《A Hand-Woven Universe》


 1. The Beginning

    "It''s happening! Its finally time! Quick! Quick! We must get you to an Attunal Room! Oh this is so exciting! Haha!" A very excitable young woman was rushing through smooth stone halls, her hand clasped in the palm of a young and starry-eyed Stara Azelle.


    They dashed through the halls recklessly, nearly overturning a sun-stone stand, a group of the elderly, and at least one odd minecart filled with flowers. Following closely behind them was a young man of thin stature, the model definition of a scholar. Complete with books and ancient robes, of which he was quite proud and would clean every night.


    "Please slow down!" Liters legs got caught up in his robe. While very good at completing his scholarly image, they were not very good for running, apparently. "Isn''t running like that bad for the child!?"


    "Bah! What do you know" The young lady dragging Stara turned back and scoffed at the librarian. A teasing light could be seen in her eyes.


    Stara smiled sympathetically at Liter. Liter smiled wryly in return. They were both too familiar with this young lady to try to reason with her. However, the energetic woman was not out of line. In truth, the people of Tapestry could run a marathon while sick and labored without much extra effort.


    Stara was towards the end of her pregnancy expecting her first child any day now, and though it wasn''t exactly comfortable running around, it really did not pose any problems. Their physical dispositions have always been very sturdy.


    As they passed, people who recognized them called out, asking about the child. When they heard it would be here soon congratulations would ring out in the halls.


    For the humans of Tapestry, births were a rare thing. On average, the oldest that they could age was 500 years. As such, their birth rate was very low. Only a few children would be born a year. Just a couple years ago, a very strong fire-attuned child was born, to have another potentially strong powerhouse come so soon left the entire conclave excited.


    There was endless talk about it. Guesses to the attunement and strength of the child. Some thought it would fall on the mother¡¯s side, others the father.


    When seen, close family who recognized them began to join the run, following along, saying their greetings. It was a very heartwarming scene.


    "Will someone go inform Elder Azelle to meet us in the attunal room?" Liter called out, his thin frame easily becoming lost in the growing stampede of family.  It had always been custom that an elder preside over a birth.


    "Already done!" a voice yelled out from the stampede, somehow managing to be heard over the patting of bare feet on stone.


    They arrived in the halls of the attunal rooms after only a few minutes. The walls here were smooth and soft to the touch despite being carved from the same stone as the rest of Tapestry. A gentle breeze flowed through the halls, sun stones lined with ceiling providing a warm glow, on the breeze - a light mist carried pleasant outer world scents.


    Because of the remote nature of Tapestry, built into the earth as it is, none of these things were natural. In a room above the attunal halls, people sat bringing the energy out from different elemental stones and dispersing it to make the area feel almost heavenly. Especially so for the people of Tapestry.


    The closest friends and family of Stara went with her to a subdivided room as the rest waited in the courtyard, talking and catching up.


    At this moment a small girl made her way to Stara, "Stara! Stara! Can I come too!"


    This small girl was Adria, the girl born 4 years ago with an astonishing fire affinity. True to her attunement, her entire being screamed unrestrained energy. She wasn''t too pale, despite living in the cave city of Tapestry her whole life. She had a stack of bright red hair, and eyes that looked like a sea of flames. She practically glowed with fiery light. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    In fact, she really did glow red.


    If there were a stranger in Tapestry, the first thing they would notice would be the people.


    The people of Tapestry are a race unique to themselves. Humans, but with skin tones the color of earth. Varying colors across the board, some are white or speckled like granite, brown like soil, or dark like stone. The men are all bald, while the women all have very full healthy hair, of all sorts of colors.


    The second thing a stranger would notice would be that it was never truly dark as long as a citizen of Tapestry was around. Every person glowed. Along the bodies of everyone who is born in Tapestry, are lines of power. Like veins, glowing with light on the surface of the ski. It looked eerily similar to the lines in marble stone. These lines are colored depending on people¡¯s affinities, flowing with elemental and universal power.


    Little Adria had lines orange like lava that seemed to pulse on her skin. To have power that bright at such a young age was truly a unique and curious circumstance.


    Stara looked at Adria with love, ever since Adria had found out that Stara was pregnant, she had visited often to check in on her. At times she even seemed to contest Stara in excitement for the child.


    "Of course Adria," Stara rustled her hair, "I would love if you would be there for him." Adria beamed up at her. Everyone looking on was fond of the young girl and no one objected.


    They made their way into a room specifically for nourishing a newborn, all at once people spread out to put items of special essences and elemental stones on the croppings in the wall. For a newborn, one of their most important aspects would be their affinity and attunement. As such friends and family would not be shy in filling the room with as much of the essences of attunement as they can.


    There was a knock on the door, it cracked open and someone looked in. "I... Mi sorry, the elder won¡¯t be able to make it. There was an accident in the mine¡­ the elder is there trying to help."


    Some of the family in the room cast worried looks at each other, to not have an elder preside over the birth was for the most part unheard of. It was not that the elder was necessary for the birth though. As they all have very high resiliency, a simple birth poses no threat for them.


    "It''s okay, please tell the elder to expect a strong and healthy child." Stara felt no anxiety at all, she has been preparing for this day for almost a year. Elder or not she was determined to have an incredible child.


    The door closed, and the room quieted down. All light within the room was that which pulsed out of every person¡¯s body. Especially Adria.


    "Alright Everyone!" The librarian moved forward with a book and pencil in hand. "Please start suppressing your energies." The room immediately dimmed even further, darkening it into almost pure blackness.


    Adria screwed up her face as she tried to suppress the raging energy within her small form. After a moment of concentration, she could only dim it halfway. She cast a worried glance towards the adults around her, who were now waiting. Before anyone had a chance to say anything, Stara took off her coat and laid it lightly over the girl¡¯s shoulders.


    Adria smiled up at her, a bright and thankful smile.


    In the first moment a child is born, their body glows with the attunement they will most likely inherit when they mature and it solidifies. This is considered a very important moment that will set the child in the right direction for their future. It is said that when Adria was born, it was so bright the people in the room were subsequently blinded for the minute after.


    Time passed, and the tension rose. Many hours swept by in dark silence. They could tell it would be soon. A small gasp escaped from Stara. Her breath sped up by a touch.


    "Adria?"


    "Yes Stara?" She responded nervously. Though she was usually rambunctious, in this moment she was feeling very timid.


    "Hold my hand."


    "Mm."


    A short time passed in the darkness with subtle breathing filling the chamber.


    Stara broke the Silence.


    "It¡¯s coming."


    Everyone focused on Stara, the room was tense. Stara''s mother was there to swaddle the baby when it came.


    Stara yelled out and gave a large push! Excitement shown on everyone''s faces as they prepared for light of a newborn to flood the room... Stara''s mother held the newborn child¡­


    but¡­


    There was no light.


    There was no glow¡­


    Stara immediately realized what occurred.


    "No¡­" her whole body shook. "No¡­." Her soft and calm voice cracked as she whispered to herself, staring at her mother.


    Adria did not fully understand but she knew something was wrong. Stara''s mother swaddled up the boy. "Stara¡­ I am so sorry."


    Everyone in the room broke through their shock and began rushing over to Stara to comfort her.


    At this moment though, an unmistakable and unexpected cry rang out. This cry did not belong to Stara.


    The cry of a newborn.


    For the second time the room froze.


    "He''s¡­ Alive?!"


    "I can''t feel any energy off him!"


    "Where''s his light!"


    "He''s crying?! Out Loud!?"


    To understand the degree of shock which filled the small room in Tapestry at this moment, there is a third thing a stranger would need to notice about the people of Tapestry. It was completely silent within the city.


    Since the dawn of time the people of Tapestry have never needed to speak out loud. Every person is telepathically linked with each other. Thus, even newborns never cry out loud. Until this day.

 2. Trouble

    Soft blue light filled the dim room and fresh air flowed in from the halls. Everyone who had been waiting outside crowded at the door, bathed in the light from a man standing right in the doorway.


    Elder of the Azelle family branch, a branch of predominantly water attuned individuals.


    Not always, but often an individual''s attunement reflects who they are as a person, or perhaps they become a certain way based on their attunement.


    In the case of Elder Azelle, he was the oldest in the conclave and wielder of immense strength, wisdom and knowledge. The glow of blue light which emanated from the lines of power on his body sent a calming wave through everyone present.


    Elder Azelle had seen a lot in his life of more than 500 years. Even from a life within the confines of the conclave, its world was always changing and there were always new challenges that arose. But this is the first time Elder Azelle had ever heard the cry of a child.


    Internally he was shocked. When he felt the atmosphere in the room upon his initial arrival to the halls, he had quickly realized something had gone wrong. Despite their hardy dispositions and it being incredibly rare, there are records of still-borns. This was what he had been mentally preparing himself to tackle upon reaching the door of the room.


    What he heard however, shattered this completely. He looked around the room. There was Stara laying in the center of the rooming seemingly out of it. The librarian Liter watched on as though trying to commit the entire scene to memory, and that indeed was what he was attempting to do.


    Next to the bed was the mother of Stara, one of Elder Azelle¡¯s direct descendants, and in her arms was a small child.


    His complexion was grey like ash.


    "Elder¡­" Everyone looked at him upon his arrival. No one knew what to do. Certainly then the Elder must know, they thought. How long has the elder been around for? Longer than any other living person in Tapestry!


    "Everyone¡­ leave." Elder Azelle said softly.


    If there were another elder around, they would be able to hear it. A supreme tiredness and worry in his voice. But to the people here, they felt nothing wrong with these words. Everyone quickly filed out, leaving any artifacts they brought in behind. Despite the elder being there, many were still very unsure of the situation.


    The mother Stara, her own mother, the newborn, the librarian Liter, and Adria attempting to make herself stand out as little as possible all stayed behind. When the last person had left the elder shut the door and covered the room in his energy. Instantly everyone became calmer, Stara was no longer dazed, and the child was no longer crying as he had been moments before.


    Elder Azelle glanced at Adria but did not say anything, Adria swiftly avoided eye contact as though she hadn''t noticed.


    Walking over to the child, "may I?" holding his arms out to take the child from Stara''s mother.


    "How odd, I really can''t feel anything from him." The elder said after a moment. He put his thump to the infant¡¯s forehead before frowning. ¡°Even trying to speak to it directly¡­ I cannot get any feelings in return." He spoke these words out, not keeping them to himself in the slightest.


    In the city of tapestry, they are all family. They have always been family. And will always be family. As far as they have ever known, they have been the only humans left in the world since eras long past. As such they all believe in and have a total open community amongst themselves.


    "Elder¡­ please." Stara spoke out, her voice carefully controlled as she continued, "May I please hold him?" The elder paused and discretely scanned through the infant''s body, checking to see if coming in contact with the newborn would be harmful.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "Of course, Stara" He smiled to her, focusing a bit more attention on soothing her with his energy.


    She took the child from the elder and stared down into its eyes. The baby quieted down, slowly it stopped fussing, it just stared back. Stara smiled at the baby, and oddly enough the baby seemed to smile back in its unique newborn way.


    "Stara? are you able to feel hi-"


    "Is he healthy Elder?" Stara did not bother to look at the elder when asking, seemingly entranced by the child in her arms. Her child.


    The elder paused for a moment, considering his words. Eventually he nodded. "Physically he is very healthy. He should have no problems¡­" he let the words trail off.


    "That''s good then isn''t it Noone?" She brought the child up and kissed his head.


    Liter looked on in silence, he felt unsure about everything that was going on, nevertheless he made sure to remember it all, to write down in the annals later.


    Adria on the other hand also looked on, to her it seemed like all the adults were overreacting. So what if he can''t communicate mentally like them, she thought. It¡¯s not like they can''t speak vocally?


    In the city of tapestry, spoken word is taught to every child, simply as a form of passing a tradition of their origins. However, after learning it, there is not a single person who continued to use it. Adria did not understand this yet as she had just begun to take the lessons on spoken word.


    "Stara¡­ what do you say you let your mother take Noone to the element baths? Though he does not seem to have a universal affinity¡­ it is also good for a newborns body to rest surrounded by the gentle flow of element laws. There is something I wish to talk to you about."


    Stara nodded gently, passing on her son to her mother. She did not find it wrong that the elder would want to talk to her about Noone. This is an occurrence that- as far as she knows - has never occurred before. Her mother swiftly took Noone out. She did not have feelings against this newborn, at worst she pitied it¡­ and her daughter.


    "You too Liter, Adria." Adria was not much interested in staying around to listen to the grown-ups talk anyways, and was more curious about Noone, so she swiftly made to follow to the Element Baths. Liter on the other hand was a bit apprehensive, in the conclave he was the record keeper who was to write into the histories everything that occurs for later generations thousands and millions of years down the line.


    Nevertheless, he would never not listen to an order from one of the elders, let alone The Elder. He decided he would follow along to the baths and see if any weird occurrences were to happen with the strange attune-less child. He gathered his stuff and made way.


    Once they had left, the elder sat down at the foot of the bed. He let out a long sigh and his back slouched. Suddenly he looked infinitely older. Though unmistakably strong, anyone would be able to tell the weight he carried was immense.


    "Elder please," Stara extended her own calming energy. Though less powerful than the elder¡¯s own attunement by a large degree, her calming aura could outmatch the elders any day of the week. "I know this situation is strange, but as long as he is healthy, how much more can we do now? What¡¯s done is done. And it is okay."


    "It seems like your heart has become more tranquil since the last time I talked to you Stara, it really is impressive." The elder chuckled, more to himself than her.


    "Haha, hardly. Although it has its uses, I will never be strong. Calming the heart is just a matter of being content with the world, and as far as I am concerned, as long as my child is healthy everything else can flow off me like a stream" Her eyes glowed with blue waves like a sea.


    "Mm" Elder Azelle grunted. At this point the elder hesitated¡­ Is now really the right time? Should I tell her? I can hold off for a bit¡­ but she will find out eventually.


    It would be best to hear it from me.


    "Stara."


    "Yes elder?" Something about the look in the elder¡¯s eyes caused a pin to appear in her heart, she immediately felt uncomfortable. She felt something was wrong,


    The pressure began building in her chest as her intuition began to kick into high gear.


    The weight of the enclosed room suddenly felt a million times smaller.


    Why does it suddenly feel wrong, she thought frantically. Her intuition had always been dangerously astute, and now it was telling her something was very very wrong.


    What¡¯s wrong? Her brain repeated.


    What¡¯s wrong? Mocking her.


    What is going on¡­


    What happened!?


    "I''m sorry, but there was an accident in the mine¡­ your husband had an accident and has passed. His body was unable to be recovered."


    Her heart twisted - was stabbed through like a needle dipped in poison. Her usual calm and delicate energy seemed to shatter within her. Suddenly she felt as though the world just ended.


    "What-" before she could respond, she fainted from exhaustion and shock.

 3. Heredity

    After that dark night within the walls of Tapestry, many events occurred like dominoes. Years passed, and time marched on. The city of Tapestry became a hot bed of discussion for a while, and in a while that too passed as all things do.


    A completely spherical room, the walls eroded down to a perfect shiny sheet of stone.


    Infinite Years of constant bombardment of universe laws. Light and energy danced on the stones casting brilliant colors across the Elders Hall. In the middle of the room several beings sat, aged and seemingly frail - but if anyone were to stand in their presence, a weight like that of the world would press on their shoulders.


    The elders heatedly discussed over a book which had been brought to their attention by Liter, who sat in the middle of the circle keeping his eyes down and trying to disperse the massive amounts of power around him.


    "After reading through the book and comparing it to events of the past I can say with almost 90 percent certainty that the power of the Ancestor is not infinitely divisible."


    The topic of course was Noone, a child who had been born without any universe or elemental energies inside him.


    "So that means there is a limit...? to how many of us can exist?" The smallest elder in the crowd stepped out, he was half the height of every other individual in the room and was attuned to the universal laws of air, specifically on compressing and expanding air.


    "I am afraid that is so.¡± Elder Azelle said gravely. ¡°When the ancestor came here an infinity ago, he protected us from the coming calamity but was gravely wounded. He passed down his heritage to us as a security that his line would continue until a time where the world became re-inhabitable.


    With his heritage we were gifted power to perceive the laws of the universe. His heritage flows through us."


    Everyone nodded, this was all common knowledge for those willing to seek it out. As such most people by the time they reached 200 years of age had already come to know about these events an infinity ago.


    "500,000 years ago, a water-attuned elder had hypothesized¡­" he gestured down to the book in front of the librarian, "that this heritage would not be infinitely indivisible. And if a time came when there were more people than his heritage could support, then ones would be born as they were before the ancestor had come. Unable to sense the laws of the world."


    Worry crossed the faces of all the elders present¡­ what would this mean for their future?


    "So¡­ Noone?"


    Elder Azelle nodded. Noone was the first recorded instance of this happening.


    None of the elders knew what to say, this was truly worrying. At this point a noise came from the librarian. All the elders looked down at him and realized he was trying to form words but was a bit overwhelmed by the pressure in the room. The elders took the initiative to repress their aura.


    Though Liter was younger than any given elder by at least 300 years, he was very well read. Possibly the most well read in the city. His entire life had been spent in the library, reading records of the past.


    Liter was born with a Universal attunement not to an element, but to the laws of knowledge. Thus, like his predecessor before him, he was assigned to and taught everything about the keeping of the histories.


    "Thank you elders!" he said a bit too loudly, "Honestly... is this really that big of a problem?" The elders looked at him waiting for him to continue.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "What I mean to say is¡­ even if individuals are born without an attunement, it does not take away from the heritage at all. It won''t dilute the heritage of the ancestor, it would merely be an event of adding to our numbers. In fact! It might even be cause to celebrate! The reason we have such a hard time reproducing is exactly because of the passing of the heritage. These individuals born without that however probably have a much higher reproduction capability!"


    He looked at the elders and the elders looked around to each-other. Liter did have a point, to increase numbers was never a bad thing, and they had more than enough resources to allow for a population boom.


    "Also," Elder Azelle added in "I am sure you have all noticed that though he wasn''t born with any Universe laws, he has some special attributes of his own."


    Wry smiles filled the room, even the librarian was not immune. Noone was a mischievous child in many ways. His strength was far higher than it should be for a boy of six. Thus, he was able to get into endless trouble and no one could stop him except for the elders as he would escape too quickly. His young body allowed him to be quite nimble when fleeing.


    "The other day we caught him swimming in the floating fruit gardens with Adria!" One elder cried out indignantly as the topic turned to Noone¡¯s mischievousness. "He could have disrupted the whole ecosystem there had we not got there in time."


    "We found him snuck in the food storage with Adria eating an entire barrel of cured bird meat!" A second elder in charge of the food distributions.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    "He snuck into my home and switched out all the water stones to sand! When I tried to take a shower¡­" The uncle of Adria cried out.


    Everyone had started to notice¡­ why was it that every complaint about Noone, Adria happened to be there?


    As everyone realized what had happened, they didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    Adria was so devious!


    ¡­


    The meeting was adjourned, and everyone went their separate ways. Those related to Adria all happened to head off in the same direction with an unusual haste.


    Elder Azelle got back to his quarters and let out a sigh. "Come out now."


    The elder turned to look at the doorway, Noone who was now six years old, quietly stepped around the corner. Turning to look up at Elder Azelle, a lot of thoughts could be seen going through his eyes.


    Because he had been born attune-less, no one could sense him unless they were looking specifically. The people of tapestry rely on their common heritage to communicate and understand each other; thus, they always knew when they are near one another.


    This gave Noone a free pass as long as he was out of sight.


    The elder walked over to a chair and sat down, sighing as he sank into it. He picked up Noone, setting the young boy on his knee. After a few probing questions, he began to explain everything that was talked about within the Elders Hall. Elder Azelle always believed in being completely open with Noone.


    "So that''s how it is." He said, his slightly scratchy and unused voice not entirely unpleasant.


    Noone wasn''t sure what he wanted to say. He felt unsure about a lot of things. For such a young child, it was a lot to think about.


    "I am sorry I caused so much trouble for everyone elder."


    "No no please. I know that it is Adria who influences you, in fact it should be me who is apologizing. I know you don''t know any other way, but¡­ it must be lonely."


    Noone did not say anything. He did not fully understand "lonely" but¡­ he could tell the elder understood.


    "But no matter what Noone, you must always remember that you are Family. You are one of the people of Tapestry no matter what. If you are the first of the attune-less, then so be it. Anyone born after you will be treated just the same." Although Noone could not feel the emotion behind the elders words the way the attuned can feel each other¡¯s emotions, he could tell how serious the elder was.


    "Alright now get going. Go see Adria, I am sure she is in need of some entertainment after the scolding she got!" The elder laughed and the room filled with a gentle air.

 4. Silence and Sea Stones

    Noone wound his way through various quarters and similar halls. If he felt like he took a wrong path, he would turn back and pick another direction. He was only somewhat familiar with this area of Tapestry but that wasn''t going to stop him from trying to make his way on his own.


    After a while he saw the group of elders who had gone off to find Adria earlier walking towards him, having turned off a narrow hall to the left. They were all sporting looks of helplessness, it seems that whatever punishment they were planning to give Adria, she had outmaneuvered them.


    The elders saw Noone and waved towards him, making eye contact with each other. Noone could always tell when they were talking amongst themselves. Unless they were making a point to not look at each other - they would always make eye contact and various facial expressions. From the outside he found it very funny to watch. However, it reminded him of how much of their world he was unable to be a part of.


    The most front elder, the uncle of Adria stopped in front of Noone and knelt down, "Hi Noone, are you going to see Adria?" His voice was slightly pitched and rough. The words he said were barely intelligible but Noone had grown used to understanding this type of speech. The adults never practiced speaking out loud. They seemed oblivious to how bad they sounded, or maybe they were just too thick-skinned to care.


    Noone nodded at him. Noone had a good impression of this elder despite what Adria would tell him. He knew Adria would sometimes say too much stuff she didn''t mean if she was excited or upset.


    "Yes, The Elder said she would want some company." When Noone said ''the elder'' anyone in the conclave who knew Noone would immediately know he meant Elder Azelle.


    After both of Noone¡¯s parents had passed away, Elder Azelle had for the most part taken it upon himself to keep an eye on and watch over Noone. Though he left the raising of Noone to the village.


    Various people have taken a turn watching over Noone. Families and Couples, Elders, Workmen, even poor Liter the Librarian had ended up taking care of Noone for a year.


    Originally it was supposed to be a month, but the librarian found himself fond of Noone. Specifically, he found it great to pass on the spoken word to a descendant he knew would actually care.


    The elders all had wry smiles on their faces, initially they had gone with the intention of scolding the young Adria, however beyond their expectations she had made the first move. Showering them with flattery and gifts immediately upon their arrival. What else could be said? They couldn''t very well punish her after that, could they?


    "She''s just down that way" the elder gestured from the direction they came. He seemed ready to say something else to Noone, but bit his tongue on the matter.


    Noone followed the halls, eventually reaching the home of Adria. It was a small alcove off to the side which she had dug out of the stone herself after stealing a miner¡¯s pick. When the elders had found out, they were originally going to scold her for that as well, but ended up being impressed that the 8-year-old girl was strong enough to do that on her own. Thus, they let it be.


    "NOOONE!" Immediately following his arrival, an explosion occurred in the house carved from the stone and the cave lit up red, Noone saw a vaguely human silhouette shoot out of the window like dart out of a blowgun. Two smaller explosions rang out in front of him. He covered his ears in shock, expecting more explosions to occur.


    BANG BANG


    Once his eyes adjusted, he saw a young overly excited girl of 10, fiery red hair, and bright red power lines pulsing on her body. She was small but nimble even more so than Noone, even though her raw physical strength was less.


    Before Noone could even exchange greetings, Adria began ranting about her progress with her attunement.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "I figured out a way to do instant acceleration and deceleration! You see, if I channel my elemental energy in my hands or my feet then condense it to its maximum, I can release it in a point out of my body, the explosion that occurs will instantly transfer energy into my momentum¡­"


    Noone liked Adria a lot. After Adria had found out that Noone could only speak verbally, she put in a lot more effort in being able to talk and read. As such, the only people in Tapestry who are proficient in spoken words right now are Noone, Adria, the librarian, And Elder Azelle, who similarly took the time to brush up on his skills.


    Because of this, and because Adria always took the initiative to talk to him, he very much liked spending time with her. Sometimes he thought she talked too much though. Especially when she was excited.


    "¡­ so, with this I will be able to match and even beat you when racing around the caves!" This was a game they liked to play. There are a lot of unused areas of Tapestry that have been created over the eternities their people have been here. For Noone and Adria, this was like an obstacle course. Adria was always competitive with it.


    Ever since Noone had turned 5 he held the advantage over Adria who was 4 years his senior. This annoyed her to no end, but also left a great impression on her about his physical strength.


    If anyone else had been around to hear that Adria had created such a technique on her own for the sole purpose of winning a race, they would likely be stunned.


    Without a moment to lose, Adria desired to race against Noone right away. Like a child with a new toy, she was eager to test it out. "Let¡¯s head over right now!!" She said, not giving the young Noone a chance to get a word in. She grabbed Noone¡¯s hand and started to run.


    Before she could get far though, Noone screamed out and tugged his hand out of her grasp. Adria smelt something funny¡­


    She looked back and saw Noone holding his hand to his chest. His face scrunched up and tears began to flow from his eyes as he continued to cry out gripping his palm.


    Shocked, Adria looked down at her own hands. Suddenly she realized they must still be incredibly hot from channeling her energy through them. Her eyes went wide, and her brain switched to panic mode, she began looking around frantically. She quickly looked back at Noone unsure what to do and the feeling of guilt quickly overcoming her.


    Her brow creased, and her brain worked at what felt like light speed, "Noone! I¡¯m sorry! Stay right here! I''ll get the elder!" As she dashed out of the cave, she saw others starting to head in Noone¡¯s direction wondering what the screaming was.


    "I accidentally burned Noone¡¯s hands! If anyone has any healing cream, please go apply it! I am going to get Elder Azelle right now!" She spoke telepathically with everyone she could feel in range.


    Without stopping, she raced through the halls to the elder¡¯s quarters.


    ¡­


    "Noone Noone its okay, let me see your hand." Noone was sitting on the floor his hand clutched to his chest, there was ointment on his hands someone else had applied before the elder arrived. Adria looked on from the side worried, and feeling very guilty. Please be okay, she pleaded as she looked at the pained expression on Noone¡¯s face.


    Noone held out his hand for the elder to see. The hand had already started to heal, but there would be a nasty scar left. From what the elder could tell, it shouldn''t affect the hands function once it is fully healed though. The elder looked up and around. Out loud he said, "This was a very high-grade ointment, I would like to thank whoever used it. If you find me later, I will be sure to reimburse you." Before turning his attention back to Noone.


    "Noone, I want you take this in your hand and hold it for me, can you do that?" The elder took a small fossilized stone out of his pocket. This was a sea stone, a product of the universe laws mixing with a creature in the ocean and then fossilizing.


    Noone nodded his head, he was apprehensive to let anything touch his hand after the pain of applying the ointment, but he bit his tongue and held his hand out. The elder gently placed the sea stone in Noone¡¯s palm. Immediately Noone felt a cool sensation spread across his palm, around his fingers, and the back of his hand. Noone felt as though he had a glove of cool water on, but he didn''t see anything there.


    The elder could see the relief in Noone¡¯s eyes immediately. He smiled and stood up, then looked over to Adria. "And as for you¡­"


    Adria didn''t dare to meet his eyes, he walked over to stand right in front of her and put a hand on her shoulder.


    "Are you okay?"


    Adria looked up into the elder¡¯s eyes and began to cry. The anxiety that had built up, and the thought of her recklessness hurting Noone led her to feel extremely anxious. She had been wanting to do something to help, but realizing it was her fault only made it worse. So, like any ten-year-old, she cried.

 5. Like the Stone, Like the Stream

    Years passed and time moved slowly for the young of Tapestry. Noone had grown up relatively normal, becoming a mature individual at a young age while going about his daily life.


    He rubbed a sea stone between his thumb and forefinger, enjoying the cool sensation it left on his hand. His mind drifted back to the day many years before, the first time he had felt a sea-stone in his hand, and the sensation it left.


    That was almost seven years ago now, or maybe it was eight? He wasn¡¯t sure.


    He walked through the center-most market in the city, trying to clear his head. The city of Tapestry was built within the largest cavern. Some say it had been carved out by the ancestor himself upon his arrival into this world. It served as a hub to every area in the conclave.


    The glow of sun stones that lined the chapel-high cavern ceiling provided plenty of light for the city and could even manually be dimmed. There were a few basic shops around all specializing in one good or another.


    It was rare for competition on goods to take place, and when competition would arise, it would be settled by the elders. Tapestry is and always has been a place where everyone gets along - out of necessity and common heritage.


    To Noone though it was a world of silence. Even in the most bustling times, any and all noise came only from the scuffle of feet and the exchanging of goods. No words rang in the air. No talking abounded.


    To some this may be peaceful, but to Noone it was often only a reminder of a world he could see but not touch.


    The city of Tapestry was not big, but neither was it small. The last time a count took place was 5 thousand years ago. In the annals it is written that the population of Tapestry was just under 10,000 individuals. To the individuals in Tapestry though, it did not matter too much. Everyone is family, size doesn''t matter. That was the mentality of the people here, and in the past 14 years Noone had seen this.


    The sea stone between Noone¡¯s fingers suddenly stopped providing a gentle cool feeling to his hand. He looked down in time to see the stone start to disintegrate into dust. He opened his hand and let it run through his fingers. It fell to the floor unobstructed.


    Ever Since Noone had received a sea stone from the elder years prior, he had become enamored with them. He held one all the time, the feeling it left on his hand was extremely comfortable, and It was a perfect texture for mindlessly rubbing between his fingers.


    It took Noone an entire year to wear down the first one before it disintegrated. Noone was in shock. He immediately ran to Elder Azelle to try and understand what had happened. Elder Azelle laughed it off and gave him another one.


    In recent years due to the rise in Noone¡¯s strength it wasn''t uncommon for him to go through two or three a month. Luckily, low level sea stones like these are extremely common. Otherwise Noone didn¡¯t know how he would justify his usage!


    SKREEEEE


    Suddenly interrupting Noone¡¯s daze was the loud grind of metal against gravel. Noone saw - rounding one of the buildings - a large minecart 4 times the size of a man being hauled behind a very sturdy gentleman. This man was Tahmel! A foreman in the mines and by all account a good friend of Noone¡¯s father before the accident that took his father and ultimately his mother.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Noone walked over and grabbed one of the ropes from Tahmel, who nearly leapt out of his skin in shock. Many people had been scared this way by Noone¡¯s existence. For a race entirely dependent on their common heritage being able to feel each other¡¯s presence, Noone to them was like a ghost.


    When Tahmel saw it was Noone who had grabbed the rope he merely let out a grunt and nodded appreciatively. Noone threw it over his shoulder and started to help drag the minecart. Immediately muscles bulged under Noone¡¯s clothes, his arms gripped the rope like a metal vice. Noone¡¯s initial pull had nearly caused the minecart to catch up to and tumble onto Tahmel, who''s eyes had widened and forced him to leap ahead quickly to pace up with Noone.


    Even with two of them dragging the cart it took thirty minutes for them to get it to the forge. No words were said in this time and Noone certainly didn''t mind. Once they arrived, Tahmel set down his rope and told Noone to wait. Noone nodded and set his rope down, sitting down with his back against the minecart.


    After a bit of time Tahmel had returned to Noone, they looked at each other before Tahmel broke the silence.


    "Thank you Noone. You are very Strong. Much strong. I you know what is said about your attune check. If it became true, you are always wanted with us. We can put muscle to good work." He lifted one arm and flexed his own muscles to make a point.


    "Thank you Tahmel, if it comes to that then I most certainly will." Noone appreciated when others would try to talk to him. Though it was a small thing, and most people were unbearably bad at it, he appreciated people would try.


    "Mm. Call me Tommy." Tommy had always been a man of few words.


    As Tommy walked off to the mines, Noone started to cut towards the elder¡¯s quarters. Regardless of whether he passed or failed the final attunement check, it would have huge implications for his life.


    He was nervous.


    "No matter what fate has in store for me, I will be strong." He thought to himself. Setting his resolution in stone.


    ¡­


    Noone arrived in the elder¡¯s hall, a large maze of glossy tunnels with smooth walls that seemed to dance with light and energy. Elders have been residing in these halls since the very beginning and as such the stone in the area has been blessed with special properties.


    He absentmindedly rubbed another sea stone.


    On his way from the forge he picked another one up from the warehouses. The workers there knew him and gave him a handful knowing how quickly he goes through them.


    As he approached Elder Azelle¡¯s quarters the door opened for him and Liter hopped out. He seemed to be in a particularly good mood. His robes were freshly cleaned, and he had out his most expensive pen. If you listened close you could even hear him humming out loud, truly peculiar.


    "Ah! Noone!" Liter smiled and waved him over.


    "You seem to be in a very good mood today Liter, how are things?"


    "Good! Oh so very good! You see, when I was reorganizing the records for the primordial era, I found a book I had never seen before! Oh, how exciting! Well not so much a book as a tablet! From the primordial era! How very amazing!"


    If Noone were to let him continue on he was afraid Liter would never stop. Ever since Liter had taken care of Noone it had sparked a fire in him for the language of the old ways. As such, whenever he had a chance, he would talk out loud. Since there were only three other people in the city who could accompany him, they all had to take turns dealing with Liters energy.


    Liter specifically found it fascinating how the tone of what he was saying could represent different feelings. When he discovered this by hearing Noone talk and it occurring naturally within Noone¡¯s speech he got very excited and spent nearly a month re-reading certain text.


    For the people of Tapestry, feeling was not represented by intonation, but purely by an exchange of feeling through their common heritage.

 6. Two Fish in a Pond

    "Anyways! I am sorry for keeping you up, I know how special today is." Liter calmed himself and looked at Noone meaningfully.


    Originally, he did not know what to make of the child. At most he found Noone¡¯s existence to be very fascinating and he knew that Stara had loved this child of hers unconditionally. Liter sighed.


    As he ended up spending time with Noone he grew to care for the boy much the same as the elder does. The year they spent together had cemented their relationship. Liter taught everything he could to Noone, sparking a strong interest in reading and books in Noone¡¯s soul. They enjoyed endless hours of reading and discussing ideas together.


    "Noone..." Liter began.


    "Yeah?" Noone had also come to think of Liter as close family. Liter gave him much of what he has. If it were not for Liter, he wouldn''t be able to read, and his speaking would be average at best. He would have missed out on all the tales they read together in the library.


    "No matter what happens, you are family. If nothing changes, so be it. Just don''t forget you''re not alone."


    "Mm" Noone nodded once, staring deeply at Liter.


    Liter scratched his head and gave off a verbal chuckle, he walked off seemingly with thoughts of the past on his mind. Noone watched him leave. Finally, Noone sighed and walked through the door to Elder Azelle¡¯s courtyard.


    ¡­


    Noone saw the elder sitting on the ground next to a manufactured spring. The whole area had a blue radiance as the elder watched the water. The light in the courtyard was all tinted making one feel as though they were underwater. Calm. Cool. Safe.


    "Hello Noone." The elder had not turned around. He never needed to. For some reason Elder Azelle always knew when Noone was around. It left Noone feeling perplexed but whenever he would ask, the elder would just smile. Noone got used to not asking and just accepted it.


    When Noone walked over he was shocked when a small splash occurred in the spring in front of the elder. His eyes widened as he peered into the water and saw two fish!


    "Elder! Those are fish? Living fish! How did you get them?" Noone asked incredulously. Elder Azelle just smiled and motioned for Noone to sit with him. They both watched as the fish swim around each other in the small pond. Noone was fascinated.


    Eventually the elder broke the silence. "They must feel lonely, don''t you think? Though they have each other, being cut off from the rest of their kin in the large ocean..."


    "yeah..." Noone responded after a bit. But he did not really think about what the elder had said and was still enraptured by these strange creatures.


    "I think," Noone looked at the elder "I think they can only feel lonely because they knew a life that was different to this. If they had always lived in this spring... Who''s to say?" Noone rubbed the sea-stone in his hand.


    The elder noticed this and chose to change the topic, "Do you still go through stones frequently Noone?" Noone nodded. "If you want, I can get you a sturdier one? A higher-grade stone should be able to last you a lot longer than those small ones."


    Noone shook his head. "You don''t need to do that elder, the higher-grade ones are too important to the infrastructure of Tapestry. These small ones are fine for me." He said evenly. The elder nodded.


    "Alright then, shall we find out then about your attunement? If anything is going to develop in you, this will be the last chance¡­"


    A pause


    A silence


    ¡®Please."


    They both stood up, heading into the elder¡¯s home.


    ¡­


    A Sigh rang out in the courtyard. Two sighs actually, overlapped.


    "I am sorry Noone. I wish¡­ there were something I could do to change this fate of yours."


    Noone simply smiled. "It¡¯s okay elder, we both pretty much expected this to be the case, no?" Noone was unsure what he was feeling. There was a tinge of regret? Disappointment? Self-ridicule for expecting a miracle to occur? Maybe just¡­ Loneliness?This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Noone took a deep breath. Strong like the stone, soft like the stream, Noone reminded himself. No matter what, fate will not control him. He will stand on his own, he will let everything else wash off him.


    "Noone-" "


    Do you mind if I excuse myself elder?"


    There was a pause.


    "Of course not Noone, please."


    The elder too was unsure of what he was feeling. He had always felt a little responsible for Noone. If he had been there when Noone was born, perhaps there was something he could have done? Maybe it would have been different...


    ¡­


    Eventually Elder Azelle stood up, he needed to clear his head. He made his was towards the cliff face.


    The entirety of tapestry was carved out from the centermost region of a cliff face at the ends of the world. To reach the bottom if one were to jump, would take multiple days. Upon arriving, they would be greeted by a stormy rocky endless gray ocean on one side and an endless wall of stone on the other. Equally so far is the climb up, taking almost a year.


    At the face of the cliff there was a large outcropping half the size of the city that stretched from the sheer wall. When the elder was feeling overwhelmed this is where he would go to clear his mind.


    He walked through the halls, lost in his own thoughts. When others saw him, he was met with endless greetings and praises. He simply smiled and waved them off. He was not in the mood right now.


    He knew logically that there was nothing that could be done. What had happed was already finished. Even if he had been there for the birth, he doubted anything would have changed. But to force Noone to live this life in Tapestry cut off from almost everyone... was it not too much? Gradually his thoughts turned toward the surface world.


    Arriving at the balcony he saw hundreds of individuals sat around listening to a lecture from the strongest air attuned elder in the conclave. He was a full half the height of everyone else in tapestry, but his skills in his element were top notch. He was teaching other air attuned some of his experiences that led to his mastery. In the crowd were other attuned as well, hoping to gain a unique perspective into their elements and laws.


    Elder Azelle really didn''t want to cause a fuss so he stepped to the back of the group and sat down to listen as well.


    "All of the elements mix together, but how they do so is dependent on each individual¡¯s understanding and experience. I have had the most luck with wind, earth, and plant laws. These are things in nature that already have an identifiable mutualism between them. Thus, they are easy to decipher."


    The small elder saw Elder Azelle sit down in the back - coming to a close soon anyways - he figured he might as well end it where it was. "Alright everyone, I will be ending it here today. I want everyone to think about what I have said, and I will speak more on it in a month from now." He waved his hand dismissing the air affinity elements which he had been dispersing into the crowd.


    Gradually the crowd scattered, leaving the elder free to talk. He walked over to Elder Azelle.


    "Well old friend, is it as we thought?"


    "Mm" Elder Azelle nodded.


    "No elements at all huh... I really do wonder what this means for us in the future."


    "Mm."


    "Though like the librarian said It might not mean much of anything in the long run."


    "Mm."


    They walked over to the edge of the balcony, outstretched 100s of meters from the face of the cliff.


    In their sights was an endless gray ocean of clouds. Beneath that was just a regular endless gray ocean. Even before the ancestor had come, their people had been situated here at the end of the world. Beyond this was nothing. Just infinite ocean.


    They stood and watched. It was truly beautiful, but also had a way of making you feel so small. They were the last bastion of hope for humanity, and had been chosen by the ancestor. Stuck here at the end of the world.


    "I want a city-grade sea stone."


    "Mm" the shorter elder nodded.


    A moment passed


    "Wait, what?"


    Another moment.


    "How much do you need..?"


    Elder Azelle held out his palm in the center of which was a shattered Sea stone.


    "Oh, that would be difficult..."


    Elder Azelle turned his hand over and let the remnants of the stone fall over the edge of the cliff.


    "Noone left it in my quarters after his test. He didn''t even realize he had crushed it."


    "He crushed it? With his hands?"


    "He has always been strong, but this blow may have been too much for him. I know he knew it was a possibility¡­ but that doesn''t mean he was prepared for it."


    "Did you say he crushed it with his hands?"


    "Yes, he crushed it with his hands!" Elder Azelle glared at the smaller elder. They stared at each other for a moment before returning to looking over the ocean.


    "He really Is freakishly strong."


    "Mm."

 7. Hot Tea

    "So¡­ would you like some tea?" The small elder offered, wanting to soothe his old friends worries.


    "Please."


    The small elder beckoned one of the air-attuned who had been lingering around since his lesson.


    "Yes elder?"


    "Would you mind getting us some tea from the dining quarters?"


    "Of course not! Please just wait for a moment."


    In tapestry the elders were the backbones of everything. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they are revered.


    Both elders watched the man run off, boosting his steps with natural wind laws. Elder Azelle reminisced about what he had been like when he was young. Early in his life the reigning elder was a fire attuned woman with an unbelievable amount of skills. Even for other elders, being in the same room as her could be suffocating if she didn''t actively suppress her aura.


    Her lineage continued to reign strong with her children and grandchildren. But none developed as terrifyingly as Adria had. Adria was that elder¡¯s lineage, but even that elder had not been such a monster. He thought about how much the two had in common... ¡°It''s a shame¡­ you weren''t around by the time Adria was born.¡± Elder Azelle sighed.


    "I wonder how far Adria is, she is certainly taking her sweet time" Elder Azelle scoffed looking indignantly at the cliff below, as though Adria could see him.


    The smaller elder laughed at his disgruntled friend. "What did you expect when you told her? She is too much for anyone in Tapestry to handle! Even you, old friend!" He laughed louder.


    Two years ago, when Adria was 16, Elder Azelle had told her a secret about their conclave.


    Every thousand years or so, the oldest elder in the conclave will pass on his seat as The Elder. Then he will take the youngest prodigy with him and they will then embark out into the surface world to search for any signs of it being inhabitable. Yet to this day, no one who had set out had ever returned.


    Because of this many people thought that it was simply chasing death. However¡­ what were the alternatives? Eventually¡­ one day¡­ the world would welcome them. And they needed to be ready to take that chance when it happened. But so far, they only knew that they were the sole survivors of a desolate dead uninhabitable world.


    He offered Adria a choice. He told her that she could come with him, and there is a high chance she would die in a desolate world alongside him. Or she could stay in the conclave, live out the rest of her 500 years, and when she becomes The Elder, she could embark on her own with another of her choice.


    Adria did not hesitate.


    She chose to go out with the elder. To her, she refused to believe that the world was just this. Just¡­ Tapestry.


    Elder Azelle nodded, pleased with her decision. If the world is finally past its desolation, then he will be her vanguard to protect her from whatever dangers lay out there. And she will become the foundation, setting up a new home for the people of Tapestry.


    He told her that in a few years when she completed her coming of age test, they would leave not long after her return.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    What he did not expect though, was what had happened immediately after this conversation.


    After Adria had left, she immediately walked to the balcony of Tapestry and threw herself over the edge.


    ...


    When Elder Azelle found out he nearly had a conniption. Raving and saying things the other elders did not know he was capable of.


    You see, in Tapestry the coming of age ceremony is a sacred trial by fire. At 18 you are to jump over the edge of the balcony and fall to the ocean below. Then using their enlightenments regarding their attunement, they are to make their way back up - scaling the cliff wall and doing whatever it takes to return.


    Only once every few thousand years does someone fail to return. For most attunements it is a breeze, just time consuming. The hardest part by all accounts is energy management. There have also been a few people who had made it quite a way¡¯s up before making a mistake and falling all the way back down to the bottom.


    This ceremony serves as a catalyst to help the people of tapestry to utilize and learn more about their elemental affinity. Of course, as in all things there are exceptions. Liter for example never took the coming of age ceremony, he was too important, and his attunement caused his body to be too frail to survive that kind of journey.


    Adria taking the initiative to launch herself off the edge two years early caused the entire Conclave to erupt in discussion. Though everyone was sure of her abilities, being far stronger than most fire attuned well into their 100s, there was still a hushed worry in the air. Fire attuned have a particularly tough time in the trial, drenched and drowned out by the cold water and clouds and mist.


    All they could do is wait.


    "Here is your tea, elders." The young man had brought back a tray with two cups of tea for both elders, still steaming hot. The man had sweat on his forehead. Obviously, he had rushed as fast as he could to bring the tea for them.


    "Thank you very much Eraim" The shorter elder took the tray from the man and set it between him and Elder Azelle.


    Both elders took in the scenery in front of them and picked up their Tea simultaneously and brought it to their lips.


    "Good tea!" They said simultaneously.


    Eraim grinned, pleased with the compliment. He had gone out of the way to get a hold of the best tea he could find.


    Suddenly, without warning in the midst of this peaceful scene the world directly in front of the elders lit up red! Bright red! And hot! Followed by what sounded like a cheer from a very familiar voice.


    A streak of red had shot past the two elders.


    All the tea in their cups had been splashed onto their clothes,


    Eraim looked on dumbfounded.


    Both elders set down their tea cups, not saying anything.


    At this time a glowing girl crashed down onto the overlook from above, seeming to have overshot the distance by a few dozen feet.


    The elders and everyone that had been on the overlook walked over. The glow around the girl was as strong as even the oldest fire-attuned elders in Tapestry. On her face a grin was plastered.


    "She must have had a wonderful time down the cliff." the smaller elder mocked. Truly this girl¡­


    As everyone gathered around her laying on the ground, she groaned slightly from the impact and then kicked her body up, forcing herself to pop up to her feet. Face to face with her now, the elders couldn''t believe how strong her energy was!


    "Elders!" She was going to hug them but then noticed wet stains on their clothes, "Umm, elders? You seem to have spilt something on yourselves?"


    Suddenly all the goodwill that Elder Azelle had for the girl left him as he remembered how much trouble she caused. A vein showed on his head and Adria just chuckled and looked away. The shorter elder merely smiled wryly and used the air to dry their robes.


    "By the way where''s Noone?" She looked at Elder Azelle "I tried to make it back before his attunement test, but I think I am a little late? Did it already happen?"

 8. Blessed Build

    Around the main city of Tapestry there were many unused tunnels that didn''t go anywhere important. Maybe they served a purpose at one time, or maybe they were mined out for special ores and crystals.


    Or maybe an earth attuned individual got bored one day and thought "maybe I¡¯ll just blast a cave into existence in this general direction." And then waved his hand and reduced stone into rubble.


    This was a sentiment Noone understood well at the moment. He sat at the mouth of one of the upper caves in the stone surrounding the city. He looked down on the city from above and watched the lights, the people. He still had not managed to come to terms with his feelings. Or maybe he had? Mostly he just wasn''t thinking at all.


    In his hand was a new sea stone. He realized he had crushed the other one and left it in the elder¡¯s quarters - something he was more than a little embarrassed about. ¡°Strong like the stone, soft like the stream.¡± he whispered to himself.


    When he was young, before his mother had passed on, she had left those words for him. He wasn''t always sure he fully understood them, but he did his best to live up to those words.


    He did not hold anything against his mother, he had always known how tired and frail and sad she was. She tried to take care of him for as long as she could. But eventually she just couldn''t... Her husband whom she had lost the same day she had gained Noone¡­ It was too much for her.


    A light rumbling filled the cave, grabbing Noone¡¯s attention. He looked around trying to determine the source.


    Suddenly the cave exploded in a rush of flame! Noone did not have time to react before he was kicked out of the tunnel by what he could have sworn was a person. Flame burst out of the tunnel behind him and he and a girl both started to fall out of the sky above the city.


    "Adria!" Noone was shocked


    "Noone!" Adria was ecstatic!


    Crash!! The ground was shattered.


    Noone stood up in the middle of the street brushing himself off and looking down at the vaguely person shaped crater he had created. He cleared his throat, looking around to see if anyone else had noticed.


    In front of him a young redheaded fire-starter landed on her feet.


    "Damn Noone! Your body has only gotten tougher since I have been gone." She grinned "What are you made of? Stone?"


    Noone, well aware of the temperament of the young woman in front of him, just smiled. They rushed into each other¡¯s arms and hugged, Noone hadn''t seen Adria in two years.


    "Ow ow ow! Okay okay!! I give!" Noone continued to squeeze Adria tighter lifting her off the ground mocking her. "You shot me out of the sky." He said matter of factly.


    "I kicked you into the sky, you fell out of the sky." Adria clarified, completely without shame.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Hmph." Noone set Adria down and they both grinned at each other. "It really has been too long Adria."


    "Yeah."


    "You know when you left all the elders had a fit."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, even Elder Azelle."


    "Really!?"


    "Yeah, the head of your family said when you got back he would make you spend 1000 years welding minecarts in the forge."


    "Pschhh," Adria laughed out loud at that. " I really should go see them."


    "Oh yeah, when did you get back?"


    "Just now, I tried to make it back before your attunement test."


    At this Noone had nothing to say... Adria noticed his expression change as soon as she mentioned it. She knew it had indeed effected Noone more than he let on.


    "Let''s get food Noone? It¡¯s been years since I had a decent meal."


    "Yeah, that sounds good right now."


    ¡­


    The short Elder and Elder Azelle were talking with the head of Adria¡¯s family, trying to calm him down.


    "I can¡¯t believe that girl is still alive! How dare she! She should have just never come back!" He growled between clenched teeth.


    The other two elders had wry smiles on their face. They knew he didn''t really mean these things. In fact, he loved her more than anyone else.


    "Then again..." he continued. "Our lineage has always had talents! She truly is a talent! A talent of generations!"


    They did not know what to say at how quickly this old man switched from anger to boasting.


    "So, where is she? Why has she not come to greet the family she so boldly left behind on her little adventure?" He inquired.


    The two elders looked at each other. "Most likely to go find Noone, before she left she asked about him."


    "Ah... yes... those two have always been rather close." The fiery man muttered. In Tapestry, their closeness was well known. Although they had never expressed romantic interest in each other, many thought they were just young, and it was only a matter of time. So none of the elders were entirely sure what to think about Noone and Adria.


    "By the way, now that Adria is back there is something that we need to discuss¡­" Elder Azelle let the sentence trail off. Everyone knew what he was talking about, and no one was sure how to approach it.


    Even though an elder leaving the conclave with a prodigy was something that must be done, and everyone knew that, to many it has become synonymous with certain death. No one has ever returned.


    Everyone looked down, not sure what to say first. The loss of an elder was bad, the loss of a prodigy was worse, the loss of both was a tragedy.


    And yet everyone understood that they couldn''t not send individuals out. One day they will need to take back the world after the desolation has passed. So, until that day comes, they must continue to send people out and wait for their return.


    Around Tapestry for hundreds of miles was a barrier that kept any other creatures out. The Ancestor placed it there to protect the people of Tapestry. As such, only individuals with the Common Heritage of the Ancestor would be able to pass into it from the outside.


    "Will someone please go get Liter?" Elder Azelle sighed.

 9. Tapestry Under Siege

    "So that''s how it went, huh?" Adria had her head resting in her palms with her elbows on the table. "Well it''s not like we can really be too surprised. It would have been more surprising had you suddenly developed an attunement, no?" she forked another bird leg into her mouth.


    While Noone had told her what he had been up to for the past 2 years, Adria had proceeded to fill her body with more food than Noone had ever thought possible for a girl her size. Adria had always been a voracious eater but Noone shuddered to think what she must have gone through in her trial to be this hungry.


    He thought about asking her about what she had seen and done in the trial, however that was something which was not talked about except to the librarian who would then keep a record of it for posterity. Even Adria would not break this rule. Or at least, not in public.


    He would ask her about it later where they won''t be overheard.


    Pitying looks could be seen all around from the rest of the patrons. Noone was unable to talk about things telepathically like everyone else, so in public there was no keeping secrets. However, Noone had learned not to mind too much.


    Everyone in Tapestry was familiar with the anomaly that was Noone. Though very few had met him, and fewer still have tried to talk with him. It was tough for many of these people to imagine what life must be like for Noone.


    The people of Tapestry have always - since the day they were born - been connected to each other. Up front, Noone always seemed secure in himself. He had a strong body and he was tall for his age. Noone would never be seen walking slouched. He kept his chin up and his head high. He was a stone in a river.


    However which one of these people had not lived for a few hundred years? Even if Noone and them could not sense each other, he was still human. Thus, they knew that even though Noone seemed like he had accepted and embraced his lot in life, underneath he certainly had doubts and felt alone at times.


    And they were right. After all, Noone was only 14. No matter how strong he was, he was still a kid. It was rough at times.


    As awkward stares began to fill the originally lively atmosphere, a large man walked out of the back of the restaurant with two pints in his hands. Immediately all eyes focused on him.


    Every step shook the floor as he slammed the two pints down in front of Noone and Adria. Even if Noone was standing up he would still need to look up at the towering figure that was Porose!


    "Noone! Hello!! Adria! Welcome back!!" His voice boomed inside the restaurant which now seemed infinitely smaller. He slapped their backs with a large grin. Adria nearly fell out of her seat and Noone fared only slightly better. Truly strong, Porose thought. Porose glowed with an orange light that seemed to only make him more imposing. Noone was surprised at how good the man¡¯s spoken word was.


    Porose was in charge of almost every restaurant and tavern in town. As such he was a man to be feared.


    "Hello Porose!" "Hi Porose." The two responded in unison.


    Noone had heard of Porose before but did not recall ever interacting with the man in any meaningful way. Adria on the other hands was in the same family and had great memories with him, mainly regarding food.


    "When I was informed you both were eating here I rushed over to make sure you both were treated well!" He laughed, and the room was deafened. If there were ever a spirit of the loud and boisterous, its name would be Porose!


    "Adria! I¡¯m glad you made it back safe! When you left the elders had themselves a fit! You''re such a troublemaker! And Noone!? No luck on your test, eh? But so, what! Just live your life and be happy!" Noone was continually shocked at how articulate the man was. When did this happen? He was a little too loud though, Noone thought to himself.


    "Here drink! On me!" He pushed the two pints towards them. "Noone you''re 18, right?" Noone grabbed the pint that had been put in front of him and downed it in one go! "14!" He declared, before Tobias could take the pint back. They both laughed, "Good man! Close enough!"


    Adria - not one to be left out - downed hers too even faster than Noone had.


    "So, you both! I have a proposition for you, if you dare to take it?" He smiled broadly showing all of his teeth. Pulling a gold token out of his pocket "This token is as good as my word, and I will give it to you both for tonight. One night! So you can eat and drink free no matter where you go! But! On one condition!" Porose smiled intimidatingly.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Noone and Adria looked at each other, everyone in the restaurant looked on as he held the token high. Many of the patrons had a bad feeling growing in their chests.


    Porose had a habit, quite possibly a bad one. At any excuse he could come up with he tried to drag the city into celebration and festivities.


    Basically, he really really loved a party.


    The hard part was finding an excuse good enough that the elders wouldn''t get too mad. This has been the source of many disputes between him and the elders for centuries.


    One dispute ended with a 10-year ban on celebrations. Followed by Porose banning the elders from his restaurants for 100 years! The 10-year ban was immediately lifted and Porose threw a party in celebration!


    ¡°We make sure Noone gets to enjoy himself too! It¡¯s good to celebrate and use our voices once in a while! And all of you layabouts!" He looked at everyone else "are going to be giving these two a hand in getting the ball rolling, won¡¯t you?!" They all looked at each other, "And if you don''t! don''t bother coming back to one of my restaurants for at least a year!" At this point there were various looks ¨C from incredulous to shocked - on everyone¡¯s faces.


    Immediately Adria¡¯s eyes lit up with childish delight. She jumped on the table and snatched the token out of Porose¡¯s hand before he could change his mind. She had no problem taking charge and organizing the crowd. "You guys! Head over to the Miners and inform them what''s happening!" She started pointing out tables, "You, to the Engineers! The growers! The builders! The healers! And no matter what! No one inform the elders!" Everyone¡¯s eyes went wide at the efficiency of the young girl.


    To the people in the restaurant it was like the devil had revealed herself to them. And the devil was an 18-year-old red headed girl.


    "Oh, and one more thing!" At this point her voice was as loud as it could be for someone her size, she held everyone¡¯s attention. Even Porose was impressed, but of course they shared the same bloodline. Suddenly she stopped suppressing her aura and the entire restaurant was in disbelief! "The rest of you are with me! And we are going to be doing all our celebrating as loud as possible! It¡¯s time you stretch your throats out and remember how to party like our ancestors would! Now let¡¯s start off with a pint for everyone before we head out to take the city!" She laughed in sheer amusement as an entire bar was emptied in a matter of minutes.


    Cheering immediately stretched out onto the street. The people within earshot were in shock. What is going on?


    ¡­


    After the first pint there was a second and a third before people began to set out to their assignments. Finally though, a mob had formed. It made its way through the streets leaving a trail of nothing but chaos and good times behind it.


    In the first tavern that they hit, drinks were made free and more cheering abounded! People took the initiative to start hopping to other places to drag them into the celebrations too.


    As the party train continued, the people of Tapestry were becoming more and more comfortable cheering out loud and hooting and hollering as they opened taps. Noone had never seen such a thing before, but he could tell it was becoming infectious.


    Another tavern. A restaurant. 2 more taverns. Gradually the whole city became embroiled in the affairs.


    "Noone! You''re 14 already huh! You''ve gotten pretty big! Get over here!" A large earth-attuned man downed two pints and then flexed, he was a full head taller than Noone but everyone in Tapestry knew how strong Noone was. His spoken word was broken, but Noone knew this man, and he knew what he wanted.


    Noone grinned and puffed up his chest walking over, they immediately clasped hands and started wrestling each other to the ground. The large man was big and strong but Noone was a bit stronger! They tumbled around the Tavern causing cheering and betting to immediately fill the air.


    It wasn¡¯t until they smashed through several tables before they called it quits.


    Adria ¨C caught up in the atmosphere - jumped on the bar exclaiming that the booze won¡¯t stop until the entire city is drunk.


    The big man stood up next to her "I will help you on your quest through the city! As long as the alcohol keeps flowing!" and chugged two more pints.


    ¡­


    "Elders! Elders! Porose has started a celebration! Half the city has already been taken! The last one was only a year ago this can''t keep happening you must do something!"


    All the elders were slightly shocked. While Porose did have a tendency to do this, it was usually restrained once every few years. He knew a bit of propriety and wouldn''t push it too much. Recovering from a city-wide party usually took a week and - in a small self-sustained community - every day counts.


    As such the elders were a little bewildered. What is the situation? He wouldn''t be doing this without a reason?


    When they found out the reason, the elders hall was filled with wry smiles. Well... I guess we can let it go this time, they thought.


    Not too long later, the head of Adria''s family would be spotted in the heart of the celebration setting off fiery displays.

 10. Starting Work

    "Of course, she was in the right! If she did not try to help, then what would that have meant for her character!?"


    "But it didn''t have anything to do with her! And if she had fallen there, she would have doomed everyone! Not just that group!"


    "But if she refused to help some for the sake of the all she would be no better than¡­"


    This had been going on for and would be continuing for a while. The libraries of Tapestry have been expanding since the beginning of time. Eons have passed with various artist types popping up to contribute to this ever-growing chest of information. As such every librarian who has ever come to exist has found themselves enslaved by the wonderful world of fiction. A necessary outlet for an isolated community.


    Noone, being in the care of the librarian at an early part of his life for an extended time, had been indoctrinated by Liter.


    As such, they had found a common ground in analyzing the books they would find. The elders at first were against giving someone as young as Noone complete access to the annals of history, however once the bottle was opened, what else could be done?


    Thus, the ravings of madmen continued unabated.


    Noone had been given a book by Liter half a month ago for their bi-weekly discussion times. A heroic tale of a young 200-year-old woman who saves a city from being crushed by a collapsing cave system.


    Being stuck in Tapestry since the dawn of time, well, it did not do much for the scope of imaginations for the people who lived there. If you asked any person in Tapestry what they thought the outside world looked like for example, even the most well-read creative individuals would have trouble coming up with an answer.


    Sigh.


    They both collapsed into chairs. They had been debating for well over half a day, and Noone had won. Although neither was sure what entirely they were debating over, it was clear Noone had won.


    A moment went by and they managed to catch their breaths. Noone smiled up at Liter who scowled back. "Beating me at a debate? How shameless can he be? I practically raised him, and this is how he treats me!?" Liter continued to rave in his mind.


    "So Noone, have you decided what you are going to do now?"


    Noone sat up, he stretched his arms up and scratched his head.


    After the siege of tapestry a few days prior, he had gotten a lot of well-meaning offers from every section of the workforce. Thus, it put him in a pickle. He was not sure what to choose. Presumably, he would have his whole life to move around and try different things. But¡­ how long was his life?


    For the people of Tapestry, living to around 500 years was expected. However, they were all born with powers of the universe laws inscribed within their body. Noone wasn''t sure... if he would have that long.


    He put those thoughts to the back of his mind, shaking his head to clear himself of his worries.


    "I think I am going to work with the mines the way my father did. It is the most physically strenuous place in Tapestry and¡­ I don''t have much to work with, but my body is strong." He chuckled wryly.


    Liter looked deeply at Noone but chose not to say anything.


    "No matter what you decide to do, you will be good at it."


    "Mm" Noone nodded.


    "But you are right, even in the records of Tapestry I was hard-pressed to find anyone who had been born with physical strength like yours. And you''re not even an adult yet..." Liter examined Noone like he would read a primordial book, letting his thoughts trail off.


    Half a year ago Liter had dragged Noone to a section of the caves where they would not be disturbed and forced Noone to go through more than 100 physical activities to get a measure of an atuneless¡¯ strength. In the end though, he was shocked.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Perhaps just as shocked were the masons, who ¨C after the Siege ¨C had found a very Noone shaped crater in the middle of the road from when Adria had made her entrance.


    "Well let me know when you start, you know, for records and all that." He gestured to the library around him and let out an exacerbated sigh. "By the way have you seen Elder Azelle lately? He mentioned he would be coming to find you soon."


    Noone shook his head.


    Liter walked with Noone to the door of the library. As he opened the door the librarian let out a light throaty cough, Noone looked at him in shock.


    Everyone in tapestry had resilient and sturdy bodies. Coughing was something that for the most part just didn''t happen.


    Liter looked embarrassed, "Ah, sorry about that. I think there''s a cough going around. It is about time for that after all." Noone nodded.


    Indeed, about every hundred years a bug would develop that was strong enough to break through their bodies¡¯ initial defenses. But it would only take a few weeks for everyone to become immune and the cycle to repeat a hundred years later.


    Noone laughed it off, he was too young to have experienced it for himself, but he has heard it talked about as nothing more than a mild inconvenience by the elders.


    ¡­


    In a far corner of Tapestry, the sounds of metal striking rock and rusty iron wheels grinding against the ground pervaded the air.


    The mines were a huge maze of woven tunnels which extended out from one side of the city.


    It was the single largest operation in Tapestry, being the source for every piece of valuable and useful metal and mineral that existed. No one really understood how these minerals occurred, however there were many theories. Mainly revolving around the grace of The Ancestor.


    Each mine shaft had a foreman, and smaller mines extended from each mineshaft, dug out individually by a dedicated miner with nothing but a pick and a minecart.


    When all the ore is dug out, minecarts are filled and are hauled out by hand to the forgers and the smelters. Overall it was a slow operation. However, the speed was made up for by the sheer numbers of miners.


    After countless years of digging out mining tunnels it is not hard to imagine just how large and expansive these halls are. You could probably spend your whole life in the mines and never see the end of them. And indeed, some people do just that.


    A few people have proposed having the workers map out the mines. However, such proposals were quickly silenced by groups of angry miners. No one wanted such an impossible task.


    Noone stepped up into the hub for all the mineshafts. It was an incredibly large spherical room of which all the mines connected back to. In the middle there was a raised pedestal.


    He walked onto it and cleared his throat. When the miners who were within the room saw this, their eyes went wide, and they immediately covered their ears.


    "TAHMEL, I AM HERE TO WORK" The sound boomed out of the main chamber and echoed down into the mineshafts. Within the room, tables shook, and everyone looked pale. Too loud!


    Noone hopped down and looked at the miners giving them an apologetic wave, inside he felt a bit sorry, but there was really no other way to find the man.


    The pedestal had been there since the dawn of Tapestry, before talking vocally had been phased out completely. No one knew what kind of magic had been used, but any sound made on the pedestal was immediately broadcasted down the tunnels. It wouldn''t continue on forever, but definitely for long enough to contact the foremans in the main mineshafts.


    Eventually Tommy came running out of one of the mines. "Noone! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"


    Noone smiled, it seemed like Tommy had been expecting him, his speaking had significantly improved since the last time they talked.


    "So, you came to me after all." Tommy looked proud. "Come on then!"


    ¡­


    Soon after Noone was given a choice of picks, pikes, and Sledges.


    "You know what we do here, so I won''t bother explaining it to you. You can take whatever tools you want from the stack. Most people go their own way. As long as the mines you make are large enough to move a cart through it is pretty much free reign. You make more depending on how much you bring in. Not much socializing to be done but I''m sure you''ll be fine." Tommy gave a wry smile at his own tasteless joke, giving Noone a pat on the shoulder and walking off.


    Noone picked three tools that seemed sturdy enough and made his way down the mineshaft.


    He walked for a while but did not see any open wall space that hadn''t already been dug out into someone''s mineshaft. Finally though, towards the end of the main shaft he had found a spot that had yet to be marked.


    Noone grabbed his pick and gave it a good swing, immediately biting through heaps of stone. Sparks shot up and the Ting of a pick rang out into the hall.


    It was like this that Noone spent the next year.

 11. A Year in the Mines

    "Hey, has anyone seen Noone?"


    Tahmel looked around scanning the faces of everyone in the tavern. He was treating all his people to a meal after getting a great haul and had told everyone to be here. Yet - as everyone looked around - no one could find Noone.


    Over the past year the rest of the miners had become very fond of the kid. Not only was he nice and always helping out, but he worked like a beast! Even earth-attuned foremen who have been in the mines their whole life refused to compete with him anymore. The boy was a workhorse!


    "The last time I saw Noone was three months ago, he was starting on a new mine after his last one ran into someone else¡¯s." Everyone nodded, because of how common it is, there were unspoken rules. If you run into someone else¡¯s tunnels you can¡¯t keep mining there or else you are taking work away from them.


    "I remember that he was really bummed about it for a day but got right back to working"


    Everyone quickly contributed their last encounters with Noone, trying to find who had seen him last.


    "So, no one has seen him in the past three months!?" Tommy was raving mad at this point. After listening to everyone¡¯s account, he couldn¡¯t help but feel they were a bunch of hooligans! How can someone disappear for three months and no one notice!


    "Tommy! Tommy calm down! You know how Noone is, he is probably just working like usual..."


    "Three months!!!" The middle-aged foreman gnashed his teeth.


    The rest of the miners were starting to worry as well... three months was really too long. Although the mines were pretty safe, there were still accidents that could happen. Noone¡¯s father was a miner alongside Tahmel. However, one day in his mine he accidentally stumbled upon an old lava vein that plunged down into the earth... he was tired from an extended use of his body and energy and fell into it¡­ Even Elder Azelle went down the vein to search for him, but by that point he had already passed.


    The tavern got quiet. All at once everyone stood up and made haste back towards the mine.


    ¡­


    "Which tunnel was his?" "Not that one, that''s one of my old one''s" "get out of there that''s my mine" "No No that one hasn''t been used for years"


    People popped in and out of tunnels trying to recall which ones have been there before and which one was Noone¡¯s.


    "This one looks new!" "No, I started that one a month ago!"


    Tahmel looked on frowning. He was unsure of what do to.


    "I found it! This one was started three months ago! Look at the stone! This doesn''t belong to anyone else does it?"


    All the miners looked around. No one claimed it so everyone immediately scrambled into the tunnel.


    They traveled for a few hours without seeing Noone.


    "Noone! Noone are down there!" someone yelled.


    "Idiot he can¡¯t hear you unless you say it out loud."


    "Oh, yeah."


    Everyone spoke out with their voices. "Noone! Noone respond!" Most of these people had no practice in spoken word. It sounded more like a cacophony of goats than a group of concerned miners.


    ¡­


    One day had passed since the miners had started down the tunnel,


    They still had no signs of Noone.


    ¡­


    3 days had passed, and all was quiet.


    ¡­


    4 days had gone by. Even with their sturdy temperaments and ability to go without sleeping, they were beginning to tire.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "My god this tunnel goes on forever. How long has he been working on this!?"


    "At least 3 months"


    ¡°Mm." the sound a punch landing on someone¡¯s arm rang out.


    ¡­


    1 week later.


    "This is ridiculous. There¡¯s no way he managed to get this far in three months?"


    "No one makes tunnels like this! Why Is it always so curvy and looping around!?"


    Keep in mind Noone was mining, to be able to mine out enough distance for two weeks¡¯ worth of straight walking was inconceivable given the time he had.


    "Maybe he ran into someone else¡¯s old mine and hadn''t noticed?"


    Tahmel spoke out "No... the rock is all freshly cut, but we are getting close."


    Everyone breathed out a sigh of relief, even for their sturdy bodies and with their affinities, all the miners were approaching their limits.


    At this point they just kept walking, trusting in their captain.


    ¡­


    Suddenly, the sound of squeaking wheels grinding against stone! The clash of metal and rock!


    Everyone¡¯s faces lit up! Even Tahmel who had been worrying this whole time.


    As they rounded the next corner, they finally saw a mine cart¡­


    And then another¡­


    And another¡­


    And¡­


    It was a train!


    After passing 10 carts they finally saw Noone.


    Nothing could have prepared them for what they were seeing. Noone had the 10 carts lashed together, and the front most cart tied to his waist. He was pulling all 10 carts with his body. While walking past each one, the miners could tell from the squeak of the wheels that the carts were full to the top.


    But, Noone wasn''t just pulling. In one hand was a pick and in the other a sledge. He was mining full-steam ahead while dragging minecarts behind. ¡°What a monster¡± The miners thought simultaneously. They shared a glance.


    Shirtless and covered in sweat, muscles bulging under the strain and sparks lighting up the tunnel in front of him. Noone looked like god of the mines.


    "Noone!" Tahmel yelled out to him.


    The sound of metal against stone suddenly ceased. Noone turned around in shock. "Tommy?" He saw all the miners behind Tommy, "uh, guys?"


    The expressions on everyone¡¯s face was ghastly.


    "What are you all doing here?" Noone was genuinely surprised to see them all.


    "You moron! You have been down here for three months! What were you expecting!? We thought you were dead!"


    ¡°Three months? Really?¡± As Noone thought about it he didn''t really feel like three months had gone by? Then again¡­ he was fairly hungry.


    He just smiled and laughed it off.


    "I don''t know how strong you must have gotten to be able to pull all this, but you certainly must have had a good haul Noone." One of the miners took the initiative to jump up into one of the carts.


    "OH MY GOD." Everyone looked up at him. "ITS ALL HIGH GRADE?" He lifted a hand-full of minerals and gems and ores up to show everyone.


    The way everyone looked at Noone suddenly changed. Were they all filled like that? If so¡­ that would just be too monstrous.


    "Here Noone, let us help you pull it back." "Do you need any food? You must be hungry?" All the miners scrambled to offer Noone a hand.


    Noone laughed at their antics.


    "No need. No need" He waved his hand. "I can do it."


    "Alright you guys knock it off!" At this point Tommy was starting to come out of his shock. "Noone, you should really let us help you haul all of this back. It took us a week to make it here on foot, lord knows how long it will take you to drag it all back alone.


    Noone smiled. "No no you misunderstand Tahmel." Noone picked up his sledgehammer and walked to the end of the tunnel.


    When he struck the stone a resounding boom and even shaking that rocked everyone in the tunnel occurred. Then another. And another. The tunnel surrounding Noone started to spiderweb and crack.


    But¡­ the walls should not be cracking like that unless there was something on the other side!?


    Everyone looked on wondering what Noone was up to. Tommy frowned and stood close, ready to pull Noone back in case it opened up into a pit.


    Finally, the wall in front of Noone exploded outward in a hail of broken stone. Light immediately flooded into the cave. Everyone stepped out into the light and incomparable shock painted their faces. One after the next their jaws hung open. This was the city! In fact¡­ they were right in front of the forge!? They all stared at Noone in horror. No one understood how he had done such a thing.


    Not just them in fact. The forge workers who have been hearing the booming for a while were all gathered there as well. Abject shock could be seen in their eyes. What the hell!?


    Noone just stood there covered in sweat - but standing tall with a pick in one hand and a sledge in the other. His eyes were shining as he looked at the forge.

 12. A Day of Rest

    The city was lit brighter than ever and, in the streets cheers sounded out as men and women could be seen dancing and drinking. A group of miners were charging through the streets, bursting into taverns demanding booze. In another part of the city, seamstresses were causing an even bigger ruckus. They had the half the elders on the ropes in a drinking match!


    After everyone had witnessed Noone bursting through the wall of the city in front of the forge, they had been speechless.


    After unloading the ten mine carts however, they couldn''t cheer loud enough!


    The miners and the forgers carried Noone into the city chanting the whole way.


    Noone himself was initially excited and having a good time, but when everyone refused to put him down until he bought them all a pint, Noone had a very different look on his face. However, that was all for show.


    In Tapestry, even if one had a lot of personal wealth, what could they even spend it on? So he had no problem treating everyone.


    The tavern-keep was originally very confused. Why is everyone coming all at once? Between the two groups there was around 80 people.


    When he heard about what Noone had done, he didn''t hesitate to have one of his staff find Porose as soon as possible and inform him.


    One can imagine how things went from there.


    When the elders found out about it, even they were so impressed by the haul Noone had managed to bring in that they decided to let loose too!


    And that was how half a tavern-full of elders came to lose a drinking match against an entire crew of seamstresses - most of which weren''t even a quarter the age of the elders.


    A burly earth-attuned man suddenly burst through the tavern doors. "I HEARD THERE WAS A DRINKING MATCH TO BE HAD HERE?!" Flexing upon his arrival. At which point he saw a group of passed out elders piled up in the middle of the tavern floor being danced around by young seamstresses. Before anyone could respond to his challenge he had disappeared back through the door.


    ¡°How terrifying!¡± He stayed clear of those women the rest of the night.


    ¡­


    Noone was sitting up in one of the unused caves that overlooked the city, with him was Adria sipping from a pint.


    "Not too bad Noone. Two riots in the span of a year, at this rate Tapestry will run out of booze."


    Noone just looked at her. If Tapestry was going to run out of booze anytime soon, he was pretty sure it would somehow involve Adria.


    "I think the last one started because of you, you had just returned from your coming of age, remember?"


    "Is that right?"


    "Mhm"Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "huh."


    They continued watching the lights and the city as everyone had a good time. Ever since the festival last year, it had become increasingly noisy. Noone¡¯s existence had caused people to start trying to work on being a bit more vocal, even when they didn''t have to be. Porose continued to push more vocal festivities as ¡°celebrations like the ancestors of old.¡± But everyone knew it was for Noone.


    Noone at first was shocked by this when people would actively approach him to work on their language.


    Even more shocked he was when Liter came to him and told Noone that he had been swamped with visitors to the library!


    "You should go see the elder." Adria said out of nowhere. She looked at Noone, not saying anything more. Noone glanced back.


    He had noticed from a while ago she has seemed to have a lot on her mind. He wanted to ask, but figured she would tell him when she was ready. This seemed to have to do with that.


    "Alright," he said casually.


    ¡­


    "Hey Elder Azelle, Adria told me you were looking for me?" After a day of searching around Noone had finally managed to find the elder. When he checked the elder¡¯s quarters, he heard that Elder Azelle went to the library. When he checked the library, he saw neither the elder or Liter.


    Odd.


    So, he just kept searching around being pointed in different directions by people who had seen him.


    "Hm mm. Ah! Noone yes, did she tell you that? Hmm." Elder Azelle rubbed his bald head in frustration. "Indeed, however before that, have you seen Liter anywhere? I don''t know where he keeps disappearing off to."


    Noone shook his head. Liter has always been a busy body. When he is not in the library, he is usually somewhere in the city recording something for the annals.


    "Have you checked the Forge? He might be cataloguing the material I mined?" Noone proposed this, not thinking much of it.


    "Ah! That might be it. Why didn''t I think of that...? I have just had so much on the mind you know? Or I suppose¡­ not yet." He shook his head, "Alright! Will you meet me later in the Elders Hall?"


    "Of course, Elder."


    "Thank you Noone, Also, you did a mighty fine haul in the mine. I heard you nearly gave all the miners a heart attack. I went and checked the tunnel you dug, I don''t know how you did it, but I noticed that there was something peculiar about the path you took, hmm?" The elder smiled knowingly and winked at Noone. Noone just smiled in return.


    The truth was, not having an affinity had caused him to become especially aware of the stone around him. Learning to feel the earth and recognizing patterns and ley lines in the city. It was like the earth around him was some giant beast with a unique body filled with patterns and veins.


    ¡­


    Noone was about to turn a corner when a thin scholar rushed around it and crashed cleanly into him. The scholar bounced off of Noone and landed on his backside. Noone was a bit stunned too but quickly recovered and helped Liter to his feet.


    "Hey Liter, you''re in a hurry!" At this point Noone noticed the lines on Liters body,


    "Wow! Liter! You have improved in your understanding of your universe laws!?" He was shocked. According to Liter, most of the scholars and librarians of the past have never been able to increase their natural affinities. Even after countless studies.


    "Haha. Hey Noone" he brushed himself off and stood up straight. For some reason he seemed more imposing than usual. Not like the frail nervous scholar he usually was.


    "Sorry! I gotta run! The elder has some stuff he wants me to get together for him! I will see you later!" With that he bounded down the hallway. Noone continued as he was, only to hear Liter round another corner and crash into someone else. Noone just chuckled, what a guy.

 13. A Proper Opportunity (Part 1)

    Noone was waiting outside the Elders Hall for Elder Azelle. He realized earlier that when the elder told him to meet him later, they had never specified a time to meet.


    Thus, Noone sat by the entrance leaning up against the wall. What else could he do? Besides, he figured the elder wouldn''t take too long to get there.


    As he watched lights flicker on the walls, a red glow began to approach from around the corner. Noone immediately perked up, expecting Adria to turn the corner in a moment.


    Instead of a sudden onslaught of flame though, the glow just approached the corner at a reasonable pace. Noone heard footsteps which sounded much heavier than Adria¡¯s.


    The head of Adria¡¯s family stepped around the corner. He was a very tall man with bright eyes and a flaming beard. For an elder he was still very robust, as though time could not whither him.


    Everything about the man screamed strength and solidarity.


    "Ah, Noone? What are you doing here?" The large man¡¯s voice asked in surprise. Noone started to stand to greet the elder but a hand was placed on his shoulder stopping him. "No, please. How about I join you for a bit?"


    Noone was a little stunned when the elder sat against the wall opposite him slouching against it before he could even respond. Suddenly he no longer seemed the tall imposing giant he was, and instead he just seemed like a man. Like anyone else.


    There was a tiredness to him that Noone didn¡¯t understand.


    "The elder told me earlier to meet him here, however before he went on his way we forgot to clarify a time, so¡­" Noone gestured to the general area as if to say ''so here I am, waiting.''


    "Mm, Indeed. The elder has always had a lot on his plate, especially recently." The fiery man looked at Noone, as though deciding how he felt about the young man.


    In truth the man did not dislike Noone. He thought Noone was a good kid, and did not oppose him and Adria spending so much time together. Specifically, he liked that Noone was never a slouch. He was born with a worse lot than anyone else in Tapestry, but he still kept moving forward.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    In the past though he had never considered Noone strong. How could he? As long has Tapestry had been around there had never been anyone born without an attunement.


    But then Noone continually found ways to prove himself. Even the environment of Tapestry had been slightly changed thanks to Noone¡¯s existence.


    "Noone. Do you like Adria?" The man asked suddenly.


    Noone looked at the elder a bit taken aback. He had to bite his tongue from responding in shock and instead took a moment to consider the man¡¯s question.


    He had never really taken the time to consider it. He was only 15 after all. Adria had a whole 500-year life ahead of her. He supposed he liked her, but he wasn''t sure it was in the same way the elder was implying.


    "I don''t know if I do in the same way that you mean. However, I grew up with her in my life from the very first moments. But I consider her more as family than anything else right now." Noone said carefully.


    The elder had been watching Noone, deciphering his facial expressions. He could tell that Noone was speaking honestly and he appreciated that. The people who speak as they think, tend to be kind and strong people.


    Noone was watching the elder too, trying to understand why the elder would bring this up now.


    "Noone, would you protect her, if you had to? Would you protect her with your life?"


    At this he truly was speechless. What? Protect her? What could I possibly do to protect someone as strong as her? Especially in a place like Tapestry?


    Noone was truly unsure of what he was supposed to say. However, in his heart he knew the answer.


    "Of course I would protect her, elder." They locked eyes and for a moment Noone could feel a pain that was lingering in the elder¡¯s soul, like a struggle inside of him. And the elder could see resolution in Noone.


    He stood up and gave Noone a final look.


    "Thank you, Noone. With that I can rest assured." He started to walk off but stopped before he turned the corner.


    "Noone. You have a lot of the best qualities of your mother, and your father. Stara was a wonderful girl, if she had not passed when she did, she would have become one of the strongest elders to exist in the history of Tapestry. Even more than Elder Azelle."


    With that said, he was about to turn the corner again, but stopped "Oh. Also, there¡¯s a bug going around right now, so if you feel like you start to get a bit of a cough go visit Porose. He has brewed a large batch of soup with some elemental energy."


    After that he left, leaving Noone with his thoughts. Noone knew that he couldn''t understand what the elder was getting at, so he decided to put it out of mind for now.

 14. A Proper Opportunity (Part 2)

    "Noone?"


    Noone¡¯s eyes shot open - looking up at Elder Azelle. Had he fallen asleep? That was unusual, he hadn''t felt tired.


    "Sorry Elder, I must have dozed off.¡± He stood up, adjusting his clothes.


    "Not at all, it was my fault for keeping you waiting." The elder seemed less scattered than he had been when Noone had seen him earlier. It seemed as though the elder had made some kind of decision on something that had been bothering him, as to what it was though, Noone couldn''t have known.


    ¡­


    Noone and the elder were both stood in the middle of the Elders Hall. A large spherical room with multi-colored lights flowing through the stones in the walls. Noone hadn¡¯t been inside for a long time.


    The elder walked towards a wall and placed his palm on it. Immediately the elemental lights in the stone jumped as though at his command. The area in front of the elder became a whirlpool of blue energy, reacting to the elder¡¯s affinity.


    When he pulled his hand away the blue dispersed back into its regular erratic patterns.


    "This room," he started, gesturing around him and looking to Noone. "This room in many ways is like a historical record of all the elders of Tapestry¡­ since the dawn of our world." The elder cleared his throat, and Noone was surprised, the elder was emotional? There was a sorrow in the elder¡¯s words that Noone couldn¡¯t understand.


    "Noone. Epoch ago - far longer than any of us dare to imagine - The ancestor came to the people of this world and warned of a world ending catastrophe. He stated that almost all would die. Civilizations would be lost. History would be unraveled." The Elder¡¯s voice rose as he recounted their history, getting louder with each phrase. "And then he told us he would pass down his will onto us, providing protection from the coming calamity."


    "He dug the city of Tapestry out of a cliff at the edge of the world and told us we would be safe here. One day, the world above would become habitable again. He had told us that we must not leave tapestry before that time or we would die. The world was going to become a place that would actively strive to kill us."Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "So, we waited, but how long were we supposed to wait? He never said."


    Noone had heard much of this before, however never in such fine detail.


    "Thus, a tradition became born. When the time is right, the oldest elder will pass his seat along, and leave the conclave to scout out the world above. Although we cannot know for certain, what we do know is no one has returned yet in all the time we have lived in Tapestry." Noone¡¯s eyes widened, he swallowed in nervousness. He was starting to understand where this was leading. "Thus, though many do not speak of it, most believe this to be no different than suicide."


    The elder chuckled bitterly, no one wanted to die, but what else could be done?


    Noone did not know how old the elder was but Elder Azelle had been the reigning as the leader of Tapestry since he was born, and though no one said it, many believed he was well over the 500 years usually allotted to them.


    "I see¡­"


    "No, I am afraid you don''t." The elder took a moment to sigh, he was here to offer Noone an opportunity, but it felt like he was pushing Noone¡¯s hand. If he and Adria left, would Noone dare not follow?


    "With the oldest elder, the youngest prodigy will also join him." The elder said, giving Noone a deep look. Noone was struck still. Adria?


    "I will be acting as the vanguard, to protect her within all my power from whatever world lies above. Adria will be the seed - for if there is a world above that we can survive in - she will be the one to start building the foundations for the arrival of Tapestry."


    Noone was silent. Many moments passed in total quiet. He thought about everything the Elder said.


    The reasoning behind this decision was fair. Without knowing anything of the desolate lands above, it was the most efficient solution. But his mind shook¡­ what if it really was just a suicide mission? How was he supposed to be okay with that?


    And then¡­ If Adria and Elder Azelle left, he would only have Liter to talk to. One other person in a city of ten thousand.


    Noone¡¯s head was hung low, his usual sturdy posture was now shadowed in a vague gloom. Depressing thoughts coursed through his mind. All of this was too unexpected. But why is the elder telling me all this now? Noone couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    "Do you want to join us Noone?" Noone did not even need to think of his answer.


    Without hesitation. "Yes elder. I want to go as well."


    Elder Azelle nodded casually, trying to come off as nonchalant as possible. However, Noone saw the flash of happiness in the elder¡¯s eyes. Was it weird to feel happiness about going off to certain death? Perhaps. But maybe that was better than living and feeling alone.


    Noone knew he wasn¡¯t going in order to be with Adria. Or Elder Azelle. He wanted to go merely so he wouldn¡¯t have to stay there, in Tapestry.

 15. Coming of Age

    Noone was rubbing a sea-stone between his thumb and forefinger as he walked towards the library to visit Liter.


    When the elder offered him a chance to go with them, Noone did not need to think about his response.


    Without the elder, and without Adria, what was there in Tapestry for him anyways? Plus¡­ Noone had a feeling within the very core of his being that if he did stay, he would regret it for the rest of his life. And at the moment he didn''t even know how long the rest of his life was.


    But he was sure that no matter how long he had, he would much rather spend it trying to make history for Tapestry.


    Even if it turned out there was nothing out there, and they had gone to their deaths¡­ really how different was that than the life Noone would have if he stayed in Tapestry?


    Sure, he might be able to live a bit longer, but was that all there was to life?


    At the moment he was so lost in his own thoughts he hadn''t noticed the feminine and powerful figure of Adria standing against the wall en route to the library. She seemed to have been waiting for him.


    "Noone?" Immediately Noone was broken out of his own personal reverie and looked up.


    "Ah, Adria..."


    Adria looked off to the side biting her lip. Noone could tell she wanted to say something, but she wasn''t acting like herself at all. The Adria he knew would never be shy about something she wanted to know.


    "So¡­?" Adria started.


    "So?" Noone tilted his head as though he didn''t understand.


    Noone knew immediately what it was Adria wanted to ask him about. However, he also knew now that Adria had known about her departure to the surface world for a year now, and she hadn''t even mentioned it to him!


    So, he wasn''t going to give her an answer easily.


    "So¡­ I heard you saw the elder? What did he talk to you about?"


    "Oh, yeah. I just finished meeting with him a few minutes ago, you found out really quickly?" Noone purposely tilted his head as though he didn''t understand while simultaneously side-stepping her question.


    Noone was waiting for Adria to get upset, then he would drop the act and talk to her about it. But for now, he simply wanted to tease her a bit to get her back for never mentioning any of this to him.


    Adria looked frustrated at her own hands, upset at her incapability at grasping what it was she wanted to say. She knew that Elder Azelle told Noone everything. She knew he offered Noone a chance to go up with them. What she didn''t know was what Noone had decided. She couldn''t tell how upset Noone was at her for not mentioning it to him sooner.


    And the truth was she had wanted to! But she didn''t know how to broach such a topic¡­ before they had decided to invite Noone, she even considered just leaving and letting someone else explain it to him.


    She gripped her fists and stepped off the wall and stood facing Noone, her body was stiff.


    "Noone,"


    He looked at her, surprised at her sudden change in temperament.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "I am sorry. I should have told you earlier. I was nervous. The truth is, I am scared about the world above. But I don''t want to be there alone. What if it really is just death? How was I supposed to talk about that? So please, just tell me what you decided?"


    Her plea struck a chord within Noone. He had never seen her react meekly like this before.


    "Adria, of course I chose to go." Noone couldn''t bring himself to look away.


    Around the corner Elder Azelle and the Fire-attuned elder stood hiding their presence from the two youths. They looked at each other with praise in their eyes. If the world above is habitable finally, it will be left in very good hands. They chuckled.


    ¡­


    "So probably around 4 years then?" Noone questioned,


    Noone and Adria had talked through everything that had been on their minds. Noone told Adria that although the plan was set, they wouldn''t be able to leave until Noone became an adult. It was something too traditional to ignore.


    ¡°Speaking of which, are you going to do your coming of age ceremony?¡± Adria asked curiously.


    ¡°What do you mean? Of course I am. It¡¯s necessary for me to pass into adulthood.¡± Noone said evenly. Adria gave him a look but said nothing. Noone knew what she meant.


    Although Noone did not have an affinity, it was not like he was as weak as Liter who, for all practical purposes, had no fighting capability due to his special attunement.


    Noone believed he was more than capable of completing the coming of age ceremony. Even if he were to go right now.


    Adria frowned and her eyebrows scrunched up in deep thought.


    "I think it might take a bit longer than that." She said after a moment. Noone patiently waited for her to continue, "Noone, it took me two years because I was seeking enlightenment on my fire attunement and did not mind taking my time. If I had rushed it, I probably could have completed the whole trial in about a year. I can¡¯t understate though how important my attunement was to scale the cliff." She looked at Noone "If I had to rely purely on my physical body, I don''t know how long it would end up taking. Even if my physical body was extraordinarily strong."


    Noone thought about this, what Adria said made sense. After all it had never been meant as a trial to test one''s body, but rather to help people refine their attunements.


    Well, even if it ended up taking him a bit longer, so what? He was confident in his abilities.


    ¡­


    After Noone and Adria had parted ways, Noone continued to think about the future.


    Finally, he smiled and clenched his fists, the bones in his hands popped under the immense strength.


    I have to go see Liter.


    ¡­


    "You want to see the records for past trials?" Liter obviously knew about the situation Noone was in. "Usually those records are for elder¡¯s eyes only¡­" Out of obligation Liter made a show of it as though he was going to refuse.


    Obviously though he let Noone see them.


    ¡­


    A few days had passed with Noone¡¯s head in the books. When the elder and Adria found out what he was up to, they had decided to let him be.


    Noone had researched everything he could. The creatures he might run into. Weather. Currents of the ocean below. Even rock samples from different heights of the cliffs.


    Upon seeing a section of the records he didn¡¯t understand, Noone took the book and went looking around the library for Liter.


    Despite scouring the library from top to bottom Noone did not find Liter anywhere.


    Noone prepared to leave the library when suddenly- "Noone, were you looking for me?"


    Liter appeared a little way behind Noone. Odd, Noone thought. We must have just passed each other when I went by.


    "Ah yeah.  I had read through quite a few accounts and I came across this. I was hoping you could explain to me what it is?"


    Noone handed the book over to Liter who started reading it from the beginning. If he was going to help, he was the type to want total context.


    "Oh this? Hmm¡­." Liter¡¯s eyebrows scrunched up and his mouth twisted, he stared daggers at the page as though threatening it to give up its secrets. Noone felt it was a funny sight.


    "I don''t know." He shut the book. "It said he found a cave to rest in and saw¡­ I¡¯m sorry Noone, I really can''t think of what that would be."  He mumbled.


    "It¡¯s okay Liter, if you don''t know then there isn''t anyone else who would. Besides it¡¯s not really important for my trial."


    Noone patted Liters back, who still looked annoyed at not having an answer.


    "So, are you done with your research for now?"


    "Yeah, I think I have a pretty good feeling of what to expect." Noone nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°You know Noone¡­ you really don¡¯t have to do your trial.¡± Liter said hesitantly. He didn¡¯t like discouraging him, but at the same time¡­. He didn¡¯t want anything to go wrong either.


    Noone gave him a look, but left it at that.


    With that Noone¡¯s time in the library came to an end.


    Now... to the mines. Noone smiled mischievously

 16. A Land Before Time

    Noone passed through the entrance of the mines - entering into the mineshaft hub he had first arrived in a year prior.


    While not much had happened over the past year, no one could deny the improvements Noone¡¯s body had made while here. He had grown another half a head taller at the very least. While that could be chocked up to his age; before, Noone had fairly well-defined muscles but over the last year they became pronounced across his body like steel cables woven under the skin.


    His hands had gone rough and callous from constantly swinging his pick, his shoulders were broad and sturdy. He looked nothing like the 15-year-old he was.


    The rest of the miners in the main hall waved to Noone when they saw him arrive. After word of what he did got out, everyone had gone to check out the tunnel Noone had dug. Seeing him standing there now they really had to admit that he was a fine specimen despite his young age.


    Noone hopped up onto the podium in a single leap, the dust that had been collecting on the top scattered outwards upon his landing.


    Before he could call out though, a voice hailed him from one of the tunnels.


    "Noone! Noone no please I am right here." Tommy came scrambling out from one of the mines.


    Originally Tahmel had just been passing through while on his rounds. However, when he had glanced into the main room and saw Noone walking towards the podium his heart immediately leapt out of his chest. Oh No. Not again. He thought.


    Unsure if his heart could take another explosive yell from Noone backed with the power of the podium, he quickly called out.


    Noone had already taken a deep breath, but he let it out quietly when he heard Tommy yelling. If he didn''t have to, he obviously wouldn''t want to bother the rest of the miners.


    "Tommy!" He smiled and hopped down of the podium coming to stand right in front of the old miner.


    Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. Now that Noone was off of there he wouldn''t have to worry. "What are you doing here boy? You don''t have to come back to work so soon after that haul you got. In fact, you could take the rest of your life off." He heckled. Noone smiled wryly. Who in tapestry would ever take extended time off like that? Even the elders worked every day to keep tapestry running. It was just how things were here.


    "Actually... I was hoping that I could talk with you and the crews that are under you. I need their help." Noone said discretely. Tahmel was surprised at this, what could Noone possibly need their help with? He thought about it for a bit, but honestly, he could not come up with anything.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Sure Noone, I can do that for you, but only this once! People got work to do you know."


    Noone smiled and nodded. Even though he had only been in the mines a year, he got to know a lot of the miners really well in that time. He knew that once he asked them, they would be more than willing to give him a hand.


    ¡­


    Adria was sitting with five elders and Liter in a secret room towards the back of the library. Elder Azelle was there, along with the head of her family, and the short air-attuned elder.


    If Noone had been there, he would have noticed that this was in the same area where he had run into Liter earlier - when he had been looking for him.


    "In this room is all the records we have left from the time before the Ancestor and the end of the world. If the world above is finally inhabitable then the information in these books will be very useful in re-establishing society up above." Elder Azelle spoke gravely. This was his first time directing someone in the rite. There was a weight in his heart that he did his best to hide.


    "For the next few years it is going to be your job to study and memorize as much of these as you can. When Noone returns from his coming of age ceremony in a few years, we will head out together with him." The elder continued. Liter who was standing off to the side quickly hid his forlorn expression.


    Adria looked around from shelf to shelf. Despite the books being as ancient as time itself, there was not a speck of dust on them. In fact, there was not a speck of dust in the whole room. It was brightly lit and there were no smells in the air either. If Adria was being honest -it was more than a little disorientating. It felt like this room was removed from the rest of the world around it.


    "Shouldn''t Noone be studying here with me? I mean, if he is coming along to, it might be more important he know this information?"


    Liter shook his head, "Sorry Adria, but this room is protected by a seal so that only those with the heritage of The Ancestor can come in. The books cannot be taken out. You can''t make copies of the books and take those out either. These are all stipulations that had been set by the ancestor when he put the barrier in place." Adria looked around in wonder. Until now, she had never realized there was such thing in Tapestry... The ancestor was truly amazing.


    "Of course, you can relay the information to him with words once you are outside. But I think it would be better for you to take as much of the time you can to learn all of this by heart first." Liter conceded.


    All the elders nodded in agreement. They did not have a problem with Noone learning it as he would be making the voyage too. But in the limited time that they have it would be better for Adria to focus on learning it herself.


    Adria nodded. Inside of her, all sorts of feelings were fighting for dominance. All of the elders began to leave the room. The head of Adria''s family was the last to leave. He too felt a lot of mixed feelings inside of him. Was this really necessary...?


    Of course, the answer was yes.


    Yes, it was.


    He finally left too. Liter took Adria around showing her the first books she should start with.


    Tapestry had attempted to keep the languages of their ancestors pristine through the millennia''s that have passed. However, language is a slippery thing and inevitably the languages of the now have diverged significantly from the languages of the then.


    As such the first thing Adria would have to learn, is how to read the language of the ancestors.


    And it was like this that Adria came to spend her every waking hour in the ancient room of the library.

 17. Relax, this is only the beginning.

    Adria had been reading for a few hours at this point. She was starting to get upset at how ridiculously slow things were moving. The people of Tapestry had never needed to learn a language apart from their native tongue. So, it was something that Adria had no experience in.


    Luckily the librarians of Tapestry saw this becoming an issue and had created a plan that could be used to learn the old language. Liter was the last one to update it and had gone to retrieve it from his personal study for Adria to use.


    Even still - Adria couldn''t believe how different their language was from what the language of Tapestry is now.


    She let out an annoyed grunt and pushed the book off to the side. Normally she wouldn''t be so annoyed about this but something about reading those books and being in that room was causing her a headache.


    Maybe it was just how cut off the room felt, or maybe it had something to do with the barrier The Ancestor had put in place. Either way she was now annoyed.


    Adria took a deep breath and stood up preparing to leave the room. She picked the book up and placed it gently back into the spot Liter had taken it from. Liter had been very clear that this room was to stay in a perfect condition.


    For some reason, something about Liter¡¯s eyes had actually intimidated Adria in that moment. Thus, she didn''t want to cross him. Also, books as old as these - even despite their mint condition ¨C deserved immense respect. Adria felt a reverence for them deep in her heart. She wouldn''t do anything that could remotely damage the books.


    In the beginning she had even suppressed her fire-attunement energy, however when Liter saw that he simply smiled and told her that she shouldn''t bother.


    The Ancestors barrier would suppress any rogue energy immediately once it left Adria¡¯s body. So, there was no chance of her energy being able to inflict elemental damage on the books even if she tried to. Of course, Adria still idly suppressed her energy afterwards just in case. She didn''t want to put things to the test.


    Suddenly the door burst open from the outside and Liter came tumbling in.


    "Adria! Hurry! It''s Noone!"


    Adria¡¯s eyes went wide. What? Noone? What could have happened to him that would cause Liter to react so much?


    Without waiting for Liter to recover and explain she immediately bolted past him and through the door. Liter quickly made to follow but due to his lacking physical strength he just as quickly was left behind.


    ¡­


    In another part of Tapestry Noone was walking through the streets at a leisurely pace. His head was held high and a mischievous gleam could be seen in his eyes. He smiled like an emperor going off towards an assured victory.


    On his back was a large pack almost half the height of Noone himself. Strapped to him were a large steel pick, an even longer steel pike, and a sledgehammer heavy enough to even cause Noone pause for thought. A small detail that most people did not notice though, was a small sea-stone gripped tight in his palm.


    At that moment he was walking from having visited Porose who had proceeded to give him all the food he could fit in his pack.


    Following behind Noone were 200 miners all smiling and laughing in their silent way. When Noone had come to them earlier, they had immediately put their best foot forward and decided to pitch in and give him a hand.


    Standing between the group and Noone, Porose and Tommy talked to each other telepathically.


    "He really does have a big pair doesn''t he Tahmel?!" Porose chuckled and teased his good friend of many years.


    Tommy and Porose were actually only seven years apart in age. Porose had been born first, and Tommy came later.


    Thus - once they both got into adulthood - they began to compete in life. Never too seriously though, except for one time long ago. In their eyes, they were basically brothers.


    Tommy went on to become the head of mining operations in Tapestry, while Porose adopted his father¡¯s position as the premier cook in the city.


    They both looked at Noone¡¯s back as he walked alone. When they had heard a child had been born without any attunement, they initially looked down on the child. Even thinking that it would not end up living long.


    How could a person without an attunement be healthy?


    However, as they watched the child grow up, their opinion rapidly changed.


    When they saw him keeping up with and even giving Adria a hard time, they began to grow fond of him.


    Then before they knew it, Adria had left on her coming of age, and when she returned, Noone would still be a match for her!


    Even more than that they saw a change in the city thanks to Noone, though it was small.


    There was more noise now. Throaty laughs and resonant noises had begun to echo through the silent city.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Originally when they started learning to speak out loud, they did not think much of it. But as time passed and more and more people learned, it was like a new energy had been brought to the city.


    ¡­


    Earlier that day.


    Noone stood in front of a rowdy group of miners. Tommy stood next to him waiting for some more people to arrive.


    Once they did Tommy quieted the group.¡¯


    Everyone present was curious about what Noone was hoping to accomplish having them all gathered up. But they knew he wouldn''t do such a thing if it wasn''t important. However, they couldn''t think of anything that was this important.


    Maybe he found a new mineral deposit that was too big for even himself to gather alone, someone joked causing the group to chortle. The miners looked up expectantly.


    Noone stepped forward, in his hand he was clenching a sea stone.


    "I¡­ am going to do my ceremony of adulthood! And I am going to need your help to do it."


    Noone looked at the group and began to explain his plan, along with help from Tobias.


    Ever since Adria pulled her stunt the elders had decided to keep a close eye on the outcropping in case anyone got any funny ideas. Specifically, Noone.


    He told them his reasons, and even his worries. But the group of miners quickly latched onto the idea. Even if they had cared less about Noone, they weren¡¯t averse to stirring up trouble when a good excuse arises.


    ¡­.


    And like that we end up where we are now. With Noone marching through the city, a cavalcade of miners following behind wielding picks.


    Behind them were individuals so caught up by the spectacle they decided to follow along and observe the occasion.


    ¡­.


    "Elders! Elders!" A stout man ran into the elder¡¯s hall, at the moment they had just been finishing up a meeting.


    "What is it?" The elders could see the panic on the man¡¯s face and were very alarmed,


    "I... Noone¡­ Miners... Noone!"


    What? The elders looked at each other having no idea what the man was going on about. He took a breath and tried again.


    "Elders... I, no, Noone is walking through the city right now... following him are hundreds of the miners under Tahmel and Porose is there too." He looked up at the elders as if hoping that they were already aware of what was going on. However, the elders were only left even more confused. They immediately left the hall and went to investigate.


    ¡­


    At the same time Adria was running towards the city, a frail librarian following behind.


    ¡­


    Noone¡¯s party began to approach the outcropping. As Noone stepped onto it the miners all flooded into the area and cut everyone off from approaching. In front of them stood Tobias who was eyeing the tunnels.


    Everyone waited for the Elder¡¯s to inevitably arrive.


    It did not take more than a few minutes for them to show up, along with others who had heard something was happening and came to observe. They all saw Noone walking towards the edge of the cliff. His Pick and sledge casting shadows into the cavernous outcropping.


    "Noone!"


    Noone turned around and saw Elder Azelle staring back at him. In between them were 200 miners and Tahmel and Porose, all of whom were ready to interfere if the elders attempted to hold Noone back.


    To many of the people here this was just something fun to do, the years in Tapestry are long and to be able to take part in something like this would give them something to talk about for the next century.


    Others, especially those that knew Noone personally were there to honestly help him. They had heard why he wanted to complete his coming of age now, instead of waiting three years. It had sparked a heroic spirit in them, even if it was only by proxy.


    "Noone, why are you doing this now? Just wait the three years! It¡¯s not that long of a time!" Elder Azelle was starting to get nervous. Even Adria hadn''t left till she was 16! And she was a prodigy! Noone has no attunement and though he was physically strong¡­ in the next three years there was no telling how much stronger he would get. But only if he waited.


    As if seeing Elder Azelle¡¯s thoughts in his eyes, Noone took a deep breath and prepared his response.


    "Elder Azelle, please. This is what I have decided. You say three years isn''t a long time. But then how much longer will it take me to climb my way back up if I wait?" He looked at his palms, and the sea-stone in his hand. "Elder, I don''t have any affinities. I do not know if I will live as long as you. For all we know, a person without affinities like me might not even have a hundred years to live." These words came out quiet and forlorn. There was a subtle and desperate rage in Noone¡¯s voice ¨C hating that fate had been so cruel to him. Everyone standing on the outcrop looked at Noone in disbelief. How could that be true?


    Elder Azelle did not know what to say. He knew what Noone said was true. No one in Tapestry knew how long one¡¯s lifespan was without the heritage of the Ancestor flowing in their blood. His gaze looked deeply into Noone¡¯s ¨C trying to read the young man in front of him.


    At this time Adria had made her way onto the balcony, she dashed straight ahead. The words Noone spoke had only just entered her ears, causing her to grit her teeth.


    She dashed forward, calves flexed taught with inherited strength. Seeing her arrival, Porose stepped in her way.


    "Now now Adria, it''s not good to be too clingy you know?" The large man chuckled, he knew she would most likely try to stop Noone. His body started to shine with elemental energy as the power lines on his body pulsed.


    "MOVE!" Sarah shouted, not even bothering to give Porose the time of day. As his elemental energy began to extend from his body to surround Adria, she suddenly moved forward with greater speed. The ground under her feet suddenly cracked as her toes dug into the floor.


    The next thing Porose knew, he was flying through the air, large body crashing into the crowd of miners.


    DID SHE JUST KICK ME? He thought incredulously. I¡¯M HER UNCLE!


    Everyone looked on in shock.


    How... brutal.


    Two more explosions sounded out and Adria shot into the air clear over the Miners reach. No one moved to intercept her. Sorry Noone. You¡¯re on your own with her. The miners smiled bitterly.


    She landed nimbly compared to her monstrous speed, stood just 5 meters away from Noone. Noone was already standing with his heels to the edge of the cliff. He waited with taut muscles as Adria stared at him. Their eyes did not move from each other¡¯s.


    No words were spoken. Despite the silence, they understood each other. Both of their gazes were heavy with emotion.


    Are you sure you want this right now? I can wait.


    I know Adria, but I am sure.


    Adria closed her eyes. A moment passed. Every person present was silent. The elders watched on. The miners waited too. No one dared to interfere.


    Suddenly the energy around Adria exploded out! Her body lit up like a sun and her eyes glowed with fiery energy.


    Her laugh spread across the entire outcrop and everyone saw when she approached Noone and patted him on the shoulder.


    Noone smiled back, his posture relaxed a bit as well.


    He was not been sure what Adria was going to choose to do. If she forcefully tried to stop him from going, he truly didn''t know if he would be able to stop her.


    He looked back towards the elders.


    To Elder Azelle.


    To Porose


    To Tahmel.


    To Liter, who was in the back trying to catch his breath.


    He held the sea stone in the palm of his hand.


    "Relax," He smiled. "This is only the beginning."


    Goodbye for now, I will see you all again in a few years.


    He spread his arms out and fell backwards, letting gravity take him as the ground beneath his feet suddenly disappeared and he began to plummet.

 18. The Fall

    Everyone stood there for a few moments. Although there was not a lot of spectacle in the events that just transpired on the outcropping, it left a tension and excitement in the air that wouldn''t be easily dismissed.


    All eyes were pointed at the place that Noone had been standing just a moment before and reminiscing about the dangers that they had faced during their own coming of age ceremonies.


    Not everyone who completed it had an explosive increase in their affinity with their element. Some people did indeed obtain understandings of their laws and returned with increased skill and power. But, more often than not, people just barely made it through and rushed to return to Tapestry as soon as possible.


    Finally, much of the crowd began to disperse. It started with those that had tagged along to see the commotion. None of these people had close relations with Noone outside of the occasional festival. Among these people was the burly earth attuned man who had wrestled with Noone during the party a year prior.


    After them many of the miners began to disperse. Some headed back to the mines talking about what had transpired. Even discussing what they thought of Noone¡¯s chances. Others decided to take the rest of the day to spend time in the taverns and enjoy their time until they had to go back to work.


    Tommy watched as the miners under him left, he had been standing with Porose who was rubbing his chest. Tommy glanced over and tried to stifle the smile which had crept onto his face when he saw Poroses¡¯ body go flying.


    Originally, he had thought that there was no way that Adria would actually go seriously against her uncle. However, he like everyone else, had underestimated the girl. She was truly something else.


    Porose looked back at her. She had not moved an inch from where she had stood when talking with Noone, still looking over the edge of the cliffs. She looked as though she would stay there forever - until Noone¡¯s return. As for what was going through her mind, only she knew.


    Liter also stood in the back watching her, wondering what she was thinking.


    The elders too stood there in muted silence. Many of them did not know what to think. Noone¡¯s words had struck them. Many of them had not considered how little time Noone might have. To hear him speak so resolutely about his own life left them feeling moved.


    For the first time - many of them felt like they would be losing something good when Noone would go to the desolate world above.


    And also, they thought about their own lives. Were they really content to live out the rest of their remaining years doing nothing but what they always had been doing?


    Elder Azelle was there, not looking at Adria but past her. He was thinking of Noone and everything they had gone through since first time he saw Noone as a newborn.


    "Stara¡­ your child turned out to be incredible." He mumbled unheard.


    Elder Azelle took a deep breath, turned around, and left. On his way out he beckoned to Liter to come with him. Liter nodded quickly and followed behind the elder. They made course for the library.


    Adria continued to stand where she was, her face was set firm as she watched the light of the sun bounce off the clouds far below, thinking about Noone. The energy she had exuded when she was talking to Noone had been suppressed again. She no longer had the imperious aura the way she did before. But still, no one went to go talk to her.


    Right now, she was in her own world.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡­


    The moment Noone felt the ground under his feet disappear his heart clenched, and a cold sweat covered his entire body. The wind picked up as he began to fall faster and whipped against his clothes and skin.


    Noone let out all the air in his lungs and then took a deep breath in.


    This is more terrifying than I was expecting. Noone thought.


    For a group of people who spend their entire lives on their feet digging and existing under the earth - to have a trial by fire consisting of falling off the edge of the world was an experience that left many paralyzed for the first few hours.


    However, the fall itself would last for a few days. Once the first few hours passed, things got a bit easier.


    For now, though, Noone¡¯s eyes were the size of saucers as he tried to take in everything around him. He focused on breathing first. Not only was his anxiety skyrocketing as he continued to fall faster, but the air itself was hard to breath. At the speed he was moving the air that whipped past him hurt his lungs.


    Some point during the fall his body had balanced out to a relatively stable horizontal position, facing him down towards the cloud cover beneath him. The clouds seemed to stretch on infinitely into the horizon. If it weren''t for the cliff behind him as reference, he would have no idea how far or close he was to the cloud layer.


    However, as the side of the cliff whipped past behind him, he felt like he had no understanding for how much further he had to go.


    Moving as fast as he was, it was hard for his brain to adapt to the speed. He figured that even if he tried to guess the distance using the cliff, he would only be wrong. There was nothing more he could, so he just let it be and decided to focus on enjoying the sight of the sky before he hit the clouds.


    I wonder how Adria and everyone are feeling right now¡­ I am sure they must be worried about me. Noone thought back to the look on Elder Azelle¡¯s face after he had said what he had to say. In many ways it was indecipherable. However, the intensity of the emotions was clear.


    Adria as well¡­ no one standing behind her would have been able to see, but at the moment Adria unleashed her aura, her face was very clearly holding back tears and worry for him. Noone felt his heart ache when he saw that look.


    I must return as quickly as possible¡­


    Noone shifted his body weight, falling faster towards the clouds. His eyes were set with determination.


    ¡­


    Within Tapestry, Porose and Tommy were walking back to the city. Inspired by Noone¡¯s youthfulness, they talked about their lives.


    They reminisced about all the things they used to compete over, including trying to woo the undisputed prettiest girl of their time in Tapestry.


    "150 years later and I still can''t believe she chose you." Porose mocked Tommy, who was grinning from ear to ear.


    The pride of Tahmel¡¯s life was certainly his wife - who had the eyes and hearts of every unmarried man when he and Porose were young.


    "As opposed to you, you mean?"


    "As opposed to literally anyone else in Tapestry, Tommy." There was a pause.


    "How''s your chest, Porose?" Tommy mocked the kick which had sent Porose flying.


    They glared at each other, but beneath that was a smile that could only be shared by brothers.


    Suddenly the look on Tommy¡¯s face changed and he raised his arm and coughed into his sleeve.


    Porose was caught by surprise. He looked at Tommy up and down, examining him for any other signs of sickness.


    "Ah, it seems like it¡¯s my turn to catch the cough." Tommy waved off his friend¡¯s gaze, looking embarrassed.


    "Mm. Come back with me to my store, I have a bulk batch of medicinal soup I was instructed to make by the elders. I will give you some."


    "Thank you Porose."


    They continued on, not thinking much more of it.


    What neither noticed though, were small red specks of blood that had landed on Tahmel''s sleeve when he raised it to his mouth to cough.


    ¡­


    At this moment Adria had been standing on the edge of the outcropping for nearly an hour.


    A hand landed gently on her shoulder and she jumped for a moment before realizing who it was. She looked up at the man who had reached out to her.


    "Elder¡­"


    In the time Adria had been standing there she had gradually fallen into her own little world. The elder at the head of her family - who had talked to Noone before he met with Elder Azelle - had approached her and broke her out of her reverie.


    "He is strong Adria. This is something that he felt he needed to do." He too stared out over the edge, reminiscing.


    "I know that Elder. But I still can''t help but worry." She glanced back towards the clouds.


    It hasn''t been much more than a year since she returned from her coming of age. As such the memories were fresh in her mind. While many parts of it weren''t especially dangerous, there were some places that he would have to employ extra caution.


    And the first dangerous trial would be starting the moment he enters the clouds¡­

 19. Danger in the Clouds

    After falling for close to half a day Noone''s body had relaxed quite a bit. He was no longer as tense as he had been and instead just let his body conform to whatever shape was most natural to fight against the wind.


    He had realized a few hours ago that fighting to maintain balance was just wasting his energy. It wasn''t as though he needed to stay upright the whole time. So, he resigned himself to gravity.


    Which is how he ended up in the state that he is in now - falling headfirst towards the cloud layer below.


    Although from the outside he looked relaxed, his mind stayed at peak awareness. It was hard for it not to, given the situation. He watched as the clouds below continued to approach.


    ¡­


    A few more hours passed and Noone was able to see where the clouds met the side of the cliff. He knew he would be enveloped in the clouds soon.


    When he had studied the records left behind by others during their ceremonies, he realized that there was more to this than just climbing up from the bottom of the cliffs. There were actual dangers to him that he would have to fight his way through.


    To those with attunements, these dangers were mild at best. As long as one remained aware of their surroundings and spread their energy out to encompass themselves, they wouldn''t have to worry too much. But to Noone...


    Noone adjusted his pack and slipped the pike he had fashioned from a mining pole into his hands. In reality it was merely an eight-foot-long steel rod with a point at both ends. However - with Noone¡¯s massive strength - he had no problem brandishing it as a weapon.


    In the records it was written that the cloud layer below tapestry was home to a large amount of white-feathered man-eating birds. These birds were large enough to bite a human in half, and were such a nuisance that many of the elders had taken it upon themselves to cull their numbers every few decades.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Not only were they extremely fast in the air, but their white feathers and beak made them almost completely invisible as long as they remained in the clouds.


    Without attunement energy to sense his surroundings, Noone was aware that to these birds he was basically a sitting duck.


    Even to those with elemental energy, no one bothered to fight these birds off. They were way too difficult to kill in their own element. And even if they did manage to kill one, another would quickly take its place.


    So the common practice was just to focus on falling through as quickly as possible - breaking past the bottom of the clouds - and avoiding the birds whenever they came too close.


    Noone held the pike in front of him across his body, waiting. He knew as soon as he dropped into the cloud layer he would be attacked.


    ¡­


    At the same time Noone was falling down from above, many hungry inhuman gazes looked on from below.


    It had been a while since the elders had come down to cut down the numbers of these birds. As such their population was at its peak.


    A few hundred birds circled around, fighting for dominance and seniority.


    The elders in Tapestry had been confused for a long time as to why these birds gathered here. The food availability around the ends of the world were scarce. Especially for carnivores.


    The small fish in the ocean could only sustain so many of these large creatures. And the other things in the ocean¡­ they wouldn''t dare mess with.


    An especially large and vicious bird approached from further out, flapping its wide wings lazily as it soared through the clouds. After many generations, some birds managed to have lucky encounters with the strong creatures of the sea and experienced a strengthening of their bodies. These tended to be especially cunning creatures.


    The circle split apart at the arrival of the large bird, none of the others chose to fight it for dominance. In the animal kingdom, strength was something that could be sensed instinctively.


    Although the rest of the birds made way for the large one, they remained in the nearby. Silently communicating their frustrations. The hierarchy was brutal and always shifting. If anything happened to the large bird, the rest would want to be there to take advantage of it.


    The large bird eyed the falling human, waiting for him to disappear into the clouds.


    The reason these birds have been here for as long as Tapestry was really rather simple. The people of Tapestry were very beneficial to their strength. If they managed to eat one of these humans, they would experience an explosive boost to their powers, and immediately evolve into a higher strength life form.


    Thus, they waited for their chance.

 20. Immediate Disadvantage

    Noone watched the clouds beneath him. He didn''t know where the dangers lurked, but the growing chill in his bones telling him he was being watched - a tingling down his spine that was screaming danger. He tried his best to suppress those feeling and continued to look on silently.


    The first cloud layer was quickly approaching. He grabbed the pike in his hands so hard his knuckles turned white.


    Noone had no way to truly defend himself from the birds, and he knew he did not have the capabilities to avoid them. Thus, he could only rely on his strength to attempt at defending.


    He tried to cover much of his exposed body with the pike, so that he would be able to react quickly no matter what direction they came from. Adjusting his grip, he forced his body horizontal.


    Noone silently plummeted through the first cloud layer.


    Cold!


    He tried to calm his breathing but was too shocked by the pain.


    Inside the clouds it was so cold that it took the breath right out of him, his head throbbed immediately, and his eyes stung to the point he had to close them.


    Finally, he managed to take a deep breath, but the air crackled with ice as it traveled to his lungs. His body coughed out the cold air violently, trying to protect his throat from freezing. The coughing continued, and he squinted his eyes doing everything he could to ward off the freezing air.


    Noone forced his mouth shut, focusing on breathing through his nose. It still stung, however by the time the air reached his throat and lungs it was warmed up enough to be easier on his body.


    Noone focused on slowing his breaths, trying to manage the cold around him. Without warning a heavy force sent his body spiraling out of his control. Something had hit his pack!


    Noone immediately shouted out, the blow was too heavy. Blood shot from his mouth and froze into crystals as soon as it passed his lips. His lungs hurt with the pain of cold icy air rushing into him.


    Noone grit his teeth and forced his mouth shut. He knew he couldn''t afford to let any more of the cold into his body. I have another 12 hours before I will pass through the clouds. If my internal temperature drops too much¡­  Noone quickly forced his body back under his control.


    He knew if he messed up here, his body would become a frozen block of ice, and would either be consumed by the birds in the clouds, or plummet into the ocean below.


    A little ways away from Noone, following his fall through the clouds was a large vicious looking bird. Initially the bird had tested Noone, flying past him up into the clouds above. Flying around him and underneath. But it got no reaction from the human.


    It continued to get closer and closer without reaction.


    Is the human doing this on purpose to lure me in...?


    For some reason the bird did not think this was the case. He could see the human struggling to maintain composure in the cloud, gasping for breath.


    Finally, the bird decided it would make a safe move. It flew above Noone and dived down. Initially it had been expecting the human to either avoid its attack, or simply be pierced through by its beak.


    Instead though, the pack on Noone¡¯s back stopped the bird¡¯s beak from piercing through. And instead Noone had been flung even faster down through the clouds.


    "Damn birds¡­" Noone¡¯s teeth were still grit tight in pain. His falling speed had drastically increased for a moment after the impact, helping him get away from any immediate follow up attacks.


    He thought about his pack and wondered what kind of damage there was to it.


    Initially when he had mentioned to the miners his plan, he had a simple pack ready to fill all of his equipment in.


    However, one of the miners who had talked to Noone a lot once he joined the team under Tahmel offered him this pack instead. He said it had been specially made by the seamstresses, having small steel threads woven into the fabric to increase durability.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Originally, he had intended it to be a pack that would last a long time before degrading from constant wear and tear.


    If he knew now that his pack had served as a shield against the birds, Noone wondered what the look on his face would be.


    Although Noone was in pain from the impact, he knew that nothing could be done about it now. He did feel a bit of comfort though, knowing his pack could withstand the attack force of the birds. He had one less direction he had to worry about.


    What he was worried about though, was that he had no idea when the bird was coming!


    Even at the last moment he hadn''t known until it was too late. He continued to focus on his breathing. Straining his eyes trying to see through the clouds and fight against the cold.


    When the bird saw Noone spit up blood from the impact, the blood in its own body grew excited as if craving to devour the human in one go.


    From the strength of its first attack, it seemed to have been confident in taking me out swiftly. Noone assumed. He felt a chill at the thought. Had the bird known he couldn''t sense it?


    The world became silent except for the rushing wind. If Noone had been able to see through the clouds, he would have seen the large bird circling around him at a distance, wondering what direction to attack from next.


    The bird eyed the pike in Noone¡¯s hands. It wasn''t sure if this weapon was strong enough to withstand an attack from it, but given that the pack on Noone¡¯s back could, it wouldn''t be very surprising if the pike could as well. And the pike would be significantly more dangerous if he gave the human any chance to attack back¡­


    Noone heard a small whistle that was rapidly approaching, his whole body tensed up and he shifted his weight away from the direction of the sound.


    In that same moment a white shadow flashed next to Noone, an extended wing crashed into the rod in his hands, breaking his grip on it and crushing it into his body. Noone was sent tumbling through the clouds again.


    No! Noone felt blood bubble up his throat but continued to keep his mouth shut. He couldn''t afford to let the cold air into his lungs.


    He regripped the pike in his hands, they were trembling from the impact of the wing.


    I heard it, it was small, but it was definitely there.


    Noone went as still as he could, there was no noise except the air rushing past him.


    At first the bird was surprised at Noone being able to dodge it - but it quickly understood that it was nothing more than a fluke. Even if the human responded last minute, the bird was confident it could still kill and devour the man.


    Noone fell helplessly, gritting his teeth trying to figure out how to deal with the bird. He knew he needed to figure out some way to disrupt its attack. Only then would he have a chance of attacking it.


    A few minutes passed.


    Despite the bird wanting nothing more than to devour the human, it would not be stupid enough to risk its life unnecessarily. The bird had been through many fights in the wild and knew that in the last moments of life, even the weakest of creatures could explode with surprising strength.


    Noone¡¯s eyes were resolute as he waited for the bird to make its move. A plan had begun to form in his head but¡­ as to whether or not it would work, he wasn''t sure. He hefted the pike in his hands, his arms were still shaking from the impact earlier, but he had recovered a bit already.


    He listened carefully. From far off in front of him there was the vague whistle of wings cutting through the air.


    Noone took the pike in one hand and tightened all the muscles in his body, the whistling got closer at an incredible speed. His eyes stared into the clouds. Noone wasn''t perfectly sure where it was coming from, but he had a general idea - and that was good enough!


    As the bird approached, it watched Noone carefully, waiting for the human to shift direction at the last minute so it could adjust and pierce through him.


    When the bird was no more than 10 meters away and coming in fast ¨C Noone¡¯s body jerked suddenly and the 8-foot-long solid steel pike was launched out of his hands!


    It flew directly towards the body of the bird!


    Being adept at aerial maneuvers the bird did not even hesitate to close one wing and shift its large body just a little to the right in order to avoid the pike.


    It flew past the bird harmlessly.


    In the eyes of the bird, the human had just thrown away its only line of defense, and the bird doubled its speed ready to pierce through and devour the human¡¯s body.


    At this moment though Noone¡¯s eyes were set tight and his hands had already moved the sledgehammer on his back.


    There!


    When the bird had shifted its flying direction to avoid the pike, Noone had heard the change from the whistling in the air! Forcing the bird to move horizontally compared to Noone allowed him to pinpoint its direction.


    He used all of his strength to bring down the hammer. He wasn''t sure how close or far the bird was from him exactly, but this was a gamble. The only other alternative was to wait for the bird to pummel him to death before eating him.


    Thus, he had to take this chance.


    The sledge came down just as the bird closed the last few meters between them. When the bird saw Noone swinging down the hammer there was nothing it could do at this point. Slow down? Speed up? Change direction? It was already too close!


    The sledge crashed down onto the skull of the bird, crushing its brain in a single strike. The force of the hammer caused the beak to change direction - narrowly missing Noone¡¯s body.


    The bird¡¯s body however was too weighty to have its momentum changed by the swing of the sledge, so it crashed with all of its weight and speed into Noone, both tumbling through the sky.

 21. Spoils

    Noone continued to fall helplessly. At this point he had completely lost track of time and had no idea how much longer until he broke through the cloud layer.


    His consciousness was fuzzy after having the full weight of the bird slam into him. They had tumbled through the air and Noone used every ounce of willpower he had to grip onto the creature¡¯s feathers before it could fall past him.


    He stayed like that for a while, using the creatures body warmth to help him ward off the cold.


    Eventually Noone¡¯s body temperature stabilized thanks to the large birds¡¯ feathers. Carefully, Noone gripped a rope which had been dangling from his pack hanging mysteriously into the clouds below. Attached to the other end of the rope was the pike.


    The first thing Noone had done when he thought of the plan was to secure the pike to himself. There was much more to the trials, and he knew losing one tool so early on would not bode well for his overall survival.


    Noone carefully maneuvered himself to safely dangle from the feet of the giant bird. Once he had recovered some strength, he tied his body to it using the rope he recovered. He didn''t know if or when the other birds would attack, but he wanted his hands free to deal with them when they did.


    What Noone could not see were the hundreds of pure white terrors which had been circling him, eyeing him greedily but remaining at a distance. They were apprehensive.


    A few years ago another human had fallen through the cloud layer. At the time the large bird Noone had encountered was out to sea. Thus, all of the birds in range swarmed the human in hopes of being lucky enough to devour her before one of the others could.


    The fight lasted a few hours. However, despite their overwhelming advantage in numbers and stealth in the clouds - they did not manage to harm the girl with even a scratch. In fact, the girl had managed to kill a few of them. She burned through their feathers and caused them to plummet helplessly to their deaths below.


    How could they fight that? When the girl released her fire energy the clouds within the area all dispersed and the birds lost their stealth advantage. They begrudgingly retreated.


    They faced a similar dilemma at this moment. To these creatures, it seemed this human not only had the strength to kill one of them in a single strike - but also to claim the corpse. Would they dare to mess with such a human? If they waited a few more years another less dangerous human would eventually fall down, and they would have their chance. But it meant nothing to them if they were dead.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    If these birds had been slightly smarter, they may have noticed how exhausted Noone was and how tough the battle had been for him - even if it only lasted a short time.


    As things stood though, they kept their distance and just observed.


    Noone was on edge, a deep frown painted on his face. He watched any movement in the clouds, but he saw nothing. Noone quickly discovered a disconcerting fact he had not been prepared for. After tying himself to the bird¡¯s legs, the change in center of gravity caused the wind to catch the bird¡¯s wings. They opened up to their full length and turned Noone and the bird into something of a glider.


    When he noticed this happening - his face blanched in fear. To Noone, any extra time in the clouds could only mean trouble. Having the bird to slow his descent would be helpful as he approached the ocean down below - but right now it only made him into an easier target.


    Had Noone not read through the accounts of past coming of age ceremonies, he may have never tried to fight the bird in the first place. However, on a whim he decided to read through Adria''s account of what she went through.


    He was shocked as Liter¡¯s vivid writing painted her accounting in exquisite detail. She hadn''t told him half of all the amazing things she had done during her ceremony!


    Specifically, she had killed and fought off dozens of the birds Noone had! In his heart he was a little embarrassed. She was able to take care of so many, and he had almost lost his life to one.


    Noone had the idea to fight and kill some of these birds when he read this. But he knew it might not be possible. So, it was a tentative thought at most.


    It wasn''t until he had experienced their overwhelming speed and power that he knew he no longer had a choice in the matter.


    "At least with this, I will be able to save some of the food I got from Porose for a bit longer." Noone mumbled to himself, eyeing the large bird above him hungrily.


    During the trial, one of the hardest things was finding food to eat. There were smaller creatures that lived along the wall of the cliffs and in the caves. However, they were scarce, too scarce too survive from.


    Noone secured the pike onto his back and climbed up to the body of the bird. Even with Noone¡¯s weight on it, the flight of the creature was steady. Its massive wingspan had no problem compensating for him.


    I need to fall faster, if I don''t, who knows when the rest of the birds will come.


    Noone grabbed one of the wings and curled it into the bird¡¯s chest, sending the creature into a spin as it began to nosedive. He grit his teeth and grabbed the bird¡¯s other wing, curling that one around him.


    "So warm¡­" Noone thought silently.  The creature¡¯s feathers naturally protected the birds from the cold of the cloud layer. Noone took advantage of this, wrapping the wings tighter around himself.


    The body of the bird stopped spinning and began to dive down. It sliced through the air like an arrow. Their falling speed was almost double what it had been when Noone was free diving.


    The rest of the birds looked on. Finally, they decided to just let the human go. They were too perplexed by the behavior of this human, and they knew there would be more chances in the future.

 22. Soup for You

    "Porose," Tommy had spent half of the day trying to catch the cook, who had been scrambling around the city with a large pot of medicinal soup on his back.


    Yesterday night Tommy had gone home with a small jar of soup that he had finished before he went to bed. Initially it helped him feel better, his cough had cleared up and he was able to sleep soundly.


    When he woke up the next morning though, the cough had returned, and his body felt heavier than it had before.


    In fact, he was not the only one. There were a number of people in Tapestry who now had a small incessant cough. None of the elders had caught it though. So with the soup Porose had made, the spread was being contained to the few people who already contracted it.


    Porose turned around, careful not to knock into anything with the pot that was strapped to him. Tommy then saw another pot which was strapped to his front. Porose looked at his old friend, examining his body. "Not feeling too well either, huh?"


    Tommy''s eyebrows scrunched up. A lot of thoughts were going through his mind. "Yeah. The soup helped last night, but when I woke up this morning my whole body felt heavy."


    Porose nodded his head but did not comment. "Follow me back to my kitchen, I will give you enough for a week. That should clear it up. The librarian had it a while ago too, but he is as bright as a sunstone now."


    Tommy quickly agreed, following Porose back into the heart of the city.


    ¡­


    "70 to 100 years¡­" Liter looked like death, with him was Elder Azelle who was slumped into a chair, his hands covering his eyes.


    Neither knew what to say.


    When the elder had beckoned Liter to join him after Noone pulled his stunt, they had made way directly to the secret primordial section of the library.


    "According to the records... in less than 50 years his body will degrade into something barely functional¡­ the normal process of aging before we inherited the common heritage."


    Elder Azelle didn''t respond.


    "And after that he will live out the few years he has left weak and incapable of mustering any notable strength-"


    "HE''S STILL A CHILD!" Elder Azelle shouted. "100 years at most? That''s nothing! There¡¯s no way that he will only¡­" He let the words trail off, afraid of the consequences of him saying it aloud.


    When they arrived at the library a day ago, Elder Azelle wanted to know exactly how long Noone had. What Noone had said - standing strong on the outcropping staring down at all of tapestry - had struck the elder. His heart was moved by Noone¡¯s willingness to take his life into his own hands.


    They scoured the records of before. The time before the Common Heritage of the Ancestor. They looked for any clues and references to the lives of people who had yet to inherit the Common Heritage.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "I am sorry Elder¡­" Liter also looked a bit lost.


    To beings that lived for well over 500 years, to live out a full life and grow old in a mere 100...? How could the universe be that cruel? As far as they were concerned, at 100 years Noone should be a young strapping man with the world beneath his feet! Not... that.


    This fate was indeed too cruel.


    Liter stood up and began to put back the books they had scoured from the shelf. No matter how distraught his emotions were, he couldn''t neglect his duties as a librarian.


    "Elder¡­" Liter brought a ladder to with him, placing a thin book onto one of the other shelves. "Soon... when Noone returns, you will be leaving to go into the world above."


    The elder listened but did not respond. He knew where Liter was going with this.


    "If¡­"


    "If it is Liter, then it will be grand. And Noone may have a chance to live a full life. But if it is not¡­ Then assuming we don''t die immediately after setting foot into the world above, there is a good chance that I, even with my meager lifespan left, will outlive him."


    The thought weighed heavily on the elder¡¯s shoulders, even to Liter he seemed to visually age.


    "Liter, if you don''t mind, I would like to be alone. May I leave this to you?"


    Liter stopped what he was doing. "Of course, Elder. Please, take what time you need."


    "Mm."


    The elder stood up slowly, the simple movement was straining to him. He didn''t want to move.


    "Noone¡­"


    ¡­.


    Adria was sat at the edge of Tapestry, she looked down into the clouds below.


    "You should have entered them by now... just... don''t be reckless." She mumbled silently to herself.


    Adria had not left the outcrop yet. She knew that she couldn''t remain there forever, but in this moment, she didn''t want to move either. The memories of her own coming of age were vivid in her mind. She thought about each trial, every dangerous moment, and considered Noone¡¯s strength. Would he be able to handle it? He must be¡­


    When she considered the possibilities though, anxiety rose within her.


    Many of the air attuned of Tapestry were also gathered on the outcropping, they all sat circled around the smallest of the elders who talked to them about compression and decompression.


    They had initially thought to invite Adria to listen in with them, however a girl who had seen what transpired earlier quietly told them about what had happened. Their faces were shocked when they had found out.


    Instead of bothering Adria, they left her alone and waited for the elder.


    ¡­.


    Tommy arrived at Porose''s kitchen and was immediately stunned by the most intense medicinal smell he had ever experienced. As he looked around, he saw a pot being simmered over an open flame in the middle of the room. Lined all around the edges were jar after jar of soup.


    Porose closed the door behind him and rushed over to the simmering pot in the middle of the room, stirring it carefully.


    "If I don''t stir this once every hour, the ingredients will burn to the side of the pot and ruin the entire mixture." Porose looked back at Tommy bitterly. He had not needed to work this hard to maintain a kitchen operation since he had inherited the enterprise from his own father. In his mind, Tommy had it much easier - merely needing to look over the miners.


    "Porose¡­ is all of this soup really necessary?" Tommy had experienced the bug that had gripped the colony a hundred years ago, and a hundred years before that, and a hundred years before that. While it was certainly annoying, and some came on stronger than others - there was enough soup in this room to feed one bowl to every person in Tapestry for a week.


    "Elders orders Tommy." Porose shook his head, he too always thought it was overkill. However, he also understood the need for it. "We are the last Humans, if something happens to us, who else is there?"


    After he finished stirring the pot, Porose got a large jar from one of the walls.


    "This is enough soup to feed you 2 bowls a day for a week." He tightened the top assuring it would not spill. "Plus, a little extra for your beautiful wife." He wiggled his eyebrows and chuckled at the look on Tommy''s face.


    Tommy snatched the jar from his hands, giving him a solid glare before making for the door.


    "Tahmel¡­ stay inside for the week until you get better, you don''t want to give this to any of the other miners you know." Porose said carefully.


    "Mm."


    "It''s not just you, I am telling everyone. I¡¯m serious."


    For a moment Tommy thought he saw a hint of worry in his friends'' eyes.

 23. Trisha

    "Tommy, would you mind getting bowls down for us? I need to wash my hands of all this dye." A beautiful woman had just come in from work, and immediately set about to get cleaned up for dinner.


    Tommy blatantly ignored the woman''s request and instead followed her, making a point to stare unwavering at her gorgeous figure.


    When she saw him following along, she merely chuckled at his antics.


    Her name was Trisha, and since the day she had completed her coming of age, she had been the center of attention for every young male within 100 years of her age. Trisha was just a few decades older than Tommy and Porose.


    Tommy truly did not know how he had managed to get so lucky. In the beginning - many hundreds of years ago - he and Porose had merely attempted to court her out of an obligation of manhood.


    What man could possibly look at a beautiful flower without wanting it for himself? How could they let such a wonderous young woman suffer the cruel fate of loneliness, they had joked.


    Her hair was pure white, and her eyes were flirtatious and charming, but also incredibly sharp with wit. Instead of having an elemental affinity, she was born with a special affinity. Much like Liter.


    She was born with an attunement for understanding the soul. Something that only one individual per generation would inherit. A unique individual in all of Tapestry.


    However, there was no place for her the way there was for Liter. What could she contribute to the commune? Liter with his attunement towards knowledge made for a natural librarian. But Trisha could merely do jobs with the others and had no special role to fill. However, she did not mind it much.


    It was part of her nature to not mind anything much.


    In some ways it may be a good thing her nature is so carefree. She was also plagued with an attunement that was impossible to gain enlightenment of. There had never been a soul-attuned individual to gain enlightenment of their affinity beyond that which they are born with. Thus, she would always be at the same level.


    But that does not mean her gift had no usage at all.


    Having an enlightenment of people¡¯s inherent soul allowed her to truly see into how people felt and what people thought. Not to any great depth, but certainly to a degree more than anyone else.


    While young, the soul-attuned do not have much they can do. However, when they become old enough to be elders, they are frighteningly powerful figures. Every elder who was attuned as such, never had a fear of death.


    They always seemed to know things that everyone else did not.


    Trisha had finished scrubbing her hands and arms with a sea stone, washing all of the dye into the drain. All that remained was a slight brownish hue to her otherwise pale skin that would not be washed off as easily.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    She turned on her heel and glared at Tommy who flashed her his best smile and scampered into the kitchen to retrieve some bowls.


    "So, he told you to stay home for a week?"


    "Yes, and he told me you should stay all week with me, and under no circumstance should you leave me alone, lest I cough up a lung and don''t have a beautiful woman to take care of me." He said with complete seriousness.


    Trisha lost her composure and laughed with a voice like the heavens themselves. Tommy smiled foolishly. For Trisha he would do anything.


    "Well if that is what he said, I suppose I have no choice in the matter." Her smile touched her eyes. They looked at each other with nothing but warmth, knowing full well Porose had not said any of the things Tommy mentioned.


    "So how did the rest of the city look? Was Porose busy?"


    "Mm, it seems many people have come down with the cough. You should have seen the main kitchen! It was stocked to the top with Soup - enough to feed Tapestry a week over!" Tommy still looked upon the matter incredulously. However, like Porose, he had no say to question the wisdom of the elders.


    "Hmm. You had said earlier that Liter had caught it?"


    "Yes, so said Porose."


    "And he is already better?"


    "So said Porose."


    "Hmm." Trisha simply nodded her head in understanding. "Well if that weakling could get through it, then there is nothing to worry about!"


    Trisha had always enjoyed teasing Liter, specifically about his weak disposition.


    To have an attunement that was unique from the elements of the universe, was a rare and great thing. But it also led to having weak bodies countering their strong minds.


    Despite this, when Trisha turned 18, she still chose to participate in her own coming of age ceremony. Something that Liter had in fact tried talking her down from.


    When she returned safe and sound the entire conclave was in uproar. The father of Porose, Borose, actually threw a city-wide festival in celebration.


    Later on - when giving her accounting to Liter for the records - he had nearly interrogated her to figure out how she did it.


    "It was quite easy really." Trisha purposely played it off nonchalantly. She had avoided answering any of Liters questions directly, which annoyed him to no end. To her it was as though she were talking about the weather, or breakfast.


    When Liter finally did manage to get an answer out of her he was shocked.


    "You asked... the birds?"


    "Yes."


    "For a ride?"


    "Yes."


    Liter looked at her. He continued to look at her. And then looked at her some more.


    "And they just let you ride on their back all the way to Tapestry."


    "Yes." She was grinning ear to ear, taking immeasurable enjoyment out of the suffering of her compatriot.


    Ever since she was young, she was told that she could avoid taking the coming of age like Liter if she wanted. This was something that the young Trisha took supreme offense to. She never believed that her affinity was any less than anyone else¡¯s. At most it might just be a bit different. This caused her to look down on Liter for using his attunement as a handicap.


    But this had been the habit built up over an eternity of librarians, so she did not hold it against him too much.


    Instead of listening to Trisha further heckle him, Liter had left his notes on the table and stormed off in a huff. He had refused to talk to her for the weeks following.


    The truth of the matter was as Trisha had told him. She had discovered that with her enlightenment of the soul - meager as her attunement was - she was able to sway the feelings of creatures much weaker than herself. Creatures like birds for example.


    To her it felt rather simple. At times she wondered if she even needed to bother with her attunement at all to do it. You just had to convince them it was something they already wanted to do, what was so hard about that?


    Trisha and Tahmel finished off a bowl of soup each, and then prepared to end their night. Trisha had a long day and Tommy was already feeling unwell from earlier. Thus, they retired.

 24. Oh What a Colorful World

    A white dart streaked out of the cloud layer like an arrow, leaving a thin trail of vapor behind. The dart expanded as it fell and the wings once again unfurled, slowing the bird¡¯s descent. On its chest was a gray human figure who immediately began to relish in the breaths of warm air.


    "I must have gotten lucky that nothing else came for me¡­" Noone had been bracing the whole time to for an ambush attack, not letting his mind or body relax for even a moment. Even after breaching through the clouds, he wasn''t sure he was ready to believe nothing else was going to happen.


    If Noone had known the birds had deemed him too troublesome to eat, he would likely have been unable to hold back a very wry smile.


    Noone let go of the feathers he had been clinging to and resumed dangling from the rope he had tied to the bird¡¯s legs. At the speed he was descending it would take him a full day to reach the ocean below.


    I should be in the clear from here I suppose. Noone gave one last glace at the clouds above him as if waiting for their response. He was only greeted with silence and the sound of wind brushing past him.


    Once through the clouds, the weather had warmed up considerably and skin-gripping humidity had taken its place. The clouds blanketed the ocean, and the ocean provided water for the clouds. All of the heat that was built up became trapped within a few miles of the cliff walls. The climate here was much warmer than what Noone had been expecting.


    He took in a deep breath; the humid air coated his throat and lungs. Immediately the stinging that had been present since he entered the clouds was washed away, only to return as a salt-in-wounds pain. Nevertheless, a smile stretched onto his face as he continued to immerse himself in the feeling.


    Noone, who had always resided in the caves high above the clouds had never experienced anything but the dry temperate air that was always lingering throughout Tapestry.


    The air here felt completely different. It felt thicker. Heavier. Saltier. Almost like breathing water. To Noone this was a mesmerizing experience.


    Different people had different reactions to this shift in climate. Many from Tapestry disdained it as too hot and too sticky, feeling bad to breathe. Some though appreciated it for what it was. Enjoying the small moment they had to enjoy the differences.


    Noone waved his arm back and forth, feeling the dense humidity around him push back slightly against his skin. He grabbed his pike and thrust it out. Although minute, he could feel a little more resistance in his swing that he would have when above the clouds.


    This would have been even more noticeable within the clouds. However, Noone had been far too preoccupied with looming death and life-threatening cold to notice. Now though, he had nothing but time.


    Noone leveled his gaze towards the edge of the world. The view between the clouds above and the sea below was captivating. In the horizon the sight of both seemed to collapse together in a line that stretched out an infinite distance.


    The cliffs of Tapestry were considered to be the end of the world - but only in regard to inhabitable land. The ocean stretched out infinitely further. Eventually - if someone went far enough - it was said that everything simply stopped. The ocean. The air. Existence itself.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Noone could see waves hundreds of meters high out in the distance. While floating in the air above, they looked only slightly larger than the waves that were underneath him. In truth though, the waves near the cliffs were mostly formed in shallow water. If one travelled a few miles offshore, they would experience another underwater cliff - and the depth of the endless ocean there would become unfathomable.


    This is what made it safe enough to enter the water by the cliff face. Even before The Ancestor had built Tapestry at the end of the world, the dangers of the deep ocean were well ingrained in the hearts of every living thing.


    The land had been their domain, to pursue existence in the sea or in the air was to blaspheme against the universe. Or at least, that was the common belief held an eternity ago.


    Now, in Tapestry the prevailing desire was to merely be able to re-inhabit their world.


    As Noone continued to fall, mesmerized by the sea which he had never seen before, and the clouds which he had seen his whole life, the sky itself and the world around him began to darken. Slowly the clouds above churned and the waves beneath Noone became more voracious.


    Noone¡¯s ears both popped slightly, the pressure which had been building up under the blanket of clouds finally peaked. He only now noticed the world around him had gradually transformed.


    "The sun!" Noone gasped, looking off into the horizon.


    Because the fall alone took multiple days, being able to see the sun set was expected. It was written to be a miraculous experience.


    Being within the caves, the days and the nights were mainly run on a pre-decided cycle, roughly based on the rise and fall of the sun. If you went out to the balcony during the evening, you would be able to see the sun set on a horizon of clouds. This would be Noone¡¯s first time seeing the sun from beneath the clouds.


    Suddenly the area between the clouds and the ocean became blindingly bright!


    Noone held a hand up to block a portion of the light, but he refused to avert his gaze. Noone¡¯s eyes widened in shock and his breath caught in his throat as he observed a cacophony of colors he had never seen before.


    The sea below him had turned every shade of green and blue, the sun¡¯s rays piercing into its depths. The clouds above were a cascade of reds and oranges, scattering the sun¡¯s light at odd angles. The sun lit up the cliffs behind Noone, showing off every crack and crevice. There were various shades of grays and blacks, lined with beautifully colored mineral deposits on the face. From the angle Noone was at, he could even see a beautiful and enormous ruby deposit between one of the cracks.


    In Noone¡¯s eyes, this moment was frozen in time. In all of his life so far, he was not sure if he had ever seen as many colors as he was bearing witness to at that moment.


    No. He was sure he had not.


    This scene only lasted for a few minutes, eventually the last drop of sunlight crept below the ocean''s surface and the once vibrant landscape was plunged into darkness.


    Noone was a loss for words to describe the feelings which resonated inside of him. A faint voice echoed in his mind. Soft like a stream, strong like a stone. Noone closed his eyes and drifted there, enjoying the sound of air rushing past him.


    "There really is a balance." Noone mumbled silently in the darkness.


    Noone had often pondered what the words his mother left behind for him meant - truly meant. Not just what they seemed to mean on the surface.


    Lately ideas of balance had been percolating inside him.


    He had been born without any attunement, he had been blessed with a strong body.


    Liter had been born with a grand attunement in knowledge but had a weak disposition.


    Weak creatures could breed at a freakish rate, and the strong people of Tapestry, with their long life-spans would rarely have children.


    The world around him would explode in a cacophony of cascading colors, if only for a few moments. And then be plunged into eternal night.


    "Could this be the thoughts you wished for me to inherit?" Noone continued to fall, opening and closing his eyes leisurely, enjoying the weird sensation of not being able to see even his own body.

 25. Inchoate

    Noone continued to let his thoughts wander. In the darkness there was nothing else he could do. Eventually his body entirely relaxed and he stopped straining his senses to pay attention to the world around him.


    In all of the records he had read, nothing dangerous occurs between the clouds and the ocean. Once you land in the ocean though, you must beware of the tides. Especially if you land in it at night.


    With attunements, there was almost nothing in the ceremony that wasn''t manageable. Without an attunement though, Noone felt that he couldn''t be too careful.


    As time passed Noone stopped bothering entirely and dozed off, thinking about how he was planning to tackle the cliff. Slowly he started to notice the silhouette of his own body and the bird above him. The clouds began to brighten first, going from black to gray as the sun shine dripped through from the other side.


    Noone smiled and scaled the body of the bird. The last thing Noone wanted to do was plunge into the ocean once the sun had set again. If he landed in the dark, he would have no way to orient himself towards the cliff.


    By the time the sun rose again, there was no telling how far away he would have drifted.


    Thus he grabbed onto the chest of the bird¡¯s body and enfolded the wings around him. In the clouds he had been grateful for the warmth provided by feathers, in this humidity though Noone could only grit his teeth. Sweat quickly beaded up on his forehead, and his clothes stuck to him.


    The bird had begun nose-diving as soon as Noone folded the wings around himself. His descent speed immediately doubled. Now that he could see the cliff and the ocean to compare himself to, he realized just how fast his descent was.


    It scared the wits out of him!


    If the bird wasn''t taking the brunt of the wind, Noone would not have been able to keep his eyes open at this speed.


    Eventually he managed to relax, quickly compared to when he had first begun the fall. His natural adaption speed was quite high, maybe due to his young age, or the life he had been exposed to up to this point. But he felt that perhaps he was becoming a bit too comfortable with being in the air, he wasn''t a bird after all.


    Noone put all thoughts out of mind and focused on the ocean below. He could tell it would only be a few hours until he would hit water.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "This will give me plenty of time and sunlight to set up camp on the cliff¡­" Noone focused his attention on the stone wall beside him. Although he was still high up, Noone used his time to start scouting out locations that would be good for him to rest at once he began climbing.


    Grey and black stone shifted under his sight as he dropped through the sky. Lines of mineral outcroppings snaked throughout the cracks looking like the veins of a protean god. The light reflected off these minerals, creating a cacophony of shifting colors.


    Underneath the clouds were a completely untapped resource of minerals and gems. There have been people in the history of tapestry who dedicated their lives to repeatedly scaling the sides of the cliffs and bringing back the rarer earth that was harder to find around Tapestry. However, such an endeavor was not sustainable, so these people are few and far between. There has not been another person to take up this mantle in centuries, since the last one passed away while on an expedition.


    Noone looked at his own pack, trying to estimate how much mineral he would be able to bring back once he started depleting food and other rations. Eventually though, he just smiled bitterly to himself. Let''s just focus on getting back alive for now.


    He shook his head and continued scanning the face of the cliff and the ocean below. It would only be a few hours until he touched down.


    ¡­


    A fiery orange glow contested with soft blue lighting as Adria stepped into Elder Azelle¡¯s quarters. The elder was sat on the ground - in front of him, a pond of crystal water.


    The elder¡¯s back was turned to the door and he did not respond to Adria entering. She waited for a moment in quiet thought, the elder seemed¡­ solemn? She stared at his silhouette and let her mind wander.


    Ever since she found out about the opportunity to leave for the desolate world, she had been manically focusing on everything she could do to prepare for the world above. Many of the elders assumed that the young girl was just overly enthusiastic of the new experience and that she did not understand the full repercussions of what her voyage would mean for her.


    "How nice it is to be young and think you are invincible." They would say amongst themselves.


    Only a few knew that the reason she was so manic was to try and ignore the feelings of impending¡­ death.


    Adria was not a dumb person. She knew that she would probably end up dying alone in an unmarked grave. Far away from anyone she knew and everything she was familiar. But she was willing to accept it.


    Especially if it meant giving a chance to the rest of Tapestry to finally reclaim and rebuild on the surface.


    Eventually she chose to not say anything to the elder. She simply suppressed her own energies and embraced the calming liquid energy surrounding the pond. When she walked up, the water inside stilled and she could see fish swimming around.


    She sat across from the elder and stared into the water with him.


    Perhaps only he truly could understand everything she was feeling. While sitting there together, for just a moment, it seemed the world stilled, and they were able to deeply sense a perfect solidarity with one another.


    The air around them became softer. The aura that had originally been present, they could now feel even more clearly.


    And thus, they sat there,


    in solidarity,


    And silence.

 26. Unfathomable

    In another part of Tapestry, a tall lithe figure stumbled over his robes and was sent sprawling onto the ground. Around him everyone who had been going about their own business looked over.


    "Are you okay Liter?"


    "Yeah, yes. Sorry." He scrambled to his feet and rushed to smooth out his robes. As he was smoothing them out, he noticed a small fray at the end of one of his sleeves. He stared daggers at it for a moment before shaking his head.


    "Pardon me," He smiled and waved at the people who had stopped to watch him. Once he walked off in a hurry the people who had been watching couldn''t help but smile. For as long as they have known him, Liter had always been this way.


    After he rounded the nearest corner he began looking around, making sure he was out of sight. In his hand appeared a length of root that seemed ordinary at first glance, he checked it carefully for bruising before sliding it back into his pocket.


    Liter covered his head with the hood of his robes and suppressed his energy. He walked through the smaller side streets of Tapestry city and stayed out of peoples'' way.


    Eventually he came to a large square hut of a building.


    He grit his teeth and his eyebrows furrowed, he hesitated with his hand in his pocket. It was only a moment though before he set his mind in order and made quick strides to the back door of the building.


    A wave of spices and ingredients washed over Liter when he entered the kitchen. All around him were jars of a special medicinal soup, and in the center of the room was a pot a few times the size of a person.


    Liter stood there for a while. Looking into the soup as ingredients were brought to the top by the heat and then would sink back down.


    "I''m sorry¡­" He grit his teeth harder and took a deep breath before throwing the root into the soup. He watched as it floated on the top for a while, eventually though the root liquified and diffuse throughout the pot. Undetectable.


    As if a ghost, Liter then disappeared too.


    ¡­


    Whoosh!


    A large feathered set of wings spread out catching the air and lurching to a slower fall. The sudden jolt caused the feathers Noone was holding onto, to detach themselves from the creature¡¯s body and Noone found himself unexpectedly dangling by the rope he had tied to the creature¡¯s feet.


    Noone was only a few thousand meters above the ocean at this point. This was as close as he wanted to get while diving at the speed he had achieved when plummeting using the bird.


    Any closer and he honestly wasn''t sure if he would be able to slow down in time.


    The idea of the bird dragging him deep into the ocean at the speed they were moving was not something Noone wanted to experience.


    Noone took a deep breath and climbed back up onto the bird¡¯s corpse, instead of holding on to the plumage as he had been though, he worked his way around the side of the creature and onto it''s back.


    Because of the sheer size of the creature, Noone had plenty of space to stretch out. And with the bird working as a wind-break, he wouldn''t need to worry about being blown off. Noone stretched his arms out, laying stomach down across the creatures back.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    When he had been free-falling before hitting the clouds, Noone had realized that subtle shifts in his body weight would allow him to move around in the air.


    Now with the large bird-turned-glider at his disposal, he figured that leaving his landing point up to fate would be silly.


    Noone shifted his body to the left and the large creatures body started to bank slightly, aiming towards the cliffs.


    "Perfect." A smile encroached on his face, he was looking forward to being able to brag to Adria and Liter about this. He could only imagine what the looks on their faces would be.


    Noone continued to experiment with turning the bird, paying attention to the ocean below. When he looked out to the deep-sea, he could make out waves in the far distance that were as tall as he was now.


    When he saw this, it filled him with trepidation. Even though they were an incredible distance off, it was still too close for his comfort. He felt small when he looked at them.


    Noone was pretty much waiting out the minutes at this point. He was on trajectory to land in the waters close to the cliffs. If he had been free falling at this point still, Noone would most likely land several hundreds of meters into the ocean. While still relatively shallow, Noone had never swam before, and was not in the mood to test his chances.


    The idle curiosity of a young man could not be underestimated though, and in a few moments, he was standing along the spine of the bird underneath him. His arms were spread out as he attempted to keep his balance.


    Noone¡¯s eyes were shining with delight that any young man could understand. At this moment he felt like the king of his own world.


    This was, of course, a short-lived dream. As soon as he got too comfortable and attempted to bank the bird, it flipped completely over tossing Noone over the side, dangling him underneath.


    Noone felt his heart drop out of his chest the moment before the rope had caught him. He resisted the urge to check if anyone had seen that embarrassing moment and scrambled back up onto its body.


    He cleared his throat and resigned himself to laying splayed out across the creatures back. He would be hitting sea soon anyways, so he convinced himself it didn''t matter too much, and that he had not been thrown from his throne.


    He watched the world pass by quickly underneath him.


    The blue of the ocean was like nothing Noone had ever seen. It truly was unfathomably large. The bird began to fall closer and closer to the water, when it finally touched down Noone would be within a hundred meters of the shallow waters at the bottom of the cliff.


    Noone held on tight and braced himself for the impact. Although his vertical dropping speed had reduced quite a bit as the creature came closer to sea level, his horizontal speed was still extremely fast.


    The bird¡¯s feet touched the water first, and its speed was immediately slowed. Noone gripped tightly onto the wings. Suddenly, before Noone could react the body of the creature impacted the water and flipped the bird over entirely.


    Noone was unable to hold on and the rotational force threw him into the air. He had less than second to react to the sudden throw.


    His eyes were wide as he tried to get his bearings, before suddenly he was hit by a wall of pressure.


    His body was dragged under the ocean as the bird tumbled and got wrapped up in the rope Noone had used to attach himself to it.


    The first thing he noticed was the water wasn''t as cold as he had been expecting. It didn''t shock the breath out of him or stun his mind. However, the force of the water caused him to entirely lose himself.


    He felt the weight of the water disappear for a moment and gasped for a breath. Before he could close his mouth though, he was dragged underneath again. Noone violently coughed out a lungful of air and sea-water. His body becoming battered by the ocean current.


    After a few more tumbles the momentum of the bird finally came to a stop. The corpse began floating on the sea.


    Noone was quick to follow, grabbing onto one of the wings of the creature and hoisting his upper body out of the water. He threw up some sea water that he had accidentally breathed in during the tumbling.


    "Damn¡­" He choked, trying to cough out any water left in his lungs. His throat, nose, eyes, and lungs were stinging immensely. "That''s rough." Noone stayed draped on the wing for a moment, giving his body time to readjust. He had managed to land rather close to the cliff wall, so the water in this area was not nearly as turbid as it could have been.


    "Damn¡­" He groaned again. Finally, Noone stopped panting and began to kick his legs, pushing the bird¡¯s corpse towards the cliff.

 27. Rest

    Noone was walking through the waist deep sea water along the bottom of the cliff, in his hand was a curious purple sphere covered in spikes. Being dragged behind him was the corpse of a large white bird, which now looked more like a white ball of disheveled feathers. Having been tossed around in the ocean was very obviously not good for the creature''s health. Noone had very good reasons to not be concerned about its health however, so he did not think more on it.


    Noone held his hand out in front of him as he looked down at the ball. He let it rest there, being very careful not to add any pressure onto the numerous spikes which lined its body. His eyes however, were staring daggers at the thing.


    Ever since he had landed in the ocean it has been nothing but a bad time for Noone. Initially, being man handled by an uncaring universe he had expected. Thus, he did not mind too much the turmoil he had gone through when he initially landed. The sea was not the domain of humans.


    While using the bird to float, and kicking in the water, he had made slow progress. Though the work was hard, Noone was strong and had a tough body. He would not be exhausted so easily.


    A few times he had attempted swimming without using the bird to float. Swimming was something everyone who went through their coming of age had to go through, all with varying degrees of success.


    Noone was not successful in the slightest. He understood the basics of course. Flail yourself about to create enough disturbances in the water that you can fight against gravity and propel yourself around. Or something along those lines.


    But no matter what he did or what he went through, Noone sank like a rock as soon as he let go of the bird. If he fought extremely hard, he could postpone the inevitable, but only for a little bit.


    Finally, he gave up. If he had not been tied to the bird, Noone dreaded to think what his fate would be.


    He continued to push the bird until he reached waters shallow enough to walk on. A revelation he experienced by kicking his foot into the broadside of the earth itself.


    Once Noone recovered from the pain he stepped up into the shallows. He nursed his pained foot. ¡°Luckily it¡¯s not broken.¡± Noone thought.  Finally, he could breathe a sigh of relief. He looked back onto the ocean and felt extremely intimidated. Everything here wanted to kill him, he realized.


    Noone took a few steps towards the cliffs breathing a sigh of relief that he had returned to using his legs. Noone immediately swallowed a mouthful of water as he fell into an underwater hole that had formed in the shallows and dropping a full 8 meters.


    ¡­


    Once he climbed his way up using the rope which was still attached to the floating corpse of the bird, he became much more careful in watching his step. Noone payed attention to the shadows and silhouettes in the water, avoiding deeper portions.


    Now that Noone knew what to look for, his tension eased slightly. What he had not been aware of, were these inconceivable spiked balls, which he now held one in his hand.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    When he stepped on it, it had immediately sunk deeply into his foot, leaving no room for negotiation or mercy.


    Noone had stumbled, lifting the foot he had just set down and lost his balance. In the next moment, he had sunk 10 meters into another cave.


    ¡­


    Now Noone was well up and close with the cliff, this area he had found to be very safe. No sudden pits to fall in, no weird spiked stones. To Noone, this might as well have been heaven. All he wanted to do now was to find a place out of the water where he could rest for the coming night.


    He looked out at the horizon. Noone wasn''t entirely sure, but he assumed he only had a couple more hours of light left.


    Continuing to walk in the shallows he eventually came to a crack in the cliff, wide enough for him to fit his body into. It only went up the cliff a couple dozen meter - and ended at what looked like a small shelf.


    He walked around the crack trying to determine if there was a flat shelf at the top.


    Suddenly his body lurched and the hand he was holding the spiked stone in was empty. The stone was shooting towards the top of the crack. There was a small audible clack as the stone bounced around on the outcropping, before finally coming to a rest.


    Noone nodded his head in satisfaction. He didn''t know what the stone was, but he was not willing to give it up after the pain it had caused him.


    Noone set his pack in the shallow water and took a moment to re-tie the rope connecting him to the large bird. The creature would be able to serve as food for a long time once he cooked it. Finally, he hoisted his pack back onto his shoulders and latched his hands onto the crack in the cliff.


    "Hmph." Noone¡¯s arms flexed with taut muscle as his fingers dug into the stone. Slowly his body lifted out from the water and he began to climb his way up, his fingertips and hands gripping onto every small outcrop they could. Once he was 10 meters up the cliff, his weight nearly doubled, and the bird was lifted off the ground by its feet. It dangled underneath him, swaying slightly.


    Breathe Noone. He reminded himself. He set his eyes to the edge of the crack above where the shelf was and continued to climb. Incrementally his progress increased, and he picked up speed.


    At first he was worried about the stone in the crack not being secure. Especially when the weight of the bird was added onto his own weight and his pack. If whatever he was gripping onto were to suddenly become undone from the wall, Noone was not sure how he would stop himself from falling.


    But the stone itself was extremely dense and tough, no matter how much weight Noone put on it, it continued to support him as he gained altitude.


    Time passed, and the sun began its descent onto the horizon. The world around Noone was bathed in color as the sun illuminated everything around him. Finally, he approached the top of the crack, his fingers latched onto the edge.


    "Hooo," Noone let out a long breath and his muscles all flexed instantaneously, causing a ripple under his skin. All at once his body was hurled onto the top of the shelf.


    "Am I going to need to climb like that all the way up...?" Noone sprawled out onto the flat stone and stared into the sky and the clouds above.


    Wait for me. Elder Azelle. Adria. Tapestry.


    Noone rolled over on his side and closed his eyes for a moment. Even when he had spent three months mining out the tunnel around Tapestry, he still took breaks and slept when he needed to.


    But ever since he started the fall, Noone had done everything he could to remain awake and aware of his surroundings. Along with adrenaline pumping in him and the thrill of a new environment, he did not have a hard time staying awake.


    The exhaustion had gradually accumulated. The thrill of the initial fall compounded with the adrenaline from his fight with the bird. Then continuing to stay awake this whole time, and battling the sea for survival.


    He was battered and bruised. Tired. Exhausted. And right now, all he wanted to do was sleep.


    The sun lowered below the horizon, and the world plunged into darkness. Along with it was Noone¡¯s consciousness, falling into a deep sleep.

 28. What Stone?

    The quiet noise of the ocean surrounded Noone like a blanket. Slowly his eyes opened, and he took a deep breath. Noone couldn''t see anything, but he remembered sprawling out onto the shelf and falling asleep. Now as he looked up to where the sky should be, pitch darkness pervaded the entire area.


    The stone under him was extremely smooth to the touch. Noone rubbed the ground with his hands as decided what to do next. He had no idea how long he had been laying there, but at most he would have half a days'' worth of darkness left.


    When he sat up he felt his head rush and his body ache with hunger. He waited for the head rush to pass but suddenly his body began to slip towards the edge of the shelf out of his control. His eyes widened violently in the darkness.


    Noone shot to his feet and grabbed the rope that was tied to him. When he had mounted the shelf the night before, he had left the bird tied to his waist dangling over the edge. Now though he pulled it up onto the edge, working carefully in the dark.


    Finally, after a short battle the body of the creature was laying in front of him. He went about untying the rope from his waist, and then made his way to his pack, feeling through the bag carefully. When he had been collecting materials, he stopped to pick up a few dozen''s sea stones and sun stones for water and light.


    Normally these stones could be used by infusing elemental energy within one¡¯s own body into the stones. They would act as a catalyst and create light or water accordingly. Noone though, did not have elemental energy. All he could do was infuse the energy of his life force.


    This was a trick Noone had learned through the countless years of interacting with sea stones. The reason he had been able to feel the cooling sensation the first time he had held a sea stone, was because it was reacting with the subtle aura of life around him.


    This aura is around everyone. But to the people of Tapestry, with their elemental energy, they did not pay any attention to the minuscule effect of channeling life energy into the stones.


    In fact, he was unsure whether the people of Tapestry could even channel life energy.


    After experimenting with the stones across many years, he had barely managed to get any reaction out of them. But over time he got consistent and was able to trigger the stones the way others could with their elemental attunements.


    Soon after he had gone to explain the phenomenon to Liter who pondered on it for a while. A few weeks later Liter came to find him. They went together to go speak to a woman named Trisha, who Noone found out was the wife of Tahmel.


    The first thing Noone had noticed about the woman was how beautiful she was. Everything about her seemed delicate but capable. The second thing Noone noticed about her, was how uncomfortable her eyes made him. They were stunning, and deep, but being looked at left him feeling very exposed and he wasn''t sure why.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    When he watched Liter and her talking it seemed that Liter did not feel the same way, or had been very good at hiding it. Eventually Noone showed off how he channeled his life force into the stones. Trisha had stared at him for a long time. Eventually she took the time to explain to them how she saw what transpired.


    To her it felt as though Noone¡¯s soul had condensed a portion of itself into the stone. The stone converted his soul into energy and produced an effect. She frowned when she was talking, and continued looking at Noone. The piece of his soul that had been sent into the stone slowly began to recover in his body, until eventually it was like nothing had happened.


    At this point Trisha took out a sea stone of her own and held it in her palm. The lines of power on her body and the intensity of her eyes diminished by a lot as she suppressed the attunement energy inside her. She stood there for nearly half an hour, but eventually shook her head. She was unable to trigger the stones the way Noone could.


    She explained to Noone and Liter that it was very possible no one else in Tapestry could use the stones in such a way. Everyone focuses on harnessing their elemental energy and gaining enlightenment of their attunements, thus no one else would bother using such an inefficient method to the proficiency Noone had.


    For a long time after this made Noone feel like perhaps, if this was possible for him, he would be able to do the things others could too. But after a few more years of trial and error, he had never made any progress.


    Now though, he gripped a small sun stone in his palm and focused a portion of his life force ¨C his soul - into it. After a second, the ring like a small bell sung out and the stone began to glow. It was bright enough to light up the whole shelf.


    Using the light in one hand he continued to look through his pack before pulling out a small net bag which he put the stone in. The net would allow the light to continue to radiate out, and Noone could tie it up so he would be able to keep his hands free.


    He grabbed the pike and stabbed it deeply into the ground beneath his feet. Cracking the stone as a few feet of pike disappeared into it, he hung the net bag from the top.


    Noone felt safe in that moment. He knew that he wouldn''t need to worry about any other creatures on the cliffs. They were extremely barren apart from the birds in the clouds above.


    After eyeing the bird¡¯s corpse for a moment, he went back to his pack. Before he could cook the bird, he would need to de-feather it which would take a while for such a large creature.


    He grabbed some pre-made food from his pack and a water stone. Using the light from the sun-stone he began to clean his wounds. Starting with his arms and working his way down.


    Finally, he got down to his foot, which had been pierced through by the purple spiked stone. Speaking of which¡­


    Noone shot to his feet and looked around eyes wide.


    Where¡­ is it?


    He grabbed the sun stone off the pike nearly knocking it out of the ground in the process, and began to scour the floor. Every corner of the shelf, under his pack, everywhere it could possibly be¡­


    Nothing.


    It was gone.


    Noone sat back down and stared into the black void where he knew the ocean was. His mind was blank, but somewhere in his mind, he came to the decision to not think any more of it, and instead to forget any of this had ever happened.


    What spiked stone?


    He went back to washing off the wound on his foot, which had already begun healing since it had occurred. Adding some healing ointment to It, he then sat down near the edge and began to eat. It had been many days since he had last eaten anything, and immediately his mouth started to water.


    After finishing off half a container, he dragged the bird over. Slowly silhouettes began to form as light started trickling through the clouds. Noone sat there plucking feathers, watching the sea and the horizon.

 29. It is what it is.

    Noone had been sat on the edge of the shelf for a full day now. The sun had peaked hours ago and was now nearing the horizon. In his ears and head he could feel the pressure building up.


    Noone had debated with himself for a while, deciding whether to try and make more progress today while the sun was out. Eventually he decided against it. One way or another he would need to cook the creature, and doing it earlier would save a lot of rations than cooking small bits as he went.


    Plus, Noone was unsure when the next suitable location to rest would be. This was something Noone had considered well before he had started packing for his jump.


    In his mind, Noone knew the only thing he had going for him was his strength. So, he brought mining equipment along with the idea of carving out caves as he went.


    Even if there was no where he could rest, he was confident in his ability to make space for himself. When he discovered how hard the stone was towards the bottom of the cliffs, it was but a minor inconvenience.


    The sun crossed into the space between the clouds and the ocean, bathing Noone in color and illuminating the world. Noone finally stopped working on the bird and sat there staring out.


    "Beautiful¡­" He focused on the blues and greens of the ocean below. Enjoying the way the sea seemed to flow into itself, infinitely complex.


    There were many harsh downsides to this trial, especially if you did not have an attunement to gain enlightenment of. But the way the sun would cover the world in colors was something that Noone had never seen before, and it left him with many unforgettable feelings stirring inside.


    So, he sat there until the sun fully set over the horizon. The world around him went dark for a moment, until his eyes adjusted to the small light given off by the sun-stone. After failing to find a certain spiked rock, Noone returned it to the pike in the middle of the shelf.


    Another hour passed, and the bird was finally washed and ready to be cooked. Over the past hour Noone had considered many ways to cook the creature with the limited tools in his possession. Eventually he decided to roast it over some fire stones through the rest of the night.


    By morning, it should be cooked through.


    Noone grabbed the pick he had brought with him and walked towards the cliff face. He hefted the pick up, took a deep breath, and swung it into the stone.


    A loud crack rang out as sparks flew into the air. A chunk of stone shot off the cliff face and bounced away, eventually rolling off the edge of the shelf clattering down below.


    Noone let out the breath he had taken.


    "Well. That''s not so bad." He mumbled. Noone had been dreading what cutting through the dense stone at the bottom of the cliff would be like. Either way, it would have to be done. But that was only so far as it wasn''t impossible for him.


    Noone bounced the pick in his hands deciphering what he felt when he struck the stone.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    It really was incomparably dense compared to the stone around Tapestry. But if a passerby were to look at Noone in this moment, they would see a smile on his face.


    When he had first started working in the mines, he was strong, but battling the stone around Tapestry for a year strengthened his body to an incredible degree. However, by the end of it all he could cut through that stone like tofu. There was nothing more his body could gain from it.


    This left him feeling a little depressed. He had grown to like the sensation of his body getting stronger, even though it was tough.


    Now though, trying to carve his way into the stone here, it reminded him of his first day in the mines.


    Noone stepped close the cliff face and began breaking a hole into it. Cracks continued to ring out, sparks flew, stones that had been knocked out were shoved out of the way by freshly cut stone behind them.


    Slowly Noone slipped into a trance.


    Breathe out and swing.


    Breathe in.


    Breathe out¡­


    ¡­.


    A large waist high hole had been cut into the stone wall, just tall enough for the creature to fit into.


    Noone grabbed fire stones from his pack and threw them into the hole, shattering them in the process. When fire stones are broken after being activated, they will release all of their stored energy much faster than they would if Noone were trying to channel his energy into them. He would be relying on this to cook the bird through by morning.


    He lifted the bird clear off the ground only straining slightly under its weight, waddling over to the cliff face from the edge of the shelf.


    A small grunt escaped his throat as Noone used his strength to force the bird into the improvised oven. Pops and crackles immediately responded as the shattered fire stones rubbed against the skin of the creature. A blast of hot air had also shot out, crashing into Noone and stealing the breath from his lungs.


    Noone stepped away from the oven and looked up at the sky. No light was peeking through yet, which meant he would have time to rest.


    Noone laid out on the ground and began thinking about the rest of his journey. When he recalled how long he fell. It really did feel like an impossibly long time to try and climb all the way back to Tapestry.


    But once on a tiger, it was hard to get off. There was nothing he could do now but see this through to the end.


    Noone thought about Adria and Liter and Elder Azelle. Tommy, Porose, Trisha, all the elders, everyone in the mines, all the people he had come to know through Poroses¡¯ generous festivals. He would return sooner or later, and he would have some time to spend with everyone before they left to go into the desolate world above.


    Noone wasn''t sure why, but he wasn''t as anxious about it as Adria and Elder Azelle were.


    "Maybe there''s just no difference? You die in Tapestry, or you die in the world above. You die either way, but only one way lets it be your own choice." Noone sighed. He shook his head, shocked by his own morbid thoughts.


    He continued to look out into the darkness.


    If he had a choice, he of course would fight his hardest to live. He did not know what to expect from the desolate world, but he would fight. But if he didn''t have a choice or a chance, then he would rather pass on knowing he did so through his own will, then letting the universe decide the where and when.


    Although Liter and Elder Azelle had only found out recently, Noone had known for a number of years that he would not be able to live as long as everyone else he knew.


    After he had met with Trisha the first time, she had found him a few days later. Away from Liter and anyone else, they had sat and talked a long time.


    Noone became more comfortable with her, as he just realized she was different in much the same way he himself was.


    Eventually she had left, but before she did she was the one who had told him¡­ that he probably would only live to be around 100 years. She had known from their first interaction.


    Because Noone had been born without any affinity, his soul was inherently different than theirs. In some ways it was stronger, like being able to influence element stones with it, something they could not do. However, at the rate that his soul aged¡­ She had merely shaken her head and walked off.


    Noone sat there for a long time. Much the same way as he was now. Staring out into the unknown and unknowing dark.


    "Well," he began, as his memories floated back to the good times, and the lonely times of the past.


    "It is what it is,"

 30. Zoning In

    The sun just past its zenith shining down directly onto the clouds at the end of the world.


    Underneath the clouds Noone had just began to wake up, looking out at the horizon.


    Last night after setting the bird up to cook, he had spent a long time looking up into the darkness. Despite still having some residual exhaustion, he had trouble sleeping past his thoughts.


    Eventually though, he needed to get up. Noone went to his pack and grabbed a large cloth sheet, spreading it out on the ground in front of the oven. Inside the oven the creature had been reduced to a delicious smelling meal, already cooling off slightly.


    Noone used the pike to spear the creature through the center, pulling it out of the hot oven. Some steam raised off the bird, but it quickly dissipated and Noone set it onto the tarp. Inside the oven itself, the stone glistened like crystal. Much of it had turned sharp and brittle from the intense and prolonged exposure to the heat.


    Noone used a knife to carve some meat off the bird, before wrapping it up in the large tarp. After a whole night of unconsciously smelling the cooking meat, it had left him feeling very hungry.


    ¡­


    Some time passed and Noone was completely set up to continue climbing. He had his pack on, with all of his tools, and around his waist was tied a rope. On the other end was large tarp-turned-sack filled with months of rations.


    Noone stared up at the cliff face discerning any part he should begin to climb towards next. He had a full half day of light left before the sun set. If worst comes to worst¡­ he tied the sun stone around his neck so he could climb in the dark. He knew he could carve out a cave if he really needed to.


    Eventually Noone started climbing without any direction in mind but up.


    ¡­


    The pack on Noone¡¯s back shifted around as he climbed up the cliff side, underneath him a large sack swayed with the slight breeze that flowed along the side of the cliff. The skin on Noone¡¯s body was slightly chafed from the weight of the pack, however his skin gradually adjusted to the friction.


    After half a day of climbing Noone had learned much about the cliff face and how to progress. There were times when he would make progress, only to reach a shear unclimbable section and need to go around it. Other times, a strong gust would catch him by surprise and force him to readjust his body so he wouldn''t get pulled off.


    It had been a harrowing experience for Noone the higher he climbed. If he fell now, it wasn''t like falling into the ocean from tapestry. Beneath him was dense stone and ragged rocks in shallow waters.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    His body climbed as if by instinct, once Noone fell into a pattern, it opened his mind up to think about other things.


    This is also how he spent three months working in the mines. His body moved on its own for the most of it, while his mind thought about other things.


    It felt completely instinctual to him.


    Another thing he knew about slipping into this automaton state was that his body didn''t need to eat - at least, not as much as normal.


    When he would fall into a trance, no matter how much time passed, his body only got a little hungry. This went against everything Noone understood about himself. The people of Tapestry could go many months without eating should they so desire. And many often do.


    The only reason Porose does so well is because apart from eating and drinking, there are not many other kinds of recreation to be had.


    It is known that the reason they can do this is by relying on their attunements to supplement their energy usage. It was not a perfect system, they could not go on like this forever. But for a few months was no problem.


    During the time Noone had been absorbed by digging out the mine, whatever state his body achieved allowed him to put aside the needs of his body with no discernable harm.


    Eventually he was forced to conclude that even though he does not have any attunement, his body is still one that inherited some part of the Common Heritage. And it was because of this that at times he could put off things like eating.


    Noone knew that if he could achieve this autonomous state, it would be greatly helpful to him. Not only did it allow him to stave off eating. But to Noone, it was the key which allowed his body to become infinitely stronger.


    Whatever remnants of the Common Heritage were in his body, he assumed that it fed energy into him. This let him grow stronger. Despite being in the mines for a year, his muscles and his constitution increased by a greater degree in the final three months, than the entire nine months before.


    Thus, Noone only focused on climbing. He did not pay attention to any single thing about his body. He did not watch specifically where he was going, what his body was doing, where he was reaching. He did not look to see what was above, nor what was below.


    Noone had gradually began to trust in his autonomous spirit, letting it take the wheel.


    When his mind would begin focusing on what was around him, the weight on his back seemed to increase. His muscles ached with exhaustion. He was gasping for air.


    This happened many times over the past half day, and each time he realized what a bad shape his body was in. But eventually he would manage to stop thinking, and his body would take over. Whatever exhaustion there was, he no longer felt or cared.


    This was his secret. A secret he had not even told Liter.


    He always seemed to find a foot hold, and not once did he stumble or slip up. Even when the wind would pick up, his body would adjust accordingly.


    Finally, he reached the edge of another shelf. When his mind caught up to his body, he felt all the muscles in him prepare to revolt. He quickly scrambled over the edge and collapsed onto the ground gasping for air. The sack containing the bird was still dangling over the edge.


    Noone¡¯s arms were thrown wide as he begged the oxygen to enter his lungs faster. They burned fiercely as though they were ripped apart inside.


    Even with Noone¡¯s immense physical disposition, climbing the cliff with all the weight he had was nothing easy. If it weren¡¯t for his ability to disassociate the pain¡­


    Eventually his body began to relax and his ragged breathing was reduced to deep breathing. He dragged the sack up onto the shelf just in time to sit and watch the sun set.


    His body was still a bit shaky, so he sat back against the cliff instead of on the edge. The sun gradually showed itself between the sea and the clouds on the horizon, painting the world with a palate of colors that immersed Noone in its majesty.

 31. Tahmel...?

    Gradually Noone awoke to the gentle sounds of ocean waves far beneath him. He stared up at a pitch-black sky, feeling how the humid air around him clung to his skin.


    When he climbed to this point the day before, his clothes had been drenched in sweat. Overnight though they gradually dried off as he slept. All that was left was a cold spot on his back which he had been sleeping on all night.


    After the sun had set, Noone put away the sun stone he had been using and enjoyed the sound of the ocean. Unobstructed by the needs of the eyes, he felt that he could make out more details in the world around him.


    Noone had been so exhausted after the days'' worth of climbing he had done, that it wasn''t long until he fell into a deep sleep.


    Now though, he was unsure how much time had passed.


    "It doesn''t really matter." Noone groaned. He began stretching out his fingers and toes, feeling the small muscles in his extremities awaken. No matter how much time passes, it will take as long as it will take.


    Gradually he felt his own body, moving and stretching, getting a feel for his own condition.


    The stiffest areas were the muscles in his shoulders and his hands. He repeatedly opened and closed his fingers into a fist, trying to return some sensitivity into them.


    When he had spent time swinging picks in the mines, his hands had been very similarly stiff. Although back then, it had taken days of non-stop work to get to the point he was at now.


    Even though his body was not in its most peak state, it was very close once he spent the time stretching everything out. For him this was very expected, the same situation had occurred in the mine. After a rest, his body would become a bit stronger each time. He would be able to go a little bit longer and strike a little bit harder.


    Finally, he got up and collected his gear, preparing for the climb ahead. The sun had not yet peeked through the clouds above, but Noone slung the sun stone around his neck and didn''t bother about it anymore.


    He had not bothered to eat anything either. Although he felt some hunger pangs, once he slipped into his rhythm and let his body take over, he knew that whatever hunger he was feeling now, would be negligible.


    He tied the cooked bird to himself, approached the wall and with some force of will, and started to scale the cliff again.


    It took almost an hour, but gradually his breathing smoothed, and his movements became more fluid as his body naturally reached out to every hand hold and footing. There was barely a pause of consideration before each step as he moved upward with impossible finesse.


    If one were to see his face at this moment, they would not see furrowed brows or grit teeth, but a calm expression. And in Noone¡¯s eyes, they barely glanced around, instead looking ahead as if already knowing where to go.


    ¡­.


    Adria''s eyes became heavier as she read, closing and opening slowly as she forced herself to stay awake.


    She had not left the room in the library for a few days now. Her hair was disheveled. Distinct finger-sized rake marks ran through her bangs. Her clothes too were covered in a gradual build-up of fine dust that even Liter would not have been able to keep clean.


    Adria leaned back in her chair a bit too far, and the legs of the chair swept out from under her. She was left sprawled on the floor with a sizeable bump forming on the back of her head.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Ow ow ow." She sucked in a sharp breath. Her hands came up to cover the bump and she rolled over onto her side, not even bothering to stand back up.


    After a few days she had finally reached her limit. Ever since the moment she had shared with the elder, her resolution had been set anew. Even if the world above was desolate, she would do everything in her power to be prepared.


    Which right now meant learning everything she could about the world before.


    A lot of the descriptions were hard for her to understand. Things that their ancestors had obviously taken for granted, were left relatively unexplained. This made it hard for her to wrap her head around a lot of the concepts, things that have not been applicable to life in Tapestry for Eons.


    Her one saving grace was a record which contained the thoughts and revelations of countless predecessors to her. Over time they had gradually explained the things which were becoming increasingly irrelevant.


    Their foresight on this matter shocked Adria. If not for this record through time, interpreting the books of their ancestors with any accuracy would be unfeasible.


    Especially one of her predecessors¡­ Her hand gradually made its way to the top of the table she had been working at, and after searching around, pulled down a thin book, only 50 pages.


    Adria opened it up and began to look through it while lying on the floor.


    The entire book consisted of a basic definition of every term Adria had been misunderstanding. Even more impressive than that though, was the book contained a reference system for every other book that existed in the ancestral section.


    No matter what Adria needed, this one small book contained all the information of where to find it.


    Adria had looked through the book multiple times, wanting to know more about the individual who had spent all the time writing it. After hours of searching through some of the tiniest handwriting she had ever seen, at the very end of the book she had found a name. Signed onto the bottom corner of the very last page, in letters even smaller than the rest of the book.


    -Eephie.


    No last name. Or maybe no first name? Adria was unsure. But something about this book left her with profound feelings.


    She would just have to ask Liter about it later.


    ¡­.


    Trisha woke up next to Tahmel, smelling the sweet scent of incense they had lit the night before. She continued to lay still for a moment, enjoying the serene atmosphere. It had been a long time since the two of them had spent time together like this, she considered whether the bug going around was a blessing in disguise.


    Slowly she slipped out of bed as not to disturb Tommy and headed to the bathroom to wash her face. She reached out with her energy and activated the light stones, brightening up the room. In front of her was an image of herself in the mirror. She still looked young, and her hair was full and lush despite being well into her hundreds. She grabbed at her snow-white hair - pulling it back and tying it up with a string.


    Since she was young she had hair as white as clouds. Upon her birth everyone knew what attunement she had inherited. She was the legacy of the soul attuned, and when she died, the bloodline would be passed on to someone else. Maybe of her own lineage, maybe not. Subconsciously she rested her palm on her belly.


    The Common Heritage of the Ancestor was a vast and confusing thing. They knew it worked, and theorized about how it passed, but no one was fully certain even after such a long time.


    She activated a water and fire stone in a bowl on the counter. Gradually, water filled the bowl and it began to heat up. A small amount of vapor was lifting from the surface.


    Staring at herself in the mirror, she placed her hands to either side of the bowl and took a deep breath. Eventually when the water cooled down enough, and she submerged her face into the bowl.


    1¡­


    2¡­


    3¡­


    ...


    30¡­


    She lifter her face out of the water and took a sea stone in her hand, dumping the bowl into a drain and refilling it with cold water before repeating.


    1¡­


    2¡­


    3¡­


    4¡­


    5¡­


    6¡­


    7¡­


    8¡­


    9¡­


    BANG


    There was a crash as her body was ripped from the bowl of cool water. She gasped a deep breath, eyes closed and unsure of what was happening. Water was spilt across the floor making the stone slippery. Before she could slip though, she was caught. Immediately she recognized the feeling of fingers gripping her skull, dug firmly into her cloudy hair.


    In a moment of panic, she managed to glance into the mirror just in time to see Tahmel standing there. His face looked crazed and the muscles in his jaw were twitching wildly, mouth gaping open over Trisha¡¯s soft neck.


    A tingling sense of dread shot up her spine as she looked at him. She didn''t understand. What was he doing?


    The second thing she felt though, was tired. Immediately strength began to drain from her, and any energy in her limbs was disappearing. Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared at her husband.


    Through the fear, she noticed that the earthen power lines that usually run across his body¡­ weren''t there?

 32. Take Me to Porose

    Trisha clenched her teeth and shut her eyes tightly. Before Tommy could bite too deeply, she lifted her feet off the floor, at the same time attempting to send a wave of her own will into him. The sudden shift in weight, with the wet floor on the smooth stone underneath, caused them to tumble over.


    His hands loosened their grip just enough for Trisha to scramble away. In the small confines of the bathroom though, she hit her head against the counter. Her vision swam and she stumbled to the door. Tommy was also regaining his footing.


    He reached out to grab her again, but Trisha forced herself forward, frantically avoiding his reach. She rolled through the doorway, slamming it shut behind her just as the impact of Tommy''s body against it rang out.


    Laborious breathing could be heard on either side of the door. Tommy inside the bathroom with ragged harsh inconsistent breaths, and Trisha outside trembling with the shallow gasps of fear.


    She crawled to the wall and sat up against it, her hand was on her neck and she stared at the door. As soon as her fingers covered her neck she was flushed with pain. Light red blood seeped from between her fingers.


    Her knees came up to her chest, and she sat quietly, making herself as small as possible. Despite the door in-between, Trisha¡¯s eyes settled unfocused on her husband.


    Tommy was pressing his body against the other side, repeatedly knocking into the door trying to open it. Every time he did, Trisha would flinch. Finally though, after a few minutes, she began to get up.


    Her hand was still on her neck, and her mind had not yet caught up with her body. She took one shaky step towards the door.


    The knocking on the other side had ceased, and the heavy breathing that had been present before was no longer audible. Trisha too held her breath, listening for anything, anything that could explain what was going on.


    She reached a hand out to the door. Only a few inches remained between, she was about to touch it when in that moment another sharp bang occurred.


    Trisha immediately retracted her hand, almost losing her balance as she stumbled back. She leaned against the wall for a moment, eyes wide and heart pounding. Her mind was a scrambled mess. Everything had occurred too quickly for her to comprehend.


    She had tried to reach out to her husband, but she felt nothing on the other side of the door.


    Her feet once again moved before her mind could catch up. Her pale form running out of the house Tahmel and her had built together many years before.


    She ran out to the street and looked around wildly, her hand was still on her neck. By this point her hand had become stained red with her own blood.


    There were not many people out at this time - it was still too early. However, the people who were out saw Trisha and stared in confusion. They could feel that her entire aura was in disarray.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Trisha?"


    "What''s going on?"


    "Are you okay?"


    "Trisha what happened?"


    All of the people who had reached out mentally to try and talk with her, were only responded to with feelings of dismay and confusion. They could not make sense of it. They quickly made to approach to calm the young woman.


    A large hand appeared then and rested on Trisha¡¯s shoulder. She immediately dropped to her knees and tumbled away. Her heart had almost lurched out of her chest at the sudden contact.


    "Trisha¡­ what''s wrong? Quickly come with me." Behind her stood a very large and burly earth attuned man named Pride.


    If Noone had been there he would have recognized him immediately, this was the man who had wrestled with him on numerous occasions, after a round of drinks. Strapped to the man''s chest and back were two large crates containing jars of soup. He had been approached by Porose a day before to help him deliver soup around, so Porose could focus his attention on making it. Pride had agreed immediately.


    Although he may seem rambunctious and simple-minded, when sober he was a proud but reliable man. Although certainly not the most-clever individual in Tapestry, he was a very secure and a sturdy person. When Trisha saw the Jars of soup strapped to him, her mind cleared a bit.


    "Please, take me to Porose quickly." Pride was swift to respond, helping her to her feet.


    At first she was unsteady, using Pride for support. But after a moment she remained standing.


    "Okay Trisha, follow me, let''s get you out of the street." He eyed her neck and saw the blood that was on her hand which had been dripping down to her blouse.


    Pride had been en route to deliver soup and check in on her and Tahmel at the behest of Porose. But while he was a little way¡¯s away, he had seen her dash out of the house and followed behind her quickly.


    Pride took a glance back at the house but refrained on asking about Tommy. He had no clue what was going on but¡­ he had a bitter feeling in his stomach. Whatever happened, Pride was sure it was nothing good.


    He looked back at Trisha¡­ a palpable aura of fear surrounded her. Through the link of Common Heritage, it was even starting to affect him.


    Eventually they rounded the corner to an alley and Pride opened a door for Trisha. She immediately went inside, calling out for Porose.


    "Trisha?" Porose appeared from one of the side rooms, in his arms were numerous ingredients. On the floor of the main room were now a number of pots boiling, creating a hot oily feeling in the kitchen.


    When Porose saw Trisha holding onto her bloody neck, he dropped all the ingredients he was holding and approached her.


    "Trisha." He looked at Pride who was behind her. "What is going on?" before pride could respond though Porose continued. "Quickly, go into the storage room and grab high grade healing ointment. We need to stop the bleeding first." He motioned to one of the rooms closest to them.


    Pride nodded, quickly finding it on the shelves.


    Many of the people in Tapestry were not used to the sight of blood. Especially not blood in such an extreme situation. There were healers in Tapestry who had seen worse, but all the wounds were things that occurred because of work injuries. And of these, the majority of the injured were miners.


    Porose could not understand how Trisha came to be injured in such a place.


    He grabbed a cloth from his apron that was still clean and poured a large amount of healing ointment onto it. He was unsure what he was going to see when he asked Trisha to move her hand, but he wanted to be able to heal it immediately before she lost any more blood.


    "Trisha. Trisha look at me." She looked at Porose, her neck was throbbing and now that most of the adrenaline had passed, she was in immense pain and her head was foggy. "Trisha, I need you to move your hand. I am going to put this on, okay?"


    "Okay," her voice was hoarse with pain. She took a deep breath and felt slightly nauseous.


    Finally, she looked right at Porose and removed her hand from her neck. All of the pressure she had been supplying was immediately released, and the blood began to flow out of the wound. It took Porose less than a second to apply the cloth, keeping pressure on it and forcing the ointment into the wound.


    In that second though, he had clearly seen it. There was a bite mark on her neck.

 33. Elder Omias

    A sharp pain shot through the skin surrounding the bite on Trisha''s neck. The ointment gradually seeped in, reconnecting and rebuilding nerves and tissue. The pain shifted slowly, from a sharp stab to a dull ache, and finally into a persistent itch. Her head began to clear as the pain subsided, like a fog being lifted.


    Porose removed the cloth and looked at where the bite had been, the skin was smooth as jade. Not even a mark had been left behind.


    "Does that feel better?" Porose stepped back and watched, giving her room to collect herself. Trisha let go of the breath she had been holding onto, and with it the last remnant of pain that had been lurking inside her. Her head had cleared a lot, though she still fight lightheaded from the blood she had already lost.


    "Thank you¡­ yes." She looked towards the door as her mind started piecing together everything that occurred, beginning from the moment she woke up.


    Trisha was unsure how it had come to be this way. What had happened with Tommy defied all logic¡­ especially when she thought back on it. A shiver ran up her spine, and her scalp tingled when she remembered what she saw.


    The moment before Tommy had grabbed her head, she had seen into his eyes. But the eyes she saw, were not those of her husband.


    "Trisha¡­" Porose had grabbed some stools and brought them over for the three of them, along with a jar of soup for her. "What happened? Tell me everything." Porose was intently focused on everything Trisha said. Pride too, who had been listening quietly the whole time.


    She had told them how after a few days of Tommy getting better, she had woken up this morning feeling fine. Until her husband had...


    "I don''t understand what happened. I didn''t even feel him come behind me. But all of a sudden, he was there. And then¡­" Her hand unconsciously moved to her neck where he had bitten her not even an hour before.


    "Porose." Pride stood up and his head brushed close to the ceiling. "I don''t know what is going on, but you stay here with her. I am going to go find an elder."


    "Mm. Come back as soon as you can. We need to go check on Tommy, but it will be safer with an elder there." Hearing the word ¡®safe¡¯ in this context felt wrong to them. ¡®Safe¡¯ was supposed to mean being careful at work¡­ not being wary of their family.


    "Mm." Pride mumbled.


    Porose stood, going around to the different pots in the room and stirring them. Trisha sat and watched, but part of her mind remained in its own world. He kept an eye on her while he went about his work, giving her room but not letting her out of his sight. The last thing he wanted was for her to rush back home, though she had not indicated any thoughts of doing so.


    ¡­.


    The sound of a moderate breeze snuck through the door from outside just as the door was thrown open. Despite the speed which the door had been opened, it did not crash against the wall. Instead it was stopped with an inch of leeway. In the doorway stood the short air-attuned elder, followed by Pride¡¯s hulking form.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Medicinal smells which had been quietly building up inside the kitchen rushed out of the room and rode on the wind. The buildings in the immediate area were all diffused with the smell of fresh soup.


    When Pride had found the elder and explained to him everything that had occurred, the elder wasted no time in making his way to the kitchen. He had lived for a very long time and had never experienced such a sickness. If that was what this is.


    In his wisdom he knew though, that no matter what is to happen, they must react promptly. Hesitance was the true silent killer.


    He looked across the room immediately setting sights on Trisha, who had just snapped out of her own thoughts. When she saw the elder, she stood up to greet him respectfully.


    "Elder Omias," Her voice was soft; however, it was not as weak as it had been minutes before. The shock of what had happened was beginning to fade. She was still confused but knew that her confusion would not amount to anything in this situation. More than anything, she was worried for husband.


    Being the only soul-attuned, she had a miraculous strength of will. She had always believed this to be the biggest difference between herself, and someone like Liter.


    "Trisha¡­" The elder quickly approached and touched her hand motioning for her to sit. Not wasting any time though, he asked about the wound on her neck.


    "How are you feeling?" Elder Omias grabbed one of the stools and sat face to face with her, looking into her eyes for any hints of abnormal energy fluctuations. Like the power lines that run across their bodies, a person''s eyes offered the most candid view into their soul. While not a perfect system, the elders whom have lived a significant time have all experienced much, and could read a lot from a person¡¯s eyes.


    Trisha met the elders gaze. Where the elder¡¯s eyes held wisdom, her gaze emitted security. She had done this with elders on many occasions, as a test of her own abilities with the soul. In return, the elders also gained wisdom into their own affinities.


    When she looked into his eyes, she saw an endless amount of strength. This elder¡¯s strength though, was not all-powerful like many of the elders she had seen into the souls of. When she looked into his eyes, she felt like she would get lost in a sea of clouds; never-ending and formless. Her strong will protected her, forming a ship in that vast sea.


    Elder Omias too was carefully feeling out her soul. After a moment his eyes softened.


    "It looks like you should have nothing to worry about, although maybe to be expected. Your soul and attunement remain solid and strong."


    "Thank you Elder, even though I spent the past few days with my husband, I have not gotten sick yet. Most likely thanks to Porose''s remedy." She lifted up a jar of hot soup Porose had given her earlier which she had been drinking slowly.


    After mentioning her husband, Trisha''s thoughts went back to him. Her brows furrowed.


    "Elder, now that you are here, we must go! I left Tahmel alone in the house after¡­" She paused, unsure what to say. What words were left that could possibly describe what had happened?


    Trisha stood up followed by the elder.


    "Mm, it is very important we go see him. However, Trisha I think you should stay here¡­ anymore exposure to you might be harmful-"


    "Absolutely not! He is my husband and I will be there for him as I have been for the past hundred years." She stared at the elder. When they made eye contact, he felt his head throb under the pressure of her gaze. The lines on her body glowed with a harsh white light, brightening the entire kitchen. Now that she was focused, it was much more intense than it had been moments before.


    The elder paused for a moment considering his options. "Fine, however you must listen to me and not get too close. Not until we know for certain what is going on."


    "Alright,"


    "Pride you too." He pointed his small hand at Pride motioning him to follow. "Porose, you must stay here and continue with the soup." His voice lowered, becoming aired as he mumbled to himself. "I am afraid we may be needing a lot more, soon."


    A small frown formed on Porose¡¯s face. He had been doing his best to hide it, but he was extremely worried for his lifelong friend. Nevertheless, he nodded his head and focused on his work.


    The three left the kitchen promptly. The elder took the lead but ended up walking shoulder to shoulder with Trisha who was eager to check on Tahmel. Please¡­ we will be there soon. So just be okay¡­

 34. Smile

    Trisha, Pride, and Elder Omias all stood outside the house. The streets around were slightly crowded as everyone went about their daily business. When people saw the three of them standing at the door, they had given them a wide berth. Especially Trisha, whose shirt was now crusting with dried blood.


    "Pride, go inside and check on him first. If he is still out of it, you must restrict him."


    "Mm."


    Pride entered the house and slowly made his way towards the closed door that was the bathroom. He did not know what to think of this whole situation. His feelings were conflicted, having to restrain another person? What kind of messed up scenario was this? In a city where everyone could rely on the Common Heritage to unionize them, what he was being asked to do now was absurd.


    The truth was¡­ he felt scared. Whatever was happening, it was not a good thing. And the start of all of it was behind the door in front of him.


    There was complete silence on the other side. Pride even reached out with his thoughts to try and link with Tommy, attempting to get any response. However as far as he could tell, there was no one there.


    Although this was in line with what Trisha had said, if Tommy really was on the other side - it would be unheard of. Reluctantly, his thoughts shifted to Noone. The only person he had ever met who he couldn¡¯t sense. Of course, this was due to Noone being born without an affinity and the Common Heritage.


    He took a sharp breath before swiftly throwing the door open. There was some resistance as first, before it eased up as Tommy - who had been standing against the door - was thrown across the bathroom, crashing into the opposite wall.


    Pride''s eyes were wide in shock. He did not want to believe that Tommy had actually been inside. He still reacted quickly though, dashing to where Tommy was before he had a chance to get on his feet.


    Tahmel was just beginning to react to the presence of the new person when his body became weighed down. Pride was sitting on his back. He grabbed Tahmel''s wrists and cinched them behind his body, making it impossible for him to push off the ground.


    Tommy was now thrashing about on the floor under Pride¡¯s considerable weight. Pride grit his teeth and put more weight onto him. Tahmel¡¯s struggling only increased.


    Pride tried to force a mental connection to Tommy in an attempt at getting him to calm down, but it was not working. He only continued to fight harder.


    Finally, Pride ended up using all of his strength to fully restrain Tommy. His muscles were flexed tight, pinning Tommy against the floor.


    "Elder, Trisha, it is okay to come inside now." Pride reached out to them and called them in. It was far better to do that than to bring Tommy out into the open. Inwardly, Pride was extremely shocked at how difficult it was to restrain Tahmel. He had not been fooling around like he would do when he wrestled in the taverns. He went in with enough force that Tommy should have been left immediately immobilized.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    A few moments later both the elder and Trisha arrived outside the door to the bathroom. The elder had purposely placed himself in front of her.


    When Tahmel saw the two of them he squirmed violently underneath Pride, nearly lifting Pride off the ground. Prides and the elders¡¯ eyes both went wide, they reacted quickly. Both used their attunements to suppress Tahmel further.


    With a thud his body was flattened to the ground as a layer of dense air had appeared above him.


    "Don''t hurt him!" Trisha called out instinctually, but she bit her tongue. She could see clearly that they were doing their best not to seriously injure Tommy. However, her husband was also fighting back with significant force.


    "Hmm?" The elders¡¯ eyes squinted as he looked at Tommy. He too had tried to reach out with the common heritage, but only received nothing in return. It was like Tahmel¡¯s consciousness had disappeared. On top of that¡­ He looked at the power lines on Tahmel''s body. They were basically non-existent except for slightly discolored skin where the lines of power should be.


    Elder Omias continued to silently observer Tahmel, a frown deepened on his aging face. To his shock, he could feel his energy he was using to restrain Tahmel decreasing. It was very minute, almost unnoticeable. But it was as though his energy was being absorbed in to Tahmel¡¯s body. But where is it going? He thought silently.


    "Trisha, when he bit you earlier... did you feel anything unusual occur with your attuned energy?"


    Trisha thought for a moment, however it had all happened too fast, so she was unsure if anything untoward had occurred. She shook her head.


    "I don''t think so. However, it was very quick. I was only in contact with him for a moment." She stared at her husband.


    Inside of her chest it felt like her heart was beating a thousand beats per minute. Her eyes were soft and beginning to shed tears. It felt to her as though everything she cared for was beginning to disappear in a fog of the unknown. The longer she looked at Tahmel, the less she could see of her husband. To be short, what she was feeling, to her - it was hell.


    She stepped out and around from behind Elder Omias, walking towards her husband. The elder chose not to interfere and observed with careful attention. He was struggling with his own thoughts in that moment.


    As she got closer, Tahmel struggled less and less. Eventually, all of his thrashing ceased as she stood within arm¡¯s reach of her husband.


    She stared at him deeply, her heart beating sporadically.


    "Tahmel¡­ please. Look at me." She watched him, looking for any sign of recognition on his twisted expression.


    His body shook, and gradually he looked up from the floor. His eyes looked into Trisha¡¯s. Her heart threatened to stop beating.


    Her husband was gone. There was nothing there - no feelings, no emotions, no flowing power and elemental energy. These were not the eyes of a living man. Nor were they the eyes a dead man, though. She felt as though she was looking into glass marbles. Eyes that had never contained any life to begin with.


    Suddenly though, Tahmel''s mouth curled up into a harsh thin-lipped grin, showing all of his teeth. His whole face scrunched up by the force of the smile. Trisha¡¯s heart suddenly missed a beat. This was not the smile of a human being. It felt vicious and deadly and cared not for anything but itself.


    Trisha who had been staring into Tahmel¡¯s eyes felt a pulse of power overcome her mind, like a wave of hot needles showering through her brain. She immediately coughed up a mouthful of blood and clear liquid began to flow from her ears and eyes. She fell backwards ¨C head narrowly avoiding the counter - and was quickly caught by the elder.


    "That''s not Tommy! That''s not Tommy! What are you!?" Trisha screeched out, unable to look away from his dead eyes. Her body collapsed as she was overcome with tremors and she blacked out.


    Elder Omias'' eyes were wide. He was beginning to truly panic.


    "Pride! Tie him up and leave him in the house! Whatever you do make sure he cannot get out. I am taking Trish to Elder Azelle. Tell Porose to check on the others who have been sick and spread the word for the elders to meet in the hall as soon as possible."


    Pride grit his teeth, but only nodded. The sinking feeling he had been having, finally came to fruition.

 35. Unwoven

    With the support of his affinity, Elder Omias ¨C despite his short stature - lifted Trisha''s body easily and brought her away from the bathroom to the front of the house. Initially upon passing out her complexion had been terrible. It was not a clean black out into darkness. Instead her face was scrunched up and her muscles twitched pain.


    Over a few minutes though her face relaxed and her breathing steadied. Whatever she had been going through seemed to have passed for the moment. The elder had sat her down on a chair in the front room and waited patiently. He knew that he could not carry her all the way through the city without raising some alarm. The room was oddly silent compared to the chaos occurring in the next room.


    Thus, he waited. It was only a couple of minutes before Trisha''s eyes fluttered and she slowly regained awareness.


    The dim light in the room flickered and Trisha drew in a deep breath. The pain she had been in had passed, but she was still left in shock. Whatever had just occurred left an undeniable impression on her. Not only her mind, but her very soul ached from the encounter.


    This was to say nothing of her heart. Whatever happened to her husband, she had come to realize that he was dead. Or maybe ¨C after what she just went through ¨C she hoped he was. In a part of her mind and heart, all these thoughts and feelings were being compressed and chained away.


    For a moment she simply stared at nothing. The elder did not interrupt either. He was panicked; however, he knew how to suppress it. He had a feeling this is what Trisha was doing in this moment as well. Whether she understood it or not.


    Another deep breath and finally her eyes became clear. The turmoil inside of her had been locked away. With it though, she had lost a piece of herself as well.


    "Trisha...?" A soft voice floated through her mind, giving her something to focus on.


    "Mm." She only nodded her head towards Elder Omias.


    "We must go quickly to the Elders Hall. You should get changed out of your bloodied clothes¡­ so we don''t draw too much attention moving through the city."


    Trisha nodded again. Instead of going to change though, she grabbed a coat which was laying nearby and donned that. It was long enough to cover her all the way down to her ankles. It belonged to Tahmel.


    ¡­


    A few hours had passed, and all the elders were now sat in the Elders Hall. Elder Azelle was there as well, his face was very grim. Not just his, the faces of everyone in the hall were dark and filled with worry.


    "Elder Omias, you said that you already had Pride and Porose check out the other people who have developed a cough?"


    "Yes, they should be doing that now."


    "Mm that''s good. Good thinking. It is still too early to say whether or not these things are related." A water attuned elder reminded, his back cool with nervous sweat.


    Many of the elders were racking their brains to come up with every possible scenario.


    If this was indeed unrelated to the cough that was going around, then this could be considered an isolated incident for the time being. Perhaps Tahmel had come across something cursed in the mines.


    The elders debated amongst themselves whether his condition was caused by his seeming loss of his affinity, or if the loss of his affinity was caused by his condition.


    When Trisha explained everything that had occurred first hand, the elders did not know how to interpret it. Especially when she described what she saw when she looked into his eyes.


    She had spent a long time answering questions and trying to describe it in a way that would make the most sense to the elders who were not attuned to the soul the way she was.


    There was another worry that was in the back of the minds of everyone in the hall, especially Elder Azelle. They had been unable to find Liter yet.


    Liter had the most comprehensive knowledge of the histories of Tapestry. If there was any precedence for the situation, he would be the one who knew.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    However, despite all attempts to reach Liter, he could not be found. Ultimately though, the elders put this to the side for the moment. Liter had a proficient understanding of the universal laws of knowledge, and as such they trusted him that he would always make the best decisions for Tapestry.


    If they could not find him, they assumed it was because he was already in motion trying to address the issue.


    Elder Azelle felt very unnerved by all of this. Something deep in himself was crashing about ¨C warning him of an oncoming storm.


    No matter how wise he was, there was no precedence as far as he knew for what was occurring.


    While he was not as read as Liter, he had still lived longer than anyone else in the commune.


    There was a knock on the metal doors to the hall. Everyone ceased their conversations and watched as Pride entered the room with a woman in tow.


    "Elders." They both stopped and gave greetings to the hall. The young woman with him was quite a bit more timid than he, hanging her head low. Not daring to try and fight against the pressure of so many of the elders in one room.


    "Pride," Elder Azelle nodded to him. "I assume this young woman is also sick?"


    "Yes, although she says she is feeling better in the past few days, Porose said that she had developed a cough for about as long as Tahmel had."


    When Pride checked back in with Porose, he had told Pride of everyone he knew who he had been giving the medicinal soup to. After checking across the city, Pride was extremely nervous to find another situation like Tommy. However, his worries were unjustified, and it seemed that the rest of the city was on the path to recovery.


    Nevertheless, he decided to bring this woman to see Trisha and the elders. Just to be safe.


    Trisha recognized the woman as one of the ranchers who worked in the floating fruits garden. She had talked to her on numerous occasions when retrieving food for dinner. The young girl had a passion for growing fruits and baking deserts. They had traded recipes on multiple occasions.


    "Trisha, please tell us if you can feel any abnormality in her soul. You are more skilled in this than any of us, otherwise¡­" The rest was left unsaid. After what had occurred with her husband, they would never ask her to do this unless it was the only option. And as it so happened, that was indeed so.


    "Of course, elders." Trisha looked at the young girl who was clearly nervous. The girl had managed to piece together a bit of what had occurred from this and what Pride had told her earlier. She knew that if there was something wrong with her, it would mean nothing good.


    However, she had full faith in the elders of Tapestry. They would not harm her she trusted.


    She took the initiative to step up on the stage so Trisha would not have to come to her. The room seemed to become impossibly silent compared to the number of bodies there as the distance between the two shrunk.


    "Trisha, please¡­" She held her palms out face up in front of her and raised her head to look into Trisha''s eyes.


    "Don''t be nervous, I promise it won''t hurt and you will be okay Darra." Trisha smiled at the woman.


    "Mm." She gave a nervous smile.


    Trisha placed her palms on Darra''s, and looked directly into her eyes. Darra''s energy was on the weaker side for her age, and incomparable to the energy of the Elders. As such Trisha was able to look through her without any trouble, bypassing or breaking through any of the defenses inside her soul.


    Darra grunted from the pressure. To her, she felt that her whole body ached. However, she did not break eye contact.


    Trisha gradually pushed her own energy out from her palms and into Darra. The white lines on her body glowed brighter.


    The room looked on silently, not daring to interrupt Trisha.


    Eventually, the glow surrounding her lessened significantly and they both let out simultaneous sighs.


    Once the young woman got her breath back, she looked up at Trisha.


    "So¡­"


    Before she could continue however Trisha had wrapped her arms around the younger woman. Cutting her off from what she was saying.


    "I''m sorry Darra. I''m so sorry."


    The look on all the elders¡¯ faces fell.


    "Trisha, what did you feel?" One of the elders asked.


    She continued to look at Darra.


    "Whatever the sickness is, it seems to be weakening our very souls." Trisha said, voice strangely calm.


    Everyone was staring hard now. A sickness that affected the soul? What were they expected to do about that?


    "It is not just weakening the soul. It feels like¡­" She hesitated for a moment finding the right words.


    "It feels like your affinity, which is naturally interconnected with your soul from birth, is being disconnected from each other¡­


    Unwoven."


    The whole room was so silent you could hear a pin fall.

 36. No matter what...

    To Darra, it felt as though her world had stopped. She did not fully understand what Trisha had said, however the gravity of her situation could not have been more apparent to her. Even though the weight she felt initially by the many elders in the room had lessened. A different more profound anxiety filled her.


    "What about¡­ what about my husband? Is he sick as well? Is he going to be okay?" She looked up at Trisha and then to the elders. There was a frantic anxiety in her eyes. They all looked back, unsure what to tell her.


    Would he be okay? Would you be okay? Tahmel? Trisha? Everyone???


    None of them were sure.


    The fire attuned elder who oversaw Adria''s family line was the first one to break the silence.


    "Darra, we will be doing everything we can to help all who are sick get better." He then directed his attention to all the elders in the room. "Tapestry has been around since the beginning of time itself. It has faced countless hardships and trials through the years."


    All of the elders grit their teeth.


    "If not for the Ancestor passing on his heritage to us, we would not have survived the desolation of the world."


    "Since then though!" His voiced pierced into the minds of everyone present. The fire energy lines on his body surged with color and strength. "We have continued to live, survive, and thrive! All on our own power!"


    That''s right. They had indeed done so. Although the City of Tapestry may seem a very peaceful place. In the histories, across an eternity, there have been countless calamities of various scales. And yet, here they are.


    Gradually the atmosphere grew livelier, the elders began discussing precautions that should be take and actions that will help reverse the situation.


    Trisha and Darra too both felt better. Even if they themselves were too late to save, ultimately their job was to pass the heritage of The Ancestor on.


    Dying now or dying later. What difference does it make? As long as the species survived.


    However, when Trisha''s mind wandered back to her husband who was still tied up in their home¡­ she felt an ambiguous dread. This dread though was quickly suppressed with the rest in a small portion of her mind.


    At this time Porose stepped up onto the stage. He had entered the hall earlier while Trisha had been checking Darra''s soul. He did not want to interrupt such a delicate situation, so he chose to simply wait quietly by the side.


    Exhaustion could be seen in his posture. Usually Porose is one who always stands tall. Now though it seemed that the weight on his shoulders was beginning to take its toll.


    "Elders," All eyes were on him. If anyone knew the extent of the sickness at this stage, it would be him.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Porose. He had been brewing soup for a while now and had seen more of the sick than anyone else.


    "I regret to say that no one who has contracted the cough has made a full recovery. Although many report they are feeling better, I believe the soup has only been masking the degree of their illness."


    The elders all nodded. There was still no direct evidence that the cough was related to what happened with Tahmel. Although it seemed the most likely cause, especially with what Trisha had found in Darra''s soul.


    "As a safety precaution, I asked the miners to watch over those who we think or know to be sick. If anything, untoward is to occur, they were instructed to report to an elder right away. The various foremen are organizing it."


    There was another mumble of agreeance amongst the elders. Porose was truly on top of the situation. Elder Azelle stood up and clapped his hands.


    "Very good. Firstly, we must find Liter. He was sick with the cough a year ago, however he got better within a week. It may not have been the same thing, however, if it was, the I assume he is already working on a cure.


    In the meantime, it is important that we identify everyone who is sick and separate them from those who are not." He thought for a moment mentally working through the space of Tapestry.


    "Clear out one of the warehouse rooms and turn it into a sick bay. Have the Miners start moving cots in." After another moment of thought he turned to another elder.


    "Can I ask to leave the logistics of this to you?"


    "Of course, Elder Azelle." The woman stood up and quickly departed, wasting no time.


    With her departure, all of the elders began to get up left the hall. Everyone knew there were things to be done. Porose too left to go continue his work. Whether or not the soup was truly helping, they could not say. However, he felt it important he continue to cook, it was better to have too much than too little.


    Trisha and Darra both continued to stand in the center of the hall. Darra was shaking, small uncontrollable tremors. Despite her best efforts, she had not been able to contain them. Trisha stood near her to offer support if she needed it.


    "Darra, I think you should go back to your husband. Soon they will come for you both, you should go explain to him what is happening." Trisha''s voice floated into Darra''s ears and immediately her trembling slightly eased.


    "Mm, Trisha you''re right. I can''t be like this. Like the elders said, we will get through this. And even if we don''t¡­ this is much bigger than me." Darra looked from Trisha to the door. After an encouraging nod from Trisha she began towards her own home with haste. On her mind was her husband, and beyond that, all of her friends who she knew had been receiving soup from Porose.


    Trisha finally let out the breath that she had been holding in, like expelling the bad air. She felt better once Darra was on her own way. Trisha knew she was barely holding herself together, being relied on by another for support was quickly going to shatter her already fragile existence.


    Elder Azelle who had not yet left the hall stepped up onto the stage to stand next to Trisha. He had watched as Trisha helped to refocus Darra.


    "Trisha, with your ability with people¡­ we are going to have to rely on you through this. I hope you can understand." Inside he felt very sorry for her. Right now, she was dealing with much more than anyone else. However, if things got out of hand, then who knew how many would suffer?


    With Trisha''s abilities revolving around the soul, she would be extremely helpful in refocusing people so that a panic would not ensue - like she had done with Darra. When a person is overwhelmed or anxious, the best thing you can do is to give them something to focus on.


    The anxious energy that builds up in a person would quickly become fuel for them to do whatever task you focus them on. This was wisdom the elders had built up over many years. To Trisha though, it felt extremely instinctual.


    "Of course, Elder. No matter what¡­ we must get through this." In her mind though, all she could think of was the smile she had seen on Tommy''s face.

 37. Entering the Warehouse

    In one of the largest warehouses towards the back of the city, crates and barrels were being stacked outside in high piles. To clear out the space in the warehouse, the elder that Elder Azelle put in charge of the operation chose to distribute it all among the other warehouses. Although it would be a tight fit, by all accounts there should be just enough room.


    As word spread to the city about what was occurring, all of the citizens of the commune began to migrate towards the warehouse district. They stood patiently to the side listening to the elders. Gradually two groups ¨C infected and non-infected ¨C began to form. As the number of people who were sick was tallied, the elders felt increasingly anxious.


    50 people. 100 people. 200¡­ 300¡­ 800¡­ 900.


    Almost a thousand people had developed a lasting cough. Some of them had been dealing with it for more than a month. However, because Porose had been supplying them with soup they had been able to work through it. To them, they saw it as nothing more than an inconvenience.


    Having all the citizens together now though, people began to realize just how big of an endemic they might have on their hands. Especially the elders, who were busy organizing hands. Various healthy volunteers were moving boxes out and cots in. Along with them was a group of individuals with carts full of soup.


    Trisha was there as well - talking with the sick residents. Every few minutes she would take one person aside and check their souls and affinities. When she reported back her findings to the elders, their faces were grim.


    "Just like Darra, all of their souls are becoming unwound from their affinities." Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. Physically her body was fine. After checking her own soul thoroughly, as far as she could tell she was not sick. Perhaps it had something to do with her particularly strong soul? She was unsure. However, her immunity to it forced her to work harder.


    The more people she looked at though, she became increasingly exhausted. She felt as though she was seeing these people to their deaths. Echoes of her husband¡¯s last moments whispered in her mind. And the worst part ¨C she thought ¨C was that asides from a minor cough, they all believed they were in perfect health otherwise.


    This left her feeling drained. But she pushed onwards nevertheless.


    After hearing back from Trisha, the elders talked among themselves silently without slacking in their own tasks.


    Gradually all of the cots were moved in, along with food and water and other provisions. The walls of the warehouse were lined with elemental and attuned artifacts. Many of the elders worked hard to create a biome of elemental energy within the warehouse.


    If this sickness was attacking the soul, they would have to do everything in their power to nourish their souls beyond the disease''s capabilities.


    "Everyone." A voice like water flowed through the minds of every person present. The elders too were no exception. A strong blue radiance extended from a single individual who was walking through the crowd. All the citizens of the conclave immediately recognized and made way for The Elder.


    Although the elders were in no way removed from the citizens of Tapestry, many of them were nonetheless revered. And there was no elder more revered than Elder Azelle.


    He passed through the crowd with a great amount of ease, and everything around him was bathed in a blue aura. Since the meeting in the hall Elder Azelle had since donned an immaculate robe.


    On it were thousands of intricate designs, interwoven with each other in the tapestry of the cloth. The robe itself glowed blue and rippled with his power. The designs were all drawn into the robe with threads of a priceless gold metal.


    Alluring and powerful.


    When the citizens and elders looked at this man, they could feel nothing but a supreme respect and awe.


    Trisha too was no exception. No matter how powerful the protection of her soul was, the force exuded by The Elder at this point could not be withstood.


    "Everyone," He stood in between the warehouse and the crowd of people. In all of tapestry there were close to 10,000 people. But in front of all of them, Elder Azelle was like a mighty deity.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "In the history of Tapestry there have been many difficult situations. Crises which the city has thwarted again and again." He took a deep breath as another wave of elemental energy pulsed off of him and into the enraptured crowd.


    "I am afraid that we have reached another one of these crossroads." His voice remained stable, like a pillar that could support the world.


    "There is a sickness spreading in Tapestry unlike any of the past centuries.


    As far as we know now, we are unsure if there is a cure.


    As far as we know now, it is irreversible.


    And as far as we know now, there is nothing we can do except try to protect those who are not yet sick."


    His eyes closed for a moment. In his mind he was unsure if the choice he was making was the right one. Instead of segregating, should they not be focusing more energy into trying to cure it? He truly was conflicted. On the outside though he remained strong, for the people.


    "As far as we know¡­ Tapestry has always survived." The aura which had only been extending some little ways off of him suddenly rippled out and covered everyone in the area. 1,000 people. 2,000 people. All 10,000 individuals of Tapestry who were present were now within his sphere of influence.


    "And we will survive this too. What we must do now though, is band together and face this in the only ways we know how to for now. So, for those who are sick, please enter into the medical bay we have set up." Elder Azelle motioned behind him to the large metal doors, behind which was a completely stocked impromptu quarantine.


    "Trisha." Elder Azelle spoke to her discretely, "Please?"


    "Mm." Trisha who was standing with those who were sick spread out her own energy before speaking to them. "Please, come with me and form a line. Inside there is room and the energy for us to cultivate. You must focus on getting better as quickly as possible, so you can return to your families."


    She walked up to stand near Elder Azelle on the other side of the doors as him.


    "When you all get better, we can throw a party like none other. But first, you must heal." Her voice was steady and calm, however a slight tremor caught in her words which went unnoticed by most. Behind her the crowd had begun to move closer to the med-bay.


    Everyone in Tapestry trusted the elders with extreme resolution, so no one doubted their words. Many people began saying farewells to their spouses and family ¨C still unsure of how dangerous the situation could become.


    No one here was stupid, though. Many people could tell that there was more wrong here than the elders wanted to let on. However, they still chose to comply wholeheartedly.


    Within Tapestry, there was complete trust of one another. That was the privilege of being the last human settlement locked away at the edge of a desolate world.


    Everyone watched on as the sick made their way inside. The friends and families all offered their support, handing over any items they had on them with elemental affinity, hoping to help the healing process.


    The elders all exchanged despairing looks. They felt pain in their hearts when they thought through the possibilities of what comes next.


    Gradually all of the sick had made their way inside, separating themselves into cots without any fuss. They looked out at their many friends and families, with various feelings inside them.


    After them - 200 healthy and strongly attuned individuals followed inside. These were volunteers Elder Azelle had talked to personally before his speech.


    They had all been informed - more or less - what had happened with Tahmel. It was their job to keep an eye out inside, in case the situations were connected. Should another person lose themselves like Tommy, they were to restrain them with extreme prejudice.


    Amongst these 200 was Pride. He volunteered right away when Elder Azelle had come to talk to him. After handling Tommy, he knew how dangerous another encounter like that could be. Especially if those inside were unprepared.


    Pride was the last person to enter, closing the doors behind him.


    "Be careful Pride, make sure you reach out to the elders if anything happens. We will keep constant watch from outside."


    Pride looked at Elder Azelle and simply nodded. Before he could shut the door though, Elder Azelle pulled out a large flask of alcohol from his robes. Elder Azelle grinned at Pride before tossing it to him.


    Pride caught it, surprised at the elders¡¯ generosity. But eventually he too just grinned, raising it up in salute before stuffing it in his pocket.


    Finally, the doors fully shut. In the silence that was left behind there was a grinding on the other side as Pride locked the door.


    This was something he had thought to do on his own.


    No one said anything about it.

 38. Brother...

    Elder Azelle merely breathed an unheard sigh as the sound of the doors locking resounded through the silent crowd. Everyone present had a chance to see their friends and families beforehand, so there was nothing to be said at this point. What is done, is done. What would be, would be. He rubbed his temples.


    Trisha snuck a look at the elder''s face, and for a moment she saw the exhaustion peek through. Even though he had enormous power and his attunement was at a higher level than anyone else, it came at the cost of age. He was also older than anyone else in Tapestry, and sometimes it showed.


    She was not the only one to notice. Many of the elders who were familiar with him had seen through his exhaustion. They knew they should pick up more of the slack, to try and take the weight off of the elder''s shoulders.


    "Alright everyone. Please head home and rest well. We will stay here and stand guard should anything happen." The smaller elder spoke out letting his voice carry on a breeze that emanated from his being. "If something occurs, I will make sure to inform everyone at once. Hopefully it will only take a few days for them to break through the sickness surrounded by all the natural energy we have gathered."


    The quiet and dazed crowd broke out of their own musings and heeded the elder''s words. This was too unprecedented for them to make right or left of it. As such, they decided to simply listen and wait. Some people left right away, others straggled and cast worried glances towards the repurposed storehouse.


    There were also several people who inquired if there was anything they could do. Most of these people were spouses whose partners were currently inside.


    "Elders, I am strong and healthy. May I stay? I just want to be here when they are healthy enough to come out."


    "It will be a few days at least. Why don''t you go home? You can come back tomorrow, but there''s no need for you to stay here with us." An elder responded gently.


    He simply shook his head. "Elders, I want to be here."


    The elders wouldn''t go so far as to ban people from staying, so a number of individuals decided to set up nearby. Elder Azelle and Trisha both watched on silently.


    Trisha felt her thoughts dwelling on her husband. She loved Tahmel dearly, and in her mind, she worked hard to keep the image of Tommy, and the picture of the thing which smiled at her, separated. She refused to think of her husband like that. It too was locked away in a fragmented portion of her mind.


    Elder Azelle had wandering thoughts as he gazed upon his people which he was responsible for. For some reason, he could not help but think about Noone. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that Noone was safe.


    ¡­


    Porose walked through the desolate streets of one of the residential areas which had a high incidence of sickness. He had not gone with the rest of the crowd to the warehouses, instead heading towards Trisha''s home.


    Ever since the plan was set to turn one of the warehouses into a medical bay, he had worked tirelessly to up his production. He didn''t know when the doors would be opened after the sick entered, but he had given them enough soup to last at least a month.


    If it took any longer than that¡­ Porose didn''t dare to think about what that would mean.


    His footsteps echoed in the silent streets, going completely unnoticed. The sun stones that lined the ceiling of the cavern had begun to dim, signaling the dawn. Eventually he stood alone in front of Tommy''s house.


    He was very familiar with the place, as he had been over often at Trisha''s invitation. Tommy and he were nigh inseparable no matter how much they teased each other.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    He had avoided thinking about what Trisha had talked about. But now that he had a spare moment, he wanted to see Tahmel for himself. It wasn''t that he didn''t believe her, but he simply couldn''t imagine it. Even after it being confirmed by an elder, he couldn''t believe it. What sickness is there that could take away someone''s mind like that?


    He shook his head and let himself in through the front door. He had heard from Pride earlier that he was forced to tie Tobias up and locked him in the bedroom. Pride had warned him to be careful, seeming to know that he was going to want to see his lifelong friend.


    The house lights were all off, and Porose felt a shiver in his spine. He simply grit his teeth and grunted, dispelling the feeling. The atmosphere in the house was truly dreadful. Almost like it knew what was going on but refused to say.


    He slowly walked towards the back room. On his left there was an open door leading to the bathroom. He looked in, seeing a shattered bowl of water which had been thrown to the floor. When he thought back to what Trisha had said, it painted the already desolate atmosphere in a harsher light.


    Eventually he came to a solid wooden door. Wood was a moderate rarity in Tapestry. They were capable of growing trees obviously, in well maintained environments. But the majority of resources went towards growing fruit-bearing trees and agriculture. Only a small portion was dedicated to things like furniture. The trees were all of the same type too. Iron woods.


    When he reached out to the door, he heard a muffled struggle on the other side. There was no voice, just the sound of rope and flesh fighting against each other. It had been completely silent up to the moment he had reached out. The chill up his spine returned, unnerving Porose greatly.


    He set his sights forward and took a deep breath, opening the door in a single movement. Light flooded out from the room temporarily obscuring his vision. The muffled struggle continued, and eventually he set eyes on Tommy.


    The first thing he noticed was Tahmel''s eyes. As soon as his own eyes adjusted to the light, he could see Tommy staring at him. It was one of the most grotesque sights Porose had ever seen. There was nothing immediately noticeable that could be blamed, but it left him completely unnerved.


    Tahmel was tied to the wall, bound by thick braided rope. Every muscle on his body was struggling against the rope, his shoulders and arms shifted every way they could to try and loosen them. Porose could see significant bruising around the shoulders, indications of his arms being dislocated through sheer force.


    Despite all of his struggling though, no noise escaped from his mouth. Porose couldn''t even hear breathing. Not just his mouth, but his head too was completely still.


    Porose felt himself being stared at, down to his soul. The eyes and the face, everything about Tommy from the neck up was peaceful like a corpse. But his body, it moved and struggled. To Porose it looked like his body was moving completely unto itself.


    Underneath the ropes, Tahmel''s flesh was being worn raw. Porose continued to watch. His mind had stopped working a while ago, now he simply observed in horror ¨C unable to take his eyes away.


    There were two simultaneous sharp cracks. Porose quickly snapped to attention, forcing himself to breathe. His breath was a bit hurried, but otherwise steady.


    "Tommy¡­" Porose stared at his former brother. Tahmel''s arms had both cracked at the humerus forcing the rope to bite deeper in, further breaking the bone. He had struggled so hard that he broke his own bones, but there wasn''t even a flinch of recognition in his face. It was as empty as it had been.


    After several minutes, he finally stopped struggling and his body became motionless like his face. There was no smile as there had been with Trisha. Instead he had just gone completely still. If it weren''t for the fact that it continued to stare at Porose, he would have thought that Tommy had died had finally...


    Porose slowly backed away towards the door, staring at Tommy the whole time. Tommy''s eyes simply tracked his movements. But other than that, there was nothing in his expression that Porose would equate with consciousness. Eventually, Porose closed the door tightly. His shoulders sagged and he let out a deep breath. His hand was still on the door knob keeping it shut, fearing Tahmel would suddenly break free from his bounds.


    "Tahmel¡­" Porose pulled his hand away from the door, turning around and leaving the house. He walked with purpose but in his mind he felt lost. At this time people were beginning to return from the warehouse district. When they saw Porose walking past them they initially called out, however they quickly realized something was wrong.


    Although he was walking steady, when they saw his face they were left in shock. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and his eyes were red.


    His expression was stoic, but his eyes betrayed him.

 39. What was that?

    In the city, the night passed with a blanket of anxiety on the hearts of many. Many friends spent their time in each-others company. They found comfort having others to talk to through the night. Very few managed to sleep, and those that did tossed as the hours ticked by.


    Outside of the warehouses the elders mingled with those that decided to stay back and wait. They all kept an eye on the warehouse, waiting for anything to change. In the minds of the people, they expected something to occur and for the sick to be healed quickly. The elders were not so hopeful.


    Inside the warehouses it was a sleepless night, however no one disturbed each other. Inside people were focused on feeling the energy in the air, trying to heal up from whatever was afflicting them.


    Many of the sick had never put a tremendous amount of effort into their own affinities. Within Tapestry some were born with naturally weaker attunements than others. It was not impossible to break through these shackles and gain enlightenment, putting their attunement on a higher level. But the skill and time required was immense.


    As such they simply accepted their lot and put in no more effort than the minimum practice required. After all, in Tapestry what real use was there to be stronger or more attuned than anyone else? It did not affect their lifespans or their social positions, so they just let it be.


    Now though, they each put more effort into their attunements than they ever had before. If it was because of their weak attunements that they were afflicted, then getting stronger should reverse it, right?


    They hoped.


    The many volunteers too took the chance to work on their own attunements. The environment in the warehouse was too good to let the opportunity go to waste. However, they maintained some of their awareness on the sick. They would not be so caught up in the atmosphere as to forget why they were there.


    This was especially true for Pride. He stood by the doors watching over the entire warehouse quietly. No one bothered him, and he didn''t bother anyone else. He simply stood there sipping from the flask that Elder Azelle had given to him.


    Not only was the alcohol some of the finest he had ever tasted, it was also infused with a massive amount of elemental energy.


    He thought back to the elder, who had so readily handed the bottle over to him. This was obviously a treasure, there was enough elemental energy inside that Pride could barely take more than one sip at a time. After which he would spend a few hours processing the energy throughout his body.


    He knew what the possibilities were better than anyone else in the warehouse, so he just quietly watched. If anything occurred, he would be ready.


    ¡­


    Elder Azelle walked into the library shutting the door tightly behind him. Slowly he took the time to walk through the entire space, not leaving a single corner unchecked. The longer he looked the more his frown deepened.


    Eventually he came to Liter¡¯s private office, opening the door. The room itself was perfectly lit, with not a shadow in any corner. This was where Liter and all the librarians would do their work. Quietly compiling and comparing records in the annals of time.


    He stepped in and gently closed the door behind him. The room was not too big and not too small. There was a meager amount of furniture, consisting entirely of a beautifully intricate desk, a chair, and a few shelves of materials for inscribing.


    On the floor in front of the desk Elder Azelle could see a depression that had been worn into stone. Over the past eternity there have been countless Librarians who would pace in this exact spot. Liter was no exception.


    The depression reflected the light which pervaded through the chamber. The constant wear had left the stone being extremely polished. Elder Azelle stepped around the depression and looked behind Liter¡¯s desk. There was no sign Liter had been here for a few days. With his energy he could even tell that there was a thin layer of dust that was beginning to build up.


    In the end all he could do was sigh and leave the room as he had found it. Elder Azelle had felt an odd sensation when he entered the room. Without his attunement being as strong as it was, there was no way he would have sensed it. However, no matter how hard he looked he was not able to firmly grasp onto the feeling.


    It was fleeting and only left him more confused.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    After firmly closing the door to Liters office he walked towards the secret room, he could tell that Adria was still inside and had not left yet. He could also tell that Liter had not been inside since the last time he was there. All he could do was put the matter with Liter out of mind for the moment.


    Right now, he had to figure out how he was going to handle Adria.


    After passing through the barrier set by The Ancestor, he walked through the door. The inside of the room was flushed with light the same way Liter''s office had been. Adria was sat inside at the desk. In front of her five books were open, and she was completely absorbed by them.


    In her hands was a smaller book, which she would constantly refer back to when she came anything she did not understand. This smaller reference guide had ended up being invaluable, and eventually she had turned to relying on it for everything.


    "Adria," The elder broke her out of the trance she had been drawn into. Finally, she looked up to see Elder Azelle standing in the doorway. Elder Azelle was still wearing the robe he had donned when he spoke outside of the warehouse, lined with intricate gold designs. Adria was instantly mesmerized by it.


    She was stunned not just by the physical detail that was in the robe, but even with her own exceptional affinity the robe overwhelmed her senses. The elder could see her shock and merely chuckled. She was not the only one who reacted in such a way seeing the robe for the first time.


    Adria was powerful, she could begin to see some of the hidden manifestations that were a part of the tapestry of the robe. Others who were weaker than her would merely be able to tell that it was strong.


    Adria could feel that the robes were a spring awash with potential enlightenment.


    "Elder, how come you are wearing the Ancestral Robe?" Finally, Adria broke free from her reverie and stared at Elder Azelle. He smiled at her but waved off the question.


    "Even these old things need to be aired out occasionally, no? It would be such a waste if they sat unused for all time, would it not?" He smiled at Adria, but behind his smile there was sadness.


    In that instant, he had decided to keep the happenings of the rest of Tapestry a secret from Adria for now. Nothing good would come from worrying her needlessly. It was safer for her to remain here, studying and preparing. If the worst were to happen¡­ The elder shook his head.


    "Adria, come here." He motioned for her to stand. "Quickly, turn around, face away from me."


    Adria listened obediently, unsure what the elder was going to do.


    Before she could ask, there was a rustling from behind her and suddenly her shoulders were draped in the weight of the ancestral robes.


    The robes flashed, and the cloth which had been blue shifted into a fiery red. All the micro-fibers reacted violently forcing the robe to billow out like it was being lifted by wind. Elder Azelle held the robe firmly on her shoulders, allowing it to fuse with her aura.


    The gold lining remained the same color, however if you looked very closely you would see the millions of threads in the robe shifting and changing. Their configuration became completely different to what it had been a second before. When the robe finally settled onto her shoulders - fusing with Adria''s aura - her eyes grew wide, and her pupils expanded to an insane degree.


    Her normal looking eyes were now all a deep fiery red, even the whites of her eyes. They no longer looked like the eyes of a human being but more like fire-stones that were carved to mimic the shape. They radiated energy and light, sending Adria''s mind into a frenzy.


    Suddenly she was looking at herself. She was looking at Elder Azelle. She was looking at the table which was in front of her. The books and the writings on them she could see and comprehend clear as day. Not just one book, but all of them, at the same time. She could also see underneath the table, all the books which lined the shelves and their titles. Everything was suddenly crammed into her mind.


    When she looked at herself, she could see that her eyes had turned entirely red. It was almost like an out of body experience. She tried to rationalize what she was feeling, but she couldn''t come up with the words to explain it.


    She was not "seeing" anything, she just knew. She knew what she looked like, what Elder Azelle looked like despite being behind her. The table and the books and the words written on the books were all just things she knew.


    Suddenly, her vision shrunk and returned to her body. In front of her was the table as it had been moments before. Behind her was Elder Azelle who was putting the robe back on. He reached out his palm and slapped Adria''s back, forcing her to gasp in a breath. She realized then that she had not taken a single breath since the coat was put on her shoulders. She took a moment to make sure her breathing was back to normal. She wasn''t sure if she had forgotten to breath, or simply had not needed to.


    "Elder¡­" She spun on her heels and looked right into his eyes. Unlike her eyes, his were completely normal. "What was that?"


    Elder Azelle smiled enjoying the shocked look on her face. He too had been incredibly shocked the first time he put it on. He remembered it fondly and knew what Adria must be experiencing.


    "That is the gift of The Ancestor. It is said that was how he saw the world. And when he passed on his powers to us, he gifted the elders with this precious cloak." He thought for a moment, adding in a bit more, "It is said that it''s possible to reach that level of awareness without the robe, however no one in Tapestry has done it before, so we are unsure if that''s just a rumor¡­ or simply impossible for us."


    Adria stared at Elder Azelle¡­ To achieve that level of existence¡­ was it really possible?

 40. Eephie

    "So how are things going for you? It seems you are enjoying the literature." Elder Azelle redirected the conversation. He truly knew nothing more than what he had told her. Many of the elders through history have attempted to unravel the secrets proposed by The Ancestor, but it has always been fruitless.


    "Well, I don''t know if ''enjoying'' is the word I would use." A scowl appeared on her lips as she stared daggers at the books on the table. Although she was absorbed into them, it seemed like every other page she ran into trouble understanding the contents.


    Elder Azelle laughed - not at all unfamiliar with the struggle. Even Liter and himself have experienced difficulties with the books in this section.


    "Just learn what you can Adria, if you get stuck simply move on and come back to it later." He rubbed his chin thinking. "You have plenty of time so there''s no rush-"


    "Oh! That reminds me, do you know an ancestor named Eephie?" Adria''s eyes suddenly flashed with an intensity as she asked a question which has been lingering on her mind for a while now. Even the elder was a bit shocked. What was she talking about?


    Adria brought the small book she had found to the elder, handing it over carefully. She had no idea how old the book was, but it has taken a spot of incomparable importance in her mind. Without realizing it, it had become incredibly valuable to her.


    Elder Azelle took the book from her. Her attitude towards it did not go unnoticed. Gently, he ran his hand over the cover. There was no title inscribed onto the front or spine of the book. Even the back of the book was blank and completely smooth.


    The longer Elder Azelle inspected it, the more shocked he became. He and Liter had gone through this room innumerable times reading everything inside. But this was the first time he had seen this book. He was sure that they had never come across it before.


    When he opened the book, his eyes scanned across the words at lightning speed. Reading through every word that was written in just a few minutes. Finally, he came to the last page, and in the bottom corner he saw the signature.


    "Eephie"


    The elder closed his eyes, letting everything he saw settle into his ocean of thoughts. For some reason, he felt unsettled, but failed discern why.


    "I don''t recall any Eephie in the notable records of the past." He told Adria, who was looking expectantly up towards him. This Eephie had left an incredible impression onto her, and she was eager to know more about this person.


    "However, next time you see Liter he should know at least something about them." Elder Azelle thought for a moment, handing the book back to Adria. "Presumably she was another child like you who headed to the desolate world above¡­"


    "Mm. Understood." Adria nodded her head, Liter would most certainly know.


    "How about you stay for the next few days and finish what you are working on? It seems like you have made really good progress, and you should try and keep the momentum you have."


    "Of course, Elder, once I finish with these I will head out for a bit to stretch my legs. Can you send Liter in the next time you see him? I want to ask him about Eephie."


    "Mm. Of course. Well, I must go. I just wanted to check in on you." The elder smiled and made to leave. For a moment the elder¡¯s demeanor had slipped up when he thought about Liter. Adria didn''t understand why but she felt a small doubt form in her mind when she saw his expression.


    Before she could ask though, the elder stepped out of the door and the light flashed signaling that he left the domain The Ancestor had set in place. Adria considered going after him but decided not to. She had more to study, and if there was something on the elder¡¯s mind, she was confident he would tell her when he was ready.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    She went back to the table and buried her head into the books. After a moment her ears popped, and she felt a throb in her temples.


    "Hmm?" She looked up and rubbed her ears. "That was odd." She just shook her head and went back to reading.


    Outside of the room, Elder Azelle had his hands against the door. The barrier surrounding the space was glowing bright blue.


    "Adria¡­ I''m sorry. But I will be back." After debating with himself for a while, he chose to seal Adria in the room. Inside she would be safe, and presumably the barrier would keep any sickness out if she wasn''t already exposed.


    Finally, he turned around. His shoulders sagged under the invisible weight on them.


    "That book¡­ Liter¡­ where are you? Is there some connection? Eephie¡­" He mumbled quietly, but no one heard.


    ¡­


    The next 24 hours passed uneventfully. At the warehouse everyone was focused on channeling into the attunement energy which pervaded the space. Many of the volunteers relaxed their vigilance. Almost everyone inside was feeling better. Honestly, none of them had even realized that they weren''t feeling their best until they had focused on healing. That realization alone scared most of them into a pattern of absorbing and processing the energy around them.


    Pride was the only one who kept a close eye on everything that occurred. But he too was beginning to doubt himself. It wasn''t too hard to believe that he was overreacting. However, when he thought back to what had become of Tommy, he chose to stay vigilant. No matter what, it was better to be prepared.


    "Pride, come on man. Just take a break for a bit, this is a good chance to work on our energy."


    "Yeah, we all know the risks, but with all of us here¡­ even if someone were to¡­ you know - Like Tahmel, we would be able to handle it."


    Pride didn''t bother to respond. He knew that no matter what they were told, they had not seen Tommy for themselves. They wouldn''t understand. He could barely accept it, and he was there firsthand. Even with the alcohol, his mood remained at an all-time low. The only thing that would make him feel better at this point would be if everyone got better and they all treated him to a pint.


    Another night passed.


    The elders outside had established a decent camp in front of the warehouse. They didn''t know how long they would be there for, or what they were looking for to consider the people inside as healthy. Many of them felt that they were just waiting for something to happen. The unknown unnerved them and kept many of them on edge.


    There was a small commotion near the other citizens who had set up nearby. Elder Azelle and Trisha could be seen making their way towards the warehouses from down the road.


    Elder Azelle waved to them. "Has there been any word from Pride yet?" He spoke to everyone present, not just the other elders.


    The elders merely shook their heads. It has been entirely uneventful.


    "Elder Azelle, what is it that we are looking for exactly? How will we know when they''re better?"


    The friends and family who had decided to stick around were also paying close attention. They were looking for anything that might provide them some comfort.


    "After a few more days I will go inside and check on the sick and the volunteers who went in with them. If the damage to their souls looks like it has reversed¡­ that will be the only defining condition we can test them on." Trisha responded evenly offering explanations to the family and friends of the sick.


    Other than her, they were hard pressed to come up with any other way to identify the disease. The cough in and of itself was not a reliable enough factor.


    While Trisha talked with the elders and the family, Elder Azelle walked to the doors of the warehouse. From the outside it looked completely innocuous. If it weren''t for the link of Common Heritage they all shared, this warehouse would seem just like the others.


    "Pride." Elder Azelle reached out to talk first. Although there has been no word yet, it never hurt to check.


    "Yes elder, I''m here." Pride was still standing close to the door, so he remained where he was.


    "How are things inside?"


    "Everything seems to be going fine. All of the sick are focused on processing the massive amounts of energy in the building. No one is slacking. Even the coughs have ceased completely. However, I can''t say whether or not that is because of the soup covering it up or them actually getting better."


    "Hmm. What do you think it is?" Elder Azelle was not inside, so he could only trust Pride''s view on the matter. Pride thought for a moment. Looking at the room - at all the sick. They truly seemed to be getting better, but¡­


    "I still feel uncomfortable."


    Elder Azelle just sighed in response. Although this wasn''t conclusive evidence by any means, Elder Azelle still understood the importance of it.


    "Alright Pride, we will give it another day before Trisha goes in to check on them. By then¡­ we should be able to tell something." The elder turned and walked back towards Trisha and the rest. All they could do now... was continuing to do nothing.

 41. Whoosh

    Pride''s eyes shot open and looked around the warehouse. Spread throughout the room the volunteers sat around talking with each other. Some were cultivating, and others sat in groups playing games quietly amongst themselves.


    The lights were all dimmed in the room, but none of the sick were sleeping. The people of Tapestry had more than enough endurance to stay up for any number of days. No one in the warehouse would be dumb enough to waste time by sleeping. This was especially true of the sick, who were fighting to return to their families as soon as possible.


    Pride watched everything carefully. He wasn''t sure what it was, but all the alarms in his mind were going off. No one else seemed to notice anything, even the volunteers who were perfectly healthy. They continued to talk amongst themselves quietly as not to disturb the rest. The sick were all sitting peacefully on their beds, processing the energy in the air around them.


    Pride¡¯s eyes went wide as he attempted to absorb some of the abundant energy. Shockingly he felt like he was attempting to breathe through a straw. The elemental energy was scarce at best. He stared at the sick, who were still sitting on their beds. No reaction from them whatsoever.


    Pride looked towards the volunteers who had also not seemed to notice yet. Specifically, he looked towards Kaji - a close friend.


    "Kaji," The young man with a similar build to his own looked up at Pride, as did the other volunteers the young man was talking to.


    "All of you, something is wrong." Pride spoke only to them, not wanting to alert the sick. Kaji''s eyes went wide. It only took a moment for them all to realize that the air had become scarce of energy. Slowly they looked around, but they did not see any change that would cause this. They wondered how they hadn¡¯t noticed before.


    "Quietly get the attention of all the volunteers. Tell them not to do anything yet. Just get their attention." Pride''s heart was beginning to beat faster. As word passed, the room became exceedingly silent. They all worked together to get the attention of each volunteer without making a scene.


    However, as time ticked by, goosebumps formed on their skin. It was obvious to all of them that the air was lacking elemental energy¡­ but why had none of the sick reacted yet?


    Pride spoke to them all, attempting to maintain his neutral expression. The last thing they needed was a panic. "Start to make your way up to the front. I will contact the elders and see if they know anything."


    Everyone looked around, they had become extremely aware of the silence in the room. It had grown unnerving. No matter how much they stared though, it was like the sick were completely oblivious to the change.


    Pride''s heart beat faster. What was wrong? His entire being was warning him to get away.


    He continued to stare at them.


    The healthy volunteers had started to walk towards the front of the warehouse, remaining as silent as they could.


    "They''re not breathing," A meek voice spoke out from the group of volunteers. Her voice cracked with fear as she stared at the face of one of the sick who she had been talking to an hour earlier.


    Everyone froze. Slowly they all turned to look at the cots closest to them.


    "Come here now." Pride spoke immediately. But he too was now hyperaware of their breathing. His heart shook. They really weren''t breathing¡­ not a single one.


    Before the volunteers could react to Pride¡¯s words, the eyes of all the sick opened simultaneously. The girl who had been staring at the face of the person she had talked to earlier immediately felt her entire body go cold. A chill ran up her spine and threatened to steal away her mobility.


    She stumbled back and tripped onto the floor, gasping for breath. Not just her, but every person in the room broke out into cold a cold sweat.


    Pride gave up trying to be subtle and yelled out. "Here! Now!" His heart was threatening to beat out of his chest and beads of chilled sweat appeared his bald head.


    The volunteers backed away immediately, turning on their heels they abandoned caution and ran towards Porose as fast as they could. They had heard what had happened with Tommy. Although they tried to put it out of mind, in truth it had unnerved them immensely. They thought that - even if it were to happen with someone in the warehouse - there were a few hundred of them. They probably wouldn''t have to face it themselves and could leave it to Pride to handle.


    But suddenly, in the span of a single breath, they had felt their world turn upside down. Could all of the sick¡­ have lost their minds?


    As they scrambled towards Pride at the front of the warehouse - the many sick were now beginning to react. A crash of metal and stone resounded inside the warehouse. The infected¡¯s heads turned to follow the movement ¨C they leapt from the cots with enough force to send the metal beds tumbling behind them.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    All of the anxiety which had been building up finally peaked.


    In a time as short as it takes for a pin to drop to the floor, the quarantine bay had fallen into complete chaos.


    "Use your affinity! Don''t hold back! You must not hold back!" Pride dashed forward towards the 200 volunteers, the pressure was too much for him to stand back. The only way he was able to handle it, was to fight against it.


    He took a swig from the alcohol bottle that the elder had given to him. The earthen power lines on his body glowed - illuminating the space around him as he dashed through the volunteers, placing himself between them and the oncoming infected. When he set eyes on them his body trembled. It was like seeing a thousand Tahmel¡¯s scrambling towards him. Every one of them had the same dead eyes that he did.


    Being backed up by Pride helped the other volunteers regain some mental fortitude. They could tell how scared he was - even though he had seen this before. But watching him face them, the volunteers couldn''t help but follow his example. Several people turned around as they backed up, preparing to form a blockade.


    Pride¡¯s energy spread out to the hundred infected in the front, their movements immediately slowed, and their bodies were weighed down. Like Elder Omias, Pride could affect the air making it a bit harder for them to move through it. However, he achieved this using very different mechanics than the elder had.


    Behind the infected that Pride slowed down, the rest came barreling through. They crashed into the slower mass in front of them with no regard, even proceeding to climb over those that didn¡¯t move fast enough. Everyone watched in terror ¨C these people who they had been chatting with moments before were now unrecognizable. It was like what they were looking at now were no longer human. In their minds, they couldn''t connect these, with their friends and family.


    What was even creepier was the deafening silence as they moved. There were no sounds of exertion, there was no heavy breathing. Just the clambering of fleshy bodies scrambling over each other and metal cots being kicked out of the way. Others began to take a stand with Pride, helping him hold back the mass as they all backed up towards the door.


    Some even began to shout, trying to reach out towards their family who were turned. However, Pride knew that was all for naught. The final nail in the coffin for pride, was that he couldn''t sense the Common Heritage in the bodies of the people in front of him. Whatever happened to Tommy, happened to them too.


    Slowly they became more organized, pushing against the oncoming horde. Their only saving grace was the elemental affinity they could use to suppress the sick. If it weren''t for that - then with their tiny numbers, they would have been able to do nothing against them...


    Even with their affinities, it was not limitless. Eventually they would run out of energy and they would be overtaken. Seeing how these things moved, and hearing from Pride about Tommy, none of them had any delusions about how strong these things were if they broke through.


    At this moment, a scream erupted from Pride¡¯s right. He looked over just in time to see that the woman who had stumbled earlier had been ripped from the line of volunteers.


    She had been attempting to call out to her friend incessantly since the fight for their lives started. Despite being warned beforehand, she couldn''t help but try. The volunteers around her reacted quickly, trying to surround her with a barrier of energy as they dashed to grab her and pull her back in.


    Her face was flushed white and she was covered in sweat. While trying to hold back the sick she had swiftly used up all her energy - quickly becoming lightheaded and disorientated. The lines on her body flickered and were barely visible against the blinding lights of the other volunteers.


    Pride was about to dash over too but the sick pressed forward even harder, and he was pinned in position keeping the front most horde from breaking through. Everyone watched to the right, praying for a miracle as the group of three volunteers reached her. One of them swiftly picked her body up and turned to run back while the other two covered him.


    Prides expression changed. Suddenly the force he was fighting shifted, lightening his load. But the turned began to swarm directly towards the group which was now completely broken off from the rest of the volunteers.


    "Get back! Now!" Pride yelled out. He could see over the heads of everyone else. He could see the swarm mostly lose interest in the large group and turn to dash towards the 4 volunteers who were broken off. The gap between the 4 volunteers and the rest was widened as they couldn''t fight against the attention of the horde and were forced to retreat.


    Everyone watched as the swarm collided over the 4 volunteers. Screams pierced through the silence, and a mound of human shaped monsters coagulated onto them.


    Everyone was stunned. No one could believe what they were seeing. After a moment the screams stopped, and it seemed like time stopped with them. All of the volunteers stared in horror. Even Pride, who knew what the risks were, felt like he wanted to throw up. Wasn''t this¡­ too much?


    He attempted to speak but his tongue caught in his throat. Terror was quickly gripping his heart.


    "E-Everyone. Quickly to the door. We must get out." Eventually he found his voice, however scared he was. His words still pierced into the frozen minds of everyone present. Once again, the mad dash for the door took place.


    ¡­.


    Whoosh


    Elder Omias who was camped outside of the warehouse with some of the other elders opened his eyes. Morning was still an hour away and the lights of the city were still extremely dim. However, when he looked around, he could see that he wasn''t the only elder who was stirred to attention.


    "Elder Omias, what was that feeling?" The elders looked towards the center of the city. Something caught their attention, it left them with a tingle in the back of their neck.


    Something had happened in the city.

 42. The Fall (I)

    When humans are confronted with the unknown. They must choose to either accept the new reality or reject it. However, sometimes the reality of a situation is far too surreal for even the most open-minded people. Sometimes, the human mind is not meant to cope.


    Elder Omias and the others all felt extremely uneasy when they looked towards the city. The warehouses were far enough away that they should not be able to sense anything from there.


    "Elders¡­?" The others who were sitting nearby had noticed the elders¡¯ strange reactions. They looked in the direction of the city, however they felt nothing. Many of them had been stirred awake by the elders¡¯ actions, and their minds were still a bit blurry.


    Elder Omias turned to another and spoke discretely between the two of them.


    "Go check out the city and find out what this feeling is¡­ I will stay here and check with Pride to make sure everyone in the warehouse is okay." He didn''t wait for the other elder to respond and began to walk towards the warehouse. The unease in his mind was growing greater by the second.


    The friends and families who were nearby were becoming uncomfortable as they watched their unexplained anxiety. Whatever they had sensed, it was clear that it had them worried. They turned to look at each other and then moved closer.


    When Elder Omias approached the warehouse and reached out to talk with Pride, his eyes went wide.


    "What-" The door to the warehouse was thrown open, narrowly missing Elder Omias. He jumped back swiftly despite his small old form - staring into the dimly lit cavern. Before he was able to comprehend what was happening, people began to rush out of the narrow doorway.


    Looks of fear and exhaustion could be seen on their faces, when they saw the elders standing nearby they rushed over to stand with them. The presence of the elders gave them all confidence. Although to them it seemed that they had been in an endless struggle, the reality was that only a minute had passed from beginning to end.


    "What is going on!?" An elder yelled, everyone present was deeply confused by what was happening. However, no one was blind. They could see that these people were all scared out of their minds.


    Elder Omias continued to stand just beside the door, watching as volunteer after volunteer scrambled out. At this point he could see Pride and many others who he recognized. Their backs were to the door as they faced the horde of the turned.


    He grabbed the arm of one of the younger volunteers who had dashed out of the door. The girl was scared out of her mind until she felt the energy the elder emitted.


    "E-Elder¡­" She stared into his eyes like he was the last beacon in a dying world.


    "Explain to me what happened." This was not a request. He could guess vaguely. However, he wanted to make sure first. If what he thought had occurred, then the situation would be far too dreadful.


    "Um, yes!" After stammering for a moment, the woman collected herself and explained as quickly as she could. During this, Elder Omias never took his eyes off pride, who was constantly at the front of the volunteers, taking the full brunt of the oncoming horde of the sick.


    Despair could be seen in the eyes of everyone present. Even the elders could do nothing more than stand and watch. Offering what support they could. If they were to attempt to rush into the narrow opening while all the volunteers were running out, it would only create more chaos and confusion.


    "Pride! Quickly get out of there. The elders can handle them if they get loose. But we need you to get out of the way." Elder Omias spoke to Pride, attempting to provide some logistics. Once the volunteers all exited the warehouse, it was no doubt that many of the sick would quickly follow. Although it would be rough, they would all have to work together to herd them back into the warehouse to contain them.


    Pride didn''t respond but the elder knew he heard him. Panic continued to ensue as the many friends and family of the sick pieced together what was happening.


    "No¡­ No! My wife! What do you mean she''s¡­" They looked on helplessly as they realized all of their friends and families were currently fighting against each other. Their hearts bled with anxiety, and one man fainted when he caught a glimpse of the chaos inside.


    Eventually only a few volunteers were left in the warehouse. They stood shoulder to shoulder slowly backing towards the narrow entrance, not letting their attention slip up for even a moment. When Pride felt that he was growing weary or running low on energy he would back up a pace to take a quick swig of the attuned liquor that Elder Azelle had given to him.


    This reckless use of energy was wreaking havoc on Pride''s insides. He felt the power lines on his body grow thin and weak as unprocessed energy repeatedly crashed through them. His veins and arteries grew unstable and shattering in some places. At that moment, Pride''s eyes were red with broken blood vessels, and power pulsed all around him. He looked like a war-beast come home from slaughter.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I won''t be able to last any longer. He felt the weight of the bottle in his hands, trying to think past the pain and figure out his options. If he dashed for it, he would certainly be able to escape - but doing so would also cause the many sick to break free from the warehouse.


    While the elders could certainly contain most of them¡­ there were more than a thousand. If even a quarter of those made it to the city, Pride shuddered at the thought of hundreds of these things running loose. He shot a look back, making eye contact with Elder Omias.


    Finally, he set his mind in order. There was only so much of the liquor left, and his body was already wrecked beyond repair. Even if he lived past today, he would be useless for the next hundred years. That wasn''t even considering if Tapestry would survive that long.


    "You all, in 10 seconds dash back out of the warehouse. I will be the last one out! As soon as you are through, be prepared to help the elders!" Pride made a plan. This way he would have the highest chance of success. The seconds ticked by with each volunteer left counting the time. Their backs were now in the doorway. In front of them, close to a thousand human-monsters clambered over each other, fighting against the pressure of their attunements.


    "Elder Omias, as soon as we dash through, use your powers to push the doors shut and to blast as many of them back as you can!" Pride shouted out, not bothering to look at him. He couldn''t afford even a minor slip-up if his plan was to work.


    When he heard Elder Omias'' confirmation, he felt a tinge of regret in his heart.


    Ten seconds passed. "Alright, now!" Suddenly the space around Pride was empty as the other volunteers who were fighting with him made a hasty retreat through the doorway.


    The doorway which once seemed very narrow, now seemed like an impossibly large floodgate. On the other side of which, a thousand terrible creatures lurked. And in between the creatures and them, a lone figure stood. Pride faced the horde, downing the entire bottle of liquor as they rapidly approached.


    Elder Omias was already on the move by the time he noticed that Pride had not dashed back with the rest. The elders¡¯ eyes went wide as he attempted to redirect the power he already unleashed. But it was too late. A compression of air shot into the doorway, blasting the doors shut with a resounding boom.


    As Elder Omias was trying to overcome his shock, a brilliant light shined through the cracks in the door, like a sun had been born in the warehouse. Pride who now stood alone, was face to face with the creatures, his back though was pressed firmly against the door.


    After he downed the rest of the bottle, he felt his internal organs begin to rupture and disintegrate. The arteries in his body burst, and the veins turned to ash. The power lines also tore open, elemental energy began to crawl across his skin, flowing through him freely without direction.


    He coughed up a mouthful of blood but remained standing with his back to the door. The light shining off of him illuminated the faces and bodies of his former friends and families. Gradually his eyes grew dim and stopped working, but his mind still fought hard to direct the energy surging through him.


    The ground around his feet shifted slightly, becoming extremely smooth and glossy. Not just the ground, but Pride''s feet as well. Gradually a petrification began to work its way up his body, rising along the door behind him sealing it with stone.


    Although the turned continued to claw at him, the energy coursing through Pride immediately repelled them. Pride could barely feel them through the pain of the energy that was tearing him apart. He continued to stand firm, petrified up to his waste now. The light that was shining through the gaps in the door was beginning to dim as he used up every ounce of energy to seal the doors.


    Outside - Elder Omias stood in front of the door. Behind him, the rest of the elders watched silently. They could tell very clearly from the energy being emitted that Pride was giving himself up to seal the infected. Tears began to well up in the eyes of those who were closer to him - especially Kaji, the first person he had called out to when he noticed something was wrong. But more-so than sadness, they all stood in muted horror. Shock was slowly setting in.


    Kaji''s eyes were blank as he stared at the doorway. He could feel Pride¡¯s energy diminishing, along with his life energy. Everything pride was doing, was to seal the sick inside. Tears flowed down his face. "I could have done more¡­" He mumbled to himself. However, could he really? Everything had occurred too fast.


    Finally, the light stopped shining through. On the inside of the warehouse, prides body was entirely petrified. The door behind him was sealed tight, with stone filling the cracks. All the life force in Pride''s body was gone. His skin which was originally healthy and smooth was now hard like marble. He had become a statue - acting guardian and sealing in the sick to protect the city.


    Outside it was quiet except for the sound of shocked weeping and volunteers attempting to catch their breath. Eventually Elder Omias turned around to look at everyone present. The elders and volunteers, the friends and family. He was at a loss of what to say.


    "Were there any other casualties?" He did not bother to be discrete about it. Asking without bothering to hide it from anyone. The volunteers looked between themselves, searching for the faces of their friends. In the desperate scramble to escape, it was impossible to keep track of all sides.


    Kaji still stood alone staring at the door, he was in disbelief of what had happened. In the span of minutes, they had lost not only a thousand friends and family, but also a strong prospective elder. His brain throbbed as he attempted to come to terms with what was happening.


    "There were four¡­ In the beginning." One of the volunteers who had been close with the girl who died spoke out. He was shell-shocked by what had happened. Everyone was. To die a death by anything other than old age was a rarity. To die in such a gruesome violent manner¡­ that was unheard of.


    If a stranger were to meet the people of Tapestry, they would call it a peace-loving city. However, this was not necessarily true. It was just that - in Tapestry - there was nothing but peace to worry about.


    Above them was a broken desolate world, and beneath them was nothing but an endless ocean. Inside Tapestry, they were all connected by the common heritage. It was not that they loved peace, but for an eternity, they knew nothing but.

 43. The Fall (II)

    All of the elder''s eyes Turned towards the city. The volunteers who had been looking at Elder Omias swiftly turned their gazes in the same direction.


    Horror.


    There was no other word in their minds to express what they felt coming their direction. Even the weakest attuned could feel the pressure that was building around them. To those with air attunements it was even stronger. Everyone present felt their ears pop. The air around them became slightly more solid, gripping onto their bodies and slowing their movements.


    The earth attuned could feel the stone beneath their feet shift and loosen. Then it began to vibrate with extreme subtlety no one else noticed. The other attuned could also feel something was wrong. Although not as clearly as the earth and air attuned, there was a pressure building up in their chests, and a vibrating of their lungs.


    All eyes were towards the city.


    The warehouse district wasn''t actually connected to the city, but instead was just a little ways away through a large tunnel that had been carved out of stone. So, when they stared towards the city, they could not see what was coming towards them.


    But they could feel it.


    Everyone could feel it now. It became harder to breath. The air became denser and everything was vibrating slightly, even the air in their lungs. Pure terror filled the hearts of the people present, not one of them had ever felt a pressure like this.


    Elder Omias grit his teeth and forced his elemental energy to cut through the building pressure. He spread his senses out towards the tunnel, towards the city. Like an arrow he attempted to shoot out his energy and see what was coming. Before it could make it more than a few dozen feet, the arrow was shattered. It had hit a wall of compressed air beyond anything the elder had ever seen. And it was heading towards them!


    "Cover your ears!" He screamed into the minds of everyone present, bringing his hands up towards his own. Everyone was stunned for a moment, however they followed quickly.


    A moment later they all saw something they couldn''t understand. The hall between them and the city shifted. Except for some of the more clever people there, they could not understand what was happening. Even those that had an idea of what they were seeing, had never experienced it of this magnitude, and their brains were struggling with trying to make sense of it.


    An entire wall of shifting air shot towards them, moving faster than they could comprehend. Elder Omias grit his teeth and braced for impact. The wall continued to approach until it was only a few meters away. No one was able take in a breath under the immense density and pressure of the air around them.


    The wall covered those final few meters in less than a second, crashing into their bodies without slowing even a bit. For a moment the hearts of everyone there stopped beating. They all were thrown to the ground under the immense force. Their bodies ached like they had been hit by a flying building. However, this was not the worst part.


    The worst part was the rumbling. After the wall of air passed over them, an unstoppable rumbling filled their bodies. They felt their brains vibrating in their skulls and their lungs shake. All the organs in their body''s ached as they shifted slightly with the pressure. Despite covering their ears at the behest of Elder Omias, they could still hear it. A roaring sound like the end of the world.


    They had been hit with a shockwave from the city.


    Minutes passed before the rumbling started to die down. Everyone was on the ground, even those that had managed to stave off being thrown by the initial hit, quickly lost control of their bodies. Groans echoed out as they worked to regain their sensations.


    Elder Omias too was sprawled to the floor, however he had it easier than many of the others. He had a strong understanding of the rules of compression, so he fought through the pain, working to counteract the pressure on himself.


    Not just him, but many of the elders had managed to barely keep it together through their own means.


    Kaji rolled over and managed onto his knees before throwing up a lungful of blood. Everything that had occurred too quickly. He still had not managed to recover his senses from what happened in the warehouse, so he was slower to react to the elders¡¯ command. Blood began to flow out of his ears, and he fell on his side, losing balance.


    Not just him - there were many people in bad conditions now, being hit by such a shock was not something that would be walked off easily.


    Gradually the elders pulled themselves together, then going around to help the rest. The scene was bad. Half of the people present were injured internally; a few people were bleeding from their ears and their eyes. Almost everyone was coughing up blood. It took several minutes before they managed to regain order. Almost a quarter of the volunteers were now injured and would need immediate medical help, another quarter only fared slightly better, being able to walk on their own.


    "We have to go back and get Elder Azelle." The elders gathered everyone, pairing the injured off with volunteers who could help. Although everyone listened to the elders and followed commands, for most those present, their minds had stopped working. The elders too were shaken. Having to take command helped them keep things together¡­ for now.


    They stumbled their way towards the city. In their hearts was despair at what they would find. No one could imagine what would cause such a shockwave. The eyes of everyone were drained and tired, although it had not even been half an hour since the volunteers had faced against the sick in the warehouse, they had been through so much in that time their brains no longer kept up.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    As they walked through the tunnel, smells of smoke and burnt stone began to grab their attention. Elder Omias'' eyes went wide as he dashed forward, leaving the other elders behind. It was only a few moments before he was at the mouth of the cavern that opened into the city proper.


    He stared for what felt like a lifetime.


    After a few minutes the rest of the group caught up. They had picked up the pace when the elder dashed ahead, however they could only move so fast while caring for the injured.


    When they looked across the city of Tapestry, a final nail of dread pierced deep into their hearts. On the opposite wall of the cavern that the City of Tapestry was in, a large jagged hole full of smoldering metal and fire burned endlessly - releasing smoke into the air. Their minds spun as they tried to put the pieces together.


    "It''s¡­ the forge. It¡­" Someone¡¯s meek voice was heard, bordering on hysteria. Indeed, the forge which had been embedded in a cavern on the other side of Tapestry had exploded. Not only that, but shrapnel and fire spewed across the city, lighting anything made of wood on fire with it. Plumes of smoke rose from parts of the city. Towards the top of the cavern some elders could be seen channeling their energy trying to force the smoke out through the air tunnels.


    Within the city, people could be seen scrambling trying to find their friends and family. People were in tears as they ran, and many were covered in wounds. Elder Omias looked on in shock. He had always lived by the notion that even if he didn''t know what he should do, he should act swiftly and calmly. However, his mind finally screeched to a halt.


    Not just him, but everyone. Seeing the chaos in their home, no one knew how to cope.


    "Elders!" A calm female voice pierced through their dazed minds. All of the elders looked over - seeing a young white-haired woman running towards them.


    It was Trisha.


    As she approached everyone could see a large gash on her arm that had been bleeding not even a few minutes before. Her legs were black - covered in ash and soot. Burn marks could be seen across her clothes. It was obvious she had been in the city when the forge exploded.


    She looked at everyone present. Although she was calm, it had moved beyond that. She didn''t feel the throbbing gash on her arms. Or the burns on her body. She didn''t feel the pain from walking on bloody burned and blistered feet.


    Her mind was calm.


    She looked at the injured and volunteers, however she didn''t ask what had happened. "Elders. Elder Azelle is instructing everyone to go to the sanctuary. Twenty of you come with me." She said pointing towards some of the elders and the volunteers who weren''t as injured. "The virus was not contained to the sick we put in the warehouse."


    Everyone was stunned.


    "But¡­ Pride¡­ he¡­" One of the volunteers spoke out. But she paid him no attention. They listened obediently following her instructions. A few asked what she meant ¨C however, she didn''t bother to respond. "The rest of you, head towards the sanctuary, swiftly as possible."


    Elder Omias was with the group she had go with her. As he watched the girl, his mind began turning again. Other''s might think Trisha was calm and collected, but this couldn''t fool Elder Omias.


    She was gone.


    Her mind had stopped, and instinct took over. She was merely doing what had to be done. But all her feelings had been locked away in a small corner of her heart.


    Elder Omias and Trisha walked in front of the group spreading out their energies to search for anyone who was not already headed towards the sanctuary. She had been instructed to let everyone know - no matter what the cost.


    Throughout the city they encountered others like Tommy. They elders who had not seen what these beings were like could barely stomach what was happening.


    Feelings of rage boiled up amongst the volunteers as they remembered what they saw in the warehouse. Not just what happened to the young woman, but what Pride gave his life for. Elder Omias too was too exhausted to give mercy to any turned they came across.


    Between all of them, nothing posed any threats. Trisha acted as the guide swiftly finding individuals who were hiding or being chased by the turned. The elders and volunteers would then use all their energy to suppress and incapacitate them.


    Elder Omias was always the first one to act. Whenever he saw one, he would crush them to the floor using the pressure of his attunement. After which - the volunteers would approach and crush their legs.


    At first, they felt queasy ¨C even throwing up after hearing the bones snap. However, as they were attacked relentlessly from all sides, they quickly realized that these were no longer the friends and family they were close to. And if they hesitated for even a moment¡­ their minds went back to the young woman in the warehouse. Their rage burned hotter protecting their minds from the reality of the situation.


    "Porose." Trisha called out, seeing Porose dashing through the streets. He quickly approached the group.


    "Trisha¡­" He had been the first one Trisha informed when she was told by Elder Azelle to get word out. Since then he had been working hard to spread the word.


    "You should head to the Sanctuary now. Risking your life any further is unnecessary." Trisha walked past him to continue searching, not giving him a second glance.


    Elder Omias and Porose locked eyes¡­ they both felt an immense sadness in their hearts. For Trisha. For Tapestry. For themselves.


    This was hell.


    Porose left soon after - disappearing between the buildings. Elder Omias, Trisha, and the volunteers all continued to roam through the city for another half hour. After that though, the density of turned began to grow too large. Trisha made the executive decision to head back.


    "I am going to stay here." One of the volunteers spoke out. He had made up his mind. Although he knew he alone couldn''t help much, there was bound to be more people spread throughout the city that they had missed. If he could help even a few of them make it out alive¡­


    Trisha looked at him for a moment. A flash of emotion went through her eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.


    "Okay." She turned around and began walking towards the sanctuary. Elder Omias paused for a moment.


    "Be safe. I want to see you back at the sanctuary." He looked at the volunteer who decided to stay behind.


    "Mm."


    The rest turned to follow Trisha. It wasn''t that none of them had similar thoughts, however protecting Trisha who was the bearer of the soul attunement was equally important. They all understood.

 44. The Fall (III)

    The elders lined the halls leading towards the sanctuary.


    The sanctuary was a sacred hall large enough to fit the entire population of Tapestry. It was a special chamber for life and death. It acted as the buffer between Tapestry, and the cemetery. Over the past eternity, endless numbers have died of old age. Thus, an enormous cemetery was built in a cavern above the city. The sanctuary was the only entrance. It was also an extremely well protected place.


    As people passed, all the elders could do was extend their energies and words in an attempt to calm the minds of the weary. They held ointments and healing herbs. They took the time to pull the injured aside and heal them personally, offering reassuring words. The entire hall became filled with the energies of the elders creating an air of divinity throughout the caverns.


    Gradually, the scared minds of the people began to calm down. The elders were the peak power in Tapestry. No matter what happened in the conclave, the elders were looked to as the beacon of strength. If they were going so far to do all this, it reassured the peoples¡¯ hearts.


    They weren''t stupid of course - and they knew all of this was meant to make them feel less scared. However, when someone is drowning in an ocean - any piece of floating driftwood is valuable enough to latch onto. To the people of Tapestry, the elders were their life rafts.


    At the entrance of the sanctuary Elder Azelle stood alone.


    He greeted every person that came through the doors beside him. Watching as the trickle of survivors slowed down even further. Men and women all injured and exhausted, their eyes red with tears. Elder Azelle had the eyes of every person burned into his mind.


    He counted their arrival. Looking at the familiar faces, but his heart wrenched with pain at their grieved expressions.


    In the middle of the night, the atmosphere of the whole of Tapestry shifted. Both he and Trisha were together and were the first to react. Initially they rushed towards the warehouse thinking something had occurred there. However, it was when they passed through the city center that they realized that the sickness had not been contained.


    On all sides they were surrounded by people who had been turned like Tahmel. He and Trisha both were extremely shocked. They reacted quickly, subduing them easily with Elder Azelle¡¯s attunement energy. However, neither had been ready for what occurred next. How could they be?


    Suddenly the entire city exploded with light and heat. They turned to look at the forge just in time to see it send mountains worth of metal and stone into the air.


    Heat exploded over them first - along with a percussive wave of sheer energy. Elder Azelle - though old - was not weak by any means. He quickly covered himself and Trisha in a bubble of water which took care of the heat and dampened the effect of the blast. However, in his rush, he could not do anything against the shrapnel which was launched from the forge.


    A sharp piece of hot jagged stone cut through his barrier and hit Trisha, cutting a deep gash in her arm.


    "Trisha!" Elder Azelle used his energy to move them behind the nearest building, attempting to avoid any more shrapnel.


    "Here." He handed her a high-grade topical ointment to stop the bleeding. It had happened so quickly that despite the large gash, she had not lost an extensive amount of blood.


    After the initial wave of heat and energy, the entire city became significantly warmer. The ground itself was hot enough in some places to burn the feet of the people who walked around ¨C stifling smoke filled the air.


    Elder Azelle shook his head. He refocused on the faces of the people entering the sanctuary. At the end of the tunnel he noticed Trisha approach, along with Elder Omias. Elder Azelle breathed a sigh of relief, although it was only momentary. He was happy Elder Omias survived.


    "Omias, Trisha¡­ stand with me and tell me what happened after we split up. The rest of you, if you are hurt you can receive treatment from the elders." He went back to watching his people enter the sanctuary. Various looks on their faces, but the same look in their eyes. Despair.


    ¡­.


    Nine hundred and nineteen. Elder Azelle¡¯s teeth were grit tight and his eyes bloodshot.


    That was the final count after waiting an hour after the last person arrived.


    Elder Azelle and Elder Omias stood in front of the door facing the hall. Their faces were extremely grim and full of grief. Trisha was sat inside towards the front of the hall reserved for elders - her back was against the wall and her knees were curled up into her chest.


    She stared at nothing.


    Porose was not there.


    The elders who survived sat up towards the front, waiting for Elder Azelle.


    Adria was not there.


    The head of Adria''s family was. He was shell shocked but still functional, the fire energy inside him protected his mind. But it came at its own price. Gradually, his fires cooled, and he too sunk into a depression.


    Liter was not there. Not anywhere.


    The atmosphere in the sanctuary was equally bad as the atmosphere in the city.


    Finally, Elder Azelle and Elder Omias entered into the hall, closing the doors behind them. Elder Azelle looked back as the door shut closed, hoping a herd of people would round the corner before it shut.


    But no one came.


    With a very final-sounding clunk, the door to the sanctuary was locked tight. Except for Trisha who continued to stare at nothing, all eyes in the room went to The Elder.


    Elder Azelle.


    The beacon in the night. The raft in the storm. The leader of Tapestry.


    Elder Azelle stood there with Elder Omias by his side.


    He looked into the eyes of everyone present. All the pain and fear was burned into his mind. Into his heart. Into his soul.


    I¡¯m so sorry.


    He let out a sigh and a deep blue breath escaped from his lungs. Under the elemental energy and the power of the robe - the breath spread out to everyone in the room. Everyone''s eyes dazed, including the elders. Including Elder Omias.


    Slowly, everyone began to lay down and their eyes shut, and their breathing slowed. Their breath did not stop, just slowed to an impossibly small rate.


    Trisha''s eyes cleared up for a moment as she looked towards elder Azelle. She said nothing though and her eyes gradually went back to how they were. Uncaring. She returned to staring at nothing. She was the only one not affected.


    Elder Azelle¡¯s body shuttered, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Now that no one could see him, the tears that had been building inside him finally streamed back as he attempted to choke back cries of anguish.


    He failed. Falling to his knees and crying in despair. The eyes of all the people seared into his soul, their pain and anxiety.


    Some time passed.


    The sanctuary was quiet apart from the sound of Elder Hollice Azelle.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡­.


    Adria laid on the ground in front of the entrance to the ancestral library.


    A few hours ago, she had finished deciphering the 4 books she was working on and wanted to head out to stretch her legs and find Liter to ask him about Eephie.


    After she put away the books and leaving the book by Eephie on the Table, she went to the door. When she reached out to touch the barrier though, her hand bounced off. Adria''s eyes went wide.


    Thinking it must have been a fluke, she reached out again a bit more forcefully. However, like before the barrier merely denied her access.


    Her heart began to pound. She reached out again. But to no affect.


    She struck out. But to no affect.


    She tried to channel her energy into the barrier. But to no affect.


    Hours passed, and she tried everything she could think of.


    "Damn!" She stared at the barrier, an anxiety had crept into her heart. Being stuck in a small room was unnerving as is. But when she thought about how she had not seen Liter in a while her anxiety mounted.


    "If the barrier is rejecting me from exiting, could it be keeping them outside as well?" Her brain moved quickly, and the exhaustion she had from studying quickly vaporized as she tried to rationalize her situation.


    "No¡­ even if it was acting up, the elder would certainly be able to handle it." She recalled the power she felt when wearing the robe of The Ancestor. In her mind, adding that power into Elder Azelle''s already overwhelming strength was more than enough to handle the barrier.


    "So¡­ I just need to wait for the Elder or Liter to realize and come sort it out." She thought carefully, taking a calming breath.


    Thus, she waited. She laid on the ground and grabbed a book to read. If she was stuck there anyways, she might as well use the time efficiently, and gradually time passed at what seemed like a crawl. She was unable to really focus on her studies as her mind drifted with subtle bouts of anxiety.


    Hours passed, but Adria was unsure how many. There was no way of telling time in the ancestral room. It was always well lit, so she could only rely on her internal clock.


    As she was getting up to put the book away, she felt her ears pop. At first, she didn''t react, however quickly she spun towards the door.


    Elder Azelle was standing there looking at her.


    "Elder." She let out a sigh of relief. When she realized how anxious she had been over nothing she felt silly.


    "Come with me. Quickly." Elder Azelle did not wait for her to respond, but merely passed through the barrier to the outside.


    Adria stared at where the elder had been for a moment before reacting.


    "There must be something very wrong with the barrier." She thought uncertainly.


    Quickly she dashed towards the barrier, passing through it swiftly. However, before she had time to rejoice¡­ she realized she was within another barrier. It was blue and cool, almost like it was made of water.


    Next to her stood Elder Azelle, who walked forward without waiting for Adria to catch on. Although he knew she was there and confused, his mind was thinking about too many things at the moment. He felt so tired.


    Adria walked with the elder, staying as close to him as possible and looking through the barrier he was creating. Whatever reason he was doing this, she was afraid. Well and truly afraid.


    Elder Azelle''s face looked¡­ blank. She couldn''t tell what was on it. There was no happiness or exhaustion or worry. It just looked cold, almost¡­ dead?


    "Elder¡­ What''s going on?" She reached out in an attempt to draw him from of whatever trance he was in, but he did not respond or even react.


    They passed through the doorway of the library and out in the hall. Adria looked around but did not notice anything strange, apart from Elder Azelle.


    "Elder¡­ please." Adria''s tone was pleading, she did not know what would cause this, but her fear was threatening to take over. Her mind was moving as fast as it could to come up with any possible explanation. Did it have to do with Noone? Or her? Or was it something else? Something from the desolate world maybe? Did it have to do with their journey?


    "Elder¡­" He did not stop.


    "Elder Azelle!" Adria stopped walking, the edge of the barrier surrounding the elder bumped into her causing her to stumble a bit. Elder Azelle finally stopped walking. When he turned around and made eye contact with Adria, she felt like lightning bolts were crashing around her skull. The pain caused her to grip her head, stumbling to her knees.


    "I''m sorry Adria," He stretched out his hands and put two fingers on each of her temples, forcing her to look him in the eyes. Adria''s eyes had tears coming out of them from the pain. Elder Azelle''s robes flared out and energy pierced through her mind. Memories and thoughts filtered through her brain at light speed.


    The cough. Liter. Trisha. Tahmel. Pride. Elder Omias. The sick. The forge. The rest of the city. Everyone¡­ the sanctuary.


    Blood flowed out of her nose and she collapsed into the elder¡¯s arms. He easily lifted her body, carrying her the rest of the way.


    The halls were silent, no footsteps could be heard. He felt so lost.


    The door to the elder¡¯s hall opened and he stepped through, sealing it behind him. Finally, he released the barrier around his body.


    The reason he had set it up was to keep any viruses that might be in the air away from Adria, he wasn''t sure if it would help¡­ but it was better than nothing. He wasn''t as worried about the air in the Elders Hall. Elemental energy perfused throughout the walls, purging the air from anything vile.


    Once the barrier was dropped, Adria began to regain consciousness. Her head throbbed, and she felt her nose which had stopped bleeding. She instinctually licked her top lip, tasting the blood that had been there.


    The memories that were injected into her consciousness was everything Elder Azelle knew about the situation. Even though she had passed out from the shock, while she was unconscious her mind still absorbed them like they were her own.


    This included what he was planning to do now.


    "Elder¡­" She choked out the word through her crying. She hadn''t even realized she was in tears until she tried to speak.


    "I''m sorry Adria¡­ but there''s no time." Elder Azelle shook his hood. "I don''t understand what''s going on¡­ but I have my fears. However, no matter what it is, it''s very possible our survival depends on the world above."


    "Come with me Elder! I don''t want to go a-alone!" She shouted. Her mental connection through the common heritage was growing weaker. He shook his head again.


    "I must stay here Adria. These are my people. I am responsible for them. Even if we are all to die-"


    "Don''t say that!" Adria''s eyes were red with fire and tears. There was an endless amount of energy in her soul. ¡°Bring everyone! Come with me to the surface!¡±


    "The surface is far too dangerous for an already broken Tapestry¡­ I will force everyone into a hibernation here. If you return one day, you can wake us up. Also, someone should be here for when Noone returns¡­ no?" Elder Azelle too was being affected, his exhaustion and fear was all compounding on each other.


    Adria didn''t respond. She was attempting to hold back her tears, but they kept falling.


    "Come Adria. You must go on ahead. Eventually you will return¡­ or we will follow you. I promise."


    Elder Azelle turned around and placed his hands against the far wall of the cavern his hands shook with exhaustion and veins protruded noticeably across them.


    Adria stepped up next to the elder, watching as the wall in front of them began to glow with blue lights like the ocean. Immense power passed through the elder¡¯s palms.


    In front of them, the wall simply disappeared as though it had never been there. A long straight tunnel stretched on for what looked like forever. There were no sun-stones in the tunnel, and unlike the rest of Tapestry it smelt like completely stale air. Although probably just as old as the rest of Tapestry, it seemed much much older.


    "Go¡­ this will take you to the surface. From there¡­ you will have to fight. No one knows what it''s like up there.


    You will be alone. But not really. Not truly. I will always be with you, as will the rest of Tapestry." He stared down the tunnel, there was a small urge inside of him to escape. Just to leave with Adria and forget the horrors here¡­ however¡­ he merely shook his head.


    "Elder¡­"


    "No more words Adria¡­ Get going." He looked at her, and she looked back. After being given some of his memories, she could now see the fear and exhaustion on his face. It was clear as day and she wondered how she missed it before.


    She took a step forward into the tunnel, however she couldn''t hold back from looking behind her. Just as she did though, a robe was shoved into her hands and she was forced back a step. Noiselessly the door behind her closed.


    Using the illumination from the lines of power on her body she saw clear gold designs on the robe. This is¡­ the ancestors robe?


    She fell to her knees as the reality of what this meant hit her.


    She cried out as she clutched the robe against her body. Her whole body shook with pain and grief. Her voice echoed down the tunnel endlessly.


    In a matter of moments¡­ her entire world had been turned upside down.


    Her voice grew hoarse as she cried and cried. She felt the whole world around her had crumbled and no number of tears could fix it. Nothing could fix it. And that terrified her.


    ¡­.


    Elder Azelle heard none of this¡­ but he could only imagine her pain.


    He turned and left towards the sanctuary¡­ without looking back.


    ¡­.


    In the residential area of the city a door creaked open.


    Porose stepped through holding a bottle of alcohol. It was a special bottle he had been working on for hundreds of years. Something he was entirely proud of.


    He shut the door behind him and fell back against the door and slid down sitting against it.


    On the door behind him there was a trail of blood. Porose was pale and his eyes were red. His whole right side was stained with blood, and if anyone had been there, they would be scared at how he looked.


    "Damn! You know, you bastards are really too scary." Across from him he eyed the tied-up figure of Tahmel.


    "You want to know how they did this!?" He waved the bottle towards Tahmel with one arm. He only had one arm to wave, his right one was gone.


    "With their damn teeth! That''s how!" He continued to grumble to himself while he fought to open the liquor with one hand. Eventually he gave up though and unceremoniously used his teeth to uncork it.


    "If it had been anything but their teeth¡­" He sighed as he looked at his former brother. The creature that was Tommy was still conscious, however it was calm unlike before.


    "I guess¡­ I will be joining you soon enough." He downed half the bottle before coughing some up along with blood.


    He just chuckled bitterly to himself¡­


    "I really do hope¡­" He looked at Tommy, "I really do hope Tapestry gets through this."

 45. Progress

    Hyup!


    The silhouette of a man flashed upwards by several meters followed swiftly by the clang of steel piercing into stone. The metal point of the pick secured itself into a solitary crack that had been only a few inches wide, the only crack in nearly 20 meters of sheer cliff face. The weight of the man holding firmly onto the end of the pick''s handle lodged it into the wall.


    There was no pause in his next movement and the vertical momentum of his leap was carried through. Every muscle in the man''s body flexed tight, from his fingers to his toes. He took a sharp breath and pulled his body up with immense strength, lodging a foot into the crack and jumping even higher.


    He pulled the pick out of the wall smoothly with practiced form, leaping with complete verticality. The wind brushed against his face which was only a few inches from the sheer cliff wall. Another several meters crossed in seconds.


    This cycle repeated a few times, and each time the point of his pick expertly found the weakest portion of the stone - small cracks and centimeter thin crevices could not escape unscathed. Weirdly enough though, Noone wasn¡¯t even looking at the place where his pick struck. He didn''t need to.


    Although dozens of small maneuvers needed to be done in complete precision, each jump only took a matter of seconds. Although any small mistake would mean plummeting down the cliff face, and probably death, there was no hesitation in his movements. His eyes merely looked up the cliff. Seemingly at nothing of note, however he did not waver, and neither did his gaze. His mind was calm.


    Small stones and dust fell below scattering in the wind falling thousands of meters in the shallow ocean below. The sun was high and there were many hours left before nightfall.


    After a few minutes Noone had scaled the sheer edge and stood above. His body wedged itself into a crevice barely wide enough to support him. Around Noone¡¯s waist there was a rope which extended down into a freshly cut cave. Tucked inside was a person sized steel-fiber woven pack and a tarp full of cooked bird.


    Noone hoisted the rope up bit by bit - first spooling up the slack, and then lifting the pack and tarp out of the cave. His feet dug firmly into the crevice and his body didn''t waver under the weight. After a couple minutes, his pack was once again on his back, and the bird meat was hanging a few meters down from his waist.


    6 months of climbing and Noone had gradually learned techniques to make the trip a bit easier. Not having the pack on at all times was one of the first things. The freedom of movement he gained when freeing himself from the unwieldiness of his equipment made climbing sheer portions of cliffs a relative breeze.


    At other times, he would wear his gear, so he wouldn''t need to stop every hundred meters to hoist the bag up.


    After the first few weeks, he found that he had fallen in love with the feeling of scaling the cliff face. It had turned into a routine, a cycle. One which he gradually lost himself to. At the end of each day he would relish the feeling of his sore body growing stronger. Although he wasn''t too interested in becoming crazy strong, he loved the feeling of being able to do something one day which he wasn''t able to do the day before.


    Not only did he fall in love with it, but his body had begun craving the feeling. Something inside of him yearned for a harder climb at the beginning of each day, like a muscle that grew stronger the more it was worked out.


    It was euphoric.


    Although his progress had been consistent, Noone had gained a number of other benefits through the trial already.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    He looked down at the ocean below and out to the horizon. Being against the face of the cliff made estimating distances exponentially harder. This was even more so when he looked up at the featureless curtain of white clouds above him. His eyes strained to pick out any discernable feature they could latch onto, but this only gave him a headache when he stared at it for too long, being unable to latch on to any feature that would help him identify just how high he had climbed. Or how much higher he had to go.


    Eventually though he just sighed and closed his eyes, reaching out from the crack his hand latched onto a protruding section of stone. His muscles in his forearm bulged and his body pushed out and up. His feet easily found steps to put his weight on and his other hand moved instinctually to the next grip.


    When he had begun climbing half a year ago, he was running on pure adrenaline. It was a never-ending struggle. Although he had the muscle, it felt exceedingly unnatural. In the first week he felt as though his understanding of his own body was gradually changing. No longer was he being bound to gravity and that which his legs supported him.


    The type of movements necessary for climbing forced him to be on edge and overly conscious of everything he did. He learned a lot over time.


    How to adjust his center of gravity to stay close to the cliff.


    How to use his arms to support his weight.


    And how to keep moving to conserve energy.


    These things came gradually, and naturally. In the first week at the end of the day he would be exhausted, but over time he gained endurance, as well as learning how to use the least amount of energy possible.


    He began to get up earlier before the sun, and climbing later into the darkness. As long as he slung a sun-stone around his neck he was able to continue. His eyes easily learned to distinguish the shadows cast by the sun-stone with the grips in the cliff face.


    After a couple weeks of climbing from the bottom he stopped and over the course of three-days he smoked and cured the bird meat, so it would last longer.


    He carved a large cavern directly into the face of the cliff, and  finally let his body relax.


    Over those first few weeks he felt his body changing, as well as his mind. It wasn''t clear in that moment, but he could feel it clearly when he was climbing. However, he did not have the time or the ability to fully immerse himself into thinking about it while climbing. Now though, he had three days to spare.


    In some portion of his mind he was careful to always remain conscious. He could not forget about the fact he was constantly climbing on the verge of life and death. One slip up on his part would most likely mean death, unless he got supremely lucky. Even if he got lucky though, and somehow survived, it would put him back by weeks.


    Noone sat down on the ledge in front of the cavern, looking out towards the horizon. The sun was still just above the cloud-line. It would descend in a few minutes. He breathed in a deep breath and held it, exhaling out his exhaustion from the day only after a few moments.


    His thoughts drifted back to his time in the mines, and times spent with Elder Azelle. Throughout the years Noone had spent endless hours with Elder Azelle sitting in silence enjoying the soothing atmosphere within his personal garden.


    Noone would often ask what the elder was doing. He was always able to sense something was different in these moments. The elder would be sat quietly, alone in front of his pond. His breathing was steady and consistent. However, when Noone looked at him it was almost as though Elder Azelle had disappeared into the surroundings.


    Noone could consciously see him - sitting there in silence. Breathing with closed eyes. It was like his mind was telling him the elder was no different than the pond in front of him, or the stones around him, or the trees in the garden. This created an odd dissonance.


    Despite the dissonance though, Noone never felt uncomfortable. The atmosphere of the area would change with the elder and Noone found it exceedingly calming. He always assumed it was just a product of the elder''s attunement.


    The elder too was intrigued with Noone''s perception of his cultivation. He often explained to Noone that he was attempting to experience the small changes in the world around him. This would help him understand and discern things about his own attunement.


    ¡°However,¡± He would say. ¡°To experience such minutia, it was important that you don''t become an obstacle to yourself in the process. The conscious thought is the enemy of intrinsic and universal order.¡±


    Noone could sense the profundity in the elder''s words, but he never fully understood what the elder was getting at. Eventually he assumed it was just another attuned thing he wouldn''t ever realize for himself.


    Despite this, he sometimes was overcome with curiosity and would ask the elder about what he could feel, and why he did things certain ways.


    ¡­

 46. Three Days

    "Why do you cross your legs like this?" A young Noone was sat next to the elder mimicking him and sitting with his legs crossed over each other. His back was straight, and he squirmed slightly - unable to get comfortable.


    "Because it''s uncomfortable." He opened an eye and watched Noone try and mimic him, barely managing to suppress his smile.


    Noone just stared at Elder Azelle, his face screwed up in distaste. This whole time he assumed the elder knew something he didn''t about it, some way that made it more comfortable.


    "Then why do you sit like this?" His young voice made known his feelings of betrayal. The elder finally smiled when he heard this.


    "In life, many things are uncomfortable Noone." He took a deep breath and uncrossed his legs, laying back on the ground unceremoniously.


    "However, when the wind blows, do the clouds feel uncomfortable? When the rain falls, do the trees feel uncomfortable? Do they feel joy?" Elder Azelle''s eyes were closed and his voice trailed off. Noone stared at the elder now laying on the ground before mimicking him.


    "For us with attunements, we attempt to become one with the universe. And for me, that means becoming uncaring whether I am comfortable or uncomfortable. So, when I sit like that, and I stop thinking about whether how I am sitting is comfortable, that is what allows me to take the first step into understanding the universe." Elder Azelle paused for a moment, lost in his own memories of his ancestor.


    "However," he continued, "this is just me. Other people have their own ideas. If I wanted to, I am sure I could still gain a lot from laying here as I am. Just drifting off¡­" His voice seemed to echo impossibly through the chamber as he laid there. Noone thought about what he said.


    "And the breathing...?" Noone asked quietly.


    "Hmm. How should I explain it¡­?" The elder considered his words carefully. He knew that since Noone was unattuned he couldn''t just show him, so he took his time attempting to find the right words.


    "I suppose you could say it is for structure. It focuses my mind and simultaneously gives me a chance to tap into the flow of the world¡­" Elder Azelle frowned slightly, unsatisfied with his own explanation. But he was at a loss of how exactly to explain it.


    "Mm." Noone merely nodded his head, letting it drop.


    ¡­


    Now sitting on the edge of cliff face waiting for the sun to set, Noone breathed in a deep breath and crossed his legs. His back was straight, taut with muscles like iron cables. A breath like fire escaped out his mouth and he closed his eyes, shutting his gaze from the horizon.


    The sun like the spark of a giant''s fire sunk down, it''s light piercing into the world between the clouds and the sea causing Noone''s body to become bathed in the yellow-orange light. The sun''s rays bounced between the surface of the ocean and off from the stark white clouds above.


    Although Noone wasn''t looking out at it, he had seen the same scene every day since arriving through the bottom of the cloud layer. He could picture the way the sun dipped below the clouds, like a giant sun-stone. How it would gradually lower towards the ocean. The light wouldn''t actually dim though until it was at least half-set. The reflection of the water seemed to cause the sun to remain whole, like an infinite mirror.


    It truly was a striking sight. Even with his eyes closed, the light bounced against his eyelids flooding his mind with dim and fluid colors.


    Noone thought back to the final three months of his time spent in the mines. No food, rarely sleeping, carving his way around the outer edge of Tapestry.


    When he thought back to the little moments between mining and resting, he realized at some point that there was something inside of him pushing him further and harder. This "something" craved the feeling of pushing his body and breaking down and rebuilding his muscles.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    This was how he experienced such explosive growth during this period.


    In the mines, during the first nine months, he would slip in and out of this trance. It was weak and placid and something which he couldn''t really tap into unless he was specifically not thinking about it.


    It was a delicate balance.


    However, all at once like breaking through a shackle inside of himself, the part of his mind that would trigger these trances took over in the final three months - when he had just begun a new mine-shaft.


    It passed by as a blur for him. Up until he was knocked out of the trance by the presence of Tommy and Co. Although he didn''t have much time to think about it then with everything that happened afterwards.


    Ever since starting his climb on the cliff though, he had become much more aware of this portion of his thoughts. It was always there ¨C waiting to take over and draw him into that mindless trance. When it occurred, his entire body became lighter and his movements would quicken. No matter what was ahead, it appeared to him that his body instinctually knew what to do and where to go.


    Noone himself was vaguely conscious and aware in these moments, unlike his time in the mines. Although the feeling of the trance was stronger here, it was also exceedingly easy to slip out of.


    Specifically, when he would think about how dangerous his situation was. As soon as a single thought about his situation floated up in his mind, the trance would be broken.


    It was these abrupt shifts in mindset that let Noone know there really was something there and it wasn¡¯t just in his head. Something in his mind was drawing him - changing him.


    It wasn''t until a night before, when he had over exerted himself, that he found a way to almost trigger the trance. He had climbed an extremely precarious portion of cliff that left him winded and breathing harshly.


    When trying to steady his breathing, the sun had begun its descent through the clouds. His breath slowed as he watched the clouds move, the sea flow, the waves beneath. Everything.


    Maybe it was the exhaustion making it too hard to think, but Noone felt his brain go a bit numb as he continued to watch the sun set. His breathing steadied into a consistent rhythm, when the sun hit the ocean on the horizon, he felt his mind dull even further. His consciousness began to sink down, like being submerged in the most comfortable water. Before he knew it, the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, but his body began to climb out of his control.


    Impossibly fast - it was like his body reacted to everything around him despite the darkness, never making a wrong movement. This wasn''t like the trances that he had been in before - instead he felt a presence pulling him up.


    He climbed through the night and made more progress than he thought was possible. In the following day, his body was sore to a painful degree. The idea of pushing himself to climb even further left him groaning. However, he was also excited.


    So, when he stopped next to cure the bird meat, he decided there and then that he would figure out how to harness this energy inside of him.


    He sat silently bathing in the light of the sun set. His breath was deep and steady, his body sitting up and his legs crossed. After a moment of adjusting, he chose to merely sit there.


    Thoughts stirred in his mind and he quietly pushed them to the side.


    Or, he tried to. It was much harder said than done.


    Noone had always tried to stay in motion. Doing something, anything. As long as he was not doing nothing. Now though, he sat silently ¨C alone at the edge of the world patiently clearing his thoughts.


    His mind was a sea of memories. Of histories long past, and recent events. He thought about everything he had ever heard from Elder Azelle about sensing attunements. Noone held no hope for this strange feeling to be an attunement, however he was not a fool either. He could see similarities which excited him.


    This excitement made it harder for him to calm down.


    Thinking about not thinking - it turned out - was still thinking.


    However, he didn''t give up and continued to sit there patiently. Eventually the colors of the world in between the clouds and the sea dimmed into black. The cool air of night came, and the sun finally passed the horizon.


    Elder Azelle has centuries of experience calming his mind¡­ I must be patient with myself. Noone reminded as the time ticked by. Even knowing that though, he had some expectations for himself. Three days ¨C if I can¡¯t sense anything within three days, I will give up¡­ for now.


    It wasn''t like Noone had nothing to work with. He had slipped in and out of the trance more than enough times to have a vague feeling for it. However, that had always been when he was moving¡­ never when he was fully conscious of it. It felt like the difference between having a leaf fall on you of its own accord, and trying to catch a falling leaf in midair. The more he attempted to grasp it ¨C the more the feeling slipped from his grasp.


    Noone was silent, letting the time tick by endlessly joined only by the sound of his mind counting his breaths. Eventually this too became quiet. When he worked in the mines, his mind would become completely focused on one thing. Swinging the pick. Pulling the carts. Moving the stone. And when climbing¡­ it was very similar. There was no room for extraneous thought.


    I just need to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts in between me and it. A confident smile played on his lips.

 47. Out of Body

    In his thoughts he tried to replicate the feeling of climbing. The feeling of stone pressed roughly against his palms. How the small cracks in the stone would rub against his fingertips.


    When he would plant his feet against the side, lifting one hand up to reach a higher hold, the muscles in his body would shift across his abdomen, tensing and flexing, compensating for the changing center of gravity.


    He thought of the feeling of his muscles burning and straining against his weight.


    Slowly his mind began to become fully integrated into the memories and the feelings. He could feel every movement as though he were actually climbing the cliff again. He became so absorbed by the thoughts as he sat there that the twitching of his muscles could be seen under his flesh.


    There was a realness to it that he wasn''t expecting. At first the feelings were vague, but the more he thought about it, the more his visualization filled in.


    The feeling of wind blowing across his body, the gentle sea mist drifting up from the ocean below. Even the pressure that would build up before the sun set. It became increasingly real in his thoughts.


    As he continued, the route he was seeing became increasingly familiar.


    Another day passed - both in his mind and outside in the real world. The sun had risen and set but Noone didn¡¯t even notice. In his mind he was still climbing unceasingly. The pieces of the world in his thoughts were continually filled in and Noone¡¯s conscious was completely focused on making his movements as efficient as possible. In that moment Noone had completely lost sight of why he was doing this in the first place. He only reveled in the feeling of his body being lost to the flow.


    There were things like whispers, floating through his thoughts and telling him how to move. It left a very comfortable feeling behind like a cool rush of power to his muscles. It was as though he had someone guiding him to make all the right moves.


    Over the next few hours, his speed increased drastically as he continued to give himself over to the feeling. The time between him feeling out the next movement and the visualization of his body complying became increasingly smaller. Eventually, there was no delay. No conscious thought interrupted his movements. Only endless movement.


    Another day passed in the outside world. Noone¡¯s body was now completely frozen.


    Noone still sat on the edge of the cliff facing the horizon. His posture had not changed, still sitting cross legged with his back straight and his breathing steady. Something that had occurred though, was the tenseness in his back had completely disappeared. Instead it was replaced by a subtle twitching of muscles across his whole body.


    His fingers twitched subtly, and his forearms would lightly flex. In his mind he still climbed the cliff attempting to get in touch with whatever instincts he was tapping in to.


    Night began to fall on the third day.


    In Noone¡¯s mind, the images around him were clear and indistinguishable between memories and reality. He didn''t think about this though. He didn''t think about anything. He only climbed.


    Even more so than before, he felt that these movements were extremely familiar, like an extreme case of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    His fingers gripped the edge of a shelf just as the sun was closing in on the horizon.


    With a swift movement his feet were swung over the side and he stood up steadily. His breathing was not rushed or hurried, despite the physical exertion. Although this was all happening in his mind, he did not think believe that was the reason for his good condition.


    In front of him now was the familiar outcropping in the shelf. The sun was approaching the cloud-line and would soon set.


    A gentle pressure passed through his thoughts, encouraging him forward. He took a step towards the edge of the shelf, and the pressure began to build up in the air around him. He calmly walked towards the edge and sat down. His legs were crossed, and his back was straight.


    The air around him seemed to condense, making his body weigh an incredible amount. Even sitting on the edge became troublesome.


    It became harder and harder for his body to move, and at an even faster pace the air condensed around him.


    He looked towards the horizon, waiting for the sun to show itself.


    Not just the air, but even the light around him seemed to be curving slightly towards his body. It was an impossible to describe feeling, but he felt as though the world - in its entirety - was beginning to circle him.


    He took a deep breath, fighting against the weight of the world. His lungs and diaphragm expanded, and the pressure built up, threatening to suffocate him.


    Suddenly, the world lit up and the sun on the horizon spilt past the clouds like liquid. The rays of light flooded towards Noone becoming an unstoppable force threatening to overtake him entirely.


    Noone closed his eyes, and with purpose he opened his mouth - breathing out every ounce of breath he had in him.


    The world went dark.


    In the real world, Noone''s eyes opened in time to see the sun crossing down past the ocean.


    His breathing was steady, but his whole body was covered in sweat. His muscles twitched uselessly, and every inch of his body felt incredibly sore. It was almost an unbelievable feeling.


    It wasn''t until he opened his eyes that he noticed¡­ he had been climbing in his mind, to the exact spot he was sitting in.


    "Wow." Noone breathed, a soft chuckle escaping helplessly.


    Noone exhaled a deep breath and laid back, allowing his body to completely relax for the first time in days. The cool stone shelf felt good on his back.


    "Just¡­ Wow." A smile crept onto his face. If he had more energy, he wouldn¡¯t want to waste any more time and start climbing immediately. If he wasn''t so exhausted, his laughter would be able to be heard up and down the cliff face. However, as things stood, he merely managed a quiet chuckle.


    "I understand." He smiled, and his eyes locked onto a spot ten of thousands of meters above him against the cliff face. In the last moment before his consciousness returned to his body ¨C he had managed to grasp onto the feeling of something existing there.


    When he would slip into his trances, he had always been able to feel the small tug on the back of his mind ¨C like a light thread attached to his clothes being pulled at. Like something inside of him was desperately straining and reaching out for something. For the first time in his life, he got a small glimpse that told him¡­ there really was something there that he was being drawn to.


    For some reason and against all precedence, Noone¡¯s body had been born unable to feel the energy of the universe. He had been born attune-less.


    But I still have the Common Heritage of the Ancestor flowing through my veins. Noone¡¯s eyes shone with a harsh glint as a smile painted his face.


    For the first time, he felt like maybe there was something meant for him? Something that worked only with someone free from attunements?


    Despite his growing excitement, he could only restrain his thoughts.


    When a person desperately wants something¡­ they are much more likely to come to the wrong conclusions, just to believe something that validates their feelings.  He reminded.


    He took a deep breath.


    "That''s not me." He said aloud. "If there really is something special about me, so be it. If there is not, I will be fine with that too."


    Strong like a stone, soft like a stream.


    He knew that no matter what, he must not forget that or get carried away.


    Knowing that though, he still couldn''t stop himself from staring up at a certain point on the cliffside.


    It was a lot less clear to his senses now, but he could still feel it, vaguely.

 48. Undiscernible Feeling

    After that experience on the cliff, Noone''s perspective shifted slightly in small unnoticeable ways. Although he had always been secure in himself, the more he thought about what he experienced the more apprehensive he felt. He didn''t believe that there was some destiny for him like the stories in the library he would read with Liter.


    So, as much as he could, he attempted to put thoughts of what it all meant out of mind.


    Thus, he spent the next six months in a battle of harmony. He attempted to synchronize the conscious and unconscious portions of his mind. The part that was him, and the part that was his bloodline. Since his first experience, he had gradually become able to slip into that trance at will. However, each time he did, it threatened to take over his body. At first this was fine, but now that he knew there was something to it ¨C it left a bad taste in his mouth. Thus, all he could do was to try and reconcile these two sides.


    He knew if he could achieve that state of perfect synchronicity with his body, while not losing himself to the mindlessness¡­ he could achieve all new heights with his strength.


    While climbing, he would feel the pull in the back of his mind ¨C asking to take over for him. Instead of just giving himself over to react unconsciously though, like a leech he worked at learning from the unconscious trance-like state.


    It was a mentally exhausting process; his body could barely keep up. Compartmentalizing his mind between conscious and unconscious left him with severe headaches at the end of each day.


    But he did experience results.


    Over the first few weeks he managed to move his body with the efficiency of his trance-like state. Like instructions being read to him, he would quickly react to the quiet urgings in the back of his mind. Left arm 3 inches right. Right foot 10 inches up and heel left. He moved faster. His mastery of his center of gravity became stronger.


    Noone¡¯s conscious mind was syncing up with the quiet portions of his awareness. This continued until eventually he noticed he was reacting to the quiet urges even before he thought he could feel them.


    It had become simultaneous.


    The most important experience he gained though was the constant optimization of his physical body. He noticed at the end of the day that not a single muscle was left unabused. Everything from his head to his toes was sore. But in the mornings, he would feel completely rejuvenated.


    Noone was no fool, he could clearly understand where these benefits were coming from. But what he didn''t understand was where he was getting the energy to support this growth.


    He couldn''t absorb or even feel the energy of the universe like the rest of Tapestry. There were no power lines in his body that shone with attuned energy. Thus, he could only speculate at what cost his gains were coming from.


    He would look down at the back of his hands often. Although he couldn''t tell for certain, he had the feeling¡­ that there was some qualitative change coming from his veins. Even his bones themselves seemed to be stronger.


    His speculations were only exacerbated when attempting to utilize the sun-stones.


    Normally holding the sun stones in his hands - Noone would focus a small portion of his life energy through his body from his core. This piece of life force would then be channeled through his palm and into the stone.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    This was the skill he had gained after years of accidental discoveries.


    The power of his life force was enough to trigger the sun-stone. After which it would absorb the miniscule amount of attunement energy from the air around it - becoming self-perpetuating until deactivated or burning out.


    But Noone noticed since he began to climb¡­ activating sun stones seemed to take more time.


    After experimenting for a while, he realized that he had life force in abundance, but moving it at will had become increasingly difficult.


    It was similar to how pulling a minecart over smoothly paved stones was easy, but moving it within the mines was considerably harder. His life force ¨C as far as he could tell ¨C was fine. But moving it around took much more energy than it had before.


    This made Noone extremely apprehensive. However, without knowing the exact reason there was nothing he could do. Whatever damage was there was already done. Even if he attempted to stop the trance-like part of his mind, he wasn''t sure he could anymore.


    Once a wheel gets rolling, it was exceedingly hard to stop.


    Six months passed, without much change. The majority of Noone¡¯s growth came from the first month of climbing and experimentation. After that, it just became easier and more comfortable.


    Noone continued each day unabated, sending small stones and dust falling down the cliff side. Noone''s clothes had become various shades of grey from the constant abrasion against the stone walls of the cliff. His initially orange shirt was now bleached white and scuffed black. The constant exposure from the salty humid air and sunlight had begun to take its toll.


    One thing Noone was thankful for, was his pack which his senior miner had given to him. Despite a multitude of abrasions and scrapes, it was still holding up just as well as it had since his fight with the bird in the clouds.


    Not just his pack, but all of his tools as well despite needing minor sharpening occasionally continued to hold up against the constant use.


    It would not have been impossible for Noone to scale the cliff without these tools, but he dreaded to think about how miserable it would be.


    Whether or not it was on purpose or merely a side effect of spending so long climbing, Noone had not only optimized his body for climbing, but everything in between as well. He ate exactly how much he needed to eat and drank exactly as much as he needed to drink. Sleeping too, was optimized. By this point he would often go days of constant climbing, and sleep for a several hours. Then repeat.


    The weirdest thing, he thought, was how no matter how long he climbed for he would feel the same amount of exhaustion and soreness before sleeping every time.


    As Noone moved swiftly up the cliff face, his eyes were glued to a section of cliff still a thousand meters above him. An unusual frown could be seen on his lips.


    Although he had synchronized his mind with his body, he could tell that there was still something in the back of his mind vying to draw him into a total trance.


    It did not feel malicious, Noone examined, but what worried him¡­ was it got stronger as he climbed higher. Six months ago there was no feeling like this, but it had begun a few days prior and was now a constant feeling. Noone had become very careful to take short breaks throughout the days to reaffirm his mindset.


    Whatever waited up ahead ¨C whether it was something calling out to him, or his bloodline calling out to something - he wanted to be in peak shape when he got there.


    Noone would be lying if he said he wasn''t a bit excited to see what was ahead. Noone had freed up a lot of headspace since synchronizing his body with that unconscious state. So, he had done a lot of thinking in the past months.


    Whether there was something out there or his bloodline seemed like a trivial difference, to Noone, the consequences of each held completely different meanings.


    If there was something out there drawing his consciousness towards it, even overriding his awareness¡­ there is a good chance it could be dangerous. This was why Noone was doing everything in his power to stay aware and awake.


    However, if it was a subconscious portion of himself reaching out, resonating with something in the cliff, then there is a chance it could be a boon. If he was so lucky, then it would only mean good things.


    However, Noone had no choice but to play it safe. He thought back to his time in the mines. Back then when he slipped into that trance, there was no draw to anything like there was now. Thus¡­ it very well could have to do with proximity. If it was something in his unconscious mind and body, it would make sense that it constantly improved his strength and capability.

 49. Not That Much Worse...

    A stone about the size of a fist cracked against the side of the cliff as it fell towards the ocean far below, repeatedly knocking into protrusions on its way down. Noone hung on the cliff face looking at the space where his hand had latched onto just a moment before. He looked down, watching the stone plummet.


    A bead of sweat suddenly welled up on his forehead. The stone which was currently taking the plunge had just been a part of the cliff face that he was holding to. If Noone had been any slower to react, he dreaded to think about what would have happened to him if he had put his weight onto that stone.


    Noone stared carefully at the broken piece of cliff in front of him. There was a small hole left by the now-gone stone. Inside of the hole, there was a brown tendrilled piece of wood that looked to be snaked through the surface of the cliff.


    He carefully shifted his weight and used his free hand to reach into the gap, gently touching the wood underneath.


    It was vaguely soft but also incredibly sturdy¡­ He wrapped his fingers around it as much as he could and gave it a small tug, but other than flexing a bit under his grip, it did not shift more than a millimeter. Noone shifted his body again, bringing his face really close to the hole to get a better look.


    "It''s a¡­ root?" His eyes scrunched up incredulously.


    Noone had spent some time in the floating gardens of Tapestry. So, he had an extremely vague understanding of tree structures. That, and his general education from Liter. However, living a life in a stone world did not lead well into having an expansive knowledge of flora.


    The root in the hole was maybe four inches in diameter with small veins knotted around it. It looked very solid.


    Noone scanned the cliff.


    In a short few weeks he had scaled the rest of the distance and was now only a day''s climb away from the source of whatever it was that was calling to him. In this time, he had been very careful to maintain full awareness of himself, not getting too carried away.


    Now as he looked towards a portion of the cliff that felt closest to the call, he saw small cracks forming a huge radius around it.


    They were just large enough to be noticeable, but there were hundreds of thousands of them snaking across the cliff face.


    Noone reached up towards a crack above him that was an inch across and dug his fingers in between it. With only a little prompting, there was a click and suddenly that piece of cliff was now a stone in in his hands.


    "Hmm¡­" He threw the stone above him and watched as it knocked another piece loose, both falling past him to the ocean beneath.


    The sun was beginning its approach the horizon, leaving only an hour or so of daylight left. If this were normal cliff face, that wouldn''t give Noone any pause for thought. But now¡­ Noone decided he would figure out a way to safely scale the broken cliff face tomorrow.


    He pulled the pick off of his pack and studied himself against the stone wall just beneath the root he had discovered. Making sure to move as little as possible, he swung the pick towards the wall, knocking out a good chunk.


    Over the past few months Noone had needed to do this on several occasions when he wasn''t able to find any ledges to rest on. Thus, he had gotten extremely good at carving fresh caves into the cliff even while clinging to the side of it.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    After a dozen minutes, there was enough stone broke away for Noone to stand inside and even lay out. Noone secured his bag and tarp full of food in front of the cave.


    Soon would be sunset and he could rest. However, with eyes facing towards the ceiling of the freshly cut cave, he swung his pick forward knocking away more and more stone.


    Lining the ceiling of the cave, was the same root system that he had observed earlier. Not only was it interwoven into the stone along the face of the cliff as he had initially thought, but it looked to extend backwards into the cliff some distance.


    Noone watched the roots carefully as he tunneled further and further back.


    Light flooded the cave casting Noone¡¯s shadow in front of him. Noone turned around to see that the sun had dropped beneath the cloud layer and was already touching the horizon of the ocean below. He had to squint, blocking the direct sunlight that was being focused into the cave around him.


    This lasted for a few minutes, eventually dimming down into a soft glow soon-to-be pitch darkness.


    Noone pulled out a sunstone and began to focus his life force into it. Slowly the sun stone brightened up the cave. Noone was preparing to sling it around his neck in the mesh sack he had. However, before he could put the stone into it, his arm was suddenly bound at the wrist - unable to move.


    Noone¡¯s breath caught in his throat. With all of his strength Noone jumped backwards, wrenching his hand away from the sudden unexpected feeling. He groaned in pain.


    Whatever held ahold of him was impossibly strong and it did not budge even an inch. Noone''s breath was hurried and he held back a gasp. When trying to jump back he had nearly dislocated his wrist in the process.


    Noone looked towards his bound hand and slowly opened it, allowing light from the sun stone to fill the cave once again. Noone stared at his wrist in shock.


    From the ceiling of the cave, a lone root about an inch in diameter had lowered and wrapped around his wrist at a shocking speed. A cold shiver travelled Noone¡¯s spine. He watched carefully, waiting.


    After nearly an hour of standing on edge, nothing changed. The root did not move or loosen. Slowly Noone attempted to pull his arm back again, but the root did not even budge against the pressure exerted on it.


    Noone¡¯s entire body was tense as he examined the tendril. Even if he believed such a small root would be strong enough to hold him in place while dangling freely from the ceiling¡­ Noone could not understand why or how it had moved. And even if it could move, why now? And why wasn''t it doing anything else?


    His mind moved quickly, but there was only so much information he had available to him. And worst of all¡­ he didn''t have a knife on him. It was with his pack because he hadn''t thought he would need it.


    Stupid. He admonished, gritting his teeth and staring at his trapped arm.


    In his trapped hand the sun-stone still shone light casting shadows in the cave.


    "It didn''t move till night fell." Noone mumbled staring towards the entrance. "Maybe once day breaks and the sun shines in¡­" He stared at the sun-stone.


    There was something nagging him. The roots didn''t actually make a move until he lit the sun-stone, however, the roots didn''t go for the sun-stone. It went for him.


    If the sun-stone was what it was aiming for, it could have retrieved it before Noone even had a chance to react. But it didn''t¡­ it trapped him there.


    Carefully Noone reached out his right hand¡­ around the root¡­ and gently took hold of the sun-stone. His eyes were glued to the space between his arms and the ceiling of the cave, refusing to blink.


    After lifting the sun-stone, Noone pulled his free right arm back towards his body without interruption. He let out a sigh he didn''t realize he had been holding in.


    "Okay¡­ So it didn''t want the stone, which means¡­?" He looked at the stone and held it out from him. The stone rested freely on his palm.


    "Which means¡­" Noone stared at the stone in his palm. He stared at the root and his trapped hand. Looking up towards the ceiling, he could clearly make out the hundreds of roots of various sizes silently looming above him. They weighed down on his mind putting him on edge.


    Noone took a deep breath.


    Suddenly the light from the sun stone was flashed off, only to turn back on a quarter of a second later.


    A chill ran up Noone¡¯s spine.


    "It wanted me." Noone looked towards his other wrist.


    His right arm too, was now bound at the wrist by another root from the ceiling.


    He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, what was done was done. He was already trapped without help. Being unable to use another arm wasn''t that much worse¡­

 50. Okay... What now?

    Noone¡¯s eyes were extremely well adjusted to the dark of caves at night. With or without the sun-stone he didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable. After a few hours when the cave began to brighten from the sun¡¯s rays, it helped ease his nerves. No matter how dark-faring his people were, there was something inherently comforting about the light.


    Noone had remained restrained and standing through the night. After a few hours he even chose to stop using his sunstone. It wasn¡¯t going to help him now anyways, so he felt he might as well not be using it up.


    As dim light filled the cave Noone took some time to really analyze the roots. Due to only having one sun-stone, the shadows cast by it made his surroundings exceedingly difficult to interpret. Now though, he could see the gentle veins snaked within the small roots wrapped around his arms. They were a soft brown like freshly turned top-soil, however they weren¡¯t flaky the way wood tends to be under stress.


    He twisted his arms in the hold of the roots, friction and heat built around his wrists, but the roots had no qualitive change to them.


    ¡°If only I could¡­¡± Noone looked towards his equipment and thought about his options, if only he had access to them.


    He could only lament his lack of foresight. But in reality, how could have expected this?


    Weighing his chances, Noone¡¯s frown only deepened. His options were severely limited.


    Noone had been left thinking back to all the records he had read within the annals. There had been mention, he realized, of a large section of extremely brittle and crumbling rocks on the cliff face. He assumed this was the area which he now was trapped. In those records though, there was nothing written in relation to roots which he saw. Or of any strange reactions like he had been feeling. This told Noone a lot.


    Chances were that almost everyone looked at the fragile mess of cliff in this area and used their attunements to easily circumvent it. Either that or¡­ anyone who traversed it were in the same position he was in now.


    The fact that no one else had mentioned any beckoning like he felt, he doubted others had come here before. Noone couldn¡¯t help but wonder why that would be.


    Either there is something special about me¡­ or this is something new. Given how deep they were embedded into the stone, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re new. The roots binding him presently gave him cause to fear that this could only be related to the strange state of mind he had been experiencing.


    He was afraid.


    The only saving grace that he could see was¡­ since being bound, nothing had changed.


    Noone continued to study the surface of the roots. Both the ones holding him, and the ones lining the ceiling of the cave.


    Visually they looked identical, apart from varying in size.


    Hours passed, and the sun began its descent towards the horizon again. Noone had at this point tried a range of things to escape from the grasp of the roots, and had exhausted himself in the process. His wrists now hurt from the extreme abuse they had suffered in his attempts to free himself.


    It wasn¡¯t too much to say that he had even considered ¨C for a moment - removing his own hands. However, he quickly took that idea and buried it. Even if he got out of the predicament, he had no clue how he would climb the rest of the cliff without hands. And that was assuming he didn¡¯t bleed to death before that became an issue.


    As the minutes ticked by into hours, Noone was at a loss for what to do. The sun was now just above the cloud-line, and Noone only had an hour at most before the world was plunged into completely darkness again.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Noone said gently. His expression calmed and he closed his eyes. For the first time he stopped struggling. His arms laid relaxed in the grip of the roots and he stood up straight, like a prideful prisoner unwilling to bow his head.


    Noone had been too worked up to feel it before, but after a full days-worth of inept struggling, his mind had calmed quite a bit. There was a gentle tugging in the back of his thoughts.


    ¡°It¡¯s you that got me here.¡± He thought, taking in a deep breath. ¡°So you can get me out of this.¡±


    The ¡®you¡¯ he was thinking of, was whatever called him to this point. The feeling inside of him that had been molding his body and his strength since he arrived at the bottom of the cliff. The trance he would fall into when everything else was put aside. He had been working very hard as he climbed closer to the source to maintain his awareness and not lose himself to that portion of his mind, suppressing it quietly.


    Now that he had calmed down though, he could feel it very vaguely in the back of his mind. Whatever was calling to him, or whatever he was calling to, was now directly above him.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Noone had not considered it before, but when digging out the cave, he had dug it to the exact spot beneath whatever it was he had been climbing towards. Even worse, was that he had done it entirely unconsciously.


    Noone looked up towards the spot where the feeling culminated, there was a small pin prick of pain in the back of his mind, and his whole body suddenly shivered, he felt his mouth go dry as if he was thirsty.


    His eyes closed, and his breathing steadied. He thought back to how he felt that first time when he was watching the horizon for days. The mental image he needed of his body and mind synchronizing.


    For weeks he had been fighting this feeling, not wanting to lose himself to the trance like what had happened for the final three months in the mines. Now though, he didn¡¯t have a choice.


    Some small warmth in the corner of his mind began to spread. Noone felt his awareness and his senses become muffled as though being smothered in thick cloth. His thinking slowed but his breathing became steadier. He stood taller, but his muscles also became more relaxed. There was no wasted energy in his body. No movement, other than that which was absolutely necessary.


    This is the most useful aspect of slipping into the trance. Noone thought to himself. Fusion of mind and body, no wasted energy. He knew that there was no way he would ever be able to attain this state consciously. Specifically, he thought of Elder Azelle, and how similar this must be to what he feels when attuning and synchronizing with the world.


    Finally, Noone passed the point of no return. He had consciously given himself over to the unconscious heritage in his bloodline ¨C or so he assumed. Although it was through a haze, he could still feel and see. But he could not react.


    For a while Noone¡¯s body continued to stand there, lacking even a single muscle twitch or reaction. The only thing that moved was his chest and diaphragm as he breathed.


    Noone felt a subtle twitch inside of him. It wasn¡¯t the twitch of a muscle or anything physical though, it was the movement of something incorporeal. From the core of Noone¡¯s body, an amorphous feeling began to circulate out in a spiral. It was not hot nor cold, and it felt neither like water or like air. He very quickly identified the energy as his life force. He would often tap into it to trigger sun-stones and the like. However, he had never moved such a large amount of it before. He couldn¡¯t do that, and before now, he assumed it was impossible.


    Noone was shocked as he watched the condensed life force in the core of his body spiral out into his limbs, up into his head, filling out his body like water filling a glass, but not. Like air filling a Noone-shaped-balloon, but not. It was gentle and almost unnoticeable.


    Although it spread out with equal parts in all direction, Noone could vaguely feel some resistance from his physical form. He thought back to the recent troubles he had with moving his life force.


    However, the spreading of his life energy did not stop. It continued out until filling every inch of Noone¡¯s physical form - Settling down just under the skin.


    ¡°Okay¡­ what now?¡± Noone continued to watch as a passive observer, anxiously biting his abstract lip. Because he had given himself over, he could not understand how this was occurring. But he knew some things about it.


    Although in much smaller portions, he could move the life force in his own body and knew that in needed to travel along certain channels. There were millions of these channels across his body, so it barely mattered.


    After the life force would reach his hand, he would then have to exert a bit of pressure to force it through his flesh and into the elemental stone to activate them.


    When he thought about this and then observed his own body, there was a slight chill as he stumbled across an idea.


    ¡°The roots¡­ reacted when I activated the sun-stone.¡± He mused with trepidation. ¡°Not to the stones energy though...¡± His eyes widened. ¡°I was wrong. It was reacting to my life force!¡±


    If Noone had been able to take a deep breath he would have. He had a vague feeling he understood what was coming next, and he wasn¡¯t prepared for it.


    When Noone forced his life energy from his palm, there was a small pain that came with it. On the scale he normally worked with, this pain was negligible, but¡­


    He continued to observe the energy underneath the surface of his skin. All of it. Every inch, from his head to his toes.


    ¡°Oh boy¡­¡±


    As if waiting for Noone¡¯s understanding, a force was exerted throughout his body out of his control. It began squeezing the life force from the inside of Noone, through his pores, and onto the outside.


    The first thing Noone¡¯s aware consciousness felt was awe. The amount of finesse needed to perfectly move that amount of life-force was indeed incredible. Noone thought about Trisha who was barely capable of doing it after months.


    The second thing his aware consciousness felt¡­ was pain. It was dulled significantly due to having handed his physical body over. However, that didn¡¯t stop it from charring through his thoughts like a wildfire.


    On the outside his breathing remained calm, but he was now covered in cold sweat which beaded up and dripped off him. Noone dreaded to think how this would feel if he was still in control.


    In the time it takes sparks to fly off a piece of flint, Noone¡¯s body had been covered in a second skin of life force. But just as quickly, the roots that were holding on to Noone¡¯s wrist suddenly sprung to life.


    Like lightning-fast serpents they wound their way across his entire body, immobilizing him from even so much as moving a finger.


    Despite his physical body continuing to breath regularly, Noone began to panic. Not only was he wrapped up, but the roots were draining his life-force! It was slow, but now that it covered his whole body, he noticed it in an instant.


    10 seconds passed with no change.


    20 seconds.


    30 seconds and a tenth of Noone¡¯s life force had been eaten away but it was quickly replaced by fresh energy.


    40 seconds.


    50.


    60 seconds and he was down a fifth of his life-force. Noone was beginning to feel odd.


    The roots wound slightly tighter.


    2 minutes. Noone was down half of his life force, but there was nothing he could do. He had given his body over, and even if he managed to wrestle his consciousness back, he wasn¡¯t sure what he could do after that. He knew he wasn¡¯t strong enough to break through the roots.


    As he watched everything occur outside of his control, without warning his body lurched headfirst. He felt all his organs shift and he was lifted at an incredible speed, faster than when falling down the cliff.


    In a moment he saw the ceiling of the tunnel inches from the top of his head, fear overwhelmed him, and he assumed he was about to be brained on the top of the tunnel. But in shock - he watched as the roots lining the ceiling parted, and he rose through the rocks at a breakneck speed.

 51.

    The entire experience lasted for a few moments before coming to a lurching halt.


    Noone¡¯s organs all shifted again, the immediate deceleration causing even him with his dulled senses to feel sick. The momentum of his body was suppressed by the wound roots. Noone looked out from between the roots but he didn''t have time to take in the sight before another pressing concern was brought to his attention.


    At first, he felt lucky to have not died from the impact. He did not have time to process the implications of that, however. Soon realizing that the roots had not released him. In fact, they seem to be wound even tighter. Despite his strong disposition and immense constitution, abrasions were forming across his body and the roots drew blood.


    Due to the constant drain of his life-force, it was now dangerously low, close to 30% of what it should have been. His usual dark grey complexion was now paler, and Noone''s head throbbed from the pressure. But the roots did not slow and continued to feed off him.


    Noone''s body was even beginning to react outside of his control, his always steady breathing became increasingly shallow.


    20 percent.


    Noone''s consciousness was fading within, any chance he had to fight for control of his body back was now gone. He no longer had the strength even if he wanted to.


    "Come on¡­" He pleaded within his own mind. If this was the ultimate culmination of what he was fighting for - to be used as plant food - then it could have happened down in the cave below. There was no reason to bring him up.


    Noone focused his attention, fighting to stay aware. He looked around at the large cavernous room which he was being held within.


    17 percent.


    Lining the walls were numerous root structures, but all of them were immense in comparison to the ones which bound him.


    15 percent.


    Eight of them that he could see, all a meter in diameter, snaked out from the center of the room and up along the walls. They were all sprouting smaller roots that spread out like a net. It seemed to be holding the cavern in shape, keeping it from collapsing into rubble.


    12 percent.


    Noone''s eyes traced the long roots up to the ceiling. All the roots which lined the cavern interconnected at a single point, a large knotting of roots and wood. Hanging from the center of the cavern growing out of the roots was a stem structure, not brown but green. A dark green which was speckled with tiny lights like a million sun stone fragments.


    10 percent.


    Noone''s consciousness was barely able to maintain awareness or thought, but he also found himself unable to look away from the centerpiece of the cavern.


    Hanging underneath the center of the cavern, supported by an immense trunk like stem - a closed flower bud hung. It was utterly massive.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    It hung a few meters away from the ground, and like a giant sun-stone it glowed filling the cavern with subtle colors and shifting lights.


    The bulb was every soft shade of blue and pink and green, and it shined dimly. Being vaguely transparent, the colors which perfused it moved and flowed like water all being held inside.


    Noone felt himself being drawn to the bulb. He stared at it in wonder, it gave off a feeling like nothing he had ever felt before. A feeling of alien strangeness but also of familiarity and security.


    7%


    Despite the glowing bulb in the middle of the room, the world dimmed and Noone began to lose complete consciousness.


    Damn¡­


    Soon Noone completely lost it.


    His body did not collapse. It remained standing on the cavern floor wrapped in roots, draining him of his life force.


    Whatever instincts he had given himself over to, had betrayed him it seemed. He would be turned into a husk.


    Alone.


    Within a minute there was no life force left within him. There was no breathing, or muscle reaction. Even in his mind, there was no response or final fight for survival.


    The roots which bound him gradually began to unwind, releasing pressure on his body.


    Gradually the tips of each root sunk back into the ground, piercing stone and replacing themselves into their former positions.


    The gently illuminated cavern was quiet. Not a sound was heard. Not the movement of roots, nor the breathing of man.


    A few moments passed, complete silence reigned.


    Until the gentle sound of a padded foot filled the cavern like some unstoppable echo. Then another. And another.


    Noone''s body stepped forward, but otherwise remained eerily still. There was no breathing, or eye flutter, or any sign that he was aware.


    His body though, took another step. Seeming to fight against all logic.


    The truth was, there was still a small spark of life. The smallest most insignificant spark of life-force hidden deep within Noone''s core. Every iota of life had been taken from him before the roots released his body. But not this one ember. This one piece of human life left within him fueled only that which was absolutely necessary to survive.


    This wasn''t breathing though. Or thinking. Or any of the other bodily functions.


    It was walking. Walking forward, towards the large bulb that illuminated the room.


    The ground was perfectly flat, and slightly moist from years isolated within. And the water pooled in the middle of the room, Noone approached. Wet steps and footstep sized splashes cut through the silence.


    If Noone had been aware and had the time he would have appreciated the utter beauty and feeling of serenity the silent cavern inspired. Regrettably though, he had been too tied up to appreciate it.


    Two steps and his body stood poised underneath the bulb. The flower bulb continued to pulse slightly, exuding gentle light. It was neither aware nor unaware of Noone''s presence. But enough was clear to say for sure - his body and mind had started resonating with the entity hanging above him ever since Noone descended the cliff.


    And now, Noone had reached it. Using up the last spark of life force in his being, Noone¡¯s hand pierced through the bulb above his head. It entered the flower without any resistance and was immediately surrounded with energy.


    When Noone¡¯s energy ran out his body began to collapse, and his hand was being pulled with him down out of the bulb.


    Before he could collapse to the ground though, a small cord like vine from inside the bulb descended. It was only the width of a hair, but it easily wrapped around Noone¡¯s wrist and lifted his hand back up into the bulb. It did not stop there though and continued to lift Noone by the wrist.


    Soon his whole arm was submerged within and his lifeless body was now being lifted clear of the ground. The gap at the bottom of the bulb widened and Noone was lifted through. Despite the large gap though, no fluid escaped from inside.


    After a few minutes Noone¡¯s entire body was submerged securely in the bulb hanging from the ceiling. The gap that had been created closed and there was no sign Noone had ever been there. The room stilled.


    The water which was pooled on the floor of the cavern settled, and all noises ceased.


    There was but one noticeable change to the environment. On the outline of the bulb, the vague shape of eight petals were now visible, highlighted by the subtle brightening the followed.

 52. A Strange Dream

    "You will live forever. And should you ever lose your edge, you will be reborn."


    The bulbous pod hung from the ceiling of the spherical cavern. A glow still reflected in the puddles beneath emanating from the energy within. Colors danced on the walls constantly in flux. It was serene and silent. No noise could be heard, the existence of this hidden space forever locked behind stone in a cliff at the edge of the world.


    An eternity ago it was planted here.


    It was not a seed though. Not really. It was a being. Or an existence. Maybe it was a thing? Like a tool. It had always been unsure of itself. But for one thing it was sure - that it was conscious. Vaguely aware it was of its own existence.


    But it was not complex like other beings. It was single-minded and it only knew that it needed to be reborn. It thrived to live.


    It was dark, and silent. It was wet and cold and quiet. Time passed, how long? Who knows.


    One day, it decided to try something new. Waiting had done nothing for its rebirth. It wasn''t sure how it knew that. But it knew. The same way a person knows when it is hungry, or a bird knows when its falling. It needed to do something, anything.


    So, it splintered. Small clicks and cracks like the sharp destruction of stone could be heard, and layers of wood began to peel itself from its main body.


    The wood, having no knowledge or direction, knew not which way to go. So, it simply picked a direction and went. Initially heading down the splinters cut through the stone like a blade cuts through a dead leaf.


    "Cut" indeed. The feeling of piercing the stone felt familiar to this existence. Like a history long passed. There was no emotion attached to the revelation, it merely acknowledged the change, feeling that it had made the right call.


    Over time the splinters split infinitely smaller, scattering into the rock and creating small breaks throughout. On a random day, it stopped.


    The existence had no concept to how far it had spread. But it was sure that something had changed again.


    The small splinters, crossing each other and interconnecting all through the stone had felt something. A very vague sense of power that seemed to exist etched into the world. Some energy that flowed through it.


    Immediately, like a parched soldier in a desert seeing an oasis, the existence knew it needed this energy. Every morsel of it''s being craved the feeling it had just felt, and it began absorbing the miniscule power of the world into the network of splinters, and then upwards towards its main body.


    "This is right. I need more. To be reborn." Three small simple inclinations. All of which - to this existence - felt as though they were some absolute truths to the universe.


    So, in desperation it began to splinter itself more. A hundred. A thousand. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands. In every direction in every crevice and stone and wall and ceiling. It covered the cavern it was stuck in and like a million tiny hair-sized threads it pierced the stone and began to form a huge network into the stone.


    This sudden expenditure of energy caused the existence to become weary. Its expansion slowed, and gradually it became less aware. But it was sure of one thing. It had made the right move. One day, it would be reborn.


    It will absorb the energy of the world. Gradually. Slowly. Impossibly slowly. But it will. And the splinters will grow in size. And it will grow. And the energy will be stored. Yes, stored. And it will grow. And one day that energy will gather into a budding flower. And in that flower will grow a proper seed. And from that seed, a tree like no other.


    A primordial memory surfaced like a gentle ripper in water. It was of a tree. An impossibly large tree that once existed in The Beginning. The memories became clearer and a shocking scene developed.


    The tree shadowed everything surrounding it - acting as both protector and warden. The roots of the tree sunk down into earth, piercing through stone and soil and ocean and lakes and mountains and plains and icy tundra. Biomes which couldn¡¯t be explained in words alone. They even pierced through molten stone, unharmed and unphased.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The tree itself stood strong, against all elements of the world it existed on. And up and up it went. Well into the sky. And it continued even. Out into the cold of the outer world. Branches snaked out, creating a canopy which shadowed half of its world.


    Apart from its sheer size, there was one other peculiarity of this tree. The leaves which stood primordial over the world - not one of them were of a single color. Every leaf on every twig on every branch were imbued with three colors.


    A blue. A pink. And a green.


    Some portions of the tree were more green than blue. Or more blue than pink. Or more pink than green. And from far away, and indeed you had to go very far away, it looked like the cacophony of colors would swim through the canopy of the tree.


    And on these branches, between the leaves. Flowers would bloom. And every bud of every flower shined like luminescent water.


    To the tree, it seemed to bloom often in its infinitely long life.


    But what does a tree know of time and space?


    In reality, these flowers would bloom every few thousand years. And very few in existence would ever be able to see them do so.


    One day though, a stranger arrived. This was not uncommon. The tree had seen countless strange creatures through the eons. It was neither curious about them nor cared for them. They simply existed. Like the stars above or its roots below. They all just were part of the existence of creation around it.


    This stranger stood on a twig. A twig which, to the stranger, was laughably large for any twig. The twig was a hundred times larger than the trunks of the largest trees in this stranger¡¯s home.


    So, she stood there, near to a large bulb. A bulb almost a full 30 meters across. And waited.


    Like all trees regardless of size, the flower would bloom and thus the tree would have a chance to reproduce.


    But unlike most of the flora in existence, the reproduction chances of this species of tree were infinitely small. This did not matter much to the tree, for what does a tree know about worry?


    On the days of bloom, the flowering buds would open. And they would open so quickly - and so violently - that whatever was inside would be ejected into the world at an impossible speed.


    What was inside, was a seed. A seed made of one of the purest woods in existence. Smooth wood, that was impossibly hard. Perfect, unblemished, unknotted, and one of the most sought-after building materials in the vast universe.


    When the flower bud bloomed, these seeds would be ejected into space at a velocity that could turn planets to smoldering ruin if pierced through.


    Luckily for many of the planets in the universe, the universe was large. And the chances of colliding with one of these seeds was basically nonexistent. And for the rare planet that not only collided but survived the impact - they would become a perfect resource center for the birth of a new tree.


    Thus, only a handful of these trees existed. This tree though did not care, and knew not of any of this. It merely did what its existence was meant to do.


    The stranger stood on the twig of this tree, watching a bud and waiting for it to bloom.


    Staring unblinkingly, she saw a shiver run through the bud. Slowly, she stood up, letting out a hot breath into the cold of space that enveloped the canopy.


    Suddenly, faster than any existence could see, the bud had opened. It opened at a speed which caused time around it to slow. A speed almost impossible to measure. And with it the seed inside the bud had ejected, moving at a speed that could obliterate planets, turn worlds to ruin, and offset the gravity of collapsing stars.


    The seed was already hundreds of miles away in that one moment.


    Or, it should have been. Instead though, there was the stranger.


    She stood just next to the tree bud, and in her hand, she gripped tightly to the seed which was 30 meters across. It was smoking from the friction of the sudden acceleration and deceleration. But the stranger was unphased.


    Without hesitation, as fast as the flower had opened, the stranger and the seed disappeared leaving nothing behind.


    In a completely different space the woman held the seed, caressing the lines immaculately set into the grain of the seed.


    "You," she began. "You are going to be the most beautiful sword I have ever envisioned. Sought in all creation."


    And thus, the wooden seed was molded, and a sword was created, so sharp that it could tear through the universe, and sturdy enough to survive the impact of doing so. Like the treasure it was, the woman treasured the sword until one day it had been stuck into stone, on some far away world. And left there.


    "You will live forever. And should you ever lose your edge, you will be reborn." She whispered


    These words echoed into it, for how long it knew not. It only knew it must continue to absorb and store energy until it could form a seed. But as the existence began its path of rebirth, a hiccup occurred. A human shaped hiccup that came in the form of Noone.

 53. A Sudden Core

    Years on years and time always marched forward for the young plant form. It had never experienced hardship really, or anything that could be considered a hindrance to its development. It merely tried different things and utilized the energy of the world to grow in whatever way felt right.


    From splintering and spreading roots, to creating a bulbous source not unlike that of a budding flower to store the millions of years of universe energy it could harness, it had always taken a safe action to ensure its own existence.


    The world of this existence always consisted of the silent and unmoving world of stone. Stretching roots out indefinitely. However, on one particular day a strange sensation occurred nearby one of its extended root structures.


    It could feel a creature different from the small insects it was used to. Something larger. The creature exposed a series of roots, however that was the extent of the abilities of the creature. So the plant-like existence merely ignored the other existence, seeing no relevance to it and its own survival.


    Night had begun to set though, and over the course of a blink of an eye, the perspective of the ancient existence changed. In a flash, the other existence went from being completely irrelevant, to vital to its rebirth.


    From this other creature it felt an energy that caused every cell in the nearby roots to vibrate with intensity and hunger. It was momentary, but in that moment it wrapped the source of that energy up with an extremely strong root structure.


    Time passed with no change. The existence stayed where it was and as far as the plant could tell, it chose not to try to escape.


    The reality was that Noone - the other existence - tried to escape numerous times but was unable to even move the roots which bound him.


    Despite the energy source seemingly disappearing as fast as it occurred, the existence that was the plant cared not. To it, knowing that it had bound the source was more than enough. Even if it took a million years for another trickle of energy to pour from it, it was more energy than it would have if it had not reacted.


    Eventually, after a time, another trickle of energy came from a nearby source from the first, seeming to emanate from the same creature. It bound up that source as well.


    Noone, in the tunnel underneath, was now bound by both wrists, and was attempting not to panic.


    Just from the minuscule amount of life force the root had managed to procure, to the plant it meant another drop of energy it did not have to wait to gather for its rebirth.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Suddenly, the energy it had felt overwhelmed the two roots which were binding the creature. There was a surge of energy which sent the entire root system shivering in excitement and desire. Like a sun, it could sense the radiance coming off the other existence and it knew that it must not waste even a single drop.


    Thus, Noone was wrapped in a cocoon of roots that continuously drained energy out of his body.


    To the source. Noone¡¯s body shot through the stone, pulled by roots, to the source of the existence. Seeing Noone as no threat to its rebirth, the existence merely wanted the energy source as close as possible to not lose a single iota of energy.


    Gradually, the energy source which was bound by roots was used up. The roots hung on, being sure not to miss a single wave that could be used or stored for power.


    So close¡­ form core¡­


    The power gained from utilizing Noone''s life force was minuscule in the grand scheme of things. But it was more than enough to begin the next phase of existence for the plant. To create the core.


    Like a clam which uses a grain of sand as a core to a beautiful pearl, this rare and spectacular breed of tree would begin to gather particulates to serve as a core for the seed.


    After being sure that the existence it was holding to would give no more energy, it quickly released the existence sending the roots back to their respective positions. There was no regard given for the other existence after this point, for anything that could not help it achieve rebirth, was useless.


    The plant began to open pore sized holes in the pod which would serve as the seed holder. Gradually it started the tedious task of gathering particulate in the air until there was enough for a core.


    Of course, to the plant there was no tedium involved. It was merely what it must do next. Thus, was the gift of being a plant.


    Suddenly and without ceremony, a large hole was ripped into the bottom of the pod. Reacting quickly, the existence did everything in its power to keep any energy it had stored from draining out of the hole.


    In the process though, it was still absorbing particulate for the core, and it felt inside the bulb was something the perfect size for a core.


    Noone¡¯s hand, which had pierced into the plant, was wrapped up in a delicate tendril, and lifted towards the center of the budding flower. With it though, came an arm, and a head, and a torso. A whole body was lifted into the bud, far more than the plant had been bargaining for.


    But such was the simple-mindedness of this existence. In a controlled environment untainted by the existence of others, after another million years it would have thrived by relying on instinct. Now though, with the inclusion of another variable, it was forced to be reactive to things which it could not possibly understand or know how to react to.


    Reactive to things such as a lifeless body, which had been accidentally pulled into a budding flower full of millions of years of universe energy painstakingly gathered at the end of the world.


    Being a plant, it merely reacted based on a set of primal instincts. And right now, those instincts were telling it to maintain the core.


    Noone had become the core, and the last piece of life force which had gone undetected and maintained him through unconsciousness, was beginning to fade.


    Now though, the plant could sense that last Iota of life force. Floating and dimming quickly within the core of Noone¡¯s body.


    All stops were pulled, and chaos ensued within this pod only a few meters in diameter. The core must be protected if it were to be reborn, or so it felt by instinct. Sadly, for the existence, instinct could not predict the situation it was in. How could a human body serve as the core for a plant seed?

 54. Repaving

    A whirling pool of colors and lights swirled inside the pod filling the cavern with a cacophony of sound. The soft sounds of roots being retracted, and the hard sounds of stone finally being released from the tendrilled grasp after millennia. Stone cracked and clacked but ultimately its form was held.


    Starting from the outside, the interwoven net of roots and splintered wood began to compress and shrink in size. It darted back through the cavities woven within the stone face of the cliff. Every drop of power and energy was being sieved from the roots.


    As all of the roots rushed to gather towards the pod, they began to wrap themselves into a web, protecting the delicate structure. The light in the cavern was dimmed by the millions and millions of millimeter thick woven roots surrounding the bud.


    Energy within the pod continued to swirl violently - even faster now that the outside was supported. The existence began to pump energy into the core. Into Noone. Anything it could do to fuel the spark of life which existed in Noone¡¯s core in hopes of maintaining the seed.


    However, the spark of life within Noone''s core was nothing more than a fickle ember. It did not glow, and soon any heat left from it would completely disperse. Despite putting as much energy into Noone as the plant could, it did not help.


    At this moment, Noone¡¯s body was nothing more than a cracked and degraded reservoir.


    Like a dam that held back a lake, and tunnels and pipes that allowed water to be moved efficiently, Noone¡¯s body was similar in holding back energy and life force.


    Not just Noone, but every being in tapestry - down to the fauna and the flora, functioned this way. The fish in the sea, and the prey-birds in the clouds too. All beings were simply vessels for life and energy. Vessels though, are only good so long as they can hold water.


    Noone¡¯s body was physically strong, his arteries and capillaries and veins were all sturdy due to constant tempering. During times of extensive labor and work, it was not just Noone¡¯s muscles that had toughened, but all of his physical form. Everything - including his vascular system.


    While this would lead to incredible capabilities to his physical form, it was also a constant strain on his body. Specifically because of the Common Heritage which laid inside of him.


    Noone had been born attuneless and would never be able to sense the universe like others in Tapestry. However, the Common Heritage still existed within him in name, if not in form.


    Colored lines of power had never developed on Noone''s body. Where others glowed with intricate designs and colors related to their attunement, Noone existed as a dull gray statue. These lines of power were more than just looks though. For the people of Tapestry, these lines were engrained into their biology, existing as highways to move universe and elemental energy from their cores across their being.


    Although Noone had no attunement, he still had these precious ley-lines like a hidden vascular system that existed in parallel to the veins and arteries under the skin. The ley-lines, unused and undernourished, quickly atrophied into wisps of barely functioning roads. Quietly, and unknown to anyone they cracked under the surface of his flesh. They were not needed for a being that could not use universe energy.


    It wasn''t until Noone had accidentally injected some of his own life force out from his core and into these channels that they experienced any use. This was the same moment when Noone had first realized he could use the elemental stones with some effort.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    This small amount of usage was not enough to maintain them though, and over time they continued to atrophy. Eventually they would degrade into nothing, and Noone would be unable to utilize any life-force at all.


    Noone had already begun to experience the effects of this. During his climb on the cliff, the ease he could activate sun-stones had gradually degraded. Regrettably, Noone had no awareness as to the causes.


    Right now, as the existence pumped energy into Noone''s body, the atrophied lines of power which coursed through him merely allowed the energy to escape back out into the pod. The power never reached his core.


    Without any warning, a small root a millimeter thick pierced Noone''s body. It broke through the skin like a needle. As the root began to make its way towards the core directly, it passed into an equally small atrophied cavity - one of the ley-lines which ran through Noone¡¯s entire being directly to his core. The root shot with a burning speed into the cavity and began to snake through his body, following the route back through his physical form then into his core.


    With a searing flash, pure unadulterated universe energy was injected into the core, dousing the smoldering ash of Noone¡¯s life force with unrestrained energy.


    His core blared to life.


    Although it seemed to take a long time for this to occur, from the moment the roots of plant began to retract until now, only a second had passed. The speed which everything moved would have left any observers shocked.


    The blazing fire of life force in his core quickly became extremely tepid. Despite the massive influx of energy, it was still leaking out through the thousands of other atrophied meridians within his body.


    Seeing this, more and more millimeter-wide tendrils began to form inside the bulb. Roots on the outside were quickly disappearing, being used to fuel these new roots.


    Ten.


    A hundred.


    Thousands.


    Tens of thousands.


    Like a hypochondriac at a hospital, millions of needles began to pierce into Noone¡¯s body. Every centimeter was pierced through.


    Using the feeling that was left behind from the initial root, the tendrils quickly began to find the rest of the meridians in Noone''s body. To protect the core, no extreme was too extreme. There was no length the existence was not willing to go through to protect what it thought would become the core of its rebirth.


    Like freshly paved roads on top of decrepit old concrete, the roots spread through Noone¡¯s entire being using the elemental highways as an outline. It did not just stop there though. Veins, arteries, capillaries, everything. The roots began to scour through Noone without mercy.


    If he had been alive or conscious through this experience, the pain would have been enough to drive any being into madness.


    His meridians were torn to shreds, every inch across thousands of lines were being ripped apart and displaced as roots began to bore out new tunnels within him. The skin across his body rippled slightly as veins and arteries were being coated by woven nets of roots.


    New root-like structures were created on the foundations of the atrophied lines before it. Piercing throughout Noone¡¯s being, they intersected and connected, fighting to reach the core and plugging up every leak they could find on the way.


    Over the next minute, every inch of Noone¡¯s vascular and power systems were reformed to be incredibly sturdy tunnels bored through his flesh. A unique vessel.


    Power which would have been used to form a seed which could withstand being hurtled at near light-speed through planets, was now coating the inside of Noone¡¯s body. Into Noone¡¯s core, pure elemental energy was being injected.


    The fire of life within his core was now raging at a full blaze. No longer did the energy leak from his broken meridians. Instead it filtered through his new system of meridians. The plant-like existence had used an incredible amount of energy to maintain its core ¨C Noone. It depleted ninety percent of the reserves it had gained over the past millennia.


    However, as long as it could reach rebirth no expense was to extreme. Now¡­ to restart collection.


    Using the last 10 percent of the energy it could, roots extended out replacing the interwoven net in the cliff face. Although the extent that the roots reached was not even five percent what it had been before.


    It did not mind though. What did a plant know about minding?


    "You will live forever. And should you ever lose your edge, you will be reborn." These words echoed through the consciousness of the existence, bringing back the vivid memory of the past. Of its birth and existence.

 55. Joined Memory of an Old God

    A subtle ripple unnoticeable to the human eye surged through the liquid energy within the pod. It bounced off the walls and quickly dispersed. Then another one followed delicately sending a ripple through the wave like the beat of a percussive drum.


    Bum-bum.


    Double-time. Two percussive beats and then a pause which seemed to stretch into an eternity. Until another two beats filled its place. Slowly it strung out into a rhythm and blood began to course gently through newly formed veins.


    This was the beat of life.


    At the center of this commotion a brilliant flame burned within the core of the being. It had become a gentle smooth and contained light, like that of a candle shielded from the wind in the night.


    This was the flame of life.


    Time stretched on uncertainly, an unchanging equilibrium had been reached. The plant-like existence continued a gentle flow of energy into the core like a life-support system. Instead of needing to breath, Noone¡¯s body simply consisted off of the energy fed to him. Roots around the cavern continued to spread, collecting small waves of universal energy which flowed through the stone. All energy would be transferred into the pod and then into Noone. There was just enough left over to maintain the life of the plant-like existence.


    It was a perfect equilibrium. The two lives used up exactly as much energy as the plant could gather. Not even an iota was left over.  All spare energy was needed to fuel the gentle fire at Noone¡¯s core.


    In a relatively short time, the plant became uneasy at this development. Uneasy as a plant could be, anyways. Without the ability to gather more energy, how would it ever proceed to the next stage? It needed to collect an immense amount to build upon the core and create the seed.


    It realized that if it tried to spread its net farther, it would use up more energy than it could replenish. This would lead to the death of the core¡­ and itself.


    If it tried to stop feeding the core even a little, the core would most likely decay and perish. Leading to a failure of rebirth.


    And if it chose to forego the energy needed to maintain itself, it would also fail rebirth.


    Nothing. It was at a loss and there were no instinctual right moves to make as there had been until this point. For the first time since it had become slightly aware, it felt helplessness. It could wait millennia, that was no problem. Time posed no stress to it. What did stress it though, was the idea of failing rebirth.


    "You will live forever. And should you ever lose your edge, you will be reborn."


    It needed to be reborn. But¡­ it failed to see what to do next.


    Gradually though, it chose to just wait and see. There was nothing else to be done, so it just maintained the perfect equilibrium and sank back into the memory of its past. Imagining the grandeur that was its parent tree. And picturing the stranger, who had turned it into a sword renowned through the worlds.


    Quietly, slowly, without disturbance, another awareness began to form in conjunction to the plant-like existence.


    A month passed silently.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    A consciousness floated silently within the plant, unaware of its own awareness. While drifting helplessly within the plant¡¯s soul, it came to bear witness to something spectacular.


    Similar to the illusory feeling one gets when they are aware of their own dreams, the consciousness became attentive to the memories beginning to inhabit it. A world! Filled with billions of beings it failed to recognize¡­ And months passed.


    A tree larger than the world itself! Floating! Flying through a cold void¡­. And more months passed.


    It saw stars and planets and worlds upon worlds. It saw life forms unlike anything it could comprehend¡­


    And more months passed.


    The sheer magnitude of experience quickly became painful to the young soul - but it felt no urge to look away! And more months - unknown to the existence - continued to pass.


    It saw a budding flower¡­ that looked¡­ familiar? What was familiar it could not tell. But it just felt that it had seen something similar before.


    It saw some budding flowers pop open at a speed that left it bewildered, sending seeds flying into the universe. Space itself rippled under the forces at play.


    The sheer majesty was heart-stopping to the consciousness, and yet it still could not look away...


    What it saw next though, caused its heart to shake for unknown reasons.


    A stranger sat on a twig of immense size, staring at a budding flower. Colors raked through the leaves and floated in the bulb, casting brilliant lights onto the stranger.


    Just laying eyes on the stranger caused the cores heart to speed up - the consciousness''s heart to speed up ¨C Noone¡¯s heart.


    Something about this being felt immense, like the majesty of everything he had seen just moments before wrapped up into a human-shaped god.


    As the stranger stared at the budding flower, Noone¡¯s heart beat increased and strengthened slightly, leaving harsher ripples inside the bud which his body was sustained in.


    Slowly, over the course of many more months Noone¡¯s awareness shifted from being a quiet observer, to melding within the consciousness of the plant itself. It left no room for observations, and Noone did not realize the shift. After a period of time Noone realized he was now being stared at by the stranger. Noone¡¯s soul had become the seed in the memory.


    There was a trembling and a pressure building. Noone was now feeling the changes within the pod. It would be soon¡­ the seed within would burst through like an arrow and pierce through the universe in search of a final resting ground.


    A subtle ecstasy began to form at the thought of being flung out into the void of space. Like a child looking for adventure ¨C Noone¡¯s awareness and the plant¡¯s consciousness were growing restless.


    Fly. He would fly! Through the void and the stars and the planets and worlds and everything would be within his grasp in that moment.


    The pressure built within, and miniscule trembling began to spread from where the pod connected to the world sized tree. Time slowed to a crawl within the memory.


    Now!


    With speed immeasurable, the seed was exposed to the void and erupted towards the vast universe. In that moment excitement overtook conscious thought and he had forgotten completely about the stranger. Every atom of his being yearned merely for the universe in front of him. For the sights¡­ For rebirth.


    That lasted for less than a moment, however. It took no time at all for the stranger to intervene and grasp the seed from the pod - transport away - and package the seed. But for Noone¡¯s frail consciousness¡­ the whiplash of the difference between expectations and occurrence was too severe. His already fragile awareness threatened to crumble completely


    What happened next was even more severe though. The sudden contact with the stranger who had caused his heart to palpitate before¡­ now tripled in intensity. Something about the energy of this being - even through the ancestral memory of another existence - caused the blood and life energy within him to boil.


    Suddenly, everything which sustained the memories he was traversing collapsed. Like a mirror shattering and then blowing away in a gale, Noone¡¯s consciousness became clear but fractured. It seemed to process everything a million miles a second. And everything led to one word.


    Ancestor?


    The Ancestor which gave The Common Heritage?


    He was a she?


    No! that''s not important. Where am I? What happened?


    His consciousness and awareness, still infused with the plant, looked inwardly for answers. Through the roots, to the bulb, past the petals and inside the pod he saw himself.


    Perhaps it was shock. Or mental exhaustion. But before any reaction could occur, his awareness blacked out, going back to rest.

 56. Emergence

    The awareness within the plant was also reeling in shock. Noone¡¯s experience had not been a solitary one. During the time that Noone was living through the memories that existed within the plant, the plant could feel his presence through the emotions that were being emanated from him.


    It wasn''t until that moment though, that the existence realized another awareness had come to inhabit the same conscious space as itself.


    Realization had come with no small degree of certainty that the creature it had taken as its core was still alive¡­ and at least somewhat aware. However, to the plant this was of no concern. As far as it cared, there was no need to bother with it. A core was a core. Yet¡­ something to be concerned about was the equilibrium that had been reached.


    An unknown amount of time again passed, and darkness reigned in the arena of Noone¡¯s awareness. After experiencing the sudden whiplash caused by the memory of the other plant-like existence, Noone¡¯s soul had returned to the neutral space to reform.


    Noone¡¯s awareness grew clearer and came into focus as he recovered. Mental processes were beginning to reform.


    Slowly, a subtle shift occurred in the dark space as his soul melded back into one. Colors began to surge all around and his awareness became stretched thin like the surface of lake. On the lake memories began to bubble forth.


    Noone saw himself, as a child. He was alone and quiet, unable to talk to anyone. The world around him seemed to be an endless cavern of networking tunnels and mines, all gray silence.


    Noone saw Adria, and Liter. He saw Elder Azelle. Much to his surprise a small quiet memory bubbled to the surface¡­ of Stara. Mom.


    But just as quickly as they came, they faded out. They were quickly replaced. Now Noone could see himself challenging Adria to a race through the abandoned mines. He was older in this memory. Even though it was from years long past, it rose into his mind as clear as yesterday.


    Not just personal memories, other thoughts and images came to the surface. Images of Tapestry. Things he learned from Liter. Books he read.


    Memories continued, skimming through years of his life. He saw his attunement test at 14, and the subsequent year in the mines. He watched through several of Porose¡¯s festivals. Pride. The seamstresses.


    Not too long after - the memories changed from the familiar look of Tapestry to the moment he jumped from the cliff face down into the clouds beneath. These memories were slower, more intricate and detailed than the ones before. Everything he experienced could be seen.


    Thoughts of his experience with his own awareness and unconscious trance state rose like lily pads, floating upon the lake. What had brought him to this place? What led him here?


    Noone saw a crystal vision of himself. It was him moments before being wrapped up in roots. He watched as one arm bound became two, and how two arms became an entire body shooting through the stone to a cavernous room above.


    Although Noone was pulled into the memories - reliving them and reexperiencing them - he did not lose himself entirely. When the memory of the room that he had last seen surfaced, he paid close attention to every detail. Whatever put him in this state was most likely in that room.


    He watched as his life force was drained to the point of death, and Noone could see the last flicker of consciousness drain from his body moments before the roots unbound him.


    Strangely, Noone could continue to watch what happened after he lost consciousness. He was sure he should have been dead at this point, and most likely should have been dead. Instead he watched his body take a step forward, and then walk unhesitatingly towards the seed pod in the middle of the cavern.


    Watching his own body act without him left an uneasy feeling in Noone¡¯s chest that he couldn''t decipher. Even though he knew it was this action that ended up saving up¡­ It was not normal.


    He saw his own hand pierce through the outer flesh of the bulb and become wrapped up in a delicate tendril within the pod, and he watched chaos ensue. Noone grew certain that whatever spark of life that existed within him was on the verge of disappearing forever. He watched carefully, but from the memory he could feel that spark within his own body turn into ember¡­ and that ember¡­ turn to ash.


    I died? If Noone had a face to express from in this moment, the expression would most certainly be priceless through the ages. Disbelief? Shock? Confusion? Did a word exist to represent the emotion of seeing one¡¯s own death in post?


    No¡­ there must be more than that. Noone continued to scan the memory, but it was quickly fading into the lake of thoughts, and no new ones were surfacing.


    Suddenly though, in the corner of his eye Noone saw a thread only a millimeter thick, pierce into his body. He immediately focused in on it, but before he could get a good look, the memory faded. Like the sun setting beneath the ocean¡¯s horizon, his awareness was once again plunged into nothing but darkness.


    Noone was unsure how to react to the odd experience. He was still immensely confused at the situation. In another portion of the cave, the other consciousness had begun scanning through the memories which had been pulled from the weird core it adopted. Just as Noone had accidentally transposed himself into its ancestral memory, it too could pull from his soul. After all, Noone had become the core of its rebirth.


    Normally, even the most ancient of trees would not do something like this. But the equilibrium left this plant uneasy for its rebirth, and that uneasiness had led to something drastic. Never before seen - the plant had begun to plan.


    Unknown to Noone, a scheme was being formed.


    If need be, the plant-like existence had no problem waiting through eons for rebirth. It would wait till the end of existence itself, as long as progress was being made, it mattered not how slow. But ever since incorporating Noone into the core, having to maintain itself and the core, progress had stopped.


    It had not regressed, but to this existence wanting nothing other than the rebirth promised to it, and having nothing other than instincts to learn from, anything that wasn''t progress, would mean death.


    Equilibrium in this case, would mean death.


    Noone had sat alone for an unknown amount of time attempting to decipher his situation. Not having enough information was leading him nowhere.


    Many things bothered him about the experience. Memories tended to become vague as time passed - memories one has of when they are young become cloudier. But what Noone saw when his memories came to the surface, they were clear and unsoiled by time.


    A nagging feeling picked at his consciousness, he couldn¡¯t help but feel there was more at play here. However, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t think of what it would be. He found that no matter how much he tried to calm himself and wait for something else to occur, it was becoming increasingly difficult not to become annoyed at his own situation.


    "I died¡­ I think. And I was swallowed by a plant. But¡­ what happens next?" Noone sighed.


    Or¡­ he would have sighed. However, quickly approaching the top of the list of things Noone was annoyed about was that he couldn''t feel his body at the moment. He couldn¡¯t feel anything. No sensations crossed his awareness.


    Presumably he was still within the bulb. But he had no clue how much time had passed. For all he knew¡­ his body might not even exist anymore. There were no sensations, and everything merely existed as ethereal to his consciousness.


    More time passed, and the only choice he had was to wait. Hopefully, something else would change. Any change would be a good sign.


    "I don''t want to exist like this¡­" Noone thought about how much time might have passed and was doing his best to fight the creeping dread of possibility. It seemed like time was moving at a crawl, but really there was no way to know.


    As his consciousness drifted aimlessly in the neutral space between his awareness and the awareness of the other existence, gently and without him noticing, he was nudged towards a specific place.


    Noone looked towards a black space, equally as blank as the surrounding area. Something about this spot felt different to him. There was something there, he was sure of it.


    Floating in front of him in this moment was a perfectly clear flame. It did not flicker, nor did it blaze, it merely existed perfectly still like some concrete fact of this space. As Noone continued to feel it out, he could sense a pull from the invisible fire. There was a weight to it.


    Noone quickly retreated and waited. When he saw nothing else happen, he approached the invisible flame again. Noone didn¡¯t feel that the flame was trying to ensnare him. The flame seemed familiar and the warmth was comfortable. Even the weight behind it caused Noone to drop his defenses. It felt so¡­ familiar.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Noone was not an idiot of course, and he wouldn''t charge into the flame recklessly. However, the more he thought about his options the more he realized this was the only anomaly he had encountered since the memory show that felt like ages ago.


    Thus¡­ to miss this opportunity¡­ Noone braced his consciousness and charged into the flame which burned gently and invisibly in front of him.


    Perhaps this was a foolhardy choice, however Noone truly felt any change was better than the hell of nothingness that exists in that neutral space. He grit his teeth as the pull on his awareness suddenly increased before disappearing altogether.


    In a moment of confusion, color flooded his awareness. It sent his awareness into a stupefied state, but nothing could brace him for the feeling that occurred immediately after.


    To put it into words, Noone felt as though his entire awareness had been stretched like a balloon, inflated to an impossible size.


    It took a few moments for this feeling to normalize, and for his conscious thought to rebalance itself in that odd space.


    As Noone looked about for a new change, he quickly caught sight of a sphere of color floating beneath him. He gazed upon it carefully and with intense curiosity - feeling the subtle changes occurring within the sphere. Over time, lines of pure color and energy had started extending from the sphere like tentacles. They stretched out into the void seemingly at random.


    Noone watched with hesitation, attempting to make any sense from the pattern being formed by the colors. They extended out and up. They crossed. They thinned and thickened, snaking through the void around them. No matter how Noone looked at it, it seemed like gibberish. Noone continued to watch silently. His ethereal mouth pressed into a tight line. Eventually his eyes widened as he watched the odd colors move about.


    The space around the sphere began to fill in, and an image began to form.


    There were two sets of lines that Noone could interpret now. One set seemed to form the inside of the image. The other set looked to exist exclusively on the surface of it. The difficult part was seeing the image as a whole because of the ungrounded perspective.


    But¡­ the longer Noone watched on, the more amazed he became. Although he wasn''t sure¡­ the colors that formed the inner lines of the structure starkly resembled what Noone remembered of a vascular system. Such medical studies are things taught out of tradition but not really used in their conclave, so Noone was apprehensive to say he was certain. However, an excitement grew in his chest.


    When Noone looked at the lines making up the ''surface'' he could now see the very clear outline of a human torso. The lines created strange pattern, like etchings across the flesh. Slowly the whole image filled in.


    Noone watched in fascination, somewhere deep inside himself fear began to well up and accompany his excitement. What he was seeing seemed impossible. It was surreal to the extent that his brain was having trouble comparing it¡­ The structure in front of him was that of a human being. From the facial structure Noone could see. It was of him.


    Despite being just a consciousness, Noone could feel a headache coming on.


    The diagrams and colored lines creating the image of his body in front of him began to slow as it neared completion. From his naval, Noone could see a small thread of light was beginning to form, extending directly out from his body. He recalled the last thing he saw when reliving his last memory, seeing a small root pierce into him.


    As he moved closer to analyze the spot, another thread of colored light extended out from him within his vision, and then another. One thread after another began to form as portions of his body became increasingly filled in. Noone saw each thread and light meld seamlessly with the lines forming the image of his body.


    It painted a picture of Noone being strung up and pierced through by thousands of needle-like roots.


    Although unsure, Noone had a sinking feeling about what state his body was currently in. Given what he remembered about being pierced through by the first thread, the thousands of others left a chill in his spine.


    The other existence had grown keen to the movements of Noone¡¯s awareness, it watched silently as his awareness worked to make sense of what he was seeing.


    Noone became increasingly irritated by the sight, seeing this representation of his body strung up and lifeless.


    I just need to be able to move. I need to move my body. Noone grew restless as he watched helpless. Out of instinct, Noone dived his consciousness into the invisible fire that had become the center of his core. As his awareness closed in on the core of his physical body, his brain began to spark.


    Noone felt his awareness dim as he neared the life-force flame. He felt like his consciousness was being dissolved the closer he got. Every distance covered left him feeling more unaware as part of his consciousness dissolved into the fire.


    If this is the life force at the core of my body¡­ I should be able to reintegrate myself into it. Right? Although he acted as though he was confident, it was only because he had no other options available. He couldn''t survive as a consciousness forever.


    There were people waiting for him.


    The fire in the core of his being continued to burn seamlessly despite the sudden interference.


    It took some time, but eventually his consciousness gradually melded completely into the soul-fire. Like floating through space only to suddenly become bound by gravity, Noone''s head throbbed and he felt a violent tear in mind. The life-force burned through his conscious awareness, and like ash in a vent - scattered it throughout the physical form along the newly laid meridians.


    When the confusion finally subsided from the shifting perspective, Noone wasted no time to attempt to move. Time continued to pass uninterrupted, but he became increasingly irritated. He had come to realize that moving, by and large, is highly taken-for-granted. Often times movement is handled unconsciously, but he was having to individually kick-start the systems that handled it. After dying¡­ and being dormant for so long - movement was actually fairly difficult.


    Although Noone was a patient person in spite of his age, time and isolation can make even a sage lose forsake their vows. So, like anyone in their right minds, the next step he took was well calculated and not at all impulsive.


    Like a storm on a calm sea, Noone had thrown all caution to the wind and began to rage within his own physical mind. If his mind were a room, filled with various priceless antiques and endless books, Noone was currently releasing his stress with a mental hammer. He had decided to rely on sheer force of will as the time-tested and approved stratagem.


    "Just give me something!" He shouted helplessly to not much effect. Noone¡¯s teeth were clenched so tight that if he had access to his body, he would be in danger of breaking his jaw.


    He raged on unabated, and eventually the gods took pity on his plight and a subtle ripple spread from his eyelashes. Noone froze, determining whether something had actually occurred.


    "No¡­ I''m sure my eyelids just shuttered." Like a dam with a small leak, time and friction began to wear down on the mental block separating him from his body. Noone''s hand clenched into a fist. Energy swirled and floated out of the way and Noone excitedly continued to fight for control.


    His fingers and hands became more dexterous as he flexed them. His toes spread apart slightly, and his muscles began to flex under his urgings. It became easier as things went on, the functions of his physical body were quickly being picked up by whatever part of his unconscious mind took care of them.


    Noone¡¯s control of his body finally peaked when his eyes opened fully. He was blinded by the energy swirling all around him and excitement began to take over. His heart - under its own control - began to beat faster in response.


    His excitement suddenly turned to abject horror though, as the last systems to start working left Noone in a terrible predicament. His lungs and diaphragm both flexed at the same moment, drawing in the liquid around him.


    Burning ensued as the air starved body began to choke on the liquid completely out of conscious control. Energy or not, Noone still needed to breathe air. Noone¡¯s entire being shook and he unconsciously brought his arms up to his mouth. In the process, thousands of thread thin life support roots connected to the plant were painfully ripped from his flesh and veins.


    Fighting the influx of pain, Noone¡¯s heart sank as he tried to calm his instinct to breathe. Like any drowning person, he immediately began to kick and flail against the liquid, trying to rise above it and reach air.


    Before he could make any progress though, the liquid he was submerged in suddenly began to fall with him in it. Noone could feel the rush of air against his wet skin and he gasped a heavenly breath as soon as the liquid was gone from his lips. He didn''t even mind the sudden thud as his body crashed against the wet floor of the cavern.


    Rolling over on his back and heaving a violent breath, he stared up into what used to be the pod he was contained in. The spherical form it held before was now nothing more than the formless shape of petals hanging down like wet rags. Even the colors which looked magnificent and beautiful were quickly beginning to lose their luminescence.


    The sudden shock to the plant upon losing its core and all energy it had along with it, seemed to be too much for the plant-like existence.


    Noone''s breathing was slowly returning to normal. His lungs and diaphragm still burned with the raw liquid energy that flooded them initially, but it was being dispelled and vaporized with each breath.


    His body too was dispelling energy through his pores. The thousands of thread-like roots which had reformed his atrophied meridians and vascular system left microscopic holes in his flesh which was allowing the excess energy in his body to dissipate.


    Over the span of a day he would heal to the point that he wouldn¡¯t even notice his sore flesh.


    His heart beat strong and the clear fire of his life-force burned solidly within his core. As he laid there staring up at the darkening cavern, Noone doubted whether he was really alive. However, when he thought back to what he had gone through, he felt as though however lucky he may be, it must have come at a cost¡­


    Finally, he stood up, and unexpectedly he didn''t feel shaky in the slightest. Despite not moving for Ancestor knows how long, he did not feel any stiffness in his muscles. Noone looked down at the palms of his hands, they were invariably the same as they had been before being absorbed by the plant.


    He poked and prodded his own skin. He stuck out his tongue and poked at his ears. Noone was relieved to see that his body was still human. Flesh and bone from what he could tell. Noone was tempted to bite into his thumb to see about his blood. But he chose to withhold that for now.


    He was just happy to be alive, he decided. Everything else would come second.


    Noone walked over to the hole in the cavern that had been made when he was brought to the room the first time. It was just wide enough that he should be able to go down it safely back to his pack.


    Noone took one last look at the withered and dead plant form that had maintained his body.


    Conflicting feelings rose up within him. He was unsure how to feel about the whole experience. On one hand, it had killed him. But¡­ it had also saved him, in a way¡­ Even if it was trying to make a core out of him. And then there was that memory¡­


    Noone merely shook his head. What happened, happened. Thinking about it now most likely would not yield any usable answers, so he put it aside. Looking away, he sat on the edge of the hole before lowering his body into it and shimmying down from the cavern.


    Unknown to him, the petals which hung lifeless from the former pod began to disintegrate just as he looked away the final time. Not just the petals - but the entire plant began to disappear - absorbing into itself. An impossibly small thread still connected to the base of Noone¡¯s neck was on the verge of snapping off, but before it could the plant''s energy was transferred into it.


    "I must¡­ be¡­ reborn¡­"


    If Noone were able to see the flame which burned in his core, the life force which flooded through his body. He would see that the formerly invisible clear flame, now was hued with three colors.


    Blue.


    Pink.


    Green.

 57. How Long...?

    The smooth walls let Noone easily shimmy down towards the cavern he created below. It was slower progress than the ascent leaving time for Noone to realize just how far up he had been dragged. The only saving grace was that it never became too wide or too narrow for him to slip down.


    As the silence and darkness enveloped him, his thoughts went back to the things he experienced within the pod.


    The memories which flooded his mind were foreign and completely beyond his understanding. Noone had a very narrow view of the world, mainly consisting of the educational rites passed down through the eternity. When he thought back to the world he had seen within the memories of the plant-like existence, it left a profound impact on his conscious. Suddenly the world was so much larger than he had ever thought.


    How large? He wasn¡¯t sure.


    It was spectacular. But as far as Noone knew, that may just be what the calamitous and desolate world above once looked like. Noone imagined what must have become of the tree after the calamity which sent Tapestry into the caverns under the protection of the Ancestor.


    And then there was the stranger in the memory¡­ Although the feeling and images were becoming hazy the longer Noone was free from the plant, he remembered seeing the ancestor in the dream. She was a being of shocking power¡­ which was to be expected. But she also looked nothing like the people of Tapestry.


    The Ancestor had always existed as more of an ethereal concept to the descendants of Tapestry. Maybe within the first few generations - when the memory was still fresh - it was not like that. But now, when referring to The Ancestor people tend to think of her as a force of nature, or the will of the gods. A being that existed outside of physical understanding.


    Noone expected it was because of the common heritage, but he knew for certain the woman he saw was indeed the ancestor.


    Her figure and flesh were so foreign. Her skin was not stone-like and had no lines of power etched into the flesh. She was extremely pale white, like unblemished marble, and her hair floated long down her back like a waterfall of black ink. The women of tapestry all had hair strongly influenced by their attunements, to see simple black hair was unheard of.


    Was she different from us in the beginning? Or did we change and become like this over time? I can''t wait to talk to Liter. Noone pondered over things as he braced himself in the tunnel ¨C preventing himself from dropping too quickly. He felt that he should be reaching the bottom soon but could not see any light underneath him. Either it was night, or the tunnel underneath had collapsed at some point. Noone dearly hoped it was not the latter.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The stone became courser under Noone¡¯s grip and the changing terrain caused the squeeze to become a bit tighter. Noone was not alarmed though, spending so much time growing up underground - the last thing he was afraid of was tight spaces. He pressed on but his thoughts were still focused on his experience.


    Noone had no chance to really exam his physical body, but he couldn''t help but think about the form he had seen when his awareness was split from his mind. Everything that wasn''t clearly of the circulatory system looked to be very similar to the meridian lines and power-lines that course through the bodies of the attuned. Although every design is unique, there were similarities across everyone.


    Noone had never had these runic symbols on his flesh. Everyone in tapestry wore their power-lines like adornments, decorating their flesh like shining symbols of their belonging to the same heritage. He has heard it described by elders as the paths which energy flows through them. Of course, Noone had never been attuned since the day he was born and had no power-lines to speak of. His flesh was the dark gray of stone, through and through.


    When freeing himself from the plant, Noone was a little disappointed at how little he seemed to change. Then he would quickly remember that he was lucky to be still be alive, and any disappointment quickly dissipated. Yet, the thought of seeing his body adorned with lines of power when within the plant had sparked the desire for them that he had not felt in years.


    It¡¯s hard to accept being different, when everything around you constantly reminds you of it.


    Noone felt a slight breeze come from underneath him. Suddenly, his nose and lungs which had breathed nothing but stale air for who knows how long, were filled with the salty spray of the outside. Like a shot of adrenaline, Noone began to move quicker; pushing out all thoughts that weren''t necessary for his descent.


    After only a few minutes Noone fell through the ceiling of a long-unused cave. He instinctually faced the direction of the horizon, the subtle brush of wind bouncing from his body. Noone knelt and brushed the floor with his hand until a small stone bounced off his fingertips. There was a small smile on his lips.


    He picked up the stone gently in his palm, enjoying the smooth sensation of the sun-stone. It was the same sun-stone which had led him to catch the attention of the plant in the first place.


    After hesitating for a moment - remembering the dead husk of the plant above - Noone pumped life-force into the stone triggering its activation. It came extremely easy, and there was a blinding flash of light before the sun stone dimmed to its usual level of power.


    Noone stared at the stone, wondering what the strange initial flash had been. He shook his head. He would have time to find out later. Using the light to locate his pick, he began walking briskly towards the front of the cave. Soon, shadows of his pack were cast onto the cave wall, leaning against it just as he had left it from before.


    Relief overcame him, making the rest of the way up the cliff would be a nightmare without his tools and supplies. He already wasted time, he could only imagine what Elder Azelle and Adria would say on his return.


    Next to his pack, there was a tarp which was noticeably smaller than he remembered. Unwrapping it quickly, Noone saw that the cured remains of the bird he had fought during the fall were now barely anything more than the bones, having degraded and rotted over time despite being cured.


    His heart thrummed - desperately sending blood coursing through his mind.


    "How long has it been¡­?"

 58. Enter Stage West

    Noone organized his pack and cleaned the remains from the tarp - folding it neatly and packing it away. The rope which was attached to it was wound and bound to a strap along the side of his pack. In a desperate attempt to not think about time, he focused on anything else while waiting for the sun to rise.


    When organizing his pack, Noone examined the food Porose had packed for him. Much of the food was meant to be stored and remain good over an extremely long time. However, it would not last forever. Much to Noone¡¯s relief, the majority of the food was still edible. At most, Noone assumed that perhaps a few years had passed.


    While this left a knot in Noone¡¯s stomach, it was far better than the alternative. Noone''s worst case scenario was having spent centuries hidden from the world. Centuries for Tapestry wouldn''t mean much, but for Elder Azelle and Adria, Porose and Tahmel, he doubted they still would be around.


    A couple years was much more manageable, but not ideal. It was important he began moving as soon as possible.


    Noone passed the time thinking about the people he grew up around. He had always felt disconnected from many of the people of Tapestry. Apart from the very few who talked with him, he doubted that he knew the names of more than a handful of his family. So many generations have passed of predominately psychic speech that from what he knew, some names had no physical analog he could speak even if he knew them.


    Soon though, it would all come to an end. When Noone would ascend with Adria and the Elder to the desolate world, he would most likely never see Tapestry again. He would miss Liter the most, he felt. Porose, Tommy and Trisha would be close seconds. A few of the elders who were good friends of Elder Azelle had treated him well also.


    As he stared off into the darkness, he thought about what the elder at the head of Adria''s family had asked him¡­ about protecting Adria. He knew that many of the Elders assumed their closeness would become romantic when they reached adulthood. Noone and Adria both had a chuckle about this. Although they had grown up together, they had never felt like that towards one another. Adria helped Noone grow to be a bit more energetic and less shy as a child, and Noone kept Adria from growing bored and being too reckless.


    It wasn''t uncommon for people to not find any partner their whole lives within Tapestry. Noone never talked about it with Adria, but he always assumed he would be like that. They merely didn''t feel inclined towards each other.


    Noone drank a wash of water to clear his throat, looking out over the endless night. He had climbed through the night before on numerous occasions. However, he did not want to take such a large risk at night without fully coming to understand how his body had changed in the last few years.


    The last thing he needed was to attempt a jump only to miss based on a slow reaction time or some unforeseeable circumstance. The fall would truly be dreadful from this height.


    With nothing else to do, Noone waited for the sun.


    ¡­.


    "Sarah!" A young girl in smooth plain colored robes unlike any in Tapestry rushed out from a doorway, sliding to a stop on the unstable carpet laid out in the halls. Startled by the sudden call, a human woman adorned in red and white turned her head just in time to see the young girls foot become caught up in the carpet causing her downfall to the hard floor below.


    A yelp of surprise came from the young girl whose name was Yisanet. Her hands quickly went to her ankle holding tightly onto it. Sara appeared beside her and knelt down.


    "Yisa honey, you know better than to run through the halls." Her voice was melodious and strong. It felt like listening to a waterfall, beautiful and unwavering. Yisanet looked up at the tall young woman kneeling next to her and forcefully pulled her hands away from her ankle while trying to stand.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Yes Sarah! I''m sorry! I won''t do it a-AGH" Yisanet fell back onto her butt as soon as she attempted to put pressure on the ankle. "I''m sorry Sarah¡­ I think I sprained my ankle." She attempted a sheepish smile, but the pain caused her to wince.


    "This is what you get you know? For never listening and running through the halls." Sarah shook her head. "So, what is so important that you had to get yourself hurt just to tell me?"


    "Please Sarah, heal it so it¡¯s better? It really hurts!" Yisanet mumbled shamefully, holding onto her ankle again to ease the pain.


    Sarah harrumphed, "I just might. Maybe. Depending on what was so important." In truth though she had already prepared to heal the young girl anyways. She thought it might be better to teach her a little bit of a lesson first.


    "It''s Jakobson, he sent me to get you and Feylin." Yisanet grumbled. She turned her pleading eyes towards the woman, as if begging for mercy.


    "Jakobson did? Wait, no. Call him bishop! You know better than to address him by name, don''t be rude." Yisanet averted her gaze from Sarah¡¯s glare. Sarah merely sighed in resignation at the spoiled child. She reached out her hand and laid it on Yisa''s ankle. Suddenly a white light trickled out from between her fingers, spreading to encase the young girl¡¯s smooth skin.


    As the light began to fade, the look on Sarah''s face changed slightly. She looked directly at Yisa''s expression, but by then Yisa had leaped up on both feet without a care in the world.


    "Thank you Sarah! You''re the best! Your magic definitely feels the most comfortable!" The young girl began to bound off down the hall smiling and giggling to herself like a child who got away with stealing a cookie behind their mothers¡¯ back.


    Sarah stood up and watched as the girl ran down the halls but said nothing. A wry smile broke through her stoic expression that she had used to try to stare down the girl. When her spell had begun wearing off, Sarah knew immediately that she had been played. The girls¡¯ leg was never sprained, she just wanted to use Sarah''s magic.


    "So Jakobson called for me? And Feylin? Hmm¡­" She mumbled to herself, unconsciously tightening her braid. Sarah fixed the carpet Yisanet had displaced during her little stunt and began to walk towards the bishops¡¯ office. Although Yisa had fooled her with her injury, Sarah knew she wouldn''t lie about the bishop calling on her.


    "I''ll need to talk to the bishop about her¡­" Sarah groaned, knowing it would do no good though. ¡°It¡¯s because Jakobson spoils her so much that she has ended up this way.¡± She thought silently.


    And Feylin too? Sarah pondered the implications, her expression returning to its usual unreadable blankness. She had a feeling though, that they may be leaving the temple soon.


    The sun was beginning to rise outside, and the windows in the hall lit up with brilliant colors drawn from stained-glass interspersed along windowless holes for natural light to come in.


    As a young acolyte, she found herself constantly encapsulated by the beauty of the temple which she resided. She did not grow up here since young, the way Yisanet has. Instead she came here only five years ago. The region this temple resided in was a small and mostly rural area towards the westernmost edge of the world. Their temple was located in the largest town before the edge. Despite being the largest town though, it only had around ten thousand people. It was because of this that excuses to leave the temple on assignment were rare.


    In the cases that do come up, they tended to be simple things which could be left to a single cleric. Even the youngest trainees must learn how to heal, which would end up being the overwhelming majority of assignments. Healing the sick or warding away bad omens.


    The warding away bad omens was mostly superficial too. Many of the local townsfolk in the surrounding villages and tribes at the edges of the world are of a superstitious lot. Thus, the clerics would put on a little song and dance to raise their spirits. It wasn''t harmful at all and only took a little time.


    At the edge of the world, they lived mostly quiet lives studying and devoting prayer. The younger ones would dream of heading central, to less desolate regions, while the older ones usually came out here to escape that excitement.


    Jakobson ¨C the bishop - would sometimes grumble about the past. Apparently, he had lived as an adventurer for a number of years. Seeking some fame and honor for his home-temple in the north. From what they heard from him, he claimed it was an overrated existence.


    Sarah didn''t think much of it and was overwhelmingly content with her life now. Feylin wanted to follow in the same footsteps as Jakobson, making a name for himself in the larger world.


    She rounded the corner to the hall that held the bishops¡¯ office and saw Feylin sitting cross legged against the wall. The office door was shut.


    "He told me to wait outside." Feylin said when he heard her footsteps round the corner.


    "Ah." Sarah sat down casually next to Feylin, and they both waited.

 59. An Inciting Letter

    The sun finally peaked through the cloud layer above, giving Noone the first natural light he had seen for years. Even with the sun-stone he had begun feeling a little depressed from the constant onslaught of the night.


    Despite a comparatively short time passing for his conscious self, he couldn''t help his body craving the sun. He supposed there was something inherent about being human and needing that big ball of fire in the sky. Even after an eternity of living underground, that desire couldn''t be suppressed.


    Noone hoisted his freshly organized pack onto his shoulders and stood at the entrance of the cave he had carved looking over the ocean. It was a beautiful sight of rolling waves below and milk white clouds above.


    Noone''s fists clenched in determination. Still unsure of exactly how many years he had delayed, Noone''s mind was set to move as quickly as possible to make it back to Tapestry. He wouldn''t kill himself without break, he thought. But he would come close.


    With a smile spread on his face he moved up to the side of the cave and began to sidle his body out against the cliff face. His hand gripped onto the wall like an iron clamp. One foot after the other easily found holds along the wall.


    When Noone looked up he saw an endless mire of cracked stone caused from the root system. He was undeterred though and put one hand on a cracked stone ¨C pulling at it. It easily held his weight. Noone knew that no matter how fast he wanted to go, at least for this part of cliff he would need to take it a bit slower testing every grip.


    His hands and foot moved slowly at first. Noone carefully worked his way up the jagged and cracked surface. Every third movement would send a broken shard hurtling towards the world below. Noone climbed on the teetering edge of life and death, one wrong move and he himself would meet the broken stone in the shallow water below. Yet, in this moment he was happy to be climbing again.


    Something about his temperament had changed though. The smile which he held when the sun lit up the world had not left his face in the slightest. Instead it had grown, lending an almost fanatical sense of enjoyment to Noone¡¯s demeanor.


    Noone noted this slightly in between movements. He figured his mind was just excited at being outside for the first time in a very long time. He truly was enjoying the climb. Before, he didn''t care one way or another about it. Like working in the mines, Noone enjoyed that it gave him a chance to zone out while getting stronger. But He didn''t enjoy it like this, putting his body under the hammer was extremely relaxing.


    ¡­.


    The door in front of Sarah and Feylin swung open with such speed that it sent a blast of air in their direction before cracking against the wall it was mounted on.


    Sarah and Feylin both leapt to their feet, yelping in surprise.


    In the doorway Jakobson stood alone with his palm outstretched where the door had been the moment before. The look on his face was no less shocked than theirs. Some red tinted his cheeks in embarrassment. He coughed, clearing his throat.


    Jakobson was not a tall man by any account. He stood at a meager five feet and made no effort to compensate for this. His frame was sturdy despite its small size. Feylin often wondered if there were a halfling ancestor somewhere in Jakobson¡¯s family tree.


    "Damn doors!" The bishop¡¯s surprisingly deep voice echoed his curse through the hall. He turned around as if offended by their existence. Sarah and Feylin followed him inside tentatively. "The grounds keep replaced the old door with this piece of crap after the last one had worn down through the years." He mumbled, partly in explanation.


    Feylin shut the door behind them, when pulling on it though, his face blanched and he looked back at Jakobson.


    The door was made of solid metal all the way through.


    The last door had been made of stone¡­ was the weight really that different?


    Feylin excitedly closed the door. His admiration for Jakobson at a constant rise.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "Well. Sit." They both sat down and Jakobson leaned against his desk. An aged creak sounded out from the wood.


    "I was sent this message via spatial shift 2 hours ago." He stared at both Sarah and Feylin with unblinking eyes. They weren''t aware of it yet, but he was evaluating them both. Specifically, Feylin.


    When the two acolytes heard ''spatial shift'' the look on their faces changed. Neither of them had ever heard of the spell being used outside of the stories old and the most powerful existences. There were more convenient and less costly ways to send messages over long distances. They couldn''t even imagine who would be so wasteful to use a spatial shift to send a letter.


    "Do either of you know what it says?" Sarah side-eyed Feylin, having a feeling that he had done something rash. But he just shook his head, she did as well.


    Jakobson threw the letter at Sarah, who was shocked but reacted quickly, snatching it out of the air. She unfolded it and leaned over to show Feylin. They both read silently. It was short and to the point.


    Jakobson Consto,


    It has come to our attention at the Burian that you have two fine young acolytes under your teaching by the names of Sarah (no last name) and Feylin Tristar.


    Two years ago, we deployed 5 clerics for a mission at the western edge of the world. Since beginning their assignment 2 have passed away in service.


    Seeing as you are the closest temple to the assignment, they will be supplementing their team with your two acolytes named above.


    I trust no problems will occur.


    After completion of the assignment, your two acolytes as recompense for their services will be invited to study here should they so desire.


    Instead of a name and a signature at the bottom of the letter, and insignia glowed with ethereal light.


    Sarah and Feylin¡¯s faces both held very different expressions. Excitement, shock, fear. It was hard to tell. But Jakobson saw through them immediately. They knew nothing¡­ but just in case, he decided to press.


    "I always told you both, if you wanted to get a chance to move out and see the world I would help. I have connections, I could pull strings. So, I want to know right now, which one of you two went over my head and contacted them!" Eyes like daggers, he stared both of the acolytes down in their seats. Disappointment and righteous anger was thick in the air. It was extremely clear that Jakobson was cross. Sarah was quick to remove herself from suspicion.


    "I have never contacted anyone outside of the temple in these five years bishop." Sarah said respectfully. She had never even considered leaving the temple. Maybe one day she would want to leave. But she was young, at 20 years old she felt she had plenty of time.


    Jakobson did not suspect her, and so didn''t push any further. His eyes then moved to Feylin. Feylin was an honest man as all clerics aspire to be and not the trouble-making sort, but everyone in the temple knew he had aspirations to move up in the world.


    "Bishop¡­" Feylin understood immediately after reading the letter that he would be the most suspicious person. "I honestly did not go above your head. I am aware of my abilities. Although I want to become a grand adventurer, I know there''s still too much to learn." He said abashedly, clenching his fists in his lap at his own admission of his weakness. Sarah looked over at him, unsure of whether he was telling the truth or not. Unlike her, Jakobson was experienced in the world and knew right away that he wasn''t lying.


    Jakobson sighed.


    "Alright. You both read the letter. You will be assisting the clerics from the Burian in their assignment when they arrive. Get your things together. Feylin, I trust you know what to pack for such a large assignment. I am sure you have dreamt of a day like this for a long time. Help Sarah pack." There were the undertones of sarcasm in his words.


    Bishop Jakobson took a long look at Sarah¡­ he knew that the temple had become the only place she truly felt safe. However, he couldn''t ignore a direct order from above like this. Especially not one that seemed so high profile.


    "Sarah¡­ I know you do not like to leave the temple for long periods. I know as much as you do about the assignment right now, thus I cannot say how long you will be gone." He stood up and the two young acolytes followed suit. He patted their shoulders.


    "Both of you are more capable than you believe you are." He said, lightly gripping their shoulders. "Now get out of here and get ready. I assume they will be here within the week."


    "Yes!" Both of them responded immediately, albeit with very different emotions.


    They both departed, being careful when shutting the door. The room fell into silence except for the subtle sound of water flowing through plant potted throughout the room. Jakobson dropped down on a couch behind his desk and shut his eyes in thought. He brought his hands up to his temples and pressed down, kneading his throbbing mind.


    He knew that they didn''t contact HQ. He also was certain he had never mentioned them to anyone in his rare communications with the church headquarters. So¡­ how did they know about the two acolytes?


    And this was only half the trouble.


    "Since begging their assignment, 2 have passed away in service¡­" Jakobson grumbled. Death in this world, as in all worlds, was just as common as life. Even for clerics of life like themselves - even with all their healing abilities. But¡­ for two to die on one assignment? It felt odd. This oddness only looked stranger when he considered that the HQ had called for use of two acolytes instead of anyone with more strength. ¡°And two acolytes they shouldn''t even know of¡­¡±


    Although not many, their temple at the edge of the world did have a few former adventurers and more capable individuals. These people were all known by HQ and very few of them were on other assignments. So¡­ why was HQ asking for two acolytes who are still green.


    "Mmm¡­" He moaned from an ever-present headache and rubbed his temples.

 60. Taking the First Step

    The sound of grinding stone echoed out from the face of the cliff. Suddenly, a human sized boulder began to slide out of position and threatened to plummet below, hitting a few cracked edges on the way down.


    A meter to the right, Noone was looking over in confusion.


    "But¡­ I didn''t even touch it?" He groaned, a sudden anxiety filling his heart. Noone looked down to see the stone already dropping quickly out of sight.


    After waiting motionless for a few moments with no change, Noone gave a gentle ¡®huh¡¯ and continued on. He spared a glance into the crevice the large stone just fell out of. Behind the stone were cracks about the size of a hair spread throughout the entire surface. Noone hesitated for a moment but decided to forget it and kept moving forward.


    He had been climbing for half a day now and was very excited at his progress. Despite not having used his body in a while it seemed the plant had kept him in shape. This was good news as far as he was concerned.


    He moved efficiently along the rock, finding easy handholds amongst the cracks and crevices of the cliff. Blood pumped through his veins and he had gained enough momentum that - even with the pack - he was leaping from one handhold to the next. He was extremely wary of the loose stone, but was confident in being able to readjust before losing the momentum and falling.


    Every time he jumped he would take a deep breath of the salty humid air. It felt amazing on his lungs and he found himself really enjoying the sensation.


    "Maybe I have been taking things too seriously." He thought silently, mind wandering as he let his body fall into a rhythm. Something about nearly dying had given him some perspective about the last few years of his life in Tapestry.


    "I''ve wasted so much time." He thought. "Feeling sorry for myself." He jumped over a portion of unstable rock and easily planted his foot into a crevice, switching hands. "Caring that I was different." He shimmied directly to the right, keeping his body close to the wall and scraping against his clothes. "Well none of it will matter in the desolate world above. If I don''t die immediately, I can make my own way. I won''t waste what time I have." He nodded to himself. Noone was about to leap up, when suddenly a handful of stones from around him began to break off and fall.


    "I needed thi- HUH?" Noone dodged to the left, grabbing on to a protruding shelf only a few inches wide. He watched the stone fall past him with wide eyes.


    "Well then¡­ if that''s how it''s going to be." By this point Noone was covered in sweat and his muscles bulged under his skin like steel cable, his fingers gripped the stone around him like iron. The sun was approaching the cloud line. Noone was still smiling though, enjoying the adrenaline that came with the climb.


    ¡°I have been playing too safe.¡± Noone said - out loud. No one was there to hear him, but he was there to hear himself, and these words resonated within him. Whether or not he meant this about his coming of age trial, or something else ¨C only he knew.


    Noone picked up his pace, wanting to ascend above this portion of cliff before the sun set. His body flung itself up gaily, latching onto new stone and using that momentum to leap at every opportunity. Noone was not aware of it, but his mental state was gradually changing over the day. It had been changing ever since the sun peaked through the clouds and its rays bathed him in energy.


    Maybe it was the new lease on life gained from nearly dying in some random hole in the earth. Maybe it was the plant. Maybe it was something that was always there, just waiting to be uncovered, bursting through all at once.


    When Noone saw his body pierced through in his memories, and his meridians and veins diagrammed out by the roots of the plant, he experienced a rebirth of his spirit. His desire to live had flared up, quietly in the back of his mind waiting for the right moment.


    Noone did not know his meridians had become reinforced, but energy from the universe was now being filtered into his body. It was a small and inconsequential amount for most people, even less than a newborn of Tapestry. But for Noone, it was already more than he would ever have before.


    Right now though, it simply existed as some extra power running through his physical form. Like unprocessed fuel, Noone would probably never even realize it was there spreading through him - even into his mind. His mind feasted on the energy like a beggar given a buffet.


    ¡­Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Sarah and Feylin both stood outside the office with various thoughts crossing their mind. Feylin was very excited and more than a little overwhelmed. Sarah too was overwhelmed but not nearly as excited. In his mind Feylin was already packing, imagining what the people coming from the inland will be like.


    Many of the clerics at the temple were not what Feylin would imagine when thinking about the glories given to the church. Every one of them were retired and kept to themselves apart from meal time and prayer. They were still devout members, and good people, and no doubt all had their own stories to tell, but he was young and spry and eager for adventure, and the idea of meeting clerics like those in the stories filled him with excitement.


    "Alright, here let''s stop by my quarter and I will write down a list of things you should bring for long travels." Feylin said with a little too much eagerness. He was already 2 paces ahead. "It''s not like going to the nearby towns! You will need to be prepared for every circumstance."


    ¡°Excuse me but you can¡¯t possibly know what this will entail.¡± Sarah rolled her eyes. "And what do you know about ''long travels'' Feylin!?" Sarah bit, glaring at the eager young man. She was not looking forward to this he realized, and most likely it would be taken out on him.


    "Now now, don''t be mad at me. Ultimately this is out of both of our hands, we are simply being dragged along." Feylin attempted to push her anger off on anything not him.


    Sarah realized he was right. She took a deep breath and clasped her hands in front of her chest, saying a short prayer to calm herself and plead for deliverance from her responsibility. She knew that it was no use, so she just settled her nerves and made to follow Feylin.


    "So¡­ where is Burian anyways, Feylin?" She adjusted her robes and tunic casually, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.


    "Hmm¡­ Somewhere important?" Feylin responded without any sense of propriety, extremely non-comital about his answer.


    "What? You mean you don''t know? You want to go see the world in service of the church and you don''t know?" She stared at Feylin incredulously. If she were to ever want to leave, she would do everything within her power to learn absolutely everything she could beforehand. Just to be safe. She could only take a deep breath and ignore her companion.


    "Well there are a lot of places in the world." Feylin said, putting on a face as though it had nothing to do with him.


    Sarah sighed. She resigned herself to look it up later after packing.


    "By the way how have your studies been going Sarah?" He asked, attempting to change the topic.


    "I haven''t made any progress since gaining access to the last level of spells." She said. Her tone became nonchalant as though it did not bother her.


    "Which second level did you decide to focus on?" Feylin looked over his shoulder curiously. Sarah began learning second level spells several months before him, but eventually he caught up to her after buckling down in his studies and prayers.


    He grew up in the temple ever since he was a child. He was dropped on the doors of the temple and his parents disappeared into the night. Since beginning to learn the ways of the church, he always felt he was meant for great things, living a life in the world bringing glories to his temple at the west edge of the world.


    Jakobson told him often that he would do well by being more humble.


    Jakobson, of course, was right.


    Sarah hesitated for a moment, "Healing prayer."


    "Ah. I should have known. You do know there is a whole world out there right? Do you really just want to stay here in the middle of nowhere practicing nothing but healing?" Sarah didn''t respond, letting Feylin talk as much as he wanted.


    "Anyways, I decided to focus on Spirit Weapon." He flashed a smile at her, hoping to see any reaction other than being ignored. Unfortunately, Sarah didn''t respond.


    Despite how it may seem on the outside, they actually got along alright. She understood Feylin''s intentions, wanting to leave this boring place and explore. She didn''t hold it against him and that''s why she let him talk like this.


    And Feylin also understood that she enjoyed her peace and quiet. He was never told what occurred 5 years ago that brought her to the temple. One day Jakobson arrived back from a week-long assignment and brought her with him. He said that she had interest in learning the ways of healing, so they fed her and gave her books and she took to it like a fish in water.


    For the first year or two she was extremely quiet. Feylin only remembered her speaking a few times, and usually only to Jakobson. When Yisanet came to the temple, Jakobson put her under Sarah''s care. Ever since then she had become more social on the outside. However, everyone could tell that no matter how social she showed herself being, she was still a very closed off individual.


    Feylin felt bad for her. He could only imagine what brought her to the temple, nothing good certainly. But she studied hard and was a devout acolyte, so what else could be asked for?


    "By the way did Yisanet pretend to hurt her ankle when she found you?" Feylin changed the topic.


    "Yeah."


    "Mm."


    "Jakobson spoils her too much."


    "Compared to you?"


    Silence stood tall and Sarah said nothing.

 61. The Burian...?

    Noone was panting violently on the edge of a shelf, sitting with his legs hanging casually over the side. He had decided to climb past the area with loose stone before the sun set, however he severely underestimated just how high the cracks had spread.


    Sweat dripped from his body, pooling onto the stone underneath. His breaths came out course, but consistent. As Noone watched the last corner of the sun peak down past the ocean, a noticeable smile was drawn on his lips. Despite his mad dash he couldn¡¯t deny his exhilaration. He felt alive.


    Soon the world passed on into darkness. Noone laid back leaving his legs dangling. For the first time in a long time he felt like things were looking up. He wasn''t sure why he felt this. It was just a feeling deep inside him. His eyes closed, and he quickly fell asleep. The wind between the sea and the clouds brushed across his body, but he didn''t feel it. The night had already taken him.


    ¡­


    A book was shoved into the chest of an average sized male with tan skin and brown hair, he stumbled back nearly tripping against his dresser. Walking past him into his quarters, Sarah strolled in glaring like a disappointed spouse.


    "Sarah don''t you know its immodest to enter a male''s quarters like this." Despite having her over the night before, Feylin gave a weak excuse to attempt at saving face against the stronger-minded young woman.


    "Just look at the book Feylin." She bit. She sat on the chair in front of his desk and leaned back balancing precariously on the two back legs. Initially when coming to the temple she was shy, and people may confuse her for still being rather timid at times, but the truth was far simpler. She just enjoyed keeping to herself, unbothered.


    Feylin could see that Sarah was serious. He looked down at the leather-bound book that was shoved into him. It was heavy despite being comparatively small inside, barely bigger than his palm. But it was thick and dense with information.


    Specifically, it seemed to be a travel resource with references to church and temple locations. There was a bookmark set to a page towards the very front of the book. Feylin flipped the cover open and began to thumb through the pages. Each page was incredibly thin and dense with information, the writing was so small that it was barely legible.


    "Grand Temple for the Order of Life." Feylin mumbled, reading the heading at the top of the page. His eyes tracked across the words written.


    "Burian¡­" after a moment of mouthing the words he read, his eyes suddenly widened, and he looked back towards Sarah who was staring straight at him. He was struck dumb and speechless, a rarity for him.


    "Burian is one of the departments at the Headquarters for our order, Feylin." The way she said his name ¨C Feylin - made it sound biting and accusatory. Feylin was still dumb to what she was saying.


    "Sarah¡­ What do you mean?" His emotions were in turmoil as his mind refused to put the pieces together. Such a prestigious chapter was too far removed to their little edge-of-the-world temple.


    "Feylin. When Jakobso- the bishop asked you if you had anything to do with this, you said no. He believed you, and I was inclined to believe him. Did you? I swear Feylin, if you did something that got the attention of such a high branch of the church, I''ll¡­ I''ll¡­" Sarah stumbled over her words and just looked frustrated, crossing her arms in front of her chest.


    "Sarah¡­" Feylin was beginning to understand why she was so flustered, he himself could barely believe it.


    "Sarah, I swear to you I never contacted the church. I had nothing to do with this." He looked back at her and spoke the truth, he really didn''t have anything to do with it. He looked down quickly and skimmed through the rest of the information on the Burian.


    Basically, it existed as a task force assignment for the upper echelons of the church. It consisted of student paladins and student clerics, grand-paladins, and grand-clerics. Fifth to Tenth level elites among elites.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Wow." Feylin couldn''t help but express his admiration. There were countless clerics and paladins on the continent, but probably only a few handfuls in the Burian.


    "Yeah¡­ Wow." Sarah''s voice dripped with sarcasm.


    "Sarah. What are you so upset about, so they come from an upper chapter of the church, so what? Plus¡­ this will be a good opportunity, the letter Jak- bishop received said we would have the opportunity to return with them." Feylin shrugged, setting the book down on his dresser. He thought about the opportunities that would come if he impressed a member of the Burian. Sarah just looked at him like he was an idiot.


    "Feylin. Did you notice what wasn''t in the list of members of the Burian?" Before he could respond. "Acolytes."


    "And do you remember what the letter said?" before he could answer, "Two of them have already died." Sarah watched Feylin to see if her point was clicking through his immeasurably dense skull.


    "Feylin. Two members of an upper level task force located at the grand-temple died while on whatever mission they are presently on." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Two people much more capable and experienced than both of us combined. ¡°Finally, Feylin put together all the pieces. His normally tanned complexion paled. Not only were they merely acolytes, but any mission assigned to the Burian was surely dangerous. Extremely dangerous.


    "Sarah¡­" His lips made a smacking sound and he suddenly felt extremely thirsty. However, just as quickly as it came it left and soon resolve took its place. "It will be okay.¡± He reassured her. ¡°We are tools in the hands of our gods after all, and they hold our interests in mind as well. Maybe this is just part of a bigger plan." He walked over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Soothing magic worked its way through his palm.


    "Yeah¡­ You''re right." Sarah''s strong demeanor from earlier began to fade. She had become extremely anxious and her front was her way of covering that up. She hated that part of herself, so she did everything she could to hide it.


    "I''m sorry Feylin."


    "It''s fine. I understand." He flashed a cheerful smile at her as though nothing was wrong. "We should go talk to Jakobson and ask whether or not he has received any new information."


    She nodded her head and took a deep breath, recomposing herself in the process.


    They left the book on Feylin''s dresser and made their way through the halls of the temple. The sun was blaring through the eastern windows lighting the entire corridor. There was no stained glass in this portion of the temple to add any colors, so the halls were awash in white light.


    Other members of the clergy were moving about, going about their days. When not coming in or going out on minor assignments - or praying and studying - there were many chores to be done around the temple. Someone was always cleaning or tending to the gardens or cooking or hosting discussions. It was actually rather a bustling place considering how few people lived there.


    The entire grounds were home to around 50 people. There were 10 or so Acolytes and the rest were all clerics or retired paladins. Rumors around the temple were that the bishop ¨C Jakobson ¨C was actually a retired grand-cleric. However, he never really talked about it and only rarely would he open up when the acolytes bugged.


    The small number of people in the temple created a very familial atmosphere. They all worshipped the same gods and worked together to study and grow within their light. For Feylin, it was the only life he knew. For Sarah, it was the only life she wished she had known.


    Living day by day next to the same fifty people let them all get to know each other on sight. They could recognize any person in the temple and easily tell you their name and a few things about them. They were one big happy family.


    Feylin and Sarah simultaneously turned the corner to the hall which held Jakobson''s office. It was a quiet morning all around, and they knew Jakobson basically slept in that office, so they weren¡¯t worried about him not being there.


    Down the hall, they saw his office door open from the inside and suddenly a woman whom they had never seen before stepped out. Behind her was another woman in the same clothes and outfitted with the same accessories. Sarah and Feylin looked at each other and their heart skipped a collective beat.


    Their eyes held the same question. Could they be¡­?


    Suddenly both of the strangers stepped out of the way of the door, and a tall male stepped out between them, ducking a little to not hit his head.


    Feylin and Sarah both felt their jaw drop at the sight of the man.


    Intimidating.


    He stood at 6''6'''' and was extremely robust with a large but neatly-groomed gray beard. This was helped by his dense red armor which he wore with dignity and comfort, as though it didn''t even weigh the ton that it probably did. There was no clang of metal with his movements.


    On his back was a comfortably strapped battle-axe that was as large as the man himself, its two blades were the width of his shoulders and it covered the back of his head and neck. As he turned around the metal glinted a white hue in the sunlit hallway.


    All of this was wildly intimidating to the two acolytes, but the weirdest thing about the man was that on his shoulders sat Yisanet who looked like she was having a time of it. She sat quietly but it was obvious she was appreciating her newfound height. It created a dissonance in the minds of Sarah and Feylin, striking them speechless on the spot.


    Jakobson walked out behind the large man, noticing Feylin and Sarah straight away. When he looked over, the strangers turned to look at them too.


    "Ah. Feylin, Sarah, good timing. Come meet the team from Burian."

 62. A Party of 3

    "Hello!" The tall woman from Burian spoke first, waving her hand high above her head in greeting as though they weren''t only a hallway away. Her voice was extremely pleasant and lightly pitched. The ''o'' in her greeting was longer than necessary ending in an up-lilt that only exists amongst people with more than enough positive energy to spare. Sarah wasn''t sure from this distance, but it looked to her as though she even stood on her tip-toes trying to make herself more visible. Both of the acolytes were still in shock and were left unsure how to respond to such a person.


    Feylin took the lead, waving back awkwardly as they closed the distance.


    The other woman walked shoulder to shoulder with the first. Well, not quite shoulder to shoulder. She was significantly shorter than the first woman, but otherwise an average height. Once they were all face to face, it looked that Sarah and the taller woman were within an inch of each other. Sarah was an even six foot, so she assumed it was the other woman''s thin frame that made her look taller.


    The other woman was a few inches shorter than Feylin who was 5''8''''. She was bald; however, her features were soft and pale, and her smile made it the look suit her. Sarah assumed she used to be a monk before finding a reason to join the Order of the Life. Sarah noticed that her eyes had small smile wrinkles around them. It seemed she did a lot of smiling. The acolytes assumed she was probably the less energetic type than her taller counterpart.


    The two women wore very similar outfits, adorned with unique trinkets of worship. Holy symbols, prayer beads, prayer slips, and woven belts with blessings engraved on them. Feylin and Sarah looked over their garments in admiration. They could only imagine what half of the items did... Or how expensive it all must have been.


    "Hello," the shorter woman smiled and the wrinkles around her eyes deepened. "I''m Sally, Cleric and Student at Burian. It''s nice to meet you both" She stretched out her hand, her palm facing down.


    Both Feylin and Sarah responded in kind, putting their palm underneath hers - facing up.


    In the common world, it was a symbol of greeting used in and out of every circle. To place your hand out and facing palm down was extending greeting to someone younger than you or under you on a hierarchy.


    Facing up would be extending greeting to someone your senior.


    And extending horizontally - side by side - was to extend greeting to an equal or someone you respect who you see as at your level.


    "I¡¯m Feylin, this is Sarah. We are both humble acolytes in your service and to the service of our gods." He restrained his usual excitable nature, to make a good impression. Sarah gave him a sarcastic glance.


    Sally smiled at this, suddenly though, a whisper loud enough to be heard by everybody echoed out of the little girls mouth who was still sitting on the large man¡¯s shoulders. "He''s not very humble, to be honest." Yisanet giggled and kicked her feet enjoying her height over the adults. The paladin stood behind Sally and the tall woman, next to Jacobson. She was leaned over as though she was attempting to speak right into the man¡¯s ear, however one look at the smile on her face would let everyone know her voice was meant to be heard.


    Feylin¡¯s eyes went wide and Sarah looked the other way attempting to restrain a chuckle. Everyone else smiled wryly at the child¡¯s antics. Jakobson, feeling especially responsible, cleared his throat.


    After the moment of wry smiles had passed, the tall woman extended her hand to Sarah. "It is a pleasure to meet you Sarah. I''m Raelith Ringflower, but everyone just calls me Rae. I hope you can forgive us for stealing you away from the temple for a small while. Oh, I am a cleric student as well." She spoke bluntly, but her demeanor was so cheery it hardly mattered. Sarah and Feylin both returned the greeting, palms upturned.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Finally, the paladin stepped forward. Standing opposed to his massive height, Sarah and Feylin found it hard to believe humans could get so big. Sarah being in front, extended her hand upwards in greeting. Now that she could see the man up close face to face, it felt like an overwhelming ocean-wave was rushing towards her. He stood tall and strong like a mountain, and his eyes were sharp, but wrinkled with age and exhaustion.


    His hair and beard were finely groomed, a feat considering their constant traveling until now. Gray and aged, but equally intimidating.


    He stretched out his massive hand, easily double the size of hers, however instead of placing it over hers, he put it horizontally. Sarah looked down in confusion and back up at the man.


    His other hand grasped hers and forced it horizontally against his palm. He smiled down towards her, and she felt an odd feeling of satisfaction from the action.


    "My name is Tobias Brighton, I am not a student but a grand-paladin with Burian. It is a pleasure to meet you both, I am sorry for the last-minute nature of our arrival. I hope you can forgive us." He met Sarah¡¯s hesitant gaze sincerely as he spoke.


    Suddenly the pressure that Sarah had been feeling disappeared. Instead of an unstoppable wave, it felt like she was standing in front of a being of endless grace and kindness. She took a deep breath. It was similar to how she would feel after studying or praying.


    Despite his warrior nature, it was clear he was indeed a paladin of the faith.


    Feylin too extended greetings with Tobias, he was unsure how he felt about being greeted as an equal in comparison to such a high-level senior. However, he couldn''t refuse, and it did make him happy to be respected like that.


    Such a greeting said a lot about Tobias'' character.


    Sarah and Feylin were both immensely impressed, the two clerics with him were extremely nonchalant about the whole exchange. To them, meeting acolytes was a daily discourse. The only thing special about these two was that they existed only in the outskirts of society. Especially at the last bastion towards the western edge of the world.


    "Alright. Now that everyone has met, I must ask that you all join me back in the office in an hour." Jakobson spoke and all eyes fell on him. Suddenly Feylin and Sarah both realized that, compared to everyone here, he was extremely short.


    Jakobson stood at 5 foot, halfling blood ran through his veins. They had become used to his size over the years and didn''t even think about it anymore. But now seeing him stand beside Tobias, it left him looking out of his depth.


    Feylin attempted to hold back a snicker at this, but he was greeted with a glare as Jakobson seemed to know what he was thinking.


    "Sarah, please show Rae and Sally where to find the armory, they put their weapons up on their way in. While there, have them talk to you about the weapons within. I know you are used to taking the maces on your missions, however this is a bit more serious, so it is important you will pick a weapon that you will be comfortable with for a¡­ while." Sarah and Feylin both looked at each other.


    "When you are done there, bring your weapons with you and come back to my office." Jakobson paused for a second and scrunched his eyes in thought. "Actually, make it two hours. Also, I am afraid that you both will be leaving today at nightfall. In two hours when you come back, we will fill you in on the details."


    Sarah felt her anxiety flare to life; however, she gripped the holy symbol attached to her bracelet discretely and said a small prayer to try and suppress it.


    "Yes Bishop, we will be back soon then." Sarah had a moment of pride at being able to keep her voice from wavering, however against everyone present with their combined life experience, they could easily read how nervous she was. When talking with Jakobson earlier, they all received a bit of information about Sarah and Feylin, just so they knew what kind of people these acolytes were.


    The four walked off down the hall, leaving Jakobson and Tobias alone to talk.


    "They''re so young¡­" Tobias''s voice entered Jakobson''s ears. He merely nodded, small dark wrinkles could be seen forming under his eyes.


    "So¡­ tell me Jakobson. How does the Burian know about them, and what is the deal with using two acolytes when we have perfectly fine clerics and paladins for you?" Jakobson asked, extremely nonchalant. However, it was clear. He was very serious.


    Tahmel looked at Jakobson before nodding. They walked back to the office for privacy.

 63. Choosing Weapons

    Sarah walked in front, followed by Feylin, Raelith and Sally. She held on to the small holy symbol attached to her bracelet, doing her best to not think about what lay ahead. She would know in due time after all... for now she just focused on her steps.


    "So, Feylin. I''m sorry for the last minute-ness of all of this. We heard that you received the letter only yesterday?" Sally spoke first, carefully giving some space to Sarah.


    "Ah, yes.¡± He mumbled. ¡°However, knowing you could show up any day we packed our equipment yesterday night." It was clear from his voice that he too was a bit distracted.


    "Would you like us to take a look through your gear? Perhaps before we set off?" Rae smiled, offering her sincere help. "We have a bit of experience for long distance travel after all, so it might be useful." Her voice was light and pitched with honey, a subtle chuckle existed as an undertone to her every word.


    Suddenly Sarah abruptly interjected, she looked over her shoulder meeting Raelith¡¯s eyes. "How long is ''long distance'' in our case?" Her voice was curt. It was clear what she was asking.


    Raelith hesitated before responding, sharing a glance with Sally who said nothing. "The remainder of our journey we estimate to be a year. Six months to the edge, and six months back here."


    "To the edge?" It was Feylin¡¯s turn to interrupt, without thinking he couldn''t help but express his shock.


    Sally sighed and came to the rescue of Rae. "There is a lot of information about the mission, all of which we can explain later. I''m sorry. I know how this must feel. But! It is time you both go out into the world anyways, you can only go so far under the safety of the temple after all.¡± She shrugged her expression of sympathy. ¡°I promise though, we will keep you safe. We are all tools under the gods of life. And they are kind, and compassionate, as should we be." Conviction rode her speech, it was clear that not a single word was put on for show.


    Hearing her words, Sarah''s heart was slightly put at ease. She realized it was too late now, like a song that was already started, there was no quitting before it ended.


    The four of them entered the armory without ceremony.


    It was called an armory, but really it was just a storage room for their weapons. Like a broom closet more than anything, but instead of brooms it was filled with maces and hammers and assorted shields - most of which having not seen battle for the better part of a decade. During missions, even the most innocuous ones, it was important that they carried some weapon with them to protect themselves.


    Clerics received mixed feelings from the different races of the world. Especially members of the order of the Light. Not only were they specialized in healing, but they lived according to a creed of a morally and ethically upright life.


    Much of this world was not moral - it was violent and cruel and by many accounts, uncaring. Clerics were charged with rising above that, and sometimes that means fighting against it. And sometimes fighting¡­ is meant literally.


    This was something they knew well in theory, but Feylin and Sarah both lived at the edge of the world in a predominantly human demographic where almost everyone got along out of necessity. In small societies, they are very good at self-patrolling. It is when you encounter larger societies that disorder occurs.


    On the back wall, two weapons hung that Sarah and Feylin had never seen before. In the dusty room they hung beautiful and majestic, reflecting a light which was not there.


    One was a 6-foot-long golden hued spear. White lines were etched into the body spiraling upwards from the bottom. It looked to reflect light perfectly as its metal handle colored the nearby wall gold. The tip was a foot and a half by itself, extending like a massive double-sided glaive.


    Next to it was a Hammer and Shield combination set. It was silver and looked dauntingly heavy, the handle of the hammer particularly had an extremely intricate white wrapping. If you looked carefully, you could see small runic symbols woven into the wrap. The shield was extremely plain, no etchings or designs existed on it. However, it was polished to a mirror shine. Even the back. Not a scratch could be seen on any of the weapons.


    As Feylin and Sarah gawked at the equipment, Sally and Rae were taking catalog of the weapons in the room. Almost all of them were weapons suited for Acolytes or Novices - which was good. A few of the weapons were designated property of others who lived at the temple.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "So, what weapons do you usually use? Feylin?" Rae broke them out of their awe after a few moments.


    "Umm¡­ I have tried a few different weapons. Usually I just take whatever is available." Feylin spoke honestly, he knew that she had more experience than both he and Sarah combined, so it would do no good to act more mature than he was.


    "Ah. And you Sarah?"


    "I usually just use a 1 handed mace. There is always one available." She gestured towards the rack of a dozen and a half maces.


    Sally and Rae looked at each other, an unreadable expression crossed their faces.


    "If you don''t mind my asking, how old are you both?" Rae spoke gently.


    "I am 18." Feylin replied first, knowing he was the youngest one present.


    "Twenty." Sarah said. When she came to the temple, she had only been 15.


    Both Rae''s and Sally''s eyes widened. Sally''s teeth clenched together but she relaxed immediately.


    "You''re so¡­ young." Sally allowed her eyes to scan their bodies, evaluating them a bit differently. She knew they were young upon first meeting them, but she didn''t realize how young. Clerics and acolytes had a tendency to remain young-looking, so relying on looks alone was not always practical.


    Rae too had lost her energetic spirit for a moment.


    "Sarah? Feylin? This might sound weird, but if you would like I can use a special ability of mine to look into your beings and see what weapons would be best for you?" Rae scratched beside her lip, looking off to the side as she spoke. Feylin and Sarah looked at each other, their eyebrows raised in shock. Was there such a skill? Raelith held up her hands with two fingers extended out on each. "All I need to do is touch your head and I will be able to see a little bit about what kind of person you are, it will be helpful in knowing what type of equipment would be best for the coming year."


    Without any further hesitation both acolytes agreed. After a bit of coaching, Rae approached Feylin putting her fingers against his temples.


    A moment of silence passed with them synching up their breaths. All at once Rae opened her eyes with Feylin. She smiled.


    "Balanced." Her voice had an ethereal quality to it, as though speaking some underlying truth.


    "I would suggest you use a sword and buckler. It is one of the most versatile combinations in the common world and allows for the widest range of fighting styles. Your shield should be one with a pointed or spiked bottom so that it can double as a weapon if the need arises."


    Feylin took her words to heart and nodded seriously. He moved to the side to search for a sword and shield set. All of the equipment here was well maintained despite the dust, so he wasn''t picky and just picked the first one he came across.


    Rae looked at Sarah and motioned for her to stand closer.


    "Ready?" Rae smiled warmly. Sarah hesitated a moment before nodding her head and closing her eyes. She felt Rae''s thin fingers touch her temples.


    Feylin and Sally stood silently nearby. Feylin watched with intense curiosity. Despite living with Sarah for the past five years, he couldn¡¯t say he knew for sure what type of being Sarah was. She always had played her cards close to her chest.


    "Aggressive." Rae mumbled - an unnoticed frown crossing her expression. Rae''s hands came down from Sarah¡¯s temples, giving Sarah a moment to collect herself.


    "You should use a 2 handed Mace."


    Sarah looked questioningly at Rae before glancing around the room. In one of the corners there was a leftover 2-handed mace. It was 5 and a half feet long - much like a spear - but instead of a point on the end there was a heavy edged-bludgeon.


    "The two-handed mace is a specialized tool that not many people can master. It is brutal and unforgiving. It comes from a manner of fighting where you do not have a need of defense like a shield, so you maximize on your offense instead. It is not like the spear which most anyone can use. Because of its lopsided weight, it requires much practice even at an early level, to wield with balance and stability." Raelith spoke smoothly, looking over the weapon.


    Both Acolytes could tell immediately that she was some manner of weapons expert, the way she spoke gave it away clear as day. Speaking so clearly and precisely left a deep impression on them.


    Feylin looked at Sarah, after hearing Rae''s description he felt that he caught a glimpse into a part of her he didn''t know existed¡­ As if feeling his eyes on her, Sarah immediately met his gaze.


    "By the way, Raelith, Sally? How old are you two?" Feylin coughed, breaking eye contact. He was extremely curious what the difference in experience was between them.


    "54, just." Sally said smiling and not looking a day past 30.


    "177." Rae said proudly, not looking a day past 20.


    Feylin and Sarah''s jaw dropped.

 64. An Odd Pendant and a Paladins Regret

    After receiving a basic run-down of the weapons and being reassured that Rae and Sally will help train them on the journey, the four left the weapon storage to head back towards Jakobson''s office. It was close to mid-day now and many people were in the halls heading towards the dining room.


    Sally and Rae got looks from many of the senior members residing in the temple. It seemed many of them recognized a few of the symbols and ephemera on their clothing. Some stopped them to exchange greetings and ask about situations at head-quarters which the acolytes didn''t know about. Some even inquired about people who they held in common.


    Feylin and Sarah stayed silent through most of it, asking a few questions about Burian and the grand-temple but otherwise having nothing to share.


    When the seniors saw the two acolytes with their weapons walking alongside the Burian students, they had a general sense of what was going on, extending their congratulations and wishing them safe travels.


    Sarah walked with the pole-mace strapped to her back. It was a weird feeling leaving her off-balance and slightly disorientated. However, Rae showed her numerous ways to strap it to her body to decrease the awkwardness. When Sarah watched Rae walk with her spear, it left her in awe. The way Raelith walked made it seem as though she wasn''t even encumbered by it. Sally also wore her weapons with a similar finesse. They were both very practiced with their movements.


    Sarah, on the other hand, was extremely conscious of her weapon. Although it felt comfortable enough, it was so large that she constantly felt she was going to trip over it.


    Feylin had it a bit easier. Sword and shield were worn not too differently from a mace and shield set, which all acolytes receive the most basic training in. His hand rested at the hilt of his sword constantly to keep it from swinging too much at his waist. He still needed time to become adept at walking with it.


    Sally knocked on the door to Jakobson''s office, entering when Tobias called out. All four piled inside. Although the room was large enough to fit ten people easily, Tobias''s massive size, along with Rae''s and Sarah''s heights, made the room feel more crowded.


    "How did it go you two?" Jakobson said, gesturing at their weapons.


    "It went okay. Rae helped us choose our tools." Sarah responded coolly, trying to pick out any clues to Jakobson¡¯s and Tobias¡¯s conversation. Tobias looked both of the acolytes up and down. He knew Rae was a weapons expert, given her experience and capability he was sure their weapons would be well suited to them.


    "Alright. Everyone take a seat, we will explain what we can about the mission as well as giving you a brief overview of what can be expected." Tobias took the lead. He talked with Jakobson for the time that the other four were gone, telling him about some of the background to the mission that he wouldn''t be telling the acolytes. Out of respect.


    Jakobson was a little troubled by the assignment, however after talking with Tobias he had faith that the paladin would be able to keep them safe until they return. There seemed to be larger forces at play here¡­ but he knew nothing could be done. Sarah and Feylin were young, but they were not children anymore. He could not protect them forever.


    Everyone sat down, including the large paladin. Sarah and Feylin both felt anxious. Sarah focused on her breathing while waiting for the conversation to begin. She always believed she would be able to live her life quietly at the temple. However, it would be a lie if there wasn''t something inside of her waking up at the thought of a change of pace. Ultimately it depended on what the change is.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Jakobson cleared his throat and all eyes fell on him. Next to him sat Sally and Raelith.


    "A year and a half ago, five of us left from the grand-temple next to the capital in the common lands." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he remembered back. "Myself, a grand-cleric, a student paladin, Rae and Sally."


    "During the travel, while crossing into the southern lands we encountered a cave system which we thought to use as a bypass for the barren mountains. It was an old-traveled route that I was vaguely familiar with from my time as an adventurer.


    We weren''t aware that the caves underneath the mountain were recently occupied by a collection of drow¡­ due to our unpreparedness we had to fight our way through.¡±  A heavy sighed crossed the space. ¡°In the process we lost both Jarenn, and Rile." The paladin grit his teeth, thinking of the injustice of his companions¡¯ deaths.


    "Anyways¡­ from there we continued on relatively easy to here. The last temple before entering the desolate land of the cliffs at the south-western edge."


    Feylin and Sarah listened carefully, attempting to place the locations into their minds. Neither were very knowledgeable about the geography of the world. The known world spanned an immense distance. It was presumed that if you started at any one edge, and attempted to trek to the other without making use of magic or flight or other tools, years would pass before you saw ocean again.


    The paladin reached into his shirt under his armor and pulled out a necklace in the shape of a sun. In the center of the necklace there was a blue stone the likes of which Feylin and Sarah had never seen. When Jakobson saw it his eyes nearly bulged out of his head.


    "Well. That''s certainly expensive." Jakobson choked. His voice cracked with disbelief. Sarah couldn''t even imagine how expensive it must be for Jakobson to find it weird that a grand-paladin had it. As far as she was concerned, he was probably in ownership of more wealth than she had seen her entire life.


    "Mm." Tobias twisted the chain and when the sun spun around, suddenly it didn''t look like a sun anymore, but like a crescent moon. The blue stone floated in the center cupped by the moon. As it continued to spin the moon disappeared and the sun reformed. There was no shimmer of magic involved. It must have been an extremely high-level item. Feylin and Sarah were both enraptured by it.


    "This is why we are here. I probably shouldn''t tell you this, but oh well. A woman who I will not name with ties to the grand-priest requested an exchange of services. She would owe him a favor, if he would obtain what was at the other end of this necklace." His voice was gruff. This whole assignment had been one annoyance after the next, and he did not appreciate the fact that services of the Order were sold out. However, when he thought of the identity of the woman, it wasn''t like he couldn¡¯t understand. There were very few individuals in the whole world who could receive her favor.


    "The stone at the center of the necklace is an extremely rare stone of pure elemental energy. This one particularly is an Infinite Water Stone. Using certain methods, it creates an endless supply of water using very little energy. No one knows how they are made or where they come from. Sometimes they are merely found. It is said that they occur naturally under circumstances so specific that even an epoch of research is unable to duplicate it."


    "What about the sun and the moon?" Feylin asked, enraptured by the constant change. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn''t see the moment it switched from being a sun to a moon.


    "The necklace the stone is set in is an incomparably fine piece of craftsmanship to be sure. Most like a Master Dwarven Smith or maybe even a Gnome of some sort. However, with enough money you could afford to buy one. The same can''t be said for the stone itself." Tobias gladly responded to Feylins¡¯ question. It was important he start teaching them a bit about the world, especially if they decided to join them on the return to headquarters.


    "Wait, did you say the grand-priest?" Sarah''s brain whiplashed as she realized what Tobias had said. The grand-priest was the supreme existence within the order of life. They were on a mission from the grand-priest¡­


    "Yes. In exchange for a favor, grand-priest Elias assigned me to the task along with 4 men of my choosing from the Burian chapter¡­" His voice trailed off for a moment, in the back of his mind he severely regretted the loss of Jarenn and Rile. He wondered if he had chosen differently, if the outcome would have been different.


    After a silent moment he shook his head, putting those thoughts out of mind with a short prayer.

 65. An Ancient Tribe

    "The Burian chapter are an elite group of clerics and paladins with many merits already under their collective belts. In many places, the students in the Burian would be hailed as elites. In the Burian though, they become one of many." Tobias spoke with sincerity and intensity.


    "I was told to follow the necklace to wherever it led us - to the west. Not even I was expecting it to take us to the very edge of the common world though. When we reported our losses to HQ, they told us they would arrange two people to join us along the way." Finally, he put the necklace away looking directly at Sarah and Feylin.


    ¡°What we were unaware of till today, was that the two new members would be acolytes." He sighed, his large shoulders drooping under the weight placed upon them. "This is where I must apologize. I do not know why it is you, and I will not lie to you that it will be easy. But I can promise you I will keep you safe, I make an oath on the order itself." He stared intensely at both of them, but his gaze had become softer.


    Feylin was about to reassure the man, but Sarah spoke first. Her voice rang out with an odd security, like a waterfall that gave no leniency. "It is no problem Tobias. Please do not burden yourself with us. It isn''t necessary. We are all members of the order and we all know what responsibilities that comes with. I do not fear death, only losing my purpose under our gods."


    Feylin sat in minor shock, but he smiled and nodded his head in agreeance. Everyone looked upon Sarah in a better light ¨C everyone except Jakobson, who could see through the young girl.


    "So." Feylin said, "What is at the end of the road?"


    Sally and Rae shared a look among themselves. Tobias too, hesitated.


    "We are unsure," He said. "We were given the necklace and told that we must retrieve whatever it is that the necklace points to. We assume it is some treasure locked away somewhere. Perhaps even in a dungeon. Since we began following it, it continues to point us further and further to the southwest. Finally, it stopped pointing us south, and now we must go west. From here we leave the last vestiges of the common world. Everything between us and the edge of the world is barren wilderness covered in stone."


    Feylin and Sarah looked at each other. According the records, the western edge of the world at their latitude drops off at a cliff with the Endless Ocean at the bottom. In other places there are beaches or forests or deserts, but here it merely became desolation. There were no tribes of any kind further west than they.


    "Presumably you know about the western edge in this area?" Tobias asked. Both nodded their heads. "Well than you may be surprised to hear that there is an epoch tribe on an island in that general direction." A small sardonic smile played on his lips.


    Jakobson''s eyes went wide from surprise. Despite inhabiting this last bastion for decades, he had never heard of that before. Epoch tribes were stories of legends, ancient remnants of the world long passed.


    "I was surprised as well. I only heard about it from the Grand-Priest when I reported on our location.¡± Tobias chuckled, but the topic was everything except funny. ¡°Epoch Tribes are ancient civilizations from before any written records. They are our predecessors of this land, and very few remain that we know of. The one in this region is particularly¡­ hostile."


    Feylin and Sarah both attempted to make sense of the scale Tobias was speaking of. However, wrapping their minds around it was impossible. This was their first of hearing of such a people.


    "On an inlet to the north - near the very edge - their civilization lives secluded in a city built onto an island just offshore." Tobias closed his eyes, evaluating plans and contingencies as he spoke.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "We must be careful to not disturb them or run into them. I don''t know why they are so violent or why they lay claim to this area, but their magic is not like ours in the common world. It is more ancient, and deadly. They come from an epoch of never-ending war, according to records anyways."


    "How come the common world just lets them be?" Rae asked, since hearing mention of the epoch tribes, she too became extremely interested. She had lived a long time and constantly found increasingly dangerous things to amuse herself with.


    Tobias thought for a moment about how to answer. "Frankly, it just isn''t worth fighting them. They all mostly keep to themselves, and if they still exist today, they are home to immensely powerful wild gods which takes too much energy to fight. It would be a senseless battle." He thought for a moment. "You know the northernmost great lake on the eastern edge of the continent? The only reason that lake exists is because of a battle between a single epoch tribe and the old dragon country of the north."


    Rae''s eyes widened in shock as she imagined what that must have looked like. The northern lake was the smallest of the three lakes of the east. However, each one was immense in size and nothing to scoff at. You could fit an entire country inside each.


    "However, that was thousands of years ago, since then all has been quiet, as long as they aren''t disturbed." The paladin scoffed. "Anyways, whatever reason they exist here it has nothing to do with us. We just need to avoid them while we obtain whatever it is the necklace is attached to."


    Everyone retreated into their own thoughts, deciding how to feel about this new information. Eventually, Sarah spoke up in a tentative whisper. "What if whatever it is that you are meant to obtain... is within their territory?"


    "Then we give up and head home." Tobias said with finality. He had no interest in tangling with an epoch tribe. The world was full of enough dangers as is, there was no need making more enemies. Sarah nodded, appreciative of the paladin¡¯s firm and unbothered response. It was clear he had thought of this before.


    "So, what do you need from us?" Feylin couldn''t help but ponder aloud. The more he heard about the mission the more obscure everything became.


    "We are going to make our way to the west up to the edge of the world. En route we will fight our way through the desolate wilds, avoiding anyone we see from the epoch tribes. Honestly, I highly doubt we will run into any - although they reside in the nearby area they live mostly within their city.


    Once we have obtained whatever the item is,¡± he bounced the pendant in his hand, ¡°we will return to this temple to regroup. From here we will go back to the capital to deliver the item." Tobias looked at Sarah and Feylin specifically.


    "It will take a year to get to the edge and back. Close to a year and a half to return from here to the Grand-Temple. During this year Rae, Sally, and I will do what we can to train you in the way of the order of life, including weapon training. Should you decide to return to the grand-temple with us, I can guarantee your acceptance into the Burian, as long as you do everything to learn what we are willing to teach you." Tobias watched them closely, evaluating their expressions.


    Feylin and Sarah were both feeling intense emotions. The words they heard evoked a lot of imagery within their thoughts. They considered what it would be like to go to the capital to study in the highest echelons of the order. How traveling for so long would feel, and the parts of the world they would see in the process.


    Finally, they both consented.


    "Perhaps," Sarah consented, "it''s time I moved on." She thought about what her life would truly be like if she stayed here at this temple. After traveling to the edge and back with these people, she wasn''t sure if her quiet life would be enough.


    Aggressive. The words Raelith had said rung in her mind.


    Feylin, Sarah, Rae and Sally all left the room. They returned as a group to the acolytes resting quarters to advise them on what they should pack for such a long trip. Their newly formed party would be leaving that night.


    Eventually Sally and Rae left the acolytes to their own devices, heading to their rooms they were given so they could rest in a proper bed before leaving. They suggested Sarah and Feylin attempt to get some rest as well. They would be travelling through the night until they hit the edge of the desolate land.


    "Sarah?"


    "Yeah Feylin?"


    "How are you feeling about all this?"


    Sarah looked at Feylin, his eyes betraying his conflicted feelings.


    "I don''t know Feylin. I really don''t know."


    Sarah left to her room after that. She wanted the space to think.


    When she arrived at her room, it felt extremely comfortable. She found herself already missing the peace and quiet despite not having left yet. She walked over to a shrine she manufactured in the corner beside her bed.


    Five hours passed, and she knelt in front of it, praying to the gods for guidance and protection.

 66. A New Party

    Noone stood uncomfortably wedged in between a crevice on the cliff''s face. His pack was balanced in front of him and he was rummaging through it looking for anything he felt like eating. For the past month he subsisted on nothing but minimal amounts of water without much problem, however he felt like he was reaching his limit. He wasn''t sure if it was his true limit or not, but he felt it better to be safe than sorry.


    Noone gripped onto a packet of wrapped bread. When he finally pulled it out, it was cool to the touch and only mildly stale. The bread was made to survive a long time, even if it goes stale it would still be edible and rich with energy.


    Noone¡¯s hands were calloused and rough but despite this he delicately peeled open the wrappings, careful to not drop even a single crumb. During the last month Noone''s senses honed into his climbing and he made astounding progress. He thought that he moved fast before, but now he knew what fast meant.


    His speed increased, however so did his need to rest. Whatever expenditure his body needed to move at this level, it took it toll on him. Noone felt as though he had hit a plateau. Before, he knew it, every day he could move a little faster, go a little longer. But for the past few weeks he did not feel himself making any progress.


    His body stopped growing, even when he worked himself to exhaustion, he barely felt the sting of torn and rebuilding muscles. It left him a little disappointed.


    "There must be something¡­" He thought, shoving bread into his mouth. "Something I can do to break through this idle period."


    Noone talked to himself for a while, waiting for the suns¡¯ descent.


    The weirdest thing Noone noticed in the past few months was that he could no longer mindlessly climb the way he could before. He was still able to fall into a groove where his body took over. But it wasn''t like before. Before - it felt like he was giving himself over to something else, instincts he imagined it was.


    Now though¡­ he wasn''t so sure.


    Noone looked up at the sea of white cloud above him. Instead of being thousands of feet away, they were only a few meters. A single movement and he would be submersed in the icy world within the clouds. It was a surreal sight. Standing directly underneath them and looking across the horizon, it looked like an immense portal into some higher realm.


    Once Noone finished eating he replaced his pack and began to shimmy up the inside of the crevice into the clouds.


    Noone hesitated to breath in the icy and humid air but eventually he gave in, his lungs filled with cool vapor. The instant cold to his limbs and chest caused him to cough slightly, however compared to his freefall experience it was like a walk in the market.


    There was nothing like free-falling through frozen death to wake a man up. He chuckled sarcastically.


    Noone remembered immediately spitting up blood the first time from the sheer cold. Now though he was much better prepared. Both physically and mentally. Noone was also prepared for any attacks from the white birds. Gradually, he realized that climbing the cliff was both a blessing and a curse. On the plus side, it was one less direction he could be attacked from. But the downside was he lost a lot of maneuverability to fight back if and when he was attacked.


    So, for now he decided to stay within the crevice for as far as it went. Noone was unreasonably confident about his chances, and he recognized this, however he felt that if you are going to do something, then it was best to do it with confidence.


    At the pace Noone was moving at, he would be approaching Tapestry in six months at most, assuming there were no problems along the way, and he didn''t fall to his death.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    He chuckled at that.


    ¡­


    Sarah and Feylin Stood within the temple¡¯s courtyard with two worn travel packs and their weapons strapped to their bodies. Rae stood nearby instructing both how they should wear their weapons at all time to gradually get used to the weight and feel of them.


    Feylin''s left hand rested on the hilt of his sword, steadying the sway of it when he walked. Sarah leaned up against the wall, continually shifting to find a position that wouldn''t drive her weapon into her back. Her arms were crossed, and she examined the cart that sat there. There were reigns and a harness for a horse, however as far as she could tell they did not bring a horse with them.


    The sun was quickly dipping below the horizon and dusk settled over the temple. Soon a clergyman came to light the lanterns outside. He stepped up to each lantern, replacing the oil and lighting them with a flick of his fingers. Gradually the yard glowed with orange flame to ward off the night.


    The last two from Burian came out to the yard at the same time, looking well rested. Sarah and Feylin did not get a wink of sleep.


    "How are you feeling?" Tobias addressed them on sight, but his jovial tone clearly betrayed that he knew exactly how they were feeling. "Nervous? Excited? Scared?" He said, the lanterns in the yard lighting his carefree smile. Both acolytes nodded in response. Yes. They were indeed feeling all of those things. The paladins¡¯ smile widened. "Good." He said.


    He looked the two acolytes over. They truly were young; however, he had met thousands of young acolytes in his time, and just by looking them in the eye he could see their potential. He thought it funny how the best ones always come from the outskirts. The locals to the grand-temple take it all for granted, no respect for the effort needed to become great members of the order.


    "Tonight, we will set off to the west. Sally will be our guide, excelling in cartography and map reading." The large man motioned to the bald but still attractive cleric.


    "I used to be a dungeon healer before I joined the Burian chapter full time." Sally said. Her smile touched her eyes making her look incredibly sweet. Like the friendly woman who sells you vegetables at the local market.


    "Raelith will be in charge of reconnaissance, and I will be overseeing. Should anything occur, Rae will immediately notify us. You both should huddle around me. Feylin, on my right. You are right handed and new to the sword, so that will give you the most range without an ally getting in the way. Sarah, on my left." The paladin was quick to give orders, but it was clear he spoke from years of experience.


    They both nodded, getting right down to business was okay by them, it meant they didn''t have to think of the worst-case scenarios - for the time being.


    "The cart has enough room for all of our packs and food, and 2 people. Because of that, no one will be riding on the cart. We will walk along with it. Also, Sarah, Feylin, you both will be walking with your packs. You need to get used to the weight of them, as well as responding to attacks with them."


    "Surprise attacks?" Sarah asked, a bad feeling rising in her chest.


    "Yes. Myself, Raelith, and Sally will take charge in training you with your weapons. No amount of training can compare to real experience though. So every day you both shall train for a period of time with us one on one. And sometimes, we will test your ability to react to sudden and unprompted aggression." Tobias may well have been talking about the weather for how matter of fact he made it sound. There was no room for argument or questions. Which is fine because they weren''t planning to argue.


    The nice thing about being a high level, is that people listen to you. They recognized that there was usually a reason you stayed alive as long as you did.


    While Tobias explained more of their basic roles and contingency plans in case of various emergencies, a gray mist formed in front of the wagon. They tried to pay attention to what Tobias was saying, but they continually looked over at Sally who was standing in front of the mist as it coalesced.


    Her arms delicately waved about, sending swishes of vapor every which way.


    Gradually the form of a steed coalesced from the vapor and soon - standing within the harness attached to the wagon - was a brown and white spotted horse. Sarah and Feylin couldn''t help but feel excited. To summon an animal wasn''t a particularly high-level spell, but to be able to use it required extensive study and familiarity with the creature for clerics anyways.


    Tobias smiled when he saw them try to sneak glances at her little act. Sally also noticed and put on a bit of a show for them. She could have summoned it immediately if she really wanted to.


    "So, young ones. 6 months and we will arrive at our destination. I hope you''re ready, we won''t be slowing down for you." Tobias reached into his armor and pulled out the necklace, it began to glow with dim blue light as he held it up in front of him. It rotated slightly, with the sun side facing towards the west. A dim beam of light extended a foot in front the necklace, creating a very clear direction.


    Both acolytes nodded in unison.


    As many of the temple¡¯s residents watched from the side, the two young acolytes set off with three from Burian to the western edge of the world.

 67. Stars...

    Several weeks passed, the sun and moon rose and fell as it had done for the eternities before. Everyday there were countless number of people who begin to experience the world for the first time, and even more who must climb past hardship.


    A man relentlessly climbed a massive cliff face and the universe payed no mind. Just another human, it seemed to think, being completely normal - living.


    Elsewhere two young acolytes were standing watch under the stars seeing them as they never had before. And the universe cared not for their awe, continuing its never-ending spiral from night into day.


    Often times things that are set in motion begin with the smallest most inconsequential ripple, and from there exponentially expands into something grand.


    Noone sat alone but content in a crevice he had carved out for himself. He was only a few meters above the cloud layer, and he looked over the vast field letting his imagination run free with thoughts of what might be out there - if anything. He was grateful, and out of some instinct thanked the ancestor for not being attacked while climbing through the clouds.


    Noone rushed day and night through the clouds, without rest except when absolutely necessary. Now, he thought to take a moment of time to sit and watch the sun set. It looked completely different when it set beneath the clouds than it did setting beneath the oceans horizon he mused. Light continued to peak through and up from underneath, creating a cascade of beautiful rainbows washing through the clouds like a blanket of colors and hues.


    Noone wasn''t sure when it had occurred, but at some point, he began sitting crossed legged staring out over the sun-set. His back was straight, and his breathing was rhythmic and steady. He wondered if ¨C in that moment ¨C he looked like Elder Azelle.


    He looked across the quickly darkening world. There was a breeze floating above the clouds that whistled gently across the cliff face. Water and humidity floated about, not being cold enough to condense and join the clouds but filling Noone¡¯s lungs with heavy air.


    Before the light completely disappeared Noone fell silent and closed his eyes. All of the sensations he felt intensified. He focused on that feeling, on the feeling of the light against his skin, and then the absence of it. The air the he breathed and the sounds he heard. It felt close but far, like something that could be seen but never grasped on to.


    Suddenly he felt a hum echo in his body, like he was a gong and someone had struck him. He gasped in a quick breath and his eyes instinctually opened. The feeling he had been experiencing disappeared instantly. A frown appeared on his face when he realized that he had missed out on an opportunity to slip into a trance.


    Noone waved his hand in front of his body, attempting to feel the minute changes in the wind again, however it was no use.


    He sighed. His eyes now cast out from the darkness and onto the woven cloth of stars in the sky. He was unable to see them before, while being under the clouds. Seeing them now after so long felt relieving. Like the sun or the moon, the stars could always be relied on to exist in their permanent places.


    Hundreds of thousands of tiny white dots glittered and shined into the night sky, even without the moon they were illuminating the clouds just enough to create a gray blanket stretching into the distance. Noone looked out, recognizing constellations he had been taught when he was a child by Elder Azelle and Liter.


    He chuckled a bit at the memory.


    While lamenting the loss of whatever feeling he tapped into before, he laid back into the crevice he had carved, maneuvering so his head could stick out and he could watch the stars for a little longer.


    Counting the stars in the sky, his thoughts drifted further. His mother who was named Stara, used to love looking out at the stars. Liter used to tell him how she would often perch on the edge of the cliffs face just waiting for night to come.


    Noone thought about the stars he saw, they were the same stars she would look out at.


    "Mom." He said. His voice cracked slightly.


    "A lot has happened since you''ve gone.


    Despite being born attune less, I managed to get along with people, even if speaking with them was often impossible." Noone felt a little silly, his thoughts drifted to the past as he watched the sky.


    "I know when you left, it wasn''t because of me. I know how much you loved dad¡­" Noone¡¯s eyes sparkled in the night, reflecting the stars. The past for him had its good times, but there were things he wishes could have been different.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "Elder Azelle took care of me like you knew he would." Noone said.


    "And Liter too, he would tell me when I was really young about you and him, and how you got along. I don''t think he remembers it, but I do."


    "Everyone was devastated back then, I can tell. I see it sometimes when they look at me. They miss you too."


    "None of them knew what to do." A tear rolled down his cheek, surprising himself. He shut his eyes, immersing himself in complete darkness.


    "Some of us still don''t." He said.


    Eventually, the night took him¡­ leaving him to his dreams.


    ¡­


    Sarah and Feylin both circled the camp they had based around their cart, doing a final sweep before waking Sally to switch lookout with them. Their legs hurt from sheer exhaustion and they wanted nothing more than to rest.


    Their steps lightly thudded against the dirt clearing, creating small footprints where they had been pacing for the last 3 hours. Their packs and weapons were still on their backs, they had not been removed since the morning when they started their days trek.


    One of Tobias'' trainings was to give Sarah and Feylin first shift every night. Of course, they were not left alone. Rae was further out scouting more discretely. Tobias told them it was to build up their endurance and mental strength. "Sleep deprivation," He would say, "It''s what really tortures you. Anything else is easy compared to it."


    The two acolytes were unsure if they believed him or not, but they had to admit, running on a measly four hours of sleep every night was indeed torturous.


    Instead of having them take up post, Tobias instructed them to march a perimeter around wherever they camped. During which, he gave them a special lesson on walking in a way to make the least noise. This is what they practiced.


    When the two acolytes had first met Tobias, they had actually noticed how quietly he moved despite basically being encased in metal. After seeing him demonstrate the walking technique, they couldn''t be more impressed by the Paladin if he were to suddenly pull a sword out of a hat.


    Time for the switch was rapidly approaching, however before they could mention it to each other, they each felt an immense force suddenly pull at their packs.


    Without hesitation Sarah tucked her arms in through the straps and rolled away from the direction of the pull. Dust sprung up and after a half second of reorienting herself she stood crouched low to the ground. Her right arm gripped her weapon out to the side ready to sweep at the first sign of continued attack. Unfortunately for Feylin, he did not respond as quickly. He was jerked backwards - clear off his feet by his pack. Instead of trying to get away at this point, he made the hasty decision to draw his sword.


    He pulled it from its sheath with his left hand and using his momentum he stabbed it backwards with a reverse-grip towards where he thought the assailant was.


    His sword and his momentum stopped suddenly. The sword refused to budge even an inch.


    After a second of pause, he was dropped to the ground. He quickly sheathed his blade and scrambled to his feet. Now that he was able to compose himself, he could see Tobias standing in front of him like an immovable statue.


    Sarah quietly joined Feylin in front of the paladin.


    He smiled a broad grin. "Sarah! Feylin! Very good, you both need more practice, but very good."


    Suddenly clapping was heard to the side. When they looked over, they saw Rae and Sally standing there. Rae of course, was clapping. Sally stood there nodding her head in approval.


    "Sarah." Tobias continued. "You reacted swiftly and with finesse. You immediately went into a good defensive pose and began to assess for more threats. That kind of instinct will serve you well." Sarah nodded in response giving her thanks for the praise.


    "Feylin. Although you were slower to react, it cannot be helped. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. What I will commend you for is your decisiveness in deciding where and how to attack. Although the execution was a little clumsy, in theory it was perfect." Feylin smiled up at Tobias, ever since leaving for this assignment, he had quickly come to revere the paladin.


    "And finally, Sarah." The smile on his face suddenly disappeared, and it was replaced by a neutral stoicism. The look in Tobias¡¯s eyes caused Sarah¡¯s comfortable expression to freeze. "As soon as you saw there were no more threats to be managed, you should have rushed in to help your partner. Even if you only distracted the assailant for a second, it would be enough time for you and Feylin to regroup and work together." His tone made it clear his feelings on her inaction.


    "Because we can only make these so real despite being mock-ups, we can¡¯t truly force you into fight or flight surprise scenarios. But it is something to think about for the future." Tobias easily went back to his usual gentle smile after that, getting his point across. "Switch with Rae and Sally for now. Get some sleep you two. Another long walk ahead of us tomorrow."


    "Yes sir," they both said quietly.


    Exhausted from the day, they didn''t even bother to talk about the surprise attack. It had become relatively common place among the group, and there was only so much that could be said.


    Feylin fell asleep immediately after hitting the pillow, not even bothering to take his sword from his waist.


    Sarah laid there alone, looking up at the stars. Her thoughts drifted to the past. Something Tobias had said brought up old memories.


    "It¡¯s not that I chose not to rush in, Tobias¡­ I just¡­ couldn''t bring myself to do it¡­" Her eyes closed and she tossed for a while before finally falling to the night.

 68. Im Home

    Gradually the acolytes and Noone grew closer to their destinations. Five months passed with relative ease ¨C uneventfully.


    Noone''s sense of time was at a standstill, constantly making progress in his climbing he lacked any reference for how close he was to Tapestry. The clouds beneath him stretched out into the infinite distance and offered him no perspective to how far he had climbed. Only the passage of time could be counted.


    "Five months" He thought as he easily maneuvered across the extremely thin handholds on the cliffs face. His shoulders ached since he had climbed for multiple days without rest. The closer he came, the more anxious he was to be back in Tapestry.


    Finally, though he found a thin shelf just wide enough for him to lay down on, and he quickly collapsed onto it. When the days and nights stop meaning anything, the only thing telling Noone when to stop and rest was his inability to climb farther.  In the past few months he had pushed himself past his limits a number of times, usually resulting in a sprain or ache which would last a few days.


    Even when he wasn''t climbing, Noone refused to be idle. He ate a little, drank some water, took just enough time to recover to around ten percent of his peak condition. Finally, when he felt ready Noone sat up and backed himself against the wall, sitting straight against the stone he stared out into the distance.


    His legs crossed stiffly, and his shoulders relaxed. His breathing steadied, the air that passed through his lungs was noticeably a bit dryer than the humid air thousands of meters down.


    Like Elder Azelle before, Noone began to practice his breathing and mindfulness while becoming still to the nature of the universe around him.


    I am the stone. He thought, remaining steadfast and stalwart. His posture straight and sturdy. I am the stream.


    He felt the world brush up against him, the wind and the sounds and the lights which made it through his eyelids. Everything blurred together into a soup like mix of energy and elements. Noone continuously fought his own mind, looking for a balance between being strong, and flexible. If he was too much like the stone, it would disrupt the subtle flow of the energy around him. If he was too flexible, he would lose himself to it and not be able to feel it accurately.


    Noone had begun practicing this every time he took a rest. Ever since the moment he felt something resonate inside of him, he attempted to recreate that feeling.


    He sat quietly for hours, through the sunset and into the night.


    Soon. He wasn''t sure how he knew, merely assuming it had something to do with his increased senses. Noone could tell, in these moments of tranquility, that he would be back at Tapestry soon. Home. After making no progress, he laid back onto the shelf and stared up at the stars like usual. He was excited to be home. It was a weird feeling. Before he jumped down to complete his coming of age, Noone always felt Tapestry to be extremely silent. But despite this, in his memories now he couldn''t help but feel it was incredibly lively.


    Quietly he slept, waiting for the morning to resume his climb.


    ¡­


    The group from Burian and the two acolytes walked through the night, letting the soft patter of their feet lull them into silence. The crunch of the wagon could not be heard, neither was there a horse in their ranks.


    Apart from a few wild creatures they would engage with in combat, the last 5 months had existed in peace. Weapons training for the two acolytes continued daily, and they made leaps and bounds of progress not the least of which having to do with having very competent teachers.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Sarah walked smoothly in near silence with her pole-mace strapped comfortably on her back, and Feylin walked towards the front falling next to Tobias. He kept pace and always stood an exact distance away from Tobias to his right side. His left hand did not rest on the hilt of his sword but instead hung naturally by his side. Both his sword and shield shifted smoothly with his gait.


    A month prior, the three from Burian all worked together to sneak an attack against the two acolytes. Of course they lowered their ability to that just above Sarah and Feylin. They wanted to challenge them, not demoralize them.


    Much to their pleasure, both acolytes worked exceedingly well together. Over the months, they had become exceptionally familiar with their own and each-others fighting styles.


    Sarah wielded her pole-mace with strength and stability.


    In the beginning, seeing it as a similar weapon to Raelith''s spear, she attempted to fight using jabs and quick sweeps. After a few days of this though, she realized this was the wrong approach. She asked Sally and Raelith about it and both were very happy to see that she had come to the realization herself without needing them to tell her.


    Sally spent the next week teaching Sarah the methods of using weapons that required enough strength to support a strong offence and defense.


    "Large well calculated movements are your best friend. You won''t get any momentum built up if you try to do quick sweeps the way Rae can do with her spear. You must calculate the right moment to wind up and attack ¨C you must think three or even four steps ahead. Otherwise you will be stuck trying to react to people faster and more experienced than you. Also, you always have your jab, it is extremely useful for catching assailants off guard." Sally lectured continuously.


    Feylin too, grew to become quite adept at his sword. Striking a good balance between finesse and shielding technique.


    Since reaching a plateau in their physical strengths, both acolytes began receiving short lessons on the miracles within the order. Sarah and Feylin had come a long way in their study of second level magic.


    "According to the charts we received from the grand-priest, we should be approaching the cliff within the month." Sally said, looking across the barren landscape in front of them and comparing it to her maps.


    The location towards the last stretch before they cliffs were a barren stone landscape. Boulders stacked high across the entire plateau created a never-ending network of paths which they navigated with the help of the necklace.


    The only wildlife in this area were small shrubberies, rodents and reptiles which could withstand the environment.


    It wasn''t particularly hot which Sarah felt odd about. If you were to only see how it looked, one would imagine it to be like the deserts of the north. However, it was actually rather temperate. The only thing which did fit her expectations was how dry the air was.


    They left their cart a month back planning to return to it later. They could carry more than enough provisions with them over the few months they had left, Tobias explained.


    From his perspective the cart was a convenient burden. Especially since they were unsure what they would find when they get to their destination. The cart was just one more hassle to worry about if they were attacked.


    They walked through the night, keeping close to the boulders and being very careful to spot any epoch tribesman before the tribesman could spot them.


    So far, they hadn''t seen even a single one. However, Tobias was always quick to remind the acolytes that all it took was one wrong step for mishaps to occur.


    The rest of the night passed in silence.


    And the nights after that.


    And the days and nights continued ceaselessly and mercilessly.


    ¡­


    After a few more weeks Noone''s blood began to boil in excitement. His heart beat like a drum - sending blood pounding through his body and creating a thrumming in his ears. A smile spread on his face and he somehow found the resolve to recklessly double his speed


    It had been a number of days since Noone had slept, but at this moment he felt like he never needed to sleep again.


    Above him - several hundred meters - Noone could see a very distinct and long outcropping in the cliff. It stuck well out of the cliffs face, rounding towards the end like a platform.


    Indeed.


    It was to balcony to the conclave of Tapestry.


    With strength and Finesse Noone scaled the stone as easy as one would walk to the market, only with much more vigor.


    His hand gripped the edge of the platform and with a single movement, he swung his pack and himself up over the side, landing ceremoniously on his feet.


    Standing up straight, he looked into the balcony of Tapestry.


    "I''m home." He thought to himself. Grinning from ear to ear.

 69. True Silence

    Noone stood tall at the edge of the outcrop, very close to where he leapt down before. As he looked at the familiar stone walls and tunnels his eyes began to tear and a smile plastered itself onto his face. Although he returned as he said he would, he didn''t come out unscathed.


    The climb had become a transformative experience for Noone, and he was excited to tell Liter and Adria and Elder Azelle about it. All the exhaustion washed out of him as he thought about the familiar city lights and Porose''s food. Thoughts of sieging the city taverns in the night floated through his mind.


    "In due time." He thought with a chuckle. He adjusted his pack on his shoulders and began his descent into the tunnels.


    His steps were light and full of energy as he embraced the stale atmosphere of the tunnels ¨C it felt like home. But the smile he sported soon began to waver, and then lowered into a frown. His eyebrows scrunched up, he stopped walking, closing his eyes.


    There was something in the air that was making him uneasy.


    It was silence.


    Noone opened his eyes and turned on his heel, walking back to the outcropping. He scanned the ground, and the entrances of the tunnels. Silence reigned all around. It was not the same silence he was used to, it was deeper than that.


    Noone was beginning to feel paranoid.


    I must have been gone for too long, he thought. I forgot how silent it gets here. He worked to not look as down about it as he felt, but his hands unconsciously moved up to rest on his shoulder straps.


    But¡­ as he looked around, he couldn''t help but feel that something was off. "Where is everyone? There should be someone lecturing, or at the very least a few people practicing their attunements?"


    His frown deepened. Maybe there was something going on, he thought. Images of Adria and Elder Azelle leaving to the desolate land above surfaced in his mind, and his eyes went wide. Perhaps that was it? Would that timing be too convenient?


    Noone broke into a sprint towards the elder''s hall. If there was something going on, it would most likely be happening there. His feet slapped against the stone floors of the caverns, echoing through the halls and back.


    He ran through the caves by instinct, knowing every turn and dead-end by heart. By the time he was halfway there, his heart began to beat harder. He did not see a single other individual yet. There was a strange stillness to the air that Noone felt he must be imagining. It was like the air hadn¡¯t been stirred in a long time...


    When he rounded the last corner to the elder¡¯s hall, the stillness the air began to ring through him becoming a dense pressure that threatened to stop his heart. He could no longer ignore the sensation, it felt as though the air within the halls of Tapestry were stagnant, and Noone¡¯s presence was becoming the only sign of people.


    If Noone had not experienced a rebirth within the cavern on the cliff, he would not have been able to sense the minutia he was experiencing. The feelings were too subtle. It would have left Noone completely unaware to what was to come.


    Noone¡¯s palms landed on the cold steel doors of the elder¡¯s hall and with an unexplainable sense of urgency Noone threw open the doors to the hall. They grinded against their hinges as years of being untouched caused them to stick. The force behind Noone¡¯s shove lodged the doors open and he quickly rushed in.


    He was prepared to call out to the first person he saw, but instead there was not a single person inside the hall. Noone stood just inside the doorway, there was an overwhelming sense of foreboding that was beginning to plant itself in his mind.


    Instead of rushing out from the hall immediately, Noone walked further into the room looking at the smooth walls and unused chairs and desks.


    He walked a large circle around the perimeter of the room - eventually coming to a stop in front of the opposite wall to the doors he entered from.


    The smooth stone walls still sparked with various shades and hues of colored energy, snaking throughout the rock. They would split and recombine, creating intricate and random shapes of energy.


    Noone¡¯s mind buzzed as he watched the energy, he raised his palm to the wall in front of him. There was a feeling coming from this portion of the hall. Noone wasn''t thinking anything when he did this simple action, he was remembering something the elder had shown him years ago.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Noone couldn''t help but feel that the colors were less brilliant than he remembered.


    His palm touched the wall, the smooth worn-down texture left a gentle feeling on his hand. He watched the lights on the wall, which seemed to have no interest in his existence. He was about to pull his hand away, when suddenly a thin blue streak of energy no more than a hairs width was drawn to him and turned to streak towards his palm.


    As the light absorbed into his hand through the stone, it quietly disappeared. Before he could react to the sudden change, his mind was suddenly overridden.


    In a flash Noone was no longer looking at the wall, instead he was looking out from it. As the vision came into focus, he saw the figures of Adria and Elder Azelle standing in front of the spot he had been standing in moments before.


    "I''m sorry Adria¡­ but there''s no time." Elder Azelle shook his head. "I don''t understand what''s going on¡­ but I have my fears. However, no matter what it is, it''s very possible our survival depends on the world above."


    Noone¡¯s heart slammed against his chest as the picture of the two became clearer. The elder and Adria looked terrible. The elders¡¯ eyes were red, and his expression was stoic, his exhaustion was clearly on display. Adria too looked ragged, Noone could see dried blood on her upper lip. Tears constantly flowing down her cheeks.


    "Come with me Elder! I don''t want to go a-alone!" Noone couldn''t make sense of what they were talking about, but his tongue was caught in his throat as he tried to choke back his mounting fear.


    "I must stay here Adria. These are my people. I am responsible for them. Even if we are all to die-" Die!? Noone¡¯s mind recoiled, but he stayed pulled within the vision.


    "Don''t say that!" Adria''s eyes were red with fire and tears.


    "Also¡­ someone should be here for when Noone returns¡­ no?" Elder Azelle too was being affected, his exhaustion and fear was all compounding on each other.


    Adria didn''t respond. She was attempting to compose herself, but her tears fell relentlessly. Noone watched on, but the vision began to blur and waver. Whatever had been left behind - it was very quickly coming to an end.


    "Come Adria. You must go on ahead. Eventually you will return¡­ or we will follow you. I promise."


    Suddenly he was back where he had been before, standing in the back of the elder¡¯s hall - hand outstretched against the wall. He pulled his palm away, looking at it as his mind attempted to come to terms with the information.


    Like continuous lightning, his brain wildly whipped between working and freezing. Noone did not doubt what he saw for even a moment, but he couldn''t make sense of it either.


    "Something terrible happened¡­ The elder kicked Adria out to the world above to find help¡­ or to protect her from it." The information seemed to get through in a trickle. Every word becoming a huge weight on Noone¡¯s soul.


    "He waited behind¡­" Noone thought. "He waited behind!" Noone thought about the stillness to the air and the way he saw no one in the halls. How silent it all was.


    Eventually his brain couldn''t keep up, and his body took the lead. Like a bullet, Noone shot through the doors to the elder¡¯s hall and out into the cavern. His breath was ragged, and his feet hit the floor like sledgehammers. At some point he dropped his pack just to gain more speed. His entire body moved like an unstoppable vengeance. Sanctuary.


    Sanctuary is a word that can be both a location, and an object that can be given to someone in desperate need of help.


    In Tapestry, sanctuary was the room where the dead would undergo their sanctification before being buried in the cemetery above. Noone had only ever seen the ceremony a few times. The idea of death scared him back then, but the older one got it seemed the less they minded. As such he never liked to come to the sanctuary.


    Now though he had never moved faster. He wasn''t sure what drew him to that place, or how he knew to go there. But over the course of a minute Noone had covered the entire distance to the sanctuary. His face was set tight as he ran, and his eyes did not waver for even a moment.


    When Noone turned the final corner, he saw that which he would never forget. The entire floor in front of the door to the sanctuary was littered with bones.


    Skulls and arms and legs, ribs and spines. The bones of entire bodies lined the floor creating an impenetrable carpet of decay and death. Noone¡¯s eyes widened into saucers and his heart skipped a beat. All of his momentum froze. There were not a few - there were hundreds. Every single one picked clean by time itself.


    Even the miasma that coexisted with death and corpses had long since moved away. The only thing accompanying these bones was the still stale air of a city long passed, and the scream of a young man whose world had become twisted in a way he could not cope with.


    Like a crystal glass in freefall, Noone¡¯s mind noisily crumbled into hysteria. His knees crashed violently against the floor but he did not even notice, instead he stared at the sight, his vision swimming with reality and non-reality as he pictured what must have occurred here. Tears flowed ceaselessly from his eyes and he continually gasped in breaths trying to stave off unconsciousness.


    Someone¡­ someone¡­


    He noiselessly pleaded for any guidance or answer, but only the sound of wailing escaped his lips. Hours passed and his ragged pants filled the empty halls, echoing back like a mocking laughter to his naivete.


    "You thought Tapestry was silent before?" It seemed to say. "Well how about now?"


    His eyes fell on the door to the sanctuary. Without any thought Noone stood up and - with no expression but the reddening of his eyes - he walked through the sea of bones towards the door. Subtle cracks rang under his feet, but he did not notice.


    His palm reached up towards the door, which lit up at his touch. Quietly the door opened and Noone stood in the doorway, waiting, praying, pleading for there to be any other outcome inside.

 70. Absolute Exhaustion

    The door swung open on silent hinges, and equally stale air washed out of the sanctuary creating a wave of nausea within Noone. The nausea wasn''t caused by the stale air itself, but what Noone knew it meant.


    The bones of a thousand people laid throughout the large cavernous room.


    Noone silently walked in and the door shut behind him, however he didn''t even notice. He looked around in a grief-stricken daze. He wasn''t even sure how much of this was getting through to him. Noone had never seen bones before, not like this. But he understood that every skull he saw was another person gone.


    When he saw a lone body his heart would bang against his chest in horror. When he saw the interwoven bones of two skeletons together, he imagined them wrapped in each-other¡¯s arms. The fear and horror and exhaustion he had seen on Elder Azelle''s face in the vision was overlapping with his thoughts on the people he saw. He could only feel shock in his soul.


    He walked towards the front of the room. In the past, the elders would sit in the front and preside over the rites of the deceased. There was a pulpit and a large slab-like table which rested on the ground. That was where the dead bodies would be dressed and laid out to be gifted alms.


    There were skeletons up on the front stage as well. When Noone saw them, he numbly noted a difference among them. The deceased he had seen up until now - their bones were pure white like those in books. Picked clean by time. But the skeletons in the front of the sanctuary were colored and more intense. They looked like crystal or stone, not like the bones of the rest.


    Elders¡­ Noone thought. He wasn''t sure how he knew. But he knew. It would have been obvious just by thinking about it, but the last thing Noone could do right now was think. While his mind had begun fighting his thoughts at every turn, his body had begun to take over.


    His steps echoed even more clearly at the front of the sanctuary, bounding off the back walls and ringing in his own ears like a lone heartbeat. His eyes latched onto the slab-like pedestal just off-center of the raised front of the room.


    Laying on the stone was a single lone skeleton. It was tall and unique. It was no longer even bone, but instead it looked to have completely transformed into a blue-hued crystal structure in the shape of bones. As Noone approached it, he failed to hold back the cry which had been building in his chest.


    His body shook and trembled, and he collapsed next to it, throwing his arms up onto it as if trying to grasp the last vestiges of hope he had. "Just what happened!?" He screamed.


    Whatever apocalypse had occurred in Tapestry, it had come, and it had left, leaving nothing behind.


    The loneliest hours in history passed with his sobs becoming hoarse gasps which eventually further degraded into heavy breathing. Noone¡¯s eyes dulled, and his face became slack as even the sadness and shock and anger which had welled up inside him had nowhere to go.


    His body shook and his mind threatened to shut down completely. He stood up and looked out over the cavernous sanctuary. His mind completely stopped working, he sat there for some amount of time ¨C but he had no clue how long.


    "No¡­" He thought. "I must let them rest, they shouldn''t remain here like this." Noone wasn''t sure where the thought had come from and he didn''t care. He knelt down and gently gathered the bones of Elder Hollice Azelle ¨C the oldest member of Tapestry, his own grandfather, the man who had raised him.


    Turning around, his body moved with shocking quiet efficiency, autonomously, he walked into the cavern that led to the cemetery.


    The Cemetery was easily the largest space in Tapestry, dedicated solely to the housing of the dead.


    Endless graves lined the floors and the walls. Still there, there was enough room to last for the next hundred thousand years. If only they had been around for that long¡­


    Noone carried the bones of his grandfather to a far distance within the cemetery, eventually coming to an unbroken spot within the stone cavern. He knelt down and mindlessly began to lay the bones out into their proper places.


    Time had slowed down for Noone, and the world grew gray and colder each passing moment, colder than it had ever been before.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Noone stood up and returned to the sanctuary only to gather the nearest bones and bring them into the cemetery. They were hued red and were longer than many of the others. The person this was had been tall and robust once upon a time.


    He laid out this body in the spot next to Elder Azelle¡¯s and then slowly, mechanically and without emotion returned back to the sanctuary.


    This cycle repeated and hours passed. Time for Noone had stopped though, he did not feel hungry or thirsty nor did he hear the ragged sobs of his own voice. His heartbeat slowed to a nigh unnoticeable pace. Unknown to him, he had lost full awareness of anything and everything that wasn¡¯t his current actions. There was no longer reason to think.


    And like that Noone¡¯s first day back in Tapestry passed without rest. Morning came, and the Sanctuary was cleared of bones. The bodies of everyone who had passed were now laying in the cemetery above.


    Without stop, Noone began working towards the hallway outside of the sanctuary. He saw the endless bones outside, piled on top of each other like a storm of chaos had run through them. Noone couldn''t even imagine what had occurred which left everyone in this state.


    He carefully picked up what he could see of a full skeleton and carried it to the cemetery, coming back again.


    And again.


    And again.


    ¡­


    Minutes turned to hours, hours turned to days. And Noone tirelessly worked through it all.


    He instinctually worked through the bones, sorting them accurately without pause for thought. He could sense it, how they all fit and the people that they used to be. Some of whom he may have known.


    Sometimes his mind would just become aware enough to wonder if the bones he held was someone he knew before.


    Tahmel. Trisha. Porose. The elders. Liter¡­ especially Liter. But before he could think too much his mind would quietly retreat back - shutting down while doing endless work. Anything to stay busy and not have to think about what he was seeing.


    He worked through the bones in the hall, which stretched on forever, all the way towards the city itself. Thousands upon thousands of bodies.


    Noone entered into the city, the familiar lighting giving way to an unfamiliar devastation. His eyes were glazed over as he numbly observed his surroundings. The once beautiful homestead was razed to the ground. Ruins littered the city, streaks of charred stone snaked their way across the floor. In a corner of the city, what once had been the forge was blown open into a shattered disaster of molten steel and stone.


    Noone looked towards the first body he could see, a skeleton picked as clean as the rest, and brought her to the cemetery. Time marched on and Noone followed it like a soldier and a slave. The bodies grew further apart, some were trapped under fallen stones. Others within the few buildings that remained standing.


    Like a subtle pull in the back of his mind, Noone was always able to find the bodies no matter how hidden they were.


    He shuffled helplessly through one of the living districts, the subtle pull of the common heritage leading him into a home. Somewhere in his mind he realized he knew this house. It belonged to Trisha and Tahmel.


    He walked unhesitatingly to the back most room. When he opened the door, the first thing he saw was rope laid on a pile of bones. It seemed as though someone had been bound here. Next to the door he saw another skeleton along with a bottle of alcohol.


    Both sets of bones were carried in numb arms back to the cemetery.


    Later Noone encountered the large warehouse, cots lined the walls in rows. It was full of skeletons, all compiled near the front of the door. It left him with a similar feeling to those bones outside the sanctuary.


    Days passed and Noone finally moved everyone into the cemetery above. Without stop He hoisted a pick onto his shoulder and with the same autonomous motions he had carried the skeletons back, he began to carve graves into the dense stone.


    One for Elder Azelle.


    Then the rest of the elders.


    Ten turned to twenty.


    Twenty into fifty.


    A hundred.


    A thousand.


    Noone¡¯s hands shook from exhaustion. He had been awake for weeks, existing without food or water. But he paid no mind and continued to carve into the stone.


    Two thousand.


    Three thousand.


    Five thousand.


    Each grave was carved neatly into perfect rectangles, perfectly aligned just as the graves of times long passed.


    Nine thousand.


    Ten thousand.


    Noone¡¯s hands shook with such ferocity that he could no longer hold the pick. His mind and body both threatened him with complete collapse. Despite this, Noone continued to carve away until all the graves were made.


    The pick fell from blood-soaked hands where freshly ripped callouses dangled unnoticed, clattering onto the cold stone floor. He walked towards the nearest skeleton and knelt down next to it, preparing to lower the bones one by one into the hole. Before he could place it in the grave, he collapsed onto his side. His eyes shuttered violently and then stilled. The weeks of sleeplessness had finally caught up to him.


    The dust in the air which had been stirred by Noone¡¯s existence quietly settled.


    He did not dream.


    When he awoke, his eyes were only vaguely focused on what was around him. He continued as though he never lost consciousness. Has hands lightly grabbed the bones and placed them within the grave. Gently covering them.


    He stood up and moved to the next grave over.


    What he did not notice in his daze and exhaustion was the subtle feeling of energy filling his veins. It was barely noticeable, and he probably would not have felt it even if he was in the right mind. But within the grave, the skeleton which he had been gently placed, glowed like the subtlest of embers. A particle of energy, no larger than a hair rose from within the grave and entered Noone through his breathing.


    Like a drop of water in a lake, Noone did not even feel it.


    Quietly he worked, undisturbed. No noise or sensations reached through to him, and silence reigned king.

 71. Not Alone

    During the night he worked tirelessly and meticulously. Every skeleton was placed gently into a grave and properly buried. The stone was placed back within the grave gently and with the utmost solemnity.


    As he worked, Noone¡¯s mind was slowly recovering but it was tenuous at best. He would quickly become overwhelmed at the death surrounding him and retreat back into his work.


    Noone¡¯s knees were scuffed and began to bleed as he repeatedly knelt down next to hundreds and then thousands of graves, but he did not slow down or falter.


    Every time he felt like he was losing energy, more power would flow into his limbs from somewhere unknown and he would work longer without stop.


    Quietly bones were placed in graves.


    Behind the scenes - with every body buried, a small amount of energy would worm its way out of each grave and into Noone¡¯s breath. He was too unaware to realize what was going on.


    Another day passed and Noone had worked through almost every grave. At some point tears began to stream down his face again. His mind slowly recovered as he worked, and the horrors he was seeing were deeply implanted into his heart. He thought about how excited he had been to return home, and how nothing could have prepared him for this.


    There was something else stirring within him too, a feeling he was unfamiliar with despite living for so many years.


    Anger. Undirected and unbridled hate at whatever caused this. His whole world was ripped from him and he couldn''t help but regret the unfairness of it. Furious emotions washed through him like an unstoppable tide causing many more hot tears.


    Tapestry was supposed to be safe. A safe haven built by the ancestor herself. So how could this happen!?


    He hated all of it. And his heart broke under the weight. His confusion mounted as he blamed himself. He knew it was unfair, but what if he had come back earlier? How much earlier would he have needed to return? A year? Two? No¡­ how long was he gone? For Tapestry to fall, and for any trace of the struggle to disappear leaving nothing but bones¡­ how long would that take!?


    It was a surreal experience. He felt a disconnect from it all, yet he couldn''t stop from crying.


    Noone placed the body of one of the elders into its grave, covering it gently as he had all the rest.


    This time though, he felt a minor disturbance within himself, he felt some kind of ringing within his core. What he couldn''t see was the bones of the elder he had buried quietly lost their crystal hue and strands of energy moved from those bones into Noone.


    He put the thought aside and continued on. He only had a few hundred bodies left¡­ soon he would be done. And then¡­? He wasn''t sure.


    Every time he buried the bodies of one of the elders, he felt something inside of himself shift.


    Unlike the miniscule amount of energy which came from the other bones, the elder¡¯s bones were suffused with centuries worth of attuned energy. Although much of it had dissolved through the years, contact with Noone unchained the energy from the bones. Like a vacuum, Noone¡¯s body acted as a void which drew the energy to himself.


    His soul gradually filled like a cup with refined universe energy. His new meridians quietly suffused the energy under the surface of his flesh, creating a sturdy self-contained loop to control it.


    Noone of course did not know the specifics of what was happening within his reformed body, and honestly he didn''t stop to consider it either. Noone continued to waste no time to properly bury the elders, and with them, everything he knew about Tapestry.


    Eventually, he came to the last set of bones. After burying thousands of his family with harsh efficiency, he finally wavered. His eyes reddened at the sight of the blue-hued crystalized bones in front of him.


    "Elder¡­" His strained voice cracked and echoed within the massive graveyard. He thought he would be more numb to it, but memories broke through the cracks in the mind, flooding to the surface.


    "I''m so sorry elder¡­ I wish I could do something, anything! I would do it if I could¡­ I''m sorry."


    Between sobs he began to lay the bones into the grave. Memories rose in his mind, all the way from his earliest childhood.


    He remembered how the elder cared for him when his mother passed away. He remembered when the elder would calmly explain to him the subtle shifts in the universe that only he could sense. The calm serenity the elder always had to him.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Then he remembered the vision he saw in the elders¡¯ hall. The exhaustion. The pain. The fear. The anger. The complex expression the elder had in his eyes was gradually made clear to Noone as his own heart began to emanate those same feelings.


    "Do I go on¡­?" A quiet whisper of a thought surfaced in his mind. What should he do? Should he go above like Adria, or wait here? The answer was clear. His heart was torn to shreds by the pain, and his mind was only just beginning to settle, although the cracks were still evident.


    Noone¡¯s hands gripped onto the elder¡¯s skull, and his tears dripped down off his face to the stone below.


    Gently he placed the skull within the grave and with a finality he knew would end it all, he covered the grave.


    His arms fell to his side and he stared ahead in exhaustion and confusion, his eyes shifted between awareness and death.


    Within the grave, the bones of Elder Hollice Azelle began to shine with an intensity unmatched by any of the bones before. Blue light illuminated through the stone, barely catching Noone¡¯s attention. He looked down at the freshly covered grave and his heart beat wildly as the familiar light shone through. Innumerable strands of blue energy floated from the top of the grave with such an intensity that Noone could see it with his naked eyes.


    As the energy floated towards Noone, he didn''t flinch away when the strands began to surround and fill his body.


    Noone felt himself fill up with endless strength and power. He felt the waves of energy wash into him, cleansing his body and soul and expanding his meridians. Despite how relieving the energy felt, Noone couldn''t help but think of Elder Azelle in sadness as the familiar feeling of the elder¡¯s aura surrounded him.


    After a few minutes the density of the energy began to become painful. Like a bottle filled to the brim, the power in Noone¡¯s body grew to a point where even his reinforced meridians and core could not maintain themselves, and soon the power began to seep out of Noone through his pores.


    The energy coated his spirit, his life force, his mind. Everything began to bleed into each other and Noone felt his awareness waver and melt.


    Noone was overwhelmed with strength and energy. The power that seeped into him was pure and seemed even more otherworldly, as though attached to something ancient. Noone could vaguely sense it, surrounding him.


    He reached out with his mind, attempting to make contact with the force he was feeling. With an abrupt shift - for just a moment - the energy flowing through him allowed him to make contact with the forces at play.


    Like an endless void, the power he touched violently pulled at his consciousness - absorbing his consciousness and his awareness before condensing down into Noone¡¯s body.


    Like a vacuum, Noone¡¯s body forced the energy inside of his brimming core. The flame of life within attempted to burn and suffuse the force through his body.


    Like some law of the universe, something unknown inside of Noone began to resonate, ringing out like a church bell. A loud rumble began to form within Noone¡¯s core shaking and resonating into his meridians. It continued to expand without stop, breaking through his meridians and into his veins. From his veins into his flesh - then extending out from him.


    Once the resonation reached the outside of his body it increased speed, becoming a shocking wave of energy shooting out in all directions. Noone¡¯s consciousness which was absorbed by this force began to ride the wave extending out from his own body.


    Within his ever-expanding sight, everything that came into contact with the resonating wave began to dismantle itself. Extending at the speed of lightning Noone watched in shock as his awareness stretched out of him. He saw everything within a few feet of his body. He saw himself, sitting in silence with his arms hung limply by his side.


    He saw the graves, both new and old stretched out from him and the bones inside them. Rumbling filled the cave, stone began to shake and vibrate under the pressure extending from the forces exploding from his body. Every loose stone shook, every speck of dust was lifted into the air, the very nature of the cave walls themselves seemed to vibrate violently under the strange energy.


    Noone¡¯s awareness continued to ride this wave of energy as it expanded further, dismantling the very space it contacted into strange cosmic blueprints that caused Noone¡¯s mind to tremble. Everything was being revealed to him.


    Iron rich blood flowed from his eyes and ears.


    At the edge of his expanding consciousness, Noone could feel some kind of wall very far away, of which he was at the center. No¡­ not a wall, but a barrier. It was the barrier put in place by The Ancestor to protect Tapestry.


    Soon, everything that existed within the barrier was injected into his awareness. He saw everything.


    He saw the ruined city of Tapestry. He saw the forge in its dismantled state. He saw into every crevice of every corner of the mines. He saw stores and stores of food and element stone and building materials in the warehouses. He saw the library in an impossibly dusty state.


    He saw into the elder¡¯s hall, and the cavern behind it that Adria had used to ascend to the surface.


    The barrier even stretched up to the surface, spanning a huge diameter in a spherical plane.


    Noone was preparing his mind for his first ever view of the desolate world above. He wanted to know what was up there. He wanted to see if maybe there was some kind of hope above.


    Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. Despite feeling omniscient and invincible in this moment, every iota of his being was screaming in fear. It penetrated through the strange euphoria that had overcome him.


    Worse than anything he felt before. Worse than the fear of death from the galaxy tree, worse than the silent attacks of the bird within the cloud. Worse than the moments he would come close to falling while climbing the cliff.


    It felt like death.


    Immediately he viewed his own body in shock, wondering what could cause him to feel so threatened.


    Noone¡¯s entire being tensed and his mind shook at what he saw.


    He was not alone.

 72. Breakthrough!

    Crumpled against the wall in front of him, there were black tattered clothes which hung to the slight frame of someone he had never seen before.


    When the resonating wave shot from Noone¡¯s core, the being had become caught in the sudden dismantling of the origin laws that followed, and was thrown into the stone.


    Noone¡¯s mind throbbed in pain when he looked at the being, as though even seeing it was some kind of impossible sin against the universe.


    Despite the pain, his mind began to churn with energy. Reinforced by the vestiges of power and the anger which was bottled inside of him, he focused his sight onto the being.


    As he did though, the being which had crumpled against the wall outstretched a lone hand towards Noone and began to stand up. Noone stared in shock at the hand.


    It was nothing but bone.


    The hood on the tattered black robes the being wore slowly fell back, resting on its shoulders. Needles of pain shot into Noone¡¯s mind and soul as he stared at the being in horror. Yet he couldn¡¯t look away.


    Like something out of a nightmare, Noone watched the being stand to its full height of eight feet tall. Its head was nothing but a skull almost floating freely from the spine. Its hands and body and torso were all bones. But it moved, staring back with orange eyes like coal.


    What scared him even more was that it didn''t stare at Noone¡¯s body, but instead looked right at where Noone¡¯s consciousness was staring at it from.


    It can see me!


    As their gazes met, the beings eye sockets flared with ephemeral orange light. They seemed endless and ancient. Filled with primordial fire.


    Noone¡¯s mind shook again and suddenly the area warped slightly, like a shiver in space, and the skeletal being disappeared as suddenly as it came.


    Noone was stunned into silence, unable to work through what he had just seen. He was sure that was not any skeleton of the people of Tapestry. It was too¡­ ancient


    The only thing keeping Noone¡¯s awareness awake was a hate which was boiling up inside of him. That being was ancient¡­ and evil.


    The influx of power fallowed him to barely perceive its existence. His anger bubbled into his mind. Whatever that was, Noone couldn''t help but think of all the dead in Tapestry.


    Ten thousand people.


    And that thing was the only existence around.


    Suddenly Noone¡¯s body hunched over in pain and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Veins within his lungs exploded under intense pressure and caused him to collapse onto the floor. The energy coursing through him had finally overfilled his body ¨C it began looking for any way to escape.


    Outside of Noone¡¯s awareness and control, the influx of energy which resonated out of him extended for miles into a sphere before suddenly stopping. A barrier far stronger and more secure than anything that anyone in Tapestry knew of surrounded the entire conclave.


    This barrier closed Tapestry off from the world, hiding it and making it impossible for anyone to enter from the outside. Protecting Tapestry from any foreign threat.


    Unbeknownst to him, his body had become home to thousands of strands of energy - every single one consisting of a little bit of the common heritage passed on to them by the ancestor.


    The condensed heritage within Noone¡¯s body melded into the barrier. The barrier shook and shuddered, seeming to recognize the existence similar to that of the ancestor. With an ear shattering bang, the barrier collapsed into billions of individual pieces. Those pieces warped and shifted before finally disappearing into thin air.


    Noone was not aware of this happening, the influx of energy within his body was pushing him into unconsciousness. He screamed out in excruciating pain. The stone underneath him became wet with cold sweat. He needed to manually circulate the energy in his core. Pain etched itself into his very being as he attempted to keep the energy from exploding through his meridians. Even with the reinforced meridians, he didn''t want to leave his life to them alone. So he forced the energy to circulate, trying to diffuse it.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Every time the energy would pass through his core, a little bit would diffuse into his body from the life flame which ceaselessly burned. His core continued to fill up with energy until finally even that too could not contain any more.


    Noone became less able to control the energy and it grew increasingly unstable in the process. A final ragged gasp escaped through his lips followed by blood. The pain within him caused him to lose consciousness, doubled over on the floor.


    Despite how long it felt to go on for, everything that Noone experienced lasted for only a minute up until he lost consciousness.


    Anger, hate, shock, confusion, all these bubbling emotions failed to maintain his awareness as the pain wracked through him. Once he lost consciousness, the energy was left to its own devices. The energy melded with his pain, his hate at the unfairness of it all gave the power an outlet.


    The Common Heritage of The Ancestor.


    Without his awareness, Noone¡¯s body broke through into an ancient power system. His pores expanded violently and impurities like mud and blood began to well up from his skin. Unconsciously writhing on the floor, he broke into the first level of Qi Condensation.


    The energy slowed down slightly but still rampaged through him. Excess energy flowed like a rampant river.


    Suddenly a second spasm shot into his nerves. More impurities were expelled from his pores, the exploded veins within his body gradually began to heal and reattach themselves.


    Then a third.


    Noone passed into the third level of Qi Condensation, the third level of the first stage of an ancient power system. A power system that gave birth to The Ancestor of infinite power...


    To experience such an explosion of power could only be said to be a result of Noone absorbing all of the common heritage left within Tapestry.


    It was doubtful anyone else would have ever been able to achieve such a sudden power jump - even more unlikely was it for the barrier set in place by the ancestor to ever be taken down.


    If the common heritage were not condensed into a single person, there was no doubt that the barrier would have remained in place for many more millennia.


    Suddenly, Noone¡¯s hand shot to his heart and he retched up another mouthful of blood in pain. The emotional torment he felt throughout the last weeks in Tapestry cut through his unconsciousness and welled up all at once.


    In an eternity past, breaking through into the first stage of qi condensation was always to be done with as tranquil a mind as possible. The sudden explosion of strength and perfusion of energy into the mind and the soul proved to be extremely toxic if not closely watched.


    The ancients had a term for it: ''cultivation deviation.'' It was a dangerous time where any inner devils would have a chance to penetrate and take over someone''s awareness if they didn''t keep a careful eye on it.


    Noone on the other hand had suddenly advanced all the way into the third level of qi condensation - his mind, heart, and soul were in turmoil when it happened. Noone didn''t stand a chance.


    As he laid there, his body began to glow.


    White lines, from his abdomen ¨C his core, began to spread across his flesh. Intricate designs coursed across his skin, shining with a gentle pure white light and accentuating against his dark-grey stone colored skin...


    If Noone had been conscious, he would have noticed that these lines looked very familiar to those which he saw when being nurtured within the flower-pod in the cliff.


    Suddenly the spasming, the writhing, the pain stopped. All of the energy which had been coursing through his body finally reached an equilibrium.


    Both of Noone¡¯s hands flexed, and with an outburst of strength they bashed against the ground, creating a spiderweb of cracks around him. With smooth and strange ease, Noone stood up silent and solid.


    A deep breath entered his lungs, and his chest rose and fell. Like a dormant existence awakening from a slumber a harsh cloud of heated air escaped his lips. Noone¡¯s body moved slowly, meticulously.


    His head turned to look at where he had seen the tall being made of bone.


    If anyone had been there to see Noone, they would have felt a chill down their spine just from being near him. An aura of malice flowed out from him like waves of poison water. Violent energy could be felt boiling the air around him.


    His eyes swept around the room, looking across the thousands of freshly dug graves. A frown worked its way on his face, and his eyes were burst red as energy seeped into them, influenced by the inner devil that had formed in his heart after he had lost consciousness.


    Noone¡¯s awareness was now completely transformed by it. Toxic hate filled every inch of his body, down the ends of every limb. Whoever did this to his home, would die.


    Power reigned king, and Noone had never felt more powerful in his life than he did in this moment.


    Despite seething with rage, it was not unrestrained. In fact, it was cold and focused. Without causing a fuss in the cemetery, Noone walked out silently through the sanctuary.


    He stepped into the barren halls and the silence rung cold and distant.


    He walked through the empty corridors, past the elders¡¯ hall. Every step filled with an unwavering determination. Noone felt he could move at light speed if he wanted to. But he silently continued at his even pace, eyes red and body flowing with energy which shone from him like it did from the people of Tapestry. He walked towards the outcropping that extended from the face of the cliff.


    There was nothing left for him there, so up was the only way to go.


    He walked to the edge and gripped onto the cliff face. The stone under his hand creaked slightly under his strength. He eased up on it and began to climb, upwards, towards the surface he had seen before. Without equipment, or fear of falling. He coldly climbed, thoughts of death pervaded his heart and mind.


    The death of Tapestry.


    And the chaos that would follow in its wake.

 73. Shockwave

    It was the middle of the night in the desolate lands at the south-western edge of the world. Two acolytes, two clerics and a paladin were sitting around a small fire shielded from sight by several naturally formed boulders on the plateau.


    Light flickered, and ominous shadows were cast onto the surrounding stones telling stories of eras long past, appearing and disappearing like notes in a song.


    Everyone sat comfortably but there was an air of helplessness that spread across the group. They talked amongst themselves while remaining vigilant of their surroundings. They were deep into the epoch tribe''s territory, and although they haven''t seen any tribesman yet - none of them were willing to be caught unprepared.


    "According to the maps sent to us by the grand-priest, we should reach the edge of the world tomorrow." Sally said, using the delicate firelight to carefully study the map. On her littlest finger she wore a silver charm with a holy-symbol delicately etched into it. When she moved it across the map it would begin to ring like a small bell once her finger hovered over their location. This was how she could track where they were without needing the stars.


    Both Sarah and Feylin had asked her about this, having never seen or heard of anything like it before.


    "Well¡­ there are many types of maps." She began. "This happens to be an extremely special and extremely expensive one." She emphasized the ''extremely.''


    She turned the map over, and on the back of the smooth parchment, an intricate rune was painted on it. Small sparkles like glitter could be seen flowing through the rune as though it were fluid and alive.


    "It''s this rune that allows it to work in such a way." Sally''s voice was filled with admiration for the map that the two acolytes couldn¡¯t understand.


    She was not a cartographer enthusiast per say, but as someone who has seen a lot of maps and charts throughout her life, to be able to hold such a legendary one was something she would definitely never forget.


    Over the course of the journey, Feylin and Sarah came to realize just how special the person was who requested this favor of the Grand-Priest. It was repeatedly emphasized to them how rare many of the items they used were. The last thing Tobias wanted was for the acolytes to believe it was always this easy, so he would constantly remind them that this was a special circumstance.


    "Most maps you coordinate your location by looking at the surrounding hills and mountains, remembering where landmarks are, etc. When in spaces where there are no landmarks, they make specialized maps that can be charted and followed using the stars. This is how you would cross the northern desert, for example." Sally explained. Initially she had been expecting to have a star-chart for crossing the desolate western edge, it was only when Tobias handed her this map did she know it would be a lot easier.


    As they all sat listening to the wind brush against the earth and through the stone forest surrounding them, Tobias'' body suddenly straightened, gathering everyone''s attention. His eyes narrowed, and he looked towards the west. He did not stand or draw his weapon, so no one else moved to either. However, their focus was now to the west attempting to make sense of the paladin¡¯s alert state.


    No one could see it, but his eyebrows scrunched up and a frown crossed his face. "Cover your ears." He spoke quickly but with an even tone. His voice seemed to speak directly into their minds, causing them to heed his words immediately without thought. Their hands came up to their ears just in time.


    Suddenly, everyone present felt the pressure in their ears and lungs increase. A noise like the end of the world occurred many miles to the west, sending a shockwave rumbling out for hundreds of miles. The stone around them shifted and rumbled, even the boulders planted into the stone for millions of years shifted under the immense pressure.


    Tobias'' eyes widened. "Shit." He said, but no one could hear him. The pressure wave came like a train and stretched across their vision. Tobias, Sally, Rae, Feylin, Sarah. Every single one was lifted off the ground by the sheer force rushing towards them. The fire winked out of existence and their bodies were thrown into the nearest boulder ¨C crashing violently before crumbling to the floor.


    The two acolytes¡¯ faces screwed up in pain and suddenly they coughed up blood as their lungs collapsed in on themselves. Their eardrums burst under the immense forces which wormed its way into their bones.


    The three from Burian fared only a bit better, being at higher levels and having stronger constitutions than the young acolytes. Tobias fared the best, and quickly cast a healing spell upon himself and his compatriots, all sprawled on the floor after being passed by the concussive blast.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    As quickly as it had occurred, the acolytes¡¯ collapsed lungs were reformed, and their eardrums gradually mended back together.


    Sarah and Feylin were helped to their feet by the two clerics who had quickly readjusted from the shock.


    Both of the acolytes stumbled and were unable to stand without holding on to Raelith and Sally, coughing up another mouthful of foul blood that was left behind after being healed.


    "Easy." Tobias muttered, paying extreme attention to the west as though he was trying to see past the stones themselves. "Let Sarah and Feylin stay sitting, their eardrums burst from the shockwave, even after being healed it will take a couple minutes for their balance to return."


    Both of the clerics nodded and helped the two acolytes sit down.


    Fear could be seen in the eyes of the young ones. Their faces were pale from the sudden event and a cold sweat had formed under their clothes. Even Sally and Rae were put on edge by the suddenness of events. The acolytes couldn''t begin to imagine what would cause such a ferocious blast, and the clerics probably could - but didn''t dare to.


    Finally, after a few minutes passed with no other changes Tobias began to relax. However, his mind was working itself into exhaustion running every contingency plan he could come up with to explain the sudden shockwave.


    After a few more minutes, Sarah grit her teeth and forced herself to stand despite the nausea and unease she felt. Feylin followed suit, leaning slightly against the boulder he had been thrown into. They took unsteady steps towards Tobias but said nothing. They didn''t know what to say.


    Tobias reached into his shirt and pulled out the necklace they had been using to navigate. Quietly he lifted it.


    Everyone watched as the necklace spun for a moment, as if coming to some kind of decision. Finally, the moon side began to point to the west. The same beam of light appeared, but instead of pointing directly west it was now pointing down at an angle.


    Sally and Tobias frowned while Rae looked on in interest.


    "The moon side is the side pointing west¡­" Rae said ponderously.


    "Mm." Tobias stared daggers into the necklace, threatening it to explain itself.


    "So¡­ do we continue?" Sally said. The sudden change in events caused her to become uncomfortable. This was the first time the necklace had changed like this. And to occur right after the sudden shockwave¡­ she didn''t know what it could mean.


    "Yes." Tobias responded. His voice was confident but inside he felt slightly hesitant. "But we must remain vigilant. At the first sign of danger if it is above our capabilities, we will enact a full retreat." His eyes turned to the two acolytes. "Are you both okay now?"


    Sarah and Feylin were both breathing heavy, their limbs felt weak and unreliable, adrenaline coursed through them as though trying to fuel their desire to run. When Tobias saw their eyes, he understood immediately.


    Without ceremony, he walked to the two acolytes and struck both of them on the chest with enough force that they were knocked off balance and landed roughly on their butts. Rae and Sally''s eyes widened for a moment, but they did not stop the paladin.


    Feylin and Sarah too stared dumbly at the man who had just struck them. The paladin stood over the two for a minute before the acolytes finally reacted. They scrambled to their feet and stood in front of the paladin again, fighting off their body¡¯s weakness and instability.


    "You both should have easily been able to dodge that strike." He said, his voice rumbled through their minds. He was right, he did not move slowly or hit them in a blind spot, they should have easily stepped out of the way.


    "So some little shockwave hurts you a bit and all of a sudden you both become newborns? You forget how to stand? You stop paying attention?" Tobias glared at the both of them. "That''s not how we taught you to respond. Are you showing me that the last six months have been a waste?"


    Sarah, Feylin, Sally, and Raelith all began to understand why he struck out. He was making a point to the two youngest ones. Just because something scary occurs, doesn''t mean you can suddenly lose your spine. What if they had really been attacked just now instead of a simple strike? What if that shockwave had been the start of a fight with the epoch tribe?


    Both acolytes¡¯ eyes softened, but a resolve had formed within them. How shameful would it be if they did not learn anything during this time with Tobias and the two clerics from the Burian? Were the willing to return to the temple having no mettle to show for it?


    "Thank you, Tobias. You are right. The pain from the shockwave made me lose myself for a moment." Sarah coughed uncomfortably. Tobias nodded his head in response.


    Honestly, he was impressed with the two kids. In his mind, he did not see it as wrong that they had grown scared in that moment. What he was more concerned with was whether they had stayed that way after being shown their flaws.


    Sarah looked down at her palms, tightening her grip until her knuckles were white. She felt ashamed. He was absolutely right. All three from Burian responded quickly after the shockwave passed over them, only Feylin and her turned useless.


    Sally and Rae watched on. Pride filled their hearts at the resolve the young acolytes showed.

 74. A Harsh Figure

    The night passed without any other incidence. No one slept well.


    Tobias patrolled through the night, being extremely careful with his movement and covering more ground than any of the others in the group. Although he yelled at the two acolytes, in truth the power of the shockwave was enough to stun even himself. He couldn¡¯t imagine anything that would cause such an explosion except the highest level of experts within the known world.


    Maybe there was a hidden expert in the area that came into contact with the epoch tribe? Or some kind of natural phenomena? A meteor would do it, but meteors were so rare that they could basically be considered legends. There shouldn¡¯t be any kind of expert out here either. The more Tobias thought about it, the more it didn¡¯t make sense.


    And then there was the necklace. Why did it suddenly switch from being sun-side to moon-side after the explosion. Tobias couldn¡¯t help but feel that there was more to this than he suspected.


    The party traveled from sunrise. Sally walked at the lead and Tobias took up the flank. He carefully scanned the horizon, looking for the figures of any epoch Tribesman. Despite their city being built on an island almost 600 miles to the north, he didn¡¯t want to become too careless. Being caught in a surprise attack right now would be extremely unfortunate.


    Sarah and Feylin too remained vigilant. Although Tobias would discover any other beings long before they could, they needed to be ready to act as soon as anything changed. Each one breathed long steady breaths ¨C their hands hovering near their weapons at all times.


    Raelith walked in silence, there was no tension in her movements or wariness in her steps. Her thoughts in this moment were back at the grand-temple, thinking about a human paladin she had begun courting in the city. Every once in a while, a smile would break out on her face as she thought about what she could bring back for him.


    Suddenly Sally stopped walking. Soon everyone joined her, looking over her shoulder as she stared back and forth between her map and the land in front. Tobias narrowed his eyes in interest.


    ¡°I think¡­ we have a problem.¡± Sally¡¯s voice was commanding but unsure as it rang through the dry air. Her finger touched the edge of the landmass etched into the map. The sound of a small bell rang out indicating their current position - showing them to be within a few hundred meters of the edge. Tobias frowned.


    ¡°According to the map, we are here.¡± She said. ¡°Not far from the edge¡­¡± Sarah and Feylin¡¯s eyes widened slightly, they looked from where her finger was on the map, to the land in front of them.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion or not at first, so I was waiting till we closed the distance. But now I am certain of it.¡± She looked back at Tobias. ¡°There¡¯s at least 30 miles of desolate land in front of us, not drawn on the map.¡±


    Sarah and Feylin didn¡¯t think much of it at first, for a map as large as that one to be off by a meager thirty miles shouldn¡¯t be uncommon. But when they thought of the value and rarity of the map, a doubt wormed into their mind. They shared a look.


    ¡°So, what does that mean?¡± Feylin asked, never having been one to shy away from questions.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Sally started, but then she paused. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure.¡± Everyone frowned at her response, no one doubted her cartography skills, but for thirty miles of land to appear uncharted¡­ it left them with an uncomfortable feeling like ants crawling across their spine. Sarah glanced back at the endless land they had already passed, half expecting a tide of epoch tribesman to have appeared at their flank.


    Tobias cleared his throat. ¡°We will press forward then. That adds another two days¡¯ worth of travel into the mix¡­ but it¡¯s not unreasonable. We will follow the pendant until we reach the true edge and then decide from there what to do.¡± His voice left no room for questioning, and without further hesitation they began walking west again.


    Only half an hour passed before they reached the end of the map, standing right where it said the cliff should be. Tobias frowned but they pressed forward.


    It wasn¡¯t until they crossed into the uncharted section of map that they realized something felt off. Tobias, Sally and Raelith all stopped simultaneously and began to look around. Sniffing the air, sticking out their tongues. Waving their finger in the breeze and tasting it. The acolytes looked on in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s a barrier.¡± Rae said, a light smile on her lips. Her eyes sparked in interest.


    ¡°Well, it was a barrier,¡± Sally mumbled, finger on tongue.


    ¡°Mm.¡± Tobias. ¡°Well that explains what the explosion was.¡±


    Sarah and Feylin couldn¡¯t help but begin to mimic the actions of their seniors. It was extremely subtle, but the scent of metal could be smelt, and even tasted to a degree. They looked at each other in shock, what a weird feeling.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°It must have been ancient, maybe it was done by the epoch tribe?¡± Raelith said, looking around curiously.


    ¡°And powerful. Incredibly powerful. When this came down recently - presumably last night - for a barrier to create such a powerful explosion and be able to avoid the eyes of whoever created this map. It can¡¯t be underestimated¡­¡± Sally¡¯s voice trailed off. Tobias grunted in response, he was deep in thought. It worried him that the barrier, as strong as it must have been, came down right when they were going to reach it. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how ancient it must have been.


    Tobias took out the necklace and held it up, the pendant still shined moon-side west. Now though, the light which had pointed at a sharp angle into the ground, had become slightly more level as though whatever it pointed to was rising. After a light sigh Tobias put the pendant back under his shirt and motioned for them to carry on.


    They continued until the sun set. Setting camp within a secluded cave which formed from the stone around them. That night Tobias contacted the grand-priest, explaining the situation to him.


    Normally, even though he was a grand-paladin, he would never be able to have such direct contact with the grand-priest at the head of their order. It was only because he was on a mission deemed important enough to require it that he gained the privilege.


    When the grand-priest heard about the situation, he left for an hour, and upon his return told Tobias that he had the woman¡¯s reassurance that they would be able to handle it. Tobias felt uneasy about it but chose to say nothing.


    The woman of course was the individual who the grand-priest was doing this favor for.


    The next day they continued their trek. Sally mentioned that she could tell they would reach the edge tomorrow before sunset, or by tomorrow morning if they wanted to rush it.


    Tobias lifted up the pendant and frowned, the line was still slowly rising.


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡± He said. ¡°Tonight, we rest up well. I will take watch all night.¡± Everyone looked at him confusion however no one said anything. Rae and Sally trusted the paladin with their lives, Feylin and Sarah had no reason to not trust in him.


    That night the paladin mixed up a special tea to help the party rest into their full potential for the next day. The night was slow but uneventful. Everyone slept except for Tobias who patrolled the area, and continually used the pendant. They were closer to the cliff now, and he could visibly see the light pointing down ticking upwards.


    Tobias couldn¡¯t shake the bad feeling he had. Before the sun rose, he took a chance to get his prayers in for the day, asking for the blessings of their gods to see them through safely and unharmed.


    The next morning came with the harsh dry winds blowing at their backs. Sarah and Feylin woke up feeling sharper and more alert than they have ever felt. Their minds felt as though the world around them was slightly slower. They reacted to everything quicker, and all of their senses were more sensitive.


    As they stood up to do their morning stretches, they felt a chill up their spine. Suddenly they both ducked. The wind swept an inch from their skulls. Behind them Tobias stood with his dual-war-axe brandished having just barely missed their necks. When Sarah and Feylin¡¯s minds finally caught up with their body, they stood in muted shock staring at Tobias.


    ¡°That¡¯s some good tea, huh?¡± Tobias smiled as though he hadn¡¯t nearly beheaded the two acolytes.


    Both acolytes nodded dumbly.


    After a few more minutes everyone was fully awake, and they began their final days walk towards the edge. The sun rose above the horizon at their backs casting deep shadows that seemed to stretch on forever.


    They walked in muted tenseness, but as the day passed and the sun went from being at its zenith, to approaching the western horizon, they knew it would only be a little longer until they reached the edge. From there, if there was nothing to be found, they would have no choice but to return empty handed. An excited energy was building in the group ¨C finally, a journey which had taken some of them years would be reaching its conclusion.


    Tobias at some point had begun walking while carrying the pendant. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off of it except to scan the surroundings.


    The light had risen a lot in the last day, and it now was finally level with them on the plateau. Ever since rising though, it had not moved. It was directly to the west.


    Tobias was unsure if this made him feel better or worse. Was the thing they were seeking stationary¡­ or waiting.


    The sun was now only an hour from dropping beneath the horizon and enveloping the world into darkness. Everyone in the party could now clearly see the edge of the plateau. It dropped off into a sheer cliff before becoming part of the eternal sea.


    ¡°Form up.¡± Tobias took the initiative to group into a battle-ready formation. Whatever happened next, they needed to be ready. Tobias prayed they really were just going to collect whatever item the grand-priest wanted and then leave.


    As the distance closed, Tobias stopped walking and stood 200 meters away from the edge of the cliff.


    A chill suddenly pierced into Tobias spine unlike anything he had felt in a long time. All of his muscles locked up, his face twitched out of his control. A cold sweat appeared on his forehead as if from nowhere. It only lasted for a split second before a white light enveloped over his body breaking him from his shock. One of the holy spell slips which hung under his arm quietly disintegrated.


    Everyone around him noticed this, and they tensed up. Sarah, Feylin, Sally and Rae all looked towards the edge where Tobias had locked his gaze. Sarah and Feylin had to squint, but they could barely make out the shape of a person. Sally and Rae had a better time of it, being more experienced and having higher magic prowess they reinforced their eyesight.


    Suddenly a similar chill overcame them, they both were forced to grit their teeth. Something about what they saw made it feel like centipedes were crawling across their skin, biting their bodies. A shiver rocked through them.


    Standing on the edge of the cliff, they saw the silhouette of a man. He stood with his back towards them, looking out over the horizon at the encroaching sunset

 75. A Devil?

    Feylin and Sarah watched as Rae, Sally, and Tobias all broke into a sweat and freeze at what they were seeing. However, no matter how hard the acolytes squinted, they didn''t understand why the three from Burian were acting in such a way. They couldn¡¯t make out the finer details of the figure in the distance ¨C nor could they feel the energy exuding from it.


    Despite not understanding, they weren''t stupid and quickly readied themselves for a fight. Whatever it was the could cause the three from the Burian to react like that ¨C it must be bad news.


    When the three broke out of their stupor, they instantaneously removed their packs and drew their weapons. The two acolytes saw this and quietly followed suit, moving to take the positions they had practiced numerous times.


    "Do you two not feel it?" Sally said, looking at the two young acolytes who had not frozen when seeing the person on the edge. Disbelief flooded her voice, drawing the attention of the other two.


    "They''re too young and inexperienced to see it clearly, and even if they could they wouldn''t know to fear it." Tobias said. He stared at Sarah and Feylin considering his options.


    "What did you see?" Sarah asked. She could see the silhouette of a man, however that was the extent of it. The three looked at each other, as if deciding on how to explain it.


    "Whatever that thing is¡­ its violent and cruel. It practically exudes malevolence." Sally said, there was a cold harshness to her voice. She had seen a number of beings throughout her long life. The one in front of her now wasn''t the most violent. Or the coldest. It wasn''t even the most powerful. Not by a longshot. But the air around it seemed to practically resonate with its cruelty.


    "Is it not an epoch tribesman?" Feylin squinted trying to make out more details. No matter how hard he looked, it looked humanoid at least.


    "No¡­ I don''t think so. From what I was told, the epoch tribesman to the north have four arms, with skin a golden sheen." Tobias answered. He was able to see it the clearest. It indeed looked human¡­ but, he wasn''t sure.


    Everyone watched as he pulled out the necklace, holding it up. It spun round once before shining moon-side directly towards the person on the edge.


    "Well. That''s truly unfortunate." Tobias groaned, tucking the pendant back under his shirt.


    "Did he already get the item we are after?" Feylin asked. Everyone had the same question in their mind: what now?


    "Either that or¡­" Tobias felt increasingly down about what he was about to say.


    "Or he is the thing we are after." Sarah broke the silence, answering it before Tobias could. Tobias took a deep look at her, nodding in response.


    "How powerful is he?" Sarah followed up quickly.


    Tobias considered his options. "We can take him but¡­ I don''t want to."


    Rae and Sally both chuckled nervously in response. He spoke their thoughts exactly. They were clerics of the Order of Life. They could fight ¨C and they weren¡¯t even that bad at it, but it wasn¡¯t their preferred methods.


    As they stared at the figure, plans were calculated and recalculated in their heads. The two hundred meters between their party and that thing were completely sparse of cover. If they were going to approach him, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do it under the cover of stones.


    Tobias considered leaving the two acolytes where they stood, remembering his promise to keep them safe. However, he couldn''t bring himself to deny the kids the opportunity to challenge themselves in an honest fight. They have had enough practice to not get in the way, and even could be helpful.


    "I guess I will really have to push myself this time." The paladin thought.


    After spending 10 minutes explaining the roles the party should take, they stepped out from the boulder forest and began walking in formation towards the figure. There was only twenty minutes of light left in the day, so they chose to move now instead of waiting for night. It would be bad if the being had some sort of quick movement or teleport, so moving sooner was better.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Tobias took out the pendant one last time checking to make sure they were making the right move. It still pointed towards the figure. Now the only question was¡­ were they supposed to retrieve him, or did he get to whatever object they were supposed to collect before them.


    The distance closed to 150 meters. Feylin and Sarah both were beginning to make out more detail. The first thing they noticed was the man was big. Very big. Tobias big. He easily stood 6''5'''' and it was clear much of it was muscle.


    He wore very plain clothes, his shirt very similar to that of common townsfolk, but his pants were of a style they had never seen before. Although it was hard to tell from this distance, they would soon be close enough.


    "Has he seen us?" Sarah whispered. The closer they got to him, the more she was able to feel the uncomfortable air surrounding him. It was subtle, but present.


    "Not yet." Tobias responded, adding in a silent ¡®probably.¡¯ He could see the finest out of all of them. The person was standing back towards them, and he hadn''t reacted in any way to their presence.


    It wasn''t until she asked did she notice how tense the three from Burian were. She trusted their fighting instincts far more than her own. She grit her teeth and focused on staying aware. As of now they were not sure whether or not the person was a spellcaster or not. If he was, they had to be ready to react.


    "He''s weaponless" Sally said. Tobias merely grunted in response.


    Feylin had begun to get the jitters. Excitement, adrenaline and anxiety bubbled up inside of him as he tried to maintain his focus. The man in front of them was very intimidating.


    When the distance closed to a hundred meters Tobias suddenly broke the silence amongst the group.


    "He noticed us."


    Everyone watched as the man turned his head to the side - looking at them from the corner of his eye. They were now close enough to make out the figure¡¯s appearance completely. His clothes were plain and simple, his pants - despite being some foreign style - were also plain. He was tall and robust, toned muscles bulged under his shirt. His arms were rippled with protruding veins and muscles ran under the skin like steel cables. His skin was dark, but not like the people of the desert to the north. It looked like gray-black stone, smooth and solid. The sun looked to almost reflect from his body. As the group saw him, they couldn''t help but feel he looked like some kind of living statue.


    Most interesting of all though, was a tattoo that seemed to pulse and glow on his skin. It was white and full of complex designs running across his whole body like an arcane rune. They couldn''t see it, but Tobias could. The being''s eyes were the color of blood.


    This of course, was Noone.


    "Demon? Possession?" Tobias mumbled just loud enough for them to hear, letting the rest of his party in on his thoughts. These words helped Rae and Sally to calm their nerves slightly. If that was the case it would definitely explain the presence, they felt from him. Sarah and Feylin said nothing.


    The group continued forward, everyone was hyper-vigilant. If he began to cast a spell they would rush forward, and Sally was in charge of casting a counter spell.


    50 meters.


    Noone turned around fully to face the group. What none of them had noticed until this point was the hints of a smile on his face. It sent a chill down the two acolytes¡¯ spines. It wasn''t just a smile, instead it stretched into a grin of pure malice. Finally, the acolytes understood what the three from Burian felt. There was something terrifying about this person.


    Tobias opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything Noone opened his mouth wide and his whole body tensed. Without having the chance to say anything, Tobias''s eyes widened, and he felt the shift in the air.


    "Brace!" He yelled, quickly gripping onto a shield charm attached to his armor. Everyone moved swiftly and Sally blessed the two acolytes with protection just in time.


    Similar to what occurred when the barrier broke, a visible ripple spread from Noone¡¯s mouth. It was accompanied by no sound, but a rumbling seemed to pierce through everyone''s bodies as the world around them vibrated. Their ears popped by the sudden pressure of air rushing towards them as though trying to escape from the area around the being.


    Pebbles and dust were lifted from the ground in the space surrounding them, blasting outwards at a shocking speed.


    The ripple hit the party, followed by a noise like thunder going off from inside their own heads.


    Both Sarah and Feylin winced in pain. The sudden explosion of noise being similar to the explosion from before, but they grit their teeth and held their ground preparing to dash forward as soon as Tobias gave the command.


    Feylin held his shield up to block the debris that crashed into him, and Sarah braced through it keeping eye contact with the red-eyed devil.


    How did he do that!? She couldn¡¯t help but go wide eyed.


    Tobias was about to give the order to rush forward. Before he could, the man reacted first. A malicious grin was still spread on his face as he rushed straight towards the group of five. He moved at a speed that shouldn¡¯t have been possible from a standing start. At a full sprint he covered the 50 meters in what seemed like a split second.


    Suddenly, he was directly in front of Tobias, his body was crouched low, and a weaponless hand stretched out towards Tobias''s chest. A cold aura pierced through the entire party.

 76. Fight!

    Everyone was shocked by the suddenness of the approach. There was no time to plan or communicate between them. An intimidating presence surrounded the entire group. Feylin could barely believe his eyes as he watched the demon like presence infiltrate their party so efficiently. Noone¡¯s outstretched hand was writhing with muscle as it shot towards Tobias''s chest. Noone¡¯s fingers were pointed as though he was planning to pierce directly through Tobias''s armor and into his heart.


    Despite their shock, everyone in the group managed to react quickly.


    "I don''t think so." Tobias grunted and used the handle of his two-handed axe to sweep the demon¡¯s wrist off to the side ¨C but he failed to deflect the blow entirely. A force like a mountain hit Tobias'' shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards a few steps before catching his balance.


    Tobias had severely underestimated the amount of momentum behind the being¡¯s attack. Despite using considerable strength, he only redirected the blow slightly. He grit his teeth and his shoulder ached. His armor protected him from much of the impact. Even with his armor though, he was still forced back.


    Noone hesitated for a moment from his attack being blocked and failing to kill the large paladin. Rae and Feylin were quick to circle around. They were on Tobias''s right and surrounded the demon''s side. Their movement distracted the wild Noone who quickly focused in on Rae.


    With Tobias having been knocked out of the circle, they realized how tall this being was. His body was large and densely muscled ¨C combined with his frantically violent movements. They felt like they were facing a beast more than a person.


    When Rae made eye contact with the demon, she couldn''t help but tense up. With a flash her spear cut through the air and jabbed directly towards his head. It missed his skull by only a few inches.


    "Keep the distance." She chided herself. Over the span of a second, she repeatedly pierced towards him, using the range of her spear to keep him from closing in.


    The demon did not press forward or act wildly, merely keeping inches out of reach of the spear. From the side everyone looked on in shock. They could barely follow her attacks and yet Noone who was on the receiving end was effortlessly dodging them. It watched her movements, analyzing her attack.


    Tobias quickly returned to the circle, rolling his shoulder as he regripped his axe. Sarah and Sally were behind Noone - fighting a single opponent should be easy, as long as they were careful.


    Suddenly, when pulling her spear back, Noone lunged forward in tandem following the spear to Raelith. Rae¡¯s eyes widened but she didn¡¯t panic. She quickly stopped pulling back and instead dug her feet into the stone and swiped it edge-first towards him, wanting to force him back. It was in a perfect arch towards his neck.


    Faster than any of them realized, Noone¡¯s standing leg bent, dropping his height down by a foot. The edge of the spear sliced the air above his skull. If he had hair, it would have certainly taken a few inches off.


    Using his position and height, his leg shot out like a whip. His shin impacted against the side of Rae''s thin torso. Her whole body was lifted off the ground a few inches. Like a sandbag, she was knocked into Feylin, who was preparing to support her. A crack could be heard and Raelith let out a choked yell. Her bottom two ribs were broken. It wasn''t life threatening yet, but it hurt like hell.


    "I got you!" Feylin caught Rae, being careful to not limit his shield hand. He stood firm, stepping slightly in front of her with his shield at the ready.


    Noone was already taking a step forward to continue his pursuit, but suddenly right in front of him a battle axe came down from above, carving a deep gash in the stone. Rubble and dust sprung up from the impact. Noone had to stop his attack and dodge out of the way. The axe was easily pulled out of the ground and arched towards him.


    He stepped back three paces, preparing to lunge at Tobias again. His legs flexed violently ¨C wanting to dash towards the paladin, but before he could a shocking pain struck his shoulder. Sally and Sarah were behind him. Sally had taken the initiative to use his blind spot to her advantage.


    She struck down with her hammer, violently crushing into Noone¡¯s shoulder. She felt the crunch of bones as his scapula was shattered into shards by the force.


    A screech that seemed to defy the laws of sound echoed into their minds.


    "Watch out!" Sarah, with full view of what was happening, could see the beings arm move in an unnatural way towards Sally, as though completely ignoring the broken shoulder.


    Before Sally could pull back, the same arm she had just struck reached her wrist. It was far faster than she could have been prepared for.


    The large hand gripped her tiny forearm - with a sickening crunch and then a thud, the hammer fell to the floor. Her wrist was crushed into dust in his grip, blood seeped out between his fingers. A wave of nausea came across Sally as she fought back against the pain. She couldn''t help but scream at the suddenness of it.


    It didn''t end there. Still holding onto her wrist, Noone lifted her body over his shoulder and then with a twist he threw her directly towards Tobias who was actively advancing towards him.


    Tobias was quick to move his axe out of the way - catching Sally whose face had gone flush in pain. Seeing her crushed forearm, Tobias stopped his pursuit for a moment starting a healing miracle that would get her back into battle.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Sarah saw all of this happen over the span of a second. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped her weapon. The man turned to look at her, she was now separated from the group. Noone stood between her and them.


    Rae and Feylin both rushed towards Noone when they saw the situation. But they were too slow, Sarah was already face to face with him.


    Using the extended reach of her weapon, she lowered her stance and swung it at an upwards arc.


    "If I can, I will hit his legs before he can get close. If he dodges, I will still be able to hit him in the side." She stared at the being, blood red eyes stared back, the smile never having left his face.


    For some reason, something about the grin was equal parts terrifying and morbid. It left her entire body screaming to escape. But she fought those feelings and planted her feet.


    The weighty bladed head of the pole-mace struck Noone who was rushing directly towards her. With a crunch, Sarah saw his arm bend backwards from the sheer force of the impact. Blood spurted onto both of them and a giant gash formed on his flesh, hanging viciously from his muscles.


    Sarah had fought with many wild beasts since beginning this assignment, but the sight in front of her was sickening. As though Noone did not even care for his own injuries he advanced directly inside of Sarah''s striking range before she could attack again.


    Sarah knew her weapon was now useless at this distance. With shaking hands, she dropped it and fumbled to pull a knife from her waist band before the demon could act.


    As she did, Noone¡¯s hand struck out. He grabbed onto the front of her clothing. Sarah gripped the knife like her life depended on it. She struck upwards aiming for Noone¡¯s chest. As she did though, Noone pulled her with such force that she completely lost her balance.


    The knife still imbedded itself into Noone¡¯s abdomen, but before Sarah could try again, she heard the sound of crunching bone emit from within her own skull. What? She barely had time to think before she passed.


    Having one useless arm didn''t leave many options, so Noone had used the force of her body to crush her skull with his own. The thud was sickening.


    "Sarah!" Feylin screeched, eyes going bloodshot from the sight. He was only a few paces away now, and with a lunge, he struck with his sword, readying to pierce through the demons back. Noone dropped Sarah, unconscious and bleeding profusely over the ground, and silently stepped to the side.


    Feylin was too slow to readjust his momentum and suddenly he found himself completely exposed. His body was launched upwards into the air by a sharp kick to his abdomen. Feylin doubled over, immediately puking out blood. His eyes dulled, passing out immediately from the pain.


    Noone used Feylin¡¯s opening to plant his foot squarely into his side, kicking him with enough force to launch Feylin through the air.


    His body hit the ground, crumpling into a twitching mess.


    Noone stood there silently. Blood streaked down from his head. One shoulder crushed and caved in, the other arm broken and bent at disgusting angles. A knife protruded from his abdomen, and all of his clothes were stained red. If he didn''t look enough like a devil before, he certainly did now.


    Sally and Tobias approached with a violent intensity. Having used the last few seconds to heal her wrist, she was already wielding her weapon; a scowl was on her face as she looked at the two acolytes crumpled on the floor. She could tell they were only unconscious, but if they weren''t healed soon, they would certainly die ¨C especially Sarah.


    "Sally, cast a ritual mass heal. Rae and I will engage. But we must stabilize the kid¡¯s conditions." Tobias took no more than a second to instruct her, already his steps were bounding towards Noone war axe drawn.


    Without question Sally immediately dropped back, she pulled out an expensive looking holy artifact and began a prayer. It would take at least 30 seconds to cast. Tobias and Rae would have to hold the demon alone for that long.


    Rae was already engaging Noone in combat while Tobias was bounding towards them.


    Her spear moved like a snake, constantly taking small bites off of Noone¡¯s flesh. Blood sprayed across the ground.


    Part of the fundamental of fighting was never taking eyes off your opponent. At a point at someone''s skill, just looking into the eyes of your opponent was enough. But when she looked into his eyes, it felt like a void. There was no contemplation or strategy to his movement. There was action and reaction and pain.


    Noone continued to dance between attacks. Despite being serrated with small cuts, none of them struck deep. He watched Tobias approaching axe drawn. As he danced between attacks, he made careful note of the feel of the earth under his feet.


    Suddenly he stopped moving. Raelith saw an opportunity and prepared to take advantage of her momentum. She just needed to hold him for a moment longer until Tobias arrived.


    Noone stood straight, smiling at Rae as though mocking her. Like a hammer striking the earth, Noone¡¯s foot lifted and struck the floor. Suddenly a layer of sand which had been eroded into the stone was shot into the air from the impact. A smokescreen of dirt exploded out completely covering Noone and Rae. Tobias stopped just a foot away stunned by the sudden occurrence.


    "Shit!"


    As the dust began to settle, there was a deep thud of flesh against flesh, and Raelith¡¯s body was launched out of the smoke. In the split-second Tobias saw her, he was able to see a large gaping hole in her side. The frown on his face deepened. Their losses were much more severe than he was expecting. He glanced back at Sally, a white glow was spreading from the artifact. The healing ritual would occur soon, Rae would last until then.


    Suddenly the dust in front of him stirred, his eyebrows scrunched together, and he took a quick step back, swinging the battle axe in front of him.


    A dark hand with white glowing markings had shot out of the smoke, Noone¡¯s fingers were stretched out as if trying to grab Tobias.


    The battle axe cut through the dust, sending a blast of air clearing the space. As it swept through, Tobias felt a familiar impact.


    Noone was revealed just behind the smoke, the axe had cut through his arm, covering both him and Tobias in blood and dirt. Instead of reacting or reeling away to the sudden dismemberment though, Noone struck out with his foot.


    Tobias grunted under the impact of the large beings¡¯ weight, his armor supporting the main brunt of it. Despite the armor¡¯s protection, he felt his organs bruise.


    "What a monster." He mumbled. Noone looked more like a mangled corpse than a statue at this point. Despite being covered in blood and bruises, knife still sticking from his abdomen, having just lost an arm, it was almost as though he didn''t care or couldn''t feel it.


    Nearby Sarah was beginning to toss slightly. She groaned, and her eyes fluttered. Her hand reached up to her head, it throbbed under its own weight and she could feel wet blood still pooling out of where she was hit.


    When she looked up, she saw Rae and Feylin both crumbled on the floor unconscious. She saw sally glowing white preparing some kind of spell. Tobias and the man were exchanging blows. At some point he lost an arm.


    Her consciousness wavered, fighting her will to return back to unconsciousness. She couldn''t feel her legs and knew she was in no position to return back to the fight.


    "What can I do¡­" Her mind throbbed as she watched the two fight. It was a brutal encounter.

 77. Moonlight Cocoon

    Noone managed to break into Tobias''s attack range. Despite one arm being useless and losing the other, he still fought back ferociously. Tobias kept the wildly fighting Noone at bay, but it was putting intense strain on his body.


    Most people when they lose a limb, it completely screws with their ability to fight. Their balance and tactics all take a blow, their mind becomes slow and dulled with pain. But despite having lost both of his arms, Noone did not seem to slow down at all.


    Lose one arm? Use the other. Lose both? Well I still have two legs, don''t I? Tobias couldn''t help but grow anxious. Even through this whole ordeal, he never lost track of their main objective. Tobias was beginning to think that they were meant to secure this being. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was able to keep it alive¡­ all he knew was that this couldn''t go on forever.


    Suddenly there was the sound of the crunching of steel. Tobias had attempted to dodge to the side, but the ground under Noone''s feet shattered as he leapt into the paladin, driving both knees into Tobias''s chest plate. He grunted in pain as he felt the metal bend under the impact.


    Bouncing back from Tobias, Noone stood a few feet away. Despite not having shown any signs of slowing, his breathing had become increasingly ragged.


    The sun dropped dangerously close to the horizon, threatening to bathe them all in darkness. The battlefield had gradually lost its color. Suddenly, a flash of light caught everyone''s attention. Sarah, laying on her back had a hand stretched above her head. She stared daggers at Noone as though wishing she could kill him with her gaze alone and suddenly a chain formed around her fist. It glowed white and blue, made from miracle energy.


    "Summon weapon! Good spell!" Sally couldn¡¯t help but think excitedly.


    Like a lightning bolt, the spell launched itself from her hand at a speed even Noone would be unable to dodge. The ball of light surrounded Noone. Gradually it dimmed down enough to show him wrapped within the glowing chains.


    The chains pierced into the earth, wrapping around Noone¡¯s neck and limbs.


    Without any hesitation Tobias took advantage of the spell and attacked. Noone had no chance to resist the bindings, Tobias swept his legs out from under him. Noone fell back, unable to catch himself.


    With a thud he fell to the earth. Tobias didn''t give him any chance to counter. He stomped his foot down on Noone¡¯s chest, forcing a stream of blood out of Noone¡¯s mouth and nose as his ribs were shattered under the weight of the paladin.


    "Well¡­ it¡¯s good to know you can be worn down." Tobias wheezed, he wanted to let the time drag on for as long as possible. Just long enough for Sally to cast her spell. "If you couldn''t¡­. I would say you were some kind of monster." He chuckled, smiling wryly at the inhumanity of this thing in front of him.


    Tobias held the axe above Noone¡¯s head, hoping it would deter the demon from doing anything stupid. With his other hand Tobias began to fish the pendant necklace from his shirt. Luckily it was undamaged beneath the chest plate.


    He held it out, watching as the light from it pointed directly towards Noone.


    "Well. That settles it then. Someone paid a very big favor to get ahold of you." Tobias held the necklace between his fingers as he considered what to do next.


    As Tobias watched vigilantly, Noone lifted his mangled hand, fighting against the chains which bound him. The odd and malicious grin never left his face. Tobias thought Noone was just struggling. However, Sarah and Sally who were a little distance away could see what was happening.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Tobias! Look out!" Sally couldn''t move due to the spell, and Sarah was still too injured and focused on binding Noone.


    Before Tobias could react, he heard the swoosh of air being cut behind him. His entire body twisted violently to the side, attempting to dodge out of the way of whatever was flying towards him.


    Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he saw a golden spear piercing through the air. It shot towards him in silence, like an arrow released from a bow. If it hadn''t been for Sally''s warning, he probably would have never noticed in time.


    He managed to twist his body out of the way just enough to avoid it. When he looked back towards Rae, he saw that she was still unconscious on the floor.


    As his eyes followed the path of the spear, it rotated as if bound by a string and flashed towards him again. Without much time for consideration, Tobias made a decision. Over the next few seconds ¨C everything changed.


    He dropped the pendant onto Noone who was still bound to earth.


    Despite twisting out of the way as much as he could, he was not able to dodge completely from such a short range. The sound of flesh and bone being cut rung out over the otherwise silent battlefield.


    The battle axe hit the stone first, planting itself firmly into the ground by the blade. Next, a metal plated arm fell beside it. Like a fountain, blood began to spew from Tobias'' arm. He grit his teeth and pain coursed through his nerves like fire. However, he did not ease off of Noone.


    Suddenly, white light seemed to fall from the stars themselves.


    Sarah was covered in the gentle light, the wound on her head quietly closed. Her complexion immediately looked better and her mind cleared from the pain. It became easier to focus on her weapons spell and Noone was pulled tighter into the ground.


    The hole in Raelith''s abdomen closed up, her organs also repaired themselves. Small cracking noises could be heard as the ribs which were shattered by Noone¡¯s kick mended together.


    Feylin¡¯s complexion shifted to a healthier hue as his internal injuries were healed.


    Finally, the light landed on Tobias. The bleeding stump that was his arm quickly closed itself shut. The rest of his arm still laid on the floor unusable.


    As soon as his arm was healed, Tobias and Noone made eye contact. Noone¡¯s face was still plastered with a sinister grin. The pendant which Tobias dropped finally fell onto Noone, the ever-present expression on his face changed.


    A scream that sent shivers down everyone''s spines pierced into their minds. It evoked thoughts of torture and hell itself, all eyes fell on Noone. It lasted for only a moment, but a light unlike anything any of them had ever seen covered Noone''s body. Like a cocoon it seemed to bind him, even breaking through Sarah''s spell to do it.


    Tobias quickly stepped off, removing himself from the range of the strange spell. A deep frown was on his face as he watched. The cocoon seemed to be made of starlight. It was black with white specks peppered across it.


    It covered Noone completely sealing him away from the world. No noise or movement could be made out from inside. Tobias couldn''t help but feel it looked like a coffin.


    He watched for a while, making sure that whatever spell which was in the pendant would hold. Sally walked across the battlefield, checking on everyone''s health and distributing healing ointments and water.


    Slowly everyone gathered their wits and joined Tobias, looking down at the cocoon. Despite being healed from their physical ailments, Feylin and Sarah both felt sick to their stomachs. Their limbs shook from fear and adrenaline.


    Rae looked at her spear which laid nearby, and Tobias''s dismembered arm. She couldn''t help but feel uncomfortable.


    In fact, everyone felt uncomfortable when looking at it. Tobias was by far the strongest out of everyone present, stronger than the acolytes by a large margin. For him to have lost an arm¡­


    Sarah and Feylin couldn''t help but feel extremely lucky that they were alive.

 78. Devil or Demon or... Something Else?

    Sarah. Feylin. Sally. Raelith. Tobias.


    Everyone sat in a circle staring at the fickle flames of a small campfire they had lit, calming their nerves under the cover of the boulder forest. Thoughts ran rampant through their minds, but no one took the initiative to speak.


    After being healed and binding the demon within the cocoon, they quickly dragged it out of sight. The entire group felt more isolated than it had been before. However, not everyone was feeling particularly introspective in that moment.


    Raelith Ringflower, despite being a lower level within the church, had lived for three times longer than anyone else in their party. She had been involved in an endless number of life or death battles in her long life. Gradually she became able to take them in stride.


    It no longer affected her the way it used to. If anything, she felt guilty about her uselessness during the battle. If she had not lost consciousness, there was no way her weapon would have been taken and used to harm Tobias.


    She snuck a glance at him. He sat quietly staring into the fire, the starlight coffin laid next to him. Despite having lost an arm, he was no less intimidating.


    Sally still had a little adrenaline rush from the battle. Her leg quietly bounced up and down, trying to expel the energy in her body. She quietly rubbed her wrist which had been crushed to dust not even an hour before.


    Although it had been healed to its prior state by Tobias, a shiver would pierce through her body when she thought back to the feeling. Every time her mind drifted to the memory, she would wince. During her life, she had suffered any number of injuries, but none of them felt so final as what happened earlier. She didn''t even have a chance to pull away before her wrist was caught and crushed.


    The three from Burian all kept an eye on the two acolytes. Some of the silence was calculated, they watched to see how Sarah and Feylin would react to the experience. This would be their first true life or death battle, no one could say how their psyche would react to it. Especially after.


    Sarah and Feylin sat huddled together on a stone. They stared at the ceaselessly changing fire. Their eyes were both glazed over, their minds played back the fight over and over repeatedly. Like a movie reel which they could not shut off, they relived that moment of battle.


    They thought about everything that occurred, and everything that they could have done differently.


    "If only I hadn''t lunged at that moment¡­" Feylin unconsciously gripped his sword.


    "If only I had hit harder, reacted quicker¡­" Sarah admonished. When her mind thought back to the image of the man¡¯s face crushing her skull¡­ fear built up in her heart. She gripped her bracelet tightly in her palm.


    Logically, they knew that they performed as best they could. There was no turning back time, and everyone made it out alive. But doubts perforated their heart.


    The fires warmth only eased their anxiety slightly. It was made worse though when they looked towards Tobias. He didn''t make eye contact with them, but they couldn''t even imagine how he was feeling right now. Losing an arm¡­


    In reality, Tobias wasn''t too bothered by the loss. It wasn''t the most ideal scenario, but as he considered how much worse it could have been, he said a prayer in gratitude. He promised Jakobson he would keep the Acolytes safe. Keeping them alive was close enough.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The cocoon next to him laid silently, unconcerned of the world around it. He had locked his senses onto it, ready to react to any change. It seemed whatever the necklace was meant to do, it was doing it well.


    Secretly, Tobias was less than happy with how little they knew about this assignment, but he also understood that he wasn''t in a high enough position to know all the details. It was merely good enough they all survived.


    "What is it?" Sarah''s voice timidly broke through the silent circle. Her eyes looked towards the starlight coffin. Slowly her mind was clearing up, warmed by the fire. She reached out to anything else she could focus onto, anything that would break the cycle of self-doubt she felt overwhelmed by.


    When the three from Burian looked at her eyes, they could see the confusion in them clearing like clouds after a rain. Feylin too broke out of his anxiety not long after.


    Sally and Rae shared a look. Although not the fastest they had seen, it was more than enough to prove the resolute stability of their hearts and minds.


    Breaking through the pain, doubt, anxiety. It wasn''t easy and was something that countless adventurers have been crippled by.


    Tobias finally smiled, a cheerful all-knowing smile that the acolytes had come to know him for.


    "Feeling better?" He asked. Sarah and Feylin looked at each other, smiling wryly. They realized that the seniors were giving them silence and space to see how they would react.


    Sarah nodded and Feylin gave a half-hearted shrug. They weren''t feeling better.


    "So¡­ what was it? That thing¡­ before you said it was some kind of demon, or a possession?" Feylin tilted his head towards it. He had heard numerous stories throughout the years, of deadly duels and fearsome beasts. He wasn''t sure how to classify what they just went through.


    "Hmm¡­" Tobias went silent for a while. Many thoughts were crossing through his mind. Not just him, but the other two as well.


    "Honestly. I''m not sure. I have never seen or even heard of anything like it before. I think the closest comparison would be a devil, but there were differences. Devils come in a range of intelligence. You have the hyper intelligent, like Tieflings. And then you have grunts, demons, basic soldiers and summons from the nether. Despite being hostile and extremely aggressive, they aren''t too different from beasts of this world. They know when to run, and when to fight. They react appropriately to being damaged and dismembered."


    He thought back to how ferociously Noone continued to fight despite losing his arm. There wasn''t even the consideration of retreat.


    "It fought more like a weapon than a person." Raelith said. It had left a great impression on all of them, most of all on Raelith who believed she had seen most everything the world had to offer. She wasn''t dumb and knew that in the vast world there were millions of things she had yet to experience. But never did she think she would discover something like Noone.


    Tobias grunted in response.


    Feylin and Sarah didn''t know what to make of their words.


    "Then¡­ what now?" Sally asked. She couldn''t help but stare at the starlight cocoon that the being was encased in. Was it a seal? How long would it hold? What kind of magic was it? At what level?


    "I will contact the grand-priest to inform him of what happened. Most likely we will end up bringing this back with us to HQ¡­ from here though, we will go back to the temple at Ardglass to regroup." When giving out his instructions, he gestured with his stump of an arm. He stared at it raised in the air and frowned.


    "While I contact the Grand-priest, you all take some time to maintain your armor and weapons. The hard part is behind us, but we can''t afford to get careless on the return trip.¡±


    Everyone nodded in response. Tobias spoke only the truth. They had to be prepared for whatever happened next.


    "By the way, Sarah, Feylin.¡± Tobias smiled reassuringly. ¡°Both of you fought well and did not let me down. You lived up to the trainings we supplied you, and I will personally ensure your acceptance into the Burian, should you so desire it." He looked warmly at the two acolytes. Everything he said was true, they fought well especially considering they were only acolytes. It would be a waste of potential to not give them the chance.

 79. Chain in the Heart

    "So, Sarah? How long has it been since you learned the miracle to summon weapons?" Sally had been curious about this since seeing her summon the chains earlier. She had been impressed by Sarah''s initiative. Despite being injured and barely conscious, Sarah was still aware enough to create an opportunity for Tobias.


    "Oh yeah, Tobias said you summoned chains?" Raelith had been meaning to ask about this as well. She was a weapons expert not by trade, but experience.


    The ability to summon weapons required an individual to have some understanding to what they summon. In the clergy it is taught how to summon basic weapons like axes and swords or even simple bludgeons. Training to use the spell for anything else is rare.


    The idea is that when you summon something, it must maintain its shape in your mind even while you are in the midst of battle, so basic weapons are easier to maintain.


    Something like a chain though? Chains are nuanced tools. They are made of individual links which all react uniquely to each other. Maintaining the image in your mind during battle would be hard. But even summoning it would require an immense amount of understanding.


    Raelith was extremely impressed by Sarah''s capability. Later she considered even training up that ability herself.


    Even Feylin looked over. When he heard what happened, he was probably the most surprised of everyone. He never thought Sarah would be the type to learn that miracle. He had been attempting to learn it himself and was still a hairs breadth away from actually being able to cast it.


    "I was close to finishing it before we left¡­" Sarah said, sneaking a sidelong glance at Feylin. "I didn''t manage to complete it until we set off on the assignment."


    Everyone looked at each other. For her to have reached that level even before coming under their tutelage was impressive. Feylins¡¯ eyes narrowed. For that long?


    He thought about how hard he worked to catch up in his studies. He thought about the time he asked how far along she was in her miracle-casting. She had told him she was working on a healing spell and he bragged about his progress with the miracle to summon weapons¡­


    A frown worked its way on his face, but it was subtle and disappeared quickly. Feylin let go of the tension with a sigh. Sarah had always been ahead of him ever since she arrived at the temple years prior. It was nothing new.


    The look that crossed his face did not go unnoticed by the two clerics.


    "May I see your summon spell Sarah?" Raelith was curious to see how refined her skills were. Sarah merely shook her head.


    "I don''t have the energy to use that level of spell again until I rest. I can show you tomorrow though if you want."


    Raelith was shocked for a moment before remembering how young they were. They haven''t even graduated from being acolytes yet, she realized. It would be weird if she could use the spell twice in a day.


    "Tomorrow then." Raelith said. "Tonight, you both go to sleep. Sally, Tobias and I will take watch. We can function better on less sleep. You both will need to be rested. You haven''t realized it yet, but that fight will have exhausted you more than you know." Sally nodded along. She was going to suggest it soon if Raelith had not.


    Both the acolytes nodded and set up their sleeping bags a little way away from the fire. They spotted Tobias kneeling down in the distance, presumably talking to the Grand-Priest.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    They both laid in the dark of night, blanketed by an immense starry sky which threatened to swallow them whole. Various thoughts ran through their minds.


    "Sarah, why didn''t you tell me you were so close to advancing?" Feylin rolled on his side, looking at Sarah.


    She thought about it for a moment. Six months ago, when he had asked her, why did she hide it? She didn¡¯t have an answer.


    "Well." Feylin continued. "At least tell me this." Even in the night she could see his eyes clearly. "Why chains?"


    The silence of the cool night air became deafening as he waited for an answer. To Feylin, the reason didn''t matter. Not really. He just wanted to see if she would tell him the truth.


    As they looked at each other, Feylin couldn''t help but feel a small intimidation from the intensity in Sarah''s eyes. Feylin noticed that he had to fight not to look away.


    "Because¡­" Her voice was soft and carried no further than his ears.


    "There are things in this world that deserve to be chained to hell."


    She rolled over in her sleeping bag, leaving Feylin alone in the night with those words. However, exhaustion soon came over both and they were quickly lost to sleep.


    ¡­


    "How did it go with the HQ?" Sally asked. Tobias sat down near the fire, tossing another small log in the pit.


    "Hmph. They told me about as much as you would expect. Just south of nothing." Seeing his big frame hunched over in front of the fire, Sally and Rae couldn''t help but admire his sturdy nature. Ever since the beginning of this assignment they had traveled together for two years, and no matter what situation they were in Tobias remained calm and reliable.


    Even after losing two students to the drow¡­


    "So, what do you think about those two?" Tobias asked. Sally and Raelith looked at each other, each considering their words.


    "Feylin, I think, has a lot of potential in the order of life." Sally said. She had taken charge of training Feylin for the most part. They both used a single hand weapon and shield combination, so she easily transferred her experiences into something teachable.


    "He is reliable when needed, but still green behind the ears and it shows. He would get along well within the Burian and would probably grow remarkably fast next to his peers." Tobias responded. Due to his level within the order, he was blessed with a keen insight into people''s hearts. Especially the hearts of the youth.


    "And Sarah?" He asked.


    There was a pause of silence.


    "Sarah is a prodigy, frankly remarkable in both weapons and learning. She never seeked out guidance from me or Sally with summoning weapons, and she was able to learn it on her own even without our knowledge." Raelith said. "And the fact she can summon something as complicated as a chain is even more impressive. However¡­ she''s not a good fit for the order of life." Raelith spoke clearly and with only minor hesitation. If anyone else were there to hear her they would assume she was being unnecessarily harsh. However, Raelith felt that at her age there was no reason to mince words.


    Sally nodded her head. She felt the same way.


    "And why not?" Tobias said, his face neutral. Raelith and Sally looked at each other.


    "To summon a chain¡­ the chain in her heart would first need to be actualized." Sally said. Tobias nodded, he understood what she meant.


    He had heard from Jakobson about her history, and he wasn''t surprised by the conclusion the clerics came to. She indeed had a chain in her heart, and this assignment may have been more than enough to actualize it into existence.


    Tobias stared into the flames.


    "There''s something else that''s bothering me." Tobias'' voice was slightly strained. "With all the commotion we caused¡­ I don''t know why we haven''t seen any of the epoch tribesman yet." Sally and Rae both considered this¡­ Tobias was right. That was worrying, indeed.

 80. Unraveling Cocoon

    The night passed smoothly with the three seniors taking turns on watch. The sun rose in the east casting soft shadows over their camp. The ground was stiff and uncomfortable, but the two acolytes slept soundly from sheer exhaustion. Over the past six months their biological clocks had grown very used to waking up in time with the sun. But that morning they woke up late, barely in time to catch the three from Burian.


    "Glad to see you made it." Tobias said, the usual jovial smile made even more friendly in the warm morning sun.


    Since the beginning of the journey Tobias''s group constantly threatened to leave them behind if they weren''t awake in time to join them.


    It didn''t take many times of having to catch-up for the acolytes to become accustomed to the rigid schedule.


    "Sorry¡­" Feylin said. He really was too exhausted last night. Despite being healed after the battle, it seemed that some things couldn''t be fixed through miracles.


    Sarah walked alongside, quietly keeping pace with the group. Despite her exhaustion and a full night''s rest, she had dark circles under her eyes.


    "Did you not sleep well?" Raelith asked, seeing her dilapidated state.


    "Mm. Sorry." She mumbled, her eyes were unfocused as she looked at Rae. "Bad dreams."


    "You''re fine." Raelith took off her pack and began rummaging through it, "Here" she said. "Have some." Rae pulled a small berry out of her pack and tossed it to Sarah who caught it curiously. It was red and smooth all the way around, like a perfect sphere. Sarah couldn''t tell if it had ever been attached to a stem or not. Having no reason to decline she ate the berry in one bite.


    Like instant energy she felt a heat spread from her throat to her chest and limbs. Suddenly she felt like she was perfectly rested, any muscle aches she had from the day before seemed to disappear.


    "They''re called good-berries. For obvious reasons." Raelith laughed with her feathery voice, taking enjoyment in the look on Sarah''s face.


    "Well¡­ they certainly are that."


    "Indeed."


    Sarah''s mood increased significantly after some banter with Raelith while Feylin and Sarah chatted. Tobias led the group. His pace was a bit hurried, but it was more a consequence of his large stature than any rushing he was doing.


    Behind Tobias, the starlight cocoon was attached by a thread to his pack and dragged along the ground. Tobias seemed to have confidence in the security of the spell which held the being inside.


    With the paladin in the lead the rest were left to walk alongside the cocoon.


    Sarah and Feylin both had a hard time not looking at the cocoon in curiosity. The battle yesterday, for better or worse, would remain in their minds for the rest of their lives.


    "It is still alive, yeah?" Feylin asked.


    "I would presume so. No reason to seal it up otherwise." Sally said. "Though with an arm cut off, and all of its injuries¡­ I don''t know if it will remain so."


    No one in the party was sure whether or not they were comfortable referring to ''it'' as a ''him.'' They weren''t sure whether or not to consider it human. If it was human or some similar race¡­ what would that imply about them? It was easier to think of it as a beast or a demon despite its almost-human appearance.


    The rest of the day passed relatively easy. The party weaved their way through the boulder forest, gradually falling back into their usual rhythm. The constant grinding of the cocoon against the stone faded into the background.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Various thoughts passed through the minds of the group.


    For the three from Burian, they were happy to finally complete the assignment. They have left the grand-temple for two years now and desperately missed its majesty.


    Rae thought about the young man she had begun courting. By the time she returned, four years would have passed¡­


    Sally was considering her advancement into a grand-cleric. Completing this assignment would be considered a huge achievement for the order, and she would most likely receive favor with the upper echelons.


    They walked for nine hours before the sun set, and they made up camp amongst the stones. Everyone slept well, walking through the day cleared their heads of any lingering worries. Tobias stayed close to the cocoon, not even letting it out of his sight.


    He had faith in the sealing ability of the spell, he knew who it came from after all. But he didn''t manage to live as long as he had by being careless.


    If anything untoward occurred, he would be there to see it through.


    During his turn to keep watch, he removed the axe from its sheath, weighing it in his one hand. Since he only had his off-hand to work with, he would need to spend the time to get used to the weight of his own weapon.


    He trained through the night, body glistening with sweat as he practiced the simplest swings repeatedly.


    Ten times, he swung the axe, using his skill to keep it from impacting the ground by inches.


    A hundred times. His muscles burned, protesting against this foreign usage.


    A thousand times, he panted as sweat dripped off his body, pooling on the stone underneath. Finally, he stopped.


    "I should be set¡­ by the time we get back to the temple." Tobias couldn''t help but look at his stumped right arm. Despite having been healed, it still hurt.


    It was like this that weeks passed. If it weren''t for the presence of the cocoon and the existence inside, it would have felt just like the six months before. The acolyte''s trainings grew more intense every day, having experienced a real battle, they both redoubled their efforts to get stronger.


    In the first week Feylin managed to summon a weapon. A modest sized glowing war-axe appeared next to him. Everyone was extremely impressed, and a new training regimen was created.


    The acolytes would fight using both physical combat and their spiritual weapons. The constant usage would help them become more comfortable with balancing both skills during a real fight.


    A month passed since their battle with the being at the edge of the world. They were only a few days away from regaining their cart which they left behind, along with all the food that was in it.


    Tobias promised the group a feast upon reaching the cart - or the traveling equivalent of one.


    During the night they would take their turns keeping watch, and Tobias would use the chance to increase his capability with his battle axe.


    As he focused on rebuilding the muscles in his body to suit using the axe with one hand Tobias felt the prick of decades worth of danger intuition in the back of his mind. Suddenly, Tobias stopped his axe mid swing. All of his muscles Tensed up and his eyes shot to the cocoon. Visually there was no difference, but Tobias trusted his instincts honed over the years.


    He couldn''t be sure, but for a moment he thought he saw it pulse.


    "Everyone wake up." His voice wasn''t too loud, but it seemed to pierce through the air itself and into the ears of the rest of the group. Almost simultaneously the two clerics and the two acolytes were standing with their weapons drawn. They moved quickly and quietly to Tobias, grouping up with him in formation.


    "What''s going on?" Raelith took the lead, scanning the horizon for possible threats. It was then that she heard it. Her eyes shot to the coffin, and soon everyone was staring at it.


    Tobias''s senses had not failed him. The cocoon had begun to pulse gently against the ground, barely noticeable by sight but the dull thudding was now being broadcast clearly through the cold air.


    "What''s happening?" Sarah immediately looked to Tobias, hoping he had an explanation. He merely shook his head, holding his axe at the ready.


    He didn''t care if it was an assignment for the grand-priest or not. If it comes out, he wouldn''t hesitate to end it. They couldn''t afford another drawn out battle, especially in the dead of night.


    Sarah saw the writing on the wall and summoned the chains on her hand, she wouldn''t be caught unprepared again.


    Everyone stood around the cocoon waiting. Weapons were drawn, and they were prepared to end the fight before it started.


    The cocoon started to glow a dim white light, gradually unraveling itself from the person inside.

 81. Xxxx Xxx Xxxxxxx

    The muscles of everyone present were taut and ready to strike at the first sign of trouble. No one moved, no one blinked, Sarah had to remind herself to breath as she watched the cocoon begin to disintegrate.


    Tobias''s mind was moving at a million miles a minute. "Why would the seal disintegrate now? there is no way that a magic of such a high level would be so weak, right? Maybe the creature was too strong for it?" Tobias threw out that thought immediately. No matter how strong it was, ultimately, they had managed to subdue it, so there''s no way it could break through such a seal.


    As more of the being''s body was becoming exposed, everyone noticed that the cuts and injuries the being sustained seemed to have disappeared. Not even the color of scarring could be seen along its flesh.


    "Maybe¡­" Tobias''s mind was in a storm of thought.


    Everyone stared at the being, waiting for the light from the spell to disappear completely. No one was sure what to expect, but they were prepared for the worst.


    The light dimmed, and they could now see the full form of its body. Everyone''s eyes narrowed in thought when they saw his arm. The arm which Tobias had sheared from its form seemed to have grown back.


    They stared at the being who laid unmoving on the ground. Suddenly its eyelids twitched. The delicate motion did not go unnoticed. With barely any exertion Sarah extended her spirit weapon from her hand, binding the being to the earth with crossing chains that dug into the stone and its flesh.


    Tobias said nothing, but he felt uneasy. There was something about the being that seemed different. Tobias was sure that it was coming to consciousness, but instead of lashing out it seemed to be confused. The aura that pervaded it during their initial encounter was nowhere to be felt.


    "Maybe it wasn''t a seal at all!" Tobias''s eyes stared at the face of the being. Noone¡¯s eyes opened while his body relaxed into the binding chains. Everyone noticed the change immediately, and the seniors were left perplexed.


    Noone¡¯s eyes were no longer red with blood. When the three seniors laid eyes on them before, their very cores were chilled by the fiendish aura given off from the being. Now though, even Tobias could not sense any of the cruelty he had felt a month ago.


    Instead of blood red cruelty, Noone''s eyes were not very different from their own. The pupils seemed to be impossibly dark, and his irises were grey as though merely existing to separate the darks of his eyes from the whites.


    Sarah, who was binding him down felt odd that it wasn''t resisting. She didn''t drop her guard but when she looked into the being¡¯s eyes, she couldn''t help but notice it gave off a completely different sensation than before. However, her fear of it from their experience a month ago was still fresh in her mind.


    Tobias still held his battle axe a few feet above the being¡¯s head. He didn''t want to be rash, but he wouldn''t give it a chance to rally into battle again.


    Noone¡¯s lips parted and everyone tensed. Sarah tightened the chain around his neck choking it as tight as she could. Sally began to cast a protection miracle to ward against another shockwave.


    Instead of a radial blast of pressure though, everyone heard the vague sounds of speech which were spoken hoarsely from its lips.


    Both Feylins¡¯ and Sarah''s eyes widened in shock, her concentration on the spell shook but she managed to maintain it in time, tightening the summoned chains around Noone¡¯s body.


    Raelith, Sally and Tobias were able to adapt to the change much quicker than the two acolytes. In their long lives what weird occurrences have they not seen? There could be any number of explanations to the sudden difference.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    This included, of course, that maybe it was faking its coherence. Knowing that it had no way of resisting, it could be mimicking a regular human psyche trying to lure them into dropping their guard.


    Despite not understanding what it had said, they didn''t think it was some monster in human-like skin.


    "What do you think Raelith?" Tobias asked. Although he was a higher level of power and status within the order than her, he knew she had outlived him three times over. He trusted her instinct.


    "I hate to say it in case I am wrong, but I think this may be its true state and the devilish nature we felt earlier has been suppressed." A deep frown crossed her expression, if she was wrong it would be trouble. But her instinct had never betrayed her before.


    "What makes you think this is its normal state?" Feylin couldn''t help but ask. Thoughts of seeing his friend and seniors brutalized during the battle a month prior flashed through his mind. Even if he had to admit that it gave off a different feeling¡­ but who could be sure it was over?


    Raelith pointed at the being''s chest. Hanging around his neck was a pendant in the shape of a moon with thousands of hair-thin engravings on it. At the center of the moon was a pearl-like stone which was colored black with white specks peppered across it. It was the same color as the cocoon which the being had been trapped inside.


    "I may be wrong¡­ but the necklace we were given from the grand-priest seemed to have caused the change in nature. I believe he may have been possessed, and the necklace was a tool utilized to suppress it." Raelith was exceedingly familiar with ancient runes and rituals. She had never seen one like the cocoon before, but she could definitely spot the similarities.


    Tobias nodded in response while everyone listened intently, hoping to learn something from Raelith. No one took their eyes off the being.


    By this point he had become completely conscious while laying chained to the floor. It was impossible to guess what he was thinking while his eyes looked around at the group surrounding him.


    "xxxx xxx xxx" It made more noises, distinctly reminiscent of speech. Everyone took notice that it was making no move to fight back, instead it almost seemed¡­ scared? Confused? No one was sure. Its expression was strangely neutral despite the situation.


    "Tobias do you have any guess as to what that language is?" Sally asked. She was probably the most on edge apart from the acolytes, a part of her was considering ending this right now ¨C just to ensure their safety.


    "Not a clue. I am far from an expert, but from what I know... no language sounds like that." Tobias¡¯s eyebrows scrunched together. The common world was home to dozens of races and an exponential more languages. To be able to know all of them would be a fool¡¯s dream. However, after living through a few decades many people become aware of most of them.


    "Rae?" He looked over, hoping she would have some insight about this.


    "I don''t know either¡­" She stared at the being, her eyes gradually changing from tense aggression into idle curiosity. She had come to the conclusion that this thing was most likely not dangerous anymore. Or at least not as wildly aggressive.


    Sarah and Feylin both waited patiently. They knew that with their nonexistent experience, they had nothing to offer to the group of seniors.


    "I can only hold these chains for a few minutes before I exhaust myself." Sarah gently reminded.


    Noone¡¯s eyes tracked to her when she spoke, making her feel slightly awkward. She couldn''t help but feel his eyes looked very¡­ Human. In fact, everyone had begun to get that same feeling.


    "Can you understand me?" Tobias said, he spoke in the common tongue. Noone looked directly at him.


    "XxxX Xxx xxxx XxXxxx" It began to speak with urgency at the man with the large axe held above his head. Tobias had no clue what the being had said but could guess well enough by the frantic eye movement between himself and the axe.


    "Sarah." His deep voice rumbled. "Remove the chains."


    She looked at Tobias for a moment, making eye contact to be sure she heard him correctly. When she saw the resolution on his face, she didn''t hesitate to recall her spell.


    Gradually the chains around the being faded.


    A few moments passed and no one moved. The air was tense like a fuse just on the edge of igniting.


    The being sat up slowly, carefully watching the people around him who were holding weapons towards him¡­ then again, he couldn''t blame them. His memory of their first encounter was still clear in his mind.

 82. Retrospective

    Noone¡¯s entire being felt hot. He felt as though he had fallen into a molten forge. His skin burned with vicious intensity - prickling with the overwhelming sensation of being pierced by needles a thousand times over.


    Everything about the world around him was impossibly loud.


    The colors of the world were loud.


    The sounds in the silent caverns of Tapestry were loud.


    He could taste the smallest changes in the air. See the universal makeup of stone around him. Every hairline crack that was unnoticeable to the human eye had become highlighted within his sight.


    When his hand moved through the air, he felt every molecule of resistance against his flesh.


    Unprecedented power flushed through him, everything he had ever known about existence itself seemed to become overturned in that one moment. His brain, without even trying, was seeing through everything in slow motion.


    If he wanted to, he felt that he could count the settling particles of dust as they fell to the ground.


    It would be an experience he could only imagine would be comparable to joining the ancestor on her throne.


    But the sensations and majesty did not last for long. When he saw the being, who had watched him bury everyone he had ever known, madness overtook him. There was no saving his mind from that descent. He was alone, and the sudden influx of unprecedented strength mixed with inconsolable grief overcame any sense of self control he had.


    His world went red, and he gave himself over to something which had planted itself deep in his heart. Hate perhaps, or possibly to the madness.


    Leaving Tapestry behind, Noone scaled the cliff at an unprecedented speed. He barely even attempted to hold onto the wall while he leaped vertically along the side. His eyes pierced into the sky as though wishing to break through it.


    Days and Nights passed without any exhaustion setting in. Noone¡¯s consciousness was aware of his surroundings, but he realized that the madness he gave himself over too was in control.


    And he embraced it.


    It was rage and calculated hate, and power!


    What more could he ask for with the thoughts of the death of his home so fresh in his mind?


    Finally, he reached the world above. A place only a few of Tapestry ever imagined and fewer still had ever seen.


    Cracked earth and a forest of stones greeted his sight. It was desolate and bland as he always thought the world above would be after the calamity that had sent them underground.


    But now, he knew that there must be something on the surface. Whatever that was which took the life of everyone he had ever known, it must have come from somewhere. And Noone was prepared to hunt it down.


    The sun was past its zenith, and the world would soon be plunged into night. Despite a burning revenge in his core fueling him, he could not leave his corner of the world so easily. Not without one last look back¡­


    Even madness has moments of clarity and sentiment.


    Noone turned to face towards the horizon.


    "One last time¡­" He thought. "One last time I will face this horizon and the setting sun, I will not return until my hatred is satisfied."


    His resolve was set.


    As the sun quietly dropped beneath the clouds, Noone thought about everyone he had ever seen in Tapestry. Everyone who had ever treated him well. Anyone who had attempted, no matter how poorly, to converse with him in spoken word.


    It was like this, he thought, that he would want to spend his last moments looking back. Everything forward would be of a new world. A desolate world, he though. Filled with violence. Monsters made of bones that stood eight feet tall and willing to slaughter the population of the conclave. A conclave carefully created for protection by the Ancestor against the end of the world.


    Hatred surged in his heart.


    It was in this moment of bitter regret and cruel clarity that a group of the Order of Life spotted a lone figure standing stalwart at the edge of the world. A being seething with hate and hurt, reminiscing while watching the sun set. They went unnoticed by him, who was burning his thoughts of hatred and sadness into power.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The sun set lower, only twenty minutes of light was left in the day. Noone was completely absorbed in his thoughts. Cruelty seethed from his pores.


    Suddenly, a couple hundred meters directly at his back he felt an existence appear within his awareness. Multiple existences. It wasn''t a perfect feeling, more like a hazy instinct that he was not alone.


    Noone¡¯s head turned to look back, wanting to see what caused this twinge in his mind. It was then he saw five beings, the likes of which he had never seen before.


    Their differences were not the first thing Noone thought of. He wasn''t sure he thought much of anything at this moment. Soaked in the memories of lost family, and being confronted with an existence as foreign as the skeleton being which slaughtered his city¡­ there was only one thing he thought to do.


    Noone turned, facing directly towards the five weird beings. His lungs burned with fire. His throat itched with fury.


    A scream of anguish and hate erupted from his mouth and ripped his vocal chords into shreds, as though trying to expel a never-ending fire of madness from the core of his being.


    The air around him gave way to the power of his emotions. Cosmic energy which flowed through his meridians and core mixed with the anger, ripping through the laws of the space around him. A shockwave built with his body as a catalyst impacted the 5 creatures.


    Without considering his next move, he launched himself towards the being which seemed to be the most dangerous. The stone under him shattered and the remaining distance between them closed in the span of a single breath.


    DIE


    Every thought in Noone¡¯s mind was to kill.


    Kill the big one. Then the others.


    Let no one escape.


    Madness fueled his battle prowess, he did not care that every move he made injured his own body in the process. He now had a target.


    When the hand which he was wanting to pierce through the being with was blocked, Noone did not hesitate to continue to wage a slaughter.


    The beings had strange tools. One of them had a long pike-like rod which she repeatedly jousted towards him. He kept his distance, coldly calculating its trajectory before closing the distance, using the reach of his leg to kick into that being¡¯s side.


    Like an itch in the back of his mind, he felt the dangerous one approach with his weapon and strike downwards. Noone dodged out of the way, coldly watching the axe cut into the stone.


    He did wait for the big one to recover and instead chose to change targets. Right when he was about to make his move, his shoulder was crushed under the weight of a silver hammer.


    Noone did not even feel it. His muscles held the pulverized bone in place enough for Noone to grasp onto that being''s wrist, crushing it into tofu.


    He was stabbed in the gut. But he crushed that one''s skull with his own. Blood rained down his clothes. Normally this would have disgusted him, but he did not see these beings as anything other than evil.


    THEY COME FROM THE SURFACE! THEY MUST DIE! A voice screamed inside of him. He was the last survivor of Tapestry.


    He was rushed by another with a long blade, and he showed no mercy to that one.


    The one with the pike-like tool approached again. Noone couldn''t help but sneer in response, he had already dealt with her once.


    This time that one proved much more difficult to handle. It repeatedly landed slices across his flesh drawing blood. He saw the dangerous one approaching and knew he should handle it quickly.


    With a stomp, the ground under him exploded in a vision-obscuring cloud.


    The one with the pike paused due to the sand and the dust. Using this opportunity, he repeated his initial attack - Noone pierced through her body with his hand before throwing her out of the dust.


    Then, he waited. It was only a few breaths before the dangerous one approached. Noone''s hand pierced towards his head through the cloud he had created. He missed.


    Before he could retract his arm though, the axe was swung through the air, and his arm. His tendons, his muscles, his bones were all sheared from his body. His blood sprayed across them both.


    Although the pain was quickly suppressed as fast as it occurred, fury was not so easily dissuaded.


    They engaged in a back and forth exchange of blows, Noone¡¯s mind lost track of how violently he moved, even striking so hard that he was causing more of his own injuries. But he did not care.


    There was a sudden flash of blue light off to the side, and suddenly Noone realized he was unable to move.


    Before he had a real chance to fight back, the dangerous one shot towards him and forced him on the ground. The bindings tightened around his body, and a crushing weight dropped onto his chest. Ribs and lungs collapsed. He fought violently but failed to get any leverage. Both of Noone¡¯s arms had become rendered unusable.


    Out of a purely instinctual rage, Noone¡¯s broken twisted arm stretched out to the spear which laid near the tall thin one.


    Like a third limb, Noone¡¯s mind took control of the object and flung it towards the large one who was standing on his chest.


    After it was dodged once, Noone had no trouble turning it around. It slashed into the paladin''s arm, cutting it off, similar to what was done to him.


    That was when everything went cold.


    A pendant dropped by the man which stood on him fell onto his chest, submerging his entire being into a violent chill that affected his very soul.


    It was pain that seemed to subdue and fracture the rage which burned inside of him. The inner devil which had formed its own consciousness when he broke through had become exposed, like a glacier being cracked open revealing the land underneath. It was violently ripped from his core.


    Slowly Noone fell into a slumber. The world around him went dark and his consciousness was submerged into ice.


    When Noone awoke, he was unsure how much time had passed. An occurrence which seemed to happen a lot in his short life. But from his best guess he estimated a few weeks?


    He had nothing to base it on. All of his senses were sealed, and it left him with a feeling similar to when he was absorbed into the plant. However, having broken through into the third level of Qi Condensation left him with an awareness far stronger than before.


    The first thing he realized was the burning fiery core which formed inside him had become incredibly subdued. It still felt as though it existed just below the surface - but Noone was thinking more clearly and was far calmer than before. He could sense the burning hate which he had allowed to take over his body, but it felt as though it was encased inside a block of never-melting ice.


    Noone continued to analyze everything which occurred to this point. His mindset had stabilized, like a building built upon concrete foundations, Noone''s awareness was harder to shake.

 83. Raelith. Tobias. Noone.

    He pondered about the existence he saw in the cemetery, and the beings he fought with when he arrived on the surface.


    Now that his mind was calm, he could see that they looked completely different from each other. Even within the five beings he came across, he could see how different they were from one another. They were weird and their flesh was plainly colored. They wore odd clothing''s made of metal and cloth. They must be¡­ desolate world natives? Was there such a thing?


    He remembered every moment of their battle like a video he could rewind at leisure. Every movement and image was trapped within his brain. Noone considered how far his mental state had improved along with his physical body. He could remember things easier, and even think faster.


    He saw how they all worked together to subdue him.


    His mind moved at lightning speed attempting to reach any kind of epiphany. Within a short period of time Noone had lost everything he had ever known, and now everything he knew from before was being challenged.


    Where did they come from?


    Why did they approach me?


    What are they¡­?


    Noone''s mind continued to spin, circling these questions hoping there would be some kind of answer. Sadly, any answer he approached left him very uneasy.


    "What if¡­ we weren''t the only ones who survived the desolation." Finally, he had no choice but to face the question. "But¡­ one of the scouting pairs we have sent out would have returned by now if that was the case¡­"


    His mind raced, he remembered the feeling of the barrier when his consciousness expanded while absorbing the common heritage.


    Nothing made sense¡­


    It was like this Noone spent all of his time, alone in the darkness with just his consciousness and thought.


    "Maybe I died¡­? Again?" Noone considered this. He knew how bad his injuries were at the end of the battle. Even if he had managed to defeat them - which he hadn''t - Noone did not believe he would survive for much longer in that state.


    He couldn''t help but smile wryly at his own pitiful state. He had given himself over to power and madness, and yet he was unable to do anything more than injure a few beings from the surface. He found it laughable that he was considering trying to avenge his conclave, when he couldn''t even handle the first beings he encountered. Everything had occurred too fast, and he was too unprepared.


    Suddenly, Noone could feel the gentle sensation of air against his flesh. It was subtle, but gradually his awareness was pulled back into his physical body.


    A black and familiar starry sky stretched above him like a bottomless void. After some blinking, his vision came into focus just in time to feel the weight of bindings holding his body roughly against the ground.


    Around him stood the same five individuals he encountered before. Their weapons were drawn and Noone could decipher looks of surprise from their rather human-like expressions.


    As they stood above him, strange noises escaped from their lips. Noone''s eyes widened in shock, they seemed to be conversing.


    Looking towards him, then to each other and back, Noone was certain. They were conversing. Not only were they capable of complex speech, which Noone did not find so surprising. But they spoke! Verbally! Almost exclusively so. Why do they not converse¡­ oh! Noone realized quickly that without the common heritage these beings did not grow to have unspoken communication.


    Noone couldn''t interpret what they were saying, he had never heard sounds like the ones they made. But seeing a group of five who communicated verbally left odd feelings welling up inside of him.


    Do they think I can understand them? Noone frowned. So much of what was happening left him feeling lost. Like a man without a map, Noone felt stranded in a world he did not understand.


    Finally, Noone worked up the mind to speak to them. Even if he could not understand them, surely, they might understand him?


    "What are you?" His voice cut through their conversation like a knife. Everyone in the group tensed violently at the words he spoke. The chains around him tightened, causing him to cough violently. He watched their expressions with tight eyes, attempting to make anything of the situation.


    After a few seconds they went back to talking with each other. Noone was truly at a loss of what to do. He flexed his muscles, feeling the bindings hold tight against his flesh.


    It was in that moment that Noone realized that the arm which had been sliced off by the tall one with the axe had returned. Noone attempted to look at it, but he was unable to move his head enough to see it. The muscles in the arm flexed in resistance, he could feel it as clear as day.


    Did I do this¡­? Or did they? Noone pondered over whether or not he was able to grow back limbs. Surely not, right?


    In fact, it wasn''t just his arm. His entire body felt relaxed and rejuvenated, as though he had just had the most restful sleep. Noone couldn''t make heads or tails from it.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    One of the shorter ones spoke out. Noone looked over.


    It¡¯s the one who trapped me in chains¡­ oh. That''s right¡­ didn''t I crush in their skull? How are they alive? Noone¡¯s thoughts whiplashed violently and he quickly analyzed everyone around him.


    All of the damage he inflicted seemed to have disappeared from their bodies, with the exception of the paladin¡¯s arm.


    Suddenly the tall one looked down at him making eye contact. He spoke slower and more deliberately. Noone could tell it was trying to communicate with him.


    "I know you will not understand this. Who are you? What are you? Where are you from? Why did you approach me?" As an act of frustration, Noone decided to simply speak what was on his mind. If they were trying to communicate, then it meant that they were not mindlessly hostile. What other choice did Noone have? He figured they wouldn¡¯t be able to understand him anyways.


    And judging by the expressions on their faces, he was right. They looked at each other, completely baffled by the unique language which came from him.


    "Sarah." Tobias''s deep voice rumbled. "Release the chains."


    To Noone¡¯s shock, the weight which he felt holding him to the earth gradually eased before finally disappearing completely. Noone stared at everyone around him. When no one else made a move, he slowly, carefully, sat upright.


    Everyone watched him like a beast that they were more than prepared to put down. When Noone considered how their first encounter went, he couldn''t blame them. He did not trust these strange beings any more than they seemed to trust him.


    ¡­


    Everyone stood around Noone - tense as they had ever been. Although they could imagine as to Tobias''s thoughts, none of them were sure that unbinding this creature was the right choice.


    Especially Tobias himself. The more he thought about it though, the more unreasonable it was to try and keep Noone bound. They were not equipped for that kind of retrieval operation.


    Letting him follow on his own at least was going to be a necessity. It eased Tobias''s mind to see that Noone did not attempt to run or fight when they released him. Combined with his ability for speech, the group was certain they were dealing with an intelligent being.


    Whatever they encountered initially, it seemed that Rae had come to the right conclusion.


    Tobias eyed the familiar necklace which at some point had positioned itself hung around Noone''s neck. He wondered if he was meant to retrieve it or not. Quickly he decided against it. If that pendant was the only thing holding back the devilish being, they had encountered, then he would let someone else deal with it unless he was directly instructed otherwise.


    "I should contact the grand-priest and let him know that changes have occurred." Tobias stood to his full height, giving one last glance at Noone before walking away. It seemed he had turned his attention completely, but his hand gripped the axe tightly ready to react at the slightest disturbance.


    Everyone else tensed.


    However, Noone wisely continued to sit there, staring at the back of the large being single-handedly wielding the axe.


    As if I believed it would be that easy. Noone thought. Assuming these other beings thought anything like the people of Tapestry, Noone was not so na?ve to believe they would turn their back on him carelessly.


    "So¡­ what do we do now?" Sarah asked. She stared down at Noone, her eyes absorbed everything about this strange being in front of her.


    Especially the white lines which seemed to pulse with life. They looked like runic tattoo''s but the feeling she got from them was that they were a part of his being.


    "Two will have to stay awake to keep watch." Sally said. "I will take first watch with Rae, you two should get some rest. There''s still hours till sunrise."


    Both of the acolytes nodded in response, sharing a look between themselves. Neither thought they would be able to sleep well after this.


    The night dragged on, Tobias spoke with the Grand-Priest directly, explaining the situation. However, his mood quickly went south when he received instruction.


    He was instructed to leave the pendant with the being. They would take him all the way back to HQ, on the way teaching him the common world language. He was instructed to treat him as though he was another traveling companion.


    When Tobias questioned the purpose of this, he was merely told it was instruction left by ''the mad woman.''


    Tobias grit his teeth, he did not hold it against the church, but he would be lying If he said he liked the church running errands for a third party. Especially not her. They were warriors and healers, not escorts and most certainly not babysitters.


    Eventually he walked back towards Noone. He could see Sally scouting the perimeter, keeping a close eye on their surroundings was important as long as they remind in the territory of the epoch tribe.


    Rae sat in front of Noone, who sat with legs crossed and back straight. Tobias was surprised to see Rae attempting to communicate with the strange being.


    "Raelith, what are you up to?" Tobias asked. He knew she was a curious creature. She had lived for almost 200 years, but for her species she was still considered young. Her curiosity was similar to that of a young 20-something. However, she had the life experience to not act too rashly unlike actual 20-something¡¯s.


    "Oh, Tobias. How did it go with the grand-priest? No. Wait come here. Sit." Tobias smiled wryly at the energetic nature of his companion. However, he didn''t bother to pry into her reasons or argue with her. He sat next to her facing the being.


    Noone tensed with the arrival of the large paladin. He and Noone were both similar in stature, practically shadowing over Raelith.


    Noone was curious as to what they were doing. The tall one had sat down in front of him and began talking to him as though he could understand. He watched her, but only because he knew there was nothing else he could do. After seeing their capabilities, he knew he would not be able to get away. Especially without the mindless power he had achieved before.


    He knew that compared to these beings, his baseline battle capability was far outmatched.


    When Tobias sat down, Noone couldn''t help but re-evaluate him. He gave off a feeling of immense sturdiness. Like a dam built to withstand a river.


    Rae moved her hand to her chest.


    "Raelith." She said. Tobias''s eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. Noone looked on not understanding.


    "Tobias." Rae''s hand moved to Tobias''s chest. Then back to her own "Raelith." She paused. "Okay, Tobias. You do it too."


    Tobias nodded. He repeated her gestures calling his own name and then hers. After a few turns of this, Noone began to understand.


    He lifted his hand, the two from Burian tensed up slightly, they were not fools. But they were also very experienced in the world and trusted their instincts. In the real world, friends can become enemies, and enemies can become allies. Magic and miracles abounded through their known universe, circumstances where former enemies end up being in each other¡¯s care are not unheard of by any means.


    Neither were the type of people to hold a grudge over something like a few battle injuries. Even Tobias who had lost an arm.


    "Tobias. Raelith." Noone pointed at both of them, calling out their names in slightly warped Common. The two looked at each other. A smile spread on Rae''s face.


    Then his hand went to his own chest.


    "Noone."


    Raelith''s eyes were infected by her own smile. She wasn''t sure why, but this being gave her a good feeling.


    Noon? Like the sun? Tobias thought, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

 84. To Seek Strength

    The morning came, and the group began to pack up when the sun rose over the eastern horizon.


    Noone stood staring into the sunrise. He had never seen a sunrise before, and until this moment he never considered it.


    Because Tapestry was built into the side of the cliff, they only were able to view one half of the sky. The sun only existed from its zenith to where it set along the horizon. It was impossible to imagine a sunrise, until he saw it for himself.


    All it once it seemed impossibly brilliant, and incredibly mundane. "Of course there is a sunrise." His mind berated, but similarly he couldn''t help but feel giddy and the sight. Even in the barren waste of this stone forest, there was a breeze which seemed to carry with it the majesty of a world unknown.


    Sarah and Feylin both eyed the being hesitantly. Ever since they woke up they had seen him stood silently facing the horizon. He looked to be enraptured by it. At the same time though they noticed around his wrists were a simple pair of steel manacles.


    Tobias had placed them on his wrists when the morning came. Sally and Rae were both there to watch and make sure that Noone did not lash out during the process.


    Although he was hesitant, Noone eventually allowed Tobias to put the manacles on his wrists without resistance. They had ''talked'' with him through the night and seemed to not bare him any immediate ill will. Even Tobias, whom he had cut off an arm from.


    Tobias was gentle with the cuffs. He wasn''t entirely sure what to make of Noone. But it was clear that as long as they did not mistreat him, he seemed to be vaguely willing to go along with them.


    "Sarah. Feylin. Come with me." Rae said, grabbing them by their wrists. They were broken out of their thoughts and began to follow Rae, who approached Noone with pep in her step.


    "Noone." Rae said. Noone shook himself from his fascination and looked at her. He quickly noticed the two who he had not yet met. They had disappeared first into the night.


    The two acolytes were shocked, seeing the being react to being called shook their minds into a stupor. When did he get a name? They couldn''t help but look at Rae.


    Rae took her hand and placed it on Feylin''s chest - he didn''t resist waiting to see what was happening.


    "Feylin." She moved her hand and placed it on Sarah. "Sarah."


    Noone nodded his head. He could easily see the distrust on the faces of the two. They were the least dangerous of the group from what he remembered, he couldn''t help but feel that they must be the youngest of everyone.


    "Noone." He held his hand on his chest and stared at the two acolytes. They looked at each other, partly in shock and partly to avoid his gaze.


    Noone did not blink a lot compared to most people. To those with less experience, the constant eye contact felt extremely intimidating.


    Sarah collected her thoughts first. With a tentative smile she put her hand on her own chest, saying her own name.


    Noone nodded to her in acknowledgement.


    He honestly felt a little bad for what he did earlier. Although he knew it could not have been helped, he was beginning to think he may have unfairly judged these beings. It was still difficult for him to wrap his mind around the idea that there were other human-like existences outside of Tapestry. But those thoughts would be left to stew until he understood more about this world.


    For now, Noone decided to go along with them. It seemed the tall thin one, Raelith, was interested in teaching him their language. So Noone decided he would see how this played out ¨C for now.


    Trying to brace an entire new frontier alone, he realized, may be a bit unreasonable. Especially without knowing what kind of other beings there were, or how many. Noone would be in trouble if there were a few thousand of them, he thought.


    The group began to walk towards the east, carefully backtracking along the path they came from. They would need to reconnect with their cart for rations if they were going to make it all the way back to the temple.


    Noone¡¯s eyes were unfocused. He walked in the middle of the group, his steps falling into a constant rhythm a dozen paces behind Tobias.


    The atmosphere of the group was different than it had been any day prior. Having another addition to their party after half a year of traveling with just the 5 of them was uncomfortable, especially so for the two acolytes.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Although logically they knew they could relax a little, especially with their three seniors around, but whenever they looked at Noone they couldn''t help but remember what happened a month prior. Especially Feylin, when he recalled what Noone did to Sarah, and how powerless he was against Noone, a bitter taste filled his mouth.


    The three seniors were not unaware of these feelings within the acolytes. Everyone knew how young they were, and because of this they had the Sarah and Feylin walk closest to Noone. Tobias felt that it was important that they learn early on that in life that the idea of an enemy and a friend were easily interchangeable.


    They walked through the day and Noone had no problem keeping pace. As the sun approached the western horizon, they set up camp.


    Throughout the day he carefully observed the group. Their clothing, their packs, how they walked. Everything about them was extremely foreign and yet eerily similar to the people of Tapestry.


    Noone''s heart ached at the thought of his precious home. A place which he had always felt was a little foreign, had now become a place which he desperately wished he could return to. Noone sighed in regret as he looked back towards the west eyes slightly wet, remembering what he saw.


    This action did not go unnoticed by the group.


    That night he did not sleep. Despite his presence the two acolytes continued their trainings under Sally. Meanwhile Raelith continued to teach Noone the basics of their language.


    Overall it was extremely peaceful. Noone watched Sarah and Feylin go about their practice in extreme interest.


    Initially when they started to fight with Sally, Noone couldn''t help but be shocked. The ferociousness that they went at each other made Noone question their sanity. Especially afterwards. They all sat and talked, smiles on their faces.


    "They really are a violent race." Noone observed coldly. No matter how nicely they treated him, Noone would not forget this.


    In Tapestry there was no need for weapons or violence of battle training. They existed in perfect harmony as a family. No dispute would ever occur that could inspire such a mindset. So, to Noone, the very idea of battle training was foreign. Not just training, but of weapons themselves.


    It wasn''t until that night did Noone realize what the tools everyone carried were for.


    The long strange pike carried by Raelith.


    The weird axe carried by Tobias.


    The hammer carried by Sally.


    The odd pole carried by Sarah,


    And the knife carried by Feylin.


    They were all weapons. Not tools. Not tools in the way Noone thought of tools. They were objects specifically designed to hurt others.


    Everything he learned about these other beings only confused him. Sometimes they seemed nice, to get along similar to how those of Tapestry would get along. They ate food together. They slept in safety of each other¡¯s watch. But then they would practice battle and tactics for harm. How did that make any sense?


    That night while the two acolytes slept, Sally took watch of the perimeter and Noone was left under Tobias''s care. While they were left alone in the dark of night, Tobias removed the large axe from his back. He held it in one hand and looked like a mountain. The muscles in his forearm bulged under the weight of the metal.


    Noone narrowed his eyes and watched the paladin. Noone did not trust any of them enough to let his guard down. Instead of turning to face Noone however, Tobias walked a few paces away. Without ceremony he began to swing his axe.


    He raised the dual-blades high above his head and with immense strength his feet planted themselves into the stone while the axe cut through the air.


    Noone was prepared to see stone being crushed under the immense weight of the metal weapon. However, instead he couldn''t keep his mouth from falling open in shock.


    An inch.


    The axe stopped an inch from the ground sending a circle of stone dust shooting out in fear.


    Then again. And again.


    Over the next four hours Noone watched the man - mesmerized by his control over the axe. When he saw the acolytes and even Rae and Sally use their weapons, it looked like they were using tools. But when he saw Tobias, it left him in awe. Tobias moved the axe smoothly with a mastery Noone could not fathom. Repeatedly he swung the axe, working his muscles until sweat created puddles in the ground underneath him.


    Noone was completely right to be impressed by Tobias. Even before he joined the Order of Life as a paladin, he had been an axe wielding prodigy. Now though, Tobias couldn''t help but feel those were years long since gone.


    When Tobias finally stopped, it was only an hour until sunrise. He breathed out an exhausted breath which steamed the air around him. He was a dragon among men.


    "Tobias." Noone¡¯s voice betrayed his impression and only Tobias heard it. When Tobias looked over, he was surprised to see admiration within the other beings¡¯ eyes.


    Tobias couldn''t help but look down at his axe. To be honest he had mostly forgotten that Noone was there while doing his training. He was still aware enough to have known if Noone moved, but he had become absorbed by his practice.


    Noone did not know what else to say. Or rather, he was unable to say anything else. He did not have the words to express what he felt seeing Tobias''s expert craft.


    Noone immediately recognized the consistent motions Tobias went through as advanced training. Every time he swung the axe, Tobias would minutely adjust his stance, his fingers, every portion of his body until he achieved a perfect strike.


    His thoughts drifted back to Tapestry, although most people did not train their bodies the way the beings of the surface do, he couldn''t help but feel the sting of pain as he thought about the hundreds of people who would train their attunements.


    All training requires discipline, he thought. And all discipline looks the same. In Tapestry, they used discipline to train their attunements, here it seemed they trained their bodies.


    As Noone thought back to his home, he crossed his legs sitting up straight. His eyes closed, and his breathing evened out.


    Noone realized after watching Tobias, that he had been wasting too much time. If he was going to exist around these beings, he would need to get stronger.


    If he was going to avenge his city¡­ he would need to become much stronger.

 85. Freedom to Speak

    The sun rose, and the entire camp quietly came to life. Everyone went about their usual business, but distracted glances were shot at Noone who had remained sitting since morning dawned.


    He breathed in the arid dry air around him, it felt different than the air down the side of the cliff, and it felt very different than the air of Tapestry. There was no salty ocean breeze or tepid staleness to take away from the natural feeling of the breeze.


    Tobias remained on watch after his training. He watched Noone sink into his trance and did not disturb him. The paladin was unable to guess what the other was up to. As he watched curiously, he reminded himself to ask for a spell to understand language from the grand-priest.


    Originally their group had an apprentice paladin who was well versed in a minor spell of understanding language however¡­ his life was returned to the All during their encounter with the drow. Without being at the temple, they were not able to rotate their miracles and magics. If he had known they would encounter this other being, he would have tasked Raelith with gaining the miracle before they left.


    Sally watched Noone in interest, a glint of familiarity flashed through her eyes.


    One of the first things the acolytes noticed upon meeting sally was her hair - she had none. It suited her looks, and they did not find it off-putting despite the oddness of it. They couldn¡¯t help but feel it made her look more like the monks of Dragon Spine mountain range than any cleric they had ever met so far.


    Over the course of their travel, they did discover that Sarah was indeed a monk. A long time ago, she said. Long before she ever thought of becoming a cleric within the order of life.


    Switching lifestyles so drastically was something that most people would not do. It went against all reason.


    In the common world, there existed various skills and ''classes'' which people would either be born into, or gain through study or time or devotion. There was a dozen or so of these classes, and once you start going down one path, it is exceedingly hard to begin down another.


    Feylin was a good example of someone born into a class, he was raised from birth in the temple and trained as a cleric.


    Sarah did not come to be in the temple until she was 15, if nothing had occurred in her life to disrupt it, she would have most likely lived all of her days without specializing into any class.


    Everyone comes from their own circumstances and has their own talents, the common world and the variations surrounding it formed a vast land of magical beings and miraculous individuals.


    Sally couldn''t help but become extremely interested in what Noone was doing. As breakfast was divvied out, she walked over to Noone. She moved in extreme silence, not wanting to disturb him. Not even a hint of dust was kicked up as she moved.


    When she got within 15 feet of him, Noone''s eyes suddenly shot open and he turned and looked at her.


    She hesitated for a moment, shocked by the sudden attention. There should have been no way he could feel my approach, her eyebrows furrowed before relaxing again. She quietly continued.


    She gestured out a hand as if to ask, ¡°May I sit here?"


    Noone nodded.


    At this point everyone was watching from where they stood, curious about what Sally was going to do. Tobias stood by silently and picked at his breakfast.


    Much to Noone¡¯s surprise, Sally sat in front of him in exactly the same position he was sat in. Her legs were crossed, and her back was straight, even her breathing steadied instantaneously as though she was well practiced in meditation. He saw that she adjusted to the position effortlessly. Although it seemed easy enough, Noone knew that the minutia of the position was straining on the body. It wasn¡¯t something that you could hold for a long period of time without practice.


    Sally smiled at Noone and then outstretched a hand, putting a finger into the stone below she began drawing symbols into the stone-dust. Noone watched on curiously.


    Different shapes he had never encountered before appeared one after the next. 15 in total. Their black forms seemed to subsist on the stone by some combination between skill and magic.


    He could vaguely understand them, they were reminiscent of simplistic drawings of natural phenomena. A sun and a moon, natural elements like fire and water. Some of them were so abstract though, he could not begin to understand what they represent: circles inside of squares and squares inside of circles.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    When she finally removed her hand, she looked at Noone waiting to see his response. He merely shook his head. He was unsure what she wanted, these symbols meant nothing to him.


    Sally, without losing her gentle smile nodded and wiped the stone clean, removing the symbols.


    "Were those the symbols of the different orders of the monks?" Tobias asked when she rejoined them. He had much better eyesight than Sarah and Feylin, so he was able to see her movements clearly.


    "Mm." She looked back at Noone as if trying to decipher a puzzle. "The way he is sitting is how all monks are forced to sit upon being inducted into any order. It is a way of clearing the head of thought while training both the body and the mind, the first thing anyone who is set out on that path learns. Although I can''t guess where he learned it from, he still has a little trouble with it. Obviously, it is new to him."


    "How new?" Tobias scratched his bearded chin, looking on at Noone. He would have to ask about getting the spell to understand language sooner rather than later.


    "Hmm. Assuming he advances at a normal rate, maybe five years? Five or six." Sally''s mind gradually drifted back to her time at the monastery. "However, he didn''t recognize the symbols of any of the biggest orders. So¡­ either he was raised in a very secretive sect, or he learned it somewhere else."


    While they spoke Noone closed off his session and put his soul at ease. Despite the quiet nature of that practice, it left a strain on his being that was neither physical or mental. To maintain the state, he had begun experiencing during his climb ¨C it required immense amounts of discipline and attention.


    After breakfast, they wasted no time to set off for the day. The sun was blaring overhead.


    That night the cycle continued. The acolytes practiced their battle skills as well as their studies. Noone practiced language with Rae. Later on, when the paladin would take charge of watching over him, Noone would sit and begin to feel out the universe. His senses were opening to the subtle shifts in the world around him.


    The stone around Noone filled with a gentle white glow like the moon on a clear night. His body thrummed with subtle power that only he could feel and yet could not understand.


    Nearby Tobias quietly got used to his newfound one-handedness while keeping his eye on the strange being.


    This pattern went on for another two days until one morning Sarah and Feylin woke up to find Noone laid sprawled out on the ground. They looked at each other briefly before going to ask what happened.


    "Oh? I think he just fell asleep." Tobias spoke matter of factly. "Good thing too, if he didn''t need sleep, I was really worried about how human he might be." He laughed the matter off, but the acolytes couldn''t help but feel unnerved.


    They had not considered it before, but now that it was right in front of them, how could they not have realized? Noone hadn''t slept in 4 or 5 days since emerging from the cocoon. Even Tobias would not be able to function at that degree of sleeplessness.


    Tobias said that it made him more human, but Feylin and Sarah only saw a monster in human clothing.


    That day they finally found their cart again - Noone was surprised by the sudden encounter. He immediately understood what it was for, but couldn''t help and feel that it was extremely alien.


    Noone shamelessly began to examine the cart. It was made of wood for one. Noone could not understand why they would make a cart out of something as precious as wood. There was perfectly usable stone and metal ore just within the ground after all. Around the edge of the wooden wheels there was a thin layer of metal used to decrease the wear on the wood ¨C as well as a metal axle and wheel hubs. Fascinating. Noone caressed the cart, not minding the gazes of the nearby party.


    Then he remembered though, that this was a world far from his own. Perhaps not in distance, but in everything else. Maybe trees and plants were less scarce than stone? He looked around - seeing nothing but a forest of boulders and cracked rubble, Noone couldn''t help but wonder.


    That night Raelith and Sally set up a magic perimeter and everyone, including Noone, sat around the campfire.


    Rations were divvied out much as they had always been. Sarah handed the portions to Noone who nodded and passed it on to Raelith. As he held the plate in his hand, he noticed the food this time was much more substantial than it has been on nights prior.


    In fact, everyone had more food than he remembered seeing. His eyes widened in curiosity. This must be why they retrieved the cart.


    He ate the strange food slowly, deciding as he went how he felt about it. It was still dry, but now various flavors he had never tasted before filled his mouth. The sweets of dried fruit and the saltiness of jerky overwhelmed his senses. Noone immediately understood what these foods were, but they tasted so alien compared to their Tapestry counterparts.


    Despite the differences, as he ate sitting in front of the fire, his mind drifted back to Tapestry. Slowly he began to zone out, losing himself to the flickering embers in the fire. Orange light danced across the stones, creating a mesmerizing sight splayed across Noone''s white-lined skin.


    "How is it?" Tobias asked. A gentle smile on his lips which carried through in his rough voice.


    "It''s good¡­"


    Noone¡¯s eyes widened violently and he nearly dropped his plate when his head shot up to look at Tobias. He froze.


    Sarah and Feylin who were sitting next to him also froze.


    Everyone looked at Noone in shock. Noone looked at Tobias in shock.


    A chuckle escaped the paladin¡¯s body and he lifted his hand which he had been hiding casually behind his back. In Tobias''s hand there was an unfurled scroll with a complicated runic design. It was glowing a gentle green light.


    "This is a runic scroll that will let us understand your language, and you will be able to understand us." He spoke evenly, showing off the design. "It only lasts for one hour though. After that the material used to create it will experience magic degradation and it will become unusable. This is the only one I received, so until you learn to speak common, we will not be able to communicate again after this."


    The words hung in the air, understood by everybody.


    Noone had one hour to find out as much about them and their world as he could.


    They had one hour to find out as much about Noone as they could.


    There was no time to waste.

 86. To Lie About Ones Age

    Noone''s mind screeched to a halt when he heard the words out of Tobias''s mouth. He understood them, and he understood why he understood them. But how long has it been since he was able to talk with someone? With anyone?


    Like a hammer to the stomach Noone felt sick as memories flooded through him of the last time he had talked with anyone. It had been years¡­ He remembered what happened to Tapestry and another wave of nausea overcame him, he rocked slightly, placing his plate down before he dropped it. His hands came up to his face and he covered his mouth waiting for the feeling to pass. Before being able to talk with these beings, they were just strangers. But now that he could understand them, the loneliness he experienced from everything that happened over the past few years struck him. He suddenly realized how much he missed having someone to talk to.


    Even if it was these strange beings, so what? Apart from their initial encounter, they had treated Noone fairly. Noone was unsure why they did so, but now he had a chance to ask.


    Everyone looked on with different expressions. They had watched Noone¡¯s face go from shocked to excited to sickly in the span of a few seconds and no one knew what to make of it. Sarah particularly felt her heart ache for some reason when she watched his grey eyes. She hadn¡¯t noticed it before¡­ but there was a familiar loneliness in them.


    "What are you?" Noone asked. He finally lowered his hands from his face and looked at everyone in the group. He took a deep cleansing breath ¨C this moment was too important for him to squander it by becoming encumbered with memories. His voice was not too high nor too deep. There was a crystal-clear quality to his speech that made it very appealing to their ears.


    They were all obviously the same type of beings, but they looked so foreign. "And¡­" Noone hesitated for a second, pointing to the tall thin one who used the spear. "Why is Raelith blue?"


    It just so happened that Noone had been dying to ask this ever since she began to teach him to speak, however he did not have the words before now.


    Everyone choked on their food. Raelith couldn''t help but smile sheepishly, she was unsure how to respond to that. She scratched her cheek, for some reason she felt embarrassed.


    Many races existed in the common world. Among them were the elves. Elves tended to be taller and slimmer with pointy ears. And some elves, specifically Moon Elves, were hued various colors.


    Raelith indeed was blue.


    No one in the group found that weird, as they were all from the same world. But to Noone, he couldn''t help but find this very odd. It would be one thing if they were all different colors, but it was just Raelith.


    "We are humans, of course. Clerics to be specific, of the order of life. Raelith on the other hand is a moon elf, of the same order." Tobias responded, taking the lead in conversation. Initially he thought to throw out as much info as he could, to see how much Noone was familiar with. However, he got the feeling that Noone may know a lot less than they initially expected.


    "Human? How can that be¡­?" Noone''s eyes were clearly dazed, as if walking through a maze in the dark night. He felt lost. "I''m human.¡± He frowned deeply. We, my people, are human."


    Tobias''s eyebrows scrunched together. He carefully analyzed Noone¡¯s every mannerism, even employing a bit of divine help to let him become more sensitive to the truth. But the only thing he saw was a lost and confused soul. Not just Tobias, but everyone in the circle was left unsure of what to think. How could someone who looks like Noone possibly be a human? Maybe he didn''t realize how he looked? Surely not¡­ right?


    "Noone. Where are you from? How did you end up on the cliff? There was an extremely strong barrier set up in that space, we were nearby when the barrier broke, so we made it there quickly. But where did you come from?" Raelith cut right to the point. Everyone was very curious about this existence named Noone and nothing would get done if they sat around being shocked by everything he said.


    Noone thought about what she said¡­ a barrier? He recalled the sensation he felt when his consciousness was pushed to the edges of Tapestry as he broke through. Finally, he pointed to the west.


    "I am from Tapestry. A city of¡­ my people. It is a giant city built into the side of the cliff, overlooking the ocean at the edge of the world." Noone explained to them about Tapestry. When they heard the histories of the community everyone was shocked. No one was willing to believe a city had existed undiscovered on the edge of the world.


    "This ancestor you mentioned must have been the one to put the barrier in place." Sally said, scratching her bald head. For someone to be able to isolate a community for so long, they would have needed to be incredibly powerful.


    When they heard about the desolation which led the people of his city underground, they couldn''t help but disbelieve a little. For over hundreds of thousands of years humans have dwelled on this land. There have been various catastrophe''s but nothing to the level that Noone seemed to believe.


    At least¡­ not in the written histories.


    Everyone looked at Noone as if trying to decipher a puzzle box. How long have they been tucked away at the cliffs at the edge of the world? And if they really did send a couple people out every thousand years, how come none of them had ever heard about such a people before? Even the grand-priest was unaware of the barrier blocking this edge, let alone any city underneath.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The term ''epoch tribe'' rose in their minds.


    Tobias, Raelith and Sally all knew that epoch tribes could be discovered basically acting as time-capsules of era''s passed. Some of which were home to their own unique races such as the tribe a few hundred miles north which they were on constant watch for.


    That tribe had gold skin and four arms, so when they thought about Noone¡­ from that perspective it suddenly made much more sense. What didn''t make sense though was that Noone called his people Humans.


    It was well known that humans have been around the common realm the longest, every other race lived in tandem or came after the humans of their world. So¡­ why does Noone believe he too is a human?


    Tobias explained this to Noone, however he had no answers to those questions. The only life Noone ever knew was the world of Tapestry. Now, with that gone, who else could possibly know?


    "Why did you guys come for me? And what is this necklace?" Noone lifted the necklace which hung from his neck, letting the firelight hit it.


    Both sides of the necklace were now in the shape of a moon. The rare stone which hung in the center was no longer a gentle blue, but instead it was black with white specks. Looking into it reminded one of looking into the night sky.


    Over the past week Noone had tried various times to remove the necklace. Every time he attempted to lift it past his head, it would become stuck and he would not be able to move it. It did not matter how much he fought it or what techniques he tried. It was clear to Noone this was some form of surface-world magic.


    No one was sure how to explain their circumstances, so Tobias told their story from the beginning, including Raelith''s hypothesis on what the function of the spell contained in the necklace was for.


    "I see¡­" Noone pried a bit further into the details but Tobias revealed that he barely knew anything more than what he said. Noone¡¯s eyes furrowed in thought. So, someone obviously knew about me? My existence? Noone couldn''t help but think back to the tall living skeleton he encountered in Tapestry¡­ was it related?


    As an explanation for their poor first meeting, Noone quickly explained what occurred within Tapestry before he left which caused his maddened state.


    "Skeleton¡­ orange eyes? Raelith ran her hand through her short blue hair in thought. She couldn''t place it but that sounded familiar. "The most probable answer is that it was a lich. And a very powerful one at that to be able to slip through your ancestor¡¯s barrier." She frowned. "The grand-priest at the head of the order of life is one of the few strongest individuals in existence, and not even he was aware that a barrier existed which hid the real edge of the cliff¡­ Noone." Her voice hardened. "I hate to say this, but any being which could break through that barrier is not something you can deal with. As you are now without the harsh violence of the deviled will which overtook you, in a one on one fight you probably couldn''t even match myself. I have lived for a hundred and seventy odd years, and I would be considered just below average in terms of fighting capability." Raelith was being completely honest, ultimately, she was still a student cleric, even if she was a member of the Burian.


    Noone nodded his head, but his heart was set. Raelith understood that nothing she said would deter him. After hearing what happened to his home, everyone felt for Noone. Most of them had experienced death, so they understood how it weighed on the soul. Sarah understood this feeling most of all.


    But the world was impossibly large, there were countless people who survived calamities with their heart set on vengeance. Some of them achieved their goals, others died trying. Raelith knew that if Noone ever got to live out his life and experience the world after they handed him over to the grand-priest and that woman, he would come to this realization on his own.


    "You are a hundred and seventy?" Noone decided to switch the topic, he could tell what she was thinking, but his mind was already set with his goal. Even with the inner devil sealed within the pendant, Noone''s desire for revenge burned like a torch in the night.


    "Yes,¡± she smiled. ¡°We elves can live to an incredibly old age. Humans¡­" She looked at Noone and smiled sheepishly, she knew that he considered himself human and she didn''t want to push the issue.


    "They," she said, pointing to the rest in the circle. "Live to be around a hundred at most, unless they choose a lifestyle which allows them to supersede their birth-given age.


    "What about you Noone? How old are you, and how old do the people of Tapestry age to?" Sarah asked. Ever since they had begun talking her curiosity towards Noone had skyrocketed, especially after hearing his circumstances. It seemed as though she completely forgot the battle which occurred a month prior.


    Feylin wasn''t as moved as Sarah, he still vividly remembered the pain he felt and how Noone injured the party. He chose to try and put those thoughts out of mind, and instead try to accept Noone the way the rest of the group seemed to be doing.


    "We live to around six hundred." Noone said, "I am¡­ twenty-two."


    Suddenly Tobias''s hand twitched. He looked down at his palm, the pendant he was holding had definitely moved.


    "Twenty-two, are you sure?" Tobias asked. He looked deeply at Noone, this was the first time he got a reaction from the pendant. He had been constantly pushing energy through it, relying on his divine nature to seek out any lies Noone might try to pass onto them. So far everything had been the truth, Tobias couldn''t understand why Noone might lie about his age though.


    Noone simply nodded his head. Tobias frowned.


    "Noone, do you mind if Sally uses a miracle to detect your age?" Tobias explained why he was asking, he did not want to cause an unneeded confrontation when they were communicating so effectively until now. It was better to keep their relationship good and be open about his reasons.


    Noone couldn''t understand why Tobias would think he would lie about something like that, seeing no harm in it, Noone nodded his head.


    Sally moved close to Noone and held her palm out, hovering just over his skin. His body was covered in a thin string of light and he felt his mind fog up for a moment.


    Just as quickly as it started, the process ended.


    Everyone looked at Sally wondering what she found out. Even Noone was curious. He wondered if he might have missed a year or two somewhere while being absorbed by the plant-like existence¡­


    He thought back to the time he spent within the flower when he was climbing the cliff face. Initially he felt that a couple years had passed, but in reality, he had no way to know for certain.


    His mind thought back to the stale air and clean-picked bones he encountered when he arrived back home. Suddenly anxiety flooded his heart. Could it be¡­


    "Noone, according to the spell¡­ you should be a little over one hundred years old." Sally said. She was unsure if Noone had lied knowingly, however the shock on Noone''s face was genuine.


    Everyone was unsure what to think.


    Noone most of all.

 87. Pressure to Advance

    It took a few minutes for Noone to sync back up with reality. Suddenly, so much which he didn''t understand before made sense. But at the same time¡­ he only felt more confused.


    The fact almost an entire century had passed him by unknown left him in anxiety. Doubts perforated his thoughts.


    If I had been there earlier, could I have done something?


    In the back of Noone''s mind he knew Adria had been sent to the surface world when Tapestry was falling. But now¡­ that was at least eighty years ago.


    "Noone. We are running out of time on the spell." Tobias could tell Noone was struggling with intense emotions, but at the moment he also knew that this would be the last time they talked until they made it back to the temple or Noone learned the common tongue.


    Noone nodded his head, although his worries were still overwhelming his thoughts, he knew that time was precious.


    Over the next five minutes they exchanged as much information as they could, both were desperate for information about the other. Sometimes the two from Burian or the two acolytes would ask their own questions. Overall their understanding of how everything occurred was made clear.


    Finally, the time was wearing out, only a few seconds were left. The scroll the spell was inscribed onto was beginning to disintegrate at a visible rate.


    "Tobias." Noone looked Tobias in the eyes, he held a massive amount of respect for Tobias. Everything about his aura exuded diligence and strength. Seeing Tobias train every night left Noone with an impression similar to how he felt for the elders of Tapestry.


    "I''m sorry about your arm."


    Everyone looked on, different thoughts running through their minds.


    Tobias merely smiled, it was altogether familiar, and comforting. "Noone, don''t worry about-" Suddenly the scroll disintegrated into dust, any light it exuded was now gone.


    Their ability to communicate was now over. Everyone sat in silence around the fire. The quiet crackle of the flame seemed to echo through the surroundings.


    No one was sure about what to say or do, especially Noone. He had so much information to process from the conversation.


    The night passed with relative ease, and eventually everyone slept under the protection of a magic spell.


    Everyone except Noone.


    Noone laid near the pit of ash and coal that still exuded a bit of warmth. He wasn''t feeling cold really, or especially warm. It seemed that the weather was cold to the others, but Noone felt it was rather comfortable.


    He was unsure whether this was a consequence of his physique or from breaking through in power back in Tapestry.


    Nevertheless, the warmth of the fire pit allowed him to relax somewhat.


    Noone stared up at the starry sky as he had done on all the nights before. One half of the sky Noone was able to recognize as he would the back of his hand. The stars and how they aligned themselves and flickered through the night. It made him think of his time in Tapestry.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The other half of the sky looked completely foreign to him. It was eerie and new. None of the stars made sense and everything looked more hostile. In truth the sky was the same the whole way across, but to Noone this other half of the sky represented everything that wasn''t Tapestry.


    After talking with the four humans and an elf, he realized how much there was he didn''t know. How much there was the entirety of Tapestry did not know. Society seems to have existed on the surface for hundreds of thousands of years, while his people stayed underground in fear believing that everywhere else was uninhabitable.


    Noone''s head throbbed as he tried to process everything.


    The thing which worried him the most, was how many humans there seemed to be. The way they talked of the ''common world'' Noone was coming to understand just how small and weak Tapestry would have been in the face of these other beings.


    Especially the ones which he was told were to be the most powerful.


    Noone knew he would need to get stronger, much stronger.


    The group were sympathetic to Noone''s situation, but they knew how hard it would be for Noone to advance to the level of whatever being forced its way through the barrier. However, there was one thing Noone had which no one else knew of, and that was legacy.


    He had absorbed the legacy of power from the ancestor, and he assimilated the common heritage from the entirety of Tapestry. Add into that the meridians and life force in his body being reinforced by the galaxy tree. Noone realized that he was in a position possibly not seen in an eternity since The Ancestor.


    Noone sat up, his eyes closed and his back straightened. The world around Noone gave way to the gentle rhythmic sounds of his breath. His thoughts slowly quieted until desire and instinct were the only things left behind. The discussion that night had flared the already violent flame of desire in his core.


    As the minutes passed the world around Noone became simpler. Sound and the feeling of wind brushing against his body, the thrum of the earth underneath him, all of the sensations coalesced into a sphere of influence around his body.


    When he had been possessed by his inner devil, he gained a few abilities that he could only attribute to breaking through into the third level of qi condensation. It wasn''t perfect, but he realized he was able to ''see'' more than just what was in his vision.


    The world around him - in almost a perfect sphere - was made known to him. He could sense the area of space directly behind him, and any changes that occurred within it. This was how he managed to dodge Tobias''s axe during their battle despite it striking in his blind spot.


    Noone quickly realized that if he was going to master this power, he would need to start with what he knew. Gradually he focused on maintaining his newfound spatial awareness.


    Right now, he was only able to tap into it when he sat down and focused, so his first step was to maintain this state all of the time. Sitting, standing, walking, and fighting.


    The wind blew through the night creating soft whistles of air against stone. Particles of dust and sand would sometimes blow past Noone who sat in their paths. He counted each grain and guessed their trajectories as soon as they entered his awareness. At the stage he was at, the sphere of influence around him was only a few meters.


    Sometimes other thoughts would worm their way into his mind, but he quickly put them down. Noone could tell if he stopped consciously maintaining this state, he would need to start over from the beginning. This was why he was often caught meditating well into the morning.


    5 months. He thought. 5 months and then I will decide what to do.


    While talking with the group around the campfire, he came to a few conclusions about the personality of each person. Overall, they did not seem like bad people. Despite their rocky start, they had treated him fairly and even empathized with his trouble. But what worried Noone was the person behind the scenes pulling the strings.


    If what they said is to be believed, then the person at the head of their order was incredibly powerful in the surface world. Whoever it was that asked this favor of him, must be equally so.


    As the night passed, Noone began to sweat from exertion. It seems that constantly trying to maintain such a high level of awareness is extremely stressful on my brain. His head throbbed violently and Noone could feel pressure behind his eyes.


    Noone stood up and retrieved some water from one of the canteens on the cart. His eyes tracked the ground, looking at the people who he found himself traveling with.


    Should I make a break for it...?


    Noone shook his head, shutting down that train of thought. He knew that they did not want to harm him, or that''s what his instincts told him at least.


    So, for now, he would trust them. Without them, Noone knew he would have trouble adapting to and learning about this new world.

 88. A Silent Attack

    Noone opened his eyes with the sunrise and stood up to appreciate the sight. As he looked towards the horizon his mind was moving at full speed attempting to maintain the bubble of sight around his body. He moved slowly and carefully but it only lasted for a few moments until his awareness scattered.


    He let out a heavy sigh, expelling the bad air from his lungs. His head throbbed in pain, but it gradually faded over the next few minutes.


    "What do you make of that?" Sally asked Rae. They had been watching Noone since he stood up. It was extremely subtle but they could both feel an almost insubstantial amount of magic surrounding his body. It was barely perceptible, and Sally wasn''t even sure if it was actually magic or not.


    "It looks like he was training." Raelith said. Her hand discretely caressed her spear. Noone, obviously had some form of magic ability. Tobias, Sally, and Sarah all saw when he managed to use Rae''s spear with some kind of telekinesis magic, but no one was sure what to make of it.


    Tobias too watched Noone. No one was aware of it, but Tobias had stayed awake through the night observing him. He watched as Noone trained, and even when Noone was considering making a run for it. When he saw the strange being decided to stay, a smile broke out on his face. Despite their initial aggression, something about Noone left a good impression on the paladin.


    Maybe it just had to do with them being similar builds to each other. Tobias could sense the physical strength which flowed from Noone''s body and couldn''t help but feel a kinship.


    ¡­


    Over the next four months the group had gained a new sense of liveliness in the form of Noone. Initially they had been just as hesitant of him as he was of them, but Noone''s ability to learn their language proved to be astounding. Although not perfect, he could now speak with everyone well enough to enjoy their company.


    No one was sure what to make of his speed. On one hand, he was surrounded by nothing but their language - but even then it seemed shockingly quick. He would only practice for a few hours every night with Raelith and then occasionally with the others.


    Something they noticed was how easily he seemed to remember whatever they taught him. Once he understood something, they never needed to explain it again.


    Noone assumed this had to do with his upbringing and time spent with Liter in the library. Although he couldn''t be sure, he also felt that his mind had become incredibly perceptive ever since breaking through.


    Thin brittle trees and low-cut shrubbery cut across his sight. Ever since a few days ago Noone had noticed their presence, no one else seemed to care about them so he merely observed them silently. According to Sarah they were a common type of plant. Noone couldn''t help but study them curiously.


    Ever since learning their language he felt that there was much he still didn''t have the experience to comprehend. They could explain what the word means, but Noone had no object for comparison. Like trying to explain the taste of salt to a man who has only ever eaten sugar, they realized that Noone would just need to wait to experience the world.


    "So. You say trees need water, but it hasn''t rained once on our journey?" Noone pointed out to Sarah. She thought about this for a moment, but soon she realized she was unsure how to respond. She had not thought about it before, but in the entire year they have been traveling it really had not rained once.


    Even the concept of rain was foreign to Noone. If it wasn''t for his time beneath the cloud layer during his coming of age trial, Noone would have sworn they were making the entire thing up.


    "Uh¡­ well. There are a lot of different types of trees thousands if not hundreds of thousands. It would be weird if they all were exactly the same." Knowing how flimsy her explanation was she couldn''t help but look away, tucking a loose strand of gold hair behind her ear. Noone nodded his head as though he understood, letting the topic drop.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The soft clop of hooves to earth distracted him as he looked towards the horse which pulled the cart.


    When they had summoned the horse initially it had scared the wits out of Noone. He immediately bounded back nearly ten meters and looked like he had seen a ghost, ready to dash away at any moment.


    The entire group was shocked but very quickly realized their mistake. After a few minutes they managed to introduce Noone to the concept of a horse and since then he had become enraptured by the creature and the magic which could produce it from thin air.


    Apparently, these creatures exist normally too, he found. But this particular one was a form of Sally''s magic. She could create or disperse it at will.


    That was another thing Noone had trouble comprehending. According to Raelith, there were a million different magics, some being class specific.


    Noone compared it to the power system which he observed in Tapestry, however it seemed there were differences which couldn''t be explained. Raelith told Noone that there was a large chance that the magic of his home was unique in all the world.


    Noone thought about the ancestor... and especially the vision he saw years ago.


    The immense planet, and the tree which grew from it. Noone realized that even though he felt that this world was immense and alien, there was an even larger space still outside of this one. One which the ancestor of Tapestry seemed to have inhabited. Noone¡¯s gaze went upwards, attempting to pierce through the blue sky above.


    How strong was the ancestor compared to the figures of this world? And more importantly¡­ how strong can I become?


    Surrounding Noone was a fluctuating bubble of awareness which unstably flexed between one and three meters while he walked.


    Everything within the sphere Noone was able to ''see'' almost as though he was looking at it with his own eyes. His constant nightly practice had paid off with some gains, but not enough for Noone¡¯s likings.


    He was able to walk and almost maintain the bubble perfectly, and over time his mind gradually grew accustomed to the constant strain. It no longer hurt to hold it for extended periods of time, for example. A mercy Noone was extremely grateful for.


    However, he had been stuck at this state for almost a month. He practiced consistently, but no matter how hard he worked he was unable to improve anymore.


    A discrete frown could be seen on his face, accentuated by an array of white marbled lines which glowed imperceptibly under the sun. This plateau made Noone a bit irritable. He knew that the people of Tapestry would practice for centuries, only making small increments of progress along the way, but Noone felt that he could do more! He just didn''t know how.


    He was on the verge of asking for guidance from either Tobias or Sally or Rae. He knew all three had extensive experience and they might have advice for him. Even without knowing the specifics, their wisdom could prove invaluable. But he was hesitant¡­


    If he wanted guidance, he would need to explain in detail what he was doing, and something in the back of his mind told him that was a bad idea. Not only did he not perfectly trust those three, but he knew they had people above them which they answered to. Noone did not want to test their loyalty to him compared to their order. At least¡­ not yet.


    So Noone kept quiet and continued to work away at the problem, attempting to approach it from any angle he could think of.


    "Cover!" Tobias''s voice boomed into their minds cutting like an axe through the dry arid air.


    Immediately Tobias had stopped walking and his entire body lurched forward at a shocking speed, rolling behind a boulder. There was the whistle of wood cutting through air and the clang of a metal tipped arrow against stone right next to where Tobias had been standing a moment before.


    Raelith and Sally were very quick to follow, only moments ahead of Sarah and Feylin. Dashing behind boulders, everyone looked towards Noone to make sure he was not left behind.


    Noone was the last to react. In that moment he had been lost in thought and it took longer for him to decipher the word the paladin had yelled. Noone saw clearly everything which had occurred, but right when he was about to dash forward, he felt something pierce through his bubble of awareness. A wooden arrow had pierced into his personal domain and was speeding towards him.


    Instead of moving forward, Noone swayed backwards watching as the arrow silently sliced through the space in front of his face. If he had continued to dash behind the boulder in front of him, the arrow would have most certainly pierced through his skull.


    Everyone looked on, shocked by his sudden evasion. Sally was just about to cast a protection, but it seemed Noone was more capable than she had given him credit for.


    Although he reacted quickly, shock still enveloped his heart. He had never seen an arrow before but Raelith had explained the concept to him. There was no doubt in his mind, someone had just fired an arrow at his head.


    By the time he heard the metal tip of the arrow ricochet off the stone, his eyes narrowed, and he looked towards the north.


    Standing a hundred and fifty meters away stood two golden hued beings. Both had 4 arms, and each carried an arsenal of weapons on their body.


    "Epoch tribesman," Tobias murmured.

 89. A Lone Tribesman

    It was the middle of the day and the two groups squared off against each other while the harsh sun baked the earth overhead. Tobias''s group were covered behind a series of boulders. The paladin peeked around the edge, eyeing the beings which had attacked them.


    "Only two. 150 meters. Long and short range weapons. Epoch tribesman, but most likely scouts." Instantaneously Tobias''s mind ran through a series of scenarios taking in as much information as he could about the other beings.


    It worried him that they attacked outright the way they did. Either they had backup, or they were confident in being able to take on a group that outnumbered them three times over.


    At the same time, sally cast a series of buffs onto everyone around her. Immediately both Sarah and Feylin felt their minds clear and their bodies became vaguely lighter.


    "No, they attacked from a distance, so they aren''t confident in being able to take us. They are testing us." Tobias''s mind gradually eased into a plan. They needed to take out the scouts. Now that they have been spotted, they couldn''t let the two tribes-man go back and report their position. The tribesman were keeping their distance in case they realized they were outmatched and wanted to run for it.


    "Raelith. Sally. Sarah. Feylin. You go that way, try to flank the one on the right." His voice was hurried but clear, his commands were simple. "Noone! You''re with me, advance left." Tobias didn''t wait for Noone to respond, dashing forward and making eye contact with Noone who was ducked behind the cart.


    The horse which Sally had summoned earlier in the day took the brunt of three arrows and dispersed into smoke. Noone looked over the edge of the cart, his mind focused on maintaining his sphere of sight which had protected him from the initial attack.


    Noone''s whole body was tense as he stared at the epoch tribesman which had nearly took his head. Noone already died once, he was not eager to try the process again. Something told him the results would not be so beneficial a second time.


    When he heard Tobias''s voice, he made eye contact and gave a quick nod of affirmation. He had never trained in battle, but he had seen the others do so hundreds of times. He knew that everyone deferred to Tobias and trusted him to make the right choices.


    "Go." Tobias said just loud enough for everyone to hear him. Rae being the nimblest took the lead on the right. Everyone in her party crisscrossed and boulder-hopped as they advanced towards the tribesman. 150 meters was not a far distance to cover, but they needed to move carefully. No one wanted to risk exposing their bodies to an arrows path.


    Tobias dashed forward to the left, axe brandished in single hand. Noone made to follow close behind - but as soon as he began to move another arrow pierced the side of the cart where he had been a moment before.


    Noone¡¯s heart thudded violently, he swiveled around quickly and looked behind him. He grit his teeth, his eyes widening in shock. There was a third tribesman only 50 meters away. It rounded the side of a boulder and had been sneaking up behind the group.


    Suddenly Noone was faced with a dilemma. He thought to follow Tobias, but it would be dangerous to leave a third tribesman at their backs. Especially if it decided to keep the distance and shoot at them while they tried to deal with the other two.


    The lone tribesman was already knocking another arrow with his two lower arms while his upper arms held a sword in each hand. The gold sheen of his skin was incredibly dazzling under the mid-day sun.


    Tobias was at the next boulder, he shot a look behind him to see where Noone was. When he saw the third tribesman which had been flanking them, a frown plastered itself onto his face. He quickly began calculating options. He didn''t know how strong these tribesmen were. By instinct, he felt that he could take it one on one, but he was not sure.Stolen story; please report.


    As he was deciding whether or not to advance, Noone had come to his own decision. Like stretched rubber, Noone''s legs flexed with enough force to send his whole body shooting forward.


    He decided to take the tribesman that was flanking the group alone - figuring that the group from the order would make quick work of the other two, and then be there to help him.


    I only need to stall it for long enough, Noone thought through gritted teeth.


    Tobias quickly realized what Noone was doing. He set his chin in determination. In a battle, the only true rule is to not hesitate. Hesitation leads to death. He and Rae''s group would have to deal with the other two tribesmen quickly. Noone would just have to hold out ¡®till then.


    In the back of Tobias''s mind, he was extremely impressed by Noone. His decisiveness to engage the lone tribesman wasn''t normal. After all, this Noone wasn''t the same being who blindly went into battle regardless of the consequences that Tobias had fought before. This Noone was a clear-thinking individual. Normal people untrained in battle have the hardest time being decisive.


    Tobias redoubled his speed, rapidly rushing towards the two tribesmen. His axe was held up like a shield, with the massive blades covering much of Tobias''s torso. At this speed he and Rae would end up engaging the tribesman at the same time.


    Noone quickly closed the gap dashing straight towards the lone tribesman who was already pulling a notched arrow back in his bow.


    Just when the bow crested, Noone planted his right foot down and pivoted to the left. He knew the basics of how a bow worked. Raelith had instructed him rather diligently about various weapons: The one downside to a bow, he thought, is that it can only shoot straight.


    The tribesman smirked when he saw Noone pivot, easily seeing through the clumsy dodge. He adjusted his aim to the side Noone was leading to, directly where Noone''s next step would take him, and released the arrow.


    The arrow closed the measly distance between the two in a split second. Noone had no time to react to the sudden change in direction. However, he was not worried, he had no intention of dashing to the left anyways, not really.


    His body turned to the left, but the ball of his left foot dug a small crater into the ground, shifting his weight backwards from the direction he was facing. He pivoted left but moved right.


    The arrow pierced through the space he would have been - uselessly, leaving the whistling collapse of sliced air behind.


    The tribesman''s smirk turned to a frown, the sudden backstep allowed Noone to avoid the arrow completely. Now it was Noone who smirked, as if saying "obviously I wasn''t going to the left, see?" His heart throbbed violently. There was something inside of Noone which began to relax under the tension. Instead of becoming more rigid and tight, his body grew lighter and gradually loosened up as he prepared to engage the tribesman in combat.


    The golden-hued being dropped the bow in his hands without hesitation. The distance between them was now too short to draw another arrow. Initially when Noone had moved out of the way of his first arrow, he assumed it was a fluke. But seeing Noone suddenly outmaneuver him, he couldn''t help but take things a little more seriously. As Noone closed the last ten meters, he slowed his approach, giving himself enough time to analyze the other being.


    The tribesman was shorter than him by almost a full head, however he was equally muscled. Obviously, he trained his body hard, and white scarring could be seen jaggedly lining his four golden arms. On his chest was a chiseled metal breastplate which contoured perfectly against his form.


    Noone frowned, suddenly Noone had become exceedingly aware of the fact he had no tools or weapons. He really wished he had his pick.


    Most interesting and dangerous of all were the four arms. The two upper arms held swords, much like the one he had seen Feylin use. The lower two arms held small shields, bucklers he believed.


    Noone knew this was going to be tough, but he reminded himself he didn''t need to beat this man in combat, only stall long enough for the rest of his group to come.


    Weirdly enough, the tribesman he was facing held the exact same thoughts, although he still looked down on Noone. Noone did not even have weapons, or any armor to speak of. And judging from his body, the tribesman did not believe Noone to be any form of spellcaster.


    Noone''s shirt was woven hemp given to him by Tobias, and his pants were the same. No armor or protection.


    Yet as Noone closed the last 5 meters and the danger became incredibly real, his mind and body both relaxed, everything irrelevant disappeared and his entire attention focused on the hurdle in front of him.


    Somewhere in his mind, thoughts of strength and future revenge calmed his nerves.


    If you can¡¯t kill some no-one, how can you avenge your home¡­?

 90. First Kill

    Depending on the situation, one meter could be an incredible distance, or an incredibly small one.


    Noone approached the tribesman without hesitation, his eyes pierced through the distance between them. The golden tribesman looked back at Noone, the grin and frown which he had worn earlier quietly evaporated along with the space between them.


    He would never make the mistake of underestimating his opponent at this distance, any energy used frowning or grinning or taunting could be better used to keep himself alive. All expressions disappeared from his face except for his eyes which shone with golden intensity.


    The gold tribesman''s sword cut diagonally through the air at an astonishing speed, interrupting Noone¡¯s advance. Noone - using his extended sight - easily saw the tribesman shift his weight just before attacking. He managed to violently twist his body just outside the path of attack. The tribesman¡¯s eyes glowed as he judged Noone¡¯s every reaction.


    The tribesman shifted his weight against his left foot and leaned back, his right shin shot through the air like a whip towards Noone''s leg.


    Despite your looks, you''re still too green. Despite his thoughts, no emotion seeped through expression. It was stated the same way you might declare having received due payment.


    Instead of swiping Noone''s leg out from under him though, the tribesman''s shin struck Noone¡¯s thigh with a heavy thwack and then stopped in place. His eyes widened in violent horror, and he quickly jumped back out of Noone''s reach.


    When he watched Noone violently twist out of the swords path, the tribesman followed up as quickly as possible, attempting to disable Noone before the weird being could regain his balance.


    Ideally, Noone should have been unsteady from the sudden evasive maneuver, and his leg should have been knocked out from under him, or even have his leg broken from the impact. Never did he expect that the other being would be able to take the full force of his kick so effortlessly.


    Noone grit his teeth against the sudden hit. Despite having an all-encompassing sight, he was unable to dodge the kick in time, so he braced his body against the attack. His leg throbbed in pain, but it quickly faded from his awareness and was replaced with cold calculations.


    Looks like just because I can see it¡­ it doesn''t make me invincible. If push comes to shove, Noone was confident he could retreat from the lone tribesman. The only reason he faced up to the golden being in such a brash manner was too evaluate his own strength.


    Noone was able to stay standing after being struck due to having experienced masterful training for his body. For years Noone climbed the edge of a cliff, constantly at threat of falling to his death. Thus, his entire body was honed, like an axe to a grinding stone, to move in ways that would never jeopardize his center of gravity, or his stability. As long as he had at least one leg on the ground, Noone could not be thrown off balance.


    These movements were so subtle that they were practically unnoticeable by all but the most experienced warriors. Even Noone himself would not be able to explain what he did, not exactly. Everything he relied on was a mixture of instinct and calm thought.


    Noone quickly dashed into the tribesman''s attack range before he could recover. Noone crouched his body and prepared to strike the torso of the tribesman. Even without a weapon, Noone''s body had enough strength to easily traverse vertical cliffs. Noone had no doubt at his own power.


    Seeing the hulking muscled Noone suddenly dash towards them, anyone in their sane mind would immediately back away to create distance. Noone''s natural reach was longer than this tribesman''s, if it weren''t for their difference in equipment, that difference may have been enough to turn this into an easy fight.


    Instead of backing away at Noone''s rapid invasion of his space though, the tribesman stepped forward.


    "Not on your life!" He growled, inwardly he was shocked by the sturdiness of Noone''s body. In the eyes of this warrior, Noone''s movements were unrefined. But Noone had the strength to compensate for it.


    One of the shields in the tribesman¡¯s grasp was thrust towards Noone''s head. To back away would give Noone the advantage, and this tribesman was trained too well to ever risk such a thing. The only thing he could do was to try and steal the initiative back.


    Noone''s eyes widened and he grit his teeth, sucking in a deep breath as his abdomen flexed tightly to support his sudden shift in direction. Both of Noone¡¯s arms immediately shot upwards to guard his face. Using his inheritance of the Ancestor, Noone ''saw'' that the tribesman hid his sword behind his shield, wanting to take Noone by surprise.


    If Noone had only been relying on his normal sight, he would have never seen the attack in time. A frown formed on his face. I really am going to need a weapon. Despite the pressing danger, Noone¡¯s mind refused to respond in any way other than cold calculations.


    Noone''s heartbeat pumped steady, and his brain throbbed under the stress of maintaining his ''sight'' during battle. He was already unable to maintain it at a consistent distance before fighting, after fighting it had become even more unreliable.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    About this though, there was nothing he could do. But¡­ there was something he could do about the sword and shield, he thought.


    Noone''s hands which had been shooting upwards to block his face suddenly turned ¨C palms open and ready to receive the shield. Just as the shield caused a blind-spot for Noone, it also created a small blind spot for the tribesman. The shield impacted Noone''s hands creating a solid thud before stopping in place. Noone grimaced as the bones in his hands seemed to crackle under the weight. He managed to catch the edges of the shield, his fingers gripped the buckler so tightly that small cracks formed as his hands bit into the metal and wood surface.


    For the first time since the start of the encounter ¨C a malicious smile crept through his stoic expression. I''ve got to be quick.


    As soon as the tribesman saw Noone''s hands intercept his shield, he quickly began to loosen his grip on it. Shock pierced his heart, there should have been no way for someone to catch a shield like that in the heat of battle!


    Although all of this takes a while to detail, in reality they had only fought for less than a minute. The current exchange took place in the time it takes sparks to fly off a piece of flint.


    Noone suddenly stood to his full height, lifting the shield with him. Immediately the tribesman was thrown off balance, his hand still within the wrist-brace. The sword hit wide, missing Noone''s face by an entire foot.


    Before the tribesman had any chance to slide his hand out of the grip, Noone grinned down at the man and his eyes flashed with malice. He violently twisted the shield.


    Noone was a being which could easily support his own body weight while climbing. A being which could carve through stone for months at a time without exhausting his muscles.


    The tribesman''s wrist stood no chance against this level of strength. Despite flexing every muscle in his arm, he couldn''t resist the violent motion. His whole arm bent to try and compensate with the violent motion, but a sharp crack sounded between them as dozens of carpal bones were shattered to useless shards of calcium.


    A cold sweat appeared on the tribesman''s flesh and his eyes widened with such intensity that they went red with blood.


    Suddenly the shield was easily pulled from his limp and useless hand. Pain like nothing he had ever known flooded his mind.


    Noone''s stomach churned slightly as he realized what he just did. The feeling of crushing bone, the sound of breaking the tribesman''s wrist and seeing it hang at a horrible angle¡­ Noone wasn''t possessed by the inner devil anymore. He still had all of his feelings as a being of Tapestry. A place free of violence.


    But as he looked at the golden tribesman, he grit his teeth. They attacked him. There was no reason he should hold back.


    Noone did not give the man a chance to recover. Using the shield like a weapon, he held the edge and thrust it towards the tribesman''s neck.


    Immense pain flooded every nerve within the tribesman, however he knew that right now he was fighting for his life. He could not afford the time to nurse his wounds. Both swords flashed out, aiming to slice Noone''s arms down to the bone.


    Noone was surprised at the sudden attack, with a sword advancing from above and below Noone could only try to retract his arm in time, or risk losing it¡­


    Noone''s eyes narrowed as he stared at the other being. Both of their jaws were set in determination.


    The tribesman tucked his chin down, hoping to use his jaw to keep the edge of the shield from crushing his windpipe if Noone happened to be faster than his swords. Although having his jaw shattered would not be pleasant, he had no choice but to take this option. It was too late to withdraw.


    When Noone saw what was happening, his eyebrows scrunched together. Even with his extended sight, he couldn''t predict who would be struck first, it was too close. Air seemed to swirl around the two beings, as if trying to fill the gaps in space left behind by their strikes.


    Suddenly, Noone flicked his wrist.


    The metal-edged shield shot from his hand slicing through the air as it rotated at incredible speed. It immediately closed the last small distance, slipping underneath the tribesman''s chin just as his swords were a flint-spark away from slicing into Noone''s arms.


    The weight of the shield combined with the overwhelming speed.


    The tribesman''s windpipe was crushed, and blood spurted into his throat as veins and arteries ruptured into his trachea.


    Immediately his eyes went red as blood vessels ruptured within. The swords dropped from his hands which moved to grip his own throat. Noone watched as the tribesman squeezed veiny fingers around his own neck ineptly trying to apply pressure to stop the bleeding.


    Regrettably, the damage was internal. His body screamed for oxygen but when he opened his mouth to suck air in, only gurgling noises could be heard as blood bubbled up from the back of his throat.


    The tribesman backed away from Noone, eyes unfocused but equally terrified. He was unable to get oxygen. His lungs, throat and stomach all filled with hot putrid blood.


    Tripping on a stone he fell back, body striking the solid earth. Rolling over to his hands and knees, he puked up massive amounts of blood which pooled on the floor under him.


    Noone''s heart thrummed unsteadily for the first time since beginning the fight as he watched the tribesman suddenly collapse. Seeing this other man suffer so much, seeing the massive amounts of blood he puked up¡­ Noone but his tongue to keep his own stomach from turning over.


    Finally, the tribesman''s eyes faded and his consciousness blacked out. The golden-sheened tribesman was unable to support his weight and laid twitching in his own blood.


    Noone looked on, his own mind was reeling from the visceral nature of what just occurred. He had been using his extended sight the whole time, and he saw every spasm and involuntary muscle contraction. He saw from every angle - the fear and anguish on the tribesman''s face.


    Noone looked at the man, if this fight had gone any differently, that could have been him. If the last fight - when he fought with the group from the Order of Life ¨C had gone any differently¡­ that could have been him, or them.


    His mind thought about Sarah, Feylin, Sally, Raelith and Tobias. What would they think of him if he had caused the death of any one of them when they encountered each other initially? How hostile would they have become if he had killed one of them?


    Noone clenched his teeth, forcing himself to look away. He came from a peaceful place, but he knew that was not how this world functioned.


    I have more important things to do, if I let such a small encounter cause me to hesitate¡­ how will I ever avenge Tapestry. Remembering the rest of his group, he quickly put these thoughts out of mind and looked towards the north hoping to catch sight of the other tribesmen.

 91. A More Dangerous Noone

    A few hundred meters away from Noone, another battle was coming to a close. The scouts had seriously overestimated their own capability to handle the situation, and they were regretting their actions dearly.


    Fear wormed its way into their eyes as they cast glances to the south. Their plan was to attract the attention of the group and kite them into turning their backs on their third member. Meanwhile the third scout would pick the trespassers off one at a time.


    Regrettably, they underestimated the other party tremendously. Not only were they overwhelmed by the speed which the group from the Order approached, but they realized quickly that this groups battle prowess was far above what they had assumed.


    As the various races of the world get stronger, they tend to develop a sixth sense. This sixth sense acts as a radar for strength, and many people come to rely on this as they engage within the world. To be able to accurately detect someone else¡¯s strength often meant the difference between life and death.


    These tribesmen lived isolated lives from the rest of the world. They scouted land which they were instructed to and were offered rewards in the form of advancements and monetary incentives for achievements in the field.


    Each one was trained thoroughly, both in long distance and short-range combat. In truth, their battle prowess was frightful, and each soldier was fearless. Each one was a trained militant, even the simplest of scouts.


    The tribesman would fight violently against each other during training. Those with high battle merit would be rewarded with the chance to go on expeditions into the common realm to further hone their strength in the service of their tribe.


    It was both an extreme honor, and an immense opportunity to be chosen worthy of going to train their skills in the world. The time was soon approaching for another expedition, and these tribesmen were hungry for the opportunity.


    They had wandered through and scouted the desolate plains for more than a month, but the deadline was closing soon. If they returned without any achievements, they would have no chance to be chosen. So, when they came across this group of six, they immediately began to follow.


    ¡°Two weaklings.¡± They thought, eyeing the hierarchy within the party. ¡°Those three are dangerous, but we can handle them.¡± They watched Tobias, Rae, and Sally take up the front and back of the group, obviously putting themselves in the line of danger first.


    ¡°What about that one.¡± One of the tribesmen had pointed to Noone. None of them had seen a being like him before. However, they knew that there was much in the world they were unaware of.


    ¡°He¡¯s stronger than the weak ones, but definitely weaker than the strongest ones.¡± One of the tribesmen assessed. Maybe it was because they were eager or maybe they were just too experienced, but at that moment, they decided they could handle the group on their own.


    And their carelessness would lead to their deaths.


    Tobias and Sally easily dispatched one of the two tribesmen. Using hit and switch tactics, the tribesman was completely overwhelmed. Soon his armor was cleanly cleaved in half, followed by his torso.


    Tobias grunted and hefted his large great-axe over his shoulder, taking a moment to regain his breath. Using the axe one-handed was an immense strain on his muscles. It was not that the axe was too heavy, but the balance required to wield it properly with one hand used completely different muscles than what he was used to.


    A few feet away, Feylin and Sarah both fought against the last tribesman wielding two medium sized war-axes. Each one was designed to be held one-handed.


    Behind the acolytes Raelith watched carefully, scrutinizing their every movement.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    If she got involved, then the battle would end immediately. The acolytes would distract enough of the tribesman¡¯s attention that she would be able to easily strike within his blind spot.


    Instead, she decided to use this to train the acolytes further.


    The Tribesman heard the sound of his partner being cleaved in half but did not have the time to spare a glance. He was pushed to the edge and was quickly realizing he would probably not be coming out of this alive.


    But he fought back violently, attempting to create any opportunity to flee at the very least.


    Sarah gritted her teeth, her weapon came up, blocking a violent axe strike. The head of the axe threatened to shatter through the steel base of her weapon, but it held. She was forced to step back; her arms shook from the impact.


    Feylin saw an opportunity to absorb the attention. Dashing between Sarah and the tribesman, his sword flashed out at the tribesman¡¯s still extended arm.


    The blade bit through flesh, cutting through the golden arm at the elbow. The axe clattered to the floor narrowly missing Feylin¡¯s foot. Just as he was preparing to step back, the other axe smashed into his shield which he had prepared against his side. He was quick to jump away from the strike, absorbing as much of the impact he could.


    Despite reacting quickly, his arm still throbbed from the weight of the golden being¡¯s strike.


    His eyes tracked the tribesman carefully, suddenly a pole-mace flashed in his peripheral vision. Sarah was already reengaging. The heavy bludgeoned end of her weapon shot through the space. The sound of metal impacting metal resonated in the air, and then a sickening thud. The head of her weapon shattered the armor plating on the tribesman¡¯s chest and crushed into his ribcage. Shattered bone immediately ruptured vital organs. Frothy blood unceremoniously erupted from the man¡¯s mouth.


    In the eyes of the three, it seemed the world slowed to a halt. The last precious moment before everything would end. Sarah stared into the man¡¯s eyes. Unlike Noone, who had to take a moment to battle with his own ethics, Sarah had no qualms about what she did. Feylin looked away, closing his eyes just enough to blur the brutal image. Everything about what just occurred was unforgiving, and he could taste the iron of blood in his own mouth.


    As the three from Burian watched on, a frown flickered onto their faces. They looked at each other thoughtfully, coming to their own conclusions about Feylin¡¯s and Sarah¡¯s temperaments. Any visible dissatisfaction quickly disappeared though, there was still one more tribesman to deal with.


    Tobias took the lead, weaving through stone to back to where he had left Noone only a few minutes before. No one else had seen the third tribesman, but Noone¡¯s disappearance did not go unnoticed. Tobias quickly explained the situation.


    ¡°Can he handle a tribesman on his own?¡± Sarah asked, her voice scratched with genuine concern.


    Over the past months, she had talked with Noone a lot while he learned their language. They had grown increasingly interested in each other¡¯s lives. Although Sarah was from the surface, in many ways she was just as sheltered as Noone had been.


    And she resonated with his past.


    Feylin looked away when he heard her concern. Thoughts only he could know raced through his mind.


    ¡°He should be fine, at least for long enough for us to get there.¡± Tobias said. He recalled the decisive determination in Noone¡¯s eyes when he chose to engage the tribesman alone. Even if Noone would be outmatched in combat skill, Tobias knew he had the raw strength to flee if needed.


    As they rounded the last boulder, their cart came into view - and then they saw Noone.


    Noone stood above the corpse of a golden tribesman, blood pooled around the body soaking Noone¡¯s feet in the warm liquid. Noone turned at the sound of their footsteps against the cracked grey stone.


    Standing above the body, back tall and strong, no injuries could be seen. Even the ragged breathing that followed battle was absent from his form. Sarah and Feylin couldn¡¯t help but feel there was something incredibly intimidating about Noone in this moment.


    They all had fought him and been injured by him months ago, but that was a different Noone. A possessed Noone. Sarah and Feylin had disassociated the two identities. One was an animal, capable of nothing but violent battle tendency. The other, a quiet but smart and studious man who lost his home.


    Now though, they looked at Noone and their brains shook as though trying to reconcile the two images.


    Maybe this Noone¡­ was the more dangerous one after all?

 92. Dual War-Axes

    Like a bell being rung in the minds of everyone present, they broke from their own personal reveries. The sight had taken them all off guard.


    Tobias and Raelith were the first to recover, followed by Sally. Sally couldn¡¯t help but frown. Unlike the rest, Sally had always maintained an understandable distance from Noone. She was a cleric in the Order of Life. She was a healer, and fighting was just something she had to do sometime. She had no desire to get to know Noone or become too involved. In her mind, when she returned to the grand-temple she would leave this whole mission behind her and focus on advancing her status within the order.


    In truth, something about Noone made her uncomfortable. Even after he recovered from the seal within the pendant, she felt as though there was something dangerous about Noone. He seemed harmless enough. He did not train in weapons, or even hold any malicious thoughts against them that she could tell. She even believed Noone that he came from a society of peace, unlike anything that existed in the common world.


    But being around him always left her with the feeling that she shouldn¡¯t turn her back to him. Not because he might attack her, but because she didn¡¯t trust herself to not attack him. He put her on edge.


    And now, as Noone stood in a pool of blood, as calm as the moon in the night sky, she couldn¡¯t help but feel her fear was completely justified.


    She was an existence which was meant to heal. Even if she had to fight, her god was one of life ¨C when possible. Noone¡¯s existence did not have an ounce of healing light to him. Just under the surface, she couldn¡¯t help but feel there was a void waiting to suck in the world around him.


    ¡°Are you injured at all?¡± Tobias asked. Something about his voice betrayed his state of mind. Not a scratch could be seen on Noone. He wasn¡¯t even breathing heavy. His clothes weren¡¯t torn or even scuffed.


    The only blood on him was the tribesman¡¯s which pooled onto his bare feet.


    When they had given Noone clothes to wear to replace his disintegrating set, they realized that they had no shoes to give him. A change of clothes was a given, an extra pair of shoes though? Hardly necessary in normal situations. However, Noone did not seem to mind and walked on the course stone earth with no problem. It seemed he was completely at home with it.


    Noone took a good look at the group. He couldn¡¯t help but notice that they had rushed here to assist him. Despite his dominating appearance, a warm smile broke its way onto his face. The whites of his teeth showed a good-natured smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. A little shaken from the fight¡­ it¡¯s a lot different than I imagined it would be.¡± Noone scanned the group, noticing every slight scrape and bruise on their bodies, the subtle shiver in the muscles from fatigue. As he walked towards them, a trail of bloody footprints was left in his wake leading back to the corpse like a red string of fate.


    Tobias nodded. ¡°I¡¯m glad you are okay, we can talk about it later if you would like¡­ this is your first time after all.¡± He nodded towards the corpse. Everyone knew what he meant. As far as they knew, this was Noone¡¯s first time killing someone.


    Noone didn¡¯t say anything, thinking about it for a moment. Did he need to talk about it? He glanced back at the corpse, unsure about his own feelings.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He said honestly. ¡°The tribesman attacked me, so why should I be worried about it? I was just doing what had to be done.¡± There was no trace of remorse or dishonesty in his voice, Sally furrowed her brow and the rest shared a look except for Sarah who nodded instinctually as though completely understanding. Tobias said nothing.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°In this surface world, you all fight and train and battle and kill. If I am going to survive¡­¡± The words carried off in the wind and his eyes glossed over momentarily as his mind boarded his own train of thought. But the message was clear: This is the world I live in now, so I will survive, and thrive.


    Tobias nodded at Noone. Like Sally he devoted his life to the Order of Life. His god was a god of healing and light. Every time he took a life, no matter how ¡°deserving,¡± he felt a pain in his chest. But unlike Sally - he was a paladin, a warrior meant to exist on the battlefield. He had seen and encountered many good men and women, most of whom did not share his god or belief. But that did not take away from them being good people. He felt they merely had different paths to follow.


    When he saw Sarah and indeed Noone, he couldn¡¯t help but have similar thoughts. Fate is cruel, and the world plays games with lives as chess piece pawns. To expect someone like Noone to think exactly the same way he did would be absurd.


    This was something Raelith understood as well. That was why they were able to overlook all the things which put Sally on edge.


    ¡°Alright, lets grab the cart and move out now. We will walk a few hours into the night just to get away from this area.¡± Tobias already turned to start scouting out their next steps. Before he could get far though, Noone spoke out.


    ¡°I want a weapon¡± Noone said, unsure whether or not he should have voiced his thoughts. ¡°I know I am technically¡­¡± He held out his hands with his wrists overtop each other. A prisoner. Without needing to voice the words, Tobias was already prepared with a response.


    ¡°If you look by where we fought the other two tribesmen, you will see a pair of war-axes. Those will be a good fit for you. We are moving out now though so be quick.¡± Tobias did not pause his steps or hesitate at all. Noone nodded his head and dashed towards the location they had seen the first tribesmen.


    Sarah, Raelith, Feylin, and Sally all looked at Tobias shocked. Did Tobias really just agree to give weapons to him? Sarah and Feylin said nothing, ultimately, they were only acolytes and not in a position to question such a thing. But Sally had no such qualms.


    ¡°Are you sure that is a good idea, Tobias?¡± She said. Her brow was furrowed and the displeasure in her voice was obvious. Tobias stopped and looked at her. He was obviously aware of her feelings about Noone, but in his mind Sally was far too rigid and zealous about the Order of Life. She made a good cleric, but it caused her to be too untrusting of those who don¡¯t hold the same belief as herself.


    ¡°We are going to be traveling with Noone for a long time, we aren¡¯t going to be able to guard him the whole way.¡± The paladin said casually.


    ¡°But you saw how deadly he is, even when he¡¯s not possessed by some demon!¡± She said, she couldn¡¯t help but look back at the corpse, there was no visible damage on it except for a crushed neck and a broken arm.


    ¡°I also saw him turn and hold off a tribesman alone, saving us from being picked off by a third assailant.¡± Tobias understood Sally¡¯s viewpoint, but for better or worse, he found himself wanting Noone as an ally more than a hostage.


    Silence creeped into the air, and no one said anything. A minute passed and the patter of footsteps against stone floor grasped everyone¡¯s attention. Noone returned, carrying two war-axes which hung from a belt he removed from the corpse of the tribesman.


    Each one weighed a considerable amount despite their size, but Noone had no trouble with their weight. To him it wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning.


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but notice the extremely palpable tension in the air, but at that moment his head throbbed from exhaustion and he was honestly just hoping to arrive at their next camping spot. He didn¡¯t want to waste the energy thinking about it.


    Throughout the entire encounter and then some, Noone maintained his extended awareness. Finally though, he reached his limit. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a loss as his 360-degree sight reduced back to just what he could see through his eyes. Even his heightened senses seemed to exhaust themselves back to normal.


    No one said anything, and soon they continued their journey. Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel weird about the sudden addition to his attire, constantly being reminded of the weapon¡¯s existence by the sway of the axes at his waist.

 93. Growth

    That night everyone huddled around a small fire as a howling wind snaked through a forest of stone and shrubbery. Skeletal trees peppered the rocky environment, casting deep shadows.


    The last few hours were spent in silence apart from the patter of feet and the clop of summoned-horse hooves. The adrenaline which coursed through them had worn off, leaving the acolytes feeling shaky. They handled the strain on their bodies much better than before when they fought Noone, but they also came out of this encounter less injured.


    The past six months had been nothing but daily training. Their battle prowess had flourished as had their magic capability. In this time, both Sarah and Feylin had managed to learn a minor healing miracle along with making progress on their personal studies. Being so easily defeated by Noone had caused their desire for strength to ignite.


    Raelith sat with her own thoughts, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the sparkling stars of the night sky of the far west.


    Sally and Tobias both snacked on dried meat, they would be back to the outpost temple soon and had more than enough food, thus they unanimously decided to splurge a bit. The tense atmosphere that had pervaded the space between the two earlier had disappeared as they walked through the day.


    Sally realized she had been a bit brash, and ultimately Tobias was higher in the order than her and had their best interest in mind. In her lap laid the smooth bindings of a holy manuscript which she studied religiously. It was only a copy of course, but the words held the value.


    Tobias kept eyes up and scanned the horizon. He was worried that the scouts may have already sent word back to the tribe. If that was the case, then he wanted to be ready in case there was another attack.


    Noone sat on the stone floor, legs crossed and facing the fire with eyes closed. His breath was steady, and he slowly melded with the surrounding atmosphere. The flicker of firelight played orange designs against his grey stone skin and marbled white lines which snaked across his body.


    The axes he retrieved were laid to the side, along with the belt they were stored in. Noone found it incredibly uncomfortable to sit with them, and figured having them close enough would be good for now.


    Light pulsed from his flesh, in tune with his breathing. The stone around him shifted between white and grey as he inhaled and exhaled. The sound of his breathing became white noise. Everyone eventually found themselves looking at Noone. He was sitting so still that the acolytes sometimes found it hard to distinguish his body from the darkness surrounding him. If it weren''t for the white lines which emanated light from his body, his existence would practically melt into the environment.


    They couldn''t help but feel Noone looked like a statue, chiseled from stone and swarming with subtle magic. The time ticked by, counted steadily by Noone''s breath.


    Right now, Noone''s mind was sinking into himself. His thoughts floated down a stream of memories, evaluating the events of that day.


    Everything that happened, from the initial attack with the arrows, to the violent but sudden engagement with the tribesmen¡­ his thoughts catalogued every action and decision.


    Noone had no one to teach him how to fight, so this was the best he could do - running through scenarios.


    His mind replayed each scene, and his muscles twitched - barely perceptible to the human eye. Every microsecond was relived in excruciating detail. Soon he reached the end of the fight, and he watched the memory, disassociated from the experience. Noone''s lungs tightened when he watched the shield crush the tribesman''s neck. The fear and shock in those golden eyes made Noone uncomfortable. The pain¡­ Noone understood it.


    He could almost see the mind of the man thinking "Is this it...?" The same thoughts he himself has known.


    The memories slowly sank down, like a stone in a lake. Noone sat there at the center of this lake free from the world around him. Right now, his consciousness was embodied within his own mind, a large void space from which memories and experiences streamed like water.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "I can''t afford to go easy." Noone thought. "The people here do not care for each other''s lives. Not in the same way as home¡­" his breathing betrayed his confliction, quickening as he worked through his thoughts.


    "I have a goal. One that I must complete. I can''t afford to die before then. I even have an advantage," As Noone came to his own resolutions the fluctuating and pulsating light from his body began to shine brighter, cutting through the dark night. "I have the inheritance¡­ of the ancestor¡­"


    Sally shot a look at Tobias, the light around Noone was definitely brightening. Noone had not moved or changed in any way they could see, but something was changing. She could feel it in the air.


    Not just her, everyone noticed a subtle hum that seemed to come from his body. The air around every person began to vibrate, almost completely imperceptible. But the tiny hairs on the back of their necks stood up on end.


    No one could take their eyes off Noone, and the bonfire between them began to flicker wildly as though being attacked by a gale. But there wasn''t any wind.


    Tobias watched carefully, not making any sudden motions and slowly waving his hand as if to say, "No one move." And no one did.


    Noone''s thoughts and consciousness caused the world in his mind to ripple. Noone had broken through three minor realms six months ago, and thus his body and mind were both put under tremendous stress. If it were not for his innate strength, and his reinforced body¡­ the influx of energy would have torn him to shreds.


    For sixth months Noone had felt that he was barely able to understand the changes which occurred. He gained some extraordinary innate abilities ¨C like his extended sight ¨C and experienced a growth in mental and physical stability.


    But he didn''t understand it. What triggered it? Obviously it was part of the inheritance but¡­


    What was the energy?


    Where did it come from?


    what does it do?


    Is it finite or does it replenish naturally?


    These thoughts constantly nagged at him.


    And¡­ can I improve more¡­ and if so, how?


    Since the very first day he emerged from the seal, he tackled these questions every way he could think of. He had no guidance, no teacher, no experience. All he could do was teach himself, from the ground up.


    Over these last six months, that is what he did. He trained every innate skill he had, attempting to push himself over and past his limits.


    Maintain sight.


    Maintain strength.


    Maintain breathing.


    Sense the world around, what does it feel like? Taste like? How does it move?


    He would sit and quiet his thoughts, focusing on experiencing the world around him. He strained to remember everything he had ever been told in Tapestry about the laws of the universe, cosmic energy, world energy, elemental energy. Were they all the same thing? Or different? And how do you know if you are sensing it? And even if you can sense it¡­ what then?


    Noone truly felt lost, his abilities have stopped improving, and Noone could not help but feel that he must have taken a wrong step somewhere.


    As his thoughts spiraled, an answer came to him like a candle in the dark.


    The energy of the universe¡­ harness it.


    It was part voice, part primal urging. Like a bell in a silent room, it resonated within Noone''s mind.


    Inside the core of Noone''s body his life flame had been quietly burning ¨C hued by three colors - not flickering in the slightest. It lit his dantian in a beautiful symphony of blended blues, pinks, and greens. But suddenly it shuddered. If a flame could feel desire, what would it do?


    The flame of his life force, tinted by the existence and will of a galaxy tree¡­ yearned.


    I must not only get stronger¡­ Noone''s thought echoed within his own head, resonating with the river of memories beneath him. He felt that his own body had become a shell which he was trapped within, limited by. But I have to experience¡­ growth.


    Suddenly images and thoughts floated to the surface which were not his own, but they seemed incredibly familiar. He saw a large blue brown and green planet, a tree which grew from it, leaves and branches and trunk extending out above reaching into the heavens themselves.


    He saw leaves which stirred in the cosmic winds, colored garishly bright as though mocking the dark void itself.


    He saw a pod, inside which was a seed.


    Noone did not notice it the first time he had seen these memories, but he could sense energy surrounding the bulb. Like strings of pure essence, the bulb slowly filtered them out of the void using the power to form a seed. To form strength.


    Looking back on it, it seemed as though time had passed slowly. But in reality - a few years had passed since he saw this image last. They were the memories of the flower which strived for life. He remembered experiencing the endless years of minor improvements in its memories. Stretching small roots out and gradually growing bigger¡­


    It had been harvesting something out of the air for energy¡­ but what?


    The water rippled, and he felt something pull at his awareness. His consciousness looked down into the lake of thoughts. Down, deep down, a small light could be seen shining up and reflecting through the dark light scattering thoughts and memories.


    Pink. Green. Blue.

 94. Stepping to the Right Path

    The life flame that burned within Noone''s core ¨C in his dantian ¨C began to expand and resonate with Noone''s thoughts and memories.


    Shock like a wave filled his heart when he saw this flame. He had felt it before, once when he was being sustained by the young galaxy tree, and again when his body was forced to process the raw energy from the beings in Tapestry.


    When he saw the three colors dyed within the flame, Noone couldn''t help but be feel trepidation. Obviously, the tree had done more to him than he realized.


    The light from his dantian was obviously excited. Noone could sense the urgings within it, the desire to absorb and grow.


    This is possibly leftover desire from the bud when I stole all of its life energy. His eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the flame within his own core. The tree was meant to grow and be reborn over millions of years, until Noone came along and stripped it of all the energy it had absorbed.


    Suddenly, the frown on Noone''s face softened and his eyes became ponderous. Maybe¡­ that''s the key? Noone could sense the flame resonating with his own thoughts. His desire to grown and become stronger, his desire to absorb more energy.


    Like two wavelengths syncing up, Noone began to notice the similarities. He wasn''t so different from the plant, which wasn''t so different from the people of Tapestry. They all absorbed energy from the outside, some kind of cosmic law or force which they could take into themselves.


    Noone thought about the plant, when it absorbed power from the air, it channeled that energy into the seed. Only by taking in the energy around it and stealing it from the space it occupied was it able to grow.


    The people of Tapestry would absorb energy of some kind into themselves, and then use that energy to become stronger¡­


    Noone''s breathing deepened further.


    "If I can absorb the same energy from the space around me into my life force¡­" He stared down at the multi-colored flame. "What would happen?"


    Before this moment, Noone had never sensed any underlying energy in the world around him. His focus had always been on the sensations of the world, trying to interpret and become one with these forces. But he realized this may have been too shallow.


    He really may have taken a wrong step in his understanding.


    Using the urgings that the will the galaxy tree had stained onto his life force, Noone''s awareness expanded from the inside of his body, out.


    He saw himself sitting on the smooth stone floor, small bits of gravel littered throughout the space.


    He saw his companions sitting around the fire looking towards him, but he paid them no mind. He did not believe they would do anything to him right now, and Noone couldn''t afford to be distracted.


    "There must be something I''m missing¡­" he thought. "Something the plant life-form and the people of Tapestry were able to feel that I couldn''t¡­ deeper than just the elemental energy of the world. More fundamental."


    The flame within his core began to rotate and twist, Noone''s desire influenced the will left behind within it.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Noone inherited the common heritage of the ancestor, and the life force within Noone "inherited" the remnants of an equally ancient existence ¨C a seed of a galaxy tree. Instinct began to act, pushing Noone''s conscious mind.


    "Sense it¡­" Words like the whisper of leaves on a windy day brushed through his consciousness. Noone pushed himself harder, attempting to feel whatever it was that he inherently knew to look for.


    "Sense it." Stronger, a command.


    "Sense it!" Noone''s breathing deepened and the flame within him expanded again, sending energy stored within him pulsing through his meridians, anything it could do to help Noone resonate with the energy it desired.


    Suddenly Noone ''saw'' something float by him. It was thin and imperceptible to the naked eye. He was unsure whether he had seen anything at all, but then another flashed into existence, this time near his hand.


    Noone had seen it clearly this time but was at a loss. It looked like a thread, a thin strand which floated through the space around him. It was impossibly thin and nigh non-existent. If he wasn''t looking for it already, there was no way he would have every discovered it.


    It fluctuated, bending the space around it as though fighting to remain unseen. It snaked in and out of existence like a needle woven through the fabric of the world. It acted like a fish and the world was nothing more than water which it could submerse into at any point.


    As Noone attempted to analyze this strange ripple in space, a sickening feeling overcame him. Nausea and pain caused his head to swim. His own body struck out against his mind.


    "TAKE."


    Noone frowned, but he understood. Whatever this thing was, obviously it is the energy that the colored flame in his core was craving.


    Noone calmed his mind, but the feeling did not go away.


    Well¡­ there''s no point in fighting it. Like a ball of water, Noone compressed his external sight onto the point where the thread was shifting space. All of his external sight condensed onto this single point only a foot away from him.


    The shimmering thread of energy suddenly became corporeal.


    Despite his expectations there was no resistance or push-back as the ripple shot along Noone''s condensed sight towards his head. Noone resisted the urge to cut off his senses and instead allowed the small thread to enter his mind.


    Like a fish swimming downstream, the small threadlike energy was sucked through Noone''s meridians down into his dantian. He carefully watched the process, not wanting to miss even a single detail.


    The energy sank into the cavernous core of Noone''s body, and the three-hued flame within him lashed out at the energy. Immediately it was vaporized into some kind of gas.


    Noone''s eyes widened, thoughts and questions forming in equal measure as he considered what he saw. It was extremely similar to what occurred when he saw the energy seep from the ancestor''s bones into himself.


    The gas was transformed, no longer was it energy which belonged to the universe. Now the minute power it held began to pulse through Noone''s meridians. It coursed through him like a drop of blood through the circulatory system. By itself useless but surrounded by millions of other individual drops it strengthened Noone''s inheritance in ways he could not even begin to comprehend.


    The flame within Noone''s core flared up by the activity. It had been starved of power for so long while Noone was wasting time taking the wrong steps. Everything within Noone urged for more.


    Noone breathed a deep breath and a smile broke out onto his face.


    "Finally," he thought.


    Outside of Noone''s consciousness in the material world the group all looked on with various thoughts, they had not seen any of what had occurred. Not even Tobias was able to sense any change, let alone see the thread of energy Noone had grasped.


    To them it seemed as though Noone had just become absorbed into his meditation.


    Sally looked on quietly, her thoughts traveled back in time bringing up memories of her young life within the monasteries. She had seen her seniors sink into their meditations much the same way. She remembered how peaceful and strong they looked in those moments.


    Their bodies would become so calm and still, they too would look statuesque. But at the same time, they exuded an air of capability. What Noone was doing now reminded her of her former seniors. A soft smile formed on her face, the memories were sweet. Although she did not see that path through to the end, she would never forget that time of her life.


    Eventually the five of them began to grow weary of watching Noone and went about their own ways for the night. Tobias went about his training and they rotated watch, leaving Noone to his own devices and keeping an eye on him.


    Like that the night passed peacefully, no more tribesmen showed up and the sun began to rise on the eastern horizon.

 95. Approaching Society

    "Noone."


    Sally''s voice shook Noone out of his reverie. His breathing faltered for a second as he came out of his thoughts. When he looked up, he saw Sally a few paces away, standing at enough of a distance to not startle him.


    "Oh. I''m sorry." Noone blinked, collecting his bearings. "I didn''t realize how much time passed." The gentle light from the sun preparing to rise over the eastern horizon lit the world around him. Inwardly he was slightly shocked. Noone wasn''t sure when it happened but at some point he must have completely lost himself to his cultivation.


    After absorbing the first thread into his dantian, it became increasingly easy to spot the energy in the world. There seemed to be patterns which the energy would appear from. On the leading edge of a soft breeze, around the crackles of a fire, or within the miniscule vibrations of the stone around him. Noone wasn''t sure if the energy was reactive to these natural events, or harbingers of them.


    He became absorbed into hunting for energy.


    "It''s okay. Prepare yourself though, we are heading out soon." Sally''s hand scratched behind her ear, her eyes looked to the side for a moment before focusing back on Noone.


    Noone nodded, retrieving the axes and placing them on his waist. Sally started to walk off but turned her head at the last moment. Noone saw a smile on her face, but he was unable to interpret the emotions behind it.


    "How was your meditation?" She asked.


    Noone looked at her for a moment. He had become aware that she once came from a monastery. He learned the monasteries of the surface trained in a similar manner to the people of Tapestry. Although they harnessed very different types of power, Noone kept this information in mind.


    "It went well. I think fighting for the first time yesterday allowed me to contextualize a few things. It also helped me reaffirm some of my own thinking." Noone had no problem telling this level of truth. Deceit wasn''t something that was a part of Noon''s upbringing or nature, but he was smart enough to know that some things should be withheld.


    "That makes sense." She nodded. "Not just for battle prowess, but many times being forced to fight with your life on the line is used to train one''s mind and spirit. It can help a person understand more about themselves and force a person to decide what kind of individual they are." The way she said the last sentence made Noone uncomfortable, like there was some small judgement hidden in the words.


    She thought for a moment. Sally wasn''t sure how Noone saw the surface world. He had not even seen a small corner of it, but when she heard about what kind of place Tapestry was, she could only imagine how he thought about it.


    "Noone. There are more humans ¨C and other races ¨C in the common world than you can imagine. And within them there are a million types of people. Some of the world is violent, cruel and uncaring. But only some parts¡­ don''t forget that most people aren''t like that. Fighting takes place everywhere, but not everyone¡­" Noone watched as Sally struggled for the words. He couldn''t help but feel that she was talking about idea''s that she herself was struggling with, but he chose not to mention that.


    "I understand Sally, don''t worry. I know I have a lot to see." He made his voice calming, understanding where she was coming from. However, he also had his heart set.


    Sally just sighed, upset at herself for becoming so flustered. She nodded to Noone and walked back to the cart, summoning a spotted white and brown horse on the way. Noone watched on determining his own feelings.


    Noone joined the group, sharing rations for breakfast. Although he was rarely actually hungry, old habits are hard to break and he would eat consistently with the party. If he wanted to push it, he could go a few days without eating. For some reason though, Noone felt even less hungry than usual.


    Noone considered this while he chewed on dried jerky.


    "Most likely¡­ the absorption of energy last night replaced whatever energy I would need from food." His mind considered the repercussions from this. As he got better at the process and absorbed more power, would he be able to go longer without eating? Drinking? And how long?


    He looked over at Sally. "I need to be careful about sinking into meditation, I didn''t even feel her approach. If I am in a situation that is risky, I can''t afford to be as careless."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    His thoughts railroaded from one to the next as they walked through the day. Noone watched the environment shift, the stone under his feet became softer as soil and dirt replaced the hard stone.


    The skeletal trees and bare shrubbery he had grown used to, began to shift into a field of patchy grass. Thin leaves developed on the trees reminding Noone of the rare plants they had back in Tapestry.


    "So that''s grass huh?" He knelt down, his hands brushed through the scratchy blades of foliage which sprung up through the cracks in the stone. Soil patches were scattered throughout the landscape.


    "Well, yes. Kinda." Sarah responded. "Compared to what most people talk about when they say ''grass'' this is too dry and off-colored. You will see real grass soon enough, though." She smiled thinking about the town her temple was in. It was surrounded by grassy forests, not too thick but not barren either. She looked forward to Noone''s reaction to it.


    According to Noone, the only flora they had in Tapestry were fruit trees, and only a few at that. Sarah could imagine how Noone would see a world full of green trees and grass. She herself missed it. Every day on this assignment she had spent in a world of dead stone and dry arid air, she couldn''t wait to be home.


    Noone grasped a handful of rocky soil, crushing it in his palm and watching it fall through his fingers. It was nothing like stone, or sand. It was soft and almost squishy. It felt more¡­ alive. He couldn''t help but look forward to seeing the world they had described to him.


    The next few hours were a tapestry of shifting tones and colors. Noone watched each new plant with wide eyed curiosity. At one point he noticed that the earth they were walking seemed more worn than the land around it. The grass which had become increasingly present was restricted to the sides of their route. At some point they had begun on a pre-tread path.


    He noticed that everyone relaxed, their postures becoming less guarded. Even Tobias, who always remained alert, wore an expression of ease and comfort.


    We must be close. He thought to himself.


    "We are close." Sarah said, catching Noone''s gaze as he observed them. "Only a day away. If that." Her voice was strong with whimsy as she thought of Jakobson and the temple. She pointed a finger out to the distance, a few hours away Noone could see the vague outline of green and brown trees. "That is the south-western-most forest of the country of Cinapul, just within the forest is the town of Ardglass. Our town, with our temple."


    Noone nodded, trying to picture what the town must be like. He had heard much of their societies on the surface world, and even then they would constantly remind him that these were still only a small percentage of all the ways of life on the surface.


    Noone instantly recalled some of the information he had been learned about the surface.


    Ardglass is the western most town on the south-west end of the continent. Cinapul was the second southern-most country. The only country more south was¡­ Montese. A barren landscape similar to the one they had just trekked through. An entire country rendered basically uninhabitable by the standards of the surface world.


    Noone found the whole business with countries odd. He couldn''t quite wrap his head around the concept. Even more so when he was told an entire region was uninhabitable. With these surface human''s abilities¡­ certainly they could do something about it?


    But he said nothing and filed the information away for later. There was too much to learn, and he couldn''t question everything.


    Raelith''s voice cut in, offering some more explanation.


    "Ardglass is basically a far outpost town, a group of people at the edge of the world far from society. Maybe only a few thousand people, at most. Nothing really of note. However," Her eyes softened. "It is home to the branch of our order we picked up Sarah and Feylin from. To them, it is home."


    Feylin and Sarah both nodded. They knew it wasn''t much, but it was all they knew. Sarah came from an even smaller satellite of Ardglass, so neither of them could say anything about the other''s viewpoints of their town.


    "Raelith, will you please catch us some fresh dinner? We will reach town tomorrow and restock. Tonight, we can stop eating rationale food." Tobias''s voice leaked hints of calm and happiness. No matter how strong he was, even he would feel excited at the prospects of returning to society. They had been away for a year now, and everyone was ready to interact with other people.


    Raelith nodded and bounded off in the direction of the forest. Her long legs allowed her to move at an impressive speed, and Noone noticed small blades appear between her fingers as she ran. Noone couldn''t help but like Raelith. She was always upbeat and extremely capable. She reminded him of Adria slightly, if a little less fiery.


    Noone considered if all elves were like Raelith. If they were, Noone imagined he would get along with them well.


    Shortly after, Raelith returned with 6 small fluffy creatures Noone had never seen before tied to her waistband. They looked similar to the rodents they would see sometimes which would scurry between the stone in the desolate land.


    "Squirrels." Raelith said. "It''s the season they are at their fattest, makes for good eating." With one hand she untied and tossed one to Noone, leaving the rest dangling for later.


    Noone snatched the small creature out of the air. It was extremely furry, but underneath Noone could tell that it was thick with muscles and fat. Noone had never seen an animal like this until now, but apparently, they were extremely common.


    That night Raelith showed Noone how to skin and gut the meat. Tobias kept an eye on Noone through the process. Unsurprisingly, Noone was not even slightly squeamish.


    They all ate well, and proceeded to go about their training.


    Noone sat by the fire, meditating and absorbing threads of energy from the spaces between spaces.


    Raelith, Sally, and the two acolytes trained their combat ability. Despite being so close to home, Raelith believed there was never a good reason to miss training. Nearby Tobias was knelt down, presumably communicating with HQ.


    The night passed quietly.

 96. A Shocking Advance

    ¡°Get your stuff together. We set off right now.¡± Tobias¡¯s voice cut through the calm night air, his knuckles were white as he gripped his own pack, hoisting it onto his shoulders.


    Everyone was startled by the sudden shift, even the two clerics who were rich with experience. It only lasted for a moment though, and soon the rest of the party was geared up and ready to go. Sally conjured a horse and began strapping it into their cart.


    Other than her, all eyes were on Tobias. He stood like a sentinel eyes scanning the horizon behind them and to the north. A frown was on his lips, the orange firelight deepening the wrinkles on his aged and tired face. Noone stood nearby, he had no pack and his hands were on his weapons. His senses were now constantly extended from his body - fluctuating in between two and three meters, reinforced by his increased energy.


    Grey eyes scanned every silhouette in their surroundings. Whatever occurred, Noone did not want to be caught off guard.


    ¡°Sally?¡± Tobias glanced her way, and she gave him a curt nod. The horse was secured in place. ¡°Okay. Go. Sally and Rae take the front. Cart, acolytes and Noone in the middle, I will take up the rear.¡±


    Feet hit the floor in rhythm, setting off in the moonlight. A light cloud of dirt and dust was kicked up from the trail. Tobias kicked a clump of soil into the fire, smothering all residual light.


    No one asked any questions, Sarah gripped her weapon so tight her knuckles hurt. She was ready to summon her chains at any moment. Feylin stood to her right, his shield was drawn but his sword was still in its sheath.


    Tobias did not draw his axe, so no one else drew their weapons either. If the situation was that dire, he would have no doubt cued them to prepare for battle.


    Noone discretely placed himself between the horse and the two acolytes. His sight now covered Sarah and Feylin. His mind solidified the space surrounding him within his senses, giving him time to react if there was another sneak attack.


    Everyone was quiet except for the subtle sounds of padded feet against the earth and the clopping of hooves.


    A few hours passed before the silence was broken, Tobias spoke first. His eyes focused on the horizon, specifically to the north, but his voice carried into their ears. ¡°I received word from the Grand-Priest.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s ears perked up, especially Noone¡¯s. This grand-priest was the one which issued the assignment to retrieve him, as a favor to a mysterious woman that no one in the group knew much about.


    What could he have told Tobias to make him worry this much?


    ¡°Six months ago¡­ an individual launched a full-scale attack against the golden epoch tribesmen¡¯s city.¡± Tobias¡¯s voice was cold.


    Noone watched as the mouths of his companions fell open in disbelief. Genuine shock painted their faces, he could see a shiver run through Sarah and Feylin as their eyes widened. They were not able to help from looking back at Tobias, their faces incredulous.


    Not just the acolytes, even the two clerics felt this was ridiculous.


    Waging an attack against an epoch tribe was something not done! They were remnants of an era passed. They wielded strange and foreign magics, and were home to demi-gods ¨C beings that failed to ascend into full god-hood and instead remained in the material world waiting for their next chance.


    In the past, there were only a few records of nations or organizations attempting to overthrow one of these tribes. Every record ended in failure¡­ or worse. Mutual destruction.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Every person¡¯s heart clenched, their heads throbbed as they tried to process the implications.


    ¡°Six months ago¡­ around the same time we...?¡± Feylin¡¯s eyes flicked from Tobias to Noone. There¡¯s no relation¡­ right?


    ¡°Mm. There is no reason to believe it is related though.¡± Tobias said, considering his words carefully. However, he had his doubts. Attacking an epoch tribe was something impossibly grand in scale. He wanted to believe there was no correlation.


    ¡°That was six months ago, a battle was raged within their city for three days. A barrier was erected around their island sealing it off from the world, the entire city was engaged in a war against only a few hundred assailants. Apparently spires of lava were erected as large as the border towers of Chet.¡± The paladin painted a picture with his words as it was described to him.


    Feylin, Sarah and Noone were not experienced enough to understand the implications behind his words... but Rae and Sally both broke into a cold sweat. That level of power¡­ unsurprisingly there were some extremely heavy hitters involved. Was it wizards? Or the warlocks? Perhaps one of the nearby nations?


    ¡°On the third day, the demi-god within the tribe broke through the barrier, submerging the entire nearby ocean within his domain.¡± Rae nodded at his words, there was no way that the god of their tribe would let things continue like that. Whatever their casualties were, they must have been heavy.


    ¡°But as soon as he appeared, the entire siege-force disappeared.¡± Tobias¡¯s voice was gruff, and his emotions leaked through. ¡°Despite being trapped within a demi-god¡¯s domain¡­¡± A sigh like the wind of the arid land. ¡°And now, six months later, an army of tribesmen numbering thirty thousand strong has set off from their island.¡±


    Sally¡¯s mouth was set tight and she grit her teeth with enough strength to hurt her jaw. That was unbelievable. What force was responsible for provoking such a thing¡­ if that army made landfall how many lives would be lost¡­ Why would this happen now?


    Many thoughts flooded her mind.


    She shot a discrete glance back at Noone. However, right when she looked back - Noone¡¯s gray unblinking eyes met her own. Unwilling, she held eye contact with him for a moment before finally looking away. The moment seemed to have lasted forever but in reality, they had only made eye contact for a second.


    ¡°We ran into a group of tribesmen only a little bit ago.¡± Noone said, his voice was calm and steady, he was slightly shocked by the sheer numbers, but apart from that he just figured this was part of the landscape of this new world. ¡°They certainly didn¡¯t act like their city was under siege.¡±


    ¡°Chances are they had been scouting the regions outside their island since before six months ago.¡± Tobias¡¯s eyes squinted at a silhouette in the distance which he determined was only a tree. ¡°They most likely had no idea.¡±


    Noone took a deep breath, clearing his thoughts. He was not unfamiliar with such a tragedy.


    ¡°Did the grand-priest give any hint as to who did this¡± Raelith, ever to the point, was incredibly curious. Whatever group did such a thing, if they disappeared without taking any responsibility for their actions¡­ any oncoming war would be blamed on them. They would have to live the rest of their lives maligned by this action. The common realm would want their heads.


    ¡°He claimed he didn¡¯t know. I got the feeling he had a few suspicions, but ultimately I am not in a position to be made privy to such information. We are too weak and unimportant in the grand schemes." Tobias shook his head.


    Seeing the immense hulking figure of Tobias claiming himself to be weak struck Noone as incongruous. However, from everything he heard, it was indeed the truth. In the vast world, even Tobias was on the low end of most power scales. Just strong enough to be trusted with certain level of power and assignments - like this one.


    Noone had always been curious about this, if this assignment came from the highest of powers and was that important¡­ why didn¡¯t the grand-priest just do it himself? Or have someone of immense power complete it? The chances of failure would reduce exponentially if they were to do so.


    He had asked Tobias about this a few times, but the only answer he received was unsatisfying at best. He got the feeling that Tobias, and the rest of the party, have had similar questions throughout their journey.


    Noone began to get the feeling that¡­ there was much more at play here than any of them realized. A small doubt wriggled up within his mind, planting itself in his thoughts. If this was true¡­ he would have to be extremely careful to not get swallowed up by the currents of this new world.


    He kept these thoughts to himself, but his steps became firmer.

 97. Acolytes Reunion

    ¡°Sarah! Feylin!¡± A familiar voice echoed off the trees in the early morning light. A gentle breeze shook dew from the rich grass that blanketed the forest floor, the smell of petrichor filling the senses.


    In front of the party, a small man measuring just over five foot stood with his arms crossed, a genuine smile on his face.


    The acolytes immediately grinned upon seeing the man, as well as the clergymen he had with him. After glancing back to Tobias and receiving a reassured nod, they sprinted forward in a mad dash to hug this familiar face.


    Watching the two acolytes he had raised become so happy to see him filled Jakobson¡¯s heart with warmth. He had been unable to do anything to stifle his worrying about their wellbeing over the last year. Every day for the year they were gone he prayed that they would be safe. Even with Tobias¡¯s promise, he knew that the world was not so kind. If the world was so kind for promises to be reliable, then what would be the point of clerics?


    While overjoyed, instead of embracing their hugs he quickly stepped forward, sidestepping past the two, causing both of them to stumble. They had been expecting Jakobson to step towards them, not past them. Both acolytes tripped and landed on their butts; Jakobson flashed them a half mocking grin and half genuine smile. In his eyes though, love could be seen for the two young ones.


    However, he had an image to uphold. He couldn¡¯t be seen so happily embracing the two youth, especially not in front of so many of his fellow clergy.


    Soon the rest of the party converged with Jakobson¡¯s group. Tobias and Jakobson exchanged a formal greeting of equals. They held their hands sideways, palms facing each other¡¯s with only a few inches of space between.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you are good for your word, Tobias.¡± Despite his small frame, Jakobson¡¯s voice was lacking no depth. It gave him an intimidating and strengthened quality.


    ¡°Of course I am. And I¡¯m happy to say you have raised some wonderful kids.¡± Tobias was being polite of course, but he couldn¡¯t hide his genuine approval of Sarah and Feylin.


    ¡°Mm. And this is?¡± Jakobson¡¯s head tilted to Noone. All of the clergymen had noticed Noone from a distance - he was hard not to notice. Tall and broad, stacked with muscles from head to toe. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Tobias, practically towering over everyone present. No one had seen anything like him before, obviously some humanoid race, but completely foreign.


    When they saw him traveling with the rest of the party from the Burian unrestrained, they put their unease aside. There was no reason to be wary of him if Tobias and the rest trusted him.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Tobias said, considering his words. ¡°Is who we were sent to retrieve.¡± Although barely present, a sigh could be made from the paladin¡¯s tone. It was clear that even now ¨C months later ¨C Tobias still had trouble believing the direction this assignment had turned.


    Jakobson¡¯s eyes widened, he knew a few of the details of the assignment. For it to end up in such a way¡­ how unexpected.


    His eyes ended up resting on Noone¡¯s neck. He noticed a crescent-moon shaped pendant with a black pearl floating within. The thousands of hair-thin etchings made the necklace unmistakable. It was definitely the pendant he had seen Tobias carrying before their departure a year before.


    ¡°Well. Hello Noone, I¡¯m Jakobson.¡± The small bishop extended a firm hand to Noone.


    Within an organization it was uncommon to shake hands with your compatriots. Almost all greetings were followed by either holding their hands above, below, or besides the other persons¡¯. There were many symbolic meanings behind this, but most of the time when asked, it is usually clarified just to be tradition; a way to establish and maintain a hierarchy.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    In the outside world though, meeting people outside of your organization was as common as fish were in the sea. Because there was no way to implement such a tiered system in your every-day dealings, the common greeting was a simple handshake. No formal greeting necessary.


    Noone carefully studied the man in front of him. This was the first being he had met in the surface world that wasn¡¯t one of the five he fought when he first ascended¡­ or a tribesman. Just a regular¡­ human?


    Noone had never seen someone so small before, not unless they were an elder whose height had degraded over time. Not everyone in Tapestry was as tall as he¡­ but this man ¨C Jakobson ¨C was incredibly short.


    He carried himself with strength and seemed to have a good nature about him, and he did not dress in a way that Raelith told him most clerics and paladins of the Order of Life dressed.


    Noone shook his head, putting his thoughts away for the time being. There was too much information he didn¡¯t know, about everything. There was no point in trying to analyze it now.


    He extended his hand in a similar way to Jakobson¡¯s, greeting the stout man. This was one of the first things Raelith had taught him, but this was his first time actually meeting someone under normal circumstances. Noone could not help but feel slightly excited by the whole interaction, his very first non-violent interaction since arriving.


    Jakobson similarly was eyeing Noone, he had a lot more experience than Noone when it came to the real world. He could immediately tell a few things about this strange being. Questions filled his mind, but he bit his tongue. He would ask Tobias later.


    ¡°Hi, Jakobson. Good to meet you.¡± Noone felt inexplicably awkward about the exchange, he was unsure if there was something he should say to further explain his presence. Sensing the awkwardness between the two, Tobias took the attention onto himself.


    ¡°So, bishop, what brings you out here? We were only an hour or so from the town, certainly you didn¡¯t need to come out here just to meet us?¡± He chuckled meaningfully, giving the entourage a sweeping glance.


    ¡°Well, when I received word of how close you were, I couldn¡¯t contain my anxiety. On top of that¡­ You have heard what occurred with the epoch tribe, I assume?¡± A sour mood filled the air between everyone present. When they thought of the coming repercussions, no one was happy. Especially not a small order of healing clerics occupying a satellite town at the front of the storm.


    ¡°Mm. Well, let us get back then. I am not sure how long we will be staying in Ardglass for, but there is much to do.¡± The seriousness in Tobias¡¯s voice brought down everyone¡¯s mood further.


    Noone took up the back of the group while Sarah and Feylin spoke with Jakobson. Tobias, Rae, and Sally found enjoyment speaking with the clerics Jakobson brought along. They were starved for interaction with their fellow beings.


    Noone watched on in silence. Seeing the excitement and happiness on their faces left him with nostalgic feelings of home. He watched the beautiful green grass and lush forest trees go by as his mind drifted back to the stone walls of Tapestry.


    When he was young, he felt left out ¨C the world around him was a silent mausoleum. Everything back then was so¡­ silent. But over time he got older, he made friends and the people of Tapestry began to pull him into the fold. Tahmel, Porose, Liter¡­ The elders... Trisha, Pride, everyone. He made friends and found family.


    Later on he longed to return to them ¨C to his society ¨C while scaling the cliff. Years he spent, trying to push aside the longing to return knowing that it was only a matter of time before he could see his family again.


    When he saw the outcropping which led into Tapestry, joy filled his heart. But afterwards¡­ he experienced what true silence was. The kind of silence that crept into your bones and ate through your heart. Silence which seemed to pound into your brain, ringing in your ears as though mocking your very existence.


    He swallowed these thoughts back then, pushing them to the side. But like a weed in unwatched soil, it persistently sprung up. As he watched the three from Burian and the acolytes return back to their society, his heart couldn¡¯t help but hurt. This was all he had wanted¡­ but he couldn¡¯t return to it. It was stolen from him.


    Unnoticed, a tear escaped and fell uselessly to the soil below. Noone¡¯s mind thought back to his dearest memories while he took in the foreign flora. Beautiful¡­ and a constant reminder of how different this world was from his. Ultimately¡­ he was back to being an outsider.


    Despite being surrounded by noise, everything felt so¡­ Silent.

 98. Sattelite Town

    Subconsciously and without reason, Noone¡¯s hand moved to the pendant around his neck. The feel of the cool metal and hair-thin engravings on his fingers reminded him of something¡­ a feeling of home.


    He continued to trail behind the group not especially noticed or unnoticed. He did not engage in conversation instead being taken in by the vast and strange nature around him and his own memories. His thoughts became cloudier and his memories drifted closer to the forefront of his mind. He felt as though something had begun calling to him from very far away. Noone had just enough awareness to notice a gentle pulse come from the necklace. Immediately he dropped the pendant from his hand, faltering a step by the sudden unexpected sensation.


    It hung uselessly from his neck just as it had before. Noone quickly hid the baffled expression from his face, eyeing the rest of the group to see if anyone else realized what just occurred. No one seemed to notice, and Noone quickly resumed his pace.


    Noone considered trying to remove the necklace as he had many times before, but eventually chose against it. He was not sure what would happen, even if it did work this time. Being surrounded by a group of individuals who were already vaguely cautious of him did not inspire him to take any risks.


    ¡°Tonight,¡± He thought, ¡°I will try and figure out what just happened.¡± Noone had never felt any reaction from the pendant before today so he was eager to discover more, but he also knew there was a time and a place for that.


    The group rounded the side of a large hill, which had obscured their vision from the town of Ardglass.


    A jumble of voices echoed off the trees, lending to a constant stream of white noise which burrowed into Noone¡¯s ears. His eyes widened and all thoughts disappeared, a small smile formed on his expression and excitement bubbled up.


    The first society that isn¡¯t Tapestry¡­ He couldn¡¯t help the bitter taste in his mouth as thoughts of the elders of Tapestry floated to the top of his mind.


    ¡°If only they had known¡­ That there was a whole world up here.¡± Noone shook his head just as the first buildings came into sight.


    A moderate sized plot of land bordered by a small wooden fence was being tended to by several humans. Men and women scattered through the field gathering materials from the plants which grew freely on the sowed earth. Noone watched them work curiously. The plants and vegetables being harvested were like nothing he had ever seen.


    His senses extended from his body, his sight surrounded a full three-meter sphere around him. No longer did this sight fluctuate in size - it remained at three meters distance and even showed signs of wanting to expand further. He took in the sights, sounds and smells.


    There was a small storehouse next to the field. Noone could see wooden planks ¨C like that on the handcart, only larger ¨C making up the doors, walls, and even roof of the building.


    Noone had wondered about this for a while, why were these humans so wasteful to make a cart of wood. It was not until he saw the never-ending expanse of trees that he realized these people on the surface had no need to conserve wood. It was not a precious material for them, not like it was in Tapestry.


    Their buildings were wood, their baskets were wicker, their clothes were every manner of cloth and sometimes leather or metal. It was all so different from the world Noone knew.


    Past the storehouse he saw an entire city of buildings were scattered in open land.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Suddenly a light and feathery voice shook him from his thoughts. Raelith had fallen back from the group and began to walk with Noone. She had always been the most curious about Noone. His society, how he saw the world, what would become of him now. She couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued by such a being, it was in her nature.


    So for now, Rae wanted to be there to observe him every step of the way, and maybe even be considered a friend by him.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Noone glanced at her and then continued looking towards the town. He could see people scattered between the buildings, men and women and children. So many children. He saw humans, and there were even a few obvious other races scattered within. Although they were much less common. From what Noone understood based on what he had been taught, this was most certainly a regional issue. Other places seemed to have a much wider mix of people.


    ¡°I feel¡­¡± Noone¡¯s eyes dashed from space to space, taking in everything he could. ¡°Excited, curious, a bit sad. Nostalgic.¡± He shook his, smiling wryly at himself.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I fully understand.¡± Rae smiled gently, ¡°I was from a hidden away city within the forests to the far east. Until I was about eighty, I had never considered the outside world. Everyone from my home was the same as me, you see. Also, a moon elf.¡± She chuckled to herself as though reminiscing about her youth. ¡°But even though I was sheltered in that regard, I always knew there was a world out there.¡± Her smile became gentler, her eyes shining with insight. ¡°That¡¯s why I can only partly imagine what this is like for you. You¡¯re still young, and you will adapt quicker than you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost as old as you, Rae. Apparently.¡± Noone couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the thought.


    When he jumped from the cliffs of Tapestry, one of the things he said was how he did not know if he would live as long as any of the others because of the circumstances of his existence. That is why he was so eager to complete his coming of age ceremony sooner and come to the surface.


    But now¡­ he had not only lived to be a century in age, but he outlived everyone else¡­


    ¡°Only technically, Noone.¡± Rae¡¯s heels lifted off the ground, she was walking on her toes the way she would when overcome with energy. It seemed to be a habit of hers which no one commented on. As young as she may seem, ultimately, she had still almost lived two whole centuries. In this world, that was commendable.


    ¡°Yeah. Only technically.¡± Noone sighed.


    By now their conversation had drawn the attention of the rest of the group, Jakobson and the clergymen were surprised by what they were hearing, unsure of how to interpret this strange man¡¯s existence.


    ¡°You know Noone¡­¡± Sarah had caught the tail end of Rae¡¯s words and for the first time realized how odd even such a simple town must seem to him. ¡°This is probably the best place for you to begin introducing yourself to the ways of the common countries. It¡¯s a small enough town that you don¡¯t have to worry about dangers like in a city.¡± She bit her lip as she considered other perks. ¡°Plus¡­ you can get used to the new customs without fear of being outcast.¡± She glanced at Noone¡¯s large form, his gray stone skin etched white marbled lines which glowed with magic power. ¡°Well, too much anyways.¡±


    Jakobson, being privier to the situation than the rest offered some reassurance.


    ¡°You will do fine here Noone. Although I don¡¯t know how long you are staying, this town has bigger worries than an odd foreigner or two¡­ especially with war on the horizon.¡± Although good intentioned, mentioning the oncoming storm only deepened everyone¡¯s anxiety. Sarah and Feylin shared a glance that only they could understand.


    Tobias looked at Jakobson. He wished he could stay and help the town. That was his job really - as a paladin of the Order of Life he was devout to the gods of healing. Seeing such a small town at the front lines of an oncoming army¡­ he was supposed to protect them! Not run missions for some third party! But¡­ he had a mission to fulfill.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you recommend the townspeople make haste towards the closest city? It will save time before the epoch tribesmen arrive, and it will be much easier to hold a well-guarded city than a satellite town.¡± Sally spoke evenly, glancing towards the two acolytes ever-changing expression. She did not want to see this town become swallowed up in the struggle either.


    Jakobson nodded.


    ¡°Indeed that¡¯s true. And we have made that recommendation. The only problem is that these people have lived on the border for so long they do not feel accepted in the larger cities. They are stuck in their ways many of them. On top of that many of them don¡¯t believe the army will come this far south. Most seem to think that they will move directly east and begin taking the larger cities first. We are close to the border of Montese, so they don¡¯t believe the tribesmen will even bother since there¡¯s no tactical advantage.¡± Jakobson sighed, he was worried for the future. No one was expecting such an event to occur, and no one knew how it would be resolved.


    Tobias considered his words. ¡°They might be right about that actually. The tribesman are lashing out against an offense. This isn¡¯t a conquest per se, so they may just overlook you and strike directly at the heart of Cinapul.¡± No one was sure what to say to that, so they said nothing.


    The group grew quiet as they stepped within earshot of the main town. No one wanted to inspire fear or paranoia amongst the regular people here. Starting rumors, even just based around speculation, could easily devolve into chaos in such a small town.


    Noone felt an overwhelming disconnect with the conversation. He looked around taking in the alien sights around him. It was foreign¡­ but equally familiar. The bustle of city streets, the sound of feet shuffling against stone and dirt floors. It seemed that no matter where one goes, towns operated like this. The only difference was an unfamiliar flood of voices filled his mind.

 99. Temples Suppression

    Noone walked along in silence, eyes flicking back and forth taking in each new sight. The massive amounts of new information streaming into his thoughts was too much for his brain to process and forced him to close his extended vision ¨C shortening it to only a few inches from his body.


    As he walked through the town behind the group of clergymen, he caught the various gazes of townsfolk. None of these people had seen a being like Noone before. When he caught the attention of a passerby, Noone¡¯s grey and unblinking eyes caused most people to look away, minding their own business.


    To many of these common villagers, Noone was obviously some powerful adventurer. He literally radiated white light from his body, and on top of that he was with the clerics, so no one felt he would be a problem. Only a few people were unable to turn away their inquisitive glances.


    Children for one, ever curious - they felt no shame in pointing at him and loudly asking their parents what race he was from. When Noone saw this, he waved a hand at them and gave a small smile. Never before had he seen so many children.


    In Tapestry¡­ young children were rare and carefully cared for. Here though, it seemed that they were allowed to run freely through the streets. One small child was carrying a basket on her head filled with large green fruits, carefully balancing it as she walked between stalls.


    The other people who stared were older, Noone would return their gaze as he always does, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel some mental pushback. Although small in number, the town was home to a few former adventurers who had settled down as far away from their pasts as they could. Being well traveled, these people were much more aware at how odd Noone¡¯s existence was.


    After a few minutes, Noone¡¯s ears were becoming accustomed to parsing through the jumbled mess of voices and foreign words being spoken all around him. It was the first time he had ever been around such a mass of spoken language, he felt overwhelmed and was unable to describe the feelings welling up inside of him.


    Everything around Noone screamed with interest. People selling wares and the smell of food¡¯s wafted through the air, Noone¡¯s stomach turned in curious delight.


    Noone was surprised by the desire welling up inside of him. He did not feel hungry, and logically Noone knew that he should be able to go another few days without food, but it seemed that his body required more than just the nutrients. It missed the tastes of a well-cooked meal.


    He suppressed this desire with a frown and continued to follow the group. While his eyes scanned the environment taking in everything of interest ¨C which was everything; the party which he had traveled with constantly looked back, enjoying the subconscious expressions on his expression.


    Jakobson cleared his throat lightly, getting Tobias¡¯s attention.


    ¡°By the way Tobias¡­ I see you ran into a little trouble?¡± His right hand clenched the air in front of his chest, letting Tobias know what he was implying. Tobias¡¯s stump of an arm stuck closely to his torso.


    ¡°Well¡­ yes. Sort of.¡± He glanced back at Noone, thoughts traveling back six months. The moment where he lost his arm had created a permanent scar in his mind.


    From the outside it seemed he recovered extremely quick to the loss, but in reality, it was only because he needed to be the pillar of his party. Without that, he would have most certainly been slightly bitter about the whole thing ¨C to say the least.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get one of our scrolls prepared for you when we arrive back at the temple.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I will make sure you are reimbursed for it.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡±


    Jakobson did not miss Tobias¡¯s glance towards Noone when he mentioned the lost arm. He chose to say nothing and instead merely kept it in mind.


    Noone saw most of the small town by the time they arrived at the front door of the temple. He heard from Feylin and Sarah that their town was only around ten thousand large ¨C The same population of Tapestry. He had assumed that Ardglass must have been a pillar to their society, a larger city¡­ it wasn¡¯t until today he realized how wrong he was.


    ¡°Satellite town¡±


    ¡°Edge of society.¡±


    ¡°Border village.¡±


    These words stuck into Noone¡¯s mind like a thorn.


    Even if Tapestry were to have made a full-scale emergence from their position in the cliff at the edge of the world¡­ They wouldn¡¯t have even made a dent in this world.


    Noone thought about how the common world treated the epoch tribes¡­ mild trepidation¡­ and a lusting for their power and magic.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel fear, this world was truly terrifying and would have eaten Tapestry whole given the chance.


    His only solace was his inheritance¡­ and the fact he only needed to worry about himself now.


    The temple in front of Noone was part stone block, and partly carved from the hillside bordering the town. The entire structure felt natural and calming, as though it wasn¡¯t put on the land, but complimentary to it.


    Noone was impressed by the structure. It was the first building he had seen that wasn¡¯t some mixture of wood and clay. His hand caressed the stone block in the archway as he stepped through. The natural formation of the stone became a stream of information in his mind.


    Before he could analyze it, he stepped through the stone arches to the temple. A subtle pressure covered his body ¨C like a blanket of humidity which draped itself over his skin.


    Immediately he drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs with air. It was a nigh-involuntary action. His eyes widened, and he stopped walking. Noone¡¯s heart filled with shock. The air around him was teeming with energy almost twice the density of the space outside.


    Noone wasted no time expanding his external sight to its maximum length. Small threads of unrestrained energy appeared around him, like a school of fish they swam in and out of the fabric of reality, each one representing only an atomically small particle of universal power. Despite this, a frown formed on his face and his eyes narrowed as he looked around.


    Right now, his sight extended out at a third the normal distance. No matter how hard he pushed, he felt that his energy was being restricted somehow.


    Noone had grown used to having a three-meter 360-degree vison around his body. It had become his personal bubble of safety. Now that it was gone though, Noone felt vulnerable. He quickly suppressed the anxiety he was feeling and focused again on the threads of energy. The density of threads here was more than enough to feed his body for a long time...


    By this point everyone had noticed Noone¡¯s odd behavior. The clergymen smiled, figuring he was just taking in the atmosphere of the temple. Every temple was under the blessing of their respective gods, so naturally each temple was blessed with an impressive comforting atmosphere.


    This atmosphere calmed the minds of acolytes and followers, while making it easier to study and pray under that god¡¯s guidance.


    Noone subtly waved his hand through the air, the suppressing weight he felt on his flesh seemed to be what was suppressing his ¡®sight¡¯ as well. Although the effects on his body were much less than those on his energy. There was no explanation for it. It must have to do with the temple and the gods here.


    Noone shook his thoughts out of mind. Noticing that everyone was waiting for him he gave off a light-hearted smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The atmosphere here took me by surprise.¡± Every breath he took was deep and filled with energy. While he wasn¡¯t able to harvest the energy like this, it still felt extremely comforting filling his lungs. He would need to wait till he could meditate before being able to extract the threads in the air.


    ¡°Understandable. Temples are the homes of our gods and they are blessed with their wisdom and touch, to those outside of the order it can be shocking at first. But pleasant, no?¡± Jakobson laughed. Noone merely nodded in response.


    Jakobson enjoyed seeing Noone¡¯s reaction, it reminded him of the comfort their god provided ¨C reminded him why he chose to serve the gods he did.

 100. Experiencing Ardglass

    Hundreds of incorporeal threads floated around Noone shifting with him as he walked with the group. By this time it was mid-morning and there was a whole days'' worth of light left.


    "Tobias. Would you come with me, so we can get you fixed up? We can reconvene tonight, I would like to hear more about what happened and your plans moving forward." Jakobson''s voice clearly reached Feylin''s and Sarah''s ears. Glancing back, he gave them a reassuring smile.


    Jakobson knew the potential of these two before they left on this assignment. While he was of course worried, he could clearly see how much the two had improved over the last year. The way they carried themselves as they walked through Ardglass was enough for someone as experienced as him to see how much they had grown.


    Feylin had grown in maturity over the last year, and Sarah seemed to have become more comfortable with herself. "Perhaps," Jakobson thought, "getting her around other people was the best thing for her."


    Tobias and Jakobson left the group and headed towards a chamber carved within the hillside. After exchanging a few goodbye''s, the rest of the clergymen left them alone, each having work to complete for the day.


    "So. What do you think Noone?" Raelith turned on her heel, startling Noone out of his own thoughts. Everyone looked at him to see how he would respond.


    "Mm, about the town you mean?" Noone''s mind had been focused on analyzing the forces suppressing him, so he was truly unprepared to answer. "Well. It''s overwhelming. I have never been around anything like it¡­" His grey eyes were steady as he thought about Tapestry. "I honestly can''t believe this is just a border town."


    Rae bit her lip as she tried to consider this from Noone''s perspective. Of course he would be overwhelmed, this little town was the size of Noone''s entire home. For the majority of his life, Noone believed that Tapestry was all that was left of an inhabitable world¡­ she shook her head.


    "Well. Let''s get you accustomed to it then." She smiled. At some point she had decided to show Noone the ropes to surviving. She wasn''t sure why or when she made this decision but¡­ she had a strange feeling Noone was special. Thus, wouldn''t it be a crime to not provide at least some guidance? Eventually he would take off running on his own.


    "Sarah, Feylin, you can come with us if you want? I am going to take Noone into town to get him some clothes and basic supplies." Rae looked at the two acolytes, both were taken in by the atmosphere of the temple they had grown up in.


    "If it''s okay Raelith I would like to stay here and do some studying and prayer. This is my first time being home after leaving the temple for so long¡­ I feel like as long as I focus, I might be able to advance under this setting." Feylin spoke first, expressing his desire. Sarah looked at him and then nodded to Rae, she felt similarly.


    Rae looked at their eyes, deeply considering the energy she saw within them. Both of them were extremely close into advancing from acolytes into full clerics. They will be at the lowest rung on Life Clerics then, able to use more miracles and gaining strength and combat ability. Raelith remembered her advancement fondly.


    Sally looked on in approval. She was prepared to help them with their advancements in any way she could. Having them level into clerics before leaving again would undoubtedly be helpful on the next step of their journey. The only problem was¡­ Sarah.


    She would have to talk with Tobias about it when he gets back.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Alright Rae. You go with Noone. I will stay here with these two and replace my miracles while I am at it. When you return, I will let you know if I need you to take up any that I don''t have room for." Sally''s even voice left no room for argument, not that Rae had any problems with what she said.


    Sally was left in charge of most of the logistical planning. Raelith was strongest when it came to combat, and Tobias was expected to lead. Thus, Sally filled in the gap and took care of most everything that needed to be completed in between. She was literally the glue that held all the pieces together.


    Clerics and Paladins can only change the miracles they perform at a temple or church. When away from a temple, they were only able to restore uses after resting.


    So, if a cleric had five spells allotted to them, they could choose which five miracles they wanted while praying in a temple. Then they would only be able to use those five spells until they replaced them at a temple.


    For acolytes, the number of miracles they could perform were two. The condition for being advanced to a cleric or paladin was a mixture of battle prowess, experience, and being able to use three spells. From there - your level was decided based on merit and the maximum number of miracles you could use at a time.


    The exception were things called "cantrips." Cantrips were abilities that anyone with any magic or spiritual proficiency could perform at any time, with very few stipulations. Most cantrips were extremely weak because of this. However, they could be helpful for minor tasks.


    Sarah and Feylin knew more of what they spoke of than Noone did, however he was able to put most the pieces together himself.


    "Alright Noone, let¡¯s go. I will show you how to survive in society." Raelith had a cheery grin, her steps carried her far as her long legs joyfully bounded to the exit. Noone couldn''t help but smile at her energy. He gave a quick wave to Sally, Sarah and Feylin and then followed Rae.


    As he stepped through the stone archway, Noone''s body and vision was immediately unshackled, expanding his sight to the three meters it had been before. He couldn''t help but glance back into the temple. There was much about this world he didn''t understand.


    "So Noone. First I''m going to have to teach you about currency." Raelith stood right next to Noone, only a few inches shorter than himself.


    He was a solid 6''5'''' and she was 6''2''''. Together they were able to look clear over the heads of most the people in town. The exceptions were a few especially tall humans like Tobias or some of the rare elves which would enter Noone''s sight now and then. Like Rae, all of them were equally tall and lithe.


    "Those are elves¡¯ too, correct? With the pointed ears and slimmer figures?" Noone asked discretely as they cut through the crowd, Noone followed Rae assuming she knew where she was going.


    "Hmm." She followed Noone''s gaze to see a wood elf entering an inn. "Well. Yes."


    "Do you not have any desire to go talk to them? Someone from the same race as you?" Noone found Raelith''s disregard slightly odd. Wouldn''t you be excited to see someone of your own race?


    "Well¡­ it''s not the same as you might think Noone. In the world there are millions upon millions of various minor races of elves scattered throughout the land. Not nearly as many as the humans which live here, but enough that seeing them is not very special." She thought about her words, trying to figure out a way to explain it that Noone might understand.


    "Besides, within the various races of ''elves'' there''s a little contention between each." She gave off a lighthearted laugh, but Noone could tell there was a lot more to this than she was letting on. "Ultimately, you will come to learn of it on your own. For now, just stay observant."


    Noone nodded his head. He couldn''t help but analyze every person he saw. While some people talked with each other, for the most part everyone went their own ways, busying themselves with their own business. Noone found their constant rush odd. Why did none of them have the time to exchange hellos with each other unless it was to buy something?


    "Maybe this is what it was like in Tapestry?" Noone thought. "And I just never noticed? Perhaps every time I thought they were having silent conversations around me, they were really just going about their own ways?"


    Noone couldn''t help but shake his head. No, the people of Tapestry were much more interwoven than these people. Right?

 CH.100 Q&A

    This is the Q&A going up 2/19/19[8/22/2019] with chapter 100!


    -------------------------


    Here''s a link to the ''general'' map I use for the continent Noone is on. It''s not perfectly accurate and I can''t guarantee I will keep the names/landscape/or regions the way they are. But for now it''s good enough for me.


    https://i.imgur.com/GHGeUGj.png


    +++Questions on Noone''s Name+++


    Honestly I''m super considering just going back and changing Noone''s name to ''Noon.'' This might create it''s own complications, but with the amount of flak I got early on about his name¡­ it might be worth it.


    Q: "Noon, No one, or None?"-Everyone


    A: Noon. [IPA:nun]


    WN C.83 "Is that an intentional acronym by the author? (No one) Noone."-Turk


    A: If i had to guess I would say the author was probably thinking it would be clever back when he assumed this would be a quick story which wouldn''t gain any traction, and now it is 100 chapters in and too late to go back. (or, it was the name of the author''s dnd character this novel may or may not have been loosely based on and... yeah)


    +++Patreon Questions+++


    Q: "Do you have an editor or do you just proof-read?"-LostSands


    A: To my most active patron, I do not have an editor. My process is to write the chapter (usually 3 chapters at a time) and then to read them through immediately before I upload the official chapter on WN and RR. So they get a once over days later and hopefully I catch any mistakes. The exceptions are chapters I am nervous about. The chapter where Noone jumps (17), the chapters where Noone returns to a desolated Tapestry, and chapters 76 and 90 specifically.


    +++Webnovel Questions+++


    C.90: "What''s the end game looking like, god or death at old age?"-power


    A: God. Always God.


    C.90 "From what I''ve read so far, I assume there is many types of power systems such as cultivation and magic in Noone''s world. Will Noone ever learn any conventional magic such as casting fireballs, or will he remain on his current path (which I assume is cultivation)?" -Eternity_River


    A: Ultimately he will be practicing cultivation, however as he experiences the different power systems he will adopt them into his own "dao." So yeah, fireball is still a possibility :P


    C.90 "Does Noone still have the inner devil, or has the madness passed?"-Homeless one


    A: The inner-devil is sealed within the amulet, so he still has it. It''s part of the reason he is unable to remove the amulet from his neck.


    C.90 Matirion :P I saw your questions and I literally can''t answer any of them without major spoilers. You have been reading from the very beginning though and thank you. Nothing really "Scared" Noone yet about the surface world. But he was super confused about Raelith being blue, and is most looking forward to seeing other races.


    C.3 "Do the people [in Tapestry] sing?"-Amante0


    A: *Coughs uncomfortably*


    C.12 "Does Noone become a robust man for having so many carts tied up and dragging it for 3 whole months? Just imagining the MC as a robust man, it''s quite unique."


    A: Yes. Yes he does.


    C.27 "I''m impressed Noone didn''t just sink. As dense as he is (cause like muscles and stuff) and from the weight of all the metal he has on him on top of that, it''s truly amazing that the he didn''t just drop like a rock pulling the bird along with him."-ImortalofSpagetti


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.A: *cough cough* Well. You see. I am sure there is a very good reason for that¡­ *Cough*


    C.28 "It was alive, probably. Like a sea hedgehog.[In regards to the purple spiked ''stone'']"-All_Ex


    A: What are you, some kind of wizard? Also, the word you were looking for is "urchin." I actually only included it as a red herring, not unlike a few other things within the story.


    C.49 "Sometimes your first bdsm experience is unexpected."-EroticEarwig


    A: I remember choking when I read this for the first time. You live up to your username sir.


    C.55 "A Plant Woven Nooneiverse"-Dao_of_Ninja


    A: Thus a legacy of puns was born.


    C.72 "Nooo!! I didn''t commit to reading this for so long just for the mc to turn evil! I absolutely hate stories like that! Please tell me it isn''t so!"-Dreamheart_Dragon


    A: It isn''t so.


    C.73 "Sometimes I wish I could just go to the future and read book chapters."-Hilers


    "I think the author is right there with you"-ThankYou


    A: Yeah. I am.


    C.74 "There is a cliff at a cliff. Author did you do that on purpose."-Person814


    A: ¡­Mm¡­


    C.76 "Well **** that escalated quickly. Very well done on the fight scene, but I thought you said no more cliffs HOW IN THE FUCK IS THIS NOT A CLIFF?!?!!?"-Richard_Rahl


    A: Love the username. Also¡­ oops. :P


    C.76 "So he absorbed the energy of the universe, and the energy of all his people and he loses to some mid level scrubs?"-whateverpickone


    A: >>This answer has been redacted due to insensitivity.<<


    C.81 "Thank you for the chapter. I would love to read a q&a!"-maplepear


    A: Well if you insist.


    C.88 "Will he eventually learn how to swim?"-NinjaCat620


    A: I hope not, then I would miss out on some great water-related comic relief.


    +++Royalroad questions+++


    C.90 "I was wondering what is the shape of the world? Unless that is something that you wish to reveal later?"-John Christianson


    A: I loved reading your comment and hearing your speculation. I hate to tell you that most of it is wrong, however given the information you know as a reader, it is extremely well thought out and makes me happy :) I can''t give you the Total view, but what I can give you is the randomly generated map I use for the continent Noone is on.


    https://i.imgur.com/GHGeUGj.png


    And if you''re curious about the website I used to randomly generate the map it is: https://azgaar.github.io/Fantasy-Map-Generator/</a>


    C.90 "You''ve mentioned the world is based around d&d, in regards to race/class, so what race is Noone, is he truly human?"-GooseTheGreat


    A: So some of the answer is too spoilery to explain right now, but to answer as best as I can¡­ Noone''s race (the race of Tapestry) was once human. But they spent so long underground and influenced by their inheritance that they evolved to be something different entirely while the outside world passed them by.


    (The original character of Noone I made was for a dnd campaign years ago, and his design (as well as the design of the people of Tapestry) are heavily influenced by the "Earth Genasi" race in 5e)


    +++++++++++++++++++++++


    I hope this QA was as fun for you to read as it was for me to write, I will hold more audience interaction stuff as the story progresses so keep an eye out :)

 101. 5 Silvers

    "Ah, this will do." Rae''s voice caught Noone''s attention and they both stepped into a shop full of crates and weapons.


    Noone''s eyes went wide as he saw the hundreds of weapons scattered on the floor and packed into boxes. Noone had enough experience by now to sense the deadly intent of each, but for the life of him he could not guess how one would use most of these.


    There were spiked iron balls on chains and odd blades curved into the shape of crescent moons. Each one seemed sturdily made, but Raelith did not give any of them a second glance. Instead her eyes focused on the two people scurrying around the shop packing the weapons away.


    "Tilda! We''ve customers." The man''s voice was gruff and hurried, not even stopping to acknowledge Noone and Raelith as he continued packing away tools. Noone had trouble understanding him, he had an accent that lilted his voice with odd syllables.


    "Yes I see that! I''m not blind old fool!" The woman''s voice was much more understandable, but still harsh - presumably made so after years of dealing with the man.


    Noone couldn''t take his eyes off either people, Noone was fairly sure that neither of them were human.


    The smaller man stood around four and a half feet, but he was incredibly stout, body covered in dense muscles. The way his voice echoed through the cluttered room was enough to show off his strength. He had long hair Similar to Tobias''s and a full beard to match. His body was covered in various amounts of leather.


    "This must be a dwarf?" Noone thought. Trying to remember what Rae had taught him about the various races.


    The woman was equally small, but much thinner than her male counterpart. She had black oil stains on her hands and forehead presumably from wiping sweat from her brow. She wore a thick brown leather apron over her otherwise normal clothes. She had raven black hair tied back in a tight fishtail.


    "And the woman too...?" Noone kept quiet but was unable to keep himself from staring.


    "What can I do ya'' two for?" She quickly approached Rae and Noone, easily circumventing the various sharp and dangerous instruments on the ground.


    "Here to sell." Rae said. She wore her usual smile, as though there was nothing strange with the picture.


    The woman''s eyebrows went up and she quickly looked the moon-elf up and down, making sure she was serious.


    "Well, I don''t know if you''ve gone blind or dumb, but if you can''t tell we are both getting ready to move shop out of town. Army''s comin'' and all that. So, if you''re buyin¡¯ we can help you, but otherwise¡­" She flicked her head towards the door, making her position very clear. Noone said nothing as he watched Raelith to see where this was going.


    "Well. What about for these?" Raelith looked at Noone, motioning him to pull out his battle axes he retrieved from the tribesmen several weeks ago. Noone¡¯s eyebrows went up but he easily took the axe¡¯s out of their sheaths.


    The woman looked at the weapons carefully, not at all intimidated by the size of the man holding them.


    "These are battle axes from the epoch tribe, yeah?" Her brow furrowed. These were indeed very rare. The quality was similar to steel weapons of the common world, but many were willing to pay for the novelty of an epoch tribe weapon.


    "Mhm. Will be worth quite a bit I¡¯m sure. Many people will like to get their hands on it. I wouldn''t even be considering selling it right now if it wasn''t that we are strapped for cash. But if you can make a good offer then we will happily hand them over." Raelith''s smile never dropped even slightly.


    "Would. Would be worth quite a bit." The woman emphasized. "Not to keep bringing this up, but their armies are headed this way. Soon the battlefield will be littered with tribesmen weapons. These will become worthless then. But since I can tell you¡¯re in a pinch I would be willing to offer you-"


    "There''s no need to finish. Whatever price you were about to say would not be enough. Even with the influx of weapons from battle, how many of them will be in as good of condition as these? And even then, none of them will go to you, if you are planning on running inland to escape the tide."


    Noone stared at the two women go back and forth, unsure what to think.


    Suddenly the dwarf stuck his head out of a doorway leading to the back of the building. "Who said anything about runnin''!?" His heavily accented voice called out, offended by any accusation that made him out as a coward.


    "Oh shut up you old fool!" The woman yelled back, obviously annoyed. Raelith chuckled slightly but very quickly hid it behind her usual smile.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I will offer you half a gold piece. That''s the best you''re gonna get here in Ardglass."


    Raelith watched the woman carefully, half a gold piece was going to be her bottom line, obviously she had underestimated this woman by a fair bit. Despite this she decided to press her luck.


    "Oh please." Rae said. "You could sell this inland in any city for two and a half gold in the right market. Even after this whole ''war'' business gets settled there''s no way their prices will drop by more than a gold piece." Raelith was extremely familiar with weapon markets, she knew for certain what these could sell for.


    "Well then you can just go there and sell it if you''re so invested in making more from it." The small woman huffed and was getting ready to shoo the two customers out. She had more important things to do right now.


    "Fine. Half a gold piece but throw in a pair of battle-axes of equal quality for my friend here. Otherwise he will be left weaponless." Raelith''s smile brightened. She knew she would have been able to get more from the woman if she pressed, but instead she decided to take the low coin and get some weapons out of it instead.


    The woman looked both of them up and down. Finally, she sighed. "This is why I don''t like dealing with you capital folk. Even you clerics are too shrewd." Her voice was obviously resigned to the exchange.


    She walked across the floor of scattered weapons and brought back five silver pieces and a pair of dual battle-axes similar to Noone''s in weight.


    Noone handed the two tribe-axes over and replaced the steel axes in his waistband.


    "Thank you." Noone said. The woman was surprised by Noone''s voice. It wasn''t especially deep in contrast to his size, but it had a sturdy quality to it.


    "Mm. Well. At least one of you has manners." The short woman gave a pointed glare to Raelith who merely maintained her smile. Finally, she handed over the silver pieces to Rae.


    "Thank you very much." Rae said.


    Both Noone and Rae left the shop, stepping out into the crowded sheets.


    "Noone, take this." Raelith handed the five silver pieces to Noone, who laid them out in his palm. Each piece was a circular disk around an inch and a half in diameter. At one point it seemed something was engraved into the silver but had been worn down by time.


    Noone did not question the currency, Raelith had already given him a very simple explanation of coin and exchange. Noone equated it to the currency used in Tapestry. Although there, currency was mainly a formality and otherwise ignored. Everything in Tapestry was free, any exchange that occurred was usually in the form of direct trade, or IOU''s.


    Here in the common countries, currency seemed to be taken very seriously.


    As if reading Noone''s thoughts Raelith couldn''t help but chuckle. Maybe it was the way Noone handled the coin that tipped her off. "Noone. You must be very careful with money. In this world, everything comes back to money at some point. There is nothing you can''t buy or sell for the right price. And there are people willing to go to any length to get more." Raelith offered what little advice she could.


    "Here. Let me show you where to exchange these for some smaller coin." Noone followed Rae to another building, a sturdy structure made of stacked clay block. Out front was a sign that Noone didn''t recognize.


    "Bank?" Noone said, unsure of the pronunciation. Raelith nodded.


    "Yep. You can exchange your cash here for smaller denominations. Amongst other things." Raelith put her hand to her chin, thinking. "You go in. I will wait out here. Exchange two of the silvers for coppers. 200 coppers." Noone looked at her, understanding that she wanted him to do this on his own.


    "200 coppers." Noone thought, setting the number in mind.


    Noone approached the front doors, just by sight he could tell each one was incredibly dense. Obviously, this building was meant to be secure, moreso than the others in the area.


    Just as Noone was preparing to push the door open, he noticed someone approach from the other side through his extended sight.


    Not only were his senses extended in a full sphere three meters around him, but he had no problem seeing through walls and doors. So far Noone had not found any material he couldn''t see through.


    Right now, Noone saw an extremely tall and unfamiliar being approach from the other side. Not wanting to get in its way, Noone opened the door and stepped back a little, letting the other being pass first.


    Noone found himself unable to take his eyes off the man. A single glance was enough to put Noone on edge.


    Dragonborn? Raelith''s voice sung through his memories as he recalled what she said about such beings. However, Noone couldn''t help but feel her description did not do them justice.


    Dragon descendants of the northern regions. Extremely strong and versatile combatants with inborn abilities. Covered in scales with ''lizard-like'' features.


    Of all the races Raelith had described to him, dragonborn seemed like the rarest.


    Noone glanced up at the dragonborn''s face as he passed. The blue scales made for an intimidating sight. Noone wasn''t used to having to look up at another person. He had grown used to being one of the tallest in any room.


    Suddenly the man looked down at Noone, making eye contact. Noone immediately felt pressure in his mind, small stings of static seemed to be building up within his skull.


    Strong. A voice in Noone''s mind warned.


    Noone smiled and nodded to the man, trying to come off as unassuming as possible. A strategy he learned from Raelith.


    The man''s lizard-like eyes widened slightly in surprise. Had he felt some mental resistance from this¡­ human?


    "Odd. Never seen a race like him before." The dragonborn thought. But he nodded back and continued on his way. He was not unused to stares from people who had never seen a dragonborn before.


    Noone entered the bank, but used his sight to watch the dragonborn until he had moved too far away.


    After speaking with a few people, Noone managed to find a clerk and exchange two of his five silver pieces to two hundred copper pieces.


    Noone had drawn a few looks from people within the building. The white lines on his body radiating a gentle glow and showing off his densely-muscled stony flesh. Even the clerk found herself curious about this weird being.


    Upon realizing Noone did not have a money pouch on him, she gave Noone a complimentary coin sack, placing the coppers within.


    Noone smiled, giving a polite thank you and heading outside.


    Everyone watched Noone exit, as if trying to decide whether he was human or some very foreign other.

 102. Urchin?

    "So, how''d it go?" Raelith was sat on a bench outside the front doors of the building. The entire exchange took close to ten minutes, giving her time to sit and relax.


    "Good. The woman inside gave me a coin pouch for the copper." Noone lifted it in his hand, causing copper pieces to shift and jingle.


    "Alright. Let''s go to a tailor then. That sack is made of simple cloth, and it wouldn''t hold up in battle. One wrong move and all of your coin would be scattered across the floor." Raelith stood up stretching her legs. The spear on her back moved easily into place as natural as a stick floating on water. "Although that might serve as a nice distraction in battle." She mused to herself. Noone smiled wryly, wasn''t money too important to be used like that?


    "Raelith, how come you are a cleric instead of a paladin? It seems like fighting is much more up your alley?" Noone asked casually, watching her easily slip through the crowd.


    "Hmm? Oh. Well, it just kind of worked out that way. I happen to be really good at and enjoy combat quite a bit. But really, I am quite adept at healing spells and miracles. It runs in my family." Her voice was bright and seemed to not mind his questions.


    "Ah."


    Noone scanned the crowd as he and Rae weaved through the people. It was a never-ending stream of life that Noone found extremely curious.


    "You said we are going to a tailor next, right?" Noone asked, scanning the clothes of the various humans and other he passed in the crowd. No two people wore the exact same cloth. Various colors and styles adorned people''s bodies. Everything from simple shirts and pants to more expensive and complicated outfits.


    Most interesting of all were the adventurers who were scattered throughout the town. Each one wore complicated pieces of leather and metal, covered in numerous pockets which seemed to store everything from knives to kindling to food.


    Noone could recognize them immediately based on how they carried themselves. Unlike the people who lived in the town, their eyes stayed high, staying aware of everything around them just as Noone was.


    "How come you don''t wear clothes like the other adventurers?" Noone asked. There was a distinct difference between the clothes what the clerics and paladins he had seen wore, and those of the common adventurers.


    "Well. In a way we do." Raelith followed Noone''s eyes to see what he was looking at. "The reason we don''t wear quite the same thing though is because it is important, we are recognizable based on our classes. Especially those belonging to organizations like us. If someone needs healing, then it becomes extremely important to be able to recognize a cleric on sight." She touched her finger to her chin, thinking. "Part of it also has to do with tradition. I suppose. Most people adjust their armor and clothing to suit their own personal tastes." Raelith pulled at one of the many small cords which hung from the hem of her shirt, revealing a small pouch tied onto it which had been tucked into a hidden fold. It was a personal addition she had made and was quite proud of.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Noone nodded, continuing to observe the people around him.


    "Should I¡­" Noone looked down at his own clothes. Hand-off''s from Tobias, he wore very simple pants and a tunic style shirt. Despite their simplicity, they felt very weird on his body. The pants especially, were nothing like those of Tapestry.


    In that moment, Noone decided he would try and recreate the clothes of his home with the help of the tailor. With any luck they would come up with a close approximation.


    Suddenly Noone stopped walking, the person walking behind him nearly ran into him before cursing and walking around. Raelith turned around and was about to ask Noone what was wrong, until she noticed he was staring off to the side.


    Exactly three meters away, Noone was staring daggers at a poor man with a food cart.  More specifically, he was staring at a purple spiked object which sat on top of a coal-heated grill


    Raelith wore an odd expression. She couldn''t understand why Noone would react so intensely. "Are you hungry, Noone?" She asked.


    It took Noone a moment to react. Finally, his eyes refocused and he looked at her. "Hungry?"


    "Well¡­ yes." Raelith walked towards the food cart followed by Noone.


    "One urchin please. Skewered twice." Raelith handed over three copper pieces, to the man who nodded and quickly removed one of the purple spiked urchins from the grill. Steam rose from it in steady wafts.


    Noone''s heart beat with memories of a bad time. When he had first arrived at the bottom of the cliff a long time ago¡­


    A shudder ran through his spine. He remembered being tossed and manhandled by an uncaring and cold ocean, swallowing mouthfuls of salt water at a time.


    He recalled the feeling of taking a misstep and suddenly sinking ten feet, dropping into underwater crevices which were peppered across the shallows.


    And... he remembered this stone. Noone¡¯s eyes were sharp as he stared at it, being handled by the cart-owner.


    It had caused him no small amount of pain, stepping on it caused the needle thin spikes surrounding its body to pierce directly through his foot.


    He had kept the stone after this point, planning to modify it as a trophy or some such. Really, he didn''t know why kept it, it was a decision made of anger and pain.


    But not even a day later it had disappeared.


    By then Noone had forgotten about it. But suddenly seeing more of them brought the memories of this bad time flooding back.


    Noone was surprised to see the man cleave open the ''urchin,'' revealing delicate steamed meat inside.


    It was alive? Noone thought. His eyes wide.


    The man dug out the meat from the shell, carefully working around the spines on the outside. He handed Rae and Noone a skewer with the meat stuck on each.


    They left the cart and continued walking through the streets.


    "Have you never seen an urchin before?" Rae asked, she noticed an expression on Noone¡¯s face, something even she was unable to interpret.


    "Something like that." Noone bit into the steamed meat, with a vengeance, enjoying small thoughts of payback.


    Raelith chose to say nothing, and merely led them to the tailors shop she had visited last time she was here.

 103.

    Noone and Raelith passed in front of several wood-carved mannequins showcasing simple clothing designs and fabrics. Raelith walked by them without even giving a second glance. As a well-traveled elf from the capital, what clothes had she not seen? There was nothing that would interest her in such an outskirts town.


    Noone on the other hand found it fascinating. Each one seemed uniquely designed for different functions. But Noone didn¡¯t know enough to tell what for. As he followed Raelith he reached out a hand and felt the textures of each cloth. Not a single one was similar to the clothes he wore from Tapestry.


    The course fibers and rough furs were finely woven together with thread, creating seamless pieces.


    The one thing Noone did not see as he passed through the doors were armors. Anything more durable like the leathers or metal-wear that Tobias had was absent from the store floor.


    ¡°Hi! Welcome to Ardglass Wears.¡± Noone¡¯s eyebrows went up in response to the young voice, was that some kind of pun?


    ¡°Hi, we are looking to have three outfits made for him.¡± Raelith took the lead and Noone was happy to let her have it. He occupied himself by looking at the various clothing styles on the mannequins inside.


    The girl standing behind the counter was 16 at most. She had dirty brown hair which was pulled back into a loose braid. She quickly eyed the man Raelith was referring to.


    She had noticed him when they walked in but tried not to stare as to not be rude. However now she found it impossible to tear her eyes away.


    ¡°Scary.¡± Was her first thought. Not only was Noone intimidatingly large, but his bearing made him seem even grander. At the same time though he almost seemed to blend in with the room slightly. Like any room he walked in was comfortable for him. She didn¡¯t know how to explain it.


    As she looked him up and down, she was unable to discern the glowing white lines from his skin. Were they tattoos? Or some kind of magic? She had never seen anything like it before.


    ¡°He is big.¡± Her wide eyes had drawn Noone¡¯s attention by this point, and he couldn¡¯t help but look over and smile sheepishly at her comment.


    From what Raelith said, his height will become less of an oddity as they move closer to bigger cities. Instead he would have to worry about the glowing lines which snaked across his flesh - however most people would probably assume it was some kind of magic anyways.


    For now though, Noone felt out of place.


    The teen girl immediately shut her mouth when she realized she said those words out loud. Her cheeks went red and she quickly attempted to remedy her situation.


    ¡°I mean. He is a size that we don¡¯t usually carry premade stock of. We might have to make it to order. Umm.¡± She began to stumble over her words. Raelith said nothing, taking joy in the awkwardness of the young human and trying to stifle her own chuckles. ¡°Let me go get Mr. Rynt¡±


    Finally, the young girl couldn¡¯t stand having made a fool of herself and began to back up towards a door behind the counter. However just as she was about to reach for the wooden handle it swung inwards, opening from the other side.


    ¡°No need girl. I could hear everything from back there.¡± A moderately well-dressed man stepped through the doorway, lightly pushing the young girl to the side.


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± She lowered her head and stepped against the wall, allowing Rynt to move up to the counter in her place.


    ¡°So¡­ What do we have here?¡± Mr. Rynt adjusted his monocle and looked at Noone who was now standing next to Raelith on the other side of the counter.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen someone of your race before Mr¡­?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Noone¡± Noone smiled at the man, this was the first time someone had spoken these words out loud to him. Noone couldn''t help but feel this Mr. Rynt was a rather confident and unassuming character. Even to Noone, who paid careful attention to every human he came across, felt like this man was extremely plain. If it weren¡¯t for his obviously carefully kept clothing and strange eye-wear, it seemed to Noone that he wouldn¡¯t stand out at all.


    ¡°Ah. Like the time of day? Right then.¡± The man kept a plain look on his face. Mild interest showed, but nothing else. However, in the back of his mind he couldn¡¯t help but wonder who in their right mind would name their child after the hottest time of the day?


    ¡°Three outfits you said? I am going to have to measure you first, then give me two days for us to stitch it all together.¡± He eyed the axes strapped to Noone¡¯s waist, carefully noting the sculpted muscles which coursed under Noone¡¯s stony skin. ¡°Obviously you¡¯re an adventurer or a fighter¡­ make that three days. We are going to need to double stitch everything so it will last a bit longer.¡±


    Noone nodded and Raelith readily agreed. Rae knew that should be about as long as they are staying in Ardglass for.


    ¡°Alright.¡± The man said. ¡°And for the young lady?¡± He smiled at Raelith who couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Nothing for me thank you. Just do a good job on his clothing, and you will have my thanks.¡± She was not unfamiliar with human men, especially in smaller towns like this. They didn¡¯t get to see elves as often so far south. Let alone Moon-Elves


    ¡°Haha of course. Noone, then. Come on back with me.¡± The exchange between the tailor and Rae went over Noone¡¯s head and he nodded his thanks. The man had no reaction whatsoever, a pleasant but unassuming smile stayed on his lips.


    Finally, he and Noone passed through the back doors, leaving Raelith with the young human clerk


    ¡°You¡¯re a cleric, right? From¡­ out of town?¡± Once a little time had passed the girls voice reached Raelith, who was browsing the work along the walls. While plain, the craftsmanship was rather good. This must be a family business, she assumed.


    Raelith looked over and nodded, an unreadably neutral smile was strung on her lips.


    The young girl¡¯s eyes shifted. ¡°Is it true¡­ about a war?¡± Raelith paused, but her natural smile did not even flicker.


    ¡°It certainly seems that way.¡±


    The young girl looked towards the front door of the shop, her mind was obviously thinking about something else. However, Raelith said nothing.


    It was possible the tribe would completely overlook such a small satellite town, or equally possible this town would be swallowed alive in the coming war. Or even still something else may occur, stopping the advancing tribesmen and sending them back.


    However, all of this was above her, above everybody really. Except those at the top of the world in terms of power.


    Raelith joined the Order of Life because she was dedicated to the gods who cherished living and health. However, she had lived for almost two full centuries. She was not a na?ve young elf anymore. If there was something she could do, she would. In truth, she would give her life if it would make a difference. But war? There was nothing she could do about that right now.


    She didn¡¯t speak any of these thoughts to the girl. The teenage human was able to do even less about the incoming tides than she.


    Half an hour passed in silence, eventually Raelith sat on a bench waiting for Noone to finish.


    Finally, Noone stepped through the door followed by Mr. Rynt.


    ¡°Truly! It was a pleasure to meet you.¡± Mr. Rynt¡¯s voice was filled with hearty laughter. Raelith and the young girl looked up in surprise. Noone had a broad smile as well, showing off his teeth.


    ¡°And you as well! I look forward to seeing what you have for me.¡±


    Raelith stared wide-eyed. This was the first time she had ever seen Noone so cheerful. What could have happened?


    ¡°Also¡­ here.¡± The man handed a slip of paper to Noone. ¡°Just in case.¡± He smiled and couldn¡¯t help but clap his hand against Noone¡¯s shoulder.


    The man was not short, about the average height of a human. However, seeing him have to reach up was a funny sight. It seemed he was not used to it and quickly readjusted his clothes.


    ¡°Well then.¡± The man said. ¡°Three days!¡±


    Noone and Raelith left the tailor¡¯s shop, he smiled in a way that reached his eyes.


    ¡°What happened back there to put you in such a good mood?¡± Raelith asked.


    Noone was about to respond, however he paused. Finally, his smile widened. Eventually he just said, ¡°Secret.¡± and nothing else. Noone was unable to keep from chuckling, he really was in a good mood.


    Raelith was at a loss for words. When had Noone ever been mischievous like this?

 104. Magic Trick

    By the time they returned back to the temple, the sun was beginning to set. The town of Ardglass was sat on the western side of the hill which towered next to it, casting a cool shadow over the land a few hours before the sun would finally descend under the horizon.


    Noone braced himself as he stepped through the stone archway and his senses were immediately restricted. His sight shrunk down to one and a half meters, and his movement was only the tiniest bit slowed.


    Noone¡¯s mood had calmed quite a bit since leaving the tailors. He put thoughts of the agreement he reached with Mr. Rynt aside for the time being. He had a lot to do in the meantime.


    ¡°Ah. Raelith, Noone.¡± Feylin¡¯s voice called them from an open hallway. He was carrying a large crate full of cleaning supplies stacked well above his head. ¡°Jakobson told everyone to meet in his office once you both returned. Raelith, do you remember where it is?¡±


    ¡°Yep!¡± Raelith nodded.


    ¡°Alright. I will meet you guys there in a minute. I just need to drop this off.¡± Feylin continued walking, not slowing down as he talked. Finally, he disappeared down another hall.


    Noone followed Raelith, taking his time as he absorbed the architecture of the building.


    When Noone had entered the temple earlier in the day he did not have time to explore the inside of the building before Raelith pulled him away to do errands. Now though, he couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated by the structure. Unlike the buildings in Tapestry which were carved directly from the earth, the temple was made of a mixture of stacked block and stone slabs. Sometimes the connections were so fine that Noone was almost unable to tell where one slab ended, and another began.


    In his heart he admired the builders behind such detailed work.


    Raelith slowed her pace, noticing Noone¡¯s appreciation of the surroundings.


    Noone followed her closely with his senses stretched to their limit, taking everything in. On the other side of the wall to Noone¡¯s right he sensed another person pass by, completely unaware that Noone had seen them. It was a young girl maybe of ten or eleven Noone guessed.


    After a few minutes Noone and Raelith ran in to Sarah, heading in the same direction as them.


    ¡°Oh! Hey Rae, Noone. How was your time in town?¡± Her voice was strong and made of pure tones. It seemed that all of the stress which had been building up inside of her had disappeared.


    For the first time, Noone saw her with her hair unbraided, still slightly damp from a shower. She was in simple clothes, a white cloth shirt and brown skirt made of simple fabrics. These were nothing like the clothes she had worn over the past year.


    While Raelith and her talked, Noone noticed another person. He looked behind Sarah curiously. Following Sarah was the young girl he had seen earlier. She walked with an excited step and seemed to cling to the older Sarah.


    The young girl was Yisanet, a child raised in the temple. She met Noone¡¯s eyes with her own. Immediately her pupils widened, and her jaw dropped. The man before her was huge, just as large as the paladin she had met before.


    But more than his size, Yisanet found herself unable to look away from the white lines which glowed atop Noone¡¯s skin. It wasn¡¯t so bright to be terribly distracting, but in contrast to Noone¡¯s dark gray stone skin, it couldn¡¯t have stuck out more.


    ¡°What are those?¡± The girl¡¯s excited voice took Sarah off guard, only now realizing that Yisanet was staring at Noone.


    ¡°Yisa! Don¡¯t be rude!¡± She frowned and scolded the young girl. Sarah did not expect Noone would mind much, but still she couldn¡¯t let Yisanet just gawk at every person or race she had never seen before. Raelith couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, immediately noticing the young girls shocked expression. She looked at Noone, seeing what he would say.


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but smile awkwardly. How forward¡­


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Noone had thought about what he would say when asked about his race or his unique looks. He even considered finding some way to cover up the magic lines which snaked over his flesh.


    He actually asked Mr. Rynt about that before. That is what was on the slip of paper he was given. A recipe of herb mixture that could create a dark paste which should cover up the lines.


    Noone was conflicted about the whole exchange. On one hand these lines were a sign of his people, his home, where he came from and the heritage of his ancestors. But Noone was not so na?ve anymore to think that they wouldn¡¯t cause him trouble every now and again.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    This was especially so at night, or in the dark. A problem that his family in Tapestry never worried about was needing to hide. Here though, in the dark of night, Noone would stick out quite a bit.


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but shake these thoughts out of his head.


    ¡°Yisa? Is that your name?¡± Noone asked, giving a gentle smile similar to Raelith¡¯s. The girl nodded but continued to trace the lines on his skin with her eyes. Noone held out his arms, showing them off to her.


    ¡°These are a sign of my people. I guess you could consider them a type of magic.¡± Finally, the girl looked up at his face. She was surprised by how normal Noone¡¯s voice was. Compared to his size and mass, Noone¡¯s voice was not particularly gruff or gravely. Not deep or high pitched either. Just like the voice of someone you might meet in the market.


    ¡°So all of your family has the same marks?¡± Innocence was a wonderful thing Noone couldn¡¯t help but think.


    ¡°Mhmm.¡± He gave a single nod.


    ¡°Oh. I see.¡±


    Rae and Sarah shared a look between them, they knew that Noone was alone. They had heard by now what was left of his home at the end of the world.


    ¡°So¡­¡± The girls voice dragged out in the otherwise silent halls. ¡°What magic can you do?¡± Everyone froze. Noone paused, unsure of how to respond to that. This was the last thing he was expecting her to ask. After thinking for a moment, he finally smiled with a thought.


    ¡°Hmm. Well. I can do this one thing.¡± He said, giving a slight chuckle at the young girl¡¯s antics. ¡°Put your hands behind your back. Good, now think of a number and show it on your fingers, but don¡¯t show me!¡±


    Raelith and Sarah were both watching on curiously to see where Noone was going with this. Yisanet held her small hands out of Noone¡¯s vision behind her back. She held up three fingers on each hand.


    ¡°Six.¡± Noone said, using his extended sight to easily see behind the young girl.


    Yisa¡¯s eyes widened, and she stared at Noone in shock. From her reaction everyone could tell that Noone had guessed right. Suddenly she closed one hand into a fist.


    ¡°Three.¡± Noone said, not even missing a beat. The little girl¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Ten. Nine. Five. None. One.¡± The girl quickly cycled through more numbers and Noone chuckled pointing out each, amused by the stubborn look in Yisa¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°How do you do that!?¡± She asked, exasperated by Noone¡¯s ability. Noone just smiled.


    ¡°Magic.¡±


    Realizing Noone wasn¡¯t going to tell her anything more, the girl resigned herself to her fate and ran off down the hall.


    ¡°No running in the temple! Yisanet!¡± Sarah yelled after her, but the young girl had already turned the corner. Sarah sighed.


    ¡°That girl¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°So. Noone, how did you do that?¡± Sarah looked Noone in the eyes, unable to hold back from asking. She of course knew that there were various thousands of magics in the world, but this was her first time hearing of Noone knowing any apart from the strange abilities he had used while possessed.


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s just a little trick. Not magic really.¡± Noone smiled. He didn¡¯t mind showing off his ability really, for better or worse he found himself trusting this group of people. But he also wasn¡¯t going to just freely explain how his sight worked either.


    Sarah tilted her head, unsure how to respond to that. Eventually she just shrugged it off.


    The three continued to Jakobson¡¯s office.


    ¡°One.¡± Noone said, smiling at Sarah.


    Sarah immediately met his eyes, shocked. Behind her back she was indeed holding a hand with one finger pointed out. She even made sure to casually stand in a way he wouldn¡¯t be able to notice or see. But somehow, he knew what she was doing.


    Sarah cleared her throat and didn¡¯t press for details. In her heart though she was mildly impressed and more than a little on guard.


    Raelith said nothing, smiling in her usual cheerful way.


    Sarah stepped through the door to Jakobson¡¯s office first, followed by Raelith. Noone could see Jakobson and Sally already sitting inside waiting and drinking tea.


    Suddenly Raelith stopped in the doorway, turning around to face Noone. Noone stopped himself from running into her, surprised by the suddenness of it.


    ¡°Noone. How many fingers am I holding up?¡± There was a light laughter to her voice. Noone smiled and focused his sight.


    He saw her arm behind her back and immediately focused his senses on her hand.


    His eyes went wide. Noone stared at Raelith, unsure of what to say.


    He couldn¡¯t see her hand behind her back. No matter how much he focused on it, all he could see was a blurry space where her hand would be like it was covered in fog. In the mist were slivers of energy which dove in and out of reality.


    Seeing his reaction, Raelith couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget Noone. The world is large, and you are young. You have a lot to learn still.¡± Rae said before stepping through the doorway.


    Noone said nothing, but the smile on his face had disappeared. He scratched his chin, revealing a wry smile. He was unsure what to think about what just happened.

 105.

    Noone and Raelith stood against the wall while everyone else sat around the small room. Despite the number of people inside, it somehow managed to not feel cramped.


    ¡°So. Noone, how did you enjoy Ardglass?¡± Jakobson¡¯s voice seemed even more full within the confines of the room.


    ¡°It was interesting. I have never seen anything like it before if I am speaking honestly.¡±


    ¡°Well. I am glad you¡¯re speaking honestly at least.¡± Jakobson laughed. He had heard a bit about Noone from Tobias earlier and knew how powerful Noone was in comparison to his experience.


    Beings born powerful were far more dangerous than those who grow into it from the ground up, so it was important Noone quickly gain the experience to supplement his strength. Jakobson noted how easily Noone carried the axes on his hips.


    They talked for a while, Jakobson was enjoying hearing about Noone¡¯s home from him. Noone did not mind talking about it, although in the back of his mind there were the mild pangs of grief. But he ignored these, hiding it away behind conversation.


    Jakobson sighed. ¡°Truly¡­ Tapestry sounded like an amazingly peaceful place.¡±


    Noone did not say anything. He never had anything to compare it to before, but yeah, compared to this world it was completely at peace.


    Jakobson couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Noone. To lose one¡¯s whole life to death was not an unheard of occurrence in their world. He glanced at Sarah, she was evidence of that. But Noone came from a place of complete peace. The real crime is the people left behind, they are forced to lose their innocence and embrace a distrusting world.


    Jakobson knew Noone was going to have to learn some hard lessons from here on out.


    Noone was about to say something when he suddenly looked at the door. His eyes went wide in shock. Everyone looked at Noone, confused.


    The door swung open and the tall figure of Tobias stepped into the room, having to duck underneath the doorway. He skillfully maneuvered himself, so his axe would not knock on the door on the way in. Behind Tobias, Feylin followed.


    While Tobias and Feylin settled into the room, Sarah and Noone were unable to look away from tear their eyes from the paladin.


    Both of their eyes were wide, Sarah¡¯s jaw was hanging open and she found herself unable to speak. Noone fared only slightly better, but still felt extremely odd.


    Everyone else in the room was already aware of what had happened.


    Tobias¡¯s arm had been regenerated. It rested comfortably at his side as though he had never lost it. On his new hand was a ring and a bracelet with a holy symbol etched into it.


    Tobias enjoyed the shocked look on their faces, letting them remain in their stupor for another moment before clearing his throat.


    ¡°You can grow back limbs?¡± Noone was the first to break the silence. He had felt rather guilty about the injuries he inflicted onto Tobias during their initial encounter. Although Tobias had told him not to worry about it, Noone still felt uncomfortable whenever he would see Tobias training his off-hand.


    Tobias was shocked by the question before remembering how little experience Noone had.


    ¡°Not quite. By the grace of our gods we are gifted with miracles of healing and strength. While simple healing is easy for even acolytes of our order, to be healed of dismembered limbs requires extremely high level grand-priests ¨C either clerics or paladins ¨C or blessed items and scrolls.¡± Tobias spoke clearly and with conviction, he had full faith in the gods of life.


    Noone did not understand everything he said, but understood enough of it. Obviously, there was an item at this temple that he was able to use to recover. Noone considered what he said about the gods of life. He felt the concepts of gods in this world were odd but put those thoughts in the back of his mind.


    ¡°I am glad the injury wasn¡¯t permanent.¡± Noone said meaningfully.


    Tobias nodded. ¡°Although I am lucky to be able to use such a high-level healing. To most of the world, healing a limb is something that they can¡¯t afford to do.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Sarah sat there in silence. She considered the whole exchange as well as her own position. Despite being a clergyman of the order¡­ she knew that she was not worth the energy to heal from such an intense injury. If she lost a limb as an acolyte¡­ that would be it.


    Her mind steadied and her eyes looked ahead.


    ¡°I guess I only have one choice. I must break through into the cleric realm tonight.¡± She thought. She was at the very peak that an acolyte could reach.


    She knew two spells by heart and was on the cusp of grasping the third. Once she does that¡­ combined with her experiences over the past year and her diligent studies, Sarah felt she should have no problem advancing.


    Tobias and Jakobson both noticed her changing expression but said nothing.


    ¡°Well then.¡± Tobias took the lead for the discussion. Jakobson leaned back in his chair, he was curious what Tobias would say after their private conversation earlier. Everyone sat up and paid attention, even Sally and Rae. They took Tobias very seriously, and as their leader it was their responsibility to listen close to his words.


    ¡°We will be spending three days here in Ardglass...¡± Tobias cleared his throat, organizing his thoughts about the last year.


    Ever since he arrived in Ardglass a year ago and met the two acolytes, nothing about this assignment has gone the way he thought it would. He did not expect to replace the two deaths in his party with two acolytes. He did not expect to be retrieving a living person, and he most certainly did not expect an organization to attack the epoch tribesman¡­ Tobias prayed there was no correlation between these things.


    If there was¡­ He glanced at Noone, saying nothing.


    ¡°Feylin, over the next three days I want you to focus on advancing into a full cleric. From our observations, you should be very close. Being within the temple should be more than enough to help your studies. Once you master a third miracle, the advancement will come naturally.¡±


    Feylin nodded. He wasn¡¯t sure what advancing would feel like, but he could feel how close he was. Sarah glanced at Feylin in surprise, how come Tobias only mentioned him? Sally and Raelith did not seem surprised by this either. Only Jakobson raised his eyebrows in curiosity. From what he could see, it looked like Sarah was closer to advancing than Feylin.


    ¡°While he stays here to advance, I want Raelith and Sally to focus on doing what you can to prepare the clergy here in case of war. Also go out into town and offer whatever healing you can. It is important that we try and ease the minds of the townsfolk.¡± They both agreed, and were happy they would be able to support in what little ways they could.


    ¡°Our initial journey from the capital of Cinapul to Ardglass took a year and a half. During our trip we passed through a newly occupied drow city, losing two student paladins.¡± Tobias did his best to keep his voice neutral, but everyone present was able to see how this affected him. Rae and Sally both knew the two paladins, and they understood that Tobias felt he was personally responsible for them.


    ¡°The city was a reformed dwarven mining town, within the base of Stone-Eyes mountain. It was a lapse in capability on my part that led us into such a dangerous situation. Jeopardizing not just the mission, but our lives.¡± Tobias let out a sigh, no longer bothering to try and hide the weight on his heart.


    ¡°On the way back, we will be taking the same path.¡±


    Everyone in the room frowned, especially Rae and Sally who had experienced the dangers of the drow firsthand.


    ¡°There is nothing I can do about this. When I talked with the grand-priest and proposed circumventing that route, he denied doing so.¡±


    Noone¡¯s frown deepened. Again with the grand-priest? Everything that has occurred since his arrival to the surface has been because of this person¡­ and the individual who requested this of him as a favor.


    ¡°It seems that there is a military force of Cinapul preparing to drive the Drow out of the caverns. He wants us to join with them, working with their forces and providing support. There is already a small division of many of the Orders other than ours. We will be meeting with another party of 5 from our order.¡± Rae and Sally looked at each other. In reality, much of the use of the Order of Life was on the battlefield. Being able to heal and resupply soldiers and adventurers was a necessity to keep army morale and strength.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Cinapul have more to worry about right now than a small drow encampment? They have an approaching epoch tribe at their doorstep, and they are wasting energy on this?¡± Sally¡¯s voice bit into the air, obviously upset by this decision. No matter how inconvenient the drow may be, they aren¡¯t a thirty-thousand strong army.


    Tobias nodded his head, understanding her point. No one else said it, but everyone was thinking similar thoughts. Especially Sarah and Feylin, whose home sat on the edge of the storm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details for certain, but it seems that within the base of Stone-Eye mountain is a high-level transport circle.¡± Tobias said. ¡°With the oncoming war, it is not surprising that Cinapul would want to get their hands on it.¡±


    Sally grit her teeth. ¡°Even if that is the case, only a few of the highest wizarding schools can even activate them, using up many resources in the process. That is why they have gone almost completely out of commission.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Raelith said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how accurate this is because I heard it from a friend within the capital¡¯s wizarding court, but it seems that many of the owned transport portals are being opened for use in trade and travel. It is not something we have seen much of down here yet. But from what I heard it seems like this is already the case in the northern desert.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. It seems that in exchange for resources, they are opening these transport spots to the public. It seems the grand priest has given us a guarantee that as long as we contribute to the reclaiming of Stone-Eye, he will pay the fee to have us all transported directly to the Capital.¡±

 106. Unfit for the Burian

    Noone was unsure what to make of most this conversation. It seemed that the decisions being made were polarizing to the party though. Noone also felt apprehensive at the idea of displacing a people he knew nothing about. Although he wasn''t sure what role ¨C if any ¨C he would play in this, he did not like the idea of being drawn into this conflict that had nothing to do with him. From what he could tell it seemed others had the same thoughts.


    "The trek to Stone-Eye will be another six months. If we had to journey all the way back to the capital it would take another year and a half. However, using the portals we will be able to travel instantly to the capital." Tobias said assuredly. Although he did not always understand the behind-the-scenes, he had faith that those at the head of the order would not do anything against their interests. At most it would be inconvenient.


    "And what about me?" Noone asked. He was basically at the mercy of these people. Even if he was able to escape from them, what next? He understood so little about the world and these people treated him well. However, Noone did not want to be at some faceless grand-priest''s mercy.


    Obviously either he or the woman behind him had some knowledge of Noone''s existence, but from what Noone has seen¡­ even if he escaped for a while, it wouldn''t be long until those higher existences found out and acted.


    Noone did not believe they would be so nice a second time.


    Tobias looked eye to eye with Noone. His face was neutral but Noone could sense the seriousness of the man in front of him. ¡°No matter how nice this person is,¡± he thought, ¡°ultimately, he was a warrior.¡±


    "I''m sorry Noone. I know that there are a lot of things which you want to know the answers to right now, but honestly¡­ I know just as much as you do. I have faith in my gods and the leaders of my order, however I don''t expect you to have the same trust. So, all I can ask is you stay with us. If you really want to escape from us, we won¡¯t be able to stop you. But I can''t guarantee what will happen after." Tobias¡¯s voice was carefully controlled, but Noone could sense the intensity of his thoughts.


    Noone did not bother to frown, he wasn''t surprised by Tobias''s response. Tobias watched Noone''s expression carefully, but he saw no reaction within Noone''s eyes. Whatever Noone thought, it was very well hidden.


    "Whatever you decide to do¡­ don''t forget where you stand in this common world. You must be careful." Tobias''s eyes flicked to the pendant hanging from Noone''s neck, but just as quickly looked away. Noone noticed this and said nothing. Everyone in the room held their tongue throughout this exchange. No one was sure what the grand-priest and the woman behind him wanted with Noone, but they were not equipped to force him to go along with their plans. All they could do was appeal to him.


    "Really¡­ why did this assignment go to us¡­" Tobias thought in silence. There was no reason that such a high-profile mission shouldn''t have gone to paladins and clerics much higher levels than they. They could only assume the grand-priest had his reasons.


    "In the mean-time Noone, you can do whatever you wish. We will leave from Ardglass in three days at noon. If you wish to stay here at the temple this whole time, I am sure bishop Jakobson will not have a problem with that, likewise if you want to go into town." Tobias spoke, but nodded to Jakobson who smiled.


    "Of course not, there are plenty of rooms here, I will have Sarah and Feylin show you to an empty one after this." Jakobson''s deep voice echoed within the small chamber.


    "Thank you." Noone nodded his head to Jakobson.


    "What does that imply for us?" Feylin asked. "Joining with the Cinapul army I mean. What are we going to have to do?" Feylin''s thoughts were less concerned with the assignment and more worried about what he would have to do as part of a military advance against the drow.


    Feylin knew that as a cleric of the Order of Life he would have to see war one day. Especially if he was going to be trained to the standards of the Burian. But he wasn''t ready for it now. His brows creased with worry.


    Raelith and Sally looked apologetically at the acolyte. However, they also knew that the strongest people came from those who were thrown into the deep-end and had to claw their way out. This was how life worked, if everyone could wait until they were ready ¨C nothing would ever get done.


    In a manner of speaking, this was why Noone was able to fight toe-to-toe with them and singlehandedly put down and epoch tribe scout. He was the type to claw his way out of hell, if necessary.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "You are a member of the Order and your job is to be devoted to the gods of life and health, and to listen to the will of those attuned to our deities. As long as you are not doing anything against the moral code of yourself or your gods, it is your responsibility to help regardless of situation. This includes being conscripted as a healing service within the army." Sally looked directly at Feylin as she spoke, partly admonishing his immaturity and partly guiding him to the next step in life.


    Tobias gave a wry smile but said nothing to dispute her. Although he felt she was a bit too zealous at times, she wasn''t necessarily wrong either. He caught Jakobson''s gaze who had narrowed his eyes at Sally, but Jakobson chose not to say anything either. Feylin would eventually come to his own definition of what it means to be a cleric under the Order of Life. It wasn''t something anyone should try to instill in him.


    Feylin looked down at his lap in response to Sally''s words. "You''re right. I am sorry for my selfishness." He looked up, making eye contact with the monk-turned-cleric. "It is my responsibility to be an instrument properly tuned to listen to our gracious gods."


    "I''m glad you understand. And as long as you remain devoted, you will have no problem growing in strength or spirit - to the point where you will be able to heal and serve the masses. You have a good heart, don''t become distracted from your ultimate purpose." Sally gave a gentle smile. Although she was still a student in the Burian, she had lived for fifty years and had developed her own sense of pride in her gods.


    Sarah stared at Sally, a slight frown on her face. Despite being from the same order, Sarah had grown to dislike Sally''s single-mindedness. Although she had never said anything, Sarah couldn''t help but feel that often times there were more options than what Sally saw. However not only was Sally a higher rank than her, but she also was significantly younger than Sally. Sarah had no doubt that Sally had grown to think the way she did for a reason.


    Noone also found himself frowning slightly at her words, he could tell she truly believed everything she said, but Noone also noticed that not everyone seemed to agree with her viewpoint. Noone looked at Raelith. She sat alone smiling slightly to herself, completely unassuming and gentle-seeming to brim with unrelenting energy. But Noone felt a disturbance from her when Sally spoke.


    After letting Sally''s words hang in their air Tobias addressed the next topic.


    "Sarah." Tobias''s voice was solemn as he looked at the young girl now. She was only twenty when they met her half a year ago and had turned twenty-one halfway through their journey to the edge.


    "You and Feylin both handled the assignment with impressive and impeccable strength. We are aware how sudden you were thrust into this mission, and for that Sally, Raelith and I are sorry. However, over the past year we have observed both of you carefully. The least we could do for putting you under such stress was to train you to the best of our capabilities in the short time we have had together.


    All of us are immensely impressed with the speed of your studies. Both in combat and of the miracles of the Order of Life. You are extremely capable, and you would be a worthy student of the Burian, capable of leveling and advancing at a shocking speed no doubt." Tobias was not putting on a show of words. Both Raelith and Sally nodded in agreement. Sarah and Feylin were both impressive, especially considering how rural their upbringing within the order was. And this was especially true for Sarah. Before they met her, she had only been a member of the order for five years.


    In comparison, Feylin who grew up in the temple had always been one step behind Sarah. And not through lack of conviction either.


    "That being said¡­" Tobias sighed, drawing everyone''s notice. "Sarah. I can not - in good conscious - invite you as a student into the Burian. Only Feylin. You are not a good fit for the Order of Life, and if I encourage you now, it will be my responsibility when you reach a plateau and find yourself at a point where you can''t advance any further." The paladins gentle gaze shimmered with emotion, reflecting the weight on his shoulders. This was no easier for him to say than it was for Sarah to hear.


    Sarah''s eyes widened and her jaw fell as she stared at Tobias, wondering if she heard him correctly. Even Feylin was shocked. What was the point of saying all those good things about her if he was going to tell her he wouldn''t accept her into the Burian?


    Jakobson frowned but was not too surprised either¡­ he had talked with Tobias for a while earlier and understood where he was coming from. Jakobson looked towards the drawer of his desk¡­ inside was a small book he had picked up from his room after hearing Tobias''s thoughts on the matter. But¡­ he hesitated.


    "I¡­ I''m afraid I don''t understand what you mean." Sarah grit her teeth and her voice shook as she tried to comprehend the meaning behind his words. Sally had no expression as she watched the exchange. Raelith was feeling down about the matter, but also understood Tobias''s decision. She liked Sarah quite a bit regardless.


    Sarah felt like there was a block in her mind, keeping her from understanding. No one else was saying anything to refute the paladin, could it be that they all agreed? Why wouldn''t she be able to join the Burian? Especially if Feylin could? Was she not good enough in some way?


    Sarah had always struggled to study hard and practice with complete devotion to the gods of life. She had spent five years praying to them, and had even received their blessings in the form of miracles and blessings.


    Ever since her hamlet was burned to the ground ¨C ever since she watched her parents die in front of her ¨C she had devoted herself to her gods. How could Tobias... How could HE imply that she was in any way incapable?


    Noone watched on carefully, he stretched his senses out to their limits. He couldn''t help but have the vague feeling he could sense the emotions in the room like currents of indecipherable air streaking by each person. This was especially true of Sarah at this moment, the energy around her body was a cascade of turmoiled emotions.


    Sadness. Anger. Confusion. Disappointment. Hate.


    Noone watched on, expressionless.

 107. Divine Sense

    ¡°Sarah. I want you to listen to what I am saying and really consider the words behind it. I have spent the last year alongside you, we all have. We have spent a lot of time and energy training you and working on your studies. Guiding you in the ways of a cleric. However, in this time we have also come to know your heart.¡± Tobias had talked with Raelith and Sally before about this, but he was making this decision on his own.


    Sarah closed her mouth, gritting her teeth so hard that they hurt. She quietly stared at Tobias paying his attention to his every word.


    ¡°The reason I did not tell you to spend the next three days advancing alongside Feylin is because the path of the Order of Life is not conducive with your heart. I think that because this was the first home you had after your last¡­ in your mind it became a crutch for you to rely on. You convinced yourself that the Order of Life was for you.


    But over the past year we have watched you and taken care of you.¡± Tobias frowned, he didn¡¯t like having to say these things, obviously he knew what kind of effect it would have on her. But at the same time, it was harder to make changes the further down a path you travel. If one day you find out it was the wrong path, many people end up stuck.


    This is something Tobias had experienced personally. Old memories floated to the surface when he considered his own life and the wrong decisions he had made.


    Early in his life Tobias was a paladin knight for one of the Princesses of the Cinapul monarchy. A lawful and just man who only bowed his head to the law and the kingdom. He spent thirty years in her service and had watched her grow up from a small child¡­


    Tobias shook the thoughts from his mind. His history was long passed, now the most he could do was help someone else with their future.


    ¡°Your heart is sturdy, and in many ways impenetrable like stone. This can be a very good thing in life, you will go far no matter what you set your mind to, and you are not distracted easily. To go far with the gods of life though¡­ you need to have a heart that is soft. A heart that bleeds compassion.¡± Tobias eyes softened as he looked at the young girl.


    ¡°A stone heart heals no wounds¡­ a heart that bleeds for both friends and enemies is the heart of a person who seeks true peace.¡± His voice was strong, he truly believed in these words. ¡°You can¡¯t reach peace through violence, only compassion. Peace garnered through pain and violence is a false peace. Your heart reaches out for those close to you Sarah¡­ but you feel nothing for those who move against you. Like the tribesmen you killed without mercy.¡±


    Sarah was paying attention to each word he spoke, she trusted Tobias and knew he wasn¡¯t one to lead her wrong. But she frowned at the last thing he said.


    ¡°What do you mean the tribesman I killed? He attacked us. You also killed one.¡± Anger seeped through her voice, obviously she was upset by his words.


    This time Raelith spoke. ¡°Sarah¡­ I am afraid he is right. We did kill a tribesman as well. Between the three of us¡­ we have been forced to kill many people, for the sake of safety or peace.¡± She let out a sigh. ¡°However, we carry the weight of every person we have ever harmed on our souls. We are of the Order of Life. We hurt for every life taken. We become ill with every injury inflicted. Part of our vow is to only harm when completely necessary.¡± Raelith lifted her eyes and looked directly at Sarah. Their eyes locked, Sarah felt like Raelith was looking through her. ¡°Is that something you can do? In your heart is that how you feel? Or was your heart unmoved when you realized you would need to kill the tribesman.¡±


    Sarah bit her tongue and her eyes reddened. Raelith¡¯s words cut deep into her. Sarah did not even need to think very hard to know that Raelith was right. Sarah¡¯s eyes began to water slightly. ¡°But this is the order I was brought up in!¡± She couldn¡¯t help but scream in her own mind. ¡°How could you not be compatible with it? Am I really¡­ so wrong¡­?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯re not a bad person because of it.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes looked towards Jakobson who stood up from his seat. Despite being barely five foot, he commanded a certain level of respect, even from Tobias. Sarah looked up to the man who had taken her in.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°There are a million ways to go through life, and none of them are wrong. Evil exists, but you are not it. You have had the shadow of tragedy in your heart for a long time Sarah. And you need to know that it¡¯s there. And that you are okay, even with it being there. Tobias and Raelith are not wrong in their judgements.¡± Jakobson spoke clearly. His words were from experience.


    ¡°If you are not in a place to advance with the gods of life, then take care of yourself until you reach that point. But how you are is not wrong. No matter what anyone may think. Steel yourself, Sarah.¡±


    Noone watched the small man counsel Sarah. He couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the mindset of this individual. Even Tobias nodded, impressed by Jakobson¡¯s will.


    Sarah¡¯s lips parted slightly and a small ¡®thank you¡¯ wanted to escape from her lips, but instead it only became stuck in her throat. Jakobson nodded, giving her a meaningful look that seemed to be specific to her. When he sat down again his hand hovered near the drawer which contained a special book¡­ but he hesitated and eventually just crossed his arms.


    Noone hid a personal smile at the exchange. His own memories drifted back to Tapestry. The young would be graced with the wisdom of the old, and somehow the elders always knew the right thing to say no matter the problem.


    Elder Azelle¡­ Noone quietly sighed as he leaned against the wall. I miss you¡­ Noone¡¯s eyes stared off into the distance while the rest talked about plans and Sarah sat quietly in her seat. At one point they noticed he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, but they chose to say nothing. Unbeknownst to anyone, the pendant around Noone¡¯s neck pulsed gently as he lost himself to his memories.


    When Noone finally tuned back in with reality, his eyes were calm and deep. The minor power of universe energy pooled within his pupils.


    No matter whether or not Noone continued to follow these people, he had an ultimate goal and mine. There was someone out there waiting to be purged, and Noone took it upon himself to do so. And somewhere out there ¨C hopefully ¨C Adria might still be alive.


    One by one everyone left the room. The sun had already set by the time plans were finished, and the world embraced the night.


    ¡°Noone, follow me. There¡¯s an empty room near mine that you can use while we are here.¡± Sarah¡¯s eyes were sunken and red from anxiety. Her voice was hollow. Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel that she would need a while to recover, even despite Jakobson¡¯s talk.


    As they were about to walk off together, Jakobson spoke from his seat in the office ¨C calling out to Sarah. ¡°Sarah. One moment, please? Come in and shut the door, I only need you for a few minutes.¡±


    Sarah looked at Noone who nodded back. He would wait for her in the hall.


    Sarah walked back in the office, shutting the door behind her. Noone sat down next to the door, quietly extending his senses into the room. He did not expect to learn important per-se, but he couldn¡¯t help his curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s not nice to eavesdrop, Noone.¡± Suddenly a woman¡¯s voice spoke out. He looked over casually, just a little ways down the hall Raelith was approaching. At first he was going to defend himself, but when he saw her smile he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Raelith was picking on him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He said sheepishly, not even bothering to try and be convincing.


    ¡°So, is that ability something all of your people have?¡± Raelith asked, she sat down next to Noone. She didn¡¯t really have any business with him, she just enjoyed conversation.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Noone thought about it for a while. ¡°I am not sure. I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ve told you about what life there was like for me. Although they could sense each other, I don¡¯t think it was to the degree that I can see things. I am almost positive actually.¡± Noone paused. ¡°How did you do that thing before by the way? Blocking your hand so I couldn¡¯t see it.¡±


    Raelith lifted her hand in front of her. Noone watched as she held up two fingers, however when Noone looked with his extended sight, it was as though her hand was shrouded in fog.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind telling you. Honestly it is just a little trick. See the bracelet on my wrist?¡± She twisted her arm shaking the small silver chain. ¡°I am channeling a small prayer through it. The power of the prayer is creating a distorted realm around my hand which is connecting with my gods.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Apart from teasing young mages who learn ¡®magic sight¡¯ it doesn¡¯t have any practical effects honestly.¡±


    ¡°Magic sight?¡± Noone asked.


    ¡°Mm. It is a spell that allows a mage to view everything around them in a certain area. Although it is tough on the mind and they can only use it carefully. The human mind is not equipped for such a strain.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Noone put a finger to his chin in thought. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Are there other people who can see like that?¡±


    ¡°Well. Most classes have some variation on it.¡± Raelith thought for a moment. ¡°Certain clerics have something we call divine sense. Some races have extended sight based on their environments. Elementals and wood elves for example. Also, druids. Although it is less ¡®divine sense¡¯ and more hypersensitivity¡­ Much of the world¡¯s classes have similar abilities, but they are channeled and created from different means.¡±


    Noone thought about what he said. ¡°Divine Sense, huh? I like how that sounds.

 108. Oath of Vengeance

    Noone and Raelith continued talking for a few minutes. Raelith explained some of the unique magics in the world and the forms they took and Noone explained a bit of his own ability. From what she could tell, it seemed Noone¡¯s sight was well above others in scale and quality.


    Noone wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to this.


    ¡°Do you know why my divine sense is limited within the temple?¡± Noone asked. He had his own theories of course, but it seemed he could rely on Rae to provide him with insights. There were so many things he didn¡¯t understand, he didn''t trust himself to come to the perfect conclusion.


    ¡°Hmm. Most likely it is because of the blessing this temple has of our gods. Like a less focused version of the distortions that occur when I channel a prayer.¡±


    Noone nodded. This was about what he expected. He stared at her hand which remained shrouded in mist under his sense. Surrounding the mist Noone could see threads of universal energy jumping sporadically in and out of existence. It seemed that the disturbance caused some kind of shift in the fabric of space, disrupting the energy.


    Having his interest piqued, Noone couldn¡¯t help but want to experiment with it.


    ¡°Rae, do you mind if I try something?¡± Noone looked her in the eyes, he was unsure what would happen if he tried to pierce through the shroud with his divine sense, but he wanted to find out.


    Raelith smiled at him, her own thoughts circling her mind. She lightly nodded, curious to see what Noone would do.


    Noone closed his eyes and withdrew his senses from the space surrounding him. It no longer extended in a sphere around his being, but instead became a ball in front of him only a foot in diameter.


    His breath evened out and he began to circulate his energy, focusing his divine sense further. Like compressing air, his sight shrunk into a half foot sphere in front of him.


    On the outside Raelith could not sense anything, but she could tell how concentrated he was. She watched on curiously, continuing to channel a prayer through the bracelet.


    After a few breaths Noone shrunk his sight down to the size of a fingernail. Although it was extremely small, he could see everything within that space as though it were being transmitted directly into his mind. All of the divine sense was compressed to the point that it had multiplied in strength.


    Noone focused the small point on Raelith¡¯s hand.


    His thinking was simple. Whatever the fog was, it worked by disassembling his divine sense when they connected. Noone already knew that his energy and strength could increase through training. However, usually he utilized it by extending the sense a greater distance, making him more aware of his surroundings.


    Noone had decided early on to test other uses. For example, he could compress it if he so wished. Every night when he meditated, focusing on pulling threads of universe energy within his body, he would have to condense this divine sense around these threads to keep them from disappearing.


    Now, Noone wanted to test the limits, and he had a perfect specimen to do it on.


    Like a bullet, his sense pierced through the fog. Noone immediately felt it begin to crumble, a pain like a knife cut through him. The mist around Rae''s hand began to disintegrate the layers of his divine sense.


    Raelith saw Noone suddenly break out into a sweat, his eyebrows furrowing. She hesitated for a moment but said nothing. Noone maintained his breathing and otherwise stopped reacting.


    After a few seconds passed Noone¡¯s divine sense was on the verge of total collapse. He couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    Now!


    Like a balloon, the divine sense encapsulated Rae¡¯s hand and expanded, encompassing her wrist as well as the bracelet she wore.


    The mist which had occupied the space was forced to stretch and began to disperse once the bracelet was covered in his divine sense.


    Noone could see now that the fog had disappeared. He was clearly able to sense her hand holding up two fingers. Finally, he let out a deep breath and opened his eyes, looking at Rae.


    Raelith¡¯s heart shook as soon as she felt the power disperse. The bracelet was a useful catalyst for creating communication between her and her gods, there should be no way Noone could cancel that out... Raelith looked at her hand, clenching it and opening it. There was a vague numbness in her fingertips.


    She looked back at Noone, obvious shock in her eyes. Somehow Noone had managed to completely isolate her, keeping her prayer from reaching her god by collapsing the energy she used to connect her prayer.


    For the first time¡­ Rae felt a small amount of fear at the being in front of her.


    Noone was unaware of Raelith¡¯s feelings and was covered in a cool sweat at the feeling of his divine sense nearly collapsing. It was the first time he had experienced the feeling of anything fighting his sight. Despite the discomfort though, Noone was unable to keep from smiling at his achievement. He couldn¡¯t help but feel he had discovered a new ability. I will need to test this later¡­


    ¡°Noone¡­ how did you-¡± Suddenly, the door opened. Sarah stepped out of the office, in her hand was a small book Jakobson had given her.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting Noone, oh. Hey Rae.¡± Her voice was gentle but there was a firmness to it that Noone and Rae couldn¡¯t help but notice. Her eyes were still slightly moist, but they no longer looked as lost as she had felt before.


    Raelith didn¡¯t continue her question. The less people who knew about Noone¡¯s power, the better. Even Sarah.


    ¡°Hey Sarah.¡± Rae said, smiling at her as she hopped to her feet. ¡°I was just chatting with Noone, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Both Noone and Sarah watched as she walked off down the hall, her usual pep seemed oddly absent.


    Sarah looked at Noone and was going to ask, but instead she said nothing. Noone sighed and stood, extending his divine sense in the normal sphere he was used to.


    Using his sight, he was able to see a symbol on the cover of book she held which he was unfamiliar with. There were two faces, looking away from each-other connected at the skull. One was etched with inconsolable grief, and the other with uncontainable rage. Noone¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the immaculate detail of the design.


    ¡°No worries Sarah. How did it go with Jakobson?¡± Noone was curious about the book, and her sudden change in temperament. It wasn¡¯t rare to find strength in turmoil, but it seemed she got a bit more out of her conversation than simple guidance.


    Sarah merely grunted in assurance as if to say, ¡®It went as well as could be expected, I suppose.¡¯


    ¡°Alright, let me show you to your quarters. It is right next to mine so if you need anything you can just ask me.¡± Sarah began walking ahead as she spoke. Noone could sense an eagerness in her demeanor. Although they talked on the way, Sarah was noticeably distracted. She held the book tightly in her hand, as though fearful she might lose hold of it.


    Noone was curious but chose to say nothing. Everyone had their secrets. He felt it wasn''t his place to pry.


    That night Noone sat on the floor against the wall in his own room. He received a change of clothes and sat relaxed on the carpeted floor. This was the first time Noone had been in a room all his own in years. Part of him yearned to lay in the bed and go to sleep, remembering the old days of Tapestry.


    However, he had more important things to do right now.


    There¡¯s not enough time to waste¡­


    Noone¡¯s breathing grew steady and his eyes were closed. His divine sense was spread to its limit as he began plucking threads of energy from the air.


    Similar to fish rushing down a surging river, every thread he caught within his divine sense was pulled through his mind and body, before being processed by the multicolored flame in his dantian.


    Like a machine, Noone worked without rest. The increased density of energy allowed him to make great progress. However, as the night continued a frown developed on his face.


    ¡°I had three breakthroughs because of my circumstances. Each one consolidated more strength within my body. Since then though¡­ six months have passed.¡± Noone thought about everything that occurred.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I resonated with the will of the galaxy tree that I learned how to cultivate the energy within me. So that can be excused.


    During my fight with the tribesmen¡­¡± Noone thought back to that moment in time. Ever since breaking through into qi condensation, Noone¡¯s mind was strengthened and he was able to recall moments he had experienced clearly. Even after the passage of time he could recall almost every second of that fight.


    ¡°My body¡­ or mind eased into the fight instinctually. I wasn¡¯t tense, or anxious. Why?¡± Noone frowned as he continued to collect energy.


    ¡°It must have something to do with the heritage of the ancestor. Whatever this power is¡­ it seems to be developed for battle? Or if not¡­ it certainly doesn¡¯t harm battle prowess.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but think of Tapestry. ¡°If it is something that requires combat to advance in strength¡­ then Tapestry was doomed from the start to never advance.¡± He frowned. That couldn¡¯t be accurate¡­ could it?


    ¡°No¡­ fighting the tribesmen did not do anything to help me consolidate my power. It only provided me the opportunity to use every ounce of what I already had.¡± Internally, Noone pushed down the thoughts of his home. He recalled the feeling of calm that flooded his mind when he was engaging the tribesmen.


    Ultimately Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel he had too little information. His heart was anxious with the desire to get stronger, but how was he supposed to always take the right steps for an extinct cultivation system?


    Noone continued to burn threads of energy in his core, vaporizing the universal energy into gas which pulsed through him. The reinforced walls of his meridians allowed the power to freely flow through his body.


    Noone watched the process absentmindedly. He could see the root-like texture of the various systems which coursed through him. He thought back to his first death.


    The flower pod had absorbed his body to use him as a core for a seed. It fed power into him, and remade his body, spreading roots through his atrophied meridians. If it weren¡¯t for that, Noone would have never been able to sense the elemental energy of the world, let alone absorb the common heritage of the ancestor.


    Then there was the ancestor herself. From the ancestral memories of the plant he inherited, he had seen a vision of her.


    A beautiful woman. Noone did not realize it back then, but most definitely human ¨C like those of the surface. She had long raven-black hair and a pure white robe which was etched with gold.


    And she was powerful.


    If Noone could reach that same level of power, he refused to believe that he wouldn¡¯t be able to avenge the death of his home.


    Suddenly Noone¡¯s eyes opened. He stopped gathering threads of energy and focused his sight onto the room on the other side of the wall from him.


    The reason he was sitting against this wall was because Sarah¡¯s room was directly on the other side. Ever since entering her room, she had spent the last few hours burning anxious energy. She paced. She knelt to pray. She paced some more. And over the past hours she did not let go of the book once. Noone had grown exceedingly curious about it.


    Finally, Sarah sat down at a desk, which just so happened to be on the other side of the wall from Noone ¨C within his sight ¨C and set down the book.


    ¡°Oath of Vengeance.¡± Noone silently read the words etched into the cover. Something about the book caused a cold feeling to rise up within his chest. It only lasted for a moment before he pushed it down.


    He watched as Sarah¡¯s pale hand opened up the front cover creating a stark contrast between white and black.


    The pages within the book were as dark as night.


    Inside the front cover, Noone was barely able to read the passages which were written in some old cursive font.


    The words were carved into the page. Despite the dim lighting in her room, they seemed to glow red.


    Noone¡¯s eyes widened slightly, surprised by the words he was reading. Sarah on the other hand, felt her heart grow cold as the words seemed to be written just for her.


    --------


    The Oath of Vengeance is a solemn commitment to punish those who have committed a grievous sin.


    When evil forces slaughter helpless villagers, when an entire people turn against the will of the gods, when a thieves'' guild grows too violent and powerful, when a dragon rampages through the countryside ¨C at times like these, paladins arise and swear an Oath of Vengeance to set right that which has gone wrong.


    To these paladins ¨C sometimes called avengers or dark knights ¨C their own purity is not as important as delivering justice.¡±


    -------


    Sarah couldn''t help but swallow nervously, the words rang through her like the first morning bell in a chapel''s steeple.

 109. Tenets and Training

    Noone¡¯s heart shook. The words themselves were not too shocking, but the intensity behind their meanings caused his mind to rumble.


    On the next page, they both continued to read.


    ------


    Fight the Greater Evil.


    Faced with a choice of fighting my sworn foes or combating a lesser evil, I choose the greater evil.


    No Mercy for the Wicked.


    Ordinary foes might win my mercy, but my sworn enemies do not.


    By Any Means Necessary.


    My qualms can''t get in the way of just extermination.


    Restitution.


    If my foes wreak ruin on the world, it is because I failed to stop them. I must help those harmed by their misdeeds.


    Chant these words until they are implanted on your mind. Until they are etched onto your flesh. Until your tongue grows sore and your throat bleeds into your lungs.


    When these words become a part of your being. A god in need of you will appear and offer you the power you seek.


    TAKE IT.


    ------


    These words echoed within Noone¡¯s mind. Somewhere within the recesses of his being an idea began to form.


    Although having some effect on Noone, the words flooded throughout Sarah¡¯s entire being. Despite seeming vicious, to Sarah the tenets seemed incredibly pure. Yes, it was violent but... wasn''t there a truth to the words?


    At some point while reading Sarah stopped breathing. She sat frozen while staring at the black pages in front of her. The tenets of the paladin path of vengeance began to burn themselves within her.


    With a sigh, Noone withdrew his sight leaving Sarah alone to pursue her own path. Although he was curious, Noone understood that everyone had their own destiny.


    He continued to absorb energy from the space around him. Like an arrow knocked in a bow, Noone¡¯s mind pulled the string back on the thought which had formed.


    I adopted the will of a galaxy tree and used it to my own benefit. I absorbed the common heritage of the ancestor and used it for my own benefit. Instead of trying to forge my own way¡­


    Noone¡¯s eyes shined with energy harvested from the fabric of the universe. For the first time in a long time, a genuine smile formed from his lips. He had no doubt that there was a path to follow to cultivate his strength properly. However, he did not know what that was, and had no way of finding out.


    So¡­


    Why doesn¡¯t he just adopt other¡¯s strengths into himself?


    ¡°Raelith said that many of the magics in this world have similar skills ¨C but are drawn from different power¡­¡± Like an arrow being released, his thoughts shot forward embedding themselves firmly in his mind.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°I just need to take those for myself.¡± His eyes glowed.


    If anyone were there to see his smile, they would most certainly feel a chill. Although it was a genuine happiness ¨C Noone¡¯s smile was tinged with a malevolent aura.


    The pendant which hung around Noone¡¯s neck pulsed gently, going completely unnoticed.


    ¡­


    That night after hours of absorbing threads of energy and circulating the power through his body Noone stopped.


    Noone¡¯s meridians were reinforced, coated in a root-like structure which allowed them to tolerate a much higher density of energy.


    Ever since cultivating within the temple, the quality of the energy Noone was absorbing had increased. It seemed that whatever blessings their gods gave, caused a qualitative change in the space. For the first time since beginning proper cultivation, Noone felt that his body was beginning to reach the limit of the energy he could absorb.


    This was a problem.


    Theoretically there should be many stages left to advance to. Noone wasn¡¯t sure how many, but he refused to believe he had reached his limit.


    The only solution was to wait and see. If he did reach some limit, he hoped that there would be clues of what to do next.


    Within his body the colored flame continued to burn softly, processing threads of energy into vapor and circulating it. As threads were sucked into it, the steady burn would flicker slightly but otherwise was unmoving.


    The sun rose outside the temple, and the town began to bustle as people woke to go about their days.


    Within the temple clergymen rose to complete their chores. Tobias, Raelith and Sally all went out into the town to gather supplies and offer help where they could.


    There were three people within who did not stir as the sun rose.


    Noone sat within his room, back against the wall facing the door. His eyes were closed, and his breath was steady. Within his core, energy was being aerosolized and sent coursing through his body. The white glow which shone from the power lines across his body slowly pulsed in time with his breathing.


    On the other side of the wall in the room next to his ¨C a young girl of twenty was mumbling to herself. Her body was completely still except for a minor trembling.


    After reading through the book Jakobson gave her, Sarah grit her teeth in resolution. If she wasn¡¯t welcome within the order of life, that¡¯s fine. She will make her own way.


    She sat in prayer for hours, repeating the four tenets written within the book. Her throat was sore, and her muscles cried as her limbs began to go numb. However, she grit her teeth and bared with it. Her mind had gone silent of all unnecessary thoughts. She would not stop until she found a god willing to favor her.


    In a neighboring hall, there was another room with a closed door. Within it, Feylin sat at his desk, eyes red from studying.


    Thanks to guidance from Sally, he was close to mastering a third miracle which would allow him to advance. However, he found himself troubled by unnecessary thoughts.


    Feylin was unsure what to think about the conversation the day before. He tried repeatedly to put it out of mind, but he found that the brain was a hard thing to circumvent.


    Feylin thought about Sarah. Ever since she came to the temple as a teenager, they had been closest to each other in age. They had spent a lot of time together. Feylin always felt he knew her fairly well.


    She could be cold sometimes yes, but she wasn¡¯t as uncaring as they made her out to be¡­ was she?


    Within Feylin¡¯s mind, thoughts of the past rose unwelcome. Ever since she came to the temple, she had exceeded him in all studies. To him, it seemed she was simply more blessed by the gods of life than he. He always felt she was destined for greater things because of this.


    But everything that occurred yesterday turned these feelings upside down. Suddenly Feylin found himself to be ahead for once.


    HE was accepted into the Burian.


    HE would be brought up in the Order of Life.


    HE was now the one favored by the gods.


    How was he supposed to feel?


    Feylin understood that this pride he felt was unhealthy. One of the tenets of a cleric is humility. To have an open heart for all beings and things.


    He sighed, closing the book in front of him and resting his eyes. He should talk to her, he thought. Make sure she¡¯s okay.


    No matter how Feylin felt about his newfound position, Sarah was his friend. He knew that she took what Tobias had said hard.


    ¡°Once I advance, I will go and talk to her. Maybe even if she can¡¯t join the Burian, she is still coming to the grand-temple. There will certainly be other ways for her to advance.¡± Feylin¡¯s breathing slowed, he finally could not hold out any longer and fell asleep in his chair.


    No one disturbed the three throughout the day.

 110. Seeking

    Knock. Knock. Knock.


    Noone''s eyes shot open as his meditation was interrupted. He looked around the room but had no way to tell the time within the small windowless quarters. The quiet air made him feel it should be late into the night.


    He had spent a whole day and night cultivating energy, but he finally reached his limit. Noone had not been able to absorb any energy for a full hour. His meridians and core were completely suffused with strength and power which flowed through his body like a vapor.


    The lantern he had been using burned out ¨C however he had no problem seeing with his divine sense.


    "Noone."


    From the other side of the door, Sarah''s voice echoed into his quarters. He was slightly surprised. Using his divine sense, he could see that she was no longer in her room and the book was nowhere in sight.


    He kept his expression carefully neutral as he opened the door.


    Sarah stood within the hall, Noone could see that she was alone and from the looks of it ¨C it should be around ten at night.


    "I was planning to go into town, come with me?" Sarah was of course asking him, but Noone couldn''t help but feel her voice was rather commanding. After sweeping her with divine sense, he couldn''t feel any change on her. He wasn''t sure if she had yet to change class, or if it was just above his abilities to notice.


    Noone and Sarah made eye contact.


    Sarah couldn''t help but be a little intimidated by his gaze. Noone''s eyes had always been a well of energy ¨C almost glowing with some kind of magic. She refused to look away though and continued to stare at him. Noone''s eyes widened in surprised, he had found that most people were unable to hold his gaze when he stared.


    Whatever power flowed through him had a minor effect of offsetting people''s minds. Noone realized that the only people who weren''t as affected were those who were confident in their strength or extremely mentally sturdy.


    He couldn''t help but look at her a little differently. Maybe she already embraced the class change? If not¡­ it probably wouldn''t be long given her mental state.


    "Sure." Noone finally responded. He equipped his two axes and tied the leather sack of coins he received to his waistband. Normally he would want to focus on absorbing as much of this higher-grade energy as he could, but right now he had hit a wall.


    The two walked in silence through the halls, into the courtyard, and finally outside the temple grounds. Noone kept his sight extended as far as he could, but he did not sense anyone watching.


    After being restrained by the holy pressure within the temple, Noone couldn''t help but enjoy the feeling of stretching his divine sense once they were outside. He looked at Sarah again, but still could not feel any difference.


    If anything, Noone could sense conviction from her.


    "I suppose she is not that far from me in age? Technically." Noone thought as he looked at the woman walking next to him.


    "So where did you want to go this late at night?" Noone asked. His understanding was that in larger cities it would be busy at night, but in a town this size most everyone was asleep by now, needing to wake up early to tend to the farms or their shops.


    Sarah hesitated. "I don''t know. I just wanted to be out of the temple for a while."


    Noone nodded but said nothing. Obviously Sarah had a lot her mind.


    Looking at things from her perspective, Noone could vaguely understand how she was feeling.


    Noone thought for a while and hesitated before deciding to speak his mind.


    "You feel displaced from your home by powers outside your control, in a way that made you feel powerless. Now you want to do whatever you can to take power back into your own hands." Noone''s voice was so neutral that Sarah was unable to read anything from it. However, his words were indeed correct.


    Sarah sighed.


    "I knew I was right to invite you instead of Feylin." She said. There was a melancholy to her voice.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Initially she had thought to invite Feylin to talk to about this, but she felt weird about it. She didn''t know if she would be able to keep from telling Feylin about changing her class and her gods. How would he react to that news?


    She wouldn''t be able to keep this from the rest of the party for long, but why should she? She just¡­ wanted a little more time to make sure that is what she wanted to do.


    The two continued to walk through the silent roads, their steps tapping against the packed dirt streets.


    "Noone." Sarah stopped. She looked back towards him, a subtle trembling could be seen underneath her clothes. "How do you cope¡­ with this feeling?" Her voice cracked as her eyes watered. Noone wasn''t sure how to express it, but he felt a connection with Sarah.


    He had known for a long time actually, that she had dealt with a type of loss as well. After hearing the conversation within Jakobson''s office most of it made more sense. However, it had nothing to do with him so he never said anything.


    He wasn''t the only one who has lost a home.


    Now Sarah couldn''t help but feel that she was being pushed out of another.


    Noone sighed. Unsure of what to say.


    "You just do." Noone sighed, reminiscing on his own experiences over the past half year. "The world isn''t going to fix your problems, and time isn''t going to heal all wounds. So, if you can''t rely on anything else¡­ rely on yourself." Noone had never needed to give advice before, especially about something like this. He thought about his own situation, using that to try and help.


    "How am I coping?" He thought. "I am set on a path of strength, destruction. Probably not the healthiest way to survive, but it''s the only thing I can think to do¡­" He looked into Sarah''s eyes, the strength from earlier was now suffused with doubt. "She is on a similar path. We are both just trying to avenge our losses." The tenets written with the book echoed through his mind. Although he already had a ''class'' Noone couldn''t deny the strength of the words written within.


    "I think you should go through with it." Noone said.


    Sarah''s eyes looked confused, she didn''t understand what he meant.


    "The oath of vengeance." He looked Sarah directly in the eyes, not hiding anything from her. "It is a path that requires a firm heart. Once you are on it, it will become easier." Noone knew he was revealing a lot of things, but he didn''t care. Sarah had never treated him poorly, if all she needed was an extra push ¨C he had no problems providing it. Even at the cost of admitting he knew about the book.


    Sarah''s heart shook as she stared at the tall unmoving Noone. Sarah felt like she was looking at a statue, stone grey with eyes made of magic. The gentle white light which pulsed from his skin gently accentuating the iron muscles under his flesh.


    She wanted to ask how he knew, but figured there was no point to it. What did it matter if he knew or how?


    Sarah dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out the small black book Noone had seen before. A pale hand passed the book to him, trembling slightly from exhaustion.


    "This is going to be an odd request¡­ but I need help picking a god to follow. I realized that I have too many stipulations from having been in the Order of Life for so long, it is making it impossible for me to be decisive about this." She looked straight into Noone''s eyes. "I needed a fresh pair of eyes to make the decision, someone without bias. You come from a place with no knowledge of any gods, so I figure you are the best choice."


    Although still shaky, her words were calm. She had clearly thought this through.


    Noone was unsure what she meant when she said ''picking a god.'' From what he read before, it sounded like a god would appear before her in spirit or something?


    He quietly opened the book and began reading. It was small and short, so it did not take long. After the first couple pages explaining the tenets, there was a series of pages each with a symbol on it, explaining the different gods which would tend to appear for this oath.


    At the very front of these pages it was reemphasized that whatever god chooses you, you should take them. Being ungrateful would only serve to anger them. Noone frowned and looked at Sarah.


    "It says that you should go with whichever deity appears for you¡­"


    "Well that''s going to be a problem." Sarah''s voice seemed to be on the verge of annoyance, but she maintained her neutral expression. "They all did."


    Noone''s eyes widened.


    "Well." He said. "That doesn''t seem normal at all." Despite trying to keep a cool front, Noone was unable hide his surprise. Wasn''t getting a deity to accept you supposed to be difficult? Taking a long time of ''etching'' the tenets into your heart? How was this possible?


    Noone frowned, he began to read through the descriptions of each god silently. Sarah did not rush him and waited. Since handing the book over to him, Sarah decided that she would let fate decide who she went with.


    Finally, Noone put his finger on a page and handed it back to Sarah. His eyes were steady. After reading through each god, Noone chose the one which most resonated with him. That was the best he could do in this situation.


    Upon reading the deity Noone chose, Sarah only nodded and put the book away.


    She breathed deep and held the breath in her lungs, taking in the cool air, and all the smells of the surrounding forest.


    A large sigh.


    "Join me for a drink?" Sarah''s voice finally asked, the only sound in the cool night air. "We have one tavern in town that all the adventurers use when passing through, they should be open."


    Noone hesitated for a moment, but decided to go along with it. He wasn''t going to make any more progress tonight on his cultivation, he might as well do something interesting.

 111. Dragonborn Patrin

    Sarah¡¯s nerves had calmed quite a bit after a deity was chosen. Part of her wished to rush back to the temple and get the process over with, but¡­ there was still small anxiety in her heart. Unable to reach out to the gods of life whom she was considering betraying, she was forced to seek out another form of reassurance. Something she had heard the older men in the clergy praise for its abilities.


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel it was rather clever of Sarah to find an outsider to decide. From what he could tell, all of the gods which resonated with the oath of vengeance path were completely different from the gods of the Order of Life. Sarah no doubt had unreasonable preconceptions about those deities, and that could keep her from making a decision.


    He also was happy to have gained a bit more knowledge about some of the gods of this world.


    As they walked through the town, gentle lamplight flickered illuminating the empty streets.


    The sound of braying horses could be heard in the distance. Noone looked through the darkness towards the sound. Under the lamplight he could see a stable with a dozen horses tied inside. A young man was going back and forth to each horse, feeding and grooming them.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Noone thought. ¡°Those must be real horses.¡± Noone had only ever seen the steed summoned by Sally until now. Although he knew that horses were real creatures that lived free in the wild, Noone had never seen one outside of those summoned by Sally¡¯s miracle.


    As they approached, Noone saw that he had severely overestimated the man¡¯s age. It was nothing more than a boy, maybe of twelve. From his experience and the adeptness of his movements, Noone figured that he must have done this work for a long time.


    The boy nodded to them as they passed, taking them for foreigners coming into town. She couldn¡¯t help but give Noone a second glance as he approached, but he quickly put his head down, focusing on his work.


    Sarah noticed the second glance and looked at Noone curiously. After traveling with him for so long, she realized she barely cared and mostly forgot about the glowing lines which made him stick out like a torch.


    Sarah suddenly paused just outside the front door of the tavern, and Noone stopped next to her. He looked down curiously, Sarah was taking deep breaths and then set her gaze firm and stepped through the door. Noone¡¯s eyes shined with interest and he followed her.


    The inside of the tavern smelt like spilt beer and cooked potatoes. An interesting combination of scent and sight.


    It was a calm night, only a dozen people sat around drinking and eating. Everyone mostly kept to themselves. At two tables there were groups of people who obviously knew each other and chatted among themselves


    The bartend sat back and watched the room, giving Sarah and Noone a nod when they entered.


    Noone nodded back.


    Only one person sat at the bar.


    Noone looked at the back of that man¡¯s head, narrowing his eyes. It¡¯s the dragonborn I saw the other day.


    It seemed the man had noticed his gaze and glanced back. A blue reptilian eye blinked before focusing on Noone. They held each other in their sight.


    Sarah had never actually been in the tavern before, outside of coming by to heal the odd bout of food poisoning or bar brawl. Although she seemed confident on the way here, now that she was inside, she became aware of how little she actually knew of drinking at a tavern.


    Sarah knew nothing about drinking, actually. Most clerics of the Order of Life didn¡¯t drink on account of their need to be available all times as healers. The one¡¯s who did were old enough to be able to handle their alcohol ¨C plus they would keep a detox miracle on hand just in case.


    Soon¡­ she wouldn¡¯t need to worry about that.


    ¡°So¡­ Noone. Where should we sit?¡± Before she could finish her question, Noone had begun walking towards the bar. She saw a large dragonborn sitting at the counter¡­ it looked like Noone was planning to sit next to him.


    After hesitating for a moment, she followed behind him, watching the people who sat around the room.


    The dragonborn did not shy away from Noone¡¯s approach and even gestured to the stool next to him as if offering it to Noone.


    They both sat down. The owner was standing on the other side of the bar already prepared with two mugs of ale. Sarah breathed out a sigh of relief, relieved she wouldn''t have the embarrassment of trying to order for herself. She pulled the mug close, staring into the foamy brown liquid which resided inside.


    Noone watched Sarah, noticing her hesitate. He was not shy and lifted his own mug taking a large drink. Noone closed his eyes as the flavor washed through his throat. The aroma lifted his mood and he couldn¡¯t help but exhale a large sigh as he set it down.


    Sarah watched Noone and quickly steeled herself, following his example she took a large drink. Luckily for her the owner recognized her as a cleric of the temple and took that into account. He had seen her more than a number of times around town through the last six years.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    He was curious why a cleric of the Order would come to a bar ¨C especially one so young - but chose to not ask any questions. Instead he prepared a lighter ale for her while he gave the taller and larger Noone a regular.


    Noone was still sat savoring the bitter taste, eyes closed as he thought back to Tapestry.


    ¡°It seems that no matter where you come from,¡± Noone sighed quietly, ¡°alcohol will always taste like home.¡± The ale of the surface tasted nothing like Porose¡¯s blend from Tapestry, but still¡­ Noone couldn¡¯t help but reminisce.


    Maybe it was because this was the first time he had drank since then¡­


    Sarah looked over, barely hearing Noone¡¯s words. She wondered what he was thinking about.


    The dragonborn also looked over curiously at the man. This particular dragonborn had always considered himself well traveled, and yet he had never seen brandings like the ones on Noone. The dragonborn turned in his seat, and stretched a scaled hand out to Noone.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Patrin. I believe I ran into you a few days ago while exiting the tellers.¡± His voice was not as graveled as Noone was expecting from his looks. Apart from a vague accent making some of the syllables a bit harsher, Patrin spoke with common as good as Noone¡¯s own.


    Patrin glanced down at Sarah who was more than a full head shorter than the two of them and gave her a nod as well.


    Noone smiled at the dragonborn, taking the clawed hand into his own. ¡°My name is Noone. I remember well. You¡¯re the first dragonborn I have ever seen.¡±


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but take a good look at Patrin with his divine sense. Everything about the dragonborn¡¯s clothing was humble, and he carried no weapon on him except for a modest knife under his waistband. Noone wasn¡¯t sure if this was the norm or not.


    ¡°Is that so? Although we are a bit uncommon, it is not so rare to run into a dragonborn nowadays.¡± He smiled and Noone could see a harsh set of razor-sharp teeth. It did not look out of place against his scaly figure, but Noone couldn¡¯t help but tense up slightly.


    Noone was sure of it ever since sitting next to the man. This Patrin was dangerous. Noone didn¡¯t believe Patrin had any desire to raise trouble.


    ¡°Although,¡± Patrin continued. ¡°Many of my people prefer to stay rooted in our homes in the north. Coming so far south for one such as I is rarer.¡± Noone merely nodded, revealing his own meaningless smile. It seems this Patrin is a talker. He thought.


    ¡°So, what brings you all the way to Ardglass, Patrin?¡± Sarah interjected, holding the ale between both hands and doing her best to look around the larger Noone. Sarah was not small, especially for a human female. But when sat next to the large Noone and the possibly larger Patrin ¨C she looked akin to a child. Sarah had also never been so close to a dragonborn before. It was the consequence of living so far away from any large civilizations.


    Noone noticed Patrin¡¯s ear flick slightly while he listened.


    ¡°Well.¡± He glanced back, watching each person within the Tavern, even glancing at the owner himself. ¡°With a war coming, it¡¯s the least I can do to get involved. I am an adventurer and sometimes mercenary, you see.¡± He spoke quietly but his voice was no less heard. Everyone glanced at him, but no one said anything. Almost everyone in the tavern at this time of night were adventurers from far off in the kingdom - or the continent.


    Sarah frowned but said nothing. From what she had heard, there were many uses for adventurers and especially mercenary¡¯s in war. But few of them were upstanding people. Most were in it to collect rewards while doing as little work as possible. Even going so far to loot the battlefield and selling back weapons and armor.


    Sarah wasn¡¯t sure of all the details, but she assumed it was all the same no matter where you went.


    Noone did not know any of this. Feeling no shame in his own ignorance, Noone had no problem asking what was on his mind.


    ¡°What kind of work is there for you here?¡± He asked.


    Patrin looked deeply at Noone, choosing his words carefully. Could this large man seriously be asking him that? Patrin decided that Noone was being serious.


    ¡°Well. Small towns always try to form militia¡¯s and are willing to pay for training. Battles need organizers. And people skilled in combat are often paid to take out generals. Plus¡­ I have always wanted to see an epoch tribe.¡± Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel the easy voice was incongruous with his looks. He wanted to ask if all dragonborn talked like him but chose against it.


    ¡°And what about you? You seem like the type to have adventured a bit. You carry yourself well for battle.¡± Patrin eyed the markings across Noone¡¯s flesh. At first, he thought they were some kind of runic magic overlaid onto his skin. But the more he observed, the more he felt like they were just a part of Noone¡¯s body. It gave him an odd feeling.


    Sarah gave Noone a look, warning him to think about what he says.


    Noone did not need reminding. Not only did he not completely trust this dragonborn, but he also knew other people in the room had been paying attention to him ever since he entered.


    ¡°I am from a small tribe.¡± Noone spoke with an even tone, giving nothing away. ¡°The rune¡¯s you see on me are a type of simple magic, it is merely a strength enhancement spell given to us from birth.¡± Noone smiled and showed his arm off, as if to say ¡°see? Nothing to see here.¡±


    The dragonborn raised his scaly eyebrows, obviously he didn¡¯t believe what Noone said. But he chose not to push.


    ¡°Hah, I was going to say. It looked vaguely similar to the Goliath¡¯s war paint of the eastern continent. Along with your build and size, I thought there may have been a correlation. However¡­ They have another foot on both of us in terms of height.¡± Patrin laughed, and it came out as a pleasant but rough full-bellied chuckle.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen a goliath?¡± Sarah¡¯s voice expressed her disbelief. Not just her, but the entire room became silent and began paying attention to the dragonborn. The goliaths exclusively existed on the large island continent off the east coast of the common countries. She had heard of them before, and read descriptions of what they supposedly look like. But she had never seen one, even in a drawing.


    It wasn¡¯t that they were incredibly rare where they were from, it was just that the eastern continent was an incredibly odd and dangerous place. Many who go in, do not come back out alive.


    ¡°Seen one? I¡¯ve been to the eastern continent! I¡¯ve seen hundreds!¡± Patrin enjoyed seeing the young girl¡¯s shock. He wasn¡¯t much interested in romance, but what adventurer could resist spinning tales of their exploits.


    It was a tradition passed on in humor. Young adventurers grow up listening to the experience of the older, while waiting for the day they can pass on their own stories and continue the cycle.


    Patrin was middle-aged now for a dragonborn, but despite still being young, he had more than a few stories to tell.


    Everyone¡¯s ears perked up at his words. Even the owner couldn¡¯t help but look on expectantly. Patrin managed a large-yet-charming smile, knowing that he would have to live up to his own hype since he had brought it up.


    ¡°Let it never be said that Patrin doesn¡¯t deliver¡­¡± He chuckled.


    For the next few hours, the tavern was filled with stories ¨C both true and fabrications ¨C of the eastern continent.

 112. Thank the Gods

    Sarah and Noone both entered the temple as the sun rose. Neither had drank much, so they were not inebriated by the time the sun had risen and they decided to return.


    The quiet bustle of clerics helped to wake them up. With their constitutions ¨C staying up all night was no problem. Especially so for Noone.


    Sarah and Noone both had smiles on their faces as they talked about the eastern continent. Once Patrin started sharing stories, the entire tavern grew lively. Adventurers from all over began to talk about rumors they have heard, laughing all night at the fun of it all.


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel that this was how they relieved their stress. Each one came to this satellite town on the verge of war. No matter how experienced they were, he could clearly sense the small anxieties they held close to their hearts.


    A few of the clerics nodded to Noone and gave a hearty smile to Sarah. It seemed their late-night exploit had not gone unnoticed.


    Sarah initially felt worried what her fellow clergymen would think if they knew she went out to go drinking at the tavern, however no one seemed to care. She let out a sigh, putting her mind at ease.


    ¡°Noone. I am going to attempt to appeal to Hoar once I return to my room. I¡­¡± She paused, speaking quietly so just Noone would hear her. ¡°Would you mind sitting in, just so if anything goes wrong you can get Jakobson¡­ I have never done something like this before. I don¡¯t know what it will be like.¡±


    Noone looked at Sarah deeply before nodding. He knew that she could go ask Jakobson right now to watch over her while she goes through with this, after all he was the one who gave her the book. But he also knew she wanted to do it on her own, to show Jakobson she could. That he was right to trust her.


    Eventually Noone merely nodded his head.


    ¡°Sarah!¡± A familiar voice called out from within one of the halls connected to the courtyard. Feylin stepped outside, there was a smile on his face. Noone frowned. Maybe it was his imagination but¡­ he thought he could sense a stronger aura around Feylin than before.


    ¡°Oh, Noone, you¡¯re here as well?¡± Feylin only saw Sarah from the hallway, so he did not realize Noone was with her until he stepped into the courtyard.


    Feylin looked at both of them, a small frown flickered on his face but disappeared just as quickly. Why did it seem like they were just coming in from town? This early in the morning?


    Sarah smiled at Feylin, a calm neutral smile. It seemed she didn¡¯t notice Feylin¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°It looks like you advanced into a full cleric Feylin?¡± Sarah said, her eyes looked him up and down. To her the difference in presence was obvious. Feylin had to stop himself from asking where they have been, and only nodded his head giving Noone a sideways glance.


    ¡°Mm. I advanced last night. After mastering a third spell it only took me six hours of prayer to advance.¡± He said, flashing a smile. Sarah kept her usual smile and congratulated him, but otherwise did not say anything.


    ¡°Anyways. Sarah¡­¡± Feylin¡¯s face became serious as he spoke. ¡°You should hurry up and advance too. Not going out¡­¡± Again, he glanced at Noone. Noone merely looked back at him with an even gaze. Feylin frowned. ¡°I know what Tobias said seemed cruel, but he can be wrong too. I know you, you¡¯re a good person. Even if they won¡¯t take you into the Burian, there will definitely be other ways you can move up with your talent.¡±


    Sarah¡¯s smile widened, but Noone noticed that it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. She said nothing so neither did he.


    After exchanging a few more words they parted ways. Noone walked with Sarah back to her room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to tell him?¡± Noone asked. Sarah hesitated for a bit, thinking her own thoughts.


    ¡°He will know of it eventually. But I don¡¯t want to tell him right now, I think it would just turn into an argument.¡± She sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to be burdened with conflicted feelings while approaching the gods.¡± In her own mind she thought, ¡°Especially not Hoar¡­¡±


    Noone nodded. These beings have such complicated interpersonal interactions¡­ He wasn¡¯t sure of anything when it came to dealings with the gods, so he had no problem deferring to her. However, he did think about Feylin. It seemed Feylin honestly thought Sarah should continue advancing with the Order of Life.


    Over the next few minutes Sarah told Noone what he should look out for, and where to find Jakobson during this time of day. Noone listened carefully and nodded in understanding. In the back of his mind though, Noone had his own thoughts on top of everything else.


    Noone took a seat on the floor next to the door, extending his sight to look after Sarah as she knelt on the ground.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    She placed the book on the floor in front of her, bowing to it with her hands clasped together. Noone also closed his eyes.


    Their stillness bred silence within the small room. A single lantern lit up the scene.


    After half an hour Sarah began to emit vague mumbling that Noone recognized as the four tenets written in the front of the manual.


    His breathing steadied, and his face grew colder as he watched on. According to Sarah the actual process shouldn¡¯t take more than a few hours. She was already approached by Hoar and offered a chance to serve under him for his power. All she needed to do now was respond and hope that he still wanted her¡­ and hope the Hoar wanted her enough that he would defend her from any of the other deities who are offended by her denial of their offers.


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel that this whole business was very sketchy. He didn¡¯t like the idea of getting strength from powers outside of himself.


    As Noone watched on he suddenly felt a thrum within his divine sense. In a single breath¡¯s time his senses were condensed even further. This was not the usual suppression from the blessings in the temple ¨C it was something far stronger.


    Noone frowned but continued to watch on silently. Sarah had stopped chanting. Her breathing was heavy but steady. Noone¡¯s eyes shined, and he noticed threads of universal energy popping into existence around Sarah.


    It was normal for beings to cause fluctuations which would spawn these energy threads, however the ones appearing around Sarah were not like any he had seen yet.


    The normal threads which appeared spawned by nature or people moving about through space were transparent. They were thin and otherwise unhelpful. Initially Noone was able to absorb these for strength, however they quickly became nothing more than drops of water in the ocean.


    When he arrived at the temple for the first time, his heart leapt in excitement and even the flame within his core yearned to absorb the energy within the temple.


    Unlike the threads he had encountered to that point, the one¡¯s here were thicker, almost three times as thick. They were not transparent but hued white, almost glowing as they snaked their way in and out of existence.


    This was why Noone was able to fill up on this energy so quickly since they arrived. To the point where he had reached a block in his cultivation.


    Due to the increased energy, the will of the galaxy which fueled Noone¡¯s life-force began to flicker excitedly. Black and red threads of energy suddenly pierced their way through the tapestry of the universe, surrounding Sarah like a school of fish.


    They were extremely dense. The normal threads Noone saw were half the width of a hair. The red and black ones right now though were five times that. Unlike the energy he was used to seeing which floated through the air like feathers, these threads darted around Sarah with a purpose.


    Noone had never seen anything like it.


    ¡°This must be an effect of praying to Hoar.¡± Noone thought. He recalled what he learned from Raelith, about how connections are made while praying to their gods.


    As Noone watched the process, it became increasingly clear that Sarah was totally unaware of what was going on around her. She was totally and completely immersed in her process.


    Noone smiled. Sorry Sarah¡­ but I have to try.


    He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, bracing himself for what was to come.


    His divine sense had managed to pierce through Rae¡¯s prayer by condensing itself into a dense ball. Although he didn¡¯t try to absorb any of the threads of energy which Rae had spawned through her prayer, the thought had occurred to him.


    Now, the energy in front of him was causing the flame within his core to surge to life. Noone had been waiting for any sign on how he could break through his bottleneck¡­ It seemed the gods had answered his prayers.


    ¡°I hope the gods won¡¯t be too mad if I take just a bit¡­¡± After thinking that, he closed his mind off from all thoughts. Focus.


    His divine sense was at the peak of the minor circle of Qi Condensation. Using all of the insights he had gained through utilizing his power, he began to condense his divine sense in front of his body.


    One foot in diameter.


    Half a foot.


    Three inches.


    Noone exhaled a shocked breath he had been holding in. The amount of focus it took him to channel his divine sense caused his mind throb. Sweat began to form on his brow as he compressed his divine sense further.


    ¡°This is already smaller than it was when I tried this on Rae¡­ but these threads are significantly denser.¡± He frowned.


    Two inches.


    One inch.


    I cannot mess this up. Noone¡¯s muscles began to twitch as he forced his will into a stable shape. His divine sense shook violently, threatening to explode outwards.


    "Now!" Like an arrow released from a bow, he focused in on one of the red threads which had just appeared besides Sarah and shot his divine sense towards it.


    As soon as they made contact, Noone felt a needle of pain pierce through his mind. He clenched his teeth and forced himself to maintain awareness.


    The red thread of energy was forced outside of the group surrounding Sarah.


    As soon as it broke from the rest, it immediately shot towards Noone. Like a fish being forced downstream by harsh currents, the energy flowed through Noone¡¯s divine sense, into his mind and down to his dantian. The fire which had sprung to life inside of him immediately snatched the dense energy, absorbing it into the flame.


    Suddenly the density of power which flowed through Noone¡¯s meridians spiked. Whereas before the energy which flowed through him was like the humidity on a hot day, now it was like standing next to the ocean and being buffeted by the misty spray of saltwater. It was extremely sudden, but Noone was unable to hold back his smile. It worked. He was able to absorb the energy.


    He stopped for a minute, allowing the flame to completely break apart the thread and letting it course through him. Meanwhile, he observed Sarah. It seemed that whatever he did had caused no change in her demeanor. He let out a sigh of relief.


    After a minute passed he condensed his divine sense again, shooting it towards a black thread furthest away from her. Just like the red thread, it was quickly absorbed into his body, the density of energy inside of him increasing again.


    However, the pain in his brain was twice what it was after the first thread. He grit his teeth so hard that his gums hurt, bearing through it.


    ¡°At this level¡­ I should only need three more to fully condense the energy throughout my meridians.¡± He quickly calculated. Assuming that he would advance when his energy was as dense as liquid, he knew that he could achieve a breakthrough.


    Noone¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Continuing to disperse the energy as he absorbed the power of the universe surrounding Sarah.

 113. Risk and Reward

    Sarah''s breathing shook and her entire body shuddered violently. Heavy air escaped from her lungs, dispersing into the room like a cloud of bad energy. As she came to, she recalled the vivid dream she had experienced while contacting Hoar. This was her first time experiencing such a high-level communication. It was as though Hoar had been speaking directly into her mind, bypassing all her own thoughts.


    If you serve me, I will give you power. I want nothing more than for you to become the greatest warrior within my arsenal.


    "But¡­"


    Worry not. You are more than capable. Pursue the path of vengeance with all of your being, and I will watch over you.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    "¡­ I accept¡­"


    As her mind began to resynchronize with her own physical body, her heart clenched painfully as she recalled the last thing that happened in her vision. This should be a moment of celebration, but instead anxiety overtook her. She shot to her feet unsteadily and looked towards Noone.


    Sincere worry crossed her face as she saw him.


    Noone was crumpled on the floor by the door. His entire body was covered in cold sweat and some kind of muck. His face was screwed up painfully as though someone was torturing him. Sarah could see blood stained on the floor, Noone having coughed it up at some point.


    He was shivering and his muscles spasmed like he had been struck by lightning. Sarah was horrified at what she was seeing.


    She immediately rushed next to him and gave him a hard shake, trying to wake him into consciousness. He moaned barely comprehensible words.


    "I''m fine¡­ One sec¡­" Noone coughed out another mouthful of blood causing Sarah to jump out of the way before he sat up unsteadily. Despite his ragged state, he was unable to hide a blood-strained smile.


    Sarah looked at him unsure what to think. What did Noone do to cause this? How did this happen?


    "Noone¡­?" Her voice was surprisingly steady compared to her scattered thoughts. Now that he was sitting up, she could tell he would be okay. His smile didn''t seem forced and it eased her worries. It seemed that whatever happened was only temporary.


    "Yeah?" He responded, putting all internal matters aside for the moment. He realized that what he did was stupid, but he didn''t regret it.


    "I¡­ have a message for you." Sarah hesitated. Noone looked at her in confusion. A message? For me?


    "Umm¡­" Sarah paused, avoiding his eyes as she spoke. "He¡­ um, Hoar, said that ''if you ever pull this shit again, he has no qualms sending every paladin under his command after you to tear you to pieces¡­ and if it wasn''t for you guiding me to choose him, he would have ended your miserable existence himself right there.''" Sarah looked away sheepishly as she quoted the god word-for-word.


    Sarah and Noone looked at each other. Noone choked on his own saliva as he heard what she said, eyes wide.


    "Well¡­ huh." Noone finally managed to squeeze out. He was completely unsure of what to say. A different kind of chill ran up his spine.


    "Noone¡­ What on earth were you doing while I was praying." Sarah finally asked. She was scared for Noone but also understood that whatever he did, he brought it upon himself.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Well¡­ You know. Stuff happens." Noone tried to smile as innocent as he could. However, he knew he wasn''t very convincing sitting against the wall covered in sweat and coughing up blood.


    Sarah said nothing, only staring at Noone. For once, Noone decided to look away instead of holding eye contact. He knew he was in the wrong this time. Dumb god. All I did was take a little energy for myself? Is that really that big of a deal? He has so much to spare anyways...


    However¡­ when Noone felt his body and took a close look at his meridians¡­ he didn''t regret his choice.


    "I broke through. Finally. Mid circle of Qi Condensation. I broke through¡­" Noone''s smile widened. The density of energy within his body was now at the level of a sauna. It coursed through him, only a few steps away from condensing into liquid.


    "I need to shower." Noone said, taking note of the impurities which were expelled through his pores, leaving him covered in a gross film.


    A moment passed and they only looked at each other. Suddenly they began to laugh.


    The feeling of leveling up was euphoric. Not only did Noone break through to the mid-circle Qi Condensation stage, but Sarah was now a proper paladin as well.


    ¡°Life takes some weird turns.¡± Sarah thought silently. "Let''s go. I will show you where the showers are while I go visit Jakobson." Noone nodded, standing to his full height. Sarah watched him and couldn''t help but feel that he had a more intimidating air about him.


    By the time they left her room it was mid-morning. They would be leaving later that day.


    Noone and Sarah separated after she showed him where the showers were. Finally, Noone relaxed under the hot stream of water.


    "What a day¡­" He thought. He used his calloused hands to rub his aching head. In truth, he almost died. If Hoar hadn''t decided to forgive him, there was no way Noone would have been able to get away with stealing energy from a god. It was basically the equivalent of spitting in Hoar''s face.


    "But¡­ I managed to find the right path." Noone smiled and held his hand out, clenching his fingers into a fist. Noone saw threads of energy condense around his fingers. There¡¯s no reward without some risk¡­


    It was only the clear minor energy of nature, but it was more than he could do before. On top of that¡­ even within the temple, his divine sense was now extended a full three meters. Noone was excited to see what it would be like outside of the temple.


    Noone''s eyes closed as the water washed off the muck and sweat that had accrued on his body.


    Walking down the hall, Sarah''s eyes were set steady facing ahead. She was preparing herself to meet Jakobson.


    Jakobson had raised her since she lost her family and home, he had always taken care of her. Even now, he had taken care of her, offering her a path all her own.


    She didn''t know how she could ever thank him.


    She stopped in front of his office, knocking against the steel door.


    "Who is it?" A familiar deep voice echoed through the door.


    "It''s Sarah."


    A pause. Sarah thought she heard a sigh on the other side.


    "Come in Sarah." This time Jakobson''s voice was much softer.


    She stepped through the door. Since advancing into a paladin her body had been reinforced, she had no problems opening the heavy steel door.


    Jakobson was sitting inside alone, drinking tea on the sofa. In front of him was a book of prayer.


    "Well. Sit down then." He said. Sarah felt that Jakobson was looking right through her. "Tell me about how it went."


    Sarah nodded, and sat down across from him. He passed her a second cup of tea.


    "I read it as soon as you gave it to me¡­" Sarah began to tell Jakobson everything about the past few days.


    Jakobson was shocked when Sarah said she was approached by every god in the book. He was worried when she said she let Noone decide, and the reasons behind doing it in such a way. He was anxious when she said she contacted Hoar, and he was incredulous when he heard about what happened to Noone.


    "Hoar¡­ huh. He is a strong one, and good to his word. I hate to say it but Noone chose well." Jakobson had nothing against Noone, but he cared too much about Sarah.


    Sarah fished the black book out of her pocket, sliding it across the table to Jakobson. However, Jakobson immediately slid it back.


    "Sarah. I don''t want it anymore." Jakobson sighed, looking her right in the eyes.


    "I was on the same path you are heading down, Sarah. I have had this book for most of my life¡­ and you aren''t the first person I have given it to. You aren''t the first person I have helped down this path. But I want you to be the last. I''m old now. I don''t want to send anymore youngsters into the hands of the Oath of Vengeance."


    Sarah''s eyes watered as she listened to him.


    Jakobson began talking about aspects of his life she had never heard before, including his time as a paladin of vengeance.


    It was like this that they sat and talked for hours. Neither were sure when they would see each other again.


    It wouldn''t be too much to say Sarah looked up to Jakobson like her own father.

 114. Clothes from Home

    The sun quickly passed through its zenith, bleaching the town in the harsh light of mid-summer.


    Noone walked briskly through the streets, passing by vendors and townsfolk all of which were going about their own ways.


    Anyone who saw Noone coming were quick to make way for him given his size. Every so often someone would stare at the markings on Noone¡¯s body, however he would quickly meet their eyes causing them to look away.


    Noone couldn¡¯t see it for himself, but he assumed that his most recent breakthrough had an effect on his aura. Power tended to be something everyone had an instinctual sixth sense for. This is why any increase in strength would lead to a barely perceptible change around Noone.


    While walking he passed by a familiar vendor who was selling Urchins. Noone smiled at the man who recognized him, beckoning Noone over for food.


    Although he wasn¡¯t hungry, he couldn¡¯t keep his desire at bay and paid the few coppers for skewer of meat. The man seemed more than happy to have a repeat customer.


    Noone continued on his way, turning down the main street and approaching a store with clothes displayed out front.


    There was a teen girl Noone recognized as the store clerk sweeping dirt out the front door. When she looked up and saw Noone approaching she let out a small yelp in surprise before recomposing herself.


    It had been only three days since she saw him last, but why did he seem¡­ bigger? The girl gave off a pleasant meaningless smile and invited Noone inside.


    ¡°Just you today, Sir?¡± She asked, noticing the moon-elf which had been accompanying him before was not present.


    ¡°Yes, Rae has stuff to do today. We are leaving town later today.¡± Noone responded. His eyes scanned the interior of the store looking for the tailor.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± The smile on the girls face faltered for just a moment. She wondered about the implications. If such strong people were leaving town¡­ is it related to the war? She shuddered but didn¡¯t say anything, however in her heart she was worried. She wanted to leave town, head into the country as far away from here as possible. But she was alone, basically under the care of Mr. Rynt. She couldn¡¯t leave by herself.


    ¡°Let me go get Mr. Rynt for you.¡± The girl said. Noone nodded, he noticed the shift in the girl¡¯s mood but said nothing. He could guess her thoughts from her demeanor, but there was nothing he could do. The teen girl disappeared into the back room, only to return a second later on the tail of the tailor.


    ¡°Noone my friend! Hello!¡± A smile broke out on Noone¡¯s face that reached his eyes as he saw the clothes Mr. Rynt carried out. Three sets.


    ¡°Hello Mr. Rynt.¡± Noone said, unable to tear his gaze from the cloth. The tailor grinned.


    ¡°Please. Call me Johny.¡± The tailor said. Noone smiled turned wry, is that really okay?


    ¡°Well alright then, Johny Rynt. That¡¯s a good name.¡± Noone said, suddenly the unassuming tailor reached out and shook Noone¡¯s hand excitedly, as though reintroducing himself. Noone met the man¡¯s grip. Why was the tailor in such a good mood?


    Even the teen girl was shocked. Mr. Rynt had been keeping to himself for the past few days, not even interacting with her much. For him to go from that to this? Normally Mr. Rynt wore the persona of a well-dressed calm and collected tailor. So what was up with his attitude now?


    ¡°Noone. Come back with me. Then you can try these on.¡± The man said, turning heel and walking straight back into the room behind the counter. Noone shrugged and followed along. The girl had half a mind to follow as well, but chose against it.


    As they passed through the door, Johny handed the clothes to Noone who quickly began unfolding them.


    A smile broad grin broke out on his own face.


    The article he held looked nothing like pants of the common world. It looked like a large towel¡¯s worth of fabric with four ties strategically sewn into it. Anyone who saw this would have no idea how it could possibly be turned into a pair of pants. Anyone except the people of Tapestry.


    Noone immediately began tying the strips around his waist, tucking and twisting the fabric until suddenly the large cloth wrapped neatly around his body.


    Mr. Rynt smiled as he watched Noone, obviously by Noone¡¯s reaction he had managed to create them to specifications.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Noone stood in front of a well-lit mirror, looking at the pants he wore. The legs of the pants were long and flowing, split along the sides allowing for Noone¡¯s movements to be completely unhindered as he moved around.


    Until he met Mr. Rynt, he never thought he would have a chance to wear the clothes of his home again. He knew logically he could have gone to any tailor and had this done, but actually receiving them in person¡­ Noone grinned as his mind drifted back home.


    ¡°Mr¡­ No, Johny. Thank you. I can¡¯t express my gratitude enough.¡± Noone said. Johny nodded. When Noone had told him about these clothes from his home. The tailor was immediately intrigued and agreed to try and manufacture three sets for Noone.


    Throughout the last three days, along with his usual orders, Johny had put his nose to the grinding wheel and really scratched his brain on how exactly to stitch these weird clothes together. Finally, he managed to come up with a format he was satisfied with.


    ¡°Noone, I am willing to waive the fee for these clothes on a condition.¡± Johny said, still smiling brightly. Noone looked at him, eyebrows raising slightly. Noone didn¡¯t see the tailor as someone who would easily forego payment.


    ¡°I want to hear about your home. Tapestry, you said? Good name for a city.¡± Mr. Rynt smiled, and began explaining to Noone what was on his mind.


    It turned out that once he figured out how, stitching these pants together was three times easier than creating normal clothes in the style of the common world. In other words, he could manufacture two to three of these in the time it took him to make one of a normal set.


    Noone nodded, he didn¡¯t know much about tailoring, so he just listened as Johny talked excitedly.


    ¡°You see Noone, I actually was a Tailor from the capital city of Ceres, a country very far north of here, near the northern desert. How I ended up here is a long story, but what it boils down to is I lost my drive.


    I was a tailor under a prodigious union, each of which developed clothes on the edge of fashion and utility. However, I hit a road block.


    However, now I have found this.¡± He spoke, gesturing to Noone¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°The world is always thirsty for new fashion. This holds especially true when the fashion has the history of a unique people¡¯s behind them. People will pay pretty for clothes from faraway lands and rare tribes and races.¡± Johny looked at Noone and with wide eyes, trying to discern whether or not Noone understood.


    Noone could only smile wryly as he thought about what the tailor said. He could obviously tell that Johny was asking whether or not he could sell these clothes and use the history of Tapestry to help.


    Noone thought about this for a bit. The fact Mr. Rynt was asking him at all gave Noone a good impression. The tailor could just have easily waited for Noone to leave and begin manufacturing the clothes without ever consulting him.


    ¡°Is it okay for me to use the history of my home in such a way¡­?¡± Noone¡¯s memories of the past bubbled to the surface, good and bad alike¡­ ¡°Well,¡± he thought, ¡°If it keeps a portion of Tapestry alive, there should be no harm in it.¡± He gazed at Mr. Rynt¡¯s well-meaning smile.


    After a moment of silence Noone nodded and began to tell Johny Rynt of his home. For the most part, he did not leave anything out, including the plague which seemed to wipe out his race.


    When Noone got to this part, it took him quite a bit of willpower to not get choked up on his own memories.


    Even Johny¡¯s mood dipped as Noone described what had occurred.


    ¡°Noone. I am sorry, if I had known I would have approached you much more delicately.¡±


    Noone shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You couldn¡¯t have known.¡±


    They spoke for a bit longer before Noone noticed the time and needed to return to the Temple.


    ¡°I do not know when or how we will meet again, but I have no doubt you will find me.¡± Johny said, opening up the door for Noone.


    As Noone stepped through he made eye contact with the teen store clerk. Her eyes were red and watery, she stood just to the side of the door shifting from foot to foot looking at Noone.


    Noone reached out a hand and patted the young girls head. In truth, he had noticed with his divine sense that she was standing outside the door with her ear cupped to it the whole time as Noone explained where he came from.


    When Mr. Rynt saw this his face went red with embarrassment¡­ truly this girl.


    ¡°Jodi!¡± He said, forcing her to finally stand up straight and look at him. ¡°Start packing the shop. Then get us a horse and carriage. We are heading towards the capital of Cinapul. We have work to do!¡±


    The girls¡¯ eyes were wide, but she immediately nodded her head and scrambled off to get boxes. Noone chuckled at this.


    ¡°Well, Johny. Stay safe. I hope to see you again.¡± Noone said. He shook the Tailors hand one last time before leaving the shop with his new clothes.


    Noone immediately felt immensely more comfortable in these clothes than the clothes of the common world. How could these people ever enjoy the sensation of having their legs trapped in those cloth prisons? He chuckled to himself.


    Without bothering to care, he had given strangers one more reason to stare at this odd, foreign, statue of a man.


    As Noone approached the temple his eyes immediately furrowed as he heard the sound of yelling echoing out from the courtyard.


    It was a voice he was very familiar with.


    ¡°Sarah! What have you done!?¡± Feylin¡¯s angry voice was the source of many stares. The entire party was present in the courtyard, as well as Jakobson who stood just off to the side and a few clergymen who looked on with various expressions.

 115. A Divide

    Noone frowned as he stepped into the temple, immediately his new divine sense was suppressed, however not as much as it was when he first arrived.


    Sarah and Feylin stood on opposite sides of the group from each other. Tobias watched on expressionlessly, however he very clearly had his own thoughts running through his mind. But he was wise enough to know when and how to address them.


    The same could be said for Raelith.


    Regrettably, Feylin was still young. Even being a member of the Order of Life, he had the hot blood of youth running through his veins.


    Sarah looked at Feylin flatly. She was hoping it wouldn¡¯t end up like this, however she wasn¡¯t expecting things to occur the way they did.


    Just before Noone had arrived, everyone in the party was preparing the supplies and the cart they would be using. Tobias, Sally, Rae and Feylin.


    Sarah had been talking with Jakobson, so she was absent.


    Eventually Sarah decided to accept the book, holding onto it so Jakobson wouldn¡¯t have to. She could see that it was a weight that Jakobson had carried for far too long.


    They walked together out into the courtyard. Jakobson knew this would be the last time he saw Sarah and Feylin for a long time, he wanted to leave them on a good note.


    When they arrived at the courtyard, the group simultaneously looked at Sarah. Strange expressions crossed the faces of the three from the Burian. Only Feylin did not notice anything odd.


    ¡°Sarah!¡± He smiled, as he sensed the subtle strength flowing out of her body. ¡°You finally advanced, huh? That¡¯s good.¡± His voice was friendly, he was truly happy she had managed to work through what Tobias said and advance anyways. Sarah¡¯s face was carefully controlled, she kept a light meaningless smile on her lips. She knew he would find out eventually, but she didn¡¯t know how to approach it right now.


    As he sensed the strength emanating from her, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that the power was somewhat different from his own. Tobias, Rae and Sally however were able to tell immediately.


    Sally had on a bitter smile, like she had just bitten into a sour lemon. ¡°It looks like you weren¡¯t strong enough in your faith and had to go find another god to take you in.¡± Her voice bit through the air, directed towards Sarah.


    The entire group froze, even Tobias and Rae were not expecting her to call it to attention so abruptly. Tobias shot a harsh glare her way, but she merely looked to the side, pretending not to notice. Jakobson frowned but said nothing, he was not unfamiliar with her type within the order.


    As the words sank in to Feylin¡¯s ears, he was stunned. What? He glanced back at Sally and then to Sarah.


    ¡°Sarah¡­ What have you done!?¡± Feylin¡¯s eyebrows scrunched up. He honestly didn¡¯t understand what Sally meant, but there was a sinking feeling in his chest.


    He extended what little aura he had from advancing into a first level cleric, using it to surround her, feeling out her energy for himself.


    The calm smile on Sarah¡¯s face melted into a blank expression when she felt what he was doing. Feylin knew that he was committing a faux pas ¨C to try and analyze someone else at the same level of power as himself - but in this moment he didn¡¯t care. He wanted to know if what Sally said was true.


    Within her eyes, sadness could be seen. This was not how she wanted this to go down. Sarah didn¡¯t even bother to look at Sally.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Sarah¡¯s quiet resignation only entered Jakobson¡¯s ears who stood next to her. He frowned further but said nothing¡­ Suddenly Sarah extended her own aura. Like a tidal wave of chaotic energy, Feylin¡¯s aura was immediately engulfed and consumed by hers, displaced in space. Feylin¡¯s face blanched as he sensed what was happening.


    It seemed that whatever blessings she had received from Hoar, she was at a higher level of power than Feylin when he advanced. She continued to use her aura to surround Feylin who was shocked by what was happening. Suddenly sweat appeared from his body, he looked into Sarah¡¯s eyes and began to shiver.


    Before anyone could say anything, Sally snorted and extended her power around Feylin, protecting him from Sarah¡¯s aura, glaring at her for being so presumptuous. Feylin immediately breathed in relief. The energy he felt from her was suffocating. Sarah said nothing, and began to pull her energy back.


    Instead of leaving it there though, Sally¡¯s eyes narrowed at Sarah. She pushed her energy out further, corroding Sarah¡¯s energy and attempting to overwhelm her in strength. Sally was many levels above Sarah as a life cleric. No matter how strong the energy gifted to Sarah was, she wasn¡¯t able to fight back in the slightest.


    When everyone noticed what she was doing, Tobias immediately spoke up. ¡°Sally! Stop!¡±


    However, she ignored him, it was too late.


    Sarah frowned, the pressure from Sally was causing her head to pound and it felt like her entire body was being compressed from the outside. A small bead of sweat appeared on her brow as the energy continued to surround her.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Suddenly, a new voice entered the mix. ¡°Do you fucking dare?¡±


    A wave of sharp power rushed over the entire group. Like being dumped into a barrel full of needles, everyone¡¯s skin began to prickle uncomfortably, and goosebumps formed on their flesh.


    The aura Sally had been exuding was immediately disassembled, shaken into uselessness by the newcomer. Sally¡¯s face paled at the suddenness of it and she had to swallow back the gross feeling of being disconnected from her god. Noone did the same thing he did with Raelith, but on a larger level. The sudden backlash had almost shaken Sally¡¯s mind into useless stupor.


    Everyone looked over, seeing Noone walking steadily towards them. His eyes were dark, and white light practically glowed from his pupils. The pulsing lines on his body cast intimidating shadows on his own flesh. His face was expressionless.


    Silently, the pendant on his chest pulsed excitedly.


    Suddenly Noone¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at Sally. Compressing a portion of his energy into a needle, he shot it through what remained of Sally¡¯s aura and caused it to pierce into her mind.


    Sally¡¯s eyes went wide, her face paled even further and her brain throbbed in pain. She closed her eyes, gripping her head, swaying onto one knee.


    ¡°THAT¡¯S ENOUGH!¡± Tobias¡¯s voice shook the entire courtyard. Suddenly even Noone¡¯s strange divine sense was shattered. However, Tobias did not attack Noone, so he was able to hold onto enough divine sense to ward off a backlash.


    Tobias took it easiest on Rae, who stayed out of the way during the entire exchange. However, everyone else in the party was not so lucky. This was especially so for Sally.


    Sarah knew that nothing more would happen since Tobias had stepped in, so she willingly withdrew all her energy.


    Feylin hesitated but did the same.


    Only Noone continued to emit a small portion to show he was not willing to fully back down, however he also wasn¡¯t going to challenge Tobias. As far as he could tell, it looked like Sally caused the problems, and maybe Feylin.


    In truth if it wasn''t for his ability to manipulate the shape of his divine sense, he would never have been able to pierce through Sally''s energy. It was more of a trick than anything - he didn''t want to cause a scenario where he would actually have to go all out against her.


    When everyone calmed down enough, Tobias finally receded his aura.


    ¡°Jakobson.¡± Tobias spoke solemnly. ¡°Did you honestly pass on that path to her?¡±


    Jakobson only nodded. He was not ashamed of it. In this world, every path was viable. He knew Tobias would understand, even if the man didn¡¯t necessarily approve. This is why he was okay with Sarah continuing to travel with him. However¡­ he glanced at Sally, but said nothing.


    Noone watched on in silence, he had already done enough. The rest needed to be handled internally. When he looked towards the cart, he could see Raelith casting a weird stare in his direction.


    After a few moments, Feylin finally recovered enough of his wits. Suddenly being overwhelmed by so many different energies left the young cleric feeling like he was caught naked in a blizzard. He glanced at Noone, who met his gaze evenly. ¡°When did he get so strong¡­¡± Feylin thought, looking away.


    Finally, he looked back at Sarah¡­ looking into her eyes. He realized he had acted impulsively.


    ¡°Sarah¡­. I¡¯m sorry. I was too shocked.¡± Feylin spoke quietly. ¡°What order are you a part of now, Sarah? Please.¡±


    Sarah looked at Feylin. They had been friends and members of the same Order since they were teenagers. She didn¡¯t want to lose that. However, she didn¡¯t know how this would continue in the future either.


    ¡°I advanced as a paladin, using the Oath of Vengeance. My sole god who I pray to is Hoar.¡± Sarah spoke loud enough for the entire courtyard to hear, doing her best not to shy away from the stares of the many clergymen who had taken care of her these past few years.


    Various expressions crossed the faces of everyone present. Tobias could vaguely tell what type of path she had chosen, but he didn¡¯t realize she would choose to follow such an extreme god. This sentiment was felt by Rae as well. However, Raelith seemed to not care. To her, Sarah was Sarah. She had known a few Vengeance Paladins in her time. Although they chose to go about things very differently, they weren¡¯t bad people. Usually.


    Only Sally made a disgusted face, saying nothing.


    Feylin¡¯s face was blank. He was shocked, and didn¡¯t know what to think.


    ¡°Why¡­ Sarah?¡± He asked. It was a simple question, Sarah didn¡¯t even need to stop and think.


    ¡°I had no prospects within the Order of Life. Like Tobias said before. Even if I advanced, I would eventually hit a plateau. A block I would not be able to ascend past.¡± She sighed.


    ¡°I realized that I clung so tightly to the Order of Life because it was the first place to take me in after I lost my home, and my family. It was my comfort. However, it could not take me where I want to go.¡±


    Feylin looked at her. Like a memory blowing to the surface of a storm, he suddenly remembered words she had spoken to him while they were trekking back from their assignment to capture Noone.


    It was after he had found out Sarah managed to learn the miracle to summon weapons, and she summoned a chain.


    ¡°¡®Why chains?¡¯¡± He asked her. ¡°¡®Because¡­¡¯¡± Her voice was soft and carried no further than his ears. ¡°¡®There are things in this world that deserve to be chained to hell.¡¯¡±


    Feylin shut his eyes. He realized that he had been too na?ve. This whole time¡­ it had been like this. He had just refused to see it.


    Finally, he chuckled to himself, saying nothing.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Tobias¡¯s voice was heavy as he spoke. ¡°Everyone, go get your packs ready. We leave in one hour. We will not have another incident like this.¡± He looked directly at Sally. ¡°Sally. You stay here. We are going to have a talk. Raelith can grab your bag.¡±


    Sally did not dare to speak back. Ultimately, she was still a student, and Tobias was a grand-paladin. He was above her in seniority and directly in charge of her within the order. However¡­ she glanced at the rest of the party. Sarah, Noone, Rae. Even Jakobson.


    Noone returned the glance, giving her a cold stare.


    The group dispersed, all with their own thoughts.

 116. Eephie

    Sarah stood silently in her room, the lamp flickering as the oil within was gradually used up. Normally she would go to replace the oil but¡­ what was the point now? Soon she would leave Ardglass, the temple, and who knows how long it would be until she could return?


    In this world it wasn¡¯t uncommon for people to disappear their whole lives. The world was extremely large, even if they didn¡¯t die ¨C how could they guarantee they wouldn¡¯t get stuck in another part of the continent?


    This problem was doubled for those with long lives like Rae. In a tenth of her lifespan, any human friends she makes would most likely be long dead by the time she came around again.


    Certain classes humans could study would allow them to extend their lives, but that really only prolonged the issue.


    Really what she was worried about¡­ was whether or not Jakobson would still be alive by the time she returned.


    Sarah choked back the anxiety she felt and took a deep breath. There was nothing to do about it now. That was a problem for future her.


    Suddenly there was a small knock at the door. Sarah looked over startled, who? It didn¡¯t sound like the knocking of an adult¡­


    When she opened the door an extremely short figure rushed into the room wrapping their tiny arms around her. Sarah tensed for a moment but immediately relaxed, her hand came down patting the smaller figures head.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Yisa. It¡¯s okay.¡± Wrapped around her legs was a small girl Sarah had known for most of her life. This young girl was the spoiled-sweet acolyte in training, Yisanet. Sarah could see tears in the bloodshot eyes of the tiny being. Her tiny body shivered with grief the way only children could.


    Sarah knelt down and easily lifted the small girl into her arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I will be back eventually¡­¡± Sarah said, however she couldn¡¯t help but feel that her promise was hollow.


    Yisanet looked at Sarah in the eyes. Sarah felt guilty, even though Yisanet was so young, she felt as though she had been looked right through. A gentle smile formed on Sarah¡¯s face.


    ¡°Are you still you? After¡­. What Feylin said¡­¡± Her small voice quivered slightly, but she did her best to put up a strong front. Sarah nodded, realizing that Yisa had witnessed everything that occurred outside. She sighed, unsure of what to say.


    Eventually Sarah reached up and began to fiddle with her own hair. She pulled out a silver hairclip she had received from one of the senior clerics after coming to the temple, and delicately adjusted Yisa¡¯s hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m still me Yisa." Sarah slowly stroked the young girls¡¯ brown hair, brushing it out of her face and slipping the hairclip above her ear. "Take this, and consider it a promise. We will meet again. It will just take some time.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± Yisa''s voice clearly expressed her own distrust.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Sarah shook her head. She watched the young girls hand feel the silver clip which now held back her hair off her forehead.


    Yisanet had grown up within the temple much the same way Feylin had. She looked up to Jakobson like a father, she looked up to Feylin like an older brother, and Sarah like a sister.


    Now¡­ they would be leaving. And not just for a little bit like before¡­ but for a long time.


    Yisanet thought she would come to terms with it by the time they returned from their journey to the edge, but she had never been so wrong.


    The two spoke for a while longer in the soft lit room. Sarah continued to hold the young red-eyed girl. It was all she could do.


    ¡­


    Noone watched this from his room as he collected what few personal items he owned. Everything else would already be stored within the cart.


    As the time ticked away, Noone sat down and began absorbing what energy he could in the small amount of time left.


    His body processed the threads of energy which floated around him, but his mind thought about other things.


    ¡°I was able to overwhelm Sally¡¯s energy completely. Although I did use a bit of trickery¡­¡± Noone thought. ¡°And she wasn¡¯t being a hundred percent serious either.¡± Various feelings crossed his mind as he analyzed what occurred out in the courtyard. He had come to realize the gist of what occurred, and it left a bad taste in his mouth for Sally. She was too closed minded, he thought.


    "If she was able to fully utilize the blessings of her gods, there was no way I should have been able to overwhelm her." He thought quietly about the energy he felt. It was clear that clerics¡¯ and paladin¡¯s auras were an extension of their gods. Noone figured this must have been helped by the fact they were within their temple, a place already overflowing with life god''s blessings.


    "Ultimately... even the strength of their auras is merely an extension of what their gods allot to them." In the end, none of this mattered to Noone. Nothing mattered compared to the experience he receivedEnjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    He was able to feel out the auras of almost everyone in the party.


    From the outside it seemed that Noone was stepping up to Sarah¡¯s defense. This raised many questions within the party¡¯s mind. No one except Jakobson knew that Noone had been there to help Sarah advance into a paladin.


    No one was as surprised as Sarah though. She felt that she had some understanding of Noone¡¯s personality from their interaction up to this point. He didn¡¯t seem like the type to be so aggressive for someone else¡¯s defense. Not only did Noone protect her, but actively fought back as well.


    Noone smiled. This was the impression he wanted to give.


    ...


    An hour passed quickly, and the party began to trickle back into the courtyard. Tobias and Sally stood there, any tense air between the two had evaporated by the end of the hour. Anyone who wasn¡¯t aware of what had happened before would not have been able to sense anything between the two now.


    Noone and Raelith walked into the courtyard together, having run into each other in the hall. Noone was unsure whether or not to laugh at how casual she was despite the altercation between her partner and Sarah. Noone was always pleasantly surprised at how casual Rae could be. She always kept her cards very close to her heart, hidden behind a meaningless smile. In many ways Noone respected her for this, he hoped that her ability would rub off on him.


    ¡°You are quite strong Noone. But you really shouldn¡¯t have been so aggressive.¡± Raelith¡¯s flowery voice drifted only to his ears. Noone merely chuckled, looking her in the eyes to see how serious she was. Eventually he sighed.


    ¡°Perhaps. But what¡¯s done is done.¡± He shrugged awkwardly. He glanced towards the cart, and Sally. ¡°Sometimes certain outcomes are unavoidable. It is only a matter of when.¡± A playful smile was on his lips. Raelith nodded but said nothing.


    In truth Raelith wasn¡¯t very happy with Sally¡¯s behavior. However, Raelith and Sally had never been friends back in the Burian. They were very different people. Raelith knew that she would have to hold her tongue to work with her.


    She was old enough that small scuffles like this weren¡¯t even worth noticing anymore. She saw it as the minor drama of the human emotion. This was why she was able to remain so aloft.


    ¡°By the way, I like your clothes.¡± Raelith gave Noone a knowing smile. He couldn¡¯t help but grin back.


    ¡°Thank you. These are with the style of my home. I picked them up earlier from Mr. Rynt.¡±


    Sarah walked into the courtyard with the young teary-eyed girl following along closely. Yisanet wanted to be there to the very last moment.


    Sarah and Sally made eye contact for a moment but neither said anything.


    Jakobson stood off to the side and Sarah quietly approached him.


    ¡°Jakobson, I was wondering if I could take this book with me.¡± Sarah handed over a book which had been resting in her room ever since before she left for their trip to the edge of the world. If Feylin had been there to see it, he would recognize the small book as the guide Sarah and he had initially used to look up what the Burian was a year ago.


    Jakobson looked down at the leather-bound cover and flipped through the book silently. For some reason he had no recollection of a book like this within their library.


    The writing was incredibly small and immaculate. Inside there was an immense amount of information about the various geography¡¯s and political affiliations of the common world. There was something about everything - from the Northern Tip to the Southern Ocean - and even some information about the eastern continent. Jakobson¡¯s eyebrows rose as he continued to flip through it.


    ¡°Amazing.¡± He thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know how this ended up in our library but there¡¯s some serious work put into this.¡± Jakobson closed the book and then opened the front cover. After scanning the page he found an incredibly small signature in the bottom corner of the page. ¡°Eephie? Never heard of them."


    He quietly handed the book back to Sarah and gave her a single nod. This was the least he could do, and it would serve her much better than him now.


    She was quick to put it safely into her pack. She had realized since the first moment she found the book how valuable it was. Sarah had been extremely unsure if he would let her hold onto it, however she didn¡¯t want to steal it from the temple either.


    Finally, Feylin walked into the courtyard. He looked much better than he did before, but there was a tenseness to his movements. He made eye contact with Sarah and did his best to give her a reassuring smile, however it came off slightly stiff.


    Tobias watched the courtyard like a hawk, not missing a single action. He frowned but knew there was nothing he could do about it right now. He glanced at Sally. After talking with her he trusted that she wouldn¡¯t cause any more trouble, however he still had to deal with the tension she already created.


    Ultimately it didn¡¯t matter what Sarah chose to do, as long as it did not affect their ability to work as a unit and no one tried to disrupt the hierarchy.


    Tobias¡¯s opinion of Sarah had not changed, and after thinking about Jakobson¡¯s choice, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that it may have been the right one. Even Tobias had not always been a part of the Order of Life.


    Sally summoned a horse and silently attached it to the cart. Conversation began to die down and everyone knew that soon they would be leaving.


    Feylin and Sarah couldn¡¯t help but look around at the temple courtyard, trying to burn the image of it into their minds.


    Like a family being forced apart, they gave Jakobson their last goodbye¡¯s. Jakobson, in a moment of weakness, hugged both of them.


    ¡°You both need to take care of each other. No. Matter. What. When you manage to come back, I want you to be just as close as you were when you left.¡± He whispered into both of their ears.


    They looked at each other. Eventually they nodded. Jakobson had basically raised them both, what else could they do? A smile broke through the tenseness in their bodies. When Jakobson saw this, he was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Tobias¡¯s voice brought them back into the moment. ¡°It¡¯s time to go. We have a month¡¯s journey to the next town, so it won¡¯t be so bad from here on out.¡±


    Everyone nodded, stepping to their place around the cart.


    The temple watched on silently as the party of six left through the front gates.


    The sun was halfway between the peak of the sky and the horizon, they had three or four hours of daylight left.

 117. Innocents

    ¡°Noone! Sarah!¡± A cheerful and slightly accented voice called out to the party as they passed through the main rode in town. The group looked over to see a tall and well-armored dragonborn approaching them. Tobias glanced at them, seeing if they recognized this individual.


    Noone noticed him immediately and proceeded to wave him over, giving Tobias a nod. Sarah had been caught up in her own thoughts, so the sudden interruption caught her by surprise.


    As the dragonborn approached, his cheerful smile widened when he noticed Tobias staring at him. They shared a nod, making it clear that he wouldn¡¯t keep them for long.


    ¡°Are you two headed out of town now?¡± he looked Sarah and Noone up and down. The power exuded from the two had increased since they met last giving Patrin pause for thought.


    ¡°Yes, we are headed towards the capital.¡± Sarah said. Patrin nodded, coming to his own understanding.


    ¡°Well. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I hope you find what you are looking for.¡± He flashed a well-meaning smile, which looked odd on his scaly face. ¡°And you as well Noone. If you ever find yourself up near the northern desert, my clan name is Norixius. We are well known throughout the desert regions.¡± He put a hand on Noone¡¯s shoulder, giving a look like he was trying to make sure Noone remembered his words. ¡°I don¡¯t much believe in coincidence; the universe is too crazy for something like coincidence. I have a feeling we will meet again.¡±


    Noone nodded, not shying away from making eye contact with the electric-blue reptilian pupils. He used a bit of divine sense to increase the power of his sight. Suddenly a pressure built up in the minds of them both, causing them to glance away.


    Finally, Patrin took his hand of Noone¡¯s shoulder chuckling to himself. ¡°Ah. It seems I was worried over nothing!¡±


    After wishing the party safe travels, his tall figure managed to disappear into the crowds. Noone kept his divine sense on the man for as long as he could, trying to understand what just occurred.


    Tobias gave Noone a look but said nothing. He also kept a close eye on the dragonborn. Although it seemed he came with no ill intent, Tobias was able to see clearly how strong that being was. Finally, he shook his head, continuing to lead them out of Ardglass.


    ¡°Sarah? When did you meet a guy like that?¡± Feylin asked. He had never seen such an intimidating dragonborn before, but that Patrin seemed rather familiar with Sarah and Noone.


    ¡°Noone and I went to the tavern a few nights ago where we ran into him. He¡¯s an adventurer or mercenary. I¡¯m not really sure. But he shared many stories with us about the eastern continent.


    ¡°The eastern continent?¡± Everyone in the party turned their heads, paying close attention to what Sarah said. The eastern continent was no joke.


    ¡°Yeah. He said he had lived there amongst a race of goliaths.¡± Sarah looked back to where Patrin had disappeared, she quietly wondered how much of his stories were true. Something told her¡­ that he wasn¡¯t the type to exaggerate too much.


    Raelith whistled, she couldn¡¯t help but glance back either. ¡°He was quite strong¡­¡± A small smile broke on her lips that only she could understand.


    ¡°And rather well spoken for a dragonborn.¡± Sally said. She had initially been shocked by how naturally common escaped his lips. Noone and Sarah were too inexperienced to understand, but Common was a particularly difficult language for the dragonborn. If anything, it showed he was well studied.


    Noone listened quietly to the banter of the party. He thought about the look they shared, and the pressure that had impacted his mind. He felt like Patrin had been trying to tell him something secretly, however he didn¡¯t understand what it was. Eventually all he could do was commit ¡®Norixius¡¯ to memory in case it became useful in the future, and leave it at that.


    By the time they passed through the town and were past the crops and fields of Ardglass, the sun was casting deep shadows within the forest. The trees danced with a nightly wind.


    ¡°By the way Noone. What are your clothes?¡± Sarah asked, looking at the odd ways the fabric of Noone¡¯s pants folded while he walked. Everyone glanced back at Noone. They all had noticed the oddity earlier, but no one thought to bring it up in lieu of other events.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Mm. Rae took me to a tailor¡¯s, it was a long-shot but I asked him to help me recreate some of the clothes from my home.¡± Noone¡¯s voice was steady as he talked. However, he couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of Tapestry as he spoke. His hand delicately stroked the tie on his pants.


    ¡°They¡¯re quite different from anything in the common realm according to him.¡± Noone continued. ¡°However, as far as I am concerned, they¡¯re much more comfortable than the clothes here. Easier to move in.¡±


    Eventually the sun set, and the forest was submerged into darkness. Due to the canopy of leaves overhead, much of the moonlight and starlight was covered, causing the forest to seem even more isolated.


    Noone was able to expand his divine sense six meters, giving him a perfect view of his immediate surroundings. However, he was forced to rely on his normal senses to view anything further out than that.


    Raelith and Tobias had no problem seeing in this level of darkness, although not perfectly. Only the other three were forced to stay close to the cart while Tobias took the lead. Luckily, they seemed to be staying on a dirt trail, allowing travel to be a bit easier than if they were trekking uncharted land.


    The plan was to walk through the night and day, then rest on the next night. According to Jakobson, they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about any monsters or beasts out here because they were so close to the edge of the forest. It wouldn¡¯t be until they got closer to the next town that they should need to be careful.


    The deeper into the forest one goes, the more likely it is to run into higher level creatures.


    After advancing, Sarah and Feylin would have no trouble staying awake for a couple days. Let alone Noone who had already been able to subvert his exhaustion using the energy he absorbed. As long as he was able to absorb a bit of the natural energy of the universe, presumably he could outlast anyone else in the party.


    After an hour of being submerged in darkness, Sally finally used a miracle to light up the area around them. A soft blue white light cast shadows outwards, allowing everyone to see what was ahead.


    So late into the night, no one bothered to try and force conversation. Instead they just let the serene atmosphere creep into their party. Everyone was too busy with their own thoughts to care.


    ¡°I was able to advance into the fourth level of qi condensation by a fluke, mainly.¡± Noone thought. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Sarah advancing into a paladin, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to absorb such an intense energy. But¡­ doing so not only allowed me to level up, but also pointed me in the right direction.¡± Noone realized after breaking through, that he didn¡¯t necessarily need to absorb the thick black and red threads of universe energy. All that did was help to speed up the process.


    ¡°If I had taken it slow and forced the energy within my core to absorb more and more of the smaller level natural energy, I would have eventually reached the same level of qi condensation suffused throughout my meridians.¡± Noone considered this. It seemed that at the stage he was at, his sole goal was to increase the sheer amount of universe energy flowing through him. As he did, the increased density would force the vapor-like energy to humidify and condense into liquid.


    Noone looked into his own body, watching the energy pulse through his core.


    ¡°At the level it is at now, I would be lucky to form more than a few drops of liquid energy. And it doesn¡¯t help that I can only absorb energy passively while sitting in meditation.¡± He frowned, considering his possibilities. ¡°I can¡¯t go around stealing energy from gods¡­ that¡¯s going to be a good way to get myself killed.¡± His frown deepened. ¡°Then again¡­ if I could manage to get a god¡¯s blessing before doing so¡­¡±


    Noone continued to muse to himself through the night. He wouldn¡¯t be able to absorb more energy until they stopped the next night, so it was the most he could do.


    Noone scratched his chest, fingers knocking into the pendant which hung from his neck under his shirt. On a whim, Noone pulled out the pendant, staring at it as he walked. He tried raising it above his head, but as soon as it reached neck-level he was unable to lift it any further. Unsurprised, Noone put the pendant back under his shirt.


    ¡°The woman who gave the grand priest this pendant¡­ was this how it was meant to be used?¡± Noone thought about the inner devil of his sealed inside. If it weren¡¯t for this pendant, and the power of the seal which had constrained him for a full month, Noone was unsure if he would have ever been able to regain himself.


    He chose to give himself over to that violence and cold hate when he broke through in Tapestry. The power which had coursed through him¡­ not only was it intoxicating but it fueled Noone¡¯s desire for revenge. To pay back the death of Tapestry a thousand-fold.


    Despite that devil being sealed away¡­ the feelings were still in Noone. Having been ¡®possessed¡¯ and then regaining his own consciousness, Noone understood a few things about the power he had given himself over to.


    It was a raging flame which burned through him like, molten metal, and a cold pain like liquid silver. The hate was the flame, a flame that did not need oxygen. But there was a cruel and cold calculation behind that. People failed to be people, innocents were not safe, anything that stood between him and his goal was to be removed.


    There was an inherent power to that kind of existence. Noone had felt this firsthand. But this was not a power Noone needed at the cost it came. Hate and cruelty still existed within him, but it was not blind. Noone understood that there were innocent¡¯s in this world. His hatred was not blind anymore.

 118. Patience

    Thunk


    Thunk


    Thunk


    It was early in the morning, the sun was preparing to ascend above the horizon, creating a soft glow within the forest.


    Sarah and Raelith were standing a small distance away, their back to the cart. Sarah was staring at a tree 20 yards away, in her hands were a number of knives, each one nothing more than a sharpened piece of sheet metal.


    Since stopping just before sunrise, Raelith had caught a few rabbits for breakfast. The thinking was, if they were in a forest rich with food, why would they waste their normal rations which could last for months?


    When Raelith separated with the group to hunt for breakfast, she brought Sarah with her. Tobias had watched them disappear into the forest but said nothing.


    When they returned half an hour later, Raelith was verbally instructing Sarah about the specifics of knife throwing. Aiming, speed, rotations. Sarah listened intently, not wanting to miss a word. She had watched Raelith accurately pierce the necks of scurrying rabbits with these knives. If she could learn how to do the same, it would not doubt be an incredible skill.


    ¡°But remember. I have had hundreds of years to practice these skills.¡± Raelith reminded, but Sarah was already intensely focused, attempting to strike a makeshift target Raelith had carved into the trunk of the tree.


    Everyone else watched on curious. This was especially so when Raelith would throw some as an example. Tobias smiled wryly, he could throw knives fairly accurately, it was one of those things you just pick up over time. But as he watched Raelith use the least amount of movement and energy to accurately pierce even the smallest of targets, the difference between them was too much. It was like comparing the sword skills of a child to those of a veteran soldier.


    Noone watched along carefully, using his divine sense to observe every movement she made. Each twitch of muscle and miniscule shift in balance was noticed by him, but even he felt that he would be unable to accurately recreate her skills without years of effort.


    ¡°It is only because she is a weapons expert first, that she is so skilled.¡± Sally spoke to Feylin, both watching the two train while they ate. ¡°A skill like that is purely offensive. As a Cleric, we have no need for such techniques at that level. Being able to protect ourselves and heal others is our charge as the foundations of the Order of Life.¡± It seemed there were unspoken words which were hidden, and she chose to keep to herself.


    Tobias nodded. ¡°That is mostly true. You will see in a few months when we join up with the Cinapul army at Stone-Eye.¡± The way he said ¡®Stone-eye¡¯ Felt forced, mixed with bitter memories of what happened at the start of this assignment. ¡°The clerics like you and Sally and Rae will be charged with healing and protecting the injured. As a paladin I will most likely be assigned to help at the front, organizing units to transport the injured to the medical centers.¡± Feylin nodded in response, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that this would be the first time he would see what it really meant to be a member in the Order of Life.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°And¡­ what about Sarah? And Noone?¡± Feylin asked. He couldn¡¯t help but feel the way he asked ¡®and Noone¡¯ made it too obvious that Noone was an afterthought. However, no one said anything.


    ¡°Sarah¡­¡± Tobias paused, thinking. ¡°Although she is travelling with us, technically she is no longer a member of our Order. I suppose it¡¯s up to her. There will definitely be a use for her on the frontlines, and because this is a conjoined effort of various factions to uproot the drow, she will definitely be able to find others she can join with if she wants to¡­ Or she could go her own way, and not get involved at all.¡± The paladin shrugged. ¡°The oath of vengeance is an¡­ aggressive path.¡± Tobias continued. ¡°But more on an individual scale. Although any Paladins¡¯ battle prowess can be tremendous on a battlefield, ultimately it is not what her class is meant for. It¡¯s not like the war paths.¡± Feylin nodded, taking the time to internalize every word.


    When he spoke, Tobias did not bother to lower his voice and Sarah had heard what he said. She grit her teeth and managed to sink one of the knives completely into the tree, creating a loud thunk.


    No one said anything, and eventually Tobias cleared his throat.


    ¡°As for Noone.¡± Noone looked at Tobias, making eye contact. ¡°I honestly have no idea. Since we are supposed to deliver you to the Grand Cinapul Temple¡­ it wouldn¡¯t really be right to have you join. However, the other factions may not see it that way. Worst comes to worst I can involve the grand-priest to write out an allowance for you that they will have to listen to.¡± Noone nodded his head, and then closed his eyes continuing to absorb the threads in his surroundings.


    The energy he gained from each thread was basically negligible at this point, however Noone¡¯s strengthened divine sense allowed him to absorb more than just one at a time, counteracting the miniscule amount of energy by a bit.


    ¡°Alright. Five minutes before we leave.¡± Tobias stood up groaning a bit as he stretched his arms and legs, preparing for another full-days walk. ¡°Ugh. I just keep getting older.¡± He mumbled to himself. Noone couldn¡¯t help but pause his absorption to look at Tobias.


    The towering beast of a man was indeed starting to show his age a bit. He had bleach white hair and an intense beard. His face and flesh were tanned and leathery, wrinkling around the eyes and mouth. Despite all this though Noone would never underestimate Tobias. The way he carried himself, and his battle axe, someone would have to be a fool to underestimate such a man.


    Noone thought about what Tobias had said. Obviously Noone had never seen a battlefield before, however he couldn¡¯t help but feel it would be a good place to hone his strength. Since arriving at the surface, he had experienced combat twice. Noone quickly realized that no matter what his inherent strength was at, he would quickly become outclassed by those with more experience.


    ¡°Maybe I should ask Raelith to train me?¡± Noone thought. He glanced at Rae who was coaching Sarah. ¡°Or maybe¡­¡± Noone looked towards Tobias.


    They were around the same height and build, Noone¡¯s body was younger and more muscular, but Tobias wore his mass with an intensity even Noone couldn¡¯t match. Tobias noticed Noone looking at him and glanced back. Noone looked away. Maybe I will bring it up later.


    The rest of the day passed uneventfully, everyone had become absorbed by the gentle sounds and light of a mid-day forest.


    Noone took in his surroundings with a subtle smile on his lips. He never imagined there could be so many trees or foliage. Everything here was so different from Tapestry and the area at western edge of the world.


    And to think this was only a corner of the world available to him now¡­


    ¡°I wonder¡­ Where Adria is¡­¡± Noone¡¯s eyes were calm but underneath there was a malevolent light. He would never let the injustice of Tapestry go, and at some point, he would need to find Adria and figure out what really happened. I hope she¡¯s okay.


    Noone had thought about bringing her up to the party, seeing if any of them might know something. But the more Noone learned about how big the world is, the more he realized he would have a horribly hard time finding her. The only thing he could do know was get stronger, and hope.


    If he got strong enough¡­ she would find him.

 119. Prepare Yourself

    The next few days passed uneventfully. Raelith and Sarah continued to hunt for food together. For some reason, Raelith was keen to pass on every skill she could to Sarah within the time they had left as a party.


    There was a slight rustle from the brush and a knife glinted in the sunlight as it shot in between the branches of a berry-bush. A fleshy thud sounded from within the leaves.


    ¡°Good job Sarah.¡± Raelith spoke smoothly and quietly, her voice mixed with the natural flow of the air within the forest. Sarah nodded. She stuck her hand into the bushes, searching around for her kill. By the ears, she pulled out a medium sized rabbit.


    ¡°That should do for dinner.¡± Sarah said, tying the rabbit to her belt. She had already killed two others to complement Raelith''s four. They began walking back towards the rest of the party, their footsteps were relatively silent against the forest soil.


    ¡°Rae. Thank you.¡± Sarah spoke, breaking the silence.


    Rae nodded but said nothing. She had nothing against Sarah and the path she chose. Having traveled with the young girl for so long, Rae couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of responsibility for Sarah''s safety.


    ¡°You are going down an aggressive path Sarah. You will come up against the worst of society, and have to kill those who are much stronger than me or even Tobias. Not now though - now you are still young and wet behind the ears - but eventually. This is the least I can do.¡± Raelith had lived a long time compared to most humans, but compared to the elven race she was the equivalent of a human woman in her mid-20¡¯s. She wasn¡¯t so old or uncaring to be jaded. She couldn¡¯t stand by and leave Sarah unprepared. It wouldn''t sit well with her.


    Sarah considered her words carefully. She was extremely grateful for Raelith¡¯s companionship and guidance. How could she not tell that Rae was going out of her way for her sake? Especially since she didn¡¯t need to. No one would think less of Rae if she had left Sarah to her own devices, the fact she didn¡¯t¡­ it said a lot about her. At the very least, Sarah felt like she could trust her.


    ¡°I was thinking¡­ Noone is going down a similar path to myself, isn¡¯t he?¡± Sarah spoke calmly, but her mind drifted. Their whole party knew about Noone¡¯s past, and what he was looking for. Sarah couldn¡¯t help but think of Noone as a kindred spirit. Even if he wasn¡¯t a paladin like herself.


    Rae thought about this for a moment, but eventually only nodded her head.


    ¡°Noone is going down his own path. He is not in debt or a servant to any gods. At worst¡­ he is a prisoner to himself. But only time will tell how that will unfold.¡± Raelith put a finger playfully to her chin, mocking deep thought. She couldn¡¯t help but try to take the seriousness out of her own words.


    ¡°I should train with him.¡± Sarah mused out loud. ¡°He is strong after all¡­ and I have already trained with the rest of the party by now. And I doubt that we can train like we used to before anyways¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she thought about the way Sally had been colder to her since their departure from Ardglass.


    ¡°You can if you wish.¡± Raelith chuckled. ¡°However, before that I should let you in on a little secret.¡± Raelith smiled sheepishly at Sarah, like a playful child who know something but pretended they didn¡¯t want to say. Instead of giving Rae the satisfaction of knowing she piqued Sarah¡¯s interest, Sarah only leveled an even stare towards Rae. A stare she had picked up from Noone, actually.


    ¡°Alright alright. I¡¯ll tell you. In the middle of the night during our night watch while you and Feylin sleep¡­ Tobias has been taking Noone out into the forest. Training him in the ways of being a big axe-wielding monster.¡± Rae chuckled.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Sarah¡¯s jaw dropped. She wasn¡¯t exactly a heavy sleeper, and by the time she woke, Tobias and Noone were always in camp like nothing had happened. When did this start?


    ¡°Why do they go so far away to train? Why don¡¯t they train with the rest of us?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°Chances are Noone has abilities he doesn¡¯t want certain people to know of.¡± Raelith¡¯s white teeth showed through her wry smile, both of them thought of the same person. ¡°But, I am sure he wouldn¡¯t mind training with you if you¡¯re serious. Especially with Tobias nearby to keep an eye out.¡±


    Sarah thought about this but said nothing. Ultimately, she shook her head, Noone was doing his own training. She didn¡¯t want to distract him from it.


    As soon as they returned to camp, Feylin and Sally began skinning and cooking the rabbits. As they worked, Sarah noticed sweat on Feylin¡¯s forehead. In fact¡­ both of them seemed to be a little exhausted. Their movements were stiff and shaky as they handled the carcasses.


    Sarah understood what had happened immediately. She and Rae were gone for a couple hours training while they hunted. It seemed that she wasn¡¯t the only one who had been training hard in the past few days.


    As the sun fell below the horizon, everyone went about their own studies.


    Noone sat next to the cart, back straight and breathing steady. The lines on his body pulsed with extreme softness into the night. He had four hours until training with Tobias, in the meantime he wanted to make sure his body was in top shape.


    Sarah was knelt on the ground nearby. When contacting the gods, using a holy symbol specialized to the process allowed contact to proceed much more smoothly. Similar to the silver bracelet Raelith wore, and that she herself used to.


    Sarah did not have any holy symbol for Hoar. Since she didn¡¯t have another alternative, she focused her thoughts into black book.


    Noone immediately noticed the surge of energy within his divine sense. The density was nowhere close to what it had been the first time when Sarah broke through. Only a single red and black thread darted around Sarah as she prayed. Noone couldn¡¯t help but grunt, smiling wryly. The way the thread seemed to dart in his direction¡­ Was Hoar trying to tempt him?


    Noone wasn¡¯t so brave to try that again.


    ¡°Maybe I would have better luck with the gods of life?¡± Noone thought, peeking towards Feylin who was engaged in his own studies. However, he put that thought away for another time. Tempt fate too much and one day it will take the bait. That was a bet Noone couldn¡¯t afford to lose.


    ¡°At least¡­ not yet.¡± He smiled to himself and continued to meditate into the night.


    After a few hours and a shift change, Feylin and Sarah both laid out in their sleeping sacks to stave off the cold night air and began drifting off to sleep.


    Suddenly, Sarah¡¯s eyes opened. There was the thump of a foot right next to her body. Someone had approached her. When she looked up, she could see the large towering figure of Tobias and Noone standing over her, their eyes glowing gently against the otherwise dark sky.


    ¡°Get up.¡± Tobias¡¯s voice whispered gently. ¡°Grab your weapon, come with us.¡± Without waiting for her, Tobias began walking towards the edge of the forest. Noone split the difference, walking a little ways before stopping and turning, waiting for Sarah to catch up.


    After only a few seconds, Sarah¡¯s grogginess had completely disappeared. She walked behind the two with her weapon securely strapped to her body. No one said anything, but Sarah had an idea of what was going on.


    Judging by what she could see of the moon through the foliage, this should be the time Tobias and Noone have set aside to train.


    As if sensing her thoughts, Tobias finally stopped within a clearing. The moon and stars beamed down from above, shining off the gathering dew which condensed on the blades of grass.


    ¡°Prepare yourself.¡± Tobias¡¯s voice was calm and quiet, seeming to barely carry over the sound of the forest at night.


    Suddenly he and Noone both rushed towards Sarah. Her eyes widened and she immediately backed up several feet. But they were too close!

 120. Catch It!

    ¡°Really!?¡± Sarah managed to blurt out as she rolled back in order to duck underneath Tobias¡¯s swipe. Dirt and grass were kicked up by the sudden impact of Sarah¡¯s body. The battle-axe Tobias wielded cute the air a foot above Sarah''s head, creating a howling whoosh of air. How could she not tell what they were doing?


    ¡°Really.¡± Tobias¡¯s deep voice responded without missing a beat. Sarah couldn''t help but notice a genuine smile on his face.


    Noone was enjoying himself as well.


    When Tobias had proposed a surprise assault to Noone, initially he was a little apprehensive. How could Sarah expect to adequately fight back against both of them? Noone was unsure if she could even give himself any trouble in a one on one fight.


    Tobias seemed to be aware of Noone¡¯s thinking, and only took a few minutes to explain to Noone how they could push Sarah to her limit while still keeping things controlled. ¡°Plus¡­ She has already advanced into a proper paladin. You shouldn¡¯t underestimate her Noone.¡± The paladin had a knowing smile


    Tobias had been sparring with Noone for a few days now, and he had a reasonable idea of Noone¡¯s strengths and weaknesses.


    Noone¡¯s skills were unpolished to say the least. Like a man who learned martial arts only by watching other¡¯s, Tobias was able to see the vague movements which Noone had learned from watching him training his battle axe.


    Any deficiency in polish, Noone was able to make up for with overwhelming physical strength and his odd senses. Sneak attacks had no effect on Noone within a certain radius, thus the only way to overpower Noone was to outperform him in strength ¨C or skill.


    Tobias and Noone were very close in terms of strength, to the point where Tobias couldn''t help but feel it was unfair. But no matter how much Noone learned from watching him, Tobias had 50 years of seniority to him in combat experience. Especially axe-combat.


    ¡°Did I ever tell you how I was revered as a battle prodigy in my youth?¡± Tobias managed to say as he swung his large axe cleanly through the air, embedding it into the earth where Sarah had just been moments before.


    Sarah said nothing but glared at the older man.


    Sarah watched both of them carefully as they cycled through their attacks. When Tobias attacked, Noone would step back and to the side, giving Tobias enough room to advance on her. Tobias would then do the same thing, making space for Noone.


    It was like this that they were able to keep up a relentless onslaught on Sarah, who did her best to either dodge, or absorb the impact of each blow. Luckily neither Noone or Tobias were swinging with their full power, or even with her physical growth, she didn¡¯t know if she would be able to continue blocking.


    Sweat began to form as they circled the clearing. Noone grew increasingly surprised by Sarah¡¯s endurance.


    In the real world, combat took a few minutes at most. But these few minutes felt like they went on for eternity.


    However, during training, you were able to prolong these interactions over the course of dozens of minutes and even up to an hour.


    It was like this that people would train their bodies to the peak.


    The edge of Tobias¡¯s axe sharply impacted the handle of Sarah¡¯s pole-mace. Tobias couldn¡¯t help but notice how she held her hands carefully in such a way that even if he were to slide the blade of the axe along the pole, he would be unable to cut into her fingers. Tobias had no doubt she learned such a trick from Rae.


    He removed the pressure and began to back away. Sarah''s eyes narrowed when she saw Tobias take a step back to make room for Noone to attack. Noone and Tobias were shoulder to shoulder ¨C trading places at a well-rehearsed rate.


    Instead of letting Tobias retreat though, Sarah quickly stepped forward into their space.


    Noone¡¯s eyes widened. Because of the limited space, he couldn¡¯t swing his axe without risking seriously hurting her or Tobias who was only half a foot to his side.


    Tobias smiled as he watched her close the already small gap.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Sarah lunged forward with the mace end of her weapon breaking through what little space was left. The speed her weapon lanced through the air, combined with her forward momentum, immediately arrived at Tobias¡¯s chest. He was quick to intercept the end of her weapon with the broadside of his axe. His smile turned into a grin as he realized that Sarah hadn¡¯t held back in her attack even the slightest bit.


    Despite Tobias having stopped her weapon, the smile on Sarah¡¯s face didn¡¯t disappear. Instead it widened slightly. When Tobias saw this, he had a bad feeling.


    Noone did not stop his advance when Sarah attacked Tobias. Noone wasn¡¯t planning to attack Sarah with his axes at this distance, mainly because he didn¡¯t see any way she would be able to dodge or block in time if he did, thus he settled for a kick. I¡¯m sorry Sarah, but you shouldn¡¯t have taken your attention off of me.


    One of his legs was already shooting through the air, aiming for Sarah¡¯s ribs which she had left unguarded.


    Sarah did not flinch at all when she noticed the kick out of the corner of her eye. She knew that Noone wouldn¡¯t wait while she reset her weapon, so she counted on him to attack with his feet at this distance.


    During their spar so far she had noticed that Noone had a tendency to dodge her attacks, while Tobias would usually block anything he could, head on.


    This was why she had attacked Tobias instead of Noone.


    When Tobias blocked her strike, all of Sarah¡¯s forward momentum disappeared. Without the heavy end of her weapon moving forward, it was much easier for her to change the striking direction - sideways.


    This was her plan all along.


    Sarah lowered her stance and dug her feet into the soft forest soil. She gripped the pole in-between her arm and her body, twisting at the hips with all her might. The mace end of her weapon shifted to the side at an incredible speed, whistling through the air towards Noone.


    Her gaze met Noone¡¯s. ¡°Careful.¡± Sarah had just enough time to say this as she made her strike. She didn¡¯t want to seriously hurt him. Her voice was surprisingly even for the intensity of the fight, peppered with exhausted gasps.


    Noone was on one foot, while his other was whipping through the air towards Sarah¡¯s ribs. When he noticed her sudden twisting, he immediately saw the end of her weapon flying towards him. At the arc it was moving, it would hit Noone clean in the chest at the same time his foot impacted her side.


    For the first time since the beginning of the fight, Noone found himself in a dilemma. ¡°Even if I block it, it will throw me off balance making it so my kick will barely have any strength left¡­ And there¡¯s no way for me to dodge gracefully ¨C leaving me open for a second attack.¡± Noone¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. He managed to glance at Tobias, realizing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to intercept her before she could make a second attack.


    What do I do¡­?


    Noone wasn¡¯t the type to fall back from a challenging situation. Right now, he was deeply impressed with Sarah¡¯s skill in handling both of them in combat. Suddenly¡­


    ¡°Catch it.¡± A small voice in the back of his mind suddenly planted an incredibly worrying thought into his consciousness.


    What-


    ¡°Catch. It.¡±


    Again like a nagging worry, the idea persisted. Noone wasn¡¯t sure where the idea came from, but his body began moving as fast as it could. There was no time for any debate. He either needed to settle for exchanging blows, or scrambling into a dodge... or... catching it?


    Suddenly Noone¡¯s leg had returned to the ground. His muscles protested the shifting momentum violently, but he grit his teeth through it.


    When Sarah saw this, she smiled. ¡°Gonna dodge huh?¡± She thought, speeding up to her limit, wanting to force him into a situation where he couldn¡¯t recover in time for her next attack.


    However, what happened next completely shook her.


    Instead of dodging backwards, Noone planted his feet¡­ and he actually let go of his axes.


    They barely had enough time to leave his hands before the end of her weapon was an inch from his flesh.


    Sarah grit her teeth and her eyes went as wide as saucers. It took everything in her power not to scream, and she pulled back as hard as she could, but it was too late! Her weapon¡¯s weight plus her momentum made it impossible for her to stop.


    SMACK.


    The sound of flesh hitting metal.


    Sarah felt it before she saw what happened. Her weapon had stopped moving. Dead. No impact squish ¨C no slicing feeling¡­ or the feeling of bones being cracking under the impact¡­ it had just stopped like it was encased in cement.


    When her mind caught up to her body, her jaw dropped. Not just her, but even Tobias¡¯s eyes had gone impossibly wide, his jaw practically hitting the floor. In truth he had already been preparing a quick healing buff just in case something went wrong, but now he felt like the stars themselves had descended. He was at a loss.


    Both of Noone¡¯s hands were firmly wrapped around the pole just below the bladed mace end. His muscles bulged and twitched crazily, and his grip was like iron. Sweat could be soon condensing in beads the size of lakes on his forehead.


    Noone¡¯s heavy breathing was the only sound. He was just as shocked as anyone else. He was unable to tear his eyes away from where his hands were holding onto the weapon.


    If he had been a quarter of a second slower¡­ or missed the pole section¡­ or lost his balance¡­. If any of a hundred things had gone wrong, he wouldn¡¯t have come out of this exchange unscathed. Most likely her weapon would have crushed at least one of his forearms. An experience Noone really did not want to go through.


    Finally, he let go.


    Her weapon sagged to the ground still barely in Sarah¡¯s shocked grip.


    No one moved.


    No one said a word.


    The three of them all shared a look.


    Finally, Tobias sheathed his weapon. With a laugh he couldn¡¯t help but sit back on the earthy ground.


    ¡°Good show! Noone! Sarah! Well done.¡± Something about Tobias¡¯s voice and smile made Noone and Sarah both relax from the adrenaline-fueled moment they just experienced.


    They sat down as well, letting out their own bemused-but-nervous chuckles.

 121. Training

    "I haven''t seen something that risky in many years Noone!" Tobias had lost all pretext of seniority and spoke with a bemused chuckle.


    Everything that occurred may have taken a while to describe, but in truth it all occurred nigh instantaneously. From Tobias''s perspective, there was an eighty percent chance of an injury occurring. Thus he had begun preparing a healing miracle as soon as Sarah shifted her attention from him to Noone.


    He watched intently, waiting to see what Noone would decide to do. Would he take the attack to finish his own? Or would he dodge out of the way at the risk of being put in a more compromising position.


    Never in a hundred years did he expect for Noone to suddenly drop his weapons and stop hers, bare-handed, mid-strike.


    They say that an individual¡¯s personality is reflected through their tendencies in battle. For example, a person who dodges a lot could be seen as sly, calculating, or cowardly.


    A person who blocked every attack? Headstrong and secure.


    It was important that every fighter had some of both.


    But dropping your weapons to catch your opponent¡¯s? What was he supposed to make of that!?


    "So." Sarah''s voice was light and airy from physical exertion. "How''d I do?" She beamed a smile at Tobias and Noone who had been obviously testing her.


    Noone gave a wry smile as he glanced at Tobias.


    "Oh! You fought superbly! But if you are asking for a grade, then you definitely failed." Tobias flashed his own smile back, soft with wisdom and age. Noone only nodded but said nothing.


    "You see. Noone and I had a bet going."


    Sarah listened intently, wondering how she could have possibly done better.


    "He said that if we didn''t use any of our abilities, and attacked you directly, that you wouldn''t use any of yours." Tobias''s smile slowly withered into a serious look, as if to say: do you understand what I mean? "Noone and I agreed that I wouldn''t use any of my skills, and he couldn''t use his divine sense during the entire exchange until you used any one of your miracles."


    Sarah looked on dumbly. "But¡­ neither of you¡­" Her mouth gradually screwed itself up as though she had bitten into the world''s most sour lemon.


    She understood.


    The reason they had attacked suddenly without conversation wasn''t just to test her reaction speed, but to see how resourcefully she would respond.


    "I am sure I don''t need to say this." Noone''s voice was calm, he had managed to get control of his breathing rather quickly after sitting down. "But you''re no longer a member of the Order of Life. From what I understand, you''re going to need to get tough. And there''s nothing tougher than reality... And the reality is when you start hunting at the behest of your god and your oath, you''re going to want to use everything at your disposal as quickly as you can. Don''t give even the slightest chance for others to fight back. Rush them with everything you have no matter how unfair it may be. You don''t need to meet them on their terms."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    His eyes were cold as his own thoughts drifted to unsavory memories, including their first encounter. The words he spoke weren''t just his own thoughts. It was something he learned from the ''him'' that had been possessed by his inner devil. His hand began to go towards the pendant which hung under his shirt before pausing and going back to where it was.


    Sarah nodded, absorbing the words that he said. He was right. The way he spoke about such things caused her and Tobias to look at him oddly. They knew he had never killed to the extent that he should hold such cruel worldview. However¡­ Tobias understood he wasn''t wrong.


    "Anyways. I expect you understand. From here on out we will hold actual training. No more tricks. Sometimes we will train just our physical battle strength, other times we will do both." Tobias said.


    "You both did great. Noone, I am glad to see that you were able to work in tandem with me well. No doubt from our sparring till now, but still. It must have been hard for you to not use your ''divine sense'' however I am going to ask you continue to refrain from using it during our trainings. It should be an aid to your battle prowess. Not a crutch to it." His eyebrows raised. "That being said¡­ good job stopping her attack. But be careful about that in the future, yeah?"


    Noone nodded, taking Tobias''s words to heart. He quietly pondered where the thought had come from.


    "Sarah. You did as well as could be asked for, if not better. You handled our constant attacks calmly and managed to pinpoint the perfect time to counterattack. You didn''t let our rush distract you or overwhelm you. For that I must compliment your coolness of mind. That will serve you well in the future."


    "Only because you didn''t attack at the same time." Sarah spoke calmly, pointing out the truth of the matter. In reality, if they had wanted to truly harm her, they could have attacked her from either side simultaneously.


    "Regardless.¡± Tobias hand-waved her quip. ¡°For what we did do, you handled it perfectly." He gave her a reassuring smile. "Noone, what are your thoughts?"


    Noone expressed a few opinions he had about their performances. He was used to this from having trained with Tobias before. Tobias believed that after every good spar, it was important to analyze the goods from the bads to help cement good habits.


    "Her center of gravity and core strength needs work." Noone said, getting Sarah''s attention. "You probably got it from Rae who uses a light spear and who is very quick to weave through battle. But you don''t use a light spear, you use a heavy pole-mace. You will never be as mobile as she is, though with experience you can definitely close the gap. She also has the advantage of a lithe figure and long limbs." Noone thought about his words carefully as he spoke. "You need to work on making sure that no matter where or how you move or attack or defend or dodge, you are always stable. Like a wall. Or a pillar.


    It was because of a stable center of gravity that I was able to stop your attack dead, and even then, it was risky."


    Sarah''s eyes widened at how decisive Noone''s words were. Either training with Tobias had given him an eye for it, or he had incredible battle intuition.


    "Oh, and Tobias." Noone pointed to Tobias''s axe. "With the weight behind her attack, you could have easily brushed her lunge to the side by twisting your axe, throwing her off balance like you''ve tried to do to me plenty of times.¡±


    "Ah, you caught that huh?" Tobias chuckled, brushing his comment to the side.


    As Sarah watched the two banter, she couldn''t help but feel that they had gotten rather close, haven''t they? Is it because they had been training together?


    By the time they finished discussing plans for future training, an hour had passed. They all set out to train in a program created by Tobias while the moon travelled slowly overhead.

 122. No Time

    "Stop."


    Immediately Noone and Sarah''s weapons stopped in place, hovering in their hands like they were supported by a warrior''s statue. After a couple weeks of training, Tobias had managed to get the two perfectly in sync, improving their battle capabilities by leaps and bounds in the process.


    The two finally released the tension within their bodies and looked quizzically over at Tobias. Why did he stop them? They weren''t in any danger of hurting each other yet.


    While waiting for Tobias to say more. Noone''s eyes suddenly narrowed, he quickly shifted his body to look north into the dark forest. The same direction Tobias was watching intently.


    Sarah quickly realized something was wrong and stood next to Noone. She was unable to see anything past the first layer of trees because the canopy of leaves made the forest too dark. However, Tobias and Noone both had much better senses.


    Suddenly a rabbit dashed out of the forest and into the clearing.


    As soon as it spotted the three combatants it quickly stopped moving and instead dashed to the side, circumventing them as quickly as it¡¯s legs could carry it.


    "Not good." Tobias said. Even after the rabbit entered their line of sight, the older paladin did not take his eyes away from the forest. "Back to the cart. Quickly." He moved as he talked, not waiting to explain before he dashed back towards the rest of the party.


    "Sally and Rae are on watch right now, they should notice soon." He thought. Each step from his heavy frame caused the soft forest soil to compress as he ran. Behind him Noone and Sarah followed, neither having any trouble keeping up.


    Noone kept glancing behind him, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it is that caused the change in atmosphere. He hadn''t noticed it before when training with Sarah, but as soon as they stopped, he began to realize¡­


    The forest was silent. The usual mild hum of life that constantly existed in the background of their minds ever since leaving from Ardglass, was gone. It seemed as though even the wind had stilled, cutting off the noise of rustling leaves.


    Upon approaching the cart, they could see Rae, Sally and Feylin all standing together in a circle. Someone had cast a magic light which lit up the road around them with a gentle moonlight glow.


    "Tobias. Direwolves to the north. More than 50 less than a hundred." Raelith spoke evenly but quickly as soon as the three approached from within the forest.


    "Mm. How long?"


    "They are running¡­ two minutes." Raelith said. Tobias nodded, trusting her words entirely. Elves were always more attuned with nature than the common person. While not as accurate as the wood-elves of many forests, a moon-elf like Rae was good enough. On top of that she had more than a century of experience traversing forests across the continent. Tobias would have to be a fool to not trust her.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Noone searched his brain, wondering what these direwolves were. He vaguely recalled being taught about such a beast, but it wasn''t something that had stuck with him while learning the common language.


    Feylin and Sarah on the other hand immediately tensed up. There weren''t many monsters in these forests, the magic density was too low to support them. However, within the southern forests there were beasts aplenty. Each with their own territories.


    Direwolves were like the field wolves of the inner kingdom, only much larger. Each one could easily reach two meters in height. And they travelled and hunted in packs.


    If there truly were 50 headed their way¡­ They said a small prayer to their respective gods.


    Tobias thought for a few moments, looking over the entire party.


    Noone was relaxed, although he could sense the tenseness of the party, it hadn''t reached a point where they were deathly afraid, thus Noone believed that he had no reason to worry too much.


    "Sally, Feylin, Rae. You three stay near the cart and offer support where you can." Tobias spoke quickly.


    "Noone. Sarah." He made eye contact with them, leaving no room for argument. "You both will take the brunt of the attack. Work together. I will be right behind you to take care of any which might break through your protection or come in from the sides. So just focus on the one''s that come from the front."


    Suddenly there was a rustle from the bushes which lined the sides of the road. Immediately everyone could see the dark brown fur of the wolves which easily crested over the height of the brush ¨C darting between the trees.


    "This isn''t training. You can use all your abilities. Whatever you do though, don''t get hurt. Pull back if you need to." Tobias gave one final reminder as he took positions between them and the cart.


    Noone pulled out both of his axes and gripped them tightly. The pale light which was cast over their party reflected hundreds of pairs of eyes between the trees.


    A shiver ran through Sarah''s spine. She couldn''t help but shake out a chill while she readied her weapons. In the back of her mind, chains were being prepared.


    Normally the miracle to summon weapons was exclusive to clerics, however she had bargained with Hoar to keep it. She was particularly fond of her chains.


    Noone stretched his divine sense out to its limits. He could feel the stares from dozens of wolves and his mind calmed, preparing and calculating.


    Unlike the rest of them, Noone was acutely aware at how many techniques he was missing compared to his counterparts. Sarah was capable of summoning another weapon out of thin air, and Sally could summon a steed.


    They all had healing abilities, and Noone wasn''t even sure what skills Tobias was holding onto.


    All he had was his strength and divine sense¡­


    Cool energy circulated Noone''s meridians and his breath steadied. A smile stretched across Noone''s face as he heard the first shuffling of paws and fur move forward.


    The full form of several direwolves broke into sprints as they dashed out from the tree line, there was no time for any more planning.

 123. Suddenly, Direwolves.

    Before anyone could react, both Noone and Sarah were covered in blue haze.


    Initially Noone¡¯s face fell and he began to circulate his energy faster, unsure of what was happening. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Sarah had glanced backwards but otherwise didn¡¯t react to the light.


    Noone focused his divine sense behind him and saw the same blue light emanating from Sally¡¯s palm. Raelith stood protectively in front of Sally while she focused on casting.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Noone thought. He easily flicked both axes, testing his muscles. Although only by a bit, Noone was able to sense that his movements had quickened. He was already insanely fast for his cultivation level due to the sheer amount of strength he could exert, but now Noone felt like his body was in the top condition. Evidently Sarah must have been feeling the same thing.


    Ten direwolves had already rushed out into the road and were only a split second away from crashing into them. Sarah''s eyes were steady and without hesitation she stepped forward jabbing the heavy end of her weapon directly into front most beast.


    The direwolf seemed surprised by the sudden advance and quickly moved its head to the side. However, the bladed mace-end of Sarah¡¯s weapon struck into the wolf¡¯s chest. She grit her teeth and firmly planted her back foot into the ground.


    Using the wolf¡¯s momentum, she stood her ground forcing the wolf to impale itself onto the end before tossing it to the side.


    Noone watched Sarah, amused by her vigor. However, he didn¡¯t take his eyes off the wolves heading for him. Compared to Sarah, Noone was almost twice as massive. However, his weapons were short and sharp compared to hers long blunt range. This meant he had to get in close to attack.


    Noone sent energy coursing through his body, fueling his movement and expanding his sight to its limits. Trying to internalize all the wolves¡¯ movements caused a slight throb in his head, but it was nothing he couldn¡¯t stave off for a while.


    One axe swept cleanly forward, coming straight down from above. The wolves in front of him seemed shocked by his speed, it didn¡¯t even have a chance to dodge to the side before its brain was split in half by the immense force and sharpened edges of Noone¡¯s axe.


    Noone swiftly pulled his axe out, lifting the wolf¡¯s body in the process.


    Instead of tossing the wolf to the side, he was quick in leveling a kick at the wolf''s chest, sending it flying back into the pack causing them to slow down and scatter out of the way.


    Behind him, Feylin couldn¡¯t help but grimace as he watched. "How brutal..." He mumbled to himself. Yet he was unable to tear his eyes away.


    Noone''s eyes were clear and expressionless as he watched each move the wolves made, planning his next step. Just like when he had fought the epoch tribesman, Noone could feel a cool soothing energy overcome his mind, cruelty and calculation easily suppressed any other feelings.


    A red flash caught Noone¡¯s attention and he glanced at Sarah. The corpse of the wolf he had kicked back lightened the attacks Sarah was facing, giving her just enough time to summon her chains.


    Unlike the blue chains she had summoned before, her chains now glowed with a red light. Noone immediately recognized the energy emanating off of them and could tell that they were tinged with the power of her god.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Like poisonous brambles, the chains shot forward in a radius from her and snaked along the ground, ensnaring the wolves¡¯ paws and causing them to slow down even further. Sarah¡¯s mind was calm as two sharpened ends of the chains began to shoot towards the closest wolf.


    It tried to jump away, but the red chains on the ground wrapped around its paws causing it to lose balance. It did not have enough time to react before the chains pierced through its heart. The wolf collapsed to the earth immediately.


    Noone managed to tear his eyes away and did not hesitate to move even further forward taking care of any wolves Sarah did not ensnare. It wouldn¡¯t be long, he thought, before the wolves tried to circumvent her entirely out of fear. On top of that, he wasn¡¯t sure how long she could maintain such a spell.


    His axes swung at an incredible speed, whistling through the air before embedding themselves in the thick hides of the direwolves¡¯ fur and muscles.


    Noone fought to cause as much chaos as he could, to disorganize the pack and keep them from rushing towards the party all at once.


    Three wolves collapsed, dead where they had stood. Then four. Then five. One wolf after the next were killed by the axe-wielding Noone. However, there was only one of him and dozens of wolves. Even if he was able to kill them in one hit if he was lucky, he couldn¡¯t keep others from circling around behind him.


    There was a sharp snap of a wolf¡¯s jaw shutting closed only and inch from his ankle. Noone grit his teeth, barely having the time to lift his foot out of the way. Even with his immense strength, Noone wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to walk off a bite to the ankle from one of these monsters. At worst it might have shattered it, making him turn useless while surrounded by wolves.


    Suddenly a blue light flashed by Noone¡¯s body. An axe similar to Noone¡¯s own imbedded itself into the flank of the wolf that had just tried to take a bite out of him. It lifted up on its own and then struck down again, this time higher up on the spine.


    Noone had just enough time to look back at Feylin, who was standing next to Sally behind Rae. He made eye contact with Feylin for a split second before needing to return to the wolves at hand. He had recognized the blue floating axe immediately. It was Feylin¡¯s weapon he could summon. Noone had seen it before when Sarah and Feylin would spar.


    Noone wasn¡¯t sure what to think about the sudden help, however he wasn¡¯t of a mind to complain either.


    Up the road a little ways, several dozen wolves dashed across the path and then darted down towards the cart in an attempt to circumvent Noone and Sarah.


    ¡°Rae.¡± Tobias said, glancing up the road at the oncoming wave of beasts.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Her singsong voice replied. Like a weightless wood-sprite Rae dashed forward on the balls of her feet, almost skipping with each step.


    There was no hesitation as she rushed directly into the middle of the group. Her spear danced across the thick wolf hides with ease, cutting cleanly through their soft joints.


    Tobias watched on like a hawk, eyes still focused out into the dark forest.


    Suddenly and without warning, a wolf¡¯s howl rushed across the party. It was so loud that it could shatter a normal person¡¯s ear-drums, lifting dirt from the road and causing the leaves and branches of the nearby trees to shake.


    Like a general¡¯s command, every surviving direwolf dashed back within the tree line, disappearing into the night.


    Noone and Sarah looked on stunned. What?


    The growling and whimpers, the padding of paws, and the rush of blood creating a cacophony of noise within the minds of everyone present disappeared just as quickly as it had come. Now only the subtle sounds of exhausted breathing could be heard.


    Everything had changed within a split second, and it left them feeling disorientated.


    Sarah continued to stand in a field of red chains and bloodied corpses, waiting for another wave to come. Even Noone stood with his weapons poised, watching the trees. They couldn¡¯t believe how quickly the wolves had disappeared¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Tobias spoke, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s over Noone. Sarah. Don¡¯t worry. Direwolf packs exist into the hundreds. What we fought was only a small contingent. They deemed that we were too troublesome to fight in full force, so their leader called them back.¡±


    Noone stared at the paladin.


    Eventually the group¡¯s nerves calmed, and they went about gathering the corpses of the thirty to fourty direwolves they had killed. Noone took the time to clean his axes which had become gunked with blood and flesh.


    He glanced towards the forest but said nothing. It seemed that in this world events like this just came and went as quickly as a breeze.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Noone thought. ¡°Why do I still feel like we are being watched¡­?¡±

 124. Entering Pinepass

    ¡°Ahooy!¡± A man¡¯s voice called out to the party of 6 from the road ahead.


    Noone could see a caravan of carts approaching them on the road. The rattle of metal axles and wooden wheels echoed off the trees.


    The man broke free from the caravan and rode forward on the back of a spotted horse, approaching their party swiftly before coming to a stop a respectful distance away. He hailed Tobias who waved back.


    ¡°Oh! Clerics?¡± The man looked over their small group of six, noticing the form of attire donned by Sally and Feylin and Rae. ¡°Sorry for disturbing you but would you mind moving to the side and allowing our carts to pass? The roads are too narrow, and we are behind schedule.¡± Noone watched as the young man scratched his chin sheepishly, making eye contact with Noone for a moment before quickly looking away.


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Tobias¡¯s sturdy voice answered, leading everyone off to the side of the road. ¡°You all are going to Ardglass? Now?¡± He asked. The only town on this road was Ardglass, after that you would hit the edge.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. We want to collect as much lumbar before they¡¯re overtaken by¡­¡± The man paused, unsure of how to put it delicately in the face of members of the Order of Life. Tobias seemed to understand the man¡¯s hesitance and waved it off. ¡°Anyways,¡± The man spoke. ¡°Are you stopping in Pinepass or passing through?¡±


    At this point the caravan had closed the distance, swiftly passing by their party without so much as a pause.


    ¡°Passing through. Headed towards Stone-Eye.¡± Tobias said.


    ¡°Stone-Eye¡­ Stone-Eye¡­¡± The young man said the word a few times, trying to jog his own memory. ¡°On the border between Montese and Cinapul, yes? The mountain?¡± Tobias nodded.


    ¡°You all are about a day and nights walk away from Pinepass. If you all want to stay there for an extra day before leaving ¨C we have a caravan going in that direction. If you tell the company that Will sent you, I am sure they can make room for your party.¡± The man ¨C Will, presumably ¨C gave his horse a swift kick forcing it to run off to the front of the caravan which had passed their party.


    ¡°That was rather abrupt.¡± Feylin mumbled as their group worked the cart back onto the main path.


    ¡°Ardglass is large export of lumber for the southern regions of Cinapul. It would make sense they want to get as many resources there as they can before the Epoch Tribe passes through.¡± Raelith said, putting her finger to her chin thoughtfully. Tobias merely grunted in response. Noone continued to watch the back of the caravan as it rolled through the forest.


    He had noticed a few strong auras from certain people who walked or rode alongside the caravan. They seemed to be adventurers.


    ¡°So¡­ are we going to do what he said?¡± Sarah asked Tobias. Tobias thought about it for a moment.


    ¡°If what he said is true then there¡¯s no harm in waiting an extra day to leave with a caravan. Plus, it will take care of food for us, and it will be a much safer trip the rest of the distance¡­¡± Tobias¡¯s voice trailed off as he considered their position. Normally it was completely normal and even advisable for the Order of Life to travel alongside merchant caravans. It allowed them a good opportunity to spread the god¡¯s divine grace and protection to the common, while increasing their own safety with numbers.


    However¡­ Tobias glanced back at Noone who noticed immediately and returned the gaze.


    Was it okay to do that with Noone in the party?


    ¡°We will stop in Pinepass for a day to regroup.¡± Tobias finally said. ¡°While there we will visit the temple to see if there is anything they need. Pinepass is a bit bigger and more economically prosperous then Ardglass, so it would be a good place to buy some cheap armors and other supplies.¡± Tobias glanced back at Sarah, making sure she understood his point. ¡°When we get there, Sally, I want you to exchange the beasts we have killed for gold. Once that is done, give 25 percent to Noone and 25 percent to Sarah. The rest of us will split what¡¯s left."


    Sally nodded but said nothing. In an adventuring party, gold wasn¡¯t always split up evenly. Often it depended on who did the most work per assignment, and who was in the most danger.


    A week ago, in the middle of the night, they were attacked by a roving pack of wolves. Luckily no one in the party was wet behind the ears anymore, and they were ready before the wolves attacked. Combat was left to Noone and Sarah at the behest of Tobias. The rest of the party played mainly supporting roles.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Splitting it up the way he did wasn¡¯t unheard of.


    Later that night everyone sat around an open fire, eating wolf meat that Rae and Sarah had skinned, leaving the pelt intact.


    Noone sat quietly absorbing what little energy there was in his surroundings. Everyone had their own thoughts about what the next few months would hold.


    ¡°This is going too slow.¡± Noone thought. He had realized before that he could breakthrough by absorbing enough of the natural energy threads which floated in and out of existence. However¡­ it was going far too slow for his liking. He continually thought back to how easy it had been to fill up on energy when he had been in the temple at Ardglass¡­


    Noone stopped meditating and slumped back against the cart. ¡°Perhaps the temple in Pinepass will be the same?¡± He thought to himself. He had the urge to rush ahead just to find out. ¡°No¡­ I must be patient.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Noone?¡± Sarah asked. Everyone looked over to see him no longer maintaining his usual meditation.


    ¡°Just thinking.¡± Noone said nonchalantly. He let out a large sigh.


    ¡°Ultimately I am going along with you all because I have nowhere else to go. I am lost in this huge world I don¡¯t understand, and I am just trying to make do with what I have. But I constantly feel like I am not doing enough. And¡­ I feel like I have no control. Even you finding me was an act of someone else¡¯s wishes.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes went wide and they shared a look between themselves. They were speechless.


    Noone wasn¡¯t necessarily a quiet person, but he had a way of talking without saying what he was really thinking. Everyone was aware that he must have endless thoughts about his own situation, but he never brought them to light so they just let it be. They figured that was just how he was.


    To hear Noone exposit so much about his own feelings all at once though, it left the group a little lost.


    Tobias grunted, looking down towards the fire which crackled between them. He had told Noone before that they could not keep him there if he really wanted to leave¡­ to escape. But in truth Tobias knew that Noone would not go. Where would he go to?


    It wasn¡¯t within Tobias¡¯s nature to be manipulative like that, he preferred being straightforward and to the point. However, he was on an assignment from the grand-priest himself. How could he disobey and let Noone go now, especially after all the time and effort and resources spent to retrieve him?


    Sarah and Feylin were equally at a loss. In a way, they both felt sympathy for Noone. They too were on unknown paths, and despite trying to hide it ¨C it got to them. They were nervous about the future. And they didn¡¯t have the weight of an entire race of people resting on their shoulders¡­


    The only ones who seemed undisturbed by what Noone said was Raelith and Sally. However, neither of them knew what they could see to ease Noone¡¯s mind. They thought about how they would feel if the situations were reversed.


    If they weren¡¯t on an assignment to retrieve Noone for their Order, perhaps they would offer some words of encouragement or protection. Perhaps they would say something like ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you have us.¡± But as things are now¡­ they had obligations. They didn¡¯t know what would become of Noone when they arrived back in the capital. No one wanted to make those promises.


    Gradually, the night carried on in silence with the flickering fire burning itself down into small embers as the last of the wood was used up.


    ¡°Alright everyone. Sleep well tonight. Tomorrow we head to Pinepass.¡± Tobias spoke quietly. His knees creaked as he stood up and walked off into the forest. In his hand was a scroll he would use to communicate with the grand-priest.


    ¡­


    ¡°Five coppers each¡­ Oh. Order of life. We will bill the temple for you, so you don¡¯t have to pay, go on ahead. Just 10 coppers for these two.¡± The guard spoke gesturing to Noone and Sarah who stood next to each other. Tobias nodded handing over ten copper pieces in exchange for small nameplates.


    Sarah felt a small bitterness when she was singled out as not being part of the order, but she understood.


    ¡°Keep these with you while within Pinepass. This just shows you paid the entrance fee.¡± Tobias said as he passed out tags.


    Noone, Sarah, and Feylin all nodded. This was their first time coming to a town large enough to require town guards, let alone an entrance fee.


    When they had approached Pinepass initially, they had been very interested in the 5-meter-tall wall built around the entire city. This was especially so for Noone, who had never heard of such a thing.


    Ardglass was too small to require any kind of border, and Tapestry was built secluded into the side of a cliff.


    The barrier around Pinepass was erected from planks of wood which seemed to be made from the trees within the surrounding Southern Cinapul forests. The whole party could hear the bustle emanating out from the town like a giant speaker. This became a white noise as they got closer, suffusing throughout the forest.


    Once inside, Noone¡¯s eyes widened and he took a deep breath, looking around at the immense population and structure of the town.


    ¡°Wow.¡± Feylin spoke breathlessly, expressing their feelings perfectly.

 125. Pinepass Temple

    ¡°Alright, Sally will you take the cart and go exchange the direwolves? We will head to the temple and see if there is anything they need as well as secure us a place to stay.¡± Tobias said. He was scratching his chin, trying to remember which way the temple was.


    The party had passed through Pinepass on their way to Ardglass a few years prior, so he had vague memories of how the town was laid out. Sally nodded and began passing out their personal supplies so she could just move the materials she was going to sell.


    The party split up and everyone but Sally followed Tobias deeper into the city.


    Noone was fascinated as he scanned the environment, taking in everything he could.


    Pinepass was nothing like Ardglass or Tapestry.


    Everything about the town was strange. Noone couldn¡¯t help but realize how much he still had to learn.


    Supposedly this was still an outskirts city. In terms of scale and grandeur they had told him that it was nothing compared to the big cities or capital cities of the countries. But this¡­ was already way more refined than anything he had ever seen.


    The roads were not compacted dirt but instead each path was made of a mix of stones set into the earth. The buildings were colorful mixes of wood and stone like nothing Noone had ever seen. Shale rooves dripped water, and large signs were hung up in front of buildings which swung in the light breeze.


    And the people! Immediately Noone noticed that there was a much higher variety in the races present. Humans elves and dwarves. Dragonborn. So many small humans which Noone assumed were halflings like Jakobson.


    As he looked around he kept his expression even, despite his fascination. He made eye contact with a large purple tusked-being the same size as himself and Tobias. The other man snarled at him before rolling his eyes and looking away. Noone smiled wryly at himself. Half-orc, he thought.


    Not just Noone, but Sarah and Feylin were having trouble keeping their eyes to themselves. Feylin was the least subtle of them, being very much an innocent man raised solely with the temple.


    Rae and Tobias both couldn¡¯t help but chuckle amongst themselves.


    Up ahead the party was able to hear the rush of water. Noone¡¯s eyes widened as he saw a small river flowing through the middle of the city. Footbridges spanned the distance allowing them to pass over without issue.


    ¡°Tobias, what is the water for?¡± Noone asked. He had no shame in his own curiosity. He knew that without asking, he would always be ignorant of this world. Tobias was quick to respond.


    ¡°Here in Pinepass it is merely a way to get water through the city. This is natural river water that runs from a nearby spring. Almost all settlements in this world are built on or near a source of water.¡± He thought about the capital city. ¡°There are also some places, much bigger and richer than here, which use it simply as decoration.¡± Tobias spoke neatly. Noone glanced at him to see if he was joking.


    As decoration? Noone thought. What decadence.


    Directly ahead of them Noone could see a large walled in building made of smooth white stone. He watched people pass in and out of the large archway which led into the courtyard. Many common people and a few in the simple garb he had seen the clergy in Ardglass wearing. Almost everyone wore a single-handed mace and a simple buckler as they came and went.


    Tobias did not hesitate to pass through the archway, followed by Raelith, Feylin, and Noone. Sarah hesitated for a moment, but swiftly followed along. She looked around at the clergy members of the Order of Life.


    Inside of her, she felt confused. She thought she should feel something, maybe regret? But¡­ She didn¡¯t. There was no regret inside of her, and that worried her.


    ¡°I guess¡­ I made the right choice.¡± She sighed to herself, unnoticed by those around her.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    When Noone passed through the arches his divine sense was suppressed to half, just like it did back in Ardglass. His expression was neutral, but his heart thumped in excitement. His divine sense easily covered the space around him, spotting the thick white threads of energy which floated around the temple. Noone flexed his hands excitedly, he knew that this was his best chance in a month to cultivate energy.


    The main building wasn¡¯t anything like the temple in Ardglass. It was a large white monolith of a structure with a white staircase that led inside. Two statues sat to either side of the entrance. One of a man and one of a woman - both stood gently holding their hands at their sides with their palms open. It seemed to be welcoming of anyone with open arms.


    Everyone followed Tobias into the main hall.


    ¡°Hohoo, welcome back Tobias. I had a feeling you would be returning soon. Though you are a few months later than I expected.¡± Noone watched as a gentle-looking old man rounded one of the pillars ¨C coming out of a hall to the side. His voice was cracked and aged, but he had a vigor to him that Noone couldn¡¯t help but admire.


    Tobias smiled, sharing a formal handshake with the older man. Initially Tobias held his hand palm-up, to show his respect to the elder, but the elder was quick to grab Tobias¡¯s palm, turning it sideways.


    ¡°Now now Tobias. I might be old, but you¡¯re still a paladin of the grand-temple of Cinapul. Do not be like this.¡± He chuckled gently. Rae smiled as she watched, and the rest of the party couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It seemed Tobias had some relationship with the older priest.


    ¡°So, won¡¯t you introduce me to these young¡­ one¡¯s?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he met Noone¡¯s gaze. This priest had lived for a long time, and he always felt blessed when it came to people. He could easily tell a person¡¯s age on sight. Even races like the elves were easily seen through by this old man. He had lived his whole life faithfully doing the good god¡¯s work, and he had been blessed because of it with insight.


    However¡­ when he looked at Noone, he felt confused. He couldn¡¯t tell how old this being was. He seemed young, but at the same time not. Eventually he just smiled and nodded at Noone.


    Noone was a bit surprised when the older man met his gaze. Initially he was going to try to suppress the power so not to make the older man think he was challenging him. But Noone felt shocked when they looked at each other. This old man wasn¡¯t overwhelmingly strong¡­ far from it, actually.


    But all the power in Noone¡¯s gaze seemed to wash past the old man. Like a blow being easily reflected to the side, Noone felt like the old man was looking through him. The only thing he could do was nod his respects to the priest.


    Rae and Tobias seemed to have noticed the moment but said nothing.


    ¡°This here. Is Feylin, one of the two acolytes turned clerics we picked up from the temple in Ardglass. Under Jakobson¡¯s stead.¡±


    ¡°Jakobson.¡± The old man smiled. ¡°A good man. A great man¡­ Shame he was sent all the way out here. Though¡­ with the epoch tribe situation, perhaps the gods had a reason for it.¡± The priest nodded his head. Tobias nodded as well but said nothing. Feylin and Sarah both shared a look, but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°This here is Sarah. The other acolyte under Jakobson.¡± Tobias spoke evenly, but everyone could tell he was deciding how much he should say. He glanced back to Sarah and waved for her to introduce herself. Instead of letting Tobias introduce her, Sarah decided to speak for herself¡­ she was no longer a member of the Order of Life after all. She stepped forward, giving a proper greeting to the older man.


    ¡°Hello. My name is Sarah. I was taken in by Jakobson at 15. I am a Vengeance Paladin. Tobias was nice enough to allow me to join them en route to the capital.¡± Sarah¡¯s voice was steady, and everyone looked on quietly, keeping their thoughts close to their chest. Feylin couldn¡¯t help but lower his head as she talked.


    ¡°Ah. I see. Well welcome young Sarah. Anyone brought up under Jakobson is a good person, so you have nothing to worry about here.¡± The priest could easily see through the young girls¡¯ level. She had just recently become a paladin. He suspected before that she was most like an acolyte for the order.


    Tobias nodded, respecting Sarah¡¯s choice.


    ¡°And this is Noone. The man we were sent to retrieve from the edge.¡± Tobias motioned to Noone who stepped forward.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Hello Noone. Welcome to my humble temple.¡± The older priest smiled, not at all intimidated by Noone¡¯s size. ¡°So will you be staying the night? I will prepare a room for you all.¡± The priest motioned for a young acolyte to come by.


    ¡°Two nights, actually. We plan to leave here with a caravan towards Stone-Eye.¡± Tobias said.


    ¡°Ah. Right. Two days then. Oh, and Sarah. If you need, we have effigies for every god down that hall there.¡± He pointed down a hallway near the entrance with stairs leading down. ¡°This town is too small for more than one dedicated temple. Thus, we only have the one room. But it does its job.¡±


    Sarah was surprised, she had never heard of that before. But she nodded thanking the older priest.


    The young acolyte showed the party to their room. Feylin was the first to flop down on the bed. The first bed they have had in a month.


    ¡°Tobias, I am going to give my regards to Hoar. I don¡¯t have any proper holy-symbol so I have made do with the book. But now that I am here it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate if I didn¡¯t do my prayers.¡± Sarah spoke, changing into cleaner clothes. Tobias nodded and talked with Sarah about buying armor when Sally came back with their gold. Sarah listened intently.


    Noone sat against the wall silently and began meditating. He wanted to explore the town a bit, but more than that he knew he needed to take advantage of the atmosphere within the temple to speed up his cultivation.

 126. Paladin Clayton

    Breathe in.


    Thick strands of white-hued energy filtered into his core as fast as Noone could manage. Noone knew how precious the energy was, and he couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time. Once he left the temple, his cultivation would be forced to slow to a crawl. He only had a day or two. During this time, he wasn¡¯t planning to sleep or stop for anything.


    Breathe out.


    Time was too precious.


    The sound of a door closing shut entered his mind. Sarah walked out of the room and into the main hall of the temple before looking around. Various acolytes and clergyman were scattered about taking care of their own business.


    She caught the eyes of a few people, however no one seemed to mind her presence. It was much different than the temple in Ardglass. The only people there were those of the Order. Here though, they were more than used to the servants of the other gods.


    She quietly stepped into the hallway the older Priest had pointed out to her. It was gently lit with blue glowing stones hung from the ceiling by netting.


    After a couple dozen feet, the hallway opened up into a long but narrow rectangular chamber which stretched out a hundred yards. Along the walls were the statues of various gods, some of which she recognized, others she didn¡¯t. In front of each statue there was enough space for a couple people to kneel in prayer at a time.


    Right now there were only five other people within the hall giving their dedications. They all wore cleric garb of different styles she didn¡¯t recognize. Except for one other paladin which was kneeling down in prayer at the end of the hall.


    She moved as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb anyone¡¯s devotions.


    She took a few seconds to look at each statue, attempting to memorize the gods they represented. Some of them gave off pressures which she could feel as the slightest twist in the back of her mind. Like the feeling of being watched. She even recognized the insignia of a few of the gods she had turned down for Hoar which made her uncomfortable. Gods could be gracious, or they could be extremely petty. She hoped she would never have to find out which one¡¯s were which.


    It wasn¡¯t until she approached the end of the hall that she found a statue representing Hoar. A two-faced deity, one face sad and the other livid with rage.


    When she laid eyes on it, the feeling of being watched which had been building in the back of her mind disappeared. Like an ocean after a storm, everything became calm.


    She realized the only Paladin she had seen earlier was kneeling down in front of Hoar. Without a word, she knelt down as well, closing her eyes she began to recite the tenets within her mind.


    ¡°Fight the Greater Evil.


    No Mercy for the Wicked.


    By Any Means Necessary.


    Restitution.¡±


    She repeated the tenets in her mind. For the past month she hadn¡¯t missed a single day of prayer, but there were no urgings from Hoar. She figured she was too far away from anyone or anything to be useful to him. Now that she was in a town like Pinepass, she had a feeling that this would be the time Hoar would reach out to her since her advancement.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Time passed. Over the next hour she had fallen into a quiet trance, waiting for anything.


    Suddenly, two images flashed in her mind.


    The first was of a location she didn¡¯t recognize. A small conclave built into the side of a hill. Inside there were various men she didn¡¯t recognize dressed in a mismatch of clothes and weapons. Maybe it was Hoar tapping into her subconscious, but she felt like she subtly understood what he was asking from her.


    Bandits?


    The second image was someone much more familiar. In fact, the moment the image appeared in her mind, she stopped chanting. Waking up from her prayers. She looked to her right, at the only other paladin praying to Hoar.


    She noticed him looking at her, seeming to have awoken at the same time.


    Sarah was about to speak, but the man held up a single finger to his lips, motioning for her to be silent. She nodded sheepishly and looked around, for a moment she had forgotten where they were.


    The man stood smoothly, adjusting his weapons and armor before leaving the hall. Sarah followed along, watching the man.


    A vengeance paladin¡­ just like myself.


    After exiting the hall, the man did not stop but instead continued out into the courtyard and then exited out the arch into the city. Sarah hesitated for a moment, but chose to follow behind.


    Outside the temple the man finally stopped and stretched, letting out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°That¡¯s better. It gets so stuffy in those temples.¡± He laughed. Reaching a hand to Sarah. ¡°I am Clayton Hebert. Emissary and Paladin of Hoar. You must be Sarah?¡±


    Sarah¡¯s eye¡¯s widened but she only hesitated a moment before shaking his hand. ¡°Yes, I am. How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Hoar is never cheap when it comes to information. Once you advance further you will understand. You just advanced right? You can probably only see a few images. Maybe get a few inferences put in your mind.¡± Clayton laughed.


    Sarah felt like he was the type of person who could talk endlessly unless stopped. ¡°Once you get those. It will be up to you to figure out what he means. It usually requires research and asking around. Usually. Lucky for you, this time you have me.¡±


    Sarah thought about what he said, folding her arms. ¡°What are you doing in Pinepass? I thought we were pretty rare¡­ not many want to be vengeance paladins.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said you¡¯re lucky. Hoar sent me this way to show you the ropes greenie.¡± He took a good look at Sarah. Inside he was shocked, this girl was no more than twenty or so years old. He failed to understand why Hoar was so interested in her. ¡°Damn near sent me across the country to this middle-of-nowhere town too.¡± He mumbled partly to himself.


    Sarah was unsure what to make of this Clayton. He wasn¡¯t exactly what she pictured when she thought of Vengeance Paladins. He seemed so¡­ normal. If a bit odd.


    ¡°Anyways. You follow me, and I¡¯ll explain the details to you. Do you have armor by the way? Why are you in those simple clothes?¡± Sarah shook her head, offering no explanation.


    ¡°God¡­ you really are green.¡± Clayton shook his head. ¡°Well whatever. For Hoar to take you, you must have potential.¡±


    As they talked, Sarah noticed a familiar figure approaching. Sally was walking to the temple followed by her horse and the cart. All of the wolves had disappeared, presumably replaced by coin.


    Sally noticed Sarah immediately, and then she saw the man Sarah was talking to. When Clayton noticed Sarah¡¯s attention being drawn elsewhere, he looked over as well. His eyes went wide, and eyebrows shot up.


    ¡°Well. If it isn¡¯t Sally. Loong time no see.¡± Clayton said, making his voice as pleasant as possible. Sally¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she scoffed.


    ¡°Clayton.¡± She said.


    Sarah looked on in shock. They knew each other?


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. How have you been¡­? Haven¡¯t seen you in almost ten years.¡± The pleasantness in his voice disappeared, evaporated. Replaced by a cool and chilly tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been fine. The last ten years had been going great actually. I guess I am just going to need to start that countdown over.¡± She reached into her bag, pulling out a sack of coins. ¡°Sarah.¡± She tossed the pouch over. ¡°Two and a half gold. In silvers and coppers. If you¡¯re going to be hanging out with Clayton, I recommend you get some good armor.¡±


    Sarah caught the pouch, tying it to her waist. She looked at Sally questioningly, but Sally simply ignored them and entered the temple.


    ¡°And just when I thought this day couldn¡¯t get any worse.¡± Clayton sighed. ¡°How¡¯d you get dragged in with her? Most of the order are swell, but her¡­¡± He frowned. Sarah got the feeling they had a history, but she chose to say nothing.


    ¡°Well. Let¡¯s go get you some armor.¡± Clayton said, skulking off into the city. Sarah nodded and began to follow.


    She glanced back at the temple. Through the archway she saw Sally staring back at her.

 127. Master Hopborne and Novrada

    ¡°Good evening, are you Master Hopborne?¡± Sally approached a young and mild mannered looking human with blonde hair who was overseeing the organization of the caravans near the city¡¯s eastern gate.


    The man was startled by the sudden interruption, looking over his notebook at Sally and company. Noone was able to see that written within the book was some sort of itinerary. It looked that the human was organizing the supplies for travel.


    ¡°Yes. That is me. How can I help you?¡± The man gave a courteous nod of his head when he noticed their parties¡¯ affiliations with the Order of Life.


    ¡°We are a unit of the order on our way back to the capital city. We had heard from a man named Will that you might have room in your caravan for some extra hands.¡± Sally smiled as she spoke, not wanting to intimidate the young man.


    The Hopborne name was a noble family in Cinapul, with strong ties in the Capital. For a noble¡¯s child to be serving as a merchant all the way out here¡­ she could only imagine the circumstances.


    The man¡¯s gaze scanned over the people in the party. Three clerics and a paladin of the Order¡­ a woman in black hide armor, and¡­ he stared at Noone who stood behind everyone else. When they met each other¡¯s gaze, the young master couldn¡¯t help but look away.


    ¡°I- uh. I don¡¯t think that will be any problem at all. Regrettably because of the circumstances at the moment, there are a lot of people heading inland joining with our caravan. But as long as you carry your weight, we will take care of you.¡± The man fidgeted with his pen and paper for a moment, reorganizing his itinerary.


    ¡°If you go speak with the foreman and tell her I OK¡¯d it, then she will set you up.¡± He said, pointing out a dwarf female who was barking commands around the front-most carts. Her voice was surprisingly pleasant but the way she yelled was intimidating to say the least. ¡°She may seem mean¡­ but she¡¯s actually very nice.¡± The man said, half to himself and half to them. ¡°Oh! Her names Novrada, by the way.¡±


    Sally and the party gave their thanks before weaving through the mix of carts and horses.


    Noone looked on silently, allowing his eyes to wander across the various sights. This was his first time seeing a caravan of this scale. To someone who had grown up in an isolated community, he couldn¡¯t help but find it fascinating.


    ¡°Alright, your team go and prepare the food in the third wagon, make sure to restock on salt!¡± A voice like steel pierced into the ears of everyone present. Novrada stood on top of a set of crates, pointing and listing instructions without hesitation. Noone did his best to reign in a smile which had been creeping into his expression.


    He could tell just by looking that this woman wasn¡¯t all bark - but the sight of her short stature standing on a set of crates was amusing. Until now the only other dwarves he had interacted with were a couple of tool-makers back in Ardglass.


    ¡°You six! Come here quick, I can already tell why you¡¯re here. Tell me your levels and affiliations.¡± The woman didn¡¯t waste any time organizing them as soon as they approached.


    As she spoke, Noone took the time to observe her with his divine sense. Her armor was a mix of chainmail and plating, which added to her already impressive bulk. On her back Noone was able to see a shield and Hammer combo made of some kind of yellow gold alloy that looked similar to Raelith¡¯s spear. Even down to the engravings which snaked across its surface.


    ¡°Sally. Human. Fifth level cleric of the Order of Life.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Raelith Ringflower. Moon Elf. Sixth level cleric of the Order of Life.¡±


    ¡°Feylin. Human. First Level Order of life¡­¡±


    ¡°Tobias. Human. Tenth Level Paladin of the Order of Life.¡±


    ¡°Sarah. Human. First level Vengeance Paladin¡­.¡± Sarah was hesitant at first, but eventually she stood up straight to speak her affiliations. Novrada gave her a cryptic look, taking inventory of her equipment. Despite being young, the dwarf had a good impression of this girl. Specifically noting her choice in armor.


    Finally, it was Noone¡¯s turn. He hesitated for a moment, deciding what he would say.


    ¡°Noone. Human¡­ fighter.¡± Novrada stopped writing and gave Noone a hard look. She met his eyes with no resistance much the same way he had done with Patrin before. Finally, she sighed and decided not to say anything. If he was travelling with a party comprised of mostly Order members, she doubted he would cause any trouble.


    ¡°Alright. Clerics will take up the middle and be in charge of any healing and prepping food each morning and night. Tobias, considering your level, I am going to ask you collaborate with the other security leads. Take Noone and Sarah with you. They will be under your care.¡± Novrada spoke quickly, coming up with the most ideal scenario after only a few moments of considerations.


    They all nodded and began to walk off.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Suddenly Novrada stopped them, her hand on her chin thinking. ¡°You three.¡± She said, pointing to Tobias and Sarah and Noone. "Depending on what troubles we run into, I will pay you accordingly as long as you prove useful. This is a five-month journey which leaves a lot of time for things to go wrong¡­ especially along the border of Montese.¡± She looked each of them over, meeting their gazes to make sure they understood her point. Tobias smiled and nodded before leading the group a little ways off.


    Noone watched as the dwarven woman resumed her command immediately, putting thoughts of them aside. He couldn¡¯t help but feel he had missed something in that last exchange¡­ his eyes narrowed, and he considered whether or not there was a hidden meaning behind her words.


    ¡°Alright. You all know your assignments. Judging by the state of the caravan, it should be less than an hour before we depart. I am going to go find the security leads and introduce myself. You all just make do.¡± Tobias seemed to relax as he slipped into his usual charismatic self, walking into the middle of the bustle.


    ¡°Feylin, come with me. We should go figure out whether or not there¡¯s anything we can help with before we depart.¡± Sally spoke curtly, giving Rae a look as if asking if she was going to join them before walking off. Raelith chuckled lightly to herself, a discreet wry smile crossing her expression before following along silently. She gave Noone and Sarah a small wave as she went.


    The two of them were at a bit of a loss as what to do with themselves in the meantime. After talking for a bit amongst themselves, Sarah left to find Tobias and Noone found a shady spot where he could meditate while the caravan was prepared.


    From where he sat, Noone watched people scurry back and forth moving crates of supplies and food, brushing horses down and checking on the states of the carts.


    Almost everyone looked to be normal worker, with no real strength inside their aura. Noone wasn¡¯t interested in these people at all. Instead his attention was focused on the security and mercenaries which wandered the area.


    Seventy percent of the people he was able to see were human, looking to be various flavors of adventurers and fighters. They carried plain weapons and were equipped with mostly leather armors. Some of the stronger ones had chainmail, though Noone was vaguely able to tell that the quality wasn¡¯t comparable to the one worn by the dwarven woman.


    The other thirty percent was comprised of the various races he had seen so far. Including a few half-orcs. Each one exuding their own unique strength.


    During their short stay in Pinepass, Noone had locked himself in his room to cultivate from the higher density energy, thus he didn¡¯t have a chance to get to associate with any of the other races he had seen. It seemed like he would get that chance over the next five months.


    As he looked around, memorizing the faces of the strongest individuals, a small smile crept onto his face. He clenched his fist and the air around it swirled lightly, pulled in by the energy circulating through him.

 128. Good Job, Kid.

    ¡°Move out!¡± Novrada¡¯s voice echoed through the caravan which had formed into a spiral near the eastern gates of Pinepass.


    One by one the sound of horse hooves and wagon wheels crunching against stone roads echoed against the wooden wall of the city. The front most cart quickly passed through the gate, leading the rest behind it.


    Novrada stood off to the side along with the young golden-haired man they had spoken with before, making one last check of each cart as they passed. Her eyes scanned the carts while he quickly looked back and forth between his itinerary and the caravan. Double checking and triple checking to make sure everything that should be there ¨C was there.


    In the middle of the caravan, Rae, Sally and Feylin all walked beside a cart packed with various simple foods and aid supplies. Rae and Sally talked amongst themselves and Feylin walked alone, looking around at the other carts and taking in the atmosphere of the caravan.


    A few carts behind Feylin¡¯s, music could be heard. The strumming of a lyre twanged over the sound of the horses and carts. A man walked with a spring in his step, practically skipping around one of closed carts while singing at the top of his lungs.


    Everyone around him smiled wryly but no one said anything ¨C his singing wasn¡¯t bad, and neither was his playing. Many of them had already grown used to this man¡¯s constant accompaniment. Within the cart a voice shouted, seemingly exhausted.


    ¡°Will you shut up for one day Reel!¡± A bottle flew out of the window, narrowly missing the singing man¡¯s head.


    ¡°Oh of course!¡± The man named Reel spoke. ¡°Should ever a day come when you die, I don¡¯t know how I will ever bring myself to lift my instrument again, knowing I can no longer annoy you.¡± His pace increased as he spoke, continuing the jovial strumming.


    A scoff could be heard within the cart, but no more words or spoken or bottles thrown.


    Tobias, Noone, and Sarah were a dozen carts behind them, taking up the rear of the caravan. Despite this they were still able to observe the comedic scene which had developed.


    ¡°So, Tobias my friend, tell me, what brought you down here?¡± A gnome sat on the wagon next to Tobias. He held out a small flask to Tobias who merely smiled shaking his head, turning the gnome down.


    ¡°Just work. We are on our way back to the Capital you see.¡± Tobias¡¯s voice made for a harsh contrast from the lighter nasally voice of the gnome. He motioned back to Sarah and Noone who were walking a little ways behind, observing the caravan silently, accompanied by their own thoughts.


    ¡°Mm. Indeed. I saw the six of you when you talked with Nova or whatever her name is.¡± The gnome chuckled, obviously referring to the dwarven foreman. ¡°Quite an interesting group you have collected!¡± The gnome glanced back at Noone and Sarah who had been silently listening to their banter.


    When Noone caught the gnome¡¯s eye he couldn¡¯t help but straighten up some. Something about this man gave Noone and odd feeling. The gnome was no more than three feet tall, only 45 pounds if he was soaking wet.


    The gnome chuckled and continued to make small talk with Tobias. Sarah looked at Noone, noticing the subtle hints of a frown on his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She whispered, nudging Noone a bit.


    ¡°Hmm. Nothing. He just gives me a weird feeling. It¡¯s like looking at him makes me¡­ dizzy.¡± Noone spoke equally quiet, however something gave him the impression that the gnome heard everything they said regardless, even though he didn¡¯t show any reaction to it.


    Sarah put her hand to her chin as she walked, thinking about what Noone had said. Since training with Noone she had come to understand how incredible Noone¡¯s senses were. He seemed to have an eye for things that others could only match after years of experience.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at him with your divine sense.¡± Sarah eventually whispered. ¡°Gnomes have a high- an extraordinarily high affinity with magic. If he is a security lead, then chances are he¡¯s strong.¡± She gave Noone a look, making sure he understood.


    So far Noone had not had any experience with magic, either fighting with or dealing with the people who could wield it. From the outside it may seem similar to the miracles of clerics and paladins, but in truth they pulled from very different sources.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Noone knew the basis of this, Raelith had taught him the general information to try and bring him up to speed about the common realms. However, until now Noone didn¡¯t have the chance to experience it.


    Magic wasn¡¯t something easily gained like fighting skills could be. It required studies, thus causing mages and sorcerers and the like to be much fewer and far between than the common fighter adventurer.


    Noone pulled in his divine sense. He was used to having it spread to its maximum distance at all times, creating a 360-degree sphere of sight around himself. Over the past months he had grown so used to it that he barely even remembered that it was there. The only time he would become conscious of it in daily life was when his brain failed to keep up with the sheer amount of information surrounding him at any one time. But this occurred less and less as he advanced, and his mind became reinforced with universal energy.


    When the divine sense shrunk down to only cover a meter around him, Noone immediately felt better. Now when he looked at the gnome with just his eyes, he didn¡¯t see anything other than a small frail-bodied gnome


    Noone was about to mention this to Sarah when a voice appeared in his mind without any warning.


    ¡°Good Job, kid.¡± The nasally voice chuckled. ¡°You should be more careful about that magic of yours. If I wasn¡¯t such an easygoing guy, you might have offended me.¡± The voice admonished. Noone immediately recognized this as the voice of the gnome, however when he looked up at him the gnome continued to talk with Tobias as though nothing had happened. ¡°The name¡¯s Alaviv, by the way. Remember it.¡±


    Noone¡¯s expression was carefully controlled, but he stared at the gnome who completely ignored him afterwards.


    Sarah, seeming to notice the change, also looked at the gnome.


    Noone had thought he had a good feel on who the strong one¡¯s were in the caravan after watching from the sides for more than an hour. However, not once did he ever pin this small being as especially powerful. Alaviv exuded no aura or energy, and in fact seemed almost non-existent unless you were looking right at him.


    Eventually Noone could only shrug, rolling his shoulders stiffly. He knew that if he was stronger, then chances were even the gnome wouldn¡¯t have been able to notice his divine sense.


    Noone pulled out an urchin from his pack he had bought earlier that day and split it in half, handing one half of it to Sarah who looked at him oddly. He just shrugged again and bit into the meaty middle.


    Sarah hesitated for a moment but bit into her half as well. There was nothing to do except follow along at the back of the caravan, so they would just have to entertain themselves in the downtime.


    Up ahead the strumming of a lyre continued.


    ¡­


    Feylin walked with a bit of pep put into him artificially by the singing of a bard a few carts behind his own. The bard ¨C Reel as it were ¨C had not stopped for almost 3 hours now. However, the only one who was annoyed by his playing was the poor man in the cart Reel circled endlessly.


    Raelith had disappeared at some point to the front of the caravan, leaving Sally and Feylin to themselves. He looked at Sally, who walked calmly in between the carts. It seemed to him that she was exceptionally comfortable alongside such atmosphere.


    His thoughts drifted to the future. Soon¡­ they would arrive at Stone-Eye to help remove the Dark-Elves from the mountain, freeing up a teleport station in the process. And after that¡­ The Grand Temple of Cinapul!


    He smiled to himself, thinking about what it must be like there. He had heard much of it from Sally and Rae since they began travelling together.


    The more he thought about the last couple of years, the more his mood turned sour. Specifically, when he thought about Sarah.


    In truth¡­ he wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about the whole situation. No matter what lead her to the decision to follow Hoar, she was still a person he had spent years growing up with. Feylin didn¡¯t hate her for her decision.


    But¡­ He glanced at Sally. Feylin wasn¡¯t stupid, he could tell that Sally felt stronger about it than anyone else in the party. And it seemed that because of his indecision, he had inadvertently been lumped in with her.


    Since beginning their travels a year ago, Sarah had gotten along better with Raelith and he with Sally. Feylin sighed. ¡°I have till we get to the capital¡­ I have to make sure Sarah knows she can trust me.¡±


    The last thing he wanted was to lose Sarah as a friend. He had already made a bad impression by how he reacted before.


    He glanced back towards the rear of the caravan.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Suddenly a voice managed to bring him out of his thoughts. Directly beside him a young cleric had appeared.


    ¡°Um. Hello.¡± Feylin said, slightly shocked, he hadn¡¯t noticed her approach until just now.


    ¡°I had been trying to get your attention for a while now!¡± The girl said. Feylin looked at her with wide eyes. She looked to be the same age as himself, and her robes were a variation of the life-clerics uniforms.

 129. Quality Food

    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± The young woman looked Feylin up and down, enjoying his startled expression.


    ¡°Oh, umm. It¡¯s Anette, right?¡± Feylin adjusted his clothing, recovering his usual nonchalant smile. He recognized this girl from earlier when he was being introduced to the other¡¯s in charge of food and wellness. She was the member of a small party of adventurer¡¯s, if he recalled correctly.


    She stood close to his side, not thinking about his personal space at all. Her clothes were the simple robes of an acolyte or early level cleric. She had short golden curls which bounced as she moved, and freckles the likes of which Feylin had never seen.


    ¡°Mhmm.¡± She nodded enthusiastically, her curly hair bobbing vigorously as she did. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you remember, I¡¯m kind of easy to forget.¡± She chuckled spiritedly. Her flowery voice which chuckled in good humor left a good impression on Feylin.


    ¡°So where are you coming in from? It seems like we are a part of the same order.¡± She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m from Pinepass. I grew up in the temple here. I finally managed to advance from an acolyte only a few weeks ago.¡± The way she spoke reminded Feylin of himself a bit. There was a joyous curiosity about the world in her voice.


    ¡°Your bishop let you leave the temple to adventure on your own?¡± Feylin asked surprised.


    ¡°No no! He wouldn¡¯t dare. He thinks I¡¯m rather useless to be certain.¡± She said useless the way someone might say the word lazy, and Feylin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°I have a few friends, you see¡­¡± The girl whispered, ¡°We all grew up together. And we set up a party just of ourselves and decided to join the first caravan out.¡±


    Feylin thought of the older man they had visited during their stay at the temple before glancing back at the girl. Surely she couldn¡¯t have run off, right? He decided not to ask. There was nothing he could do about it now anyways. And it seemed like she had an adventurer¡¯s party of her own already. No matter how she seemed, she was an adult and could make her own choices.


    ¡°So¡­ What about you? Where are you from? How long have you been traveling?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes shined with inquisitive light.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will have to disappoint you.¡± Feylin chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m actually from Ardglass. A month¡¯s walk west of here.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The young woman asked surprised. ¡°Did you just advance as well then? Is this your first time out too?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ and no. It¡¯s complicated. I suppose I had my first assignment a little over a year ago¡­ but I only advanced into a cleric last month along with my¡­ friend.¡± Feylin hesitated for half a second over the word friend. ¡°This is my first time heading inland though.¡±


    Anette nodded, as though understanding. Not wanting to continue that conversation, Feylin countered with his own question. This was the first time meeting another cleric his own age. He wanted to know what it was like being an acolyte in a larger town like Pinepass.


    The two talked through the day, using conversation to ignore the rumble of the caravan. It wasn¡¯t long until the sun began to lower on the horizon, casting deep shadows within the forest.


    One by one, carts slowed to a stop and people began setting up stations for their tasks.


    The regular hires began feeding and brushing out the horses, checking the carts for wear, anything that could cause trouble if not maintained regularly.


    Not having anyone to heal, the clerics helped with the food, setting up multiple fires and large stew pots to feed the whole caravan.


    Sally worked in silence while Feylin and Anette talked cheerfully about their time as acolytes.


    ¡°It¡¯s so nice that caravans can afford food of this quality even while moving.¡± Feylin noted, his stomach growled in hunger.


    ¡°You call this quality?¡± Anette joked, holding up salted meats they were using to flavor the stews.


    ¡°You just don¡¯t understand. When you¡¯re traveling as a lone party you need to be picky about how much you can carry. Which usually ends up in you finding the blandest but most energy efficient foods. Nuts and dried meats, dried fruits. Etcetera.¡± Feylin admonished.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Mm. I guess.¡± Anette groaned, thinking he was exaggerating.


    ¡°Anette!¡± an easygoing voice called out from down road a little ways. Anette and Feylin looked up to see a group of four walking towards them.


    ¡°These must be Anette¡¯s friends.¡± Feylin thought, putting on a smile.


    ¡°Anette. Are you almost done here? Harry was talking to one of the caravan leads, and they were saying they would consider vouching for us at the adventurer¡¯s guild in the next town depending on how we do.¡± A tanned athletic woman spoke excitedly, gesturing with wide movements as she talked. ¡°We were gonna go introduce ourselves.¡± The tanned woman finally noticed Feylin, who continued to cut vegetables into the pot.


    ¡°A cleric¡­? Is he from the temple, Anette? I don¡¯t recognize him?¡± Everyone¡¯s attention shifted to Feylin who returned a well-meaning smile.


    ¡°Ah no. Everyone, this is Feylin. He is a cleric like me but from the temple in Ardglass.¡± Anette spoke with her usual vigor. ¡°And listen to this¡­ he¡¯s been to the edge! He¡¯s even seen the epoch tribesman!¡± She beamed.


    Their eyes went wide as they looked at this young man no older than any of them. Feylin gave a wry smile. He didn¡¯t mind talking about those things, but he wasn¡¯t expecting Anette to announce it either.


    In the past, epoch tribes were an unspoken of existence. Mainly lost except to those old enough to remember the last conflict with one. A conflict which leveled a mountain range into the continents third largest ocean.


    Now though, with the development¡¯s over the past year, the epoch tribes had returned into the minds of the people as legendary existences come to life.


    ¡°Really?¡± One of the young men asked. From the looks of his armor and simple sword Feylin guessed he was a fighter.


    Feylin nodded, unsure what to say.


    The group looked at each other, they had no reason to disbelieve a cleric of the order but¡­ could it be true?


    ¡°Well. After we talk with the lead could you tell us about it?¡± The tanned young woman asked, not forgetting their initial objective.


    ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t mind. Just let us finish up the stews for tonight and then come find me later.¡± Enjoying the attention from the group Feylin couldn¡¯t help but want to share his experience. This was the first time being around anyone less experienced than him while traveling¡­ with the exception of Noone.


    Upon thinking about Noone, Feylin¡¯s mood soured a bit, but he quickly put those thoughts aside


    Anette¡¯s friends nodded and wandered off, letting Anette know where to find them when she was done.


    As they worked, stews all around the camp began to come to a boil flooding the caravan with the smell of meat and vegetables.


    The smell drifted down road reaching the noses of the adventurers and the mercenaries guarding the rear.


    ¡°Mmmmm. Foods done.¡± A chuckling aged voice reached Noone¡¯s ears.


    Noone¡¯s eyes immediately opened, putting him face to face with the small gnome Alaviv. Even when sitting crossed legged, Noone was taller than the old gnome standing at his full height. Noone frowned and then closed his eyes again, ignoring the older man.


    Alaviv chuckled. ¡°Now now don¡¯t be like that. I just wanted to eat with you and talk for a bit.¡± This time his voice didn¡¯t travel through the air but instead sounded within Noone¡¯s head causing Noone¡¯s frown to deepen further. However, he still didn¡¯t react.


    After a few moments the gnome just sighed and began walking off towards the smells and sounds of people joyously musing over a hot meal. Noone opened his eyes and watched the gnome leave. Despite his small form and old age, he moved quite quickly Noone thought.


    Soon two more people approached Noone.


    This was Sarah and Tobias.


    ¡°Here. Take it.¡± Tobias handed an extra bowl of stewed meat to Noone who gladly took it before sitting down with him. Sarah sat as well, quickly fishing out a spoon from her pack before digging in.


    The three ate in relative silence, each listening to the sounds of chatting from further up the caravan.


    They were a part of the security force. Tobias had expressed to them earlier that it was important they be nearby and ready should anything happen that requires their strength.


    After a few minutes, two more people approached. Sally and Raelith, each carrying a bowl of stew.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Raelith cheerfully called to them, making no effort to read the atmosphere.


    Everyone nodded, inviting the two to join the circle.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Feylin?¡± Sarah asked after a bit of time had passed.


    ¡°He is talking with a novice adventurers party from Pinepass.¡± Sally answered smoothly. She had run into him earlier before joining Rae in coming to the back of the caravan. Sarah looked as far up the road as she could but didn¡¯t see Feylin amongst the wandering people.


    She let out a quiet sigh. Everyone heard, but no one said anything.

 130. When I was one...

    That night Noone found a quiet place just off road from the caravan and sat cross legged, breathing in the clean air from the forest pines.


    Even after months of travel, Noone did not grow tired of the green trees and forest creatures. Before being forced to come to the surface he could have never imagined a world so colorful or full of life.


    His thoughts drifted back to his home. Like a regret which lurked in the back of his mind, his memories of his Tapestry never left him. Sometimes they would offer him a short respite and float to the back of his thoughts, but without fail when the world grew silent, they would always bubble to the surface. They reminded him that there was still work left to be done.


    And for that work, Noone needed to get stronger. His body relaxed and even the memories of home eventually disintegrated into nothing as his rhythmic breathing deepened.


    One after the next, Noone spotted and plucked the threads of universe energy from the space around him.


    His divine sense could stretch a full six meters, so his collection speed was incomparable to what it had been when he first began cultivating. Despite this, it seemed to Noone that his next level was still far away. The amount of energy he needed to advance increased with each advancement.


    Before, spending a few days cultivating at the blessed temple in Ardglass was enough to push him to the edge of the third level of qi condensation.


    Now though¡­ Even though the quality of the universe laws at the temple in Pinepass was a bit higher, cultivating for a full day and night resulted in filling up barely a fifth of what he needed.


    ¡°If I can find more places teeming with universe energy¡­ it would help my cultivation immensely¡­¡± Noone thought. But he knew that he had no way of searching those places out right now. And even if he could, it wasn¡¯t like he could ask around for such a thing.


    ¡°Hopefully¡­ I¡¯ll figure it out with time."


    All he could do now was patiently cultivate.


    Unbeknownst to Noone, nearby a small figure watched him with bright eyes and a curious smile.


    The night passed quietly with no disturbances. The entire caravan rested with the exception of the adventurers which took shifts keeping a lookout for any bandits or beasts.


    Noone instinctively knew when the sun was close to the horizon, and quietly made his way back to the caravan as though he had been there all night.


    Tobias noticed Noone¡¯s arrival but said nothing. He knew that Noone liked having his own space, and as long as he didn¡¯t run off, Tobias was more than happy to let him have it.


    Sarah stirred nearby, resting on a sleeping mat after taking first watch.


    Soon the sun rose, and the sounds of breakfast being prepared stirred the entire caravan into awareness.


    For the majority of the people there, they were used to such a little-sleep schedule and had no problems falling back into the rhythm after a few days of normal rest in Pinepass.


    There were a few though, who stirred groggily and had a grumpy air about them. For those not used to it, not getting enough sleep was one of the harshest tortures to be suffered. After the first week, these people would either adapt, or break.


    Feylin woke Anette, noticing that she still hadn¡¯t arisen by the time the sun was mounting the eastern horizon. She stirred and mumbled before finally sitting up, her bedhead matting her curled blonde hair.


    After speaking with one of the caravan leads, and listening to Feylin speak of the western edge, of the epoch tribesman, and of a mysterious being named Noone, her entire party were filled with energy and a lust for adventure.


    This caused them to stay up well into the night, and getting very little sleep because of it.


    The physically fit fighter, and the well-disciplined and tanned monk Feylin saw yesterday handled it the best out of her party, but Feylin could tell they were running on adrenaline. He offered a few words of advice he and Sarah had received when they began traveling with the group from Burian, but otherwise left them to their own devices.


    ¡°Hey Rae? Those goodberry''s that you had a while back, where do find them?¡± Feylin approached Raelith who walked next to one of the carts while the caravan moved slowly down the road. She was humming a song Feylin had never heard, walking happily on her toes.


    ¡°That¡¯s easy.¡± She said smoothly. ¡°Any ranger or druid can make them. It¡¯s a first level spell, but it requires mistletoe.¡± Without missing a beat Raelith pulled a sprig of mistletoe out of her pack, closed her hand around it, and when she opened her hand ten red berries could be seen.


    Feylin¡¯s jaw dropped as he looked at Rae.


    ¡°I used to be a ranger. Kind of. Once upon a time.¡± Rae explained nonchalantly. Feylin nodded, noticing Raelith not speaking any more. He had a feeling there was more to that than what she said, but he didn¡¯t have time to ask before she handed the entire handful to him, shooing him off with a knowing smile.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Feylin walked back towards his cart, unable to take his eyes off the bright red and perfectly round berries in his hand.


    ¡°Anette.¡± The young cleric was walking with a slouch, dragging her feet a bit as she rubbed the persistent sleep from her eyes. Dark circles could be seen under her eyelids, impressively large dark circles considering this was her first night of rough sleep.


    Anette looked up at Feylin and put on a pitiful smile as though she was the most unfortunate soul in the world. Feylin didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry and handed her the entire mound of goodberries.


    ¡°These are goodberries. They will take away your sleepiness and give you energy. There¡¯s enough there for two days for your entire party.¡± Or more if you keep them for yourself, he thought as he observed her pitiful experience.


    The young woman looked at them carefully, their perfectly round redness reflecting a warped image of herself.


    Without any more hesitation, she looked at Feylin and popped one of the berries into her mouth.


    Instantly - like magic - the dark circles under her eyes disappeared and a deep breath escaped her lungs as though releasing all of the bad air she had accumulated over the past night.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Astonished, her eyes were wide and she looked at Feylin like some kind of savior. Feylin chuckled.


    ¡°According to the person I got them from, it¡¯s a first level ranger or druid spell. It only requires a sprig of mistletoe.¡± Feylin chuckled, telling her what Rae told him. The girl nodded enthusiastically saying her thanks before sprinting off to go find the rest of her party.


    Feylin watched her run and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    The caravan continued on like this for many weeks. Noone continued to cultivate diligently, and Sarah, Tobias, and him all continued to practice their battle technique for a few hours most nights.


    The gnome, Alaviv, also continued to seek Noone out daily, undiscouraged by Noone¡¯s apathy to him.


    One night, Noone saw the gnome approach and closed his eyes, planning to ignore the weird being until he left him alone. However what Noone failed to notice was the mischievous smile which tainted Alaviv¡¯s otherwise normal pleasant grin.


    Suddenly, much to Noone¡¯s surprise, Alaviv sat down next to Noone, crossing his legs and mimicking Noone¡¯s breathing.


    Noone opened his eyes for a moment to see what he would do next, but the gnome did nothing.


    Tobias, who had noticed the Alaviv¡¯s interest in Noone by this point had been meaning to talk with Noone about gnomes¡­ but¡­ eventually he just smiled and looked away, wanting no part in the proceedings.


    Suddenly, Noone heard the sound of someone taking a deep breath. It wasn¡¯t out loud though, it was in his own head. The gnome was transmitting directly into Noone¡¯s mind again.


    ¡°On the day I was born my mother, oh what a fine woman she is, always had a fondness for the colors red, and blue, and pink, and purple, and gold, well she was so overjoyed that she refused to let my father hold me, and he kicked up a fuss he did, but she said ¡®no way¡¯ and continued to coddle me, it wasn¡¯t for a few weeks she finally let me out of her sight and with my pops, he was a great man too, an inventor, he would watch the sun every day and night, endlessly, and eventually he created a large machine that we put into the middle of town to tell the time, amongst gnomes and humans and every race he was lauded as magnificent, oh but anyways, when I was one years old I began to tinker with my parent¡¯s old toys from when they were young, gnome quality craftmanship is made to last for centuries after all, when they don¡¯t explode that is, oh but my mom had a knack for healing magic she did so if I ever did get hurt as a youngin'' she would heal me up right away, well anyways at one I began learning how to read and I was mighty quick at it too, no not words I was too young to begin reading words, but blueprints, they make much more sense than words do anyways, well anyways when I was two..." Noone''s eyebrows lowered, but he continued to say nothing.


    A few hours passed


    "And when I was three..." Noone could no longer maintain his breathing and he opened his eyes which had turned red in annoyance. A few more hours had escaped him.


    "This carried over to when I turned four..." Another set of hours. Noone began to wonder if it was worth attempting to kill the little gnome. He couldn¡¯t be that strong right?


    "Oh, would you look at the time, sun¡¯s about to rise." The gnome said, smiling to himself. Noone was about to breathe a sigh of relief when the gnome continued. "We can finish this tomorrow.¡± The gnome smiled, and in this moment Noone knew this was not the smile of a kind man. He had managed to hold off from responding all night, but at what cost?


    That day Tobias took one look at Noone¡¯s bloodshot eyes and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He realized immediately what had occurred.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Noone. Gnomes¡­ well, they¡¯re a bit funny, I suppose.¡± Tobias chuckled. For the first time in a long time, Noone¡¯s cool composure broke and he released a night¡¯s worth of frustration on Tobias in the form of long repressed glare. Initially he had been saving it for the gnome, but he realized that it might only spur the gnome on further.


    Tobias only laughed harder when he saw this.


    ¡°Listen Noone. Just give Alaviv whatever he wants. Gnomes live for thousands of years, they can outlast your determination, I promise. They can outlast some of the gods too. But they don¡¯t ever mean harm - not really, anyways. They¡¯re a breed of creators and discoverers. You have piqued his interest is all.¡± Tobias managed to say after stifling his own chuckles.


    Noone¡¯s frowned deepened even further after hearing this. Thousands of years? What kind of ridiculous lifespan is that!?


    The next night, Alaviv returned. This time he came bearing stories of his fifth and sixth years. Each year, the stories would become longer and more detailed as Alaviv remembered more details. Tobias¡¯s warning rang out in his own mind¡­ ¡®Thousands of years¡­¡¯


    Noone quickly grew exasperated by the gnome¡¯s incessant talking.


    ¡°Look. Just what do you want?¡± Noone finally asked. The gnome seemed startled for a moment, being drawn out of his own story.


    ¡°Why do you talk like that?¡± The gnome asked. He had been talking into Noone¡¯s mind so insistently that he did not expect Noone to answer out loud.


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t talk into your mind.¡± Noone said, annoyed. Was this gnome an idiot, just a powerful one?


    Alaviv frowned, as he looked at Noone.


    Finally, after a few moments passed the older gnome responded again.


    ¡°Yes¡­ you can. With your magic sense.¡±

 131. Magic Sense?

    Noone looked at the old Alaviv. Suddenly the silly old man persona had disappeared. Now when he looked at the gnome, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was being stared back at by thousands of elders.


    Something about the way the gnome was looking at him reminded Noone of Elder Omias specifically¡­. Maybe it was because they were both short.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡± Noone repeated. His mood soured even further after thinking of Tapestry and he was of no mind to argue with the old man.


    The gnome put his finger to his chin in thought. Finally he said, ¡°If you can manage to do it, I will leave you alone for the rest of our journey.¡±


    Alaviv held up two fingers. Noone frowned, was this person really bargaining for Noone¡¯s sanity? A smile that Noone couldn¡¯t understand was spread on the gnome¡¯s face.


    ¡°Even if I can, which I can¡¯t, why does it matter to you?¡± Noone asked.


    ¡°Because it will be important in the future, and you can.¡± The gnome frowned now. After being alive as long as he had, there were very few things that got on his nerves. But one of them, were idiots. He didn¡¯t think this Noone was an idiot. ¡°Do it with your magic sense. The same thing you looked at me earlier with before you reigned it in.¡± Alaviv made a circling motion with his finger as he spoke.


    ¡°Just point.¡± His small bony finger pointed at Noone¡¯s forehead, ¡°And think.¡± His lips didn¡¯t move, the words being transmitted right into Noone¡¯s mind.


    Noone frowned. He didn¡¯t think he could do it, but from what Tobias had said this gnome was obviously old, experienced, and powerful. Could he be right?


    Noone¡¯s eyes narrowed and he looked at the old gnome. Despite his obvious age, there was a youthfulness and vigor in the gnome¡¯s face. He had stark blue-almost-white hair which added to his intense demeanor.


    Noone tentatively stretched out his divine sense, a habit he had reined in whenever the gnome was around.


    Slowly the divine sense encompassed the gnome.


    ¡°Too much. Too large.¡± The gnome spoke into his mind. Noone frowned and shrunk the divine sense again, this time making it much smaller. Now compressed into a ball, he moved the divine sense forward again. As soon as it touched the old man, it bounced off like a ball on a stone wall.


    ¡°Too strong. You need to be more delicate. You¡¯re not trying to scramble my mind, just speak into it.¡±


    Once again Noone shrunk the divine sense.


    ¡°Wrong. Too sharp. You don¡¯t want to pierce the mind of the person you¡¯re talking with. That¡¯s no way to have a conversation.¡±


    ¡°Wrong. Too shallow.¡±


    ¡°Too jagged.¡±


    ¡°Too unsteady.¡±


    Like this, the whole night passed with Noone flexing his divine sense in ways he had never tried to before. His head throbbed from the effort of the manipulation.


    The gnome sat quietly, only offering advice with Noone¡¯s attempts. He was totally patient with Noone, and a small smile played on his lips.


    To others, it may seem like Noone was an idiot, spending a whole night trying to understand a concept which seemed so easy to the gnome. However only Alaviv knew that each time he offered a piece of advice to Noone, he never needed to say it again. This method was slow, but it was a hundred percent guaranteed to work as long as Noone stuck with it.


    Eventually, exhausted and mind throbbing, Noone sent forth the smallest tentacle-like sliver of divine sense towards Alaviv.


    Much to Noone¡¯s surprise, the divine sense wasn¡¯t blocked like it had been before, and easily slipped into Alaviv¡¯s awareness. There was a qualitative change to the feeling of the divine sense once it passed through the gnome''s shielding.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Did I do it¡­¡± Noone thought to himself, focusing his entire attention on the miniscule sliver of divine sense. It was so thin and wispy that Noone felt it might dissipate the moment he took his mind off it.


    ¡°Yes. You did.¡± Alaviv smiled, speaking into Noone¡¯s mind in response to his own thoughts.


    The sudden shock of it caused Noone to lose his focus, and his divine sense recoiled out of Alaviv¡¯s awareness who sat there quietly with a grin on his face.


    When Noone finally recovered from his shock, he could see Alaviv standing slowly, like an old man his joints popped as he moved, but a smile played on the gnomes¡¯ face. He had a particularly wholesome look in his eyes, like a master being proud of his student.


    Noone was not sure how to feel about this weird old man. Initially he had thought Alaviv was merely a bored old being, but now¡­ he wasn¡¯t so sure.


    Seeing the conflicted look on Noone¡¯s face, Alaviv¡¯s smile widened into something playful.


    ¡°Well. I should get going. You managed to do it before sunrise, so like I said, I won¡¯t bother you again for the rest of the journey.¡± Alaviv sighed dramatically, putting the back of his hand on his forehead feigning exhaustion, ¡°And after staying up with you all night, and putting up with your blockheadedness.¡±


    Noone smiled wryly, obviously keen to the game this old man was playing. Never in his life had he experienced such an elderly individual, where was his shame? One moment Alaviv exuded wisdom and solemnity that came with age, and the next second it was replaced by a playful and youthful troublemaker.


    Noone had no idea what to make of it.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Noone said, sighing as the old gnome began to walk away, sighing exasperatedly in the process.


    Despite clearly hearing Noone¡¯s words, the gnome pretended he did not and continued to skulk off. Noone did not know whether to laugh or cry.


    ¡°If you want to come visit me tomorrow night, I promise not to ignore you. Maybe you can tell me about what happened when you were six.¡± Noone said hesitantly, putting everything else aside, inviting the gnome to visit again.


    Finally Alaviv stopped crying his woes and turned around flashing a playful smile at Noone before disappearing between the wagons.


    Noone scratched his head. There was only an hour before sunrise, and his head throbbed from the effort of manipulating his divine sense so extensively. Eventually he just sighed and returned to where Tobias and Sarah were sleeping, laying down on his own mat beside them.


    He thought about the weird gnome, Alaviv. Noone was almost certain the old man was a wizard of some class, and most likely extremely powerful at that. He even called Noone¡¯s divine sense ¡®magic sense¡¯ which Rae had told him was a specialty of the wizards.


    Noone had no disillusions about the gnome knowing something about his path of cultivation. Most likely it was a case of similar skills having similar methods. Like when Noone interrupted the dealings with Hoar by absorbing some of His energy during Sarah¡¯s advancement.


    The next morning at sunrise, the entire caravan was alerted to the sound of a deep and sharp whistle which pierced through each cart.


    At the front of the Caravan, an intimidating dwarven woman stood with her hands on her hips. Besides her stood Alaviv, Tobias, and mercenary fighter that some recognized as the third security lead.


    People who had travelled with the caravan on this route before knew what was coming, but the others were left in the dark.


    ¡°Adventurers and merchants, all who have joined my caravan.¡± Novrada¡¯s thickly accented voice echoed across the gathering crowd. ¡°We are now entering the area of a prominent bandit troupe. We have dealt with them in the past and we will continue to deal with them in the future. They are small compared to us, and generally don¡¯t cause more than a little bit of trouble. But they are fast. None of the towns nearby are able to do anything about them. We are not here to clear them out, only to fight them off if they rear their ugly heads!¡± She spoke cleanly and efficiently, leaving no room for argument.


    Various expressions ran through the caravan of a few hundred people. Experienced merchants and adventurers looked on disinterested. A few of the shrewdest merchants watched the expressions of the newbies, making bets on who would flee first in the face of conflict


    The newbies in question all tried to settle their hearts, some used mantras to calm their minds, others rationed out that the chances of them being attacked in the midst of so many people were slim. Others still looked excited for their first taste of ¡®being an adventurer.¡¯


    Noone¡¯s party for the most part looked on disinterested.


    Noone himself felt odd, but otherwise couldn¡¯t be bothered to show any emotions. If bandits came, he would deal with them. However, a small frown could be seen on his face. In his mind, he didn¡¯t understand these beings of the surface. He had heard of bandits by now, among other unpleasant types. But someone like Noone who came from a community of perfect camaraderie couldn¡¯t understand why these people existed¡­ It just seemed wrong.


    Feylin stood nearby, gripping his sword tight in its sheath. In his mind, he imagined scenarios of running through the caravan ¨C dodging arrows and healing the injured. Fighting off bandits, hand-in-hand with the rest.


    Everyone had their own thoughts, listening to the dwarven woman explain strategies in case of attack.


    What no one noticed though, was the expression on Sarah¡¯s face. She did not look eager like Feylin or scared like many of the young adventurers. She merely sighed, tempering her will for something only she was aware of.

 132. ALAVIVGREHMLA GNUCECAK

    After Novrada''s talk, she answered a few questions from new merchants and adventurers who had just joined this caravan.


    A few people questioned the company''s ability to protect the assets the merchants valued over their lives. To this, Novrada reintroduced herself and her power level and class. Then she had Tobias, Alaviv, and the other man ¨C Calvin ¨C introduce themselves as well.


    After hearing their introductions, the entire caravan was put at ease. This was especially so after Alaviv''s eccentric and shocking introduction.


    Noone paid special attention when Alaviv introduced himself. Ever since the night before, his interest in the gnome had peaked.


    "My name is Alavivgrehmla Gnuncecak" The gnome smiled playfully. "I am a 17th level wizard."


    When he said these words, a gasp cut through the crowd - everyone seemed to recoil in shock. Discretely he made eye contact with Noone, seeming to know that Noone would be watching him from within the crowd.


    The entire caravan devolved into murmurs. Some people voiced their disbelief and looked to Novrada to clarify. If it weren''t for Novrada saying nothing, people would have begun accusing the small gnome of lying, especially those who knew nothing of gnomes.


    Those that knew a thing or two about gnomes could only smile bitterly. Only one race could have someone grow to be so powerful, and yet be so carefree to not only join a small caravan, but openly reveal their level like this.


    The gnome, enjoying the commotion he caused, winked playfully at Novrada who only rolled her eyes at the antics of the man who had enlisted with them.


    In this world, most everyone short of the god''s themselves could be categorized by power into levels one through 20.


    Level one''s were those who only just entered their designated classes. People like Sarah, Feylin, and Anette as well as her party.


    Level fives could be considered strong, the majority of classed beings exist between levels five and ten, representing the median power of the common realm.


    Once people crossed the level ten barrier, they would be considered in the upper echelons of power.


    And then there were those between levels 15 and 20¡­ these could be considered crazy powerful in the world at large. These were those who could own their own guilds, powers, and could redirect countries single-handedly.


    Level 20''s have changed the course of history by themselves and were considered legendary existences on par with demi-gods. There were only a handful of level 20''s across the two continents. A few beings at the head of each class.


    If this gnome was really level 17¡­ he was probably the strongest being many of these people would ever meet in their lives.


    Noone of course didn''t understand the intricacies of this system when compared to the individuals from the surface, but he spread out his divine sense and caught the whispering of the people around him.


    As much as this made Noone see the gnome in a different light¡­ whenever he looked at the old gnome, Noone couldn''t help but feel he was just a mischievous old man with a curious side.


    Various thoughts ran through the mind of the people present, many thought to befriend Alaviv, however they were quickly dissuaded. Level 17 was just too far from them, there''s nothing they could offer such a person.


    Even Tobias was only at level ten, and Novrada was level 11.


    Feylin and Sarah stood nearby and couldn''t help but feel completely overwhelmed when looking at the gnome. They knew they had a long way to go before they could be considered strong¡­ but to see an example of the strength they wanted to achieve so close¡­ it made their desire to reach the same point burn brightly inside them.


    It took a while for the commotion to die down. After some closing remarks by the dwarf, the caravan scattered into their position''s and the carts moved forward, a strange air pervaded the entire group. The only exception was the bard named Reel, who, upon hearing Alaviv''s level, immediately approached him to serenade him with tales of his exploits - imaginary tales thought up by the bard. The gnome - being one who loved a bard - tuned in with his own witty self-deprecating quips.


    The two attracted numerous people, all of whom listened with wonder and enjoyment.


    After a while, one brave or possibly insane young man chimed in with his own quip about the small gnome - the level 17 wizard.


    The music stopped. The bard stopped singing. The gnome frowned. And the entire caravan went silent.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    This young man who had been so caught up with the fun, realized he may have made a deadly mistake. He was about to kneel on the ground and beg for forgiveness, but before he could the bard and gnome both smirked - seeming to have some understanding of each other - and sung out the next verse incorporating the young man''s jab.


    Everyone burst into laughter and the bard hauled the young man to his feet giving him a wink. The young man breathed a sigh of relief but couldn''t help but feel he had lost ten years off his life.


    Soon between every verse, everyone would pitch in a jab. Sometimes about the bard - usually about the gnome. Everyone in the caravan slowly found themselves growing fond of the small being.


    At one point a voice escaped one of the closed carts, proposing an incredibly witty jab at the bard. The voice was none other than the being the bard would torment with his songs since the beginning of their travels.


    "Oh shut up you old coot! Did it take you that long to come up with something clever to say!" The bard yelled back.


    Everyone laughed and the man in the cart could only cough in response.


    Noone watched on in amazement. Even he - who usually tried to hide behind his stoicism - couldn''t help but smile and laugh along with the rest.


    After a few hours, the bard began to slow down, and the caravan quietly separated back into their stations.


    "So? What do you think about me now Noone? Pretty powerful huh? I bet you won''t ignore me again in the future." The gnome smirked, approaching Noone. However, Noone said nothing.


    A few moments passed and Noone still didn''t respond. The old gnome frowned.


    "I thought you said we could talk today? Remember?" Alaviv eventually groaned. Noone looked at the gnome. In terms of size, the difference was staggering. Noone towered tall with broad shoulders and thick muscles, while the gnome was only a couple of feet tall and had the lanky proportions of an old man with bony hands and thin skin.


    However, the difference between their strengths was like the difference between heaven and earth.


    "And yet this young fellow still has the gall to ignore me?" The old gnome thought in a huff.


    After a few more moments of silence, Noone used his new ability to speak directly into Alaviv''s mind.


    "If I remember right, I think I said you could come talk to me tonight. I never said anything about during the day." Noone teased turning his head away from the gnome inconspicuously, trying to hide his own smirk, however the gnome saw clean through him.


    "You ungrateful brute!" The gnome transmitted back, "I take the time out of my night to help you learn to spread those crappy wings of yours and this is how you treat me? I am a wizard the likes of which you could never reach. I am basically untouchable to you. I could reduce your stony complexion to rubble, bring you back, and crumble you again. I could¡­" This continued for a few minutes, and Noone silently praised himself. He wondered how much of what the gnome threatened him with he was actually capable of.


    As far as Noone knew, the gnome wasn''t exaggerating when he said he could remake him into a candle and let a poor family burn him into nothingness.


    "Of course¡­" The gnome added at the end of his tirade, "I would never actually do any of those things. I am a peaceful creature."


    Noone gave Alaviv a look.


    "No, really. I am. You don''t get to live as long as I do stirring up trouble after all." The gnome spoke with indignation and a small amount of pride.


    Noone looked at the gnome.


    "How old are you anyways Alaviv?" Noone asked, legitimately curious.


    The gnome put one of his hands on his chin, thinking while he walked. After a moment of muttering to himself he held up two fingers.


    "200 years old huh?" Noone thought to himself. That wasn''t too farfetched.


    "Around two thousand years. Give or take a couple centuries." The gnome clarified after not seeing the reaction he was hoping for.


    When Noone heard this he couldn''t help but do a double take back at the little wizard.


    "That''s insane." He thought to himself. However, he truly believed that the little gnome spoke the truth. He had no reason to lie, after all.


    "What about you young one?" Alaviv asked.


    "Can''t you just use magic to find out?"


    "Well I''m not so impolite, why do that when I could just ask?"


    Noone nodded, appreciating the gnome¡¯s weird sense of propriety.


    "A hundred and twenty¡­" Noone thought for a moment, "-ish"


    Alaviv looked at him oddly.


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    Silence.


    "But why are you so weak."


    Silence again.


    "I took a break from life for a while."


    "Doing what?"


    "I died."


    Prolonged silence.


    "Huh¡­" The gnome thought for a moment, before a grin came onto his face. "How was it?"


    This time Noone thought for a moment. "It was¡­


    plant-y."


    Neither one said anything more for the next half hour.

 133. Sarah and Clayton

    Alaviv and Noone sat within a small outcropping of forest only a few minutes away from the caravan.


    It was the middle of the night, and an ever-bright moon hung from the sky lighting up the forest in a soft blue glow.


    ¡°Hahaha¡± The little wizard laughed. ¡°Noone. Noone, listen to this.¡±


    ¡°Not now Al. We can talk in the morning, I don¡¯t have much time to cultivate ¨C and the energy here is too weak, I can¡¯t afford to slack off.¡± Noone responded curtly.


    Noone and Alaviv had come to spend most nights together in discussion.


    At first Noone was hesitant about dealing with such a frivolous and willful old man. This was especially true after Alaviv revealed his level to the entire caravan. He was apprehensive about what such a being could want with him.


    It only took a few nights of interacting with the little wizard for Noone to realize that he gained nothing from being so guarded with Alaviv. Not only did Alaviv help Noone with exploring more capabilities of his divine sense, but Noone realized that with Alaviv¡¯s level of power, there was nothing Noone could do if he really did want something from him.


    Noone was not so conceited to believe that he could do anything against such a being¡­ But that still left the question, what did Alaviv want with him?


    Noone was beginning to think that maybe the old gnome was just curious. Every night the gnome would pepper Noone with questions, about his past, about his people, and about his power.


    Instead of giving the old gnome his entire life story, Noone decided to feed it to Alaviv in pieces. Despite their relationship growing more friendly, Noone did not want to make things easy on the mischievous old man.


    At the moment Noone was gathering threads of energy and diffusing it throughout his body. It was slow going, but necessary work.


    Next to him, Alaviv laid in the grass with a book grasped between his hands. He was casually humming to himself. In his hands was a copy of ¡®The Lusty Lizardfolk Maid.¡± Noone could only smile wryly at the title and chose to not bring it up. After seeing the book for the first time, Noone went and asked Raelith about it.


    ¡°Noone!¡± The elven cleric smiled and her eyes lit up with laughter and tears as she listened to his question. ¡°Well¡­ with so many people in the common world ¨C especially humans ¨C books aren¡¯t just meant for the histories¡­ There are many people who write and read stories for¡­ pleasure.¡± She choked back another chuckle trying to explain the idea to Noone.


    Noone had read numerous books in the libraries of Tapestry with Liter so he was familiar with the idea of stories written telling tales of heroic ventures. But¡­ when he looked at the old gnome, he had a feeling this book wasn¡¯t one of those.


    Suddenly the old gnome looked up into the tree-line revealing a wide-toothed smile.


    Noone caught this action in his divine sense and stopped gathering energy to look at Alaviv.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Noone asked, transmitting the thought right into Alaviv¡¯s mind.


    The gnome looked at Noone his smile a bit more playful. ¡°It seems that your little girlfriend is up to something shady.¡± He wiggled his bony fingers mysteriously as he spoke, teasing Noone. Noone frowned but said nothing. He knew that the gnome was referring to Sarah.


    Alaviv had gone out of his way to talk with Sarah a number of times since starting the journey, however he didn¡¯t pester her the way he did Noone.


    ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s shady?¡± Noone asked. ¡°She could just be going out to train.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go find out then?¡± Alaviv smiled. ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the caravan, these old bones need rest after all.¡± He said, joints creaking slightly as he stood up and wandered back towards the carts.


    Noone thought for a while before finally smiling wryly and shaking his head. ¡°Truly¡­ this old man.¡± Knowing that the old man wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it if it really was nothing, Noone decided to head off in the direction the old man had been looking. He spread his divine senses to the limit, easily navigating the dark forest.


    After five minutes, Noone reached the edge of a small clearing. From where he was standing, he could see a number of things.


    Sarah stood within the middle of the clearing, her armor and weapon were all equipped, and her arms were crossed. Noone was able to tell that she was waiting for something.


    Noone immediately suppressed the energy which flowed through his meridians. The normal white glow which was emitted from the power lines etched into his flesh lowered down to the point that they looked nonexistent, blending in with his normal stone-grey flesh.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    After practicing for a while Noone had managed to get to the point he could suppress it, but it took a lot out of him to maintain this level of concentration. The energy which flowed through him ¨C the universe energy he absorbed ¨C didn¡¯t like to be contained, and it certainly didn¡¯t like being suppressed.


    Noone sat quietly in tree line hiding his body as much as he could, watching Sarah who was standing patiently in the clearing. Noone¡¯s divine sense spread to its limit looking for any sign of what Sarah was waiting for.


    Minute after minute passed with no change, however Noone was put more on edge with each passing second. There was a creeping feeling which was crawling up his spine that he couldn¡¯t quite place. A quiet danger which lurked nearby¡­


    He thought about approaching Sarah and warning her, but he had already concealed himself and he didn¡¯t want to disturb her if it turned out to be nothing.


    Suddenly, Noone watched as Sarah¡¯s eyebrows raised in shock and she turned her whole body, facing the tree line.


    Facing Noone.


    ¡°Did she notice me? No¡­ that should have been impossible.¡± Noone thought quickly. ¡°The look on Sarah¡¯s face was definitely surprise¡­ what changed?¡±


    Noone began to stand and step out from the tree line, revealing himself to put Sarah at ease and show it was just him. But suddenly his body swayed¡­


    No, that isn¡¯t right¡­


    In the split second before Noone stood up, another being entered within range of his divine sense, on the opposite side of the tree he was crouched behind.


    As fast as Noone could observe, the other being dressed all in black armor pulled out a broadsword and, like a bat, swung it directly towards the tree.


    Noone barely had a second to react before the trunk of the pine exploded in a shower of shrapnel and wood threatening to pierce through his flesh.


    Instead of moving back, Noone quickly kicked off from the ground compacting the dirt under him from the rush of force. His whole body shot out from the tree line and into the clearing, rolling heavily on the grass before coming to his feet with his weapons drawn and his back towards Sarah.


    ¡°Fast.¡± Noone thought. He wasted no time focusing his divine sense on the man which had appeared as if from nowhere. One look at this being in black told Noone that he was definitely the cause of the spine-chilling feeling which had been creeping into his bones.


    Noone tightened his grip on the axe¡¯s, preparing to cause as much noise as he could. Hopefully he would catch the attention of the caravan before he and Sarah were seriously injured.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡± A pleasant but average male voice, slowly walking out from the trees.


    ¡°Noone?¡± Sarah¡¯s voice from behind.


    No one moved or said anything. Noone¡¯s thoughts moved at a million miles a minute.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t kill me or seriously harm me¡­. He most definitely could have.¡± Noone¡¯s first thought. ¡°And¡­ wait¡­ why was Sarah surprised to see me, but not him?¡± His second thought.


    It only took a moment for Noone to realize he had made a mistake. The man who had attacked him was the person Sarah had been waiting for, Noone was the one intruding. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Noone slowly began to put the axes back into their places on his waist.


    The man in front of Noone looked on curiously. Noone stopped suppressing his energy and a white glow began to emit from the lines on his body again. His expression was carefully controlled and neutral, but his entire body was tense. He was prepared to fight with everything he had if it came to it.


    ¡°Sarah, you know him?¡± The man looked past Noone to Sarah who was still gathering her wits after seeing Noone suddenly burst from the trees.


    ¡°Um. Yes. This is Noone, he is my traveling companion with the group from the order.¡± Sarah spoke quickly, trying to clear up any of the confusion.


    ¡°The one you picked up from the edge?¡± Clayton put a hand on his chin, revealing a smile that made Noone tense up. He wondered how long this person had watched him without him noticing.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Noone thought. Faced with this sneaky being, he was suddenly reminded of how little he was in the common realm. He was truly¡­ weak. So far, he had just gotten lucky with his dealings, but if this person had intended to kill him from the beginning, Noone was afraid there was very little he could do about it.


    Sarah nodded, quickly introducing Noone to Clayton.


    ¡°Noone. This is Clayton. He is also a vengeance paladin of Hoar. He was sent here to help show me the ropes¡­¡± Sarah said. Noone nodded, doing his best to loosen up despite the atmosphere.


    ¡°Why are you here Noone?¡± Sarah asked. She couldn¡¯t believe Noone noticed her leaving, and even if he did - Noone wasn¡¯t the type to needlessly follow others.


    Noone thought about this for a moment. ¡°Why am I here?¡± The image a wily white-haired gnome flashed into his mind. ¡°Ah.¡± He thought. ¡°That would be why.¡±


    On the outside Noone could only smile wryly, explaining that he had been curious what training she was doing to leave the caravan alone without him or Tobias.


    Sarah didn¡¯t know whether or not to believe Noone, but Clayton could see right through him. Part truth part lie.


    Eventually Clayton just shrugged. ¡°Well if he¡¯s here anyways then he can help us out.¡± Clayton said emphatically.


    Noone tensed again, but kept his expression neutral. A good default expression for dealing with people like Clayton, Noone thought.


    Sarah looked like she was about to say something but chose against it. Instead she just shared a private look with Noone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Clayton said. ¡°We are just doing a bit of exterminating in the good name of Hoar. Nothing to be wary of.¡± The way clayton laughed made Noone distrust the man more. Claytons casual look only added to his uncanny feeling.

 134. I can do that...

    Noone, Sarah and Clayton all walked together further away from the Caravan. Noone stayed close to Sarah and put as much distance between himself and the other paladin, keeping his divine sense trained on Clayton the whole time.


    Either Clayton did not notice it, or chose to say nothing, because Noone was able to observe him easily.


    The fact that he had seen the paladin approach initially, even if he was moving insanely fast, led Noone to believe that Clayton had no way to notice his divine sense.


    Clayton smiled to himself as he walked, making small talk with the two of them. Sarah seemed more comfortable with Clayton, possibly because they shared similar gods and goals.


    ¡°You said we were going to exterminate?¡± Noone asked, trying to be as casual as possible. The paladin nodded.


    ¡°Nearby there is a camp of bandits that have run amok in this area for the better half of a decade.¡± Clayton began. ¡°Usually it is beneath Hoar to deal with bandits. If he sent every vengeance paladin to deal with every bandit group that showed up in the world, there wouldn¡¯t be enough paladins left for the people truly deserving to be extinguished.¡± Clayton sighed and gave his younger apprentice a knowing look. Noone and Sarah could tell that Clayton was speaking more for Sarah¡¯s sake, seeing how he was sent to show her the ropes.


    ¡°Then why are we doing this?¡± Sarah asked, catching on immediately.


    ¡°Well¡­ It seems that these bandits stuck their fingers into something they shouldn¡¯t have.¡± He put a hand to his chin. ¡°I¡¯m not too clear either. It¡¯s also possible that He wants to start you off with something easy.¡± Internally clayton frowned, he had been a vengeance paladin for a long time, and Hoar was not the type to ease his followers into their roles. He was more a ¡®trial by fire¡¯ god.


    Clayton thought about his own initiation and his first assignment many decades ago. It had been a bloody hell. He was sure that he was going to die any number of times.


    ¡°Most likely the former. The nearby tows all said the bandits have been quiet for the past three or four months. It¡¯s put everyone on edge. Plus, I have been watching them for weeks, waiting for you to get close enough to join me.¡± He looked at Sarah. She understood that he had been scouting out the camp ahead of time.


    ¡°How many are there?¡± Noone asked, right to the point.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Clayton put a finger to his chin before smiling. ¡°Only around a hundred.¡± He said.


    Noone frowned but said nothing. Sarah also frowned. ¡°So many? Is it just going to be the three of us?¡±


    Clayton chuckled when he saw their expressions. ¡°Now now. You don¡¯t have to worry too much. With me here how could I let anything happen to Hoar¡¯s newest paladin.¡± He said playfully. However, Noone was quick to notice he wasn¡¯t included in that sentence. ¡°Apart from a few of the bandit heads, everyone there is either unclassed, or a level one or two fighters. For you with your extensive training, they will be no match as long as you don¡¯t get surrounded.¡±


    All Noone could do was maintain his neutral expression. He didn¡¯t mind not being included in Clayton¡¯s protection, it was his own fault for getting dragged into this, and at worst he could escape in the thick of battle. He felt a little bad at the thought of leaving Sarah behind, but she had Clayton protecting her. He would have to rely on himself.


    Noone put his hand on his chin in thought.


    ¡°If they are so weak, how are they able to be such a nuisance for the last decade? Certainly the towns have enough people to clean out such a camp?¡± In his mind he was recalling the various higher-level adventurers he had seen in Ardglass, let alone Pinepass. Clayton cleared his throat and made a noise like he was disappointed in Noone.


    ¡°It has to do with numbers and the fact that the bandits have no reason to stay in any one place for too long. Even if you brought out ten level ten paladins, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily be able to apprehend all one hundred bandits. There is only so many people you can focus on in a one on one fight after all.


    It would be different if the towns could ambush the bandits, but they are a sneaky bunch that would hide themselves deep into the mountains the moment they received word of a military forced being raised against them.¡±


    ¡°But now¡­¡± Clayton chuckled, ¡°They¡¯ve gotten complacent, and we have the advantage.¡±


    The forest floor gradually stretched into an incline, and soon the group of three were trekking up a lone hill in the forest.


    ¡°We are close.¡± Clayton said. ¡°Half of their base is built within the peak of this hill, a single entrance ¨C a choke-point leading inside. The other half is set up as a courtyard around the entrance.¡± He stopped, turning towards Noone and Sarah.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°They have a hidden exit out the back of the hill, a small tunnel.¡± Suddenly his smile returned, however it wasn¡¯t the playful smile Noone and Sarah had seen before. It was a cold smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, reflecting decades of unmitigated and untold violence.


    ¡°I am going to set up at that exit and I will wait there.¡± He pointed at Noone and Sarah. ¡°You two, will be attacking from the front. Do so however you wish. Have fun! Get creative! As soon as I hear the party starting, I will make my way in through the back, keeping the exit sealed so no one escapes.¡±


    Sarah merely nodded when she heard this, not believing that Clayton would do anything which would get her killed, not while the served the same ends, anyways.


    Noone on the other hand frowned. This was the worst situation he could have hoped for. If he left Sarah behind, he didn¡¯t know how he would explain himself later. It would be one thing if Clayton were right next to them the whole time, he should have the means to escape with her if need be. But leaving Noone with Sarah¡­ He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Clayton had done it on purpose. He wouldn¡¯t go so far as to hold himself accountable for her life, but¡­ It left a bad taste in his mouth.


    Seeming to understand Noone¡¯s thoughts, the older paladin smiled. His white teeth contrasting sharply against his dark hair and eyes. ¡°I am not an unfair person Noone. Whatever you obtain from the bandit¡¯s belongs to you. I am sure that after years of robbing and plunder, they have accrued quite a mass of interesting tools and magics.¡± He said. ¡°Even if we are in the middle of the boonies.¡± Clayton added to himself.


    Noone thought about this for a moment before gritting his teeth and nodding. If he was here anyways, he might as well try to get something out of it.


    Clayton nodded to them, pleased with Noone¡¯s decision. Honestly if Noone had chosen to flee, he wouldn¡¯t have done anything about it. But since he didn¡¯t, Clayton¡¯s opinion of Noone had gone up.


    ¡°Since this is your first time,¡± Clayton added. ¡°I would suggest you strike fast, and hard. The more disorientated they are, the easier they will be to pick off one by one. Here.¡± Clayton tossed two red bottles over, one to Noone and one to Sarah.


    When Sarah saw the bottles, her eyes widened, and she quickly scrambled to catch the bottle gently before it hit the ground.


    Noone easily snatched the bottle from the air.


    Before he could ask what it was, Clayton disappeared through the trees, beginning to circle around to the back of the hill. Sarah looked at the bottle frightfully.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Noone asked, noticing Sarah¡¯s tense demeanor. He stirred the liquid within the bottle lightly, listening to the swish as it sloshed around.


    Sarah hesitated for only a moment. ¡°It¡¯s called liquid fire¡­ I was with Clayton in Pinepass when he bought it. Along with my armor.¡± Sarah spoke gently. ¡°It was almost impossible to find, and they cost ten gold a piece. He was only able to get ahold of these two¡­.¡± She added. Never did she believe that he would hand them over so easily.


    Noone¡¯s eyes also widened. So expensive? That was almost ten times the cost of the axes he had sold in Ardglass according to Raelith. ¡°What do they do?¡± Noone asked, however he had a feeling he could tell from the name.


    ¡°According to Clayton, wherever they land will be coated in a liquid a few meters across which ignites on impact. Flames hot enough to melt metal will rise from that spot and will subsist for almost ten minutes. Anything that touches the liquid will also catch alight.¡± Sarah¡¯s grip softened as she spoke, scared to accidentally break the bottle in her hand. Noone also couldn¡¯t help but stop swirling it.


    Noone hesitated for a moment. ¡°This clayton¡­ he¡¯s not a very good person.¡± Sarah nodded but said nothing, staring into the red bottle.


    After a few moments an exasperated sigh escaped from her lips. ¡°So¡­ Noone. How do you want to do this? If you want to leave, you don¡¯t worry about me and go¡­ you have your own goals and don¡¯t need to risk yourself here.¡± In her heart, she felt bad for getting Noone dragged into this, but she also was happy she had someone she was familiar with around. Noone only shook his head and smiled. Sarah was a good person, he thought. He hoped that serving as a vengeance paladin wouldn¡¯t take that away from her over time.


    The two quietly stalked through the forest up the hill, planning their approach as they arrived closer to the camp.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Sarah and Noone were only a few dozen yards away from the bandit encampment, quietly sitting in the tree line and looking towards a large wooden wall which bordered the camp. It was ten feet tall and stretched into a half circle built into the side of the hill. The ground looked to have been manually flattened at some point, making it an easy resting ground for the troupe.


    At the front of the wall was a large open section the bandits would enter and exit from. There were three bandits quietly sitting and drinking, talking with each other. Presumably they were meant to watch for any intruders and alert the rest of the camp.


    Even with it being so late into the night, there were at least a dozen people who were still awake inside, the rest were presumably sleeping nearby or within the caverns in the hill itself.


    The lingering smell of roasted meats wafted through the air overpowering the natural scent of nature despite having been eaten hours before. It seemed that these bandits didn¡¯t go without, despite Clayton mentioning they haven¡¯t been active for months.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this Sarah?¡± Noone asked, poising himself behind a large tree. Sarah nodded, and after a small sigh she disappeared, making her way to the side of the base, carefully following the tree line to stay hidden.


    Noone centered himself behind the tree, regulating his breathing. Every muscle in his body was being flooded ¨C unconsciously ¨C with universe energy. Noone breathed out a harsh breath and pushed himself off the ground.


    At a speed that threatened to tear his joints, Noone¡¯s massive body dashed across the clearing between the trees and the front gate. In his hands the two axes were already drawn, his legs bulged under the immense pressure.


    Noone had taken Clayton¡¯s words to mind.


    Strike hard. Strike fast.


    On his waistband, a red bottle was tied tightly.


    Noone had proposed a plan which they believed had the highest chance of working. But it required Noone be able to tank the front of the camp.


    "Three people in the front, and at least a dozen people inside¡­ I can do that." Noone assured himself. He grit his teeth so tightly that they threated to break.

 135. Bandit Camp

    ¡°It won¡¯t be long now.¡± A thick southern accent sighed poignantly. One of the bandits sitting and drinking near the entrance to the camp. He gave a sidelong glance to his two companions who nodded to his words. In their minds, everyone was thinking of a better life to come.


    They had been quiet for the past few months, keeping to themselves. This had all been for a reason.


    ¡°At least we will be out of here before the winter hits, nothing worse than winter.¡± Another of the bandits spoke. It was the middle of summer at the moment, and while the days were hot, the nights were unbearably pleasant. It made any other time of year seem unfair in comparison.


    The other two grumbled in agreement, sleep was threatening to take them, but they kept each other awake.


    ¡°Where are you going to go? Have you picked a town to escape to yet?¡± One of the bandits asked the oldest of the three. The oldest man smiled softly, his eyes cleared as he thought of his home.


    ¡°I want to head back to my family.¡± He said. ¡°I have a sister who has some kids¡­ The only surviving members of my family name.¡± He chuckled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m probably going to give half of the gold to her. It¡¯s too much for one man to spend alone. I can live a fine enough life on half.¡±


    The other two chuckled, not everyone was as open-minded as this old man, but nevertheless they respected his decision.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they will be grateful, as long as you never reveal how we made it.¡± One said. He had a bitter smile. Everyone nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Aye.¡± The old man sighed, a sadness could be seen in his eyes.


    Suddenly the rapid patting of feet against earth entered their ears. At first the three men were startled, the pace of the steps and weight behind the sound led them to believe that they may have attracted the attention of a bear or a direwolf.


    The three scrambled to attention, looking towards the sound. By the time they had risen to their feet, though, it was too late. Noone had covered the distance with as much speed as possible. Their plan relied on Noone making it into the encampment rather than the bandits rushing out.


    He never took his eyes off the three men as he approached ¨C not even blinking while the wind whipped across his eyes. As soon as he saw the three bandits react to his presence, Noone¡¯s eyes narrowed. He compressed his divine sense and shot it forward like an arrow into the skull of the man closest to the entrance.


    This wasn¡¯t the soft and gentle divine sense that Alaviv had taught him utilize, but instead was sharp and intense. The bandit had no way to defend against such an attack and immediately his body stiffened. His mind was thrashed and ravaged by Noone¡¯s divine sense as he sent it plunging in and out of the man¡¯s skull.


    Noone hadn¡¯t realized it until this moment, but the feeling of forcefully inserting his divine sense into someone¡¯s mind only to shred it to pieces was uncomfortable¡­ to say the least. However, his pace did not slow, he only frowned - persisting for the sake of Sarah and the promise of loot.


    One of the bandits was preparing to yell out, drawing his short sword to defend himself from the giant human approaching them, however he was far too late. Noone was already on top of them.


    Noone¡¯s axe swiftly chopped through one of the bandit¡¯s neck, cutting his head off cleanly ¨C instantly removing his ability to call for help, among other things, among other vital functions.


    The oldest bandit looked on in horror with wide eyes. He immediately prepared to attack with the other remaining man simultaneously, but when he looked over to the one who had been closest to the gate, he realized that he was already somehow incapacitated.


    Noone¡¯s divine sense had caused the other man to go brain dead, sending him crumbling onto the floor, spasming uncontrollably. Despite knowing he was outmatched, the oldest man still poised himself to attack. His own sword was in his hands, and he jabbed it with all his strength and speed towards Noone¡¯s side. The blood of his recently decapitated companion showered them both, causing him to squint to avoid being blinded.


    Noone¡¯s right hand flashed out. Using his divine sense, he had no reason to fear being blinded by the blood and he easily guided his weapon into the man¡¯s wrist, chopping his hand clean from his arm. The sword flung off into the grass ¨C hand still attached.


    Before the man could scream in pain, Noone¡¯s other axe followed close behind, crushing the man¡¯s skull with a hard crack. From the time Noone had dashed out of the tree line until now, barely any time had passed.  Those still awake within the encampment had no idea that three of their own had just been killed.


    Noone frowned, wiping the slick blood from his face. Until now he had only ever killed one ¡°human...¡± An epoch tribesman who was after his own life.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    This was the first time he had ever gone out of his way to initiate combat. Let alone a sneak attack against unsuspecting victims¡­ Even if they were bandits. Noone sighed. Some part of him felt for them, but he ultimately put those thoughts aside. He wasn¡¯t going to justify his actions. Another person might say that because they were bandits it¡¯s okay. They deserved it. But Noone was not like this.


    Noone¡¯s thoughts threatened to drift back to tapestry, but he quickly suppressed them.


    ¡°People die. That¡¯s just how it is.¡± Noone sighed. Now was not the time to worry about where the lines of morality were.


    Noone knelt down and easily hoisted the bodies of the recently deceased bandits onto his shoulders like a ton of logs. One hand was still holding his axe, while the other hand was free, his second axe back in its place.


    ¡°I sure hope Sarah¡¯s in position.¡± Noone thought quietly as he walked in through the front gate.


    The inside of the encampment was a grass-less pad of compacted soil ¨C presumably turned this way after years of being tread upon. All around the edges of the encampment were small wooden buildings, sheds used to store food and weapons. Noone breathed a sigh of relief. One of the things he was worried about, was whether or not the rest of the bandits slept within the caves in the hillside or in bunkers outside.


    If it was the latter, then chances were he would be swarmed by bandits as soon as the fighting started. But since it seemed to be the former ¨C the plan would hopefully proceed without a hitch.


    Noone¡¯s eyes casually swept the area.


    A dozen bandits were sat around a fire, talking among themselves and lazily drifting into a drunken sleep.


    These were the night-owls of the bandit camp. Noone knew that any second now one of them would notice him.


    Noone did not slow down, instead he dropped the three corpses loudly against the compacted earth floor.


    All at once, the men sitting around the fire looked over to see what the disturbance was.


    Noone¡¯s hand quickly grasped the red bottle at his side, and he waited for them to react.


    Maybe it was because it was late, or maybe it was because the bandits were slightly drunk, but it took them longer than he was expecting for them to finally come to their senses.


    The dozen men stood, their jaws slack. To them, suddenly, apropos of nothing, they looked over to see a towering muscular figure, decorated with glowing white lines, standing in front of the corpses of three of their comrades.


    The image caused their minds to churn to a momentary stop. There was no precedence for what was happening. The man standing there alone with their three dead friends as though challenging them. There was no backup or companions that they could see. There were no other sounds except the crackle of fire.


    Just a lone man ¨C a lone giant of a man ¨C standing above the corpses of the three men who were watching the entrance.


    ¡°R- R- Raise the bell! The bell! Ring the bell!¡± One of the men finally shouted out. Everyone came to their senses all at once. The nimblest of the men quickly scrambled to a nearby pole with a rope hanging from it. He tugged on the rope violently, sending the sharp deep crack of a bell through the camp which Noone presumed would echo into the caverns. While he did this, the rest drew their weapons and began to stand shoulder to shoulder ¨C facing the lone Noone.


    Noone smiled. ¡°Perfect.¡± He thought.


    ¡°Who are you! Why are you here? Who are you with!?¡± The bandits yelled out. Noone continued to look at the group but he didn¡¯t respond. Even the smile he had on his face had slowly disappeared as he mentally prepared himself for the oncoming struggle.


    When Noone didn¡¯t respond the men all looked at each other, trying to decide whether or not to make the next move.


    If this man was alone¡­ then it could only mean a few things. Either he was a fool, or he was confident in his strength. Or¡­


    ¡°Are you here to see Captain Jess?¡± One of the bandits probed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if these three offended you. If you are here to see the captain, we can get her for you.¡± If this man was an envoy of some sort, and the three men sent to keep watch offended him, then his reaction ¨C while extreme ¨C would be explained. It would also explain why he was alone. Or so the bandits thought warily.


    A few moments passed and Noone continued to stare at them. His eyes narrowed, causing the bandits to think their words had gotten through. However, Noone¡¯s right hand quickly tugged at the red bottle on his waist, and with a mighty throw, the bottle hurled through the air directly towards the group of bandits.


    The throw had come too quickly, and the bottle moved too fast for any of the bandits to get a good look at it. They could only unceremoniously dive out of the way, attempting to avoid it.


    As their bodies hit the cold earth, the sound of breaking glass followed by the rush of wind sounded out in their ears. But before they could be surprised - they heard the screaming.


    Noone had not been looking at the men this whole time, not really. From the moment that the bell was rung, Noone had not taken his eyes off of a large cave entrance on the opposite side of the camp. The bandits had only thought he was watching them, but in truth he was waiting.


    Luckily Noone didn¡¯t have to wait long, and soon the silhouettes of more people began to fill the entrance of the cave, preparing to rush out into the open camp at the beck of the bell.


    That¡¯s when Noone acted.


    He threw the bottle with everything he had ¨C using his divine sense to help guide his throw.


    The red bottle of liquid fire easily found it¡¯s mark. Just as the men were preparing to rush out into the open, the bottle exploded at their feet bathing the men in fire and causing a wall of flame to rise up blocking the entrance.


    ¡°Only ten.¡± Noone lamented, quickly counting the number of bodies caught within the flame. Their horrified screams continued to echo out for a few more seconds before their lives were burnt out.


    The men in the outer encampment looked on in horror. Their minds seemed to screech to a halt as they stared at the melting forms of their companions.


    A horrifying smell began to waft through the camp. Even Noone ¨C the cause of the fire ¨C couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°At the very least if there was anyone who hadn¡¯t woken up by the bell ¨C they will be up now.¡± Noone thought silently.


    Everyone could see that men were scrambling on the other side of the fire within the cave.


    Ten minutes. Noone quickly reminded himself, and his feet stepped forwards. One of the bandits turned from the flame to look at Noone.


    ¡°Y- You!¡± But it was too late. Noone¡¯s axe was already upon him. The bandit¡¯s eyes went wide, and he tried to roll away but Noone was Too fast, and his axe crushed through the man¡¯s ribs and ruptured through his internal organs.


    ¡°One.¡± Noone thought.

 136. Ten and Eleven.

    The men facing Noone watched as he crushed through the chest of their partner. From the other side of the fire, shocked yelling could be heard. People began to file into the cave, shouting at each other to bring water to douse the flames. After seeing their comrades melted in the flame, no one wanted to try dashing through the strange magic.


    The bandit closest to Noone shouted in horror as he watched his friend crushed beneath Noone¡¯s axe. Noone managed to pry his war-axe out of the bandit¡¯s corpse just in time for the other man to scramble to his feet.


    Seeing Noone facing away from him, he wasted no time dashing towards Noone, dagger in hand and ready to pierce into Noone¡¯s back.


    Noone watched this happen within his divine sense and gave no reaction until the moment before the dagger would pierce through him.


    Noone¡¯s foot dug into the compacted earth and his entire body shifted a couple feet to the right almost instantaneously.


    The man who had lunged at Noone with all his might barely had time to register the miss before Noone¡¯s axe chopped down - embedding itself into the bandit¡¯s back and sending the man crashing into the ground from the sheer force of impact. His spine was completely shattered.


    Two.


    Wasting no time, he swiftly moved to the next person, easily capturing every action within his divine sense.


    By this point, the men realized what was occurring. Noone was not here as an envoy. They were going to be killed unless they fought back. The fire kept the rest of their accomplices from interfering.


    ¡°He must be alone!¡± One of the men shouted, muscles tense with fear. If Noone had any kind of help, he wouldn¡¯t need to isolate them like this.


    Noone smirked but said nothing. He moved quickly swinging his axe at the head of the nearest opponent. Much to Noone¡¯s surprise, the man barely managed to raise his buckler in time to block Noone¡¯s blow, however he wasn¡¯t in the right position to deflect the attack and could only take the full force of it into his arm.


    Noone did not let up despite his attack being blocked, instead putting all of his weight behind the blow. Like chopping into a log, there was a sharp crack followed by a scream of pain. Noone¡¯s strike had managed enough force to shatter the bone where the shield was attached to the man¡¯s arm.


    The bandit recoiled away, in his eyes there was fear and pain unbecoming of such a gruff looking figure. Before he could get out of reach though, Noone used his axe - which had embedded itself in the man¡¯s shield - to pull the man by his shattered arm back into reach, before shoving him in the way of a sword swing of another bandit.


    The sword bit straight into the man¡¯s torso, causing a life-ending wound. Noone kicked the corpse of the man into the bandit with a sword, buying himself a little space.


    Three.


    ¡°They¡¯re weak.¡± Noone thought. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t get surrounded.¡±


    In truth though, they were not terribly weak, each one being a level one or two fighter or ranger variant. It was just Noone¡­ was too strong. His physical body was a gift of heritage and honed through years of physical labor. His muscles burned with training ingrained into him by Tobias. And his divine sense gave him an unparalleled advantage against anyone who couldn¡¯t match him physically.


    Using his divine sense Noone was able to keep track of the position and movements of everyone in a six-meter radius. As long as he wasn¡¯t overwhelmed physically, or outperformed in terms of skill, then he had no problem handling such a group.


    The only exception was if he was surrounded. Then he might have to sustain some damage in order break through. No matter how much he could see, it didn¡¯t matter if he was attacked faster than he could react to it.


    This was why he wasted no time attacking the group despite them being shocked by the events unfolding.


    ¡°You fucker!¡± The man whose sword had sliced through his comrade when Noone used him as a shield shouted so violently that spittle flew from between rotted teeth. He was momentarily stunned by what had just happened. One second, he was preparing to cut right into Noone¡¯s blind-spot but¡­ all of a sudden Noone had used his friend''s body as a shield and he didn¡¯t have any time to stop his attack. The timing had been too¡­ perfect.


    The image of the fear in his friend¡¯s eyes dying to his own strike¡­ if he ever lived through this day, he knew it would haunt him.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The man screamed and rushed Noone, his muscles bulged and with a speed Noone wasn¡¯t able to block and his he slashed directly at Noone¡¯s neck.


    Noone had no choice but to dodge out of range from such a frantic tactic. Instead of returning the attack though, Noone locked his divine sense onto a nearby man who was still in shock.


    Noone figured it would be easier to deal with the obviously skilled sword wielding bandit last, when he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being ganged up on. As it stood now, if he wanted to kill the sword bandit who seemed to have at least some reasonable experience, it would take too much of his attention. It was better to pick off the rest first.


    The young bandit who had become the center of Noone¡¯s attention put up futile resistance before having his side pierced by Noone¡¯s axe.


    Four.


    Despite taking a while to explain, the start of the fight to now had been going on for no more than a minute. There were still seven people left, and Noone realized he was going to have to go faster or else he would be giving them too much time to organize themselves.


    Noone quickly dodged a swift sword strike to his back before digging his axes into another person. Instead of freeing his weapons from the bandit¡¯s body right away, Noone used them as leverage to throw the bandit at the sword-wielder, again buying him a bit more space.


    Five.


    The bandit with the sword was growing increasingly shocked and scared. Every time he closed in on the gray being, he would just dodge out of the way at the last second. Even if he was directly behind, it was as if the grey being knew where he was at all times.


    Six.


    ¡°Turn around and fight me!¡± The sword wielding man yelled upon seeing Noone kill the man he had just been drinking so happily with only a few moments before.


    Noone glanced back at the man with a cool expression before turning his gaze on another nearby bandit, ignoring him. The sword wielding man¡¯s heart went cold when he saw Noone¡¯s expression. ¡°That¡¯s not the expression of someone in the midst of battle.¡± His thoughts raced fueled by adrenaline and fear.


    ¡°Seven and eight.¡± Noone thought, stealing the spear from a man whose skull he had just crushed and launching it at a bandit furthest from him. That particular bandit had been doing nothing but look for an opportunity to justify fleeing, this is something Noone did not want to happen.


    Noone quickly ducked his head, rolling to the side as fast as he could. A sword narrowly passed over his scalp. ¡°Maybe I should have launched the spear against this fellow.¡± Noone thought, exasperated.


    ¡°Circle up!¡± one of the three remaining bandits yelled, by this point two minutes had passed. The sword wielding man grit his teeth and stopped his pursuit ¨C his eyes burned with fire and hate.


    For the first time since the start of the fight, there was finally a lull where Noone could catch his breath. He wasn¡¯t particularly exasperated, but it was still a small moment of respite.


    The three men glanced at Noone, each other, and the fire holding off the full scale of their encampment within the caves. At this point they just needed to wait Noone out and keep him there. If they split Noone¡¯s attention between the three of them, no matter how strong he was, they could definitely outpace him they thought.


    Noone immediately realized what they were trying to do after a moment passed with none of them moving.


    ¡°It¡¯s time¡¯s like this I wish I had some sort of magic.¡± Noone groaned internally. He quietly wondered how well he would have done in this fight if he hadn¡¯t been training with Sarah and especially Tobias over the past months. In his heart Noone was supremely grateful for Tobias¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for this.¡± Noone spoke. All three men flinched when they heard Noone¡¯s voice. This was the first time they had heard him speak since his appearance. The men all looked at each other, unsure what to say.


    Finally, the one with the sword which had been giving Noone trouble this whole time couldn¡¯t hold back his anger.


    ¡°You come into our camp! You kill our people! Just wait till Captain Jess gets her hands on you! We will skin you alive!¡± He yelled.


    Noone smiled wryly but said nothing. ¡°It seems even bandits have a sense of unity.¡± Noone contemplated whether or not it was reasonable for bandits, of all people, to say such things. Eventually he just shook his head and sighed. ¡°Not now, Noone.¡± He admonished himself.


    Without any warning Noone compressed his divine sense into an arrow and sent it shooting through one of the men¡¯s minds ¨C the most scared looking one. He screamed in pain and dropped his weapon and shield, clutching his skull as his eyes went bloodshot. His blood curdling scream even managed to pierce through the fire and reach the ears of the others within the cave.


    They quietly watched what happened in mute horror.


    Both the sword wielding man and the other bandit couldn¡¯t help but look over in shock at their comrade who collapsed to the ground, trembling.


    Nine...


    THUCK THUCK


    "Ten and Eleven." He whispered to himself, deep in thought.


    Before either one could bring their attention back to Noone - in the split second when their gaze had been drawn away by the sounds of their comrade being tortured by Noone¡¯s divine sense thrashing through his mind ¨C Noone threw both of his axe¡¯s with such force that neither man had even seen them coming before both axes crushed straight through their skulls.


    Their bodies fell lifelessly to the ground, their weapons clattering against the earth. Blood and brain matter matted the compacted soil, causing Noone¡¯s bare feet to sink into the red-tinted ground like the soft dirt after a spring rain.


    Noone sighed and retrieve his axes wordlessly, he glanced back to make sure the fire was still holding.


    By this point, only three minutes had passed. The liquid fire lasted for ten.


    Noone stretched his limbs as he made eye contact with the bandits on the other side of the flame. Various looks were etched into each of their faces. However, one look was present above all else.


    Hatred.


    ¡°You can try.¡± Noone thought. ¡°But I am afraid it¡¯s not going to happen."

 137. They dont stand a chance...

    While the clocked ticked down for the fire, Noone began to scour the courtyard to the bandit camp. He started with the corpses of the people he had killed. Fourteen people in total. In his own mind he wondered if that should bother him. But he also couldn¡¯t help the fact that even if it should, it didn¡¯t.


    One by one he looked through the various wooden buildings around the outer perimeter.


    He moved quickly, making sure to keep track of the time. Despite high hopes initially, after looking through each building he found nothing of note.


    Some held food. Some held grains. One held various weapons however from what Noone could tell, each one was only at the basic level in terms of price ¨C most were even on the border of being rusted over. It wasn¡¯t worth the energy to carry them to the next town to sell them.


    ¡°It looks like anything of value will be within the caves.¡± Noone thought. He silently wondered if had had been tricked by Clayton. He didn¡¯t put it past the man. He knew that Clayton would be infiltrating directly into the caves from the back entrance. This means anything of special note would probably be picked by him first.


    ¡°Well whatever.¡± Noone thought. ¡°In for a copper...¡±


    At the very least he could probably get a few gold coins for the trouble. ¡°I wonder what the worth of a human life is in gold coins?¡± Noone thought stoically, deciding what how much gold he would have to get to be okay with spending his night doing this.


    Noone walked over to the fire blocking the entrance of the cave. The fire acted like a curtain - obscuring but not completely ¨C the men on the other side. Noone was basically face to face with the bandits, looking them in the eyes.


    Each one¡¯s eyes were filled with malice and hate. Some more than others. Some eyes seemed to be red with hate to the point Noone thought they might try to burst through the scorching curtain between them. He figured these were the close friends of those he had killed.


    Despite the brewing seething hate though, it was eerily silent except for the crackle of the fire. Even Noone with his stoic disposition couldn¡¯t help but feel a tad uncomfortable.


    Not one to be particularly subtle, Noone sat down in front of the flame. He crossed his legs and closed his eyes. This riled the bandits even more.


    ¡°Good.¡± Noone thought. He kept his divine sense trained on them, worried one of them might try to launch their weapon or shoot an arrow through the fire. Something that Noone did notice was the people at the front most of the group were all men. This made Noone frown. It wasn¡¯t that he expected there to be very many women in a bandit camp, however he had heard earlier that their captain ¨C captain Jess ¨C was female. So¡­ where was she? Noone wondered if she was in the back, or perhaps already taken care of by Clayton without anyone noticing?


    Suddenly, Noone noticed something that caused his breath to catch.


    A single thread of energy.


    Noone almost didn''t even notice it, and didn¡¯t believe his senses. But after focusing in on it he was sure¡­ On the other side of the flame, a deep red thread of energy floated in and out of existence.


    Noone grew excited. Although the size was a quite a bit smaller, Noone had seen that color of energy before. It was the same deep read that he associated with Hoar and his energy.


    Without waiting for even a moment Noone used his divine sense to snatch this rogue red energy from the space of the universe. Immediately it entered Noone¡¯s mind without resistance, and then was sucked down to his core and burned up by his life flame.


    Noone¡¯s eyes shot open.


    ¡°Eight percent.¡± Noone grinned. That one little red strand had brought him 8% closer to his next breakthrough. Although this seemed like a small amount, it was almost equivalent to a month of standard energy cultivation relying on just the natural energy around him.


    Noone only had a minute left before the fire dispersed, but he used that time to quietly ponder why the thread had appeared.


    Finally, he came to a conclusion which he was satisfied with. The circumstances he had seen this color of energy ¨C both before and now ¨C led Noone to believe that it was the desire for something being catalyzed through the humans and tainting the space around them.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Noone knew there should be about 70 people on the other side of the flame curtain¡­ If he was right, then it took that many people to just get one strand of red-tinged universe energy¡­


    A calm smile spread on Noone¡¯s face as he opened his eyes to look at the men on the other side. An unknowing chill travelled up their spines when they saw his expression, but it just as quickly passed ¨C restoring their unmitigated malice.


    After a few more moments, Noone noticed the flame flicker oddly in his divine sense and he stood up, carefully training his full attention on the bandits.


    They too had noticed the flame shiver slightly, and realized it was on the verge of burning out.


    A smile was shared between the two, promising equal shares of violence and bloodshed.


    Suddenly, like magic being dispersed all at once the flame disappeared.


    There was nothing between Noone and the 70 angry bandits. There was only a moment¡¯s hesitation before the man at the front of the group took his first step towards Noone.


    Instead of drawing his weapons, Noone did something no one had been expecting.


    The bandits were prepared for a fight ¨C and even for a slaughter. Their hearts were hardened to tear this unsightly bastard limb-from-limb no matter how many people they had to sacrifice in the process.


    What they weren¡¯t prepared for though ¨C was for Noone to turn tail immediately.


    And that¡¯s exactly what Noone did.


    It only took Noone a couple of seconds to cross half the distance to the exit of the camp, showing no sign of slowing.


    The front most man ¨C who seemed to be in charge for the time being ¨C was utterly shocked when he saw this.


    He choked over his own words for a moment before he finally managed to spit them out in rage. ¡°GET HIM! HE MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO ESCAPE!¡± He screamed with such ferocity that he was on the verge of tearing his vocal cords.


    Noone smirked when he heard these words and glanced back to see the mass of people rushing out of the cave all at once.


    From out of everyone¡¯s earshot, a small faint voice began mumbling to herself.


    ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± She counted. The front most bandits rushing out of the cave in a full sprint ¨C honestly believing Noone was trying to escape.


    ¡°Four, five, six, seven, eight¡­¡± Her hand was raised above her head. More bandits followed, a rallying cry began to develop naturally as they charged.


    ¡°Nine, ten, eleven.¡± A red bottle glistened in the moonlight. Their cry loudened as the charge took on even more momentum.


    ¡°twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen!¡± She said fifteen with a deep heft, launching the red bottle in her hand towards the entrance of the cave. The bottle easily passed inside, landing on the ground only feet from where Noone¡¯s bottle had been dropped.


    The crack of a bottle was heard through the entire camp.


    When Noone heard it he smiled, turning around just before the exit of the yard.


    The bandits only had a moment to be confused¡­ before the screaming started.


    Like fish being forced through a small canal, all of the men had been condensed into such a small area ¨C the single cave exit. This made them perfect targets for a concentrated attack: the other bottle of liquid fire, and Sarah who had been waiting a little further up the hill above the entrance of the cave.


    Screams of sheer agony which caused one¡¯s blood to curdle echoed through the entire hillside. Pain! Torture! Suffering! Noone quickly did a head count and could see the melting bodies of almost 40 people who had been caught in the entrance of the cave when Sarah threw the bottle in.


    Sarah quickly made her way down into the outer courtyard of the camp, catching the eye of the fifteen men who had already made it into the open before the bottle was thrown.


    All 15 looked on in a mix of horror and anger. But mostly, they were too stunned to react in any way. Their minds had been shocked frozen at the sight and the sounds¡­ and the smell! This whole time it had looked like Noone was working alone. Not once was there any hint of anyone else there to help him¡­ Until it was too late.


    Sarah was now in full view of the fire she had caused, and she frowned, unable to take her eyes away from the screaming men trapped within the flame¡­ her stomach felt sick but she grit her teeth forcing herself not to throw up.


    Her eyes hardened as she turned her attention to the fifteen men she had let pass.


    Learning from Noone¡¯s example, she wasted no time ¨C not wanting them to regroup enough to give her trouble. Noone stood by the entrance to the camp, standing guard in case anyone tried to flee. However otherwise he did not interfere. Only a smile played on his lips as he watched Sarah advance.


    Just as he benefited from the experience of his own fights, she too would gain a lot from doing this herself.


    However, Noone wasn¡¯t going to stand by and let her get seriously injured either. But¡­ he had a feeling that she would be fine.


    A black and red flash of light spawned bramble-like chains across the ground. Immediately the sound of grinding metal rings filled the air as the summoned chains spread across the earth.


    They easily bound the feet of the men, and wrapped around their legs piercing into their calves with small rough spines. The injuries were shallow and they weren¡¯t debilitating, but it was painful enough to be distracting. And most of all¡­ it worked on multiple people.


    Noone lamented again not having any sort of spells he could work with.


    ¡°Maybe I should invest in some more bottle magics? The liquid flame is really useful¡­ but¡­ expensive.¡± Noone thought as he watched Sarah crush the skull of a bandit beneath her heavy pole-mace.


    The smell of burnt flesh was now overwhelming, it seemed the wind could not disperse it fast enough.


    ¡°I will ask Alaviv about what other kinds of anyone-can-use magics exist, later.¡± Noone thought.


    One of the two spiked ends of her chain pierced through another bandit¡¯s soft stomach.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Noone thought as he watched. ¡°They don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

 138. An Armory

    An axe brushed across Sarah¡¯s armor, but by the time the bladed end impacted her chest the wielder had lost his life and all power behind the attack had dissipated.


    Noone watched with an even expression. The ground was now doubly-littered with corpses and Sarah stood in it all covered in blood not unlike Noone. The blood showed up less on her black armor compared to his clothes.


    On that thought, Noone looked down on his clothes and grimaced. He pondered how he would ever get himself clean by morning.


    Sarah¡¯s breathing came out in ragged gasps and she stood with the head of her pole-mace resting on the ground, not wanting to muster the strength to keep it lifted.


    Her fight had lasted twice as long as Noone¡¯s but otherwise had actually gone very similarly.


    Sarah had managed to dispatch the first eight or so bandits with relative ease, especially with the help of her summoned weapon - the chains. But after that the bandits began to organize themselves. Sarah had to be much more careful to avoid being ambushed.


    It wasn¡¯t until only three people were left did, she really hit a snag.


    A hammer hit her side, knocking the wind out of her with such force she could barely take her next breath. By this point her summoned weapon had reached it¡¯s time-limit and she couldn¡¯t maintain it anymore either.


    This left her facing the bandit¡¯s one on three, and they were organized, mad and already surrounding her.


    Noone stepped away from the wall and prepared to rush in at the first sign of trouble. There was no Clayton in sight so he figured it was up to him, however, much to Noone¡¯s surprise Sarah didn¡¯t need his help.


    With seeming recklessness, Sarah hoisted her weapon in both of her hands and rushed the person who had taken the lead. A large and rough looking bandit wielding a simple sword and shield with deadly efficiency.


    As soon as she rushed him, he brought his shield up to block her strike, a malicious smile painted his face marred by a deep scar across his cheek.


    The other two bandits surrounded Sarah, quickly moving behind her to strike her while she attacked him. Noone was preparing to use his divine sense to disorient them for just long enough for Sarah to escape from the closing circle.


    However, at this moment, Noone noticed a red light begin to develop from the head of Sarah¡¯s weapons. The weighted bladed mace-head began to shine with the red glow of steel being pulled from a forge.


    The speed at which this occurred left no one with a chance to react. Suddenly, her weapon struck the man¡¯s shield. Not only did the force behind her strike cause the man to wince in pain ¨C but the moment her weapon contacted the reinforced metal and wood shield, it burst into flames as though it had been dropped into a fire.


    Immediately the man screamed in pain, his arm was trapped within the fiery shield. He frantically backed up and began to try and rip the shield off, the metal burning into his arm.


    Noone¡¯s eyes were wide in surprise. Was this another of Sarah¡¯s spells? Noone knew she should have three like Feylin, but until now he had only seen her use two. Summoning her chains, and a healing touch. This, Noone thought, must be the third.


    The scrambling of the bandit who intercepted her strike gave Sarah enough leeway to break free from the pincer attack behind her and instead face her two attackers head on.


    Seeing what happened to the man with the sword and shield, the other two bandits hesitated ¨C eyes staring at the glowing red weapon in Sarah¡¯s hands.


    Sarah grit her teeth and gave the two no chance to strategize before setting herself on them. Her eyes were narrow with anger.


    They didn¡¯t last long.


    And neither did the last bandit, who was curled into a ball nursing his burnt arm which was now nothing more than a black twig.


    Now that it was over, standing among all the death and miasma made it hard for Sarah to catch her breath. she slowly trudged over to Noone


    ¡°You make it look so easy¡­¡± Sarah spoke, taking deep breaths before and after as she composed herself.


    Noone could only smile wryly.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m still only human.¡± Noone joked dryly. Sarah looked at Noone but only returned an exhausted smirk.


    ¡°How long do we have?¡± Sarah asked, glancing back at the fire keeping the¡­ The bandits. They were gone.


    Noone smiled. ¡°They ran off at the end of your fight.¡± Noone said nonchalantly. ¡°They¡¯re Clayton¡¯s problem now.¡± He quietly pondered where Clayton might be at this moment. Most assuredly deep inside of the caves by now.


    As Sarah caught her breath, Noone began rummaging through the corpses, checking pockets and feeling for valuables. Gradually he collected about a couple dozen gold between them. Almost three times as much as he got from the bandits he had killed.


    He could only smile wryly as he returned to Sarah, handing her a sack filled with 30 gold coins. Sarah caught it, surprised by the weight as it landed in her hands.


    ¡°Looks like you got the rich one¡¯s.¡± Noone said, enjoying the shock on her face. Sarah stammered for a moment as she counted the gold.


    ¡°Are all bandit¡¯s so rich?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask in surprise. Noone shrugged.


    ¡°No, not all. I only got 8 gold coin ¨C mostly in silvers at that.¡± He said.


    Sarah thought about this, weighing the bag in her hand.


    ¡°Would you like to¡­¡± Before Sarah could finish, Noone raised his hand, cutting her off.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. You killed them, they¡¯re yours. Besides if Clayton is any good to his word there should be some stuff inside that we can collect for money afterwards. Assuming he doesn¡¯t take it all, that is.¡± Noone joked.


    Sarah could only smile sheepishly at this. The contrast of Sarah¡¯s angelic pale face, smiling sheepishly, and covered in drying blood gave Noone a pause.


    Seeming to notice Noone staring, Sarah quickly looked away and attempted to use her sleeve to wipe most the blood from her face.


    ¡°So how long do we have before the fire dies down?¡± Sarah asked, having cleaned up as much as she could.


    ¡°Two minutes.¡± Noone said, in hundred percent certainty. Thanks to his cultivation, Noone¡¯s mind had become an impeccable iron trap for some things. His thought speed had increased, his memories were sturdier, and his sense of time had become as consistent as a clock.


    Sarah nodded.


    The two waited out the fire before entering the caves. The walls smelt like soil and stone, and Noone couldn¡¯t help but immediately feel at home within the cavernous halls.


    He breathed a deep sigh, taking in the almost-stale air.


    Sarah noticed Noone¡¯s demeanor change slightly but chose to say nothing.


    After passing through various corridors the two noticed two things.


    One, the inside was silent. There were no bandits in sight, no noise from life, and no corpses that they could find. It wasn¡¯t until they had passed deeper into the cavern that they finally heard a noise.


    It was whistling.


    Noone tensed, readying his axes, but Sarah put a hand on his arm and smiled.


    ¡°Clayton!¡± She called. Noone frowned at this, but trusted her that she wouldn¡¯t call out unless she was certain who it was. Then again, he couldn¡¯t imagine anyone but Clayton whistling in this situation.


    ¡°Sarah?¡± Clayton¡¯s voice. Footsteps padded around the corner, and soon the black armored Clayton was in full view. ¡°And Noone!¡± He smiled, for a moment Noone thought he was genuinely happy to see them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry in here, I¡¯ve already eliminated everyone.¡± Clayton smiled, almost innocent seeming, like a farmer talking about his long day removing insects from his fields. Rewarding work, Noone was sure.


    Noone and Sarah both nodded, and Sarah began to talk before Clayton stopped her, they would talk after.


    ¡°I still have a bit more evidence I need to collect.¡± Clayton said, hefting his backpack in the process. ¡°Let¡¯s meet up in the front when I¡¯m done. In the meantime, Sarah, you can come with me. Noone.¡± Clayton smiled. ¡°Since you stuck around, I promised you some rewards. I¡¯ve been collecting the gold, but I will split it evenly between us after. However¡­ if you go down this hall five rooms and then to the left, you will come across a room with a large iron door. I think you will be pleased if you go there.¡± A well-meaning smile crossed his lips when he saw Noone nod at his advice.


    Clayton and Sarah split up from Noone who began walking down the dark torch-lit hallways. He kept his divine sense spread looking for any possible nook and crannies that might be hidden in the dark, an aspect of cave system living Noone was extremely used to.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Noone arrived at the door Clayton had mentioned.


    ¡°Well then¡­¡± Noone smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have.¡±


    He pushed the door open which ended up requiring a considerable amount of strength even for Noone. Finally, though, the large steel door opened the full way and the torch light from the halls spilled into the room. Immediately Noone¡¯s eyes went wide.


    There were no jewels or riches.


    It was an armory.


    The room was filled with stolen weapons. Gathered through the years by the bandits holding up and overpowering everyone from nobles unfortunate enough to come this far south, to adventurers ensured to have at least moderate level gear.


    Noone grabbed a torch from the hallway and spread his divine sense.


    Suddenly, a smile stretched on his face. He couldn¡¯t help but give an audible chuckle.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±

 139. Enchanted Weapons

    Noone admired the weapons and sent his divine sense through every corner of the room. Although none were obviously of a supreme quality, at least from what Noone could tell, they all were definitely of a quality better than his own two axes. This was especially so of a certain few weapons which were scattered among the bunch.


    Visually they looked to be no different from the other weapons in the room. Good material. Well kept. A slight aura of skill just emanating naturally from them, evidence of their creators or their wielders.


    Noone smiled mischievously, his divine sense locking on to each of these weapons. He pulled them from their piles and set them all together. Floating on the surface of each of these weapons¡­ was a glowing thread of energy. A thread Noone was supremely familiar with.


    They were exactly like the threads which floated in and between the tapestry of the universe. However, this was the first time he was seeing them almost trapped. They still moved, but were constrained onto the metal, zipping around like snakes in sand. Noone¡¯s smile widened and he stretched his divine sense, focusing it onto one of the swords.


    There was a bit of pushback against his probing senses. The pushback wasn¡¯t intense, but it made him apprehensive to continue.


    ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯t possible to separate them¡­¡± Noone thought. He pondered for a moment before standing and shutting the heavy iron door behind him.


    When he returned, he sat down in front of the sword. His legs were crossed, and his back was straight. The world around him disappeared except for what was contained within his divine sense.


    ¡°These weapons must have some level of enchantment on them.¡± Noone pondered silently, his thoughts moved quickly as he prepared himself for attempting to extract the threads from the weapons. ¡°If I¡¯m going to do this, I must be quick about it.¡±


    Noone¡¯s mind quieted and his face grew colder, falling into an expressionless trance. Noone manipulated his divine sense like putty, enveloping the sword in its entirety.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with you.¡± Noone said, his divine sense observing the comparatively thick translucent thread which darted upon the swords surface.


    Like an arrow deflected by a stone wall, Noone¡¯s divine sense continued to bounce off from the weapon while enveloping it. No matter what angle Noone approached from, he was unable to push past this wall and his divine sense hovered just over the blade, carefully tracking the thread¡¯s movement.


    Finally, Noone began to exert increasing pressure, simultaneously shrinking and condensing his divine sense to strengthen it.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible that once enchanted, these weapons cannot be separated from the universe energy.¡± Noone thought as he continued probing. The sword itself laid on the ground unmoving and undisturbed by Noone¡¯s attempts. Noone frowned, if that was true then he was just wasting his time¡­ but if it wasn¡¯t, then maybe he could harvest that energy for himself.


    The thickness of the threads were no less than the red thread he had absorbed earlier which seemed to have spawned from the crowd of bandits. If he could absorb these, his cultivation would no doubt advance by leaps and bounds.


    Finally, Noone grit his teeth and condensed his divine sense to its maximum. After fighting earlier, Noone¡¯s mind was already feeling a bit strained from manipulating his divine sense, but he bared through the pain.


    A needle like condensation of energy locked onto the sword and with incredible speed pierced towards the darting thread. Noone carefully followed the thread with the needle.


    The sliver began to slow down just enough to turn around from the handle of the weapon. Noone¡¯s body tensed and he forced his divine sense into the blade.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The first thing Noone felt was resistance. He had hit the wall which surrounded the weapon. The needle was slowed for less than a fraction of a second until much to Noone¡¯s surprise it proceeded to pierce through.


    Noone was careful not to lose focus and pierced into the thread like a spear through a fish. The force of expulsion swiftly proceeded to remove his divine sense¡­ but it was too late. Noone had already absorbed the energy.


    A smile spread on his face as he relished the feeling of the thread being burned into energy which coursed throughout his body.


    ¡°It can be done¡­¡± Noone thought quickly. His eyes came to rest on the many weapons which had threads of energy ingrained into their blades. If the weapons were alive, there is nothing they would feel from Noone¡¯s current expression except for fear. He looked at them the way a starving man looks at a rack of lamb.


    Time passed by quickly and soon Noone had worked his way through each and every weapon which were enchanted with energy. Quietly, he sat and manipulated his qi within his body, attempting to sense out the difference inside of himself.


    ¡°80 percent.¡± Noone thought with a small smile. ¡°Very good.¡± Absorbing the energy ingrained in the weapons had allowed Noone to grow exceedingly close to breaking through to the next level.


    Gently he stood up, brushing the dusty stone floor from his clothes. Suddenly though he stopped brushing as his mind glossed over an important thought.


    ¡°Should I have kept one for myself?¡± Noone frowned. Most of the pile were weapons he would not be able to wield effectively, but there was a single war axe amongst them. Now it had lost its former luster, being not much different from Noone¡¯s own weapons. ¡°No¡­ The most important thing for me is to break through. That axe alone saved me on a month of cultivation.¡± He shook his head.


    Despite this, Noone couldn¡¯t help but be a bit disappointed he didn¡¯t find a new set of weapons to exchange his regular axes for. He took a quick look through the room, assuring himself he wasn¡¯t missing anything, and finally turned his back to exit with a sigh.


    Noone opened the door which required considerable strength due to its weight and was preparing to leave the room when suddenly his eyes widened. What was that!?


    Out of his peripheral vision Noone could have sworn he just saw another weapon he hadn¡¯t noticed before. But¡­ He stretched his divine sense above the door and there was nothing there. Noone¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and he quickly turned around reentering the room. Noone¡¯s eyes locked above the frame of the door, and his jaw tightened, eyes widening.


    Sure enough, there was indeed a weapon which hung against the wall.


    It was a brutish and cold looking great-axe, similar in size to the one wielded by Tobias.


    But where Tobias¡¯s axe was obviously a weapon designed with function and looks in mind, this weapon was gray all the way across. It looked as though the handle and blades were all forged simultaneously from one solid piece of iron. It had no engravings or d¨¦cor ¨C except for a very simple black wrapping which was set most the way down the handle.


    Only one word came to mind when Noone saw this weapon.


    ¡°Brutal.¡±


    However, this was soon followed by a more terrifying realization. Noone realized that although he could see the weapon with his eyes, it was completely invisible to his divine sense. Even now as he looked at it, Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel disorientated by not being able to sense it.


    Noone¡¯s face grew cold. He was helplessly intrigued. With his tall stature it was easy enough to reach above the door. His hands wrapped around the handle and he began to lift it from its mounts.


    ¡°Heavy.¡± Noone grunted, eyes furrowed in surprise. The weapon was three times heavier than Tobias¡¯s axe despite not looking any larger. It was simple - even simpler in design.


    As Noone lowered the axe to get a better look at it, his breathing caught in his throat and his body froze. He couldn¡¯t stop an uncontrolled wave of terror from washing over him. He was very aware of this sensation. It was the chill of danger, of being watched. He held felt a similar chill develop when he was being watched by Clayton, but the feeling he felt now was an absolute hell compared to that.


    An icy hell.


    Noone¡¯s forehead began to bead with a cold sweat and he was unable to move. His heart threatened to beat out of his chest and seize from terror all at once. Noone extended his divine sense to its maximum limit, but he could see nothing. Noone clenched his jaw so tightly that his muscles in his face bulged violently making him look as though he was in extreme pain.


    After a few moments the feeling began to fade¡­ but an image was impressed onto Noone¡¯s mind in those last moments.


    ¡°Damn!¡± Noone cursed. An image of the axe had somehow been imprinted onto Noone¡¯s consciousness. It was cold, dark grey, and heavy. Its physical weight seemed to weigh even on his conscious mind. ¡°Should I drop it and run.¡± In Noone¡¯s mind, he considered fleeing. Whatever could cause him to react to that extent was beyond dangerous.


    Eventually though¡­ Noone braced the weapon in his grip and proceeded to carry it with him. The bladed end weighed down his movements quite a bit, even considering Noone¡¯s inherent strength.


    Yet he could not bring himself to let the weapon go¡­ it could evade his divine sense after all, there was no telling what else it could do.

 140. Selling out?

    "What''s taking him so long." Clayton frowned. He stood in the courtyard with Sarah and the corpses she and Noone had created earlier that night.


    The two had waited for almost half an hour for Noone who had still yet to appear. Sarah was also beginning to worry, however she trusted Clayton wouldn''t have left any dangers for Noone to accidentally stumble across.


    "I only showed him a bland weapon room, don''t tell me he was so taken by them that he can''t decide what to take." Clayton thought, chuckling to himself. To Clayton, everything in the room was of low quality, even the magical weapons which he had left alone. "They were enchanted with the simplest of strengthening runes. Nothing worth being excited over." He thought.


    Finally, after another few minutes, Noone¡¯s tall and robust figure exited from the caves, entering the front courtyard.


    Clayton and Sarah''s eyes widened slightly when they saw what was in Noone''s hands, each having their own thoughts.


    "I don''t remember seeing that in the room." Clayton''s eyebrows furrowed for a moment before relaxing. "Eh." He thought, "It doesn''t matter."


    Sarah on the other hand couldn''t help but think Noone''s resemblance to a carved statue was even more complete. Now complete with large and intimidating grey battle-axe. Even the white lines which Noone allowed to glow freely seemed the tiniest bit brighter.


    "Noone I must say you have a bad eye for weapons." Clayton chuckled. "That room had a number of magic weapons and you come out with that hunk of metal¡­ want to go back in with me and I can help you pick one of them out?" He jabbed. Noone could only smile and chuckle to himself, shaking his head.


    "Suit yourself then." Clayton scoffed.


    Sarah smiled harmlessly as Noone caught her eyes. They shared a smile for a moment.


    "I''m not just copying Tobias." Noone said flatly, voice tinged slightly with humor.


    "Of course you aren''t Noone." She laughed. "Don''t worry, we all have role models. I am sure he will be flattered."


    Noone could only smile wryly, joined by Clayton who was bemused by the banter of the two young ones.


    "Alright that''s enough joking for now. Down to business." Clayton undid his pack and began rustling through it before pulling out two medium sized pouches and some rolled paper.


    "Noone. Sarah." He tossed the pouches over, they arced through the air in a way that showed their considerable weight. Both Noone and Sarah caught them only for their eyes to go wide in surprise when a jingle sounded from within.


    "Clayton¡­" Sarah said breathlessly.


    "All gold, split three ways. That should be all the cash within the camp. I am very thorough, after all. I will be taking the most valuable stolen goods and selling them for myself, that okay?" He asked.


    Noone and Sarah both nodded. Neither one could say anything after being placated with these pouches. Each one was filled to the top in coins, mostly gold. Noone used his divine sense to scan the pouch and estimated almost 85 gold to be contained in his.


    He had to sell two epoch-tribe axes just to make 2 gold. Noone wasn''t even aware of what he could possibly spend 85 gold on. Sarah had a bit better notion to the value of such an amount, but even she felt like it would be a long time before she ever saw the bottom of the pouch.


    Once Noone and Sarah hid the pouches away in their clothes, Clayton handed over the rolled parchment he had pulled out of his bag to Sarah.


    She looked at him questioningly, quietly unfurled it and began reading through the contents. About halfway through the paper her jaw fell to the floor and she made a shocked gasp. But she continued to read until she finished it.


    Noone watched her carefully and could see subtle trembling develop in her body as her eyes traced the finely printed lettering.


    As soon as she was done, she forcefully handed the parchment to Noone and crossed her arms Scowling. There was a look in her eyes Noone had not seen before.


    It was a letter addressed to a ''Jess Natas,'' later noted to be the female leader of the bandit encampment they stood in.


    In the letter various topics were brought up, but it wasn''t until Noone read halfway through the page that he realized why Sarah had reacted so strongly. His brows furrowed as he read on.


    This letter had been written by an Epoch Tribesman. A high-ranking epoch tribesman.


    It seemed that Jess - as well as the other bandits in the camp - had agreed by unanimous decision to sell all the information they had about the six nearest cities to the epoch tribe for a fairly steep price.


    Battle capability, crop yield, traitorous nobility, it was all there.


    Noone frowned. If the Epoch Tribe got a hold of this information, they would be able to sweep through those six cities with great ease. Knowledge was power, and this knowledge was extremely dangerous.


    It seemed that the epoch tribe wholeheartedly believed in the information Jess was going to provide. Her position as bandit leader of the area no doubt accounted for that.


    Finally, Noone rolled the parchment back up, and silently handed it back to Clayton. While he didn''t have as strong of a reaction as Sarah, an anger had built up in his heart. "How¡­" He thought, "How can they sell out their own so freely." He was¡­ disappointed. These people on the surface are far too divided.Stolen novel; please report.


    "So that''s why Hoar sent us to exterminate them¡­" Sarah mumbled. She and Clayton didn''t understand why Hoar would care about some relatively harmless bandits in the boonies. Clayton had dismissed it as an excuse to give Sarah and easy assignment, until he ran into the bandit head within the caves. He found this parchment on her, and after he read it everything became clear.


    Clayton only nodded. "He is a god, and knows things we as mortals never could. Normally even Hoar would not get involved in the wars of us mortals, but when the epoch tribes are involved, it seems he will make an exception." Clayton sighed.


    Noone quietly stood there listening, his own thoughts indecipherable by the others.


    "Alright¡­ there''s only a couple hours before daybreak, it is time we wrap this up. I have more people to kill after all." Clayton chuckled softly. He looked at both Noone and Sarah. A giant statue of a man, glowing white and holding an iron battle-axe, and a well-built tall-for-a-human girl dressed in black armor holding her heavy pole-mace with ease, her blonde hair swaying slightly despite being pulled back.


    "You both did very well, especially you Sarah." He let off a casual smile. "After you told me how this happened, I can only commend your stalwart strength. You did great and you will make a wonderful Paladin. You must serve Hoar well, and he too will take care of you." Clayton smiled, clapping her on the shoulder.


    "Noone. The plan you came up with was ingenious, and you have my respect for choosing to stay and fight. You faced the first group alone, while drawing the attention of the entire camp. As dangerous as that was, you seem to have some confidence in your ability." Clayton laughed as he spoke. "I know I didn''t make the best first impression, but you didn''t abandon Sarah when you had every reason to ¨C this counts you as a good guy in my book! Should we ever meet out in the world, I truly hope it''s as allies." Clayton smiled, and as far as Noone could tell ¨C he seemed completely genuine. Noone returned the smile, saying a small ''likewise'' and nodding his head.


    After that Clayton talked with Sarah for a bit, giving her some pointers before sending them both off.


    "Are you going to report the letter?" Sarah asked, still uncomfortable at the idea of the epoch tribe possibly having information on the (mostly) human settlements.


    "Why should I? No one else is aware of this exchange, and we nipped the problem in the bud before it could manifest." Clayton shrugged. "We work for Hoar, not for the common realm bureaucrats."


    With that Clayton wandered off, disappearing into the forest.


    Noone and Sarah both looked at each other before sharing a nod between themselves. Despite being surrounded by corpses and covered in blood, they had no doubt bonded over the experience. Noone respected Sarah''s ability and drive, and Sarah respected his cunning and strength.


    "There should be a stream nearby." Sarah said. "Let''s wash up before heading back to the camp." Noone looked down at his own matted clothing before nodding in response and the two disappeared into the forest as well. Neither of them had spells which could clean their clothes instantaneously ¨C however they were aware that such spells existed.


    At the base of the hill within a moon-lit clearing, Clayton stepped out into the open followed by three other figures.


    A broad-shouldered man in white armor with stark white-grey hair which practically glowed in the moonlight.


    Tobias.


    A tall, lithe, woman with short blue hair wearing intricate white robes designed strategically to allow ease of movement in combat.


    Raelith.


    And finally, a shorter bald woman, incredibly fit but well hidden behind simple robes.


    Sally.


    "Tobias. Sally." Clayton faced them and nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. He glanced a Raelith. "And Company."


    Tobias''s expression was neutral. "Clayton." He responded simply. He had run into Clayton only a handful of times throughout his life, and was vaguely aware of Clayton''s story. He glanced at Sally.


    Raelith had a light smile which seemed to perpetually play on her lips, she said nothing but instead gave him a courteous nod.


    Sally was the most emotive of them all, giving a scowl as Clayton said her name. "Clayton." She hissed back.


    He only chuckled at this, well aware of her scorn for him.


    "So how can I help you all tonight?" Clayton''s smile finally diminished slightly. If he had his way, he would prefer not having to deal with Sally, but he couldn''t refuse Hoar from coming here either.


    "Sarah may be an emissary of Hoar now, but she is still a part of our party." Sally spoke first, seeming to curse her words through gritted teeth. "You are not to do anything that would harm her. Unlike you-" She paused, letting her accusation hang in the air. "Unlike you, she is still of a good heart. You will not do anything to change her into a leech like you." Sally''s anger was evident in her talk, her eyes practically shooting daggers.


    "Oh?" Clayton said smoothly. "And what are you going to do about it?" He smiled, deliberately provoking his old friend¡­


    Sally was about to respond when Tobias held up his hand, restraining her. He gave a soft sigh which still sounded loud and intimidating due to his size.


    "Clayton. I know you two have bad blood, and I won¡¯t presume to try to fix this relationship, but please don''t provoke her. We have travelled with Sarah for more than a year, and are well aware of her demeanor. She is a vengeance paladin now, so there is only so much we can do. But until she leaves our party, we will take care of her." Tobias''s deep voice was soft with care. He was speaking genuinely.


    Clayton finally reigned in his provocative front, listening carefully to Tobias''s words before turning around with a sigh.


    "You guys don''t need to worry about her. She is a far better person than I am." They couldn''t see it on his face, but they could hear the regret of a history long passed on his voice. "Even you should be able to see it, Sally. After tonight, her eyes were still clear. She didn''t make excuses to justify their deaths." He shook his head, smiling bitterly to himself.


    "Well, if you will excuse me, I have some people to kill. No rest for the wicked and all that¡­" Clayton chuckled, waving his hand in a ''it is what it is'' manner before walking off. The group of three said nothing, and merely watched him disappear.


    "Well." Rae finally spoke. "He seems nice." Her expression was the same meaningless smile she always wore, and thus Sally nor Tobias could tell if she was joking or not. Tobias smiled wryly and Sally let out a scoff. They all returned to the Caravan uneventfully.


    It was only a little while later that Sarah and Noone returned, sneaking back into their sleeping pads. As soon as their heads hit the pillows, they quickly fell asleep.


    ¡­


    A small and thin figure wandered the halls of a cave system carved within a grassy hill.


    He wandered casually, undisturbed by the death which reigned heavy that night.


    Soon the small figure came to a large and heavy steel door, and a bony hand reached out - casually pushing the door open as though it was made of wood. He easily stepped inside, glancing around before coming to a conspicuous pile of weapons in the middle of the room.


    He knelt down, joints popping slightly as he did, and waved a hand over the weapons.


    "Hmmm? How interesting¡­" His thin voice chuckled. Then with a wave of his hand, the contents of the entire room disappeared as though they had never been there.


    "Interesting interesting¡­" He continued to repeat happily as he walked further through the caves.

 141. New Battle-Axe

    The next morning began like any other. The sound of men and women stirring to the smell of food being prepared at center-camp pervaded through the air.


    Sarah and Noone both woke up like usual, despite the exhaustion their bodies held from last night¡¯s escapades, they both managed to get enough sleep to function. Though Noone had a much easier time of it than Sarah.


    ¡°Noone my boy! How did it go last night with your girlfriend?¡± The gnome wizard chuckled. Noone merely rolled his eyes and ignored the old man. Alaviv mocked Noone¡¯s eye roll before wandering off to get food and find Reel the Bard, who he had taken a particular liking to.


    Sarah gave Noone a look when she overheard the gnomes question. Noone could only smile wryly and shake his head. She got the message and resigned herself to her fate, staring at the gnome disappearing in between the carts.


    Feylin, Raelith and Sally were all awake and busy prepping the food. When Noone and Sarah approached, Sally gave them a quick glance before returning to her work. Raelith waved them over, handing them two plates of breakfast sausage and oatmeal. It wasn¡¯t the tastiest food in the world but compared to meager travel rations ¨C it was heaven.


    Before they could walk off, Raelith gave them both a very knowing smile and dropped two goodberries onto their plates. Noone and Sarah glanced at each other, sharing a moment of non-verbal communication before giving their thanks to the ever-mysterious Moon Elf.


    ¡°I guess we can assume they know.¡± Sarah whispered conspiratorially.


    ¡°It would certainly seem so.¡± Noone looked around for Tobias who was busy with his own assignments. Apart from Rae¡¯s act, no one else had done anything that would show that they knew. ¡°If they do, it seems they either don¡¯t care enough to bother or have chosen to let you do your own thing.¡±


    ¡°They might have just been keeping an eye on you, you know.¡± Sarah retorted. Though in her heart she couldn¡¯t help but feel a warmth develop, wondering if they had been watching over her that whole time.


    Noone chuckled and nodded but said nothing. She was right, he was nothing more than a prisoner for the time being ¨C no matter how free he might seem.


    Nearby Feylin worked alongside Anette, a curly-haired blonde cleric from Pinepass with freckles covering her entire face. Over the past month they had found a groove of waking up and preparing food alongside each other.


    Even Anette, with her softer disposition, had grown considerably more comfortable with the caravan lifestyle. She no longer required goodberries just to get by. The rest of her party had become equally adjusted, careful to always put their best foot forward be it helping around the caravan or taking shifts for night-watch.


    Suddenly Noone turned his head at the sound of a lyre being tuned. He caught a glimpse of Reel, dressed in his usual gaudy attire, standing outside the door of the cart which contained the man who hated him but could do nothing about him either.


    On Reel¡¯s head was a plate of food, expertly balanced as he paced back and forth tuning his instrument.


    ¡°Oooooooooo¡± Reel stretched his voice, making his signature noise for the beginning of a ballad of ill-taste.


    Noone put his head down and walked away, not wanting to become involved in the ensuing shenanigans. Sarah hesitated for a bit before also walking off. Sometimes she was in the mood for the entertainment, but not today.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Truth be told, despite her exhaustion, Sarah had immense trouble staying asleep last night. Every time she grew close, thoughts of her fighting the night before would creep into her mind.


    They weren¡¯t haunting thoughts, or at least she didn¡¯t think so. Instead she was stuck in a constant repeat of her battle. ¡°Should I have not involved Noone and done it on my own? What will I do in the future if I don¡¯t have help? What if I had messed up?¡± These thoughts had been incessant, and her mind replayed everything that occurred over and over. She decided not to bring it up though, figuring that eventually her mindset would change to be stronger.


    After half an hour, the caravan began to move with everyone walking near their respective positions. It didn¡¯t take long for the caravan to reach pace. Sarah couldn¡¯t help but glance back. Now that she knew where to look, she could see the vague outline of a hill over the trees in the distance. When she thought about everything that occurred there, a small part of her was glad to be leaving it behind.


    ¡°Here. I bought it on the cheap from one of the leather merchant¡¯s up front. It¡¯s not the best in the world or anything, but it will do.¡± Besides Sarah, Noone and Tobias walked together. Tobias worked to adjust a harness for Noone¡¯s new weapon.


    Since the caravan had begun moving, Tobias had done nothing but focus on the great-axe Noone had acquired. Noone found the large man rather childishly amusing during this time.


    ¡°It¡¯s incredibly heavy for its size.¡± Tobias had remarked, nevertheless easily swinging it through the air. However, he needed to put much more effort into stopping it than he did with his own great-axe.


    He felt the balance of the weapon and even went so far to admire the grinding work along the two bladed edges.


    ¡°This is a nice piece of work Noone. You see here?¡± He asked running his finger right along the side of the blade. ¡°When sharpening weapons, all grinding wheels leave a bit of abrasive streaks along the side. It can¡¯t be helped.¡± He held the head up, reflecting a small amount of light off the otherwise iron-grey surface. ¡°But if you look carefully, you can see that whoever made this left no streaking behind. They must have worked their way down to a low-abrasion wheel. But even then, it must have taken months to get it to this degree. It isn¡¯t necessarily sharper than a regular blade¡­ but it¡¯s sturdy as hell.¡±


    While Tobias spoke, Noone couldn¡¯t help but remember how Tobias was a bonafide axe prodigy when he was younger. Eventually he could only smile, shaking his head slightly. It seemed to Noone that that part of Tobias had never truly disappeared.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Tobias huffed pulling a leather strap tight. ¡°Get used to walking with it over the next few weeks. The weight won¡¯t be a problem for you, but let me know if you get any chaffing, I will help you readjust it. The other thing is to be careful when sitting down. The last thing you want is to sit down and have the axe¡¯s handle land directly on the ground. You run the risk of unclasping the axe and having it fall on you. I am sure you have seen how we make do?¡± Tobias asked. Noone nodded. Tobias, Sarah, and Raelith all used long weapons. When they sat down on the ground or in a chair, they had to either remove their weapon or sweep the handle to the side, so it was closer to horizontal.


    Noone moved around a little bit, twisting and bending as they walked getting used to the large metal against his body.


    ¡°I thought it would restrict my movement a lot more.¡± Noone remarked casually. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the harness, or Tobias¡¯s expertise, but he had much more range of movement than he had imagined.


    On Noone¡¯s waist he still carried the two war-axes. He figured he might as well since they didn¡¯t weigh him down really and he was much more familiar with them than the great-axe for now.


    ¡°Since we took care of the bandits¡­ I¡¯m not going to have a chance to get used to this in battle.¡± Noone thought. ¡°I guess I am going to need to make time to train with Tobias.¡± A small smile played on Noone¡¯s lips and he looked at the large paladin with a glint of playful menace.


    After last night, Noone had come to realize that he wasn¡¯t as weak as he had always assumed. It was just he had been incredibly unlucky so far in who he has encountered.


    If the majority of the common world existed in between being classless and level 5, Noone had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t be long now until he could easily surpass them.


    ¡°The true battle¡­ is going to be surpassing them.¡± Noone thought about Tobias, about Clayton, about Rae. Even the little gnome Alaviv flashed in his mind. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh, running his hand over his bald head. ¡°It¡¯s still a long road.¡±

 142. 2 liquid 4 fire

    ¡°Slow! Slow! Slow! Stop!¡± The deafening grind of metal-reinforced wheels against stone finally ceased as the caravan rolled into the next town.


    Around the same size as Pinepass, Creekview was nestled alongside a small river and surrounded by a stone wall which provided protection to the town from beasts. The entire caravan was lined up just inside of the wall, in a lot which Noone assumed was especially meant for them.


    The entire camp was lively at the prospect of being back in a town, and after taking care of the chores, everyone began to wander off to seek out their pleasures and poisons.


    ¡°Alright, let us go to the temple.¡± Tobias spoke evenly. The entire party had gathered around Tobias after completing their respective tasks. Feylin glanced to another group nearby. It was Anette¡¯s party. They were speaking with Novrada about being sponsored to join the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The armored dwarf frowned. ¡°Not that I am one to complain, but we had no run in with bandits during this journey, not even an encounter with their scouts¡­¡± She mumbled out her thoughts. ¡°Initially we would use that as a test of your abilities before we decide whether or not to sponsor you.¡± Anette¡¯s group was antsy as they listened, some shifted from foot to foot, but they did best to look confident.


    In order to qualify as an adventurer, even the lowest E rank adventurer, you would need to be sponsored either by a company you have worked for, or a group, school, or order which you are a part of. Otherwise you could pay off a grade B or higher adventurer to sponsor you, but that came with its own risks and was too costly for the young party.


    This system was established to encourage a certain type of individual and certain types of parties. The adventurer¡¯s guild was completely subsidized by the common countries, as well as having their own established income. This meant that the Adventurers guild existed as a tool which could be utilized by the various common-realm countries, within reason that is.


    Upon looking at the young and hopeful faces of Anette¡¯s party, Novrada could only sigh. ¡°Fine. Bring me the paperwork and I¡¯ll sign it for you. You all did your best through the whole trip, I suppose this is the least I could do.¡± Despite looking like a harsh, battle-hardened Dwarf, there was no helping the fact that Novrada had a soft side. Nearby, the young noble in charge of the economic side of the caravan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when he overheard this, but he quickly hid it before she would notice.


    Anette¡¯s party did their best to reign in their excitement, but it was clear how ecstatic they were. They immediately ran off to find the adventurers guild and get the paperwork she would need.


    Anette noticed Feylin watching her as she ran and waved to him, flashing a large innocent smile. Feylin also smiled, giving the young cleric a thumbs up as she disappeared into the town.


    Around Feylin, weird stares were being cast in his direction. They had all noticed, but no one said anything. Over the past month, Feylin and Anette had become rather close.


    Sarah pretended not to notice, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little put off¡­ Feylin hadn¡¯t talked to her much at all since they left Ardglass. When they did talk it was always a little terse, nothing like it used to be.


    The group had only just taken their first step to the temple when a familiar voice called out to them.


    ¡°Hoi! Tobias my friend.¡± A small robed gnome with lightning blue hair strolled out from a nearby cart and waved their party to a stop.


    ¡°Alaviv.¡± Tobias smiled and nodded at the small man. ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡±


    The gnome waved his hand nonchalantly. ¡°No need to be so formal Tobias. We have been travelling for a month now, you should understand my temperament. It¡¯s nothing much, I was just hoping to borrow Noone for the day.¡± Alaviv smiled mischievously causing Tobias to frown. He knew that Noone and the gnome wizard had formed some type of bond over the past month, but he didn¡¯t think it was to this extent.


    ¡°With all due respect Alaviv sir, we are escorting Noone back to the capital under orders of the grand-priest of Cinapul. I am afraid that-¡° Alaviv gave a well-meaning chuckle, cutting off Tobias. Tobias was hoping using the name of the grand-priest would give the gnome pause for thought, but it seemed his strategy had backfired.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry Tobias, I have no plans to steal him away.¡± Alaviv smiled. ¡°We only have some personal business. After that I will return with him to the caravan tomorrow morning. We are heading in the same direction after all.¡±


    Tobias smiled wryly, he couldn¡¯t turn down such a powerful individual so instead he just looked at Noone and shrugged. Noone was also surprised by this turn of events, and was unsure whether or not to go along. After a moment of thought though, he decided that the gnome wouldn¡¯t be pulling him away if it weren¡¯t for a good reason.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Seeming to read Noone¡¯s expression, Tobias just sighed and nodded to Noone signaling him to go with the wizard.


    The entire party looked on, each with their own thoughts. No one was sure what to make of this powerhouse of a wizard. Least of all Feylin who watched the proceedings with a slack jaw. Unlike the rest of the party, he had been so caught up in his own matters and was part of a separate section of Caravan, so he never realized that Noone had developed a relationship with the wizard.


    After a moment of hesitation, Tobias led his party to the temple sans Noone who looked down at the confident and unperturbed wizard. Finally, when Tobias and company were out of earshot the wizards casual smile turned into a scowl and he mumbled under his breath. ¡°Grand-priest my ass. I could wipe the floor so clean with your grand-priest that even your gods would be impressed.¡± A prickling energy formed around the small being but just as quickly dispersed. Noone¡¯s eyes widened but he merely looked away, ignoring the wizard. Whether or not what the wizard said was true, he didn¡¯t want to be implicated when the lightning struck. However, no lightning came and soon the two were walking through the town.


    Noone looked around at the various buildings made of stacked brick and stone in appreciation. It was a welcome sight. After traveling in the forest for so long, even he had grown a tad weary of the constant trees.


    The town was bustling as vendors hailed passerby and the various shops had people passing through them in what looked like a constant stream of faces. Noone took the time to spot each sign he could and memorized the symbols they used to represent their wares.


    Sword and shield were obviously a smith¡¯s shop. Signs for taverns were in abundance. Leather shops. Jewelry shops. Tapestry and cloth shops on every other corner. Compared to Pinepass, Creekview¡¯s economy was evidently much more robust.


    Noone walked behind the small gnome silently, studying every person he passed. Almost everyone was a mortal of some variety, with the odd classed being or adventurer scattered throughout.


    Noone of course wasn¡¯t the only one scanning his surroundings, and he caught the gaze of almost everyone he passed. A feat that was not difficult for the giant that he was. Unlike in Ardglass though, the number of stares was far less. Instead he would receive casual glances followed by swift expressions of surprise or interest before they continued about what they were doing.


    Noone - for the most part - ignored them.


    A squeaky sign swung lightly from the roof of a nearby building, catching Noone¡¯s attention. On the sign was etched a bottle with a cork stopper in it, along with various other small charms Noone could not recognize.


    ¡°Alaviv?¡± Noone asked. Alaviv, who was in his own world quickly brought himself back to reality and looked at Noone. ¡°Can we stop there real fast?¡± Noone asked casually, motioning at the sign he had noticed. Normally he would ignore the gnome and do what he wanted, but in truth he was a little grateful for Alaviv pulling him away from the party for a while.


    Surprised by Noone¡¯s interest, the gnome nodded, and they easily weaved their way through the crowded streets before pushing the entrance to the shop open.


    Outside, the building looked no different from the surrounding architecture. Inside though, Noone couldn¡¯t help but immediately spread his divine sense in an attempt to take in as much of the atmosphere as he could.


    The air inside the shop was completely different than outside. Even the light which filtered in from the windows seemed to change color once it entered the room, shining softly on the many shelves which were lining the shop.


    A miniscule amount of energy was perfused through the air, causing Noone to unknowingly relax his usual prudence.


    Alaviv on the other hand seemed to not be affected by the atmosphere at all. Instead he looked around with a critical eye, quickly examining the items on display. After determining the overall quality of the store, he gave a nod of approval. ¡°This is about what you could expect for a small town like this.¡± He thought to himself. On the outside though he waved to the shopkeeper, who nodded back.


    At the moment, the shopkeeper was busy dealing with three customers who seemed to be together. Noone gave them a glance. He noticed immediately that the energy surrounding the three individuals seemed to resonate with the energy in the room.


    All three individuals were elves of tan skin and nut-brown hair. They spoke softly but calmly with smooth tones. Noone noticed immediately a squirrel which sat upon the shoulders of one of the men. It chattered casually into his ear before glancing back at Noone and continuing to speak.


    ¡°Druids. Don¡¯t pay them much mind. They like to keep to themselves.¡± A voice in Noone¡¯s head spoke. Noone glanced at Alaviv who was still looking through the shelves as though he had not just transmitted his voice into Noone¡¯s mind.


    Noone nodded and also began to look around. He was here with a special item in mind.


    Despite his divine sense, most of the items in the shop eluded him in their purpose. He could feel the faint vibrations of universe energy from everything in the shop. However, because much of everything on the shelves were natural resources, Noone was unable to see any threads of energy surrounding them. He assumed they must be fully integrated with the energy, unable to be separated.


    After a few minutes of looking around in interest, the druids finally received what they were bargaining for and left the shop. The squirrel which rode on the shoulder of the one elf turned to watch Noone as they left.


    ¡°Sorry for the wait.¡± The older shop-keep called from behind the counter. He was putting away some items which the elves had given him. ¡°How can I help you both?¡±


    Alaviv waved his hand as if to say, ¡®not me¡¯ and motioned to Noone.


    ¡°I was hoping to buy a type of potion.¡± Noone walked to the counter, inquiring. The middle age shop-keep nodded and took out a book which was underneath the counter. It was a catalogue of various potions.


    ¡°Do you know the name of the potion or do you just have an effect you want?¡± The man asked as he began to flip through the pages.


    ¡°Yes, I wanted to purchase two bottles of liquid fire.¡± Noone said casually. Alaviv who was nearby gave a slight knowing smile but otherwise did not react.

 143. Into the Adventurers Guild

    The shop keep¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but after taking a good look at Noone he nodded and disappeared into a back room. Noone waited patiently for the man to return and wondered if all stores were required to have some kind of back room to disappear into.


    It only took a minute for the shopkeeper to return, in his hand were two red bottles each in their own leather pouches to provide some cushion - protecting them from accidental destruction.


    "That will be 20 gold coins." He said casually, putting the bottles down and writing down a note on an itinerary behind the counter. Noone nodded and began to take out his money pouch when a familiar voice entered his mind.


    "15." Alaviv said simply. After a moment of pause, Noone understood what Alaviv was doing and he wasted no time repeating the number to the shop-keep. The man stopped writing for a moment and gave Noone a look, trying to determine whether or not this odd-looking man was haggling for the sake of it, or if he knew the exact price of the liquid fire.


    Noone maintained his stoic expression, carefully keeping his face neutral as he stared at the man. His gaze was strong; however, the clerk was an experienced mage and had no problem matching Noone''s even look.


    "He has some strength. But he also seems a bit young." The clerk thought. "Eighteen." He said. "That way I still make some profit."


    Noone frowned and waited for Alaviv to give him the go ahead.


    "16 or I will go to Lydia''s shop." Alaviv transmitted. Noone paused for a moment before swiftly repeating the gnome¡¯s exact words - keeping his voice carefully neutral. Internally he wondered who Lydia was.


    The clerk''s eyes widened, and he took a good look at Noone. "Fine." He said, sighing as he scratched out something in his itinerary and wrote over it.


    Noone handed over sixteen gold coins, almost a quarter of what he made from raiding the bandit camp. However, he did not regret giving it away. To someone who grew up in a society without the need for monetary wealth, money was just a tool to be used - not hoarded.


    He swiftly tied the bottles to his waist and gave his thanks to the shopkeeper. The man smiled wryly but otherwise said nothing and watched Noone and the gnome leave.


    As he watched Alaviv step out the door, Alaviv turned his head at the last moment and flashed a charming smile at the store-keep before swiftly exiting.


    The man sighed. "Ah." He thought. "I see what happened." He shook his head and grabbed a rag from his waist, wiping down the counter.


    "Thank you." Noone said as they exited the store.


    "Not a problem. It''s the least I can do considering how much you have made for me." The gnome smiled playfully. Noone looked down at the small wizard, his eyebrows furrowing.


    "What?" Noone asked. But the gnome ignored him, continuing on through the crowd the way they had come.


    From down the street, Noone noticed a large three-story building unlike any of the buildings around it. Not only did it tower over everything nearby, but it was an aesthetically beautiful mixture of wood and stone and glass windows. On the front of the building there was no hanging sign, but instead large letters etched into the wooden front.


    "Adventurer''s guild." Noone mumbled. He didn''t know much about the adventurer''s guild, or guilds in general apart from what Raelith had told him. However, he did know that they were one of the largest organizations in the continent.


    Noone looked at Alaviv who continued to walk on casually through the entrance of the grand building. He followed swiftly behind, avoiding the constant stream of people flowing in and out of the multiple entrances.


    When Noone passed through the doors, he had no expectations. At most he had a curiosity. But upon laying eyes inside, Noone couldn''t help but go wide-eyed. The inside was like nothing he had ever seen.


    The ground was covered in smooth stone squares, carefully laid to be in perfect alignment with each other. The room was large and had stairs going up three floors, and when Noone looked up he realized that the ceiling to the main room was all the way at the top, making the scale of the building seem that much more massive.


    Adventurers wandered about, passing into side rooms or sitting at a nearby bar. There were many party''s that sat around large tables, sharing drinks or splitting up items.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    And the thing Noone found most interesting was the atmosphere created solely by the people who casually wandered around. The entire building felt like it was buzzing with energy and power like a powder keg in the heat. At any moment, the right spark could send the entire building into an uproar and bring down strength unprecedented.  Every person Noone saw gave off the faint aura of potential hostility.


    Alaviv glanced at Noone and chuckled. "Close your mouth Noone, we have business to take care of."


    Noone nodded and followed the gnome, but he continued to look around, casually spreading his divine sense.


    While he looked around, Noone had inevitably caught the attention of several of the adventurers who noticed his arrival. At first, he had only garnered a casual glance, but after several moments of being overwhelmed by the surroundings, everyone had noticed him.


    Several of the parties began to casually discuss the grey-stone-skinned man who had followed the gnome wizard inside. The white lines on Noone''s body glowed gently in contrast to his skin, catching the attention of several different mages and other magic enthusiasts.


    Just as Noone was able to sense the aura of strength surrounded the adventurers, they too were able to read into Noone''s energy a bit. However, no matter how hard they tried, no one was sure what level Noone was at. This was especially true for the magic-wielding adventurers.


    Those who trained in magics were used to standing above others. While physically weaker, they were beacons of knowledge and wisdom and everyone knew this. While this led them to have a reputation of pompousness, when push came to shove, no one doubted their knowledge.


    However, when their parties inquired of them about the large being which just walked in, these magic-wielders could only smile wryly and shake their head.


    "Perhaps he is one of the goliaths of the eastern land?" Someone proposed.


    "No¡­ he''s big, but goliaths are big-big, almost a foot taller than him. Also, their markings are painted on. He obviously has some kind of magic in his body which has caused his unusual white lines." Another spoke.


    By the time Noone had drawn the attention of the room, he had approached the front counter with Alaviv who casually hopped onto it as though was his right. He stood face to face with a very startled clerk. Noone could only chuckle at this.


    Alaviv waved his hand casually and produced a white token which he handed over to the young woman behind the counter.


    When she laid eyes on the token, her breath caught in her throat and she glanced up at the gnome and back down at the token before subconsciously straightening her uniform. Noone was curious, and used his divine sense to scan the writing on the white surface.


    ALAVIVGREHMLA GNUCECAK


    Gnome


    Level 17 Wizard ¨C Conjuration


    Age 2111


    S-Class."


    Noone''s eyes widened, and when he glanced down at the gnome standing boisterously on the counter, he noticed Alaviv looking at him with a knowing smile ¨C seeming to know that Noone would scan over his badge.


    "Mr. Gnucecak," The young woman stuttered, tripping up over the gnomes last name. "U-Um, how can the guild serve you today?" The girl was honestly scared out of her mind - this was her first time ever meeting an individual of such a high level, but she did her best to restrain herself and remember her training.


    The gnome flashed what he believed to be his most charming smile and returned the token to wherever he had grabbed it from.


    "Three things, if you don''t mind." He spoke smoothly. "Four actually. Firstly, you can call me Alaviv. I think you will find it much easier to pronounce." He chuckled. The young clerk turned red. By this point the nearby adventurers and clerks were beginning to notice the odd behavior of the young girl.


    "Secondly, I would like to exchange some weapons for cash with you." Alaviv smiled.


    "S-sir, if you want to exchange weapons then a weapons-smith would be able to give you a much better deal than we could." The young woman said out of obligation. Alaviv merely nodded.


    "That is true, but I have too many and am afraid that trying to sell all of them would be too much of a hassle, so it is easier to leave it to the guild. Even if I take slightly a smaller cut." The way he said the word ¡®slightly¡¯ caused a cold chill to run up the young girl¡¯s spine. He looked back at Noone, making sure Noone was paying attention.


    Noone watched the exchange with curious interest.


    "Thirdly," Alaviv continued. "I would like to collect the rewards on some heads." He motioned to a wall behind the counter, on which was poster after poster of outlaws and criminals with bounties on them.


    The young girl nodded but was quickly becoming overwhelmed by how much the gnome was asking to do all at once.


    "And lastly, if you would get a token for my friend here, I will be sponsoring him into the guild." Alaviv¡¯s charming smile had never left his face through the whole exchange, but the tone in his voice made it clear that he was here for business. He turned to Noone wagging his eyebrows as if to say ''look how cool I am.''


    Noone could only smile wryly, but he said nothing. As far as he could tell, there was no harm in joining such a guild. Especially if someone of Alaviv''s status was going to sponsor him. The only question he had was¡­


    why?


    "Y-yes! If you will follow me, I will show you to a private room!" The girl said a bit too quickly. The gnome nodded and hopped down from the counter. He and Noone followed the young girl in a luxurious and spacious side room on the second floor.


    "One moment please." The girl said, before disappearing back out into the hall. Noone and Alaviv sat down comfortably on a set of extremely sturdy and well refined chairs on one side of a crystal table. Noone wanted to ask the odd gnome what he was thinking, but after coming all this way ¨C he knew that he would most likely find out soon enough.


    It wasn''t long before a well-dressed human male returned, with the young girl following along behind him.


    "Mr. Gnucecak. I have been informed of the reasons for your visit and would be happy to help you." The man said flashing a bright smile. Noone''s expression was neutral, but he couldn''t help but fight back an uncomfortable twinge in his spine that formed when the man entered the room. His aura was sharp, like a stack of razor blades.


    "Perfect." The gnome smiled. "So where should we begin?"

 144. Pile-O-Heads

    ¡°Let us start with your friend here.¡± The man maintained his smile, showing off two rows of perfectly straight white teeth. He moved his hand and a round ball the size of his palm appeared inside of it. He handed it over to the young clerk. ¡°Maylin, if you would?¡±


    The young girl nodded and mumbled a ¡®yes sir¡¯ before taking the ball from the man and approaching Noone.


    ¡°If you would put your hand out sir?¡± She nodded respectfully to Noone, under the impression that anyone being sponsored by someone like Alaviv must be incredibly powerful as well. Noone glanced at Alaviv who merely smiled and nodded back.


    Noone put out his hand with his palm up, the young girl gently placing the orb in it. There was a slight pull on his hand like the skin adhering to the glass as colors formed inside of the orb, swirling about in random directions.


    It only took a second of everyone watching the orb for it to begin showing words in the common language.


    ------ ------ -----


    Race: Unknown


    Class: Unknown


    Age: Unknown


    No grade.


    ------ ------ ------


    The young girls¡¯ eyes widened, as did the eyes of the well-dressed man who had come in with her. After looking at Alaviv chuckling, the man could only smile wryly.


    ¡°Well. It seems we will just have to fill out a form by hand.¡± He waved his hand, causing a piece of parchment to appear in it as well as a pen. Noone handed the orb back to the young woman who only wanted to hide behind the manager, her face slightly red from embarrassment.


    ¡°Perhaps this is a bit late, but might I inquire for your name¡­?¡± The man nodded to Noone, pen poised over paper.


    After getting the go ahead from Alaviv, Noone nodded.


    ¡°Noone.¡± He said simply, spelling it out for the sake of convenience. The man looked up, as if waiting for more. When Noone didn¡¯t continue, the well-dressed man cleared his throat awkwardly.


    ¡°Do you have a last name Noone? A family name or similar?¡± Not everyone in the common realms had a first and last names. However, for the sake of cataloging, it was generally accepted that people with no last name would adopt the name of their home town for official documentation. Noone thought about this, his eyebrow¡¯s furrowing. Ever since coming to the surface he had never used his full name.


    His thoughts began to go back to Tapestry. Although in some ways it seemed like so long ago, the events of his home were burned fresh into his mind.


    He would never forget why he was on the surface. He had a mission to fulfill¡­ the image a two orange-glowing eyes flashed in his mind. The skeletal being who took everything from him.


    Finally, he snapped out of his own thoughts and looked the man in the eyes.


    ¡°Noone. Tapestry. Azelle.¡± His birth name, his home, and his family name. His heart twisted when he said Azelle, thinking of the elder who had raised him, and who he was forced to bury. Somewhere inside of him, he wondered if the energy he had inherited from the bones of his home was just energy¡­ or if their will lived on with him.


    Alaviv looked slightly surprised at Noone¡¯s response but he said nothing, even having a soft smile play on his lips.


    ¡°I see.¡± The man said, playing oblivious to Noone¡¯s obvious emotional journey. ¡°Race?¡± He asked nonchalantly, however his eyes flickered slightly with interest, waiting for Noone¡¯s response.


    Before Noone could say anything, Alaviv spoke up. ¡°Leave the race and class blank, classify it if you must - to save him some problems in the future.¡± Despite having a soft smile on his lips, there was no room for negotiation in his words. The nicely dressed man looked slightly put off by this, but he couldn¡¯t say anything against a level 17 wizard, let alone an SS-rank adventurer.


    ¡°Age?¡± he asked finally. Wondering if he would at least get an answer for that. Alaviv said nothing, so Noone replied with his closest guess.


    ¡°122.¡± Noone said, giving his true age.


    The man nodded but didn¡¯t seem too surprised, filling in the line on the parchment. The young woman who stood near the wall had various expressions through the whole exchange. Not wanting to be rude, she tried not to stare at Noone, however she found herself unable to take her eyes off him.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Now.¡± The man said, folding the paper in half. ¡°About the weapons?¡±


    In a motion that was all at once very quick, and extremely slow, Alaviv waved his hand to an empty spot on the floor - and suddenly a pile of weapons began to pour out of thin air.


    Ten.


    Twenty.


    Thirty.


    Fifty.


    The weapons kept flowing into an endless pile almost the size of a person, both of the guild employees looked on with wry smile on their faces.


    Seventy-five.


    A hundred.


    A hundred and twenty.


    Finally, the endless stream stopped with the sound of metal impacting metal echoing throughout the room, and Alaviv smiled innocently. By this point the young girl¡¯s jaw may well have been on the floor. Only the man managed to maintain some semblance of professionalism.


    As Noone watched the ridiculous display, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that some of the weapons looked very familiar¡­ His eyes narrowed, and he looked back and forth between the pile and Alaviv.


    Hesitating for a moment, the man¡¯s voice was a bit shakier when he finally spoke, a wry smile on his lips. ¡°And I assume you have proof of the bounties you wish to collect as well.¡±


    Alaviv smiled at the man, and an unmistakable playful glint could be seen ¨C like a child who is about to do something naughty and instead of shying away from it, chooses to revel in the chaos. At this moment, everyone in the room had a sinking feeling, including Noone as he pieced together where the weapons were from.


    Alaviv smiled and waved his hand at a different corner of the room away from everyone.


    Suddenly, and without ceremony, a lone severed head appeared in the air and plopped on the floor with a fresh icky thud. Then another. And another. The sound of skull impacting skull as they fell on top of each other played the sickening cacophony of a ruthless battle. Noone could only close his eyes. Inside he only groaned, but he knew he could do nothing to stop the old man.


    The well-dressed guild employee finally couldn¡¯t maintain his neutral fa?ade and his jaw dropped open with his eyes bulging.


    However, he still handled the sudden exchange far better than the young clerk who, upon seeing the endless pile of human heads which now numbered seventy and counting, immediately fainted.


    ¡°I assume you can handle this?¡± Alaviv spoke casually, standing from the couch he sat on and motioning to Noone who quietly stood and followed behind.


    Without giving a chance for the man to respond, the small wizard said that they would return in a few hours, and then left the room with Noone.


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but glance back at the man, offering him an apologetic smile before disappearing.


    ¡°I guess this is what you can do when you get strong enough.¡± He thought with a sigh. He wondered whether or not the small gnome just liked to cause trouble.


    As they walked down the stairs, Noone noticed a familiar party huddled around the front-desk of the establishment, talking with one of the clerks.


    It was the party Feylin had been getting to know, a group of young classed adventurers who were just being sponsored into the guild. Each one had a broad grin on their face, and they filled out paperwork to complete their group as a party.


    One of them noticed Noone and Alaviv coming down the stairs and pointed him out to the rest of the group. Everyone turned to look. Noone only gave them a single nod before following Alaviv out of the building and into the busy streets, attracting the stares of many adventurers on the way.


    The small gnome walked with a purpose, so Noone followed along while quietly pondering his own thoughts.


    ¡°When did you manage to gather all of that¡­ stuff.¡± Noone transmitted. Hesitating on what to call a pile of weapons and a stack of heads.\


    Alaviv flashed Noone a smile. ¡°After your little escapade with your girlfriend and that vengeance paladin. I wasn¡¯t going to say anything unless you brought it up, but I may have followed you three to the bandit encampment that night.¡± He responded without missing a beat. Noone frowned, had he been watching over him? Or was he spying on him?


    Alaviv glanced back before chuckling. ¡°You don¡¯t need to look at me like that.¡± He snorted. ¡°If I wanted to spy on you would I bother revealing it all like this? I was merely curious about what was happening. And after I heard what you were going to be up to, I decided to watch from the sides. See how you fight. That kind of thing.¡± He shrugged as if it was no big deal.


    Noone didn¡¯t know whether he believed the gnome 100%, but he didn¡¯t feel Alaviv was lying either, so he said nothing.


    After a few moments of thought, Noone finally found something to say.


    ¡°What did you think?¡± Noone asked, curious for the perspective of a two-thousand-year-old wizard.


    ¡°Of?¡± Alaviv played coy, turning so Noone would be unable to see his face.


    ¡°You know what of.¡± Noone said, refusing to give the gnome the satisfaction of his exasperation.


    Alaviv nodded his head with a smile. ¡°Yes. I do. You did well for your level, although we still have a lot of work to do if you¡¯re ever going to be strong.¡±


    ¡°We?¡±


    The gnome¡¯s usual playful demeanor for the first time turned solemn. In his mind there were thousands of thoughts being processed every second, drawing connections in the world that Noone could never know or understand.


    "You''ll know soon." He said quietly.


    Noone¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, however even after a few minutes Alaviv didn¡¯t respond. Noone decided to let it go, for now.


    Another few blocks passed Alaviv turned into an inn which was tucked out of the way from the busy main street. The entire structure reeked in a silence as though it had not been disturbed since its inception. It was quiet but well maintained, and it seemed to Noone that not many people must come here. Noone and Alaviv entered a tavern-like front hall, full of tables and a bar. Apart from Noone, Alaviv, and a pleasant looking bartender, no one was there. It was completely empty. He wondered if this was normal, or just related to the time of day.


    ¡°I was wondering if we could reserve a room for the night.¡± Alaviv stepped forward with his usual springy gait that seemed a consequence of his small size and perched himself on the bar.


    ¡°Not a problem.¡± The woman behind the bar said evenly, pulling a key out from under the counter. ¡°One gold.¡±


    Alaviv already had the gold piece in his hand, pushing it across the bar to the woman.


    The woman looked down at the coin, and after affirming that it was real, handed the key over to Alaviv.


    ¡°Third door on the right.¡± The woman said casually, not bothering to pay any more attention to Noone or the gnome. Noone found this whole business odd, but he only shook his head, assuming that the gnome was up to something.

 145. Is it a gnome thing?

    He and Noone casually walked around the counter down and down the lone hallway. Noone nodded to the barkeep who looked on disinterestedly, only vaguely acknowledging him.


    The walls and floor of the hallway looked to be made of a common wood planking, but a frown very quickly formed on Noone''s face. Immediately he noticed his divine sense being suppressed, unable to pass through the regular wooden walls. The building seemed to naturally repel his divine sense the way water repels metal.


    Noone snorted in dissatisfaction, but he continued to follow Alaviv.


    Finally, the gnome arrived in front of the third set of doors. Noone casually glanced back down the hall, only to notice that the doors were further apart than they had seemed when he walked the hallways just now. Most inns had as many small single-person rooms crammed under their roof as possible. But judging by the doors, Noone assumed these rooms must have been quite a bit larger.


    "That''s no surprise for a gold coin." He reassured himself.


    The small gnome easily slid the key into the door on the right, but instead of entering the room, Alaviv left the key in the lock and then turned around, opening the door on the other side of the hall instead. Noone¡¯s eyes widened, and he didn¡¯t immediately make to follow.


    The gnome wizard looked back at him and nodded to Noone with a smile. ¡°Well c¡¯mon then. Haven¡¯t got all day.¡± He casually stepped inside the room, not waiting for Noone¡¯s response.


    Noone looked back down the hallway to see the back of the bartender who didn¡¯t notice or didn¡¯t care about Alaviv¡¯s actions. Finally, he shrugged and walked into the same room the gnome had moments before.


    From the hallway, the room the gnome had entered looked no different from the room at any inn, but Noone¡¯s eyes widened and his whole body tensed as soon as he passed through the doorframe, the door shutting unnaturally behind him.


    Besides Noone, Alaviv stood there casually, waiting for his reaction.


    Apart from slight shock ¨C an increasingly common reaction for Noone when dealing with Alaviv ¨C he managed to compose himself rather swiftly, immediately spreading his divine sense to try and feel out the world in front of him.


    The problem was¡­ nothing Noone saw was being picked up by his divine sense. Everything was invisible to him. Noone frowned but decided to take the initiative, not waiting for Alaviv as he stepped forward and placed his hand on the wooden railing to the stairs in front of him. It felt¡­ real.


    When he had stepped past the doorway into the room, the entire area within the space had changed. It was not a mere inn-suite like what he saw from the outside. Instead it was like he had been teleported. He stood in front of a large staircase leading to a brightly lit building, similar in style to the inn they had entered from. Only this building was a thousand times more decadent.


    Alaviv followed Noone with a particularly excited pep to his stop, following closely as Noone entered the ¡®inn¡¯ in the strange space.


    Noone couldn¡¯t help but stop in his tracks as soon as he entered the building. Unlike the building he and Alaviv had been in initially, this one was bustling with all manner of people.


    Humans, dwarves, elves ¨C so many elves - and even a number of gnomes like Alaviv. No one seemed to notice or care about Noone¡¯s sudden entrance except a few who were appreciating the shocked look on his face. When Alaviv entered behind Noone ¨C obviously accompanying the odd gray statue of a man ¨C most people gave him a nod and then went back to their own business. Apparently, he was well known here.


    ¡°Alaviv¡­ what is this place?¡± He finally asked, looking down at the small gnome.


    If it weren¡¯t for the existence of classes and magic in this world, their difference in size would seem comical to any onlooker. A hulking statue of man wielding a dark grey great-axe and two war-axes, and a small frail-looking old man weighing no more than some breeds of dog. One could only assume any onlookers would surely ball up laughing when considering the complete disparity in strength between Al and Noone.


    But in this setting, it was clear that Noone was the follower.


    ¡°This is a special magical space set up by the various magic and wizarding factions across the common realms.¡± Alaviv casually commented, walking between the tables and towards the bar. ¡°Magic is a wonderous thing Noone. The wizarding schools have been in control of the teleport transports for centuries, keeping it out of the hands of those who might want to misuse it. What you see now, is an extrapolation of that magic. Two pints¡¯ please.¡± He commented to the bartender. Noone was surprised to see that it was the same woman who had given Alaviv the key at the real inn they had visited.


    She easily handed over two large mugs, one for Alaviv and one for Noone. Noone looked at it skeptically before glancing around the room. Everyone else was casually drinking and eating and talking, so it should be fine, he thought. Finally, he took a sip. Noone¡¯s eyes widened and he gave a long exhale. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± He said, looking down into the mug.


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Alaviv grunted as he drank. ¡°The nice thing is that you can drink as much as you want here and never get drunk.¡± Alaviv smiled. The look in the gnome¡¯s eyes made Noone wonder how much experience this little gnome had in regard to that.


    ¡°You see Noone, this space is an extrapolation of real space. But it isn¡¯t real space. Our real bodies are still in that room at the inn in Creekview. What you see here is just your consciousness being projected into this common space. It¡¯s much easier than trying to teleport a whole person, and much less resource intensive.¡±


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    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Said Noone, not sure he was fully understanding what Alaviv was saying. ¡°So¡­ what happens if something occurs to our real bodies back in Creekview?¡± Noone asked. Were they just defenseless?


    ¡°Easy. You¡¯re too weak so you can¡¯t compartmentalize your consciousness, but I am still just as aware in that room in Creekview as I am here.¡± The gnome chuckled and then held out his hand, creating an image out of thin air.


    In the image, Noone could see the small gnome sitting in a rocking chair reading a book. When the image zoomed into the gnome, he looked up and smiled from his chair completely aware of what was happening. What caught Noone¡¯s attention though was not the gnome, but his own body which was crumpled in an unceremonious heap on the floor.


    Noone found himself unable to hold back a glare. Alaviv chuckled closing his hand and removing the image with it.


    ¡°Normally you would have to at least be a level 12 to gain permission to enter this space.¡± Alaviv commented casually. ¡°But we have business to attend to.¡±


    ¡°And what business is that?¡± Noone asked. He didn¡¯t like how the gnome would constantly use ¡®we¡¯ despite Noone not seeing anything of his as the gnome¡¯s business. Alaviv smiled but said nothing.


    The two sat around for the better part of a half hour, with Noone asking some casual questions about magic and the others in the space. Alaviv for the most part was happy to answer except when Noone was trying to eek more information about their purpose here.


    As they sat chatting, Noone couldn¡¯t help but listen in to some of the nearby conversations. Even he knew that the chance to eavesdrop on powerful beings like this wasn''t one to be squandered.


    Various topics were being discussed around the room at varying intensities. Everything from local politics in areas Noone has never heard of, to discussions of family or the composition of magic Noone didn''t understand.


    "The country of Cinapul sure has it rough right now." Noone managed to catch the vague tones of a man''s voice from a nearby table. Despite Alaviv saying it was impossible to get drunk in this space, this man definitely seemed tipsy - to say the least. "An encroaching army from the west, a dark-elf migration from the southern lands, and tenuous relations with Coatlan and Bepieds... are you sure you want to go down there?"


    The woman at the table, a young sorceress judging by her robes, merely nodded. "What do you mean about the dark elves though? I haven''t heard anything about that?"


    "Oh, that''s right. Not everyone has heard yet. Apparently, the dark elves which like to keep to themselves in their underground cities have been pushing northward lately, encroaching on border regions."


    "What? Why would they do that? They already have a pretty shaky relationships with the common realm." The woman put a finger to her chin in thought.


    "I don''t know." The man shook his head helplessly. The dark-elves were a very exclusionary race which were for the most part content to keep to themselves. Their society was completely independent from the rest of the common realms. Whatever brought them northward, it was either signs of an approaching war, or...


    ¡°Alright.¡± Alaviv said, finishing off his drink. ¡°It should be about time.¡± The small gnome casually hopped off the stool and motioned for Noone to follow before arriving at a staircase near the back of the room. Noone took one last glance at the people who he had been listening to, before getting up and following Alaviv to the second floor.


    When they arrived at the second floor, Noone was surprised to see a wide and almost-empty room with no furnishings or people. Instead, scattered halfhazardly through the space was one door after the next.


    Each one was different. Different colors, sizes, and designs. The only thing that they had in common was that they all were freestanding in space, hovering an inch or two above the floor.


    Alaviv waved his hand and produced a plain mask which he casually slid onto his face.


    ¡°Do I get one?¡± Noone asked, fairly sure of the answer.


    ¡°Sorry Noone. Only got the one.¡± He chuckled, casually passing door after door and looking around the space. ¡°Ah, there it is.¡±


    Noone frowned at the antics of the gnome, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it, so he simply followed along. Inside of his heart though, he was remembering this. ¡°One day...¡± Noone thought silently to himself, letting the idea trail off.


    Alaviv casually let his fingers trail across a plain wooden door, holding it open for Noone before entering himself. Noone gave Alaviv a hard look before shaking his head and entering through the freestanding door. Much like he had been expecting, as soon as he passed through, the entire scene had changed around him again.


    No longer was he in a large empty room filled with freestanding doors. Now he was standing in a small room with a large table set in the middle and a single light shining from the ceiling like a miniature sun.


    Numerous chairs circled the table, and Noone was able to make out the vague shape of people sitting in them. There were eight in total, and they all turned to look at Noone when he entered.


    One of them raised a single hand and pointed at Noone, they looked like they were about to say something when a whoosh of noise came from behind.


    Alaviv suddenly appeared next to him¡­ or at least Noone thought so. There was a small being next to his leg, about the height of Alaviv, but the entire person was covered in a misted fog like the beings already sitting, so it was impossible to tell anything other than his vague figure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Noone, it¡¯s me.¡± Alaviv looked up at Noone, smiling at him even though he knew Noone couldn¡¯t see it. Noone Nodded but said nothing.


    ¡°Put your finger down Agnis! Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s rude to point?¡± Alaviv chuckled, casually dragging Noone to one of the chairs around the table before sitting in his own.


    The person ¨C Agnis, apparently ¨C put her hand down with an almost visible scowl.


    ¡°You¡¯re half an hour late, Al!¡± She barked, not caring for the gnome¡¯s foolishness.


    ¡°Oh, am I? Sorry about that. Had some trouble finding the right place.¡± He said noncommittally. Noone couldn¡¯t help but stare at the shape of his friend, smiling wryly. He quietly wondered just how the little gnome got to be so thick-skinned.


    It just so happened that they had been wasting time in the lobby downstairs for exactly half an hour.


    Was it an age thing? Or maybe it was a gnome thing?

 146. 3-Question Oath

    ¡°So, this is the being Eliza finally made a move over?¡± A large fogged over figure asked. From the voice, Noone assumed it was a ¡®he.¡¯ Possibly human? He wasn¡¯t sure and there was no way to tell, but his voice sounded so very tired, and impossibly old.


    "Eliza?" Noone thought to himself. His eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°Aliviv, can they see me clearly?¡± Noone transmitted discretely. The gnome responded without missing a beat.


    ¡°Yes. And they can hear our transmitted thoughts as well.¡± Alaviv chuckled back. The rest of the room chose to ignore the exchange to try and save the young being some face, however Noone immediately went a little bit stiff. ¡°Is nothing sacred?¡± He thought to himself, hoping they couldn¡¯t read his thoughts too.


    ¡°Alaviv, how much have you told him?¡± A gentle feminine voice came from a small figure only a couple seats from Noone. From the shape of her silhouette Noone felt it should be either a halfling or just a small human woman. She was too short for an elf but too thin for a dwarf, and too tall for her to be a gnome like Al.


    Alaviv leaned back in his chair and scratched his stubbled chin. ¡°Oh, a little bit¡­¡± He began.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Noone interjected, before the gnome could cause him anymore trouble. Alaviv glared at Noone only to be met with Noone¡¯s own unwaveringly sharp gaze. Finally, he devolved into a quiet laugh and shrugged his shoulders as if to say ¡®yeah, but it¡¯s fine.¡¯


    An almost unanimous sigh came from everyone in the room, seeming to be used to Alaviv¡¯s antics. Noone felt sorry for them if that was the case


    He looked at Alaviv who was shrouded in fog, but he had a feeling he knew what face the small wizard was making. Possibly feeling slightly embarrassed, the gnome stood ¨C in his chair ¨C and began an introduction.


    ¡°Well then, since we are all here, I suppose it¡¯s the best time to get this out of the way.¡± Alaviv¡¯s small figure usually didn¡¯t do much for his presence, but as he spoke, Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel the little wizard develop a presence of magic and power all his own. A 2000-year-old level 17 wizard was nothing to scoff at, no matter how silly he might act.


    ¡°As you know, I am a level 17 wizard. I am unaffiliated with any groups or organizations though. This has its goods and bads. On one hand, it allows me to move and travel with much less restrictions and under much more secrecy. The problem is¡­ I do not have the support or network to accommodate me.¡± He extrapolated for Noone. ¡°Or so I¡¯ve worked to make people believe.¡± He waved his hand, motioning to the other figures in the room. ¡°What you see here Noone, are some of the most powerful wizards in the common realm, beings at the head of their respective organizations. Every single one no less powerful than myself.¡±


    Noone''s heart thumped as his eyes quickly scanned the room, devoting each figure''s silhouette to memory. He worked to maintain a neutral expression, but he was easily seen through by the other beings. No matter how much he had thought it was a possibility, he had hoped Alaviv wouldn''t just drop him into that sort of situation.


    As far as Noone was concerned, this would spell nothing but trouble for him.


    ¡°Noone.¡± Alaviv said after giving Noone a moment to process. His voice was calmer than Noone was used to, but it also helped him relax. ¡°Would you like to introduce yourself?¡±


    Noone hesitated for a moment before standing up, nodding his head to the other beings and towering over the table. Wizards for the most part were beings of unhealthy dispositions. Excessively skinny or frail in temperament were often the image pictured by those in the common realm.


    When these wizards looked at Noone, they saw someone who should be fit as a fighter class or maybe a cleric. He was a stark contrast to what they were expecting as well. Or maybe¡­ none of them knew what to expect in the first place.


    ¡°My name is Noone Tapestry Azelle." Noone used his name that he registered with the guild, believing these beings would have any number of ways to find out if he was hiding anything. "I am from Tapestry ¨C an isolated conclave at the south-western edge of the world.¡± He thought for a moment, but he was unsure of what to say beyond that. He didn¡¯t know why they needed him after all and could only guess as to what they were looking for.


    There was a stir in the room as the wizards began to talk among each other. There were numerous isolated communities throughout the continent, even to this day despite several hundred thousand years, and the rise and fall of civilizations, new isolated communities were in constant discovery.


    ¡°Are you from an epoch-tribe?¡± One of the silhouettes asked with a lot of concern.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Very few societies chose to live and subsist along the borders of the continent, especially the east and west borders. Not all isolated communities were epoch-tribes. Many of them were simply remnants of past civilizations of the current epoch. These tribes were overall harmless - and could usually be integrated into society with a fair amount of ease.


    Epoch-tribes on the other hand were remnants of the last epoch. A time before any real history that they know of. The only evidence of this past epoch were the few epoch tribes that continued to subsist, thanks to being under the protection of the failed-gods.


    Noone frowned, unsure of how to respond. Compared to what little these wizards knew about epoch tribes, Noone knew even less.


    Seeing his confusion, some of the shadows shot clearly-understood accusatory looks at Alaviv as if to say, ¡®what have you even been doing this past year?¡¯


    ¡°Noone.¡± The soft voice from the small female a few seats over spoke up. When she did the rest of the room fell into a hush. ¡°Would you mind telling us of your home? Everything that you know about it, as well as what drew you out into our world?¡± Her voice was gentle and sweet, but her questions were direct and got right to the heart of the matter. The entire room looked on silently, waiting for his answer.


    Noone thought for a moment, looking down at Alaviv who only shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a problem telling you, you wouldn¡¯t be the first. And with your strengths I doubt you don¡¯t have other ways to find out.¡± Noone eventually said, laying an even gaze at the obscured figures around the table. A few of the people in the room nodded, what Noone said wasn¡¯t wrong. If he had indeed told someone else, there were countless strings they could pull to get that information¡­ even if he hadn¡¯t told anyone¡­ they had ways to make him talk. ¡°However,¡± Noone continued. ¡°I don¡¯t like to do things for free.¡± Noone¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. His thoughts felt like they were racing at an impossible speed. He knew if he was going to have any advantage in this scenario, he must make the first move.


    ¡°What do you want from us? With our strengths, there shouldn¡¯t be much we can¡¯t do.¡± The room caught on very quickly and chose to humor the weak and young Noone. Someone spoke from the opposite side of the table. It was the confident voice of an older man, almost palpable with wisdom.


    Noone thought about this for a moment, putting a finger to his chin. He had a rare opportunity right now. If he asked for it, then these people could probably extricate him from the grip of the order and even provide him with protection and resources to strengthen him¡­. But after thinking, Noone decided against this. Right now, they obviously needed him for something, but there was no guarantee that these were good people who would treat him fairly. Especially if he just handed himself over to them.


    Noone glanced at Alaviv. Alaviv was different to these people, seeming to just be genuinely interested in living his own life and seeking out curiosities, however Noone didn¡¯t forget the possibility that all of this was also just a fa?ade. When he thought this, Noone couldn¡¯t help but remember how alone he was right now. He had no one he could rely on anymore, no one except himself.


    Thus, Noone was unsure what to ask for¡­ what could these beings give him right now, without putting himself in a bad situation.


    ¡°I want information. I have many questions, and I want answers. Honest answers.¡± Noone eventually spoke. His mind was set. Power he could seek out for himself, it was only information that he lacked.


    The group looked at each other, nodding and mumbling to themselves.


    ¡°Alright.¡± The wizened man said. ¡°However, we will only give you three questions. You have the collective minds of the leaders in magic at your disposal, it¡¯s not like we can give you free reign. Sometimes too much knowledge is more dangerous than too little.¡± There was an energy of truth to the man¡¯s words. Noone nodded, and was about to ask his first question when Alaviv interrupted him.


    ¡°Before we start officially then, shall we make an oath contract for the duration of this meeting. I would be happy to set the terms.¡± Alaviv chuckled. Noone looked down at the small figure and for a moment he thought he could see the gnomes mischievous grin even through the cloudy mist. A silence fell across the room, and Noone was unsure what Alaviv meant, however from the reaction of the others, Noone didn¡¯t believe Alaviv was trying to put him at a disadvantage.


    ¡°Well.¡± The wizened voice spoke. ¡°If you would then.¡±


    Noone thought he heard a chuckle from the female a few seats over. Alaviv nodded and stood, drawing runes in the air in front of him. Soft blue light formed at the tip of his finger, filling out the runes with magic. Noone watched on with interest, doing his best to discern what these lines meant.


    After a few moments, the rune was complete and it began to harshly glow, subsisting in space without Alaviv needing to touch it.


    ¡°Here be the terms: for the remainder of this meeting Noone Tapestry Azelle will be open and forthcoming with his past and information of his home city. In return, we will be completely open and truthful in answering three questions, without deceit or misdirection. We hereby agree to follow this oath, to the spirit of the promise ¨C and not just the letter.¡± Alaviv spoke evenly.


    Noone thought about the words Alaviv spoke. He was beginning to understand what the little wizard had done, and in his heart appreciated Alaviv more now than ever. However, wasn¡¯t the oath a little too vague?


    Eventually Noone decided to just trust that the gnome knew what he was doing.


    It only took a minute for the rest of the room to agree to the conditions.


    ¡°Well then Noone. You can go ahead with your questions.¡± Alaviv said, sitting back down in his seat. Noone thought for a moment, before shaking his head.


    ¡°I will ask after I tell my story.¡± He said evenly. Noone hoped that he would be able to discern some important things before then, thus he wouldn¡¯t have to waste any of his questions. After receiving everyone¡¯s agreement, Noone began to speak of his home.

 147. The pendant?

    Noone spoke freely, choosing to not overthink the current situation. If this was going to be a good exchange, he knew he would have to be open.


    Noone casually spoke of the history of Tapestry as it was taught to him. How eons and eons ago The Ancestor arrived among their people and warned of a world-ending desolation. Thus, she carved a home for them underground, in the cliff at the edge of the world, and gave his people something called the ¡®common heritage.¡¯


    He did his best to explain the effects of the common heritage. The entire room listened carefully as he spoke about how the people of Noone¡¯s home would spend their lives absorbing energy from the world around them.


    At this point, the wizards asked various questions trying to understand what this power was exactly. Each one had lived long lives, so they knew that the various magics of the world often stemmed from similar places.


    Maybe it was similar to elemental magics of the fae and elemental? Or was it a type of sorcery ¨C bloodline magic within their bodies?


    Noone did his best to explain his understanding from what he heard from the elders and Adria.


    When Noone mentioned Adria, his expression became a bit stiffer but otherwise he continued without pause. He spoke evenly and clinically, as though he was removed from these events. But in his mind a sadness was building.


    Noone talked about the condition under which he was born. No power. No attunement. And no power-lines, explaining he was the first of his people to ever experience this. This caught the attention of the powers at the table, and they asked for more detail, as well as what might have caused this. Noone told them he wasn¡¯t sure, but Liter ¨C their record keeper and librarian ¨C had proposed it was because the common heritage had grown too thin. This made those who thought that the ''common heritage'' might be a bloodline-heritage take note.


    Noone continued to speak about his time growing up within Tapestry. He spoke fondly of the town and the people, as well as how different it was from the beings of the surface. The camaraderie and familial bond shared there was nothing like the individualism here, Noone mentioned.


    Everyone nodded, as though understanding his position but Noone wondered if that was the case, if any of them really could understand.


    Noone continued to speak freely about his life in Tapestry, avoiding talking about the events that would happen next for as long as possible.


    He spoke about Trisha and Liter to an extent. When he mentioned how their powers were not based in the elements, but things more ethereal like ¡®soul¡¯ and ¡®knowledge¡¯ the wizards around the table all sat up intently, asking Noone questions. However, he only knew so much so his answers were less than satisfactory.


    When Noone mentioned the things like water-stones and sun-stones, there was one in particular who seemed especially interested. Noone had realized after being on the surface for a while that these element stones were not extremely common, so he chose to do his best to quickly gloss over the abundance of those resources. Noone figured this wouldn¡¯t breach the oath because it wasn¡¯t related to him and his history.


    Finally, after an hour Noone exhausted anything else he could talk about and could discuss his coming of age ceremony.


    When he explained the process to the room, the entire group was shocked. The ocean off the southwestern edge of the continent was widely considered to be hostile and deadly. Even Alaviv was shocked by Noone¡¯s retelling of his fall and climb.


    This was especially so when Noone discussed his encounter with the galaxy tree.


    For this part, Noone chose to try and gloss over the details of that encounter¡­ specifically he tried to avoid discussing the vision he had seen when within the bulb of the plant. It wasn¡¯t that Noone thought it was particularly important, but more that it was just too absurd. He didn¡¯t know how he would even begin to explain the things he saw in the vision. Noone managed to get away with explaining that he saw a vision of the ancestor planting a seed under tapestry, which became the plant that he encountered.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    For the most part this seemed to convince the people around the table.


    Finally¡­ Noone talked about his return to Tapestry.


    The shift in atmosphere was palpable as he spoke of his return. There was not a single person in the room unfamiliar with the dulcet tones of loss, thus they began to understand where this story was going immediately.


    ¡°Despite only being gone for a hundred years ¨C a mere fraction of our lifespan ¨C when I returned the quiet city of Tapestry had become a silent graveyard instead...¡± Noone said gently. He didn¡¯t hold anything back when talking about the next part. How he saw a vision of his family¡¯s elder ¨C Elder Azelle ¨C sending out Adria a hundred years prior to escape to the surface.


    He talked about collecting the bones of his people, his family and his friends, and burying them over the course of a month. Without stop.


    And finally, he talked about what occurred when he buried his elder, the leader of Tapestry.


    ¡°My senses expanded to cover miles, and I felt a barrier put in place to hide us from the outside world. It was ancient, put in place by the Ancestor. And then¡­ I saw the skeleton.¡± He talked ¨C in vivid detail ¨C of the image burned into his mind. The skeletal being with glowing orange eyes who had been revealed by the explosion of energy when the common heritage was condensed into Noone¡¯s body.


    As Noone watched everyone around the table, he saw no hint that they recognized the being he talked about¡­


    ¡°After that occurred, my mind and body were given over to an inner devil that I had developed due to losing control of my power. I climbed the rest of the way to the surface, which is where I encountered a party sent by the Order of Life, seeming to be at the behest of someone outside the order.¡±


    When Noone spoke of this, the entire room stirred, surprising Noone. Why such a big reaction? He thought. His eyes narrowed. ¡°They definitely know something.¡± In his heart, Noone was happy he had decided to hold his questions till the end.


    ¡°The party from the order sealed me away using a kind of pendant, which eventually removed my inner devil but became bound to me in the process.¡± Noone spoke evenly. ¡°Apparently it was using this necklace that they were led to me, an item given to them by whoever ordered my retrieval.¡± This caused another stir. Noone held back a smile. ¡°Got¡¯em¡± he thought.


    ¡°Since then I have been traveling with that party ¨C and getting used to training the power I inherited.¡± Noone quickly described this power, attempting to give just enough detail to dissuade them from asking too many questions.


    Throughout this whole exchange, Noone would constantly look at Alaviv who leaned back in his seat with his feet up on the table. It honestly seemed that the gnome couldn¡¯t care less about the discussion ¨C although Noone had a feeling this was just a front.


    When Noone finally caught up to where he is now, the room was silent for a few minutes as people organized their own thoughts. Soon it would be Noone¡¯s turn to ask questions of them.


    ¡°The pendant, you should have it on you now, right?¡± one of the people spoke. This was the first time he had said anything, and Noone was unable to distinguish whether the speaker was male or female. Noone nodded giving Alaviv a glance before fishing the pendant out from under his shirt.


    As he did so, an image of the pendant was projected in the air above the table, magnified tens of times so everyone could see it clearly.


    ¡°Damn.¡± The wizened voice scoffed.


    Even Alaviv sat up in his seat to look at the pendant.


    It looked the same as it always had. A silver crescent-moon upon which thousands and thousands of small engravings are carved into it. Noone now recognized these engravings as runes. In the center of the crescent moon, floating inside of it and yet somehow fixed in place, there was a pitch-black stone upon which hundreds of tiny white dots would glow and dim looking not unlike the night sky.


    Everyone was silent as they observed Noone and the image. A few people cast magics to investigate but nothing changed.


    ¡°You said you are unable to remove the necklace because it sealed away your inner devil?¡± The soft-voiced wizard asked. Noone nodded.


    ¡°That is what I assume anyways ¨C you would know much better than I.¡± Noone admitted. The woman nodded.


    ¡°Could we take a look inside? If it is a seal, then the space within should be able to be projected.¡± She said. Noone thought about this for a moment. It had been a while since he explored the pendant with his divine sense.


    The last time he did, he was able to see his bedeviled self trapped within ice, unmoving. Finally, he nodded.


    The small woman nodded and waved her hand forming complicated runes that Noone couldn¡¯t even begin to memorize. Soon Noone felt a thrum from his pendant, and the image floating above the table began to distort and shift.


    Soon it was completely changed, and Noone¡¯s eyes widened as he looked upon the scene.

 148. Epoch-tribes?

    Within the pendant was a familiar figure to Noone. It was him ¨C sort of. The being looked exactly like Noone, but the air around it seethed with cold malice. Its eyes were red and filled with a calm hate.


    This was all normal to Noone, who had observed this being before with his divine sense. But what caused Noone¡¯s eyes to widen, was the ice which surrounded the being.


    It had shrunk. Or melted. Either way it was less now than the last time Noone had observed it. This caused him to frown, but he quickly hid it.


    Everyone in the room talked among themselves, while Noone continued to quietly observe the projection. The more he observed it, the more his heart throbbed in agony ¨C remembering why he had developed this devil in the first place.


    Noone looked into its eyes ¨C it was solace, and strength. Cold, calculating strength. Noone had thought about it before, but when overwhelmed by the inner devil, he had been much stronger than he was even now.


    Noone had lost his home, and this was the key to avenging them¡­ if only he could return to that power¡­.


    ¡°Noone. Are you alright?¡± Suddenly a voice was transmitted into Noone¡¯s mind. It was Alaviv¡¯s voice.


    Noone shook himself out of his stupor and he took a deep breath, his head throbbed and for a moment and when he glanced back at the projection, he could have sworn he saw the bedeviled form frown.


    ¡°Wh-What was that...?¡± Noone thought, a vague fear piercing through him, causing him to grit his teeth.


    After catching his breath and pushing those thoughts away for later, he managed to speak up.


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s time for me to ask some questions.¡± Noone interrupted the discussions at the table causing the room to fall into silence.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The wizened voice said eventually. ¡°It would seem that it is.¡±


    Noone hesitated for a moment. Three questions. He closed his eyes, organizing his thoughts. He took a deep breath.


    ¡°Tell me everything you can about the person who ordered my retrieval.¡± Noone spoke calmly ¨C despite it not being a question specifically, Noone trusted that they wouldn¡¯t split hairs with him.


    The room was silent, everyone understanding that this was a question they would no doubt need to address. They all looked at each other. Finally, the wizened old man spoke, his voice calm. ¡°Noone, how much do you know of various wizard classes?¡±


    Noone thought for a moment before explaining what he had been told by Raelith, causing the figure to nod.


    ¡°For the most part, that is accurate. However, you must understand something. The difference between a level 5 class wizard, and a level 20 wizard is like the difference between heaven and earth. While leveling up, what it means to be a magic-caster of a certain class almost becomes irrelevant except for other magic-users of that high level.¡± Noone nodded as he listened.


    He understood this, and basically it boiled down to the idea that you couldn¡¯t apply any type of common sense to beings in this world once they achieved level 20.


    A level five evocation wizard might be able to toss a fireball, but a level 20 evocation wizard would be able to reign hellfire down upon a nation.


    ¡°There is a woman,¡± The wizened voice spoke, ¡°who appeared as if from nowhere almost a thousand years ago ¨C Elize, she is called. She was a prodigious and dangerous being, a divination class wizard.¡±


    Noone could sense the atmosphere in the room change, even Alaviv became solemn. He frowned. Divination class? From what he knew, this was a school that focused on things like fate, and telling the future¡­


    ¡°You must understand Noone, for millennia the path to divination was a well-kept secret amongst the elites of the magic world. Very very few people would ever study it and those people were kept under strict supervision at all times¡­ the ability to read into the future is dangerous ¨C more dangerous than anything.¡± The man spoke seriously, trying to help Noone understand the risks associated with it.


    ¡°People who can read the future ¨C prophesize ¨C they often go mad. The future is limitless in terms of possibilities, and no beings mind is meant to try and comprehend all of it. They make prophecies and try to influence the world into their idea of the ¡®right¡¯ path, usually regardless of the means.¡± Noone nodded as he listened.


    ¡°You are saying this Elize was outside the reach of the established magic-organizations?¡± Noone asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The voice sighed. ¡°When she appeared, it was already too late. She had been influencing one of the old countries for years before we came to know of her, and eventually ¨C for unknown reasons - convinced the king of that country to go to war with an epoch tribe. One of eight in the known world at the time.¡± A tired sigh escaped from his lips. Noone heard a tsk come from Alaviv who was equally annoyed at the memory.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°You probably wouldn¡¯t know of this, however when you spend enough time on the common world you will eventually hear of it. This battle lasted less than a week ¨C but the consequences were dire. An entire country was brought to ruin and 6 million citizens were lost. Using her power ¨C she forced the failed god of that epoch tribe into a corner ¨C forced it to self-destruct. Killing off the entire country and opening a crater in the continent so large that it became our third ocean.¡± For a moment, Noone thought he could see the image in his mind.


    Noone¡¯s eyes widened. He remembered hearing about this from Tobias actually. There used to be two large oceans trapped within the continent¡¯s borders, until one day a nation went to war with an epoch tribe. The war was so brutal that the crater left behind became a third and northernmost ocean. He frowned¡­ that was an incredible amount of power. And¡­ so many dead?


    ¡°Why did she do that?¡± Noone couldn¡¯t refrain from asking. Everyone looked at each other¡­


    ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± The wizened man said sadly. ¡°At the time, those of us who had been alive moved to intercept the battle and try to end it peacefully ¨C this was before we had known there was a divination class wizard involved." The room grew silent.


    "When doing so¡­ Elize made her move while we were occupied and eliminated all of our divination class wizards and most of our training texts.¡± There was a palpable disgust in the air.


    ¡°The only reason we were able to know that a divination class wizard was involved was due to the dying message of one of our own diviners¡­¡± He sighed.


    Noone stood there silently, taking in all of this information.


    ¡°Since then, we have been chasing her trail, never able to catch up to her. During this time we have been doing our best to raise our own new diviners, however even after a thousand years our luck has been low ¨C to say the least. That was¡­ until now.¡±


    Noone had a bad feeling.


    ¡°One of our few diviners managed to catch a glimpse of her plans, just enough for us to see this Elize striking a deal with the grand-priest of the order of life to retrieve something from the edge of the world.¡± He spoke evenly, but Noone¡¯s muscles tensed.


    ¡°The pendant you wear, was stolen from me almost 400 years ago.¡± One of the shadowed figures spoke with a tsk, as if being reminded of a sour memory.


    ¡°So¡­ What does she want with me then?¡± Noone asked. He wasn¡¯t able to begin to imagine how such a being could have gotten their sights set on him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but we don¡¯t know. Divination is impossibly complicated, and no one can guess her exact plans or what future she is attempting to impact. But once we knew this was happening, we sent Alaviv to observe you, and hopefully assess whether or not you were in contact with her.¡±


    Noone looked at Alaviv who just shrugged nonchalantly.


    ¡°So, what now then?¡± Noone asked. ¡°If you guys are trying to keep me out of her grasp, are you going to have Alaviv take me?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The old voice spoke. ¡°Not exactly ¨C the truth of the matter is... we can¡¯t tell you what to do. Just as we don¡¯t want her to get ahold of you to create whatever her future is, we can¡¯t control you or guide you either - not without possibly falling into the same trappings.¡± He gave a non-comital shrug. Noone was incredulous, if they weren¡¯t going to do anything why did they bother to contact him at all!?


    ¡°You must understand Noone. The future and anything to do with prophecies is very tricky. From the moment you act on anything with the knowledge that it might be prophecy related, you are already acting within a script. It is almost impossible to escape ¨C like a net woven around existence.¡±


    Noone thought for a bit. ¡°How do you know that you meeting with me and telling me all of this isn¡¯t a part of her plan already?¡± Noone asked. A fair question he thought. The soft voiced female chuckled quietly.


    ¡°Divination is a bit more complicated than that, but I am afraid it¡¯s impossible to explain.¡± She said smoothly.


    Noone frowned but said nothing.


    ¡°I am going to count all of that as one question.¡± Noone said curtly. The old man hesitated for a moment but simply nodded.


    ¡°Alright then¡­¡± Noone thought for a bit. He couldn¡¯t ask them directly about his power without explaining it in detail to them which he didn¡¯t want to do, but he also didn¡¯t want to waste the collective experiences of so many strong individuals.


    ¡°Tell me¡­ about epoch tribes.¡± Noone said.


    There was a silence in the room.


    ¡°Pareah, if you would?¡± The wizened voice spoke.


    The soft-voiced figure nodded and turned to face Noone.


    ¡°The epoch-tribes are a remnant of the world before ours, and very little evidence of what that world was like still exists. However, throughout the millennia we have managed to put a few pieces together... Since you are traveling with the order, you should be vaguely familiar with the process of clerics and paladins, yes?¡± She asked. Noone nodded, waiting for her to explain the relevance.


    ¡°Well¡­ From what we understand, the last epoch was a time where magic did not exist¡­ not in the way we see it now anyways. And during that time, all individuals functioned with the grouping of laws¡­ well¡­ um¡­ Okay.¡± She said. ¡°This is just our conjecture but here¡¯s what we think. We think that the gods of certain laws: life ¨C death ¨C justice ¨C vengeance ¨C thievery ¨C trickery ¨C love ¨C crafting - etc. We think that these were merely mortals of the last epoch, but through a process similar to the religions of today, these individuals managed to climb the ladder of understanding these laws, and eventually ascend to their godhood thrones ¨C overseeing these powers and processes.


    And we think that this process was bloody and brutal, with everyone fighting over achieving these powers. From what we can tell, it seems that they wiped themselves out ¨C except for those who managed to achieve godhood.


    Those who achieved godhood then became the beings worshipped by the clerics and paladins of today.


    Those who failed but were strong enough, most likely protected their worshipers, isolating themselves from the world and becoming epoch¨Ctribes in the process.¡± The soft-spoken voice talked quickly as she organized the story into something Noone should be able to understand.


    Noone stood quietly, listening to all the information. However, as he listened he couldn''t help but feel the scale she was speaking of was far too large. Mortals? Gods? What did he know of such things?

 149. I miss Liter...

    ¡°So, when you asked if I come from an epoch-tribe...?¡± Noone probed. The soft-voiced woman merely smiled.


    ¡°Because of the isolation of your people, we had assumed that you were part of a yet-discovered epoch tribe¡­ however after hearing your story, I am much less certain." She sighed.


    "A cornerstone of every tribe is their devotion to their false-gods who protect them. But, apart from your ancestor which you mentioned, it seems your people had no form of religion as such.¡± The wizened voice spoke up, speaking for everyone present.


    Noone nodded, but in his own mind many thoughts were quickly being processed. ¡°If we aren¡¯t an epoch tribe from the last era, then what were we?¡± Noone thought. ¡°Did we really miss an entire era? Or were we protected after the end of the last era, but before this one¡­?¡± The more Noone thought, the more his head began to throb. Noone had no concept of the time scale they were working with, and he didn¡¯t know enough about early Tapestry to say for sure¡­ but from what he could tell there were only two possibilities¡­


    Either Tapestry was created as a response to the bloody feuds of the last era¡­ Or it is far older than even the last era and missed over it entirely. Noone couldn¡¯t help but frown at both possibilities.


    ¡°And then there¡¯s also the fact that no one we have ever sent out to scout the surface world ever came back.¡± Noone thought silently, biting his lip. ¡°Why would that be¡­ Should I ask them? No¡­ if they hadn¡¯t mentioned it by now, they probably don¡¯t know. What about asking them to help me find Adria?¡± Noone considered this, but eventually decided against it as well, whether or not she was still alive he didn¡¯t know, but if she was, he would find her eventually.


    ¡°What happens if I choose to meet with this Elize?¡± Noone asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ we would prefer you don¡¯t as we have no gauge of her power or control. However, we can¡¯t stop you either. Perhaps, just informing you of the situation is enough to throw her control off balance even if you do come under her grasp.¡± The wizened voice considered his words for a while before speaking.


    Of course, they could physically stop him right now, they could even kill him on the spot if they desired, but their own diviners had warned them against such an action.


    Noone frowned. The more he heard about these diviners, the less he liked what he heard. Noone wouldn¡¯t be so presumptuous to say he understood such things, but how could messing with things such as the future ever turn out well.


    ¡°I miss Liter¡­¡± Noone thought silently, a sigh forming in his heart. Noone had always looked up to Liter¡¯s ability to reason out abstract notions like this. Liter was blessed with the laws of knowledge, after all.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Noone finally said. ¡°I only have one more thing then.¡± Everyone looked on in silence, curious as to what the last question of this young man would be.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°The beings who attacked the nearby epoch-tribe, was that the diviner ¨C Elize ¨C as well? And if so, why? And what is being done about it?¡± Noone spoke smoothly and quickly. Ever since his run-in with the epoch-tribe a year ago, Noone had been curious about this. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was relevant to anything, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel there was something missing to the story.


    The table broke out into subtle murmurs.


    The wizened voice let out a bitter scowl. ¡°Truth be told Noone, this whole situation has been quite a headache for us.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Truth be told, we can find no connection between the attack, and Elize. And believe me we have checked. But from everything we have been able to find out, it seems that the attack was organized and led by a rogue high-level evocation caster. The only problem is we still have no idea as to who or why. We don¡¯t know if they were just stirring up trouble or had a secondary goal in mind. We haven¡¯t even been able to find anything about this caster except that she is a female.¡± The old voice sighed. ¡°We have our suspicions. But no evidence.¡±


    Noone nodded in understanding, he didn¡¯t believe they would lie about this after everything they had already shared.


    ¡°As far as what we are doing, we are working on negotiations with the tribe, but they are tenuous at best for the moment.¡±


    Noone¡¯s thoughts moved like a snake in grass, darting between different scenarios. ¡°Was it just a coincidence that they were attacked at the same time I was approaching the surface?¡± Noone thought. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t, then it almost certainly had to do with this ¡®Elize¡¯ person.¡±


    Everything that has happened to Noone since falling to the bottom of the cliff had become a blur of one out-of-his-control event after the next. Noone had never been able to shake the feeling that there was always hands pulling the strings what which he could not see.


    But now, for the first time, Noone was able to almost see where these designs came from.


    Suddenly, Noone¡¯s heart went cold and his expression froze. A rogue thought passed through his mind which he only managed to catch by the tail...


    ¡°If this diviner could see and influence the future¡­ then¡­ my home!¡± Memories of Tapestry in ruins surged through him like a tidal wave of renewed emotions, the bones of everyone he ever knew, now graves in a cavern at the end of the world.


    ¡°Elize¡­¡± Noone whispered the name to himself, cementing the name in his thoughts. Whether or not she had actually played a hand in the murder of his people, Noone didn¡¯t care. For the first time he had a lead.


    ¡°I. Need. To. Get. Stronger.¡± Noone admonished himself. His hands closed tightly into fists, knuckles turning white under the immense pressure.


    Noone¡¯s change in demeanor did not go unnoticed by the others around the table. Especially Alaviv who could almost feel the shift in Noone¡¯s energy. Noone quickly hid it, deciding that there was nothing he could do about it right now.


    If anything, Noone was able to rely on these mages as allies who have a similar enemy, but he knew that they didn¡¯t care about him beyond that, no matter how nice they might seem.


    ¡°Well.¡± Alaviv spoke calmly, standing in his chair he clapped his hands together drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°If that¡¯s all for today, Noone and I have some irons in the fire which requires our attention.¡±


    A nod of agreement came from the wizened old man at the other end of the table who waved them off.


    Noone and Alaviv both left the way they came. Before exiting through the door, Noone turned around and gave a casual wave to the table and swiftly exited after. Despite the lighthearted gesture though, his heart was still heavy.

 150. Steak Au Gratin

    ¡°Well hello again Maylin.¡± The gnome flashed his best smile and hopped up onto the counter at the adventurer¡¯s guild. He made it look like the easiest maneuver in the world despite the counter''s height eclipsing his own.


    Behind the counter an attractive young woman paled at the sudden arrival of the wizard and nearly fell backwards, stumbling in shock. Despite Alaviv¡¯s best smile, it did nothing to quell the woman¡¯s anxiety and she didn¡¯t even try to compose herself before stuttering a ¡®let me go get the manager¡¯ and scurrying off to a back room.


    Noone looked on in silence and could only smile wryly. Honestly, he didn¡¯t blame the young woman, Alaviv was not an easy person to deal with.


    Very soon after, the well-dressed man with perfectly straight teeth arrived for them. Since they had left a few hours earlier, the man had managed to regain his lost composure.


    ¡°Mr. Gnucecak. Noone. If you will follow me so we can discuss a few things.¡± The man bowed his head respectfully, a gesture which Noone was not used to but the gnome seemed for more comfortable with.


    The three left together, leaving the dazed young woman who had followed the manager behind.


    Soon they were sitting in the room they had been in before. Now though, it was completely devoid of any remnants of their last visit. The weapons were gone as were the severed heads of an entire bandit camp, even the carpet had been cleaned.


    ¡°Well, I must say Mr. Gnucecak, your methods certainly did not give us very much leeway. We, of course, expedited the process, receiving payment guarantees from all the nearby towns so we can fund you up front with your rewards.¡± The man spoke swiftly, almost rushing to get the troublesome wizard out of his guild as quickly as possible.


    The gnome nodded, he expected no less for the only prominent bandit group of the area.


    ¡°For this, we can give you one gold piece per head, amounting to 98 gold pieces. After having the weapons appraised, we can do another 80 gold pieces. Some of the weapons were of superior quality, but most were of a general make. And there were a few broken enchanted weapons which we could not do anything with.¡± As he spoke, the well-dressed man made tallies in a notebook he had been carrying with him.


    Alaviv nodded and Noone looked on slack jawed, so much money? Just for collecting heads and weapons? He already had 80-odd gold from Clayton, now closer to 60 after buying the two bottles of liquid fire.


    Initially he didn¡¯t know how he could possibly spend that much, but going through twenty gold in one store did help Noone put it into perspective.


    While Alaviv talked with the man about some other matters, Noone quietly began calculating prices.


    ¡°If a cheap meal cost¡¯s three coppers¡­. 100 coppers to a silver¡­ ten silvers to a gold¡­ Epoch tribe weapons were around 2 gold, or 2000 coppers. The liquid fire would be 10,000 coppers¡­ or 3000 cheap meals.¡± He compared the cost of various items he was familiar with, trying to cement his understanding of monetary worth in the common realms.


    While Noone considered these things, Alaviv stood up shaking hands with the manager who handed over a hefty sack of gold coins. 50 in total. ¡°And put the rest on Noone¡¯s account.¡± Alaviv said, catching Noone¡¯s attention.


    After practically being rushed out by the manager before Alaviv could come up with anything else, Noone and the gnome wandered through the streets, soon finding themselves in front of a tall well-established restaurant which towered over the nearby buildings.


    ¡°Your treat.¡± Alaviv chuckled, tossing the pouch of gold to Noone and swiftly walking through the doors. Noone was surprised by the suddenness of it but followed closely behind.


    ¡°An upstairs room please.¡± Alaviv said to a hostess stood near the front. The hostess took a long look at the gnome and Noone, she gave a polite ¡®follow me¡¯ and led the two upstairs.


    ¡°So, Noone. What do you think about everything today?¡± the gnome asked. They sat upstairs near a window overlooking the shorter buildings across the city.


    Alaviv had an expression Noone couldn¡¯t really decipher as he scanned the city. A few streets away the white top of a temple could be seen, along with the stone wall bordering the town.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    A few minutes passed before Noone responded, also looking across the town - at the people below who were going about their own lives.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think of most of it Al.¡± Noone said casually. His hand subconsciously moved to fondle the pendant which hung from his neck. So much had happened in just the span of a few hours.


    Between the sudden joining of the adventurer¡¯s guild, his recently acquired wealth thanks to the gnome, or everything that was revealed in that odd inn¡­ Noone¡¯s mind was in a tizzy. But despite all of that, one thing was perfectly clear.


    ¡°I need to get stronger.¡± He said quietly, partly to the wizard but mostly for himself. Alaviv glanced at Noone with a somber expression of understanding before turning his eyes back across Creekview.


    ¡°We all need to get stronger my boy.¡± The gnome chortled. ¡°But there¡¯s a lot more to getting stronger than just wishing it. If that were the only necessity, then I am afraid this world would be a much scarier place.¡±


    Noone nodded. He was right of course. But Noone knew something that the gnome did not¡­ he had a lot of advantages. His life so far had been one crazy incidence after the next, most of which he had yet to make any sense of. But Noone knew that if he could use them to their fullest potential, his strength would surely increase.


    Noone closed his eyes and began to observe inwardly.


    ¡°My meridians are reinforced and even my soul flame is affected and strengthened by the will of that galaxy tree.¡± In his mind the images of his soul flame appeared, hued pink, green and blue. It wasn¡¯t particularly bright or virulent. But it was steady, burning like a continuous stream without even the slightest flicker.


    Noone remembered that day on the cliff face. He had become bound by roots or vines when he used the sun-stone. It wasn¡¯t until he released more of his already feeble life force that he realized what those vines were after ¨C and that he couldn¡¯t escape.


    If that day had gone any differently, he most surely would have died. It was only by giving up his entire life energy except for the smallest ember that he was able to fool the plant into releasing him.


    After being absorbed into the bulb which hung from the interior cavern, Noone had ¡®slumbered¡¯ for a century before finally overtaking the other existence and breaking the stalemate.


    And Noone came out of it with new meridians, the old and brittle ones paved over completely by the galaxy tree.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for this, Noone would have never been able to accept the Common Heritage of the Ancestor¡­ He would have died down in Tapestry along with everyone else¡­ or even if he had made it to the surface, what then? He would have been useless, captured, and helpless.


    Despite only training in the common heritage for around a year, the difference between his strengths is like the difference between heaven and earth. And it would only increase as long as he stayed on the right path.


    ¡°That¡¯s the other thing¡­ I need more energy.¡± Noone¡¯s brows unconsciously furrowed. ¡°I got lucky with those enchanted weapons, and then there was that rogue red thread of energy¡­¡± He thought silently for a while.


    ¡°Alaviv, how much does it cost to purchase an enchanted weapon?¡± Noone asked suddenly, eyes bright with the spark of an idea.


    ¡°Hmm. It of course depends on the quality of the work and the location.¡± Alaviv shrugged.


    ¡°The location?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm. For instance, in the capital there are no doubt a dozen smiths or enchanters capable of enchanting weapons. This means that they have to keep their prices low to stay competitive.


    However, if there is an enchanter in a town like this, he could charge whatever he wanted ¨C as long as it wasn¡¯t so exorbitant that it was impossible for anyone to afford.¡± He shrugged again. ¡°And there probably won¡¯t be a designated enchanter out here anyways. At most maybe a smith who has a few that he bought further in-country and then returned here to sell them at a profit.¡±


    Noone listened intently, fascinated by the subtle markets at play. This was not something he had to think about back in Tapestry and it felt so alien but interesting.


    Soon two plates of steaming food the likes of which Noone had never seen before arrived at their table.


    On Noone¡¯s plate a large cut of dark meat sat propped up by a soft white pile of some kind of mash mixed in with various vegetables Noone could only vaguely recognize. Everything was bathed in a burnt orange colored sauce.


    Without much ceremony, Noone wasted no time trying the food in front of him. When they arrived, Alaviv ordered for him, leaving him no chance to check what the food was. But in this moment, he honestly didn¡¯t care. The food on his plate was like nothing he had ever tasted before.


    Noone shut his eyes, enjoying the mix of flavors and textures which were worlds apart from the dried travel-foods he had grown used to. And even being incomparable to the cheap foods of vendors and road-side stands.

 151. Enormous Power!

    ¡°I can purchase them using money on the adventurers tag?¡± Noone asked incredulously. He looked back and forth between Alaviv and the smithing-merchant they were dealing with.


    Noone recalled Alaviv saying something like this back at the adventurer¡¯s guild when they were receiving payments for the heads and weapons, but his thoughts had been elsewhere at the time.


    ¡°Right.¡± Alaviv said. ¡°At least, in the common countries you can. The guild and the common realm have a very tightly woven relationship, working independently but symbiotically with each other for the good of the realm. You can have money attached to your identity through the guild, and as long as you are purchasing from a store in the common realms, that store will just bill the guild with your ID and the guild will handle the payments. This saves adventurers from needing to carry large amounts of money with them at a time. This is especially helpful for those who don¡¯t have a pouch of holding or similar.¡± He gave Noone a deep look.


    After Noone had forked over several silver tokens for dinner, Alaviv had worked to try and convince Noone to buy a pouch of holding. When Alaviv explained how they worked, Noone was immediately interested.


    ¡°These pouches contain space magic - and depending on their quality they can add or remove any number of items of various sizes and weights. This is how I was able to transport the weapons and heads.¡± Alaviv had told Noone.


    However, after browsing all the stores they could, the only ones being sold in such a small town were of such low quality ¨C according to the gnome ¨C that they weren¡¯t even worth the cloth they were made from.


    After listening to Al rant about the deteriorating craftsmanship of the newest generation, Noone finally gave up on the idea of buying one. Instead he looked around until he found a weapons shop.


    Despite Creekview being small, they had much better luck finding enchanted weapons than they did spatial pouches. Although after scanning them with his divine sense, Noone was able to tell that the weapons were of basically the same quality as the one¡¯s in the bandit¡¯s armory.


    He did not bother checking the weapons quality or weight. The only thing Noone noticed was their price. Each weapon was ranged somewhere between 10 and 15 gold a piece.


    ¡°I am at about 90% capacity right now¡­ Each low-level enchantment fills me up by eight percent¡­ I should only need two to breakthrough from level 5 into level 6¡­. But then how many to break through from level 6 to level 7? And¡­ will they become less useful as I get stronger?¡± Numerous thoughts were quickly processed by Noone.


    Eventually he could only sigh and bought four weapons for 60 gold much to the joy of the merchant. After paying with his adventurers ID, Noone quickly calculated that he should have close to 90 gold with the guild, and another hundred in coins from what Alaviv and clayton had given him. He asked Alaviv to hold onto the weapons until they could get to an inn for the night.


    Just thinking about possibilities wasn¡¯t going to get Noone anywhere, so after giving his thanks to the merchant who couldn¡¯t have been happier to finally be bought out of the enchanted-weapons he had bought years ago, Noone and Alaviv left together for an inn.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± A rough voiced shouted over a cacophony of yelling and music. Alaviv and Noone casually stepped into a guild-owned adventurers inn, drawing the attention of several people as they did.


    They easily approached the man behind bar without problem. He was older and had a well-worn look to him. His skin was rough and tan the way that happened after a lifetime of living in the sun.


    Some of the people in the room had seen Noone and the gnome earlier that day in the guild, however they quickly realized by the reaction of the staff and managers that these two were obviously some high-ranking individuals.


    Others who had not laid eyes on Noone yet found it hard to take their gazes from him.


    Not only was Noone a towering chiseled statue of a man, but his weapon and energy were equally sharp. A few began to gossip, curious as to what kind of being this Noone was, and whether the glowing lines on his body were magic, or some kind of tattoo.


    Noone ignored these adventurers, not unused to the stares he attracted and paid for a room for himself and Alaviv.


    ¡°Here you are. A room for one night. Would you like us to wake you in the morning?¡± The man asked, handing a pile of towels to a younger female who was prepared to show them to their rooms.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± Noone spoke casually before being led by the younger girl who walked with a casual pep in her step.


    After turning down a heated bath and food, Alaviv and Noone were finally alone.


    Noone looked around curiously. It was an incredibly simple space, but charming. There was a single desk. Two beds, with respective nightstands. And otherwise a couple chairs for an adventurer¡¯s party to be able to sit everyone comfortably. As far as Noone was concerned, it was more than enough.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I have slept in a proper bed.¡± Noone thought to himself. Meanwhile the small gnome had no hesitation to throwing himself through the air and onto the nearest mattress. His meager weight not even causing the bed to shake in the slightest.


    Noone sighed and began removing his gear and laying it on the desk.


    ¡°Alaviv,¡± Noone spoke evenly.


    ¡°Mmm?¡± Alaviv groaned as he sat up on the bed, joints making small popping noises in the process. ¡°Let me tell you Noone, getting old aint easy. Especially not for a wizard.¡± He rubbed his palms with his fingers, staving off some kind of chronic aching.


    Noone chuckled at this before taking a seat on the floor, legs crossed.


    ¡°Alaviv. Can I trust you?¡±


    The gnome stopped rubbing his hands together, freezing in place. He took a long look at Noone ¨C staring into his eyes. Finally, the gnome looked away, thinking about his words.


    ¡°Mm. Yes¡­ and no.¡± He said cryptically. Noone simply waited for the gnome to continue.


    ¡°You can trust me not to betray you, Noone. As you know, my only goal here was to meet you and figure out whether you were a pawn of the diviner. Apart from that, I only have some curiosity for you and your power. Now that we have informed you of the hand that pulls the strings¡­ there¡¯s nothing else we can do except keep an eye on the threads of fate and try to stop whatever this diviner is planning.¡± The gnome spoke casually.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t trust me with your life. And don¡¯t ever think I will protect you in the face of danger.¡± The gnome¡¯s eyes hardened, as he shot a harsh gaze directly to Noone. The moment they made eye contact, Noone suddenly felt a stifling pressure. His entire body became heavy and his breathing became hard. When he looked at Alaviv, he wasn¡¯t seeing an old and frail little gnome, instead Alaviv was showing Noone the depth of his power. Noone felt like he was standing naked in the middle of a storm.


    ¡°I have lived a very long life.¡± The gnome continued to speak, his voice oddly calm despite the torrent of energy suddenly whipping Noone¡¯s hardened flesh. ¡°I have seen countless people die, and I have seen just as many born. Although I wouldn¡¯t kill you myself, I also will not stop the heavens from playing out. My only goal is to end the diviner¡¯s life.¡± Goosebumps formed on Noone¡¯s skin as he listened. The notes of unbridled rage sounded in the gnome¡¯s speech. Noone vaguely noticed red threads appearing from nowhere around Alaviv, but he couldn¡¯t muster up any strength to absorb them in the face of the gnome¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever get the wrong idea Noone. You can¡¯t rely on me, or anyone but yourself. I am not here to babysit you, or sabotage you. I am merely observing out of curiosity. But don¡¯t think I will step in to protect you.¡±


    Finally, the glow of magic which had been forming in Alaviv¡¯s eyes disappeared and his gaze softened slightly. Laying back onto the bed with a subtle cough.


    Noone sat completely still, staring into space as his own thoughts coursed through him.


    Despite what Alaviv had just done, Noone had no ill feelings against the old gnome. During the whole exchange Noone had gone stiff with fright, but not of the gnome. Instead he had become overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the power which coursed through the gnome¡¯s body and soul.


    Noone¡¯s heart beat with strength, rhythmically, waking Noone from the endless thoughts.


    ¡°What awesome power.¡± Noone couldn¡¯t help but think.


    He began to consider the gnome¡¯s words carefully.


    After about half an hour, Noone breathed a sigh. ¡°Alaviv. Can you remove the weapons from your bag?¡±


    Without even sitting up, the gnome casually waved his hand and the four enchanted weapons Noone had bought clanked against the floor in a pile in front of him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Noone began to separate them by hand, putting some space between each. ¡°You know¡­ if you had just said yes, I would have probably never trusted you.¡± Noone spoke casually as he prepared his mind to absorb the energy from the weapons. ¡°That would have been much more conspicuous than the answer you gave. At least now, I can know what to expect from you.¡±


    Without saying it, Noone couldn¡¯t help but respect the gnome for being so candid. He had no problem telling Noone he wouldn¡¯t even try to protect him, and Noone did not want the gnome to take responsibility over him either. It seemed they had come to an agreement.


    ¡°I am going to cultivate.¡± Noone spoke casually. ¡°Please don¡¯t disturb me till morning.¡± With that, Noone¡¯s eyes closed and his breathing became steady. He focused his divine sense and prepared to break through.


    Unknown to Noone, when Alaviv heard these words a small innocent smile spread on his lips.

 152. Three Percent.

    ¡°Three percent.¡± Noone frowned and his eyes finally opened. It was deep into the night and the Inn was silent except for the subtle creaking of wind blowing against the building¡¯s sides.


    The first absorption was completed with relative ease, bringing Noone just to the peak of the 5<sup>th</sup> level of Qi Condensation. After calming himself, he continued through to the second absorption ¨C another 8 percent ¨C pushing him over the cap. However, despite raising him above 100% capacity, his brows furrowed, and he quickly began to realize that it wasn¡¯t going to be enough to break through.


    His mind moved swiftly. Noone didn¡¯t understand it earlier, but the amount of energy required for the breakthrough process alone was quite a bit more than just capping out his energy.


    His body was like a dam, and the energy was like water flowing through him. Any good dam could withstand being at 100 percent capacity. If there was a bit more than 100% capacity, the dam would still hold ¨C and the extra water would just run over the top.


    This was not what Noone wanted.


    He needed to punch a hole in the dam.


    This is what had occurred when he absorbed the threads of energy accompanying Sarah¡¯s advancement. The energy had been overwhelming ¨C and easily but forcefully helped Noone surpass the fourth level.


    Noone quickly absorbed the energy from the third weapon, carefully maneuvering his divine sense to snatch the thread of universe thread embedded into it. It easily dissolved inside of him, joining the torrential waves of energy already coursing inside of his body.


    114%


    ¡°Is this enough?¡± Noone thought. Beads of sweat began to form on his body and his head throbbed. Pushing excess power through his meridians was like trying to force a stream through a drinking straw. The more power he added the more uncomfortable he became.


    Noone forced the energy to flow faster¡­ faster¡­ faster. Coursing through him and crashing through his meridians and the core of his body like an untamable flood.


    Despite having his meridians and core reinforced by the galaxy tree, Noone began to realize that even it was being strained to its limits.


    ¡°This will have to do¡­¡± He quieted his mind, and slowly fell into a trance, trying to control the energy while forcing it through him. Nearby, Alaviv looked on curiously. He was unable to see the exchange happening from the inside, but he would have wasted his long life if he couldn¡¯t draw some of his own conclusions.


    ¡°What a freak.¡± Alaviv thought. ¡°If he¡¯s able to just absorb magic from anything and make it his own, then assuming his body can handle it ¨C there might not be any limit to his strength?¡±


    After another hour Noone¡¯s eyebrows finally relaxed. He let out a deep breath, and along with it came a gas of toxins and bad air which had collected inside of his body.


    On the outside, his body was covered in a sticky film of grime and sweat. All the impurities which had formed inside of him were forced out through his pores. Noone frowned as he stood and had to consciously avoided trying to wipe the grime off. He was planning to go ask for a bath to be prepared.


    Suddenly a cooling wave of magic washed over Noone. The grime and sweat and fatigue were washed from his body ¨C pulled away as though he had just jumped in a cool river.


    Noone looked at Alaviv.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Well you can¡¯t go asking for a bath like that!¡± Alaviv barked with a slight humor. ¡°What will they think of me if you go out there in the middle of the night reeking of¡­¡± The gnome let the joke trail off, leaving Noone to fill in the blanks.


    Noone could only smile wryly, however he realized the old gnome wasn¡¯t exactly wrong either. He could imagine the looks he would receive from anyone still awake at this time. Once again, he regretted the fact he didn¡¯t know any magic. Even simple magic like this was extremely useful, he thought.


    After chatting with Alaviv for a bit, Noone returned to his usual sitting posture and began to feel out the internal workings of his body. It wasn¡¯t a huge change from before, merely the energy had condensed again, increasing the quality by several folds.


    Noone¡¯s entire body felt flush with strength.


    He stretched out his divine sense to find it had increased by another meter, which seemed to be a consistent pattern with each level.


    Now¡­ His divine sense focused on the last weapon which he had not yet absorbed. Noone easily manipulated his divine sense, sending it wrapping around the weapon and - after a few minutes - snatching the thread of energy which zipped around inside of it.


    He carefully watched the thread shoot through his divine sense like a fish caught on a line and be pulled through his body and into his core. The energy was quickly aerosolized before condensing naturally into a similar quality as the already existing energy.


    Noone¡¯s eyes widened. He quickly calculated the volume of the energy and compared it to before.


    ¡°From eight percent to three percent huh¡­¡± A frown formed on his face. ¡°I would need to absorb just over 34 of a similar strength enchantment to just reach level 7¡­ at 15 gold a piece¡­ 500 gold¡­¡± Suddenly, Noone began to realize that he might want to put a bit more emphasis on the worth of money. Especially now that he knew he could just buy energy to absorb.


    ¡°But that also raises the question¡­ how much am I going to need at the higher levels?¡± Noone began to shudder at the thought.


    After taking the rest of the night to consolidate his strength, Noone felt refreshed the next morning ¨C preparing to move out just before sunrise.


    Alaviv also woke up with a large ¡®good morning¡¯ stretch which looked funny on the small gnome. Both were heading out with Novrada¡¯s caravan this morning ¨C and Noone had to return to the party from the order he had grown used to.


    As they walked through the relatively quiet city streets Noone transmitted his thoughts to Alaviv.


    ¡°Al. Should I stay with the party? If I continue to follow them, they might deliver me right into the hands of the diviner ¨C Elize?¡± Noone, of course, understood that the party were only doing as they were instructed under the order of their grand-priest. But he didn¡¯t want to just follow along blindly either.


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you Noone. That is a possibility of course. However¡­ chances are that she already knows you made contact with us and wouldn¡¯t risk receiving you directly. She has managed to avoid the eyes of the wizard council for centuries ¨C I doubt she would majorly slip up now.¡± The gnome spoke evenly. ¡°Though¡­ you are heading to Stone-Eye?¡± A mischievous smile played on his face. ¡°If you want to disappear out of their grasp¡­ I might be able to help.¡±


    The gnome began to tell Noone of his thoughts, as well inform Noone of an assignment he had been tasked to complete at Stone-Eye mountain relating to the teleportation circle there.


    The more Noone listened, the more intrigued he became. And soon an excited smile spread on his lips. Yes¡­ that just might work.


    It only took 15 minutes for the two to arrive at the Caravan, immediately running into Tobias¡¯s party which was arriving at the same time.


    When Tobias looked at Noone he had a strange feeling of pressure momentarily pass through him, causing his eyes narrow and scrutinize Noone. However, the feeling quickly passed and soon he was unable to tell what it was he had felt. Noone on the other hand hadn¡¯t noticed anything wrong, and easily joined back in with the party.


    ¡°See. I told you I would get him back in one piece.¡± The gnome flashed his best smirk at Tobias who returned a polite smile.


    ¡°Indeed you did. I am glad you are a gnome of your word.¡± Tobias spoke smoothly. However, internally he didn¡¯t trust the gnome in the slightest. Gnomes were wily and willful beings of magic. He had no negative feelings against them, but he also knew how much trouble they could cause.


    Noone could only watch on silently from the side. He wondered what Tobias¡¯s reaction would be if he told him everything that occurred yesterday. Or if they told Tobias the woman who had requested his retrieval as a ¡®favor¡¯ was actually a diviner who caused the last ¨C and probably the current ¨C epoch-tribe wars.


    Instead Noone decided to keep his thoughts to himself, preparing for the long road ahead.


    ¡°Stone Eye¡­ huh?¡± Noone was silently committing the words the gnome had spoken to memory.

 153. Towards Stone-Eye.

    ¡°Are you sure you will be splitting with us from here?¡± The dwarf in charge of the caravan security asked Tobias.


    Presently the entire caravan was set up overnight at a town two days journey from the base of Stone-Eye mountain. This town ¨C called Stone-Hand ¨C used to be a trading hub for a city of miners and dwarves whose home was built within the mountain itself.


    Over several hundreds of years though, the resources within the mountain had dried up. This led the dwarves abandoning the mountain for richer areas and leaving Stone-Hand without any proper export.


    All of this occurred within the last hundred years, and so far the town of Stone-Hand had managed to hang on. However, it was clear to everyone present that the glory of the town was long passed. Now it merely acted as a buffer between the country of Cinapul and the southern rock-land of Montese.


    Montese was a barren land similar to the area where Tobias¡¯s party had found Noone. Endless expanses of stone and boulders with various small and large cave systems underground. Some formed naturally, and some formed by the hands of slave-miners or dark elves.


    Yes, Montese was the land of the dark elves. Dark elves lived their whole life in the shadows and out of the sun. Their homes were built deep into the earth and for the most part they kept to themselves. Very rarely would one ever venture to the surface and into the common world, but when they did, they were always the source of much distrust.


    ¡°We are sure. I am sorry for any inconvenience this causes but we have our assignments.¡± Tobias gave a bow of his head in way of apology.


    Novrada gave a rough sigh and merely shrugged her broad shoulders causing her chainmail to shake. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The rest of the way is relatively safe, and it won¡¯t be too hard to pick up some more security leads at the next town en route to the capital¡­ but losing two security leads in one day is certainly going to be a pinch on morale.¡±


    Tobias¡¯s eyebrows scrunched together slightly.


    ¡°Two security leads?¡± Tobias probed delicately. The dwarf gave Tobias a look.


    ¡°Yeah. The gnome ¨C Alaviv ¨C let me know earlier he was heading towards the mountain. He already packed up what little he came with and made his departure.¡± The woman said.


    Tobias¡¯s frown deepened even further. He couldn¡¯t help but glance back at Noone. However, Noone¡¯s face was completely devoid of expression as if the current conversation didn¡¯t involve him.


    After settling accounts with Novrada and the young nobleman, Noone and the party from the order set off on the road to Mount Stone-Eye. They wasted no time as they were supposed to meet the subjugation force from the country at the base of the moment as soon as possible.


    The whole reason their party took this route was due to a teleportation circle within the mountain.


    For centuries, Teleportation circles and any such transport were under the strict monopolization of the wizarding and magic counsel. However, due to the potential oncoming war with the epoch tribe and pressure put on them from the various free-trade countries and the adventurer¡¯s guild, the magic counsel had agreed to start opening up the magic for use again.


    Noone was quiet through most the first day as he organized his own thoughts. Right now ¨C with the help of Alaviv ¨C Noone had managed to purchase enough low-level enchanted artifacts to reach the peak of level six. However, he had quickly come to a plateau and was unable to break through to level seven despite wasting almost five enchanted weapons in the process. Despite taking care of various assignments for the adventurer¡¯s guild in every town between Creekview and Stone-hand, Noone was currently back to being completely broke ¨C having used all his money to purchase enchanted weapons which he would promptly absorb the magic from and then discard.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Noone had considered selling back the base weapon ¨C however he quickly found out that once he stripped an item of its enchantment, the weapon became basically useless without a complete re-forging.


    Noone wasn¡¯t the only one working to settle their own thoughts.


    Feylin looked back towards Stone-hand with an odd charm in his eyes. Specifically, his thoughts were on a curly haired blonde cleric who was still traveling with the caravan.


    Over the past five months, the two had become incredibly close. They spent every morning and evening making food together for the caravan and chatting about their aspirations for the world.


    Their stories were actually very similar, as was their goals. They each wanted adventure and marveled at how large the world was.


    No one in Feylin¡¯s or Annette¡¯s party said anything about their closeness ¨C and Anette¡¯s party seemed to even welcome Feylin.


    Sarah of course was not oblivious to this change in her old friend. She tried to joke with him about it on a number of occasions, but she couldn¡¯t help and feel a little put off. However, over the past months she had managed to shut out that voice inside her. She was a vengeance paladin, a warrior. She couldn¡¯t let something like this distract her anymore.


    Since her last adventure with Clayton, she had only received one assignment from Hoar during prayer.


    Alone, she managed to hunt down and dispatch a serial killer who had murdered three young acolytes in the night. The town itself had been too small and ill-equipped to handle the man who Sarah had found out was a fifth level rogue.


    It was a hard fight that ended up in Sarah being struck by a poison knife and developing a large gash in her arm before she managed to behead the man with her usable hand.


    She went back to the party and was quickly detoxed by Sally. The wound in her arm was also healed, but now there was a line of pale scarred flesh where the gash had been.


    No one spoke much the day after.


    Sally and Raelith didn¡¯t have much on their minds except the desire to return to the capital.


    Sally was focused on the promotions she would receive for this assignment assuming everything went well from here on out.


    Raelith had her thoughts on a human man she had grown fond of back at the capital.


    Tobias was probably the most on edge out of everyone in the group. After helping the countries subjugation force take back the town inside the mountain from the dark elves which had moved in, they would only be a single teleport away from the capital.


    This assignment had been a multi-year endeavor, and he would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t a little tired of it. He just wanted to rest. Even though he was a paladin, he was getting old. Now he just wanted to live a cozy life and focus on healing, himself and others.


    And also¡­ Tobias¡¯s mind flashed with the memories of two young students of the Burian. A student paladin and a student cleric that they had started this journey with.


    Initially their journey had brought them south from the Capital to Stone-Eye. The plan was to pass through Stone-Eye - an abandoned town - and then make their way west along the border of Montese and Cinapul.


    Everything had been going to plan¡­ until they entered the city within the mountain. Their small party of five had been discovered by an equally small party of dark-elves who were part of the new residents of the abandoned mountain.


    After being discovered¡­ all hell had broken lose. They barely made it through the mountain alive, and indeed they had lost two students on the way¡­ students Tobias felt personally responsible for.


    He would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t looking forward to helping take back Stone-Eye. Some part of him still prayed that those two would still be alive¡­ but he knew better than that. This was going to become an irreparable stain on Tobias¡¯s conscious.


    It was like this that the party spent the next two days. Walking silently until the unmistakable noise of a country¡¯s militia slowly began to fill the air around them.

 154. General Armuu

    ¡°Ho!¡± A man¡¯s voice called out - the clack of hooves quickly approached their party of six. He rode swiftly and stopped a few feet away, giving Noone and company room to breathe. The man quickly looked the party up and down and noticed that most of this party was wearing the insignias of the Order of Life. His gaze lingered on Noone for a moment longer, eyebrows narrowing for a moment before shaking his head.


    ¡°What business do you all have here. This is an army camp for the forces of Cinapul.¡± The man said roughly, he spoke with intent and made it clear he was quite busy.


    Behind the man a large camp had been cleared and was filled with countless tents and the voices of several hundreds of people all blurred together.


    ¡°I am Tobias Brighton, a tenth level paladin of the Order of Life. We come on business to help with the subjugation of Stone-Eye. Here is our letter from the grand-priest.¡± Tobias easily pulled a rolled parchment from his pack and handed it to the man on the horse.


    The man quickly unrolled and read through the document. After rolling it back up, he used it to smack his horse¡¯s backside causing it to rear up slightly and turn around. ¡°Follow me. I will take you to the captain.¡± The horse walked slowly enough that their party had no problem following.


    As soon as they entered within distance of the tents it was like walking into an entirely new world. Endless noise came from all directions and people bustled back and forth out of one tent and into another. Amidst the bustle, their party was pretty much ignored.


    The exception of course were the people who noticed Noone, and seeing how he towered over the rest of the party except for Tobias, he was very noticeable.


    Wherever they went Noone caused a small stir, causing the man on the horse to bark out orders and sending these people ¨C soldiers, Noone assumed ¨C scrambling back to work. Once again, the man on the horse gave Noone a deep look.


    After a few minutes their group came to an especially tall tent buried within the middle of the camp. Many high-ranking officers rushed about handling their separate affairs and doing what needed to be done to keep a force this large moving efficiently.


    The man on the horse easily hopped off and walked it to the front of the largest tent before handing the reigns to a nearby servant for them to tie it up.


    Standing in front of the flaps that made up the entrance to the tent stood a well-muscled and chisel-faced man with his arms cross, obviously acting as a guard.


    ¡°Johnson.¡± The guard said, nodding to the man who had received Noone and his party.


    ¡°Johnson.¡± The man nodded back, handing over the parchment and quickly explaining the circumstances of the party¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Johnson and Johnson?¡± Noone couldn¡¯t help but think incredulously. How did that not get confusing? Not just Noone, but Sarah, Feylin, and even Raelith struggled to keep a straight face during the exchange. Sally and Tobias merely ignored it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we may need to have you wait outside for a bit. The general is currently busy, however I will let him know you arrived.¡± The guard ¨C Johnson - said, slipping inside the tent with the parchment.


    Out of curiosity Noone began to extend his divine sense into the tent.


    A small magic barrier was set up within the tent, however the barrier was only meant to keep prying eyes and ears from sensing anything that occurred inside. Noone had realized this almost immediately, that the large tent seemed to have no sound coming from it.


    However, the magic barrier did nothing against Noone¡¯s divine sense.


    At level six, Noone¡¯s divine sense stretched over six whole meters with ease, more if he focused it, allowing him a good view of the inside of the tent. However, the influx of stimulus was a lot on Noone¡¯s mind. Noone had begun to realize that the larger his divine sense got, the less he was able to properly utilize its full strength. His mind was not advancing at the same rate and thus the stream of a full 360 degrees of information was too much for him.


    However, for simply observing and listening to these minor affairs, Noone was still able to easily do so.


    Inside the tent there were various desks on one side, each one stacked high with parchment and paper and information of all sorts. However, there was no one working at these desks at the moment. Instead, everyone in the tent ¨C including an intensely armed man who Noone assumed was the General ¨C were gathered around a single point.


    A cage.


    Noone honed in his divine sense, watching the scene play out.


    ¡°What¡¯s she saying?¡± The intense man asked.


    ¡°Something about a disease or sickness. Or maybe a faction split between their community? I don¡¯t know General Armuu¡­ She¡¯s not making any sense.¡± An old looking halfling dressed in a unique uniform spoke with the large general. The halfling shook his head, scratching his scalp. A very clear scowl was painted on his face.


    Inside the cage was a race Noone had never seen before. It was a woman with looks very similar to Raelith. She had long ears and a thin lithe frame. However, unlike Rae her disposition was extremely dark. Her skin and what little armor she had left were both grey bordering black. Dark gray-purple skin and black clothing.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Her hair was stark white, and her eyes reflected purple hues.


    ¡°This must be a dark elf?¡± Noone thought silently.


    The female dark elf was curled into a ball on the far side of the cage, trying to get as far from everyone as she could. Her body trembled from exhaustion, and Noone was able to see old and new bruises painted across her body. Dried blood crusted on the floor of the cage.


    ¡°How can you not know? Your whole purpose is here as a translator.¡± The general growled at the small halfling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you talk like that to me Armuu, you might be a general, but you¡¯d do well to remember you don¡¯t outrank me. I am here on loan, and I can leave when I damn well please.¡± Despite his small height, he did his best to glare down the general.


    The general was about to say something in return, but instead chose to grit his teeth and stare daggers at the prisoner.


    ¡°Look.¡± The halfling said. ¡°I am translating perfectly, but she¡¯s just not making any sense. What I can tell you though, is that they would never leave their homes down south unless it was life or death, and right now, she is more scared of going back than she is from you. Her words don¡¯t make any sense in her tongue, let alone ours.¡± The halfling scoffed.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Armuu retorted. ¡°Just leave her here to rot until she decides to make more sense. Soon it won¡¯t matter anyways. We will have completely decimated whatever remaining dark-elves are held up here within a few days. In the meantime¡­¡± Armuu retrieved the parchment from the guard ¨C Johnson ¨C who had been waiting patiently behind him. He quickly scanned through the letter.


    On the outside Noone had been standing silently with the party but a small frowned had formed on his lips as he watched the exchange.


    ¡°Ugh. More healers, as if we have a use for more healers. They¡¯re obviously just here to make use of the teleportation array after we finish taking back Stone-Eye.¡± Armuu groaned, rubbing his temple with a thick meaty finger. ¡°Fine, bring them in. We will have them join the rest at the back to heal stomach-ache¡¯s and the shits.¡± He finally said, chuckling to himself.


    Armuu had always felt that healers were too self-righteous or immature to handle doing anything else, so he looked down on them in principle. Of course, he understood the need for healers ¨C especially as a general ¨C but he would rather have more fighters than healers any day.


    Soon Tobias, Raelith, Sally, Feylin, Sarah, and Noone all stepped into the large tent at the behest of Johnson ¨C The guard ¨C who then dismissed Johnson ¨C the messenger ¨C and allowed them to pass through.


    The party of six came to stand face to face with General Armuu.


    General Armuu was a lifetime military recruit, and he looked it too. His body was dense with muscles forged from years in the army and he walked with a stalwartness that made him stick out in any room.


    He wasn¡¯t overly tall like Tobias or Noone. But what he lacked in stature he made up for in presence.


    As he looked the party up and down, a small smile began to form on his lips.


    ¡°When I read through the letter I had assumed that you would be a party of clerics, but correct me if I¡¯m wrong in assuming that¡¯s not the case?¡± In his voice there was no small amount of malice.


    Tobias frowned, but he wasn¡¯t unused to dealing with these types. ¡°As you can see.¡± He spoke evenly, casually looking down on the general. ¡°I am a level ten paladin of the order. She is a vengeance paladin, and he is a¡­ fighter." Tobias casually clicked his tongue. "And also, who we are escorting at the command of the grand-priest of Cinapul.¡± Like this, Tobias managed to tie everyone in the party together, and even reference their backer.


    However, Armuu was not one to be swayed easily. ¡°Well. For now, you are under me as well as the subjugation army. You see Tobias, because of the presence of the teleport here, many organizations have thrown small militia¡¯s our way to pad out the numbers as a sign of goodwill.¡±


    ¡°General Armuu.¡± Suddenly the old halfling Noone had seen earlier called out for the general.


    ¡°One moment.¡± He said back before returning to their party. He chuckled. ¡°I have no problems putting the proper clerics with the rest of the healers. However, we should be making use of every power we can, to reduce our losses.¡± General Armuu began filling out forms of assignment for each person there.


    ¡°Since you two look exceptionally strong, I am sure you will have no problem joining our front lines?¡± He smiled at Tobias, his rough skin making it look especially malevolent. Then he handed a piece of paper to Tobias and Noone.


    ¡°Since you are still too weak, I will put you with the middle forces. A vengeance paladin huh...? If you look around, you should be able to find one or two of you wandering around somewhere.¡±


    ¡°General Armuu sir!¡± The halfling again. ¡°I said one moment.¡± The general scowled. ¡°You three can head to the healing camp. When you see a bunch of people standing around with sticks up their asses and their noses pointed in the air, you¡¯re in the right place.¡± He shoved three sheets of paper at the three clerics.


    Feylin¡¯s eyes narrowed and he was on the verge of saying something back, but Sally quickly put a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head.


    Not just Feylin, but even Noone was beginning to tire of the general¡¯s attitude. He quietly wondered what level this Armuu person was at. And whether or not he had any defense against divine sense.


    ¡°General Armuu Sir! Will you please pay attention!¡± The halfling, finally seeing the general finish up handing out assignments, gave up on being polite and shouted for attention.


    ¡°What. Is. It?¡± Armuu barked back, annoyed at being interrupted.


    ¡°The prisoner¡­ sir.¡± The halfling responded, looking back at the cage.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes travelled across the tent, and to the corner where a female dark elf had been trembling and curled up in a cage only moments before.


    As Noone laid eyes on the woman now, a subtle chill ran up his spine.


    No¡­ not just Noone. But everyone present.


    She was no longer trembling¡­ instead she stood completely straight in the cage. She wasn¡¯t even bothering to cover herself as her shredded clothes fell from her body. Her bruises split and cracked as she moved, causing blood to trickle down her body.


    But even this was not the most uncanny thing though.


    Her eyes stared coolly out from the cage ¨C unblinking and uncaring of the pain she should be in.


    On her face, a smile so wide it threatened to split her lips open had formed.


    Everyone presents who saw this smile shuddered. That was not the smile of a human being. It was cold and full of uncaring malice. It was completely and utterly indifferent and void to everything warm in the world.


    No one was able to take their eyes away.

 155. Approaching the front line

    Noone''s gaze was trapped within the deep blackness of the dark elves¡¯ eyes. From the first moment Noone had looked over, he quickly realized that this thing was staring past everybody and right at him.


    Noone discretely checked to see if anyone else had noticed. So far no one else in the room had seemed to catch on. Everyone''s gaze was on the dark elf instead. Noone quietly stepped behind Tobias, not breaking eye contact with the smiling figure in the cage.


    Noone¡¯s heart thumped in his chest as he moved. The woman¡¯s eyes were purely trained on him and they followed him as he moved. He stopped moving so he wouldn¡¯t bring any more attention to himself and observed everyone around him. Noone was beginning to feel that these weren''t her eyes anymore, instead the expression on the dark elves face was lacking any of the emotion of a sentient person.


    Only a few moments had passed, but everyone in the room had turned so anxious that it felt like minutes instead. General Armuu unceremoniously cleared his throat, eyes wide as he stared at the dark elf. ¡°Alright. Everyone. Get out. You have your assignments.¡± He said without leaving any room for argument.


    Tobias¡¯s eye¡¯s tightened as he stared at the general. The feelings he got from the captive was more than enough to make him consider sticking around¡­ however, he took a glance back at Noone who had discretely stepped behind him.


    ¡°I have my own duties, I can¡¯t afford to get caught up in something strange.¡± He thought to himself frowning. Finally he nodded and, against his better judgement, turned his back on the cage and left the tent practically dragging the rest of his party out with him.


    Giving a final glance at the woman in the cage, Noone quickly left the tent before anyone could notice her eyes trailing his silhouette.


    Unbeknownst to Noone, the smile which had been on her lips ¨C wide and full of mischievous malice ¨C was quietly etched into a corner of his thoughts. "What in the world was that thing?" Noone thought to himself. Once outside of the tent, he was finally able to breathe. The amount of pressure those eyes had caused to envelope him left a cold feeling on the back of his neck.


    Noone looked down at his hands. For some reason, they were shaky with adrenaline as though his body had just been through some life-threatening experience.


    ¡°W-What was that? Tobias?¡± Sally was the first to break the silence which had taken the group. Her composure was on the verge of being completely broken. Tobias brought himself out of his thoughts and his gaze softened as he looked at the disheveled Sally. This was not a fault of her own, Tobias knew. The pressure from the dark-elf had been too much.


    Sally was extremely devout, and her sensitivity to things that went against the good gods of life was especially keen. She had had no time to prepare herself against the thing in that cage, and nothing had ever made her feel like that thing had.


    Even the usually carefree and carefully neutral Rae was frowning from the experience.


    Feylin and Sarah had got off relatively easy. Feylin was too young and low level to be extremely sensitive the way Sally was, and Sarah had the protection of Hoar which had strengthened her mind against certain types of influence.


    Noone said nothing, however he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about why it had been staring directly at him. Was it coincidence? Noone took a deep breath calming his heart.


    Tobias stood with his arms crossed considering a lot of things that he didn¡¯t make known to the group. Eventually he could only slouch slightly in defeat, having no answers.


    ¡°Whatever occurred in there does not concern us. We are here to subjugate the dark elves and use the portal back to the capital. Everything else is a matter of the army and Cinapul.¡± He said with a sigh. ¡°We have our assignments. See to it that you don¡¯t cause trouble. Raelith, you take charge. I will take Noone and Sarah with me to the front.¡±


    Rae nodded her head and gave a gentle pat to Sally¡¯s and Feylin¡¯s shoulders, motioning for them to follow her. This wasn¡¯t her first rodeo with an army, so she had a general idea of where the medical tents would be set up.


    Noone and Sarah followed Tobias silently, weaving between tent after tent and watching the going-ons of an army encampment as they pushed what had occurred just moments before out of their thoughts.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    This was the first time either of them had experienced an army. Sarah knew what to expect from what she had heard living in the common realm her whole life¡­ but Noone was gradually becoming completely overwhelmed by what he was seeing.


    Every person he saw was dressed in some manner of uniform and carrying a weapon. There was the exception of a few freelance individuals who did not fit in with the rest.


    It was loud. It was rambunctious. And everywhere Noone looked he could see a mix of young newly trained soldiers to battle hardened militants.


    There must have at least been just less than a thousand individuals.


    Noone grit his teeth. Around 800 people specifically trained for battle? What kind of concept was that? And this was just for subjugating a small town of dark elves, he thought. When two countries go to war¡­ how many people does it require? How many soldiers? How many... die?


    He thought about what the magic council had told him about the last epoch-tribe war¡­ an entire nation numbering innocents in the millions perished.


    What about the current oncoming epoch-tribe war? They had said they were trying to negotiate with the golden-body tribe¡­ but what if it doesn¡¯t work out? Will everyone he has met so far just become ash¡­ like Tapestry?


    He had been in the common realm for a while now and Noone had come to understand that there was truly no shortage of humans in the world. Even other races outnumbered Noone''s conclave by multiple folds.


    What once was the entire world to Noone - the ten thousand residents of Tapestry - was now only some remote, forgotten, and inconsequential gravestone at the edge of the world.


    Noone¡¯s head throbbed and his body swayed suddenly as a pounding wave of nausea overcame him. He clutched the pendant which hung from his neck, squeezing it tightly in his hand. He sent power coursing into it, forcing the pendant into a submissive state as he gasped a breath.


    Again¡­? Noone thought. His jaw tightened as he looked inside the pendant. The figure within the ice was as lifeless as usual, but Noone noticed the ice containing it had melted slightly since the last time he checked.


    ¡°This is the second time the bedeviled will had put pressure on my consciousness." He thought to himself. "The first was when I was in front of the magic council¡­. And then this time.¡± He quietly contemplated the pendant and the will inside of it as he followed Tobias, no longer paying attention to what was around him.


    ¡°It seems to want to influence me by pushing my mind towards the cold and cruel thinking¡­ and it does that when I¡¯m already distracted with similar thoughts.¡± Noone considered his options. ¡°What would happen if it succeeded? Would I become like before?¡± He thought about what had occurred after he inherited the common heritage.


    ¡°I think¡­ no matter what that would be a bad thing.¡±


    He quietly tucked the necklace behind his shirt again and continued following Tobias until they had arrived at the edge of the encampment, closest to the base of the mountain.


    ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m looking for whoever is in charge of the front line? We were sent here to join.¡± Tobias spoke to a man in a well-kept but worn uniform ¨C obviously an old hand. After a minute of talking the man pointed Tobias to a drinking circle nearby along with a rough looking dwarf who sat next the circle but drank on his own.


    Tobias thanked the man and they all walked over to introduce themselves.


    Noone was reminded of the process they went through with Novrada, the dwarven woman who was in charge of the caravan security. All in all, there were no hiccups except for a few stares Noone received from the nearby soldiers. Even in an army of almost a thousand, Noone¡¯s presence was enough to draw attention to him.


    Many people who saw him couldn¡¯t help but feel that he looked like a carved marble statue come to life, with an iron-axe and all.


    When Noone introduced himself to the dwarf as a fighter, the dwarf quietly scoffed as he looked up at Noone and mumbled something about the Cinapul army having nothing but brutes. It was a weird sentiment for a dwarf, Noone thought.


    Soon the three were shown to a crowded tent and given three cots to sleep on.


    ¡°When will we begin the assault?¡± Tobias asked the dwarf who merely shrugged by way of response.


    ¡°Whenever the scouts finish a full report. We have been here for a week and it shouldn¡¯t be long, but the dark elves know we are here which slows us down by quite.¡± The dwarfs thickly accented voice clarified for Tobias.


    Having a paladin on the front lines was a huge boon to their strength and as such the dwarf would not be shy about appeasing Tobias¡¯s curiosity.


    Tobias nodded but said nothing. Obviously, he had his own thoughts as he looked towards the mountain.


    From the look in Tobias¡¯s eyes, Noone thought he could sense an ire from the paladin. He scratched his chin in thought. By this time night was quickly approaching, and the three prepared themselves for the next day.

 156. Show me the body

    Noone¡¯s eyes shot open in the middle of the night and his divine sense immediately stretched across the entire tent. He saw various cots and soldiers scattered throughout in a none-to-orderly mess of sleeping bodies.


    Near the entrance of the tent, a large figure moved swiftly stepping outside while making next to no noise. If it hadn¡¯t been for Noone¡¯s overly keen perception, he doubt he would have even noticed.


    A small frown appeared on Noone¡¯s face and he stood up, quietly avoiding the scattered equipment on the ground as he followed the figure outside.


    The night air was pleasantly calm and there was no bitter chill or sweltering heat to ruin it.


    Throughout the camp the noise of drinking and chatting could be heard, carrying over the night air. All in all, it was peaceful compared to the rush of the day


    Nearby, the large figure stood close to the edge of the camp, facing up towards the mountain.


    It was Tobias.


    Unlike his usual demeanor, his shoulders were lightly slouched, and his breathing was deeper than normal. Tobias was lost in thought as he stared up the mountainside.


    Noone watched the large paladin for a while. They both stood, unmoving and unbothered like statues in the dark.


    The mountain itself loomed over the 800 strong army like an immense beast. Although they were formed as a subjugation unit for what they knew was a small break-off faction of dark elves, no one felt at ease¡­ especially during the night.


    Dark elves were notorious for their skill and movement in the dark. Their entire lives were spent training in the ruthless underworld of the southern land, moving through shadows.


    Around the edge of the camp, about every 50 meters, a pair of soldiers were stationed to keep watch in the night. They used special magic to heighten their senses in order to deter any sneak attacks or ambushes from the dark elves.


    After a while, seeing Tobias make no further movements, Noone decided to go back and leave the paladin to his own devices.


    ¡°Since I am already out¡­ there¡¯s something I want to check.¡± Noone thought silently, he backed away from the edge of the camp and began weaving between tents moving inwards.


    Right now, a smile was ingrained onto his thoughts. The smile of the captured dark-elf from the general¡¯s tent.


    Noone had been lucky earlier, it had seemed that no one realized that the prisoner had been staring right at him the whole time. They had been too occupied by the expression and the chill which had pierced into their bones.


    That expression was that of a beast¡­ not a person.


    As he walked, he recognized the tents he passed as one¡¯s near the center camp. Spreading his divine sense to its very limit, it wasn¡¯t long till he had come to the generals tent they had been led to before.


    Noone easily snuck up next to it, hiding behind some nearby supply crates which were stacked near the front of the door.


    He closed his eyes and spread his divine sense into the tent.


    It was empty. The general was nowhere to be seen, and neither were any of his officers or guards. Noone frowned and continued to scan the tent. In the middle of the room he could see the cage that the dark elf had been in but¡­


    She was nowhere to be seen either.


    A chill ran down Noone''s spine.


    Suddenly, out of the edge of Noone¡¯s vision he saw something shift on the ground. He quickly trained his divine sense on it and his frown deepened along with the chill which had made his skin crawl.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The guard he had seen before ¨C Johnson ¨C his entire form was laying lifeless just out of view.


    Just beyond the corpse of the guard, disappearing into the shadows of the tents Noone saw the lithe figure of a female dark elf turn and stop - only one step away from being out of sight - and smile at Noone. A large inhuman white-toothed smile.


    Then she was gone.


    Noone¡¯s eyes widened and he shot out from behind the stacked supplies and back into the maze of tents and barracks. His feet landed lightly but his speed pushed him away as fast as possible. He wasted no time to distance himself from the scene.


    ¡°Either she escaped¡­ or someone broke her out.¡± Noone thought quickly as he did his best to return to his tent before anyone could notice he disappeared.


    Suddenly, a horn loud enough to send vibrations across the entire camp sounded out, followed by the scramble of hundreds of groggy soldiers rushing to their equipment.


    It took no longer than a minute for the entire camp to become a glowing torch in the night. Every tent and every path was soon so brightly lit it may well have been daytime.


    Noone was only a couple tents away from where Tobias and Sarah were by this point, so he slowed his pace and casually joined in with the soldiers who were now standing on guard. He saw Tobias standing near the dwarven squad leader and Sarah was stood close by, eyes trained on the forest near the base of the mountain.


    Soon, Tobias approached Noone and Sarah, gathering them together.


    ¡°What was that horn for?¡± Sarah asked. Being an especially astute person, she had her own ideas. Noone had also been eavesdropping on nearby chatter and managed to get a picture of what was happening.


    ¡°According to the squad leader, that was the horn in case of potential ambush or attack¡­¡± Tobias let his words trail off as he gazed towards the mountain. His fist clenched slightly as he thought about his party¡¯s struggle the last time they passed through Stone-Eye.


    Noone kept his face perfectly expressionless - the same kind of neutral expression Raelith had mastered ¨C giving away none of his thoughts.


    Once every soldier had found their positions the entire camp had quieted down until only the ragged breathing of tired men could be heard in the night. Gradually the night grew tenser as each minute passed uneventfully.


    On the other side of the camp, General Armuu was stood next to a young soldier who had been the one to blow the horn.


    He was one of a two-man team who had been on watch that night. He was quickly explaining to the General what he had seen, but as the minutes dragged on, he became less sure of himself.


    The pressure of the general standing so close by was causing a nervous sweat to build up between his brows. ¡°I wasn¡¯t wrong, right?¡± He thought, shuddering.


    If it was deemed that he had falsely blown the horn and woken the entire camp¡­ he could very well kiss his days of peace gone.


    After 15 minutes of nothing happening, the scouts they sent out came back and reported that there was nothing to worry about. The general sighed, and gave an order to blow the ¡®all clear¡¯ signal.


    The young soldier immediately felt himself sweat out a day¡¯s worth of water as General Armuu came to stand right in front of him.


    ¡°How long have you been with the army?¡± The general sighed as he looked down at the nervous young man.


    ¡°S-Six months sir.¡± He stuttered.


    ¡°Six months. You should remember to temper your nerves better in the coming days. I want you running laps around the perimeter of the camp until sundown.¡± General Armuu said evenly but left no room for discussion.


    ¡°S-sundown¡­ sir?¡± The young soldiers¡¯ eyes widened. It was still the middle of the night¡­ surely the general didn¡¯t mean to force him to run laps through the next day¡­?


    The look from general Armuu made it very clear that is what he meant before walking off into the camp.


    Despite his tired expression, his steps weren¡¯t lacking the force that he had grown used to carrying in his posture after a life in the service of Cinapul.


    He didn¡¯t even make it ten steps though, before a familiar aid ran up to him, looking panicked and calling his name.


    ¡°General Armuu! We have a problem!¡± The man spoke quickly. Immediately the general¡¯s eyes hardened as he looked at the man.


    ¡°The dark elf woman! She¡¯s escaped! And Johnson¡­. Her guard, he is dead.¡± He spoke in broken gasps having just come out of a full sprint from the general¡¯s tent.


    ¡°What!¡± The general yelled, his eyes widening to the point they looked like they might pop out of his skull.


    Everyone within earshot froze as they stared at the general. Someone was killed in the middle of the camp unknown to any of them? How was that possible? Unless¡­


    The general shot a look at the young soldier who had blown the horn initially.


    ¡°Show me the body.¡± He said after taking a moment to compose himself.

 157. Get some perspective, Noone.

    The sun rose from the east casting a long cool shadow over the tired army encampment. Stone-Eye mountain stood like a giant¡¯s silhouette in the light.


    The whole morning had been a scramble of various chores and training, the soldiers all taking to their routines with ease even after the hassle of the night before.


    Noone stood silently around the edge of the camp looking out into the forest. His thoughts were on the night before¡­ and the coming day. He stretched out his limbs, cracking his bones as he breathed out heavy breaths of bad air he didn¡¯t realize he had been holding in.


    He walked towards the smell of breakfast before sitting down with a steaming bowl of some type of porridge.


    After the ¡®all clear¡¯ had been sounded the night before, everyone began to grumble their way back to their tents over the false alarm, casting faint curses at whoever it was that blew the first horn.


    The exception were the various officers who went to check in with General Armuu. This included Tobias ¨C and subsequently Noone and Sarah. This was when they found out that indeed there had been a reason for the horn.


    After examining the scene, it was determined that a dark elf must have snuck into the camp alone, assassinated Johnson ¨C the guard ¨C and freed the prisoner.


    Noone took another chance to look around the tent as the various officers spoke with one another.


    ¡°But why would they do that?¡± One of the officers ¨C a tall and blond elf ¨C spoke with disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s not how dark elves work! They don¡¯t have any sense of comradery. They would rather let one of their own die than ever risk their own necks to rescue a prisoner.¡± He scoffed.


    Another officer nodded ¨C judging by her outfit she must have been part of the medical unit. ¡°Laissyon has a point. This is very out of character for them.¡±


    The general thought for a while, putting his finger to his chin. ¡°Could it have been some new bond of solidarity? If they were really exiled or had to flee together from their homes in the south¡­ they could share some bond that would justify this recourse?¡± he proposed carefully. Almost tasting his words as he spoke them.


    The officers looked at each other but none were sure what to say. That would have to be the only option¡­ right?


    Noone did his best to be as unassuming as possible, but he listened carefully to each word that was said.


    When he thought back to the dark-elf they had seen in the cage though, Noone couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of dread that accompanied her odd lifeless smile. He frowned, quickly hiding it from anyone who might look over. Luckily for Noone, no one else had caught on to the oddity earlier that day, and had no reason to suspect him of anything now.


    After sending the officers and Tobias back to their positions, the general closed down the camp until the next morning. No one was to be moving about that night, a message conveyed by the officers to the soldiers and personnel under them.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Noone can you hear me?¡±


    Noone¡¯s hand paused for split second as he was bringing a spoonful of army ration food to his mouth.


    ¡°I can hear you.¡± He thought vaguely. ¡°Where are you?¡± Noone recognized the voice speaking into his mind immediately as Alaviv ¨C the gnome wizard they had split ways with in Stone-Hand. Although he was shocked at first by the mental intrusion, Noone easily slipped into his casual tone with the wizard.


    ¡°I¡¯m in Stone-Eye right now. Under the city at the teleportation circle.¡±


    ¡°Inside the mountain? How did you get inside? I was expecting to see you in the army camp honestly.¡± Noone asked incredulously.


    ¡°I am one of the strongest beings in the common realm and you¡¯re asking me about how I slipped past a few dark-elf twerps? Get some perspective Noone.¡± The gnome chuckled and scolded. Noone had nothing to say about that.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯m with the army encampment. What¡¯s the next step?¡± Noone thought. He casually looked around to see if anyone had caught on to his discrete mental transmissions ¨C especially Tobias. So far it had seemed he was in the clear.


    ¡°They should be preparing to send the first wave into the caverns to hold the ground and make a push into the city. By my count though¡­ they may have seriously underestimated the number of dark elves they are dealing with.¡± Alaviv chuckled bitterly. ¡°If you can get in with the first wave, then once you¡¯re inside I can guide you to me. It should be easy enough for you to slip away in the heat of battle as long as you¡¯re careful.¡±


    Noone was silent for a few moments while he ate and processed what Alaviv was telling him.


    ¡°Alaviv¡­ Have you noticed anything off about these dark-elves?¡± Noone asked as he thought about the odd prisoner...


    ¡°Off? How do you mean?¡± Alaviv asked, genuinely unsure what Noone was getting at.


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s nothing. We can talk about it later.¡± Noone waved it off, not sure how he would explain it.


    ¡°Mm. Alright Noone. I have to go now, I need to focus on repairing the magic here. I will sense you as soon as you enter Stone-Eye. All you have to do is be careful¡­ And remember, I am only going to guide you to me. If you get caught up in anything, it¡¯s all on you.¡± Alaviv spoke evenly.


    Noone nodded, unsure of whether the wizard could see him.


    Noone spent the next two days casually hanging out around the camp and cultivating what little universe energy there was permeating the natural air around him. The last thing he wanted to do was to tip Tobias off about his plans, so he hid it away in the back of his mind.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ It wasn¡¯t that long ago when the thin clear threads of natural energy were enough to fill me up¡­¡± Noone moaned to himself. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have the ability to suck the energy out of enchantment¡¯s it would take me a year at least just to advance past level 7.¡± Noone lamented the fact he was unable to buy any more enchanted weapons. He had blown all of his money over the past months on every enchanted weapon he could get his hands on in the small towns between the edge of the world and Stone-Hand.


    Now though¡­ he had advanced from early level 7 into the late stages. His meridians were flushed with highly condensed energy stolen from the universe.


    ¡°Soon.¡± Noone thought. ¡°Soon I will be free of the Order¡¯s grasp and I can focus on building my strength and biding my time¡­¡± His eyes flashed with energy as the memories of Tapestry threatened to overtake him before he quickly suppressed it.


    In his heart, a plan had been forming. He had spent a while on the surface world now. Despite there being so much to learn and so many things to experience, he was already beginning to think about his revenge.

 158. Entering Stone-Eye.

    It was only a few hours before the sun reached its peak when the subjugation force was lined up outside of the impromptu military encampment.


    Close to 800 militants stood in formation in the morning shadow of Stone-Eye mountain. Joining them were numerous branches from other forces, sent in support as a sign of goodwill both towards Cinapul and the magic council.


    Nothing in this world came free. If the various institutions in Cinapul wanted to be able to use one of the few teleportation magics available, they had to show they were willing to help secure it at the very least.


    Within the encampment the various clerics and medics stayed behind to watch over the supplies and provide support and healing if needed.


    Sally, Raelith and Feylin could be seen standing near the front of these people, each having volunteered as a ¡®runner¡¯ or someone who would dash back and forth between the back and front lines to heal and transport the injured.


    Feylin shifted from foot to foot as he looked around for Tobias and Sarah and Noone.


    At this moment though, the three were nowhere to be seen.


    Noone and Tobias were standing shoulder to shoulder at the frontmost line. Next to the moderately sized soldiers they stood like statues, however in a force of such large numbers they were not the only ones who stood out.


    Thanks to the unrelated units sent to help, numerous non-uniformed individuals speckled the ranks like burn marks on white canvas.


    One of these people was Sarah, who stood in the middle of the ranks along with another woman dressed completely in black.


    Sarah and this woman stood at the same height and even wore their blonde hair in the same tight braid Sarah had grown used to through the years.


    Actually, the only difference between the two on sight would be their weapons, and the other woman was many wrinkles older than Sarah. But she wore her age well, constant physical activity and the blessing of Hoar giving her many years of youthfulness.


    This was the only other Vengeance paladin Sarah had found amongst the ranks of the army, and unlike last time there was no divine intervention leading Sarah and this woman together.


    Upon meeting, they immediately bonded. Sarah couldn¡¯t help but feel this woman was a very kindred soul to herself.


    They both stood silently with their arms crossed.


    ¡°First and second Unit! Move out!¡± The gruff and battle-hardened voice of General Armuu called over the silent crowd of soldiers.


    Immediately 200 people took a step forward in sync. They easily slipped through the trees of the forest heading towards the base of the mountain.


    Each unit was responsible for 100 people, falling under the direct orders of an officer. In this case, Tobias and Noone were a part of the first unit, under the command of a calm and somewhat distant dwarven tactician. Every Unit was briefed beforehand what to expect for this subjugation. Unit one was a mix of experienced soldiers and new recruits at a ratio heavily in favor of the experienced soldiers.


    Noone and Tobias were also a part of this unit.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Noone thought about the strategy that they had been told a day before moving out.


    Unit one was to take the first strike at the inside of Stone-Eye. They would hit with a bang and cause as much chaos as they could while scoping out the cavernous city within. Once things get even remotely too dangerous, the dwarven officer would give the command to retreat out of the mountain.


    Upon breaking out from the caverns they would slip through the ranks of the second unit, which would be waiting in a defensive formation with shields ready to withstand the full archery onslaught of the dark elves.


    After a while of this, they would rotate with unit 3 and 4 who would repeat this. The plan was to continue all day, each time whittling down the dark-elf forces and making further progress into the city.


    The goal was to completely overwhelm them, and leave them with no chance to fight back, by nightfall.


    Noone carefully controlled his expression as they advanced, however his hearth thumped in an odd excitement. This plan couldn¡¯t have been more perfect for him. He had tried contacting Alaviv multiple times, however he had yet to get through. He figured the gnome would notice him once he was within range.


    Tobias was frowning and constantly adjusted his weaponry. The large axe on his back glinted dangerously in the morning sun. His heart was also beating hard, however, unlike Noone he had a bad feeling about this whole plan.


    Tobias looked around while they walked, but no matter what he thought about ¨C he couldn¡¯t figure out where his own nervousness was coming from. After decades in battle, Tobias had learned to trust his gut ¨C and thus he placed himself as close to Noone as possible.


    Tobias didn¡¯t actually suspect Noone was planning anything, instead he felt it was a leftover anxiety from his last run-in with the dark-elves of Stone-Eye. But Noone did not know this, so he reacted carefully trying to probe whether or not Tobias knew what he was going to do.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe Tobias would be able to restrain me in the midst of a battle in a foreign location if I really do make a run for it.¡± Noone¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he discretely glanced at Tobias. ¡°But¡­ on the other hand he might have some magic I¡¯m not prepared for¡­¡±


    Noone¡¯s mind was moving at a million miles a minute as he prepared for every possible scenario.


    ¡°Alaviv¡­¡± He thought to himself. ¡°Please contact me soon.¡± Ultimately, Noone knew this entire plan hinged on Alaviv leading him to the teleportation magic¡­ without Alaviv, the best Noone could do was escape into the mountain or out in the forest. This was also a contingency Noone was prepared for.


    ¡°Noone.¡± Suddenly Tobias¡¯s deep voice penetrated Noone¡¯s thoughts. Noone looked over nonchalantly.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he said. Noone casually readjusted his great-axe as he turned to face the large paladin.


    ¡°You remember what I told you about dark elves?¡± He scratched his heavily bearded chin. ¡°You must be careful. I have a bad feeling. Ultimately, I am here to make sure you get to the capital safe. We are not a proper part of the subjugation force. Stay close to me.¡±


    Tobias whispered the second sentence, not wanting to draw unnecessary ire from the nearby soldiers.


    Noone merely nodded, keeping his face carefully neutral as they walked forward. Tobias continued looking at Noone for a few more moments before finally looking back towards the mountain. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose anyone else¡­¡± He thought to himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Tobias.¡± Noone couldn¡¯t help but apologize in his mind. Tobias had been nothing but good to him since they crossed paths almost a year ago. Not just Tobias, but the entire party with the exception of a few. Noone truly would miss traveling with them, but he didn¡¯t want his future in the hands of someone else. Especially not this diviner - Elize. ¡°I hope that you don¡¯t get in too much trouble.¡±


    Finally, after a few minutes the entirety of unit one stood at the only entrance to Stone-Eye with unit 2 at their back.


    The entrance itself was an extremely wide archway carved directly into the stone face of the mountain.


    The faint tracks of hundreds of thousands of carts which used to pass in and out of the city were etched into the stony earth beneath their feet.


    At one point, Stone-Eye had been a bustling economic hub¡­ but no more.


    ¡°Enter.¡± The heavily accented voice of the dwarven officer called out.


    Line by line, soldiers moved into the cavernous mountain. Tobias and Noone were at the very front.

 159. Deserted City?

    Not even a minute had passed before Unit 1 had their first run in with the dark elves.


    Just one, lone, dark elf.


    Despite having a magic light which floated several meters in front of the group, lighting up the otherwise intimidating shadows of the cavernous city, a lone arrow from a hidden crevice easily shot through the relatively small distance before arriving at the nose of one of the front-most soldiers.


    One of the unlucky young recruits.


    "Shit!" An older soldier said as he rushed to bring up his large shield to defend the kid. His reaction was quick but not quick enough. The arrow had unprecedented speed, and it was deathly silent. Not leaving any noise behind as it split the air in front.


    Noone frowned. He had his divine sense up to its limits the whole time and he had seen the arrow well before the magic light had illuminated it.


    "He''s not gonna make it." Noone thought as he watched the soldier try to move his shield into the arrows path.


    Finally, at the last moment the young recruit seemed to realize what was about to happen. His entire body jerked backwards as his instincts to live pushed his muscles to their very limits ¨C but by then it was too late.


    Noone sighed. His entire body flexed tight as his left arm squirmed with muscles like iron cords ¨C it shot up from his side at a speed matching the arrow and his hand quickly closed like a vice around the tail feathers.


    The sudden stop caused the arrow to vibrate violently, but much to Noone''s surprise the arrow didn''t even splinter. The vibrating left a strange sound in the air which persisted well past the shocked half-shriek of the young recruit.


    Everyone near the front of the group who saw what had happened felt their jaws hit the floor nigh simultaneously.


    Even Tobias ¨C who had seen the arrow coming but was too far away to react in time ¨C couldn''t help but reappraise Noone. Was his reaction speed always that high, he thought to himself.


    Noone stood there like a statue. The muscles under his flesh taut and ready for battle while the white lines which looked like celestial cracks across his otherwise dark skin gave him a gentle glow in the darkness of the cavern.


    He held the arrow in his hand, debating what to do with it before finally deciding just to hand it to the young recruit. The young man''s eyes were so wide and his face so pale he looked to be on the verge of passing out.


    "T-T-Thanks." The young man finally managed to stutter out as the more experienced soldier helped him up. Other people moved forward to block them from any follow up strike.


    "Yeah." Noone said nonchalantly before turning back to face the direction the arrow had come from. Despite the wandering shadows, Noone was easily able to tell which crevice the arrow had been shot from. Not because he had any type of night vision, but instead years of growing up within the cavernous conclave of Tapestry had given him a special insight in the way light reflects from carven tunnels.


    "What were you doing boy?" The older soldier scolded. "You are at the front! You need to keep your shield up. Although their arrows come quick ¨C if you keep your shield up you should be able to block it in time." He sighed. "Ready yourself. We continue." He then turned and extended his thanks to Noone. He had seen this strange being a number of times around the camp, but had yet to make acquaintances with him. Suddenly, the older man regretted his prior indifference.


    "Be careful Noone." Tobias whispered as they walked. The steps of a hundred padded shoes leaving what may as well have been a deafening echo in the cavern. Only Noone ¨C who enjoyed going barefoot like the druids of the forests ¨C made next to no noise even with his large size.


    "What do you mean?" he asked.


    "You didn''t just block that arrow, you caught it. That dark elf is going to report you as one of the heavy hitters that they are going to want to take out first." Tobias sighed. "Just, be careful. Stay close to me." The bad feeling Tobias had only continued to build in his chest.


    Noone nodded, glancing over to the young man next to him. "Should I have¡­?" He thought to himself.


    There were no more incidences for the next ten minutes of walking. Everyone was on edge and the tension in the group was heavy. According to the reports they received, it was only a ten-minute walk from the entrance to the main city. The entrance hall was supposed to be a long and straight tunnel with no side hallways to check.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    So far this had been accurate. Up ahead of them the magic light illuminated the end of the tunnel ¨C opening into a huge cavern which housed the main city of Stone-Eye.


    An old smithing city run by dwarves ¨C it had a high cavernous ceiling and hundreds of short 1 or 2 level buildings carved directly from the cavern itself. When the smell of centuries old stone hit Noone he couldn''t help but think back to tapestry.


    Because of the size of the cavern, the small light in front of the unit couldn''t match up against the enshrouding darkness.


    If the dark-elves were going to attack, they would do so now.


    From the back of the unit, 2 more blue spheres of light shot forward. These were much larger than the first one and they quickly shot into the middle of the city before lifting high into the cavernous room ¨C hovering near the ceiling.


    They illuminated the dark town and the soldier¡¯s eyes adjusted, everyone tensed.


    Despite prior expectations, not a dark-elf was in sight.


    However, no one believed they had disappeared. Even in this artificial light ¨C there wasn''t a person alive who would underestimate their ability to hide and sneak through this city.


    "Hold here." The gruff voice of the dwarven officer called. "Send two people back to bring unit 2 forward." Everyone understood instantly. They would hold here at the entrance of the town to act as a stop-gap and keep the dark elves from blocking their path back.


    The thing about making use of the only entrance¡­ is that it is also the only exit.


    Fifteen minutes passed by silently before unit two finally approached, setting up a barricade of heavily-armored and large shielded soldiers.


    "Alright." The dwarven voice echoed into the soldiers. "Stay in groups ¨C you know what to do." And like this the entire unit of one hundred split up in groups of 5 to 10 and began walking out into the deserted town within the mountain.


    Noone and Tobias moved together, Noone stretching divine sense out to its limits as he scanned every corner, pocket, and crevice which might have room for a dark elf.


    The silence within the large open cavern was deafening.


    Despite reports saying there were a couple hundred dark elves at most ¨C not even seeing one yet put the entire party on edge. At any point they worried they might around a corner and be completely overtaken by dark elves.


    "This is ridiculous! Where are they?" Nearby someone scolded under his breath.


    Noone was now frowning as well. The initial plan was to come in and cause chaos ¨C hopefully stirring up some trouble before they could organize into a proper force. Early mornings for dark elves was similar to late nights for humans ¨C the perfect time to attack.


    However, no one was prepared for this. It almost seemed like a complete retreat.


    "This is no good." Noone thought to himself as he continued scanning the deserted buildings. "If we don''t get into a battle soon¡­ I might not be able to escape into the chaos."


    "Noone-y." Suddenly an old voice tinged with humor whistled into Noone''s mind. It was Alaviv.


    "Hey. I''ve been waiting for you. What took you so long?" Noone scolded. He had been within Stone-Eye for half an hour now with no word from the wizard.


    "Excuse me." The gnome feigned indignity. "I''m sorry. But you try activating an centuries old portal all on your own and then come complain mmkay?"


    Noone had to restrain himself from the bitter smile which he nearly let slip out.


    "Alright, alright. Where are you? And where are the dark elves. We just entered the town but so far no one has made any contact."


    "Hmm? Let me take a look." A few moments passed and Noone wondered what the gnome was up to. "Um¡­ Noone. What assumption is the army working under, with the number of dark elves you''re dealing with I mean. Cause I only see about 200 of you." Alaviv''s voice had lost its usual flighty humor.


    Suddenly, Noone had a sinking feeling in his chest.


    "We were told it was a breakoff group of most likely a hundred ¨C no more than 200." Noone thought quickly. He glanced around at the soft-lit buildings surrounding the group he was in.


    "Well¡­ I hate to break it to you, but there''s more than that. And they are ready for you-¡± As if on cue, a series of shouts broke out in another part of the city. What sounded like an entire party screamed all at once and then their voices faded out of existence. Everyone tensed up violently as they turned to look in that direction.


    "Alaviv." Noone almost shouted. "How many?" He said each word carefully and meticulously, restraining himself from bolting into the nearest building for cover.


    "Don''t worry about that. Just get here as fast as you can. I have begun activating the portal so I can send us off as soon as you get here. But I can only maintain it for five minutes once it hits full power." Alaviv spoke quickly, however Noone could hear the subtle notes of pressure in his voice.


    Presumably the gnome was watching what was happening throughout the whole city.


    Not even a whole minute had passed before another group of shouts pierced the silent city and then faded ¨C like ghosts.


    "HOW MANY ALAVIVGHREHMLA!" Noone shouted in his own thought, using the gnomes given name. He didn''t like not knowing what was out there, especially if he was about to be caught in the middle of it.


    "Five hundred."

 160. Lifesaving Treasure

    The gnome yelled back. Honestly indignant Noone ¨C the uppity youngster ¨C would yell at him.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Noone whispered out loud catching Tobias¡¯s attention. Tobias assumed it was because of the sudden shouting by the other groups.


    A frown formed on paladin''s face. ¡°Shields at the ready, group up. We head back to the entrance right away.¡± His voice boomed deeply, demanding compliance. Although not a recognized soldier, Tobias had the presence needed to immediately take charge of their party of ten.


    The rest of the group ¨C including the young recruit Noone had saved earlier, and the man who had moved his shield to try and protect him ¨C all nodded in unison, circling up with Tobias.


    ¡°Al¡­ Which way do I need to go to get to you?¡± Noone thought quickly. ¡°If I go back with Tobias I don¡¯t know if I will be able to escape. I need to break free now.¡±


    ¡°Noone. Group up.¡± Tobias spoke evenly, eyes darting from alley to window to doorway. Noone still hadn¡¯t moved after he told everyone to get together.


    ¡°On the far side of the city opposite of where you came in ¨C there¡¯s a large building with a staircase that leads underground. Get there.¡± Alaviv said simply.


    ¡°Noone?¡± Tobias was now looking directly at Noone, the bad feeling he had was growing as he watched Noone stand silent and still.


    ¡°But be careful¡­ the dark elves have traps ¨C damn! Not enough power!¡± Suddenly Alaviv¡¯s voice cut out like a speaker in Noone¡¯s mind being broken.


    Noone barely had time to register the sudden shift before he noticed Tobias begin to approach him.


    ¡°Ah. Sorry Tobias. I thought I saw something.¡± Noone tapped his temple indicating to Tobias he was using his divine sense. Tobias nodded in understanding, but the frown was still on his face.


    ¡°Come on then. I don¡¯t want to get caught here like the rest.¡± Tobias said evenly. He turned around to enter the circle of soldiers again.


    Noone watched Tobias carefully, every motion - conscious and unconscious - he waited. As soon as the paladin''s back was towards Noone¡­ Noone¡¯s feet began to move. In his mind a small ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ was whispered. But his first step was already taken. Not towards Tobias¡­ But instead towards the closest alley in sight.


    In that moment time slowed to a crawl for Tobias and Noone.


    Maybe it was the look on the soldier¡¯s faces who were facing Noone, or maybe it was divine intervention but as soon as Noone began taking his first step, Tobias¡¯s frown deepened, and his eyebrows furrowed. His eyes went cold with the light of his god¡¯s powers pulsing through him.


    ¡°Noone!¡± He yelled, not having even turned around. His large body moved with a speed that shocked the soldiers nearby as the old paladin turned on his heel and stretched out his hand. Noone watched with his divine sense as Tobias was beginning to throw out a spell ¨C his palm glowing bright white.


    ¡°Damn! Faster!¡± Noone thought and his body strained as hard as it could to dash out of sight before Tobias could use whatever that spell was.


    Time seemed to come to a stop.


    Suddenly! A red hazy light glowed from under the feet of Tobias and the group of soldiers. But as fast as it appeared, it disappeared along with the ground beneath their feet. Only Noone who was dashing towards the alley was out of range.


    It was like this that - in the blink of an eye - the entire group of soldiers along with Tobias shouted as they suddenly plummeted into a pitch-dark tunnel which had opened up underneath them.


    Noone who had his divine sense trained on Tobias the whole time froze in shock.


    What on earth just happened?


    It may have taken a while to explain but everything that occurred from the moment Noone chose to run to now took less time than it takes to notch an arrow. It all happened too quickly!


    Noone stood frozen in the alleyway for a few moments. His brain had completely halted as the scene played back in his mind over and over.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    He couldn''t help but look back into the pit that had suddenly appeared.


    ¡°Is he... dead?¡± The thought seemed to approach Noone''s mind like a whisper.


    How could that be? He was there just a moment ago, about to let off a spell and then give chase before Noone would lose him in the maze of buildings¡­ how could he have just plummeted down like that?


    ¡°Noone! Hurry up, I will have it up within the hour. I will be able to maintain it for five min-¡°


    ¡°Al! Is Tobias alive!?¡± Noone shouted out loud, not being able to restrain himself. His eyes stared down the dark pit but even he couldn¡¯t see the bottom of it with his divine sense.


    ¡°What?" The gnome asked incredulously before pausing. "Hm. Yes. But he¡¯s in a bad way¡­ and he won¡¯t last long. Looks like all the soldiers with him are dead. That was a pretty big fall, but he must have had some lifesaving treasure. Wait! No-¡°


    Before Alaviv could finish his words Noone removed the two war-axes from his waist and jumped into the pit. He stretched his divine sense down down down, preparing to stop his fall just before impacting the bottom.


    In that moment, if you were to ask Noone why he was doing what he was doing, he wouldn¡¯t have an answer. He knew it wasn¡¯t logical, and in fact might cause even more problems¡­ but the thought of doing nothing didn¡¯t sit right in his chest either.


    At the bottom of the pit it was completely dark except for the light being emitted from the necklace around Tobias¡¯s throat. A small silver effigy hung there swaying violently with Tobias¡¯s movement in the image of the good gods.


    ¡­


    Tobias wasn¡¯t sure why this anxious feeling was building up within his chest. He ordered the soldiers nearby to group up ¨C he wanted nothing more to do with this death trap of a town. They could return with reinforcements, but only so long as they made it back alive.


    But as the young and old soldiers circled around him, Noone stood silently looking off into the distance. His body was tense and his eyes were set tight. Despite calling to Noone multiple times, he didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Tobias thought to himself, frowning as he approached.


    As he got close, Noone suddenly broke out of his trance. He looked at Tobias and gave him an excuse ¨C he was looking at something with his divine sense. Tobias nodded, easily believing Noone who he knew had special abilities. But despite this¡­ his feelings grew worse.


    It wasn¡¯t until he had turned his back towards Noone that he realized why. If someone were to ask Tobias how he reacted so quickly in this moment, he would say that it was the cumulative experience of more than four decades in battle ¨C and maybe some divine intervention.


    He felt it in his very bones¡­. Noone was about to make a run for it.


    ¡°Noone!¡± He yelled. His entire body tensed tightly, and he wasted no time preparing a restraining spell he had been saving just for this moment. He had hoped he wouldn¡¯t need to use it¡­ but he couldn¡¯t blame Noone either.


    He spun quickly on his heels ¨C palm outstretched and the spell moments away from ensnaring Noone who was attempting to disappear down an alley.


    But it was in that exact moment, Tobias felt the world literally shift from under him. A red glow filled the ground beneath his feet just as he was finishing preparing the miracle.


    The ground disappeared, revealing a pit several dozen meters deep ¨C pitch black ¨C and no doubt deadly.


    ¡°Damn.¡± Tobias managed to think before losing himself to gravity. Tobias instantly began to prepare a protective spell to cover him and the soldiers around him but¡­ In his palm, the miracle to ensnare Noone was finally complete.


    He couldn¡¯t use the next miracle until he wasted this one¡­ but everything went by too fast! There was no time!


    Tobias and the group of eight soldiers, including the young man Noone had saved before crashed violently into the pitch-black rocky earth below.


    The sound of flesh and bone being broken echoed up the pit and out into the town above. There had been no time for any of these normal soldiers to react. Even the one¡¯s with some magical capabilities were caught by surprise.


    When Tobias¡¯s heavily armored body crashed against the stone floor ¨C a white light burst through his armor. It was the effigy of the good gods of life. The bloody breath which had exploded from his body on impact suddenly returned with a refreshing wave of healing power.


    This was a lifesaving treasure.


    Tobias groaned deeply as his old and broken body was strenuously repaired by the miracle held within his necklace. His eyes swirled with stars as his mind was being mended after the impact.


    ¡°How pitiful am I¡­?¡± Tobias¡¯s managed to groan as his body quickly finished repairing the largest of damage.


    Despite being healed of his most life-threatening injuries, he was still in a bad way. There¡¯s no damage quite like fall damage.


    This was made even worse when his eyes resumed working¡­ the white light provided by his necklace gave him a second of warning before a sudden dark and lithe figure flashed on top of him.


    A deathly sharp spear thrust towards his skull.


    The world slowed down in that moment. Tobias could clearly see a dark elf standing above him ¨C presumably waiting at the bottom of the pit to pick off any survivors. His muscles ¨C organs ¨C bones all screamed at him in protest as he tried to lift his arm to defend, roll away, anything.


    But his body was still in the middle of healing¡­ if he moved now, he would disrupt the miracle.


    ¡°But I have no choice!¡± Tobias shouted out a groan as his whole body quickly rolled violently to the side. He moved with years of battle-hardened experience. Despite the burning protest he managed to roll away ¨C into the dark elf causing her to reel back ¨C and onto his feet, swiftly pulling out his great-axe.


    As his eyes adjusted to the low-light of the bottom of the trap, he suddenly realized he was in a much worse way than he thought.


    There were six dark elves waiting there for him ¨C they seemed as shocked by his liveliness as he was by their presence.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Tobias uttered. For once¡­ he wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to make it out of this alive.

 161. Ambush!

    Tobias stood with his weapon poised ¨C he wasted no time rushing the closest of the dark elves. They all looked similar - female, white hair, dark clothes, - with the exceptions of their weapons. He dashed towards the spear-wielder who had aimed for his head just seconds before. Wasting no time, a wide sweeping strike with his axe caused the dark elves to jump back swiftly as the white and silver axe head whistled through the air.


    As soon as he finished his attack, he whispered a small miracle under his breath causing a green hazy light to be emitted around him. His limbs immediately felt a bit looser and his muscles ached significantly less.


    At this point, everyone at the bottom of the pit suddenly looked up as the sound of crumbling stone rumbled throughout. A dim white-glowing figure suddenly plummeted down next to the unprepared dark elves.


    Noone had dug his two axes into the stone, strategically slowing his fall just enough to not injure himself. When approached the bottom of the pit his divine sense immediately covered the entire space. He saw Tobias attack the elves before suddenly being illuminated green. He saw the six dark elves who were beginning to circle around the lone paladin. And he saw the corpses of the soldiers crumbled in heaps on the stony earth.


    Noone could easily see that Tobias was in a bad way, his usual stalwart and impenetrable figure was now at breathing heavy and his armor was dented and cracked. Despite this, the paladin¡¯s movements weren¡¯t slowed in the slightest.


    ¡°Thank god.¡± Noone thought in relief¡­ He did not want Tobias to die at the bottom of some hole.


    Noone, using his surprise entrance, wasted no time in landing in the middle of the dark elves.


    His hands flashed out with immense strength and speed as his chipped and cracked hand axes bit through the space where two dark elves had been standing just one moment earlier. Noone¡¯s eyes widened¡­ ¡°Fast.¡± He mumbled to himself.


    Tobias was just as shocked by Noone¡¯s sudden arrival as the dark elves. His mouth screwed up strangely as he considered what he should think about this¡­ but it didn¡¯t even take a second for him to push these thoughts aside. Right now, there were more pressing issues.


    Noone and Tobias made eye contact for a moment. Eventually, Tobias nodded and then turned to face the dark elves who were now standing in a group at one side of the pit. Behind them, Noone and Tobias were able to see a tunnel which looked to go upwards ¨C possibly back into the city.


    One of the dark elves ¨C a tall woman holding matching swords, turned to look at the woman holding the spear and spoke in a language that neither the paladin or Noone understood. But it only took a second for the spear-wielder to nod and dash up the tunnel while the rest of the dark elves closed ranks in front of it.


    ¡°It seems they want to keep us here.¡± Noone thought silently. He shifted his stance and approached Tobias ¨C shoulder to shoulder.


    Tobias said nothing, but in the moment they exchanged eye-contact, they had come to an understanding. Escape for now, deal with each other later.


    Noone nor Tobias wasted any time for discussion. Noone threw his axes with as much strength as he could muster, while extending his divine sense like an arrow into the mind of one of the dark elves.


    One axe was narrowly avoided and ended up clattering into the tunnel behind ¨C but the other embedded itself firmly in the chest of a suddenly-dazed dark elf. The force of the strike easily bit through her armor and sent her tumbling back ¨C nearly lifting her off her feet. Blood immediately ruptured into her lungs and came foaming out the mouth. She was dead before she hit the ground.


    Noone frowned. If it hadn¡¯t been for his divine sense, they both would have avoided his throw. But¡­ Noone realized that their minds were lightly protected. Forcing his divine sense into her consciousness felt like trying to break past the subtle shielding of an enchanted weapon. It was like there was a force keeping her mind in a shell.


    Luckily Noone had been able to break through it, but it took more effort and focus than he expected.


    The sudden strike caused the attention of the rest of the dark elves to waver for a moment. Their eyes glared dangerously at Noone before barely dodging out of the way of Tobias¡¯s strike. True to his profession, Tobias gave no leeway for the dark elves and put continuous pressure onto them. He was relying on his armor and Noone to keep them from surrounding him alone.


    Noone swiftly unclasped his large iron axe from his back and hoisted it out in two hands. With one dead and one gone, it was two against four.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Noone did not have armor like Tobias, so he carefully spaced himself, not want to give a chance for the dark elves to close the distance. They were fast and used poison weapons, or so Tobias had told him before entering into the mountain.


    Without armor, Noone could only trust his divine sense and battle experience up to this point. Using his long weapon, he managed to easily bide the attention of two dark elves, keeping them at a distance until he could pierce through their thoughts with his divine sense.


    Tobias and Noone circled each other ¨C back to back ¨C not allowing any opportunity for the dark elves to get between them.


    Sweat began to pour from both of them, their muscles were taut with tension. If it weren¡¯t for the blessing Tobias had given himself, he knew he wouldn¡¯t have the energy to stand right now, let alone fight.


    ¡°That damn fall.¡± He muttered to himself.


    He was considering using another miracle to even the odds, but as he considered which to use, Noone suddenly broke the perfect defense they had.


    This caught both Tobias and the dark elves off guard.


    The dark elves were prepared to hold this stalemate until reinforcements arrived. Both Noone and Tobias knew this, but there was only so much they could do about it. Noone was too weak with no options except his physical ability and his divine sense, and Tobias was grievously injured at that moment.


    Noone finally had managed to pierce through the mental defense on one of the dark elves. He moved swiftly and used the moment she was dazed to send his axe crashing down into her body. His axe easily bit through her armor and cleaved through the lithe figure. The crunch of bones rang sickeningly in the stale air.


    The other dark elf recovered from her surprise quickly and she dashed towards Noone¡¯s side while his axe was embedded into dead elf¡¯s fresh corpse.


    Despite not even looking at her, using his divine sense to cover the entire pit allowed Noone to back out of her reach just in time. He pulled his bloody axe free from the corpse.


    Two on three. Tobias had a vague awareness of what had happened, but since Noone had moved away in that moment, Tobias put his back against a wall to keep the dark elves he was fighting from trapping him between them.


    His panting was becoming ragged and his breathing was heavy. Sweat dripped from body, creating puddles under him.


    The aching in his bones was beginning to return. The spell he used could last 10 minutes, and yet only a few minutes had passed. He wondered if ¨C even with Noone ¨C he would make it out of this. His injuries may have been worse than he realized.


    Noone¡¯s head was also beginning to lightly throb. When breaking through the defense of enchanted weapons, he could sit and meditate beforehand to put his mind in the right state. Trying to do it in the heat of battle though¡­ it was putting a strain on him. Noone grit his teeth as he rushed the lone dark elf.


    ¡°Just hold them off a little longer Tobias.¡± He thought. Once he killed this one¡­ the other two would be go down easily.


    The lone dark elf hissed and spoke in a language Noone didn¡¯t understand before feigning an attack with her twin swords.


    The swords themselves were narrow and deathly sharp like oversized needles. She was also extremely quick. Without his divine sense, Noone would have a terrible time trying to wear this opponent down. Despite common logic, Noone was not slow or brutish for his size. In fact, he was quite the opposite. This more than anything caused the dark-elves to be overconfident at first.


    But in spite of his counter-intuitive speed, Noone just couldn¡¯t match the lithe and nimble dark elf assassin.


    Suddenly¡­ Noone paused in the middle of his exchange of blows. The dark elf¡¯s eyes went wide and she immediately put some distance between them worried for what he was planning. But instead of quickly following her¡­ Noone turned on his heel and put his back directly towards her, a small smile played on his lips as he dashed towards the cornered Tobias, and specifically the two dark elves with their backs towards him.


    ¡°XXX XXXXX¡± The lone dark elf he was fighting suddenly shrieked as she realized what had just happened. She quickly dashed forward to catch up to Noone before he could sneak an attack at her sisters in arms¡­


    Her shriek caught the two sisters¡¯ attention, but it was too late. Noone was already behind them. His bare feet dug into the stony earth and his muscles tensed violently as his grey iron axe easily cleaved the two dark elves in half through their torsos. Neither had time to register the attack before their death.


    Noone had put everything he had into this strike, leaving his back wide open to the lone dark elf with the needle-like swords.


    He watched her arrive at his exposed back with his divine sense¡­ but his eyes were focused on Tobias. He smiled knowingly, and his body unceremoniously dropped to the floor much to the surprise of the only remaining dark elf.


    But in the next moment, Tobias¡¯s large axe cleaved the space directly above Noone - where he had been a moment before - and embedded itself firmly into her.


    She had no time to react, and her body went flying from the impact. She was dead before she hit the ground.


    Noone¡¯s body landed softly on the floor before he pushed himself back up to standing.


    He let out a sigh as he looked towards the woman, and then to Tobias.


    They said nothing, but their silence spoke volumes.

 162. Drider

    ¡°Why did you come back Noone.¡± Tobias managed to cough out as he caught his breath. He hated to admit it, but he was in a bad way¡­ He silently cursed his old body and scolded himself for his age and uselessness as he looked around the pit that would serve as a grave for many young soldiers.


    Noone stood silently, looking at Tobias and the subtle wisps of green light which floated around him. Using his divine sense, he could see the numerous bruises and cracks in Tobias¡¯s armor. He looked up to the top of the hole, it was deep¡­ deep enough that he was surprised the paladin had survived.


    ¡°I could definitely climb up if I wanted to¡­ but there¡¯s no way Tobias could make the climb out in his condition¡­¡± Noone considered his options.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to die.¡± Noone spoke evenly, his level gaze meeting Tobias¡¯s. There was a battle of will between them for a moment, neither wanting to back down. Noone couldn¡¯t help but feel that Tobias was looking right through him.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The paladin grumbled. ¡°At least I didn¡¯t misjudge you.¡± He eventually sighed. ¡°So. What now?¡± Tobias knew that without Noone, his chances of surviving would drop immensely.


    Noone was silent for a moment. If he was going to escape¡­ he had less than an hour to make it to Alaviv. He knew he couldn¡¯t leave Tobias here alone, or else all the fighting they just went through wouldn¡¯t be worth anything. There was no way Tobias would be able to get back to the army alone in his current state. But¡­ if he helped Tobias get back¡­ there was no way to guarantee that the paladin wouldn¡¯t have some way to restrain him as soon as the coast was clear.


    Tobias watched Noone¡¯s expression carefully, many similar thoughts were running through his mind. Part of him just wanted to say ¡®just go, you¡¯re too much trouble anyways.¡¯ And leave Noone alone. However, he had a duty to the order.


    ¡°For now¡­ let¡¯s find a way back to the top.¡± Noone said calmly as his divine sense scanned the tunnel that the spear-wielder had fled down. He eyed Tobias who merely nodded back. There was an unspoken agreement that they would deal with the big issue once they were safe.


    Tobias¡¯s heavy footsteps thudded out echoing down the hall next to the soft pat of Noone¡¯s bare feet against the stone tunnel. Noone looked around casually as they moved swiftly. In between the subtle white glow which he emitted and the green buff that Tobias had applied to himself, there was just enough light for the two to walk without worry of tripping.


    Noone continued to sneak glances at Tobias, concerned for his condition.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a break here so you can heal up some?¡± Noone proposed as they continued to walk. By this point the endurance buff Tobias had cast was half used up and his eyes were beginning to droop from exhaustion and his body was producing a cold sweat. Noone was growing increasingly worried about Tobias¡¯s declining condition.


    ¡°These injuries aren¡¯t life threatening¡­ only tiring. I only have a certain number of miracles I can cast, I don¡¯t want to waste any in case we get into a dangerous situation.¡± Tobias¡¯s responded between breaths. Internally he knew he could use a major restoration, however if he did¡­ then he would no longer be able to cast the spell he needed to restrain Noone when the time came. Thus, he grit his teeth and endured.


    Noone wasn¡¯t privy to this information, but he was able to tell Tobias was holding back. Noone chose to say nothing.


    The dark hallway seemed to stretch on endlessly, however it was consistently at an incline which Noone and Tobias took as a good sign. As they advanced, their weapons were held at the ready for whatever would come next. Neither one believed the spear-wielding dark elf had run for no reason, and they were prepared for an ambush in the worst-case scenario.


    After ten minutes the inclined hallway began to level out and widen as they approached a dimly lit cavern. Tobias¡¯s miracle had already disappeared, but he bit back the pain in his bones and pushed forward, keeping pace with Noone.


    ¡°Tobias¡­¡± Noone said, worried about the paladin¡¯s condition. The large man grunted but said nothing ¨C instead pushing past Noone and taking the lead in approaching the cavern ahead. Noone followed behind, staying close.


    ¡°Be careful.¡± Tobias calmly reminded as they stepped into the stone cavern. Noone immediately spread his divine sense. The room wasn¡¯t small, but Noone was able to see that it looked like a hub. Various tunnels stretched out from this room and looked to go off in every direction. An odd smell permeated through the air.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Suddenly¡­ Tobias and Noone froze as the already dimly lit cavern went pitch black. The lanterns which had been hanging freely on the walls went out simultaneously leaving the two blind.


    Noone wasted no time covering himself and Tobias in divine sense as their nerves spiked and the tension in the room was strung so tight it threatened to snap.


    Before Tobias could respond to the sudden shift, Noone caught Tobias off guard and crashed into the paladin with his whole body, both tumbling against the rocky stone floor. Tobias groaned in pain, but an incredulous shout managed to break through his fuzzy thoughts.


    ¡°Spider!?¡± Noone gasped, shocked by what he had seen.


    It had only been for a moment. Noone had only just finished readjusting his divine sense when a large figure dropped silently to the ground next to him making no noise as it landed against the stone earth. It was so large and fast that Noone had been caught completely off guard.


    Noone only had enough time to send himself and Tobias tumbling away in order to avoid the sudden attack by the creature. But in that moment, the information he received from his divine sense completely broke any expectation he had.


    When Tobias heard Noone¡¯s words, the pain and fogginess cleared from his mind like he had been dunked in cold water. An image appeared in his thoughts and his body immediately went frigid. A cold sweat broke out on his skin.


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± He managed to gasp.


    Noone unceremoniously rolled to his feet just in time to see the spidery figure advancing on them, front legs raised high like deadly scythes. It moved with an intense weight that caused a chill to run up Noone¡¯s spine. Tobias was still getting up, and Noone knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect the paladin in time.


    ¡°Miracle of the sun.¡± Tobias whispered so silently Noone wasn¡¯t sure if he had heard anything at all. His heart was pounding so hard that his ears were a deafening ¡®whoosh¡¯ of adrenaline-fueled blood.


    Tobias shoved his palm out towards the direction of the spider, instinctively determining its location in the pitch blackness of the cavern.


    Suddenly, a small spark appeared in front of his palm. Noone was already dashing towards Tobias to try and pull him out of the spider¡¯s path, but as he watched Tobias in his divine sense, and saw the small spark with his eyes, the world suddenly rumbled, and the cavern became became a blinding room of intense white light. It was so bright that it even managed to disrupt Noone¡¯s divine sense, causing him to lose track of the spider.


    A shriek like nothing Noone had ever heard vibrated through the caverns ¨C forcing Noone to cover his ears.


    When his eyes adjusted to the sudden light ¨C he saw Tobias quickly pushing himself up to his feet, unceremoniously stumbling for a moment before leaning heavily against the wall. The paladin¡¯s eyes were trained on the far side of the room.


    Noone looked over, and his jaw dropped as his brain processed what he was seeing.


    Noone knew that there were countless creatures in the realms that he had yet to hear about, however seeing such an abominable creature for himself left his brain feeling dumbfounded.


    On the far side of the room a large spider scrambled against the wall. At four times the size of Tobias and Noone it was a terrifying sight. Small wisps of smoke could be seen rising from its flesh as burns from the flash of light peeled away layer after layer of black carapace-like skin.


    But this by itself was not enough to shock Noone into inaction.


    From the time the spider had appeared to now, only a few moments had passed. It went by so quickly that Noone had not been able to get a good look at the spider¡­ but now, in the light created by Tobias he could see the creature in all its disgusting glory.


    ¡°It¡¯s a drider.¡± Tobias panted as he leaned his back against the wall, staring daggers into the creature. Noone shook himself from his stupor and risked a glance at Tobias.


    The spider on the other side of the room was finally beginning to regain its composure. The light from the miracle was still in effect, but it was relatively dim compared to the flash in the beginning. Apparently, it had reached a point that the creature could somewhat manage it.


    Noone watched it stand to its full height ¨C no longer shying away from the miracle.


    It stood at the height of two Noone¡¯s. But from the head of the spider, the body of a dark elf grew. Or maybe¡­ it was the other way around.


    This dark elf¡­ had the body of a spider from the waist down.


    As Noone stared at the creature¡­ he made eye contact with the dark elf body, and his mind paused for a moment. He was shocked to see that the dark elf¡¯s eyes were intelligent¡­


    Noone frowned. Did that make it more, or less dangerous, he thought silently. In his hands he readied his axe, his knuckles were white with tension.

 163. The Dependable Paladin

    Noone¡¯s heart was pounding violently in his chest as he watched the drider recompose itself. The two dark eyes staring out like threatening pits of venom. Despite the distraction caused by the sunlight miracle, it did not seem to cause any lasting or permanent damage to the creature.


    Noone¡¯s muscles were taut to their limits, and his bare feet dug into the stone floor. His entire body began to ripple with energy as he forced his divine sense to cover a complete sphere around him.


    His head throbbed and an endless amount information passed through his brain. Every particle of dust was being counted and he could feel every bead of sweat on his body.


    For a moment, Noone considered escape. The several hallways in the room were narrow enough that they would certainly slow the creature down if he were to make a run for it. He looked at Tobias. ¡°But¡­ If I do¡­¡± He thought silently, he couldn¡¯t help but worry for the paladin.


    Since arriving from Tapestry to the surface, Noone had never forgotten his goal. There was a cold vengeance in his heart that needed to see its conclusion. Noon believed that, while he wasn¡¯t a bad person, he most certainly wasn¡¯t a good one. He never saw himself doing anything that might keep him from achieving his revenge. But now¡­ as he considered leaving Tobias behind¡­ he wasn¡¯t sure if he could justify it.


    Tobias watched from the wall, his eyes drooping heavily as he tried to meet the drider''s gaze. His breathing was heavy and labored. Many thoughts were running through his mind. How could a drider possibly be here? Did the army know? And¡­ could they make it out of this alive?


    The paladin glanced at Noone in apprehension. When he saw Noone standing stalwartly in the creature¡¯s path, Tobias was clearly able to see that Noone was preparing himself for a fight.


    Noone did not have armor, and only had just begun learning the ins and outs of using a great-axe. Compared to Tobias ¨C a battle prodigy ¨C without Noone¡¯s divine sense he wouldn¡¯t even be able to hold up a candle to the paladin.


    And yet here he was planning to fight¡­


    Tobias let out a worn sigh, edged with an uncomfortable cough from the burning in his lungs.


    Without any more hesitation he grabbed the necklace with the effigy tied into it and chanted a short miracle. The miracle he used was one ingrained into his soul by the gods.


    ¡°Good and gracious gods. Your servant calls upon you in time of need. Please heal me and give me strength to overcome this trial, so I may continue to serve you loyally and protect the innocents of the world.¡± He mumbled, his deep voice nothing more than a barely audible and hoarse whisper.


    In an instant, a holy white light covered Tobias¡¯s tired form. The drider¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits and its elven hands came up to block the light.


    As the power faded, Noone couldn¡¯t help but steal a glance at the paladin. His armor was still in disarray, but no longer was Tobias being forced to slouch and fight for each breath. His eyes were steady and impassive, and he stood up straight, pushing off from the wall as he held his ornate weapon in both hands.


    His steps were smooth and strong as he moved forward, coming shoulder to shoulder with Noone.


    Sweeping Tobias with his divine sense, Noone could see countless small white threads darting in and out of the old paladin¡¯s body. Like a doll being sewed together, the threads purified the paladin, taking away his pain and renewing his energy.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Tobias breathed out a heavy sigh, allowing the pain and bad air which had built up inside him to escape. His eyes were bright with the power of his gods.


    ¡°Tobias¡­ You okay?¡± Noone couldn¡¯t help but ask cautiously as he continued to keep an eye on the drider. The paladin looked over at Noone, and then gave him a relieved smile. Noone was caught off guard and Tobias merely chuckled. Noone couldn''t help but feel it was an incongruous reaction to the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m more than okay.¡± Tobias breathed another sigh, the relief of a pressure being lifted was audible on his voice. ¡°If we make it through this Noone¡­ you are free to go your own way.¡± He said smoothly, eyeing the recovering drider.


    ¡°What?¡± Noone asked, shocked.


    ¡°Well.¡± Tobias hesitated. ¡°The reason I was holding off from healing earlier¡­ was only because I had a set number of miracles available, and I needed to ensure I had enough left to restrain you later.¡± He chuckled bitterly to himself, his deep and gravelly voice becoming softer.


    ¡°But since I just healed, there¡¯s no way I can possibly restrain you anymore.¡± Tobias smiled at Noone, genuine relief could be seen in his old features.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a weight off my back believe it or not. I was always a little conflicted about this whole thing you see. Ever since the very beginning. But now, I had to use my 3rd level spell to heal in order to ensure your protection.¡± Tobias shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face. ¡°So, the grand-priest can say nothing of my failure, since I had no choice.¡± He laughed.


    Noone¡¯s expression was complicated as he looked at the old man. Had Tobias always been this carefree? Or maybe this is how he was when he didn¡¯t have to worry about orders? Noone could almost visibly see the tension which was release from Tobias¡¯s being.


    Noone thought about Tobias in a different light at this moment.


    Yes, he had to answer to assignments as part of the order¡­ but ultimately the Order of Life is a force of healing and peace. When he thought about it like that, Tobias¡¯s actions made a lot more sense. Maybe he was just an old man who wanted to live a casual relaxed life helping the people?


    Noone smiled wryly. ¡°Alright. So¡­ what are our chances of killing that thing?¡± Noone asked, bringing attention back to the unholy creature which was regaining its composure.


    This caused Tobias¡¯s expression to sullen a bit. He hesitated for a few moments. ¡°Not great. Usually it takes an entire party to kill a drider. You¡¯ve already seen how fast they are¡­ but.¡± Tobias smiled.


    ¡°Miracle circle of the good gods.¡±


    ¡°Divine weapon.¡±


    ¡°Miracle of protection.¡±


    ¡°Shield of Faith.¡±


    ¡°Divine Favor.¡±


    Tobias began spitting out various miracles Noone had never seen or heard of. Over the span of half a minute the room was lit up with lights and colors as magic permeated the space.


    A large rune-like circle covered the stone floor of the cavern creating a shielded space, blocking off anything from entering the room. When Noone focused his divine sense, he could see tiny threads rise up from the rune and lightly ensnare the drider''s body.


    Tobias¡¯s weapon began to glow with a white light as threads of energy flowed into it like a river from the tapestry of the universe. It reminded Noone of what happened with Sarah where her weapon glowed red like fire - smite.


    Noone¡¯s body tensed for a moment before easing into the light which quickly enveloped him and then disappeared. His defense had just been blessed, which was good considering his lack of armor.


    Tobias shifted his large axe into one hand and suddenly a white-steel shield began to materialize from his free hand before eventually settling into existence. It was large, half the size of Tobias himself, and looked incredibly heavy.


    Everything took place over the span of a few seconds, and Noone couldn¡¯t help but stare at Tobias¡¯s serious but casual smile. One word came to Noone¡¯s mind right now.


    Dependable.

 164. SWITCH!

    Noone was staring at Tobias when a high-pitched shriek roared through the stone chamber. The drider finally rose to its full height, shaking off whatever remnants of Tobias''s miracle was left.


    Facing Noone and Tobias, the drider was only slightly wary of the two beings, which is why it waited to completely recover. By this point the injuries caused by the flash-burn of sunlight Tobias had summoned were nothing more than vague marks on the creature¡¯s body. It could smell the stink of fear on the paladin and Noone. A violent twisted smile painted the otherwise normal dark-elf face.


    Noone¡¯s entire body tensed as he forced his gaze back onto the drider. Even with Tobias at his back, the intense pressure of malice given off by the dark-elf/spider hybrid was enough to cause him to break out in a cool sweat.


    His head still throbbed from the pressure, but Noone forced his divine sense to stretch to its limits as endless information flooded his brain. Tobias grunted deeply, staring unblinking at the drider.


    Despite the casual atmosphere that had been there for a moment, the reality of the situation was that they were in a hard way right now.


    Even with all of his miracles, and his experience, Tobias was less than sure about his chances. Despite living a long and adventure filled life, he had never fought a drider before. He only knew about them from stories he had heard.


    Drider¡¯s were usually semi-intelligent creatures. They were dark-elves which were cursed by their god. The curse would steal part of their minds away, but in exchange would give them bodies of cruel strength and speed.


    There were driders who maintained their souls and intelligence, however these were very rare, and revered in dark-elf society. By the looks of this creature¡­ this wasn¡¯t one of them.


    As the creature¡¯s shiny black carapace stood out shockingly from the artificial sunlight, Noone and Tobias both squared up with the creature who was now pacing back and forth. It stared at them with the face of a dark elf but eyes of a demon beast. The click of eight pointedly sharp legs pacing against the far wall could be heard like knives being embedded into stone.


    Despite lacking in intelligence, the drider did not rush forward first. As Noone and Tobias watched on, the drider¡¯s dark-elf torso twisted around, and then pulled a long black quill from the spider¡¯s abdomen. Finally, it turned to face them with a cold and vicious glint in its eyes. It brandished the quill like a spear in the dark-elf¡¯s hands while raising its two front most legs.


    Noone¡¯s divine sense immediately saw the muscles under the dark carapace tense and then ¨C like an assassin in the dark ¨C it jumped at them, covering half the room¡¯s distance in a single leap.


    Tobias and Noone both grit their teeth. Neither one wanted to give the drider the advantage, so they stepped towards the rushing creature. Although their speed was nothing compared to its, their sudden advancement caused the creature to awkwardly slow its pace. It hadn¡¯t been ready for these two weak beings to try to meet it head on.


    A strange almost speech-like growl could be heard over the clack of feet and the sound of blood rushing in their ears as the dark-elf¡¯s mouth twisted into a snarl.


    Tobias moved forward before Noone could meet the creature¡¯s attack and hoisted his shield up in its path. Not even a blink had passed before the black spear-like quill was swung against the shield.


    Tobias let out a heavy grunt and Noone was shocked to see Tobias be knocked off his feet only to stick the landing a meter behind where he had been.


    Despite the arms of the dark-elf being extremely thin, they swung the quill with a weight that was unmatched.


    Noone took the sudden pause in the driders movement to dash into the small space between it and Tobias. Noone''s throat shook as a shout escaped his lips and his dark iron axe was swung to his limits. Universe energy subconsciously slipped into his bones and muscles to support the strain as he put all of his power into the strike.


    In the second that it took for Noone to take Tobias¡¯s place and attack, an eye opened on the spider-body and the drider reared up on 4 legs ¨C creating enough space for Noone¡¯s attack to roar by harmlessly.


    Noone watched this happening like slow-motion in his divine sense, he shouted out a curse and instead of pulling his attack back he let his axe embed itself into the cold stone floor. Rock broke with a crack and flew in every direction.


    Using his momentum, Noone jumped forward - rolled - and pulled his axe from the earth just as a dark knife-like leg swept past his skull ¨C only missing him by a meagre few inches.


    From the outside, his attack and dodge looked masterfully executed ¨C however Tobias was able to tell exactly how close it had been. Not only did the creature attack Noone¡¯s blind spot, but it attacked with such speed that it had been nearly impossible to dodge. If Noone had hesitated for even a moment, his spine would have been pierced by the spider¡¯s leg.


    Tobias wasted no time rushing the spider with his shield held in front of him like a charging rhino. He lifted his shield high, blocking another spear thrust and then bashing into the creature¡¯s torso. Tobias was a big man with a lot of muscle. He also had decades of experience on how to throw his weight around.


    Using this experience ¨C for a moment ¨C he was able to knock the creature back onto its hindmost legs. However, because of the creature¡¯s size, that was all he was able to do. He gave a violent shout as he quickly jumped back, the creature falling back down ¨C eyes glaring with hate but completely unharmed.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Tobias glanced to the side as he squared up with the drider, in his eyes, he could see Noone rushing towards the spider¡¯s side, axe once again poised to strike. Tobias grit his teeth and swung his axe towards the space where the spider and dark-elf melded together. He seemed to fight against the air itself as the axe audibly whistled with the speed of a whip.


    The drider quickly braced the quill in Tobias¡¯s path, the thin arms of the dark elf having no problem embracing Tobias¡¯s strike. The bladed end of his axe rung off the side of the quill. The dark-elf''s arms were like steel, not reacting in the slightest to the force.


    Noone¡¯s expression was calm however his heart beat quickly, he was now right next to the creature¡¯s body and his heavy great-axe fought against his muscles as he chopped down into the joint between the drider¡¯s leg and body.


    The sharpened edge of his cool iron axe easily crushed into the joint, Noone felt the edge bite into each quill, fibrous muscle, and tendon as he put all of his weight into his weapon. The axe severed enough tissue to bite halfway into the joint, almost a full eight-inches before coming to a violent stop as it struck some cartilaginous endoskeleton.


    Noone¡¯s initial joy was immediately offset when he realized that ¨C due to the jerk back of the creature¡¯s muscles, his axe became wedged in the creature¡¯s side.


    ¡°Shit.¡± He thought. He had just enough time to see the leg he had tried to sever raise up and pierce towards him. Using all of his strength he jumped back but due to his weapon he was too slow. The creature¡¯s knife-like leg pierced into Noone¡¯s arm before he managed to get out of range.


    Blood immediately began draining from the wound and Noone felt his arm go numb from pain however he grit his teeth and maintained his grip on his weapon. His knuckles were white, and blood began seeping between his fingers and his weapon.


    Inwardly Noone sighed a small breath of relief. When the leg had pierced into his arm, he had been able to feel Tobias¡¯s miracle at work and block some of the force. Without it, Noone was sure the leg would have cut through his arm entirely.


    The drider jumped back creating some space between itself and the two humans. The leg Noone had struck trembled as the spider tried to move it, however due to the severed ligaments, it had become mostly useless.


    Tobias glanced at Noone and the wound in his arm.


    ¡°Noone¡­ how much force did you use in that attack?¡± Tobias asked worriedly. Noone could only frown and shake his head. He looked at Tobias, and the look was enough to cause Tobias to grind his teeth in worry.


    Noone¡¯s off hand hovered around his waist.


    Tucked into his clothes was a belt with two bottles of liquid fire. Noone wasn¡¯t sure how effective they would be against a spider creature like this¡­ but he was more worried about getting any on himself or Tobias in such close quarters.


    Even if he did manage to strike the creature, if it rushed them out of desperation and any of the liquid got on them, it would only be bad news.


    And that was nothing to mention about the fact that they were deep underground. In that moment if the cavern filled with smoke, or the fire used up all the air¡­ they would be good as dead. Noone quickly weighed all of his options. His head throbbed violently as he continued to pump stored energy into his divine sense. He could only grit his teeth and bear with it.


    The creature itself swayed on its back legs staring menacingly at the two humans in front of it ¨C hate could be seen festering in its eyes.


    Tobias was panting heavily after blocking numerous strikes from the creature¡¯s spear. His entire body was numb from the constant impacts, and his organs ached from the shock.


    The drider hissed in what sounded like it could have been language and jumped towards Noone and Tobias, giving them no chance to catch their breath.


    Tobias would block a strike, using all of his muscles to try and throw the spider off balance, and Noone would dash forward embedding his axe only a couple inches into the spidery torso. Its thick carapace easily thwarting all but the most direct strikes.


    Tobias followed up with his own strike only to roll away from a sudden spear aimed directly towards his head.


    Noone''s breath was ragged as he came in low, swinging his axe at the spider¡¯s lowest leg joint causing several cracks to develop in the carapace before needing to jump back.


    Noone and Tobias did not let up for several minutes. After so long training with each other, their movements were in perfect sync and despite their growing exhaustion and the increasing number of wounds on their bodies they continued to pressure the drider.


    No matter how much they struck the creature though, it seemed that they couldn¡¯t inflict any major damage to it. As a battle of endurance, Noone was faring much better than Tobias who was fighting back the mental effects of exhaustion.


    Noone was able to tell that Tobias''s movements were getting slower¡­ a frown shown on his face¡­


    Noone¡¯s hand shot towards his waist as he backed up, his fingers wrapped around a glass bottle and he was about to call Tobias to create distance from the creature.


    As though the drider knew Noone was planning something, one of the several eyes on its torso turned to Noone. Noone felt a chill run up his spine just as the drider forced its entire body violently into him. Noone had no time to react even with his divine sense. His entire body shook, and he coughed up blood as he was tossed through the air. The drider had hit with the force of a runaway carriage. Made of steel.


    Noone''s head hit the floor first despite his best effort to protect it.


    He did his best to get up quickly, but the entire world around him spun. Even his divine sense was shaken. What he could see though, was that the drider had decided to ignore Tobias completely. Like a rabid wolf, the drider shot straight towards Noone.


    In the time it took the drider to cover the distance, Noone managed to think through a plan. His hand shot quickly towards the bottle on his waist. He knew if he used the liquid fire now, he would certainly be caught up in it as well¡­ He grit his teeth.


    But just as his hand wrapped around the bottle¡­ Tobias''s booming voice rang with the power of the gods themselves.


    "SWITCH!" The paladin roared.


    Suddenly, Noone felt the world around him shift. It happened so quickly he had no time to realize what had occurred.


    The sound of a shield being dropped.


    A blood chilling shout followed by a gurgling chuckle of laughter and blood which echoed out like a chorus of regret and cathartic release.

 165. Cruelty towards ones self.

    ¡°Tobias!¡± Noone¡¯s eyes went wide and violent disbelief swept through his thoughts like a tidal wave.


    Tobias¡¯s white armor suddenly cracked open and blood painted his chest-plate like a red lotus in bloom.


    Because of Noone¡¯s divine sense, every angle and sight of what was happening became absorbed in his mind. It became imprinted there like a violent painting; Noone could only freeze and watch slack jaw. His heart threatened to implode as it tightened violently. Tobias¡¯s expression of pain as blood erupted from between his gritted teeth felt like a hot needle being pushed through Noone¡¯s skull.


    From the moment Noone had been knocked to the floor to now, only a few seconds had passed.


    A moment before, Noone had been laying where Tobias currently stood.


    However¡­ it was in that moment that Noone watched Tobias block a violent spear strike which had been meant for him. Only¡­ the force of the strike caused Tobias¡¯s arm to give out. The large paladin grit his teeth so violently that they threatened to shatter, and he let his shield go flying.


    A blood-boiling roar came from the old paladin and his next step was not a step back¡­ instead he stepped forward into range of the drider.


    With his shield arm now free, both hands gripped the silver and gold great-axe and his eyes were locked onto a spot that Noone had recently crushed open.


    Tobias did not hesitate or think twice. Instead he put all of his energy into his next strike. Tobias¡¯s axe almost seemed to disappear from Noone¡¯s divine sense it moved so fast. In the span of a single blink, the axe crushed into the spider¡¯s torso. The entire head of the axe embedded itself into the spider¡¯s torso so far that only the handle was visible, sticking out from its body like an iron rod.


    Because of the creature¡¯s size though¡­ this wasn¡¯t enough to kill it immediately.


    Before Tobias could back up, Noone watched as ¨C with a blood curdling shriek ¨C the spider¡¯s front most legs pierced forward like spears.


    There was a shattering sound, followed by a heavy grunt, the sound of something being pierced, and blood bubbling to the surface.


    Despite being several meters away from Tobias, he could see the scene perfectly.


    The drider¡¯s front-most legs shot forward with enough force to immediately pierce through the delicately crafted and toughened white armor Tobias always wore. Like steel under tension, the armor shattered as the legs broke two fist sized holes into it.


    Its legs - sharpened like the deadliest blade - easily punctured through Tobias¡¯s torso. Tobias¡¯s body went stiff as a violent shutter coursed through him. The pain was so intense that Tobias couldn¡¯t hold back a heart-rending scream.


    Noone¡¯s body froze as blood boiled up from Tobias¡¯s throat, choking back the scream.


    The entire scene became frozen in time.


    But.


    Just when it looked like the spider was about to throw Tobias, something happened which Noone would never forget.


    In the moment the spider was about to shake Tobias off¡­ two meaty hands like iron vices gripped onto the legs, palms cutting into the sharpened carapace. Noone watched in silent horror as Tobias''s muscles bulged with a strength no man should possess.


    Tobias¡¯s heavy form weighed down the creature forcing it to lose balance and unable to pull back. Noone watched when Tobias¡¯s whole body flexed with muscles built over decades seemed to come alive all at the same moment. Tobias''s expression was cruel and wild, his eyes burned with righteous fury and Noone could feel pressure suppress the entire room.


    Despite the blood ¨C a throaty shout erupted from Tobias¡¯s chest ¨C an aura of violence came over his entire figure and Noone watched as Tobias pushed back the drider, lifting the entire creature onto its back legs.


    Several hundred pounds of Drider was now at the mercy of Tobias¡¯s quickly deteriorating form.


    After lifting the front end of the creature high above his head, Tobias pulled back ¨C hands still like vices on its legs ¨C and a violent snap caused the spider¡¯s front most legs to be ripped from its body.


    Now, along with Tobias¡¯s cry, both of its front legs were broken off.


    The creature reared in violent pain, falling onto it¡¯s back and screeching viciously.


    Tobias ¨C stood like a statue for the gods ¨C took a deep bloody breath and fell backwards, body thudding into the stone floor.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Noone finally regained himself upon seeing this. Every muscle in his body tensed up and the ground beneath his now standing form cracked as he arrived at Tobias. The drider pulled its crumbling form away by its few working legs, blood trailing behind it.


    Noone immediately knelt down ¨C ignoring the writhing creature nearby ¨C and supported Tobias¡¯s head.


    At this point Tobias¡¯s eyes were glazed over like a murky lake and his breathing was shallow and crackled with blood. All resemblance to a furious god was quickly disappearing from the old man¡¯s body.


    Noone¡¯s divine sense faltered, and his eyes began to tighten as he watched each strained breath become increasingly shallow.


    ¡°No¡­ No¡­ No¡­¡± For the first time in a long time, Noone didn¡¯t know what to do. He had never expected things to go this way. Noone''s hands gripped into tight fists, knuckles popping under the strain. As he looked at Tobias, the speed the paladin''s life force was draining from his body was astounding.


    Suddenly, quietly and discretely, a wave of icy energy pulsed from the pendant which hung from Noone¡¯s neck.


    As this occurred, the wave of icy energy passed not just into Noone, but also into Tobias.


    Tobias¡¯s eyes began to clear as another wave passed through them, washing away the paladin¡¯s aches and pains.


    ¡°Noone¡­¡± Tobias coughed. Noone''s body shook. He stared into Tobias¡¯s eyes and nodded his head. But he didn¡¯t trust himself to speak. His teeth were grit shut as he tried to keep himself under control.


    ¡°You must kill it¡­ before it recovers any strength¡­ please¡­ return my body¡­¡± Each word he spoke was strained as he had to fight for each breath. His throat was tensing up from the pain. ¡°I want to go home¡­ to my family¡­ even if it¡¯s just my body¡­¡±


    When Tobias spoke these words¡­ Noone felt his body shudder. That¡¯s right¡­ Tobias has a family.


    Tobias was not the type to talk about his family much. Maybe it was because he would miss them too much if he talked about them all the time. But Noone had heard from Raelith that he had a wife and a son at home.


    Noone was unable to hold back a flood of thoughts and bottled emotions as he thought back to his own family¡­ He could only nod and wait. He sat there in silence, supporting Tobias''s head and watch as the light in Tobias¡¯s eyes gradually faded. Another icy wave of energy pulsed through their bodies, Noone¡¯s pendant shivering slightly.


    Suddenly, Noone stood and stepped to the side just in time for a sharpened quill to dart past where he had been a moment before, barely missing Tobias''s large figure.


    The drider was standing and shaking as it stared at Noone with intense hate. It was clear that the spider was also on the verge of death, however it seemed to have enough energy to continue fighting at least for a bit.


    Noone knew what it felt like to be consumed with rage. He had experienced it when he witnessed the death of his home. It is what caused an inner devil to form and take over his body. That wasn¡¯t what he felt right now though.


    He knew what sheer debilitating sadness felt like. But that wasn¡¯t what he felt right now either.


    He didn¡¯t feel embittered, or distraught, or emblazoned.


    Instead he just felt cold. Like being covered in a blanket of cruelty, Noone¡¯s mind settled. The turbulent ocean of his thoughts gradually settled, and stilled, until it was smooth and flat like a mirror.


    When Noone had first arrived at the surface, he faced a party of five in battle.


    Tobias. Raelith. Sally. Sarah. And Feylin.


    He managed to cruelly injure all five, some to the point of near death, before he finally was captured thanks to the pendant which hung irremovable from his neck.


    Over the past year, Noone had wondered why he was able to do that¡­ when he could barely fight Tobias to a stand-still now. What had changed?


    In truth¡­ Noone knew the answer.


    He had lost the cruelty, which had been sealed away with his inner devil. The cold calculation, and the cruelty.


    For a while Noone had thought that this cruelty was a cruelty towards others¡­ but after helping Sarah and Clayton demolish the bandit encampment, he wasn¡¯t so sure.


    Noone finally realized what the difference was.


    It was a cruelty towards himself.


    His body would heal, no matter what he put it through, as long as he didn¡¯t die. It was this mental barrier though, that kept him from reaching the same strength despite cultivating into several higher levels by now.


    When his inner devil had been sealed away, he regained the ability to have empathy for others and a recognition of innocents. But he had lost a bit of the cold calculating drive he had.


    Another icy pulse pushed through him. Noone covered the pendant with his divine sense and looked inside.


    The red-eyed being with the pendant was still encased in ice¡­ and the ice hadn¡¯t melted much since the last time he checked. But on the face of his inner devil, a soft almost innocent smile could be seen. However, it only looked that way to Noone, if anyone else were to see the expression, only one word would come to mind.


    Malice.


    Noone¡¯s eyes went still, and his expression became neutral. He casually knelt down and picked up the iron axe he had dropped when he knelt by Tobias.


    Like a hurricane in winter, Noone¡¯s divine sense exploded out covering the drider in a heavy blanket.


    The drider squirmed uncomfortably but it didn¡¯t understand why it suddenly became nervous. It screeched at Noone and rushed forward in an awkward, broken run.


    In the eyes of the Drider, Noone was covered in cuts, piercing wounds, and bruises. It could see the fatigue in Noone¡¯s muscles and the subtle trembles of overuse that accompanied a long battle.


    It was going to die. It knew that. But it wanted nothing more than to kill this being with it to appease its anger.

 166. Mostly, he felt weak.

    Noone¡¯s divine sense condensed around the drider like charcoal being crushed into diamond. The creature¡¯s mind recoiled from the sudden pressure and the dark-elf face scrunched up in intense pain.


    Blood began to flow from Noone¡¯s nose and eyes as his brain throbbed violently, threatening to burst through his skull.


    Finally, Noone released his divine sense completely. Instead he chose to dash forward towards the creature¡¯s torso. Having no front legs anymore, Noone took no precautions and instead swung his axe with enough strength to cause his bones to pop in rejection to the abuse.


    The axe struck into the creature¡¯s side and embedded itself firmly into the blood-slicked black carapace.


    Noone steadied his feet and twisted his whole body, pulling the axe through the side of the drider¡¯s abdomen. A large gash was ruptured into its side. Blue and black guts spilled out from the side of the creature as it thrashed away.


    Noone''s expression had become dangerously cold, and his eyes did not flicker even slightly when the blood-curdling screeches filled the cavern.


    Another quill was thrust like a spear at Noone¡¯s body. Instead of retreating though, Noone stepped forward again ¨C like Tobias had done before ¨C and grabbed onto the handle of Tobias¡¯s axe and ¨C muscles bulging under his flesh like iron snakes ¨C lifted the entire drider¡¯s body into the air. An inhuman roar escaped from Noone''s mouth as his muscles and bones threatened to collapse within him.


    Even louder screeches filled the air as sharp black legs flurried about looking for the ground. Noone¡¯s muscles tore with vicious tremors. Without hesitation, he launched the drider into the closest wall, crushing its exoskeleton under its own weight.


    Using all the muscles in his arms, Noone gripped the handle of Tobias¡¯s axe and ripped the head of it out the spider¡¯s body as the spider crumpled against the wall.


    The sound of blood gurgling out of a broken creature and the smell of guts filled the cavern, however Noone didn¡¯t notice as he looked at the drider.


    At this point, only the vague twitching of life still existed in the creature. However, Noone raised Tobias¡¯s axe in one hand, and his own in the other.


    He stood in front of the creature for a few moments, unsure of his own thoughts. His mind felt all at once cool and collected ¨C and so noisy he was unable to think straight.


    And then ¨C without ceremony ¨C Noone swung both axes ¨C decapitating the dark elf¡¯s head from the body.


    By this point, there wasn¡¯t enough blood pressure left for any spray of blue-blood. Instead a stream trickled out from the stump where the head had been.


    The room was silent for several moments. Finally, Noone breathed out the breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding.


    His muscles twitched, and his body trembled, but despite all odds ¨C Noone stayed standing. He was in a daze, looking off into nowhere.


    ¡°Noone¡­¡± Suddenly, a familiar wizened voice called out within his mind. It took Noone a moment to collect himself, but he quickly responded.


    ¡°How long do I have?¡± Noone said evenly. There was a short almost awkward pause, as though the gnome didn¡¯t know what to say. Presumably he could see everything that was happening. But 2000 years of life, didn¡¯t necessarily prepare someone ¨C even a wizard ¨C for what to say in every situation.


    ¡°30 minutes¡­ Hurry. But be careful.¡± Alaviv said, Noone wondered what his expression was.


    Noone didn¡¯t waste any time responding. Instead he walked over to Tobias. Noone paused for a moment. When he had returned to Tapestry¡­ everyone had already become bones.


    Seeing someone Noone considered a friend not only protect him... but die in the process.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what he was feeling. He didn¡¯t feel alright.


    Mostly, he felt weak.


    When Noone exited the cavernous room with Tobias on his shoulders, and the corpse of a drider being dragged behind him, the first thing he heard was shocked harsh whispers.


    Immediately without much thought he used his free hand to throw a bottle of liquid fire. In less than a second the cave lit up with harsh light and sickening screams could be heard as an entire hallway was set aflame ¨C and with it a whole party of dark elves which had been sneaking in the shadows.


    Noone gave them a cool glance as he continued to walk past. Right now, Noone couldn¡¯t fight back. His body was tired, and his muscles ached. The floor under him would become slick with blood as he walked ¨C much of it his own.


    ¡­


    The large archway and tunnel that made up the single exit to the outside was now being barricaded and obstructed by several hundred soldiers. Like a wave in the ocean the entire first and second units were lined in defensive positions.


    Somewhere within the organized armament of soldiers were 3 officers, planning the next step.


    ¡°Due to the traps and despicable underhanded means of the dark elves, we have no choice but to make a slow advance. This will set back our schedule by at least two days, however we will have a low-level scout or mage paced every 20 feet in the line, checking for traps at every step.¡± The dwarven officer in charge of Unit 1 spoke, heavy accent echoing deeply within the cavern, even despite his hushed tones.


    Officers of both Unit 2 and Unit 3 nodded in unison. For this, Unit 2 would team up with Unit 1 for now, while Unit 3 held the exit.


    Mixed in with Unit 3 was Sarah, who stood at the front most lines of the congregated mass of soldiers, staring right out into the dark and cold city of Stone-Eye. Right now, compared to her usual level-headed and cool demeanor, she shifted from foot to foot, eyes darting into every shadow or slight movement.


    Ever since joining up with Units 1 and 2, she had been looking through the mass of people for Tobias and Noone, but even after 15 minutes she had failed to find them. Her heart beat furiously but she bit her lip and did her best to remain calm.


    She had heard from the other soldiers how they saw giant pits open up in the earth sending party after party tumbling to their deaths. But¡­ Not Noone and Tobias, Sarah was sure not them.


    And yet, she couldn¡¯t find them.


    Several soldiers noticed Sarah¡¯s lone figure standing at the edge of the group nervously looking around. They could understand why she was looking frantically at each shifting shadow, but no one had moved to comfort her. This was the reality of war after all, even in a small subjugation mission ¨C death was never an impossibility.


    ¡°Sarah?¡± A lone braided-blonde figure patted Sarah¡¯s shoulder ¨C causing the young paladin to shudder slightly. Without her knowing, the vengeance Paladin she had met within the subjugation force had appeared at her side. The two shared a deep look for a moment, blue eyes meeting like ocean tides.


    ¡°Your party, right?¡± The older paladin said.


    From behind, the two looked shockingly similar, both having bright gold hair braided back in a single thick tail. Their builds were similar although it was clear that the older paladin had quite a bit more bulk from years of battle hardening combat.


    Sarah wasn¡¯t sure why she trusted this woman so easily despite only meeting her a few days ago, but something inside of her told her that this woman could be trusted. Sarah prayed to her god ¨C Hoar ¨C every night and morning, and yet she had received no response from Him.


    Eventually she chose to believe it was because they followed the same path.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Sarah¡¯s eyes calmed slightly as she spoke. ¡°Tobias and Noone, they were with the first unit, and yet they aren¡¯t back yet¡­¡± She let the thought trail off, feeling no reason to explain her fears.


    ¡°Mmm. I see.¡± The older paladin looked out into the city. She didn¡¯t want to say it, but they might be dead. Instead she chose to keep that to herself though. ¡°You said that Tobias was a level 10 paladin?¡± The older woman clarified.


    Sarah nodded once, biting her lip.


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have anything to worry about. Even a Paladin of the Order of Life won¡¯t go down easily. Especially not one of his level.¡± In a slightly awkward gesture, the older woman put her arm around Sarah¡¯s shoulder and gave her a quick single armed hug as if to say, ¡®don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine.¡¯


    Despite her attempt at comfort though, she couldn¡¯t hide the fact that she was quite bad at being comforting.


    Sarah appreciated the gesture nonetheless.


    Suddenly, a lone set of heavy footsteps echoed down from an alley only a few meters from the group of soldiers.


    Everyone, including Sarah and the other paladin tensed and prepared the weapons. The soldiers quiet murmur quickly became and gentle hush as shields were brought up to the ready.


    Sarah and the paladin quickly retreated behind the barricade of shields, however they didn¡¯t go too far, wanting to be ready for whatever it was coming their way.

 167. A sudden farewell

    The sound of footsteps got louder. The soldiers looked into alley, exchanging glances between themselves with shields raised high and ready for a rain of arrows.


    However, there was no twang of bowstrings or whoosh of air. Instead it was just the heavy steps of a lone figure.


    Everyone was tense as they waited for the person to turn the corner, so they could see if it was friend or foe. The men holding their shields all looked at each other ¨C sharing their question with a glance. Sarah watched from behind the first row of shields, quietly hoping that Noone and Tobias would turn the corner any second now and relieve her of her worries.


    ¡°Tobias is a level 10 paladin¡­ he won¡¯t go down that easy¡­ and neither would Noone.¡± She reminded herself, biting her lip.


    Suddenly a limping figure appeared around the corner, blood draining from a badly wounded arm. A worried frown appeared on Sarah''s mouth.


    ¡°Johny!¡± A soldier called out, rushing from the front line to support the stumbling form of his comrade.


    Sarah was quick to hide it, but a flash of disappointment crossed her expression.


    The soldiers immediately rushed to bring their brother to the backlines for medical attention ¨C the tense atmosphere that had built on the front line quickly eased. The murmur of soldiers started to build again. They continued to wait for their officers to give orders.


    Sarah turned her back to the city, a resonant sigh releasing from her chest. "Tobias... Noone..." She thought.


    ¡°Stop! Identify yourself!¡± Suddenly, a rogue shout from the front lines caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    Sarah¡¯s shoulders immediately perked up and she spun on her heel to look out into the alley. The same alley the wounded soldier had come down moments before.


    A large hulking hardly-human figure had appeared at the end of the alley, cast in silhouette which made him difficult to see.


    It looked like a person ¨C but huge, with oddly large shoulders. The sound of a something being dragged on the stone floor behind him rang in the ears of all soldiers present. No one knew what to make of it.


    As the being walked forward, his steps were soft despite his large mass. Slowly his body became completely illuminated as he stepped from the alley.


    In this moment the entire front-line in view of the scene fell silent except for a few gasps which escaped the mouths of the younger soldiers. Eyes went wide and no one knew what to say. Even Sarah, who immediately recognized the figure, couldn¡¯t help but have all the words in her chest become caught in her throat. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, almost as though trying to absorb the whole image in front of her.


    Walking slowly towards them was a dark being which stood like a statue with stone flesh. On his shoulders: an equally large human could be seen, white armor and hair stained red in blood, large gashes having been torn from his body.


    When he moved everyone saw the large corpse of a beheaded drider was being dragged in one hand by its hind leg, a deep trail of blood pooled behind it like a river. No one was sure whose blood made the majority of the trail.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    No one present was able to refrain from blanching a bit at the sight. Those who had seen driders before felt their blood rush to their heads, and those who had only heard of these creatures looked on eyes wide in disbelief.


    ¡°Tobias!¡± Suddenly, everyone froze in place as Sarah rushed out from the mass of soldiers. She had finally managed to speak, but her brain had become fogged and confused. The image of Noone carrying Tobias''s bleeding form roared through her mind.


    When Noone saw Sarah, he couldn¡¯t help but breathe a small sigh of relief. He could trust Sarah to get Tobias¡¯s body back home.


    Noone knelt down in front of the mass of soldiers and laid Tobias¡¯s body gently onto the stone in front of them. Sarah quickly fell to her knees next to Noone - not even waiting for Noone to talk - she immediately cast the strongest healing miracle she knew only to watch it fizzle out over his body. She tried another. And then another. Her breathing and eyes becoming frantic.


    Noone didn''t try to stop her.


    Sarah, in a moment of panic, called out for a healer to be brought to the front lines. Her eyes searching through the soldiers erratically, hoping for anyone who might be able to help. Eventually her eyes came to rest on Noone, who was still kneeling next to the body with her. However, when she looked into Noone¡¯s eye, a shiver ran through her.


    Not unlike the Noone she was used to, his eyes were steady and calm. But as she looked into them, they felt incredibly cool in that moment.


    For a moment, Sarah felt like she had been caught unprepared in a blizzard. Her skin crawled.


    Despite this, she glanced down at Tobias and back to Noone.


    ¡°Is there anything¡­?¡± Tears began to form in Sarah¡¯s ocean-blue eyes. She had travelled with Tobias for years now. Learned from him. Fought next to him. While not a father to her like Jakobson back in her home temple, there was several years of bonding they had. And¡­ he had never shunned her when she became a vengeance paladin.


    Noone looked at Sarah calmly, he could understand what she was feeling, and yet he didn¡¯t know what to say. He knew he would be leaving soon, and that Sarah and the rest of the party would be left to deal with Tobias¡¯s body. He felt bad, truly. But all he could do was shake his head.


    ¡°What happened Noone? How did he die? How did you end up like this?¡± Sarah asked, straining to keep her voice even.


    ¡°We fell down one of the traps. Tobias was badly injured. After that we ended up having to fight¡­ that.¡± He pointed towards the massive drider corpse which laid behind him. Its headless body almost being completely ignored by Sarah who was only concerned with Tobias.


    Suddenly, the familiar voice of Alaviv appeared in Noone¡¯s mind again. This time there was a sense of urgency in his voice. ¡°Alright, Noone. I know you are having a moment, but you need to get here. Quickly.¡±


    Noone nodded his head, standing over the kneeling Sarah and the corpse of the man who had protected him.


    As if realizing what Noone was thinking, Sarah stared up at him, her eyes turning hard as she watched Noone prepare to leave. She wanted to say something, anything. But her words failed her. She could only kneel there and watch Noone leave.


    ¡°Are you going to leave the drider? That¡¯s good material.¡± Alaviv¡¯s voice said. ¡°And grab Tobias¡¯s axe too. Don¡¯t worry don¡¯t worry¡­ you can return it later. But with your injuries you¡¯re going to need it.¡±


    Noone paused for a moment, his eyebrows scrunching up slightly. Was he really going to take Tobias¡¯s axe with him? After considering it for a moment, he decided to just trust Al on this. And without thinking more of it, Noone picked up Tobias¡¯s axe in one hand, and the drider¡¯s leg in the other ¨C pulling it behind him as he left down the same alley he came from.


    Sarah remained kneeling over Tobias, watching Noone¡¯s tall form leaving like a desolate statue. Noone turned around at the last moment to give one last look at Sarah. He didn¡¯t know if he would ever see her again.


    The last look in Noone¡¯s eyes struck Sarah, although she wasn''t able to explain why.

 168. Outnumbered

    Despite the weight of the drider behind him, Noone moved quickly through the city streets towards the largest building at the very back of Stone-Eye. Many thoughts were coursing through his mind, punctuated by the grating sound of drider carapace against stone floor.


    His body ached from exhaustion. As he walked, a slight limp had developed in his left leg from when he had been struck by the drider. He realized, as he choked back some vile blood, that he had probably taken way too much damage this time. His head throbbed in pain and his own blood had begun drying on his face.


    At this moment, Noone didn¡¯t even have the energy to emote if he wanted to. His face was completely expressionless. He felt numb.


    He quietly considered whether or not he was being watched at this moment.


    Ever since loosing a bottle of liquid fire onto an entire party of dark elves, Noone hadn¡¯t needed to use another. Although he had spotted a few in his peripheral vision while carrying Tobias¡­ none had made a move on him... yet.


    Maybe they were intimidated by the drider, he thought. Or maybe they had their own reasons and just wanted him gone and didn¡¯t want to waste the energy when he looked to be on the verge of death anyways. He somehow managed to chuckle bitterly to himself.


    Noone exited a street only to barely avoid stepping into a pit which had been opened before. Presumably an entire party of soldiers laid dead at the bottom of it as well, Noon thought. He paused for a moment before walking around the pit paying it no more mind.


    ¡°Al. I am getting close to the building you were talking about. Now where?¡± Noone thought directly, hoping Al would still be listening in.


    ¡°Yes, I can see. When you get inside the building take the staircase on either side down 4 floors. You will come to a large open set of iron doors. I¡¯m in here. Also, it looks like you won¡¯t have to worry about dark elves anymore.¡± Al¡¯s responded evenly. Noone could hear the strain of tension on his voice.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Noone¡¯s thoughts shot back, spine perking up slightly.


    ¡°Two hundred and fifty dark elves are currently preparing to make a full-scale assault on the three units at the entrance to the cave while the rest dash past to escape the slaughter.¡±


    Noone¡¯s eyes shot open and he looked back towards the well-lit entrance of the cavern. Although he hadn¡¯t been paying much attention, he knew that if there were three units ¨C they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the battle-trained dark-elves with their backs in a corner.


    Noone hesitated for a minute before finally shaking his head. He took a deep breath and chose to continue to the large building. In his heart he said a silent ¡®stay safe,¡¯ but Noone refused to be caught up in it anymore. He had his way out, and if he went back right now ¨C there was no telling what would happen.


    Within a large glowing room underneath the center for commerce sat a small and delicate-looking blue-haired wizard. A small smirk painted his lips as he channeled magical ruins into the large silver-etched diagram on the tile below.


    The air in the room whooshed and swirled about violently, tossing the wizards robes as he sat uncaring in the cold storm.


    His eyes were shut tight. In his mind, his thoughts were split between two different tasks.


    On one hand he was focusing on maintaining the teleportation magic which had been building in the large room for hours.


    On the other hand, he watched Noone. Carefully observing his expressions and mindset as he fought with the drider, carried Tobias¡¯s body back to his companions, and became lost in his own cold thoughts.


    When he told Noone of the dark elves plan, he had watched Noone¡¯s expression carefully. He waited silently, to see what Noone would do. If Noone turned around to warn them, Alaviv would merely leave Noone behind. He had warned Noone before that he would be willing to help ¨C but wasn¡¯t going to go out of his way for the boy.


    It seemed though, that Noone had decided to go his own way ¨C cutting ties with the rest of the party.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Good move.¡± Alaviv chuckled. ¡°Hi! General Armuu. This is Great Wizard Alavivghrehmla Gnucecak. You may have heard of my illustrious name before? I am contacting you from inside Stone-eye. Right now, the dark elves are preparing for a full-scale assault against your three forward Units. The dark elves number 500. Do with this information what you will.¡± Before he could get a response, Alaviv diverted his attention for just long enough to send an image of the situation to the general and immediately cut off contact.


    Within the forest outside the entrance to Stone-Eye a large and war-hardened general spit out coffee and proceeded to choke on air for a few seconds. With wide eyes he stared into the entrance to the city, hundreds of thoughts began bombarding his consciousness.


    ¡°Alavivgrehmla? That¡¯s that gnome wizard, right? What is he doing here?¡± The general frowned.


    Could the voice he just heard be trusted? Was it really that wizard?


    ¡°Sir! Are you okay?¡± A nearby assistant ran up when he saw the general choking from the suddenness of being contacted through thought transmission. The general forced his body to sit upright as he hurriedly downed the rest of his cup.


    ¡°Yes. Quick, bring me all the officers that aren¡¯t in Stone-Eye right now. Posthaste.¡± He growled. The assistant nodded quickly and then scrambled out of the tent to gather the officers.


    ¡°If the voice was the gnome wizard¡­ then we have no time. I need to draw back units 1 through 3 or else the causalities will be immense. But... what if it¡¯s a trick?¡± He thought silently. Could he afford the consequences if it wasn¡¯t a trick and he was revealed to have known that they were outnumbered and done nothing about it?


    ¡°Alright¡­ I will have Units 1 through 3 pull back to the entrance and meet with the rest of the subjugation force before holding the entrance. Even if all of the dark elves rushed out ¨C we would outnumber them and be ready with our own magic.¡±


    Several officers began to file into the large tent. They waited patiently for the general to sort through his thoughts.


    By the time a proper plan was set in motion, Noone had entered the commerce center at the back of the city. It was an immensely large building which towered over the rest of the buildings in Stone-Eye.


    Hundreds of years ago when Stone-Eye was still an economic powerhouse ¨C all exports went through here. Now, dust and stone particles rested on the floor being undisturbed for a long time. The immaculate tile floor now only a ghost of its former glory.


    Noone looked around silently before entering a large staircase to his left. It went down ¨C down ¨C down into the deep stone earth several dozen meters below the pit he had fallen into.


    The temperature of the inner city was already reasonably cool right now. Without proper ventilation to the outside ¨C the stale air felt cool and clammy against the skin. But as Noone descended the steps the stale and clammy air changed. It became cooler and cooler till it was almost cold against his lungs. It had become crisp in a way that reminded Noone of his fall into the clouds at the end of the world. Noone''s lungs began crackling as the temperature cooled.


    He frowned and attempted to use his divine sense to feel out the area, before a stabbing pain like a hot knife through the brain reminded him that he had already overused that ability. Noone groaned and grabbed his head, but he continued to limp down the steps.


    Soon the staircase opened up into a large lobby ¨C on either side of which there was table after table and chairs scattered throughout. What looked to be a service counter stood on one side, covered in just as much dust as everything else.


    Noone silently wondered what Stone-Eye must have been like in it¡¯s prime. A dwarven city which dwarfed every town he had been to so far. Noone knew that compared to the big cities of the common realm, even Stone-Eye couldn¡¯t hold a candle to them.


    At one time the very spot Noone stood in would have hundreds of merchants and traders and travelers passing through it every day. Arguing. Bartering. Haggling.


    On the far side of the room two large steel doors stood open ¨C a crack only a couple feet wide between them. Intricate designs were inlaid on the metal depicting a majestic scene Noone couldn¡¯t decipher.


    The doors were immense at almost 20 feet tall, and cast an imposing weight onto the room.


    Within the chamber Noone was able to see flashing lights darting around ¨C magic was being cast in eccentric fashions just out of view.


    Despite the chaos on the other side of the doors ¨C Noone wasn¡¯t able to hear a thing.


    ¡°That must be where Alaviv is¡­¡± Noone thought silently. He approached the doors, but hesitated. After taking a deep breath he managed to squeeze through. Above him right now an entire wave of dark-elves were preparing to rush an unsuspecting army... If he hurried back now he might be able to warn them¡­


    Noone shook his head.


    No.


    He was so close to freedom now. Although he didn¡¯t want any harm to come to Sarah, there was a good chance she would escape alive, he thought.


    Finally, he stepped through the double doors. Turning his shoulders just enough to fit between the comparatively narrow opening made by the gnome.

 169. Somewhere warm?

    Using his shoulders to muscle open the heavy steel, Noone managed to create a gap large enough for the drider.


    As soon as Noone passed into the room - he felt a small tug on his flesh. A magic barrier had been set up by Alaviv to help contain the magic within the room. Noone took a sharp breath in and was forced to close his eyes as the protection of the barrier disappeared and he was left completely exposed to the chaos within the room.


    There is an expression that speaks of being caught naked in a blizzard.


    At this moment, Noone felt that this expression did not do him any justice.


    Magic and bitter cold air immediately bit through his skin and sunk deeply into his bones. His muscles spasmed and shivered violently in an effort to stave off the unbelievable chill. Noone could only grit his teeth as the countless wounds on his body were subsequently frozen shut and crystallized. Every breath he took felt like the air itself was on a mission to rupture through his lungs.


    Noone¡¯s bloody clothes flapped wildly in the storm-level winds. The blood which had soaked through his pants and shirt immediately hardened. Noone was beginning to fear even his eyes may be frozen shut at this rate.


    Nearby a small wizard stood on a pedestal. He flapped his skinny pale arms around wildly sending magic every which way, gritting his teeth violently.


    He had noticed Noone enter almost immediately but he couldn¡¯t spare his attention at this moment.


    Alaviv grunted and pulled both of his hands up as though lifting a building from its foundations.


    The wind in the room rushed towards the ceiling.


    The gnome gripped his hands together tightly and the air swirled in place creating two tornadoes of magic and icy air.


    As though fighting against the gods themselves ¨C the gnome shouted out and forced his hands together ¨C visibly shaking from the effort. His eyes were steady and sharp however, like an archer waiting for the perfect strike.


    The two vortexes crashed together.


    Noone¡¯s ears threatened to explode from within as the pressure in the room shot up. A boom sounded out like the world was about to rend itself apart echoing repeatedly within the cavernous hall.


    Compared to the interior, outside the steel doors the air was steady as a temperate night.


    Finally, Alaviv''s expression eased slightly and he managed to whip his hand in the direction of Noone.


    Noone felt his body be lifted up from the ground and was tossed unceremoniously through the air. He landed on his side next to the gnome. He immediately took a deep breath. The air was still bitterly cold, however the space around the gnome had some defenses put up which made it at least tolerable for Noone.


    Trying to speak, he instead coughed out a mouthful of blood which immediately froze as it exited his mouth.


    ¡°Sorry for the rude awakening Noone. Just put up with it for five more minutes.¡± Alaviv¡¯s voice appeared within Noone¡¯s groggy mind. Noone nodded without thinking ¨C his eyes fluttering slightly as he forced them open.


    Alaviv still stood facing the middle of the room, not having the time to spare Noone a glance. Noone forced his tired body up to sitting and coughed up another mouthful of frozen blood. His head swayed but he managed to focus his attention, watching the small gnomes back. The gnome¡¯s robes fluttered violently as he continued throwing magic out wildly.


    Noone tried to circulate whatever energy was left in his body, however right now his body had become like a dried up well. In between the physical injuries he suffered ¨C and the overuse of his divine sense ¨C Noone¡¯s body was a used-up shell of energy. He wondered how long he would need to cultivate in order to make up for all the power he lost this time around.


    Tobias¡¯s axe was still tightly gripped within Noone¡¯s hand, and the drider corpse Noone had dragged this whole way was crumpled on the ground behind him.


    ¡°Al¡­ What is that?¡± Noone managed to think despite his increasingly hazy consciousness. His eyes had come to rest on the center of the room. In the middle of all the chaos, a large gash could be seen floating in the air.


    It shook violently.


    To Noone ¨C it looked as though black and white lightning had been trapped mid-strike. Forced to stew in violent fury. It writhed back and forth, shattering light and sound wherever it moved.


    ¡°That¡¯s a gash in the world.¡± Alaviv responded. ¡°It¡¯s unstable because this teleport location had been cut off from the magic-highway for too long. I am trying to reconnect it. Once it¡¯s connected, more specialized wizards can come and maintain it.¡± There was a strained tone in Al¡¯s voice. ¡°Now if you have time to think. You have time to heal. Take Tobias¡¯s axe and channel energy through it.¡± Al commanded, making it clear he had no time to continue humoring Noone.


    Noone looked down at the axe in his hand. The soft white hue which permeated through it reminded him of everything that had led to this point since entering Stone-Eye.


    It all occurred so quickly Noone knew had hadn¡¯t been able to process it yet. Especially since almost handing himself over to his inner devil again¡­


    Noone straightened his posture ¨C groaning as the wounds in his body broke open and then refroze. He violently grit his teeth with enough force to cause them to creak.


    It was difficult for Noone to calm his mind enough to cultivate the threads from the universe. Without being able to use his divine sense ¨C he had no choice but to cultivate like he had in the beginning.


    Slowly.


    Patiently waiting for the energy to pass through him before trapping it within his core and making it his own. Noone laid the white axe gently in his lap.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Because of the amount of magic being thrown around in the room, threads of energy were being ripped from the space-between-spaces like fish caught in an exploding barrel.


    A thin thread of chilly white energy passed into Noone¡¯s core ¨C immediately becoming vaporized by the multi-colored flame which burned ever present inside him. Like a plant in the desert ¨C Noone¡¯s meridians writhed slightly, wanting to gobble up the small amount of moisture that was the natural energy.


    "Sorry," Noone thought. "I can''t afford to feed you right now."


    Noone was unsure when his thinking had changed. But at some point, in his cultivation he had come to acknowledge the still present will of the galaxy tree which had been left to him. Although not from charity - he couldn''t deny that the galaxy tree had given him a sort of rebirth. In exchange for that, its desire to be reborn was left within Noone - for him to accomplish it. In essence, Noone really had become the seed. In exchange for his second life, the flame in his core would steal a part of his cultivated energy to fuel itself.


    However, Noone forced the energy out through his palm and into the axe he had taken. The white sheen on the axe looked to become more solid and opaque as he did this. After a breath ¨C the energy he had put into the axe was forced back out and returned to Noone¡¯s body.


    Noone breathed out a harsh breath. Instead of being absorbed into Noone¡¯s meridians like normal ¨C the energy coursed across his flesh, through his organs, and into his bones. He felt itchy all over but he grit his teeth through it. Noone knew this feeling.


    The energy ¨C once filtered through the axe ¨C was able to heal him, though it was only an inconsequential amount. Noone cursed the fact he had used up all his energy. If he could focus more of it through the axe, there was no telling how quickly he would recover.


    Five minutes passed by in what seemed like a blink. Noone was barely any better off than he had been five minutes before. But he was at least somewhat better.


    The writhing tear in the world had calmed a lot and now rotated smoothly in the middle of the room. Part of Noone wished to view it with his divine sense. He couldn¡¯t help but feel that the tear looked like one extremely large thread of universe energy... but something in his soul warned him against such a reckless move.


    Alaviv let out an audible sigh. In this moment he sounded more tired than Noone had ever heard before.


    ¡°How¡¯re you feeling Noone?¡± Alaviv sat back on the pedestal he had been standing on and gave Noone a sidelong glance. Despite the bitter cold and wild magic ¨C the gnome didn¡¯t seem any more ruffled than a man who had just went for a run around the neighborhood. Only his voice betrayed his true exhaustion.


    The gnome pulled a sheet of parchment from his robe and began folding it. He moved smoothly, years of skill being put on display as the parchment took on the intricate shape of a bird small bird. A cardinal.


    Alaviv had arrived in Stone-Eye almost a week before Noone and Co. Since then, he had worked tirelessly to reconnect the portal to the magic-highway.


    Noone nodded to the gnome but continued to focus as much energy as he could through Tobias¡¯s axe.


    At the rate things were going ¨C Noone assumed he would need at least a month to recover from his physical injuries if he spent every day and night doing nothing but healing.


    Much to Noone¡¯s surprise, a small chirp came from Alaviv¡¯s hands. Once the bird was finished a small glow flashed through the paper and it sprung up onto its feet. Hopping from palm to palm in Alaviv¡¯s hands.


    The small gnome nodded in approval, plucked a stark-blue hair from his head, and gave it to the bird to eat up.


    Like a scrumptious worm ¨C the little folded bird easily ate the hair without complaint.


    It jumped from Alaviv¡¯s small hands and then in a flash it darted through the black and white tear in the world.


    Noone was silent for a moment.


    ¡°So¡­ What now?¡± Noone spoke through strained breath. Since Alaviv had stopped tossing magic around, the temperature and magic wind within the room had settled. Although it was still bitterly cold ¨C it was no longer as unbearable as it had been moments before.


    ¡°Well.¡± The gnome scratched his chin. ¡°We give it ten minutes to stabilize. Once it¡¯s stabilized, I can easily toss you wherever you want in the world.¡± He shrugged casually.


    Noone closed his eyes. He thought about where he would want to go¡­ ¡°Where can I get stronger? I need somewhere with large amounts of natural energy, or where the laws of the universe are less tightly woven. But¡­ it can¡¯t be too wild or at my level I won¡¯t stand a chance against the natural inhabitants.¡± Noone¡¯s thoughts moved quickly. Before this moment, he hadn¡¯t actually considered where he wanted to go once he made it here. He kind of assumed Alaviv would just throw him wherever he was meant to be.


    Noone frowned. Maybe it was because of the bitter cold in the room ¨C or his extensive wounds ¨C or his dried-up energy, but in this moment Noone¡¯s mind was in a fog.


    Suddenly, the face of a blue-scaled dragonborn appeared in his thoughts.


    ¡°Oh yeah¡­ there was that dragonborn I met back in Ardglass¡­ Patrin something. He mentioned he came from a town in the northern desert... Let¡¯s go there.¡± Noone¡¯s eyes flashed as he made his decision. Perhaps it was because of the biting cold ¨C but right now Noone wanted nothing more than to be somewhere warm and dry.


    He was about to tell Alaviv his decision to get his opinion when suddenly the sharp cry of an eagle pierced through the cavern. It had come from the tear in the world. Noone¡¯s eyes shot open. Along with the cry, a violent suppression had descended over the room the likes of which he hadn''t felt in a long time.


    It reminded Noone of the power he had felt when facing the skeletal being in Tapestry. Complete domination.


    Noone looked at Alaviv just in time to see the gnomes usual calm and collected demeanor shatter spectacularly. The gnome¡¯s eyes went wide, and his mouth hung open in disbelief. What little colors remained in his face disappeared as the blood drained from his head. He began stuttering frantically.


    ¡°Damn!¡± The gnome bolted upright and immediately began waving his hands in the air, summoning magic runes the size of which Noone had never seen before. He moved with a frantic urgency that caused Noone to worriedly shoot to his feet. As he did, pain flooded through his stiff body and his joints creaked, but he ignored this.


    ¡°Al! What is it!? Is the portal closing!?¡± Noone asked quickly, trying to get a read on the situation.


    ¡°it¡¯s worse! Change of plans Noone! We are going now!¡± the gnome screamed over the sound of wind and magic being stirred. The entire room shook from the power that Alaviv was beginning to conjure. Compared to before ¨C it was like the difference between a light shower and a monsoon.


    ¡°What is it!?¡± Noon asked again. He quickly grabbed Tobias¡¯s axe and the corpse of the drider. He didn¡¯t know how useful it would be, but he trusted Alaviv.


    Suddenly Noone felt his body lift into the air. Next to him was Alaviv and the drider who floated together.


    Without any warning Noone felt his body shoot forward and pass into the portal.


    The moment before Noone disappeared, the gnome wizard answered his questions with a panicked screech. ¡°It¡¯s my Ex-Wife!¡± The level 17 wizard said fearfully.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the intense pain of being teleported across the world causing Noone¡¯s consciousness to become scrambled, he was pretty sure he would have fainted from the gnome¡¯s final words.


    The last thing Noone remembered before fainting was his body falling uselessly several meters deep into an endless field of blindingly white snow. The chill of the frozen tundra biting into his flesh.


    In that moment¡­ Noone had a sinking feeling that he wasn''t going to be warm for a long time. ¡°Well... Shit.¡± Noone groaned softly, moments before his consciousness faded from reality.

 170. An enevitable explanation

    ¡°Spread the word and prepare everyone to retreat to the entrance posthaste. Have Unit 3 cover our retreat. We will reconvene with the general at the entrance.¡± The dwarven officer¡¯s voice was strained, a clear frown painted his expression.


    In the span of only a few dozen minutes he had received one piece of bad news after the next.


    The dwarven officer could only shake his head and sigh. He was next in line for advancement within the army. This subjugation was supposed to be a small assignment ¨C a stepping stone to a greater goal. He had plans to mount the front lines against the oncoming epoch tribe.


    But now it seemed like he would be stuck at the base of this godforsaken mountain rooting out dark-elves like gophers hiding in the earth.


    The dwarf did everything he could to keep his temper under control.


    Twenty minutes prior to this moment the officers simultaneously noticed a shocked hush which overcame their soldiers. It was quickly followed by the manic murmurs of disbelief which spread through the soldiers like wildfire.


    The center of this attention was a young blonde-haired vengeance paladin named Sarah¡­ and the corpse of a level 10 paladin of the Order of Life.


    The dwarf rubbed his temples and he could feel a headache coming on.


    He quickly grasped the situation when a young soldier who had been along the front-most line explained to him what occurred. A contracted militant ¨C Noone ¨C had returned to the entrance of the city carrying the corpse of the paladin over his shoulders and dragging the body of a drider behind him.


    This was enough to shock the three officers into a stupor. A drider? Here? Were it not for the fact dozens had seen it they wouldn¡¯t dare to believe that was the truth.


    And then there was the body of the paladin¡­ Tobias.


    A level 10 paladin was no doubt an extremely valuable asset within the Order of Life. The officers wasted no time to send their fastest man to report this to General Armuu. If the Order of Life chose to take this death out on someone¡­ it would end up falling onto the general¡¯s head.


    Then there was the girl¡­ Sarah. She had not moved from his body once yet, only staring down at it with clouded eyes. The soldiers could only guess as to her thoughts at this moment. Standing nearby was another vengeance paladin. Her eyes were soft as she looked at the young Sarah, but she made no move to approach either.


    ¡°And what happened with that Noone?¡± The dwarf thought. He had met Tobias and Noone earlier that week when they arrived in the encampment. They had been assigned to his unit by the general, but he didn¡¯t really pay them too much mind apart from the niceties that a level 10 paladin had earned. Yet he felt they were certainly good people. But why had Noone returned into the city? According to eye-witnesses, his injuries should have put him on the verge of death.


    It wasn¡¯t even two minutes after he sent a runner to report the paladin¡¯s death that he received a missive from the general. When he read through it, a cold chill crawled up his spine like the sharp pricks of a thousand ants.


    ''They had underestimated the number of dark elves.


    They were outnumbered.


    Retreat immediately.''


    It was a simple order, and yet all the officers who saw it couldn¡¯t help but become extremely aware of how vulnerable they were in that moment.


    At the entrance to the mountain, General Armuu was just receiving word of the paladin¡¯s death. Unlike the dwarf, the general was unable to contain his mounting tension and kicked over a nearby table.


    ¡°Useless!¡± He roared. He knew who the death would fall onto. If the country chose to not back him in his decision to send Tobias to the front ¨C the paladin¡¯s death would most certainly mar the generals military record. This was especially true after the horrendous miscalculation in the scale of the engagement.


    General Armuu¡¯s face had turned red from anger, but he quickly restrained himself, making no more outbursts.


    ¡°You. Go find the clerics which joined us a few days ago. There was an elf and two humans. They should be with the medical units. Bring them here. And then bring the body of the paladin here when Units 1 through 3 arrive.¡± He pointed to a nondescript young man who stood silently near the entrance of the tent. The young man nodded quickly before scurrying off.


    It took almost half an hour for the soldiers within the city to make their way back. Despite being an easy walk back on completely flat stone, tensions were at their peak as every soldier watched their backs, shields being held at the ready.


    The officers had tried to suppress the information of being outnumbered. However, it did not take to long for whispers to get the word out. Thus, every soldier was wound tightly ¨C jumpy from every shadow and movement that looked out of place.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Sarah walked near the center of the migrating soldiers. Next to her, two soldiers carried Tobias¡¯s body in a stretcher. Despite Tobias¡¯s large form ¨C the two soldiers did not complain. They did their best to keep their eyes forwards, giving the young woman the space, she needed to grieve. Sarah¡¯s eyes stayed cloudy, her mind feeling like a cold gray ocean during a storm.


    She wondered what Tobias¡¯s last moments had been like. What had he and Noone been through? Did he die in a way he wouldn¡¯t regret?


    As a former acolyte in the Order of Life. She had a very specific view on death ¨C especially a death in service to the good gods. Her eyes watered. This was her first time losing someone since¡­ a long time ago.


    She hoped the good gods would look kindly upon his soul. And her own ¨C when the time came.


    Soon the noon-time sun bloomed the entire squadron in bright light, forcing their eyes to adjust from the dark cavernous halls of Stone-Eye.


    ¡°Units 3 and 4! Cover the entrance and await further orders!¡± A shout from several officers caused the troops to begin reorganizing with practiced efficiency. ¡°Unit¡¯s 1 and 2! Regroup, report any losses, and prepare to back up Units 3 and 4!¡±


    ¡°E-Excuse me? The general told me to bring the paladin to his tent¡­¡± A young man spoke hesitantly to Sarah who was standing over Tobias¡¯s body. He made eye contact with the two soldiers carrying Tobias giving them a ¡®will you take him there now?¡¯ look. They exchanged a glance and began to walk towards the general¡¯s tent. Sarah merely followed behind, unsure of what to say.


    At the general¡¯s tent, Sally stood to the side with her arms crossed, a growing feeling of anxiety building in her stomach. Next to her, Feylin shifted from foot to foot, the palpable tension in the room growing quickly.


    ¡°General Armuu, there are many injured returning from within Stone-Eye, why have you called us here in such a rush?¡± Raelith Ringflower had her usual unreadable smile, her thoughts completely hidden from her face. She couldn¡¯t help but observe General Armuu¡¯s expression ¨C quickly realizing that something major had happened.


    General Armuu sat exhausted in a large chair, his hands crossed in front of him as he searched for the words to say. Depending on how he handled this, it could spell the end of his glorious military career.


    In truth, death in battle was inevitable. No one would deny that in their hearts. However, that doesn¡¯t mean the country and the Order of Life wouldn¡¯t try to find someone to blame.


    If the order of Life chooses to call him out for incompetence and demand some kind of recompense from the country, he may very well be tossed to the chopping block in order to keep up good relations. It would all be for show of course, a play put on by the upper echelons. But as a puppet in this game, General Armuu knew he couldn¡¯t afford to have his strings cut.


    Suddenly the entrance flap to the tent was thrown open and a young man appeared. He met the generals gaze immediately, giving him a single curt nod.


    The general exhaled a deep sigh, doing his best to relieve the tension that had built in his shoulders.


    ¡°It would be best for you to hear it from someone who was there.¡± The general finally spoke, causing tensions to rise even higher. ¡°Bring him in.¡± He nodded to the young man.


    Just as he said that, two soldiers marched into the tent, between them a long stretcher was being carried.


    Everyone felt their stomachs fall as the blood-soaked stretcher was gently rested on the floor. The two soldiers quickly stepped to the side, not wanting to be in the middle of whatever was about to happen.


    Behind the stretcher a lone figure walked in with her head hung low. Her eyes were like distant storm clouds. As soon as she saw the others in the room, she couldn¡¯t bear to look at them, biting her lip she stared at the floor.


    The entire room was deathly silent. No one was sure what to say or do. Even Raelith¡¯s unshakable fa?ade cracked in this moment. Her eyes scanning over every inch of Tobias¡¯s body. His Cracked and shattered armor. The two deep holes in his abdomen. The countless bruises and lacerations. She couldn¡¯t have imagined what could have done this to Tobias.


    To everyone''s surprise, Sally was the first to react. Her eyes immediately lit up like the fires of hell and she hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Where. IS. NOONE.¡± She demanded, immediately noticing his absence.


    As she said these words, Feylin and Raelith realized that in their shock, they had completely overlooked the other obvious question which hung over them. Noone was nowhere to be found¡­ so, where was he?


    Sally¡¯s heated gaze burned, and she immediately stomped towards Sarah who was still standing dejectedly by Tobias¡¯s side. By her movements it was clear that she had been completely overcome with anger. Only a few feet away from Sarah now, her well-muscled hand lashed out, grabbing Sarah by the jaw.


    Sarah had no time to react. Her eyes widened in shock, but she made no move to stop Sally.


    ¡°WHAT HAPPENED!¡± Sally roared, fingers tightening around Sarah¡¯s face. Everyone was shocked by Sally¡¯s sudden outburst. Raelith quickly moved forward to remove Sally¡¯s hand. However, being yelled at so suddenly along with the growing pain in her jaw caused a flash of clarity and loathing to course through Sarah.


    Her eyes hardened and she grit her teeth as she met Sally¡¯s hate-filled gaze. Before Raelith could do anything, Sarah lashed out. Using her longer reach she planted her feet in the ground and sunk her knee deep into sally¡¯s stomach causing the older cleric to collapse back.


    Sally immediately recoiled but only by a few steps. She was about to charge at Sarah again however Raelith moved in between them.


    ¡°Sally! Stand down! NOW!¡± Rae¡¯s harsh gaze was backed by almost two centuries worth of experience. Sally flexed her hands for a moment, fighting down the urge to attack Raelith as well. It was one thing to lash out at Sarah ¨C a vengeance paladin no longer related to their order ¨C but a completely separate issue to strike Raelith.


    At this moment. Raelith was the commanding senior.


    Once it was clear that no one was going to make any more surprise moves, Raelith let out a strained sigh.


    ¡°Sarah. Can you please tell us everything you know? I know this must be hard for you right now, but we need to know what happened so we can report it and figure out how to proceed.¡± Raelith spoke calmly, but it was obvious that having the sudden responsibility of the party laid on her shoulders had shaken her.


    Sarah was staring daggers at Sally. However, the suddenness of Sally¡¯s actions had been more than enough to shock her out of her Stupor.


    She merely nodded her head, and with a slightly shaky voice she began explaining everything from the moment Noone had appeared badly injured in front of the soldiers.

 171. What comes next?

    The expressions of everyone in the tent shifted as Sarah recounted everything that she saw and heard. Sarah did her best to not make any assumptions about what had happened, however she couldn¡¯t stop the rest from coming to their own conclusions. But¡­ They hadn¡¯t seen Noone¡¯s expression when he carried Tobias back.


    Sally¡¯s anger hadn¡¯t subsided even slightly since Sarah finished recounting the event.


    ¡°So Noone escaped into the city, and you just let him go?¡± Sally said venomously. Sarah just glared at her, but Sally merely scoffed in return.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s clear that this occurred because of Noone.¡± Sally continued. ¡°He obviously had planned to escape from the beginning. It was most likely because of this that Tobias ended up in such a poor position.¡± Despite her thoughts being fueled by hate, if Noone was there he probably wouldn¡¯t even be able to disagree with her.


    Sarah on the other hand wasn¡¯t so willing to throw Noone under the cart.


    ¡°Then why would he carry him back despite his life-threatening injuries!¡± Sarah growled. ¡°And on top of that he brought the drider too! It¡¯s obvious they were ambushed!¡±


    ¡°The drider which Noone decided to take with him back into the city despite his life-threatening injuries, you mean?¡± Sally laughed. ¡°And on top of that, why would he take Tobias¡¯s axe?¡±


    ¡°Sally! Not another word out of you!¡± Raelith hissed. ¡°No matter what happened, we can only trust Sarah and the other witnesses who saw what happened. But until we can find Noone, we will have no way to verify any of it. Everything that we weren¡¯t there for is just speculation.¡± She sighed. ¡°On top of that. The wounds on Tobias¡¯s body are consistent with those of a drider. As far as I can tell, there are no indications that he was in conflict with Noone.¡± She sighed again.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one entrance and exit into Stone-Eye. Right general?¡± Raelith looked over at the general who had been standing quietly by the side this whole time. He merely nodded.


    ¡°Good. Then we will stay for now and continue with the subjugation. As long as he doesn¡¯t die before then, we will eventually find him in the city.¡± Raelith ran her fingers through her bright blue hair. She looked down at the body of Tobias.


    ¡°This is no way for a mighty paladin to be seen¡­¡± She whispered.


    Raelith knelt down next to Tobias¡¯s badly damaged corpse. She laid her hand on Tobias¡¯s chest and spoke a short miracle.


    Suddenly a white light was cast over Tobias¡¯s form. When it faded, Tobias¡¯s body had been healed from all his wounds, and the blood which had soaked into his clothes and hair magically disappeared.


    Other than his broken armor¡­ it looked like he was merely sleeping.


    Sarah couldn¡¯t help but feel that Tobias looked extremely peaceful at this moment.


    This was her first time seeing a healing miracle used on someone who was already passed. She was unsure how she felt about it, but seeing Tobias¡¯s form return to normal¡­ She shook her head.


    ¡°Alright General Armuu. You heard our plans. What do you think?¡± Raelith turned to face the general who had waited patiently through the whole process. He too had been curious as to what could have gotten the best of the Paladin.


    ¡°As you wish. If you have no way to contact the order I can-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We have our own ways.¡± Raelith cut him off, causing him to frown. He said nothing though. ¡°Please have Tobias¡¯s body moved to the medical area. We need to preserve him since we don¡¯t know how long the subjugation will take. Sarah. Come with me.¡±


    Raelith spoke swiftly and did not give anyone time to question her before she exited the tent.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Sarah was quick to follow behind, but as she slipped out of the door, she took a final glance back. In that split-second she made eye contact with Feylin.


    From the beginning, Feylin had stood silently at the edge of the tent. When Tobias was brought in, his whole body had frozen. He didn¡¯t move when Sally had attacked Sarah. He didn¡¯t react when Sarah recounted her story of what occurred within Stone-Eye. And he didn¡¯t catch the glances that Raelith shot towards him throughout the entire scene.


    Instead he just stood there, staring at Tobias. His gaze becoming harsher and fierier. He had been listening when Sarah told her recounting, but Feylin felt there was more to it. He wasn¡¯t sure why he was so sure, but something inside of him told him that Noone had something to do with Tobias¡¯s death. If he didn¡¯t, why would he have fled?


    As Sarah passed through the door, she saw a glimpse of the coal which burned in Feylin¡¯s eyes.


    Once she was gone, he looked at Sally. Their eyes met and, in that instant, they knew they had similar thoughts.


    Sally left the tent soon after followed by Feylin.


    Despite not necessarily agreeing with Tobias on numerous things, and butting heads with him on a number of occasions, Sally had known Tobias for years. She had studied in the Burian for a decade and had become used to his presence.


    She may not have always gotten along with him, but now that he was dead. There was a repressed anger which burned in her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but curse the fact they didn¡¯t bind up Noone when they had the chance. Maybe if Tobias hadn¡¯t been so soft-hearted¡­ he might still be alive.


    Perhaps it didn¡¯t make perfect sense. Perhaps her emotions were getting the better of her. But in this moment Sally and Feylin both swore to hold Noone accountable for what occurred. For the death of Tobias.


    On the outskirts of the encampment, Sarah and Raelith sat on a felled tree which laid a good distance away from any prying eyes. As soon as they were alone, Raelith quickly approached Sarah and wrapped her up in a large hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I know that you must be in shock right now, and then having to deal with Sally. I¡¯m so sorry, and I¡¯m right here.¡± Raelith whispered into Sarah¡¯s ear.


    After 2 centuries of life, Raelith had dealt with countless deaths. Both sudden, and the expected. Although she had found that sudden deaths were almost always more expected than expected deaths.


    The rest might not be able to see it, she was easily able to look into Sarah¡¯s eyes and tell just how much the last hour must have affected her. Despite the harsh front which she had been putting up earlier, Sarah quickly crumbled into Rae¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Y-You don¡¯t think Noone had anything to do with it right? He wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Sarah let the question trail off. After traveling with Noone for so long. Watching him learn their language. Training with him on endless occasions. She couldn¡¯t imagine Noone doing something like that¡­ but then again¡­ sometimes he had this look in his eyes¡­


    ¡°No.¡± Rae said after a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t think he did.¡±


    Sarah nodded into Rae¡¯s shoulder. She was unable to keep tears from building in her eyes, and soon they fell silently into Raelith¡¯s shirt.


    No matter how much she had done so far, the truth of the matter was that Sarah was still a young woman. She knew of no other way to react to sudden loss.


    The two sat by themselves for an hour, talking between gentle silences.


    ¡°What do you want to do now Sarah? I know that other vengeance paladin you found invited you to travel with her from here¡­ if you want you can do that. I won¡¯t stop you, and I won¡¯t let anyone else either.¡± Raelith eventually said.


    Sarah did her best to collect her thoughts, but as she tried to think about her next move, the image of Tobias¡¯s ever-gentle face appeared in her mind. Eventually she only shook her head.


    ¡°I will come with you to the capital city. I want to see Tobias properly buried¡­¡± She choked on the last word, still not quite believing what she was saying.


    Raelith merely nodded.


    After another long while, Sarah finally headed back into the encampment, leaving Raelith alone to contact the grand-priest.


    Raelith pulled a ring out of her pocket.


    It had been the ring Tobias always wore. A direct communication with the grand priest.


    I guess I can¡¯t put this off anymore.¡± She sighed. Kneeling to the earth, the ring glowed in a gentle white light and suddenly Rae¡¯s mind was connected to another many many miles away.


    The grand-priest.


    ¡°What happened¡­.¡± The wizened voice asked as soon as he realized it was not Tobias contacting him.


    He sounded tired.

 172. An unlikely ally?

    Many many miles to the south of Cinapul was the dry and cracked stone-lands of Montese. The home of the dark elves.


    Whereas the rest of the common realms were lush and vibrant with life - even the deserts of the northern lands - Montese was the closest to what the people of Tapestry had assumed the surface world looked like.


    There were endless fields of cracked stone earth. The sky was merely a constant layer of clouds adding to the ever-present gray and drab feeling of the land. Boulders littered the surface, discarded there since long before written history.


    However, the inhabitants of Montese complained extremely little despite the dreary conditions. In fact, most dark elves wouldn¡¯t ever think to complain. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these lands were perfect for them.


    Very rarely would anyone travel to Montese, and those who dared to venture that far south would have a hard time finding any dark elves unless they revealed themselves willingly.


    This was because the entirety of Montese was actually an intricate network of cave systems. The surface was pockmarked by hundreds of thousands of cave entrances, most of which went nowhere. Some of them however, would lead to dark-extreme elf societies which could hold their own against even the most robust human cities.


    The surface of Montese was a calm and completely dreadful place to any common realm species. But just under the surface, countless powder-kegs were lit and extinguished as the dark elves warred amongst themselves for the favor of their god and to achieve power.


    Each city in Montese was ruled independently by a dark-elf family. They led imperiously, not backing down to each other and naturally forming into city-states.


    In between the biggest city-states, countless smaller families would rule over smaller portions of the cave network. This created extremely niche communities and towns that were each specialized to their own needs.


    Some allied with the nearest cities, maintaining relative autonomy and choosing to become tools for larger families in exchange.


    Others chose to hide themselves away, keeping to the shadows and avoiding notice.


    In a small and unremarkable corner of Montese, there was a relatively quiet and unmarked cave system which snaked hundreds of meters into the earth.


    Sealed away deep inside this cave system existed dozens of expensive and intricate buildings.


    They stood majestically within the sealed cavern but looked shockingly alien. The design sensibilities of the dark elves were nothing like those of the rest of the common realms.


    The homes and shops were built with sharp edges and uncomfortable angles, a sense of death surrounding each one. At the center of the city, a single large hall stood like a primordial spider, built to evoke the image of their spider-god.


    At one point, this had been the town of Kenod. Though now abandoned and sealed away due to a violent infection, the light-stones and torches still shined out casting ominous shadows into the deadly silent caverns.


    Kenod had been a relatively respected and feared town, a dark elf family numbering just over 1000.


    Like all dark elves, they were specialized in sneaking and subterfuge, however they had also developed a reputation as an impartial and violent protector of goods.


    In other words, they were merchants.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Merchant dark elves in Montese were all at once treated with respect and simultaneously scorned for being seen as betraying the path of their god. However, no city would be willing to offend these merchants. Merchant societies in the land of Montese were the only source of exotic and imported goods from the rest of the continent. It had been a system developed nearly 2000 years prior and yet it still held strong even today.


    They would bring goods ¨C everything from weapons to food to magics ¨C and information about the going-ons of the rest of the continent.


    Information was key for the dark elves, as focused on subterfuge and trickery as they were.


    But now, the once mighty and untouchable family of Kenod was no more. Several hundred had been slaughtered by their kin, several hundred more died within the sealed caverns ¨C their skeletons littering the roads, and the rest were currently being hunted into extinction after being forced to flee to the borderland between Montese and Cinapul.


    The story of Kenod served as a good warning for the many smaller communities of dark elves in Montese.


    Nothing was permanent. No one was untouchable. And except for the larger families who ruled their cities with fear ¨C no one couldn¡¯t be replaced.


    It wasn¡¯t even a year after Kenod had been sealed to keep the infection from spreading that another family of dark elves rose to fill the vacuum left behind by their fall.


    It was a bloody battle in that year, but in the end, everything went back to the way it had been before.


    A century had passed since Kenod had risen into prominence.


    30 years had passed since the rest of the dark elf communities worked together to hunt down and seal the Kenod family away. Creating a tomb in place of the family of merchants.


    Yet, only a single week had passed since there had been a noise within the otherwise dead caves of the town.


    It was soft. Completely unnoticeable. Unheard by the rest of the world.


    Within a silent room in the middle of Kenod¡¯s city hall, a small gasp had sounded out, followed by two beautiful white and grey eyes opening for the first time in decades.


    Sitting on the cool stone floor and surrounded by an aura of death, a lone figure sat in stilled beauty. Like a statue carved from unblemished white marble, an emaciated figure with skin untouched by the sun had breathed again after so long. It was a breath of nothing but stale air, however she did not flinch.


    Or frown.


    Or smile.


    Other than the smallest breaths which had only just resumed, one could mistake this being for dead.


    A perfect statue was it not for a single blemish. The area around her eyes were perpetually dark. She had not slept in so very long. Loneliness and sadness had completely overcome this being, and she had lost the ability to sleep ever since the tragedy had struck her home a hundred years earlier.


    Her mind was not her own anymore, and it caused her nothing but pain. She could fight the other presence off sometimes, but not always¡­ not enough.


    Within the woman¡¯s mind a smile filled with cruelty and gluttonous hunger grinned at her, mocking her, showing her scenes that she could hardly believe, and twisting her heart as it did so.


    A week ago, in a land far to the north, she had been shown a face which all at once looked familiar and alien. She couldn¡¯t believe it was true.


    ¡°Noone¡­¡± A soft whisper escaped her lips. Her voice was airy from decades of silence, but it was clear at one time it had been home to beautiful dulcet tones. She forgot everything else and focused in on the face of the person being shown to her¡­ ¡°You¡¯re alive...?¡±


    Suddenly, extremely thin white lines began to brighten on the surface of the woman¡¯s extremely pale flesh. The effect caused her to look as though she had begun glowing.


    If Noone had been here to see this occur, he would have immediately recognized the pale beauty. Despite her emaciated figure. Despite her missing smile and eyes which were full of tragedy and sorrow¡­ despite her silent expression.


    Noone had known her since he was a boy in Tapestry. The mysterious woman who Liter had introduced him to.


    White light pulsed from her skin, quickening in tune with her awakening heartbeat.


    Trisha¡­ The soul-attuned woman who had seen Tapestry¡¯s fall... and the woman who was forced to become a vessel for the disease which brought disaster with it wherever it went.

 173. A Possibility of Hope?

    "Well isn''t he interesting? He looks kind of familiar, wouldn''t you say so Trisha?" A malevolent voice chuckled within her mind. There was a piercing grating to the speech which made it impossible to ignore.


    Ever since she had forced herself into a near death state - the grinning consciousness within her had become increasingly silent. It had been decades since she last heard its scratchy voice which mimicked speech.


    But now, it had finally managed to find something which could get a rise from the unfortunate woman.


    "Mmmmm." The consciousness mumbled appreciatively at the image of Noone''s tall form. "He just looks so delicious. You silly people locked away at the edge of the world. Truly I couldn''t have asked for a more scrumptious snack. If it hadn''t been for your incredibly rich bloodlines and attunements, I would have stayed a measly common cold you know?" It chuckled wildly, eyes rolling with laughter. "But thanks to your isolation, I was able to evolve just fine!"


    Trisha barely heard it though, instead her entire attention was on the image. Somewhere, in another part of the world, Noone was still alive¡­ and somehow, he had crossed paths with one of the vectors for the disease. Otherwise it would have never been able to find him.


    "You know? I have been so bored ever since you tricked me and caused us to be sealed away in this dreary pit." The voice scoffed, recalling the situation from 30 years prior. Trisha said nothing.


    The voice scoffed again, showing its toothy lip-less smile, like knives grinding against each other.


    "You better start changing your tune and speaking up, pet. Don''t forget I am a permanent part of you now! That''s the cost you took upon yourself. So, I can feel it..." The way it said ''feel'' caused Trisha to involuntary shudder. Despite a century together, she still felt unnerved by the consciousness. "I can feel how much you want to just break free from this god forsaken cave and find him. Beg him for help. Warn him and tell him to flee so far away that I can never find him."


    It chuckled, knowing it had hit the nail on the head.


    "NEVER!" It screamed in her mind causing her head to throb violently. "We may share this body, for now¡­ but you only make some of the decisions! Those first 70 years after eating up Tapestry¡­" It shivered in pleasure. "They were wonderful."


    Trisha closed her eyes, choosing not to respond. In the back of her thoughts though, wretched memories threatened to float to the top.


    Ever since the fall of Tapestry, everything had gone by so slowly for her. It had only been through patience and meticulous planning that she had been able to wrest away control of her own body again. But by then... it had been too late. So many dark-elves had already been infected.


    In order to keep the disease contained, she waited patiently for it to let its guard down. For seventy years it learned how to speak, plan, and plot like the dark elves. It had become the central pillar for the family of Kenod. And in return, it spread its disease so far among the kingdom of Montese.


    In a flash of brilliance and desperation Trisha forced the consciousness to make a mistake, and the infection was revealed. But before the disease could activate and absorb the energy of every vector ¨C Trisha made her move. She forced the consciousness of the grinning disease to become inseparable from herself, so it could not transfer its mind anywhere else. At least¡­ not completely. And then stalled it for long enough for the dark elves to make defensive measures, and to hunt down the Kenod lineage.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The infected could act as eyes and ears for the violently grinning consciousness - the disease waiting to absorb their life force and crush their minds like some kind of sleeper agent. But now that it was tied to her, it couldn''t live if she died.


    She was the core.


    And for many decades now, they had been stuck in this stalemate. Trapped deep underground.


    Trisha had tried on numerous occasions to kill herself¡­ and the disease with her. But it wouldn''t let her. It mocked her relentlessly, refusing to let her die. Even replaying the deaths of Tapestry over and over in her mind, hoping to break her. No matter how hard she tried, it had become extremely diligent over her well-being.


    She couldn''t even starve herself to death, the consciousness would just transfer some of its own stolen energy into her, sustaining her.


    Trisha knew that if she hadn''t been so gifted in the laws of soul, she would have simply become a tool in the hands of the grinning consciousness. She would have lost herself to it completely. Sometimes she wondered if that would have been a better life...


    But now¡­


    The image of Noone coming face to face with a Drider crossed her thoughts.


    He looked so strong¡­ carrying his axe like a statue of war. He moved swiftly, and with strength that was unnatural for someone of Tapestry. The light which glowed from Noone''s body was as pure as any attunement she had ever seen¡­


    "What!?" Her eyes shot open in shock, her heart beat violently within her emaciated chest, the image continued to play in her mind.


    "He has attunements?" She thought quickly. "How can that be? He was born without any abilities or affinity for the energy of the universe? He shouldn''t have those lines of power¡­. And why is his energy so pure and condensed!?" Trisha for the first time in a very long time, began to panic as her thoughts raced for an answer to this enigma.


    "I see you have thought of it too?" The grinning face laughed. "If I can devour him, that will give me more than enough energy to break free from these shackles you have tied me down with." A toothy mocking stare greeted her.


    Trisha''s resolve wavered for the first time. Was that true? Was Noone going to fall victim to the disease the same way Tapestry had? For a long time now, Trisha had assumed that the Common Heritage of The Ancestor would die with her¡­ but now she knew there was one more¡­ a candle of hope in the dreadful night.


    Suddenly, apropos of nothing¡­ Trisha began to chuckle. It was a small choke at first. Her lungs and throat cracked dryly. Then it got a little louder, and a little louder. Soon it had developed into a hoarse, throaty and full-bellied laugh.


    Her lips cracked and began bleeding, but she didn''t stop laughing. Her laughing grew louder filling the caverns with a sound unheard in decades. At some point the laughter had become a mixture and release of all the feelings she had felt for the 100 years.


    Hatred. Sorrow. Anger. Loathing. Remorse. It all began to flow out from her pained lungs in a manic release.


    For the very first time in a century, the grinning face of the disease which had evolved a will¡­ frowned.


    Without realizing it, Trisha''s soul which had given up all desire for life, was flooded with sudden warmth. She hated to admit it, but the feeling which was burning away at her¡­ was hope.


    She watched the image of Noone cutting off the drider''s head with a smile on her face. His pure white energy signifying that he had reached a level of evolution for the heritage of the ancestor.

 174. Her

    Back to the north, in a brightly lit city near the middle of the kingdom of Cinapul, a lone elderly figure stood on a balcony which overlooked the capital. A white and ancient gown sat regally upon his shoulders, flowing in the cool breeze.


    He was the grand-priest of the Cinapul branch of the Order of Life. An incredibly old and wise being who had watched over Cinapul for almost a century and a half. An extremely long lifespan for a human.


    Despite his regal looking silhouette, a frown hung on his face ruining his cool demeanor. He kneaded his fingers into his palms behind his back, staving off arthritis that had set in as consequence of his long life. The cool air caused his joints to ache, but yet he couldn''t bring himself to go inside. Not yet.


    Thirty minutes earlier he had received a communication linked to the messenger ring gifted to Tobias. A middle level paladin, and a very good man who had lived in service for the Order for decades. Initially he had thought it was Tobias merely being diligent in his reporting.


    The grand-priest had told Tobias on numerous occasions that he did not need to contact unless something notable occurred. He trusted the paladin to keep things in order after all.


    Nevertheless, ever diligent to his work, Tobias would provide regular updates, whether in need of help or not.


    The grand-priest knew that this was only due to Tobias''s nervousness about the assignment, and frankly he couldn''t blame him. If it weren''t for Her direct instructions, the grand-priest would have never sent a middle level paladin and student clerics on such an important assignment.


    But because it was a direct instruction, his hands were tied.


    "But I can''t be held responsible for anything that goes wrong." he had warned, eyes looking deeply at Her calm smile. She was completely unperturbed by everything around Her.


    After dispatching Tobias and the several students from the Burian Academy, all had proceeded smoothly for several months, and the grand-priests'' nerves had gradually calmed. He relaxed.


    This was until their party of five had passed through Stone-Eye on their way to the edge of the world. As if from nowhere, Tobias reported the death of two promising students ¨C two paladins ¨C at the hands of dark elves which had moved into the mountain at some in the last century.


    It was a disaster. He had fretted for several days before reporting the circumstances to Her.


    When he finally managed to get a hold of Her though ¨C She had merely smiled and looked right through him. She had told him that it was fine, and to continue the assignment. And then, much to his shock, She had requested that he bring two children into Tobias''s party.


    A young woman named Sarah, and a young man named Feylin. Two nobodies raised at the last city at the edge of the world - under a former Order enforcer called Jakobson. At first the grand-priest had wanted to question how She knew of them, but he realized what a ridiculous question that would be. She knew everything¡­


    He warned Her that bringing in even more inexperienced members would only decrease chance of the mission''s success ¨C but She just smiled at him in that all-knowing way.


    Thus, the grand-priest resigned himself again to Her will. Anything to receive what he was promised he thought¡­


    But now, an unacceptable hiccup had occurred, one that all-at-once caused his old blood to boil and a chill to crawl down his spine.


    He again glanced back into the room behind him.


    A woman, She sat there on his couch. Patiently. Waiting for his return. Next to her were her two ever-present students - her apprentices.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The grand-priest looked back out to the city. Even the cool chill of night wasn''t enough to make him want to return to that room just yet.


    When he had received the call from Tobias¡­ he knew something was wrong immediately when instead of Tobias, the image of Raelith Ringflower appeared in his thoughts.


    A frown appeared on his face. "Where is Tobias?" he asked unceremoniously.


    For Rae, this was her first time speaking so directly with the grand-priest. To her, who was still a student cleric of the Burian, Grand-Priest was a being which was too far removed from her level. She kept her head down respectfully.


    "I apologize Grand-Priest David¡­ Tobias has been killed d-during the seizure of Stone-Eye from the dark elves."


    Silence.


    "And what of the being you were supposed bring here?" His older voice was harsh and cold at this moment, nothing like what Raelith would expect of someone like him.


    "Noone has escaped¡­ for now!" She added quickly. "He is still within Stone-Eye though, so we will find him as we take the city." Stuttering over her words slightly, she managed to calm the grand-priests growing anxiety, if only slightly.


    "Alright young one. It is okay. I am very saddened by the loss of a paladin as precious and well-liked as Tobias. I will have to make sure his family is compensated well for their loss¡­" He let the words hang there for a moment. "Will you explain to me exactly how this happened?"


    The grand-priest listened carefully as Raelith explained the situation that had unfolded in the past day, as well as their plan to find Noone in the coming week.


    "A drider? So far north?" David thought to himself. But he shook that concern from his mind. That was not the biggest issue now.


    "Thank you Raelith for the report. As of now you will be the de-facto leader of your party in Tobias''s stead. Please make sure you preserve Tobias''s body properly so we can give him a generous burial here at the capital¡­ and when you find Noone¡­ be sure to restrain him properly. I look forward to good news from here out." Grand-Priest David hurried to cut off communications just as a fit of coughs caused him to double over. Light specks of blood sprinkling the white railing in front of him.


    The frown on his face deepened and he quickly conjured a delicate white flower from his spatial pouch and swallowed it whole. Finally, the pressure which had been building up in his body began to wane and a soothing magic washed through him, purifying his body.


    "Well¡­ I guess there''s no more putting it off." He thought to himself, silently looking back over his shoulder at Her. Out of the three beings in his office right now, She was the scariest, but She could also give him what he really, really, wanted.


    As the grand-priest turned around, he stomped his feet loudly and changed his frown to a scowl preparing to put on a show - storming back into the room.


    He huffed out a deep breath. Steam formed in the air in front of him. Loudly he returned into the room. His room.


    "This is your fault!" He scowled. "If you hadn''t forced me to send such a low-level team to retrieve your precious creature, I would have never lost such an important paladin to our Order! You sabotaged this mission from the very beginning, didn''t you? Ordering us to retrieve those two youth after we lost two important Burian students to the dark elves?" He pointed an accusatory finger at the calm figure sitting on the couch¡­


    Or that''s what he had been intending.


    Instead¡­ he froze as soon as he entered the room. His body shivered and he looked right into the holes where Her eyes would have been ¨C but instead only the void existed. There was no overwhelming pressure locking him down, or cosmic fear that caused him to lock up, and yet he couldn''t move. Not once he had met her impossible gaze.


    The woman on the couch smiled gently and then picked up a teacup in front of her, sipping from it delicately without shifting her gaze.


    "Weird." The grand-priest thought groggily. "I don''t remember getting her tea¡­"


    "I take it the being I sent you to retrieve has escaped, David?" The woman''s voice was soft and mesmerizing. There was an inhuman quality to it that made it reverberate through any room.


    Suddenly the old man was shaken out of his stupor. The bravado he had prepared when he entered the room had completely withered up into dust, blowing away in the gentle breeze that seemed to follow Her wherever She went.


    "Yes. I am afraid you are correct. Tobias ¨C the paladin you had me send - died to a Drider within Stone-Eye and... Noone has escaped." He sighed, doing his best to retain what dignity he had left as a level 18 cleric. " However, he should be trapped within Stone-Eye now, so those left will capture him in the process of taking the city." He quickly added, not wanting Her to think he had failed yet.


    But the next words out of Her mouth caused him to shiver in fear.

 175. A Familiar Cast

    "There''s no need for that anymore." She smiled softly, setting down the teacup so gently that only the smallest clink of glass against glass could be heard.


    However, to Grand-Priest David, that small clink may well have been the sound of the world rending itself apart. He quickly tried to form words but anything he wanted to say became a frog in his throat. His eyes widened, and he panicked, looking back and forth between her two apprentices and Her.


    "W-Wait! We had a deal. I did everything you asked! If you had let me send a high-level party ¨C or even just a party of more than clerics¡­ this wasn''t my fault! And there''s still a chance of finding him!" He managed to stutter out. The grand-priest couldn''t let go of this opportunity. If she could really heal him¡­


    "Hmm." The woman smiled playfully, a finger coming to her chin in mock thought, lips slightly pout. "I suppose that is true¡­ However, you are wrong about one thing." She chuckled. "There''s no chance of finding him anymore. At least not for a while."


    "What do you mean?" The grand-priests old and tired gaze was frantic for answers. He couldn''t understand this woman.


    "Well. There''s no harm in telling you now I suppose. He should have ended up meeting a wizard on the way, and due to that chance encounter - the wizard would end up providing him with an escape. Although that''s as much as I am able to see." Her playful tone had calmed, and she settled back into Her usual sweet voice.


    "I was really hoping to avoid this eventuality¡­ even going so far to kill off two of your Orders clerics to force a meeting between him and that Sarah¡­" She sighed. "There was a higher than zero chance of him falling in love with her and traveling back with her to the Capital¡­ that would have been the best recourse." Slowly, her thoughts became musings, revealing things that caused the grand-priest to shudder, his face paling.


    "Diviner''s¡­" He thought. "They''re too dangerous."


    "Oh." She paused, remembering something. The playful and innocent smile returning to her eye-less face. "That means you still have a chance with him Adria. How delightful!" She teased.


    One of her two apprentices blushed, her face growing to match her red hair, but she said nothing. However, the suppressed excitement could be seen in her young eyes. Underneath her cloak, red lines of power glowed gently with fire energy.


    Adria turned to glance at the other apprentice. They made eye contact for a moment. He gave her well-meaning smile as if to say, ''good for you, Adria.'' But underneath it, she could see his ever-present depression which was always just under the surface.


    She didn''t let his melancholy infect her though, and a small smile played on her lips. She couldn''t wait till she was able to meet Noone again¡­ it had been so long.


    "So you knew this was a possibility¡­ please Elize. We had a deal, I did everything you asked. Please, if you have it¡­ I need it. This poison grows worse by the day." The grand-priest, noticing the shift in tone, made another plea.


    "How many petals do you have left in your little pouch there?" Elize smiled delicately at the old man.


    "Only a few thousand flowers¡­ that will last me only ten more years¡­ Please. If it weren''t for this poison, I would easily be able to live three hundred years. I''m supposed to be the next inheritor!" he cried.


    "A few thousands¡­ just how many lives did you have to uproot in order to obtain so many?" She tisked, shaking her head and admonishing him. "You know that many very important people would kill for just a single petal? I suppose that''s the benefit of rising so close to the peak though¡­ if only you could have advanced one more level." She shook her head again.


    "I wonder¡­ did you ever stop to think about why you aren''t able to dispel the poison with even your gods'' best miracles?" Elize said calmly.


    The grand-priest didn''t know how to respond.


    "Well. No matter. I suppose you did do everything I asked. Never let it be said that I don''t live up to my promises. Although you failed to deliver Noone here, I will not deny you what is yours."


    The eye-less beauty waved her hand out and a single delicate orb appeared in her palm from a storage ring on her finger. It floated from her palm, landing in the open hands of the grand-priest.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Immediately the old man gasped as he felt the poison within his body recoil away from the odd pill he was now holding.


    "It''s real!" His eyes shined, looking down at his hands. It took everything in his power not to down the pill immediately then and there.


    "Thank you! Oh thank you kind diviner! With this I will be able to live out the next century and a half in peace¡­ then I will be able to ascend!" Almost mad with glee, the old man bowed his head to the floor.


    "Not at all. Think of it as me returning your favor, and a parting gift." Elize smiled gently. "Now I really must be going. I am quite busy with the future after all." She mused to herself, chuckling. "We can make our own way out."


    As she said that, the space around her warped slightly, bending light within the room and condensing it. When it finally returned to normal, Elize the Diviner and her two apprentices were nowhere to be seen.


    The scowl immediately returned to the grand-priest''s face. He had come to realize why She ¨C A diviner who had lived for a thousand years ¨C was so dangerous to work with. Anyone trying to control the future like her¡­ they were only asking for trouble. Something as vast as fate couldn''t be moved by mortals after all. That was left to the Immortal Gods.


    When he looked down at his palm though, his mood lifted.


    ¡­


    Just outside of the Capital on a nearby hill a dainty and delicate woman with no eyes appeared, as did Adria, her athletic and feminine appearance unable to be hidden by her long overcoat, and a tall thin scholarly-looking man who always wore a slightly melancholic expression.


    Adria looked around for a moment before recognizing where they were.


    "Why are we here?" She asked Elize, who was watching a particularly tall tower at the center of the Capital.


    Elize smiled softly. "To see what choice he makes, of course."


    Adria knew that was all the mysterious diviner would say on the matter, so instead of prying for answers she gave the other apprentice a look, imploring him to explain.


    "Oh¡­ that''s right. You weren''t there at the time¡­ You see¡­" His eyes looked towards the capital, a flash of pity could be seen. "Within the Order of Life, there are those who are blessed to achieve the highest state of being ¨C ascension. It is well recorded that in order to achieve ascension ¨C regardless of race ¨C you must achieve level 19 within the two lifetimes allotted to you by joining¡­ If that''s the path you choose anyways. Usually this means crossing level 10 by the time you turn an adult."


    Adria''s eyes widened. That''s no easy feat. Especially not for humans with such short lifespans.


    "It''s extremely difficult and rare. Usually there is only 1 case per century ¨C give or take ¨C of someone with that level of talent or blessing emerging. Well¡­ when David was young he had that talent. But he failed to cross level 10 by the time he became an adult." The thin man sighed. "In an act of desperation ¨C he struck a deal with a dubious god. This god offered him three human lifetimes¡­ in exchange for a favor if he managed to ascend." Adria nodded. Listening carefully.


    "Of course, no one knew about this except Elize¡­ and over the last century and a half he has managed to achieve an amazing amount. Except for this one deal he had made, by all accounts he had lived an exemplary life ¨C as evidenced by the level he achieved.


    But as he tried to push through to the next level, the grand priest suddenly developed a poison ¨C or maybe a disease. And it was one that he was unable to cure. Even with his immense power and ability to harness the will of the gods, he only continued to grow more and more sick."


    Adria frowned at this. "There shouldn''t be any sickness that a level 18 cleric of life can''t heal though? Right?" As she thought of incurable sicknesses, a memory of a hundred-year-old past flashed in her mind. A memory which haunted her. She frowned slightly before shaking her head, pushing the memory out. Not right now, she thought.


    Elize smiled. "That''s exactly right. The only poison that can''t be dispelled at that level¡­ is one given by the gods themselves."


    Adria''s eyes widened. She started to understand the whole picture.


    "The sickness slowly ate away at him¡­ body and mind." The tall figure added.


    "So then that pill?" Adria asked.


    "It will cure him." Elize smiled.


    "But¡­ at what cost." The thin figures eyes narrowed as he looked back and forth between Elize and the city.


    Suddenly, a flash of light a million times brighter than the sun appeared at the center of Cinapul''s capital. In less than a blink of an eye, the entire world around the city became so bright that it pierced through the walls of the city. Everything was bathed in white light.


    The light was so powerful that it caused Adria to lose her breath, her entire body felt like it was being pierced through.


    It took a few minutes, but when the white light began to fade, Elize and Adria both looked out onto the city ¨C and the tower they had been in moments before ¨C only to see that it was now no more than a smoldering pit of ash.


    "Pity." Elize said, however her expression did not change.


    "What¡­" Adria was at a loss for words.


    "The gods gave him the poison as punishment for blaspheming against them and trying to cheat his way to ascension." The tall figure spoke, sadness on his voice.


    "So, in taking the pill to cure himself¡­ he only fell further from grace?" Adria clarified¡­ her heart was relatively calm as she watched smoke rise up into the night sky from the ruins of the tower.


    "It really is a pity." Elize sighed. "If he had embraced his own death and recognized his mistake instead of trying to fight back against it, they would have removed the poison and healed him at the last moment, allowing him to achieve ascension. It was only because he was too attached to this life that he lost his way." She shook her head.


    "Alright. Let us depart. We have some golden tribesman to talk to about a coat after all." Her dainty voice resumed its usual calm.


    "Let''s go Adria. Liter." She said, before flashing out of existence with her two apprentices.


    The city stirred in chaos, but on that hill only a calm breeze floated past.


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    [BOOK 1: END]

 Intermission 1: NEWS ABOUT BOOK 1 & 2

    Things to address:


    ? Support and thanks


    ? Vote/rate/review


    ? Amazon Paperback/kindle


    ? Patreon new & old


    ? Links


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    Support and Thanks!


    Hi everyone! Whether you are a reader old who struggled through the original drip feed of chapters¡­ or a new reader who has joined with the influx of re-uploads, welcome to the chaos :P


    I really must say that for me, personally, this has been such an amazing journey of highs and lows. I am not disillusioned with my own writing. I know I am not the worst ¨C but I am also well aware that I am not the best by any means, even in the community of freelance online writers. So the fact that so many of you take the time to read A Hand-Woven Universe not only blows my mind but also makes me so happy. Although it might be a long endeavor ¨C I will continue the story of Noone and Tapestry all the way to the end.


    Promise.


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    Vote/Rate/Review


    Obviously on all websites where this is uploaded, they have a system in place to help rank the stories. I won¡¯t beg too much, but please consider doing whatever it is to bring this story a larger audience!


    On WN this means voting everyday ¨C if you feel so inclined, and leaving a review.


    On RR this means leaving a rating and review.


    I plan to upload soon on MQ as well!


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    Amazon Paperback/Kindle


    After a multi-month haitus¡­ I am proud to announce that Silence In Tapestry, Book 1 of A Hand-Woven Universe, is for sale on Amazon!


    If you enjoyed book 1 enough to consider purchasing a paperback copy, then I would like to give you my thanks now just for  the simple fact that you took the time to read all the way to that point. However, the paperback copy is not perfect. I had to do all of the writing, editing, and formatting myself. This means its quality will not be the MOST professional it could have been. For this I apologize, but for what it is ¨C I am happy with it. Flaws and all.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.If you would just like to support me but don¡¯t want to spend the money to purchase a paperback, please consider buying a kindle copy! It¡¯s far cheaper and I will receive about the same profit from either due to Amazon¡¯s royalty agreement.


    Thank you all for being so patient with me getting this whole thing together. I know a lot of worries were going around about whether or not I would be back. Well, I am!


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    Patreon: New and Old.


    For those of you who have been supporting me on Patreon (even through the hiatus¡­) Thank you. I honestly can not express my feelings on this properly through words alone ¨C which really calls into question my efficacy as a writer. Nevertheless, I hope you all are prepared for book 2!


    For anyone who might want to support me in a way other than Amazon ¨C consider my patreon! I will be changed the tiers a little bit to make it more enticing. Here¡¯s what you can expect:


    ?Even more advanced chapters per tier


    ? The ability to create major/minor characters for the story


    ? Patreon-Specific discord tag!


    ? patreon-Specific Q&A¡¯s


    ? Special mention in any books produced


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    I hope you all are preparing yourselves for book 2! I have quite a bit of outlining just to keep it flowing well. But I am equally excited to bring the story in my mind, to the page.