic and cooked them for one more minute. Now it was ready to mix in the cooked chicken, salt, half a teaspoon of nutmeg, and black pepper. After a couple of minutes of more cooking, it was ready.


    Once the mixtures were ready, Maria put a large sheet of plastic ¨Cwonderfully useful invention¨C on the large kitchen table and lightly floured it. Then, using a rolling pin, rolled out discs of the dough and arranged the discs on the flat surface of the kitchen table. She dabbed a little water around the rims then placed a large tablespoonful of either the chicken mixture or the meat mixture in the center; folded them over in half to form a half moon and pinched the moistened edges to seal the empanadas.


    And there she had it. Two different sets of empanadas ready to be fried or baked. She would fry the meat ones in a deep saucepan until they were crisp and golden brown in color, and bake the chicken ones in the oven for about 20 minutes until they too were golden.


    There was also salad and potatoes ready to be fried; cheese, eggs, and sausages on the fridge if anyone felt like accompanying the empanadas with something else.


    Finishing everything she had set out to do, Maria decided she would relax for a bit. Aina had been laughing for quite some time, so Maria was getting curious about what she was doing. Maybe a magical toy? Perhaps they were flying? Aina had discovered she loved the sensation of being in the air and asked Lord Navin to teach her ways to fly with magic.


    In the end, curiosity won. Maria made sure everything was in order in the kitchen before leaving it. She had a lot of empanadas ready for cooking, it was just a matter of waiting a bit until Aina got hungry and they would eat.


    Maria got out of the house, finding her savior and benefactor sitting on a wooden bench near the door.


    Lord Navin was drinking from a glass of a reddish-purple juice. He turned his head towards her and gracefully smiled in greeting, pearly white teeth and sparkling azure eyes on a lightly tanned face that looked in his twenties yet belonged to a man who had lived for millennia.


    It seemed that his most natural state was smiling, but she had occasionally found melancholy in his eyes as he looked into the distance. No doubt he carried his own burdens that he hadn¡¯t shared with them.


    She returned the smile and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Aina¡¯s laughter was louder and cleared here, and Maria immediately found the reason for her daughter¡¯s joy.


    In front of the house, wide extensions of some black fabric had been laid. It was tensed and stretched between strange frames that connected to form multiple structures that suspended it above the ground. It was not only horizontally placed, but also vertically and in varying heights, making multiple levels. The structures extended like a tunnel, shaping a gigantic octagon with the house at the center.


    On this strange taut material, Aina was jumping around and laughing like a hysterical madwoman clearly having the time of her life.


    Maria watched in amazement as her daughter quickly jumped from one level to another and bounced off the ¡®walls¡¯ of the structure to get to greater heights and then fall back to the lower levels only to jump once again at high speed as she ran laps around the house.


    Aina was spinning, somersaulting, and even making poses in midair. All the while, laughing at the top of her lungs, letting out shouts of pure and unrestrained glee.


    The sight drew a smile on Maria¡¯s face.


    ¡°Should I ask?¡±


    Maria said as she took a seat next to Lord Navin. It made her heart beat higher and louder, being so close to him. She was almost certain he could hear it, but he didn¡¯t make any comment and she was really glad she had gotten used to his presence enough that she could talk without stuttering.


    ¡°Aina really loves the trampoline. She was feeling very energetic after absorbing that lightning this morning, so I gave her something where she could spend her extra energy and entertain herself.¡±


    He replied in a captivating voice, serene yet deep and speaking her own language fluently and without an accent.


    ¡°Trampoline? Is it magic?¡±


    Maria asked while watching the device where Aina bounced on. Lord Navin offered juice to her, and she accepted it. It was sweet with a bit of an acidic flavor. Corozo, he called it. This juice reminded her of what she had heard about the Baktris Guis, a fruit that was grown in the northern coastal regions of the Republic of Oeria, she briefly wondered if it was the same fruit.


    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just a taut fabric stretched between a frame using coiled springs. The material is strong, sure, but the elasticity that enables the bouncing comes from the steel springs, nothing magical there. Although I did conjure and install it with magic, so there¡¯s that.¡±


    He showed one of the springs to Maria, pressing it between his fingers and releasing it. Many of these little things were placed around the structure to make it work properly.


    ¡°Fascinating.¡±


    Maria watched the spring compress and stretch with interest. She had learned that little objects like this were integral parts of large and complex mechanism all around the world, so their value shouldn¡¯t be underestimated.


    ¡°Would you like to try jumping in the trampoline?¡±


    Navin invited her as they finished their respective glass of juice. Maria eyed the structure, she was curious, but Aina was really jumping all over the place at high speed and they might crash into each other. Besides, it was fine that children had fun without their parents around, so Maria shook her head.


    ¡°Maybe later. I think I¡¯ll let Aina enjoy it by herself for now.¡±


    Maria replied and made herself comfortable on the bench. Navin chuckled softly but didn¡¯t insist. They sat in comfortable silence for a minute, the only sound was Aina¡¯s laughter, who surprisingly hadn¡¯t gone hoarse when by all accounts her throat should be sore at this point.


    If anything, Aina¡¯s game had gotten even more showy and intense, as she was now jumping around while using lightning.


    ¡°Do you have any plans for where we are going next, Lord Navin?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, not in particular details. We can go anywhere you want. Explore new cities, visit different cultures, meet new people, hunt for monsters and continue training. I promised Aina to accompany her to a Dungeon next week, but other than that our schedule is pretty lax.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Indeed, they had no pressing matters. No responsibilities burdening them and no timeline that they needed to follow. Simple and free-spirited, that was the current state of their journey. Aina occasionally hunted animals and monsters, but she was always protected by Lord Navin.


    ¡°Then, do you have personal plans? I mean, things that you want to do yourself or responsibilities?¡±


    Maria asked him while brushing a lock of her hair. She wondered what the personal plans of Lord Navin were, what were the responsibilities of an immortal, more so an immortal that Aina assured her was at the top of the ruling class of the universe? She honestly couldn¡¯t imagine. He hummed a bit in thought before replying.


    ¡°Do you remember what I told you about my presence here and my different bodies?¡±


    She did, of course. It was the way he could be in different places at the same time and carry out all kind of tasks while still having a part of him relax. While she did not understand exactly how he did that. She understood the implications.


    He had multiple duties, but had separated a portion of his mind and dedicated it to taking care of Aina and Maria. Accompanying them, entertaining them and teaching them. That was something invaluable.


    Maria nodded her head and he continued speaking after seeing her affirmation.


    ¡°Well, there are lots of things I have to take care of, but I have handled the most urgent ones during this past week. There are some issues with the people in charge of some factions in other worlds, but it isn¡¯t too hard. I should be able to relax a bit more for a while. At least until they make some serious moves and create a real mess. However, that¡¯s not something you need to worry about, and none of those people will be able to hurt you nor Aina.¡±


    He was shouldering burdens that he didn¡¯t tell them. Responsibilities of a scale and difficulty that Maria could not begin to imagine, but talked of it as if it was nothing just so she wouldn¡¯t worry. The thought warmed her inside.


    ¡°I think I never actually thanked you. For everything that you have done for us. You never even asked anything in return.¡±


    Maria commented after a while. She remembered this past week and how different it was from her life before. It felt like two entirely different lifetimes.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t any need for that, Maria. From the moment Aina became my Disciple, both of you came to be under my responsibility. You also swore to work for me, so it¡¯s only natural that I take care of your needs. If anything, I would like you two to consider me part of your family, not some stranger towards whom you need to be wary or feel in debt. But someone you can trust and rely on for anything you need, without hesitation or reservation.¡±


    He replied easily, as if it was not a big deal. Like giving them all these things was the natural thing to do and represented no effort for him. It was also funny that he used her employment as an excuse for it. She had, after all, not done any work for him at all in this entire week and was already richer than she had ever dreamed, as evidenced by the bag of holding full of platinum and gold coins in the living room.


    Her only ¡°duty¡± had been to take care of Aina and the house chores when Lord Navin was away, because when he was around he did them himself. The first was something she would obviously do anyways and had been doing for the past 12 years because she was Aina¡¯s mother, and the second was ridiculously easy because the house cleaned itself with magic at fixed intervals and somehow also dealt with the trash that was thrown in the trash cans. Aina had said there was a booklet that showed the Traveler¡¯s Cabin¡¯s functions and properties, Maria decided she would study it later.


    Lord Navin also cooked delicious food and cleaned the dishes, so most of the time Aina and Maria were simply enjoying a blissful time, playing around while testing the different things in the house and learning how to handle Qi.


    He hadn¡¯t actually asked for anything in return from them. Their deal was full of benefits for Maria and Aina. He genuinely seemed to have fun and enjoy giving them lessons in manipulating Qi and teaching them about the Cosmos, but Maria doubted that could be a benefit comparable to the power Aina had acquired and the changes Maria had experienced in her body.


    One couldn¡¯t simply say that the payment for making someone immortal was the act of making them immortal, right? That was in no way equivalent.


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly thank you enough for what you have done for us. Is there really nothing I can do for you?¡±


    Maria leaned a bit forward as she spoke, heart beating fast on her chest. She couldn¡¯t help but have once more the fleeting thought that had been with her for the past week: what if he asked for her body in return for his help?


    She admitted to herself that the first couple of days she had been a bit scared by that thought. It wouldn¡¯t be too strange for a man to ask such payments for women who could not offer anything else, Maria had heard such practice being done since ancient times, although it was of course frowned upon nearly everywhere. But Lord Navin hadn¡¯t made any weird insinuations nor advances on her, Aina even found out that he had stayed outside the first night they were on the Traveler¡¯s Cabin and made him promise he would not do that again. The house could accommodate them all comfortably, after all.


    While he spoke with familiarity with them, he was always respectful, it had even taken Maria the better part of three days to make him stop calling her ¡®Madame¡¯ or ¡®Lady¡¯.


    Maria had mixed feelings about this situation.


    On one hand, it showed he was a man of integrity that wasn¡¯t influenced by lewd impulses or dirty thoughts. On the other hand, it could be he simply didn¡¯t find her attractive, and that thought was mildly hurting her pride. Ironically, now that she knew he was really a man of principles that would not force himself to her, she had come to take a genuine liking to him and even start fancying sharing a bed with him. He was a very attractive man, and during their time on the beach she had gotten a good view of the muscular and vigorous body he had under his clothes, it had been quite a sight.


    But she understood he was a man of higher station and not someone she ordinarily could pretend as a partner. Still, she could try; the worst that could happen was a bit of embarrassment.


    His hand moved toward her face and she went stiff. The tip of his fingers softly passed over her chin, lips, and cheek. She felt electrified by the touch. Was he going to-


    He lightly tapped her nose with his index finger.


    ¡°You have a face like you were thinking needless stuff. Don¡¯t worry about making things to thank me, just be yourself.¡±


    Right, he is a deity. Of course he can see what¡¯s inside my heart.


    Maria blushed as embarrassment and a bit of disappointment filled her. He shook his head with a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about unnecessary things, Maria. We have eternity ahead of us, why should you worry about what¡¯s happened in our first week together? There will be plenty of ways for you to repay me if you are feeling so guilty about it, so don¡¯t let those thoughts distract you.¡±


    ¡°R-right¡­¡±


    ¡°How about this: let¡¯s start by you not calling me ¡®Lord¡¯. Just Navin is enough, I complied to your request of not calling you with honorifics, so do the same with me. Equality in a relationship, you know?¡±


    He had been insisting that Maria referred to him without an honorific, though she had so far stubbornly refused to do so. But alright, if he wanted to be called that, then she would call him that way, even if she felt weird to even think of him without honorifics. She wondered what he actually thought about her and if there was perhaps a hidden meaning in Lor¡­ no, in Navin¡¯s words.


    There were a lot of things about him that she didn¡¯t know. And most of the time Maria couldn¡¯t be sure she grasped what he was thinking about. And just as she wondered what he thought of her, she found herself wondering exactly what she thought of him.


    She didn¡¯t love Navin, of that much she was sure. She didn¡¯t know him nearly enough to have developed any deep feelings towards him. But he had caused a¡­ strong impression on her, he had saved Aina and given them both a good house to live in comfort, plus he was charismatic and it was always interesting to hear him speak, he was a good listener too. Being around him was simply very comfortable.


    For the first time in many years, she found herself attracted to someone else. It may just be that she simply wanted to enjoy this feeling a bit more.


    She could honestly find no fault in him. No matter what measurement was used, he was an ideal partner for any woman. Rich, handsome, strong, educated, attentive, probably had many properties of his own, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he had a kingdom somewhere.


    Maria was only 31 years old, so she was neither a young inexperienced maiden saving herself for a dreamed partner nor an old woman past her prime that had lost her beauty and drive for pleasure.


    Although she understood that perhaps it would be awkward for him to have that kind of relationship with her, as that could put him in a weird position with Aina. But Maria was fairly sure that Aina would only be happy if they got together. It¡¯s not like she was thinking of becoming his wife, but¡­


    Maria¡¯s thoughts reached a point she hadn¡¯t previously considered.


    What if he was married?


    She felt like an idiot and mentally chastised herself for not thinking about it before. Of course such a man would have already found a wife.


    Maria noticed that Navin¡¯s lips quirked upwards. Had she been staring at his lips? She made a mental note to turn her gaze somewhere safer, like that grey cloud floating up in the sky.


    There was nothing to be nervous about, he was just an immortal and charming man who she might or might not have a crush on. Nothing to make a fuss about, yeah.


    ¡°You are thinking of weird things again.¡±


    He playfully accused her. Was he really not reading her mind and simply noticing a weird expression on her face? She didn¡¯t know, and at this point she was beyond caring much about it. Too late to regret it. Now she must regain composure. What was her friend Tarika¡¯s advice about men, again?


    ¡®Men like a shy and pure attitude on young girls but they love the challenge of a confident attitude on a mature woman¡¯


    ¡°Hmm, well¡­¡±


    Her voice threatened to go up in volume and pitch slightly. She was nervous, it was silly, but she couldn¡¯t help it. It had been quite a while since she had last engaged in flirting or having private talks with a man. Or a woman, for that matter, but besides some fooling around during her teenage years, Maria had only been interested in men. However, she had only been with her husband Mathew, and he had passed away a decade ago.


    It had been quite some time. So she was out of practice. She needed to get her voice under control to avoid further embarrassments. Maria cleared her throat and thanked the gods that it didn''t sound loudly.


    Play it cool, Maria. Breath in, breath out. Move your Qi if necessary to calm yourself. Good, keep your cool. Even if he probably noticed the flow of Qi...


    OH MY GOD, HE WILL NOTICE THAT I¡¯M NERVOUS. No, no. calm down, breath in, breath out. There you go. Don¡¯t freak out. You can do this. Be smooth and to the point. Speak casually, as Tarika said.


    ¡°Are you married?¡±


    There, she said it. She had to know. Now he would answer and she could die of embarrassment in the kitchen after finishing one last pie for Aina. She would at least make sure it was the best pie ever.


    To her surprise, Navin shook his head.


    ¡°No, never married. Circumstances varied, but I never formalized any of my previous relationships, even when they lasted for a long time. None of my partners cared much about such things either.¡±


    Oh, so he doesn¡¯t have a wife. Good to know.


    Maria exhaled slowly and some of her nervousness left her. Then she noticed he was still looking at her and the flush on her face came back with a vengeance. Damn it.


    Trying to regain some of her dignity in this conversation, Maria covered her mouth and teased him.


    ¡°Oh? So many women have fallen to your charms?¡±


    Perfect, no stuttering and spoken like someone in control.


    Remember what Tarika used to say: Show yourself as someone cool but still interested. Be smooth and confident, men love that.


    The talks with her old friend who had left the village to live in the big cities many years ago came into mind.


    A part of her opinedthather mind was working a bit too hard to help her in seduction, Maria mentally took that opinion by the neck, broke it with the practiced ease of a [Cook] who had broken hundreds of chicken necks, and quickly discarded it to focus on something that actually helped her to succeed.


    Navin laughed again, seemingly in a joyous mood, or perhaps simply enjoying the conversation. Or, as Maria¡¯s doubts told her, perhaps he was laughing at her little mental freak out. But for now he didn¡¯t comment on it, so she was saved the embarrassment.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not really a womanizer. I suppose the number may seem big if compared to a normal human, but that¡¯s simply because I have lived a long life.¡±


    So he had a large number of previous partners, but had dodged actually saying the number. Hmm, not that it mattered, really.


    ¡°How old are you? If it¡¯s not too troublesome to answer.¡±


    Curiosity got the best of her. She couldn¡¯t help it, during some of their conversations he had hinted on being thousands of years old, which was impressive because he looked less than thirty. That was magic for you. Something to look forward if her training enabled her to look young even when her age reached four digits.


    He showed her a strange smile, a bit troubled with a mix of amusement and resignation. As if he was about to tell her an embarrassing memory or something that had bothered him in the past but currently found funny.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a secret. Some people in the higher worlds like to make rumors that I¡¯m some ancient entity that has lived for eons, but I¡¯m just one million years old.¡±


    A million years!?


    Maria¡¯s mouth was agape. She couldn¡¯t help but take another look at him. Wavy brown hair cut in a style that was longer on the back than on the sides, a tanned face with a fine nose and strong features, pearly white teeth, neatly shaped eyebrows, sparkling wide eyes that seemed to be able to see through everything and lips that she was increasingly wondering what they tasted like¡­


    Sending her gaze to the trampoline so her mind would keep in safer avenues of thought, Maria thought about the bit of information that had just been revealed to her.


    Ok, so he is a million years old. Alright, so he is very old¡­ so what? Tarika used to say that age is just a number, though I doubt she has ever been in a similar situation. I¡¯m not a silly girl dating an older man for fun or money, and he is not any decrepit geezer; there is not even the slightest sign of old age in him, he is the living image of youthfulness, just with a vast knowledge that¡¯s literally from out of this world.


    Except perhaps for the eyes, Maria admitted, they had some powerful presence in there that young people couldn¡¯t have. The weight of accumulated experience and long years of life.


    She supposed it made sense that he had introduced himself as an ¡®Immortal Cultivator¡¯ when they first met, if he had lived that long. He didn¡¯t even talk like an old person. It was hard to believe. She couldn¡¯t even imagine how many things would change in the span of a thousand years, how much more must he have seen and lived through in a thousand millenniums?


    ¡°Surprised?¡±


    He asked with a slight dip of the head, the smile still on his face. Maria regained a modicum of composure and nodded.


    ¡°A bit.¡±


    Biggest understatement in her life. Maria bravely carried on with the conversation, forcing her surprised mouth to stop being simply open like an idiot and actually make proper conversation.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really look old. It¡¯s also a bit hard to imagine such length of time. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m not that old, there are plenty of beings older than me. Among the Powerhouses, I was among the youngest; there are some entities of Eighth Stage that are older than me. There were guys from the Tenth Stage that had lived more than one Kalpas, now that is really ancient people.¡±


    Stages, a classification of power for mighty entities that classified them according to the changes they had experienced and signified how much comprehension of the Cosmos they possessed. Aina was convinced that Navin was at the top of that pyramid of ascending power. She had told Maria that she had seen that information within the Cultivation Art inherited from her Master.


    Maria imagined that a Kalpa was some exorbitantly long period of time. The concept of the difference between the Stages was still too abstract for Maria to truly grasp, she was only certain that entities above the Third Stage were beyond her understanding and ability to face.


    And if he is above them all¡­


    Maria looked down at the grass in front of her. Was she like an insect in front of him? Maybe that was the reason. How could a mere mortal like her grasp the attention of such an exalted paragon?


    ¡°You are really¡­ beyond.¡±


    She softly said, still looking down. Maria felt his gaze on her, studying her, but it was not a piercing gaze. It was a soft touch, like the caress of a feather over her face.


    ¡°I think that you are fixating too much on how the things are now, Maria. I believe you should be looking ahead, to the future.¡±


    His voice was calm and soft, speaking in a cadence that strangely comforted her. Maria raised her head and searched for the blue eyes again, she found them gazing into the distance.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t born powerful, Maria. I, too, was once a mortal living in a small village, just like you and Aina. Everything I have now is the fruit of my efforts and training, and quite a bit of luck, too. But I have bled and fought, faced perils and challenges, risked my life and soul, and sacrificed a lot to reach this point of my life. I know how hard it is to rise from the bottom all the way to the top, even if outsiders liked to think I was blessed by Fate and had it easy simply because I succeeded or did things faster than others. I do not judge people based on their origins, I prefer to look at their potential. Knowing the past of someone is fine, it¡¯s important to not lose sight of our roots, but the past should never chain us. What we must set our eyes on is the future. And before you right now, there¡¯s a path that even I can¡¯t see the end of. So, please, never underrate yourself.¡±


    He turned to look at her again, an encouraging look on his face. His smile was warm and his gaze profound. Slowly, carefully, he placed his hand over hers. He did it without turning his eyes to her hand, as if he knew perfectly well where it was without even looking at it.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to compare yourself with others. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to be better for my sake or for Aina¡¯s sake. No one has the right to dictate the kind of life you live except yourself. You can choose to live in simple and careless bliss without concerning with the rest of the world, there¡¯s nothing wrong with it. But if you want to rise? If you decide to put effort and work hard to improve yourself and ascend?¡±


    His grin turned a bit sharper then, a strange glint filled his eyes. The grip on her hand was different now, it felt like a promise of support, like a vow to accompany someone to battle. The light in his eyes told her that he was expecting a challenge and was utterly confident in his victory. As if he was looking forward to what was ahead of him, something that only he could see and was greatly anticipating it.


    ¡°You would be surprised by the kind of things you will be capable of in a thousand years. What is a week compared to eternity? Have more confidence in yourself, Maria. The path ahead may not be easy, but it can be trodden if you advance courageously. And if someone dares to underestimate you or attempts to humiliate you, I assure you they will sorely regret it.¡±


    Then the glint was gone as if it had never been there and he laid back with languid grace against the bench. He closed his eyes and relaxed. The hold on her hand loosened, but he did not remove his hand and she made no attempt to separate them either.


    ¡°Choose your own path freely, and live the life you want. Whatever you decide, do it because you wish it, not because of someone else, and not because of what others may think or say.¡±


    And that was all. He stayed there in silence as if he had said everything he wanted and there was no need to say anything else.


    Maria shakily let out a breath she didn¡¯t know she had been holding, and suddenly laughed.


    She couldn¡¯t help it, she simply wanted to laugh. Unrestrained and unbidden, letting go of any other thought. It was all so silly, she realized now.


    Her lack of confidence, her hesitation, her spinning thoughts about her infatuation, her thoughts about the worth of people to match each other. Just silly thoughts that didn¡¯t contribute much. Was she someone special? Maria didn¡¯t know, she didn¡¯t think she had ever done anything extraordinary to deserve being sitting in this bench alongside the most powerful being in existence.


    But then, so what? Was there ever a need for a justification for being here? Must she prove to someone that she was worthy of the extended hand and the new way of life offered to her?


    Of course not!


    Because it had been given to her without expecting anything in return, simply because it was her. And the Powerhouse with his eyes closed and a comfortable smile on his face, listening to the sound of her laughter ¨Cand her daughter¡¯s laugh¨C as it was the melody he had been wanting to hear the whole day, was utterly unconcerned about reasons and justification. He just was who he was, moving true to his wishes. Nothing more and nothing less.


    Aina had been received as a Disciple because of what she was and the potential she had to go beyond.


    Maria had been taken as an assistant of this powerful being because he had seen something worthy in her. Not in something she could do or something she had, but in who she was. And there was nothing and no one who could make him change his mind.


    He would simply do as he wished, and thus encouraged her to do as she herself wished.


    So Maria laughed, simply because she wished to. Until her sides hurt a bit and her mouth was shaking, until she was satisfied. It was with that high spirits that she closed the distance separating her from the man next to her, interlocking her fingers with his and without thinking further leaned her head on his shoulder. It was easy to do since he was quite a bit taller than her.


    More importantly, he did not reject her, instead leaned his head on hers.


    ¡°Thank you, Navin. For this, and all before, and for the future ahead.¡±


    She spoke softly, a tinge of red coloring her cheeks as she said his name without any honorifics for the first time. She had no right to be here, sitting next to the most powerful being in the Cosmos. But so what? Right had nothing to do with this. She had chosen to do this and he had chosen to let her do so.


    That was all that mattered.


    Did she love him? At this point Maria was not sure, but she was certain that she enjoyed his company a lot. So at least for now, she simply wanted to sit here at his side. Did he have feelings for her or even the slightest interest? She had no way to know, but at least she was certain that Navin did not dislike her company.


    What if she was just an ordinary mortal Cook from a little village? That would change with time. Because she was certain that she could no longer be ordinary, no, she was already no longer ordinary. Not when she was living in a magical artifact and was surrounded daily by wonders from other worlds and felt the breath of the world within herself strengthening her more with every passing day.


    She was already convinced that Aina was destined for greatness, and being the Disciple of Navin, she would surely rise to unimaginable heights. And now, looking at her daughter crowned with beautiful violet lightning as she ran as if flying at an extreme speed, Maria decided that she would not be left behind.


    "You are welcome."


    That was all he said.


    With a soft smile on her lips, Maria closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, silently making a resolution within her heart and soul. One day, she would be stronger. So strong that nobody could ever question her place standing at the top or sitting next to this Immortal Cultivator.


    If her daughter Aina was a girl who would pierce the heavens, then Maria Ranaborak was the woman who would make the whole world tremble.


    ¡°It is simply the truth. Nothing wrong with saying it.¡±


    Thus spoke the Sovereign. Was he answering her spoken words or the thoughts within her soul?


    She did not know, and for now, she did not care.


    Time would tell.

 Chapter 45: Makers

    Aina Ranaborak was a happy child.


    One week ago, she might not have been able to say this so confidently. She had lived a life with a mixture of pain and sweetness, with pain caused by an unknown phenomenon within her own body, and only her mother as true friend and family giving her sweet comfort and love. There were many happy days, and she knew her mother did the best she could for the two of them. But Aina didn¡¯t have any real friend in the village, the kids had stopped playing with her once they noticed she could start trembling out of nowhere and even hurt them if they touched her while she was in that state.


    She hadn¡¯t known at the time that it was her lightning coursing uncontrolled across her body, causing intense pain. Now though, those days were over. What used to be the cause of her pain was now the source of excitement and pleasant sensation of freedom and power.


    There had been lots of changes in their lives. Their old house was gone, the whole village had been turned into dust, but Aina didn¡¯t pay much mind to that.


    Because in front of the mother-daughter duo was an endless path of happiness.


    Delicious food, a luxurious house, warm beds, fun days, tranquil nights, wonderful objects and traveling to all kind of places. All of this, provided by a kind and invincible protector who would teach them all kind of amazing things.


    So, yes. Aina Ranaborak could confidently say that she was a happy child now. Playing gleefully all day and going to sleep with a full belly on a warm bed accompanied by her mother in absolute safety.


    Aina jumped, feeling the Qi coursing through her Meridians and strengthening her limbs, making them more flexible and resistant, making her stronger and faster.


    This trampoline, as her teacher had called the device, was extremely fun. Using her arms and feet, Aina bounced off the fabric and soared through the air until gravity made her fall again, but with the slightest use of strength, she was leaping again.


    Faster, more dynamic. Leaping while trying to use less strength each time but moving faster and as far as possible.


    Aina¡¯s self-imposed challenge in the middle of her game pushed her to improve her manipulation of Qi and learn how to move her body more efficiently.


    Her inherited Art of Cultivation stirred in excitement as her Qi revolved around her body. Sometimes, Aina got the impression that the Wonderful Symbol inside her mind had a bit of a personality of its own. It seemed¡­ eager to lend assistance to Aina, and vibrated with energy when she read from it, in a way she could only call emotional.


    So Aina ran, with her lightning giving her wings to ride the wind and pierce the air. The world around her turned into a blur as she accelerated suddenly, but a moment later her mind caught up and now the world was moving slower. The air was pushing against her, because it moved at a snail¡¯s pace when Aina was riding a galloping horse made of lightning and power.


    One should not run against the wind, for that was a waste of energy. Instead, one should read it and ride it, moving in synchrony with the rhythm of the world. That¡¯s what her art had told Aina.


    But that¡¯s also the limit of mortals, the Rune within her mind had shown her, and such boundaries can be bypassed with skill and power. And this Aina knew to be true, it was simply that she was not yet on the necessary level to bypass these limitations.


    Still, as her Master said, if she simply accepted her limits, she would not surpass them. So Aina pushed forwards, finding the path of least resistance, that invisible way through the air that could only be felt with her enhanced senses, and ran even faster.


    A sweep with the hand, an extended leg, a short step. Leap, spin, run. Change direction, side-step to the right, incline head forward, raise one arm towards the back, spin again, jump.


    Little details, apparently meaningless and perhaps nonsensical for an outside watcher, but with each motion Aina progressed forward at an ever higher speed.


    She didn¡¯t know how long she had spent on the trampoline, but she exhausted her reserves of Qi and even the prepared lightning ball. Her muscles were starting to hurt a bit due to the exercise.


    Aina decided that it was time for a break, and so she started to plan how to end her dance. She stopped jumping and accelerated one last time, using the last bits of lightning within her to gain impulse, ran one whole lap on the structure that circumvented the house and with one final shout of effort she jumped high into the air.


    Beyond the limit of the trampoline, towards the house, or more exactly, the siting figures on the bench.


    Her mother and her Master were sitting together. Hmm, perhaps she shouldn¡¯t have jumped to them like this. Adults usually didn¡¯t like to be interrupted when they were in private or talking among them, every kid in the village knew that.


    Still, they were outside, so Aina was perhaps not interrupting anything too private. There was probably no problem.


    Right?


    Aina had noticed the way her mother¡¯s eyes sparkled a bit when she looked at her teacher, because she was an attentive child. Aina had seen similar gazes on some people in the village, both young and old, so she was able to identify it quickly.


    That kind of thing happened when people liked someone, but Aina didn¡¯t comment about it, because that was adult¡¯s matters and so she shouldn¡¯t concern herself with that. Though in her personal opinion, Aina would be happy about it.


    To more pressing and immediate matters, she was falling fast.


    She was heading to the ground without the slightest pretense of security, with arms and legs spread behind her, so she was falling head-first. But she didn¡¯t have even a speck of fear, because she had no doubts that she would be safe.


    Because he was right there.


    Sure enough, the fall slowed down until Aina was being carried by soft gusts of wind, it was like being hugged and supported by invisible arms.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t make such dangerous jumps, Aina.¡±


    Her teacher raised his head to look at Aina with a raised eyebrow and softly admonished her. The playful cat smile in her face didn¡¯t diminish. She was confident about him catching her safely.


    ¡°Sorry~¡±


    Aina crooned in a melodious whisper. The smile in her face not reduced in the slightest. She landed on her feet and strode directly to the bench and dropped right on her mother¡¯s bosom next to him.


    She was a bit sweaty after all the running and jumping, even slightly out of breath. Her mother hugged her tight and warmly caressing Aina¡¯s hair. Truly, her mom¡¯s embrace was the most comfortable thing in the world.


    ¡°Enjoyed the trampoline, sweetie?¡±


    ¡°It was very fun!¡±


    Aina replied cheerfully. Whoever had invented that device must have been a genius who sure loved fun. Her mother chuckled and hugged Aina again.


    ¡°Are you hungry? I prepared something from one of the cooking books.¡±


    ¡°A new recipe?¡±


    Her mother nodded confidently. That was a good sign that heralded a delicious meal. It was still too early for dinner, but Aina was feeling hungrier with each passing moment.


    It must have been shown on her face, because her mother stood up laughing and announced she would get the food ready, to the joyful celebration of Aina and her Master, they both raised the arms to the air. Her mother gave them both a funny look before laughingly shaking her head and walking into the house.


    Aina let herself fall backward and landed on the soft earth. It was still a bit muddy from the rain earlier that morning.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get dirty if you lie there, you know?¡±


    Her teacher crouched next to her and commented with a teasing smile as he rested his chin on the palm of his left hand.


    Aina turned to look at him and send a mental message to him.


    I¡¯ll just take a bath later.


    She had found that it was very easy to communicate with him this way, all she had to do was to make a strong thought, organize it into a sentence and mentally send it to him. The action was similar to imagining herself pushing a little ball towards him and took no more effort than blowing up a candle.


    One second later, she got his response.


    ¡°Cleaning afterward is no excuse for getting dirty. By the way, why the mental note?¡±


    Aina dramatically covered her forehead with the back of her hand. Like the princess in a picture book that she had read a couple of days before.


    Alas, I am too tired to speak, and also too cute.


    Her mental message got a laugh out of her Master. Aina found herself slowly floating up, carried by a cushion of air. She glanced at her teacher and he signaled to the house with a head movement.


    ¡°Come on, little tired princess. Let¡¯s get you inside so you can rest.¡±


    She thought of telling him that she could rest even here, but the thought of getting a good bath and resting inside the comfort of the house stopped her from arguing.


    "You forgot the ''cute'' in my title, Master."


    "Ah, my deepest apologies, Your Cuteness. I shall use an elemental candy as a tribute to obtain your royal pardon."


    Her teacher theatrically presented a Lightning Candy for her with a flourish. Which she obviously took, as was her royal prerogative, but decided to save the candy for later.


    Aina was carried into the house like this in perfect comfort without needing to move a muscle. She was put on the sofa of the living room as her teacher served her some juice from a jar that had not been there the previous second.


    Because he could do magic, which was amazing.


    Not the little fireballs and icicles that Mages like those Adventurers she had met in the forest used. No, her Master¡¯s magic was something beyond that. It was like the world moved according to his wishes, he could conjure anything out of thin air.


    And that was only a fraction of what he could do. Because Aina had glimpsed inside the Wonderful Symbol on her mind, she had seen bits of what was possible to do with Cultivation and the techniques he had passed on to her.


    Mountains split, seas divided, walking in the sky and plucking the stars from the night sky. Lightning capable of turning a forest into cinders and techniques that blurred the line between a warrior¡¯s strike and a Mage¡¯s spell.


    And that was merely what she had managed to glimpse. There was so much more inside, and Aina was going to learn it all. Because that was the Legacy entrusted to her by her Master. Because that was the power that changed her life.


    She looked forward to being capable of all that, very much so. To do that she had to train hard and study. But breaks were also important, so now she got some rest.


    Her teacher lightly patted her head and walked away. Aina thought he was going to join her mother on the kitchen, but he walked up the stairs to the upper floors.


    So Aina was left to laze in the couch drinking the sweet juice.


    A couple of minutes passed, and Aina already felt refreshed. There was something in the air inside the Traveler¡¯s Cabin, she knew. It was more¡­ charged. And breathing here was easier and somehow healthier than breathing the air outside. She replenished a bit of her lost Qi simply by sitting on the couch breathing and drinking the glass of juice.


    Or perhaps it was the juice that was magical. She would ask later.


    Her current home was a place of wonders. From the flowing water that came from tubes called ¡°faucets¡± when one turned the handle and left through holes that led to pipes that led to apparently nowhere, to the multiple arrays sets in the rooms to regulate illumination, temperature, and humidity, to the fantastic devices found all around the house and that Master had given her permission to use as much as she wished.


    During this past week, Aina had learned lots of things, about her world, about other worlds, and she had even discovered things about herself that she had previously ignored.


    Aina stood up from the couch, walked to a shelf in the living room and touched one of the objects there. It was a little crystal statuette of a woman wearing a long dress sitting on a rock next to a fountain. Her teacher had said the object was made of a type of quartz, it was semitransparent and whitish, but when the light touched it the woman¡¯s hair and dress showed multiple beautiful colors.


    More importantly, this object was not mere decoration. Aina touched it and a bit of her Qi entered the statuette, making a projection of symbols emerge in front of Aina; numbers and letters forming a long list of things. Since Aina didn¡¯t know the vast majority of the things in that list, she decided it didn¡¯t make much difference and touched a symbol she had come to know as ¡°shuffle¡±.


    Sound emerged softly in the room. Music, caused by the statuette but coming from all the walls around her or perhaps the very air. Aina didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t really care. She simply enjoyed it, she had come to know that she loved listening to music.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    And this object was a nearly endless supply of songs.


    Drums and string instruments started playing in a measured rhythm while a soft female voice was heard humming in the background. The vocals continued as the instruments gained strength and the tempo arose. Most of the instruments went silent as the melody reached a climax, and with only the beat of the drums marking the tempo, a woman¡¯s voice began to sing.


    ¡°Come on, hop on, let¡¯s take a ride. Come and meet the travelers who came to town¡­¡±


    Other instruments joined in. Piano, guitar, bass, percussion instruments, violins, and more. A whole orchestra started to play, joining their melody to the composition as a choir started to accompany the melodious female voice. The grandeur of the orchestra¡¯s performance enlivened the house and Aina felt vibrant as she listened to the marvelous song.


    ¡°They have a tale from the past to tell. From the Great Dark between the stars¡­¡±


    Aina spun around and danced. There was no choreography to her moves, no planned sequence to her steps, simply the pure and free-spirited enjoyment of the song. Letting the lyrics and melody enter her ears and letting her body move as it pleased.


    While listening to the song, Aina eyed the many books on the shelves, there were tomes of all kind of subjects, full of illustrations and information about things from beyond her world. It was amazing. Books were boats to navigate an endless sea of knowledge, windows for her mind to visit numerous worlds while her body stayed it one place. And for that, she had come to love books.


    Reaching up, Aina picked up one book she hadn¡¯t read yet. It was a dark blue book with silver stars on the cover. She walked back to the couch and sat with the book on her lap. The pages of the book were like thin sheets made from crystal but they were flexible. Light shone from it as Aina moved the pages.


    Magic and wonder, those were the things that had defined Aina¡¯s blissful week and possibly would define the rest of her life. Which, if she interpreted correctly the information in the Wonderful Symbol within her mind, would beeternal life.


    And wasn¡¯t that just amazing?


    Power and immortality on the same level of legends, tales and journeys like the fabled Heroes, riches and glory surpassing those of the Kings and Queens. These and more awaited beyond the gate that her Master had opened for Aina and her mother.


    Aina knew that she would never be able to repay this kind of favor, although her teacher simply smiled warmly whenever she brought up the subject, saying that she didn¡¯t need to worry about such thing. After this one week of wonder and bliss, she had come to love her teacher.


    Not in a romantic way, though Aina wasn¡¯t even sure what that feeling was supposed to be like. She loved him in a way similar to the way she loved her mother. It surprised her a bit, that she had come to think of him as family after such a short time. But how could she not? He had saved them, protected them, given them luxuries and guidance without asking anything back. Navin treated both Aina and her mother always with care and respect. When someone showed so much love and good intentions, it was hard to not reciprocate.


    He was someone she could rely on, someone to protect them, who cared for her and who would teach her lots of stuff and attentively listen whenever she talked. He was like what she imagined a father would be like.


    Aina didn¡¯t remember much of her father, only vague memories of being embraced in strong and warm arms. She had grown up with only her mother to rely on and while she did not doubt the assurances by her mom that her father had loved them both wholeheartedly it was hard to say that she loved a person if she didn¡¯t have memories of him.


    The man called Matthew Ranaborak was a warm memory, but it was ten years in the past, the majority of Aina¡¯s life had passed without him.


    As the pages were turned, projections floated in the air to show the content of the book. Aina reached a random page and stopped as images started to form in the air in front of her. As the projections started to take shape, words flowed from the book and arranged themselves under the images, then slowly moved. A clear voice that was neither male nor female resounded, reading out loud the text.


    ¡°In the vast expanse of the Cosmos, there exist all kinds of realms where living creatures can live and prosper. These worlds have different shapes and are organized in a myriad of ways: spherical planets, layered planes of existence, flat discs carried by mystical creatures, and it has been theorized that entire realms can exist within the bodies of some entities of great might. There are worlds that orbit around stars and wandering worlds that travel across the universe without being fixed to one star, some may even have stars dancing around them. There are regions that had interconnected worlds, whereas others are near-endless desolation around a single pale dot of life.¡±


    Aina listened the voice as the projections showed her a dark space, shining stars and orbiting planets, huge creatures like turtles carrying mountains and lakes on their backs, whales that swam in the astral void carrying with them entire worlds, gigantic birds called Rocs with wings so large and wide that they could cover an entire sea, and Dragons that held in their claws shining pearls that held worlds within. Those creatures she had only come to know recently because she had seen them on a book that her teacher called an Encyclopedia, full of beautiful photographs and illustrations of many animals and monsters along with information about them. She knew that some of them were in her world, others she wasn¡¯t so sure, and there were some that were definitely from other worlds.


    ¡°It¡¯s all so weird!¡±


    Weird, but oh so extraordinarily beautiful and wonderful. Ainawas fascinated by this, she loved to learn about the world that existed beyond her knowledge and her teacher always had fantastic tales to tell. They were so amazing and fabulous that they could only be a dream, yet he assured her that they were all true and that one day she would see it for herself. Not only the full extension of her world, but the myriad of worlds that were beyond.


    She turned to the next page and the projections changed accordingly. The voice continued reading.


    ¡°Most of the worlds are a natural occurrence, birthed by Providence and the will of the Cosmos, but some are artificial creations of the Gods and other Powerhouses. The Divine Art of World Creation is considered one of the most exquisite expressions of Divinity, and despite being referenced as a singular art, there are no two equal methods for World Creation, as each is envisioned as the crystallization of the Powerhouse¡¯s comprehension of the Cosmos. Upon its creation, the artificial realm will be controlled by the Powerhouse that created it, although such authority can be passed on for another to rule it. This must not be confused with political influence as true authority over a realm goes beyond such superficial types of governing. It is also not something acquired by simply possessing martial strength. True dominion over a world means to be capable of setting and altering the laws that rule it on the most basic level.¡±


    The projections showed a closer perspective of the worlds, displaying the mountains and valleys where nature thrived, the rivers and seas filled with creatures, and also the civilized areas, full with constructions made by intelligent races. The people lived together and organized their societies. Leaders arose. Some by right of conquest, using their strength to rule over the others; some elected by the people, chosen to guide them due to having the talent for it or simply the trust of the rest. Then there were the true rulers, who were capable of deciding where the rivers would flow, how high the mountains would rise and how the deep the seas would reach; they were the ones who dictated the lay of the land and by their design the realm was given shape.


    Aina found that the author was talking about a lot of stuff, and while it sounded like something incredible and important, she wasn¡¯t really understanding much of it. Maybe she should ask her Master to explain about it later, surely he could make a better explanation. Still, it was interesting, and the projections were changing again. Aina turned to the next page and new rows of words emerged.


    ¡°However, the authority of the original creator of the realms is paramount in most cases. This is because, on its very core, an artificial world is intrinsically related to its creator and thus follows its maker¡¯s commands first and foremost. Powerhouses, Deities, and Regents of the Laws of the Cosmos each pour their own comprehension when they create something, therefore, when they create a world, such world will be a manifestation of their own understanding of the Universe. It is a reached consensus that a proper and functional artificially-created world is almost a direct manifestation of its creator¡¯s own Path.¡±


    The images changed, this time showing a vast expanse of black empty space. When the words emerged again, they were different, and the voice that sounded was different too. In fact, it seemed to be chorused by many voices at once.


    ¡°Next, four examples of the creation of worlds are presented; these were provided either by said creators personally or by an authorized representative. While these are not scenes of the actual creation nor do these examples contain detailed information of the methods utilized in the process, they are summarized versions of the events with a piece of the Intent used in them; and as such, they are invaluable sources of information. These humble authors express their heartfelt admiration and gratitude to those Honored Exalted Beings for collaborating in the making of this tome of collected wisdom.¡±


    So it was a personal note added by the book authors as gratitude for providing collaboration. It seemed many people had worked together to write this book. Aina wondered if she should move to the next page to make the projections move again.


    Then something changed.


    The projection extended outwards until it embraced Aina completely and she found herself standing inside the vast and boundless space with the book still in her hands.


    For a second it was all quiet and still, then it started to move, an Aina watched views more magnificent than anything she had seen before. Her eyes could not truly observe everything that was happening and there were no words to narrate an explanation for her, but the information of what was unfolding in front of her was transferred directly into her mind as she was touched by the Intent left behind in the book.


    First emerged a figure with a confident stride.


    A woman with long and curly dark-blue hair like the waves of the sea, with smooth and flawless dark skin. Her eyes were depthless amethyst vortexes; her smile was alluring, ivory teeth shining like soft moonlight surrounded by full lips. Her naked arms and back displayed few and small but gorgeous tattoos in the shape of resplendent symbols of amber, silver, cerulean, emerald, and heliotrope colors. She was dressed in a sarong woven from the night itself, adorned with shining and multicolored stars that danced and soared within the boundaries of the dress with each of her movements. The end of her dress flowed like the waves of a dark ocean, it was slit on both sides to let her long legs move freely while displaying strong thighs, it closed tight on her ample hips, then rose over her slim belly until it separated into two strips to cover her firm breasts before joining again behind her neck.


    She danced and sang; clapping, spinning and laughing as her music conjured dark and cool waves around her. She joined her hands and breathed into them. A soft light emerged and the woman delicately, lovingly put it into the waters. Darkness rolled and flowed, but it was not terrifying or malicious, quite the opposite, the waves birthed life and embraced the light. The darkness covered it, not to drown and destroy, but to nurture and protect.


    From its embrace, an island of beautiful white sand and verdant scenery was formed and many lives prospered on it.


    Then it was gone and the empty space reappeared.


    A second figure emerged, walking calmly, at a leisure pace. A long-haired man dressed in triple-layered robes of white, grey, and black with a long necklace of 108 prayer beads divided into four groups of twenty-seven beads, all black but with a slightly different color tone than the other three groups of beads. Lotus flowers bloomed with each of his steps and the world around him filled with life and multiple bright colors. His skin was like sculpted bronze and even wrapped in wide clothes it was evident that he had an athletic build. His eyes like warm caramel; boundless kindness and ageless wisdom were expressed in his gaze, as if he contemplated all existence and extended his love to every part of it.


    His expression was serene as he sat in the middle of the darkness. He closed his eyes and a giant golden lotus blossomed under him. His face gave the impression of being deep in meditation while at the same time comfortably enjoying a sweet dream, his lips were quirked slightly upwards in a subtle smile. He joined his hands in prayer, yet he prayed not to the darkness below nor to the gods in heaven, but to the heart of people themselves. He chanted in a low voice that echoed in the void, and light emerged and engraved itself on the space as long rows of words. Growing and extending, overlaying over and over until they filled the space around him and formed a world. From his wisdom, a Pure Land formed, free of suffering and sickness, filled with bliss and enjoyment, where one could bask in the greatness of nature and spend their existence in joyful contemplation of the Cosmos to further improve oneself. He extended bridges in every direction so that anyone could have the chance to reach it as long as they came with a good disposition and genuinely tried to tread that path.For he believed that within each being was a piece of the Transcendental Truth of the Cosmos and so he would try to help them all to realize it. Listening to his words, learning from his wisdom and practicing his teachings, others joined him in that land, smaller figures wreathed in golden light planting seeds and helping them sprout to make the land grow more.


    A paradise built by the hands of people to the benefaction of all people.


    It shone brightly, and then the emptiness returned.


    A third figure emerged, but it didn¡¯t arrive, it simply was there already as if it had been there from the beginning and only now was noticed.


    It was a woman, sitting on a chair of marble, weaving a myriad of things. Her exact appearance was shrouded in obscurity due to the cloth covering her. Her fingers danced at unspeakable speed, moving her hands in multiple directions as if giving directions to something only she could see. Different threads of various sizes, thickness, and lengths, moved around her, forming great tapestries that extended in every direction. It was as if she was coordinating a hundred different looms all moving according to her will. From her weaves emerged thousands of shapes, clouds and fire, mountains and rivers, lakes and forests, lightning and sand, snow and shadows, all kinds of objects from nature came out of her weaved works, and started to interweave.


    One vast world, alive and moving within the grand tapestry that she had woven with her own soul.


    Moving like blown by the wind and then vanishing like mist, the tapestry was gone and the dark space returned, heralding the entrance of the last example.


    Then came a different figure. His built was powerful, his steps made the very fabric of space around him shake as his vibrant energy permeated the area. He was like a million mountains contained into the frame of a single human. His body was dense and heavy, but nimble and graceful. His every action was blazing with endless vigor. He clashed his fists together, forming a blast so powerful that erased any other influence from around him, claiming undisputable dominion of the area.


    He grew gigantic in stature and titanic in might. His body was lustrous hard metal; within him, multiple mechanisms moved in perfect synchrony. He spread his arms wide, and opened himself to the void around him, revealing his internal mechanism and releasing it outside. A great gear assembly came out of him, the multiple humungous gears dividing to form thousands of smaller ones, cables extended and connected, plates and tubes, nails and screws, all kinds of tools and materials in different shapes. Then they combined, forming multiple new tools and machines, towers emerged, platforms were risen, strong walls and sturdy long paths interconnecting multiple places. The core of the mechanic titan shone with power, charging every mechanism that had formed with its own energy. They activated and carried out their functions, and the new shape of the initially humanoid figure became orderly. With the shining core at its center, he had transformed himself on a wide city of multiple layers, many floors and different locations each with its own purpose. The last pieces that hadn¡¯t taken proper shape yet and had been floating around the construction gathered in miniatures of people and then the core pulsed one last time, imbuing the figures with life, they were no longer metallic figurines, but breathing people of flesh and bone. The shining core lost its splendor and was covered in the center of the city, protected by the people it had breathed life into.


    A Grand Metropolis, large as a whole world, constructed from the body of a God and given life by the power of his very soul, a bit of him living on each of them.


    For a moment, the darkness returned, and then the four worlds appeared, this time together.


    Four figures, four creators, four completely different paths that gave origin to four unique worlds.


    They floated in the air in front of Aina, and she stared at them in undisguised fascination for a long time. They were so different, each unique in method and purpose. But they were all majestic in their own way.


    The names of the four beings came to her, as soft as a whisper and fleeting thought, as certain as her own name.


    Varima of the Primeval Night.


    Mahesh the Enlightened.


    Iphansi the Endless Weaver.


    Mekhos of Myriad Constructs.


    Aina was flabbergasted. She was so enchanted by the incredible sights that she had forgotten to turn the page. She stayed there, standing in stunned silence, watching the figures and the worlds that they had created. Her heart was beating fast and hard in her chest, her breathing was agitated.


    Slowly the four images of the worlds vanished and their creators emerged again, no longer shining in glory and majesty, but looking like normal people. From the distance, each gave Aina a different salute in a unique style.


    A playful wink and a vibrant waving hand from Varima.


    A short bow with hands joined from Mahesh.


    An ethereal and almost imperceptible inclination of the head from Iphansi


    A vigorous fist on his own chest and firm, fast bow from Mekhos.


    They saluted her, looking straight at Aina, as if they were living people greeting her, recognizing who she was.


    Then they were gone.


    Aina found herself in the living room once again, sitting on the couch with the book in her hands.


    She looked around, making sure she was definitely in the living room. Her mother was coming from the kitchen carrying a tray full of something that looked like fried dumplings; a new song was playing in the room as the crystal statuette continued operating. Satisfied with her verification, Aina put the book to one side.


    Now, what should she do with this burning agitation inside her and the mind-blowing amazement after witnessing four Gods creating worlds in front of her? Aina was full of questions and she only knew one person who could answer them.


    So she inhaled very deeply and, with as much calm as her young mind could muster after having met four Gods, shouted for her Master at the top of her lungs.

 Chapter 46: Populus Ex Machina

    One moment, Maria was carrying the tray with food, calmly serving it on the dinner table as she hummed trying to follow the rhythm of a new song playing in the living room from one of the many magical artifacts there.


    ¡°MASTER!!!¡±


    Then the next second she was whirling around, jumping in alarm as her daughter shouted in a loud and shrill voice; her mind instinctively racing and body tensing at the mere possibility that her daughter could be hurt.


    Aina sounded alarmed, even a bit scared. But what could hurt Aina here?


    Nothing, her mind and instinct answered in unison. There was absolutely nothing in this world that could bypass the protections that Navin had placed here, he had assured her. No monster could approach them, and Navin would be the first one to notice if any danger from other worlds approached. There should be nothing inside the house that could hurt Aina, either.


    Had something scared Aina? That would make more sense, although Navin had said everything in the house was safe. Even if each day Maria and Aina discovered new things inside the house, many with strange effects, none of those objects were harmful.


    Her gaze quickly found her daughter sitting on the couch of the living room, her face was a bit red and she was shaking slightly. A book laid on the couch next to her, its pages shining softly.


    Navin appeared, coming out of thin air and kneeling in front of Aina as he placed a hand on her shoulder.


    Maria¡¯s mind started to calm down as she saw that Aina was unhurt and safe. Then she started to get a bit angry. That sudden scream had put her on edge.


    ¡°Aina! What happened? Why did you shout like that?¡±


    Maria approached as she reprimanded her daughter. Had Aina simply wanted to call her teacher once she saw that the food was ready? No, that scream had sounded a bit too alarmed to be just that.


    Navin reassuringly put his hand on Aina¡¯s shoulder and her trembling stopped. His voice was perfectly calm and soothing as he spoke to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Aina. Tell us what happened.¡±


    Aina¡¯s gaze moved to Maria, then to Navin and finally to the book. She pointed at it.


    ¡°The book!¡±


    What about the book? Did she want to show that to Navin? Or had something she had seen in the book shocked her so much that she had called for him?


    Maria saw Navin frown slightly and take the book with his hand. Aina continued explaining.


    ¡°There were images, they moved and showed lots of things. Then these people appeared and created worlds out of nothing! Then they¡­ they turned and looked at me.¡±


    The images looked directly at her? Is that what had scared Aina? Maria approached her daughter and carried her in arms. Now that the initial rush of emotion was passing, Maria focused on comforting her daughter.


    ¡°Mom, you have to see it! The things they did, it was so amazing, four big worlds, all so different! There are Gods inside that book!¡±


    Her daughter tried to explain more, her emotions were rising again. She shook Maria¡¯s body and pointed at the book that Navin held as he stood up.


    Maria turned her gaze to Navin, asking for help in this situation. He probably knew what the book was about and might explain what had shocked Aina so much.


    Sure enough, upon locking his gaze on her, he seemed to understand what she wanted to ask. He raised the book and showed it to Maria. It had a hard dark blue cover adorned with multiple little stars. The words ¡®Worlds: Born and Made¡¯ were written on the front, shining with a soft golden color.


    ¡°I think I know what happened. Aina interacted with the Intents that were infused in this book.¡±


    That¡­ didn¡¯t really tell Maria much. He must have noticed it right away, because he further clarified while moving the pages of the book.


    ¡°This book is a treatise about the various regions of the Cosmos and their intrinsic differences with each other, with a special focus on what makes a world sustain life. It also contains examples of different types of worlds. But what makes it special is that that the authors of this book asked for guidance from powerful groups during their research, and those groups acceded to lend their help. What the authors asked guidance about was on the subject of the creation of worlds, and four factions even gave them direct visuals to the process of creation through the Intents of the creators. That is Intent that comes directly from extremely powerful beings, Powerhouses capable of creating actual functioning worlds through their own might. Aina saw them in the middle of displaying their power, so it¡¯s not surprising that they left a strong impression on her.¡±


    ¡­Oh.


    Such a book was in their living room? Maria turned to Aina and saw her nodding her head vigorously. Maria softened her voice.


    ¡°Did they scare you, sweetie?¡±


    Aina shook her head. She was a strong girl, trying to put a brave front even now. Maria softly caressed Aina¡¯s hair as her girl replied.


    ¡°They were not scary, just¡­ grand. They did these amazing things and then turned to look at me. It was weird because they seemed alive, not just pictures in the book. But they just saluted and left.¡±


    So long as Aina was unhurt there was no problem. Maria turned once more to the book. How incredible must those sights be? Maria¡¯s curiosity was piqued as she wondered what exactly her daughter had witnessed. Navin smiled at her and passed her the book.


    ¡°You can both read it, there¡¯s no danger in it. Even if the sights inside may be really surprising, they can¡¯t hurt you; so there¡¯s nothing to worry about. There¡¯s just a bit of Intent inside it, it¡¯s not even a bit of their souls or anything like that.¡±


    As Navin spoke, Maria took the book. She was fairly certain what book Aina would ask for a bedtime reading tonight.


    She would agree.


    But first, the food was ready. It would not do to let it get cold, so Maria turned around and carried Aina to the dining table.


    <hr>


    Having calmed down, Aina sat at the table, and her teacher went to help her mother bring the rest of the meal. When it was all set, the three of them sat at the table to eat.


    But there was something to do before eating.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Aina said as she extended her hands to him, opening and closing them. Her teacher made a face that showed a little reproach but resigned himself and with a wave of his finger made two bubbles appear in the air, one in front of Aina and one for her mother, who was imitating Aina''s gesture with a playful smile despite having cleaned her hands already.


    Both females put their hands on a bubble, feeling the magic clean their hands. Aina had the idea that she could simply use this kind of thing to bath, but she guessed that both her guardians would object to the idea.


    For his part, her teacher covered his hands with beautiful crimson flames to cleanse them. Although Aina seriously doubted that his hands ever got dirty, it seemed to be a simple habit of his.


    They enjoyed the meal together; eating, talking and laughing. It was a good thing, to fill the stomach and warm the heart.


    A family meal.


    After they finished eating the delicious food her mother had prepared, the trio went to sit on the couch. Her teacher sat in the middle, with Aina on his right and her mother on his left side.


    It did not escape Aina¡¯s attention the way her mother seemed to lean a bit closer to her teacher than usual, but she refrained from giggling or commenting about it. Because she was a clever girl and knew her mom would get embarrassed then. Besides, her Master seemed comfortable too.


    Aina thought that he would put the book on his lap, but instead, he made to book float in the air.


    The projections appeared. However, this time her teacher pointed at the things there and gave further explanations as Aina and her mother showered him with questions. The origin of those creatures, where they could be found, what they ate, what their purpose was, and many other things that the mother-daughter duo kept asking.


    But for each answer given, two more questions would arise. There was so much to know, so much that they ignored. So they asked, thirsty for that knowledge and hungering for answers as if they were the greatest delicacy.


    Then they arrived at the part that had surprised Aina so much. The display of four Deities creating worlds.


    It was as amazing as the first time. In fact, it seemed more amazing now, because Aina was paying even closer attention than before and even revolving her Qi to enhance her senses so she could notice things that she had been too surprised to see before.


    The clapping and stomping of the dance that Varima performed had a rhythm to them. Every word and verse of her song had a meaning, even if Aina was not able to grasp it. Each of the symbols in her body gave Aina a different sensation when looking at them. There were creatures living in the deep waters that Varima had formed, the coiling and flowing darkness that concentrated on her breath to shape the island had turned white in turn. Darkness feeding Light to give birth to a world full of new life.


    The lotuses that bloomed with each of Mahesh¡¯s steps were of different colors, because each of his steps was made with a different intent, a different state of mind. Each line of Mahesh¡¯s sutras had a purpose and elaborated about a truth of the world, their place in the arranged realm around the central golden lotus where he sat, held a significance.


    Each thread in Iphansi¡¯s tapestry had a purpose, each was a line that would be part of the bigger picture that she was weaving. The way her hands moved, the way the threads extended, knit together and interlock with the rest, and also the place where each interwoven piece was placed afterward, all had a strange and special significance.


    Mekhos¡¯s world was a city made of hundreds and thousands of parts, huge buildings, tall towers, long bridges, wide roads, big buildings housing countless artifacts with different effects, each location had their own function within the city. Now that Aina looked at it again, she noticed that each of the people that came to life from the figurines created by Mekhos had strange patterns on their skins: there were silver lines on their arms, legs, torso, and neck; some lines were thin while others were wide, and they ran along their limbs in vertical, horizontal and even diagonal patterns.


    The four worlds were formed, and Aina was as fascinated as before, if not more. She had been so focused on them that she had forgotten to ask any question, but she had also learned something new this time.


    Nothing each of them had done was random, each little movement and action had a meaning and a function on the great design of the new world each of them created.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Aina thought that she could stay here for years and watch them over and over and always discover something new, always learn a little bit more.


    Then they came to salute, looking like people instead of Gods. No longer as forces of nature incarnated, with the power and authority to shape the universe at will.


    Varima looked like a woman in her twenties. She was tall and beautiful, with flawless and smooth dark skin and long dark navy-blue hair forming curls towards her shoulders and back. Her eyes were no longer vortexes of starlight, just normal dark brown eyes, but there was still a playful amethyst glint in her pupils. Each of her moves had an alluring grace and elegance that seemed too good to be real. From the waist down, she was wearing a beautiful pale beige dress like the sand of a beach, adorned with a combination of black, brown, and white lines that crossed and converged in different ways and patterns, forming squares, triangles, chevrons, and diagonal shapes. Her breasts and upper abdomen were covered by a cloth in a similar fashion than her skirt but having the opposite colors; it was black and was adorned with white and beige lines forming similar patterns to the ones on her skirt. They both seemed to form a big picture, perhaps complementing each other, but Aina couldn¡¯t figure out exactly what it was. Varima showed a surprised expression and raised one hand to cover her mischievous smile when she glanced at Aina¡¯s teacher. Then she made a gesture with her hands where she alternated one over the other as she gracefully bowed finalizing with putting her hands to the sides.


    Mahesh had the appearance of a man in his thirties, tall and athletic. Different from the other three, he looked like a human even when he had created his world. His long black hair cascaded unrestrained towards his lower back, with a part that fell to the sides of his head almost reaching his shoulders. His clothes were some kind of layered robe of white and grey. He also had a black outer cloak over his left shoulder and arm adorned with soft carmine designs near the border that was tightened on his waist by a red sash. On his feet, he was wearing some sort of wooden sandals. He seemed to be some sort of monk or priest to Aina. His smile reminded her a bit of her Master¡¯s smile, but where her teacher¡¯s smile was confident and displayed serene control of oneself enjoying simply being, Mahesh¡¯s smile was pure comfort and enjoyment of life, loving the entire world around him. It might have been her imagination, but Aina could swear that Mahesh¡¯s eyes lit up a bit and his smile stretched slightly bowing with hands pressed together towards her teacher.


    Iphansi was still covered in several layers of cloth that obscured her appearance. But it was clearer now. Aina could finally see what kind of dress Iphansi was wearing. Her main garment was a blue cloak with a deep-blue hood with soft green runes decorating it. She had a thin ash-grey veil covering her face; it had only a slight opening revealing eyes with a strange shade of deep green but the veil was thin enough that Aina could glimpse at a slim face behind it.


    Over the blue cloak that covered her from head to toe, Iphansi had a scarlet coat over her shoulders that fell towards her back and some sort of burgundy wide long skirt from the waist down. It was surprising how she could still have an elegant air and graceful posture sitting in her chair with so much cloth covering her. Perhaps it was because each piece of her garment was clothing of extremely high quality. Her hands were the only part of her that was exposed; Aina had expected them to be pale white, but they were of a soft ochre color, with long dexterous fingers and perfectly polished short fingernails.


    Iphansi stood up when her eyes landed on Aina¡¯s Master, what¡¯s more, she removed the outer layers of her garment, but kept the veil over her face. She took off her cloak and hood, revealing dark hair tied up in a bun, a sheer delicate tight-fitting soft green blouse worn over a blue torso wrap adorned with golden embroidery and a long skirt with a brocade depicting images from nature. Iphansi raised her right hand towards her face with the palm inwards until it was in front of her eyes and her fingertips were almost touching her forehead, and bent forward her upper torso.


    Mekhos no longer looked like a metallic giant, but like a man in his forties, with strong features and a square jaw. He had a firm and resolute expression, not exactly stern, but Aina doubted he was a man who enjoyed jokes. His hair was golden and short, he had blue eyes and white skin. He had a long coat adorned with silver lines that drew a pattern by turning at sharp angles, under it, he wore a black shirt and dark blue pants ending in black boots.


    He looked like a soldier to Aina, not because of the muscles on his body, but because of the way he moved; always at attention, decisive and strong as if expecting to jump into a fight at any moment. He looked at Aina¡¯s teacher and further straightened his back and set his shoulders. Mekhos put a fist over his chest and bowed deeply in respect.


    They were moving differently, with slight changes in their attitudes and doing things that they hadn¡¯t done that last time. Was it because they were reacting to her Master¡¯s presence?


    Aina turned her head to look at her teacher and her mother. Her mom had a stunned expression and open mouth, as was expected, Aina sure had a similar expression last time. Her Master, on the other hand, had a pensive expression as he spoke in a soft voice.


    ¡°Hmm, I should check again the scriptures and arts in the Library. Looking at these things from a higher perspective is truly a new experience.¡±


    Aina didn¡¯t know what he meant by that, but it seemed he was going to read more books, which was good. Aina loved books and would read as many as she could, so if her Master got more books that would mean more books that she could read.


    Her Master clasped his right hand on his left hand and bowed to the four Powerhouses that had left their mark inside the book, replying in kind to their salutes, albeit each had been with their own style of greeting.


    A couple of moments later the figures disappeared and the trio was back on the living room. Aina was the one who broke the silence.


    ¡°See, Mom? Wasn¡¯t it amazing?¡±


    Her mother seemed to react to that and get out of the trance she was in. She turned, her eyes a bit unfocused, but soon fixed on Aina.


    ¡°Yes¡­ It was as you said, sweetie. It was truly a grand experience.¡±


    Her mother then turned to look at her teacher and hesitated a bit before speaking.


    ¡°Navin, who were those people? Were they¡­ Gods?¡±


    Aina was curious about that too so she turned to her teacher, attentive for the answer.


    Wait. Did Mom just call Master ¡®Navin¡¯ without honorifics?


    Since when did her mother do that? Was it because she was so shocked by what she had seen that it slipped her mind, or had she finally decided to listen to his petition to drop the honorifics when addressing him? It didn¡¯t matter right now, so Aina focused on her teacher¡¯s reply.


    He nodded in affirmation.


    ¡°Yes. They were all extremely powerful entities, and as you saw that they each were capable of creating worlds of their own with their abilities. What do you think? Anything that caught your attention especially?¡±


    He looked alternatively to both of them. Aina had a lot of things that she was curious about so she didn¡¯t know what to ask about first. Her mother thought for a moment before asking another question.


    ¡°The fourth entity, Mekhos, gave his own body to create his new world, right? Why did he do that, Navin?¡±


    Aina was confused about that too. Why would that powerful being just sacrifice himself to create something? She could understand if he had done it to save them or something, but he gave his life to create that world and its inhabitants from scratch, so it was strange for her.


    Her teacher pursed his lips slightly to the side and inclined his head left and right before replying.


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not entirely sure. It seems like he had hit a bottleneck on his Path once he reached the Ninth Stage. It troubled him for a long time, and the creation of that world seems to be the solution he found.¡±


    ¡°But he died, right? That doesn¡¯t seem like a solution. Why take his own life if he wanted to improve himself?¡±


    Her mother commented from the side, frowning as she thought of that. But her teacher smiled and raised a finger.


    ¡°Ah, but that¡¯s the thing. Someone of Ninth Stage and above will not cease to exist simply because they die. Especially when it is on their own terms. Mekhos gave his body to create that Grand Metropolis and used his own soul to infuse life to his created people, the Mekhanas. But remember the projection, his core still sleeps within the depths of that world, it is not destroyed. So it can still be activated again and Mekhos resurrect.¡±


    That was impressive, Aina thought, because it meant that someone could return to life even when their body was gone. Although that seemed to require one to be a very powerful entity.


    Her Master gave them both a conspiratorial smile as the book closed and floated to his hands.


    ¡°Now, here is the interesting bit. What is the purpose of this creation, why give up his body and put his soul into this, taking such big risks? This is the reason: Each of the people born from the Mekhanas has a fragment of Mekhos in them, their very souls came into being when his soul divided and infused their bodies with life. They are more than successors or descendants; they are his reincarnation. His hope to surpass his previous Path through a brand new life. The Mekhanas are his contrivance, both an invention and a stratagem, because they hold the potential to give birth to someone who will rise and improve Mekhos¡¯ Path, getting rid of his previous limits. That¡¯s the purpose of their existence and they work hard and constantly towards that goal. Once achieved, Mekhos will resurrect through his reincarnated body, joining his past with his present to reach a higher future and obtain more power than ever. It is a grand plan, but also very risky and hard to succeed, but he took many measures and prepared a lot for this.¡±


    Both Aina and her mother let out voices of surprise. So he had separated his soul and now bits of him lived on each of the people there. Were they all the same or did they have different personalities?


    ¡°Then what will happen to the rest of them when he reawakens? One of them will be the reincarnated, what about the rest?¡±


    Aina¡¯s mother pressed on. She was frowning and seemed to have thought of some issue. Aina saw her Master nod seriously.


    ¡°That¡¯s a very important matter and a subject of speculation among all who know the origin of the Mekhanas. Each of the Mekhanas is an individual with own personality and soul, a proper living organism. It might be that he will simply reincarnate on one of them, simply born into that new body and then have a group of strong followers; but it might be that one of the Mekhanas will one day reawaken their creator¡¯s memories and once Mekhos reactivates himself the Grand Metropolis will collapse and return to its original form; maybe all the Mekhanas will fuse together into one being and that will be the new Mekhos, or he will sacrifice the entire species to harvest their souls to achieve more power. It¡¯s due to this uncertainty that many groups across the Cosmos don¡¯t intermingle with the Mekhanas, being wary of what the consequences of that could be for their descendants. Despite that, the Mekhanas have existed for more than a million years, during that time, their number has vastly grown and due to traveling around different worlds, they have crossed with many species, giving origin to multiple races, but they are all inevitably born Mekhanas regardless of who the other parent¡¯s species is.¡±


    ¡°And if they really are to be a sacrifice¡­¡±


    Her mother¡¯s voice was wary and Aina let out a gasp of surprise as she realized what she meant. Both females could imagine that the number of people dying would be absurdly high. Her Master raised his hands in a pacifying gesture.


    ¡°It is a complicated issue, and no one has more than speculation. I don¡¯t know what will happen either, though personally I don¡¯t think he will simply erase them, since that wouldn¡¯t give him many benefits and would instead leave him isolated in the Cosmos. Many have argued that since they were originally created by Mekhos with that purpose then there¡¯s nothing wrong with it, just a system fulfilling its duty. Others argue that each Mekhana has long overgrown the influence of their creator and will never turn into him, while there are some that believe it¡¯s a problem that the Mekhanas themselves must deal with. Whatever the case, most influences just keep a polite distance from them or make strictly professional deals with the Mekhanas.¡±


    They stayed in silence for a while after that. Until Aina¡¯s mother let out a long and exhausted sigh. Aina passed a hand through her hair, this was a story about a real species, somewhere across the Universe that could possibly go extinct due to their origins. But it didn¡¯t have anything to do with her and her mother, it was not something that she had to worry about nor something she could do anything about.


    ¡°Each species has its own issues. Right, Master?¡±


    Her teacher nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Everyone faces their own challenges and situations. We each have to do the best we can.¡±


    ¡°Mom, why did the creation of that city interest you so much?¡±


    The question seemed to surprise her mother. Aina had noticed there was something worrying her mom, and she thought it had to do with Mekhos creating that world.


    But why? What was she worried about?


    Her mother hesitated and glanced at her Master before replying.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ I felt something when he was creating that city, when he was displaying his power and transformed. I felt like something inside me was stirring. Like it was¡­ calling me? I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Aina looked at her mother in surprise. Aina hadn¡¯t felt anything like that when looking at the projections, she found beauty and magnificence in each of them, but didn¡¯t feel anything ¡®calling¡¯ to her like her mother mentioned.


    ¡°Ah, that means your perception is very high. As I thought, that Cultivation Art really is the one that suits you the most.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Master?¡±


    Her teacher turned a bit to face Aina before answering.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t teach Maria the same Cultivation Art that you practice, Aina. But that¡¯s not the only one that I know. I have collected many over the years, even if I don¡¯t practice them, because they are valuable things and serve as an excellent reference for improvement. So, I found one that would be the most suitable one for your mother and passed it to her.¡±


    He turned again towards her mother and gave her a wide smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same Cultivation Method from which Mekhos developed his own. It¡¯s not the same as the one that ultimately led him to reach the Ninth Stage, but both share the same roots.¡±


    Hearing his words, her mother¡¯s eyes opened wide and she tried to speak but no words came out for a while. When her words finally came out, it was in a panicked voice.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s the method you taught me!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they aren¡¯t the same arts, they would be considered ¡®sister arts¡¯. I will help you modify it into a version unique for you, and further improve it so you won¡¯t get stuck like Mekhos. So it will be fine.¡±


    Her mother stayed quiet, but Aina thought that she might have wanted to say more, and maybe that hadn¡¯t been what had thrown her emotion into disarray. Like Aina, her mother was benefitting from learning cultivation from her Master, even if it wasn¡¯t the same Cultivation Method. What Aina suspected was surprising her mother, was that the art that he had given her was something on the level of a God.


    But now that she thought about it, it was the only thing that made sense. Aina didn¡¯t think that her Master would give something of low quality to her mother, and he was a Powerhouse of the highest level. It would only make sense that the things he deemed worthy would also be of extremely high quality.


    However, now that Aina had seen in action the sister art of what her mother was learning, she had a question of her own.


    ¡°Will Mom become a mechanical giant too?¡±


    For a long moment of silence, both of her guardians turned to look at Aina. Her mother looked horrified at that possibility, while her teacher seemed a bit surprised or perhaps imagining that.


    Then he burst out laughing.

 Chapter 47: Decision

    Aina saw her Master laugh heartily and shake his head towards her.


    Good, that meant there was nothing to worry about. He turned to look at Aina¡¯s mother, who was glaring at him in reproach for laughing. Though there was no real anger there.


    ¡°That transformation was something Mekhos himself came up with. It is his own path and not the original manner in which that Cultivation Art worked. Your own version will work in a different way, it will take the direction you take it to, Maria.¡±


    He smiled and tapped her hand in reassurance. That seemed to be enough to get rid of the pretense of anger in her glare. Her mother was never someone who was angry for long.


    ¡°Alright, I trust you. How did you get his Cultivation Art, by the way? Aren¡¯t they highly guarded secrets?¡±


    Oh, that was a good question. Master had been very stern on the subject of keeping the secret of their Cultivation Art from everyone else, one of the rare occasions that Aina had seen her teacher with such a serious face.


    Whatever method was used by Mekhos, it was something powerful enough to take him into the Ninth Stage, a Divinity standing in the Heavens, so it would be a fiercely protected treasure.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Mekhos¡¯s Cultivation Art that I have, is the one from which Mekhos developed his own method. It¡¯s an important difference because it means your techniques will share a root with Mekhos¡¯ techniques but will develop in different directions. I obtained this from the ruins of an old realm, which might have been Mekhos''s original world or at least one very close.¡±


    ¡°Master, can Cultivation Arts be altered?¡±


    Aina saw her teacher¡¯s eyes lit up at the question and decisively affirm with his head.


    ¡°Of course. Just as techniques, methods, and arts are created, they can also be modified, improved, and discarded in order to further advance. It is not only a possibility, it¡¯s almost an inevitability. Each practitioner inputs their own comprehensions when practicing any craft or art, and thus develops it, when they pass that knowledge to the next generation, it will be different from when it first came to them. That''s how every art and science evolve, by building up in the accumulated work of many predecessors, each making it a little bit better before passing the torch to the next generation.¡±


    There was a glimmer in her Master¡¯s eyes when he spoke. He always had that kind of expression when he talked about subjects he enjoyed. He always sounded pleased when asked questions, he would then provide answers and nudge them a bit towards making more questions and even coming up with answers of their own.


    Her mother seemed to have thought of something, and when she spoke it was with a bit of a worried expression.


    ¡°Navin, how can one tell if a world is natural or artificial? Would there be any signs?¡±


    ¡°Well, there are some things that can be seen by someone with enough power. It¡¯s also possible to take a natural world and modify it, this is far more common than creating one anew.¡±


    Even after hearing her Master¡¯s answer, her mother seemed to still be troubled about something. She was softly chewing her lower lip as she thought about something. Aina knew that her mother only did that when she was worried.


    ¡°Are you worried that this world might be artificial? Don¡¯t be. This is a natural world, although it has been manipulated and influenced by outside forces. The Classes and Skills that the people here have are proof of it. You said the people here call it ¡®The World Hierarchy¡¯, right? Natural and unmodified worlds don¡¯t have Systems such as this.¡±


    Her mother nodded and relaxed a bit. Now it was time for Aina to ask a new question.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have Classes in other worlds, Master?¡±


    Aina thought it was weird. Everyone in the world had Classes and Skills that assisted them, it was a fact of life. Some Classes were mundane and helped with little things, while others were very powerful and were possessed by people who were very important in the world. Each Class would grant different types of Skills, and more powerful Classes had both more specialized Skills and Skills with a broader scope and greater effects. No one really knew how The Hierarchy first came to be, as far as they knew it was an intrinsic part of their world. It was the ever-present force that was in every person and that evaluated them to reward them with suitable Classes. The Hierarchy assigned the Classes, and thus it was what determined the natural and social order of the world.


    People said that doing specific things would make one gain a certain Class, and by performing deeds or training while in possession of that Class, Skills would be acquired.


    Now Aina wondered. Her Master had called himself an Immortal Cultivator and Ascender, but those weren¡¯t Classes, Aina hadn¡¯t gained a [Cultivator] Class either. If anything, despite gaining great power and enhancing her body in many ways, Aina hadn¡¯t gained any new Skills or Classes,while her mother was gaining levels and Skills like crazy during this past week, which was strange.


    But Ainahad gained something when her Master had passed to her his Cultivation Art.


    Two things in fact: her Cultivation Core and the Wonderful Symbol that contained the information of her Master¡¯s Legacy. Both of which she could feel within herself each time she moved her Qi or used a technique.


    That was another thing, her techniques were not Skills. Even if they were very similar to what Skills would be like. Aina also knew that her Master classified the levels of power for people in eleven different Stages, which seemed to correspond to the Class Tiers, although as far as Aina and her mother knew there were only up to Third Tier Classes in their world. Though admittedly there was much that the two of them didn¡¯t know, since they had never visited the bigger cities of the Kingdom nor had they received high-level education.


    But if the information in the Wonderful Symbol could be trusted ¨Cand Aina had no doubt that it could¨C then people with a Fourth Tier Class, or Practitioners of the Fourth Stage as her teacher would call them, could not live in her world and would ascend to a higher world that could house them.


    However, what would happen if other worlds didn¡¯t have a Hierarchy and Classes like the ones in her world? What would happen to those people then?


    ¡°Only worlds from the Fifth Stage and below have Systems like this one. And even then, not all of them will have a System, such things are artificially placed by either one powerful entity or a group of relatively weaker beings, whatever the case, they need to be at least of the Seventh Stage. Placing a System in a world has both advantages and disadvantages, but it is usually done to gain control of the inhabitants of that world. In most cases, their Skills are only usable in their homeworld or other worlds that are part of the same System. Worlds with Systems can be used as training grounds, pools of resources or recruiting bases for armies for the people in higher worlds to find talented individuals, which could then be granted the ability to keep their Classes and Skills despite leaving their original world. Powerhouses of higher worlds tend to make grand plans that involve entire worlds in them, so the purpose of this System in your world could really be anything.¡±


    ¡°Then what about our world? Is it controlled by some gods?¡±


    Before he answered, Aina noticed that her teacher was glancing at something slightly to the side, reading something that only he could see.


    ¡°The System in your world, this ¡®Hierarchy¡¯, was created dozens of thousands of years ago. It was done by a group, but I don¡¯t know yet exactly who they were or if they are still alive. However, this System doesn¡¯t alter people¡¯s minds, so you are not directly controlled by any outside entity. Also, it¡¯s worth noticing that some of the restrictions previously placed on this world have disappeared during this week and more will continue to disappear in the near future.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Had something changed in the world? Aina saw her teacher¡¯s expression change a bit, he hesitated before answering her question.


    ¡°Changes are occurring across all the Cosmos right now. Some are good, some are bad. Overall, it will be beneficial for the Cosmos and its people, but it will be a terrible and arduous process to get there. It¡¯s going to be a challenge for the higher worlds to maintain order, but once the period of turmoil passes, the entire Cosmos will enter a new age of freedom and prosperity. The reason for this is¡­ a bit complex to explain. The most straightforward explanation is that an ancient restriction that had been placed eons ago has been removed, but it was done in a very violent manner. Many Powerhouses are dead, including Gods and the leaders of the most influential groups in the Cosmos, so the social structure of the Cosmos has drastically changed too. But the most important thing is that the worlds and races that were linked to Divinities that died have suffered great damage. It¡¯s a Cataclysm, even if mitigated and held at bay.¡±


    Hearing his words, Aina¡¯s mother frowned and hesitantly asked a question using a single word.


    ¡°War?¡±


    The answer was a solemn nod in affirmation.


    ¡°After two centuries of constant strife, the war ended a bit over a week ago. I will explain it to you both, but I don¡¯t think now it¡¯s a good time for it. It¡¯s¡­ a hard subject.¡±


    Her mother placed one hand over his and gave him an understanding nod.


    ¡°We will wait.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He smiled and raised the book titled ¡®Worlds: Made and Born¡¯ once again to drive the conversation away from that subject. Aina agreed with her mother, if it wasn¡¯t something that he wanted to talk about, there was no need to press the subject.


    The affairs of deities and other worlds were distant things that did not enter Aina¡¯s concerns.


    ¡°Do you girls want to keep reading it? Or should we do something else?¡±


    Mother and daughter looked at each other for a single moment before looking at him at the same time and speaking in a chorus.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep reading.¡±


    ¡°Alright. This book is very interesting and has a lot of information, the authors have written treatises on many other subjects, so you can check those in the future too. Which reminds me¡­ tomorrow night, I will show you both one theory of the origin of the Cosmos. My own version of it.¡±


    Aina nearly jumped from the couch when she heard him say that. The origin of the cosmos? The origin of everything? He saw how excited she was about it and raised a hand to signal her to wait and be calm.


    ¡°It is not an absolute truth, but it is very important that you both learn about it, it will be useful in your Cultivation. Especially for you Aina, because our Cultivation Art is based on this interpretation of the origin and evolution of the Cosmos. I expect it to be a very productive lesson.¡±


    ¡°Why not tonight, Master?¡±


    ¡°You have both already seen intense things today when you glimpsed at the creation of four worlds. that¡¯s enough food for thought. Luckily, the rest of the book doesn¡¯t have such shocking sights like the one before nor any more Intents left by other Powerhouses, so we can keep reading without overburdening you. Take your time to meditate about these things, there¡¯s no need to rush, okay?¡±


    She figured that he was right, well, he usually was anyways. The images imprinted by the Intent of four Gods was not something simple. Aina was already doubting that she would sleep tonight, she would probably have to practice a session of meditation soon.


    She could already feel the Symbol within her mind prompting her to it. After all, meditation was the preferred method for Cultivators to consolidate their knowledge.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°As you say, Navin.¡±


    Aina and her mother agreed. From the window, Aina could see the hills darkening and the cold breeze of the night softly mowing the top of the trees in the distance. It was already dark, but still early. Many clouds were gathering in the sky; it probably would rain again tonight.


    But here within her new home, Aina thought that even if there was the fiercest storm outside, she and her mother would be safe and warm.


    Her teacher seemed to think of something and turned to her mother.


    ¡°Maria, are there any empanadas left?¡±


    Aina saw a little twinkle in her mother¡¯s eye as she replied with a smile.


    ¡°Oh? Still hungry? I made a lot, so there are many left, but they are still uncooked. Wait a bit, I won¡¯t take long.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯m just going to send a few to my Fourth Disciple. I¡¯m sure he will like them.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Aina¡¯s mother was about to stand up but her teacher stopped her. She seemed a bit disappointed not to be given the chance to bring more food, which Aina thought was funny.


    ¡°How are you going to send him the food?¡±


    Her mother raised a questioning eyebrow. Aina saw her Master smile and she knew the answer he would give, so she answered at the same time he did.


    ¡°Magic.¡±


    Laughingly, he stood up from the couch and walked to the kitchen. Aina saw her mother hesitate but she stood up to go after him.


    ¡°Hm? I told you not to worry about it, Maria. I will do it, you can relax.¡±


    ¡°These are meals I prepared. I have a duty as a chef to see them through. I will cook them.¡±


    The two started a silly discussion about why the other should take it easy and let them cook the food. Aina supposed adults could have friendly disagreements on silly things too.


    And with the two of them on the kitchen, they would probably end up cooking more food and in a couple of hours, Aina could get some light snacks.


    With those happy thoughts, Aina pulled the Lightning Candy out of her pocket and unwrapped it. Feeling the electric flavor in her mouth furthered her good mood.


    She made herself comfortable in the couch and took the book, distractedly opening it once again. Projections flew out and showed her more about the things that awaited them in other worlds.


    <hr>


    Ethan woke up to the lingering smell of food in the room.


    He had been very tired after using that spell/miracle that his Master had provided. So he had fallen asleep in the chair where he was sitting. He should have asked for a room with a bed, but at the moment he just hadn¡¯t cared about such things.


    How many hours had he been asleep? He had felt very tired but he didn¡¯t think it was too bad. At least he had done a good thing when healing those people. Ethan turned his head to take a look around.


    The room was illuminated by some lamps on the walls, casting a tinge of orange to the room. From an open window, he could see that it was already night, the sky was clear and full of shining stars.


    Ethan saw the Sword Dancers sitting on a nearby table finishing a meal. They were eating some kind of rice, it seemed it was dinner time.


    Ethan felt his stomach agree with a soft grumble. He gently rubbed at his face to get rid of the sleepiness and wondered if he had some food left inside his Spatial Ring. He had lots of snacks and candies, as well as boxes of cereal and other consumables, but he didn¡¯t have any properly prepared meal. Which, now that he thought about it, was an underuse of his Spatial Ring. He should have hamburgers or pizzas stored in there.


    After all, things did not decay when inside a Spatial Ring since it was a pocket dimension either with time running slowly or completely stopped. Ethan decided that he would get a few meals and save them for future cases like this or emergencies.


    Ethan briefly considered asking Issima¡¯s group for food but opted for eating one of the snacks in his Spatial Ring instead. With a mere move of his intention, his mind connected to the ring and envisaged the contents of the artifact.


    At that moment, he felt something warm inside the ring calling for him. That had never happened before. There were a wooden box and two bottles tied together inside the ring which Ethan was certain hadn¡¯t been there the last time he checked.


    There was only one guilty party in this mystery.


    Sure enough, on the cover of the box was a small grey card with a written message. Ethan picked it up and read it.


    Well, now he had a hot meal. Ethan saved the card in his Spatial Ring and opened what he now knew to be a lunch box. It was separated into one large section and two small sections. There were twelve dumplings neatly placed in rows on the large section along with a few folded napkins and a plastic fork, while on the two small sections there were fried slices of potato and a salad.


    Uh, this looks good.


    Ethan praised the aesthetics of the meal before opening one of the bottles and found there was juice inside it. He took a sip and found it was sweet, then used a napkin to grab one of the baked dumplings.


    It tasted great. Either he was very hungry or whoever was the mother of his fellow apprentice was a very skilled chef. Probably a bit of both, he thought, but most likely it was the latter.


    ¡°Hey, you are awake!¡±


    A voice came from nearby. Ethan turned his head while still chewing on the bit of pastry and chicken inside his mouth.


    Issima stood up along with the rest of her friends, they put the dishes on a pile and walked towards Ethan. He took a mouthful of juice to wash down the food. Carina looked at the box full of food and the bottles with a frown.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡±


    ¡°He is a Mage from another world, whatever he does, I won¡¯t get surprised anymore.¡±


    Qasim replied her with a resigned look. His companions let out small laughs at his comment. The dark-haired young man was a bit taciturn but he seemed to be in a good mood now.


    ¡°My Master left it here for me.¡±


    They all frowned in confusion when they heard Ethan¡¯s answer and looked at each other. Ethan grimaced and mentally chastised himself for not being careful with his actions.


    Ugh, I shouldn¡¯t have said that.


    His Master had moved the thing inside Ethan¡¯s Spatial Ring without even Ethan noticing, so of course none of them had noticed either. Ethan blamed his sleepiness for the slip of the tongue, then realized he probably shouldn¡¯t have used his Spatial Ring in the first place either.


    ¡°Never mind that, how long was I asleep?¡±


    ¡°A few hours.¡±


    Taus, the oldest of the young group replied. The group sat at the same table as Ethan as he continued to hungrily devour his food.


    ¡°Anything happened while I was sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Well, apart from the initial commotion, not really. The Watch is going around the city hunting down the escaped prisoner and his comrades, but they had no luck so far. His Highness¡¯ group left long ago to coordinate things with the Hunters.¡±


    Issima replied from the other side of the table, she was wearing the robe he had gifted her over a grey tunic and red baggy pants. Ethan was eating his third empanada when he noticed they were all giving him strange gazes. He stared back at them.


    ¡°What?¡±


    They hesitated until Taus cleared his throat and spoke hesitantly.


    ¡°Ethan, do you realize what you did today?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Ethan was no idiot; he knew that what he had done had caused quite a stir in the city. But he didn¡¯t know exactly how much of a reaction it would cause. Maybe something big had happened while he was sleeping.


    ¡°All the healers in the city are causing a ruckus, demanding to know the identity of the Master Healer who performed such grand spell. Not only them, many other people have tried to enter the City Hall looking for you, even the guards assigned to this place had to be replaced by the Prince¡¯s own retinue to avoid incidents.¡±


    Taus¡¯ deep voice sounded very serious. Ethan could easily imagine what would happen in his world if such a thing happened there. Even if the situation wouldn¡¯t be so critical as back home due to this world actually having magic of its own, none of the people here could do something on the same scale as the kind of spell Ethan had cast with his Master¡¯s help.


    This type of reaction from the people was something his teacher had warned him about.


    ¡°What should I do, then?¡±


    ¡°For now, stay here. The Elder should be back soon.¡±


    Ethan nodded to Taus¡¯ words and focused on his food. The fried potato slices were crispy with a soft interior and had a nice salty flavor, while the salad was fresh and some kind of vinaigrette had been used to give it a nice spicy touch.


    Ethan continued eating as the others discussed what had happened in the recent hours and speculated about what was to come. Taus was thought that the spies would still be inside the city, while Qarim argued that they might have fled the city during the initial confusion. Carina was worried about the war that would come, while Issima said that Thaliss would send some experienced fighters but not be overly involved.


    They were excited in their debate, speculating about what the reactions of other countries would be. It seemed Feld-Ehia was not exactly a liked country in this continent, but they were very strong and still have plenty of commercial allies overseas.


    Having nothing to contribute to the conversation as he had no information about the countries, Ethan ate mostly in silence, only making polite inquiries here and there but in general just listening to what the others said.


    They all agreed that this attack meant war. It would have been such due to attacking an outpost city bordering the Desert of Death, but Feld-Ehian soldiers had put in risk the life of a member of Sahbadian royalty, so a retaliation must be carried out.


    However, Issima had argued and convinced the others that the first stages of the conflict would be a defensive war, since gathering soldiers and supplies for a campaign was not an immediate matter and they also had to check what the stance of the other countries would be in this conflict. The presence or lack of allies changed a lot of things. Worse yet, there was something about a woman they called ¡®the Strategos¡¯ who was apparently a General and Strategist of high command in Feld-Ehia, she was a very powerful and talented individual and, according to Issima, it was necessary to have at least two Generals deployed in the field to match her.


    None of them were particularly happy about the war, but neither were they particularly surprised nor afraid; it seemed this was something that was a long time coming. Apparently, there had been some turmoil in the continent about 15 years ago, at the end of which the current Strategos had risen, that war had caused great damages to every country, but Feld-Ehia had focused on other manners during the past decade, like stabilizing their economy and replenishing their crops.


    But not once had any country stopped strengthening their armies. They were expecting this to happen eventually and the time had come. The group of youngsters was convinced that Rillosa, the southernmost country of this continent, would be an ally of Sahbadia while Formabisia would most likely be an enemy with perhaps a few spots of rebels. Formabisia had been subjugated by Feld-Ehia only a few years ago, after all.


    The countries overseas were harder for them to know, so they hesitated in making many statements. The group unanimously agreed that Oz, an island territory southeast from Sahbadia, would not involve itself in the war since it was mostly a pacific state; however, Oz was the home of the greatest practitioners of magic in this world and housed the Academy, the largest institution of higher learning in this world and was the place that trained the best Mages. So while Oz and the Academy would probably not officially participate in the conflict, the graduates and members of the Academy would likely do.


    War was a lucrative business for powerful Mages to work as mercenaries and would provide the chance for them to test their most destructive sorceries.


    The remaining three countries were Seau, that apparently had commercial deals with whoever they pleased and were the culture that originated the katanas that Issima wielded though she called those ¡®Seau Blades¡¯, and the two countries that shared the Verdun Continent, Payari and Ilsan, but none of them had much information about those countries.


    By the time Ethan had finished his meal, the group was telling stories about some Corsairs that operated mostly on the western side of the continent. There was a light knock on the door and Edek came in. The Elder looked at the youths with an amused expression.


    ¡°You kids seem very animated. Ethan, I¡¯m glad to see you awake and well, did the spell left you any aftereffect?¡±


    ¡°Just a bit of tiredness, but I¡¯m fine now, thank you for your concern.¡±


    Edek simply nodded in response and took a seat. Ethan felt a bit strange having five people sitting across from him on the table. Edek glanced at the young Sword Dancers before addressing Ethan again.


    ¡°I assume they told you what¡¯s going on in the city?¡±


    ¡°What they knew. They said you would have more concrete information, Elder.¡±


    ¡°Good. You should spend the night here in the City Hall, His Highness Amir has made the arrangements. They can send someone to retrieve your belongings from the Inn too.¡±


    ¡°Ah, please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    There was no need for them to do that. Ethan had paid for his stay at the Inn already from the money he got from selling a couple of monster¡¯s corpses, and he had no baggage in there since all his possessions were carried by him in the Spatial Ring.


    Edek frowned.


    ¡°Ethan, you can¡¯t let your belongings there. You will need your clothes and money, I heard some say you have a spear of high quality too. Though I understand you might want to retrieve your possessions yourself, it¡¯s safer and less troublesome if an envoy handles the task.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡±


    Ethan hesitated a bit but figured that it was already too late to worry about hiding the things he could do. He touched the empty lunch box with a finger and moved it to his Spatial Ring. One second the object had been there and the next it hadn¡¯t.


    To his credit, Qasim managed to keep a calm face with only a twitch of his left eye while everyone except Edek had a baffled expression.


    ¡°I keep all my belonging with me. There¡¯s nothing mine in the Inn and I already paid the coins for my stay. I will be leaving this city soon anyways.¡±


    While they seemed very curious about how Ethan could take things with him and where that box had gone, his last sentence caught Edek¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Have you decided then? Will you be joining us in our journey back to Thaliss or will you go your own way? I can¡¯t promise there won¡¯t be some issues with you learning one of our secrets, but the majority of Elders will be grateful for the discovery. I can at least guarantee your safety and good accommodation during your stay.¡±


    ¡°How far is Thaliss from here?¡±


    ¡°A few weeks away if take a ride with a caravan, we could arrive faster if we secure personal mounts but it would be riskier.¡±


    Safety in numbers, then. It made sense, a large group of people traveling together would advance slower than a small group, but they would have the necessary goods and share the burden of supplies and protection.


    Ethan hadn¡¯t decided yet whether to join them. He was curious about the culture of Thaliss and was becoming friends with Issima, Taus, Qasim, and Carina, but he was aware that he might get into a bothersome mess if he went with them to meet the Elders of the Assembly. Still, he guessed it was kind of the responsible thing to do, to be open and honest about the things he had seen in the Dance of Four Forms.


    His Master had outright stated that he didn¡¯t care whatever Ethan chose, and would go along with his decision. Still, if Ethan went with them, he would have to explain a lot of things to the group, more about his origins and about his Master. On the other hand, they already knew that he was from another world, and traveling with them he could learn more about this world in a more straightforward manner. Ethan supposed he could still keep training with his Master while traveling with the group, but what his teacher would say to them was up to him; if he went and revealed himself as a God it would be more troublesome, but Ethan didn¡¯t think he would do that.


    Still, Ethan felt that he shouldn''t go with them right now, so he made his decision.


    ¡°I consulted with my Master this morning, and he left the decision in my hands. I will accept your offer to go to Thaliss, but not now; I will continue traveling with my Master for a few more weeks before meeting you there.¡±


    It was hard to put into words why he didn¡¯t go with them now. It was just a feeling. Ethan looked out the window and saw a little crimson bird perching there. Was his teacher influencing him? No, it wasn¡¯t that. This was Ethan¡¯s own inner feelings, he was certain of it. He just couldn''t determine exactly what this strange feeling was about.


    Ethan returned his gaze to Edek and saw him nod with a serious expression.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pressure you on this. In fact, I thought you might say that, so I prepared this.¡±


    Edek opened the bag on his hip and fished out a scroll. Was that a bag of holding? The scroll seemed too big for the bag to not even have a slight deformation when having it inside.


    ¡°This is an introduction letter and permit of entrance to Thaliss, bearing my seal for authentication. This will let you enter without issue to Thaliss and enable you to find me at the Konal Clan residence. We will be waiting for you.¡±


    He presented the scroll to Ethan, it was made of a thick paper. Papyrus, or some equivalent of it in this world. Ethan took it but didn¡¯t open it; in the middle of the scroll was the seal impression on red wax depicting a stylized sword with its empty scabbard next to two coins.


    Sword and scabbard are two sides of the same coin?


    ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡±


    The scroll disappeared as Ethan moved it to the Spatial Ring. Ethan noticed that every one of the Sword Dancers was looking towards the window.


    No, Ethan thought with a wry smile, not the window, but the phoenix perching there.


    ¡°Uhm, Ethan¡­ that is a Phoenix, right? Is it related to you? I think I saw it underground before.¡±


    Issima¡¯s voice sounded as if she was doubting her own words. Even if she had already seen this same bird in the underground arena when Ethan had shown her the dance he discovered, it seemed that seeing a Phoenix was still shocking.


    Ethan looked to his teacher who for some unfathomable reason had decided to take that form and perch at the window instead of walking into the room like a normal person.


    But that was his Master, far be it from him to do something remotely ordinary.


    The Phoenix¡¯s blue eyes gave Ethan a reproachful glance but did not hide the glitter of playfulness in them. Ethan let out a sigh.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a Phoenix, and something more. Reached this point, I guess there¡¯s not much trouble with telling you. Let me introduce you to my Master, Navin Lakar.¡±


    Ethan gestured towards the bird in the window, hoping with all his strength that he didn¡¯t look like an idiot or a crazy person to the group of wide-eyed Sword Dancers.


    Perched on the window, the Phoenix raised a wing and waved it thrice as if saluting them.


    Then Ethan saw the bird turn around, jump out and fly away into the night sky.


    That bastard...

 Chapter 48: Letters

    Ethan sat there frozen while his heart was gripped by a mixture of annoyance, embarrassment, and anger.


    He trembled in outrage as he watched the Phoenix flying away into the night sky. He looked back towards the people on the table and found they were staring at the crimson bird getting further away with expressions of disbelief and awe. Carina turned her head to him first.


    ¡°Was that really a Phoenix? And your Master?¡±


    ¡°Yes, although he can pull pranks like this sometimes, he is a wise and responsible man¡­ I think.¡±


    Ethan muttered the last part. While he was sure his Master was a very knowledgeable person, he had that tendency to joke around. Which wasn¡¯t that bad, but now Ethan kind of wished his teacher had taken this more seriously.


    Maybe his teacher simply didn¡¯t care about what other people thought, perhaps the opinions of mortals were irrelevant to him. He certainly didn¡¯t seem to mind if Ethan spoke about him to others, and he hadn¡¯t deigned to appear in front of other people except in passing glances like this time. Or perhaps he was busy doing something Ethan didn''t know about.


    Edek rubbed his forehead.


    ¡°Well, I suppose now it makes more sense that you could heal all the people in the city that way. This explains it.¡±


    As one, the four young Sword Dancers nodded twice in agreement. They had a look that said they had found a piece of a puzzle that unfolded some big mystery and now it was all clear.


    Ethan let out a disbelieving voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Phoenixes are among the most sacred creatures in legends. They are like embodiments of life and fire, possessing immortality and amazing restorative properties, even resurrection. When you performed that miraculous spell, the first thing we all saw was a bird of fire and golden light extending its wings. Now it all makes sense, you are the disciple of a Phoenix, of course you would have amazing healing abilities.¡±


    Ethan opened his mouth but stopped before any word came out. That was¡­ a surprisingly credible explanation, and it was not exactly wrong either. It was slightly inaccurate, as his Master was not actually a Phoenix but merely took the shape of one, yet in that form his teacher had all the capabilities of one.


    And likely more.


    Still, it was a good explanation so Ethan went along with it.


    ¡°It was hard to explain. I mean, I thought it would sound crazy if I said that before.¡±


    ¡°Well, young man, it seems we need to get used to believing crazy impossible things when it comes to you.¡±


    Edek snorted a laugh after replying. The rest of the group seemed resigned to it already and Ethan didn¡¯t blame them for it. A lot of crazy stuff had been happening one after another with him in the middle of it all.


    ¡°Anyways, that¡¯s my Master. He¡¯s the one who saved me when my world got¡­ broken. I didn¡¯t lie to you before, my world had no magic as far as I know, but my teacher does. With a teacher like that, I guess I¡¯m bound to learn some good magic, right?¡±


    ¡°¡®Good¡¯ seems like an understatement for what you have done, if you ask me.¡±


    Carina commented with a humorous tone. Yeah, the things that had happened during the past couple of days weren¡¯t simple events.


    ¡°Perhaps. The point is, I¡¯m going to keep traveling with him. We will visit Thaliss in a couple of weeks, as agreed, but I need to handle some things first. I¡¯m actually thinking about leaving tonight.¡±


    A little paper plane entered the window and landed on the table in front of Ethan. Frowning, he picked it up and unfolded it. A short sentence was written on it.


    Break this paper and you¡¯ll be teleported to me.


    ¡°Uh, I guess he agrees with me on this.¡±


    Ethan muttered under his breath. He was already planning to leave the city and staying would be troublesome with all the people looking for him after the commotion caused by the massive healing. He hadn¡¯t chosen a destination yet, but the strange feeling in him was urging him to get on the move.


    Ethan looked at Edek again as he folded the paper and put it on his pocket.


    ¡°My Master agrees; we will be leaving the city tonight. Is there anything else we need to discuss, Elder?¡±


    There were some looks of surprise among them, and they seemed very curious about the paper that had suddenly come flying in but they didn¡¯t make any comment about it. Edek simply shook his head.


    ¡°We will be leaving tomorrow to head towards Thaliss, I doubt His Highness will take offense even if you leave right away, but it seems he wanted to talk to you about something.¡±


    ¡°Should I go see him? Where is he?¡±


    ¡°I will walk you there.¡±


    They stood up and Ethan said goodbye to the young group while Edek walked to the door.


    ¡°Have a safe trip, Ethan. And thanks for the robe again.¡±


    ¡°See you in a few weeks.¡±


    Ethan waved to Issima and the rest and walked out of the room. He considered changing to more formal clothes before meeting Amir, but the Prince didn¡¯t seem to be someone who minded that. Besides, Amir had seen Ethan wearing these clothes when he fell asleep, so it might give the impression that he went to meet the prince as soon as he woke up, which Ethan hoped would be seen as a good thing. Carefree or not, Amir was a Prince, so a degree of flattery and respect should be given lest some sensibilities are hurt. At least, Ethan convinced himself of that as he decided to not change his clothes.


    The corridors were silent and clear, but if what Ethan had heard was true then most of the guards were outside the building calming the people and preventing them from getting in. Walking a bit ahead, Edek slowed down his steps and glanced at Ethan.


    ¡°It has been a surprising couple of days. You have produced an unexpected result after the other and have done great favors to Thaliss and Sahbadia. I don¡¯t think I have ever met someone who has become so famous at such speed before.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that famous, Elder. And I only did what I could do, most of it was with my Master¡¯s help too. If I had been alone, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to help at all.¡±


    ¡°It is only a matter of time before your name and fame spread. When the time comes, you will need to decide what to do about it. Now that you mention your Master¡¯s help, did he also help you to interpret the Dance?¡±


    ¡°No. That was me, he merely told me that looking at your performance would be beneficial and a good experience. He was right.¡±


    Edek stopped walking as the reached an intersection, the corridor they were walking on divided to the right and to the left. He turned to Ethan and extended his hand for a handshake.


    ¡°Then, at the very least, the benefaction you gave to us comes from you alone, and the Assembly of Clans from Thaliss is indebted to you for the rediscovering of our past arts. I will always remember this with gratitude, Ethan Bhreg. Do not underestimate yourself, I look forward to seeing what kind of man you will become in the future.¡±


    The Elder was a tall man, with an athletic body trained for combat. But at that moment, he wasn¡¯t a veteran warrior talking, but more like a kind grandparent looking at a child. It was a weird feeling for Ethan, though not a particularly bad one.


    Ethan extended his hand to shake Edek¡¯s hand and the Elder shook his head.


    ¡°Issima mentioned this to me, you greeted her with a civilian¡¯s salute when you first met. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s suitable for either of you, and neither for me. Even if you might not have experience, you are a talented individual; I see the makings of a warrior in you, as will anyone you meet, so it¡¯s better if you greet them in the warrior¡¯s way.¡±


    Edek¡¯s hand went a bit forward, clasping firmly Ethan¡¯s forearm instead of the hand.


    ¡°This is a warrior¡¯s standard salute on this continent. It¡¯s done among equals showing respect for each other without one part showing reverence or submission to the other. It has been an honor and pleasure meeting you, Ethan Bhreg. We will await you in Thaliss.¡±


    ¡°It has been a great honor to meet you too, Elder.¡±


    Ethan grasped Edek¡¯s forearm in the same way, returning the salute. After a moment, they both let go and continued their walk towards the prince¡¯s location.


    They quickly reached a door that was guarded by two people that Ethan recognized as part of Amir¡¯s retinue.


    ¡°Elder Edek, Ethan Bhreg. What brings you to the Prince¡¯s chamber?¡±


    One of the guards greeted them politely. Ethan vaguely remembered Amir calling this man Samir, he was always wearing a hood and had long knives on his belt.


    Before Ethan could reply, Edek did.


    ¡°His Highness was looking for Ethan, so I brought him here. Ethan will be leaving the city soon, so I thought His Highness should be informed.¡±


    ¡°Please wait a moment.¡±


    The guard knocked on the door in a rhythmic manner. Ethan recognized the guard that opened it from the inside as Tek, the grumpy guy that always had a serious expression and seemed to suffer from paranoia. Which, on a bodyguard, might actually be a good thing. But still, Ethan¡¯s impression of the guy was that he was a dick.


    The two guards whispered to each other and Tek glanced at Ethan with a suspicious gaze, like always.


    Samir turned back as Tek retreated into the room.


    ¡°Will you be meeting His Highness too, Elder Edek?¡±


    ¡°Not unless His Highness calls for me, I merely came to bring Ethan. If His Highness has no need for me then I will return to my juniors.¡±


    Samir gave him a nod, entered the room and closed the door. The other guard, a woman that Ethan had never even heard speaking before ¨Ceven when Ethan asked her what flavor of ice cream she wanted, she simply pointed at the ones she wanted to try¨C had a distant and seemingly distracted look as she leaned against the wall, but her hands were never away from her swords.


    A minute later, Samir came out and opened the door wide for Ethan to pass. Ethan turned to Edek.


    ¡°Goodbye, Elder. See you soon.¡±


    ¡°May the Ancestors hear your words.¡±


    And like that, they parted ways. Edek turned around and left while Ethan turned to enter Amir¡¯s room.


    Samir¡¯s put his hand on Ethan¡¯s shoulder and stopped him as he was passing the door frame. Ethan turned his head to him with a questioning look and found Samir had a serious, almost solemn, expression.


    ¡°A word of advice before you enter. Please be respectful, and understand that you are being given a huge privilege and honor due to your outstanding deeds. But you must not act haughty in front of royalty. Understand?¡±


    Ethan thought he was exaggerating a bit since Amir was a relaxed person, but Samir had a very serious face although he didn¡¯t seem to be doing it with ill-intention, just a serious reminder to be respectful in front of royalty. That kind of courtesy and etiquette was probably very important in their society, so Ethan nodded firmly in agreement. It¡¯s not like he was a close friend with the prince, he would be polite and respectful, even if he had no intention of kneeling like Amir¡¯s subjects would; Ethan was not a citizen of Sahbadia, after all.


    ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡±


    Samir seemed to be satisfied with Ethan¡¯s reply, as he simply nodded and let go of his shoulder so Ethan could enter the room.


    The chamber was big. It was illuminated by a few lamps and some orbs of soft white light that floated near the ceiling, those looked magical in nature, probably a spell. Ethan saw Amir standing in front of a big mirror while some of the members of his retinue stood well behind him, leaving a huge space between them and their leader. The prince turned towards Ethan and greeted him.


    ¡°Ah, Ethan. Good to see that you are finally awake. Come, there¡¯s someone that would like to meet you.¡±


    Amir was smiling, but that did nothing to hide that he was tired, he must have been working the whole afternoon leading the efforts to find the Feld-Ehian agents. General Jiten was surely still hunting them down outside, it was personal for him.


    ¡°Your Highness, I was told you would like to see me.¡±


    As Ethan walked further into the room, he noticed that the mirror was not actually reflecting Amir¡¯s image. It was more as if it was a window, or perhaps a TV screen and from the other side stood a black-haired middle-aged man looking at him.


    He looked like an older version of Amir, albeit with a softer tone of tanned brown skin, a beard, and a much serious face. He was wearing an elegant loose-fitting scarlet coat with wide sleeves and golden decorations, under which he had some sort of bright blue tunic made of exquisite fabric and brocaded with silver threads. This man had a strange intensity to his presence, as if the air was heavier around him. Ethan met his brown eyes, and found them sharp and attentive, like a falcon up high in the sky studying Ethan with a scrutinizing gaze.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    All that, added to the fact that this man had a circlet of gold and big rubies on his head, gave Ethan a pretty good idea of his identity even before Amir introduced him.


    ¡°Ethan Bhreg, meet my father, His Majesty Nasir Aal Majid, King of Sahbadia.¡±


    Now Samir¡¯s serious face when giving that advice made a lot more sense. Ethan wished he had been warned about this before.


    He really should have at least put on cleaner and more formal clothes.


    <hr>


    From the other side of the scrying link, the King of Sahbadia stood wearing a cashmere kaftan over robes of silk and a fine tunic finishing in sirwal pants, all enchanted with different effects. He personally found it funny, how his predecessors had managed to produce these items in order to maintain their regal appearance while still be ready to battle instead of constantly wearing armor. Even the golden crown adorned with rubies resting on his brow had enchantments on it.


    It was likely a combination of the hard times of the past and the need to impress the people both inside and outside their court that had given birth to this kind of objects.


    It was said that the wealth of a king was proof of the prosperity of his country, and Nasir thought that was true, in a sense. The luxuries of a monarch were thanks to the work of his subjects, and the artifacts of power protecting him were the fruit of the talent of the practitioners of magic under his service.


    However, Nasir Aal Majid was not a man who delighted in obtaining riches just for the sake of accumulation. To simply spend money on pleasure and banal luxuries was a waste, in his opinion, and would do much better work being invested on the prosperity of the country. Even if some things were necessary to make a clear demarcation from others, and to show power in front of foreign diplomats.


    He also didn¡¯t like to wear such paraphernalia when meeting his family, but he had just returned from a war council about the incoming conflict against Feld-Ehia when the second of his three children had contacted him through the scrying mirror. And in such situations, it was necessary to wear this kind of garments. For the games of the court and show a strong front to the Nobles and Generals.


    So it was wearing this apparel that he first met the foreign youth that had done such great deeds in Lauhr. He guessed it was a good coincidence, as making a first impression was always important, even when meeting young people.


    And this child was certainly no ordinary person. If anything the King had heard was true, this was an alliance worth making. Many things about Ethan Bhreg were an unknown, but what little was known was enough to show he was a possible asset and someone worth bringing into his side. What had been mere curiosity before, had become a definite desire for alliance once that young man had displayed the capability to cast a massive curative spell with a thoroughly restorative effect over the entirety of Lauhr City.


    No country would stand still when presented the chance of recruiting such talent.


    As his second son handled the introductions, the King took a careful look at that individual who had appeared out of nowhere but had been in every report that he received during this past couple of days, each time performing more extraordinary feats.


    Just as Amir had said, the boy had quite a stature for the young age of fourteen years, standing at almost six feet tall. He had an athletic body that denoted a background as someone who received a good training regime. His clothes were simple but not common, that style of clothing was not one the King was familiar with; a simple short-sleeved shirt with some kind of artistic depiction of a stairway built by little black stakes, and short pants. Hardly what one would wear in the desert lands of inner Sahbadia and definitely not for the cold desert nights; perhaps only in the coastal regions would someone wear such clothes.


    The boy had fair skin, like the one so common in those that came from Feld-Ehia, far too pale to be from Rillosa, as they had a more predominant olive-skinned tone of skin. That was hardly a way to tell the origins of someone, though, as one¡¯s parents might move from their homeland to live in another country and such practice was far from rare. It was merely a point to consider given the hostile relationship between Feld-Ehia and Sahbadia, and Ethan Bhreg involvement in hindering the Strategos¡¯ planned attack on Lauhr.


    When Alexandra Polg¨¢r was involved, nothing was actually as it seemed initially. That woman was far too cunning and dangerous. Even if his instincts told him that this boy was not an enemy, it was necessary to consider that possibility nonetheless.


    The boy, too, was looking at the King from the moment he entered the room, he saw right away that the mirror was a scrying link and curiously looked at the person on the other side. Was he familiar with scrying? If his mysterious background involved a formation as a mage, that would explain the vast capacity displayed to cast such a massive magic spell.


    Upon listening to Amir revealing the identity of his interlocutor, Ethan Bhreg was surprised for a moment. Funny, it seemed the child was not informed that he would be speaking with him. Had they merely told him to come in?


    Interestingly enough, the King noticed that the tall boy was not scared or intimidated by his identity and presence, merely a bit surprised. Was it courage and strength of will, or was it resistance obtained through the use of a Skill? While Nasir could turn it on and off, [Regal Presence] was a Skill that automatically activated when he met anyone for the first time while acting in his capacity as a King, which he was doing right now.


    Something to do with making a ¡®majestic introduction¡¯, or so he imagined. It was a useful Skill in many ways, especially for meeting with diplomatic envoys. It could even be boosted if he added his own Aura into it.


    Yet, while seemingly surprised by the fact he was meeting the sovereign of this country, Ethan Bhreg was looking at him with composure and calmness. Seemingly unperturbed by what should have been an oppressive feeling exuded by a warrior king such as Nasir.


    That had¡­ interesting implications.


    The boy raised his right hand in a fist and cupped it with his left palm before bowing his head slightly. What an interesting salute; it was a greeting of respect, but not a bow of reverence nor a genuflect of servitude. It was in some ways similar to the courtesies from Seau, yet vastly different.


    Looking at Ethan¡¯s salute, Amir had an amused face, while behind the two of them his son¡¯s retinue was a mixture of disconcerted faces and anger that someone wasn¡¯t bowing deeper or outright kneeling in front of their monarch.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. My name is Ethan Bhreg, it is a great honor to meet you. Forgive my current appearance, I was not informed I would be meeting you.¡±


    The boy slightly inclined his head to the side near the end, glancing at Amir, who blatantly ignored the comment. It seemed there was some misunderstanding there. It was also amusing that he could talk so casually to a prince. Even if Amir was not someone who flaunted his title around, no one in the country would be too casual when talking to royalty.


    Even more interesting, this child was speaking in a strange language but his words were overwritten as if he was fluently speaking Sahbadia¡¯s language. A truly fascinating [Translation Spell], very strong too, usually there would be some delay in the translation and sloppier words would come out. Instead, he was speaking as fluently as a native.


    Nasir nodded his head in greeting and Ethan straightened his back while putting his hands down.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, young man. You were not called here to talk to me, it was mere coincidence that you arrived when I was speaking with Amir, so I took the chance to see you personally. I heard a lot about you.¡±


    Hearing his words, the boy made a strange face, a mixture of abashment and curiosity. It was as if he wasn¡¯t sure what to feel about the news of his deeds reaching the King.


    ¡°Were they good things?¡±


    Ah, what a funny kid, acting as if his actions were not outstanding. He was even talking in a more casual manner already. Ethan Bhreg was just as how Amir had described him. The King smiled amicably to the boy.


    ¡°Very good things. It seems you have helped Lauhr city in its hour of need twice, and directly saved the life of one of my Generals today. You have my gratitude. Is there any reward you may require for your services and deeds?¡±


    The boy blinked in surprise and slowly shook his head.


    ¡°Ehm¡­ no.¡±


    How simple of a response, so honest and without any flattery or flowery language. It was refreshing, in a way, to deal with such an honest and straightforward person.


    Yet some of Amir¡¯s retinue seemed to have other impressions at Ethan¡¯s casual response.


    ¡°Watch your tongue, you are speaking to the King.¡±


    Ah, Tek, always a righteous man strictly following the norms. He was also a very cautious man always looking for threats. His temperament was a double-edged sword, on one hand, it earned him the spite of those he faced, but it also helped protect Amir, even directing some animosity towards himself to shield the prince from it. A loyal man, and for that loyalty both Amir and Nasir rewarded him.


    Ethan turned his head slightly to glance at Tek with an annoyed look. Tek was scowling but Elif and Anwe were nodding their heads vigorously, agreeing with Tek but expressing it in a much friendlier manner, they wanted to remind Ethan to address the monarch in a more formal way. Nasir saw the boy¡¯s lips crook but he seemed to accept the advice as he turned back to the King.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty. I don¡¯t require recompense for my actions. I merely helped in the way I could.¡±


    ¡°They say that refusal of rewards makes one worthy of them. But I won¡¯t press the matter, just let it be clear that we owe you a favor, and that is not a minor thing.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your words.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even care about a King owing him a favor! Such blatant disregard of recompense. Was it simple ignorance that led him to be so nonchalant about it? Or was it a bluff to make a good impression to the King? Ethan should know at least the implications of having a powerful individual regarding him with a good impression and being indebted by honor to him, right?


    ¡°Well then, leaving that aside, there¡¯s something I would like to seek clarification with you, Ethan Bhreg.¡±


    The boy gave him an inquiring look, no doubt wondering what the King was going to ask him.


    Now Nasir consciously used his Skills. Using it through a scrying link would weaken its effects, but it would serve its purposes well enough. Amir, who was standing next to Ethan, tensed when he felt the oppressive force of the King¡¯s presence being unleashed, and the retinue on the back lowered their heads instantly. Anwe and Rufus, being more sensitive to this kind of energies, were trembling slightly. But none of them were the target of this Skill.


    And yet, said target was standing with a relaxed posture as before. The King wondered if it was some kind of defense, so he pushed further and saw something strange happening.


    When the King¡¯s Aura entered in contact with Ethan¡¯s body, it was not repelled or resisted. It was being absorbed.


    Like water going from a jar into a well, the oppressive aura was simply entering the young man and losing connection with its caster, producing no effect on Ethan. For a moment, however, Nasir could see a faint golden glimmer of the youth¡¯s eyes but it was as fleeting as a mirage.


    ¡°What would you like to ask me, Your Majesty?¡±


    The boy spoke without any change in his tone of voice. He was not mocking, not challenging nor offended. As if he had not noticed at all that the King had attempted to pressure him just a moment before. On another monarch, Nasir might have considered such nonchalant resistance to his Skills as a challenge or a diplomatic defeat, and taken the nonchalant disregard of the attempt as a slight to his Skills. But as it stood, Ethan Bhreg seemed to either genuinely ignore what had happened or he genuinely didn¡¯t care about it.


    Nasir was not sure what was better and what was worse. Still, he kept his composure and replied with a neutral tone as he withdrew his Aura.


    ¡°I would seek clarification on a couple of things. I have been told that your origins are unknown, and while that is your own personal matters, I would at least like to discard the possibility that you were an enemy. So my first question is this: are you from Feld-Ehia or have any association with anyone from that country?¡±


    ¡°No. On both accounts.¡±


    Ethan¡¯s reply was confident and to the point, without any hesitation or flowery words. He left no space for ambiguity in his words.


    Good.


    ¡°Are you allied with anyone hostile to Sahbadia or do you hold hostile intentions to our country?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The boy replied immediately and gave the King a little mirthless smile. He had probably not been expecting an interrogation, but at least was not offended about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I wanted to clarify, Ethan. Your origins are your private matters, so long as you are not our enemy, I welcome you with open arms to my kingdom. I have one final question, although it is actually an offer. Would you work with us and use your talent as a healer under the service of the Royal Family? I¡¯m sure that you understand how valuable a skilled healer like you is for any nation, so you would be generously paid for your services.¡±


    This time, the boy hesitated, considering the offer and weighing his options. For a few heartbeats, he was silent and still. Then he shook his head.


    ¡°I appreciate the offer, Your Majesty. But I can¡¯t work for you, I have my own matters to attend.¡±


    Slowly, the King nodded. This young man was worth keeping an eye on, even if he had refused to work for his country.


    For now.


    ¡°Will you be staying in Lauhr? There¡¯s plenty of work there for Hunters and they routinely get wounded during their expeditions, so a healer can obtain good money there. Though I would advise you to travel to one of the big cities, where big business can be found, though the competition is fiercer too.¡±


    The young man mulled over the King¡¯s words with a serious expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be working as a healer, actually. My journey¡¯s path is still undetermined, but I would like to travel and see more cities. Although to be honest I don¡¯t really know the customs here or if I need permission or identification to enter the cities.¡±


    Hearing that, the King almost grinned. There was something he could do about that and while it would not make Ethan enter into his service, it would chase away some obstacles and possible competitors.


    ¡°I can help you with that. An identification paper and royal permit can be handled by Amir. With his seal and signature, you will be able to enter any city within my domains, and also will be protected from most trouble.¡±


    The King moved his gaze to his second son and saw the prince carefully analyzing his words, trying to unveil his intent. Amir was quick on the uptake and understanding dawned on his face quickly before he mastered his expression into a neutral mask.


    ¡°Of course, father. I will take care of it immediately.¡±


    Amir nodded and turned towards his dumbfounded retinue. They were surely surprised about it, wondering if the boy was worth doing such a thing. They had seen his deeds, but the King was planning ahead to what the boy could grow up to be. It was a meager effort to prevent Ethan Bhreg from going into the enemy¡¯s side. Whether it was worth the effort would be determined in the future, but at least for now it was very little trouble to grant the boy a letter of introduction and with a letter stating that his identity was clear of suspicions, guaranteed by the Royal Family.


    There were troublesome times ahead, and foreigners would be scrutinized when the war against Feld-Ehia kicked off in full, after all. This would surely prevent much trouble for the young man.


    The boy seemed a bit surprised.


    ¡°Is that okay, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Of course, This is but a trifle thing, not even close to saving the life of a General. You won¡¯t be under my service, so it won¡¯t give you benefits like housing and monetary aid, but with an introduction letter, you will be exempt from unnecessary trouble and excessive inspections in any city you visit. We are not a country hostile to foreigners, but I¡¯m sure you can imagine that we are on the brink of war. Once hostilities start in full, tensions will rise in the population, and suspicions will be cast on foreigners, especially those with an unknown background. So it will benefit you to have the word of the Royal Family as the guarantee of your good name.¡±


    Not to mention it would prevent local authorities from antagonizing Ethan when trying to assert his background, it would also prevent Nobles and Guilds from swooping up Ethan into their fold. Even if carrying a Royal Permit and introduction letter would signal him as an important person, it would prevent trouble to some degree and make evident that the Royal Family was interested in him, thus chasing away offers of joining other groups.


    Even if he hadn¡¯t actually entered the service of the Royal House, he would at least not enter long-term service into any other Noble Household.


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to thank, this is a simple thing and will save us all from future trouble. And like I said, this can hardly be compared to helping a city and saving a General. If you ever decide on a reward, contact us and it will be delivered.¡±


    The King nodded to his son and the prince directed Elif to write the documents on scrolls where he would place his personal seal. Amir had listened to his father words so he had a good idea of what the King intended. Nasir returned his gaze to Ethan and gave him a slight smile.


    ¡°I think, your sojourn in Sahbadia will be a very productive one.¡±


    <hr>


    Ethan wasn¡¯t sure what to think of the King of Sahbadia.


    After Ethan informed the Prince that he was going to leave soon, Amir had asked if he could meet Ethan¡¯s Master. Ethan had refused, of course, arguing that his teacher didn¡¯t want to meet anyone in the city and was why he hadn¡¯t already appeared in front of anyone here. Amir looked very suspicious and curious but hadn¡¯t pressed the issue.


    After one last invitation to go visit the palace if he ever went to the capital, the King and Prince had let Ethan leave the room and continued their own private conversation.


    As he walked out of Amir¡¯s room with three scrolls on his hands, Ethan was certain that the King was planning something. What that was, he wasn¡¯t sure. But it was obvious that the monarch wanted something and these scrolls, however useful, were still beneficial to whatever the King was scheming. Perhaps he wanted to hire Ethan as a healer, but Ethan wasn¡¯t even sure if he could use that restorative light again.


    However, the King didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. After all, even if he was aiming for something, he didn¡¯t do anything to harm Ethan, and the scrolls would indeed save Ethan a lot of trouble.


    ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s how politicians are. They can be nice people, but they are still scheming bastards when it comes to matters like this.¡±


    Ethan spoke to himself as he walked the silent hallways. The bustle from the day was over and few guards were around, though he still met a few patrolling the place. He moved the three scrolls into his Spatial Ring and strolled around until he found what he thought was a secluded part of the City Hall.


    As he walked, Ethan pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, turned a corner into an empty hallway and broke the paper. It caught fire immediately, vanishing without a trace. And with it, Ethan disappeared too.


    <hr>


    A few moments later, a silent shadow slithered along the ceiling at high speed until the end of the hallway, went back and forth exploring the nearby corridors, then returned and slithered down to the ground.


    Hidden in the shadows, Samir, the [Scout] under direct service of Prince Amir of Sahbadia, had a befuddled expression.


    ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    Having lost the target that he was supposed to track and observe, the Scout went back to report to his liege as his mind raced with possible explanations for how the boy had eluded him.


    That boy was definitely not an ordinary person.

 Interlude: F茅th F铆ada

    The Realm of the Fae, one of the most ancient planes of existence, said to have emerged from the earliest stages of the Cosmos in its origins countless eons ago.


    Flying in the skies of this realm, between the iridescent clouds of magic and wonder that dressed the celestial vault of this region in vivid and exotic hues, a sepia-colored sparrow with sharp wings ending on puce-colored feathers soared at the speed of wrathful squalls. A short streak of blue adorned its head and reached the center of its back, its eyes were sharp and focused, too intelligent to be a mere animal.


    Riding illusive winds at breakneck speed, each flapping of its wings took the sparrow over ever-shifting lands. And despite its rushed flight and grim purpose, the alacritous bird couldn¡¯t help but take a few glances at the beauty unfolding beneath it.


    From time immemorial, this realm had been a place of wonder for all the Races of the Cosmos, tales about it abounded and were told as legends and myths on many worlds. Tales of its inhabitants filled the dreams and nightmares of the myriad races under the Heavens.


    Within this realm, there existed a very important location: The Unseelie Fence.


    A boundary between realms, a wall separating worlds either born from Nature¡¯s wisdom or built by creature¡¯s intelligence. It stood, powerful and eerie, mysterious and ancient. That was the destination of this lissome sparrow as it flew carrying out a daring quest.


    The Fence was a pivotal location for its function of preventing unwanted incursions of people into the Fae Realm, at the same time preventing the energies of this realm from seeping into other worlds, as very few organisms were prepared to handle the mystifying qualities of this plane.


    The very air of this realm could intoxicate lesser creatures, both in ecstatic pleasure and horrifying terror. Most living things would be outlandishly mutated and mortal minds would be driven to insanity, intoxicated in nightmarish pleasure if they were to contact these energies unprotected. The waters of the Fae Realm could grant youth and erase disease, but they could also bring madness and death. A fruit from its trees could erase hunger for a hundred years, or cause a long life of writhing pain. Lesser creatures who managed to wander into the confines of this outlandish realm, often found themselves staying forever.


    But not necessarily by choice, nor in happiness.


    Following the deadly verdant regions of the Lost Woods, beyond the vast multicolored prairies roamed by packs of oneiric beasts and flanked by trees bearing fruits of fantastic flavors and ethereal attributes, many rivers and streams of the Fae Realm converged into one major river, whose body of water turned more silver-like as it neared the Argentous Sea.


    The perilous waters of this sea of churning silver were inhabited by creatures better kept in its depths for the sake of everyone else. Even among the Fae, few were daring enough to brave those waters, even fewer were capable of hunting the monstrous beasts that dwelled there.


    However, any who succeeded would inevitably gain great power, so there were always madmen scheming to attempt the perilous journey. Most never returned.


    Reaching the horizon, the distant blurred line where the sea met the sky, stood the Unseelie Fence.


    The Fence was a gargantuan wall of silver-and-grey fog rising from the end of the silver sea up towards the highest sky and extending countless miles on each direction, letting only slight glimpses of darkness be revealed beyond it. A bizarre spectacle, this important location. Even space twisted and blurred, and time seemed to flow differently when close to this place.


    Towards it the daring sparrow flew, struggling to keep down the fear within its soul as it approached a specific part at the base of the wall of fog. But it was not the Fence or its properties that terrified it, neither were the powerful monsters this far from the coast what had its feathers trembling. It was The Manthat awaited next to the Fence what frightened it and made it internally curse at its ruler and its own Fate for sending the sparrow to this perilous mission.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to find the exact location, after all, the sparrow only needed to notice the absurd absence of any beast in the miles around Him. Even the maddened beasts from the Argentous Sea had escaped in terror to avoid being anywhere near there. Or perhaps, they had already been hunted and devoured. If the tales were to be believed, He was an avid hunter and rejoiced in eating rare monsters and feasted on powerful beasts from all realms of existence.


    The sparrow could sympathize with the beasts that had swum away; it too would rather be anywhere else than near the Monster among Monsters standing at the base of the wall, floating over the end of the waters in an area of dreadful quietude.


    The sparrow, whose name was Fionn, landed far behind Him. Keeping a respectful distance both to observe the proper courtesies and because That Man terrified him to the core.


    Fionn transformed, turning from a sparrow into a tall and slim humanoid figure. Short but elegant antlers extended from his forehead, adorned with a multitude of arcane symbols. He had sharp ears and sharper face with a small nose and thin lips. Long sepia-colored hair with a streak of electric blue in the middle, his skin was soft yellow-brown like the wooden core of trees in mortal worlds, his eyes were elongated horizontally and consisted of soft blue sclera and amber irises. Fionn wore close-fitting clothes of puce and grey color, with thin but powerful dragonfly-like wings folded behind him. The complement of his attire was a pearly white longbow carried on his back, it was one of Fionn''s most useful artifacts and perhaps the most powerful of his weapons. It was also, he suspected, part of the reason why he had been sent here instead of a team or perhaps a more prestigious member from the Courts.


    Fionn was a Fae, one of the natives of this realm. He was ancient and powerful, sent here at the behest of his new Queen to greet this most unfathomable Deity, and in a very cautious and extremely courteous manner inquire about His purpose here. This must be done with the utmost caution, for even if the Fae were ancient and mighty they were akin to dust in front of such colossus.


    They could not offend this Powerhouse. Probably no one could afford that in the current Cosmos.


    Fionn was, at the moment, in the Eighth Stage. But he might as well be an ant, and not even a particularly strong one, in front of this Exalted Being.


    So there he knelt, in terror and awe, barely daring to risk a glance at the back of such existence. The figure standing there was an Avatar, not the real self, yet even such fragment was vastly powerful and marvelous enough to entice a Fae trying to behold the truth in that embodiment of Divinity.


    Oh,He was a grandiose being, truth be told and praise be given when it¡¯s due. Beautiful as only the most exalted lives could be, in ways that could not be perceived by mortal eyes nor understood by lesser creatures, but that to the Fae¡¯s senses shone with the allure and magnificence of the dawn of a new world, the distant splendor of ancestral starry heavens, and the inexorable might of the doom of all existence.


    How marvelous and formidable, terrifying to an unspeakable degree, but never repulsive.


    Powerful beyond measure, unfathomable in ways that flabbergasted even the Gods. But also exceedingly terrible, for abysmal terrors lay within that human-like frame, horrors that humbled even the Ancestral Demons and crushed them to extermination in such ways that the mere utterance of the tale made anyone under the Heavens act bashful.


    Chaos given shape, in all its awe-inspiring wonder and terror-inducing limitlessness. Ever-changing, always advancing in an implacable and unstoppable flood that could cover and break all creation. Even if this Avatar was resembling the ways of a Phoenix, the true essence of His real self could not be denied.


    A Sovereign, unique in living memory, but not the first according to the Forgotten Memories. The Fae held many secrets, and among the upper echelons of their society, there were those with knowledge and wisdom more ancient than the stars. Even if they did not actually remember, they noticed the absence. And they had records of things forgotten by all.


    Fionn knew that there had been at least Another, a Sovereign of Gods that ruled All Heavens and Myriad Worlds from an eternity in the past up until barely a few days ago when its very existence had been erased from the entirety of the Cosmos.


    Now no one knew its name, age, deeds or appearance, only that it had existed, due to the absence of such major figure being so glaring. And it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that the one responsible for this was the Monster standing in easy-going serenity in front of the Unseelie Fence.


    Fionn knelt behind the Powerhouse that might as well be considered the new Overlord of all the Cosmos and nervously waited for his presence to be acknowledged. Fionn may have been sent there to inquire the purpose of this Deity, but that didn¡¯t mean he would simply come and directly say it without being given permission to speak first, he was not an idiot and was not suicidal.


    So he stayed kneeling and did not dare to speak first.


    But he could watch, so Fionn entertained himself by trying to figure out what the Conqueror of the Heavens was doing there.


    The first thing Fionn noticed, was that this Avatar was wearing a garment made from exquisite materials comparable to those wore by the Royalty of the Fairies. Robes from Phoenix feathers woven with threads of the flares of Summer and adorned with Orichalcum, covering an extremely cold-attuned tunic that Fionn thought could be a shard of Night itself. Balance maintained even by such stark contrast of opposites within one frame, just like the legends told.


    Of course, such attire was to be expected from an entity of such high station.


    Fionn watched as Navin Lakar raised His hand and pointed a finger to the Unseelie Fence. For a moment, Fionn thought that the whole realm inclined towards this place; to his senses, it was as if the entirety of the stars were extending flaring tendrils of astral light and converging in the finger of the Sovereign.


    The gigantic wall of fog pulsed for a few seconds and a ripple of Divine Power coursed through it, reaching the unknown extensions of The Fence. It was, for lack of a better world, refined. Strengthened and purified in a way Fionn hadn¡¯t even known was possible.


    Had there been an imperfection in the Unseelie Fence? Was that why this Heavenly Lord had appeared here?


    ¡°Fionn Makhail, the Alpenglow Hunter from the Boann Forest. I remember you. It¡¯s been a while since we last met, about twenty thousand years? Stand, please.¡±


    The Divinity spoke almost absentmindedly, without deigning to turn His head, apparently checking on the wall of pure silver fog. Yet Fionn had no doubt that He was watching him. The entirety of the area around them was likely already under the piercing perception of His Divine Sense.


    Fionn almost flinched when being addressed and recognized by name, yet he restrained his temblor and spoke up an answer. Fionn suspected that the reason he was sent here was that he had met Navin Lakar in the past and had come back without any issue. In fact, the longbow at his back, Deimne, was an artifact created by this Immortal Cultivator and given to Fionn during their first meeting about a hundred thousand years ago.


    That might be seen by others as a sign of goodwill or that the Conqueror of the Abyssal Planes was a genial man, but Fionn had been given this simply as a whim, because Fionn¡¯s previous bow had been broken in a battle that could very loosely be considered as being on the same side as Him.


    While it was true that Navin Lakar never attacked unprovoked and was indeed an honorable man, that did not make him less terrifying for anyone who had witnessed His fury.


    This applied for anyone under the Ninth Stage that met a Divinity, actually. Since one had to be very cautious lest the wrath of a God was incurred.


    ¡°Sovereign of Chaos. It is a grand honor to be remembered by such esteemed Heavenly Lord.¡±


    The Hunter stood up and bowed with an elegant flourish showing proper courtesies to the Powerhouse. His discontentment would mean Fionn¡¯s doom, after all. The Fae had personally seen this monstrously powerful entity in action before, wreaking havoc on worlds as if they were made of fragile glass, slaughtering Gods and Ancestral Beasts as if they were little sheep.


    Fionn would not make the damning mistake of offending such a formidable creature.


    They stood there in silence for a couple of minutes until the Sovereign of Chaos seemed to be satisfied with His observation and finally deigned to look at Fionn.


    ¡°If you have questions, feel free to ask them.¡±


    His sapphire-like blue eyes pierced through Fionn and scrutinized him, reading him like an open book. The hunter bowed again and resigned to his fate, it was impossible to dodge this.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°May I inquire the motive of your visit to our realm?¡±


    Fionn half-expected the Deity to take offense due to someone of lower status asking for His intentions. It wouldn¡¯t be the first case of a Powerhouse doing such a thing, as they usually gave no explanations for their actions and only answered to other entities of similar might. Even Fionn and other Fae of the Eighth Stage wouldn¡¯t be questioned by those lower than Seventh Stage, as there existed a huge difference in their statuses and power.


    But the being in front of Fionn right now was someone of the legendary Eleventh Stage. The dimensional gap between them was so ridiculously vast that it was simply incommensurable.


    Yet He simply smiled signaled with a thumb to the fog behind.


    ¡°The Unseelie Fence was damaged, I simply repaired it. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Simple words, but with deep implications. Damaging the Fence should be impossible. But there were multiple worlds suffering damage right now after the conclusion of the Divine War.


    ¡°None of us had noticed anything was wrong with it, Sovereign.¡±


    The thought hadn¡¯t even crossed their minds. The Fence was one of the most ancient features of the Fae Realm. The notion that it could be broken was unthinkable for them.


    But we are living in an Era of unthinkable things, aren¡¯t we?


    Fionn thought wryly about the past two centuries with the sealed Divine Realm, and now the events of the past week, multiple worlds being affected by destruction, and the current Fairy Queen¡¯s confirmation that the previous Royals were indeed dead.


    The entire Cosmos was being shaken, and the main responsible for this was standing right in front of him. The greatest God Slayer of all times showed a slight smile and chuckled. Fionn hurriedly changed his avenue of thought. When dealing with such powerful entities one could never be sure that one''s thoughts weren¡¯t being read.


    The Revolutionary shook his head and lightly tapped the silver fog as he replied.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have noticed unless you sent someone specifically to investigate it or until it was too late to do anything. But it''s alright now, there''s no risk anymore.¡±


    Fionn knew that they wouldn¡¯t have sent any Fae to investigate, because nobody would ever think that the Unseelie Fence would break or that it could be damaged at all. The consequences would have been catastrophic and unforeseeable.


    ¡°Thank you for your assistance in this matter. I will inform my Queen of this event. It¡¯s truly a blessing that you repaired the damage promptly.¡±


    Fionn replied with solemnity, he couldn¡¯t imagine the magnitude of the damage if the Fence had actually broken. It was strange, to feel gratitude towards the Sovereign of Chaos. Navin Lakar hadn¡¯t interacted much with the Fairies, so most of the realm had previously regarded Him in a neutral manner, although the previous Fae King liked to wage bets against Him ¨Cand famously always lost¨C so there was a bit of animosity from the Fae Realm to him.


    The few times the Fae had antagonized Him, they had paid a harsh price for it, but at other times they had also benefitted, though most of the time they didn¡¯t get involved in each other¡¯s matters.


    Many of the Fae were mourning the death of the previous Royals, and Fionn knew that many blamed Navin Lakar for it. Even if they also rejoiced in the newfound freedom of the Paths of Nature and the revitalized waves of energy that were being felt in the realm.


    What would be the new state of the Cosmos now that He sat in the Throne of Heaven? What will He do now that He had dominion over all the worlds and races within His reach?


    Fionn was driven out of his thoughts by the words of the current Ruler of the Cosmos.


    ¡°It was the logical thing to do, the Fence could not be allowed to break, after all. I will simply continue walking my own way now. But before I go, you mentioned a Queen. Did the Courts elect a new ruler or has one risen to claim the Fair Crown already? Who guides the Fae now that King Neimeth and Queen Dannuan have entered reincarnation?¡±


    Now that all the Fae with power of Ninth Stage and above were gone, they were in a state of unprecedented weakness. The Crown of the Faeries had been obtained barely a few decades ago by their anointed Queen. Her claim of the throne was still unstable.


    ¡°Our current Queen is Brigith of Radiant Splendor, who you might know as the Daughter of Morning. She earned the throne by passing the ancient trials, but only in recent years received the Fair Crown, upon the confirmed passing of those who went to war in the Divine Realm.¡±


    The Immortal recognized the name, and seemingly found her worthy of the title of Ruler of the Fae. He showed a smile and nodded.


    ¡°The Thrice Virtuous. Powerful, talented and genial. Yes, I know her. It seems appropriate for the young Princess of Dawn to be the one to guide the Fae Realm to prosperity in this dawning new era. Very well, inform Her Majesty Queen Brigith that I will visit the Hawthorn Hill when circumstances allow and congratulate her for her coronation personally.¡±


    When the Sovereign addressed her as Queen of the Fae, there was a force behind the words, as if by being spoken out loud it had been made more real. Like a Decree of the Heavens.


    He made a gesture with His right hand and conjured a sealed wooden box adorned with a golden array of runes that shone softly. He presented it to Fionn.


    ¡°Bring this to your Queen, as a gift to congratulate her. Let it be known that I acknowledge her position as the legitimate ruler of your kind.¡±


    Fionn shook upon hearing the words. The new Queen would be delighted when she learned of this. A gift and a simple word of acknowledgment by this Powerhouse would be enough to stabilize her rule. It was far more than what she had sent him here for.


    Fionn took the box and bowed with a flourish as he put the gift within his soul storage, recognizing the implied dismissal. It would be better to hurry out of this region while the Sovereign¡¯s presence was still keeping the creatures of the Argentous Sea away.


    Who knew where He would go next, but it was obvious that such Powerhouse could simply teleport disregarding the boundaries of dimensions.


    ¡°I will convey your auspicious words, Sovereign. By your leave, I shall return to my Queen now.¡±


    A final nod, and permission was explicitly given. Fionn wasted no time in extending his wings to jump towards the skies. The Sovereign of Chaos might have been serene and polite, even helpful on bringing stability to the realm, but that didn¡¯t make being in His presence any less overwhelming and terrifying to Fionn.


    And yet, as he was about to get out of there, he was stopped by the almost absentminded musings of the Sovereign.


    ¡°I assume those two didn¡¯t come with you, then?¡±


    What?


    Fionn was alone, as far as he knew. But the Sovereign was looking meaningfully towards a bit of seemingly empty space a few dozen meters to Fionn''s right, and the Hunter was experienced enough to know that such entities did not bluff nor speak meaninglessly.


    Sure enough, there was a ripple of power coming from that spot. Glamour and a strong array had been woven to conceal two strong presences that were now revealing themselves due to having been discovered.


    A female of silky black hair, with sharp short antlers on her forehead and dark grey skin. Her eyes had grey sclera, so dark it was almost black, and fiery red pupils. Her dress was made from cumulonimbus and plates of polished deep sea stones. In her right hand, she was wielding a barbed spear made from the bones of a Sea Dragon.


    A male with a mane of scarlet hair, his skin was pale as a cloud, and the antlers on his forehead twisted to the sides. His eyes had soft blue sclera and deep green pupils. He wore an armor resembling a volcano, black as coal but adorned with lines that pulsed with scorching power as if they had magma underneath. From his belt hung an unsheathed sabre of sculpted blue stone with a wickedly sharp edge.


    Fionn recognized them both.


    Ciara of the Dark Tempest, Jarlath of the Searing Edge.


    Two Fae of the Eight Stage, just like Fionn. Members of a different faction, they were among the ones who opposed the current Fae Queen.


    What are those two doing here?


    Fionn had deep distrust towards them. Were they here to attempt to sway the Sovereign in supporting one of them as ruler of the Fae? Well, too late. He had already spoken, and a Powerhouse like Him would not go back on His word.


    Not easily, anyway. But Fionn really doubted that those two could make Navin Lakar retract His gift. Say what you will about the terrors He might bring and the epic destruction caused during His battles, but the Lord of Unfathomable Mysteries had never gone back on His word.


    Well, if they offended Navin Lakar, it would mean there would be two dangerous elements less for the Queen to worry about. Fionn had no doubt that if He so wished, those two would be turned to less than ashes in an instant. Even in His wounded state.


    A worm was still no match for a mountain, even if the mountain had a gigantic hole in the middle. Any stray rock could crush any arrogant and stupid worm who didn¡¯t know its place.


    Perhaps Fionn should at least make sure that the Sovereign of Chaos knew that these two idiots were not part of the Queen¡¯s faction. Just to be on the safe side.


    ¡°We bow before the Divine Sovereign.¡±


    The two newcomers bowed in a display of elegance and submission.


    His serene face showed no change, but Fionn noticed that Navin Lakar¡¯s eyes showed a bit of displeasure, no, was that melancholy? The thoughts of such elevated existence evaded the Fairy Hunter as the Sovereign simply tilted His head inviting the newcomer ¨Cand, Fionn suspected, increasingly unwelcome¨C Fae to state their purpose.


    They took the cue, quickly taking three steps forwards and kneeling over the silver waters. They presented their weapons before speaking.


    ¡°We wish to enter your service, Cosmic Sovereign.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The reply was quick and cold. He rejected them without the slightest hesitation or consideration. They flinched slightly, but grit their teeth and carried on with their plea. Ciara was the first to speak.


    ¡°Lord, you will require powerful assistants in this new Era. With your support, we can unify the Fae and bring a new future to our Species. You have returned from the war and might need time to recuperate, we can supply your needs and assist you in your purpose while you recover in peace.¡±


    ¡°I already have enough vassals, and my Disciples can fulfill my purpose. My answer remains unchanged. Return, we have nothing else to discuss and my time in the Fae Realm has come to an end.¡±


    The Cultivator replied unhurriedly and with a calm voice. They tried to tell him more about what they could do or how they would even gather followers from other races, but the Sovereign was unmoved by their enticements.


    Stupid idiots, do they think they can sway a Divinity so easily?


    Fionn watched them with disdain and thought that he had seen enough. With a final bow towards Navin Lakar, the Hunter of Alpenglow turned around and took flight.


    The flight of the Fae was not a physical one, and neither were they bound by the limits of normal creatures. Their wings were constructs to call on Ether and ride the wind and space. Fionn took flight with a graceful step and rose a couple of meters in the air when the pair of damned idiots spoke again.


    ¡°We know about your new Disciples!¡±


    Ciara¡¯s crazed words were the last thing Fionn heard before an overwhelming pressure crushed everything in a hundred miles around.


    That stupid bitch!


    Fionn cursed internally as he crashed into the now perfectly still silver waters as the real attention of the Sovereign of Chaos focused on this area. The sheer weight of His presence was suffocating as the gaze of a being at the pinnacle of godhood stared at them from beyond the boundaries of space.


    The sea had turned solid as a block of steel. There was a sudden absence of energy to call upon in the area, all movement stopped so any flight was impossible. Fionn managed to land on his feet but stumbled, his thoughts were growing numb, his senses dulled and even his Spiritual Sense retracted completely as the flow of Ether within his body threatened to come to an abrupt halt.


    The Hunter struggled to raise his head and saw the face of the Sovereign deprived of all emotion, His gaze was an abyss of cold merciless fury.


    ¡°Choose your next words very carefully.¡±


    He spoke with a measured tone, but behind that serenity was a promise of utter destruction.


    The overwhelming sensation of asphyxia receded, and Fionn managed to see the two fools sharply take gasps of breath. How much worse must it have been for them that were the focus of His attention?


    ¡°There was a prophecy resonating across the myriad realms in recent days. ''A new era is dawning on the Cosmos, freedom and strife, destruction and change. Chaos reigns supreme but His rule is waning. The wounded Sovereign raises two Heralds for the coming age, two new stars born from Chaos in the worlds below to support their Seniors in the worlds above. He enters the crucible of Transcendence and challenges the unknown''. Those were the words spoken by the Prophetess and all other Diviners, I swear by Morning Dew and Evening Mist, by Nature¡¯s bounty and the Tempestuous Winds!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth Sovereign. It is known. The words are spreading. All who possess the gift of prediction in the Higher Worlds had the same revelation. When pressed to speak more about this matter, they only said that ''there was only nothingness beyond that point'' so they could not see anything else. Very few have access to this information now, but it won¡¯t take long for it to spread. This is true, I swear by Olden Flames and Future Sparks.¡±


    Jarlath spoke hurriedly to back his partner, both making oaths of being speaking the truth. Those were ancient words, and oaths made by Fae were not broken without terrible consequences.


    Fionn hadn¡¯t heard of this matter before, it was very shocking. All high-level Oracles and Seers, those capable of the Gift of Divination in the Higher Worlds, having the same vision? It would be a very sensitive matter, especially in these troubled times and because of who the Prophecy was talking about.


    ¡°We can assist you, Sovereign! We can fight for you; help you shelter your new Disciples from your enemies. Fae can travel between realms easier than other races too, we can serve as informants and warriors, please, give us a chance.¡±


    Ciara fervently spoke and her comrade nodded with madness in his eyes. They offered services to Him, they were betting that He would emerge victorious, so they sought to receive His favor by joining His cause early.


    A seemingly cunning attempt, but futile. Those who would join Him had long done so, that''s why the Seven Aspects of Chaos existed already. The Sovereign was not without vassals and an army of his own.


    ¡°We can send our sprites to many worlds, and the two of us aren¡¯t the only ones, there are others in our faction willing to follow you. You can focus on recovering and we can serve as watchers and protectors of your new Disciples. We can assure their safety and inform you of any approaching danger. Please, Sovereign. Our assistance will prove valuable. We know that no prophecy is absolute and Fate can change, but you can find use in us.¡±


    Jarlath tried to point out more benefits of their service, and Fionn was surprised that there were actually more Fae in their faction willing to serve Navin Lakar. Then again, many Fae were adventurous in nature, so for these two this kind of bet must have been too enticing to not dare make it.


    But the Powerhouse remained impassible.


    The three Fae watched the face of the Sovereign devoid of any emotion, but there was a flash of frightening light in His eyes; it felt like worlds collapsing and civilizations ending, like the abyssal darkness beyond worlds torn apart.


    Then he grinned, a sharp and vicious smile that made them shiver as they felt the cold murderous intent sweeping the area.


    ¡°The answer is still ¡®No¡¯. Oblivion awaits anyone foolish enough to try to harm my Disciples. Let them come and try if they dare.¡±


    And just like that, He was gone. As if He had never even been there, traversing dimensions in a silent manner.


    The three Fae stood in stunned silence for a few seconds, until Fionn remembered his mission and who the two near him were. So he took flight at top speed and hurried back towards the Capital of the Fairies before Ciara and Jarlath could get out of their disappointment that their ambitious bet had not been successful.


    Fionn felt the two scream behind him, but he was not a fool, so he didn''t even turn his head or slow down. Fionn accelerated even as the two idiots started to chase after him. It didn¡¯t matter, he was faster than them and had gotten a few seconds of advantage, that was enough to be out of their range for now.


    He wouldn¡¯t stop no matter what, and once they were in the mainland there would be too many witnesses for them to attempt to silence him. Fae possessed a vast number of Eighth Stage beings among them, after all. It was a consequence of being an immortal race by their inborn nature.


    Fionn flew with renewed purpose over the land of the Fae, among iridescent clouds of magic and wonder that dressed the celestial vault of this region in vivid and exotic hues, the sparrow flew riding the illusive winds at breakneck speed, once more in rushed flight he made the perilous journey.


    Part of him wondered how many Seers would die for stupidly revealing a prophecy about the Sovereign of Chaos without first informing Him. Really, one would think that being clairvoyants, they would seeit coming or know the consequences of such daring action.


    Especially since they were talking about someone who rose to prominence by defying Fate and Gods while still being a low-stage Cultivator. Did they really expect his wounds to prevent him from crushing all in his way?


    Well, that was not Fionn''s concern. For now, he focused on dodging attacks coming from his back as he hurried forwards.


    He had urgent news and a gift for his Queen, after all.

 Interlude: Familia

    Within a secluded realm without physical boundaries or horizon, standing proud between a sky of crystal clear liquid and a ground made from a sea of violet clouds, floated the treasured palace of Alekya.


    Mighty and mysterious, it had been the subject of many speculations for hundreds of thousands of years by many groups across the Cosmos. Built by the hands of a young Powerhouse who would rise to the top of all known existence.


    This entire realm was a Masterpiece, and the full extension of its properties and capabilities was only known by its creator.


    Navin Lakar¡¯s home, the home of his creations, the Krustali who served as his assistants and keepers of this realm, working in the different structures of the palace complex, and also the home of his family, the two disciples he had received only when he had reached the point of contesting for the pinnacle of the Heavens.


    Inside the central palace, in a room on the first floor, two fellow Disciples, brother and sister not by blood but by upbringing, were watching different things.


    Their Master had left the room saying he needed to confirm something in the Observatory, so they stayed in the room waiting for him.


    The eldest disciple Arian Rohinel, wearing a black close-fitting shirt, violet satin pants, and black polished shoes; a silver necklace and a black ring were the only accessories visible. He sat on a wooden chair while watching the model of the chaotic Cosmos that his father had made. He sat down straddling the chair, his arms folded across the back of the chair as he intently stared at the representation of the current state of the Cosmos. Floating around him, multiple runes were forming, changing and breaking in ceaseless patterns as vortexes of energy covered his eyes.


    The second disciple, Adeline Ragnild, wearing a sleeveless white vest and a multicolored skirt, was watching her brother while lying on her belly on a couch and supporting her chin with her hands as she softly hummed a song.


    Arian was taking this opportunity to study the state of the Cosmos via the model that their father had created and, perhaps more importantly, learn more about the current state of their Master, since he hadn¡¯t been much open about it.


    Adeline was waiting patiently for him to finish, while thinking about the things they would need to do in these chaotic times. If she was honest to herself, she was excited about the battles to come. It would no longer be half-measures and peace-talking, now there would be war and the top dogs of the current Cosmos would vie for supremacy trying to be the rulers and guiding forces of the dawning new era.


    And Adeline¡¯s family would crush them all.


    A smile extended on her lips as she noticed the radiance on her brother¡¯s eyes diminished and he closed his eyes. She gave him a moment to catch his breath. The moment he straightened his back, she stood up with a swift and graceful motion like a hunting cat and strode towards him like an autumn leaf dancing in the wind.


    Adeline stood behind Arian and wrapped her arms over his neck and shoulders, hands dropping in front of his chest. One of her hands touched the silver necklace hanging there, it was a gift from Selene, the Goddess of the Moons, a memory from their time together.


    Selene, who had hundreds of different names and possessed influence across almost the entirety of the Cosmos, was a Major Goddess, a being of the Tenth Stage much older than their Master, Adeline called her ¡®Auntie¡¯ since the Goddess had sworn eternal friendship and kinship with Adeline¡¯s father.


    Yet that woman had also had casual flings with Arian, instead of looking for a partner of her own age and position. But it was their own decision, so Adeline didn¡¯t bother making a ruckus about it. So long as Selene¡¯s feelings were genuine or at least never harmed Arian, Adeline could tolerate her.


    Of course, this was a thing of the past now.


    Only their father had returned from the war in the Divine Realm, so Selene, Mahesh, Maya, Ela, Sefer, Varima, Anahita and so many others were all dead.


    Uncles and aunts for Arian and Adeline, figures to admire and respect, great Powerhouses who commanded reverence, fear, and awe across all universes. Brothers and sisters to Navin Lakar, people who he could call true friends, loyal companions in the middle of a Cosmos that had mostly antagonized him on his way to Ascension.


    All of the Divinities and Powerhouses, the thousands of entities of Ninth Stage and the few hundred that were of Tenth Stage, including barely a dozen or so who were half-step into the Eleventh Stage.


    They were all gone.


    Adeline herself had lost some friends of the Ninth Stage, and the death of her father¡¯s friends also pained her, since she had grown looking at them as extended members of her family. She did not grieve them yet, she had known that this would happen and they had all chosen this path. To mourn for them would be a dishonor, they had achieved their objective, and thanks to Uncle Mahesh¡¯s sacrifice they would all reincarnate eventually, perhaps even recover their memories.


    Adeline would make sure that when they opened their eyes again, they did it on a new and free Cosmos. That was the only thing she could do for them. There would be time for properly mourn them when the Cataclysm issue was solved and the Cosmos stabilized completely.


    Noticing she had been silently handling the necklace for more than a few seconds, Adeline let it go and leaned forward, resting her breasts over Arian¡¯s head, wearing no bra, simply because she knew it would get him a little miffed.


    Sure enough, with her Spiritual Sense she saw that his lips twisted slightly in a display of annoyance. She dedicated him a sweet and sultry smile, as he too was watching her with his own Spiritual Sense. He always told her not to do such things. Had been saying it for a few thousand years, serious older brother that he was. She had never stopped doing it, stubborn woman as she was.


    Not that he was bothered by her presence or physical contact, and neither would he be abashed even if she stood naked in front of him, they had seen each other naked many times over millennia, and when looking at each other through Spiritual Sense there was little that clothing could hide. They were open to each other and shared enough trust that they didn¡¯t repel the Spiritual Sense of the other.


    If Adeline wished to see within his body, peer closely at him in lewd ways ¨Cwhich she had done, partly to annoy him¨C or if she wanted to take a look into his mind and soul, Arian would let her. But by the same token of trust, Adeline did not pry into his secrets.


    What miffed him was her nonchalant flirting, as he was a serious man, despite being vastly popular with the ladies.


    Still, she paid no mind to his annoyed expression, instead choosing to wink at him. If what Arian had seen while looking at their father and what he understood by studying this model of the Cosmos had put him on edge, all the more reason for her to distract him and help him relax a bit. Even if she had to annoy him to do so.


    She had done far worse than this in the past, so this was actually a very superficial teasing. She didn¡¯t fear violence from him, after all. Not because of her strength, although she was powerful in her own right, but because she knew as certainly as her own Dao that he would never raise his hand to hurt her.


    Unless they were sparring, but that didn¡¯t count, as that was training and she too would have to face him seriously if they wanted the training to have any meaning.


    Very few people got to stand so close to either of them. Adeline wouldn¡¯t display such comfortable playfulness and contact except with her closest friends and she would cut down anyone who tried to sneak on her; Arian would never let a random person get their hands over his neck so openly as he allowed Adeline to do, and would have swatted away any person who annoyed him.


    But also, very few people would dare to stand so close to either of them. The auras and power that each of them possessed were intimidating to almost anyone under Stage Eight, even when restrained. Most people wouldn¡¯t attempt to be so casual with them, because to disrespect a Powerhouse usually meant a severe punishment that could end in death or something worse.


    Yet they were family and trusted each other unconditionally and unquestionably. Never doubting each other¡¯s loyalty and love. That link between them was absolute and impossible to sever.


    They were two of a kind. Inseparable companions walking eternity together, having only each other as a true peer and equal as they faced the Cosmos under the guidance of their Master.


    Arian had been her protector and confidant as she grew up, and ever since she was strong enough to do it, Adeline had been his staunchest supporter and most powerful backer.


    Now the pillar of their family was in danger, and while neither of them was sure of what they could do to help, they both agreed that they would not be kept in the dark. Even if they ultimately could only watch, they had to know.


    Ignorance on this matter could not be allowed.


    ¡°So? Found out what Dad is up to?¡±


    ¡°I only have an educated guess.¡±


    That was good enough, in Adeline¡¯s opinion. Arian¡¯s ¡®educated guesses¡¯ made in an hour could be more accurate than centuries of research made by other people.


    She raised her hands and pinched her brother¡¯s white jade-like cheeks, a surprisingly soft and smooth sensation on a skin that could brush off sorceries like water off a duck¡¯s back and would require the strongest attacks below Divine to be able to wound. And in the rare case that he was wounded, he possessed a ridiculously high capacity for healing, to the point of being instant regeneration.


    It was a funny thing, her brother¡¯s reputation as a consummate sorcerer tended to make people forget that he was actually a Cultivator.


    As their Master put it, Cultivation was ¡®the use of magic through martial arts, thaumaturgy born from the comprehension of the Cosmos and realization of one¡¯s true potential through the utilization of body, mind, and soul¡¯. Put in other words, a Cultivator was both a mage and a martial artist, their techniques were the culmination of years of study not unlike the arcane research of magic but also the fruit of hard training like the most disciplined fighter.


    Of course, there were specializations, like Body Cultivators, Sword Cultivators, Spirit Cultivators, Array Masters and so on. Yet that did not mean that they were ignorant about everything outside their specialization.


    There were always some people who forgot that, like the idiots who thought that because the Flame Emperor was a specialist in fire arts he wouldn¡¯t be an expert in magic arrays, and got roasted for their ignorance.


    Adeline was one of the foremost Sword Cultivators of the Cosmos under the Divine Realm, but she was expert in handling all kind of weapons and possessed a multitude of techniques that she could use in any situation, including magic spells, alchemy, and runic arrays. She had earned a reputation as Spellblade Dancer due to being capable of making swords out of pretty much anything, including magic spells. The Timeless attribute of her body also gave her a privileged defensive power.


    Likewise, Arian was feared for his grand workings of magic, the miracles and sorceries he could conjure; but few people kept in mind that he was also a Cultivator with a physical prowess that put to shame many spiritual weapons, Arian¡¯s feats in unarmed combat had shaken entire worlds and possessed a wide arsenal of deadly techniques. The Chaoist Magic that he had developed was simply an application of the principles of Primordial Soul Profound Breath into Arcane workings.


    They had both been trained in many ways of combat and had ample knowledge of many subjects and crafts. Their Master had given them a thorough education and honed their many talents. They simply became famous through their most notorious feats, that didn¡¯t mean they were limited to that.


    Hilarious situations like someone getting into close-quarters combat with Arian and getting surprised by being beaten to a pulp by a barrage of fists, or someone attacking Adeline from long-range or formations and being stupefied that she also had long-range attacks or that she could cast large spells.


    Anyways, here she was, pinching her brother¡¯s cheek.


    Arian¡¯s body was harder than many armors in her possession, yet Adeline was pinching him without feeling much resistance. She was fairly sure that he softened his body in order to let her pinch him at her leisure and to her heart¡¯s content, but she wisely chose to not comment about it, lest he decided to stop letting her have her fun. She patted his sinewy arm, feeling the strong muscle under his smooth skin.


    ¡°Educate me then, wise man.¡±


    Arian raised a finger and pointed at the model of the current Cosmos. He drew a circle and a Taiji Diagram emerged, slowly rotating clockwise over the model. Yin and Yang perfectly balanced in their endless cycle of mutual generation and mutual constriction.


    ¡°If Father is the only thing keeping this distorted Cosmos from falling into complete destruction, then that means he is withstanding the weight of the Cataclysm on him. My guess is that he is using not only his true body and that second body, which I¡¯m sure he used the Tabula Rasa as the main material to create, but also the four Nirmitas for this purpose. Otherwise, there would be no need to use only four, nor to construct them using the Four Guardians Formation.¡±


    He spoke with an unhurried tone, eyes still focused on the model of the Cosmos. It hadn¡¯t escaped Adeline¡¯s notice that their father was using four Nirmitas representing the Four Guardian Beasts.


    Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Red Phoenix, and Black Tortoise. Four spirits representing four basic elements, four balancing forces of the cosmos in many models and traditions of Cultivation, including Primordial Soul Profound Breath.


    Though her father used a slight variation with his Avatars formed with that formation: Golden Heavenly Dragon, Winged White Tiger, Iridescent Phoenix, and Obscure Warrior Tortoise.


    Adeline¡¯s eyes narrowed as she considered the implications of there being a need to use this specific formation.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°First, Taiji. Master¡¯s true body is in the Divine Realm ¨Cor what remains of it¨C and must remain immobile. His new body, created from his Tabula Rasa, is a body isolated from outside influence, it will be outside wandering. Together, they share the burden of the forces and principles of the Cosmos using as principal sympathetic link the remains of the stars of the Divine Realm. Different bodies with the same soul working towards the same objective. Yin and Yang, static and active, balancing each other while working together towards a purpose. But you know him, he likes to be thorough in his preparations, so he is also using a second layer on this. Besides, you know how our Cultivation Art works.¡±


    Adeline knew, of course. So she understood what he meant immediately.


    Primordial Soul Profound Breath was a Cultivation Art that emulated the origin and evolution of the Cosmos in a very special way, a twofold path of harmony.


    Internally, it would follow the origin and transformations of the Cosmos from a singularity to the myriad of things in existence, while at the same time moving counter it on the exterior, pursuing manifested techniques that went towards the original simplicity.


    At her father¡¯s level, one would possess an internal universe of countless manifestations of forms within oneself while being able to wield the powers of the Primordial Chaos and the formless Original Nothingness.


    ¡°He¡¯s using a counterbalance too.¡±


    Adeline couldn¡¯t prevent her voice from gaining an edge. She could already see where this was heading, and she did not like it.


    Arian drew another circle, a new Taiji Diagram showing Yin and Yang, but this one was inversed and rotated counterclockwise. It floated under the clockwise Taiji Diagram.


    ¡°His body in the ruins of the Divine Realm is the single island of life in the middle of that dead realm, and it¡¯s also a core of Chaos in the middle of that twisted order that¡¯s a still and dead plane. While his new body is an island of unblemished order in a chaotic Cosmos, an artificial life in the middle of the thriving worlds that are experiencing an explosive boost in their new state of no restrictions due to the absence of anyone above Stage Nine.¡±


    With a wave of his hand, the four figures of Phoenix, Dragon, Tiger, and Tortoise appeared, and above each of them a miniature figure representing their Master¡¯s Nirmitas.


    He continued with a frustrated voice.


    ¡°Then the finishing touch, four Nirmitas to explore the Cosmos and go around fixing it so that the burden will lessen. Each representing a guardian spirit, as further stabilizers. He has spent the past week doing such, and has mostly succeeded. There¡¯s probably no one else in the Cosmos right now that¡¯s capable of that.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering why he didn¡¯t contact me nor you during this past week. He took it as his responsibility as the only surviving Deity. But by taking all of that burden by himself¡­¡±


    ¡°He is putting his own life in danger, Addie. He is not sealing the Cataclysm, he is guiding it. He¡¯s trying to turn that destruction into a force to propel the advance of the entire Cosmos, he is betting his life on it. A slight mistake would shatter him beyond reincarnation, but if he succeeds¡­¡±


    If he succeeded, then the damage to the Cosmos would be minimized and the Cataclysm would not only grant freedom to all worlds, it would make the Cosmos evolve. And not only that, having passed that crucible, he would advance even further in his comprehension of the Cosmos, achieving a breakthrough in his Cultivation. Adeline finished Arian¡¯s sentence.


    ¡°He would reach Transcendence.¡±


    He nodded, confirming her words. Said movement also moved her chest and she giggled, just to tease him. He poked her ribs with a finger.


    ¡°This is serious, Addie.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Ari. He will succeed, and you know it. He¡¯s taking this seriously, that¡¯s why he put so many layers as countermeasures. There are no longer any beings anywhere close to his level, so no one can harm him. He might not be able to fight right now, but that¡¯s where you and I enter. Let him focus on his delicate and complicated plan, we will handle the rowdy bunch in the Cosmos. Don¡¯t worry so much.¡±


    She was as nervous about this as him, but she could put a smiling face more easily than Arian.


    He was too serious when it came to matters like this, it was even a bit cute to see him all worried when he should know by now that their Master wouldn¡¯t take unnecessary risks and would not throw away his life. The risk was real and serious, but worrying would not solve anything. What they had to do was to lessen their father¡¯s burden.


    And that meant kicking the ass of any who went out of line.


    In the current Cosmos, Adeline and Arian were unbeatable in single combat. While Adeline couldn¡¯t claim that she would emerge victorious if she faced multiple Eighth Stage opponents, Arian could.


    She was certain there was no one under the Ninth Stage capable of fighting Arian, even if many of them attacked him at the same time, they would at most fight him to a draw, and wouldn¡¯t be guaranteed survival of all their group.


    She playfully tapped his chest and smiled.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s take a walk. It¡¯d be better than staying here waiting for Dad to come back from whatever he is doing in the Observatory.¡±


    ¡°He is probably using it to take another look at the state of the Cosmos, combining the vision from the Observatory to his vantage point from the Divine Realm, unifying perspectives to refine his control.¡±


    ¡°See? He¡¯s got that covered. Now focus on a new subject, we have to make plans too.¡±


    He let out a sigh. Yeah, Arian still hadn¡¯t accepted her proposed course of action, had he?


    ¡°Addie, you can¡¯t be serious with your idea of going around fighting the other communities in the Cosmos, it would be seen as launching a conquest. Father won¡¯t approve.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not saying we go around beating them all and force them to submission, but they have to know who¡¯s the current Sovereign of the Cosmos. He won¡¯t be a tyrant, but they still will have to fall in line.¡±


    Arian grabbed her hands with his own and turned around to look her directly with his own eyes. Gorgeous heliotrope eyes locked into her emerald eyes.


    ¡°Listen to me, we can¡¯t throw the first punch here. Father doesn¡¯t want to rule the Cosmos; he is aiming for Transcendence. Besides, you and I can¡¯t face the entire Cosmos alone. It is pointless to antagonize so many people, we don¡¯t need anything from them either.¡±


    She hummed considering his words. He was right, but he was also missing the point. Adeline wasn¡¯t aiming to rule the Cosmos either, but she wanted to bring a reform to it.


    For too long there had been rotten people in positions of power oppressing the different worlds. Her father had granted freedom to the Cosmos from the restriction and oppression of the Divine Realm. It would be up to his disciples, Arian and Adeline, to do the same to the worlds beneath it.


    ¡°We won¡¯t throw the first punch, Ari. They will, what I¡¯m telling you is that we need to be prepared. They won¡¯t take kindly to Dad¡¯s new position. And when they notice that he is wounded? They will try to take him down, as it¡¯s the only opportunity they will ever have to do it. Once he recovers he will be invincible.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Once he recovers he will focus on Transcendence. There¡¯s no point in antagonizing him, they would know that.¡±


    ¡°You are expecting far too much decency and common sense from those bastards. You know they aren¡¯t that way. Besides, most of them don¡¯t even believe Transcendence is possible.¡±


    He frowned but silently conceded the point. That was one of the points of the war, their Master¡¯s pursue of Transcendence while the majority of the other Powerhouses called him a madman. Idiots who played to the rhythm of their Sovereign ignoring the limitations forced upon them by their leader, while others were willing accomplices that knew the truth and still decided to keep the Cosmos under their thumbs.


    The different groups that held control of the worlds under the Divine Realm were full of ambitious people too. They would not let the chance to seize control of the previous domains of the Deities pass them by. Arian and Adeline wouldn¡¯t even be their main targets, the different groups would attack each other and wreak havoc.


    War was inevitable, Adeline was sure. And even if Arian didn¡¯t like it nor did he look forward to participating, he surely knew that too.


    She leaned forward, her eyes still locked on his, unblinking. Merely centimeters away from his face.


    At that moment, only the two of them existed, the room was empty, the space beyond it was nonexistent. Two people looking at each other¡¯s soul.


    ¡°If I march to war, will you come with me?¡±


    It was an unfair question to ask, she knew that. She shouldn¡¯t make him choose nor ask him to participate in a conflict, even in a hypothetical scenario. But the sharp light in his gaze, deprived of any hesitation in his answer, was worth taking the risk of making the question. It made her heart beat with joy even if she knew he was getting angry at her for questioning his determination.


    She waited for a moment, for an eternity. Wanting to hear the words that would make her soul dance in delight.


    ¡°You already know that, Adeline. If you raise your Sword on the battlefield, then my Abyss will follow. Your enemy is my enemy, and if you march to battle I will stand by your side. Now and forever. This does not change.¡±


    As he spoke, he used no magic, no special power. He did not move his Qi and called upon no arcane energy. Yet the sheer force in his words made the space around them tremble and Adeline shivered in delectation.


    It was not an oath sworn through any ritual nor a vow enforced with mystic energies. No, this was pure willpower, absolute certainty in the truth of the words uttered. So unshakeable that they might as well be part of the fundamental laws of the Cosmos.


    Now and forever. Simple words that were not spoken simply, with implications that only a high tier practitioner would fully understand. His word would stand and stay true beyond eternity.


    Even some of the prophets and zealots of the Gods wouldn¡¯t speak with the same unwavering force that rang in his words. He would support her and stand by her side even if the entirety of the Cosmos were to be her enemy. Walking side by side and forging a path together no matter what obstacles lay ahead.


    She knew this truth with every fiber of her being. There was nothing else to say.


    Adeline would ask nothing more from him.


    She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips too fast for him to dodge, before turning around and walking back to the couch.


    She turned around smiling as Arian frowned in reproach for her nonchalant response to his serious words. She winked at him and laughed as he sighed while shaking his head.


    A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door before it was pushed open and a woman entered.


    She appeared to be in her early thirties, she had crimson hair with golden streaks tied on a ponytail and wearing a beautiful white dress decorated with golden trees shedding scarlet leaves.


    ¡°Amy!¡±


    Adeline¡¯s expression brightened even more as she walked over to the woman with open arms. Amelia Krustal, the Queen of the Krustali and the first of their race, created by Adeline¡¯s Master directly, while the rest had been ¡®born¡¯ from her. She was the one voice that held command over the hive mind of the Krustali.


    Amy¡¯s love and adoration for their father was perhaps the only one that surpassed Arian and Adeline¡¯s own love for him. She was his Steward, meaning that she was the one in charge of Alekya in his absence, the one with the most administrative authority among his servants and occasionally served as his messenger and representative to different groups across the Cosmos.


    She was also Arian and Adeline¡¯s childminder and governess, their nanny who had been with them ever since they were children, and had stubbornly refused to let anyone else take the job.


    ¡°I missed you too, little princess.¡±


    Adeline gave her a tight hug and received a kiss on the cheek. Amelia was the woman who had watched them grow up, the closest Arian and Adeline had to a mother-figure or an older sister.


    ¡°Where were you? We have been here for hours.¡±


    ¡°I was busy. Your father went to the Observatory and is deep in meditation now, in case you are wondering. And I could ask you the same, little girl. Why didn¡¯t you visit me in this few hundred years?¡±


    Adeline found her cheek being pinched as Amy reprimanded her. Adeline had been roaming the Cosmos without coming back to Alekya for centuries. She still gave occasional calls, though.


    ¡°I was busy!¡±


    Adeline defensively said but Amelia gave her a disbelieving look, clearly not believing that Adeline hadn¡¯t had time to visit. She was the only one among the Krustali who would interact in such casual and even a bit authoritative manner to Adeline and Arian.


    She was unique among their kind in that respect too.


    ¡°Whatever, My Lord is back and you two are safe. That¡¯s all that matters. Reports from the Observatory say the Cosmos is in a mess, though.¡±


    Amelia said the last part in a nonchalant way. Adeline knew that for Amelia the rest of the Cosmos might as well be dust, she didn¡¯t hold much regard for it beyond that her beloved Lord was trying to unveil its mysteries. She was perfectly happy in Alekya and held no ambitions towards outside matters.


    Amelia turned to Arian and gave him a kiss on the cheek in the same manner as she did to Adeline.


    ¡°Did everything go well in the Nether Plane?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. No problem there.¡±


    ¡°Good. I am glad to finally see you again, children.¡±


    She dedicated them a loving smile for five whole seconds, then she faltered. Her expression changed, Adeline noticed sadness and pain in Amelia¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Now please, be honest with me. What is My Lord¡¯s condition? I am not an expert as you two, but it¡¯s clear to me that he is wounded.¡±


    It seemed that their father was not fooling anyone in the house with his act of ¡®everything is fine¡¯.


    <hr>


    Explaining to Amelia the state of his Master had been much harder than explaining it to Adeline.


    Not because she did not understand, but rather because of her reaction to the information.


    Arian saw the raw pain in his former nanny as her face contorted when she learned the delicate state that her creator was in. Amy had never been good at hiding her emotions, she liked to say that she was a crystal clear person, and now that put in evidence the disarray of emotions in her.


    Slight tremblor in her fingers, lower lip moving up and down without making any sound, eyes moving back and forth. She was scared and full of worry.


    Yet neither he nor Adeline had the heart to refuse her the knowledge of their father¡¯s state. Because she loved him just as much as them, so they would not hide the truth from her.


    The only thing that calmed her, was Adeline¡¯s reminder that she had to trust their Master¡¯s skill. Amy was unflinching in her loyalty and trust, and Arian had then come up with explanations about how likely his father was to succeed.


    If he was honest, the odds of his father¡¯s success were very high. But that didn¡¯t mean Arian liked the risk. His father was in a very delicate position, but also a very special possibility had opened for him.


    Adeline and Amy were now happily catching up and talking about the things that had happened during the past couple of centuries after Arian had finished explaining what his father was doing to keep the Cataclysm at bay.


    But there was one thing that Arian had stayed silent about. For the knowledge of that piece of information would make Adeline throw a fit of rage and would break Amelia¡¯s heart, effectively sending both to his father¡¯s location to try to dissuade him from doing it.


    Both of them would rather have the entirety of the Cosmos turn into ashes than lose him.


    But Arian knew his father and mentor. He was not a man who would hesitate in front of a challenge nor someone who would run from responsibility. Both of which were put in front of him right now.


    No, his Master would carry on, unflinching and unwavering to either victory or obliteration. He had let Arian know, let him gaze at the inside of his Nirmita and later at his second body without hiding anything, because he knew that Arian would understand.


    He also knew that Arian would not stop him, even if it pained him.


    The final piece of information: Exactly how his Master pretended to reach the Twelfth Stage of Cultivation, the actual method, not the vague ¡®he will gain comprehension from this¡¯ explanation that Arian had told Adeline.


    It was simple to reach that conclusion once one had the necessary information, but it would take a madman to actually attempt such a method.


    Primordial Soul Profound Breath, the art that his father had completed as the culmination of the work of his lifetime, was a supreme art that granted the practitioner vast powers due to studying and comprehending profound principles of the Cosmos.


    Not only did it emulate the evolution of the Cosmos, but it also emulated it in reverse. Pursuing the cause from the effects and reaching the conclusion from the origin, walking both paths at the same time to create a balance between the manifested and the obscured, the noumenon and the phenomenon.


    There lay the secret uniqueness of Primordial Soul Profound Breath.


    They started with a Cultivation Core forged from Primordial Chaos, the first gift received from their Master, and something only possible to do because he already had access to such energies at the moment of passing on his Legacy to them, then through their practice and comprehension of the Cosmos, they made it grow and evolve into an inner universe as they progressed in their Path and advanced through the different Stages of Cultivation.


    Opposite to the course of their inner universe, the techniques they used started as being able to wield a multitude of elements and manifested the countless things in Nature while steadily becoming simpler yet more profound, returning to the original simplicity of the beginning of the universe.


    Then came the issue of how to advance further than the limits of the Cosmos.


    From the Original Nothingness of the Obscurity to the Primordial Chaos and the Supreme Unity, the Singularity dividing into the Duality of Yin-Yang which then further separated into the Four Phases and their interactions gave birth to all the countless things in the Cosmos.


    That was the Daoist theory of the origin and evolution of the universe. A tradition very ancient and something that many groups of Cultivators had known and studied.


    But what came next?


    Upon reaching the pinnacle of multiplication and prosperity into a Cosmos thriving with life and endless forms, what¡¯s next? Reaching that state in his inner simulation of the Cosmos, Arian¡¯s Master had reached the Eleventh Stage of Cultivation.


    Counter practiced, it would go from the myriad things of nature towards the simplicity of the original Chaos. That was the manifested Cultivation of his Master.


    What was needed to advance from there?


    How to reach Transcendence, that Realm Beyond Divine that no one had reached before in the known history of the Cosmos? Upon reaching the pinnacle, where to go? How to break free of the bindings and boundaries? How to break through the limits of all known existence?


    His Master had come to a conclusion, and it was as brilliant as utterly insane and dangerous.


    Collapse. Cataclysm. Obliteration.


    Taking the high principle of ¡®Return to Simplicity¡¯ one step forward; a Return to Nothingness.


    To transcend the known perfection and become truly Eternal, surviving even the obliteration of the Cosmos.


    His Inner Cosmos would reach a collapse and experience a Cataclysm far more thorough than the one the real Cosmos outside was experimenting right now. He would need to make it survive through that extermination into the Nothingness to be reborn again thanks to an Eternal Will.


    That would then manifest as him achieving true comprehension about Obliteration and Annihilation, manifesting the power of the original Nothingness in his Cultivation.


    Once he did, he would achieve a perfect alignment of Inner Cosmos and Manifested Dao. The balance would not create absence; it would achieve the state of Limitlessness.


    Thus, he would reach Transcendence.


    However, to produce a Cataclysm within oneself was tantamount to experience the collapse and utter destruction of the entire universe by oneself. To welcome the forces of the extermination of Heaven and Earth into one¡¯s body and soul and expect to not only survive, but to take the reins of them.


    It would also mean that he would be sacrificing his entire cultivation base for this, failure would mean absolute death. No sane person would take such risk, it would be suicide.


    And yet¡­


    If someone had an actual chance of succeeding in this madness of impossible odds, it was Navin Lakar.


    An extremely dangerous move, a deadly bet, but one that he was equipped to win. His current position as Sovereign of the Cosmos, his connection with the Laws and Forces of the Cosmos while meditating in the middle of the collapsed Divine Realm and taking the reins of a Cosmic Cataclysm. All things that could relate to the state he was pursuing; he would build a path beyond apotheosis out of the most extreme conditions of existence.


    It was awe-inspiring and terrifying, both visionary wisdom and insanity at the same time. But it was a path that Arian and Adeline would have to eventually walk to reach Transcendence.


    At that point, it would probably not require such great risk, having already a point of reference in their Master. He would be the pioneer and trailblazer for the unknown path ahead.


    Just like before, he would share his comprehension and insight with them, so they would inherit a safer and tested method, benefit from his teachings and learn from his experience.


    Receiving and enjoying the fruits of his hard work and sacrifice, the disciples would benefit from the Master¡¯s effort.


    Arian¡¯s father liked to say that he had benefitted greatly from each debate with them, that in teaching he had rediscovered and learned a lot. He always praised their research and findings, and said he also further perfected his arts with the insights they shared with him, even when they were both walking different Paths than him.


    Perhaps he was right, perhaps he was exaggerating. But to Arian, there was simply no way that the insights obtained by the two of them during less than twelve thousand years could compare to their teacher¡¯s comprehension of a million years. Even if he called them prodigies.


    Arian had looked at his Master¡¯s eyes and saw no fear, no reproach, and no regrets. He would advance ever forward and would help them do the same with his usual loving and carefree smile.


    Arian could only accept this. His Master¡¯s actions would also save the entirety of the Cosmos and grant it real and lasting freedom, propelling it to a new era without the ancient restrictions of the past.


    So he had remained silent about that last bit of knowledge. Arian had hidden the most disquieting piece of information from his most beloved person, because he knew that this knowledge would shake Adeline and she would try to stop their Master. Neither thing could be permitted in the current situation, the battles to come ahead would need her sharp and in top form, without hesitation or fear, and his Master would likewise need to be focused and unwavering, even if her words wouldn¡¯t make him falter, ignoring them would wound him deeply. In such a delicate state, an emotional wound could be even worse than a physical one.


    So he was silent, wondering what her reaction would be in the future when she inevitably found out. Would she forgive his pretentiousness and accept his view that he had done what he felt was necessary?


    Would she consider this a breach of their trust?


    He knew her enough to know that the answer would be a fit of rage, but he trusted that it would pass. Because as much as he was aware of the fact that she loved him with her life, she knew perfectly well that he too loved her above all else.


    A single fact that would not change, in this ever-changing Cosmos. No matter the circumstances nor the time.


    Now and forever. The old words spoken through the years, centuries and millennia that they had known each other. He would not forget nor betray those words.


    But was he truly doing the right thing? Hiding this important information from her? He thought he did, yet it also pained him.


    He might have to receive a few nasty slashes from her sword, though. His adoptive sister¡¯s wrath was a thing to behold with awe and fear, even if she wouldn¡¯t aim for his life.


    On the nearby table, Adeline and Amelia were discussing some abstract changes on the current Cosmos.


    ¡°So it¡¯s just like My Lord said before, the practice of any system and art will be made easier.¡±


    ¡°Right. Now that there¡¯s no constraint by a bunch of Deities, the Laws are ¡®free¡¯, in a manner of speaking. Dad is keeping hold of them all so they won¡¯t break everything, but it¡¯s now easier to approach them and comprehend them. The Principles of the Cosmos are eager for someone to take hold of them.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, My Lord should just take them all to himself, he would bring a prosperous era to the Cosmos then as a glorious Supreme Sovereign.¡±


    Arian saw Adeline chuckle in approval. She probably thought the same as Amy, but she also knew their father¡¯s reasons.


    ¡°I know, right? He should just rule the whole Cosmos and live comfortably here, but you know how he is. He has this idea of giving freedom to all and guiding the Chaos into a force of positive change instead of being a destructive force. He also seems to want a new generation of Powerhouses to rise, they will take hold of the reins of the Cosmos and share the burden of giving order to existence, and that way the Cataclysm will be fully solved.¡±


    ¡°What a complicated matter. Those people are hardly worthy of the effort your father is making. So until some capable people rise to the positions, he is stuck holding the Cataclysm at bay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it. Right, Arian?¡±


    Emerald eyes turned to him, followed shortly by Amelia¡¯s own soft violet eyes. Both women expected his response, knowing well that despite being staring at the model of the Cosmos he had been listening to their conversation. They had been talking in the same room as him, after all, so with their senses, it was obvious.


    He showed them a thin smile and replied.


    ¡°Yes, but the process will be faster than what we might think. There was a multitude of restrictions in the worlds with Systems, but now those Systems that remain will only provide boosts thanks to the support of the World¡¯s Radix while Paths will be made easier to access and the mysteries of the Cosmos will be easier to comprehend in the worlds that practice Cultivation. Similar things will happen to the worlds that practice magic and pursue Arcane ways, and even the martial worlds will see that their bodies will be less constrained during training. So there should be plenty of Ascenders in the next hundred years.¡±


    Amelia put a finger over her lips with a pensive expression and then asked another question.


    ¡°But that also means our enemies will benefit, right?¡±


    Amy¡¯s question made Adeline show a feral grin. She was surely anticipating the battles to come. She always had that lust for battle in her, the thrill of a hard-earned victory was one of the greatest pleasures for her.


    Her voice was slightly shivering in excited anticipation.


    ¡°Yeah, and they will try to use their newfound powers to take control of many regions and war against each other too. I expect they will grow quite a bit stronger, otherwise, the battles will be boring.¡±


    Arian raised a finger to lecture her. It wouldn¡¯t do to have her taking unnecessary risks simply for the sake of a good fight. Besides, they shouldn¡¯t get involved in wars that had nothing to do with them.


    ¡°We will have our battles, but can¡¯t participate in all. We won¡¯t go around searching conflict either. Father surely has a plan, we will move out soon and handle some things. Also, don¡¯t forget that this riddance from the shackles in Cultivation applies to all beings, that includes spirits, monsters, beasts, and demons.¡±


    Adeline reclined on her chair. Her reply came with a smug smile.


    ¡°All the more reason for there to be a good fight. I kept the lower worlds safe, now we can focus on the stage that concerns us: The Higher Worlds.¡±


    Adeline¡¯s grin grew as her sharp Aura flowed in excitement.


    ¡°Pereastra, Katabria, the Wilderness, the Witenagemot, the Fae Realm, the Fallen Court, the Dark Sects, the Scions of the Old Gods, the Asuras, the Kere Penthaka, the Mekhanas, and all the other groups full of people who want to make a claim to the bountiful treasure that is the Cosmos in this new era. The big players will move, thinking that the Cosmos is in for the taking and we have to be ready to respond in kind. We will show them that it is already taken.¡±


    Arian let out a short laugh at that. As if she was ever not ready for a fight. This was her way to tell him to not get himself busy in other matters that could distract him.


    ¡°Right. We also have allies in many worlds, many people will likely come asking for favors and calling on old deals. We will be busy for a long time.¡±


    Arian¡¯s words seemed to make Amelia think of something else. Her face turned deadly serious for a moment before she relaxed her expression.


    ¡°Arian, you held the contracts for the past couple of centuries. Do you think the Corps will avoid conflict? Or that the other groups will let them be in peace? They will inevitably make war with others, so we will have to support them. And things will only escalate from there.¡±


    Arian took a moment to consider this matter. There was a very real possibility that the Corps, as Amelia referred collectively to the seven groups that had contracts of servitude with their father, would be the subject to attacks from other influences. They each lived in different worlds and had their own allies and enemies.


    Of course, those contracts varied and were of different nature, but a very basic thing was that if they were in danger then Arian¡¯s Master would intercede to help them.


    ¡°What if they draw from My Lord¡¯s power during their battles? Would that distract him or weaken him? He is in a delicate state where he needs all his power, right?¡±


    Amelia¡¯s voice had a dangerous edge to it. Even though Adeline¡¯s face remained in a complacent smile, there was no hiding the sharp light in her eyes as she considered this.


    There was a need to calm them both, even if he knew they wouldn¡¯t do something crazy like attack his father¡¯s vassals, it was better to let them know there was no need to worry.


    ¡°No. Even if they call on him for power, which they rarely do, it will not drain him nor weaken him in any significant way. Father¡¯s body is wounded, but the amount of energy that he has access right now is perhaps larger than before the war. There¡¯s no danger there.¡±


    Arian spoke with a serene voice and the two women relaxed a bit. They could see that he spoke the truth, after all.


    Arian¡¯s attention was drawn to the model of the previous state of the Cosmos, that pyramidal state with the Divine Realm at the top.


    His Master would not implant a new Seal of the Cosmos, he would grant true freedom to the Cosmos and all Practitioners. And for that, he must take this risk, even if there was an exceptional reward in case of success.


    ¡°Nevertheless, in the worst-case scenario, we can shelter them here. Though that¡¯s to remain the last resource, since they won¡¯t abandon their own domains so easily.¡±


    Arian glanced at Amy when he said the words and she begrudgingly nodded. She would be the one in charge of accommodating them in such a case; even if she didn¡¯t like the idea of letting others staying for a long time in Alekya, they were the direct contractors of her Lord and if this could save him trouble then she would comply.


    In total, the contractors were seventy-seven people from different worlds, arranged in seven ¡®groups¡¯, though there were two among them that held personal and direct contract by themselves. They each possessed their own abilities, circumstances, and goals that had led them to enter the service of their Master.


    That also meant that they each had their own enemies. Even if they had a contract with a Powerhouse, that didn¡¯t mean they could go around relying on him for everything.


    Adeline was right that many of the members of the Corps would be entering conflicts with other groups. Arian saw his sister shrug nonchalantly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about it when the time comes. The important thing is that there will be war, Ari.¡±


    Arian inclined his head slightly, conceding the point. That much was inevitable and he had never said otherwise, his only objection was Adeline¡¯s attitude of readily looking for it. She had always been someone who liked to be on the offensive, as evidenced by her Way of the Sword.


    There was a soft sound, like an alarm and Adeline¡¯s Spatial Ring flashed slightly. Frowning, she pulled out a crystal rectangle and inserted a bit of Qi into it.


    ¡°A message from Thessei already?¡±


    Adeline mused as she made a projection appear in front of her and read a message.


    ¡°Hey, Ari, look at this. Gaerel says there¡¯s been a strange prophecy that all Oracles of the Higher Worlds had at the same time. It seems like he didn¡¯t get the info before because he was being besieged.¡±


    A prophecy for all Oracles? That¡¯s strange.


    Arian stood to check on what that prophecy was when he saw Amelia suddenly inhale a sharp breath and stand up while glancing at the outside.


    There was a soft hum in the air as the dimensional barrier was thinned to enable crossing. Arian expanded his senses and felt Adeline do the same, covering the palace with their own Spiritual Sense.


    Arian chuckled softly.


    ¡°Well, seems like Father is thinking and moving ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the usual way, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Adeline¡¯s reply was met with a nod of approval by Amelia as if that was the most natural way of things. It kind of was, Arian had to admit.


    They walked out of the room to meet the cause of the disturbance.


    In the central plaza of Alekya, in front of the Pool of Complements, a pool of extremely dense black and white Qi currents that rotated in the shape of Yin and Yang, space was vibrating softly.


    A soft violet mist emerged and drew symbols in the empty space in front of the pool. With a flash of light, figures emerged from each of the symbols, Arian recognized them all, he had carried those symbols for the past three centuries.


    They were the contractors of his father, entities bound to his service by willing oath.


    It took only a second, and the entirety of them manifested in the plaza. They weren¡¯t actually there, Arian noted, they were being projected, a piece of their consciousness summoned to that location by his Master and then given a construct to manifest and operate.


    There they stood, under seven different standards, the vassals under service of Navin Lakar, the group collectively known in the Higher Worlds as the Seven Aspects of Chaos.


    The Illusory Phantom Corp, also known as the Spirit Troupe. They lived in a realm known as the Land of Dream. Fourteen spirits of different affinities and natures. They stood with varying expressions on their faces; excitement, serenity, eagerness, and cool-headedness practically radiating from them. They wore colorful attires and carried with them weapons and musical instruments.


    The Roving Blades. Seven master fighters, enlightened of martial arts with outstanding skill. They roamed the Cosmos by themselves, always pursuing higher attainments in their own arts of combat. Always ready for battle, these people were dedicated to the pursuit of the highest attainment in martial skill and prowess.


    The Voyager Beasts, nine powerful and rare Piasts from different races. All possessors of extraordinary abilities. Fierce beasts with an avid desire for new experiences that continuously traveled to different worlds.


    The Keeper of the Beyond, unofficial head of the group. Unique in nature and power, he stood tall and strong at the center of them all. The only one among them who was at the Eighth Stage of Cultivation. He was also the one with the most eldritch nature among them, one of the earliest vassals of Arian¡¯s father.


    The Perennial Circle, which were a group of sorcerers, engineers, crafters and weapon makers. 33 people from various races, prodigious inventors of a great number of disciplines. Each carrying multiple tools with them.


    The Fathomless Sanctuary. Twelve saints and scholars, pursuers of wisdom that wielded powers that put to shame many ancient immortals, they solemnly awaited the presence of their venerated Lord.


    The Scarlet Empress, standing proud and alone. She was the pillar of her empire, which she rescued from doom and catastrophe thanks to the pact made with the Sovereign of Chaos. Beautiful and cunning, with an Aura of majesty and charming mystery surrounding her. She was one of the strongest of the group, being at the peak of Seventh Stage.


    Dream, Battle, Fierceness, Mystery, Creativity, Solemnity, Dominion. The seven banners of the Seven Aspects of Chaos flew high and the Auras of the contractors filled the plaza as the manifested their presence, calling for their Lord.


    The seventy-seven contractors of the Conqueror of Chaos stood in attendance, only communicating with each other through telepathic messages as they did not dare perturb the atmosphere with banal sounds.


    Then their ruler appeared in front of them, emerging out of space without any ripple. He was simply already there.


    As one, in a smooth motion that one would expect to have been rehearsed multiple times, they all knelt before their Sovereign.


    Navin Lakar welcomed his sworn vassals with a serene smile. Yet the sharp light in his father¡¯s blue eyes told Arian that he was angry. An astral storm was brewing and roaring behind those shining sapphire-like eyes.


    It seemed that Adeline would have her wish granted after all.


    They were marching off to war.

 Chapter 49: Currency

    Ethan appeared in the middle of the desert. The clear starry sky and cold winds of the night gave the landscape a fantastical air, the sand dunes were a sea of pearly white dust bathed in the soft blue light of the twin moons above, it was a beautiful view.


    In the distance, Ethan could see a lot of orange-yellow light dots, probably fire from torches in the city. Lauhr City was still buzzing with activity, even at night. And after the events of the last couple of days, they were right to be in constant alert.


    Ethan turned his head and found a door of polished wood standing open near him. It was just standing there, no wall nor building around or behind the doorframe.


    Beyond that door, there was a completely different image than the desert scenery around him. The comfy living room of a house that he was already familiar with.


    Wooden floor, elegant furniture, some works of art as decoration and lots of books. This "house" had two floors, a kitchen, five bedrooms each with its own bathroom, two common bathrooms in the hallways -one on each floor-, a living room and even a basement and an attic, though Ethan had only used one of the bedrooms. Yet it was no common house.


    On a nearby table, his Master was eating some grapes. He was still in the shape of a Phoenix, with crimson plumage that sometimes shimmered with lots of colors, golden beak and talons, plus a strange aura of warmth and soothing calm that Ethan still had conflicted feelings about.


    Ethan walked forward, crossed the boundary into the warm house, and closed the door behind him. No matter how many times he did it or how much time he spent inside this place, Ethan always got the impression he was walking into a different world each time he crossed that door.


    ¡°You know; I have been wondering. Where is this place, actually?¡±


    Ethan took a seat at the table as his teacher offered him some of the grapes. Biting one, he instantly knew these were not the kind of grapes he was used to. They were delicious though, so he didn''t complain and took some more. The Phoenix in front of him tilted his head.


    "I wondered when you would ask. What took you so long?"


    A shrug was all the answer Ethan could give. While he had been curious, he simply hadn''t asked. Maybe the fact that he had just been taken to a whole different planet by his teacher numbed him to the impression of having a magic door leading to a house. It was just not that flashy in comparison.


    With a little movement of a wing, Navin produced a figurine of a house out of thin air.


    ¡°You are inside this. It¡¯s a magic artifact that allows people to enter and enjoy the commodities inside.¡±


    Ethan picked the figurine. It looked like a toy, but it was surprisingly hard and heavier than he had expected.


    ¡°So this house is an artifact like this one?¡±


    ¡°This house is that artifact you are holding in your hand.¡±


    Ethan frowned, that didn¡¯t make sense. Was he being philosophical or was this a real paradox of some sort?


    ¡°And how can I be holding the artifact if I¡¯m inside it?¡±


    ¡°Magic.¡±


    Ethan gave his teacher a reproachful look for that answer.


    ¡°Ha, ha. Very funny.¡±


    Ethan deadpanned and put the figurine on the table again. His Master merely shrugged and distractedly levitated another grape into his beak.


    ¡°The inside of the house is a pocket dimension anchored to the outside world, the artifact itself is the house figurine but it only keeps the enchantment in place. That¡¯s why you enter through a door, not a huge house outside. But it is this artifact I just showed you. I can give you a new one if you want.¡±


    ¡°You have other models?¡±


    ¡°Sure. There are a lot of types for artifacts like this one, each with different characteristics. Wanna see some others?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ How about this? We will come back to this subject when I actually know a bit of magic and can properly understand what you are saying and how they work.¡±


    ¡°Alright, fair enough. Did you decide where you are going next?¡±


    The Phoenix conjured a rune-covered bottle and two glasses. The liquid that poured forth was of a golden color and had a sweet aroma that Ethan could smell even from where he was sitting. Curious, Ethan took a sip from the offered glass as his Master drank from his with a straw.


    It was sweet like honey and warm like cocoa. Strangely revitalizing too.


    ¡°Not yet. But I have a¡­ feeling. I can¡¯t really explain what it is, but it¡¯s there.¡±


    The Phoenix hummed and nodded his head in agreement. It seemed his teacher was letting the decision up to him, even if Ethan only had a vague feeling that wouldn¡¯t even serve as guidance.


    ¡°Going wherever you want to go and whenever you feel like it. Nice, I approve of that way of life. Then what will you do, pick up a random direction and walk to it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I suggested you to do in the first place. See? You should listen to your teacher. In the meantime, I guess we should discuss about something. The attack of that country, Feld-Ehia, means that they will be going to war against Sahbadia. Will you get involved in that again?¡±


    Ethan really didn¡¯t want to answer that. Mainly because he wasn¡¯t sure of what the answer would be. He had no intention of fighting, but he also didn¡¯t want to let people die in front of him. His Master didn¡¯t want to participate but had already intervened twice because of Ethan. He couldn''t keep forcing his Master''s hand to act.


    Still, he felt that he had done what was right, so Ethan did not regret it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not judging you, Ethan. Neither am I recriminating you. If you choose to do something, I will support your choice. But you must know that there are consequences to your actions. Some will be undoubtedly good, but there will also be dangers and bad consequences if you are careless, not only to you but those around you. So keep it in mind.¡±


    ¡°I know, sorry.¡±


    The Phoenix jumped to the backrest of the chair where Ethan was sitting and softly patted Ethan¡¯s head with a wing. There was something absurd about a bird trying to comfort a person in that way. Besides, Ethan wasn¡¯t sad and needed no petting. He gave a flat look at his teacher.


    ¡°You look ridiculous doing that.¡±


    ¡°And you look ridiculous apologizing for doing what you thought was right. Ethan, you saved people, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. You just need to be more aware and careful in the future.¡±


    The bird took a step into the air and glided back to the table without even moving his wings. At this point, Ethan was sure that those were mere decoration and his teacher flew by defying every known law of physics and then some.


    ¡°As I was saying. There¡¯s going to be a war. We have no issue traveling since I can take you wherever you want and I will take care of your needs, but if you want to enter the cities and interact with others, this state of affairs might complicate it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the King said something about that.¡±


    Navin snorted out a laugh, which Ethan thought sounded very strange coming from a bird. His teacher was sneering as he took another sip of his golden drink.


    ¡°That guy thinks he is so clever, helping you in a way that helps himself. When you grow stronger, I¡¯m sure he will try to recruit you as a war potential and offer you things in exchange for making you join his army and fight for his kingdom.¡±


    That sounded like something plausible. To the eyes of everyone in Lauhr and to the King, Ethan was a powerful healer. But he was training in Cultivation under the tutelage of an extremely powerful being. Having a Master that was the strongest Cultivator, Ethan would undoubtedly become very powerful too.


    When the time came for others to notice that, who knew what kind of view they would have of Ethan and what their reactions would be. They might try to recruit him, and what would happen when he rejected them? Would they see him as a threat and an enemy?


    Ethan didn¡¯t want to think about such things right now.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t seem like a bad person to me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he isn¡¯t. But that doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t make schemes and weave ploys to manipulate people in order to benefit his country. He is a King, that makes him a politician, and any smart politician will try to get an advantage over the others. He is also smart, so he was a bit subtle about it and gave you something useful that makes a good impression. But if he wants to make use of you, you can make use of him too. Just be careful not to fall in his game.¡±


    Ethan agreed to his Master¡¯s words. It wouldn¡¯t be funny if the King or other influential people suddenly decided to take a more forceful approach to recruit Ethan.


    ¡°Also, there¡¯s the matter of money. The prince¡¯s letters will save you trouble, as a foreigner traveling around Sahbadia when it is in a state of war, having a Royal Permit and Amir¡¯s vouching for your identity will be very useful. But you also need money to go around.¡±


    An undeniable truth of life, no matter what world one was in. Ethan pulled out some coins and a little bag from his Spatial Ring. Silver and copper that he had earned selling a couple of monsters he hunted in the desert and the bag that Kareb had given him for the body of the monstrous vulture he had dropped outside the city after driving the beast horde away. Navin glanced the money before looking Ethan in the eyes.


    ¡°Do you know the value of each coin and their purchasing power?¡±


    ¡°Ehmm¡­¡±


    Ethan didn¡¯t. He had only been three days in that city and hadn¡¯t even gone to a store to buy anything.


    ¡°I only know some of the things that can be bought by a couple of silver coins, like a lunch or a room for a night at the Inn.¡±


    ¡°Well, I did some research while you were taking a beauty rest. This will be useful, so pay attention.¡±


    With a theatric sweep of his wing, he made some coins appear on the table and arranged them in rows of three. Gold, silver and copper, but the design of every coin was different.


    Navin started to explain as he pointed at each of the different coins.


    ¡°These are the coins used in the countries of this continent. Here we have from Sahbadia one golden dinar worth 25 silver dirhams, one silver dirham worth ten copper fulus, and one copper fals. From Feld-Ehia, one golden aureus worth 25 denarii, one denarius worth ten assarius or asses.¡±


    ¡°Haha, asses.¡±


    ¡°Not that type of asses. Anyways, those two are rival economies but hold an almost equal influence in the continent despite Feld-Ehia apparently having a rising tendency and being an emerging military power. It has been getting steadily stronger in the past decades.¡±


    He pointed to the other rows of coins.


    ¡°From Rillosa, we have here one golden rillus worth 30 silver laurels, each silver laurel is worth ten copper penny. Formabisia has something similar, but they usually use the coinage of other countries, maybe due to being constantly invaded by their neighbors or because they are in the middle of the continent, sharing borders with all the other three countries so they trade with all of them. However, they do have their own coinage; Formabisia¡¯s native coins are a golden beak, silver wing, and copper talons. One silver wing is worth twenty copper talons, and forty silver wings are equal to one golden beak.¡±


    The mention of beaks, wings, and talons made Ethan recall something. He gave his teacher a glance and amusedly told him his idea.


    ¡°Elder Edek mentioned Avians living there, I guess they are like bird-people? Hey, maybe they will reverence you if they see you in Phoenix form.¡±


    Navin seemed to consider this for a moment then made a face of discontent. It was almost creepy to see a bird making such a face.


    ¡°Hmm, true. One more reason for me to avoid appearing in front of them, then. But focus, those are the coins on this continent and their value, now for their exact purchasing power compared to one another¡­¡±


    Urgh, that¡¯s gonna be a pain to remember.


    Ethan made a face as his Master introduced him to each of the coins in the continent. Had he stolen those coins or magically made them? Ethan stayed quiet, he didn¡¯t know if he wanted to know the answer, and that was honestly not important right now.


    The strongest economies of the continent were Feld-Ehia and Sahbadia, with Rillosa prospering thanks to their commercial routes. Formabisia, however, was practically bullied by the other three countries; ravaged by war, the tribes that comprised its ethnicities were divided and at odds with each other, often suffering from economic sanctions, stranglehold on goods, commercial and military pressure from the other three countries, not to mention the many monsters that inhabited the heart of the continent. Theirs was the weakest economy, and so their coin was apparently not as valuable as the others, despite being made of the same materials.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t they just have neat and equivalent coins everywhere?¡±


    ¡°Because every economy is different. The resources and international influence of each country vary due to a multitude of factors. Different cultures value and handle money in their own way, and when they make commercial deals, an agreement is reached by comparing who has the most riches and influence. Hence the money from Formabisia is worth less than the coinage from Feld-Ehia, the country that has half of their territory under their control, or Sahbadia who is a power with a larger presence and commercial influence. These countries also trade in goods and services, like precious gems, raw materials, and other commodities.¡±


    ¡°Seems too complicated, they should all choose one coin and stick to using it.¡±


    The Phoenix stroke a pensive pose by folding a wing under his beak. He considered Ethan¡¯s words and tilted his head left and right.


    ¡°That¡¯s not so easy to do. Currency values are determined by complex issues, like geopolitics, the abundance of resources, economic strength and international influence. That¡¯s why a powerful country gets to dictate the terms of trade. Besides, a unified currency can only be implemented if true unification of the world is achieved first, like a world government or another such institution that all groups and organizations submit to. Even your world didn¡¯t have a unified currency either, for all you claimed to be a globalized world. You know that already, each country has their own currency and they have different values on international markets.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°We have the dollar, that¡¯s close enough. Everybody uses dollars and pays attention to its value¡­ I guess. And there¡¯s also credits and cryptocurrencies. Everybody was saying that the whole world would move to use that in the future.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, fiat money and the virtual coins. Nice inventions, mortal worlds come up with very interesting concepts, even those without magic. Using data and abstract ideas such as digital assets with right of usage. A tricky matter and risky in my opinion, but with vast potential for the type of world that yours was, it was headed to the path of a highly technological world. Nevertheless, Greater Worlds would never use such vague things as digital assets.¡±


    Ethan didn¡¯t like that he was dissing the economy of his world. What kind of economy did the Deities use? Would that really be a superior one as his Master seemed to imply?


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m curious about something. What money do you Gods use in the Divine Realm and those ¡®higher worlds¡¯ you mention all the time?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone in the Greater Worlds is immortal and powerful. Those wouldn¡¯t be much different from mortals in that they use currencies like the ones in lower worlds, but with the difference that it would be made from materials with spiritual properties, like spiritual stones or energy crystals containing elemental essences. However, true Powerhouses are a different matter.¡±


    So the money of the higher worlds has magical properties, good to know.


    Ethan took notice of what his Master was saying. He tried to imagine what kind of money could immortals trade with.


    ¡°What about the Gods and the Divine Realm?¡±


    ¡°We trade in power, knowledge, heavenly materials and earthly treasures. When we trade resources or services, barter is the most common system of exchange. We can either be paid on goods or with favors.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that like¡­ really primitive?¡±


    Ethan expected something better from the Deities that supposedly governed the Cosmos. Like some super advanced system of unified trade or something cooler like some abstract currency that had reality-warping properties. He was also very curious about what kind of economy such beings would have. Mortals needed resources to survive and live in comfort, but the Powerhouses of the upper worlds would be immortal and not riddled by the problems of ordinary people.


    ¡°Perhaps from a mortal¡¯s point of view it might seem primitive, but try to look at it from an Immortal¡¯s perspective, or rather, from the perspective of someone who has no need for physical money or access to near infinite quantities of it. Cultivators are constantly trying to acquire the power to advance, that¡¯s what is important to us. We only have value for the things we can grasp, the only money we need is the power to further move forward. Spiritual stones that contain the Qi of the world can help us to gather energy for a breakthrough in Cultivation; Essence Orbs, Mana Crystals, and Aether Cubes are other examples of things that contain exotic and useful energies contained in them, those things have value for many races that use them to get stronger, so those types of things are accumulated and considered the savings of Practitioners in many worlds.¡±


    As he spoke, Navin conjured different objects on the table. Some comma-shaped jewels that had a smooth surface with what appeared to be liquid flowing at high speed inside them. Orbs and beautiful gems of multiple colors, polished and cut into many shapes, when Ethan looked at them, he noticed they had strange things inside, like electricity and miniaturized snowstorms, even burning flames, some of those objects just had abstract colors inside flowing inside and gave Ethan weird feelings just by looking at them.


    His teacher continued talking after giving Ethan a few moments to observe the crystals and orbs on the table.


    ¡°Treasures with practical uses, materials for crafting powerful artifacts and rare ingredients that can be used to refine elixirs and alchemic medicines have a value of their own too. We are practical people. We don¡¯t give value to mundane money because we don¡¯t have any use for it. We can transmute a sand dune into a hill of golden coins, so the value of gold is dust for a Deity. We value what we need and our luxuries and pleasures are such that the ¡®complex system¡¯ that mortal worlds use, simply doesn¡¯t apply to us. Banks aren¡¯t used either, because everyone simply carries their possessions with them or keeps them secure in personal pocket dimensions. It could also be seen as a ¡®return to simplicity¡¯ that is observed in the Cosmos at large, but that¡¯s more of a subject for philosophical debates.¡±


    Navin made gestures with his wings signaling the spread of something from a single point and then converging once again into a point, it looked as if he was delimiting a rhombus in the air.


    Ethan glanced at his own hand, on his index finger was a Spatial Ring, and inside it was a huge pocket dimension. It was easy to imagine that the people with access to similar things wouldn¡¯t bother trusting others to keep their riches unless they were personally weak. It would be meaningless to carry their wealth around if they lacked the strength to protect it, after all.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t have coins in the top worlds?¡±


    ¡°Favors and barter are the most common, but we do have a type of ¡®coin¡¯. The closest thing to a physical currency in the Divine Realm is the Dzi. But it would be more accurate to consider it as part of our barter, something like gems of different size and purity.¡±


    ¡°Dzi?¡±


    A smooth oval object appeared in the air and fell into Ethan¡¯s hand. It was some sort of polished material, though he couldn¡¯t ascertain if it was stone or metal. It was black and hard, adorned with golden lines that formed a strange pattern on the surface, like engraving some sort of rune.


    Ethan raised the bead to take a better look at it as his Master continued explaining.


    ¡°Dzi beads are ¡®the Pearls of Heaven¡¯ and are infused with power by the Deity who made them. They are gifts, blessings, curses, hexes, spells, knowledge, mysteries, and miracles condensed into a single bead. They are the physical form of a shard of truth. Inside them is the essence of some comprehension acquired by a Powerhouse. They are crystallizations of an event or phenomenon, even a concept can be encapsulated in these things. They are invaluable in any world and are regarded highly by Powerhouses of Ninth, Tenth, and even Eleventh Stage because these beads possess a multitude of attributes and effects. They can be weaponized too, but their real value is as an object of study and reference for practicing Cultivation. They are also very tasty.¡±


    Ethan watched intently the bead in his hand, it was the size of his thumb, and as he looked closely to the lines adorning it, the more Ethan felt some strange but fleeting sensations. It was like looking at something from the corner of his eye, or making an effort to recall an event, like having a word at the tip of his tongue but not quite managing to remember what it was. He knew there was something in this bead, he just couldn¡¯t tell exactly what.


    It was entrancing, in a way. And a bit frustrating.


    ¡°So this is what you meant by ¡®Power¡¯ when you said you traded with it? Is it the same as a Mage putting a spell into a gem or an artifact?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit different, though perhaps this could be considered the most advanced version of that particular craft. For one, the scale is much larger in a Dzi, a normal object wouldn¡¯t contain such phenomena, so the ¡®capsule¡¯ or rather the physical body of the Dzi is made from the power of its maker, isolating the mystery from the external world.¡±


    ¡°Like a black hole covering a singularity.¡±


    Navin stared at Ethan for a moment with a surprised expression.


    ¡°You know about those things?¡±


    Ethan laughed. He was no scientist, but the names and superficial concepts of a lot of physics terms were known by anyone who spent long enough surfing the internet or watching sci-fi series. He grinned as he replied to his teacher.


    ¡°I¡¯m smart. My world has carried lots of research about space and the universe, it¡¯s mostly theoretical though. I liked to read about that stuff online.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating. When your world is fixed, I will have to visit some of those scientists, I¡¯m sure it will be an enlightening conversation.¡±


    Ethan felt good seeing that is Master didn¡¯t have doubts that it would be fixed, Ethan would trust him on that. However, he quickly steered the conversation out of that topic.


    ¡°There are lots of smart people in my world, in all sorts of subjects. Anyway, you said that Dzi have special phenomena contained inside, right? What does this one do?¡±


    ¡°I have no doubts about the skills of your people. The efforts of mortals are, in some aspects, arguably more laudable than the ones made by immortals.¡±


    Navin pointed at the black bead on Ethan¡¯s hands, and his next words made the young man drop it.


    ¡°That one is one second stolen from every star in the skies of Pereastra, a world only beneath the Divine Realm. It contains the entirety of their radiation and gravitational pull, the combined light and heat of millions of stars captured in a single instant. One second of the starry skies crystallized forever in that bead.¡±


    The Dzi slipped Ethan¡¯s hand and he tensely watched it fall to the table and roll. Part of Ethan even wondered if it would break and explode. His teacher just laughed as he picked it up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I told you these things are made from the power of a Deity-level being. They are extremely durable and stable. You would need to be of Seventh or Eight Stage to forcefully break one of these.¡±


    ¡°How did you even make this thing? Wait, you said these are tasty. You eat these things? What the hell? How does that even work?¡±


    His teacher shrugged and gave him a carefree smile as he returned the Dzi to Ethan, who grabbed it and alternated glances between it and Navin.


    ¡°When you reach my level of power, you will understand. You simply lack the necessary senses to appreciate these things. When you are older and more powerful, I will show you meals and beverages made from amazing things, like a caramel of starlight, a liquor from distilled murderous intent, or a muffin of poetic dreams, maybe you will like the Past Lives Beer. I have some pies made from Immortality Peaches that my friend Mahesh baked, and some whiskey made from the change of seasons that I won in a bet with the Fae King, that stupid old fairy was a stubborn and sore loser, hahaha.¡±


    Ethan felt really weird when his Master started to name those drinks and meals. What kind of crazy things did the beings in other worlds stuff themselves with? That seemed like one hell of a trip on drugs and Ethan didn¡¯t want to try any of that weird stuff. He was perfectly fine with eating human food and drinking cola, thanks. No need to mix up weird astral things in a cold beer, either.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that when the time comes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You are right, no need to rush on those things, you are still a kid, after all. So as I was saying, there are Dzi with far more amazing things, like the murderous intent and bloodlust of an entire Hell, the furious force of the ethereal storms that strike the Divine Realm from beyond the void, a shard of the Heavenly Wall, the concentrated essence of the faith of the whole history of a race, the howling silence after the death of a world, the dreams about futures that didn¡¯t come to be, the breaking of a thread of Fate, the gravitational collapse of an universe onto itself, and even a breath of life stolen to every living being beneath the Heavens.¡±


    Navin enumerated multiple things like talking about the meals on a menu, as if he was remembering the items on a list about the goods kept on storage and not the great wonders that the Gods used to trade among themselves.


    ¡°Anything you can imagine, no matter how fantastical or absurd it may seem, if there¡¯s a Powerhouse who has comprehensions on a related aspect of the Cosmos, they can put it into a Dzi. Of course, the stranger the better. That¡¯s why Dzi don¡¯t have equal nor regulated value and are better considered as bartering goods.¡±


    Ethan wondered about the words of his teacher as he imagined how those weird things could even be encapsulated in the first place, but gave up after a while. There was no point in wondering about the powers of Gods when he was still in the First Stage of Cultivation.


    However, the possibilities of putting abstract concepts and imagined phenomena into those beads made him very curious.


    ¡°How about a paradox?¡±


    ¡°Oh, those pack a good punch. Paradoxes are quite nasty weapons.¡±


    ¡°You weaponize paradoxes?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, and those make some truly spectacular attacks. Try hitting a guy with a punch that comes from the future or condense a thousand strikes on a single point at the same time, and you will see them freak out, especially since space-time gets rent asunder and then realigns itself, that backlash hurts a lot. Real hard stuff. Guys who don¡¯t have some comprehension on the Way of Time and the Way of Space tend to be beaten really bad in the upper echelons of existence.¡±


    His Master seemed to be excited as he talked about that stuff. As if tearing apart the fabric of reality was simply a sport or something to him.


    Fuck, that might really be a sport for the Gods, crazy bastards.


    ¡°Paradoxes can be used for defense too, of course. Like a shield that forces stasis into whatever touches it a painting that goes into an infinite path, or a depthless well that¡¯s used to swallow an opponent¡¯s attack. Or sending any wound into a pocket alternate timeline to avoid injury. Turning your opponent''s attacks into a lie or an immaterial illusion is an advanced technique too. Anything is possible when one is powerful enough and has high comprehension.¡±


    ¡°How do you even hurt them then?¡±


    What would happen if an unstoppable force clashed against an immovable object? Or an endless stream versus a depthless well? An ever-burning inferno fighting an all-freezing winter?


    Would those fights make sense or even be possible to happen at all? Ethan was confused.


    ¡°By wielding greater power or having deeper comprehension about the concepts and phenomena used in the fight. It¡¯s not even a matter of who uses the higher principle or more complex concept. Although usually the more abstract a concept, the higher the comprehension needed to grasp it, that actually depends on individual talent. What¡¯s most important is power and understanding. A guy wielding a representation of the passage of time or the decay of death can still be beaten and killed by a guy wielding tranquil water or ever-burning fire, and all the above can be sliced to pieces and killed by a girl wielding a sword if she has sufficiently high understanding of the concept of cutting.¡±


    He had a strange smile as he said the last part, for some reason. He actually sounded smug. Like a father showing off his child¡¯s achievements.


    ¡°Sounds very weird and complicated.¡±


    ¡°Because it is. What you need to understand is that these kinds of extraordinary phenomena and epiphanies about the workings of the Cosmos are the things that Cultivation Arts and Techniques are based on. That makes Dzi even more valuable because achieving a deep understanding of something will make a Cultivator stronger, it brings an advantage over others in a fight and makes one be a step closer to the next breakthrough.¡±


    Silence lingered for a moment and Navin made a sweeping motion with his wing over the table and the magical objects disappeared, leaving only the coins.


    ¡°But well, you shouldn¡¯t be bothered by these type of high-level questions for now. To you, who are in the initial stages of Cultivation, the battles between Deities are too far away and strange, it¡¯s good that you are looking ahead, but you should focus more on the present.¡±


    Ethan thought that Navin was right. But still, Ethan knew he will probably keep asking questions every day, there were just so many amazing things to learn, much that he didn¡¯t know. And if he had a teacher that was expert about those things then Ethan would ask about everything that came to mind.


    But it was true, Ethan should focus on the things that were of use for him right now. He gave the Dzi back to his Master and watched it disappear.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s put aside the crazy, fantastical and nonsensical matters of upper worlds and focus on the now. Why did you show me these coins, Master?¡±


    ¡°Right, we got a bit out of topic there, sorry. Well, I figured you will need funds for traveling and doing things in any place you visit. I can cover your basic necessities, but it would suck if you couldn¡¯t even buy candy on the street. That would make you seem like a poor and lame guy. I can¡¯t let that happen it would make me look bad as your legal guardian and teacher.¡±


    ¡°Oh, geez. Thank you for such honest and selfless concern, Master.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m gonna give you some pocket money.¡±


    Ethan saw his teacher wave his wings and the coins flew to the air, towards the center of the room. In the air, each of the spinning coins multiplied many times.


    In less than five seconds, there were multiple piles of coins in the center of the room. Hundreds, likely over a thousand of each of the coins his teacher had shown him before. Ethan¡¯s eyes widened at the sight in front of him.


    Pocket money, yeah right. This is a fortune.


    Ethan turned to look at his teacher. If he thought Ethan was gonna jump at the sight of money, he was going to be disappointed.


    ¡°That¡¯s illegal.¡±


    His teacher gasped dramatically and put a wing on his chest as he threw he head back staring at Ethan. He even floated out of the table.


    ¡°Are you accusing me of criminal activities?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t exactly call you a criminal¡­ but yeah, what you are doing is illegal.¡±


    Ethan deadpanned and he saw his teacher drop the drama. His Master actually looked like he was about to pout, but changed his mind and merely took a pensive pose.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ perhaps. We aren¡¯t paying seigniorage for these coins, after all. But look at it this way: we are like a foreign merchant that comes to town carrying money. It¡¯s not like they are fake coins or falsified banknotes; the gold, silver, and copper are real. This is commodity money; it won¡¯t damage their economy unless we suddenly put absurd amounts of it into the market. Which we won¡¯t do. Because we are responsible and honest people who abide by morals and all that.¡±


    Ethan silently stared at his teacher, who raised both wings dramatically again.


    ¡°Look, you can get technical, philosophical and moral about this, or you can get the money. What do you choose?¡±


    Ethan chose to shut up. But he still had moral objections about it. He took another look at the huge piles of coins. How much was there? Well, if he was careful about it, it shouldn¡¯t cause any trouble in local economies. This wasn¡¯t fake money anyways, it was real gold, silver, and copper.


    Damn it, he¡¯s actually convinced me.


    Though it was definitely money obtained through illicit ways since it wasn¡¯t actually coined by the countries. Real or not, it wasn¡¯t obtained through the proper means...


    Ethan let out a sigh, this wasn¡¯t going anywhere. He was in a different world where magic existed and was being trained by a freaking Deity. Coins were the least important thing.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take it. But for the record, I still object to this.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Look, I will record it for you.¡±


    The Phoenix floated around and put his wings together as if he was holding a camera aimed at Ethan, who simply let out a sigh and ignored him.


    Ethan waved a hand and all the piles of money moved to his Spatial Ring. There had never been lack for things during his journey with his teacher, but at least now there would be no lack of money to use if he wanted to buy something in the cities he visited.


    Ethan yawned hugely. He had been sleeping until recently, but he was still feeling a bit tired. That sweet drink had filled him with warmth but now he was feeling drowsy.


    His teacher seemed about to tell him something but stopped and seemed to change his mind.


    ¡°Hmm, I have to handle something, I¡¯ll be back in a while, but if you want to go to sleep, we¡¯ll talk in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Hey! I remembered something, tell me about Systems!¡±


    ¡°I knew you would be curious about them. Okay, if you are still up when I come back, I¡¯ll tell you about them. If not, then tomorrow in the morning.¡±


    "Alright."


    And with that, his teacher teleported to some unknown location. Ethan wondered where he had gone to, but if Navin hadn¡¯t said then either it wasn¡¯t important or it wasn¡¯t something he could tell Ethan.


    Ethan grabbed a few grapes and turned to go to one of the rooms, maybe he should check some of the books on the shelves? He wasn¡¯t so tired that he would fall asleep immediately, but the prospect of sleeping in a comfortable bed was very enticing. He would distract himself with something until sleepiness won.


    He was munching the last of the grapes when his eyes caught sight of a framed picture that was hanging on the wall of his room, Ethan was sure that it hadn¡¯t been there before.


    When Ethan took a good look at what it was, he choked on the grape and started to cough furiously.


    Hanging on the wall in a golden frame, was a large moving picture of Ethan sweeping his hand to put the coins on his Spatial Ring. A video that had captured the exact few seconds when he moved his hand and the piles of money disappeared at high speed before starting to play again in an infinite loop.


    On the lower part of the frame were written some words.


    ¨C¨CEthan Bhreg objecting to illicit coins, for the record.


    Sahbadia, 8<sup>th</sup> night of the First Month, 3000 D.F


    Ethan steadied his breathing and glared at the video. He talked to the empty air, whether or not his Master could hear was irrelevant right now.


    ¡°One day, I¡¯m going to be able to punch you hard on the face. And it¡¯s gonna be a great day.¡±


    He then turned his back to the video and dropped to the bed. Contrary to his expectations, he succumbed to sleep in only a minute, dreaming about light, fire, and life.

 Chapter 50: Ceremony

    World of Yirlifa, Northern Continent.


    Rain was falling in the middle of the night over the Eastern territories of Likia Kingdom. Lightning flashed among the clouds and thunder roared in the distance.


    The lands around Klata City and Buri City embraced the rain, animals ran in the forests looking for shelter and the people huddled for warmth in their homes.


    Across the land, multiple stories unfolded.


    In the heart of the cities, politicians schemed and plotted moves against their opponents, weighing options and selecting the pawns for their next move.


    A [Magus of Lightning] received reports from his clansmen about their unsuccessful search of a child blessed with a lightning-attuned physique, and recalled the mysterious people he met as a passing encounter in a restaurant.


    Adventurers healed their wounds and rested. They ate, drank, and partied in celebration or in grief. Many discussed about possible future missions and pondered whether to move to a different place to look for more profitable quests.


    Priests of absent gods despaired as their prayers found no response, and feared for the fate of their faith and institutions. Some would persevere and keep their vows, but undoubtedly many would falter, as the tribulation ahead was no small matter. Already schisms were forming within the Faith, and the public was starting to notice something was amiss as the cleric healers failed to provide aid and the preachers stopped their service.


    A young Wolfkin adventurer stealthily walked under the shade of trees and stared at the [Necromancer] who stood alone in the rain. She smelled the emotions in him, the loneliness and bitterness mixed with a burning passion for his craft and an unyielding desire to achieve his goal. She remembered darker days when loneliness and hunger had been an everyday event and she had wanted to change her life, surprising herself for the surge of sympathy that she felt for one who practiced such despicable arts. The red-haired young man straightened his back and strode on, the black-haired girl hesitated just a bit, then walked after him.


    Under the sanctuary of an otherworldly artifact that was used as a home, a mother sat resting her head on a fine wooden table and watched with nostalgia as her daughter looked out the window. For the first time in years, as a thunderstorm roared outside, the girl felt no pain, and no tremor ran through her body. Instead, the girl smiled, her eyes alight with amusement and wonder. Such a simple thing, the way it always should have been but the whims of fate had denied them due to the girl¡¯s very nature; it was like a dream come true for the mother. As the woman gently smiled, her eyes wandered towards the other person in the room, a God in the shape of a man walked in while carrying a tray with cups filled with hot chocolate. The one to whom she owed more than she could repay just for freely gifting her the scene before her. She met his blue eyes and he smiled back at her. She received the cup of chocolate and wondered how he felt about her.


    Multiple situations were unfolding across the land, and each was an important matter, at least for each individual involved. But all of those were secondary for now, for deep under the surface a more significant event was about to unfold.


    The people on the surface would not know about it for quite some time. Many of those involved were experiencing uncertainty and having second thoughts, but the ripples of effect from this event would one day be felt across the world.


    Yet almost everyone ignored it, only a certain Ascended Being knew the repercussions and consequences of this as he watched that underground event from afar while drinking chocolate and merrily listening to the words of a fascinating woman who thought of herself as ordinary and simple, but who shined like a beautiful gem to his senses.


    He chose to let the events follow their course. For better or for worse, the choice of the future was in the hands of the people involved. He just gave it¡­ a little push. A chance for change.


    Navin Lakar smiled. Chocolate was a great drink for watching the Wheel of Fate turn in exciting new directions.


    The Goblins of a tribe were gathering.


    Indeed, any other day or night this might have been meaningless. Any other time, such a gathering within a tribe would develop into simple discussions, eating whatever they could, probably some fights, some would have sex, and then all would go to sleep.


    But not this time.


    Tonight was a night like no other for the members of the Blaze Cave Tribe, and multiple emotions swayed their hearts as they approached something unknown but undeniably important.


    The worst part was that they didn¡¯t really know why they felt this way. Restless, hesitant, hopeful, excited, afraid.


    They walked through the underground tunnels of their home and felt their blood begin to quicken. They did not know why this was happening, or what exactly was going on, but they could feel that something would happen very soon. Something very big and important. And that had them nervous.


    The Chieftain had gathered the Shamans hours ago, and whatever had happened during that meeting had put them in a frenzy, blabbering things about ancestors and some long-forgotten god. A weird and ridiculous thing, for Goblins had no god nor guardian spirit who watched over them.


    Or so they had believed, until now.


    As they walked the tunnels and saw the faces of their kin, heard the whispered words, and pertained to the rumors being passed from one Goblin to the next, they were no longer so sure.


    And that uncertainty gave birth to hope, which also gave birth to fear and hesitation. Should they dare to have hope, only to have it squashed like ripe fruit under the force of a hammer by merciless reality?


    And what did it matter, if there was a god out there who favored Goblins? Surely that would be an incompetent deity, for Goblins were in a miserable state. Yet the rumors traveled and those who had seen the jubilant faces of the Shamans were wondering if perhaps¡­ perhaps there was something more practical about it.


    In this state of uneasiness, hundreds of members of the tribe gathered in the center of the cave system, deep under the ground.


    The largest cavern of their home base was very wide, it had many entrances and a tall ceiling filled with luminescent moss and some crystals with natural fluorescence.


    The underground mines were rich with all kinds of materials, some extremely valuable for the ¡°civilized races¡±, but Goblins could not make full use of these resources due to lacking the appropriate industry and knowledge to process them.


    Even with the excellent night vision of Goblinkind, it would have been hard to see anything this deep underground, but the moss and crystals provided enough illumination. Despite its size, it was getting cramped now that so many of the members of the tribe had gathered at once, even with other groups standing on upper tunnels and elevated rocks, this was not appropriate for a gathering.


    On the furthest wall, Chieftain Feneh stood watching them, standing out as always among the rest of the tribe due to his eye-catching red skin, tall figure and force of presence. Being near him was like standing next to a bonfire, and occasionally there were some incidents of things catching fire around him. His Gift of Fire was a mighty thing.


    Next to him was Kar the Plan-maker, who had just metamorphosed into a Hobgoblin. Tall and lean, with fine features that were uncommon on Goblins, but nobody who saw him could call him anything but a member of their species. There was just something so Goblin about him that inspired strange sensations on all who cast their sight on the tactician.


    Moving restlessly around the two, the Shamans of the tribe were running while shouting to each other and to their assistants, moving with haste to different parts of the cave while placing many objects on the ground and walls.


    They painted symbols on the walls with a mixture of herbs and oil, sometimes making a finishing touch with their blood. The Shamans placed amulets of bone, stone, and wood, some totems decorated with colorful feathers and shiny trinkets, along with fangs and ornaments taken as trophies from hunts and battles. All the while, they were chanting, sometimes in a low whisper, sometimes in a loud voice. They seemed possessed by something, it was a strange sight, even for those of the tribe accustomed to the Shamans¡¯ eccentricities this was an odd situation.


    Yet they moved with a purpose, guided by something larger than themselves. So in their frenzy, they did not feel pain or fatigue.


    Kar watched all this and pondered whether this had been the correct choice. But it was too late to back off. After showing the stone tablet and the scroll to Feneh, the Chieftain had decided to contact the Shamans of the tribe, only to find them in a state of restlessness.


    Following the advice of the Sage, Kar had refrained from showing them the stone tablet. Even if they were useful to the tribe, Kar didn¡¯t really trust the Shamans, and neither did Feneh.


    And yet, Kar was certain that merely being in the vicinity of the stone tablet had affected them in some manner. This treasure was too interlinked with their species, and Shamans were the ones most attuned to their ancestral knowledge and magic.


    What Kar had shown them ¨Creluctantly, and at Feneh¡¯s annoying behest¨C had been the scroll. ¡®The Refuge of the Hollow Mountain¡¯, a tale about a Goblin who had become a God. Kar had wanted to wait for at least a few days before following the advice of the Sage, but Feneh argued that the sooner the better, and looking at the state the Shamans were in, it seemed that was the correct choice.


    Feneh was good at this kind of thing, he had good instincts and knew their people, that made him a good Chieftain, even if he was a bit of an idiot in other matters.


    A smack on the back of his head got him out of his ruminations. Kar turned to glare at the culprit, the only Goblin within arms reach. Incidentally, also the only Goblin in the tribe against whom he couldn¡¯t return the punch without causing a huge incident.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You were insulting me in your head.¡±


    Kar stared at his friend and Chieftain. Feneh had some bandages still, but he looked strong and stood tall. Kar stared at him in silence. Could Feneh read minds now? That seemed ridiculous, but who knew what was the limit of the Hierarchy of Classes? All kinds of strange Skills were possible.


    ¡°It shows on your face.¡±


    The red Hobgoblin explained with a grin. He cracked his neck left and right, his muscles were still sore from the fight but were no impediment for him to move around freely.


    ¡°Are you sure of this?¡±


    Kar decided to disregard the accusation, suspiciously accurate as it was, and instead questioned the Chieftain about their current situation. That only made the red Hobgoblin grin wider. There was no point in asking such things now, but Kar still did. Even if only to make idle conversation and distract his mind from whatever was to come.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m good at reading faces.¡±


    ¡°Not that. This.¡±


    Kar signaled around them with one hand. The decorations placed by the Shamans, and the Goblins entering the cavern with so many expressions on their faces. The scroll hadn¡¯t even been unfolded and its effect was being felt already.


    Feneh shrugged.


    ¡°This is important to all of us, right? You said it. But don¡¯t worry, I have a Skill for these situations.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a [Chieftain]¡¯s special Skill.¡±


    That caught Kar¡¯s attention. If there was really a Chieftain-only Skill that was related to the Shamans¡¯ spiritual experience or the creator of the stone tablet, it ought to be very special and powerful.


    ¡°What¡¯s that Skill?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called [Being Right]. Trust me, I¡¯m a Chieftain. It will be fine.¡±


    The red goblin laughed boisterously and Kar mentally regretted following his game. Yeah, he should have seen that one coming. He mentally counted to five to avoid punching Feneh in the face. Now was not the time for it, nor could he do that in front of a gathering of the rest of the tribe, it would be seen as a challenge and that kind of thing had consequences. It was his own fault for thinking that Feneh would take this solemn occasion with the seriousness that it was due.


    His friend laughed harder at the expression on Kar¡¯s face. The recently transformed Hobgoblin had to count to ten and then again, but swore that he would have a petty vengeance at the first chance he got.


    Decorated torches were placed along the wall where Kar and Feneh were standing. None were lighted, the Goblins had learned the hard way that smoke and fire in clamped places was a very bad idea, although the center cavern had a very tall ceiling. Kar wondered what their purposes were, as the current illumination provided by the moss was enough for the Goblins¡¯ eyes, but the Shamans were in no mood to answer his inquiries.


    There was a fanatical glint in the eyes of the Head Shaman of the Blaze Cave Tribe when he approached Feneh. Kar thought there was a bit of foam on the border of the painted Hobgoblin¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°All is ready.¡±


    Even his voice sounded different. A bit distant, as if he was half-sleep, but also vibrant even after all the chanting and shouting. He creeped Kar out a bit, the Shaman looked like a ghost had possessed it. And considering what they were doing, Kar wasn¡¯t really able to rule out that possibility. He decided to not think about that any further. That was for the best.


    Feneh turned towards Kar and nodded, it was time.


    Kar pulled out the scroll from his bag and every single Shaman in the room shivered. Everyone fell silent as the air itself charged with something otherworldly. Something strange yet familiar, something that called to something deep inside their souls.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    He took a deep breath. Was this really the best course of action? Shouldn¡¯t he wait a bit more? He should have asked for more advice from Sage Navin! But it was too late now.


    Kar took one more look around the gathering. Goblins were watching him with expectant eyes. Hobs and goblins, males and females, parents and children. This was for them.


    He paused.


    Yes, this was for them, wasn¡¯t it? Then why would he hide the other treasure, the black stone tablet that contained the Legacy of the Goblin God?


    Goblins were selfish creatures, and Kar was a Goblin through and through. But this was bigger than him, bigger than any of them. Because it was something about all of them. He knew now that he had been about to make a mistake, but that was easily remedied.


    The Hobgoblin tactician put one of his hands into his bag and pulled out the stone tablet. He turned and placed it high on a pedestal that the Shamans had built. A small current of warm energy flowed from it into Kar and then into the scroll on his other hand. The two objects seemed to react to each other¡¯s presence.


    The Shamans knelt in reverence, and Feneh¡¯s eyes went wide with surprise.


    Kar smiled and knew his choice had been right. This was a chance for all of Goblinkind, his tribe was just the beginning. They had as much right as him to know about the Goblin God.


    Every person in the cavern stared at him with rapt attention, even forgetting to breathe. Now, it was time.


    Kar raised the scroll high over his head, and the stone tablet¡¯s inscriptions shone brightly as Kar opened the scroll.


    It unfolded to a length far more than it should have. Extending towards the ground and then upwards, spiraling to the stone ceiling of the cavern and then expanding towards the walls. Like an extremely fast white snake surrounding the tribe.


    There was a sound as if a gigantic war drum was being played. All the hearts of the Goblins beat like one for a few glorious moments, their very souls being touched by a mystic force.


    Then there was silence. And the torches came alight.


    Emerald flames burned bright, soundless, and smokeless. They danced out of the many amulets placed in the cavern and started to slowly creep along the rocky walls to reach the top of the cavern. High they went, like crawling serpents of fire opening their maws to devour the stone, they connected at the highest point.


    With a sound like clapping thunder or the roar of a raging beast, the green flames expanded outwards covering everything around the gathered tribe, dyeing the world in an emerald hue.


    Then as suddenly as they had emerged, the flames were gone. The whole tribe stood in an impossibly large cavern, the rocky ground was the same as their own home, but there was no ceiling and no walls, only an ever-extending ground towards pitch-black darkness all around.


    Kar looked around. He could see more Goblins than when the ceremony had started. Not everyone had come when Feneh had summoned them, some were too small, little children who were still sucking on their mothers¡¯ breasts and the parties assigned to guard the tribe.


    They were all here now.


    Kar didn¡¯t know how, but he just knew it. He could see the entirety of the tribe standing in this dark space.


    What had happened, and more importantly, what would happen now?


    The scroll was gone, no longer in his hands. Some of the Goblins were panicking, the children were crying, adults were shouting, and the Shamans were kneeling. And Feneh¡­


    Feneh was staring at the darkness above.


    Kar followed the Chieftain¡¯s gaze and for a moment saw nothing. There was nothing he could see there, but at the same time, there was a sensation that something was beckoning, calling him.


    Slowly, he noticed what was there. Shimmering golden words spiraling far away like unreachable stars.


    Prompted by an impulse, every single member of the Blaze Cave Tribe raised their head and stared at the distant words shining in the darkness. From the youngest baby to the oldest adult, every single Goblin here stared at the words and experienced different feelings.


    Awe, fear, reverence, desire, curiosity, hope.


    The scriptures inspired all these and more, a myriad of sensations surging from the depths of their souls. Just like the words called for them, they yearned for the words.


    And the scripture expanded along the darkness, shining bright and extending towards them, as if responding to their wish.


    Lines and lines of written characters descended around the gathered group of Goblins, like a huge tower with a radius spanning hundreds of meters and a height that defied logic. Decorating the dark sky in place of constellations.


    They did not know those words, but they understood them, the words spoke directly to their essence, to that strange spark that made them people, to that unique thing in their blood that made them Goblins. Showing them images, transmitting feelings directly to their souls, revealing memories of so long ago that their bloodline had forgotten them.


    So they read a story, and so they wept.


    For the story was beautiful and full of hope, dreams, and ambitions, worthy of praise and pride. It was tragic too, for they were proof that even those great ambitions could meet failure, but the tale told by the scripture was nevertheless a beautiful one.


    Most importantly, they knew deep inside them that this tale was true.


    A tale of some distant past, of some long-gone people in an unknown world. The story of a Goblin who as a boy looked at what his people were and dreamed they could be more, so he fought fate and the world for this dream, to make it a reality.


    The members of the tribe read about glory and tribulations, about love and betrayals, about the tales of the past and the dreams of the future, about the deeds of one of their kind who would ascend to become a God. Of his achievements and unfulfilled dreams, and about how he wished others could carry on for him.


    As the words spiraled downwards, the darkness around the tribe receded and they could see many figures moving around them. Like mirages emerging from the mist of a dreaming mind, the figures appeared, they hadn¡¯t arrived but instead had already been there and only now the Goblins had noticed.


    Each figure was doing something different. There were tinkerers and hunters, cookers and fighters, speakers and listeners, walkers, and runners. Every one of them was a Goblin. There was nothing strange about that, Goblins did all kinds of activities both inside and outside the tribe.


    Yet these figures were anything but simple.


    There were farmers running through fields, carving open the earth and calling the rain, planting seeds and growing diverse plants to feed tens of thousands and exuding a vibrant air of vitality that covered the land. Shamans of great power, Druids who spoke directly to Nature and brought bountiful harvests and protection for countless people.


    Fighters dressed in silk and robes, with armors of holy silver and runic steel, wielding shining weapons blessed with miracles. Heroes who hunted down beasts and slew monsters. Champions of the common people, fighting to protect the weak and innocent, challenging the world for what was right and refusing to bend in front of adversities.


    Shade-like Assassins, more silent than the sneakiest of Goblins. Stealthily creeping through forests, mountains, and cities, hunting their prey without ever losing track or patience. Infiltrating enemy camps through dozens of defenses and hundreds of enemies to slit the throat of their leader and end a war campaign without further bloodshed.


    Researchers in grand laboratories, surrounded by tubes and shimmering liquids, jars of potions and pots full of colorful powders. Running numbers and complex formulas, writing equations and drawing graphs while performing experiments, making science to further understand the universe and create new things.


    Wizards and Sorcerers casting spells and rituals that flattened mountains and opened the seas, hurling fire, lightning, and hail from the skies. Summoning creatures from nightmares and mad dreams, conjuring arrays to fight and protect, creating wonders of magic.


    Explorers of the deepest pits of the earth, Rangers of the wildest forests, climbers of the tallest mountains, those capable of taming the fiercest beasts and making the most inhospitable environment their homes. True adventurers who dreamed of exploring the greatest secrets of the world.


    Bankers laughing as they sat among piles of gold tall as hills, surrounded by riches and treasures from many lands. Many societies depending on their decrees and accountings to properly function.


    Blacksmiths forging masterpieces that could slay titans and kill demons, crafting artifacts that could change the tide of wars and decide the future of civilizations.


    Engineers and architects, those whose minds and hands made them makers of works of stone, metal, and wood. Crafters of weapons and builders of homes. They who paved roads for commerce and walls for protection, who built channels for water, and ordained the streets and structures of metropolises. Those whose designs bridged the gap between untamed wilderness and organized civilization, bringing forth a new style of living for the enjoyment of common people.


    Grinning madmen, conquerors marching to war and unleashing destruction onto their enemies, slaughtering and breaking armies with merciless power. Tyrants who ruled by might and rose as hordes of dark beasts, a tide trying to drown the world unless it submitted to their crown, setting the world aflame while laughing.


    Wise and merciful rulers, enlightened in peace and mighty at war. Developers of culture and makers of righteous law, bringing prosperity to those under them and peaceful times to all around.


    Healers, doctors who stared unflinchingly at the gods of death and refused their verdicts over the patients¡¯ life. Those who with technique and skill, and with knowledge and magic, saved countless numbers of people, crossing the grimmest of fields to bring even the briefest respite to those in suffering. Alleviators of pain, keepers of life and relieved smiles.


    Performers and artists. Singers and musicians of myriad instruments and voices. Those who for a smile and a meal, for a drink or the lowest penny, or simply for the joy of a company and conversation, brought color and warmth to ordinary days. Actors who told tales of fantasy and truths stranger than fiction. Bards who sang of deeds from faraway lands and painters who immortalized their art for eternity.


    So many ways of life, so many choices and manifestations of society.


    Alchemists, mages, engineers, heroes, and more. Every single Goblin of the tribe focused on something different, they saw different figures, sometimes only one, sometimes many at the same time or one after the other. It varied from person to person, as they had different aspirations and talents. But they all watched with enraptured attention.


    And they wept.


    Because that was not them, because hope hurt. They were watching wonders of glory and honor, happiness and full meals in a warm home, those dreams they kept inside their hearts and never dared to tell anyone else were right in front of them. Yet it also felt so distant as to be unreachable.


    They were not like Them, like those glorious figures that shone with splendor. These Goblins were small, hungry, poor, and weak, so they did not dare to look anymore, they turned away from the visions because they were afraid and ashamed. Because they were Goblins, raised in the belief that they were not allowed to have such happiness, as that was not proper, as that was not the way of the world.


    They turned away their gazes and grieved. Desiring from the bottom of their hearts to watch again, to reach out and be part of that vision, but they did not dare to. Because they were afraid of hope, because they did not believe themselves worthy of it.


    Some cried in silence and alone, with hunched shoulders and cast-down eyes. Some cried loudly, wailing and despairing, roaring their anger at the unjust world. Others leaned on their loved ones or their kin, parents hugging children and children comforting their pained parents.


    The whole cavern trembled and the shining figures twisted, becoming diffused. The shimmering words in the sky started to crack as if they were about to fall apart.


    But some still kept staring.


    Two Goblins did not turn their gazes. Standing side by side, they stared at the figures. They did not flinch.


    Oh, they cried too, they felt the same as the rest, they were afraid and they also felt the same shame and inferiority when comparing themselves to the glorious figures around them. But they were not afraid to hope, because inside their hearts it burned with a flare that could not be extinguished.


    Because they already were walking their own path toward that dream, and those figures were showing them that it could be done.


    For a long time, they simply stood there, under the obsidian skies and star-like scripture, staring at their tribe and the visions. Trying to grasp some meaning from it. Thinking of ways to make it a reality for them.


    Kar looked at the tribe, to the kneeling Goblins who wept and despaired, and his heart bled because he understood their pain.


    Feneh looked at his tribe, the people he was charged to protect and guide. But he had no words to give them, he did not know what to say to them, how to make their pain go away.


    Two leaders stood side by side, as their people knelt. But those two did not despair, instead, they waited. Something akin to faith was blooming in them, and they believed this was not the end.


    Maybe the tribe was not ready, they should have spoken to the others slowly and prepared them for this ceremony. Maybe this was something beyond their capability and it was impossible to grasp the teachings of the shining figures in the visions.


    Perhaps, but these two would still dare to challenge it. They had started their journey knowing the impossible odds. The hope within their hearts and the dream within their minds was not something that would be extinguished by this, oh no. Quite the opposite.


    Upon witnessing these scenes, their hope roared in ecstatic fulfillment. The satisfaction of knowing it could be done, that the dream was not in vain, filled their souls and gave them renewed strength like nothing else.


    They would show the others, and one day their tribe would stand tall with prideful hearts vibrant with hope, with smiles on their faces and dreamful eyes.


    So those two stood unblinking, trembling, clenching their fists and grinding their teeth with determined grins. Staring at the dream-like figures and to the one beyond.


    The one that was greatest of them all, one that none but the two of them could see. Sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, he seemed so ordinary, just another Goblin sitting far away.


    One could look at him and completely disregard his presence, but then another look would show that he was different from the rest, only looking small in the same way that the stars in the sky looked small. Then he was back to being a shadowed figure, behind a veil of thick darkness and mist, like a distant memory long forgotten. And again he was there, so vivid and real that they felt he was right next to them, within reach of their hands if they so much as dared to try.


    Feneh and Kar stood looking at the God of Goblins, staring at the pinnacle of their kind. They had seen other figures too, of course. They had both watched the colorful deeds of the many Goblins of other worlds and seen various images and ways of life. But when they had caught a glimpse of the Goblin sitting behind all those figures, they had stopped seeing anything else.


    Kharsfal Tehrek Kobelin could be said to have an appearance like any other Goblin. Green skin, albeit one that had some hues of azure to it. Pointed ears like sharp daggers with rings piercing one and pendants hanging from the other, a square jaw with slight hints of a beard, and strong muscles.


    But he was also like no other. He was dressed in only black trousers made of some kind of scales and some sort of silver chainmail that spiraled from his waist to his knees. Long black hair fell over his shoulders and down back, part of it styled in dreadlocks decorated with multiple ornaments of different materials, though the hair over his shoulders was left uncombed and wild. His arms, chest, and back had multiple marks; tattoos and sigils of unknown meaning. There were crimson lines on the left side of his face, and a golden sigil under his right eye.


    It was strange how the two Goblins could know exactly what the back of the Goblin God looked like, even when looking at him from the front. They could take in any angle, any detail on his body was made clear for them to glance over, as if he was inviting them to attempt to distinguish something clearly, to comprehend something. Anything.


    Physically, he looked like a regular Hobgoblin. They were looking at a Goblin that if he stood he would be no taller than six feet, yet the feeling he gave them was something else entirely.


    The whole cavern shook, sky and earth seemed on the border of collapse as grief and despair clutched the hearts of the kneeling tribe.


    Then the God stood up and the world went still.


    Suddenly he was massive, a colossus whose presence could crush them all and turn them to ashes if he so much as thought about it with enough seriousness. His force of presence filled the world, and the tremblor stopped.


    There he stood, one who could guard them against all harm, a Titan with his head over the clouds and his feet under the ground, legs like mountains, arms like colossal pillars that could hold on the heavens and withstand their collapse to protect all under his care.


    Every mark on his body radiated power and held within it an abstract concept of the forces of the Cosmos, his sheer force of presence seemed to burn the space around him, exuding an aura of unspeakable might. As if his hands could contain all of creation and the extension of his arms span the world, as if his words could be heard in heaven and earth and command the forces of nature.


    His eyes were closed, but the two leaders could see that the orbs under those eyelids were shining bright.


    The two Hobgoblins stood, watching the Paragon of their species, and they wanted to reach him. They wanted his help and wanted to be like him. But Goblins had no words of prayer, no songs of praise to any divinity and no chants of mercy and miracles from the heavens.


    As the weeping Goblins shed their tears and let out all the emotions within their hearts, they timidly raised their heads, slowly, like little children daring to steal a glance to their parents after being lectured.


    What they saw had their hearts swelling with emotions again. Because the glorious figures, the radiant mirages and idolized experts who had emerged from a dream to show impossible deeds and tempt them with glory unknown to them, had all stopped their activities.


    Instead, they were looking at the crying Goblins on the ground and simply extended their hands, silently offering them help.


    Come, they seemed to be saying, take our hand, so you can be like us.


    ¡°Goblins.¡±


    The immortal figures in the dream spoke with a smile, inviting and welcoming. Their hands extended for the children to take, so they could take on the paths presented and be more. To be what they were meant to be, what they dreamed of being.


    ¡°Goblins.¡±


    The timid and hoping people on the ground whispered. Afraid, hesitant, but little by little, daring to hope a bit more. They raised their heads and extended their hands in response to the invitation. Reaching for the dream.


    Feneh and Kar grinned and raised their heads to look at the figure standing further beyond the dream. He was smiling too.


    The Goblin God laughed. His voice was like soothing rain and gentle breezes, like roaring thunder and raging fire. Like blazing hope and undying dreams.


    He opened his eyes, and the light swallowed their world.