《Crucible Aeternum》


 Chapter 1 - Meteor Rain

    The heavens wailed as its tears streaked down, the incandescent trails lighting up the dark sky in a luminous show of grand force. They were a beauty never before seen as their prismatic lights evoked mystical auroras that painted the skies in a myriad of colours, welcoming them like divine curtains upon the world stage.


    Their entrance was a memorable thing, never fading from the minds of those who witnessed it, both for the good and the bad that they brought. They crashed onto the surface of the world, but their impacts were not nearly as cataclysmic as their sizes would have suggested.


    Through their descent, their masses seemingly fizzled out into ash being scattered in the atmosphere. What was left were the cores that landed with little impact, but introduced an entirely alien substance into the world. The cores acted like seeds that quickly spread their luminescent roots through the ground in the form of fissures and alien rock formations.


    This was the beginning of the Prisma Era in a world called Corrin.


    Over the course of a millennium, the people of the world were affected greatly by the emergence of the alien mineral called Prisma. The dark crystalline mineral emitting mystical light of many different colours had practically infected the entire world.


    The lands were practically devoured or shifted out of place by new ones made of Prisma and other native rocks and minerals of the world. The waters of the world were not spared, gaining a luminescent glow to them especially at night. And worse yet, the air was practically mixed with tiny particles of Prisma.


    Naturally, all these changes brought about even greater changes to the living beings of the world. An evolution on a global scale occurred at the same time as the latest mass extinction event that wiped out all those who could not adapt and evolve.


    The humans, once divided by nationality and culture, were now even worse off as they started dividing themselves further based on their new characteristics


    Some looked the same as before with the addition of new supernatural abilities. Others had grown animal traits like fur, serpentine eyes, feathered wings or horns. Others yet looked completely alien, even having rocky protrusions and other strange things on their bodies.


    But these discriminations did not last long as throughout the course of a thousand years, smaller waves of the same meteor rain came intermittently. The disasters they caused, albeit far smaller in scale than the first one, had still pushed humanity''s progress backward again and again.


    So in the end, the people tended to gather into independent city states and organisations. One such organisation was the Navalli Corporation whose businesses stretched out to many different fields, but most importantly, mining.


    The Prisma is the only known mineral in the world that is easily sustainable as it is like a living organism, growing swiftly with time. Even if humanity managed to mine over half of the entire surface yield of Prisma, that amount would be replenished by another year or so. And that was not including the underground veins.


    In a luxurious room hidden somewhere in Corrin, a secret meeting between the Board of Directors of the Navalli Corporation was being held. Despite the luxury of their surroundings, however, none of the six board members left their seats to roam about. In fact, they were not even there in person.


    What could be seen gathered around a round table were holographic silhouettes of the board members, the details of their figures and faces completely obscured. This was to ensure strict confidentiality to the point that it would not be strange if even these board members themselves did not know the true identities of each other or the shareholders.


    After a few hours of discussion on many things both important and miscellaneous, one of the board members suddenly spoke up. Although their voices were mildly distorted, there was an obvious femininity to its curious tone.


    "Silver, it''s been twenty years since the start of your little experiment. How''s it been going?"


    "Nothing significant to report yet. To begin with, it was a mere whim. The hypothesis that started it wasn''t even something that would''ve passed peer reviews for at least another century¡­ or three."Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "So you''re making excuses now? Since when were you so cowardly?"


    "I''m not making any excuses, Ruby. I''m saying that it will take time to yield results."


    "That is if it will even yield any result, Silver. Do not forget that it was a precious Prisma core that you used on that experiment. ''They'' are expecting results¡­ sooner rather than later. You know the consequences of squandering resources, don''t you?"


    The man named Silver fell silent, choosing not to engage Ruby in this battle that he knew he would not win. Ruby was correct this time, after all. Silver had sought permission to use a precious Prisma core, the very meteorite that spread Prisma to the world.


    It was only from one of the latest waves from about fifty years ago, meaning it was small. But size did not truly matter when it came to Prisma as even a core the size of a fist could power an entire industrial complex for ten years and that was when it was being drained of all its energy constantly, leaving it no room to replenish and grow.


    Considering that fact, Silver knew there was very little chance that he would get approval and thus used one of the rewards he got for a great achievement he had made. He asked for the Prisma core to be his reward and promised results.


    It was obvious from this alone that this was more than just a whim for him. This was something he was fully invested in. His superiors agreed on the condition that he must give them tangible results or a progress report every five years, but he has so far been unable to meet it. ''Their'' patience was wearing thin, and Silver could feel it hanging over his neck like a thirsty blade.


    "Please give me time. We have observed that the subject is now approaching the threshold we have been expecting years ago. ''They'' will have the results that we have all been waiting for soon, I swear."


    Silver''s tone became submissive as he realised how dangerous his current position was. He may be a member of the Board of Directors, but in the eyes of the true powers of this company, he was no more than a lizard''s tail that can be easily cut off should he prove useless.


    And in the case of Navalli, being cut off was basically a death sentence, especially considering his position made him privy to many company secrets that cannot be allowed to leak. Ruby stared at him silently for a while, the air around her seemingly that of amusement. Silver could not help but think that she might have known the truth about the lies he had just uttered.


    "You have three months, Silver. Surely you can produce the results that you''re expecting within this first quarter, no? Tick tock."


    With those words, Ruby''s holographic figure disappeared as she left the meeting without even waiting for it to officially end. The other board members who have been silent for a while now exchanged glances before leaving one by one.


    Before long, Silver was alone in the luxurious conference room seemingly deep in thought. After a few minutes, however, he seemed to have come to a decision as his holographic figure raised its head and clapped once.


    "Director Silver, do you have need of me?"


    From the shadows of on one of the dark corners of the conference room, a man walked out into the light to stand beside Silver. He looked neat and tidy with a business suit and serious yet somehow cunning face. The glasses he wore further enhanced the air of a strict and disciplined man while the rocky protrusion on the right side of his forehead gave him a dangerous look.


    "What''s the latest report on the hunt?"


    "The trail has mostly gone cold, but we might have found a clue, though its veracity is questionable at best."


    "Anything is acceptable at this point. What is it?"


    "We have heard whispers of the Concord, Sir. It must be them."


    Silver turned to look at the man in the business suit after hearing the surety in his voice. The Concord was something of a legend in the lands of Corrin that came about as a result of the near extinction of the human race due to the first meteor rain.


    It was said that it was the Concord that spearheaded the migration of the surviving humanity into independent city states and organisation to preserve what was left rather than tear each other down based on differences in appearance.


    They were also rumoured to have caused many shifts in human society over the course of the millennium. They were supposedly a secret society that seemed to control the world in the palm of their hands, moulding it to their liking. Naturally, many believe these were just the ramblings of conspiracy theorists and warmongers, but only those with real power and authority knew the truth.


    The Concord did exist. And their power was unknown. This was precisely why many people in the upper echelons of human society were afraid of them, the hidden tyrants slinking in the shadows.


    "You said its veracity was questionable at best."


    "Indeed, Sir. But again, this is the Concord we''re talking about. The simple mention of them should already put us on high alert regardless of whether there is any truth to it or not."


    "Damn it! Those meddling cowards could be anywhere by now! Kincaid, I want you to focus on this hunt, but try not to draw the attention of the other Directors. I''ll try to prepare for the fallout. What''s important is that you find it and bring it back whether dead or alive. As long as we have it, our heads will at least not fly."


    The man in the business suit named Kincaid bowed in assent as Silver''s holographic figure disappeared from the conference room. After a few seconds, Kincaid straightened his back, his eyes flashing with a sharp cold light as he looked toward Silver''s seat in disdain.


    He then walked over to the head of the round conference table and sat down as though he owned the place. He gazed at nothing at all as he sat silently in the empty room, his thoughts known only to himself.

 Chapter 2 - Vaulkeens End

    Vaulkeen''s End


    It was an expansive field of rock formations. There was no vegetation in this area as the ground itself seemed to be made of minerals, metals and other things that most people could not even bother identifying.


    One would expect many people to be flocking toward it to mine, but it was in fact the opposite. People avoid it like the plague. The name speaks for itself. Vaulkeen''s End was the site of a tragedy dating back about five hundred years ago.


    A man named Vaulkeen led a group of warriors to establish a city in this region that was outside the influence of others. They were a free folk and thus did not want to be chained down by anyone. When they arrived in this region, they loved the paradisiacal environment that seemed free of Prisma. It reminded them of the old Corrin from before this infectious mineral spread everywhere.


    They founded their city, the Free City of Therion. They wanted to embrace being what they were, wild and free animals who roamed the lands. The city was initially small and relatively unknown until tragedy struck when a new wave of meteor rain came.


    One of the meteorites fell several tens of miles outside the city, turning it into this strange apocalyptic landscape of rocks and Prisma. But that was not the end of it. The animals that originally inhabited the area were turned into something else, mutant and savage beasts that charged toward Therion like a surging tide.


    Vaulkeen and his brothers stood at the frontlines, fighting the beast tide to their last breaths. They succeeded in culling practically 70% of all the beasts who were then forced to retreat back into the forests made of rocks. And Vaulkeen and his brothers were honoured as heroes.


    The beasts, who have already developed intelligence enough to understand that further sieges would only wipe them out, remained within the stone forests, marking it as their territory.


    Since then, the Free City of Therion became a hub of wanderers and warriors, becoming one of the safest places in the world and also one of the strongest.


    Although the city itself was smaller than the independent states or the commercial cities of companies like Navalli, no one would dare attempt to wage war against Therion as their military might would likely be above any other just from the sheer number of wanderers and warriors who treat it as their safe haven.


    In the vast field of Vaulkeen''s End, one would hear a cacophony of noises ranging from the ever-shifting earth to the sounds of beasts that inhabit the region. But on one particular day, under the dark morning sky covered by thick clouds that no doubt carried Prisma dust, a different sound mixed in among them.


    It was a low and smooth hum that persisted for seemingly forever. It was relatively silent, seemingly eager to keep its presence from being discovered. If one were to look from sky, they would find a subtle trail of dust racing across Vaulkeen''s End.


    It was a slick black hoverbike moving at speeds that would definitely not be allowed inside a city. Clearly it was customised for traversing the outer wilds where not only mutated beasts were the sole danger, but even scavengers and monsters spawned from Prisma.


    Riding the hoverbike was a man wearing a white long coat flapping in the wind as he sped away on the open field. Beneath his coat was a combat suit made of synthetic Prisma alloys that looked like black glass. His head was hidden behind a helmet made of similar materials and seemed connected to the rest of his suit. There were no features on his helmet, leaving it a plain black glassy surface.


    The man was about an hour away from Therion and was just now truly entering the wild territory of Vaulkeen''s End. In his vision, there were a few holographic displays that read:


    [The Guild has received a special commission.]


    [Contractor G413 has been specifically requested by the client.]


    [Commission: Search and retrieve]


    [Client: Valerian Emporium]


    [Commission details: Search for an unidentified object around the designated location. Retrieval is a must.]


    [Note: The object is of unknown nature. Its danger levels are undefined. Care is greatly advised when handling the object.]You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    [Note: This commission is time-sensitive. The client has requested its completion ASAP. Time limit given is twenty-four hours.]


    [Note: In the event that the object is not found or retrieval is impossible, the Contractor must report to the client in person for debriefing.]


    The man checked the miniature map on his holographic display showing Vaulkeen''s End as well as his distance to the designated area for the commission. It was barely eight in the morning, but the man was already forced to get out of the city to work. He glanced at the time limit he was given before closing all of the displays other than the map.


    It was not his first time receiving a time sensitive commission. In fact, this particular one seems rather generous compared to others where he was given barely half a day to complete. But considering who the client was, the man was assured that he would receive proper payment.


    The Valerian Emporium was among the most well-known business establishments in the Free City of Therion. They have a wide range of merchandise for sale whose prices were enough to put most people in debt for at least a few years. That was how valuable their commodities were. This meant they had a reputation to uphold. Plus, no one would dare cheat on The Guild, especially when it came to commissions.


    The Guild was an organisation created by wanderers and warriors following the demise of Vaulkeen and his brothers. They carried on their legacy of freedom and valiance by working as a new age of mercenaries, lawful and devoted to the prosperity of human society.


    They did not tolerate crime, especially when it was within Therion and The Guild itself. They acted as a sort of police force within the city, keeping everything and everyone clean of the filth that plagued ancient human nations from before the Prisma Era. They also valued honour and integrity, carefully screening each person who wished to join them to become Contractors.


    Of course, there were independent contractors not affiliated with The Guild, but they were not well-trusted. It was to the point that if anyone claimed to be a Contractor and they were found to not be from The Guild, they would find it difficult to get a proper commission.


    The Guild may have started out in Therion where their main headquarters was, but their influence had surely spread all over the world after so many years. Their creed carries not only their reputation, but also the responsibility of upholding Vaulkeen''s legacy.


    But of course, not everyone truly cared for this legacy as much as others. This Contractor G413 was one such person. As long as he abided by the rules and the creed, he would have a steady and reliable supply of commissions that will allow him to continue his otherwise sedentary lifestyle. So why would he want to break that when comfort was in the palm of his hand?


    Checking his minimap once more, the Contractor found that he was closing in on the designated area. He was about twenty minutes away based on his current speed, but already he could sense something unusual.


    His current location in Vaulkeen''s End was a no man''s land outside the stone forest. It was a sort of buffer zone between beasts and Therion City. It was very rare for beasts to come to this place, and usually it was for very specific reasons like territorial wars or a beast tide. But today, the Contractor found quite a number of beasts gathering in the area.


    He was fifteen minutes away from the designated area now, and the beasts were beginning to notice his presence. There were several different variations of them, ranging from wolves to foxes to deers. These species would normally not be gathered in one area like this without ending up in a bloody fight, but they all seemed to be facing a single direction further ahead.


    The Contractor pressed a button on his hoverbike and a secret compartment behind him opened up to reveal a sheathed sword. He would not wait for these beasts to bare their fangs at him as he pulled the sword out, holding it in one hand while driving with the other.


    The beasts acted exactly as he thought they would, pouncing on him with a wild ferocity sharpened further by a growing intelligence. Still, their intelligence was not enough or else they would not have jumped toward a speeding bike.


    The Contractor tilted his hoverbike to the left, skidding through the air about a meter over the dark stone ground as though tempting gravity to take him under. The bike acted like a shield, its underside that released a pseudo-gravitational flux repelled those unlucky enough to be hit, making them fly some distance away, crashing into the rough and jagged surface of the stone ground.


    His sword drew a line on the ground as its tip barely touched while the hoverbike drifted into a spin. The sparks caused by the sword temporarily blinded and scared some of the meeker beasts, but the Contractor soon swung it around as he fixed his bike''s orientation.


    A few swings of the sword and a number of beasts'' heads fell to the ground as he sped on ahead. The commotion naturally attracted the attention of the beasts further ahead and some charged toward him only to be met with a similar fate. The more intelligent ones immediately fled, not wanting to contend with the man who was clearly just toying with them.


    Most of these beasts were hunters so they could recognise a fellow hunter when they saw one. And this man was a fearsome hunter.


    Finally, most of the beasts had fled or died allowing the Contractor to close in on the designated area for the commission which also happened to be the source of the unusual gathering of beasts in the area. When he arrived, the first thing he saw was a small crater of about five meters in diameter.


    He got off his hoverbike, left his coat on it and walked toward the edge until he saw what was at the centre of the crater. There, at the bottom, was an incomprehensible thing. It looked like a rock, but it was also moving albeit slowly.


    He instantly knew that this was what the commission was about.

 Chapter 3 - Vernal Bloom

    The Contractor did not descend immediately. He was a methodical man, especially when it came to things that involved unknown danger.


    The commission said that this thing''s danger level was undefined and that its nature was unknown. He could understand why that was the case just by looking at it. But more importantly, this thing seemed to have come from a meteorite judging by the crater and the broken pieces of burnt rocks within the crater.


    This was unsettling because although meteorites were a common thing in ancient Corrin, the advent of Prisma seemed to have changed everything. No meteorite would appear without some kind of connection to Prisma. In fact, almost all recorded meteorites in the last millennium were Prisma.


    It was understandable why he was wary of getting close to this thing. But the more he looked at it, the more he realised that this unidentified object could not be Prisma. After all, he was intimately familiar with what a Prisma Core, the material that comes from the Prisma meteorites that spreads Prisma, looks like.


    Still, prudence was a virtue he strived to carve onto his very being. Still standing at the edge of the crater, he activated his suit''s other functions. One was to analyse the level of radiation in the area, another was to identify the object. Although he did not have much expectations for the latter, he still wanted to try.


    As expected, he was not able to match the object to anything in The Guild''s database. There was also little to no radiation in the surroundings. In fact, it was suspiciously clean to the point that even Prismatic Radiation, that which stems from Prisma, seemed to have vanished within the immediate vicinity.


    This was undoubtedly ridiculous considering the fact that the entirety of Vaulkeen''s End was created by Prisma. How was it possible for there to be a singular tiny spot in it where Prismatic Radiation seemed to have disappeared?


    The Contractor could only think of one possible cause for this, but it still did not make much sense to him. Seeing that there was not any obvious danger, he decided to descend the crater. He walked toward the object to examine it more closely and understand just how the hell he was going to retrieve it.


    Like he had noticed earlier, the object was definitely moving, albeit slowly. It was the size of a baby''s fist. Its shape was that of a seed that seemed to be peeling layers of itself off as some protrusions from below it continued to stretch little by little outward. Of course, all of these were strange because the thing was made of rock.


    More accurately, it looked to be crystalline in nature with a faint light from deep within it creating a subtle glow of interchanging colours. One moment it was white, the next it was green. And then it was gold, and then blue and then pink.


    If he did not know better, the Contractor would have definitely thought it was a Prisma Core. But he knew for a fact that this was not a Prisma Core. For one, Prisma Cores do not move. Or at least, no one has ever seen them move outside of spreading more Prisma in the surroundings.


    The Contractor could not make heads or tails of the unidentified object. He sighed as he gave up trying to figure out what it was. Even if he was wary of the possible dangers it posed from making contact with it or even just being within its vicinity, that was what his suit was for. It was not just purely a combat suit as it was also an all-purpose survival suit.


    He trusted in the efficacy of its design and decided to leave the studying of this object to the client. In any case, he expected to hear what it was when it came time for Valerian Emporium to auction it off. So he reached out his hand to lift the seed-like crystalline object and put it in a container, but the moment he touched it, something happened that caused him to panic.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The moment his finger barely made contact with its surface, the crystalline seed seemed to have turned into a liquid. It latched onto his finger and creeped up his hand to his arm. It tried finding a way in, but there were no gaps on his suit.


    After his initial scare and seeing that the strange liquid seemed to have settled down to just clinging onto his entire left arm and shoulder, practically coating him in a strange liquid that glowed of a myriad colours, he sighed in relief. But he soon regretted having done so too early.


    The strange liquid did not give up. When it realised that there were no openings with which to enter his suit, it began vaporizing. At first, he thought it was finally gone until he felt a particularly cold prickle from many different points across the length of his arm and shoulder. He instantly realised that the damn thing must have found a way to pass through even though it made no sense.


    The cold sting grew in numbers as they soon spread toward his chest to his other arm and down his torso. Eventually, his entire body seemed to be drowning in needles as he felt the cold stinging pain all over, even inside his head.


    At this point, the Contractor was overcome with horror and panic. He immediately opened up his suit to check his body. His helmet seemed to fold out before sliding into the rest of his suit, completely freeing his head without the need of actually taking off the helmet.


    The other parts of his suit also soon followed, folding and sliding into layers of glassy black material that all converged into a vest covering his torso. He took the vest off and was just short of tearing his shirt underneath apart just to see what had happened to his body.


    When he finally saw his skin underneath his shirt, he was stunned. While the rest of his body were the same as any human''s, his chest was evidently not.


    Right at the centre of his chest was a familiar rock shard embedded into it, glowing faintly with a myriad colours. This was familiar because he always had this thing. And unlike others who mutated into having animal traits or some minor rock protrusions in some parts of their bodies, the Contractor had a literal Prisma Core in his chest. That was how he knew that the object was not a Prisma Core in the first place.


    What was different this time, however, was that his Prisma core seemed to have shrunk a tiny bit, about a few centimetres at most. However, as though to compensate that, there were now strange tattoos around it.


    The tattoos seemed to be of the same material as the object he had touched. It was also faintly glowing with a myriad of colours almost synchronising with his Prisma Core. The patterns of the tattoos did not seem to be anything of significance as they mostly stretched out like veins toward the direction of his four limbs.


    He was so shocked at seeing this that he seemed to have forgotten about the cold stinging pain that had by now dissipated. It was then that something else happened.


    He heard it in his mind. He felt in the depths of his being like an intuitive and instinctive understanding. And he saw it in his vision as holographic displays similar to the one he had with his helmet on began appearing.


    [Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom has been assimilated.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has bound its existence to yours.]


    [The Vernal Bloom is altering your existence to promote absolute growth.]


    [Innate active traits detected: 1 (Photosensitivity)]


    [Innate dormant traits detected: 2 (Heightened Regeneration | Prisma Core)]


    [Dormant traits have been activated.]


    The moment this latest notification appeared, the Contractor felt a sudden surge of pain coming from his chest as though his heart was beating so fast that it was about to burst. It was so excruciating that he could not even scream in pain and instead keeled over, gasping for breath.


    It did not last long, however, as the Prisma Core on his chest began glowing brighter and brighter. It was not bright enough to match a torch, but at least it was not like a dim light like before. The Contractor felt a strange whirring in his chest as though an engine had come to life within him. The light of the Prisma Core seemed to follow the rhythm of his breathing, glowing brighter when he inhaled and dimming a little when he exhaled.


    The Contractor did not have the mind to pay this little detail, however. He was just glad that the pain was gone. But it seems that the notifications were not done with him yet.


    [Decide the trajectory of your growth.]


    [Photosensitivity: You have lived in fear of light not knowing that it is your greatest ally. You have greater affinity with the light element.]


    [Branch A | Photosynthesis: You no longer need to fear the light for it is your guardian and your keeper. Heal injuries and ailments through the continuous absorption of light. Cannot recover missing body parts nor resurrect from death.]


    [Branch B | Photokinesis: You no longer need to fear the light for it is yours to command and wield. Manipulate light in the surroundings. Generate light to a lesser extent.]

 Chapter 4 - Skill Trees (1)

    The Contractor did not descend immediately. He was a methodical man, especially when it came to things that involved unknown danger.


    The commission said that this thing''s danger level was undefined and that its nature was unknown. He could understand why that was the case just by looking at it. But more importantly, this thing seemed to have come from a meteorite judging by the crater and the broken pieces of burnt rocks within the crater.


    This was unsettling because although meteorites were a common thing in ancient Corrin, the advent of Prisma seemed to have changed everything. No meteorite would appear without some kind of connection to Prisma. In fact, almost all recorded meteorites in the last millennium were Prisma.


    It was understandable why he was wary of getting close to this thing. But the more he looked at it, the more he realised that this unidentified object could not be Prisma. After all, he was intimately familiar with what a Prisma Core, the material that comes from the Prisma meteorites that spreads Prisma, looks like.


    Still, prudence was a virtue he strived to carve onto his very being. Still standing at the edge of the crater, he activated his suit''s other functions. One was to analyse the level of radiation in the area, another was to identify the object. Although he did not have much expectations for the latter, he still wanted to try.


    As expected, he was not able to match the object to anything in The Guild''s database. There was also little to no radiation in the surroundings. In fact, it was suspiciously clean to the point that even Prismatic Radiation, that which stems from Prisma, seemed to have vanished within the immediate vicinity.


    This was undoubtedly ridiculous considering the fact that the entirety of Vaulkeen''s End was created by Prisma. How was it possible for there to be a singular tiny spot in it where Prismatic Radiation seemed to have disappeared?


    The Contractor could only think of one possible cause for this, but it still did not make much sense to him. Seeing that there was not any obvious danger, he decided to descend the crater. He walked toward the object to examine it more closely and understand just how the hell he was going to retrieve it.


    Like he had noticed earlier, the object was definitely moving, albeit slowly. It was the size of a baby''s fist. Its shape was that of a seed that seemed to be peeling layers of itself off as some protrusions from below it continued to stretch little by little outward. Of course, all of these were strange because the thing was made of rock.


    More accurately, it looked to be crystalline in nature with a faint light from deep within it creating a subtle glow of interchanging colours. One moment it was white, the next it was green. And then it was gold, and then blue and then pink.


    If he did not know better, the Contractor would have definitely thought it was a Prisma Core. But he knew for a fact that this was not a Prisma Core. For one, Prisma Cores do not move. Or at least, no one has ever seen them move outside of spreading more Prisma in the surroundings.


    The Contractor could not make heads or tails of the unidentified object. He sighed as he gave up trying to figure out what it was. Even if he was wary of the possible dangers it posed from making contact with it or even just being within its vicinity, that was what his suit was for. It was not just purely a combat suit as it was also an all-purpose survival suit.


    He trusted in the efficacy of its design and decided to leave the studying of this object to the client. In any case, he expected to hear what it was when it came time for Valerian Emporium to auction it off. So he reached out his hand to lift the seed-like crystalline object and put it in a container, but the moment he touched it, something happened that caused him to panic.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The moment his finger barely made contact with its surface, the crystalline seed seemed to have turned into a liquid. It latched onto his finger and creeped up his hand to his arm. It tried finding a way in, but there were no gaps on his suit.


    After his initial scare and seeing that the strange liquid seemed to have settled down to just clinging onto his entire left arm and shoulder, practically coating him in a strange liquid that glowed of a myriad colours, he sighed in relief. But he soon regretted having done so too early.


    The strange liquid did not give up. When it realised that there were no openings with which to enter his suit, it began vaporizing. At first, he thought it was finally gone until he felt a particularly cold prickle from many different points across the length of his arm and shoulder. He instantly realised that the damn thing must have found a way to pass through even though it made no sense.


    The cold sting grew in numbers as they soon spread toward his chest to his other arm and down his torso. Eventually, his entire body seemed to be drowning in needles as he felt the cold stinging pain all over, even inside his head.


    At this point, the Contractor was overcome with horror and panic. He immediately opened up his suit to check his body. His helmet seemed to fold out before sliding into the rest of his suit, completely freeing his head without the need of actually taking off the helmet.


    The other parts of his suit also soon followed, folding and sliding into layers of glassy black material that all converged into a vest covering his torso. He took the vest off and was just short of tearing his shirt underneath apart just to see what had happened to his body.


    When he finally saw his skin underneath his shirt, he was stunned. While the rest of his body were the same as any human''s, his chest was evidently not.


    Right at the centre of his chest was a familiar rock shard embedded into it, glowing faintly with a myriad colours. This was familiar because he always had this thing. And unlike others who mutated into having animal traits or some minor rock protrusions in some parts of their bodies, the Contractor had a literal Prisma Core in his chest. That was how he knew that the object was not a Prisma Core in the first place.


    What was different this time, however, was that his Prisma core seemed to have shrunk a tiny bit, about a few centimetres at most. However, as though to compensate that, there were now strange tattoos around it.


    The tattoos seemed to be of the same material as the object he had touched. It was also faintly glowing with a myriad of colours almost synchronising with his Prisma Core. The patterns of the tattoos did not seem to be anything of significance as they mostly stretched out like veins toward the direction of his four limbs.


    He was so shocked at seeing this that he seemed to have forgotten about the cold stinging pain that had by now dissipated. It was then that something else happened.


    He heard it in his mind. He felt in the depths of his being like an intuitive and instinctive understanding. And he saw it in his vision as holographic displays similar to the one he had with his helmet on began appearing.


    [Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom has been assimilated.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has bound its existence to yours.]


    [The Vernal Bloom is altering your existence to promote absolute growth.]


    [Innate active traits detected: 1 (Photosensitivity)]


    [Innate dormant traits detected: 2 (Heightened Regeneration | Prisma Core)]


    [Dormant traits have been activated.]


    The moment this latest notification appeared, the Contractor felt a sudden surge of pain coming from his chest as though his heart was beating so fast that it was about to burst. It was so excruciating that he could not even scream in pain and instead keeled over, gasping for breath.


    It did not last long, however, as the Prisma Core on his chest began glowing brighter and brighter. It was not bright enough to match a torch, but at least it was not like a dim light like before. The Contractor felt a strange whirring in his chest as though an engine had come to life within him. The light of the Prisma Core seemed to follow the rhythm of his breathing, glowing brighter when he inhaled and dimming a little when he exhaled.


    The Contractor did not have the mind to pay this little detail, however. He was just glad that the pain was gone. But it seems that the notifications were not done with him yet.


    [Decide the trajectory of your growth.]


    [Photosensitivity: You have lived in fear of light not knowing that it is your greatest ally. You have greater affinity with the light element.]


    [Branch A | Photosynthesis: You no longer need to fear the light for it is your guardian and your keeper. Heal injuries and ailments through the continuous absorption of light. Cannot recover missing body parts nor resurrect from death.]


    [Branch B | Photokinesis: You no longer need to fear the light for it is yours to command and wield. Manipulate light in the surroundings. Generate light to a lesser extent.]

 Chapter 5 - Skill Trees (2)

    [''Photosensitivity'' has evolved into ''Photokinesis''.]


    He sighed, hoping he had made the correct decision. His reasoning for choosing Photokinesis over Photosynthesis was actually very simple. It was, in fact, the very next thing he focused on.


    [Decide the trajectory of your growth.]


    [Heightened Regeneration: Your body is full of untapped potential and lifeforce. Take advantage of it and grow stronger. Enhances all bodily regeneration.]


    [Branch A | Superior Regeneration: Your body is full of untapped potential and lifeforce. Syphon that lifeforce into a greater wellspring of life. Further enhances all bodily regeneration.]


    [Branch B | Adaptive Body: Your body is full of untapped potential and lifeforce. Unearth your potential and embark on the path of perfection. Enhances your body''s constitution.]


    Heightened Regeneration was already giving him a passive regeneration. He had even tried it just now, cutting his palm with his sword. And although it was not incredibly fast, it healed at a decent speed similar to others with passive regenerative abilities. And although the healing from Photosynthesis would have surely boosted it, there were too many demerits in relying on it.


    For one, since he had to absorb light continuously to heal, that meant that healing will not be effective in the dark. In such situations, he would have to rely on his passive regeneration alone. Secondly, as mentioned before, he did not know how cost-efficient Photosynthesis was. If it drained him of all his Prismana before he could even heal half the injuries on his body, then he would just end up tiring himself out.


    And although the same could be said about Photokinesis, he was a firm believer of ''prevention is better than a cure''. If there was even the possibility of him being able to blind his enemies in the middle of a fight to evade attacks or deal the finishing blow, then it was a better use of his Prismana. At least that way, he was actively resolving the root of his injuries rather than merely reacting to them.


    Focusing back onto Heightened Regeneration''s skill tree, he was met with the same problem. There was a glaring lack of information. While Superior Regeneration looked tempting, he did not know how much his regeneration would actually increase with it. On the other hand, Adaptive Body practically assumes he understood what ''constitution'' meant.


    Constitution could refer to many things. It could be one''s body. It could be their health condition. It could be their endurance and physical fitness. In some games, it even affects the various elemental resistances of the player character. He honestly did not know which it referred to. It would be great if it was all of the above, but that was likely not possible.


    There was also the possible redundancy between Adaptive Body and Superior Regeneration. Considering that constitution could mean quite a number of different things, it might also affect his passive regeneration in which case, he might not need Superior Regeneration.


    This was an even harder decision for him, but in the end he decided to trust his logic. Adaptive Body could mean many different things and could potentially even give him boons for all of them. Even if it was farfetched, he could not discard the thought. Besides, something told him that it being called ''Adaptive'' gave it more potential and fluidity in its future growth.


    [''Heightened Regeneration'' has evolved into ''Adaptive Body''.]


    [Decide the trajectory of your growth.]


    [Prisma Core: You have grown with a Prisma Core merged to you. Your existences are tethered together. Your lifeforce feeds its growth and its energy fuels your life.]


    [Branch A | Symbiotic Devour: You have grown with a Prisma Core merged to you. Learn and understand that it is an extension of yourself. Your body is its vessel and its nature is your armament.]


    [Branch B | Parasitic Contagion: You have grown with a Prisma Core merged to you. Learn and understand that it is separate from yourself. Your will is its command and its nature is your burden.]


    The Contractor''s thoughts halted as he stared at the words. The Prisma Core has long been a mystery to him. He did not know if he was born with it as his mutation or if it was something else, but these words seemed to hint at the latter. A Prisma Core was merged with him. The implications of such a thing were still far beyond his grasp, but he knew it was something sinister.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    His blood ran cold as he felt a surge of energy wanting to be released within him. He was furious. It was only natural. After all, he was treated as a guinea pig then left to die on his own. If it were not for a kind Contractor who found him and raised him as her son, perhaps he would not have even lived to find out this truth.


    Even if the Prisma Core did nothing to harm him for most of his life, finding out that he was experimented on made him feel extremely violated and it filled him with absolute disgust. He wanted to find who the bastards that experimented on him were. He wanted to find them and he wanted to torture them so badly they would wish they were never born.


    And in order to do that, he needed power. He read the skill tree again before deciding. This time, his decision came swiftly and easily. There was not even a hint of hesitation in his eyes as he settled on his choice.


    [''Prisma Core'' has evolved into ''Symbiotic Devour''.]


    Although he was absolutely livid and wanted greater power, he was not willing to sacrifice his life for it. Revenge was a long-term goal. For all he knew, the bastards who experimented on him might even be dead already, though he highly doubted it. But the point was that his mind was clear and unclouded.


    Parasitic Contagion might have looked tempting due to the power it seemed to promised as compared to the seemingly lackluster Symbiotic Devour, but he could not ignore the ominous and sinister implications of that power. The name alone was enough to dissuade him from choosing it, but even its description told him that it was a double-edged sword. One where a single cut would spell tragedy for him.


    He could not take that risk. He owed it to his mother to live his life fully. He may not know where she was now, but he was certain that she was watching him. He had that much faith in her. And so, he could not allow her to see him selling his soul to the damned devil just for revenge.


    Speaking of his mother, it had been six years since he last saw her. He was already twenty-one years old, but he was still not used to living alone despite having been doing that for the last six years. But maybe that was why his mother left him. She wanted to teach him how to be independent and not to always rely on her for everything.


    He still remembered her last words to him before she knocked him out and left while he was unconscious.


    "It''s time to run free with the wind, Gale."


    Gale, such a familiar name. She was the only one who ever called him that. He never allowed anyone else to do so. Those who knew him as a contractor knew his designation as G413. Those who knew him under the helmet called him Galeon. That was his full name. His mother never gave him a family name because she herself did not have one. They were both orphans.


    He stood up and took a quick shower in the bathroom. He wanted to be rid of all the filth that stuck to him when he ended up rolling around in the crater. Recalling that excruciating pain made him shiver once more. That truly was not something a human should be able to bear. Perhaps the only reason he managed was because his Heightened Regeneration was activated at that moment.


    When he was satisfied, he dried up in front of a mirror. He stared at his expressionless face. He wondered when the last time he even smiled was. He never really had much interaction with other people outside of business.


    His sharp silver eyes that were like a drop of moonlight complemented his striking features. He was not too handsome, but he was above average. Combined with his neatly groomed ashen white hair, he looked more like a young master of a large commercial empire rather than a mercenary.


    It certainly did not fit well with the Prisma Core on his chest pulsing with light at his every breath. Then again, he was not the only one with a strange appearance in this world. Besides, he usually wore his suit when he was outside due to him being too sensitive to light. Well, he would not need to always wear his suit now that Photosensitivity has been upgraded to Photokinesis.


    He dressed up again, putting on his vest as the final piece of the puzzle. However, just when he had been covered in his full-body suit, he felt his Prisma Core react. It moved before he could even stop it as he was not expecting it at all. The Prisma Core became like a starving beast, attaching itself to the suit and began devouring it.


    Indeed, this was Symbiotic Devour. He never did truly understand whatever the hell that useless description meant. He just knew that he did not like the ominous feeling he got from Parasitic Contagion so he chose the other one. Who could have known that it would devour his own armour?


    Before long, the entire suit and vest was gone. It had been completely devoured by the Prisma Core that seemed to be humming rhythmically like a living engine that was all too pleased with itself. For a moment, Galeon thought about ripping the damned thing out of his chest, but he knew he would likely die as well so he discarded the thought.


    He was still wearing his work clothes which were rather casual and easy to move in, but he was not used to moving outside without his suit. Also, it pained him greatly since that thing was custom-made and cost him half of his life''s savings. And then, all of a sudden, the Prisma Core briefly shone with a bright light as liquid crystals flooded out of it and covered his entire body.


    Before long, they solidified into something of a similar appearance as his combat suit. However, this one was clearly an upgrade. Not only was it tougher and more durable, it even granted him a boost to his physical strength. And all this was due to a single thing: the glowing crystalline core on the chest of his suit.


    It no longer looked like a Prisma Core fortunately or else people would hunt him down just for that alone. But more importantly, all the increased durability and physical strength that he got came from the practically overflowing energy of the Prisma Core that have now found a release.

 Chapter 6 - Master

    "Is this... Symbiotic Devour?"


    Galeon was still stunned and confused by what happened. He had been sent on a rollercoaster of emotions in just a few seconds after all. In one moment, he was despairing at the loss of his combat suit. And in the next, he was wearing an upgraded version of it that seemingly did more than just a simple upgrade. It was quite literally an overhaul.


    He could feel the seemingly bottomless sea of pure Prismana coming from his Prisma Core as it circulated all throughout his body. Indeed, it circulated throughout his body rather than the suit. Why? Simply because the suit was technically a part of his body now. More precisely, the suit itself was the Prisma Core creating a layer of Prisma around his body in the form of a suit.


    It was probably more powerful than he realised, but that was not the end of it. Since most technology in Corrin now runs on Prismana which is basically the most abundant and sustainable energy source there is, it was only natural that his suit ran on it as well.


    That was mainly the reason why, even though he could have learned other ways to use his Prismana even without an innate mutation ability, he never tried. His Prismana was what was keeping the suit active at all times. Any more expenditure outside that and it would have deactivated the suit.


    All this to say that even the holographic displays that he had been using as well as the connection to the internet, all of them worked through Prismana. And that meant that when his Prisma Core devoured his suit and recreated it, it also included those same features. Galeon sighed in relief as he realised that his custom designs and money were not wasted at all.


    Checking the time, he found that he still had half a day until the time limit for his commission. That was more than enough time for him to get back to Therion, but there was one more thing he needed to check before leaving. He focused as he tried to sense what was inside him. However, instead of actually finding what he was looking for, something else appeared.


    [Name: Galeon]


    [Titles: Master of the Vernal Bloom]


    [Aspects: Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom | Prisma Core]


    [Skills: Photokinesis (T2-S1) | Adaptive Body (T2-S1) | Symbiotic Devour (T2-S1)]


    Galeon stared at it for a while, easily recognising what it was. It was his status screen or his personal profile. He half-expected something like this would appear when he was given skill trees, but it was still a surprise.


    Contrary to what character profiles were like in games, there was not a whole lot of information on his own. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that this was more concise and realistic. After all, this was real life and not a game. He was not just a series of numbers and calculations. In any case, he admired how clean it was, having only four categories to check with one being his name.


    The ''Titles'' category was rather confusing to him. Out of all the details present in his status, this was the only one that was out of place in that it did not seem at all relevant. His name was self-explanatory. His skills as well. Aspects was a new thing he had not seen even in games, but he could guess that they were the special and unique traits that he had.


    However, Titles did not matter at all. Who would even know this title of his? It was not like there was a worldwide announcement of a conferment of this title to him. It meant nothing at all. Or did it? Galeon was not sure anymore.


    This status seemed very practical and concise. Perhaps the titles were more than just decoration. He did not sense anything from it either unlike some games that add some stat bonuses and effects to equipped titles.


    Galeon shook his head to rid himself of distracting thoughts. He should already be keenly aware that this was real. He should not be thinking and comparing this to games. They may be the only references that he had, but those games were made by humans. This strange system came from the alien object that crashed into Corrin from space. This was very different.


    He focused again on the details of his status. Master of the Vernal Bloom was easy to understand. It was definitely because this aspect of his called ''Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom'' had been assimilated into him and bound to his existence. He may not know what it was, but considering he was designated as its master cleared the final doubts he had about this strange object. He was still wary of it being potentially harmful to himself after all.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The question now was the strange name it had. It was not just called Vernal Bloom, but rather Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom. Cor Ena is likely the answer he was looking for with regards to the nature of this Vernal Bloom. If he could find out what Cor Ena means, then he would likely understand what it is he just got stuck with. He honestly had no idea how to go about investigating this though.


    Right now, all he knew was that it was likely a mineral of a similar kind as Prisma. But at the same time, it did not behave like a mineral. In fact, it seemed to have a life of its own as shown by how it seemed to have been budding and stretching its roots when he first found it. Then again, it is called Vernal Bloom so that curious trait might not be one that is present for all of these Cor Ena, if there are more of them out there.


    Galeon sighed in exasperation as he realised that he was getting nowhere at all with this. He had too little information to be dwelling too much on this at the moment. He stood up and left the room, heading to the parking space to fetch his hoverbike. He had already decided on what to do when meeting with Valerian Emporium.


    He would definitely not reveal anything about the Vernal Bloom. All he would say was that there were many beasts in the area that were engaged in a brutal battle against each other when he arrived. He killed them and looked around to find the object, but there was nothing there other than a crater that he suspected might have been where the object crashed. And he took his time scouring other nearby areas in search for the object which was why he returned late.


    It was not the most convincing story, but there was nothing anyone of them could do. Valerian Emporium would just have to take his word for it. After all, even if they try searching his body for it, they would not find it. He himself could not detect the Vernal Bloom''s presence in him.


    What he was afraid of, however, was them finding the Prisma Core on his chest. They might want to dissect him if only for that alone. But if it came down to it, he would fight. Even if the Guild ends up hunting him down as a criminal, he would not allow himself to be treated like a lab rat again.


    He finally reached his hoverbike after a few minutes and was about to hop on when he suddenly froze. He remembered what happened to his suit. The damned Prisma Core devoured it before he could even react. What if it does the same to his hoverbike? Will the Prisma Core even be able to recreate it?


    He was not certain of that at all. For all he knew, recreating his suit was fluke. If it devoured his hoverbike and was unable to recreate it, then he would have to run all the way back to Therion. He definitely did not want to do that. It was three hours away already if he was driving. It would take half a day or more if he had to run. By the time he got back, his commission would likely have ended. It would be too late to regret then.


    But by the same token, what the hell was he going to do if he was not going to touch his hoverbike? He would not be able to ride it back either way. Galeon was barely resisting the urge to rip off the damned Prisma Core from his chest, but he steeled himself.


    He would never get anywhere if he did not act now. So he reached out with his hand and... nothing happened.


    His hoverbike was completely safe and intact, waiting for him to ride it across the vast lands again. He sighed in relief, chuckling at that unnecessarily tense moment. He hopped onto it as he ran his fingers across its slick black surface. And as he held both handles, it was like he was literally lashed by whip to the head.


    The Prisma Core roared to life within him as a surge of liquid crystals gushed out of his suit, spreading and coating the entire hoverbike. In just a few seconds, the entire thing was completely devoured. That hoverbike was twice his size and yet, it was gone just like that.


    Galeon just stood there in a daze for a good few minutes, processing what just happened. He felt as though he was being mocked, like a desperate nomad searching for water only to find that the oasis he stumbled upon was just another sand dune. But unlike what one might expect, he was not angry. Instead, his mind clicked as it latched onto a subtle detail.


    He looked at the sword hanging on his waist and touched it, just wanting to feel its texture. It did not disappear into a flood of liquid crystal. And then, he grasped it while thinking of all the ways he could kill his enemies with it, and immediately, the Prisma Core reacted. It devoured the sword, sheathe and all. And Galeon finally understood this damned skill.


    It was his intent to use something that triggers Symbiotic Devour. If he only wanted to touch something without intending to use it, it would not be devoured. But the moment he thought of using the item, the Prisma Core would move. This did leave him apprehensive though.


    What about when he would eat or drink? Would the Prisma Core devour his utensils and glass too? If he brushed his teeth, with it devour the brush? He honestly hoped it had a limit to its ridiculousness or else daily life would be a hassle.


    In any case, now that he knew the secret to its activation, he knew how to recreate things now as well. A simple thought was all it took for a gush of liquid crystal to lift Galeon''s body up as he soon settled on a similar looking hoverbike. Without thinking too much about it, he left the outpost and headed back to Therion.

 Chapter 7 - Progression

    Galeon sped through the distance between the outpost and Therion. Unlike when he was travelling to the outpost from Vaulkeen''s End earlier in the day, there were quite a number of other vehicles traversing the vast land. Most were speedy vehicles like cars and bikes, but there was also a rather sizable truck guarded by a convoy heading toward the outpost. They were likely delivering supplies.


    It was a comforting feeling to be amidst a crowd while also not being stifled by them. This was the reason Galeon loved being on the road, but also did not venture out all the time. It was a special feeling that he did not want to grow tired of. But today, there was something different.


    It was no longer just seeing other people driving away on practically no man''s land that made him feel good. For some reason, he could feel the wind whipping past him, but it was like a gentle caress of a sweet lover against his skin.


    Certainly, that should have been impossible. He was wearing his suit after all. The wind should not be able to reach his skin much less let him feel it so directly. But here he was. And he wondered whether there was more to his connection with the Prisma Core than he truly realised. Perhaps this suit that it recreated acted more like a natural exoskeleton of sorts rather than something wholly detached from himself.


    If that was truly the case, then he really needed to understand this ability of his more. He was now starting to understand why the description for Prisma Core and Symbiotic Devour were phrased that way.


    [Prisma Core: You have grown with a Prisma Core merged to you. Your existences are tethered together. Your lifeforce feeds its growth and its energy fuels your life.]


    [Symbiotic Devour: You have grown with a Prisma Core merged to you. Learn and understand that it is an extension of yourself. Your body is its vessel and its nature is your armament.]


    The Prisma Core was not only tethered to him. It was an extension of himself. He had to understand what this truly meant to him because, so far, he had been thinking of it as a foreign object that had no business being in his body. But he pushed the thought into the back of his mind. This would be a long-term endeavour. Instead, he focused on something else.


    [Name: Galeon]


    [Titles: Master of the Vernal Bloom]


    [Aspects: Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom | Prisma Core]


    [Skills: Photokinesis (T2-S1) | Adaptive Body (T2-S1) | Symbiotic Devour (T2-S1)]


    He had breezed over it earlier since he did not think it was immediately urgent to understand, but now that he was on the road with about over an hour left to his destination, he finally thought to spare some of his attention to it.


    T2-S1, this was a designation that he had never seen before. It looked like a code, likely a categorisation considering that all three of his skills were labeled as such. They did not appear in the skill tree before so he had no idea what they signified. But because they did appear in his status, he began to wonder why they were not shown in the skill tree.


    As he focused on the unique code, new information came to him and he realised that this was perhaps the single most important thing out of everything in his status. He was a fool for not checking it sooner.


    T2-S1 was indeed a categorisation. It literally translated to Tier II of the First Stratum, and as one might expect, this was indeed referring to the current level of his skills. He had been wondering for a while now what he needed to do to upgrade his skill trees later on, but now he had his answer.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    According to the information given to him presumably by the Vernal Bloom, his skills were a part of his existence. In order to strengthen them, he must define them to become much clearer parts of his existence. The way to do that was by increasing his proficiency and understanding of them.


    Proficiency was simple to increase. Just the constant use of the skill will allow him to become more proficient in its use, however there came the problem of passive skills. His Heightened Regeneration and Adaptive Body were both passive skills, working automatically without his input. This made it impossible for him to actually gain proficiency in them. And that is where understanding came in.


    Understanding was self-explanatory. He needed to understand what the skills entailed, what they do and how they affect him. And although passive skills would greatly rely on this for further growth, his active skills will also benefit from greater understanding.


    It was through these two methods that he would be able to define these skills as parts of his existence. And when he either fully defines a skill or reaches a certain threshold, the Vernal Bloom would be able to extrapolate more complexities from the skill''s potential. This is how the skill tree comes into being. This is where he would once again decide on the trajectory of the skill''s growth, homing into a specific potentiality of his skill that he would further define to repeat the cycle.


    Naturally, with each upgrade of the skills, they gain more power and sometimes even new effects. And the advancement of the skills are categorised into Tiers. Photosensitivity, Heightened Regeneration and Prisma Core were all Tier I skills whereas Photokinesis, Adaptive Body and Symbiotic Devour were all Tier II skills.


    The great thing about skill trees is that the previous versions of the skills are not abandoned or gone. They cannot just disappear because they are quite literally the root of the skill trees. It is from them that new and more powerful skills are derived and thus their original effects are carried over and strengthened with every advancement in Tier.


    There are five Tiers for each skill meaning five levels for each skill tree, but that is not the end of it. As mentioned before, the skill trees are extrapolations of complexities from the hidden potential of the skills themselves. So as long as there is still potential to be unearthed, there will be further advancements to be made.


    And upon fully defining the Tier V of a skill tree, the Vernal Bloom will consolidated all the defined information regarding the skill, condensing it into a complete and stable whole. In this way, even when some freak accident happens, the skill trees will not be messed up and regress or worse. Once the skill tree has been condensed, it then becomes a more powerful version of itself. This is the completion of the First Stratum.


    For most skills, this might be the end of the line. But for those that still have untapped potential, Galeon could begin another process of definition, going up the Tiers to complete the Second Stratum. And there are as many Strata as there are potential. He could reach the Tenth Stratum in a skill and he might still be able to evolve it further to the Eleventh Stratum.


    The sheer scope of what can be done with this was numbing his mind. He realised once more that this definitely was not a game. In games, you just had to level up to gain skill points that you use to invest in a skill tree upgrade. Sometimes, you can even reset and change your build, but he could not.


    This was real life. And these skills were his lifeline. He could not allow himself to be carried away by the grand picture it painted. In order to reach the extremes in his skill trees, he would need to survive. And in order to survive, he would need to carefully think, analyse and plan his skills.


    The Vernal Bloom promised him a path of freedom in this, but it also imposes a strict rigidity as expected. He cannot just change his choices. His actions and decisions have consequences, and he would have to learn to live with that. But he was not out of options either.


    The Vernal Bloom was a gift that kept on giving. And he could feel it telling him that there was more to come. There was something more than what he had just learned that would help him grow further. He did not know why it did not just tell him directly, but he knew that there was no point questioning it. It would not give him the answers until it deemed the time was right.


    So he focused on the road, driving steadily under the rather dark sky. The clouds seem especially sullen today. Perhaps they would finally have a downpour after a few weeks of dry spells.


    As Galeon resolved to learn more about his abilities and grow stronger, he noticed that his hoverbike was actually running a bit faster than usual. Could this also be an effect of the Prisma Core? The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.


    As his mind shifted to the Prisma Core, he felt that he was getting closer to understanding a simple but important thing about it.

 Chapter 8 - Valerian Emporium

    The first few drops that landed on his suit felt like nectar quenching the thirst of an arid desert. The pitter patter of the drizzling rain was a soothing lullaby that pulled him to rest. But he was still crossing the last leg of the journey to the city.


    Galeon''s mind felt clear as though the rain was washing away everything that weighed down on him. He always did love the rain. The melancholy it brought was like a drug he could never grow tired of. He was addicted, but he would never want to be free of this addiction.


    He was a contradictory person. He liked the bustle of the streets, but he also enjoyed being alone at home. He liked the freedom of driving in the wilds, but he also loved the comfort of his bed. He himself did not really understand why he was like this, but it his way of life.


    He finally passed through the gates of the Free City of Therion as his short introspection came to an end. And just as one might expect of a city inhabited by wanderers, it was packed full. He had to slow down just to move on the streets as there were many other vehicles that moved to and fro.


    He weaved through the traffic, occasionally driving on the pavement to get through the congested streets. He arrived during rush hour after all, so he could not really complain. Even if most people here were wanderers, the permanent residents of the city had jobs in the various establishments across the city. In some ways, Therion was not so different from the other corporate owned cities.


    But that was mostly because of its reputation for being safe and secure. Therion has the lowest crime rates in all of Corrin after all. Anyone who is caught committing a crime will have to deal with the Guild, and the Contractors have no tolerance for criminals. Because of this, many business feel safe and assured that even with all kinds of people coming and going, they would be able to earn a lot with guaranteed safety in Therion''s walls.


    Finding a rather empty alley nearby, Galeon headed into it, shielding him from the gazes of passersby. The streets were too congested to drive through so he opted to walk. Once he was out of sight, he quickly hopped off his hoverbike which then melted into liquid crystal that surged back into him. It was honestly quite convenient that he was carrying his ride anywhere he went.


    He walked back to the main street, strolling past the crowd of people going about their own businesses. He gazed ahead, taking in the unique atmosphere of Therion.


    Although its population was definitely high, it did not quite look like other cities that were like veritable forests of towering skyscrapers and monotone office buildings. Therion had a wild and free atmosphere to it.


    The buildings were spaced out with careful design and planning, making sure that even with the increasing number of them, the city did not look like a cramped suffocating mess. Vegetation was among the things that was most heavily affected by the advent of Prisma, and Therion has gone to great lengths to making sure that they survived and thrived within the city.


    Wherever you went in Therion, you would find trees and brushes flourishing. There were gardens and small parks in different districts, all given the greatest care and attention. No one is even allowed to so much as smoke around the plants lest they get fined heavily by the city government, or worse, be punished by the Guild. And considering that all vehicles were running on Prismana rather than fuel, smoke has become something of a rarity now.


    Galeon continued his walk toward Valerian Emporium, his pace not too hurried. He would have loved to bask in this energetic atmosphere of the city, strolling under the lights, but he had a job to complete.


    And although he dreaded it, he knew that the moment he stepped foot inside the Valerian Emporium, his life would change. This single commission he had received was practically dictating the trajectory of his life now. He could already feel the hunting dogs coming.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Was he ready for them? Of course, he was.


    Has he planned his next course of action? Hell no!


    Everything was all too sudden. Without the Vernal Bloom, he was not anything special. He was just a Contractor who enjoyed his life alone in his house. He knew how to fight, but that was what it took to be a Contractor to begin with. He never loved fighting.


    So yes, even if he was ready to face whatever was coming, he had no idea what to do next. Should he leave Therion behind and find a safer place? Where would he even go? Not to mention the distance, the terrain in between the cities were all danger zones. The wilds have become even more primal than before, returning the world to a seemingly more natural state.


    Traversing through that alone required preparation, something that he might not even have time for. For all he knew, the hounds could already have sniffed his scent since before he even reached the outpost earlier. Many worries and anxieties filled Galeon''s mind, but he pushed them all down as he finally stood in front of his destination.


    Valerian Emporium


    Its building seemed like a mix between a mansion and an outdoor market. Its walls looked pristine and effortlessly elegant with little to no decorations. The main attractions and the only decorations they really needed were the items displayed all around.


    Galeon entered through the front door, a female staff welcoming him with beautiful smile. Before she could speak her usual spiel, however, Galeon produced a badge that belonged only to Contractors affiliated with the Guild. Seeing this, the staff immediately understood his purpose.


    "I have been instructed to guide you to a private room, Mr. Contractor. Please follow me."


    Galeon followed after the staff while silently looking around. The Valerian Emporium was known as one of the biggest auction houses in the world, but they not only dealt with precious treasures as they also sold other necessities. Their business was definitely only a level below those corporate giants like Navalli and Kalisto, but that was because Valerian did not have its own city. They were content with having branches spread out across the world.


    Walking through the marbled halls, Galeon felt like he was finally understanding the depth of this establishment. He had never once visited Valerian Emporium mainly because he had no business here. The products they sold were too luxurious for his meagre needs. Even his former custom combat suit would likely not have been priced any higher than the ones on display here.


    Indeed, this place was looking more and more like a museum to Galeon. But he knew that it was only because those items on display were among the least valued. Why else would they be out on display, waiting for any customer to check them out and buy them on a whim like a retail store?


    If they were truly valuable and precious, they would be hidden away, stored behind the best locks and keys, waiting for the day that they are brought to the grand stage for an auction fitting their price.


    The staff led him down several hallways that twisted and turned several times. It was like a maze that Galeon made sure to remember. In case he needed to escape from this place, he would at least have a mental map of the lay out of the building.


    Before long, they arrived at an elegant yet cozy sitting room. Galeon sat down on one of the long couches as he waited for client to come. The staff served him a cup of tea, placing it on the table in front of him before leaving. Galeon did not even think of touching it for even a single second.


    Who knew whether they had cameras hidden around the room? He would not risk his identity being exposed when the client could very well become the very enemy that hunted him down. He kept calm and composed under his helmet, his mind filled with simulations of possibilities that might play out.


    The best outcome was definitely if the client did not push the issue. The object was gone and he had failed the commission, but in no fault of his own. If they did push the issue, however, then worst case was that he would get chased down by Valerian Emporium and possibly even the Guild. By then, he would no longer be a Contractor, and he would be forced to leave Therion.


    There was really not much he could do now other than hope that the client was reasonable and that they do not suspect him of anything. He sat their patiently as a few minutes passed. And just when he thought they were doing some kind of intimidation tactic where they let him simmer with his thoughts and anxieties before interrogating him, he heard footsteps coming from outside the room.


    The door to the sitting room opened and a woman entered. Galeon stared at her in a daze, seemingly lost in her presence. She was easily the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

 Chapter 9 - Vivi (1)

    The moment she entered the room, Galeon felt the world around him blur out entirely. All of his attention was focused solely on her alone. She had a magnetic air to her that seemed to pull him deeper and deeper the longer he looked at her. There was something about her that tugged at him.


    She was a familiar presence that he could not quite explain. He felt like he had finally found the missing piece of himself, something that could make him whole. But before he could fall deeper into that daze, he regained his senses. Beneath the helmet, Galeon observed the woman with both curiosity and wariness.


    He was not certain about what just happened. It was a completely overwhelming experience, one that did not seem natural. He wondered if the woman had used some kind of charm or illusion on him, but that did not seem to be the case. In which case, there was something more to this than he knew.


    The woman was an elegant and graceful young lady whose ease of movement revealed her pride and confidence in herself. There was a steadiness to her every step that seemed both calm and calculated. It was like everything was under her control from the pace of her movement down to the distance between each step she took.


    She wore a black sleeveless dress whose skirt reached to just above her knees. She had tight black leggings that gave her freedom of movement. Galeon could tell by the way she carried herself even with the way she dressed that she was an exceptional fighter. And to top it all off, she wore a long white jacket over it. It was a sophisticated mixture of practicality and fashion, very similar to Galeon''s own preference.


    All of it was working together to create an air of nobility and authority around her, pulling other people to her rhythm. Galeon could tell she was measuring each of her movements to see any kind of reaction from him. The very fact that she never took her eyes of him since she entered the room, locking with his gaze beneath the helmet as though she could see his eyes, told him all he needed to know.


    This woman was adept at manipulation. Give her one tiny bit of a twitch on your face, and she would exploit it as though it was your reverse scale. She was cold and shrewd, but the slight smile on her enticing cherry lips seem to lull one into an illusion of a delicate girl needing protection. They would lower their guard and that is when the serpent strikes. This woman was dangerous, but Galeon''s focus was elsewhere.


    He admired the unique physical traits of this woman more than the piercing gaze she was giving him even as she reached the couch in front of him and sat down. Her hair was a long and lustrous masterpiece of pale gold interchanging with a pastel green. Under the correct angle, the slightly metallic sheen of her hair would also be coated with cobalt blue. It was such a fascinating work of art that only enhanced her mystical beauty further.


    Her pale skin had a healthy shade of red that gave her a sort of permanent blush, making her even more endearing. She was definitely a sight for sore eyes. But Galeon, he could not help staring at her eyes that bore a striking resemblance to his own.


    They were like shimmering silver moonlight that dropped from the night sky. And combined with the pair of horns on her head that resembled corals or small antlers of the same colours as her hair, she was easily the most perfect being Galeon had ever laid eyes on.


    For a long while, there was only silence between them. The room was suffused with an unusual tension that mixed with a strange comfort that could only be felt by the two. It was as though just each other''s presence was enough to make the silence a peaceful atmosphere that belied their pounding hearts and excited breaths.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Galeon gazed at the woman before him and she too gazed at him. Even with his helmet on, he could tell that she could somehow see behind it. She was special, even more than he initially believed. And when they both had enough of the silence, the woman spoke first.


    "It''s truly a pleasure finally be able to meet you, Gale. You may call me Vivi. I was the one who specifically requested you for the commission today."


    Her tone was warm and inviting, urging Galeon to speak amiably to her, but he could not. He wanted to reply, but his mind had caught onto a detail that was quite alarming for him. For the first time since they met, Galeon''s eyes narrowed as he grew more suspicious of the woman.


    "How do you know my name? Those who do not know me personally should only know me as G413."


    "Oh please, if you really wanted to hide your identity, you could''ve chosen a different designation for yourself when you joined the Guild. I mean, come on, G413? Were you even trying? Besides..."


    Vivi''s eyes narrowed in amusement, her slight smile that seemed only a polite fa?ade earlier now curved into a slight expectant grin. It was as though she could barely hold back her excitement.


    "You''re not going to need your Contractor badge for a long while after this meeting. Perhaps you may never even use it again."


    "Are you threatening me?"


    "No, Gale. I''m stating a fact. Don''t worry, I''m not here to reprimand you for failing the commission. Instead, I''m here to recruit you personally."


    Galeon was now prepared to fight at any moment. His combat suit was humming with a steady flow of energy that seemed as bottomless as the oceans. He did not know how powerful this woman was, but he was confident in at least being able to escape if he could not defeat her.


    His situation right now was incredibly dangerous after all. This shrewd and calculative woman was keenly aware of the failed commission even without his report. He did not know how much she knew, but that mattered little at this point. The following words would determine his fate in this city, and he was not liking the rising tension at all.


    Saying that she was here to recruit him only sounded to Galeon as her giving him the option to surrender. And that was not something he could agree to, especially since it implied that this woman knew that he actually had the Vernal Bloom with him. But before his thoughts could reach a precipice, Vivi suddenly sighed.


    "I''m hurt by your suspicion and hostility, Gale. First of all, take off the damned suit. I already know what you look like. There''s no point in hiding away. Also, like I said, I''m not here to reprimand you nor am I here to harm you. I''m not your enemy. I need your help, and the easiest way for you to do that is by joining my organisation."


    The exasperated and sombre tone in her voice struck Galeon as odd. She sounded genuine, like she meant every single word she said. Coming from an expert manipulator like her, that was definitely something to be wary about, but something inside Galeon told him to trust her. He did not know why he felt that way, but he always did trust his instincts. So he relented this time.


    His helmet vanished, melting into liquid crystal that retracted back into the Prisma Core which was basically his entire combat suit. His eyes carried palpable wariness and a hidden wildness to it that seemed ironic given his usual calm and indifferent expression. Finally seeing his face, Vivi smiled a beautiful smile that carried both adoration and relief. She chuckled as she spoke once again.


    "You''re definitely much more handsome in person, Gale. It beats seeing you through pictures alone. I wish we could''ve met sooner."


    "You have pictures of me? Who the hell are you? Some kind of stalker?"


    Hearing his words, Vivi fell silent for a moment. Her blank stare revealed her brain trying to process what he had just said, but it did not take long. When she realised that what he said was true, she blushed profusely in embarrassment while glaring at him.


    "It''s true that I''ve watched you for a long time, but I''m not a stalker alright! Don''t you dare call me that again or I''ll make you regret it!"


    "Then answer my question. Who are you and why have you been watching me? And what do you want from me now?"


    Vivi took a couple seconds to calm herself down, returning to her previous calm elegance. Even she could not believe she had been so stirred by his words, but she accepted this defeat. She was a little vulnerable to him right now because it was their first meeting that she had been looking forward to for so long.


    "Once again, I am not your enemy. My name is Vivi, your little sister."

 Chapter 10 - Vivi (2)

    "Once again, I am not your enemy. My name is Vivi, your little sister."


    "What...?"


    There was an unprecedented silence in Galeon''s mind. Although he was not much of a talker out in the world, in his mind, there was like constant buzzing of many different things. His thoughts mixing and mashing together into incoherent garbled messes that it was a wonder how he himself was able to keep up with his thought processes. He had a very overactive imagination so to speak.


    But now, his mind was emptied out by a grenade chucked in there from a blind spot. It cleaned everything up, and for a moment, he could not think. He was preparing to fight for his life just a moment ago, then all of a sudden, he learns that the person he was being wary of was actually his sister. It was the greatest whiplash he had ever experienced in his entire life.


    "Sister...? By blood?"


    This was the main reason why he was so shocked. The fact that he might actually have a sister by blood that he did not know about all these years left him in confusion. Worse yet, he was the only one who did not know. His sister seemed to know him well. But Vivi shook her head.


    "No, not by blood. I was an orphan too. I was found by Mom when I was still a baby."


    "Orphan..."


    Hearing her response, Galeon suddenly felt weak and dispirited. He did not know what he was expecting honestly. Was it a vain hope of a blood tie somewhere? Or was it a superficial relationship built on nothing but an indelible red ink?


    Galeon, despite being socially inept, had always had a yearning for connection and kinship. Perhaps it was because he remembers vague recollections of the ruined city around him, overrun by strange creatures made of rock and Prisma. He should have been barely old enough to even walk at the time, yet his mind seemed to have captured that desolate and hopeless scene.


    It was his mother who came and protected him from that danger. She saved him and brought him home, giving him a life he would otherwise not have had the chance to even enjoy. She wasted many years of her life and even her youth just to raise him. She was the one connection he truly had in this world.


    And in a world where he felt less human than monster, life felt as fickle and whimsical as the sky. Sometimes it would be cloudy while at other times, it would be bright and sunny. And other times still, there could be a tempest whipping about the lands, ravaging the ephemeral lives that do not even come close to matching the tenacity of the storm''s temporary existence.


    He was a candlelight flickering amidst the billowing blizzard winds. He yearned for something, for someone to anchor him to the ground, to feed his dying flame.


    And then, he caught himself fiddling with those thoughts in his head. Shame washed over him like a raging rapids. How could he not be satisfied that he has a sister? Just because they were not related by blood did not mean they did not share a connection. By denying that and wishing for more, he was practically spitting on his mother''s sacrifices for him.


    He shivered at the thought and calmed himself down in a hurry. He focused on the topic at hand. This was not only a meeting between brother and sister. This was a meeting between client and Contractor. With a calmer and more collected gaze, Galeon looked at Vivi.


    "What help do you need from me?"


    Seeing the flicker of emotions vanish from his face only to be replaced by a professional and detached tone, Vivi could not help but sigh. She knew this first meeting of theirs was definitely not going to be good. After all, she reached out to him by fronting a business relationship rather than familial. It was her fault, but she also could not do anything to change it. It was necessary at the time.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "This is related to the commission I gave you, Gale. So before I tell you what I need your help with, I will explain how all this started. To begin, let me tell you again. I am your sister, Vivi. And I am not your enemy."


    Galeon''s eyes narrowed at those words. That was the third time Vivi had said those very same words and he knew it was not a simple statement. She was hinting at something. Whether she meant to do it or not was irrelevant.


    "I have been studying a lot under Mom''s guidance and my other teachers. About three years ago, our orbital satellites detected the approach of a cosmic debris. We initially thought it was another minor wave of Prisma, but analysis showed very different results."


    "The cosmic debris was in fact an alien flora, a hardwood type to be precise. It was broken and very damaged, but it clearly came from a megaflora, the kind that could eclipse an entire city. This broken part was only the size of a small house when we first discovered it, but over the course of three years it slowly wilted away, its edges crumbling to dust as it continued on its trajectory."


    "And throughout that time, we found signs of life from it. In fact, there were two of them. One was slowly diminishing until it fully disappeared about a month ago while the other was something hiding within the first."


    "As more and more of the hardwood disappeared in transit, it slowly revealed the inside of its trunk. That was when we saw the origin of the second life sign. It was a glowing emerald amber that seemed to have been growing within the tree, sapping out its lifeforce to grow. The energy contained within it was unquantifiable, something that not even Prisma could match."


    "Naturally, everyone feared the worst. Some wanted to destroy it or at least make it deviate from its trajectory which was straight for Corrin. But others also saw the potential within it. Mother was among the latter. And considering her high position in the organisation, she took command of the entire case and set me as her deputy."


    "I monitored the emerald amber closely, and when it was finally about to enter the atmosphere, I activated some of our defense satellites to alter its course and sent it hurtling toward Vaulkeen''s End. Once I''d confirmed it, I immediately sent you the commission."


    Vivi paused for a while to make sure that Galeon was still following her. The man in question was just as silent and stoic as before. His mind, however, was like an enraged tempest as it locked onto a specific detail of her story. And the more he thought about it, the more suffocating their surroundings grew.


    There was an unfathomable pressure coming off of Galeon that even he did not realise. Vivi noticed a strange oscillation in space around him that was preceded by a faint glowing of Galeon''s eyes. She realised he was angry and that his power was leaking. Before she could calm him down, however, he spoke coldly.


    "So you deliberately sent me to it knowing that it could kill me?"


    "No, Gale! Calm down! I sent you to it knowing that it would not be able to kill you."


    Galeon fell silent once more. He could no longer trust this supposed sister of his. He was even doubting whether she was actually his sister. For all he knew, she was just lying about it to get him under her thumb. She had no proof for her claim after all. Galeon''s mother never told him anything about a sibling either. And although she was a woman with many secrets, he knew that this was not something she would have kept hidden from him.


    Deciding that this was likely a prelude to a desperate escape on his part, Galeon immediately stood up and went straight for the door. His senses were already primed and he was ready to fight to the end if he had to. He could not let himself be trapped here with no means of escape. But just as he was about to open the door, Vivi raised her voice in frustration.


    "Mom is missing!"


    Although he really did not believe that this woman was his sister, Galeon still involuntarily stiffened when he heard her words. He turned his head only to find her head lowered, her face marred by anger and anxiety. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears and her hands gripped the hem of her skirt tightly in an effort to control her emotions. But it was futile because her appearance gave it all away.


    Her previously beautiful tapestry of a hair had changed greatly. It went of pale gold and pastel green to a bright scarlet and snow white. The cobalt sheen on it had turned into a fiery purple that gave the illusion of demonic flames rising all around her. Even her horns had changed to match the colours of her hair.


    Seeing the genuine emotions coming from her, Galeon realised that she had thoroughly taken down her fa?ade. No longer was he looking at the elegant and commanding woman who could manipulate other people with the simplest of movements. She was now just a little girl who was angry and scared.


    Galeon sighed when he realised he had already made a decision. He sat back down and waited for Vivi to continue.

 Chapter 11 - Whispers of...

    A tear of anger and frustration trickled down Vivi''s cheek, disappearing into faint steam before it managed to reach her chin. She seemed so composed earlier that one would wonder if this was all an act, but Galeon could tell that it was genuine.


    All this had been weighing down on her for a long time now. Vivi could not tell anyone about her thoughts, afraid that it would lead to some undesirable consequences. Most of all, she did not have solid proof to her claims and knew that whatever she had to say would be brushed off.


    But Galeon was different. He was her brother. With their mother missing, he was all she had. She needed and wanted to confide in him. She raised her head, her heavy gaze now seemingly boring holes into his head as she measured her next words before speaking.


    "Mom disappeared half a year ago. It was around the time that the emerald amber was about to reach Corrin. I heard there were some arguments among the higher ups in the organisation, including Mom. I don''t know if it was related to this, but it must''ve been because she told me to make sure that I get the amber and not let anyone else touch it."


    "That was last time I spoke to her. After that, I grew suspicious of what the organisation might do, but they did nothing. They didn''t even try to take the operation from me. But I knew it would likely only be a matter of time, so I sent it to you instead. I knew you wouldn''t die from whatever it was. You have a Prisma Core after all."


    Galeon understood what she meant. He had been observing the changes to his body all this time since he first got the Vernal Bloom. And after hours of searching, he finally found a peculiarity in him. Despite not having properly rested, he was still full of energy. He felt like he would not even need to eat or sleep for days and he would still be perfectly fine.


    This would have been an amazing thing on its own, but he knew that this came from the Prisma Core. After all, he had seen such a phenomenon being described in his skill.


    [Prisma Core: You have grown with a Prisma Core merged to you. Your existences are tethered together. Your lifeforce feeds its growth and its energy fuels your life.]


    This description made him out to be something he did not even dare think of. After all, he understood the power of Prisma Cores very well. He had to since he was living with one stuck to his chest. Although his Prisma Core had always been rather benign, he did not dare believe that it would forever remain to be the case.


    The entire planet had changed drastically just because of a handful of these Prisma Cores during the first meteor rain. According to earliest reports he had studied, their sizes were not even all that different from the one on his chest. Most were around two to three times larger than his while the largest Prisma Core found being half the size of an adult human.


    Compared to the size of the entirety of Corrin, those handful of Prisma Cores were nothing. And yet they contained power capable of not just terraforming the entire planet, but even causing the mutation of every living organism in the world..., most of them anyway.


    Now think of all that power and energy stuck inside the body of a singular human being. It was already a grand miracle that Galeon had not yet exploded into a gory mess since his childhood. The thought alone sent shivers running up his spine.


    However, it was also because of this seemingly bottomless pit of energy that he is able to tide off the detrimental effects of the Vernal Bloom. He could feel the steady drain of energy from him, feeding something ethereal. And yet, even with this steady and constant drain of energy, he was definitely not any weaker than before, much less keeling over and dying.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Feeling the steady pulsing of his Prisma Core, Galeon sighed in both wonder and exasperation. There were too many things happening to his body that he had no knowledge of, much less control over. It was definitely not a good feeling. He looked back to Vivi and decided to trust her words for the moment.


    "You''ve been studying this thing for a long while before it even reached Corrin. What do you know about it?"


    "Nothing much other than what I already told you. I mentioned that we referred to it as the emerald amber, but that was only because we didn''t really know what else it could be. It was both organic and inorganic. We initially thought it was inanimate, but I later found out that it wasn''t the case. There''s not much else I can tell you."


    Galeon nodded silently. He was not really expecting much of an answer as he understood how alien the Vernal Bloom was. Nonetheless, he had to try. Any small tidbit of information regarding it could potentially help him piece together what this strange thing bound to him was.


    The information Vivi gave him was nothing worth noting. She literally did not know anything, not even the name of it. Even the way they called it was already inaccurate considering the fact that the ''emerald amber'' was not quite emerald in colour anymore. Instead, it glowed with a similar multicoloured light as Prisma. Galeon hypothesised that this colour might be reflecting the nature of its environment or host, but this information was barely relevant to him.


    Galeon had no intention of telling Vivi anything, however. He may choose to believe her regarding his mother''s disappearance, but he could still not trust her completely. In the end, he chose to tackle a point he found strange in their discussion.


    "You didn''t trust your organisation which was why you sent this to me. So why do you now want me to join your organisation?"


    Vivi quickly understood how suspicious her words were. Galeon''s wariness was wholly warranted, especially since she herself had openly admitted to her distrust of her own organisation. She failed to explain it to him earlier due to the sudden rise in tension, but she quickly corrected it.


    "To hide in plain sight. My original idea was to have you join the organisation so we can hide the fact that you have the item on you. You will be joining as the lowest rank, an Operator. It won''t be much different from your work as a Contractor except that there are special missions that sometimes delve into things that Contractors do not dare dip their toes in."


    "So by joining as an Operator, I would pass off as just another random employee and wouldn''t be tied to this commission? But considering the resources you had, I doubt it would be difficult for your organisation to track me down. Sooner or later, they''ll know that I have this emerald amber."


    Vivi fell silent from his words. Galeon was correct. She failed to think that far ahead which was why she suggested him joining the organisation. But that was mainly because she had been in a hurry trying to keep everything as discreet as possible. Even she knew it would not last forever and someone would definitely be able to sniff out a trail. That was why she said it was her original idea.


    But despite the fact that she knew it would not be a feasible long term plan, she could not think of any other options that were any different. Sooner or later, Galeon would still be found. And it was in no fault of him, but due to the extensive resources and reach of the organisation. Knowing this, Galeon asked her the crux of the issue.


    "What is the name of your organisation?"


    Vivi''s eyes grew sharp. Such a question was not something she could easily answer. And it was not just her. Any member of that organisation would not speak of it so openly. It was a taboo of sorts, mainly because they had many enemies. The nature of their organisation was more or less underground.


    She did not want to speak its name, not just for her safety but also for her brother''s. If he learns of her organisation, then his life would be hounded by more misfortune than ever before. That was why she never really wanted to reach out to him. She did not want to drag him into this dark world.


    She was fully content just watching him shine brightly both in the light and in the shadow. He was her beloved brother. Gale was only known to their small family. Galeon was known to a few close acquaintances. G413 was more well-known among the people. But he had another identity that he does not even bother acknowledging. This one was likely even more well-known than his Contractor designation because of a former commission he had completed.


    She did not want to ruin his bright future. But then she thought of the item that was now in his possession. She recalled how she had basically pushed it to him without his opinion. It was far too late now. She had already embroiled him in all this mess. In the end, she relented with a sigh.


    "The organisation is called... The Concord."

 Chapter 12 - Lux

    A tear of anger and frustration trickled down Vivi''s cheek, disappearing into faint steam before it managed to reach her chin. She seemed so composed earlier that one would wonder if this was all an act, but Galeon could tell that it was genuine.


    All this had been weighing down on her for a long time now. Vivi could not tell anyone about her thoughts, afraid that it would lead to some undesirable consequences. Most of all, she did not have solid proof to her claims and knew that whatever she had to say would be brushed off.


    But Galeon was different. He was her brother. With their mother missing, he was all she had. She needed and wanted to confide in him. She raised her head, her heavy gaze now seemingly boring holes into his head as she measured her next words before speaking.


    "Mom disappeared half a year ago. It was around the time that the emerald amber was about to reach Corrin. I heard there were some arguments among the higher ups in the organisation, including Mom. I don''t know if it was related to this, but it must''ve been because she told me to make sure that I get the amber and not let anyone else touch it."


    "That was last time I spoke to her. After that, I grew suspicious of what the organisation might do, but they did nothing. They didn''t even try to take the operation from me. But I knew it would likely only be a matter of time, so I sent it to you instead. I knew you wouldn''t die from whatever it was. You have a Prisma Core after all."


    Galeon understood what she meant. He had been observing the changes to his body all this time since he first got the Vernal Bloom. And after hours of searching, he finally found a peculiarity in him. Despite not having properly rested, he was still full of energy. He felt like he would not even need to eat or sleep for days and he would still be perfectly fine.


    This would have been an amazing thing on its own, but he knew that this came from the Prisma Core. After all, he had seen such a phenomenon being described in his skill.


    [Prisma Core: You have grown with a Prisma Core merged to you. Your existences are tethered together. Your lifeforce feeds its growth and its energy fuels your life.]


    This description made him out to be something he did not even dare think of. After all, he understood the power of Prisma Cores very well. He had to since he was living with one stuck to his chest. Although his Prisma Core had always been rather benign, he did not dare believe that it would forever remain to be the case.


    The entire planet had changed drastically just because of a handful of these Prisma Cores during the first meteor rain. According to earliest reports he had studied, their sizes were not even all that different from the one on his chest. Most were around two to three times larger than his while the largest Prisma Core found being half the size of an adult human.


    Compared to the size of the entirety of Corrin, those handful of Prisma Cores were nothing. And yet they contained power capable of not just terraforming the entire planet, but even causing the mutation of every living organism in the world..., most of them anyway.


    Now think of all that power and energy stuck inside the body of a singular human being. It was already a grand miracle that Galeon had not yet exploded into a gory mess since his childhood. The thought alone sent shivers running up his spine.


    However, it was also because of this seemingly bottomless pit of energy that he is able to tide off the detrimental effects of the Vernal Bloom. He could feel the steady drain of energy from him, feeding something ethereal. And yet, even with this steady and constant drain of energy, he was definitely not any weaker than before, much less keeling over and dying.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Feeling the steady pulsing of his Prisma Core, Galeon sighed in both wonder and exasperation. There were too many things happening to his body that he had no knowledge of, much less control over. It was definitely not a good feeling. He looked back to Vivi and decided to trust her words for the moment.


    "You''ve been studying this thing for a long while before it even reached Corrin. What do you know about it?"


    "Nothing much other than what I already told you. I mentioned that we referred to it as the emerald amber, but that was only because we didn''t really know what else it could be. It was both organic and inorganic. We initially thought it was inanimate, but I later found out that it wasn''t the case. There''s not much else I can tell you."


    Galeon nodded silently. He was not really expecting much of an answer as he understood how alien the Vernal Bloom was. Nonetheless, he had to try. Any small tidbit of information regarding it could potentially help him piece together what this strange thing bound to him was.


    The information Vivi gave him was nothing worth noting. She literally did not know anything, not even the name of it. Even the way they called it was already inaccurate considering the fact that the ''emerald amber'' was not quite emerald in colour anymore. Instead, it glowed with a similar multicoloured light as Prisma. Galeon hypothesised that this colour might be reflecting the nature of its environment or host, but this information was barely relevant to him.


    Galeon had no intention of telling Vivi anything, however. He may choose to believe her regarding his mother''s disappearance, but he could still not trust her completely. In the end, he chose to tackle a point he found strange in their discussion.


    "You didn''t trust your organisation which was why you sent this to me. So why do you now want me to join your organisation?"


    Vivi quickly understood how suspicious her words were. Galeon''s wariness was wholly warranted, especially since she herself had openly admitted to her distrust of her own organisation. She failed to explain it to him earlier due to the sudden rise in tension, but she quickly corrected it.


    "To hide in plain sight. My original idea was to have you join the organisation so we can hide the fact that you have the item on you. You will be joining as the lowest rank, an Operator. It won''t be much different from your work as a Contractor except that there are special missions that sometimes delve into things that Contractors do not dare dip their toes in."


    "So by joining as an Operator, I would pass off as just another random employee and wouldn''t be tied to this commission? But considering the resources you had, I doubt it would be difficult for your organisation to track me down. Sooner or later, they''ll know that I have this emerald amber."


    Vivi fell silent from his words. Galeon was correct. She failed to think that far ahead which was why she suggested him joining the organisation. But that was mainly because she had been in a hurry trying to keep everything as discreet as possible. Even she knew it would not last forever and someone would definitely be able to sniff out a trail. That was why she said it was her original idea.


    But despite the fact that she knew it would not be a feasible long term plan, she could not think of any other options that were any different. Sooner or later, Galeon would still be found. And it was in no fault of him, but due to the extensive resources and reach of the organisation. Knowing this, Galeon asked her the crux of the issue.


    "What is the name of your organisation?"


    Vivi''s eyes grew sharp. Such a question was not something she could easily answer. And it was not just her. Any member of that organisation would not speak of it so openly. It was a taboo of sorts, mainly because they had many enemies. The nature of their organisation was more or less underground.


    She did not want to speak its name, not just for her safety but also for her brother''s. If he learns of her organisation, then his life would be hounded by more misfortune than ever before. That was why she never really wanted to reach out to him. She did not want to drag him into this dark world.


    She was fully content just watching him shine brightly both in the light and in the shadow. He was her beloved brother. Gale was only known to their small family. Galeon was known to a few close acquaintances. G413 was more well-known among the people. But he had another identity that he does not even bother acknowledging. This one was likely even more well-known than his Contractor designation because of a former commission he had completed.


    She did not want to ruin his bright future. But then she thought of the item that was now in his possession. She recalled how she had basically pushed it to him without his opinion. It was far too late now. She had already embroiled him in all this mess. In the end, she relented with a sigh.


    "The organisation is called... The Concord."

 Chapter 13 - Rising Tide

    Dirt and dust rose up with every mild quaking of the earth. The roots of what few wild plants remained were dug out, not deliberately, but due to a mad scramble. The grunts and growls of beasts filled the air, echoing drowning one of the last forests of Corrin in a horrid cacophony of dread. But the worst part has yet to come.


    A man halted his hoverbike a few kilometers outside the city. It was not because he was sightseeing or anything, but rather because he was surrounded. All around him was an encirclement of at least twenty beasts with questionable appearances.


    They looked like they came straight out of a mad scientist''s laboratory with their heads of a goat and bodies of beetles covered in a sturdy carapace, tufts of fur peeking out of from gaps. The most dangerous part about them was the singular horn on their heads that resembled that of a hercules beetle. They looked both sharp and incredibly sturdy.


    Galeon retrieved his bike with a sigh. This has been a common occurrence as of late. It had been a few days since his meeting with Vivi, and he was currently on the way to a commission. But his journey from Therion had not been smooth, having been forced to stop over and over again to deal with beasts running amok all around.


    It was definitely exhausting, even for someone with a practically infinite wellspring of energy. After all, it was not just his physical energy that was being drained with all these battles. His mind needed rest as well.


    A sword appeared in his hand, formed from Prisma and pulsing with a soft glow of light. And at that moment, the beasts charged at him.


    Four goat beetles came from different directions, their heads slightly lowered as they lined their horns to impale his body. From behind them, a few more charged forward a step slower while filling the gaps where Galeon might evade to.


    Galeon quickly noted this as it proved that this group of beasts was perhaps the most intelligent one that he had faced recently. It also meant that there was likely a leader here that he would have find and kill.


    He took a single step forward, lowering upper body slightly as he began moving with confusing steps. The first wave of goat beetles arrived, but he narrowly weaved through them or pushed their horns away. He was twirling in between them while preparing to evade the coming waves.


    The first wave goat beetles crashed against each other, their sturdy carapaces protecting their heads from each others'' horns. But it did not protect their necks from Galeon''s sword that came sweeping with elegant swings.


    It was a performance and Galeon was completely immersed in it. At some point, he had closed his eyes, only navigating his surroundings through his other senses. Light pulsed from his body like waves, washing over the beasts that continued charging at him, and he could see them all in his mind.


    He listened to a certain a sound, a certain music that only he seemed to find. It was the music of all things, the harmony that everything exuded as they continued to exist in the world around him. This was what he loved most about going outside, and feeling the world.


    It was an overwhelming sensation to understand just how miniscule one was in this gargantuan sea of everything. And it was because of this unique sensation that he had that he was able to create a technique unique to him.


    "First Step: Origin"


    He muttered as his eyes opened, light shining from their depths as he began moving with greater fervour. As more and more waves of charging goat beetles came, his movements became swifter and more graceful. His swinging sword traced lines of light across the field, painting a portrait of bloody flowers blooming in spring.


    With every blood his sword drew, the light on it grew brighter and brighter until it had reached a point where its intense light was producing such heat that it was finally able to cut through the carapace. It was still not easy, but it was better than before. At the very least, his sword would not be bouncing off them when he hit their bodies.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    At some point, he was no longer just dancing. His elegant movements have become sharp and swift. He was beginning to wonder why there were still so many goat beetles charging at him when he was sure he had already killed over twenty of them. But it seems it was not just Galeon who was having similar thoughts as he soon began hearing a loud and annoying buzzing sound.


    He looked around and saw that most of the goat beetles have retreated, creating distance between Galeon and themselves. All that was left near Galeon were the corpses of the beasts he had killed and they were big enough to be proper obstacles, especially with what came next.


    A literal swarm of goat beetles came flying in from the nearby forest. Their wings flapped so fast that they cut through the air with sharp buzzes. Fortunately, due to their bulk, the goat beetles were not very fast in the air. But they were also not slow.


    Galeon frowned as this was the first time he had seen such beasts. And for them to have such great numbers, this was not only dangerous but also very suspicious. But he had to focus on the battle for now. His enemies were now in the air where he could not reach them normally. He did have a means of reaching them, but it was not something he wanted to use if he could help it.


    He had been feeling several eyes on him lately. They used to be just casual observers who did not bother with his activities at all. They would just check in every once in a while and only for a few minutes before they vanish. But when he left Therion and headed to Melchior, he had felt those eyes never leaving him for even a single second.


    He did not want them seeing him do something that should otherwise be impossible for him. So he chose to go about the problem in a different way. This would also be a way for him to test the limits of his powers.


    He had been training his Photokinesis since the day he got it. The observers would have seen his progress with it from being able to emit faint light from his hand to being able to coat his weapon in laser. The speed of his progress was fast enough to shock Galeon himself.


    He did not think he would be able to make so much progress with his Photokinesis since it was something that only awakened with the help of the Vernal Bloom. But it seems he had underestimated what ''innate trait'' meant.


    He had always had Photosensitivity. It was one of the main reasons he was wearing his suit after all. His rather pale skin was also a side-effect of this as his mother seldom let him out of the house when he was still a child. But now that Photosensitivity had evolved into Photokinesis, it meant that he had an innate understanding of light and how to wield it.


    Galeon moved farther away from the swarm that was swiftly closing in on him. He was kiting them into a formation that he could most easily handle. This was, after all, an experiment to find the limits of his Photokinesis. There was a high chance of him failing and he did not want to be in a dangerous position if that happened.


    When he saw the beasts trailing after him in a more narrow line, he finally stopped and prepared his attack. His left arm began glowing with intense light to the point that his skin and flesh was burning underneath his suit. It was like an oven, definitely not a pleasant experience.


    As this was the first experiment of this kind, he opted for just raw power rather than delicate manipulation. He wanted to know just how much light he could output. And this was the moment when Galeon realised that he was actually quite stupid.


    He had been charging his light for a few seconds now, pouring everything he could into it. But he had forgotten that he had a bottomless well of energy thanks to the Prisma Core. His output of light could be infinite for all he knew. The problem was that because he had charged so much light into his arm, even his suit was starting to melt from the intense heat. Not even his Adaptive Body was able to heal him fast enough for it. But his little bit of suffering was not at all in vain.


    [Adaptive Body has gained the quality: Heat Resistance]


    The moment he obtained Heat Resistance, his arm stopped melting and was slowly mending itself. It was not able to fully heal back to its complete form, but it was enough to keep from losing an entire arm. And it was enough for him to finally throw out the light that he had been holding onto.


    Galeon chucked a dense ball of concentrated light into the coming swarm. He had compressed the light so much that it barely emitted heat outside so the beasts did not pay much mind to it. But the moment the ball of light reached the centre of the swarm, it exploded.


    It lit up the sky brightly, blinding practically everyone except for Galeon who used his Photokinesis to protect his eyes. The intense heat from the explosion of light literally cooked the goat beetles through their carapaces. And it was not just the flying ones that were affected as the goat beetles that initially retreated came charging back at Galeon together with their flying kin. All of them were cooked thoroughly.


    The bright flash of light was visible even from far away. It was like a beacon in this dark sky covered by tenebrous clouds of ill omen. And it was so bright that those who were close enough to see it were blinded as well. And in that moment, a lone hoverbike exited the battlefield.

 Chapter 14 - Missing Song

    Galeon had slipped out of the battlefield under the cover of intensely bright light. He had lost the observers who have been silently watching him since he left Therion as he weaved through the trees of the forest.


    This was one of the last remaining forests in the Eastern Region. It had survived not through human intervention, but by a freak mutation through Prisma. It is said that the forest was alive. Whether it had intelligence or sentience, however, was unknown. In the first place, how could such a large gathering of trees and plants even be considered one living being?


    After getting deeper into the outer ring of the forest, Galeon stopped. He did not intend to go any deeper as that was where a lot of humans and beasts had died. It was also the reason why many believed the forest to be alive, believing that the forest had killed and consumed them to grow.


    Galeon settled down on his bike while feeling the changes in his body. The Heat Resistance he had obtained did not have much to show, but its effects were great as his melted hand was already nearly fully healed. It seemed that besides resistance itself, it also gave him better recovery toward the injuries specific to heat. It was only slightly faster than his normal regeneration, but it was still better than nothing.


    What he focused more on, however, was the new feeling within him. It was an instinct that he had toward the Prisma Core in his body. Through Symbiotic Devour, he could understand what it could and could not do to some extent. And right now, he could feel that it had acquired a new form.


    As he focused on this feeling, Galeon let the Prisma Core move and flow according to the shape it desired. It was slow as this new form was something it was not used to replicating and conforming to the body of a human, but it progressed steadily.


    The liquid crystal that made Galeon''s suit seemed to ripple out as greater volumes of it surged toward his back. It began protruding from it, stretching out long and thin sheets as thick as a film. But make no mistake, this was still made of Prisma. No matter how thin they were, they were still incredibly sturdy. More importantly, these long sheets of liquid crystal Prisma solidified into sharp blades that could cut through the air with an ominous whistle. And yet, they were not weapons.


    With a thought, Galeon tried to flex his back muscles, but found that the blades did not move well with it. He tried a couple other ways to move them until he realised that he did not have to move them himself. The blades were still part of the Prisma Core which meant he could just think of what he wanted it to do and it will do it.


    And with that thought, the two pairs of blades on his back began moving. They were slow at first as though an old slumbering engine waking up after so many years and winding up. The speed of their movement increased more and more with each passing second, flapping with a terrifying speed that could cut most things as easily as hot knife through butter.


    And soon, a low and silent buzzing sound rang out as Galeon was lifted a few feet into the air.


    Indeed, the new form that the Prisma Core wanted to take were wings. To be more precise, they were wings reminiscent of the goat beetles''. During his escape from the battlefield, Galeon had jumped up to steal the melting body of a blinded goat beetle. He only had one reason to do so.


    His Prisma Core had quickly devoured the goat beetle before its body had fully melted from the heat of his intense light. And with that, it was able to replicate the goat beetle''s wings while also reinforcing the integrity of the suit by adding some of the characteristics of its carapace to its defense.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    This was the true power of Symbiotic Devour. It was a constant growth and evolution that even Galeon could only dream of before. But still, he could tell that the wings were not entirely perfect.


    The Prisma Cores that crashed in Corrin were capable of mutating life and even the terrain. Galeon''s Prisma Core, however, did not seem as versatile. It could devour most things and replicate amazing technological designs like his suit and his hoverbike, but when it came to replicating and operating the wings, it seemed a little lacking. It was as though it was not designed for such a purpose.


    But Galeon knew that this not the case. It was only a matter of perspective. To him, the Prisma Core was currently like a tool. But in truth, he was actually a mutated creature himself. And it was not just Prisma that had mutated him, but rather a Prisma Core itself. So the issue of it not being able to replicate body parts of other living organisms was unfounded.


    In that case, what was the problem?


    Galeon had many ideas regarding this, but they were all just speculation at the moment. There was still a lot he did not know about the Prisma Core and its connection to him after all. But there was one thing he was fairly certain of. The moment that the Vernal Bloom judges that the complexity of the Prisma Core has been sufficiently defined and is allowed to evolve, this current issue will just be a forgettable footnote.


    In any case, these wings were enough as they currently are. He did not necessarily need them even when fighting against flying enemies since he had his own means of moving above ground, but it was still a good addition.


    His gaze then turned to the blinking message icon on his HUD. It appeared at about the same time that he was surrounded by that swarm of goat beetles so he did not get the chance to check it right away. As his mind focused on it, the message was displayed in front of him.


    [Commission details updated.]


    [Commission details: Trace signal from target''s device has been detected. Location is Forbidden Forest (Inner Ring).]


    "What a coincidence..."


    Galeon''s brows raised in mild surprise. This was indeed quite a coincidence. He had entered the Forbidden Forest just to escape from the prying eyes of whoever had been watching him from afar. He never intended to go deeper in, but now it seems he had no choice.


    The target of his commission this time was a person known as Sairen. She was a very famous songstress who resides in Melchior, the Dazzling City. In fact, she was one of the main attractions of Melchior as whenever she would have a performance in any of the venues within Melchior, tickets would always be completely sold out on the very same day her concerts are announced.


    She also makes regular appearances local theatres and opera houses, singing one or two intermission pieces before leaving. She was technically the most popular celebrity in Melchior and the world. Even tourists from other regions travel long distances just to watch her performance and to hear her sing. Her voice was simply that enchanting, captivating the entire world no matter where one was.


    And that same Sairen was currently missing. To be more accurate, it is believed that she had been abducted. This news was not publicly known yet as it would cause a huge commotion. Instead, Sairen''s management team had discussed with the Governor of Melchior and they announced that Sairen will be taking a break from performances for health reasons.


    Of course, there were still people clamouring about it, but it was a lot less than what would have happened had news of Sairen''s disappearance spread. And with the current dangerous situation in the Eastern region where beasts have become unusually active, Sairen''s disappearance had become an even greater issue for Melchior.


    Sairen was singlehandedly responsible for fueling at least 30% of Melchior''s economy, and this was just a conservative estimate. The announcement of her hiatus had already hit Melchior badly, reducing business activities by about 25%. They cannot allow this to continue. They cannot allow anything bad to happen to Sairen. And so the Governor of Melchior contacted the one person he trusted to get the job done.


    There were many Contractors in the Guild that he could choose from. In fact, he did not even need to choose as the Guild itself would very likely send someone competent upon learning the full situation about the commission. But the Governor decided to stick with a tried and tested Contractor, someone he had personally witnessed in action.


    It had been a few years since a major crisis for Melchior had occurred. It was soundly resolved without much fuss by a man that the Governor could not thank enough. He was so thankful that he even began spreading the name ''Dancing Blade'' to promote the man to get many more commissions. And now again, the Governor turned to him in Melchior''s hour of need.

 Chapter 15 - Verglas

    Galeon sighed in exasperation. He wondered whether it was a mistake to turn down Vivi''s offer to join her organisation. He realised that he might not be getting any rest from here on out considering all the strange things that has been happening in the Eastern Region for some time now.


    It started even before the Vernal Bloom crashed down in Vaulkeen''s End, but that moment felt like the real trigger for Galeon. Previously, none of these strange occurrences were pertinent to him. Now, however, he felt like he was in the middle of a chaotic whirlpool that raged more and more as the days passed.


    He shook his head to get rid of such thoughts. He made the correct decision in not joining the Concord. They reeked of a suspicious stench that told him to stay far away. He would trust his instinct, but it did not mean he was not curious about them.


    The Concord was the organisation where his mother and his supposed sister worked in. From what little Vivi had shared with him, Galeon had a faint impression of them being a lair of mad scientists. He did not know how accurate that was, but in retrospect, what organisation nowadays did not dabble in some kind of unethical scientific projects?


    The Guild was an exception, but Galeon did not believe they were completely clean either. In this day and age where survival was split between two extremes¡ªthose who lived for a hundred or more years and those who died before even reaching their fifties¡ª morality was as thin as paper.


    He would rather stick to being a Contractor affiliated with the Guild. At least, he still had his freedom here.


    He shook his head once more as he forced himself to focus on the task at hand. His destination was clear. He had to prepare before entering the depths of the forest. Behind him, his wings turned into liquid crystal as they flowed and moulded over his body, turning into the white coat that he always liked to wear over his suit. And he finally stepped into the inner ring of the Forbidden Forest.


    There were many things that Galeon was wary of inside the forest, particularly beasts. The swarm of goat beetles that attacked him had come from here after all. As he walked toward the depths of the Forbidden Forest, he did encounter many beasts. The problem was that he never once fought them.


    Normally this was not a problem, but something to be thankful for. After all, who would want to be attacked by a wild beast while taking a stroll? But the situation is different when he was literally inside the territory of beasts. They should have been attacking him constantly, and yet they were not even paying much mind.


    In fact, they seemed startled and a bit frightened. When Galeon tried to go near a ten feet long snake hanging from a tree branch, it immediately hissed at him in fright. But that was all. It did not even attack him and instead dropped to the ground and immediately slithered away at top speed. It seemed to frantically search for a hiding place, likely one with greater elevation.


    That was another thing he noted. Most of the beasts he encountered were hiding among the trees and their branches. It was as though the forest floor had become lava, no one dared to step on it. And with this realisation, the ominous feeling that Galeon had been getting since entering the inner ring of the Forbidden Forest only grew more pronounced.


    Something was happening, but he did not know what. In fact, the beasts did not seem to know what it was either as they all were alert and looking around the forest shiftily. Taking cues from this, Galeon decided to fly up near the canopy rather than walk on the ground.


    He moved swiftly, scanning the area around him to find any trace of the target, but the Forbidden Forest was huge. There was a reason people believed it to be alive. It was literally growing in size every day. Several years back, it was just half the size of the current Melchior. But now, the Forbidden Forest acted as the barrier separating Melchior in the north from Vaulkeen''s End in the south.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    With such a large area to cover, it could take at least a day for Galeon to scour the whole place. In that time, whatever bad things may happen to the target could happen. It was this thought that pushed him more with greater urgency. Whatever it was that made the beasts so frightened, he did not want to be stuck here when it came.


    Fortunately, after spending close to five hours speeding through the forest, Galeon finally found what he had been looking for. Unfortunately, he also found something that made him realise that this was not a simple case of abduction.


    It was still only 3 in the afternoon, but the dark clouds in the sky did not move one bit. It cast a bleak darkness over the land as it seemed to whisper the coming of something worthy of the woeful mourning of the already aggrieved people.


    In a clearing in the depths of the Forbidden Forest, an encampment was bustling with activity. The bonfires and torches were lit to shed light, revealing the vigilant humans moving about. They were like soldiers, wearing uniform armours made from beast materials and Prisma. On the tents they had set up, there were banners that hung down by the side of the entrances.


    The banners sported an insignia that was unknown to most. It was a shield with the image of a world in it. There were a few continents spread apart, quite unlike Corrin''s singular supercontinent. Not many might recognise it anymore, but this was a depiction of Corrin... from before the advent of Prisma.


    From the central tent, a loud and shrill feminine voice rang out in both anger and fear.


    "Leave me alone already! I just want to go back home! Please!"


    Only silence followed. The response was likely not as loud so it could not be heard outside. Either way, none of the soldiers moving busily outside the tent bothered with the girl''s yells. They had work to do, and they had to do it fast. In fact, some of the tents were already being taken down and folded. Evidently, these people were preparing to leave.


    The entrance to the central tent opened after a while as man in similar armoured uniform as the other soldiers stepped out. He had shoulder-length black and greying hair. His eyes were weary, but still bright with strict discipline and valiance. He sighed as he walked toward the centre of the camp, inspecting the progress of his soldiers who were packing up.


    It was at that moment that low buzzing hum seemed to zip through the air, crashing to the ground in front of the man with great impact. It blew away the nearby soldiers, sweeping them off their feet while sending dust and dirt up in a small cloud that obscured one''s vision.


    The man who just came out of the tent managed to resist being thrown away by impact that sounded like an explosion. He immediately regained his bearings and went on high alert. All the soldiers instantly prepared for battle without being ordered by their commander.


    When the dust settled, they found a man standing in a small crater he had created with his descent. His entire body was hidden beneath a high tech suit that seemed to be faintly glowing. The man''s face could not be seen as it too was hidden beneath faceless and featureless helmet. Four strips of thin cloth-like material fluttered behind him like a cape. The suited man then spoke, his gaze locked solely on the man who had just exited the tent.


    "V32G, acknowledge."


    The man did not reply. His gaze growing sharper while hiding his stirred emotions. He only stared at the suited man in cold silence, his vigilance raised to the utmost. The suited man repeated his words once more, this time with greater authority as he brought out a badge representing the Guild itself.


    "Contractor V32G, acknowledge."


    Again, the man who was being called Contractor V32G did not respond. His conflicted gaze slowly turning into a tumultuous raging fire of resolve. He understood what he was doing. By not acknowledging his designation, he was basically forsaking his identity as a Contractor affiliated with the Guild.


    There were very special circumstances when one is asked to acknowledge their identity, and one of them is just like now when a Contractor is found to be involved in a commission with potential criminal implications.


    Not acknowledging now meant he was admitting to the fact that he was indeed involved in the criminal activity that resulted in the application of this commission. He was essentially betraying the Guild and violating their creed. Galeon sighed in exasperation thinking that this day could not get any worse.


    "Verglas, just what the hell have you gotten yourself into?"


    "G413... Galeon, it''s best for you to leave... please."


    Contractor V32G, Verglas, that was his name. He was a stalwart and valiant man who never shied away from battle. But today, in front of his soldiers, he pleaded Galeon to just leave.

 Chapter 16 - Weltsritter

    Verglas'' words shocked his subordinates. For as long as they knew him, Verglas had been the most courageous of knights. He was always the one who stood on the frontlines, fighting the most difficult battles. He was known as the Bastion Knight, the one who shielded the people, the one who waits for a new dawn.


    But here he was, pleading another man to leave. It was obvious that Verglas did not want to fight. Whether out of fear or something else, they did not know. But Verglas'' words were clear, his intent was clear. And Galeon understood that there was nothing else he could do in this situation. He spoke out once more, this time his voice lacked any emotion or familiarity whatsoever.


    "I heard a woman''s voice earlier. Analysis shows a 93% match with the songstress, Sairen. Target found. Retrieval operation commencing. Stand aside, Verglas."


    To Verglas, it was like a stinging mockery that he did not expect to hear from Galeon. Verglas and Galeon, these two had an unusual friendship built on mutual respect. They had worked together on several commissions and damn were they good partners.


    Galeon was not very sociable, with very few even knowing his real name. Verglas was among the few who were close enough to know. And it was because he knew him that Verglas really did not want to fight Galeon. His subordinates were correct, all of them. He did not want to fight Galeon because he was afraid of him and also because he was trustworthy friend.


    "Galeon, please! Just leave! Forget what you saw here! Nothing here will affect you! I''m just try-!"


    Before he could even finish his words, Verglas was hit by a tremendous force that pushed him down to the ground. He crashed loudly, his head forming a small crater as his vision spun momentarily. It was too fast. He did not even have time to react even when he saw it coming.


    He quickly stood back up and found Galeon was already by the entrance of the central tent where he heard the voice of the songstress, Sairen. Verglas could not believe what happened. It has been a year or several months since they last worked together on a commission. But back then, Galeon was no where near this fast. He could not understand how this was possible.


    He pulled out his sword from the sheath tied to his waist. And using his ability, Prismana coated it with a dark metallic colour that greatly increased its heft, but to him, it weighed the same. He immediately dashed forward, lifting his sword high before swinging it down in a swift but well-timed execution.


    The attack was not meant to directly hit Galeon, but to push him away from the tent. He could not let him get close to Sairen because he would not be able to fight Galeon properly otherwise. He still did not want to fight him which was why he only pushed him away, but if Galeon continued, then there really was no other choice.


    Galeon immediately dashed away from the downward swing of Verglas'' sword. The increased weight it had crushed the ground, sending dirt and rocks flying everywhere. The tent nearly collapsed from the tremor.


    A distance away, Galeon watched silently as Verglas now stood between him and the tent. The sword was glowing with a dark metallic light that he had seen before. Verglas'' ability increases the mass and weight of something through Prismana. He often used it on his sword and the shield he had yet to bring out making him one of the best warriors out there as the increased weight never affected him.


    He could be swinging a ten tonne sword and to him it would be like waving around a simple stick. His shield becomes as sturdy and heavy as a city wall and he would just be carrying it around as though he could not even feel it. Galeon honestly did not want to fight Verglas either. Both knew how troublesome an opponent they were, but circumstances forced them to fight.


    In the lull of battle, the entrance to tent parted as Sairen stepped out. Her eyes filled with anxiety as she stared at Verglas and the soldiers warily. When she found Galeon, her eyes shone with hope. She knew who this man was. The Dancing Blade was a well-known figure in Melchior, but people seldom see him. Sairen herself was meeting him for the first time and the only reason she knew it was him was because the Governor had once told him about his appearance, or rather, his suit.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Dancing Blade, please take me away from here! I want to go back home!"


    Galeon nodded toward Sairen who was now being surrounded by the soldiers. They did not seem to be restraining her, but rather were protecting her. They brought farther away from Verglas and Galeon who were still watching each other, waiting for either of them to move.


    "What are you doing here, Verglas? Why did you kidnap this girl?"


    "Kindap? Is that what you think we''re doing? Well, let me correct your misconception. We didn''t kidnap her. We''re taking her back home."


    Galeon noted Verglas tone. There was a subtle urgency in his voice that reminded Galeon of the reason he was hurrying. He did not know if Verglas knew about it, but there was definitely something bad that will happen soon. And he did not want to be here when it comes. Liquid crystal flowed down his arms as he grasped in his hands two swords.


    "I''m in a hurry, Verglas. So we''ll have to end this quick. Besides, her home is in Melchior."


    As he spoke those last words, Galeon vanished in a sudden brilliant flash of light that blinded everyone present. Verglas quickly swung his sword around him, making sure that Galeon could not come close to him while his vision was recovering. However, the moment his vision cleared, he did not find Galeon near him.


    He turned around to find the soldiers surrounding Sairen had huge injuries. Some had lost their arms. Others were bleeding from their chests. Galeon had already incapacitated them and carried Sairen with one arm. And just as he was about to leave, a tremor split the ground under him, forcing him to jump to the side.


    He looked over and found Verglas whose eyes were bloodshot with rage. He did not know whether his subordinates were still alive, but the fact that Galeon even attacked them when they were supposed to be fighting each other was a great dishonour to him.


    "Galeon, I didn''t know you were such a coward! Fight me properly! Why drag in those weaker than you?!"


    "Are you stupid? We''re enemies. Do you expect me to spare them just because we had one or two exchanges? This isn''t a duel, Verglas. You''re not a knight."


    Despite being friends, Galeon always found Verglas'' strict discipline and rigidity annoying. He liked to play the role of an honourable knight in a world where honour was a luxury. He never commented on it, but now he no longer cared. As he said, they were enemies. Besides, he did not outright kill the soldiers. He did not need to.


    Galeon dashed out of the encampment, his wings once more beginning to flap behind him. Verglas, however, became even more livid upon hearing his last words. The dark metallic glow of his Prismana began coating his body like armour as he bellowed out, his voice resounding in this area of the forest.


    "You think I''m not a knight?! Then let me introduce myself properly! I am Verglas, the Bastion Knight! A proud member of the Weltsritter! A proud protector of this world!"


    Galeon zipped through the air while carrying a pale and frightened Sairen. He heard Verglas'' words, his introduction. He wondered what the Weltsritter was. This was another organisation that he has never of before. Why were they appearing now? And what did he mean by taking Sairen home?


    Before Galeon''s thoughts could reach any further, something incredibly heavy crashed down in front of him, sending him and Sairen flying to a nearby tree. He cushioned Sairen who would undoubtedly be greatly injured if not dead if she was to hit the tree. The impact knocked the breath out his lungs for a brief moment, but in battle, every moment was precious.


    Similar to what Galeon did earlier, Verglas dashed forward before Galeon could recover. He reached out with his empty left hand coated in dark metallic light, grasping Galeon''s head and dragging him away from Sairen.


    Verglas threw Galeon to an opposite tree with great momentum, but Galeon had already recovered. Liquid crystal flowed across the surface of his suit before he hit the tree, reducing the impact. Then both he and Verglas shot toward each other. One coated in dark metallic Prismana, the other shining with a resplendent white light.


    Their clash resulted in an explosive wave that was somehow contained within a small area, preventing it from reaching Sairen who was retreating farther into the distance. She could not even think of the beasts roaming the forest, not that she needed to since the beasts were also staying far away from this battle.


    When the aftermath of the clash ended, Verglas and Galeon had already created some distance between them. Both looked injured. Some parts of Verglas'' body had been scorched from the intense heat of Galeon''s light. And Galeon himself had broken one of his arms and some of his ribs. However, the difference between them was obvious.


    Despite his injuries, Galeon still stood tall. Beneath his suit, his injuries were already healing at a visible speed.

 Chapter 17 - Rumbling Earth

    On one side, Galeon stood calmly. Although he wanted to hurry and take Sairen back to Melchior, he knew that he could not run away from Verglas fast enough. He did not know how, but Verglas was able to strengthen his body with his ability, allowing him to move faster than he normally would and even jump higher. This was something he had never shown Galeon before.


    On the other side, Verglas was panting. The grimace on his face was evidence of the pain he suffered from taking the full brunt of Galeon''s light. He never knew that Galeon could use light. For as long as they knew each other, Verglas thought Galeon did not have an ability as he never used one. Worse yet was the fact that his light was so intense that its heat managed to penetrate the armour of Prismana that he created around himself using his ability.


    "Weltsritter, is that the organisation you joined?"


    Galeon asked as he truly did not believe it was a coincidence that another secret organisation was revealed to him so soon after the last. Worse yet, this one seemed to have been able to infiltrate the Guild without anyone knowing. He had a feeling this would not be the last time he encountered them.


    "No. I was born into the Weltsritter just like my father and mother before me."


    Verglas took the bait. He had to. The injuries he received from Galeon were shockingly great that he needed time to recover. He shook his head in self-deprecation, understanding that there was now a huge gap between them. It seemed that while he himself grown a lot since last they met, Galeon had been running at full sprint.


    "I''ll let you in on something, Galeon. The Weltsritter is not an evil organisation as you might''ve thought. This case is just a matter of misunderstanding. The Weltsritter is an order of knights sworn to protect Corrin and humanity. Sairen is the daughter of our leader. She left a long time ago because she didn''t want to become a knight. Her ability isn''t exactly suited to it either."


    "Sworn to protect Corrin and humanity? From what? Beasts?"


    "No. The beasts were never the greatest calamity of Corrin. They''re as much of a victim as us. Galeon, there''s something in this world that had turned Corrin into this cancerous grave! It corrupted everything including the bodies and minds of us humans!"


    "You mean Prisma? How do you protect the world against that? In case you haven''t noticed, practically everywhere and everything is filled with Prisma now, even you."


    "I know that all too well, Galeon. But Prisma is just a tool. It''s not the calamity of Corrin. It''s someone else. This is... an invasion."


    Galeon fell silent as digested Verglas'' words. He did not know how much of it was true, but judging from the man''s expression and tone, he at least believed that his own words were true. Verglas had managed to recover a bit, but he still did not move. This conversation with Galeon gave him hope for something, and he wanted to try before they ultimately fell out.


    "Galeon, join us. You''re a man of action. You''re trustworthy and have great sense of responsibility. I know you understand our oath. Become a knight and protect the world."


    Galeon shook his head lightly. Although he did not think that the Weltsritter were a suspicious bunch unlike the Concord, he still did not want to be tied to them without knowing what they truly are. Protecting the world is all well and good, but that could just be propaganda. And Galeon was not exactly a bleeding heart like Verglas believed him to be. He valued his freedom a lot.


    "I''ll get serious now, Verglas. If you don''t want to die, I suggest you back off now."


    Verglas'' eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment before returning to normal. He should have expected this. Galeon was not the kind of person to be easily swayed. He knew what he wanted and he stuck to it to the very end. It was something that Verglas could respect.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Galeon moved his right foot forward. The light step seemed to send out a wave of silence to the surroundings as his perception of the world grew sharper, even giving an illusion of slowed time. But in this state of mind, he could hear it. A distant rush of something reminiscent of water, the growls and grunts of beasts trying to find a safe place to hide, the swaying of the leaves all around them, the rhythm of Verglas'' breaths and the steady beating of his own heart.


    "First Step: Origin"


    Galeon flashed forward at an incredible speed. Again, Verglas saw it, but he could not avoid it. He strengthened his defense while moving to take the shield on his back, but the two swords were already swinging down from one side.


    The swords were glowing wit ha fierce light that seemed to grow brighter and more intense with every passing second. Verglas bent his body backward to reduce the area that would be hit. It worked, but the searing heat from the swords were worse than the burns he suffered from their earlier clash.


    Galeon did not give him time to recover as he let his body spin around through his swing. His wings had already spread in a deadly net behind him, all glowing with brilliant light. Their sharpness cutting through the air as Verglas barely managed to finally block with his shield, but his stance was unstable. And even with the enhancement of his ability, his shield seemed to have been greatly damaged.


    Galeon''s wings suddenly flapped downward, the sudden intense force from it propelled him upward. He used the momentum to spin around, facing Verglas on the ground as he began falling from the air upside down. The he erupted with another burst of speed.


    He was getting more and more used to finer and more delicate movements with his wings. It was not enough to grant him omnidirectional movement in the air, but it was enough for quick surprise attacks that changes the rhythm of battle. And this was what he did.


    With a flap of his wings, he sped downward. Verglas raised his sword, wanting to meet him head on and kill him with the help of his own speed, but Galeon had more tricks to play. He burst out with an intense bright light as soon as he sped downward. Even though he had been seeing a lot of bright lights throughout this battle, Verglas'' eyes still have not fully adjusted to them. And this was the brightest one yet. He was instantly momentarily blinded.


    Verglas raised his shield up while swinging his sword to keep Galeon away, but the suited man had already dropped to the ground a few feet away from him after changing the trajectory of his descent. It took quite a lot of energy and strained his body, but it was all part of the plan. With Verglas still blinded, Galeon charged forward to cut him down for good. But that was when...


    A flash gold streaked down from the dark sky, crashing onto the ground between the two with a clap of thunder. It sent Verglas flying and rolling before stopping as he hit a tree. Galeon just skidded back, but the injuries he received while resisting being thrown off was great. Fortunately, his body was regenerating swiftly.


    When the dust settled, he saw a giant white lance stuck to the ground. The surrounding air near it seemed supercharged with electricity. He instantly made some distance as his gaze turned to the sky. There, in pristine white armour, was a knight with a pair of golden-feathered wings. Her gaze was sharp as she stared at Galeon with intensity.


    The silence was stifling even as Verglas recovered and noted the changes. He was glad he was still alive as he swore he felt the cold hands of death eagerly caressing his neck just a moment ago. He did not know what happened, but he recognised the knight in the sky. They may not be from the same order, but there were few knights remaining in the world. They were bound to know each other. And this was only further proven when the winged knight spoke.


    "Stay your hand, Dancing Blade. I cannot allow you to kill this man. Your commission is complete. I have sent my men to escort Lady Sairen back to Melchior."


    Galeon recognised her as well. There were very few prominent people in the Eastern Region that was already filled with so many warriors and wanderers. This meant that anyone who managed to truly make a name for themselves here were the cream of the crop. And this female winged knight was perhaps the best of them. She was the Divine Lance of Radiance of the Lux Holy Land.


    However, Galeon only spared her a brief glance as his brows soon furrowed. His heart was beating with trepidation as he jumped to the sky, his wings beating against the wind with maddened fervour. He flew higher than the Divine Lance who followed him. And when they reached a high enough vantage, Galeon''s silence only became a lot more obvious.


    There was a reason he wanted to kill Verglas in that one last attack. He really needed to end the battle quickly. This was because the moment he used the first step of his technique, shifting his state of mind into something that attuned greatly to his surroundings, the first thing he heard was not the beating of his heart or the rustling leaves of the forest. The first thing he heard was a distant sound reminiscent of rushing water. It gripped his heart at that moment as he realised what it was.


    "It''s here."


    A beast tide.

 Chapter 18 - High Tide

    Beast tide...


    There have been many instances over the course of history when beasts came flooding out of their territories in great numbers, attacking humans and even the cities themselves. However, most of these could not be called beast tides. At most, they were isolated incidents of beasts trying their luck to drive away humans and expand their territories. But what was happening now was clearly a lot different from that.


    It had been a few hundred years since the last true beast tide had occurred. And all available records of that tragedy always spoke of the same thing. Countless beasts of all the different species, forms and sizes that could be found in the region came rushing out like a living flood. It did not matter whether they were normally predator and prey or rivals vying for more territory. During a beast tide, they were one whole army.


    Galeon stood in the sky, beside him was a blonde haired beauty adorned in a pristine white knight''s armour. Her gently fluttering golden-feathered wings were a stark contrast to Galeon''s dark wings that beat rapidly against the air, letting out a low buzzing hum that was not as annoying or loud as those of insects.


    They both watched sternly as over in the distance, past the trees that lined the edges of the Forbidden Forest, a veritable sea of beasts had appeared, rushing out in a frantic wave of howling savagery. It was utter madness as these beasts were very much not in their right minds.


    "This is much worse than Vaulkeen''s End."


    Galeon muttered as he scanned the surrounding areas. He could see both Therion and Melchior as they were the closest and would be the most affected by the beast tide, but with the size of this calamity, the Lux Holy Land would definitely not be left unscathed either.


    Vaulkeen''s End, this was the name of both the barren region of stone and Prisma as well the tragic event that led to the death of Vaulkeen and his brothers. There were records of it kept in the three cities of the Eastern Region, a reminder of their history and a warning for the future. It detailed the scale of the beast tide as well as what most of the beasts in it were, but it was painfully obvious at a glance that this current one was way worse.


    To the side, the Divine Lance of Radiance, Shine nodded in agreement. She too had seen the records. She had been studying them diligently over the last few days in preparation for the possibility that another one might occur as they feared. And now, she wondered if it even mattered. Whatever strategies she had initially planned based on the records have become unusable or required a great overhaul and adjustment.


    After all, the current beast tide was about thrice the size of before.


    "I''ve already sent word to the cities over an hour ago when we found clear evidence of a coming beast tide. But I don''t think they''ll be ready to face this."


    "No one is ready to face this. What''s the situation of Lux Holy Land?"


    "The Radiant Paladins have been deployed to Vaulkeen''s End. The rest are garrisoned in the Holy Land or at defense lines set up outside."


    Galeon nodded, swiftly understanding their stance in this crisis. The Lux Holy Land was going all out by sending their most powerful knight order, the Order of Radiance or more commonly known as the Radiant Paladins. The Divine Lance of Radiance herself serves as their Knight Commander besides also being the High Commander of the entire military force of the Holy Land.


    Galeon dove back down, returning to where Verglas was. The man''s expression was grim as he could now also feel the tremor, the rumbling of the earth coming from a distance away. Shine descended as well, positioning herself somewhat in between Galeon and Verglas in case they fought again. But Galeon only spoke coldly.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Gather your men. Since you call yourselves protectors of the world and humanity, then do you job. And this time, do not fail it."


    "I know. But I''ll need to send Lady Sairen away from the Eastern Region. She''s not safe here. She needs to go ho-"


    "Verglas, do not test my limits. Be grateful that the Divine Lance saved you. Drop the matter now. Because I swear, one more word and I will cut you down. And this time, not even all the Divines combined will be able to stop me from cleaving your head off your shoulders, protector or not."


    Galeon left immediately after saying his piece. His destination was Vaulkeen''s End. He may not usually care for the world, but he was not heartless. Plus, his devotion to his work was one of his greatest merits. Since he was already doing something, then he would do it to perfection. And right now, he was meant to protect Sairen and get her back to her home in Melchior safely. Not to mention, Therion was his home. He cannot allow it to be reduced to rubble.


    Hearing his parting words, Shine''s eyes flashed sharply as golden electricity seemed to snake within them. She turned toward Verglas who was gritting his teeth and shook her head. She knew of the knight order he belonged to, and although she appreciated their oath, she believed it to be nothing more than an ideal. This world was doomed, she had long accepted that.


    "Listen to him, Bastion Knight. I don''t know whether he would be able to make good on his word, but just know that one of my current missions is to carry out his Divine Trial. Had I not intervened, you would already be dead. Plus, I cannot allow you to take someone away when they clearly do not want to go with you, regardless of your intentions."


    After giving her advice, Shine immediately left and headed to Vaulkeen''s End. Verglas could only sigh defeatedly as he returned to his camp. It seems he would fail in this mission entrusted to him by their leader. Worse yet, they had to face a beast tide. Just how many of his subordinates would fall in this bloody war? The thought made his heart ache.


    Shine moved swiftly, tearing across the skies as she hurried to her subordinates that have formed a defensive line in Vaulkeen''s End. When she arrived, she found Galeon already standing far ahead as though he was waiting to meet the beast tide alone, ahead of everyone else. After giving her final set of commands to her subordinates, she quickly flew beside him.


    "Are you that eager to fight? I hope that''s the case and not that you''re looking to die."


    "Neither. Do you hear it?"


    "Hear what?"


    Shine looked confusedly at him, but Galeon did not answer right away. He stood on the ground, feeling it closely through the soles of his feet. He could hear the whistling of wind as even they trembled. He could feel the rumbling earth as the tide of beasts drew nearer and nearer. But most of all, he could hear a distant cry, a sound that he could not yet discern.


    It was incredibly high-pitched, and for some reason, it seemed to travel well regardless of the medium. Air is a good conductor of sound. Water is not. And solid earth is even worse. And yet, Galeon could tell that the sound was travelling through all three at the same time. In fact, he could hear it closest through the ground.


    Galeon was already in that unique state of mind that he used in conjunction with the first step of his self-made technique. It was almost impossible for him to mistake such a thing. And so, he knew he had to prepare even more. In this coming battle against the beast tide, he needed to not just fight for the sake of fighting. He needed to fight in order to grow stronger.


    "Get ready, Divine Lance. This battle will not end with just these beasts."


    "Just call me Shine. And what do you mean?"


    "You''ll know when it comes. Just be ready. Don''t waste all your power on the weaker beasts, let me handle them."


    Shine glanced at him with skepticism for a moment before nodding. She had been observing this man for a few years now under orders of the Saintess, so she knew what kind of monstrous senses he had. In fact, just before they met, he had slipped away from their observation silently. And that was when he was fighting a large number of beasts. So with him saying those words with a sombre tone, Shine decided to trust him.


    Galeon breathed out a turbid breath as his Prisma Core lit up like a waking primal beast. One of his swords vanished into liquid crystal that returned to him while strengthening his other sword which now glowed with a bright light. His two pairs of wings began beating against the air, slowly at first as they built momentum.


    His stance shifted as his right foot moved forward, his knees slightly bent. And when the first of the beasts appeared within a hundred metres from them, he muttered in the silence that only he could still perceive.


    "First Step: Origin"

 Chapter 19 - Bringer of Light (1)

    Galeon shot forward in a blinding flash of light. His wings beating so fast that they were practically tracing a line of light across Vaulkeen''s End.


    The first beasts he met were the fastest ones, the flying beasts. There was a wide variety of such beasts ranging from hawks and eagles to bats and even other mutated beasts like winged serpents or floating turtles. This was truly worthy of being painted in a canvas and displayed in a museum as there were a lot of beasts here that remained unrecorded and undiscovered until now.


    Galeon appeared in front of one particular flying beast, a falcon that seemed to subtly meld with the shadows cast by its fellow beasts. It was the fastest among them, but no one seemed to notice it as it was adept in stealth. But to Galeon who was greatly attuned to the nature of his surroundings, such a trick was useless.


    He swung his sword at it, the blinding light removing all the shadows it could hide in as it was cut in half. But before the blade even went past its body, liquid crystal had already surged out from the surface of the blade, devouring the falcon in its entirety.


    Galeon continued with his onslaught against the surprised beasts even as his wings began changing. The four sheets that resembled an insect''s wings melded together into just two wide avian wings similar to Shine''s. It further split into multiple feathers, each as sharp as his previous wings. In fact, each of the feathers began vibrating just like his previous wings.


    His wings were now like the sharpest blades in the world, capable cutting through anything with the power of vibrations and light. And Galeon made use of them immediately. While swinging his sword at a couple of flying beasts, he began to spin around as he let himself fall.


    He became like a cyclone of light raining blood wherever he passed. Shine and the Radiant Paladins watched from a distance as a gory scene unfolded with mangled corpses of beasts being thrown around like mere trash. Shine wanted to join in, but Galeon''s words remained in her mind. She would trust him so she would stay for now. These beasts may be fast, but the truly troublesome ones have yet to appear.


    Galeon fell to the ground as his wings dug into it as though he was cutting through a slice of cake. He corrected his stance when he reached the ground, surrounded by many ground beasts who were either dead or injured. And again, he began his dance.


    There was no end to the beasts even as he cut more and more of them down. This was a beast tide. There were hundreds of thousands to millions of beasts here. It was a wonder where they even all had been hiding in these past centuries, but here they all were.


    And here he was. Galeon... he sighed in his mind as he realised once again how right he was. He really was not getting any rest this time. It all began with the commission sent to him by his supposed sister, Vivi. He found the Vernal Bloom and awakened strange new abilities. He had been wary of any pursuit from other organisations who were after the Vernal Bloom, but fortunately there were none so far. But he did not dare be complacent.


    Then came the series of commissions ranging from escort to beast hunts. All because of the increased beast activity in the Eastern Region, he had more commissions in the past days than he had in any previous two weeks combined. And it all came to a head when he was sent to find and rescue Sairen, the songstress of Melchior. Now, he was dancing in the middle of a sea of beasts.


    He could not catch a break, not even a single moment of reprieve. Throughout all this time, his heart had been beating faster and faster. An ominous feeling gnawed at the back of his mind, but he could not know what it was. All he could do was prepare.


    The beast tide had already reached the Radiant Paladins and the other Contractors and warriors that had arrived to form a defense line in Vaulkeen''s End. Even with Galeon slaughtering so many beasts, it did not reduce the difficulty of this battle. At some point, even Shine had joined Galeon upfront, blitzing through the tide with her golden lightning.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Galeon jumped up as he spun around like a top, his wings stretched out while vibrating intensely to allow him to hover in the air. From his legs, liquid crystal flowed downward, turning his legs into blades as well. Another sword appeared in his empty left hand as he began a new dance. This new macabre cadence was even more terrifying than before as Galeon seemed to have slipped into a trance.


    He was zipping across the battlefield in flashes of light. His swords, his wings, his bladed legs never stopped moving as they cut down any and all beasts they came across. He was a storm of blades, yet there was something alluring about the way he moved. It was as though he was following a certain pattern that he traces with his blades and his light. It was so natural and deadly that even veteran warriors who could only glance from afar shivered in fright.


    This man was a true beast. Free and unfettered, he waltzed in the middle of the crimson sea, performing a maddening dance that painted everything in red and white.


    In Galeon''s mind, however, he was truly awakening to something new. The more he moved his body, the more strain he endured. The more beasts he fought, the more injuries he received. The more he used his technique, the more defined his movements became. And finally, it all culminated into a series of notifications.


    [Adaptive Body has been sufficiently defined.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has extrapolated more complexities.]


    [Decide the trajectory of your growth.]


    [Adaptive Body: Your body is full of untapped potential and lifeforce. Unearth your potential and embark on the path of perfection. Enhances your body''s constitution.]


    [Branch A | Vital Battery: You are a machine of life. Your very being is defined by life. Move unbridled and let the world part its waters for you. Enhances regeneration and constitution.]


    [Branch B | Retroactive Physique: You are an anomaly of life. Your very being is a conundrum of life. What you are in one moment is less than what you are in the next. Enhances adaptability.]


    Even as he was being bathed in the blood of both beasts and his own body, his mind was clear as he read the words. He had wondered when this would come. He had been feeling as though he was being saturated by something and that he was nearing his bursting point. Fortunately, it came at the perfect time. Just as he had wanted, he was growing in the midst of battle.


    Adaptive Body was honestly not what he expected to evolve first, however. He was expecting Photokinesis as he had been using it a lot this whole time all so that he could evolve it soon. But this was fine as well. Adaptive Body was not a flashy ability and was often times forgettable. The only really tangible aspect of it is the regeneration, but aside from that, there was not much.


    The only time it had done something other than heal him fast was when he obtained Heat Resistance through it. Heat Resistance is not a separate ability, but rather a quality added to Adaptive Body. He did not know how it would affect the evolution of Adaptive Body itself, but it definitely would not be bad. At worst, it would just remain as is.


    But now, looking at the two choices for evolution, Galeon easily made his decision. The choice was obvious for him from the very beginning. The reason he chose Adaptive Body over Superior Regeneration was simply because of potential.


    While Vital Battery was obviously a lot better than Superior Regeneration and Adaptive Body, granting him an indomitable body that could both endure and resist great amounts of damage and healing them quickly, Retroactive Physique was still far superior. It all boiled down to one word: adaptability.


    Although Retroactive Physique did not directly enhance his constitution or regeneration, it was pretty much the same as Adaptive Body. And with Adaptive Body having already shown what it could do by obtaining Heat Resistance, Galeon knew that he would obtain more benefits from Retroactive Physique now that his adaptability is being enhanced.


    [Adaptive Body has evolved into Retroactive Physique.]


    [Retroactive Physique has gained the quality: True Damage Resistance]


    [Retroactive Physique has adapted to Heat Resistance. You have obtained the trait: Pyrokinesis]


    [Retroactive Physique has adapted to True Damage Resistance. You have obtained the trait: Vibration]


    For a moment, Galeon''s mind went blank. A crippling cold seemed to creep up from the depths of his being as he realised what had just happened. He was not shocked at the fact that Retroactive Physique was already working its magic. He had expected from the moment he read its description. He had just gained two new traits, two new abilities which he can push toward evolution. He should be happy, right?


    No. He could not... because this series of notifications just showed him how negligent he had been. In particular, True Damage Resistance was a wakeup call for him.

 Chapter 20 - Bringer of Light (2)

    True Damage Resistance


    This was a term that one would think only belonged in games, but Galeon thought otherwise. He understood what this meant, especially when the trait he obtained from it was Vibration.


    Indeed, Vibration. He had been using vibration for quite a while now ever since he devoured that goat beetle earlier in the day. He had been using it for hours practically non-stop, especially in this battlefield. His new wings literally had around a hundred feathers, each vibrating to ridiculous frequencies that were enough to even cut through ground that had been mutated by Prisma.


    All this while, he thought he was safe from it. He thought that since he was not feeling any adverse effects from it, it was completely harmless to him. He relished in the feeling of butchering his enemies using a combination of intense light and vibration. What he did not know was that it was slowly killing him.


    It was likely the Prisma Core that was protecting him from it the whole time, but even then, some of the damages must have been passing through regardless and he was just not noticing it. It was only now that he had obtained True Damage Resistance that he felt relief all over his body, as though all this time he had been under a great amount of torture.


    Adaptive Body must have not been able to resist it. There was a reason it was called True Damage Resistance. Regardless of any kind of defense, vibration at the highest frequencies could shatter anything. It could have shattered his bones, his blood vessels, his heart or his brain. He could have literally died without even knowing how it happened.


    He had already experienced being injured by his own ability once before. His intense light had melted his arm even through the suit. Even with Adaptive Body, it still took him a while to recover before he got Heat Resistance. How could he not have thought that vibration would injure him too?


    Galeon really wanted to slap himself in the face for that stupidity, but he was currently locked in battle in the middle of a beast tide. He could not afford to be distracted any more than he already was.


    In that brief moment of his shock, the beasts had managed to overwhelm him slightly. It halted his dance as he was thrown against other beasts. He quickly refocused, his body suddenly trembling at great speeds as he pushed off the beasts that seemed intent on tackling him to death.


    The vibrations of his body were stronger now, letting him cut through the beasts even with just his bare hands. But that also meant that he had to endure more damage from his own ability. As soon as he freed himself, Galeon jumped up, his wings spreading behind him as they began vibrating.


    With True Damage Resistance, the damage dealt to him by the vibrations of his wings could be fully mitigated. He would not suffer any hidden injuries from it unlike before. But the same was not the case when he makes his body itself vibrate. In that brief moment that he did so, he already felt some of his internal organs about to burst.


    It seems that his earlier conjecture was correct. The Prisma Core was indeed reducing the damage that vibrations were causing to his body. So from now on, he would only use Vibration on anything made of Prisma.


    As Galeon was soaking in the changes to his body, Shine was also keeping track of the overall situation. She had just received reports that the beast tide had now reached the defense lines set up right outside Therion. In at most another hour or two, it would also reach the defense lines of Melchior.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The scale of this beast tide was a literal disaster. She wondered if this may perhaps be an other apocalyptic event similar to when Prisma rained down from the skies. She could already picture it, the whole world washed over by a deluge of beasts. Death and destruction were the only things that accompanied them as the world is reduced to ruin.


    She shuddered at the thought. Her master, the Saintess, did not deserve to die in such a horrid a way. Shine would ensure that her last moments would be that of peace surrounded only by loving and caring friends and family.


    Looming over the waves of beasts, she could now see the figures of the larger and more troublesome beasts. These were the ones she was meant to fight. She had been keeping her consumption of Prismana to as low as possible due to Galeon''s words, but she knew she had to get a bit more serious for these ones.


    If these larger beasts slipped past both her and Galeon, then it would surely decimate the defense lines set up in Vaulkeen''s End. And when that happens, it does not matter how many beasts they killed here because these huge beasts alone could wreak havoc in the cities. And so, Shine moved.


    She raised her giant lance to the sky and as though it had been waiting for it, the dark clouds above shot down a storm of golden lightning toward her. It crashed against the tip of her lance before erupting all around her in a supercharged field of electricity.


    Shine waved her empowered lance as her wings unfolded behind her, unleashing a golden flare of holy flames as she shot toward the huge beasts, leaving the area around her a mess of burned corpses of beasts and still flickering golden electricity.


    Although not as fast as Galeon, the Divine Lance of Radiance was fast. She arrived in front of an elephant whose hide was made of craggy rocks and whose tusks was made of Prisma. The golden lightning and flames she brought with her erupted in an aura pure devastation that burned the surrounding beasts to a crisp.


    The elephant roared as its craggy hide was scorched. Even with its great defense, the power of Shine''s lightning and flames were enough to pierce through it. It swung its trunk against her, but the flying knight easily evaded it by flying upward.


    Once she was overhead, Shine swung her lance down as she brought all its weight crashing onto the elephant''s head. It hit like a giant hammer pressing the elephant''s head down and denting it, but that was not the end.


    Upon hitting the beast, the lance erupted with golden lightning and flames that once more decimated the area around them. And from the corpses around her, streams of golden Prismana converged toward her, condensing into a golden crystal that floated silently around her.


    This was the power of the Divine Lance of Radiance, the Radiant Knight who thrived in glorious battle and righteous war. Among all the current Divines, she was the most adept in large scale warfare not only because of her inherent talent for command, but because of her devastating ability that has one of the greatest areas of effect even among Divines. And this was all while she was still conserving most of her power for whatever Galeon had warned her about.


    With Shine now seriously doing damage on the beast tide, the defense lines finally got a bit of breathing room. It was still not much, but it was better than nothing. Although they were all veterans of battle and were powerful in their own right, Divines were simply on another level altogether. One could not hope to become a Divine. They must be born to become one.


    And at this moment, there was another person on this brutal battlefield that had decided to get more serious.


    Galeon also noticed the appearance of the huge beasts. There were not many of them, but even just a few was already a great disaster. Shine had just swiftly taken care of one of them which allowed him to take a moment to reassess his position in the battlefield.


    He was a few hundred meters away from Shine, but the consequence of her recent attack reached him fast. A huge lizard glowing with the light of Prisma immediately veered away from her the moment it saw the elephant get so easily killed. But that meant that it now headed toward Galeon who was already about to face another huge beasts, a giant snake.


    It was a dangerous situation, not really for him, but for the ones behind him if he failed to stop these two huge beasts, especially when there were countless smaller beasts still swarming around him even now.


    Finally, it was time for him to see if he could reach farther into his technique, something that he had been creating since his earliest years learning how to fight. It was incomplete mainly because he could not bring out the power he envisioned it contained, mainly because he himself had no power.


    But he was no longer without power.


    "Second Step: Transformation"

 Chapter 21 - Bringer of Light (3)

    "Second Step: Transformation"


    The moment he spoke the words, Galeon felt himself seemingly meld with everything around him, but he was still distinctly himself. It was just that he could feel clearly the great change to his perception brought about by his unique state of mind that he had achieved.


    The technique that he had created was never a sword technique. In fact, it was not the kind of technique that people usually thought of. It was more of a mental conditioning technique.


    For as long as Galeon could remember, he had always had this unique state of mind. It was as those he could feel the very world speaking to him, telling him what was happening around him. It was a strange perception of reality that he did not quite understand himself.


    It was not an ability caused by Prisma, that he was certain of. Because unlike such mutation abilities, this state of mind did not drain him of his Prismana or any kind of energy for that matter. It barely even put a strain on his mind other than when he tried to peer into something that could overwhelm his senses.


    And so he trained it, honing his mind to a level he never thought he could reach. And he reached it. That was the first step of his technique, Origin. It allowed him to listen to the world and process the information at a much faster rate than before.


    This gave him the ability to act swiftly in battle, his judgement becoming sharper and more decisive. He saw through the weaknesses of his enemies and exploited them. He saw the effects of the environment and took advantage of them. All of this happening swiftly as he processed the information with more than just his five senses. One could even say it was a sixth sense of sorts.


    The second step of the technique, Transformation, allowed him to interface with the world on a much deeper level. This was where things became a lot more difficult for Galeon to train in as this now involved a level of power beyond what someone who had no mutation ability could have done. After all, he needed to use something as a tool for his interfacing. And now, he was using Prismana.


    Galeon spun around as he rose into the air, cutting any and all beasts in his proximity. Those who were not caught up in his blades were then swallowed up by a burst of power that erupted from him. White light and white flames surged out like waves.


    The pure white flames spiraled into tendrils that snaked about the battlefield, devouring any and all beasts and leaving behind their charred remains. His white light shot out from his wings as beams of lasers. What was surprising about them, however, was not the fact that they cut through the beasts easily or burned them to ash. It was the fact that when a laser hits a target beast, it then bounces off to another beast, then to another and another.


    Soon, the white lasers seemed to have spread across a large part of the battlefield, culling so many beasts that they had practically made an entire clearing in the middle of the battlefield. Some of the laser beams even reached the giant snake, cutting through its body before disappearing. Although the snake had not died yet, it was likely halfway there already.


    With the Second Step: Transformation, Galeon felt a new layer of control over his own abilities. It felt like he could manipulate them to a much greater degree than what their currently defined complexities allowed him to. This was the reason that he could use Pyrokinesis with such great proficiency even when this was his first time using it.


    And this was the reason why he could use his light in such a disgustingly menacing way that he had never been able to do before. His last limit test of Photokinesis was when he condensed his light into a single ball that nearly completely melted his arm. It became a grenade of intense light and heat that decimated the swarm of goat beetles that attacked him earlier in the day.


    There was literally no control over that entire process. The most control he used on it was keeping the ball of light from exploding until he released it. Other than that, it was just raw power. It was a very rudimentary and somewhat barbaric way of using such a powerful ability.


    But now that he had shifted to the Second Step of his technique, he was able to transform his light into something he could only previously dream of.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Galeon''s moves made him especially conspicuous in this bleak battlefield. He was like a beacon of light that drew in everyone''s attention. The Contractors and other warriors stole glances of him every now and then as they continued fending off the beasts. Verglas and his soldiers who also arrived earlier trembled from the sheer level of power Galeon was releasing. And then there were the Radiant Paladins and the Radiant Knight herself.


    Light-based mutation abilities were actually pretty common in Corrin, especially in the Lux Holy Land. In fact, all of the Radiant Paladins had abilities that were either light-based or could emit light similar to the Divine Lance of Radiance. Shine''s ability was not light itself, but rather lightning and flames.


    The commonly acknowledged reason as to why light-based abilities are common is because Prisma had some kind of predisposition toward light. This was evident in the fact that even a millennium since the first Meteor Rain, the auroras created by Prisma still had not disappeared. They were now a permanent fixture of Corrin''s skies. Prisma itself was a luminous crystal and Prismana was generally quite bright.


    All this to say that Galeon wielding light as an ability was not a rarity. Shine found it strange that the Saintess had asked her to witness him for herself and judge whether he was worthy of taking the Sanctification Trial. The requirements for the Sanctification Trial was for one to be blessed by light.


    This did not mean that one simply wielded light as their ability. Even someone like Shine who wielded lightning and flames had undergone her Sanctification Trial. What it meant to be blessed by light was to have a level of power and control over light that generally meant that one had a deep connection with it.


    And as Shine witnessed Galeon''s shocking display of power, she could not help but admit that he was indeed worthy. Hell, if Galeon was not worthy then she should be stripped of her position in the Lux Holy Land. This man''s light was even brighter than her own! She was the Divine Lance of Radiance for heaven''s sake! How could she even call herself ''Radiant'' in front of him?!


    And just as the humans witnessed his brilliant light, the beasts witnessed it too. In particular, the huge lizard that had originally veered away from Shine and headed in his direction instead was now caught in a panic. It had moved swiftly to avoid being chased down by the winged knight that it was now close enough to reach the giant snake. It was a wonder how it was not hit by the lasers.


    But before it could change directions again, Galeon flapped his wings. In a burst of speed, he appeared in between the two huge beasts. And when he did, his body erupted with light once more. This time they did not turn into beams of laser, but instead a circular blade that spread outward from him. It cleaved through the army of beasts including the lizard and the snake.


    And then he stopped moving,


    Waves of light seemed to spill out of his body like a dense mist. Cascaded down to the ground like some kind of liquid, melting down any beast that was too slow or unlucky enough to be covered in it. The humans watching wondered what he was doing, suddenly stopping in the middle of the battlefield, but only Galeon knew how important this moment was for him.


    [Photokinesis has been sufficiently defined.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has extrapolated more complexities.]


    [Decide the trajectory of your growth.]


    [Photokinesis: You no longer need to fear the light for it is yours to command and wield. Manipulate light in the surroundings. Generate light to a lesser extent.]


    [Branch A | Starbright Beacon: You are the beacon of light. Dazzle all those who gaze upon you and impart unto them the beauty of light. Generate light to a greater extent.]


    [Branch B | Aurora Corona: You are the king of light. Bear down upon the world with the light that solely belongs to you. Manipulate light to a greater extent.]


    Finally, it has come. Galeon had been waiting for this moment since he first gained the ability. To him, his Prisma Core was not an actual ability, but an anomaly he needed to understand. Meanwhile, Adaptive Body was just a stronger body than normal.


    Photokinesis was the only one that actually made him feel like he had a mutation ability. And he really enjoyed using it. That was why he had been wanting to evolve it for a while now. He had wondered what kind of evolutions it would have, how different it would make his light manipulation. He honestly could not imagine it.


    And now he was seeing it, although the descriptions were just as vague as always, he was still happy. Either one was a good fit for him. Starbright Beacon would allow him to generate even more intense light. What could be more intense than what he currently had? Even he did not know.


    Aurora Corona gave him a greater control over his light. This was amazing as well because even though he could achieve such high control over his light through Second Step: Transformation, he could feel that there was still more for him to unearth.


    Galeon was spoiled for choice this time unlike the evolution of Adaptive Body. He really was having trouble deciding which one. But before he was even remotely close to settling on a decision, a new series of notifications appeared. And this time, he really was dumbfounded.


    [Retroactive Physique has adapted to Photokinesis.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has managed to extrapolate complexities exceeding the current Stratum.]


    [Additional complexities are now available for selection.]


    [Branch C | Lux, Bringer of Light: Your are the Bringer of Light. You embody the Light, both its gentleness and its cruelty. Your Will is an interminable radiance that pushes back the Darkness. When you beckon, Light moves. When Light beckons, the world prays.]

 Chapter 22 - Let There Be Light

    [Retroactive Physique has adapted to Photokinesis.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has managed to extrapolate complexities exceeding the current Stratum.]


    [Additional complexities are now available for selection.]


    This was a great surprise to Galeon. He had chosen to evolve Heightened Regeneration into Adaptive Body and then into Retroactive Physique all because he was fully invested in the one thing they promised¡ª potential.


    Adaptive Body and Retroactive Physique both gave him the potential to grow endlessly. Of course, that was just an exaggeration... or so he thought. Never did he expect that Retroactive Physique was powerful enough to even influence the Vernal Bloom itself, allowing it to extrapolate more complexities than it should have been able to. And then came the fruit.


    [Branch C | Lux, Bringer of Light: Your are the Bringer of Light. You embody the Light, both its gentleness and cruelty. Your Will is an interminable radiance that pushes back the Darkness. When you beckon, Light moves. When Light beckons, the world prays.]


    He honestly did not know what to think of this.


    Lux the Bringer of Light, that was the name of the god of Lux Holy Land. That was the name of the god whose faith was deeply rooted in the history of Corrin. Even to this day, a millennium since the first Meteor Rain, hundreds and thousands of pilgrims travel from all over the continent to pray in the Lux Holy Land.


    It was a sanctuary for those who never lost faith, for those who continued to strive for a brighter future even in this bleak and turbulent era. They believed that the light will come, that the world and humanity will be saved from the cancerous omen that corrupted everything.


    It all started as an ancient prophecy. And now, an entire church was built upon it.


    Galeon''s brows furrowed into a frown. What was he supposed to think of this? Was he the Bringer of Light meant to save the world? Was he supposed to just accept this burden that he wanted no part in to begin with? He was not even a religious person, and now he was suddenly being thrust into the position of godhood?


    Or was he just supposed to laugh it off, taking it as the Vernal Bloom''s way of lightening his mood. That this was just the way it preferred to name this particular evolution. After all, even he admitted that it was a pretty cool name.


    He truly did not know what to think of it so he did the only thing he could. He ignored whatever implications it might have and focused on choosing the evolution path of his ability.


    He currently had three choices, something that has never happened before. he did not know if all the skill trees only had two branches normally, but that was what he was expecting after four skill evolutions. In fact, if Retroactive Physique did not trigger the Vernal Bloom''s extrapolation, then even this skill tree would have only branched into two.


    Now, normally it would be the best decision to just choose the most special one. After all, it came about through special circumstances. It would obviously not be any lesser than the other two. This was especially the case for Bringer of Light which was explicitly mentioned to be a complexity exceeding the current Stratum of Photokinesis.


    And herein lay the problem.


    By choosing Bringer of Light, Galeon would essentially be skipping over three entire Tiers of the First Stratum, that is assuming that Bringer of Light was only at the Second Stratum. And while that would definitely mean it was powerful, he did not know what kind of consequences it would have on the future growth of his ability.


    For all he knew, by skipping the last three Tiers, he was effectively leaving a huge portion of the ability undefined which might also limit its future potential. He could not allow such a thing. The whole point of him choosing Retroactive Physique was to give him limitless potential so why would he cut himself off now just because of the allure of skipping levels.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Galeon breathed in and out to clear his mind and readjust his thoughts. The more he thought about it, the more he realised he was just overwhelmed by the sudden boon he had received. He was admittedly a little bit paranoid and suspicious of most things so he overthought this as well.


    The issue of leaving the ability''s complexity undefined and thus limiting its potential was entirely unfounded. After all, when choosing a branch to evolve his ability into, does he not also leave behind another branch of complexities completely undefined? How different was that from this?


    In fact, it could be argued that skipping an entire Stratum granted the ability more potential because its complexities have managed to spill over the other branches. His ability was only leveling up once, but it would be taken to an entirely new playing field. It would have more room to grow, not to mention more power than the other two.


    Galeon nodded to himself as he acknowledged his thoughts. He should not overthink it. Caution is good, but too much of anything is dangerous. If he feared losing potential too much, then he might just actually cripple himself unknowingly.


    [Photokinesis has evolved into Lux, Bringer of Light.]


    [Name: Galeon]


    [Titles: Master of the Vernal Bloom | Dancing Blade]


    [Aspects: Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom | Prisma Core | Bringer of Light]


    [Skills: Lux, Bringer of Light (T3-S2) | Retroactive Physique (T3-S1) | Symbiotic Devour (T2-S1) | Pyrokinesis (T2-S1) | Vibration (T2-S1)]


    Galeon was surprised by how much he had skipped simply by choosing Bringer of Light. Photokinesis was only at Tier 2 of the First Stratum. Its evolution should have only brought it to Tier 3 of the First Stratum. But Bringer of Light seemed especially complex as it instantly reached Tier 3 of the Second Stratum. That was five whole levels.


    He did not understand how Retroactive Physique managed to push the Vernal Bloom into extrapolating that much complexities. He still remembered the notification regarding it. It said that Retroactive Physique had adapted to Photokinesis. What did that even mean?


    He honestly thought that it could only adapt to external stimuli like what happened when he obtained Heat Resistance and True Damage Resistance. And then he realised, he was still underestimating this ability.


    Retroactive Physique did not only push the Vernal Bloom to extrapolate more complexities from Photokinesis. It had done the same twice before already, except it was not on proper abilities but just qualities that it had gained. It adapted to Heat Resistance and True Damage Resistance and then the Vernal Bloom created new abilities from them¡ª Pyrokinesis and Vibration, both of which were starting out at Tier 2 of the First Stratum.


    Galeon sighed as he realised once again how much he did not understand his body and everything going on within it. These complexities that he thought he understood have seemingly become even more ethereal and elusive than before. Now, he did not really know what they were referring to.


    He gazed out into the battlefield that had continued to move even without him. It was such a horrendous scene of blood and gore as both beasts and humans either fought or dropped dead. In contrast, a large area around him had seemingly become devoid of life as a pool of liquid white light had gathered beneath him.


    The pool of light pulsed with such dense power of light that Galeon trembled in ecstasy, his body seemingly delighted at feeling all this power. It was not Prismana. It was pure light. Galeon thought back to the description of his new ability, knowing that whatever changes he was seeing now was hinted at from the very beginning.


    [Lux, Bringer of Light: Your are the Bringer of Light. You embody the Light, both its gentleness and cruelty. Your Will is an interminable radiance that pushes back the Darkness. When you beckon, Light moves. When Light beckons, the world prays.]


    There was a distinct difference between this description and the other two descriptions of Starbright Beacon and Aurora Corona. It was the word ''Light''. For the first two branches, light was written normally. It was treated as an object just like any other. But Bringer of Light was different.


    Bringer of Light''s description seemed to portray Light as a personified being, a living existence. The Bringer of Light seems to be its physical vessel, the medium with which it acts. The Bringer of Light is an extension of the Light. But without the Bringer of Light, the Light is unable to wield its authority. Both are equally important in this equation. There was no greater or lesser. There is no one without the other.


    There is only Lux, the Bringer of Light.


    "I am the vessel through which judgement descends. I am the Light that heralds the End."


    The words escaped Galeon''s mouth in a brief moment of daze when he felt the presence of Light within him. And with those words, the pool of pure liquid light rose into the sky, swirling around him in a beautiful stream.


    He raised his left hand, his sword melting back into liquid crystal that returned to the Prisma Core. Over his palm, the liquid light condensed into a ball the size of his head. And once more, he raised his hand. Overhead, the ball of light pulsed with a potent power and radiance unlike anything that graced the world before. And for a moment, everyone in the Eastern Region stopped and stared at it.


    It was not just the humans. Even the beasts were dazzled by the intensely bright yet surprisingly comforting light. It did not burn the eyes unlike all the light that Galeon had released before. This one was a lot more mystical and gentle. It was beyond what normal beings should even encounter. And yet, there it sat in the palm of his hand. And finally...


    "Let there be light."

 Chapter 23 - Brightest Light

    The brightest light to ever grace Corrin, that was how bright Galeon''s light was. The entirety of the Eastern Region could see it. It washed over the lands, dying it white if only for a brief moment.


    What was surprising, however, was that even across the continent, that brilliant glimmer of light could be seen. It was not to the extent of what the Eastern Region saw, but it was still bright enough to catch the attention of a lot of people.


    Those who knew of the current crisis in the Eastern Region grew sombre. A bright light like that could mean any number of things. Worst among them was a beast so powerful that it could decimate the Eastern Region by itself. They did not want to believe that such a thing might have appeared, but they had to be prepared just in case it proved to be real.


    And so, all the major forces across the continent¡ª across Corrin began mobilising their armies. Even the other Divines were alerted by this sudden light. After all, something that could emit such a bright light that could reach the opposite end of the continent was effectively at the level of Divine. If it was indeed a beast that caused it, then it was grave calamity that even they would have trouble against.


    Meanwhile, in the Lux Holy Land, practically everyone was kneeling on the ground. Their bodies prostrated as they faced the direction of the light. Even when beasts were right outside their city fighting against the knights and soldiers, they only wept in celebration.


    In a secluded room in the High Temple of Light at the heart of the Holy Land, a frail woman stood on the balcony. Her eyes that were usually closed have opened, revealing the pure white blankness within them. She was completely blind, and yet she gazed at the brilliant light in the distance with a euphoric expression.


    She extended a pale hand in front of her, trying to feel something in the air, but there was nothing there... or so others might think.


    "Ah, I feel it! I feel the light!"


    The woman spoke with joy and excitement as she clearly felt on her hand a drop of rain. It was not water, but rather liquid light. It was raining down upon the Eastern Region in a mild drizzle. When it the light dropped on her body, the woman felt the chronic feebleness and exhaustion that had been ailing her for years on end slowly dissipate. She was being cured, and she was not alone.


    The soldiers, knights and warriors who fought in the frontlines against the beast tide felt the rain of light on their bodies. The injuries they received, no matter how grave, began healing. It was like the holy water granting blessings upon the people. And it was not just the people either.


    The plants preserved and carefully nurtured within the cities, even the Forbidden Forest, all of them received the nurturing of the rain of light. For a brief moment, their stems, trunks and leaves shone with luminescence as their growths were spurred on. It was as though an endless drought had finally ended as beautiful flowers and bountiful fruits began appearing swiftly from them.


    In contrast, the beasts suffered greatly from the rain of light. Every drop of liquid light burned the beasts, swiftly turning them into ashes. The power within the liquid light was so potent that just one drop was enough to reduce even the huge beasts to mere ash. But there was not a lot of liquid light, and soon, the rain stopped pouring.


    It had only lasted for a few seconds, but the effect it brought was astounding. Most of the beast tide, stretching from Vaulkeen''s End all the way to the cities, had been reduced to ashes. All that was left were a few tens of thousands of stragglers that did not get hit by the rain. It was understandable that not all would be drenched. The rain all came from the puddle of liquid light that Galeon controlled. And there was not a lot of it.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Still, this one move had practically ended the entire beast tide. All the beasts that remained would either return to where they came from or continue charging to their deaths. The people were ready to continue fighting. After all, they had just been granted a miracle fully healing them. They could fight for several more hours, no problem.


    Meanwhile, in Vaulkeen''s End, the Radiant Paladins have fallen to one knee, their hands clasped in prayer. They all looked toward a single person, the man who stood in the sky as he commanded the light to rain down upon the world.


    His wings fluttered calmly behind him as a mist of light continued to leak out of his body. It cascaded down like a heavy fog painting a picture of an ethereal being cloaked in light. The pool of liquid light that he had used just earlier was already forming below him once again, but it was still small. It would not be enough to be used in a similar way as it would just be able to fill his cupped hand. But there was a way to hasten its production.


    The power of light was what he needed to wield this power. It did not rely on Prismana as it could no longer be considered a mutation ability. This was now a true power belonging solely to Galeon. Even if he were to lose the Vernal Bloom and any of his mutations, he would still be the Bringer of Light.


    The power of light relied solely on himself. He was the vessel of the Light, which meant he could fuel it with something essential to himself.


    His life force.


    For anyone else, this would have been the end of it. They would not be able to use the power of light beyond their normal limits. After all, no one would want to consume their life force just to fuel this power. It was especially the case for a very potent power that would consume more life force than one might expect. This does not apply to Galeon, however.


    With the Prisma Core both consuming his life force to grow and feeding him with more pure energy than he knew what to do with, he had no reason to fear exceeding the normal limits. The pure energy given to him by the Prisma Core was the one fueling practically all of his abilities. If he needed Prismana for an ability, the pure energy would be converted into Prismana. If he needed life force to regenerate, the pure energy will be converted into life force.


    He had the perfect wellspring of energy here. He did not need to worry about anything at all. This meant that he could probably produce a lot more of that liquid light at a faster right by burning more pure energy. And that was exactly what he did.


    The moment he decided on it, a visible effect could be seen as the mist of light leaking out of him suddenly grew in density. The liquid light that was pooling on the ground below him began floating toward him, swirling around him in a vibrant rhythm. The Light itself seemed ecstatic that it was receiving so much fuel.


    Now, one might wonder why he wanted to produce more liquid light. Most of the beasts are dead. The beast tide was practically over now. Even if the remaining beasts decided to fight to the end, he would not need such overwhelming power to deal with them. But the thing is that Galeon never worried about the beast tide itself.


    Yes, it was dangerous and potentially disastrous. But he was confident that he could deal with it, especially with the help of so many warriors and even a Divine. What he was truly afraid of, however, was whatever triggered the beast tide in the first place.


    He had noticed early on that most of the beasts were only running, not even bothering to attack. Those who did attack were those who had no where to go, no way to escape the human who was blocking their way. This was the same thing that he noticed from the beasts in the Forbidden Forest. So he knew, that this was not a simple beast tide. And he could feel it now even more clearly than before.


    Beside him, Shine appeared with a stern expression. It seems she too had felt it, the change in the atmosphere of Vaulkeen''s End the moment that most of the beasts had vanished. There was a silent rumbling coming from somewhere that she could not pinpoint. And although she did not have bad premonition, she did not let her guard down. While scanning the battlefield, she spoke to Galeon.


    "Where''s the Divine Fist of Fury? Shouldn''t he be here to protect Therion? The Contractors have all been deployed, so why is the Guild Master missing?"


    "I don''t know. I''m just a Contractor. I only concern myself with the commissions I receive. If the Guild Master isn''t here, then we just have to make do with what we''ve got."


    And immediately after Galeon''s response, the ground in the distance began to bulge. And then, it shot out into the open. It was gigantic, about 50 meters in diameter. And as it rose into the sky, its length had already gone past 100 meters.


    It was a giant worm whose body was made of rocks and Prisma.

 Chapter 24 - Leviathan

    It was a gigantic worm made of stone and Prisma. It seemed to have burrowed through the ground, tunneling through it from a distance away before appearing in Vaulkeen''s End. This was the object of fear of the beasts. It was similar to how animals get agitated before a large strong earthquake hits, they could feel it coming and their survival instincts tell them to run away.


    "What the hell is that thing?!"


    One of the warriors shouted out in fear and panic, but he received no answers. After all, that was the exact same question that everyone present had. Just what exactly is this giant stone worm? They refused to believe that it was a beast as Prisma could not mutate a worm the size of a finger to become as gigantic as this thing.


    Its stone body and the luminescent Prisma that lined its craggy exterior, however, was already an answer. This was indeed not a beast. This was one of the monstrous creatures that were born from Prisma itself.


    No one knew what to call these things other than ''monsters''. That was because although they were fewer in number than the beasts, they were arguably more dangerous. It was not just a matter of size either as they could range from the size of a normal beast to something like this worm whose body still could not be fully seen as only a portion of it had exited the ground.


    What was incredibly dangerous about these monsters were the Prisma that lined their bodies, jutting out like precious luminescent ore, but make no mistake. These were not merely decorations. These Prisma were the source of their power, very much like how the giant worm was about to show them.


    As it burst out of the ground and into the sky, the giant worm cried out with a noise so horrendous that it nearly made those with weaker minds faint. It was a savage and guttural roar mixed with the cries of insects and the howls of dying beasts.


    And as though sensing something, it turned what seemed to be its head with a giant pit of a mouth lined with several layers of sharp rocky teeth toward the direction of the humans, toward Galeon and Shine. And then, its body began lighting up like a Christmas tree.


    A bluish light traced the outlines of veins throughout its body, working its way up from somewhere beneath the ground. When it reached what could be considered the neck of the giant worm, everyone could feel the danger from it as the light concentrated in its mouth.


    Shine and Galeon moved instantly. They did not know how powerful this attack would be, but they could not afford to dodge it. Behind them was not just defense lines. Therion was also directly behind them. Should this attack be stronger than they expected, it might decimate the land reaching all the way to the city. And by then, it would be too late to regret.


    "Shields up!"


    Shine commanded, her voice thundering out throughout the battlefield and even reaching the defense lines of Therion a distance away. She swung her lance before descending to the ground just in time as the giant worm''s attack was released.


    A thick and dense beam of Prismana shot out of the monster''s mouth. It carved a path through the stone ground of Vaulkeen''s End as the giant worm swung its head upward to gain more reach, intent on destroying everything in front of it.


    Shine''s giant lance fixed itself on the ground as it began unfolding, turning into a giant shield bolstered by golden lightning and flames. But just from a glance at the sheer destruction the beam Prismana was already doing, she knew this would not be enough. Looking at the golden crystals floating around her, she came to a decision. This was the moment that Galeon had warned her about. It was time to give it everything she had.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    There were a total of eighteen golden crystals floating around her, each the size of a fist. She beckoned for five of them to come to her, and as they came floating around her left hand, she clenched her fist. The golden crystals shattered all at the same time, the power contained within them bursting out as it formed something that barely anyone had seen before.


    A giant figure of a female knight made of golden lightning and flames manifest around Shine. It was her, just a whole lot bigger. Its size could not compare to the giant worm, but it did not matter. This was not a competition. This was a matter of life and death. And the giant avatar swung its equally giant lance, their figures overlapping with Shine and her lance.


    And just when the beam was about to hit her, a flash of white erupted from behind her. The beam hit her avatar and her shield, but it was not a direct hit as liquid light had surged out to create another layer of defense. And yet even with this, Shine was being pushed back, her feet skidding back on the stone ground and creating deep gouges on the earth.


    The beam did not stop nor did it move. The giant worm seemed to have a sliver of intelligence as it recognised that if it did not kill the ones who managed to block its attack, then it would have problems. And so rather than continuing to swing its head upwards, it instead bore down on Shine.


    The stalemate seemed to last hours, but it had really only been just a few seconds. And just when Shine was feeling the strain on her, warning her that she would no longer be able to keep up with the defense for long, Galeon''s voice rang out behind her.


    "I''ll break this attack! I need you to find a way to keep this thing from moving after that! I''ll try to distract it and buy you time, but you need to be quick! If it goes back underground, then we lose!"


    Shine understood what he meant. If this giant worm really went back down under, then it could go anywhere it pleased and no one would be able to stop it. They cannot let that happen. It was already a great shock that such a thing existed in Corrin without any of them knowing. To let it roam free again would be the greatest sin to the world. And so Shine nodded in assent.


    Galeon then began focusing, his mind tapping into something that he did not know whether to be afraid of or not. It was admittedly the thing that brought him closest to death that he ever had been all the while not even being aware of it. He tapped into Vibration.


    Still in Second Step: Transformation, Galeon tried something he had not been deliberately or consciously doing¡ª combining his abilities. He had been doing it using Prisma Core as an intermediary, but that was mostly because the suit covered his entire body so whatever ability he used would be transmitted through his suit. Besides, the Prisma Core felt like a part of his body which was true. Prisma Core was very much just like Light to him, both were a part of him.


    And just as it was with Prisma Core, he used Light as the medium this time. The liquid light that surged out into another layer of defense in front of Shine suddenly pulsed. The swirling streams of liquid light that seemed to endlessly come out of Galeon began vibrating.


    The combination of concentrated light and vibration was a terrifying thing as the Prismana beam of the giant worm that was previously pushing Shine back and even threatening to bury her underground had now met an equivalent force that was slowly pushing it back as well, breaking its momentum in full.


    The rippling liquid light became like sharp current drilling through the Prismana beam. It started slowly as it built momentum, but soon, it was cutting through the giant worm''s attack like a hot knife through butter. It was so clean and effortless that even Galeon was surprised.


    Although he did spend a lot of life force on that attack, it was mainly to supply enough liquid light for it. The main power literally came from the liquid light itself and the vibration. True Damage, Galeon was once again reminded of how terrifying such a thing was. But he had no time to dally.


    He shot forward, following his liquid light as he cut through the beam toward the giant worm. Shine finally heaved a sigh of relief, but she did not celebrate yet. She had a job to do and they were on a timer. Galeon would buy her time, but who knew how long they actually had before the monster decided to retreat.


    Meanwhile, Galeon summoned more liquid light around him, sending them shooting out across the battlefield to surround the giant worm. He could not afford to fail here. So while the worm was distracted by its attack being pushed back, he muttered out.


    "Third Step: Sublimation"

 Chapter 25 - All Things

    "Third Step: Sublimation"


    The moment he spoke the words, Galeon''s mind shifted. His perception increased in range and clarity, but at the same time, it felt scattered. Or rather, his perception of himself was scattered.


    It was as though his entire being had dispersed, melding into the environment making him less distinct than he previously was. He was just another part of nature, another part of reality. Unlike Transformation where he interfaced with his surroundings on a deeper level, Sublimation made it so that he was truly a part of it.


    He had no need to interface with anything. He did not need an intermediary, a medium with which he manipulated his surroundings on a much more delicate level. In the Third Step: Sublimation, he only needed to move according to his Will.


    This was a level that he had barely managed to reach previously without having gone through Transformation. It was a bottleneck that he should not normally have breached simply because of the implications of this state. To understand the problem, one simply needed to ask a question.


    How could one move their own body without first grasping a basic understanding of it?


    A child does not learn how to walk from the moment they were born. They go through a learning phase full of trials and errors and frustration. They crawl and stand and fall and crawl again. And at the end of it, they might finally be able to walk. It was the same in this case. This was the reason why Galeon had never been able to truly complete his technique.


    He had already created it, yes. But just creating it did not mean it was whole. If even the creator himself could not practice the technique, is it really usable? Is it really complete? This had been gnawing at him for a long time that he eventually gave up on it.


    Origin was enough for most things. And a rudimentary and incomplete Sublimation was already overkill for the commissions he had been taking. Never did he actually think that he would be using the true version of Sublimation ever, yet here he was. Fighting against a gigantic monstrosity.


    The beam of Prismana slowly died down, but before it could completely vanish, the liquid light that Galeon had scattered around the battlefield had already reached their intended positions. Now, it was time for him to give this worm a taste of hell.


    The liquid light cutting through the beam of Prismana suddenly exploded, breaking the worm''s attack completely while also blinding it. Before its vision could recover, it felt a sharp blade cut through its back. It roared out while swinging its body in an attempt to slap away the attacker, but it hit nothing.


    It sensed another attack coming from its front. It turned its head, which may or may not have any eyes, toward the direction of the new attack and found Galeon swinging his single sword out from a distance away. The sword released a jet of liquid light vibrating at such high frequencies that only the worm could hear.


    It roared in anger as it moved to dodge, perhaps hoping the attack would hit the attacker behind it. The worm managed to slip past the attack with just a light graze on its side, but when it looked back at Galeon, he was already gone.


    Then a sharp and blazing pain assaulted the giant worm on the other side of its body. It swung its body away, its head turning toward the direction of the attack only to find Galeon had appeared there. But in the same instant that the giant worm saw him, he disappeared leaving only liquid light floating in the air.


    Indeed, Galeon was teleporting across the vast battlefield as he toyed with the giant worm. The liquid light that he had scattered earlier served as coordinates to which he could teleport. To him, however, it was less of a teleportation and more of shifting his perspective.


    Third Step: Sublimation, this part of the technique is the true beginning of the ridiculous things that Galeon could do. There was a reason he could not complete the technique without an innate mutation ability.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    As stated earlier, in Sublimation, his very being becomes one with the very reality around him. But while this may sound amazing, it is still actually very difficult to use. The mind will always subconsciously search for its own distinction. It would always try to be congisant of itself.


    This makes it so that complete manipulation of the surrounding reality was still impossible even at this level. Unless one was some kind of god, then such a thing was pure fantasy. But what was not impossible was manipulating multiple other parts of one''s being. In this case, the liquid light.


    Galeon''s mind subconsciously understood that this liquid light was a part of him. Therefore, wherever there was liquid light, there was Galeon.


    He is the Light and the Light is him.


    He is the Bringer of Light.


    And soon, the speed at which he was teleporting across the battlefield grew faster and faster. It had reached a point that two versions of himself seemed to appear at once, attacking from two different sides, and still he was growing faster.


    The attacks were powerful, but giant worm was not a calamity for nothing. Its body was among the sturdies things in the world right now, and although it had accumulated quite a lot of injuries from Galeon''s pestering attacks, it was still nowhere near being on the brink of death. But it did not seem to care about who was winning. It just knew that it was at a severe disadvantage and so it began finding an opening to retreat back underground.


    Unfortunately for it, the Divine Lance of Radiance had already finished her preparation. Galeon had bought her more time than she expected and so she was able to gather a decent amount of power to hold the hulking monstrosity down.


    Shine rose into the sky surrounded by the golden crystals that now numbered thirty. She had replenished the five she had previously used for defense and had added a few more. Her golden wings fluttered behind her as she raised her left hand to the sky as though offering the golden crystals to a distant god watching from above.


    She clenched her fist and all thirty golden crystals shattered releasing a storm of golden lightning and flames that swiftly gathered onto her giant lance. The golden lightning and flames stretched out the figure of the lance, making it even larger than Shine herself. Now, it looked like she was wielding the very same lance that her avatar wielded.


    "Radiant Dawn!"


    She called out as she threw her giant lance, its radiant gold painted the skies in the same colour. She looked like a goddess of storms as she bellowed out with full power, her Prismana draining by over half as she hoped it would be enough. She knew that her lightning and flames were not as strong as Galeon''s liquid light. Even this attack of hers might not have the effect she wanted.


    But her worries were unfounded. Galeon managed to distract the worm from noticing the giant lance until it was already too late. The lance was descending with such great speeds that even Galeon would not have been able to evade had he not prepared to teleport a large distance away.


    When the giant worm finally noticed the lance, it was already too late to even swing its body around to reduce the impact. The lance impaled the giant worm through its body with an explosive sound closer to an exploding missile rather than a strike of lightning.


    And even when it accomplished its purpose, the golden lightning and flames on the lance still did not die. They continued to torture the giant monster, chipping away at its defense to make it easier for anyone to kill it. Well, only two people really had the power to kill it even now. One of them had just used most of their Prismana on that attack and would have to gather more power to deal a finishing blow, but the other one was already prepared. It was all part of the plan.


    "Fourth Step: Severance"


    His words were like a trigger, bringing silence upon the entire battlefield. Not even the crackling lightning and raging flames could be heard. Not even the pained roars of rage of the giant worm could be heard. The only thing that could be heard in that moment was Galeon''s voice. But that too soon disappeared. There was a clear sense of emptiness that struck everyone who was there to witness the phenomenon. It was as though a part of reality had been cleanly carved off, cut off from the rest of them.


    "Fifth Step: Infinity"


    And as though he existed anywhere and everywhere at once, Galeon''s voice resounded from the very space of the battlefield. His figure could no longer be found from the moment he reached the Fourth Step, but all of a sudden, several dozens of him appeared all around the battlefield. Their stances were all the same, holding their single swords as they prepared to slash out.


    "Sixth Step..."


    He never finished words even as all the people who listened intently held their bated breaths in both anticipation and fear. The shock of his power was terrifying, but what happened next left them all feeling chill run up their spines, numbing their heads.


    Each body of Galeon burst out with interminable light as they all shot toward the now trapped giant worm. But to everyone watching, they could see space itself bending to accommodate him. It was as though space itself was guiding his movement toward a singular point where all of his different bodies converged, disappearing into that singular point.


    And finally, the giant worm fell to the ground.

 Chapter 26 - Finality

    The giant worm fell to the ground, its body seemingly punctured by a tiny a hole barely the size of a human head. And yet it was this seemingly inconspicuous and useless hole was what killed the giant worm once and for all.


    Everyone present stared at the corpse of the giant worm in a daze. They were still processing what had just happened. They had seen too many things in so short a time that they felt like they could not catch a breath before they were shown another mind-boggling thing.


    They had just been fighting for their lives against a beast tide much worse than before. Then all of a sudden, light rained down upon them, blessing them with greater health and cleansing the lands of the beasts that threatened to raze everything to the ground.


    But before they could even celebrate their victory and survival, a giant monstrosity of Prisma appeared. It was a calamity that would have spelled the end of the Eastern Region and possibly other regions as well, and yet it was already dead not long since it appeared.


    It felt so surreal, especially for those who recognised Galeon. Even if he was not a very sociable person, he still knew a lot of Contractors. Therion was a hub for Contractors after all. And when someone appears in a full suit all the time, they would definitely be recognised. They just did not know that he was this powerful.


    At this moment, Galeon reappeared in the battlefield as though he was returning to existence. He did not just teleport back, his body literally faded back into reality, as though his dispersed being condensed into him once more.


    He gasped for breath for a while, feeling the severe weakness all over his body. He felt so drained that he could die, but before long, he recovered. His Retroactive Physique and the Prisma Core worked double time to get him back in good condition.


    He looked around the battlefield and found that none of the remaining beasts were left. They have either died or fled. This was good as he really did not want to work for a second longer. He walked toward the hulking corpse of the giant worm as he thought about what he had just done. And as though reading his thoughts, Shine walked beside him.


    "What''s the name of that technique that you used? I''ve never seen anything like it before."


    "It''s because I created it."


    Galeon inspected his body, trying to understand the severe toll it took to use the latter parts of the technique before he was ready. He knew his current limits went only as far as the Third Step. Going further into the Fourth Step was already too much of a strain on both his mind and body. And reaching even further into the Fifth Step, it was like asking to be killed.


    First Step was the Origin of All Things.


    Second Step was the Transformation of All Things.


    Third Step was the Sublimation of All Things.


    Fourth Step was the Severance of All Things.


    Fifth Step was the Infinity of All Things.


    And finally...


    "Six Steps of Finality, the End of All Things."


    That was the name of the technique he had created. It was a story of existence, especially that of the mind, of the person who sought to peer into the truths of the world. One attunes to everything around them, then taps into a deeper level of interaction and control with reality. And when they finally reach a precipice, they sublimate themselves and become part of that reality.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    And then they have to define what it meant to be real, what it meant to exist. They had to sever themselves, not from reality, but from the being that they were. In the moment that he stepped into the Fourth Step, he was no longer Galeon. He just was.


    And from there, every trace of his being that has melded into reality achieves a level of understanding of what it meant to exist. And so, as every trace of him exists everywhere, he exists everywhere. Just as reality and existence exist everywhere. An inherent infinity of existence.


    And all that is left is to prove that one truly exists. The inevitable destination of all things is the end. After creation comes a natural destruction that culminates the journey, the story that had been told. An end is also a proof that one did exist. But he was not yet ready.


    Had Galeon taken that final step, he would have instantly died. It may sound silly not wanting to die when he was literally stepping into the end, but that was because the end he sought for was not a silent and desolate end. He sought the end that would herald a new beginning. He sought the end that comes with Eternity.


    "Six Steps of Finality... what a sorrowful name to a technique, but I understand."


    Shine nodded as she mulled over the meaning behind the name. She had heard every name of every step. And although she had an idea of what Galeon meant by them, she knew that she could never truly understand it. That was the trait of the most special and unique techniques. Very few people can ever hope to learn them from their creators as the meanings behind them are as elusive as the wind.


    Shine breathed in deeply once as she sped up before standing in front of Galeon, blocking his way forward. She showed no hostile intent. In fact, she had a slight smile on her face as she spoke in a loud voice empowered by Prismana. Her voice spread out, reaching the three cities of the Eastern Region.


    "I, the Divine Lance of Radiance, hereby acknowledge your power. From this day forth, the Dancing Blade shall be known as the Divine Blade of Finality."


    The words of the Divine Lance of Radiance was filled with power and authority. It was an inviolable decree that made certain that everyone heard and followed it. From that moment on, there was no longer the Dancing Blade. There was no longer a mere Contractor G413.


    There was only Galeon, the Divine Blade of Finality.


    The Eastern Region fell into a deeper silence before soon erupting with cheers of celebration. Even from so far away, they shouted their thanks to the wind, hoping it would bring it to the ears of the new Divine. They all saw that bright flash of light he had created. They all felt the drizzle of the rain of light. They only wondered who could have done such things, but with the announcement made by Shine, it was easy to connect the dots.


    Up on the balcony of the High Temple of Light, the formerly frail woman smiled widely as she nodded in satisfaction. She could feel the life coursing through her veins even now. It was not getting any weaker at all. It was as though her chronic illness that had haunted her for so long had suddenly completely disappeared. If this was not the work of a Divine, then she did not know what qualified.


    "Well done, Shine. Now all that''s left is to invite him to visit the Holy Land so we can hold his Sanctification Trial."


    The woman spoke eagerly to herself. She had held the position of Saintess for so long, but only now did she feel like she was actually about to do something magnificent. If she could get the newly anointed Divine Blade of Finality to join the Lux Holy Land as a Saint or even just as an affiliate, that would be more than enough.


    However, while everyone else was rejoicing, Galeon''s head lowered in deep thought. Divine Blade of Finality... was this something to really be happy about? He never wished to become a Divine. It would not bring him anything of import. More importantly, to be called the Divine Blade of Finality felt wrong to him.


    Finality... it held a difficult position in his heart. It was an end to anything and everything so there was a deep sense of loss and sorrow. He grieved, not just for himself, but for all things for Finality was like an ultimatum, an inviolable law that none could escape from. It was a difficult thing to accept especially for someone like him who yearned for the Eternity of All Things.


    Divine Blade of Finality...


    It left a bad taste in his mouth. He remained silent, but he swore to one day change that title. There would come a day where he would not be known for the End that came to everyone and everything. He would instead be known for the new Beginning he brought after the End.


    This was his ambition.


    This was his dream.


    And so he continued walking toward the corpse of the giant worm, passing by Shine silently. And when everyone thought the crisis had ended, five flashes of light erupted around Shine, surrounding her. Shine looked at them in confusion as she saw...


    Galeon had surrounded her.

 Chapter 27 - Divines

    "What is the meaning of this, Finality?"


    Shine asked while frowning at the five clones of Galeon that had surrounded her. She could sense a controlled hostility within them as though they were ready to erupt with power at any given moment and fight her to the death. She could not understand why the situation suddenly turned this way.


    She had literally just announced to everyone that she had held his Divine Trial and acknowledged him as a Divine. So why was he suddenly turning his blade at her with no prior indication whatsoever? Galeon, however, only continued walking toward the corpse of the giant worm in the distance. It was one of his clones that replied to Shine instead.


    "Divine Lance of Radiance, you are under suspicion of colluding with criminals involved in the abduction of a citizen of Melchior. What do you have to say for yourself?"


    "What? Is that what this is all about? I thought I told you that I already sent my subordinates to safely escort her back to Melchior. Your commission is complete. What more do you want?"


    Shine spoke in both exasperation and annoyance. She just helped him complete his commission and now she was being treated as a criminal? She was a knight of the Lux Holy Land. How could she be a criminal? But the moment she thought that, her eyes widened in realisation. And it seemed this was the same point that Galeon was confronting her about.


    "You are a knight of the Lux Holy Land. Your jurisdiction extends to a hundred kilometers of the Lux Holy Land, no more than that. And yet you interfered in an official commission of a Guild-affiliated Contractor regarding a high profile case of abduction in another city entirely. So I say again, you are under suspicion of colluding with criminals. What do you have to say for yourself?"


    "I literally helped you with your commission! I admit it was wrong for me to interfere, but can we just let it go? There''s no harm done anyway!"


    Galeon fell silent, only staring at Shine silently. He seemed to be urging her to speak, but she could only grit her teeth. There really was no way around this mistake if Galeon wanted to push it. She had never been forced into such a position before as she never had come across such a thing before. Today was just too much of a special case in more ways than one.


    She turned her head around and saw Galeon''s real body still walking silently toward the giant worm''s corpse. He did not even seem at all invested in whatever was happening here even though it was his clones who were interrogating her. And as though to prove her right, another clone spoke.


    "You say there''s no harm done, so let me enlighten you. A Guild-affiliated Contractor with the designation V32G has been found to be involved in a high profile abduction. When confronted by the commissioned Contractor to acknowledge their affiliation, V32G refused to acknowledge and even fought the commissioned Contractor, myself. There is a traitor of the Guild caught in the middle of a criminal activity and you protected him from being subjugated. Do you still think there was no harm done?"


    Shine''s expression became darker the more she heard Galeon''s words. She knew that the guild was strict when it came to their affiliates, but she did not know they were this strict. What she failed to realise, however, was that this was a special case.


    Normally, if a Contractor turned their back on the Guild, they would at most be stripped of their affiliation and banned from ever rejoining the Guild. This usually happens when a Contractor failed a commission and instead of facing the consequences chose to run away.


    This in itself was already a great demerit as they would be carrying that stigma everywhere. The Contractors who were originally unaffiliated would have a much higher chance of getting commissions than a former Guild-affiliated Contractor because it meant that something wrong must have happened for them to be cut off.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    In the case of Verglas, however, he not only failed to acknowledge his affiliation, he even deliberately fought with Galeon. Depending on the level of severity of this offense assessed by the Guild, he may end up either being hunted down to the ends of the world or be killed on sight.


    This was the reason why Galeon could not let this matter go. He had technically failed a commission which has never happened before. Worse yet, he failed to subdue the traitor all because Shine interfered. It was a stain to his record, and Galeon liked to keep his record sparkling clean.


    Shine recognised the severity of the situation, but she wanted to make one last stand to try to intimidate the new Divine and make him back off. She had to show her seniority, especially since she was the one who anointed him.


    "Do you really think the Guild will target me for something as silly as this? Just because you''re now a Divine doesn''t mean you can do anything you want. I helped you complete your commission. Just accept it and end it there."


    "Indeed, just because you''re a Divine doesn''t mean you can do anything you want, Radiance. And who said I needed the Guild''s permission to target you? In case you haven''t noticed, the Guild Master wasn''t even present during the beast tide. You think I care whatever the hell the Guild thinks now? Don''t make me think any lower of you, Shine. Keep this up and I might just start thinking that the Holy Land might be involved in all this."


    "Don''t you dare drag the Holy Land into this! The Saintess has nothing to do with any of this!"


    "Then tell me what you''re hiding, Radiance!"


    In a burst of anger, several dozens more clones of Galeon appeared around Shine as they all demanded an answer from her. Their deeply furious voices echoing out as he was really starting to lose patience.


    Shine looked all around her, her eyes wide in shock as she came to a realisation. This man still had so much power left in him even after that intense battle. She herself had only barely recovered to half of her peak condition, but Galeon was still capable of creating so many clones, each pulsing with a level of power no weaker than his main body. She sighed weakly, finally giving up.


    "I was saved by the Weltsritter when I was a child. My aspiration to become a knight was because of them, their leader. I only repaid my debt by saving the Bastion Knight."


    "Their leader, Verglas said that Sairen was his daughter. What is his name?"


    "I don''t know if that girl really is his daughter, but the leader of the Weltsritter is someone you know too. He is the Divine Blade of Retribution, Latonai."


    Shine spoke his name with a hint of respect and reverence in her eyes. The Divine Blade of Retribution was the first ranked among the current Divines. He was the one who saved Shine when she was just a child. And he was also the one who conducted the Divine Trial for her.


    Galeon nodded. This was crucial information pertaining to his target that he needed to confirm directly with her later. With this, he could finally drop the matter of Shine colluding with Verglas. But he still did not leave her alone as he still had another matter to discuss with her.


    "I will stop pursuing the matter now, but you must answer for a different matter. Why have you been watching me for the last couple of years? And why have you been watching me even more closely in the last few days?"


    Indeed, this was the matter that he could not drop. From the moment he met Shine for the first time in the Forbidden Forest, he instantly recognised the feeling of her gaze on him. It was the same as the one that he had occasionally felt in the past few years and even more so in recent days. And it was not just her either as he assumed that she had ordered even her subordinates to keep an eye on him. He needed to know why. He needed to know if they found out about the Vernal Bloom.


    "I was ordered by the Saintess to keep an eye on you, not for any malintent, mind. The Saintess has an ability related to clairvoyance. And ever since she heard of the Dancing Blade who received a heap of praises from the Governor of Melchior, she had been peculiarly curious about you. As for the recent increase in surveillance on you, it was because we assumed you had a connection with the Divine Blade of Beauty who was recently spotted in the Eastern Region."


    "The Divine Blade of Beauty? When did she come here? And why did you assume I had a connection with her?"


    "It was just about a week ago when we received reports stating that she had been spotted here. And then about three days later, you suddenly left Therion and headed to Melchior which was a rare occurrence."


    "That''s coincidental at best. I received a commission from the Governor so I left. What''s the name of the Divine Blade of Beauty anyway?"


    "Her name is Verena."

 Chapter 28 - Shaper

    Divine Blade of Retribution


    Divine Lance of Radiance


    Divine Fist of Fury


    Divine Blade of Beauty


    Divine Blade of Finality


    In the vastness of the world, how high were the chances of five specific people being connected to one another? It was not very high, that much was certain. But whether by coincidence or by fate, five Divines had at least some form of connection with each other.


    Galeon wondered who the Divine Blade of Beauty was. Verena, it was a name he had never heard of before. He was certain that it was a coincidence that she came to the Eastern Region at around the same time he was commissioned by the Governor of Melchior. But for Shine to think that they knew each other, there must be something that he was missing.


    Regardless, it was not much of a concern to him. The business of other Divines was not his. As long as they did not bother him, he would not bother them. And finally understanding that the observers keeping watch of him were only following the Saintess'' orders, he decided to let the matter go.


    Even he had heard of the Saintess. Although he did not believe that she had a truly clairvoyant ability, he knew it was not an impossibility. Becoming the Saintess of the Lux Holy Land was not a simple feat. In fact, before the current Saintess, they were without a true leader for so many years. It was only about a hundred years ago that the current Saintess rose to the position. This meant that she must definitely have a unique quality to her that qualified for the position.


    After a brief moment of silence, Galeon''s clones began dispersing into light. Shine turned around to watch him continue walking toward the giant worm''s corpse. He was now just a few steps away looking lonesome even despite his grand victory. She did not know what he wanted to do with the corpse, but it was not her problem. He was the one who did most of the work to kill it anyway. Instead, she called out to him one last time.


    "Finality, the Saintess extends an official invitation to you. She asks you to visit the Holy Land and meet with her. We''ll await your response."


    Without waiting for his reply, Shine turned around to leave. She had to reorganise her subordinates and deal with the aftermath of the beast tide. She also had to report to the Saintess about everything that has happened. There was still a lot of work left for her to do, but she could only sigh and get on with it.


    Galeon only nodded absentmindedly as he noted it down in the back of his mind. His gaze remained locked onto something that only he could perceive. Since the moment he attacked the giant worm to finally kill it, he had been seeing a silhouette of a person. It was this silhouette who had appeared in front of him to stop him from taking the Sixth Step which would have killed him.


    It had saved him at that time, but he did not know what it was which made him suspicious of it. And now again, it appeared over the corpse of the giant worm, pointing at it while staring at him. Galeon did not know what it was telling him, but he knew it must be something important. And as he finally stood in front of the corpse, his Prisma Core began pulsing rapidly as though in excitement.


    Galeon looked at the strange silhouette and it nodded to him before vanishing. He did not know what it wanted to tell him, but he at least understood that the giant worm''s corpse was the key. He placed his hand on it and witnessed a shocking scene.


    Liquid crystal began flooding out of him outside of his control. The Prisma Core was moving with a great amount of enthusiasm bordering on mania as it seeped into the body of the worm. Galeon realised that there would be unwanted attention on him if the worm was suddenly devoured so he instead released his liquid light to cover the worm''s corpse. He would make it look as though he burned it to ash.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    It took a while for the Prisma Core to find what it was looking for as it burrowed deep into the length of the giant worm. And god, was it long. As far as he could tell, the body of the worm that they could see in Vaulkeen''s End was just one fourth of the whole body. The only reason it died was because Galeon''s attack effectively cut off its lifeforce entirely.


    But finally, after a long while, the Prisma Core finally found its prize and began devouring it with relish. Galeon felt the great changes before the Vernal Bloom could even alert him. The Prisma Core on his chest began fluctuating, shrinking in one moment and then growing larger in the next over and over.


    More than that, he could feel himself bursting with so much energy that he almost failed to control it. It has been a week since he first awakened his Prisma Core. By now, he was already used to controlling the large amounts of energy it was giving him, but not this time. This time, he felt so incredibly bloated that he had to force himself to syphon the excess energy into all his other abilities.


    White flames blazed all around him. His wings and body began vibrating at high frequencies. He was even injuring himself with Vibration just so that he could pour more energy into Retroactive Physique to heal him. Because if he did not do it, he feared that he might really just explode. It trumped even his fear of True Damage. And that was when the Vernal Bloom came with answers.


    [Your Prisma Core has devoured a unique type of Prisma Core with undefined qualities and complexities.]


    [Symbiotic Devour has gained undefined qualities.]


    [Symbiotic Devour has been sufficiently defined.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has extrapolated more complexities.]


    [Decide the trajectory of your growth.]


    [Symbiotic Devour: You have grown with a Prisma Core merged to you. Learn and understand that it is an extension of yourself. Your body is its vessel and its nature is your armament.]


    [Branch A | Doppelganger: Prisma is you. You are Prisma. Whether in one body or two or many, you are a force to be reckoned with.]


    [Branch B | Metamorph: Prisma is you. You are Prisma. Regardless of your form, your power is without limits.]


    [Undefined qualities have influenced the complexities of Symbiotic Devour.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has managed to extrapolate complexities that cannot be categorised under any Stratum.]


    [Additional unique complexities are now available for selection.]


    [Branch C | Shaper: Undefined.]


    [Warning: Selecting unique complexities is not advised. Unique complexities often involve undefined qualities and chaotic complexities that cannot be defined.]


    Undefined... this word was starting to hurt Galeon''s eyes. Almost every other line in this series of notifications had this word. Honestly, he was shocked. This was the second time that he was presented a skill tree with three branches. But unlike the case with Bringer of Light, this one seemed far more daunting.


    It was a tough choice... because absolutely none of the three choices looked any good at all. Doppelganger was perhaps the most useless one of the bunch for him. He could literally do the same with Bringer of Light and Sublimation, so why would he need another?


    Metamorph, he did not even want to entertain the damn thing. Regardless of his form? Did he even want to change his form? Yes, wings were convenient, but would he want to become a bird or an insect just because they have wings? Hell no! He liked his human form a lot, thank you very much.


    And then there was the elephant in the room. A unique complexity that did not even belong to any Stratum. The Vernal Bloom''s warning could not have been any clearer. By choosing this, he might just be effectively cutting off his future potential. And after all this time having chosen future potential over immediate rewards, would he really fail now?


    The answer... surprisingly did not come to him.


    He actually hesitated this time. There was something within him that wanted to try out his luck. It was only a chance anyway. He just had to take the gamble, bet away his future potential and see if it pays off. But more importantly, when he saw the name ''Shaper'', something about it resonated with him.


    Shaper... a being who shapes. Was this not what he aspired to become? Did he not want to shape his own destiny? To be free of the ultimacy of Finality and cross the gap into a new Origin? Was this not what he needed to strive for Eternity?


    Galeon blinked and he saw the silhouette appear in front of him again. It seemed to be watching him intently as though intrigued by the choice he would make. He could practically feel its anticipation. It was so palpable that he could feel it spreading through his own chest. But there was no need for suspense. He knew that he had already made a decision.


    [Symbiotic Devour has evolved into Shaper.]


    [Shaper is being defined.]

 Chapter 29 - Shaper of Self

    [Symbiotic Devour has evolved into Shaper.]


    [Shaper is being defined.]


    [Shaper: You are your own master. Your Body is your temple. Your Mind is your liege. And your Will is your instrument. No one may decide who or what you are. Only you can do so. No one may decide what you can and cannot do. Only you can do so. You are the Shaper. Now, shape your very Existence.]


    A resonant hum rang out in the depths of Galeon''s mind. He shivered in ecstasy as he felt a level of control over himself that was seemingly free and unburdened by any weight. It was as though he had always grappled with shackling chains that coiled around him like relentless serpents trying to suffocate him to death.


    But now he was free.


    And as though something finally clicked in place, the fluctuating Prisma Core on his chest finally began settling down. However this time, it continued to shrink until it was only the size of half his fist. But that was not the end of the changes to his body.


    The Prisma Core had long been merged with himself, but perhaps he did not truly understand what it meant to be merged with a Prisma Core. He always saw it as something foreign, a product of a wicked experiment of some demented madmen. But was it truly the case? As he felt the changes of the Prisma Core at this moment, he began to doubt himself.


    The Prisma Core submerged into his body, suffusing every part of him with itself and its power. His suit and wings seemingly melted into him as he felt a deeper connection between him and the Prisma Core.


    No... rather than a connection, it felt more like oneness.


    This was no longer the same as what he had felt before. Previously, the Prisma Core was like an additional limb that he could command with his mind. Command..., what kind of body part needed one to command it? A limb moved with its owner''s thoughts. There was no need for command. And this was a major difference as it meant a gap between them existed.


    But now, the Prisma Core was like a vital organ. It was like his lungs taking in oxygen in the air. It was like his beating heart, pumping oxygenated blood throughout his body. It was like his liver and kidneys that filter his blood. It was like his brain and his nervous system running all these automated physiological systems without his manual input or command. Without just one of these, complications would arise.


    And indeed, without the Prisma Core, Galeon felt that he would be extremely vulnerable and weak. It felt like the ethereal chains that had been forcefully ripped apart would return with a terrifying vengeance. And most of all, he could feel that the Prisma Core''s pure energy was no longer being given to him. It was being produced by him.


    He is now the Prisma Core itself.


    Galeon''s gaze shifted toward the corpse of the giant worm that he was now burning with his light. From the moment it appeared, everyone knew that it was not a beast. It was a monster spawned from Prisma itself. But to think it actually had a Prisma Core within it, this just changed Galeon''s understanding of it. And it also gave him a glimpse into the undefined quality that Symbiotic Devour obtained that allowed it to evolve into Shaper.


    The Prisma Core within the giant worm must have been alive somehow, perhaps similar to his own but also in a different way. While his Prisma Core became alive as a part of him, the giant worm was created to be the vessel that carried its Prisma Core. The Prisma Core was basically the brain or the heart of this monster. It was such a strange thing that even now, Galeon found it difficult to accept.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Just how powerful were these alien rocks? They destroyed his world and mutated the creatures within it, and now they were even creating new life. It was a terrifying thing as it seemed to open a window toward grander and more fantastical things that could be found outside Corrin. But such things could easily corrupt the mind and overwhelm them all. Humanity was not yet ready for such powers.


    And when he reached this thought, Galeon remembered a conversation he recently had. Verglas had warned him of an invasion. He said that they were already here in Corrin, spreading their corruption to humanity. Galeon did not believe it then, but now, he was starting to think that there might be some truth to those words. He needed to have a talk with Verglas and maybe even their leader, Latonai the Divine Blade of Retribution.


    He added another note to the list that was now steadily growing. Things he needed to know, things he was curious about, things he must be wary of, he listed them down in his mind. But they can all wait. He had just finished a major battle, but his commission had not yet ended. Not until he had confirmed that Sairen had returned to Melchior safely.


    So without waiting any further, he turned around. The suit that had melted back into his body did not appear anymore. He felt that he no longer needed it. His body was Prisma, what more could be better than it. Instead, liquid crystal formed a set of clothes on his body. He had a black dress shirt and pants matched with a pair of sleek black shoes. And to top it all off, his favourite white coat.


    He jumped into the air before shooting out with speed as his wings unfurled with an even more natural appearance. No longer did it look out of place on a human body. It instead seemed to have always been a part of him as though he was some kind of angel made of Prisma. Behind him, the corpse of the giant worm had been reduced to ashes.


    As he headed straight to Melchior, Galeon focused on the status screen that appeared before him even without the HUD of his helmet. His hair now fluttered freely with the wind. No longer was it ashen white. It instead looked reminiscent of the liquid light that he wielded. He did not even look like a human anymore, but rather an ethereal and mystical being.


    [Name: Galeon]


    [Titles: Master of the Vernal Bloom | Divine Blade of Finality | Shaper of Self]


    [Aspects: Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom | Prisma Core | Bringer of Light]


    [Skills: Lux, Bringer of Light (T3-S2) | Retroactive Physique (T3-S1) | Shaper (Unique) | Pyrokinesis (T2-S1) | Vibration (T2-S1)]


    There were only two notable changes to his status: the skill or trait called Shaper that was still designated as ''Unique'' without a specific Stratum or Tier; and the title Shaper of Self. There was not much to say about them that has not already been said.


    The very fact that Shaper has been designated as a unique complexity meant that it was very likely to no longer be capable of evolution. And while this may seem like a bad thing, Galeon no longer fretted over it. Even now, he could feel invisible chains on him disappearing. He was reaching a level of potential that not even Retroactive Physique could give him.


    But with both Shaper and Retroactive Physique now working in tandem, he could not even imagine just what boons he would obtain in the future. Furthermore, with his new level of understanding of himself brought about by Shaper, he could sense a peculiar kind of power emanating within him corresponding to three distinct things in his status screen.


    His three titles:


    Master of the Vernal Bloom


    Divine Blade of Finality


    Shaper of Self


    There was something profound about them, a weight that their mere presence exuded. It was a weight that was now a part of him. He is the Master of the Vernal Bloom whose growth is practically limitless. He is the Divine Blade of Finality who sought to reach out into the distant Eternity. And he was the Shaper of Self whose very existence was inviolable and paramount.


    They were not simply names. They were powers. They were his honours and dignity. They were his authorities with which he affected himself and the world around him. Finally, he was catching a glimpse of a new level of power. Something that lay beyond Finality. Something that could be bridged by potential evolutions. Something that lay within Shaper.


    Power... to mould things to his wishes, to his own design.


    He could feel it. The Eternity he yearned for was ahead of him. He previously could not even see it. He could only dream of it. But now, there was a clear path ahead. All he needed was to walk it.


    But before one could walk, one would need to learn to crawl and stand. And so he would begin with smaller things. His gaze shifted to another part of his status screen, his first test subjects.


    [Shaper is attempting to influence the complexities of Pyrokinesis and Vibration.]


    [The Vernal Bloom rejects the influence.]


    [Shaper of Self overrides the Vernal Bloom''s authority according to the wishes of the Master of the Vernal Bloom.]

 Chapter 30 - A Dream

    [Shaper is attempting to influence the complexities of Pyrokinesis and Vibration.]


    [The Vernal Bloom rejects the influence.]


    [Shaper of Self overrides the Vernal Bloom''s authority according to the wishes of the Master of the Vernal Bloom.]


    [The complexities of Pyrokinesis have been linked to the complexities of Vibration.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has extrapolated more complexities.]


    [You have obtained the trait: Cryokinesis]


    [A new form of sprawling complexities has been discovered. Future compatible traits and complexities will be arranged into a System. Individual traits and their branching complexities that stem from a System will henceforth be designated as Nodes and Nodal Skills.]


    [A new System has been created: Molecular System]


    [Molecular System: Vibration (T2-S1) | Pyrokinesis (T2-S1) | Cryokinesis (T2-S1)]


    [The Vernal Bloom wishes to incorporate Lux, Bringer of Light as a Node in the Molecular System.]


    [Bringer of Light rejects the Vernal Bloom''s authority.]


    [Shaper of Self overrides the Vernal Bloom''s authority.]


    A long series of notifications appeared to distract Galeon from the boring flight, but his expression did not change much. The notifications may have spoken a lot about many things, but he did not really need them to tell him every single thing, especially whenever Shaper of Self overrides the Vernal Bloom''s authority.


    Of course he knew it happened. He was the one who did it after all. He was the Shaper of Self. And he was also the Master of the Vernal Bloom. His authority over the Vernal Bloom was much greater than the authority of the Vernal Bloom itself. He might not understand much about it, but he can surely override its decisions. So he instead focused on the results of his little experiment.


    [System: A newly discovered form of sprawling complexities created from the seamless melding of different compatible complexities. The distinct complexities that make up a System are designated as Nodes. As the complexities of one Node is defined, other Nodes of the same System share in the process. This allows a System to be more easily defined in a comprehensive manner, allowing the Vernal Bloom to better extrapolate more complexities. Possible complexities resulting from a System''s Nodal Skill evolution is currently unknown.]


    A System, this was the result of his experiment. He was honestly pleasantly surprised by how well it went. His thought process going into this was just that he found it unnecessary to use Pyrokinesis when he had Bringer of Light which was arguably still a lot hotter than his fire. It was a lot faster too. But he also did not want to let it go to waste.


    If he left it alone to gather dust, then he would never know if it could ever reach the same level as Bringer of Light or even beyond it. He was unwilling to let it go, especially since with Shaper, he could see a possibility of making it stronger, reaching a level that Bringer of Light could only barely reach currently.


    And then there was Vibration. It was honestly one of the most practical abilities he had. It had a lot of uses that only required him to be creative in its application. And one such thing is understanding that flames are just a product of heat energy which is only a product of molecules moving swiftly. And what was that if not Vibration?


    So he wanted to see if he could just connect Pyrokinesis directly to Vibration, letting him progress in both at the same time without necessarily using Pyrokinesis. He also thought of getting Cold Resistance and Cryokinesis through Retroactive Physique sometime later and connect it to Vibration as well. Who would have thought that Vernal Bloom managed to grasp his intent and make things a lot easier for him.


    Not only did Pyrokinesis and Vibration become connected, he even obtained Cryokinesis that was also connected to them. Their System, which was now called Molecular System, could also progress in the way that Galeon envisioned. He would be able to use Vibration and constantly define it and in turn, Pyrokinesis and Cryokinesis would also be defined.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Although he did not think that they would share the same amount of progress in definition, just sharing it at all was already enough to satisfy him. With this, he would not be wasting the potential he sought for and he could slowly build up these weaker abilities until they reach the level of Bringer of Light in the future.


    Speaking of Bringer of Light, it seems the Vernal Bloom wanted it to be part of the Molecular System, but was actually rejected. It seemed the Power of Light had enough authority to resist the Vernal Bloom, but it was still missing one last push which was given by Shaper of Self.


    From the moment he became connected with the Light, he had doubts about its power. It was simply too potent to be a mere Tier 3 in the Second Stratum. Galeon knew it was way stronger than that. Could it be that the Vernal Bloom made a mistake in categorising it? It was possible, but Galeon thought that it might not be the case.


    He had a feeling that from now on, he would not be seeing anymore evolutions for his Bringer of Light. He could feel the Light itself telling him that it had yet to reach its purest and most potent form. It was likely that when it came time to evolve, Bringer of Light would only advance in Tier and Stratum, but retain its name.


    And just when he was finishing his thoughts and preparing to descend into Melchior, Galeon suddenly froze abruptly. His entire body turned numb as his mind felt incredibly heavy. Something else within seemed to be reacting as well, as though it was being squeezed and suffocated by an intense pressure from all around him.


    This pressure did not come from anything material. It was not even something he could find in his surroundings. No, this pressure was caused by something unfathomable, something that he should not have encountered yet if at all.


    In the depths of his being, Galeon felt like he was standing an empty void. He could see stars and the countless worlds in the distance. It was an entire universe, but they were far from him. Their matter could not even reach this isolated domain whatsoever.


    Here, he felt empty and weak. He was completely vulnerable. Whatever power he had just received over the course of the beast tide, none of them mattered here. Here, he was a mere speck of dust waiting to be wiped clean. He was not the Master of the Vernal Bloom. He was not the Divine Blade of Finality. He was not the Bringer of Light. He was not...


    "I am..."


    He forced out weakly, his voice seemingly grating through his constricting throat. It was as though every part of him was begging him not to do anything foolish, that he had to keep quiet with his head low. But how could he? He was...


    "the Shaper..."


    An ember was lit within him. It glowed with a seemingly ephemeral light, as though a light breeze could end its incandescent bloom. And yet it remained, holding strong and fast to whatever parts of himself it could grab. And it sought to grab everything, his very being, his entire existence. How could he let his body move against his own wishes, his own desire? It was unthinkable!


    "I am the Shaper!"


    He was the Shaper! He who moulds his very being according to his own design. No power in the world could ever hope to trump his authority over his own body. He was the god of his own being, the master of his own mind. He was inviolable both within and without!


    [$#@&{%]


    A sound that he could not fathom echoed out all around him. A voice that he could not understand resonated within his mind, within his very being. Something ethereal within him seemed to want to escape him, as though it was reaching out for the source of that sound.


    It was horrifying as a single momentary sound practically collapsed all the momentum that Galeon had built up. The glowing ember within him seemed to flicker, wanting to hide away in the darkness of nothingness, away from the gaze of whoever made that sound.


    Gaze... indeed, that was the case. As Galeon was forced to lower his head once more, his eyes finally caught sight of something both so utterly magnificent and absolutely absurd. There was no orientation in this empty void. It was much like space where direction was a meaningless concept. But below him was a gigantic something that he could barely understand.


    It was so massive and expansive that if he thought he was a mere speck of dust earlier, then he now would not even suffice to be a mere atom. Galeon never thought he had megalophobia, but the size alone was something that would haunt him in his dreams for years to come. It was so vast and expansive that he feared that even his imagination and estimates of how huge it really was could never come close. It was beyond the scope of his cognition, that much was certain.


    Its radiant plates seemed to cast its light out into the universe far away, bathing them in this inexplicable splendour of both horror and majesty. But what truly took Galeon''s attention were the massive rings on its body, each turning with a unique cadence that seemed so enchanting that he could lose his mind to it. They turned and turned all while rotating along axes that seemed anchored on something deep within it, at its very centre.


    Its core was a radiant masterpiece that Galeon could not clearly recognise. Just looking at it gave him a feeling of vastness as much as the universe around him, but it must be something else. It felt both familiar and unfamiliar, as though he was staring at something that could only exist within a dream.


    A dream...?

 Chapter 31 - An Eye

    A dream...?


    Was he actually just dreaming right now? Galeon thought it was very likely the case. There was simply no way that such things could be happening to him if it was not in a dream. Perhaps it was not only this, but even the Vernal Bloom itself was a dream. He had to wake up before he lost himself in it entirely.


    But then he heard it, the turning of the rings, the grinding gears that seemed both chaotic and in perfect synchrony and harmony. They reverberated loudly in a cacophony of noises that seemed to meld into one distinct sound.


    Tick Tick Tick


    The sound was like that of gears slowly moving, like a clock moving its hands. And it does not end. Galeon was entranced by the sound, its ticking seemingly a sonorous tune than lulled his mind into sweet surrender. With each tick, he could feel what he sought after moving farther away. With each tick, he felt himself moving toward it at a faster pace. It was paradoxical, but it somehow felt right.


    And with each tick, he could see the massive construct open itself, its resplendent core locking onto him like an eye.


    [$#@&{%]


    The sound came again, reverberating against the hollow walls of the void. This time, he could hear it even more clearly. He could get a sense for what it sounded like. It was like a blaring horn that echoed from deep below the earth. It mixed with the horrid cries of dying life, their tragic suffering melding perfectly with the roars and bellows of indignation of those who continued to fight for survival. This one sound was a microcosm of the world, depicting the painful truths that Galeon knew all too well.


    Among the tormented cries, he could hear a voice that sounded remarkably similar to his younger self. A cry that reminded him of what he was ¡ª a victim, an orphan..., a survivor.


    The end had already come for him and for all others, yet here he was, hearing all their voices once more. With every passing second, their despair crept up his body as they tried to drown him in the reality that he had forgotten.


    The end had already come for him and for all others....


    How could he forget that?


    All it took was one little nudge and his mind shifted back into place, a locked memory hidden in the recesses had been returned. It was dredged up like a metal ore dug out of a deep cave, a relic excavated from underground. And there he saw it, there he felt... his end.


    A bright flash lit up the night sky of the city, but it was not something to celebrate. It was a tragedy that marked them all for death. It came crashing down, wiping out most things with a burst of alien power, its luminous veins stretching below the earth as it began corrupting the very land itself. It was a Prismacore. But just as quickly as its roots spread out, they all retreated back to their origin, focusing all their attention to another thing entirely.


    In the middle of the crater, a young boy lay quietly after having lost even the strength to whimper. He could no longer move and could barely even breathe. It was a miracle that he even lasted long enough to know what happened to him. And as he turned a weak gaze toward his chest, the light in his eyes finally faded.


    The boy died...


    And ''he'' was born.


    Galeon gasped awake, his head throbbing with an unbearable pain that made him want to split it open and end it all. He barely held himself back as his hand instinctively reached for his chest. Against his trembling fingers, the smooth texture of a crystal was like a jolt of electricity. It reminded him that it was real, that this was real.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    He had died and lived again.


    It was a repressed memory that seemed like a natural course of events, but Galeon could tell that there was something strange about it. It was as though he was made to never question his past, to never look back to a time before he had the Prismacore. He always knew he had been born without it, so why had he never thought to seek answers? It was only recently that he thought he had been experimented on because of the description given to him by the Vernal Bloom, but it seems his assumption was wrong.


    He had not been a guinea pig in someone''s sick experiment. He was just an unfortunate child who happened to be standing right where the Prismacore crashed, impaling him right through the chest. It was a miracle that he did not explode and die the moment it hit him. He was a product of coincidences on top of coincidences. He was not meant to live long in this world..., but Galeon did not care.


    He is the Shaper.


    Finality cannot be his End. Only Eternity may await him.


    Whatever that giant eye was, it did not seem to be hostile. After all, if it was, then he would not even be alive to be thinking all this now. He had already woken up from the dream, but he felt as though he was stuck in something much worse than a beast tide now. This was a living nightmare, an sick enduring game that Fate was playing on him. There was something out there that was watching him, and it knows a great many things about him, perhaps even everything.


    Galeon sat up, his chest lighting up with fervour as a new resolve blazed within him. He had already died once. He would not squander this second chance at life, especially now when he had the power to achieve his ambition.


    He looked around him to find out where he was only to find himself in a simple room with minimal furnishings. He was on a bed with all his clothes still on. He did not feel any discomfort even though he had been wearing them in his sleep simply because they were practically a part of his body. It was good to know that they do not just disappear when he falls unconscious as they could still provide him with a level of protection, though not by much. And seeing that he was alone in this small room, Galeon finally turned his attention to the notification that has been flashing in a corner of his vision for a while now.


    [The @{7)&^!# has cast its gaze upon you.]


    [The @{7)&^!# has witnessed your traits and distinctions.]


    [You have been deemed qualified to take on the Trial of Ascension.]


    [You have begun your Trial of Ascension.]


    [As you are not the Originator of the Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom, it will be restricted during the Trial of Ascension.]


    [The Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom may only exert the limited authority it currently has and may not grow until the Trial of Ascension has ended.]


    [The Trial of Ascension gauges your worth as an individual. There are no rules or conditions to follow other than to prove your worth.]


    [The @{7)&^!# is watching you.]


    [The @{7)&^!# urges you to ascend soon.]


    The series of notifications would have brought shock to anyone else, but Galeon''s mind was already too heavy to be moved by this. He had just seen an entity far too powerful for him to even understand the form of. How could this sudden Trial of Ascension shake him? Besides, he could feel that this unrecognisable name was referring to that same entity, that giant eye made of golden gears and rings. It was the only being powerful enough to have seen through him right now.


    As for the matter of the Vernal Bloom being restricted, he did not worry too much about it. Although he could feel an undeniable authority currently settling within him, wrapping around the Vernal Bloom, he could sense that it did not cripple its current abilities at all. And in order to be certain, Galeon tested it out with a simple idea.


    [Shaper is attempting to influence the complexity of the Molecular System.]


    [The Vernal Bloom has extrapolated new complexities.]


    [You have obtained the trait: Electrokinesis]


    [Electrokinesis has been added as a new Node in the Molecular System.]


    There it was, a new ability added to his growing repertoire. With this he had ascertained that whatever restriction was placed on the Vernal Bloom, it did not affect its current functionalities. Even its current dynamic with Shaper did not change. Or rather it did, but not in a negative way. If anything, because the authority of the Vernal Bloom was being restricted, it had become a lot easier for the authority of the Shaper of Self to influence the workings of the Vernal Bloom.


    But while all this was well and good, these notifications also brought forth a new problem for Galeon. The notifications said that he was not the Originator of the Cor Ena ¨C Vernal Bloom. It meant there was someone else before him who had it, possibly the one who had somehow created it. And if that was the case, then it meant that the Vernal Bloom was not a singular thing. Perhaps this ''Cor Ena'' that it is always referred to is a category of such objects with similarly life-changing powers. And if that was the case, then Galeon was being wary of the wrong people.


    His likely enemies were not the ones on Corrin chasing after an emerald amber that they did not even understand. He should be watching out for those who already had these Cor Ena, those like him and the ones called ''Originators.''

 Chapter 32 - Bangle

    A light knock came from the door, bringing Galeon back from his thoughts. He had not intended to be deeply immersed in his musings in the first place as his head still felt a little heavy and clouded from his encounter with that unfathomable eye. He needed to rest his mind, the only part of him that could not recover swiftly even with the aid of Retroactive Physique.


    As his attention returned, his gaze turned toward the door that finally opened to reveal a young woman wearing a nurse''s uniform. With fair skin and short hair of gold and cyan mixed, combined with her petite figure and shining blue eyes, she was the very picture of bubbly.


    When she saw Galeon awake and already sat up, she smiled a genuine smile, entering the room seemingly with a spring in her step. The small roll of towel she held in her hand caught Galeon''s attention, but it did not seem to be anything of import. It just came off as strange to him.


    "Hi! How are you feeling? Do you feel pain anywhere? I''m a nurse, so you can tell me anything. I''ll help you through it!"


    The moment she arrived in front Galeon, she immediately assaulted him with a barrage of words. She was so full of energy that Galeon felt exhausted just listening to her. A heavy sigh escaped him which fortunately made the nurse realise his discomfort. She smiled bitterly as she sat on a chair near the bed before speaking in a calmer manner.


    Her voice this time sounded like a soothing melody that seemed to wrap around Galeon like a comforting blanket. Her cadence was slow but measured as though she had practiced it for a long time. It would have sounded unnatural if not for the fact that her expressive face also reflected her calm, patient and considerate tone.


    "I''m sorry about that. My brother always scolds me for being too talkative when I get excited. Anyway, how are you feeling?"


    "I''m fine, thank you. How long was I out?"


    Although it did not feel like much time had passed, Galeon wanted to be certain. Time was very important for someone like him who liked to move on a schedule. It was even more important now that he was dealing with forces beyond the bounds of logic and common sense. He could never be too careful with this, even with the little details. The nurse put on a thoughtful expression before answering.


    "Hmm, I think it''s been about five days?"


    For a moment, Galeon''s mind blanked out. Five days? He had been unconscious for that long?! His encounter with that unfathomable eye-like entity should have been at most an hour or so. Or was it? Galeon could not tell. That place was outside the bounds of both time and space. There were literally no measurements that could apply to anything within that vacuous domain. For all he knew, he had spent years there and it would have only felt as though a single minute had passed for him. In that case, being unconscious for a mere five days was a blessing.


    "Wait. You think...?"


    "It''s been a busy week, you know. There were so many patients that it gets hard to keep track of everything. Although we''re only a small clinic, we still got flooded with patients since there were a lot of people to take care of after the beast tide. Even after that rain of light came down, there were still many injured, though not as grave as before."


    "I see... at least tell me I made it to Melchior."


    "Don''t worry. You''re in Melchior. But I do have to ask..."


    The young woman squinted her eyes as she looked at him with an awkward expression. She seemed to be deliberating on how to broach the topic without sounding like she was mocking him. She was genuinely curious and concerned. The last thing she wanted to do was offend him because of an innocent question. But it did not seem like she could ever come up with a good approach in such a short time so in the end, she just gave up and began talking.


    "Are you really alright? The night we brought you in, you were writhing around like you were in immense pain. You were also shouting something like ''I''m the shaper''. You really scared me and a couple other patients, you know. When I went to check on you thinking you were just having a nightmare, you were sweating buckets and were feverish. But for some reason, your clothes won''t come off. I had to wipe you down as you are."


    As she spoke about the events that happened in Galeon''s sleep, she raised the towel she was holding and began demonstrating how she cleaned him. She wiped the small beads of sweat on his forehead and neck like it was the most natural thing in the world. Galeon just completely froze, unsure of how to react. Never had a person been so close before besides his mother, but even she did not act so intimately without care. This was a new experience. Fortunately, it did not take long for him to regain his reason. He stopped her hand by grabbing her wrist as he spoke.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "That''s enough, thank you. I''ve inconvenienced you a lot this past week. How much was the bill?"


    "Oh please, there''s no need to mention it. You don''t need to pay anything either. We didn''t really treat you or anything like that."


    The nurse smiled while shaking her head. It was her principle to be fair, but more importantly, she liked taking care of people. Being a nurse was not a job for her. It was her way of life. So she could not really bring herself to ask payment when she barely did anything for a supposed patient. Galeon, however, thought differently.


    "You gave me shelter when I was unconscious when others would sooner throw me into the pits than bother with me. You have done a lot for me and I am grateful for that. But if you don''t want to receive money for it, then I hope you''d accept this."


    Galeon held her wrist with both hands as he let his powers run free. He would be attempting something that he had never tried before, but considering his skillset, he should be able to do it in theory. From his fingers that gently held her hand and wrist, a few strands of liquid crystal flowed out, coiling around each other as they looped around her wrist. And when the two ends connected, light began flowing through them, making the crystal glimmer. It was a bangle that seemed to contain the stars plucked straight out of the night sky.


    "This bangle contains my power. When you are in danger, it will release the light that I stored within to create a clone of myself that wields the same level of power. You may also call out to it when you need it. However, there is only enough light within the bangle for three uses so don''t waste them."


    Once he was finished creating the bangle, Galeon finally let her go, but he quickly noticed that she had been in a daze for a while now. The young woman stared at the bangle in wonder, her eyes sparkling as they reflected the soft glimmer of the accessory that fit snuggly on her wrist. It was made for her, literally. And she could feel the genuine intent of its creator from the warmth it gave her. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before, a sense of companionship different from the one she shared with others. This felt intimate, or at least, she hoped so.


    The young woman raised her head, her gaze meeting Galeon''s who was observing her reaction with mild curiosity as he felt as though he had done something that meant more than just an act of gratitude. Even he himself was not entirely certain. He was never one to socialise much with other people after all. But this was a different feeling, and he quickly recognised that. He wondered what was different, and he found the answer as soon as he looked at his hands.


    He could see them, flesh and all. He was without a suit now. He was vulnerable, standing in the presence of another person without nothing to shield his bare skin. He was no longer a Contractor hidden beneath a helmet. He was just a person now, finally meeting eye to eye with another. And perhaps it would not have been much of a difference if it were not for this girl before him.


    She was a kind and gentle soul. It was her warm hospitality and sincerity that caught him off guard, and she managed to keep his guard low the whole time. In her presence, Galeon only felt the comfort of home that he had been missing. It was unlike the feeling he got from others he knew. They practically embodied the harshness of the world. And they lived to spread it. But this girl, she was a warm hearth, a safe haven that gently welcomed his weary body into its caring embrace. This moment, in her presence, was the safest and most peaceful Galeon had ever been in his entire life.


    "My name is Galeon. What''s yours?"


    "I''m... Lily."


    Their words were followed by a silence filled with an unknown tension. It was as though they were both had something to say but could not speak. They were stifled by a sensation that they did not quite understand. And after a brief mental battle, Galeon forced himself to speak... of whatever came to mind as he did not even know what to say. All he knew was that the did not want the conversation to end. He did not want to leave this awkward yet comfortable atmosphere. But as they shared some small talk about the most inconsequential things, Galeon received a notification.


    [Guild notice: You have a commission pending completion. Report immediately.]


    Galeon sighed as he finally remembered that he was not yet finished with his work. His commission had been left unreported for more than a week now. And although there was not really a time limit to this commission, he was expected to accomplish it as soon as possible. After all, it involved the abduction of a celebrity. He could not delay it any longer. He stood up unwillingly as he spoke to Lily.


    "It seems I have to go."


    "Oh... I see. But you''ll be back right?"


    "I don''t know. I''m only in Melchior for work. Who knows where I have to go to next. But I''ll try to visit if I can. I''ll see you later, Lily. And thank you... for everything."


    Galeon walked out of the room and headed straight for the clinic''s exit. But before he could reach it, he heard the hurried steps of Lily running after him. In her hand, she held a device that Galeon recognised as a rather advanced communications device used by Contractors. He owned one as well which he synced with his suit''s internal system. Seeing it in the hands of a nurse was strange, but he did not comment on it. Everyone had their own secrets. As Lily ran to him, she fiddled with the device, making it release a wave of Prismana within close proximity.


    "I sent you my number. If you ever need help with anything or if you just want to talk, you can call me anytime. I... I''ll be waiting."


    Her last words came out so softly that it was barely audible, but Galeon heard it well enough. And the thought of someone waiting for him made his chest pound. His blood buzzed throughout his body, his overflowing energy seeking a release, but he reined himself in. He nodded with a smile as he finally left the clinic.

 Chapter 33 - Perspectives (1)

    The night was silent once more. It has been a week since the beast tide and it was quickly becoming apparent that the wildlife in the Eastern Region had experienced a sharp decline, assuming they had not been entirely wiped out. The nights were peaceful and the days were safe.


    In the sky above, one would see the twin moons shining brightly and freely, one blue and the other gold. It brought a rare serenity to the lands of Corrin beneath it as, for the first time in months or years, the moons were not veiled behind the curtain of Prismatic aurora. They and the stars were the only ones casting their light upon Corrin tonight.


    Light...


    A hand was lifted overhead showing the softly glimmering bangle hanging from the wrist. It seemed just as entrancing as the twinkling starlight as though it belonged out there in the unknown expanse. But it remained within arm''s reach, a gentle reminder of... something.


    A soft sigh came from Lily as she brought out her communications device, something of a cross between a phone and an actual computer. Made by Kalisto, it was dubbed Oratio, the next generation Prisma-powered personal device with a whole host of practical features. It was something that Lily''s brother gave to her back when he was still working as a Contractor.


    She peered into the screen of her oratio only to find notifications and messages from some of her apps and her friends, but none from the person she was waiting for. They had only really met this day, but she had felt an undeniable fascination toward him.


    Him leaving was a huge disappointment for her, but hearing him say that he will come back to visit filled her with giddy excitement and impatience. It had barely been half a day since he left and already she was missing his company. And why would she not when he had managed to make her feel comfortable with just his presence alone. She was admittedly smitten, and it was the first time in her life that she had felt that way.


    Lily turned her gaze down to the streets as she noticed a silhouette approaching her house. As the silhouette stepped into the light, she found that it was her brother coming home from a long day''s work. She got up and went to welcome him home.


    Lily''s brother, Leonel, was a retired Contractor of the Guild. He now served as a doctor in Melchior with close ties to the Governor''s family. Due to this, his responsibilities extended outside of just his clinic which he often leaves to his sister to manage. During the beast tide, he had been working nonstop for several days, only getting a few minutes to an hour of rest every so often. Things were finally settling down, however, and he would finally get his much needed rest which is why he came home tonight.


    Lily walked up to him, hugging him tightly before helping him carry his things. To Lily, her brother was not just her sibling. He was also her parent who raised her since young. He did not even choose to have his own family simply because Lily was enough for him. The experience of having to raise someone all by himself was both an enlightening thing and a tremendous ordeal that he did not want to experience even a different version of it again.


    After cleaning himself up in the shower, Leonel sat down in the kitchen as Lily brought him his food. It was braised worg along with some local vegetables grown in Therion. It was Leonel''s favourite as he had developed a taste for worg meat when he often them during his time as a Contractor. And although they were edible, the general populace did not really eat them. Even for Leonel and Lily, they rarely ate worg and reserved it for special occasions. And this made Leonel look at his sister inquisitively.


    "Alright, spill it. What''s going on? Why are we having worg tonight?"


    "I... I met someone."


    Lily said shyly. She honestly did not even think about what she had cooked until her brother mentioned it. It was as though her mind had just automatically decided that she should cook worg. She was indeed happy and thought that it was a special day, but she did not intend to have a celebration for it. Now her brother knows and she had to endure her embarrassment.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Well, congratulations. At long last, my little sister has a boyfriend. So what''s he like? You know what, you should bring him home one of these days. I want meet to him and judge him myself."


    Leonel spoke with a monotone as though he could not be bothered to care. In truth, he was sighing in relief. He had been telling his sister to find a partner for herself so she would have someone to care for her when he was gone. He was much older than her after all. And pretty soon, he would leave her all alone in this unforgiving world. And he did not want that. So this news was indeed a great load off his chest. Lily, knowing her brother''s thoughts, harrumphed at his feigned apathy.


    "He''s not my boyfriend... yet. But he''s a really kind man. He even gave me this to protect me. He said it has his power inside it and I could use it whenever I need it."


    Lily raised her right hand and showed her brother the bangle. Leonel had been very tired when he got home and was not paying much attention so he did not notice it until now. But the moment his gaze landed on the bangle, his eyes grew wide as his face turned a little ashen.


    "Caro mundi...! Where did you get this thing?!"


    "What...? He... gave it to me."


    Lily answered hesitantly and confusedly. This was the first time she had seen her brother react like this. It was as though he had seen his worst nightmare come to life. And as far as she knew, her brother feared nothing. Seeing him this shaken made even Lily afraid, but she did not know what to be afraid of.


    "What is caro mundi? What are you talking about brother?"


    "Caro mundi... is the flesh of the world. You call it Prisma, but what you usually see of it is not the real thing. Those are amalgamations, impurities. But this... this is real!"


    Leonel and Lily stared at the bangle on her wrist. It remained quietly there, glimmering softly even amidst the light in the room. It was as though no light could ever mask its enchanting beauty. But deeper than that, the bangle itself was a clear vessel, a crystal of unknown depths carrying a power of unknown potency. This was true Prisma. This was caro mundi.


    "This shouldn''t exist here. It''s simply not possible. I''ll ask again, Lily. Where did you get this thing?"


    "I told you, he gave it to me. He held my wrist and created it right there and then. He left his power inside and said to only use it when I need to protect myself."


    "Created... no. No, not again! They''re here... and they''re awake!"


    Leonel rose up as he spoke with a manic delusion. His eyes had completely lost focus of everything around him and seemed to see something else, something that could only be found in the deep recesses of his memory. He felt the need to pack up and leave immediately, but what point is there to doing that anymore? They had been found. No matter where in Corrin he and his sister ran to, they would be found. The bangle was a message, of that he was certain. The thought of leaving Corrin came to him, but how in the world would they even do that?


    "Borther! Tell me what''s happening?!"


    Lily finally had enough of her brother''s panicking. She could not understand the reason for his fear. The bangle was a gift she received from someone special. It was not an object of terror, that would be a disrespect to its creator. But Leonel looked at her with a stern gaze as he spoke with a heavy tone.


    "Lily, get rid of that thing immediately. We may not be able to hide from them, but at the very least, we shouldn''t let them keep watching us through that thing."


    "What are you talking about?! I''m not doing anything until you tell me what''s going on!"


    "You''re still too young to understand! Just do as I say and I promise, you will be safe."


    ''Still too young'', this was the same phrase Lily had heard from her brother over and over again whenever she asked about their history, whenever she asked about their parents or about why they were here. Of course, she was not asking about why they resided in Melchior but rather why they were in Corrin. She knew enough to know that they did not come from this world. They were outsiders seeking refuge. But why here in this barren land devastated by Prisma? Again, her brother refused to answer. But this time, she stood her ground.


    "I''m over seven hundred years old, brother. When will I be old enough to know? When you''re dead? When I''m dead? Or when the world is more dead than it already is?!"


    Leonel fell silent at his sister''s sudden outburst. She was angry, he could tell. And her anger was justified. It was just that he could not bring himself to tell her these things as they were a great shame to him. And he did not want her to bear that shame as well. He thought it would be best if she never knew. She could just continue living her life in Corrin the way she liked. She need not worry about this filthy shadow that they had already left far behind. Or so he thought.


    Looking back at the bangle on Lily''s wrist, Leonel finally realised that the shadow had followed them. And now, it was calling once more. With a sigh, he sat back down in defeat as he looked at his sister with an even more exhausted expression.


    "You''re right. It''s time for you to know... the history of our people. It all started with a desire, a dream... to live for Eternity."

 Chapter 34 - Perspectives (2)

    "It all started with a desire, a dream... to live for Eternity."


    Leonel began with a heavy tone. His eyes going dim as though just remembering everything was slowly killing him from inside out. And indeed, it was. Not literally, but it was practically chipping off pieces of his heart over and over. It was an accursed stigma that he and all others who knew would have to bear for the rest of their miserable existences. And now, his sister would know as well. It nearly brought him to tears just imagining her distraught face as she is finally faced with the truth.


    "It is not wrong to dream of Eternity. Everyone in the countless worlds dream of it. But the same could not be said for our people. We, alien as we are, have been driven mad by this singular desire, this... obsession."


    As Leonel spoke, his right hand subconsciously moved. It reached across his chest and held onto his left shoulder, gripping it tightly as he grimaced from a phantom pain that never once went away in the many centuries he had been in Corrin. And from the left shoulder, one would find small protrusions of crystalline rocks muddled with a hazy bronze colour. This was technically his mutation. This was Leonel.


    "The core leadership of our people, they were called the Luan Legatis. I don''t know how many of them there were, but they were a rare breed. They were so pure and powerful that they had gained the ability to wield Lua, the very world we strode upon ¨C our home. They learned to command it, to manipulate it, and even... create it. This is the blasphemy of cora mundi! This is the sacrilege of Lua!"


    Leonel''s loud voice quivered in both fear and sorrow as he stared directly into the eyes of his sister. She was attentive, listening to every word and every tone, but it was clear that she was far from truly understanding the gravity of all this. His eyes, burning with indignation, softened just a bit as he turned his gaze toward the bangle still on Lily''s wrist. It looked so beautiful and harmless that even he did not want to vilify it. It was a work of art made with great care, but he knew that it hid an appalling truth.


    "Is that it? I don''t understand. You still haven''t told me why you''re afraid of these Legatis. And why do you hate Prisma?"


    "I''m not afraid of the Legatis! I am afraid of what they might do again. Because this time... I don''t know if we''ll be able to survive..."


    The silence that followed was deafening. As the seconds ticked past, Lily slowly processed all the things she had heard from her brother. And although she still did not understand his fears and his anger, she was starting to feel a looming dread. It was as though something was stuck in her throat and it was slowly suffocating her. But she fought through it. She had already come so far, heard a lot. She must hear the rest.


    "Brother, tell me. What happened to our people? What happened to our world?"


    "Our... world?"


    Leonel suddenly began chuckling which then turned into a full-blown laughter, but it was clear that there was no humour in his eyes. There was only pain, self-deprecation and scorn. Indeed, he scorned his sister. He scorned himself. And most of all, he scorned their entire people. Leonel''s laughter soon died down as he stared coldly at Lily.


    "There is no ''our world'', little girl. You were a newborn when everything happened so I cannot fault you for that, but do not dare say that again. Lua was a sanctuary that offered the stray refuge. And what did we do in return...?"


    Leonel ripped his shirt off, showing Lily his left shoulder. The rocky protrusions were lit like a torch, blazing with a fury that reflected Leonel''s own, but there was something different about it. It looked vibrant, too vibrant. It was though the rocky protrusions were more alive than Leonel was.


    "We tore her apart! We wore her flesh like it was our own, fashioned an entire civilisation from her grieving carcass! And as if that wasn''t enough, we dared seek Eternity.... You''ve always wanted to know why we are in Corrin. Let me tell you why."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    The more Leonel spoke, the more he lost control of his emotions. And to reflect that, the rocky protrusions of his mutation slowly began growing and spreading. At some point, it had managed to cover his entire left arm and was already creeping toward his chest. It glowed more intensely, like a furnace fueled by only one thing ¨C rage.


    "In their pursuit of Eternity, the Luan Legatis devised a plan. They sealed every one of our people into Lua. We who thrived without flesh could no longer survive outside a vessel, outside of Lua''s cold corpse! And in a final act of madness, the Legatis shattered her, casting countless shards of her body across the cosmos!"


    From beginning to end, Leonel never stopped gripping his shoulder. The rocky mutation now no longer looked like some out of place aberration, but rather an unwilling parasite sealed within another host. Lily then understood what the light glowing brightly within the rock was. It was the true face of the man named Leonel. And as she realised this, her own hand travelled downward, touching her lower abdomen where similar rocky features were present, hidden behind her clothes.


    "This human skin we now wear, this is not us... this is something we inevitably stole upon our descent into Corrin. We are not Humans, Lily. We are... were Alma. And now, we are... Prisma."


    He spoke that last word with the most palpable hatred that he nearly choked just trying to do it. He bore such intense humiliation that he felt like he was drowning in self-hate and shame. Eternity... how he loathed that word. It was the curse of existence that drove their people to madness. And because of it, their once beautiful race that lived harmoniously in a world that granted them a safe haven was now reduced to these abominable forms. Unlike many who yearned for Eternity, Leonel longed for an End.


    "Lily, who gave you that thing?"


    He asked hoping for an answer but fully expecting nothing. His sister was strong of mind. She was much stronger than him who caved in from the shame of their history. But at the same time, she did not get to live through that great exodus, that blasphemous exile across the cosmos. She may have lived for over seven hundred years, but how much of this ugly world had she truly seen? She was not mature enough, not ready to survive on her own in this unforgiving world. Or at least, he thought so.


    "His name is... Galeon."


    Lily''s voice was meek as though she could not reconcile that kind and gentle man with the same sinners who defiled an entire world and continued to defile another. She did not want to believe it, but the bangle on her hand said otherwise. She looked at it with a conflicted gaze, her heart aching and threatening to break when she heard her brother speak once more.


    "Galeon..., the Divine Blade of Finality? He''s a Legatus?"


    Leonel knew not only the name but the man himself. He was the physician of the Governor''s family after all. He was there when the Governor hired a Contractor to resolve a crisis for Melchior. The two of them got along quite well. But he knew the man to be G413 back then. And just earlier today, Leonel had met with the Governor and a man who claimed to be the same Contractor G413. His name was Galeon. And he was no longer the Dancing Blade. Ordained by the Radiant Knight herself, he was now the Divine Blade of Finality.


    As a revelation unfolded in one small corner of the world, in another, events were progressing without much suspense. In a hidden room somewhere on Corrin, a meeting had just ended. They too had some rather shocking experiences with the execution of one of their members. A man''s head lay upon a pool of blood as the rest of his body had collapsed a few feet away. This was not a hologram. It was very real and it left the others in both fear and stunned silence.


    "Alright, that''s all for today everyone. Remember that there will be a major operation in a few days. Do make sure everything is ready by then. I''m sure none of you would like to follow our dear Silver, right?"


    The remaining Directors nodded at Ruby''s words before each leaving the meeting, their holograms flickering out until all that was left Ruby in the silent conference room. But she was not alone for long as a man walked to the deceased Silver''s chair, kicked away his body and sat down. He took off his glasses as he brushed his hair back, revealing more of the crystalline rocky protrusion on the left side of his forehead. It glowed with a deep rouge colour which Ruby seemed entranced with.


    "Master, preparations for the Ascension Project are mostly complete. We''re only waiting for Valerya to finish her part and we can finally begin."


    "Good work, Ruby. At last, our dream is close at hand. I can finally be rid of this wretched name. Kincaid, how distasteful. Once the Alma, no... once the Prisma begin ascending, Corrin would be the new Lua. And I shall reclaim my name."


    Ruby''s hologram flickered as it slowly began manifesting real flesh. Out of the obscurity and anonymity of the hologram, she stepped toward Kincaid in person, her gaze full of reverence and a hint of crazed obsession. She quickly knelt down toward him, her knees and dress being tainted by the blood of Silver. Her hands clasped together as though in prayer, she looked at Kincaid with adoration.


    "Your will be done, Lord Cheyulah."

 Chapter 35 - Holy Land

    The architecture style of the Lux Holy Land could only be described as exotic. It was a mixture of many different styles from all the different corners of the world back when civilisation was actually flourishing. After the advent of Prisma, most human territories had been abandoned to the wilds. And unlike abandoned cities before Prisma which were reclaimed by nature, these ones only fell into greater ruin.


    It was already a miracle for these architectural styles to survive, but it was even more of a miracle for most of them to gather in one city alone, no matter how big it might be. It was a series of coincidences that created this unique city whose environs made you feel as though you were in many different parts of the world depending on which district you were in. But there was still an underlying theme to all of them that game them a sense of order amidst the seemingly chaotic and random designs scattered all around.


    Light


    And no, this did not mean that there were a lot more lampposts on the streets than other cities or that every building keeps their lights on all day every day. The entire city was a sanctuary for the devout followers of Lux, the Bringer of Light. You would see paintings and idols in every part of the city, all showing the faith of the people.


    In this world that was slowly being devoured by Prisma, the worship or idolatry of Prisma has become a norm. Because while it might have been the cause for all these disasters, it had also breathed new life into Human civilisation. It was not a secret among the oldest of people in Corrin, those who still lived centuries after the first Meteor Rain, that the world had been on a steady decline back then. It was only a matter of centuries and Corrin would have either died or Humanity would have been extinct. But the advent of Prisma pressed the reset button on everything.


    And now, the few remaining Humans who still held faith in the Light travelled from all across the world, congregating in the Eastern Region where the end destination of their holy pilgrimage awaited them. The Lux Holy Land was built for their sakes. This was all to say that this city was perhaps even more populous than Therion and Melchior combined.


    Stepping through the gates of the Lux Holy Land, Galeon could not help but sigh at the huge and bustling crowd. It had been two days since he woke up after his encounter with that unfathomable entity, two days since he had met Lily. He was already missing her presence. It did not even take long for him to do so as less than an hour since leaving the clinic, he began to clearly feel the return of all the weight he carried with him, the burdens that weighed heavily on his heart.


    Lily''s presence was too precious a treasure for him and he wanted her dearly, but he knew he could not stay nor could he drag her with him wherever he went. She was much too pure for this world and he did not want to break her by showing her its darkness. All that he could do were simple things to keep his mind from spiraling into chaos. He pulled up his thread of messages with Lily and sent her a new one.


    [Just arrived at Lux Holy Land. I don''t know how long I''ll be here, but I''ll visit you once I''m done. What souvenir do you want?]


    [You''re there already?! I thought you were still in Melchior last night? How are you so fast? I don''t particularly want anything. Just get me something that reminds you of that place. Anyway, there''re a lot of patients today so I can''t talk much. Good luck and have fun! And stay safe!]


    It did not even take a few minutes for Lily to reply, bringing out a chuckle from Galeon. He wondered what he should get for her as he strolled through the streets, perusing the many stalls set up by both residents and pilgrims. Although he had a purpose for coming to this city, he was not in any sort of hurry. Either way, he had been missing in action for a week already. What was a few more minutes or hours? In the end, he settled for a beautiful tapestry depicting a mountain reaching for the sun. It was very much in line with the culture and beliefs of the Lux Holy Land.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    He stored the tapestry in his Prisma Core before walking onwards. This time, there would be no more stops, no distractions and side quests to deter him. He had been given enough rest. And although his mind technically only really rested for a day, it was still enough to get him going. He headed straight for the Holy Temple at the heart of the Holy Land. And whatever happens there would inform him of his next course of action.


    In a grand cathedral of marbled gold, a solitary figure walked down an aisle. Each of his steps were heavy, seemingly carrying weights unknown even to him. They echoed against the walls that seemed to cast a hallowed glow upon his solemn stride as he passed by the gazes of many worshippers praying toward the altar of their god.


    He ignored their whispers and gazes as he stood before the altar. There he saw a giant statue of an androgynous person covered in a single long cloth draped over them and even veiling their face. Aside from that one cloth, they were bare as they seemed to bathe in the light that came from above. The statue''s hands were raised as though welcoming the blessings of the sun or the moons.


    The man merely stood there staring at the statue as though etching its image into his mind. Many of the worshippers praying were angry at his lack of respect and faith, but they did nothing to remove him from the temple. The Holy Temple was a sacred place. If the Holy Land around it was a sanctuary for the faithful, then the Holy Temple was a paradise for everyone regardless of their faith. No harm may be done within its hallowed walls.


    And although it seemed as though that scene would remain for hours on end, it did not even take half an hour for two sets of footsteps to ring out with a unique cadence, attracting the attention of all the worshippers. They came from one of the hallways that led further up the temple. They came with purpose as the solemnity of their every step could be felt by everyone.


    ''Finally'', the worshippers cheered in their minds, believing that someone with authority had come to show the faithless one the Light. But soon, their silent cheers turned into shock as an unexpected event occurred right before their very eyes.


    "Faith is a fickle thing, is it not? Sometimes I wonder to which I pray. Is it the Light? Or is it the Bringer? To whom, might I ask, do you pray, O Witness of Finality?"


    A soothing voice like that of an ethereal hymn spread across the silent cathedral. Even without the use of authority, her words carried a strange resonance that made it undeniable. Even the deaf would hear her loud and clear. Even the mindless would understand her words. This was the dignity of the Holy Saintess. This was the depth of the truth that she came to bear to all. To her question, Galeon answered with a hint of sentimentality, his back toward her as he continued to stare at the statue.


    "I pray to neither... for faith is a fickle thing. Faith in someone else is a surrender. And I... I cannot surrender yet. So my faith is in myself."


    The Saintess smiled at his response, nodding to his words as though it reaffirmed something for her. She walked onward with Shine following her closely from behind. The Divine Lance of Radiance was on full alert even though she was not expecting a battle here. It was just her duty and her nature. This was the first time in so many years since the Saintess had last stepped foot outside her room. It was not only the worshippers who were shocked to see her, but even the clergy. And yet, there was still more shock to be had.


    "How fitting. Such words should apply to you more than anyone in this world, I believe. Allow me to welcome you to the Lux Holy Land, O Divine Blade of Finality. And..."


    Even with her eyes closed, the Saintess seemed to know where everything was as she came to a stop a few feet away from Galeon. And to everyone''s great surprise, she bent her knees and fell to the floor. Her head lowered in submission as she raised her open arms overhead as though offering herself to Galeon. It was an act of oblation, of one''s surrender to their god. Everyone could recognise it. Even Shine was dumbfounded by what her mistress was doing, but before anyone could do anything, the Saintess continued her words with a voice full of heartfelt emotion.


    "I have seen glimpses of this moment for so long. At long last, you are here, my Bright Master. This faithful servant welcomes you, O Bringer of Light!"

 Chapter 36 - Prophetic Stone

    "At long last, you are here, my Bright Master. This faithful servant welcomes you, O Bringer of Light!"


    Such shocking words had completely eclipsed any chaos that was about to erupt within the temple as absolute silence descended upon them all. This was the Holy Saintess of the Lux Holy Land, the one who bore the great responsibility of leading the worshippers of the Light. And yet here she was, supplicated before a man whom she claims to be their god. Can there be anything more absurd?


    This was the man who was named the Divine Blade of Finality. His creed was that of death, an end to all things. How in the world could he ever be their god? How could he ever be the one to bring them the Light of Salvation? They could not understand, but none of them dared to even make a single sound. Their thoughts and opinions were decidedly unimportant in this moment in time. History was being written right before their very eyes, unworthy as they might be.


    The deafening silence was broken as Galeon turned around to face the woman who knelt to him. Behind her, he could see Shine looking on in just as much confusion and shock as the rest, unable to do anything but watch. Galeon shook his head lightly. This was not what he intended. To be brought to the limelight like this was not something he cared about. What concerned him was the image that these worshippers had of the being known as Lux, the Bringer of Light.


    Because for all intents and purposes, he was the Bringer of Light. But at the same time, Galeon was not their god. He did not believe himself to be nor did he ever want to be such a thing. Faith is a fickle thing. To have faith in someone else is a surrender. And the responsibility to meet that faith or disappoint it would rest on the shoulders of that someone. Galeon had no desire to claim such a burden.


    He came to the Lux Holy Land because of the Saintess'' invitation, but also because he wanted to learn about this prophecy that they had. He wanted to know how it related to him if it even did. For all he knew, the Vernal Bloom had only named his skill in such a way because it found such memories in him, knowledge of the Lux Holy Land and their beliefs. He might not exactly be the god they worshipped. But all of that was a moot point now with the Saintess'' words.


    "Stop. Don''t call me that. I did not come here to claim that name. I''m only here, at your invitation, to seek answers."


    "And yet the very fact that you''ve come for answers already proves who you are, my lord. Is it not the prophecy you came here to know?"


    The Saintess looked at him, assured in her belief and faith that the man before her was her god though he yet remains a mortal. Her closed eyes, blind to the world around her, could see far more than anyone. It is due to this that her faith is unshakable, that her oblation was necessary. She was in the presence of the one who would save them all. The least she could do was offer her everything to him just as she was born to do.


    "Enough of this. Do not confuse me for your saviour or your god. I am neither. If you''ve no intention of giving me answers then I might as well leave."


    Galeon felt an unbearable discomfort as all around him, the gazes of the people began changing. Some seemed to believe the Saintess'' words wholeheartedly and began looking at him like a divine being. Others were sceptical, watching him with judging gazes as though they had any right to dictate his way of life. And others still seemed to see him as less than a person and more of an object, a tool that might grant them their wishes. He hated all of it to the very depths of his being. It was disgusting and the farthest thing from holy.


    He took hurried steps toward the doors of the temple, intent on leaving entirely and to be away from that quagmire. He wanted to know what the prophecy was about, how it related to him, but it was not so important to him that he would suffer that detestable feeling. It was like he was being drowned in a pit of snakes hissing and licking at every inch of his flesh. But just as he was fully out of the temple, the Saintess spoke once more.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Please wait! Your Trial of Ascension has begun and your seed sealed! This has already come to pass, has it not? Allow me to help you, to show you what lies ahead!"


    Her words put a stop to Galeon''s feet as he stood there processing what she had just said. His Trial of Ascension has begun. As far as he knew, there was no such thing in Corrin. Before he received the notifications alerting him to it, he did not even know that such a thing existed. And then his seed, as she called it, was sealed. Others may not understand what the Saintess meant by that, but Galeon certainly did. The Vernal Bloom, though it might not carry the word in its name, its appearance when he found it was that of a seed. And it has been sealed for the Trial of Ascension.


    Galeon turned to face the Saintess once more. His gaze was heavy as he observed every detail about the woman whose eyes remained closed even as she faced him. Even now, she remained knelt on the floor as though she had no right to stand above or at equal to Galeon. This was the woman who was supposed to hold some answers that he sought, but never did he expect to hear such words from her.


    "How do you know these things?"


    His voice came out heavily as he felt vulnerable in that moment as though he was an open book that could easily be read. He hated the feeling as it reminded him of that unfathomable eye-like entity that seemed to know everything about him.


    The Saintess smiled brightly as she finally had a chance to prove her worth. Galeon''s reaction to her words informed her that she was correct, that the prophecy was correct. All she had to do now was to continue being the most loyal and devoted servant she was always meant to be. She lowered her head once more as her hands reached out toward Galeon.


    "There is more to the prophecy than what the people know. It is more than just a prophecy. It is a message. It would be my greatest honour to finally deliver it to you, if you would allow me to."


    Galeon sighed as he walked back toward the Saintess. He really could not stand being subjected to the gazes of so many people. He wished he could hide behind his suit again, but doing so now would do nothing. When he reached the kneeling Saintess, he pulled her to her feet before walking toward the hallway that they arrived from.


    "Let''s talk somewhere more private."


    He wanted to tell them to stop any word about this incident from leaving the Holy Temple as he did not want any more of this uncomfortable attention, but he knew it was pointless. Even if they did take his words seriously, there would still be a leak somewhere. It was impossible to keep this incident hidden, especially not when it came with the news of the Saintess'' return.


    The Saintess hurried after him and began leading him to her office. Shine followed as well, though still unable to shake off the shock she was feeling. She had thought that the surprises regarding this man had ended with the beast tide, but now, she wondered if there was even more coming.


    After a few minutes of walking along the silent halls of the Holy Temple, they finally arrived at the Saintess'' office near the heart of the temple. It was smaller than one might expect, but this was because over many years, she had conducted her duties from her bedroom. Upon entering, the Saintess offered her seat to Galeon. It was on the more luxurious side, showing off the grand status that she held. As Galeon just wanted to get down to business, he accepted quietly as the Saintess began her duty.


    "I shall begin by recounting the prophecy, my lord."


    As she said that, the Saintess brought out a crystalline rock the size of a fist. She had been carrying it with her all this time, kept hidden by a strange magic. It took Galeon a single glance to know that it was a Prisma Core. How it came to be in the possession of the Lux Holy Land was a mystery, but it was not impossible. If he himself had managed to acquire a Prisma Core, why could the Lux Holy Land not?


    With the Prisma Core in her hand, the Saintess began syphoning Prismana into it, letting it overflow as the surroundings began to change. This Prisma Core had a unique quality to it that created some kind of illusion when given Prismana. It was a strange thing considering that Prisma Cores were supposed to be the ones that provided Prismana. Regardless, the illusory images manifested within the office, and Galeon watched with utmost attention.

 Chapter 37 - Crucible

    "This Prisma Core that has been passed down among the highest leadership of the Lux Holy Land was found about a thousand years ago. It came with the very first Meteor Rain. And it is the reason why the faith in the Light had not died. We call it the Prophetic Stone."


    As Prismana was continuously fed into the Prisma Core, it released a misty light that seemed to form into illusory manifestations of many things. The first was a bleak darkness that encompassed the land before being driven away by a brief flash of light. Then the misty light swirled as it emulated a quaking world, lands cracking and the sea parting.


    Indeed, they were parting. The sea seemed to open a path toward something. They could barely understand what it looked like as it seemed to be coming from a very far distance away. From the depths came a rising swirling pillar of rocks that surged upward as though it intended to pierce the very skies. With its appearance, the sun, moons and stars seemed to dim.


    The illusion changed once more as the misty light formed into clouds. They were thick and merciless in their tempestuous wrath, but soon, they too parted like curtains opening to a grand new stage, a new act in this dramatic play. And from beyond the heavens descended an army of foreign beings wielding powers unknown to them.


    The illusion culminated with the end of a grand war. At the very heart of conflict stood the lone victor, a being of immeasurable light with stars revolving around them. They held in their hand something that could not be seen through the illusion. It seemed too powerful to be captured by whatever authority was powering these illusions, but it did not matter. What was important was that the victor took that something into their body just before the flicker of another authority tore through space ahead of them. And that was where the illusion ended.


    "This is the prophecy that everyone knows. The former High Priestesses transcribed the story told by these visions into written text, filtering some of the more sensitive things for the masses."


    Galeon was silently ruminating on what he had just seen. This prophecy was far more real than he believed it to be. He honestly did not know what he was expecting when he decided to come to the Holy Land, but this was definitely beyond that. And seeing it for himself, he could not undoubtedly say that it had no relation to him whatsoever. The events that were depicted by this prophecy, they have not occurred yet. Or rather, only one had already come to pass.


    "The brightest light... that heralds the End."


    He muttered as his thoughts returned to the battle in Vaulkeen''s End, when he was surrounded by countless beasts, a tide that seemed to have no end. And yet, a single call from him lit up the world. He did not need to see it from afar to know it. He was the Bringer of Light and the Light was a part of him. Wherever the Light goes, he was present. And so he knew that his Light had reached the very ends of Corrin.


    The Saintess nodded knowingly as she heard his words. That moment remained a core and vivid memory for everyone in the world, especially for the followers of the Light. This was especially the case for Shine and her Radiant Paladins who saw it happen up close. But the Saintess'' recollection of it seemed to differ from theirs as she honed in on something that everyone perceived but glossed over.


    "''I am the vessel through which judgement descends. I am the Light that heralds the End.'' These were the words you uttered on that day. And it was in that moment that I knew the Bringer of Light has come."


    Galeon looked at her strangely, seeing the confidence in her expression with a hint of pride. Was she proud that she had known so far ahead? How was she even certain that it was him? He had not known that his voice had travelled so far back then, that the authority that filled them had allowed them to reach as far as his Light. Although not many remember the words having been too absorbed with the bright light, the Saintess'' blind eyes allowed her to see more than anyone.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Now that you know the prophecy in full, allow me to convey to you the message left hidden within the Prophetic Stone. This is something that none before me had ever discovered. And it is only through my affliction that I am able to hear it."


    The Saintess once again began pouring Prismana into the Prisma Core. This time, however, she was drowning it in copious amounts of Prismana that she was practically draining herself dry. As she stumbled, Shine had to catch her and help her stand, even aiding in providing the necessary amount of Prismana needed for this process. And once it reached a certain level of power, the misty lights that once formed illusory visions began moving once more.


    This time, they did not form towering mountains or silhouettes of people. There was no world or war to witness. The misty light just remained floating in the air around them, quivering intermittently and rippling like waves. Shine could not understand what they were seeing. It was nothing like the visions of the prophecy earlier. Galeon, however, recognised what it was quickly. He had seen such things many times before.


    "An audio recording?"


    The Saintess nodded weakly. This was indeed some kind of audio recording and what they were seeing now was just the spectrogram. They could not hear the words being spoken, except for the Saintess who seemed to have to pay a price in order to do so. Galeon did not know how she discovered this, but this was nothing if not a miracle.


    Whoever made this message was a shrewd person, hiding it behind a prophecy and a tall price in Prismana besides other possible requirements that may or may not exist beyond their knowledge. And after catching her breath, the Saintess began relaying the message to Galeon.


    "Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name.


    A nail to a coffin, a cancer of worlds, the lives we do not own yet still reap.


    The Trial of Ascension that sealed the Seed awakens the Heart in a moment of grief.


    Eternity spins as Eternity should the Loom that tells us of the Truth.


    The Seed, the Heart, the Spirit and Stars, the final bastion of the universe.


    The Crucible burns ever fiercer, awaiting the End to its Eternal purpose."


    The moment she finished speaking the final line of the message, the Saintess practically collapsed. Fortunately, Shine was still holding onto her and managed to keep her from falling. But she began panicking seeing the heartbreaking state that she was in. It was then that it all clicked in her mind, the reason for the Saintess'' sudden incurable illness.


    It was never an illness, but rather a price she had to pay for uncovering this message. Shine admonished herself for not even finding out until this very moment when she had been so close to her all this time. She wanted to hurry and bring the Saintess back to her room, but just as she was about to leave, a string of liquid light sank into the Saintess'' chest. And almost instantly after that, the Saintess'' complexion became better and much healthier.


    She gasped in a deep breath as though having been suffocated for a long while. When she finally felt her strength returning, she stood up on her own, nodding to Shine in thanks before walking toward Galeon. And again, she knelt before him as tears began leaking from the corners of her closed eyes.


    "Thank you, my Bright Master. I was ready to pay the price that the message would impose on me, but even then, it terrified me to know that I would again have to spend the rest of my life in bed. Thank you for freeing me from it. Please know that my life belongs to you alone. Whatever you wish of me, I will make it so."


    The Saintess lowered her head and raised her hands toward Galeon. Even though she had already done it before, she still did it again. This act of supplication, this oblation was a sacred thing. And the Saintess was willing to go through hell and back if it meant Galeon would accept her devotion. Galeon only had a shred of attention to spare to this however. He let his hand rest upon hers, a sign of acceptance and of dominance. From this moment on, Galeon was the master and the Saintess was his servant.


    The Saintess smiled in jubilee and celebration. Finally, her life''s purpose truly begins. With great devotion, she leaned forward and kissed the back of his hand, a sign of submission. But Galeon could no longer pay it any mind as a set of words continued to echo in his head.


    ''Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name....''


    He did not know why, but he felt inexplicably drawn to those words, and not in a good way. He could feel something within him stirring, a dreadful omen of what was to come. He could feel it, the true beginning of the prophecy coincided with this.


    And indeed, he could feel it.


    They could all feel it... for the world had begun to tremble in fear. The quaking earth heralded the coming of war as the lands cracked open and the sea parted.

 Chapter 38 - Heaven-Reaching

    "Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name...."


    Galeon repeated the words once more as he stood by the window gazing out into the far distant horizon. By his side were the Saintess and Shine who also looked on in horror as the world continued to quake. The streets of the city began cracking as the buildings swayed, but none of them could draw any attention from the three as there was something far more dreadful happening elsewhere.


    Amidst the backdrop of a slowly setting sun, a needle rose from the ground as though to puncture the very skies themselves. But as the seconds passed, it remained a needle no longer. Even from so far away, the three could feel the potent waves of power rising together with the needle. It was mystical and archaic, something unknown to Corrin. It swirled around it like a tornado, solidifying into a veritable tower. And still it continued to rise, a heaven-reaching mountain that aspired to grasp the stars.


    "Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name...!"


    Again, Galeon felt the need to repeat the words. But this time, he was compelled by something other than mystery. A burgeoning flame seemed to blaze within the depths of his heart. It boiled his very blood, wishing to unleash a reckoning upon everything. This was a primal and unfathomable rage, something that Galeon was not used to. He had no idea where it came from nor why he was feeling it, but he understood that this rage was directed toward the heaven-reaching mountain.


    As he stared at it, Galeon felt a quiver in his heart. Mixed with the rage was an immeasurable sorrow, a betrayal of something dear. These emotions, they did not seem to belong to him, but at the same time they were his. Even if he knew nothing about them, he could not avert his eyes from them. And as though sensing his inner turmoil, the heaven-reaching mountain continued its rise. The lofty peaks it reached seemed like a mockery of his ignorance, only further fueling his rage.


    The quaking had lessened, but it still continued. Galeon had a feeling that as long as that heaven-reaching mountain continued to rise, the world would continue to tremble. He did not know how to stop it, but he felt the need to do something. And the only course of action he could think of at the moment was to head to that rising mountain directly. He turned to look at the Saintess whose eyes had now opened to reveal solid crystals. They were not Prisma but rather the crystallisation of potent authority that should have remained beyond the grasp of a mortal like her.


    The look of horror on her face painted a picture of apocalypse, and perhaps that was all this was. The second coming of apocalypse, an End came to culminate the tales of Corrin, the coup de grace. The world had been on borrowed time for about a thousand years. And now, it was time to collect the dues. Galeon wondered how all this appeared to her vision. Was it as ominous as he was seeing? Or was it even worse? He wanted to ask her, but urgent matters must be dealt with first.


    "Saintess..., I''ll need the Prophetic Stone."


    The Saintess looked toward him, her horrified expression nearly crumpling as she fought the urge to cry. She nodded as she presented the Prophetic Stone to her master. This was the first time that the treasured relic of the Lux Holy Land was leaving their hands, but at least it was going to their god. Shine did not care about it either. In fact, she was more than agreeable with Galeon taking it so it could no longer harm the Saintess.


    "Please just call me Helena, my lord. And I know that you wish to go there directly, but please be very careful. That thing is no mountain.... It is a monument to spirits, a gravestone for countless. And yet, it is their power that courses through it. Even from here, I can hear them. Some are singing, others are laughing..., but many are crying!"Stolen story; please report.


    The Saintess, Helena, crumpled to the floor while holding her head. She desperately tried to cover her ears, but it was impossible to block away the sounds that only she could hear. For the longest time, she had thought of her affliction to be a blessing. Only now was she considering it to be a curse instead. The countless voices seemed to vie for her attention, scraping away and gnawing at her fragile and vulnerable mind.


    Shine panicked as Helena started convulsing from the sheer pain and horror she was experiencing. She was fortunate to be so far away because if she had been much closer to the mountain than she was now, then she would have dropped dead in an instant. Her body would still draw breath, but her mind would be a hollow mess. Recognising the severity of the situation, Galeon moved as well.


    Channeling a flood of pure energy into his authority, he created a pool of liquid light in which he submerged Helena. Her mind needed to be protected for however long that heaven-reaching mountain existed as it was the cause for her current condition. And this meant that she had to slumber within this pool of liquid light that continued to heal her body and tried to ease the burden on her mind.


    "Let''s take her to her room."


    Shine nodded as she led the way for Galeon who carried Helena with his Light. Upon reaching Helena''s room, Galeon put her in bed before creating several orbs of light that he positioned around her in a circle.


    He was not well-versed with magic as most casters could be found on the opposite end of the continent, but he knew enough to set up a rudimentary formation. These orbs of light were meant to be the first line of defense that would protect Helena, and when the barrier they created was breached, the orbs themselves would explode like bombs. Naturally, they would not harm Helena, but rather reinforce the pool of liquid light around her. Once he was done, Galeon turned to Shine.


    "You''ll be busy dealing with the mess here, but I can''t stay to help. If anything happens to her, use this to contact me."


    He created thin slip of Prisma and filled it with his Light. It was similar to what he gave Lily, but this one only contained enough of his Light to allow a fraction of his mind to perceive things through it. Considering that Shine herself was a Divine, he had no need to worry about her safety. After all, she was still his senior. It would be disrespectful of him to treat her like a subordinate. And although he could use her help in what was to come, he knew that her duty would not let her leave.


    Shine nodded in silence. Everything was moving too fast and she could barely catch her breath. All her expectations of Galeon''s visit to the Lux Holy Land had been subverted in such ridiculous ways that she needed time to process them. She had not even spoken a single word to him this whole time, but she already felt so tired of his presence. And as if that was not enough, her mistress now lay in silent slumber, bedridden once more due to an impending calamity.


    She was starting to hate this prophecy, every part of it. When she turned her gaze back to Galeon, she found that he was already gone. He left only the slip of Prisma emitting a soft glow. Although she did not know what was happening to Helena, at the very least, she understood that the only way to protect her was to rely on Galeon. She sighed in exasperation and helplessness as she sat down by Helena''s bed. She had a lot to do to restore order to the Holy Land, but for the moment, she just wanted to rest and watch over her mistress.


    Galeon hurried out of the Holy Temple and left the Holy Land entirely. His wings were beating as fast as they could as he soared with the Light. Around his body, swirling vortices of fire, ice and electricity revolved around him as he resolved to push them further toward newer and stronger forms. With four nodal skills being used all at the same time, the definition of the complexities of the Molecular System should advance by leaps and bounds.


    He did not honestly care what their next evolutions would be like. He did not need them to fight right now. What he looked forward to was their future, the possibilities they brought him, the possibilities he could make of them. Even as he felt a looming sense of dread overcome the world, his mind had already begun to glimpse upon a pinnacle for these traits of his. His authority as the Shaper was working in full force driven by an unknown urgency.


    Galeon continued rushing, tearing through the skies as he headed for his destination. It was not the towering spiral of rocks in the distance. The journey toward the heaven-reaching mountain is bound to be a long and arduous one. So instead, his first stop would be something he needed to immediately take care of.


    His destination was Melchior.


    His purpose was Lily.

 Chapter 39 - Betrayal

    Melchior was a beautiful city boasting a large assortment of establishments that catered to the wants of both locals and tourists alike. Whereas Therion''s architecture embodied the freedom its people sought and the Lux Holy Land shaped their city to accommodate people from all the different parts of the world, Melchior was a literal melting pot of cultures. In fact, the very thing that Melchior exemplified the most was culture.


    Tracing its history back to a time before the advent of Prisma, its architecture style mainly focused on homogenising different styles through the same material, Corroid. This was the name given to natural rocks grown in areas that still remained untouched by Prisma. This was a necessary distinction as they could not be classified under Igneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic.


    They are much harder than metamorphic rocks, but much easier to find. The reason for this is because as Prisma spread across the lands, they did not only corrupt the land, but also created new ones. And because of this, some areas of Corrin have been displaced from their original positions, pressed back by Prisma and subjected to their strange power. They were not as tough as Prisma, but they were certainly easier to handle.


    The buildings of Melchior were all made from corroid rocks, giving them a lighter shade than most other buildings in other cities even without paint. They resembled classical buildings, entire theatres and museums always welcoming bustling crowds. Their focus on old Corrin culture while developing it to suit the new age has made them the most popular city in the world. But all those flowery words seemed moot in the face of the chaos wrought about by the appearance of the heaven-reaching mountain.


    Melchior had suffered a lot of damages from the quaking earth. It was not only the land that cracked, but even buildings. While most were left with just these minor infrastructure damage, important landmarks like the Grand Theatre and even some government buildings had crumbled on one side. This, however, was not the fault of those who constructed it. Rather, the land itself opened like a gaping maw, breaking those above it. Several other buildings in a line had been damaged in much the same way and many people even fell into that depthless pit.


    This was the sight that greeted Galeon when he arrived in the skies over Melchior. His heart was pounding fast as he swiftly dove down, navigating his way toward Lily''s clinic. It did not take him much time to find it, but getting in was a tougher task as the chaos had spread uncontrollably. Debris and injured people were dropping like flies along the streets, blocking much of the way forward. In the end, Galeon had to enter through a window on the upper floors of the clinic.


    The moment he got in, the first thing he noticed was the unusual silence. Unlike what was happening outside, the inside of the clinic seemed untouched as though it was stuck in time. He spread his light everywhere only to find that the clinic was completely devoid of life. There was no one there at all. At a time when so many people were injured right outside the door, it was glaringly peculiar that no one was manning this place.


    Anxiety slowly crept up Galeon''s mind as he changed his approach. If Lily was not in the clinic, then she might be home. And so he tapped into the Light that he left within her bangle. As he closed his eyes, he sensed the surroundings of the bangle and found... nothing. It was an empty room and the bangle seemed to be resting on a desk.


    Galeon''s eyes opened as he stared in the direction that he sensed the bangle in. He immediately rushed to it, his heart growing heavier and more sombre with every passing second. There were questions in his mind, but he understood the simplest and most apparent thing.


    The moment he arrived at an empty house that was left relatively unharmed by the earthquake, he entered the room where he found the bangle. And there he confirmed his suspicion. Lily was gone and she left the bangle here along with a note.


    ''Hey, if you''re reading this, then it means you came to find me. Don''t worry, I''m fine. It''s just that my brother and I had to leave in a hurry and I couldn''t tell you. Please, don''t come looking for me.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Anyway, I wanted to tell you something the next time we met, but it might be a long time before then. I learned a lot about many things recently. About you... about us. When we meet again, I hope I can get some answers. And maybe then I can finally tell you how I feel. Stay safe.


    Love, Lily


    PS - I''m sorry''


    Galeon felt a lump stuck in his throat. He had already expected it, but seeing it for himself just made him feel even more miserable. He did not know what to think of this. He came back to Melchior to make sure Lily was safe, but all he returned to was something that felt like a betrayal. Should he really be feeling this way?


    They had only known each other for a few days. They did not have that sort of relationship. There was no justified reason for him to feel betrayed. But at the same time, he felt a spark with her. Her presence was a safe haven, a sanctuary that he yearned for so dearly. For it to leave him alone in these dire times made him feel helpless.


    And then there was the bangle, the gift he made for her as a token of his gratitude. He had no need to do it, but he decided to bear his heart to someone for the first time. And who was more fitting than the one who knew him for the first time, not through a helmet, but in the flesh? Who was worthier than the one who gave shelter to a vulnerable stranger in his time of need? It was like everything clicked into place at that moment. Meeting Lily was one of the best moments in his life. Galeon never doubted that one bit. And this one note tore his heart more than she knew.


    ''I''m sorry''


    The last words she offered him stung more than having his arm burnt to ash. So many thoughts and so many emotions she wanted to convey, and yet she compressed it all to just these two words that she could not even punctuate. He did not say it aloud, but he knew he had fallen for her. She was his first love. But Lily had decided for both of them and he would respect that. No matter how much it hurt him to go through this whole mess, he had to let go of it for now. There were much more pressing things to deal with at present and he could not afford to be distracted.


    He took the bangle and released the power binding it, letting it melt back into his body as he left the house in silence. He shot back up into the sky as he stared at the towering spiral mountain in the horizon. In the time that it took for him to reach Melchior, it had grown even more, not just in height but overall. No longer did it seem as thin as a needle. It was now a veritable tower, and up close, possibly a gargantuan mountain.


    "What was it that you saw, Helena?"


    He wondered out loud as he brought out something that he had been holding onto since he left the Lux Holy Land. In his hand was a Prisma Core floating silently, its docile aura harmoniously mingling with his own. It was strange as Galeon could feel a strange familiarity with it. It did not compel him to do anything, it merely floated over his palm silently, ready to serve its purpose in any way. When Galeon turned to look at the distant mountain once more, he paused because in front of him was someone he never expected to meet again.


    A shadowy silhouette that seemed exceptionally alive yet inexplicably not. Its incorporeal form was like that of a black flame that barely minded the winds so high up in the sky. It turned to look at the heaven-reaching mountain as well before looking back at Galeon and the Prisma Core in his hand. The message was as simple as could be. And with a nod, Galeon pressed the Prisma Core to his chest, allowing himself to devour it.


    [Shaper has devoured a unique type of Prisma Core with undefined qualities and complexities.]


    [Shaper has gained an undefined unique quality.]


    [Shaper of Self defines the unique quality: Clarity]


    [You have obtained the trait: Eyes of Clarity]


    Even as the notifications came, Galeon could barely pay them any attention as his head threatened to burst open. His eyes became like ravenous beasts that devoured waves upon waves of pure power and authority from him that he swore he had already gone blind for more than just a brief moment.


    His eyes seemed to become mediums of a unique authority contained within Shaper, something not entirely detached from his authority as the Shaper of Self. But with this authority, his silver eyes had become something similar to Helena''s. They were crystalline masses of power and authority, no longer merely flesh and blood. But that was not the end.


    An audible crack rang out in the sky as Galeon''s head was finally split open, but with the authority of the Shaper, he could not die from it even if he wanted to. He had to endure the excruciating pain even as everything began to mend once more, leaving only a hole in the middle of his forehead. And there, another eye grew similar to the ones he already had.


    These were the Eyes of Clarity.

 Chapter 40 - Clarity

    Three eyes each pulsing with interminable authority shone with a sharp light. None could be hidden from their gazes as they took in every single detail about the world around them. There were many things present that were not there before. Particles of power that should have remained invisible to the naked eye flowed smoothly in Galeon''s vision.


    He turned his gaze toward the heaven-reaching mountain in the distance and there he saw something he could never have imagined. A towering pillar of light shot out from the ground, piercing through the skies of Corrin and reaching deep into the space beyond. It was such a heavy authority that only now could he feel, as though witnessing it was the key to understanding the very weight of its presence.


    But before Galeon could free himself from the pressure, his gaze seemed to have been drawn into that pillar of light, sinking into it and letting it carry him across untold distances. The sheer power it bore down upon him forced his eyes close for a moment, and when he opened them again, everything before him was different.


    What lay before him was no longer the cracked lands and the chaotic city. He no longer saw the towering mountain that had already grasped the stars in the depths of space. Before him was space itself, the universe in all its bare beauty. In the distance, he could see entire galaxies swirling and revolving around each other, stars aligning and forming constellations that could only be observed some millions of years in the future, planets thriving with life and others dying. This was the true nature of the universe. This was...


    [Beautiful, isn''t it?]


    A voice carried along by a strangely whimsical authority rang out in the void. Galeon looked around and found an eye. No, it was not the same unfathomable eye-like entity that he had encountered once before. This was a literal eye glowing with a subtle brilliance that told of the vicissitudes of life. The voice itself was like that of an old man caught up in his musings. But the eye was just like any normal eye, white sclera and brown iris. It seemed so simple that it was so eerie thinking about how it could possibly exist in this place, much less speak. And then, it turned to look at him.


    [This is the first time that I''ve ever met someone else while watching from here. How did you get here, my young friend?]


    The voice of the eye spoke warmly and in a friendly tone as though he was really pleasantly surprised to see someone else here besides himself. Galeon wanted to say that he did not know. He wanted to speak and learn more about what was happening to him, but he could not. No voice came from him even as he tried to open his mouth....


    And that was the start of his confusion. Did he even have a mouth? He could not feel it. He could not feel the rest of his body for that matter. He could see and hear, but he could not move. If he could somehow detach his sight from himself and observe himself personally, then he would know that he was, in fact, similar to the being talking to him at the moment. But rather than just one eye, he had three, all connected at a central point, floating in the emptiness of space. Noticing his shock the old man corrected himself with a lighthearted chuckle.


    [Ohoho! It seems you''ve only just begun learning how to peer into this place, hmm? Then it''s natural to be disoriented. In fact, you''re handling it rather well. During my first time, I was screaming and crying from panic that when I returned to my body, I found that I''ve soiled myself! How I wish I could forget that shameful moment, but alas.]


    The old man sighed while Galeon only observed him. This being is definitely the most powerful being he had seen after that unfathomable eye from before. He did not know whether it was just a coincidence, but both took the forms of an eye. In any case, judging by the old man''s words, it seemed that he was only temporarily separated from his body.


    He did not know how he ended up here, but he was certain that it was less about the pillar of authority rising from the heaven-reaching mountain and more about the authority of his Eyes of Clarity. The Shaper of Self defined it, but he had not received any explanations for it. Although he already expected it due to the Vernal Bloom not offering any explanations for qualities of his traits either, he did not like that his own personal authority was following the same trend. Therefore, he resolved to change this when he returned to his body.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    [Oh, where are my manners! My name is Benjamin. I''m a free man who doesn''t involve himself in any of the squabbles down there.]


    His gaze pointed toward the universe that they were observing. Galeon could not really see anything apart from the galaxies and stars, but Benjamin''s eye flashed and the sight before them zoomed in to a region of space where a war on a planetary scale was being fought. There were warships and individual people moving through space, racing to take down the opposition. It was a brutal sight, but also incredibly surreal.


    Galeon had always believed that there was life outside of Corrin. How else could the Prisma be explained? Them crashing into Corrin could not have been by some freak natural occurrence. He would sooner believe that hell was a paradise of ice than think of the Meteor Rain as some natural calamity. And here, he was being shown a shred of the truth.


    [I pity these fools. There is no saving them from war. War is a necessity in this place. I am freed from it, but only because my talents would serve better if I''m alive.]


    Galeon turned to look at Benjamin once more as he sensed the gravity in his words. He was not merely showing him things. This old man was teaching him something. He had to listen and learn as it may be the only chance he gets. Benjamin''s eye turned to him as well as his authority flared all around them, seemingly isolating them from the universe. His gaze was now sombre as he let his intent be known to Galeon that they were no longer merely chatting.


    [I am regarded as the Watcher of the @{7)&^!#. I have been here outside the Loom to watch and record all that transpire. But I also have another duty. I am the Watcher who warns others of the coming enemy. No one has ever reached this place without my knowledge, and the fact that you are here now means that the moment I have been waiting for has come.]


    Galeon''s mind trembled upon hearing Benjamin''s words. He did not care much for his duties as his mind focused on one thing, his distinction. He was the Watcher... of something that he could not hear. He knew and recognised what it was simply because of the weight of its name, but his mind was still incapable of truly grasping it. This was the same unfathomable eye-like entity that he had encountered before. And Benjamin seemed connected it more than he initially thought.


    Another burst of authority erupted from Benjamin as his gaze turned menacing. His brown iris shattered like glass, each shard revolving around his pupil like a kaleidoscope tinted in many different colours. It was a maddenning experience, but for Galeon who had already glimpsed upon a far more unfathomable being, Benjamin did not move him much.


    [Good, you are able to handle this authority. Unfortunately, being here without the appropriate authority to hide oneself invites disaster, my young friend. They are onto us now, but fear not. I have isolated us for a brief moment, enough for me to say what I need to.]


    A loud sound like that of an erupting volcano echoed out from a distance away. It came from a wall of authority created by Benjamin to isolate them in this place. But it seems that whatever he was keeping out was very powerful as Galeon could tell that it would not take long for the walls to be breached. Benjamin, however, did not seem panicked at all as he calmly spoke to Galeon.


    [I do not know from which Thread you come, but know that the Loom will not remain safe forever. If you are here, then that means you have already begun your Trial. You must ascend quickly. Not just for yourself, but for all of us.]


    Another explosion rang out. This time, the impact was so much stronger that it shook the very space Galeon and Benjamin were in. The walls trembled at the damage it had to endure, but it still held fast. Galeon''s mind was the clearest it has ever been as he soaked in every single word that Benjamin spoke. He did not know what was happening nor did he know who the enemy was, but he knew that it would only be a matter of time before he was faced with it personally.


    [Now go, return to your body and complete your Trial. Try not to use your eyes before you''ve ascended or you might not be as lucky as this time. I shall be waiting for you here, like always.]


    One last burst of authority shot out of Benjamin''s eye, pushing Galeon back into the folds of space. But before he could completely sink into it, he saw the walls around Benjamin finally shatter and he finally caught a glimpse of what was threatening them.


    A glimpse... because he could not confidently say that he had truly seen it. It was an indescribable creature that could not even fit the mould of what a creature should look like in Galeon''s mind. What was it really? It was so disjointed and simply illogical to be real that his mind found it difficult to reconcile. The harrowing visage he saw, he did not even know how to begin describing it other than black. It dripped with a dark ichor that looked like ink.


    Galeon''s mind was shaken. He could not imagine facing such a thing. His gaze turned to Benjamin, but even until the end, the old man only looked at Galeon.


    Darkness overtook Galeon''s vision before soon clearing as his eyes opened. Before him was the same chaos he had left, the same towering mountain that loomed dreadfully over them all. He was back.

 Chapter 41 - To Gaze

    Galeon felt vividly aware of how much time had passed. Absolutely none at all. Not even a single second had gone by since he acquired his Eyes of Clarity and this moment. He awoke from a trance that was decidedly too real to be a mere dream. He knew it was real. His entire being was telling him so. His eyes were screaming to him of this fact.


    And yet it was so different from the last time he had experienced something similar. The last time, he had fallen unconscious for nearly an entire week. What was different this time? Was the entity that he encountered last time simply too powerful? Or was it because it was through his own means that he entered that trance-like dream this time?


    He could not say. There were too many things he did not know. He used to dream of the universe beyond the bounds of the blue sky, but now that he was faced with its bare reality in all the raw details, he felt overwhelmed. There were so many things happening outside, things that seemed even grander than whatever is happening in Corrin.


    This world of his was like a tiny speck of dust floating in space. It could vanish in one moment and perhaps no one would even know, much less bother to care. Galeon felt so startlingly insignificant. What was he to do with all the power he had come to wield in these past days when everything seemed insurmountable? Just days ago, he felt unstoppable and free. He felt like he could finally do anything, reach out and grasp his dream with his own hands, but all of a sudden, he felt like a bird given the illusion of freedom within a vast cage.


    He was steadily drowning in a sense of doom. With every power and knowledge he obtained, he felt like he was understanding less and less of the world around him. Now, it seemed like nothing was as they were presented to him. He could not even trust his own eyes anymore as they seemed to be failing him again and again.


    And as though reacting to his thoughts, a notification appeared in his vision. It was regarding something that he himself wanted. He had thought of it during the trance as he was digesting Benjamin''s words, and now, it appeared to him in the moment he needed it most.


    [Clarity: The first step toward purity.]


    [Eyes of Clarity: None may elude or be hidden from your gaze. Your eyes pierce through all fallacies and perceive reality as it is meant to be perceived.]


    [Note: This trait was born from a strand of an unknown authority obtained from Clarity. In order to grow this trait, it is necessary to either obtain more of the authority that created it or develop the trait such that it transforms into something that especially belongs to the Shaper of Self.]


    [Shaper of Self has created a new category of traits: Signets]


    [Signets: Traits or skills that have reached a threshold and have developed their own inherent authorities. Their growth relies not only in defining their complexities but also in comprehending their authorities.]


    [Note: Due to their nature, future Signets born from the Vernal Bloom will be jointly administered by the Vernal Bloom and Shaper. Possible changes to the Vernal Bloom''s functions from the birth of Signets remain unknown until it is freed from restrictions.]


    [Shaper has been designated as a Signet.]


    [Lux, Bringer of Light has been designated as a Signet.]


    [Eyes of Clarity has been designated as a Signet.]


    Eyes of Clarity, it did not dispel any confusion that Galeon had. In fact, it only added more to the steadily growing pile. But at the same time, he understood what it was meant to do. All this time, he had been seeing the world through the lens of a mundane human. Even with all the power he now wielded, his perspective still remained as small as before. How could he progress further on the path to Eternity if he failed to see beyond the bounds of this world?Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Eternity, the all-encompassing concept that he sought. While some would posit that Infinity and Space were superior in their breadth, Galeon begged to differ. It did not mean that he believed Time to be superior. He just believed that Time and Space were equally necessary. Space alone could stretch on forever and one would not be able to see the end. But how would one know how far they have gone without knowing Time? Similarly, Time ticks ever onward without care. But how would one perceive this progress without the material of Space?


    Infinity, the ever-presence of all things... Galeon had no need for this. He loved the idea of oneness with existence that he even nearly lost himself in a dissolution of his self when he thought to go past the Fifth Step during the beast tide. But as much as Galeon hated Finality, he also valued it greatly. And he cannot accept Infinity to extend without End.


    So then why was he seeking Eternity?


    How different was the endlessness of Eternity from Infinity?


    This is probably the sort of conundrum that would earn Galeon the strange and mocking gazes of others. Was he not just contradicting himself? He wants Infinity to End and yet he seeks for Eternity. Of course it was ridiculous, even he thought so. But as stated before, he did not seek endlessness. He sought a new Beginning after the End.


    Finality is important. It is a necessary part of everything. There can be no creation without destruction, no life without death. There is no white without knowing black. Recognising the different faces of a coin was necessary. Finality was the punctuation, the period that closes the sentence. But the paragraph may still go on. A new sentence may still be written.


    Eternity... it is not the endlessness of all things. It is the tale of existence, a story unfolding as it is told. And like any story, it has a beginning and it has an end. But a new story may begin after that. It might not be a continuation or a repeat of the same story, but it is still a story nonetheless. And there would be more to follow it for Eternity.


    This was what Galeon strove for. He wished to see Eternity unfold, not for the stretches of time that he might exist, but for the tales he might witness. He envied Benjamin who seemed to be able to do just that, watching everything transpire and recording it all in some universal archive. But Galeon''s desire was also different.


    Galeon wanted to gaze upon Eternity.


    He did not want to watch every single little detail. He had no need to record it all, though he would admit that the thought was enticing. It tugged at his sentimentality, but that was besides the point. He just wanted to lose himself in the flow of Time, to see civilisations rise and fall and rise again. He wanted to see worlds be born. He wanted to see the stars align.


    He wanted to be a part of something much bigger than himself, to be whole in a manner beyond his mere sense of self could ever achieve. And for that, he would not mind the imperfections of life, the struggles he would have to face. This was his dream. If he could not even bear to suffer for it, then he was never worthy of achieving it.


    The spark that seemed to flicker out amidst the turbulent blizzard winds now steadied. Its ember growing into a more conceivable flame that burned both patiently and reflectively. Galeon smiled as he looked beyond the heaven-reaching mountain, beyond the tainted skies of Corrin. There he saw the sun that had nearly completely set, the twin moons that stuck together like close siblings, the stars that twinkled every now and then some thousands or millions of years from the past.


    It was fascinating to be able to see them, truly see them. The clarity of his sight had given him a unique perspective of everything. They were alive, very much so. And just like him, they were afraid of the changes coming. The pillar of light that perhaps only he and Helena could see was like a beacon of upheaval heralding unknown dangers to them all.


    These celestial bodies, they did not dim as the prophetic message said. At least, not in the literal sense. To Galeon, they looked helpless and powerless. They had no control over anything and could only await their fates, whatever they may be. His heart ached for them as this need not be the case. He saw them for what they truly are ¨C existence in its purest and most untainted form. They were life in a manner beyond the meagre understanding of humans and their science. And he sought to be with them, to live like them.


    Unbeknownst to Galeon, his intent was so heartfelt and true to his being that it resonated with his authorities. And somewhere deep within his very being, a budding flame slowly started to lose colour. And yet, it seemed all the brighter, reflecting a mind yet metamorphosing until it unfurls into a grand tapestry.

 Chapter 42 - Northward

    After a long introspection, Galeon finally refocused on the task at hand. He needed to figure out what his next course of action was. There was not really much of a choice as the end destination would still be the heaven-reaching mountain, but he wondered if there were other things he could do before that.


    The Lux Holy Land will be under the care of Shine who serves as the leader of the Holy Land in times of emergency. This was especially the case with the Saintess Helena being forced into a deep slumber. They would be too busy dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake that still continued intermittently and in weaker magnitudes than before.


    Melchior was in an even worse state than them. For some reason, they faced more disastrous effects as large gashes of deep crevices could be seen cutting across the city. With the huge population that they had, there were bound to be thousands if not more casualties from this alone. Fortunately the beast tide had just ended with the eradication of most of the wild beasts or else Melchior would also have to deal with a stampede of frightened beasts.


    Therion was much the same. Although the damages to infrastructure was not as bad as Melchior''s, the chaos it brought was like that of a Meteor Rain. Galeon considered seeking the help of the Guild to deal with the heaven-reaching mountain, but something told him that he should not be expecting much from them. And after the beast tide, Galeon had been disillusioned knowing that the Guild Master was not even present to defend his own city.


    There was something about all this that kept nagging at him, however. He could feel it at the back of his mind, something was not quite right. He had ignored this feeling for a long time, but it was getting increasingly difficult to hide it away like any other distractions and wayward thoughts. He did not know where it was coming from nor did he understand what it was that made him feel this way. He could just sense some kind of incongruence somewhere like waking up in a dream and realising that the lamp was off, like it was... just wrong.


    Galeon had just had his moment of panic and had resolved it with a reflection. He knew that this feeling of incongruence was all too real. There was something wrong somewhere, he just needed to find out what it was. But he had no time to invest in that. He did not even have the slightest lead. Shaking his head, Galeon forced the nagging thoughts down once more.


    It did not seem like there was anything he could do in the meantime so he began shooting across the sky, heading for the heaven-reaching mountain that called to him with a conspicuous mockery. It was not really doing that, but to Galeon, it truly felt that way. Its very presence dredged out such negative emotions within him that he was growing to hate it more and more.


    The lack of control was killing him. There were too many unknowns with little to no clues as to how to go about answering them. And he hated that it was not just the world that was hiding things from him. Even his own self seemed to hide secrets that he never even knew existed. And this gave him a new perspective toward that time that he nearly died at his own hands.


    He took a step toward the Origin of all things as he interacted with them. He began his Transformation by aligning himself with them on a deeper level. He Sublimated himself, becoming one with all the things around him. And he Severed his concept of self to join a collective, an Infinite existence. But what if, he never truly did manage to Sever himself? What if he thought he had Severed himself completely but only truly managed to unearth the superficial parts of himself? What if this was the true reason as to why he could not yet see beyond Finality?


    What truths could one wield when even one''s own life is a lie?The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    In the same token, what self can one sever if one never truly knew everything about their own self? Could you truly cut straight if your eyes were blind? Could you really speak fluently if you had always been mute? Could you tell what was white if there was never a concept like black to compare it to? Could you really be assured of yourself while finding all these unknowns about you? Is his name even real?


    Does any of this... even matter?


    Galeon was stuck. He wanted the unknowns to be answered. He wanted to be enlightened, but it was not really for himself. Galeon knew and understood that one can never truly know everything about their own self. There are things that only other people would recognise about a person that the person himself would fail to even notice. This is natural and he accepted it. His sense of self was a solid wall, unshakable and immovable. But at the same time, he felt the need to know for the sake of his dream.


    He was stumbling at the very beginning of the long path. He was getting frustrated and impatient. It was not his fault. He had experienced a sudden rise in power, carrying him on a cloud of expectations that was steadily returning to its intended speed. Growth could not be achieved in a single day. It is a continuous effort and requires an investment in time. And with all the things happening around him, it was easy to feel like there was not much time at all.


    He was sailing along a river that went at its own pace and disregarded any form of manipulation and control that others exert upon it. It was its own thing. It knew what it was and what it had to do, and it just did it. Galeon was slowly recognising this. He was becoming more and more aware that he was not meant to be in control, at least not yet. Before one takes the reins, they must first learn how things work. They must understand what makes everything tick, what makes them flow.


    [Shaper of Self has unearthed new complexities within the Molecular System.]


    [You have obtained the trait: Hydrokinesis]


    It was a strange moment, a coincidence that seemed to not be so. It was as though his thoughts on something was being reflected as something else within him, something more tangible than mere reconciliation and acceptance. It seemed to be telling him something, a truth that was as plain as day that he failed to notice. Even with the Eyes of Clarity, if he did not try to even look, then would he really see anything?


    He could feel it, his body was telling him something essential. He is a living and breathing person. He was not some object to be studied or a machine that was programmed to do things in a clear and systematic way. He was organic and ever-changing, much like the world around him. Impermanence was the only true permanence. And if the world can change at its own pace without regard for those who find themselves pulled into its maelstrom, then why can he not do the same?


    There was no need to hurry. Understanding of the self comes with time, and what was the very thing he sought after if not Time. Knowledge and Truths would always be there, never vanishing. Eternity would always be there, merely waiting. Galeon need not hurry, need not whittle himself down until only a shred of his being remained just to reach them. They were there within arms'' reach. He just had to take the time and... see.


    [Eyes of Clarity is undergoing unknown changes.]


    [The unknown authority within Clarity is being redefined.]


    Unknown... unknown... it no longer gripped at his heart, no longer sent him into a trembling panic of anxiety and helplessness. He just let it wash over him, accepting that he had no knowledge of them. It was okay not to know everything, and recognising this fact is the first step because it did not mean that he would forever remain ignorant. Even now, he was slowly uncovering what these unknowns were, slowly defining their presence and existence. It was slow, but at the end of it, there would come a fruit, a Truth.


    Clarity was here to stay. Clarity was here to show him the way.


    Galeon sighed in relief. These past few days felt a lot longer than they actually were, and perhaps that was Time working in ways he could not yet fathom. He felt like he was being dragged all over the place, ground down to a walking husk. Perhaps this was the reason he sought comfort in Lily''s presence. Without her, he began spiraling downward a seemingly bottomless pit.


    But now, he just remained there, floating in the air as he flew northward. Even as he headed toward unknown dangers, he just let it all wash over him. The tide will rise and fall, there was no denying that. But which sailor or fisherman had never once contended with the tide or the tumultuous waves? He would just be the latest in a long line of them.


    He would be among them.

 Chapter 43 - Song of Evermorrow (1)

    When he finally let himself be free of the mental shackles that addled him, Galeon felt peace. It let him experience the world around him through fresh eyes. Things he had seen before appeared new to him, coming in many different variations of colours and forms that he never knew they had. He lost himself in them, taking in the beauty that he never saw in them before.


    The rocks that dominated the land, the Prisma that grew from them, they all looked less desolate and seemed something more. Not necessarily good, but still more. The rare tributaries that he found cutting across a large expanse of barren rocky deserts and the occasional plants that grew from them seemed more vibrant and impactful than before. He used to see them as fleeting glimpses of the old world, but now, they felt to him like a desperate resistance of an unrelenting will.


    As he journeyed further onward, it became less about hurrying to stop a looming threat and became more about an experience. He was living a reality where survival was not guaranteed, where beauty would not always be preserved. This he knew for the longest time, but it was only now that he was actually feeling it, understanding it and... living it.


    Was it helplessness that made him accept it? Perhaps, but also there was a learned patience, something he wanted to instill in himself more. All this time, he had been living life by counting the seconds that he had forgotten to look away from the clock, to see the world for what it was ¨C a story to be told, a life to be lived, an experience to be shared.


    He was not watching a recorded film on a big screen where he had to find the right time of day to fit a whole three hours of living vicariously through a script. It seemed that in his pursuit of Eternity, he had forgotten that it was not just others who had lives that he could witness. He himself had a life to live and a whole world to discover.


    His heart trembled at the inexplicable sorrow that he felt. He pitied himself for being so blind all this time, and he felt guilty that he never thought such things clearly before. The world was not a playground nor a stage. It was a living being just like him and just like everyone else. It too must have a dream. It too must desire to live. It had taken him so long to notice, to hear its desperate cries for help. But what about others? Do they hear it, the dirge that rang solemnly in the wind?


    The ground trembled and the sky reverberated as a sudden impact dragged Galeon out of his musings. The shockwave sent him careening off his trajectory slightly, disorienting him for a moment as he tried to stabilise himself. He could see the ground below begin cracking, spreading out like a living web that snaked across the barren land, seemingly following him. But it was not this that grabbed his attention. It was the metallic glint of a large sword stuck in the ground behind him.


    Seeing the sword for only a brief instant, Galeon folded his wings around him, reinforcing his body even further with liquid light and crystal. He reacted almost instantly as there was no time for hesitation or thoughts, and his actions proved correct as he soon felt an even greater impact strike him from behind. It was as powerful as the force that the sword was shot with, but this was a direct hit. Fortunately, True Damage Resistance worked perfectly in tandem with Vibration to disperse most of the attack''s power.


    Galeon was thrown forward, crashing into the ground as he quickly gathered himself to make sure there were no more openings that the enemy could use against him. When his gaze finally landed on what was behind him, he found a man wearing a bulky full-plate armour. Other than his head, the rest of his body was hidden underneath a heap of sturdy metal. He raised his left hand and the large sword that was stuck in the ground a few hundred meters away suddenly flew toward him, settling into his hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    In that brief encounter, Galeon knew that the man was powerful, more so than anyone he had ever met in Corrin. Even Shine with her destructive golden lightning and flames would not be able to match this man who seemed to wield a unique power of his own. And by the looks of him, he was a veteran of war, though his eyes currently held a silent and cold rage that could barely be contained. He was here for Galeon, that much was certain.


    "I''ve never met you before, but you seem to have some grudge against me. Why don''t you tell me your name before we continue."


    The man only regarded his words with a light scoff before taking a step forward and shooting toward Galeon like a rocket. By all right and logic, with so much weight on him, he should not be moving any faster than the slowest car, and yet here he was. The man was like a veritable missile, quickly cutting the distance between the two of them by half in a single second.


    "This is why I hate fighting. It makes you so dumb that you can''t think of anything else. First Step: Origin."


    The moment he took the First Step, Galeon was greeted with a sight that he had never seen before. All around him were strings that floated so naturally that they seemed more like the air he was breathing. They were ethereal, incorporeal as he passed through them without being able to touch them. They came in so many different colours, carrying so many different sensations that he could not believe he had not seen them all this time.


    Before he even obtained the Vernal Bloom, before he even managed to cross the threshold and take the Third Step, Galeon had always been able to take the First Step. He had always been able to perceive everything around him with great clarity. But now, he was realising once more that he was only at the beginning of a long path. The Eyes of Clarity had given him such a gift, to see reality for what it was. These strings around him, these... threads, they carried such unique presences that could be barely encapsulated in words.


    They were both natural and supernatural at the same time. They have always existed just that no one had ever noticed. They were threads that governed many things. They could be the way the wind blew or how fast a rock was weathered down into fine dust. Galeon could see them. He could read them, however superficial his understanding of them was. And it allowed him to understand more of what was happening around him.


    He could read the trajectory of the armoured man. He could read the moment he would arrive before him. He could read how the ground shook and changed from every footfall that weighed like a hundred mountains. And he could read his emotions. There was rage and hatred, the ones that he could see through the man''s eyes. And then there was something else. There was... grief.


    Light flashed as Galeon swam along the ethereal threads, weaving out of the hulking man''s attack and the consequent impact. The winds burst out as a cloud of dust hindered the vision, but Galeon remained unaffected. He did not need to see through the dust. He only needed to read the threads, and they told him something that felt confusing. There was more than one person present in his vicinity. He did not know whether it was an oriole, but Galeon could only raise his vigilance.


    "If you don''t intend to talk, then I suppose your grief will be buried with you, nameless knight."


    It was not lost on Galeon that the enemy was a knight. Just the armour alone was a dead giveaway already. And although he was not certain, he had an idea as to who the man was. But with the emotion he was reading from him, Galeon did not want to think he was correct. Because if he was, he would not know what to do.


    "Second Step: Transformation"


    Galeon was not a knight and never will he be one. He knew no honour in battle than to use everything in one''s arsenal. To do any less would be the greatest dishonour and stupidity. That was what he and Verglas never agreed on. And on this day, with his life on the line once more, he would fight with everything he had.


    Tiny droplets of liquid light scattered all around the battlefield. They were so tiny that they could barely be seen amidst the dust and Prisma that scattered all around. Before the dust cloud could even settle, Galeon dashed forward, intent on striking the man while he was blind. Overhead, some of the liquid light had already moved into position, ready to unleash their power at any time. But just as Galeon had entered the dust cloud, he abruptly stopped, his momentum seemingly vanishing as his knees buckled in a moment of surprise. And then came deep and cold voice.


    "Futile tricks."

 Chapter 44 - Song of Evermorrow (2)

    "Futile tricks."


    The words were so crisp and clear that it sounded as though it came from right next to Galeon''s ears. But that could not be the case as he saw the hulking man wade through the settling dust cloud, walking toward him. The large sword was left stuck in the ground once again in a show of dominance. He was telling Galeon that he did not even need a weapon to kill him.


    Galeon found himself unable to move. An overwhelming force seemed to be pulling him toward the ground, and it was all he could do to remain standing, bracing against the sudden mountainous weight that bore down on him. He felt stifled, an unbearable urge to roar in defiance threatening to escape him, but he held back this sudden unknown and primal urge.


    There was a nagging sound that kept ringing in his head, muffled and unclear. But it was there, seemingly pushing him every closer toward a tipping point that Galeon felt an unprecedented horror for. It was not a fear of what would happen but rather a fear of what he would become should he let himself be taken over by this urge.


    It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. And although his mind was slowly starting to cloud over, aching with each pounding footfall of the hulking man that continued to walk toward him, Galeon honed his mind onto gleaning something about this unknown sensation that threatened to take him over. And in the depths of his murky quagmire of a mind, he found a word whispered in a restrained yet furious defiance.


    Freedom...


    And as soon as he heard it clearly, it was as though he had found a sharp sword to cleave the whirlpool that wanted to drown him. His mind cleared and he could finally refocus on the battle. His Eyes of Clarity shone dimly as they looked at the threads all around him, and there he found what was restricting him.


    Gravity, the very presence of the world was being used against him. The hulking man was somehow able to manipulate gravity to a startling degree and with such mastery that Galeon could not even do anything at all. It was not just his body that was stuck. Even the Lights that he scattered everywhere were grounded, unable to exert any of the power they should carry.


    How was this possible?


    His Light carried an authority of its own. It should be beyond most powers wielded by the people of Corrin, and then it hit him. The hulking man was not using just any power. He was using Corrin''s own gravity, wielding Corrin''s authority however little was permissible to him. And this alone was able to affect the authority of Lux, Bringer of Light. No matter how powerful it might be, in a battle of authorities, Galeon''s understanding of Light still paled to the natural understanding of gravity. Everyone had an innate understanding of what it means to fall to solid ground inevitably.


    This was a lesson that Galeon had to remember. He was not afraid of the battle itself. He knew he would not die here no matter how much this man wanted to kill him. It was not because the man was merciful, but because of other things that gave Galeon assurance. One of them, in fact, had already arrived.


    "You will die in helplessness as she did."


    The hulking man said gravely as he raised his right fist and threw an earthshaking punch at Galeon''s face. This was an attack meant to kill, to pulverise him beyond recovery. But the moment it was about to reach Galeon''s face, an explosive force erupted, pushing the man''s arm away and blowing Galeon even farther away. The sudden interruption dispelled the hulking man''s hold on gravity, allowing Galeon to regain his footing as he observed with sharp eyes the unfolding scene.


    Standing opposite each other was the hulking man in full-plate armour and another man with light garments and exposed tanned skin. Scars riddled his body as he seemed more feral than most beasts. He stood imposingly in front of the armoured man, blocking his path toward Galeon. It was the help that Galeon was expecting, but his eyes only grew even colder as he looked at the new entrant. He felt no gratitude as his eyes seemed to be glimpsing at something that was not quite clear to him just yet, a puzzle whose pieces remained incomplete.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "You dare interrupt me, Fury."


    The hulking man stared coldly at the new entrant. They obviously knew each other as both had been alive for a few centuries already. They had their own virtues and creeds that often overlapped. But there were also times when they cannot see eye to eye, their disagreements devolving into battle. Nothing overly serious, but still something that they avoided themselves. After all, both of them were Divines.


    As Galeon stared at the two men, his Eyes of Clarity gleaned more information about their identities through the threads connected to them. His expression did not change even when learning who they were. He had already guessed them before even confirming with his eyes after all.


    The armoured man who was trying to kill him was none other than the Divine Blade of Retribution, Latonai. And the one who stopped his attack was the Divine Fist of Fury, the Guild Master. Interestingly, the Divine Fist''s name remained unknown even after all these years. Even the Guild may not know it.


    "Latonai, just wait. We have more important things to do right now. Whatever grudge you have with him, you can settle it after."


    Hearing Fury''s words, Latonai merely scoffed as he reached out with his left hand. The sword that was stuck in the ground behind him came flying back to him, settling in his grasp once more as he prepared to strike. This time, he would make sure to cut everything in his way even if it was a Divine. Seeing this, Fury''s face contorted in anger as his body began to grow slightly larger. His stance shifting into battle-ready as he howled at the old Divine Blade before him.


    "I''m not trying to stop you, Latonai! I''m only asking you to wait! Don''t you see that mountain in the distance?! Do you really think this is the time to be reducing our numbers?!"


    Latonai seemed to not care about any of Fury''s words. His two hands clasped tightly around the hilt of his giant sword as he raised it up high. And as he breathed in, the sword seemed to glow, not from light, but from the aura emanated by his power. The glow grew more and more intense as the pressure of gravity around him rose once more, spreading its influence farther from him. Fury prepared to charge at him, hoping to interrupt whatever attack he was preparing, but Latonai''s cold voice rang loud in his ears.


    "You''ve lost your son years ago, Fury. You know the pain I feel. I will erase this filth now and avenge my daughter. If you don''t step away now, then I''ll you to your son as well."


    Without even waiting a second longer, Latonai brought down his sword the moment he finished speaking, leaving Fury no time to think through his options. Instinct took the reins as Fury leapt out of the way of the devastating attack. Although he was certain he would have survived it, he did not want to find out the damage it will cause to his body. And with the unknown mountain still rising in the distance, he could not afford to be in a weakened state. The world was in a state of emergency. And although it would be great to have one more Divine helping them, they had long been used to having just seven.


    Galeon, however, was not like Fury. Although instinct played a part in his decision-making processes as well, he did not always rely on it. And with the Eyes of Clarity, he did not even feel the passage of time the same way others did anymore. In his perspective, the wave of power rushing toward him had the speed of a brisk walking man. He had enough time to weigh his options, but there was not to choose from anyway.


    His first option was to dodge the attack and continue the battle. This would be the worst choice because he had already recognised his disadvantage against the Divine Blade of Retribution. So until he has found a way to resist his gravity fully, he would not continue this pointless battle. And yes, he could already feel his Retroactive Physique working as it began adapting to the sudden increase in gravity, but it was not yet enough.


    His second option was the only one left to him. And it was the one that he preferred. His gaze shifted as it locked onto the towering mountain that spiraled upward into space. It seemed to be puncturing the very bounds of the world itself as it sought to truly reach the stars. And yet the authority gushing out of it had already covered Galeon''s entire vision. He could not see the stars without the filter of this strange authority. He could not let this continue.


    "I''ll be keeping my eyes on you, Retribution."


    Those were the last words that Latonai and Fury heard before the attack ravaged everything in front of the giant sword. Latonai stared at the place that Galeon should have died on for a brief moment before turning around and leaving in silence. Meanwhile, Fury''s expression was sombre as he realised that Galeon was stronger than he thought. They both knew that he was not dead. Just his words alone were enough evidence of it.


    And so, they both left and headed toward the heaven-reaching mountain. Perhaps there, they will meet him again.

 Chapter 45 - Red String

    The winds buffeted against Galeon''s coat as he stood high up in the sky, beyond even the clouds that had begun to gather toward the heaven-reaching mountain. Even from this high up, he could clearly see the figures of Latonai and Fury marching onward, heading deeper into unknown territory. Their destination was the same as his, and in this moment of reprieve, Galeon began to wonder.


    What was it that drove all of them to head to the heaven-reaching mountain?


    Was it fear, the realisation of danger that loomed threateningly overhead, like a blade waiting impatiently to descend?


    Was it thrill, the exciting discovery of a new and unknown chapter in a tale that was already reaching its very end?


    Was it duty, the heavy burden that they chose to carry and the promise that they never break and never bend?


    The answer eluded Galeon. Even with the Eyes of Clarity, there were things that were not meant to be seen but understood. And even as he gazed toward the heaven-reaching mountain, he found the unreasonable and unbridled fury within him had long since settled. It had quietly faded away without even his notice. Did it happen when he awoke from his trance? Perhaps the vision of entire galaxies at war changed his perspective on this unknown predicament of Corrin.


    But as he mulled over these thoughts, his brows furrowed as he realised he was growing more and more detached from things. He did not like the unreasonable anger he felt toward the heaven-reaching mountain, but not feeling anything at all was strange to him. It was as though he was devoid of emotion, and he dreaded it.


    Was this the price of power, to lift oneself aloft beyond the reach of anything that connected him from that which made him? He hated the idea of it. To Galeon, power had little to do with authority and destruction. Power was understanding the world around him and how he interacted with it. To become detached from everything, to become apathetic to the plight of his own world would make him a mere machine.


    Was that the future he envisioned for himself, to merely witness Eternity as an emotionless and apathetic spectator viewing everything from behind a big screen? No, that cannot be it. He could not allow it to be as that would only be another form of End, one so utterly deprived of anything that resembled the continuance of Eternity despite the continuation of his life. That is nothing but Nihility, an Oblivion unto itself.


    Galeon''s heart trembled as his eyes opened slightly wider, shining as they used their authority to search for something. He desperately needed something to anchor him, to ground him in emotions that he knew would complete him. Perhaps only Benjamin would know what he was doing as it took a certain level of a special authority to even perceive the threads that made up the very fabric of reality. To peer into them like he does with Origin, that was the concept of power that Galeon understood.


    And floating in the distance was a red string that waved helplessly in the wind. It was not connected to anything, having snapped from where it once was planted. There were countless other strings that seemed to be drifting away from it, but there were two that still remained entwined with it. One connected to something in Corrin, and another was from Galeon himself.


    Seeing this red string, Galeon''s heart began beating even faster. It was not out of excitement or joy, but the opposite. He had found the emotions that would anchor him, but it was also something that he very much loathed.


    Negativity, it encapsulated a great many things. But at this moment, the emotions it dredged up from within him were only a few: disappointment, guilt, sadness, grief and anger.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    It slowly filled up the cold emptiness of his heart, reminding him of the fear that threatened to overwhelm him just a while ago. More and more emotions came flooding into him as he felt a sense of ease and comfort amidst the aching of his heart. Freedom... perhaps it was a matter of perspective, because at this moment, Galeon felt freer than ever.


    He reached out toward the red string, hoping to keep it close to him. It was by his own will that he would carry this death with him. It was his failure and his mistake that led to the snapping of a thread, to the disappearance of a song. But as his fingers touched the red string, he found it inexplicably heavy as though it was bound to something.


    His eyes shone once more and there he saw an inky shadow that began from the snapped end of the thread and extended further beyond the stars. But even if it seemed to be no different from other threads, Galeon knew that this inky shadow of a thread did not connect to the origin of these threads, the one that spun them. And it did not connect to the Loom that weaved them together. If so, then where was it headed?


    He did not have any answer to this question, but he knew that there was something he could do about it in the future. There was a reason that his thread was still entwined with it. Their entanglement had not ended even with her death. And as Galeon kept the shadowy string close to himself, he gazed into the distant unknown, hoping to find any clues as he whispered.


    "Wait for me, Sairen. I''ll bring you back."


    Sairen, the Songstress of Melchior and the daughter of the Divine Blade of Retribution..., she was the reason that Latonai had come to kill Galeon. When he heard the man''s words the first time, Galeon had already guessed what had happened. And with Sairen''s thread now with him, everything became clear to him.


    Escorted safely back to Melchior by the Radiant Paladins under Shine''s orders, Sairen had survived the beast tide. She was perfectly fine and healthy and even spent her money in providing aid to other victims. And a week later, she had scheduled a charity concert in the Grand Theatre where droves of people from all over the continent flocked to. With news of her return from a brief hiatus, it became one of her most successful events. Or at least, it should have.


    The heaven-reaching mountain rose from the depths of Corrin, wreaking havoc across the world. The Grand Theatre was practically devoured by the land itself and countless people fell into its ravenous chasm, Sairen among them.


    Galeon did not kill her, that much was true. But he did wonder whether she would have survived had he not fought Verglas and had let him take her back to her father. Although it was Sairen who did not want to leave Melchior, would she have survived if she did? Thinking about the devastation across the world, it would not have really mattered where one was. They would die one way or another. But with the power of gravity that Latonai wielded, would he not have been able to protect his daughter?


    Duty, this was what pushed Galeon to fight against Verglas. Sairen''s wish was a mere afterthought at that time. It was just another justification for his actions. He had never really thought much of it before, but was duty always truly right? Should they never be broken nor bent under any circumstance? G413 was a Contractor who followed the rules of the Guild to the very dot. He never strayed from the protocols and was an exemplary model to others. He had never once failed in his commissions.


    Sairen''s case was the first time that he had felt that he failed in so many different ways that it seemed utterly inconceivable to him. But most of all, he felt like he failed Sairen herself. He had taken up the responsibility to ensure her safety, but he never even got to personally bring her back to Melchior. And when the beast tide ended, all he did was check on her from afar after waking up. He did not even bother appearing before her. And when he returned to Melchior in search of Lily, he saw the Grand Theatre in ruins, but never did it cross his mind that Sairen would have been caught up in it.


    He had technically completed his commission, completed his duty... to the Guild. But his duty to himself, to ensure the safety of a single person, had failed so miserably that he could not even pin the blame on anyone other than himself.


    Was Sairen such a special and important person to Galeon? Definitely not.


    But it was not because of attachment or love that Galeon wanted to protect her. It was because she entrusted her life to him. Faith is a fickle thing. To have faith in someone else is a surrender. And the responsibility to meet that faith or disappoint it would rest on the shoulders of that someone. Galeon had no desire to claim such a burden... and yet he already had, before he even realised it.


    And he had already failed it.

 Chapter 46 - Trustad Plains

    Diving down from the firmament was a shooting star, a fragment of the banisher of shadows... or their bringer. It hurtled down, piercing the layers of the atmosphere, its glow attracting the attention of many. But none more so than the ones who were fighting a sudden war in the middle of the godforsaken Trustad Plains.


    The Trustad Plains was perhaps the most mysterious place in Corrin. Before the advent of Prisma, it was already a treacherous place that basically prevented any expansion of civilisation northward. It used to be a grand gorge with frequent blizzards and earthquakes, but everything changed with the first Meteor Rain.


    One of the first Prisma Cores ever recorded to land in Corrin had crashed down in this area, turning the gorge into something more resembling of a plain. It had flattened the area to a ridiculous degree, but the growth of Prisma continued changing the landscape. And more than that, it caused a strange phenomenon to settle upon the area.


    When observing the Trustad Plains from afar, they would not be able to see much of anything at all. There is a curtain of Prisma that veils the lands behind it. This alone was already a great deterrent, but what lay beyond that curtain was an even greater nightmare.


    The Trustad Plains was named as such not because the area was a plain, but rather because no one could tell what it actually is. The entire landscape could be a stone plain in one moment and a mountainous tundra in the next. And even then, it could turn into a variety of other things like an arid desert or a volcanic caldera that spews out geysers of magma from vents scattered all around. It is because of this that no one ever ventures into the Trustad Plains, or at least not until now.


    Beneath the curtain of Prismatic auroras, multiple flashes of light could be seen as the air was filled with the sound of gunfire and clanking metal. Many voices were shouting over each other, competing for attention in an overly chaotic battlefield. On one side were soldiers with black uniforms, their gears being remarkably state of the art. There were several platoons of them scattered throughout the Trustad Plains and this particular one had unfortunately encountered people from an entirely different group, one that was hostile.


    This opposing group was incredibly organised as well. Evidently, they were a paramilitary organisation that had a long history of dangerous operations. This was just the latest in a long line of such missions, but it was proving to be the most perilous one yet. As the commanders on both sides oversaw the battle, their expressions changed when they noticed the sudden change in temperature. The battlefield was currently near the base of a snowy mountain. And while usually, it was the threat of an avalanche that they had to look out for, it was different this time.


    [Disengage! I repeat, disengage! Brace yourselves!]


    The moment the temperature suddenly started rising, the commanders immediately ordered their soldiers to stop fighting. The fallen could only lament their loss, but the living must continue living. The two forces split up as they braced themselves for whatever changes would occur. And their decision was proven correct when the snow quickly melted, turning the ground into a murky and muddy swamp. The mountain nearby was suddenly freed from the white frost, revealing a lush green.


    Green...!


    When has Corrin last seen the green of nature outside of the carefully cultivated plants in the cities?! Prisma had stolen Corrin''s life. An entire mountain full of it should literally no longer exist! And yet, the Trustad Plains was showing them not just one mountain, but an entire swamp and forest! For a moment, the people present were in a daze. It was not just those who were fighting, but even those in other nearby areas who could see the green were dumbfounded. There was only one thought in their minds at the moment.


    Trustad Plains might just be the key to saving all of Corrin.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    But as though to mock their futile hopes, the surroundings began to change once more. From the humid swamp, they were assaulted by a freezing cold. The mountain and all the plants around them disappeared like illusions as they were replaced by large crystalline formations of many different colours. The trees had gone from wood and bark to glittering jewels that had nothing else to them other than charm.


    It was like a slap to their faces, waking them up from their stupor. And so, the battle resumed. This time, there was not a lot of obstacles blocking visibility and the other platoons of the black-suited soldiers came rushing to reinforce their allies. The paramilitary had become outnumbered, but the environment began changing once more. This time, however, it seems the soldiers were intent on culling all of them before they have a chance to reorganise themselves.


    They started rushing at them with drawn blades while others shot their guns regardless of the shifting environment. And it seemed that fortune was on their side as the crystals only crumbled to sand and dust, leaving the stone ground pretty much the same as before. They were now in an open stone field with nothing to block their sights even as the earth continued to tremble slightly.


    One by one, the paramilitary began falling, unable to fight back against the huge numbers of enemies. But it was at that time, that white mist suddenly began spreading. It started low, crawling on the ground like a slithering serpent before it began rising with increasing volume, blocking more and more of everyone''s vision. But it was still not enough to keep them from seeing the bright light high up in the sky, hurtling down toward them like an arrow loosed from a celestial bow.


    Panic began settling in as everyone scrambled to leave the area. The soldiers stopped their assault, retreating swiftly in hopes of outrunning whatever it was that was falling toward them. Meanwhile, the paramilitary seemed to have almost given up. Their morale was low and over half of them were dead. They were still a long way from reaching their destination, the same destination that everyone else was trying to reach.


    And as the light drew closer and closer, the earth began trembling more and more. It was as though the descent of this thing was causing the very land an agony that very few could understand. They could practically hear it, the land groaning and crying. It was an unholy sound that etched itself deep into their minds, an agonising melody that accompanied them in this waking dream. And finally, it reached a crescendo.


    There was no crash, no impact that would have created a deep crater. There was only a soft footfall, a graceful descent followed by the explosive force of rushing winds and booming noise. Everyone was swept off their feet and thrown to the ground helplessly as the earth finally gave up and opened its jaws. The land split, dividing the battlefield in two while swallowing some of the soldiers who did not manage to get away in time.


    And then, silence. The soldiers in black and the paramilitary that had thought they were finished could only stare at the singular point of light that had suddenly appeared in their battlefield. Even the Trustad Plains seemed to not want to change the surroundings as everything still remained the stone field that it was before, except now it sported a large ravine.


    And floating over the ravine was a man in a long white coat, his pair of crystalline wings glimmered with many different colours. The air around him was unnaturally serene, but also seemed energised and full of hidden power. His three silver eyes gazed at everything around him, not at the people, but at something that only he could see. His eyes grew wide in surprise for a moment before closing with a sigh.


    "I know you''re there. Come out."


    His words rand loud and clear in the area, but none of the people present knew who he was talking to. He did not seem to have come for them specifically, but it did not change the fact that he was here. And he was powerful enough to cause such a terrifying scene. With all these facts, everyone knew what he was ¨C a Divine. They wanted to scramble farther away, but they could not as the sound of footsteps echoed in the mist that now lay docile at the their feet.


    A woman walked out of the mist as though she had been there all along. There was a steadiness to her every step that seemed both calm and calculated. It was like everything was under her control, from the pace of her movement down to the distance between each step she took. Her black sleeveless dress and tight black leggings combined with her long white jacket were all as Galeon remembered them to be. Her long gold and green hair along with her similarly coloured crystalline horns were as mesmerising as ever.


    She crossed the stone ground, stopping at the edge of the ravine where she remained just a couple of feet away from Galeon. Her calm silver eyes seemed to hide an anxiety that Galeon quickly picked up on. With a brief thought, Galeon finally decided on what he would say.


    "Vivi, turn back now."

 Chapter 47 - Bonds

    In a brief moment of thought, Galeon deliberated how to approach this meeting. When they last met, he had made it pretty obvious that he did not trust Vivi. Her words had given him doubts and made him wary of her. It was safe to say that they were not entirely on the best of terms, but they were also not on bad terms.


    Vivi knew about the Vernal Bloom to some extent and Galeon wanted to make sure that she was the only other one besides him who knew of it. He had no reason to antagonise her when she made it clear that she was not his enemy. Although she was suspicious, Galeon decided to give her a chance. This was all before he descended to Trustad Plains.


    High up in the sky, Galeon noticed that his thread was deeply entangled with another. He followed it all the way here, and when he used his Eyes of Clarity to read the thread, he found that it was Vivi. And he found out more about her than he previously knew. For one, he now realised that Shine had been correct in her assumption all this time.


    "Vivi, turn back now. Or should I call you Verena?"


    The Divine Blade of Beauty, Galeon initially dismissed the idea of Vivi being the one this title referred to. After all, while Shine knew her as Verena, he knew her as Vivi. It was another layer to the mystery of this suspicious sister of his. He did not even know which was her real name, but it no longer mattered. There was something that trumped over even the doubts and suspicions he had. Their entwined threads, this Galeon trusted more than what he heard or learned.


    Did he know what it meant for threads to be so intricately entangled? No, but he was certain that their meetings would grow beyond just simple conversation filled with suspicion. Whether it would be for good or bad, that was for them to find out. And it is precisely because of this entanglement that he wanted Vivi to turn back. Because out of everyone that he was connected to, Vivi was currently the wild card.


    Latonai was clearly hostile and would likely do anything to kill him. That makes it easier to anticipate what he would do. Fury seemed neutral at the moment and only wanted to keep a good number of fighters prepared for whatever awaited them on the heaven-reaching mountain. The other people present in the field would matter little once a battle truly begun between them, and with the way this particularly treacherous landscape changes by the minute, Galeon could already tell that less than half of them would even make it out alive.


    And even with so many people heading toward the heaven-reaching mountain, only Vivi had a thread that entwined with Galeon''s to the point that it seemed practically inseparable. It was such that he was beginning to wonder whether they really were actual siblings. Hearing his words, however, Vivi''s brows furrowed as she spoke with an unamused tone.


    "Call me Vivi. I don''t want my own brother acting so distant."


    The people around them were shocked to hear her words, but they did not have time to digest it as the surroundings began trembling once more. The scenery was about to shift again. Seeing this, Vivi waved her hand, releasing an ethereal flame that seemed more like paint swirling around her and spreading out into the surroundings. The flames were of a myriad colours, but the one that stood out the most was dirt brown.


    As the ethereal flames spread, the trembling earth seemed to calm and settle. The surroundings remained the stone ground and the ravine, unchanged even as the rest of the Trustad Plains had shifted already. This was the power of the Divine Blade of Beauty. Those who witnessed her battles before called it a realistic illusion. Only Galeon knew how wrong they were. It seemed that it was not only him who sought the essence of reality as his own sister seemed to command it in a manner not too dissimilar to his own. How she arrived at such a level, however, was another matter entirely.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "I can hold it off for a few minutes so we can talk. First of all, did you always have a third eye on your head?"


    Vivi had noticed Galeon''s third eye from the moment he appeared and she had been wanting to ask about it. She wanted to say that it did not quite suit him, but she could not bring herself to do so. After all, the feeling she was getting from that eye was a sense of vulnerability one can only feel in the face of something they could not understand. It emanated a power beyond her knowledge. She could not quite reconcile that a single eye could make her feel so naked and defenceless.


    "Yes. You just didn''t see it last time because of my helmet."


    They both knew that he was lying, but Vivi could not do anything about it. She understood that Galeon did not want anyone knowing about his secrets. No one would want to spill their own, but Galeon''s case necessitated silence even more. From his words alone, Vivi could already guess that it was related to the emerald amber. And if that was true, then she should stop asking. In any case, her brother would likely not use it on her... or at least, not with ill intent.


    "Vivi, there''s not much time. Turn back now. You''re not too deep into the Trustad Plains yet. You''ll be able to get out without much problem."


    "Why? Why are you telling me to leave when you yourself are going deeper in?"


    Why? This was the same question Galeon had been asking himself since he made his decision to make peace with his sister. Why did he make that choice? Why did he now accept her as family in a sudden whim? Images flashed past his mind ¨C memories. He saw the city he died in as a child, barren and in ruins. The mark of destruction had clouded it from his recollection for a long time only to be dredged out of the dirt by that unfathomable entity. And then he saw entire worlds and galaxies at war. They were at the mercy of destruction as well. It was not a matter of if, but of when. And these two memories reminded him of one thing.


    He had always been alone.


    "Something will happen further ahead. I might not be able to do anything to stop it. So please, just turn back. I don''t..."


    ''I don''t want to lose you too.''


    The unspoken words rang much louder than even the shifting earth. It was so deafening that it was practically making his ears bleed, but his heart ached more. Vivi did not know what he left unsaid, but his gaze was enough to tell her what she needed to know. He was being serious. This was not out of some pettiness or distrust. Her brother was making her leave so that she would be protected from whatever was to come. She smiled sweetly as she finally felt that she was connecting with him, but the smile soon turned bitter.


    "I can''t. I must go to the mountain, Gale."


    Vivi''s eyes shone with a sharp light, the gravity in her voice not escaping Galeon''s notice. She knew what she was doing, what danger she was putting herself into. But even then, she could not turn back. In her eyes, it was not duty that Galeon saw kindling the flames. It was something that he himself was only starting to understand. It was the same reason he wanted her to leave.


    Bonds, the shackles that free us from the freedom of solitude ¨C It is perhaps the greatest tool of enslavement, but to those who had tasted the stale waters of a solitary island, they would gladly shackle themselves with it. Freedom, in some eyes, is a lonely prison, a cage with only one bird. The illusion of space comes only from the lack of company. And knowing this, Galeon could no longer bring himself to force Vivi to leave. Instead, he just wanted to know who she was journeying there for.


    "Who is waiting for you there?"


    "Us, Gale. Before the mountain appeared, while the world shook, I felt her presence for a brief moment.... She''s waiting for us... Mother."


    Vivi''s words struck him like a bolt of lightning. Mother, how long has it been since he last saw her? He should be happy, jumping in joy or giddy with excitement. He had always been a child in front of her. But not this time. He could not help but look toward the distant mountain with surging dread as he repeated the words that he was slowly beginning to reconsider the true meaning of.


    "Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name...."


    As he spoke, he saw a tangled thread in the distance. It entwined with his own for but a brief moment before forever slipping away, vanishing behind the veil of shifting landscapes and Prismatic aurora.


    Bonds, they are the shackles that free us from the freedom of solitude....

 Chapter 48 - Hidden Truths

    Every time he repeated those words, it felt like a new layer was being peeled off, a new meaning was being revealed hidden behind another... and yet there still seemed more waiting for him to discover and understand. This time, Galeon felt even more confused at what he was discovering. That line, it was not meant to reflect the thoughts of the one who sent the message, whoever they were. They were meant for Galeon himself to speak.


    ''Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name.''


    And in this context, it was his name ¨C Galeon. But why? What did the heaven-reaching mountain have to do with him? Besides the initial burst of emotion, the hatred he felt for it, he did not know of anything relating him to the mountain. And as if that was not enough to confound him, he learns of another variable added to the equation. His mother, according to Vivi, seems to be at the heart of this chaos. Was this delirium or was he truly embroiled in this convoluted mess?


    The answers continue to elude him. Even the idea of the message being spoken from his perspective seemed completely illogical at first, but the clues he was getting said otherwise. The message was perhaps even more of a prophecy than the prophecy that the Lux Holy Land had spread. Even with the Eyes of Clarity, he still could not glean any truths on this situation. So he turned his gaze away from the mountain and examined the crowd of people that have frozen in either fear or shock.


    "So what do we do with them?"


    Vivi looked around as well, her gaze cold as she saw less than half of the people on her side of the ravine were left alive. On the other side, the soldiers in black uniform were already stealthily trying to get away without attracting the attention of the two Divines, but the moment they heard Galeon''s words, they knew they would not be able to leave without a price.


    "I honestly don''t care. I''m not even supposed to be here, but I came regardless. The Concord sent these people to investigate the mountain. And those soldiers were sent by Navalli for the same reason or so I thought."


    "You thought?"


    Hearing Vivi''s words, what remained of the Concord''s troops nearly fell to despair. One of their leaders had practically just abandoned them and they could not even protest. For one, they had miserably failed their mission before they even reached the destination. And two, the Concord was not always a unified front. And they all knew the recent disagreements between the Divine Blade of Beauty and the other leaders. No one really supported her either even as she continued on her mission alone. The only reason she was even trying to help earlier was because of Navalli.


    The soldiers in black immediately raised their guns and began shooting at Galeon and Vivi. They knew they would die anyway so they might as well try their luck. More importantly, the Divine Blade of Beauty seemed to know what these Navalli soldiers were doing. And if that was the case, then she really could not be left alive. So they sprayed their bullets, praying that at least one of them would get the job done. Unfortunately for them, neither of the two Divines seemed at all concerned about their futile attempt.


    Galeon''s wings flapped once, releasing potent vibration that spread out like a net. It act like a barrier that blocked the bullets, easily negating any damages they might have caused. And all the while, the brother and sister only continued talking without even sparing them another glance.


    "Yes. I thought they were here to investigate the mountain as well, but I discarded that when I noticed they weren''t actually moving toward the mountain. They were patrolling the Trustad Plains like some guard dogs keeping watch by the door. That''s also why there are so many of them. Clearly they know something, or at least their bosses do."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Galeon considered her words carefully. He did not initially find it strange for Navalli to be here considering their business with Prisma. However, it was odd that they had somehow managed to send so many soldiers to the Trustad Plains in so short a time. It was as though they had been prepared for this. Furthermore, the amount of soldiers they sent clearly did not indicate them to be a scouting team meant to check the level of danger of the area before a proper investigation team was sent. This could only mean that they were aware of what was and would be happening and had no need for investigations.


    Galeon did not know what to make of this. He himself was still in the dark about the whole picture so how could Navalli know more than him? His Eyes of Clarity were also not much of a help at this moment as the information he was looking for was too specific to be grasped from the threads of these soldiers. He needed one of their leaders, their directors. And as he turned his gaze toward the soldiers who had now stopped shooting after realising it was futile, he found them begin dropping to the ground one by one.


    A few tens of people just collapsed to the ground, not in surrender or prayer, but in death. No life coursed through their veins anymore as their hearts had already ceased all movements. They did not die by the hands of Galeon or Vivi. They were not suddenly killed by the resentful soldiers of the Concord. They had committed suicide by ingesting the poison they had hidden in their mouths. And of course, this was not by some profound loyalty for the Company, no. They simply had no choice. It was either them or their families held by their throats in Navalli''s territories.


    This was the truth of the lives led by Navalli''s employees. They were not people. They were slaves meant to serve their masters to their dying breaths, and even in death, they must still serve a purpose. Or else all the money spent on their families will be collected... with interest. This was what Galeon saw in the threads that were slowly disappearing, crumbling to stellar dust in his hands.


    "Decades vanish in a blink.... How fleeting life is."


    Galeon muttered in melancholy. He would not mock them. They had chosen their fates even though they had been given the illusion of none. He could not say they were cowards for not fighting back against their oppressors because he might have done the same if he did not have power. He was a Divine. Very few could dictate the trajectory of his life. And those that could were beings more powerful than him, those beyond this world. All he could do was take their deaths as a lesson. He must keep moving forward to enlighten his path.


    Only then would he reach Eternity.


    Only then would he find Freedom.


    Galeon waved his hand, cutting off Vivi''s realistic illusion that controlled the scenery around them. The Trustad Plains began trembling once more as it sought to return to its original amorphous state. The stone field suddenly began to be rapidly layered with snow as blizzard winds whipped about. The ravine that Galeon had created morphed into a basin that was soon covered in ice, a frozen lake that seemed awfully delicate. Fortunately, Galeon''s Hydrokinesis and Cryokinesis could easily save them in case of any mishaps.


    With another wave of his hand, he sent drops of liquid light toward everyone that remained. Although Vivi acted as though she did not care whether the Concord''s soldiers lived or died, he could get a faint inkling of a lie in her words from their entwined threads. Her disagreements with the rest of the leaders should not affect those uninvolved, but at the same time, it was true that none of them were ever on her side. So perhaps there was some truth to her words. Either way, Galeon was not the type of person to leave someone for dead when helping them would cost him next to nothing.


    "Let''s go. I''ll find the quickest way out of the Plains. Just stick close to me."


    Without another word, Galeon reached for Vivi''s hand and held it tightly. He would not lose her, this he swore to himself. Whatever attachments he felt for others, somehow, none of them could even come close to what he felt now. Perhaps it was a delusion due to seeing their intertwined threads or perhaps he truly felt a connection with her now, a bond unlike anything he ever had before. But none of it mattered. He would protect her no matter the cost. He would not fail again.


    As Galeon swore a silent oath to this new bond, his liquid light escaped from his hand and sank into Vivi''s.

 Chapter 49 - Delirium

    The following events unfolded like a dream, slipping past their cognisance more than once. They were like lapping waves that crashed upon the shore, the ice sheets that cracked and gave way upon the weight of their weary hearts. The burden was too much, too great for a few meagre souls who only wished to settle in a new home.


    Concord, what was it if not harmony and peace? It was an agreement of mutual coexistence, of mutual benefits, and yet they are defiled so by blood both their own and not. Was it their fault for not wanting to rot? For not wanting to vanish into the darkness of forgettance? The immemorial dictum of their kin was the freedom of the self, the surrender to Oblivion. But what of them who were discarded? What becomes of the essence of who they were, the ones left in the recesses of time?


    And so they strove for Eternity, the freedom to exist unbound by the wills of their betters. Yet at the cusp of obtaining that which they sought, it all came crumbling down. They were again at the mercy of their betters who rose among them. The heart of the world that kept them became a grand coffin that sank into a bottomless ocean. The waters swirled around them in a storm of serendipity. They were not supposed to be here, yet here they were.


    They stood upon a land that was not their own and still they continued to defile it. Their mere presence was a venomous taint that scars the world for ever moment they breathed. They continued to defile themselves. They trudged onward amidst the shifting landscapes that showed them brief pictures of worlds both familiar and unfamiliar. They were of home and they were not. The stone that surrounded them rose into the sky like blocks that formed a celestial eye. And it gazed upon them with a cold and calculating light.


    Were they meant to be here? Were they meant to witness the birth of something far beyond their hopes and dreams? There was an understanding somewhere in the back of their minds. It clawed its way to attention, but it was always drowned by the endlessness of mystery. Even as the frozen lake beneath their feet flowed like raging rapids, they could only accept whatever fate had in store for them. The light that guided them was both warm and cold, leading them onward to a distant shore.


    And in the midst of all this, the amorphous world seemed to echo the formless thoughts of the beacon ahead as the trees that stood firm in a miracle lined their paths like a wall of liquid light. It was winding and chaotic, yet it flowed so smoothly and naturally that one would know its nature from that alone. It was a communion of man and world. It was a mixture of two different minds and wills that sought to come to an understanding.


    The twists and turns that led them all around was a negotiation, an unspoken deliberation. It was a debate on something beyond their means to comprehend. The only ones who were privy to it were the two engaged in discussion.


    Galeon weaved through the winding paths of the labyrinthine lights. These were not his and did not heed his commands. They slithered and writhed in a dance of agony and desperation, seeking an end to the mounting sorrow it has come to know. The threads were the only things that kept him from being lost. This maze was both a cry for help and a scream of rage. He could practically feel the emotions reverberating from the very walls all around him. It shifted and flowed, morphing from one form to another.


    It was ice that melted into a tempestuous sea that paved the paths of the labyrinth. The light flowed with the water, yet it was fire that lit up the distant horizon. What is it that lay beyond? Something was being shown to him, but he could not yet see. As he walked closer and closer toward the spark in the distance, the walls of light seemed fade into reflective mirrors, glass shards tinted not by colours, but by an entirely different perspective of reality. And perhaps it was the case of one''s own mind being numb to their own quirks as he failed to perceive them.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    But in the kaleidoscopic corridor, the rest saw it... him... them.


    What was reflected in the walls was an inconceivable form of the man that was leading them out of this arguably more treacherous place. If the Trustad Plains was dangerous because of the shifting environments, then this labyrinth and the reflection it spawned were just... ineffable.


    This was no man. This was a creature amalgamated from many different things. He was rough stone and soft flesh. He was a blazing heat and frigid cold. He was the brightest star and the darkest shadow. He was... death and life. He was no human. He was a monster in human skin, one who sung to them in whispers from the walls. They were so loud amidst the deafening silence, competing with each other to see who could drown the other out. He was the static that would not leave the mind, the tinnitus that assaulted the ears without cause, without end.


    He was there.


    He was everywhere.


    He sung to them a silent hymn that lulled them into the comfort of peace. Whether it be in forgettance or in remembrance, no one knew. Perhaps it was both as each was a side of a coin, reflections separated only by a thin glass mirror. There was a story there somewhere, an intricate weaving of threads that perhaps even he himself could not see, a pattern he had yet to discern. But it will come in time..., all will come in time. For now, the silent choir of whispers sung to them an orchestral piece of yearning, planting a seed of desire within them.


    Galeon continued to grasp the threads. With each tug, he felt himself getting closer toward something grand, something that would forever change his perspective of the world. The Trustad Plains was like a buffer zone, a barrier that prevented anyone from reaching the heaven-reaching mountain, but to Galeon, it had become so much more. This was a gateway, a treasure trove of the universe. The threads he witnessed here were not just of Corrin. It was of another world... or perhaps worlds.


    But this was not the point of this exhibition. He wanted to move past this place swiftly, to reach his destination in the shortest time possible. According to Vivi, their mother was waiting for them there. He could not dally. Corrin was crying, the heavens were trembling... nothing about this journey seemed positive at all. And that thought only made it even more apparent to Galeon that the prophetic message had given him no time to understand anything whatsoever.


    "Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name.


    A nail to a coffin, a cancer of worlds, the lives we do not own yet still reap.


    The Trial of Ascension that sealed the Seed awakens the Heart in a moment of grief.


    Eternity spins as Eternity should the Loom that tells us of the Truth.


    The Seed, the Heart, the Spirit and Stars, the final bastion of the universe.


    The Crucible burns ever fiercer, awaiting the End to its Eternal purpose."


    Even now, most of the message remained a mystery to him. Even as he spoke it out again, trying to will his mind into understanding the words, he could not. All he could hear were the weak and sudden echoes of his voice. They steadily grew louder and louder until they all were uttering the message loud and clear, over and over. And as though it was an incantation for a spell, the labyrinthine walls cleared and opened up to a stretch of land devoid of anything other than the singular mountain of such gargantuan size that made it seem so alien in this world.


    It was like a celestial stake that impaled the very flesh of the world, pouring its prismatic blight through every vein. Even as Corrin was wailing in agony, the mountain stood tall with a pillar of light that touched the very stars. Where did it end, he wondered for it seemed to seek something beyond what could be seen. The light seemed both new and ancient. It reminded him of the light of the stars, the past made manifest in the present. They were not his to wield.


    As Galeon stepped forward, a tranquil silence greeted him. There was a disconcerting sense of relief in the atmosphere as though the death throes of a tormented world was all but a lie. This was the golden field of reeds, a paradise of Eternal peace.


    The heaven-reaching mountain... was now before them.


    They have arrived.

 Chapter 50 - Graven

    In the silence of darkness, a heart beat once more. The soft gasping breath echoed loudly against the desolate walls. A stone slab moved on its own, ancient runic markings on its surface lit up as it sensed movement. The noise of it sliding across was grating to the ear, yet to the only one who could hear it, it might as well be as soft as a whisper.


    Dull eyes opened in the depths of darkness as a deep breath was finally drawn. The damp and mouldy air was torture to the nose, but better that than nothing at all. It took a while for whoever it was to finally gain a semblance of life in them, calming down as they tried to understand what was happening.


    It was dark, but not completely pitch black. There was a pale white light in the distance, a candlestick that was nearing its end. The flame was too weak to even shine beyond a few feet of itself. But that was all they needed to know where to go. A weak and trembling hand rose up and clasped onto the edge of the stone bed they were in. Soon, the body followed as they weakly rose to their feet and slowly making their way to the light.


    With every step they took, life slowly trickled into them from somewhere. It flooded through every open pore on their skin, flowing through every vein in their body and feeding every cell in their being. With every step, the footfalls grew louder and steadier. By the time they reached the candlelight, they were already standing tall with measured steps. And as they stepped into the light, the darkness before them gave way to more light.


    A stone wall slid open before them to reveal a woman in a servant''s attire waiting for them. The servant''s appearance was peculiar as their eyes were covered by cloth. How could they serve with such a handicap, they wondered. But it did not matter. Faint recollections of this strange custom was already resurfacing in their mind, enough for them to understand that it was better not to question it. They walked forward with unassuming grace, but with each step came a glaring question that was slowly gnawing at their mind.


    Who were they?


    As they approached the open door, the servant bowed to them and gestured for them to follow. They were led down a silent corridor and into a room where four more servants were waiting having already prepared for their arrival. They were given a bath to cleanse the dirt and grime on their body. They were then dressed in a dark grey ceremonial robe with little to no adornments before being pushed to a different corridor. This time, what awaited them at the end were large double doors made of stone. These too opened on their own as they approached, an ancient aged man''s voice resounding in the hall beyond.


    "Arise, ye who walks in the Final Slumber! Stand before the Silent Cross! Be it in pride or in disgrace, ye shall be judged!"


    Following the voice''s words, they stepped into the massive hall and stood at its centre. Before them was a literal field of stone crosses planted onto the very floor. It was then that they realised what they were seeing. These were tombstones and they were in a crypt of some kind. The stone bed they rose from was their own grave. Were they dead? Or were they still living? They found that the answer hardly mattered anymore.


    The stone crosses began lighting up one after the other, bathing them in their baleful light. And yet it was not death that they felt, but rather the breath of life. Whoever were in these tombs were very much alive. So why were they there? To stand witness to the unliving breath of another? Or to listen to the words of silence that even now ring in their ears?


    Their mind plunged into the depths of the murky waters of their consciousness. Everything had seemingly sunk to the bottom and must be dredged out. The precious jewels that glittered in the dark, the fragments of their memories that never disappeared and were only asleep, they slowly floated to the surface of the waters, one by one. It was a slow process, but it had to be done. The baleful light of the crosses seemed to aid in this as well.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    They remembered what this place was, the enduring legacy of one who chased after the flames. Even as the Final Slumber took him, his will remained, chasing after that which cannot be obtained. This world was a testament to his deeds. And the stone crosses that filled this very hall were followers of his will, advocating the tireless chase even beyond the sleepless horizon. They have yet to even glimpse upon the flames that he sought, yet they still wished to tread the same path.


    But the one who walks in the Final Slumber, they were different. The Final Slumber was an ultimacy, an inviolable law of the universe. Yet they walk still, much like the flame-chaser. Perhaps the walker would be able to achieve that which they could only hope for, but the walker was slowly recalling their... his life.


    In this world of cold stone, silence was law. But he could not remain here for his home still awaited his return. There was danger looming in the horizon. There were lives he needed to keep. And more he needed to reap. There was a lot he must do and time was not on his side. Impatience threatened to rise, but was soon shackled into the abyss of his heart once more as he understood the gravity of his situation. Even in his muddled mind, he recognised the significance of this ritual he was undergoing.


    This was a judgment. Whether he would be buried once more in the depths of the earth or be able to leave would be decided here. He had long heard tales of this. He just never expected he would be experiencing it for himself. In this silent and cold world of Lombros, walking was a sin... unless you prove your purpose.


    From his eyes, a faint light flickered. It was dim and seemingly fractured, but it was there, trying desperately to piece itself back together. It was hazy and cloudy like an unfocused lens, but the light was undeniable. Its source was none other than a tiny spark that could barely light a kindling. Its colour was all but drained as it waved weakly within his gaze, yet still it stood, braving the tempest of his splintered mind.


    The flame-chaser chased after a flame that was not meant to be grasped. He would be different, for within him was a flame that would let him reach across the impossible. It may only be a tiny spark now, but it was sure to be a grand blaze that spanned entire universes. Even now, it spoke to him. Despite being its creator, he was also learning more about it. For now, it bore no name. But in time, it would be the object of worship of countless beings.


    What did he expect of it? To raze down entire worlds and reduce them to mere cinders? To enchant the deluded fools who seek a greater power beyond them? To rule upon those too fearful of death to even resist the oppression of flames? No, none of these. Such paltry ambitions were beneath him. To destroy had always been the easiest thing to accomplish. Wanton destruction and violation of creation can never be the answer to anything. There is no freedom in desolation.


    What he sought was the light of tomorrow, the braziers burning with pride and glory as they welcomed the dawn of a new day. What he sought was the blazing will within the hearts of all that yearn for something, anything. He would not chase the unreachable flames. He would bring his flame and set alight the whole universe for them to chase. For it is not the flames in his grasp that matters, it is the chase itself.


    If one obtains the unreachable, would they continue to chase for something else or be content with what they have? He did not wish to learn the answer. For is purpose was merely to...


    "Dream."


    The silent stone crosses that continued bathing him in their baleful light shuddered at the sound of his voice. It was deep and seemed lost in a winding trail of thoughts and memories. But to the stone crosses, it mattered little what he was doing. One of them began to flicker. And like a wildfire, it spread across the field of crosses. Their lights flickered in and out of existence. It was impossible to tell what this meant, but he remained still, assured in whatever fate awaited him. And before long, the lights finally died down. Silence returned in full. And the aged man''s voice resounded once more.


    "The Silent Cross has given their verdict. Ye who walks in the Final Slumber, tread upon the path denied to us. Seek the heart of the Crucible! And Dream for us all! We hail ye, our Graven Lord!"


    The words resounded not only within the hall, but even across worlds. It reverberated in everyone''s minds as they learned of the birth of a new addition to the long line of ''those who walked in the Final Slumber''. The cold and silent world was lit dimly, but it shone across the expansive universe like a beacon. A tale as old as time, the legend of the Slumbering Flame-Chaser, first of the Graven Lords, would soon be surmounted. And one name would reach across the universe, spoken by every tongue in both fear and worship.


    Uriah, Lord of All Flames

 Chapter 51 - Yulaiah

    With the ritual ended, silence returned to the hall. The presence within the Silent Cross could no longer be felt, probably having returned to the depths of their slumber. The ancient voice of the aged man had also disappeared as though it never existed. Not even his weary breaths remained as Uriah silently walked out of the gate that opened in the distance. He took his first step into the open world and realised once more that he was in a different place entirely.


    The cold stone ground was similar, but there was none of the crystalline ores that emitted their faint lights all around him. This world was just a bleak and grey planet, a cosmic grave for those who were not quite dead. And he had risen from among them. How many times was it now that he died only to rise again? It was a foolish question. After all, he had only fallen into the Final Slumber once. How could he have died before?


    A splitting headache assaulted him as he realised his memories were a jumbled mess. There were those that belonged to him, and others that did not. It was incredibly difficult to even differentiate between them as he felt as though both were his own memories. What would happen if he could not reconcile his identity? Would he lose himself to them? Or would his mind just shatter before he could even begin to Dream.


    Fortunately, at that moment, something of a divine intervention saved him from the torment. A string appeared in his vision, flickering in and out like some kind of visual glitch. Its colour was difficult to describe, but the closest he could think of was milky white with a hint of pink. It was such a comforting colour that he nearly yawned and gave in to sleep, as though that would free him from the suffering he had to endure. But he clenched his jaws and reached out to the string, grasping it like it was his sole lifeline. And in that instant, he understood what it was.


    [A fractured seed of a nascent ascendant authority has been discovered within you.]


    [You have obtained the trait: Eyes of C|@r!ty]


    [The nascent ascendant authority is fractured. Its core essence is dissipating. If the core essence is not supplemented with another, the authority will be lost forever.]


    Eyes... they burned within their sockets, threatening to scorch his entire head. Uriah barely held back the urge to scream as a flood of fractured memories came with them. Fractured authority and fractured memories, he had been on the receiving end of a calamity that would have surely destroyed any other person. If not for who he was, he would have definitely vanished, fading into the dust that fell from the threads woven by the Loom of Eternity. He would have joined the countless nameless and inconsequential sand that lined the banks of the Eternal River.


    Yes, he was...


    [$08#!(8 has taken notice of you.]


    [$08#!(8 has taken interest in your unique predicament.]


    [$08#!(8 has replaced the core essence of your fractured authority.]


    [You have obtained the trait: Eyes of the Dreamer]


    His eyes closed for but a moment, yet that brief moment was enough for him to sink into the very depths of his fragmented memories and... Dream.


    Before him was a grand mountain, a celestial stake that impaled the very flesh of the world, pouring its prismatic blight through every vein. Its pillar of light touched the very stars and still reached far beyond it, seeking that which none could see. The light seemed both new and ancient. It reminded him of the light of the stars, the past made manifest in the present. Their flames were not his to wield.


    As he stepped forward, a tranquil silence greeted him. There was a disconcerting sense of relief in the atmosphere as though the death throes of a tormented world was all but a lie. This was the golden field of reeds that entire worlds could only Dream of, a paradise of Eternal peace.


    The heaven-reaching mountain... lay before him.


    He had returned.


    "Mother!"


    The strained voice of a woman rang out from beside him. He could hear the tears and anxiety within, barely held back from bursting out. He turned his head and saw his sister, Vivi. She looked like she wanted to rush ahead, but something was stopping her. Gazing forward once more, he found a woman who looked both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Even from a large distance away, he could see her lustrous red hair that seemed to create an illusion of burning blood. Even with the backdrop of the curtain of light that seemed to surround the mountain, she looked especially bright. But the coldness of her eyes was striking as she looked at her children with increasing disappointment.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Even now, you call me that? Have we not reached the end of our second journey together? Do you still scorn us? Do you still... scorn me?"


    Her words were dripping with anger and loneliness. Her face grimaced from the pain of betrayal she felt. Even though neither of her children understood what she meant, she still bore the pain. In fact, it was because they could not understand that she felt even more pain, felt more betrayed. Had she not shown enough of this world? Had she not shown them the grander future that awaited them if only they followed her? She felt inadequate, always had. In front of these two who no longer even recognise her, she felt so incompetent.


    "Ah, Valerya, don''t waste your breath. They will never understand nor will they ever want to. They are our Rex and Regina, the treasures of the Alma. They will never accept our lowly opinions."


    From the curtain of light came a man''s voice filled with charm and confidence. He stepped out into the open, standing beside the red-haired woman as he looked at the two from a distance. He was smiling, but the smile seemed empty of any emotions. There was only a cold and calculative glint in his eyes. The stone horn on his head pulsed with power, ready to unleash it at any time. And in the midst of this chaos, his neat and clean business suit was decidedly out of place. This was Kincaid, the...


    "Cheyulah, that is my name. I hope you remember at least that."


    "What are you doing here? I thought we agreed that I would handle them?"


    Valerya turned to Cheyulah with a displeased frown. Although they were working together, it did not mean that they were on the best of terms. Their goals simply aligned. After all, they both wished only for the prosperity of their people. Even though Valerya hated Cheyulah to core of her being, she hated the fact that her voice could not even reach the ears of the two she treasured the most, the two who should have been at the forefront, fighting for the future of their people. She hated the fact that she and all the rest of them had been condemned.


    "Come now, Valerya. I promise I won''t interfere, but you know that it is necessary for them to remember. At the very least, the Regina Alma must remember if we are to find Lua once more. She holds the key to the heart of Lua."


    Valerya fell silent, acknowledging his words with a mere sigh. She looked back to the two who had just crossed the chaotic domain of the Trustad Plains and was mildly surprised. All this while, she and Cheyulah had been speaking of things that no one but the Alma or the Prisma could understand. But there were always exceptions to everything. Two among them failed to remember who they were and lived their lives in Corrin as though they were mere humans. But as Vivi looked utterly lost and confused, the other only looked sad.


    "I saw it. In my passage through the Trustad Plains, I saw what happened. A world collapsed beneath the weight of the sins its people carried. Its very flesh became the grave that housed their misbegotten souls. Is that what you''re trying to do here again?"


    Valerya''s eyes widened in shock as she truly did not expect such words to come from him. Cheyulah''s brow rose up as he seemed even more interested in the unfolding events. This was something outside their expectations. That the Rex Alma would regain his memories first was something of a miracle as he was the one who swore to kill himself rather than harm Lua. Cheyulah became a little intrigued at this development and could not help but ask.


    "O great Rex Alma, when I learned that you chose to live the life of a middling human child who could not even do anything besides hunting down beasts, I nearly died of laughter. Have you recalled your memories yet? Do you remember your name? Or do you still refer to yourself as the boy you had killed?"


    Cheyulah smirked in disdain as he watched the man in the distance raise his hand. His silence was palpable, as though the answer could not come to him. Vivi looked at her brother in confusion, her heart beating from the mounting anxiety. She was a Divine, but at this moment, the world seemed to have forgotten that. Even she herself had forgotten as she watched her brother grasp the air before him. He sighed in exasperation as a flood of information entered his mind through the thread that he had grasped.


    Only he could see the thread. It was clear like flowing water. It was almost invisible, imperceptible if not for the fact that he could intrinsically feel it. After all, it was his thread. It was everything that was him. And although he only checked for the relevant information pertinent to his current situation, it was already enough to make him feel exasperated. The truths he had learned in that simple touch was the very reason he had never dared touch his own thread from the moment he had acquired the Eyes of Clarity. He was afraid. Deep within him, he knew he would not be able to go back if he touched it.


    But now he did. And now he knew... he was not Galeon. He did not die and live again. He had killed someone, an innocent little boy. And he had stolen his place in this world, stolen his name. The Vernal Bloom knew it all along. It told him already. He was Prisma and Prisma was him. He was...


    "Yulaiah, the Shade of Babylos."

 Chapter 52 - In My Name (1)

    "Yulaiah, the Shade of Babylos."


    The moment he spoke his true name, the heaven-reaching mountain released a shrill shriek. It grated at the minds of everyone as it resound all across the universe. Wherever the pillar of light reached, the shriek reached. And the pillar of light, it was reaching far beyond just what could be seen. It had pierced through the veil of the thread of their reality, reaching out into the sea of countless other threads, searching their very ends for something. This was the Loom of Eternity which weaves the threads of existence into a tapestry that would flow with the Eternal River of Time.


    The shriek soon ended, but changes had yet to even begin. The gargantuan mountain trembled as though in gleeful excitement. Stone and dirt fell from its surface, revealing what lay beneath. An obsidian crystal fashioned into a tower that loomed overhead. It was like the final nail to the coffin that was Corrin. Its surface was wreathed in flames of a multitude of colours, alternating in an enchanting pattern. This was the culmination of a peoples'' glory. This was...


    "The Spire of Babylos, magnificent isn''t it? It took a majority of Lua''s shell just to create this beauty."


    Cheyulah said with a wistful look on his face. He was reminiscing the times of hardship they had to endure, the stigma they had to carry in order to ensure its creation. They had committed a great sin, but what greater sin was there than selfishness and sentimentality in the face of their people''s survival and prosperity. Only they knew that they were on borrowed time. The race called Alma was never meant to survive for so long. It was only by the grace of Lua that they even managed to last. And now again, they call upon their great mother, Lua.


    "And we named it after you, the one who made all this possible. We owe you the future, O great Rex Alma!"


    Cheyulah bowed toward Yulaiah, his sombre voice showed his utmost sincerity. He truly did not expect Yulaiah to recall his memories. It was not necessary for what they were about to do, but seeing the Spire of Babylos in its full glory, he wondered if this was always how it was meant to be. Perhaps they would have failed had the Spire not grown out of its shell. A light chuckle escaped him as discarded the thought. It was pointless to ponder on it now. He looked Yulaiah once more, and this time, his smile was more of scorn.


    "But in the coming age of Prisma, we shall shed the Shade of Babylos once more! We shall shed the Shade of Alma! You are Rex no longer!"


    Footsteps rang out as Cheyulah spoke. It came from behind Vivi and Yulaiah. While the few surviving soldiers of the Concord that came with them had scurried off to the side, hiding in fear and confusion from Valerya who should have been one of their leaders, two new people entered the scene. One was a hulking man carrying a large sword. And the other was a man with a large but smaller build than the first, exuding a feral aura like that of a wild beast.


    The Divine Blade of Retribution and the Divine Fist of Fury have arrived. And although they had not heard everything, it was enough for them to know who the enemy was. Fury remained where he was, gauging the atmosphere as he prepared himself for battle. In this place, he counted five Divines and one other who was not a Divine yet still held a similar level of power. Whatever transpires here, it would surely change the world, for better or worse.


    Meanwhile, Latonai seemed to not care at all as he strode forward, grasping his sword. He knew who the enemy was and he knew who he wanted to kill the most. Weighing the two proved difficult even for a protector like him. He was the leader of the Weltsritter, the knights sworn to protect the world. But it was only now that he was realising that it was not the world he wanted to protect. It was just his daughter. And so, for the first time in his long life, Latonai was tempted to break his oath. But just as he was about to kick the ground and attack, Yulaiah opened his mouth to speak.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name. The shade that was discarded by his self, once again... Have you been waiting for this moment all along?"


    His words clear and crisp, unhindered by any other noise. Everyone present could hear him, but they could not understand what he meant. More importantly, they did not know to whom he was speaking. He was not looking at any one of them. Not at Vivi, not at Fury or Latonai, not even at Valerya or Cheyulah. He was just looking beside him, at the empty space. But only he knew, only he could see the black silhouette standing there, watching his every action. It had been there all this time just that he very rarely noticed.


    Perhaps it was because he now had the Eyes of Clarity or perhaps because he had recovered his true identity that he was now seeing it more clearly. Then again, perhaps it was because events had progressed to this point that the veil was no longer necessary. The inky black flames that made the silhouette seemed to vanish little by little, revealing the illusory form of a man with a face eerily similar to his own. His hair, however, was a stark contrast, being long and raven black.


    His eyes, they were the same silver glassy eyes carrying a glow reminiscent of moonlight. And yet hidden within their depths was a colourless ember waiting to be unleashed. The illusory man nodded in silence, seemingly unable to speak.


    "Am I incapable of changing it? Any of it?"


    Could any of it be changed? That too was a question that the illusory man wanted to ask. He was here in a Dream, but he also knew that this Dream was more than just a mere memory. With his Eyes of the Dreamer, he could tell that he had crossed not just the boundary between the waking world and that of slumber. He had crossed the boundaries of universes, of Crucibles. Was it too much of a stretch then for him to cross the boundaries of time? To see the past play out in the present much like the stars? No, such a thing was a normality to them, especially with his and Yulaiah''s connection to the Loom of Eternity. Their eyes offer much more than merely gazing. So they both knew that whatever happened here could still hold some weight in the future to come.


    "I see. Eternity spins as Eternity should... the Loom that tells us of the Truth. Very well. Then see for yourself, Uriah. Witness me so you may find it, my thread which you shall light ablaze!"


    And like a clap of thunder, an immense and potent light erupted from Yulaiah. It painted the whole world white. It was so bright that it had somehow managed to even deafen their ears, making them ring from tinnitus. And for a moment, that was all they knew, the brightest Light that heralded the End, awaiting its new Beginning. When their vision cleared, they found Yulaiah floating in the sky. His appearance had changed greatly as he no longer resembled a human, but rather some sacred being that might have only been described in religious texts.


    His body had turned into a clear obsidian crystal still in a humanoid form with three pairs of wings on his back. His hair had become entirely made of liquid light flowing down like a cascading waterfall. His face held no features other than three eyes, each shining with iridescence as he gazed at all the threads that surrounded him. His looming figure had grown to at least twice his previous size making him like a titan among men. This was not the form that any other Divine could take. No, this was the mark of Ascendancy. It was still incomplete, but the fact that he could already take on such a form only proved that Yulaiah was at the cusp of ascending.


    "You stand before the enduring and indignant Shade of Babylos! You stand before Yulaiah, the Bringer of Light and Master of the Vernal Bloom! You stand before the Shaper...!"


    His hands raised as he grasped the threads that only he and Uriah could perceive. To all the others, he just grasped at air, clenching his fists tightly. And no sooner had he done so that the Spire of Babylos, the heaven-reaching mountain itself, began quaking. On its surface, fine lines began appearing, tracing all across its length. It was cracking from a simple motion of a singular being. This alone made everyone question what it truly meant to be Divine because they were certain that none of them could have done the same.


    "Of Worlds!"

 Chapter 53 - In My Name (2)

    [Shaper and Eyes of Clarity are interacting at a deeper level.]


    [Your authorities have reached outside their bounds.]


    [Your authorities have grown.]


    [Shaper and Eyes of Clarity have become intricately connected.]


    [You have obtained the title: Shaper of Worlds]


    Through the cracks on the surface of the Spire of Babylos leaked prismatic light, the same light that shot out into the heavens above. It was dripping like blood, as though the Spire itself was a living thing made of stone flesh. It tried to heal itself, to mend the cracks on its surface, but the authority of the Shaper of Worlds demanded its fall. For now, it could afford some resistance as Yulaiah had yet to truly ascend. His ascendant authority was not yet complete. And that was enough to make the damages reversible.


    "Stop him!"


    Cheyulah yelled at the top of his lungs as a dark purple haze surrounded his body, propelling him into the sky toward Yulaiah. Valerya as well brought out a crimson spear dripping in blood and flames as she began spinning it in her hands. With each spin, the spear seemed to grow longer and longer. It soon became apparent that it was no simple spear as it seemed more like a whip that could lash out at the sky. Both Cheyulah and Valerya aimed their attacks at Yulaiah, hoping to deter him from destroying the Spire of Babylos. But it was then that one of Yulaiah''s eyes turned toward them.


    "Cheyulah, Shade of Guevara... and Valerya, Shade of Tristana, have you forgotten what we are? Have you forgotten our vows?"


    As he spoke, a pair of his wings flapped, releasing their crystalline feathers that melted into liquid light. They soon morphed into smaller versions of Yulaiah''s ascendant form, matching the size of other humans. They blocked the dark purple haze and the spear of blood and flames from reaching Yulaiah as he continued.


    "We are Alma. We are the spirits of our hollowed selves who had chosen to discard us and thrive in forgettance... in Oblivion! We are exiles!"


    In a fit of anger, more light burst out from him, creating more clones that began swarming at the Cheyulah and Valerya. Each carried a different weapon and was infused with a different power. Some came like tempests, erupting with vicious lightning. Others were like pale flames, flitting in and out of sight amidst the light only to scorch their victims with the most ghastly wounds. Others yet moved unpredictably, flowing like water while striking with biting cold. Each also carried the vibration that caused even Yulaiah himself to nearly die from misuse.


    This was Yulaiah at his current peak. The Six Steps of Finality was no longer necessary as he had now truly understood what it was that he was doing. It was a silly attempt at touching upon his own power sealed away with the rest of his identity that he had no desire to recall... until now. After all, what power could one wield if even one''s own name was a lie? The Six Steps of Finality tell a story of a fleeting life disowned by one''s self, sought acceptance in the arms of another.


    "We are exiles, the Severed Shades of Oblivion left to rot in the endlessness of obsolescence! We were meant to vanish, to be extinguished from existence! And yet Lua kept us... in her embrace, with the promise of Eternity...."


    Cheyulah was pushed back to the ground, fending for his life against the monstrous abominations spawned by Yulaiah''s light. He was not really much of a fighter and generally used his head more than his fists, but in this situation, there was not much he could do. He had brought reinforcements, but they would do absolutely nothing against Yulaiah. He had clearly not expected things to become like this.


    Valerya was in a similar predicament. Swinging her flaming spear around had allowed her to cut down Yulaiah''s clones relatively easily compared to Cheyulah, but it mattered little when they seemed to come endlessly anyway. She was the second ranked among the Divines, known as the Divine Spear of Slaughter, she thrived in such battles. But this time, there was nothing she could do. Against someone wielding power that they had only been dreaming of until now, how could they win?Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    This was a true slap to their faces, a total mockery of their very lives. They had committed a cardinal sin by betraying their world. They had been tyrannical toward their people, deciding their very fates on their own. All this in order to raise the entirety of their race through ascendancy. But standing against them once more was the one they swore to serve and follow, the one they had betrayed. And he had shown the mark that they had so desperately sought after. What is this if not an insult? Yulaiah, however, could not care any less as he continued gripping the threads tightly in his hands.


    "Had she not done enough? Had she not sacrificed her very essence to keep us existing?! Must you rend her flesh and defile her soul?! You ask why I scorn you... vile creatures unworthy of grace, I am Rex no longer. Eternity spins as Eternity should! But the End shall come for you, know this true!"


    Yulaiah opened his hands. Laying within them were the threads of the Spire of Babylos, weathered and strained under the pressure of his authority. But still, every moment he held them in his touch, he saw and heard them. The final agonising moments of paradise stretched infinitely, its cries resounding across time. Even now, long after its death, Lua still bleeds. But now, it was no longer just Lua. Corrin too was at the brink of death. Could he allow another world, another home to fall to this depraved ascendance?


    "You have already slain Lua. To bring her back with the sacrifice of Corrin is the height of arrogance and hedonism. You are not gods. Let the worlds be at peace!"


    With renewed might, Yulaiah slammed his palms together, clasping them tightly as though in prayer. The threads he held nearly snapped from the sheer brutality of his purpose as he focused singularly on destroying the Spire of Babylos. Eternity spins as Eternity should, yet it flows so fluidly that it slips from one''s grasp at the slightest touch. Can one truly not change the flow of the Eternal River? Can the Loom not be made to alter the tapestry it had yet to weave? Yulaiah wanted to know desperately... even though he had already accepted the inevitable. Uriah remained, watching everything in his graven silence, waiting for the inevitable.


    "Valerya, we need to wake the Regina Alma before the Spire is destroyed!"


    In the middle of Yulaiah''s thoughts, Cheyulah yelled out with urgency as he struggled to get past Yulaiah''s army of clones. Valerya looked at Yulaiah with a conflicted gaze for a moment before rushing past his clones with a swing of her spear. She ran with haste, each step burning the area around her with bloody flames as she headed straight toward the most important part of their plan, Vivi.


    Vivi had been stunned in both confusion and sorrow from the very beginning. All her life, she thought she knew her mother and her brother. She thought she understood herself and her place in the world quite well. But now, she was learning that everything had been a lie. Her mother looked like a stranger to her now. And her brother, she could not understand why, but her heart ached terribly from hearing his voice full of rage and shame.


    Seeing Valerya running toward her, Vivi felt a mounting dread rise from the depths of her being. It was telling her to run, and so she did. She erupted with illusory flames that painted the surroundings in a tantalising gold that slowly melted into a verdant green as a field of grass overlapped with reality. Vivi had vanished, but it did not seem to deter Valerya as she continued rushing forward, her body wreathed in bloody flames threatened to burn the false from truth. But before she could get closer, Yulaiah''s army of clones arrived once more, this time filled with a greater fury than before.


    "You dare touch even her! Do you even understand why we chose not to wake?! Why we would rather fade into forgettance in this new world?!"


    Yulaiah was truly furious. Even with all the power he had now, he still felt that it was not enough. He had to focus on trying to destroy the Spire of Babylos because if he let go even once, it would mend itself back to its peak and it would be nearly impossible for him to break it again. And this meant that his hands were tied. He could only spare his clones to protect Vivi, but with most of his authority being funneled into the threads, there was not much left for his clones to use. His seemingly boundless energy could only aid him so far, and in a battle with such great stakes, he was learning that there was no such thing as boundless. Fortunately, a voice came from below, resounding across the battlefield.


    "Focus on destroying that thing, Finality. I will take care of take care of these invaders. Corrin will not go down without a fight!"


    A burst of gravity pulled in everything in the surroundings, sealing them in a special domain created by one man alone. The strongest Divine stood at the centre like the final bastion of the world, ready to cleave his enemies flesh from bones. He raised his giant sword overhead, syphoning his power and limited authority over gravity as his blade shone with a terrifying light.


    "I am the Retributive Knight Latonai, Protector of Corrin!"

 Chapter 54 - Heart of Lua

    "I am the Retributive Knight Latonai, Protector of Corrin!"


    The giant sword in Latonai''s hands emanated a terrifying pressure within the gravitational domain. It locked in place those he deemed as an enemies while pushing away those who were not. But unlike before, Yulaiah''s light was no longer crippled by the authority that Latonai wielded. The shred of authority that Corrin had given him could not shackle the authority of a nascent ascendant. But it did not matter. At this moment, Latonai had his eyes trained on Cheyulah and Valerya.


    It was only a few moments ago that he was still conflicted on what he should do. On the one hand, he was the Protector of Corrin. On the other, he just wanted to avenge his daughter. It did not matter that she was not killed by Yulaiah''s own hands. All he knew was that she remained in Melchior because of his interference. If not for Yulaiah, then Verglas would have already brought Sairen to him and he would have at least been able to protect her, however much he could. If she still died, then her blood was on his hands. But that was not the case.


    He was so incredibly tempted to forsake his oath, all for the sake of resting his seething and aching heart. He realised it was not simply for her sake that he was furious. It was because of the guilt he felt knowing that he had been incredibly lacking as a father. He was the strongest man in Corrin. And yet his daughter felt more at ease living far away from him. What was this if not proof of his failure, of his inadequacies. That was all this was, to soothe what remained of his broken and injured pride. And yet he heard words that he never expected to hear from the man he now knew was never from this world to begin with, was among the invaders he was sworn to kill.


    "You have already slain Lua. To bring her back with the sacrifice of Corrin is the height of arrogance and hedonism. You are not gods. Let the worlds be at peace!"


    These words were all he needed to hear to understand the situation. Corrin was not only dying. It was in the process of being brutally murdered, ravaged to the very core of its being. And this man whose blood would have quenched his thirst for vengeance, he stood alone, fighting to protect a world that was not his own.


    Let the worlds be at peace!


    Was this not also what he wanted? Was this not also the creed of the Weltsritter? Was this not the gift he had always wished to give to his dearest daughter? What would she think should he forsake his oath for vengeance? Would her leaving his side be any more torturous than it already is? Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that the only reason his daughter could even live carefreely away from him was because she had always trusted her father to protect her, to protect the world she was in. And that was why it hurt even more to fail her.


    Faith is truly such a fickle thing. But sometimes, it was this faith that kept those who carried their burden moving. It was what gave them purpose. Take that away from them, and they shall be freed... to do whatever they wanted, whether to spiral down into an abyss or to search for a new purpose. Latonai... did not really need to choose, for there had always been just one thing he knew how to do.


    Fight.


    The army of clones melted back into a flowing stream of liquid light, scattering all over the gravitational domain. Some of it rushed toward Latonai, coating his giant sword and granting him a portion of Yulaiah''s power. Yulaiah might not be able to personally deal with Cheyulah and Valerya, but he could at least aid Latonai while keeping an eye on the entire battlefield. Even now, he knew that they were not out of danger yet. Uriah''s presence made that perfectly clear. He would not be able to change anything, but he would still try.


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    Latonai''s giant sword was like a reaver of titans come to take what is due. He swung down with all his aching heart, unleashing an attack like never before. It made his prior attack against Yulaiah seem like a joke. The sheer intensity of the gravity he unleashed bent the very space around him, nearly destroying his own domain. But before it could, the attack vanished. It was devoured by the light that coated his sword, but he did not panic. It was only an instant, but he could tell the terrifying power that was about to come.


    From all the scattered liquid light, a terrifying pressure descended. It was the very same attack that Latonai had released, but it came from everywhere. The entire domain became a field of utter destruction as everything within it seemed to collapse. The power of Latonai''s attack did not decrease whatsoever even as it was unleashed from multiple different places. The Infinity of Yulaiah''s light was simply beyond such restrictions.


    The liquid light encapsulated the domain, keeping all the destruction within it. Yulaiah did not need to worry about Latonai. The man would not die from this kind of power. But Vivi and the few surviving soldiers of the Concord that still have not been able to get far away would have been caught up in it. When everything settled within the domain, the light dispersed to reveal the aftermath.


    Besides Latonai, the only other two people within the domain looked like they were about to collapse. Valerya, especially, was so injured that she could not even stand anymore. Down on one knee, blood dripped from every part of her body. But they did not pool beneath her. Instead, they swirled around her figure protectively as though anticipating another round of attacks that would surely kill her. Somewhere in the distance, hidden behind a veil of illusion, a small voice whispered in sadness.


    "Mother..."


    It was unintentional, a light slip that no one should have heard amidst the chaos, but still someone heard. Vivi''s soft and tearful whisper was like a blaring siren that attracted the attention of the wolves as a beast immediately lunged at her. Savage claws glinted with bloodlust as it streaked across the air aiming for something hidden behind the lies of reality. Its trajectory was Vivi''s head. She was shocked at the sudden attack and tried to evade, but her reaction came too late. The claw was so close now, just a single breath away. It was at that moment that light burst out of her body.


    The liquid light blocked the claw and held it tightly while transforming into another clone of Yulaiah''s. But there was something different about this one. While the other clones seemed like mere puppets, this one seemed exceptionally real and alive. Its two eyes seemed to contain his will, the very core of his being, that blazed with cold rage. His hand tightly held the claws that came to strike Vivi as he stared at the beast that turned its fangs at them.


    "I knew not to trust you. From the moment I sensed your presence in the Trustad Plains, I knew you were treacherous beast. Is that why you weren''t there during the beast tide? Did you want your own city to fall to other beasts? I thought beasts were territorial, but it looks like you only have their savagery.... No, even those beasts were not as savage as you."


    Before Yulaiah stood a feral and savage beast in human flesh. No one knew his name, but they all called him the Divine Fist of Fury, Master of the Guild. From the moment that he did not appear during the beast tide, Yulaiah had always had a bad impression of him. Meeting him in the Trustad Plains only raised the alarm bells in his mind. They were warning him of something that he had yet to understand at the time. And now, he found that his preparation was just right.


    This clone that he had left with Vivi was, in fact, not a clone. It was another body he had created with his light. If they were to look at his titanic form in the sky above, they would find that he only had one eye remaining on his face. The other two were on this other body. This was the insurance he had put in place, but he knew that even this would not be enough. Even now, he could see Uraiah watching everything. Even now, his heart felt the undeniable dread that had been overwhelming him since he began his journey here. And even now...


    A warm spatter touched the back of Yulaiah''s neck.


    It accompanied a heart-wrenching sound, a small whimper. Yulaiah felt his entire body go cold as he turned his head to look behind him. The first thing he saw was Vivi''s face with a regretful smile. Her hands trembling as she reached out to touch his face.

 Chapter 55 - Asheya

    The first thing he saw was Vivi''s face with a regretful smile. Her hands trembling as she reached out to touch his face. Her fingers slowly traced the contour of his cheeks, trying to hold on to the very end. It was a brief moment spanning no more than a few seconds, but it was as though she was seeing everything in their truest form. A hint of congisance lighting up within her eyes. There was no dramatic awakening or flashy powers. There was only her shallow breaths and her slowly drooping eyes.


    Vivi was unlike any other Divine. Her powers were not nearly as destructive, not even close. While the others were more inclined toward destruction, she was more inclined toward creation. Her illusions were not just mere tricks meant to elude others'' perception. They were real creations, but also temporary, fleeting. It is as Yulaiah said. They were not gods. And this meant that, compared to the other Divines, she was technically the weakest.


    Her lacking power combined with the shock and confusion she felt had culminated in this rueful moment. Yulaiah had told her already. Something bad would happen that he would not be able to stop. He had warned her, pleaded for her to turn back the way she came. She knew the risks, but she was now realising that she did not truly understand the gravity of it. And now, she was paying the price, the last she would ever.


    Eternity, so many people sought it, no matter how strong or how weak they were. Vivi never truly understood the concept. She never felt the pull that others felt, the inexplicable yearning they had for it. But in this moment now that seemed to last for hours in just mere seconds, she wished for Eternity. She wished to lay there, cradled in the warmth of Yulaiah''s arms in both living and death, a superposition of existence that remained inconsequential to the rest. It was only truly precious to her and, perhaps, to him.


    She was not nearly as powerful as him, but she could still see things in her own way. Yulaiah was not Galeon, but he was the only brother she ever knew. And from darkness that embraced her receding consciousness came memories that were not her own. She was not like Yulaiah. She was not like Galeon. She was alive. And now, she was closing her eyes.


    "Ah, I didn''t want to do it this way. I spent a lot of money, time and effort to get her planted with the Prisma Core. But you just had to force my hand, didn''t you? If not for dear Scarlet, I might have already died."


    Behind Vivi was a thin cloud of purple haze that slowly dissipated, revealing Cheyulah. He was injured, but definitely in a much better condition than either Valerya or the other red-haired woman that Latonai was now seeing in place of Cheyulah. Somehow, they had managed to swap places while within Latonai''s gravitational domain. And while Scarlet was on the brink of death, it did not seem to matter too much to Cheyulah who only looked displeased as he pulled out the long purple stake he used to stab Vivi from behind.


    "This is your fault, you know. We didn''t need to hurt her. We just needed to wake her up, to help us resonate the Spire of Babylos with the Heart of Lua from an age long gone."


    Cheyulah stepped back, putting as much distance between him and Yulaiah as possible. The silence that hung over the entire battlefield seemed especially deafening. And Yulaiah, he cradled Vivi''s body in his arms. She was steadily growing cold to the touch as more and more of her blood escaped her chest. His light could heal most things, but the inescapable grasp of death was a law that even his authorities could not violate.


    "I heard about what happened to the daughter of Retribution. She stayed in Melchior because you helped her. And now she''s dead. It was not that long ago, and yet here we are. Your interference, once again, has cost you a life. Now, just stay there and witness the coming age."


    Yulaiah heard all his words, but he did not react to any of them. Was it true that his interference had caused another death? Perhaps, but that seemed inconsequential compared to him failing once more. No, it was not his interference that led to Vivi''s death. It was his incapability, his powerlessness. Even at the brink of ascendance, he could not yet overcome the absolute, the ultimate. They were not gods. They were not infallible and ineffable. Perhaps not even gods were, but it hardly mattered now. Such thoughts would do little to soothe his shattered heart.


    There was something he saw when touched Vivi''s thread. It was an unconditional love and trust in him, in her brother. Despite not having met each other in person before, she always held him closest to her heart, together with their mother. How could he continue to betray that with suspicion and coldness? In that moment, Yulaiah had chosen to discard all prejudice against her. He had chosen to reciprocate. In that moment, Vivi became the most precious to him.


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    "You... will think back to this moment... and curse your entire existence."


    Before Yulaiah even managed to finish his words, cold and sharp claws pierced through his back. Even Fury was surprised at how easy it was as he fully expected great resistance. But Yulaiah did not even bother. His titanic figure in the sky finally stopped what it was doing, finally letting go of the threads of the Spire of Babylos. Its singular eye gazed coldly at Cheyulah, Fury, Valerya and Scarlet before melting back into Yulaiah''s body.


    Fury ripped out his heart, still beating and pumping a strange blood that dyed everything it touched with the brightness of incandescence. He was enamored by it. Was this not the very blood of gods? Was this not the power to tremble the very world? He drooled as he yearned for a taste, and so he brought it up to his mouth and let the luminescent blood flow into his ravenous mouth. He shivered from the exhilarating taste as he continued to bathe the pouring font. And Yulaiah continued.


    "You have made... two mistakes today."


    Cheyulah watched Fury with irritation and disgust before turning back to Yulaiah who still remained on the ground. He seemed to have given up, but his voice remained crisp and clear. Amidst the deafening silence, his words were like a sweet lullaby, calling upon death''s embrace.


    "The first is killing me and her. And the second..."


    The body in his arms stirred. In death, life came budding once more. In Yulaiah''s vision, however, he saw the thread that was intricately intertwined with his split off. Half of its thickness remained, reforming itself into something whole while the other flowed away from him. It pierced the very fabric of reality, crossing boundaries to arrive at a place that he could not yet reach. It was the same place that he saw Sairen''s thread go to. He knew this to be a true death, a life lost rather than reclaimed. Cheyulah and Valerya thought they understood what they had done, but they barely even scratched the surface. They were blind.


    "Is waking her."


    Vivi''s eyes opened weakly. The same drop of moonlight coloured them, but they now also contained something else. A seed of prismatic light that was unlike anything the world has ever seen. Prisma, it carried a magnificent spectrum that painted the world brightly. But this was a grain of sand compared to the ocean that was contained within her eyes. They were a grand pool of radiance that kept everything in line, in perfect balance. They were a window, not to the soul, but to an entirely new world. And these eyes slowly lit up with cognisance as they locked onto Yulaiah''s face so close to them. And with a sweet whisper, the resurrected body spoke.


    "Yul? Was it all a dream?"


    Her hair and horns slowly became dyed in even more colours than before. The pale gold and emerald green now flitted among a myriad others as the woman slowly began to glow. And with each passing moment, she was regaining her strength... and memories that were not her own. Memories of what had transpired in a life that she had not lived, memories kept safe in the undying heart of one girl. And with each memory came pain and wrath.


    "Yul! No, no... don''t leave me too!"


    "Shu, I''ll be back..."


    Those were the words that broke her. From her chest, prismatic light burst out. It revealed what Vivi had kept hidden underneath her clothes for so long, a Prisma Core no larger than a fist. And yet it shone like a star. As the woman felt Yulaiah''s life wane, she tried her hardest to summon every bit of power she had. But she too was met with the same lesson. Her authority was not enough to violate the ultimacy of death. She was forced to watch Yulaiah die, swift and ironic turn of events. She held him in her arms and kissed him one last time as tears flooded out.


    "You... killed her, my other self."


    She said in a barely audible voice, and yet somehow, the words resounded in the minds of everyone present. Those who knew this woman felt shivers run laps on their spines as they were reminded that the one who kept the Alma together was never the Rex. It was the Regina Alma. And now, she was awake.


    "You killed... him, my love."


    She gazed at no one but Yulaiah. She could not see anyone but him. But even as her gaze remained on her husband, everyone knew that she could see them all. And with each breath she drew, more and more prismatic light spilled out of her. They could not enter Yulaiah''s chest to heal him for there was no heart to heal. But there was something else she could do.


    "You wished for the return of Lua.... Then I shall grant it. I am Asheya, the Shade of Suriael..., the Heart of Lua."


    And with her words, the world was blinded by prismatic light. The Spire of Erebos quaked once more as the resonance it hoped to achieve was beyond what it could support, but it did not matter. The Spire of Babylos was meant to resonate with the Regina Alma, the beloved child of Lua. Their resonance would have summoned the Heart of Lua that would in turn birth the new Lua from the shell of Corrin. But what Cheyulah, Valerya and the rest of their compatriots failed to realise was that the Heart of Lua had always been their Regina Alma, Asheya.


    "My Prismatic Heart... ascend with me."

 Chapter 56 - Shaping Heart

    "You have made... two mistakes today."


    Yulaiah seemed to have given up. Both he and Uriah already knew that the inevitable would come. Eternity spins as Eternity should, and he was powerless to change even the tiniest details. He knew that it has come, but his voice remained crisp and clear. Amidst the deafening silence, his words were like a sweet lullaby, calling upon death''s embrace.


    "The first is killing me and her. And the second... is waking her."


    His call was answered. It came as a familiar tune, one that commanded every bit of his attention. Even as he saw his wife wake, he could not stop his mind drawing closer to the source of that tune. Its tight grasp on him was inviolable. Existence now decreed his death and he would be made to abide. But he cannot.


    He will not.


    Even as life left him, the prismatic lights that Asheya was pouring into him sparked something that he had been waiting for all this time. That is why he told her that he will be back. He would never leave her alone for too long. This was his oath, not just to Asheya herself, but every version of her. Wherever Verena was, he would find her and bring her back. For Eternity would mean nothing without them, his bonds, his hearts.


    Hearts...


    "My Prismatic Heart... ascend with me."


    Even in the darkness, he heard Asheya''s voice. Prismatic Heart, it was a fitting name, perfect for her Cor Ena. Indeed, with him recovering his identity, he had also recovered knowledge that was unknown to him before. Cor Ena, he had spent days trying to understand what it was, but it was so simple. It was in the name, a gift from the universe itself. He still did not know where the Vernal Bloom came from, but that was something he would learn in the future. For now, he focused on something that has yet to happen.


    ''Crowning glory, greatest shame, the heaven-reaching mountain that rises in my name.


    A nail to a coffin, a cancer of worlds, the lives we do not own yet still reap.


    The Trial of Ascension that sealed the Seed awakens the Heart in a moment of grief.''


    As the world was drowned in prismatic light from both the birth of a new Cor Ena and the resonance of the Spire of Babylos, everything that could not be under the influence of the Prismatic Heart''s authority was sent out. However, to Asheya''s great surprise, even Yulaiah was shot out of Corrin. And yet, in her eyes, it was not despair or loss that could be seen. It was hope. Her husband''s words played in her mind once more.


    He will be back.


    So she will wait patiently.


    Meanwhile, Yulaiah''s body was caught in a strange phenomenon. The power that initially sent him flying out was the rejection from the Prismatic Heart, but somewhere along the way, something else had commandeered it. Something more powerful was sending him somewhere. He did not know who it was or why it was doing it. He did not have the opportunity to know as his body experienced a change like never before.


    In his empty chest devoid of any life, liquid crystal trickled in, pooling into a singular cohesive mass of pure authority. And once it formed, moulded into the shape of a heart, it beat.


    One powerful beat...


    "Ascend..."


    That resounded across the entire universe.


    [You have proven your worth.]


    [You have completed your Trial of Ascension.]


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    [The Cor Ena ¨C Shaping Heart has been born within you.]


    [You have proven your Heart (Will).]


    [You have ascended.]


    [@{7)&^!# congratulates you and wishes you a safe journey.]


    [@{7)&^!# awaits your return.]


    From beyond the perception of Yulaiah, a gargantuan eye made of golden gears and plates watched him silently and intently. No one knew what it was thinking. And no one knew that it was the one shuttling him across the infinite expanse of reality, sending him outside the boundaries that he had known. No one knew, and no one needed to know. It only continued with its Eternal purpose while silently watching the scenes playing out in the distance.


    [Eternity spins as Eternity should the Loom that tells us of the Truth. And so my Watch begins anew. And so... your tale shall begin anew, my young friend.]


    A voice carried along by a strangely whimsical authority rang out in the void. An eye glowing with a subtle brilliance that told of the vicissitudes of life watched Yulaiah''s body shoot out beyond the boundaries that he had always Watched. The voice itself was like that of an old man caught up in his musings. And the eye was just like any normal eye, white sclera and brown iris. It seemed so simple and mundane that it was so eerie thinking about how it could possibly exist in this place, much less speak. And then, it turned to look at him, the one that no one else could see.


    [Of course, I see you. I always have. That is my privilege as the Watcher of the @{7)&^!#. Even when he, or rather, you were here before, I could see you. But knowing the way that the Loom weaved, I dared not speak to you... until now.]


    The Watcher of the @{7)&^!#, Benjamin..., he was here once more, watching the events that transpired. He had been watching the events on Corrin from the moment that Yulaiah found his way into this void. And it seemed that the time he had been waiting for had finally come. His eye glowed with intensity as it began emanating an ancient authority that seemed to cover the entire universe. He was the Watcher, and he would Watch everything.


    [I know you cannot yet speak so I will be brief. The two Hearts complete the required number of Cor Ena to begin the Pinnacle War. All those little squabbles I showed you last time, those were mere quarrels compared to what is to come.]


    Benjamin focused his authority on a certain part of the universe. The sights before them zoomed in as they witnessed the planetary wars halt for a brief moment. It was at this moment that every living soul within the universe heard the resounding beat of a heart. It was like the cry of a phoenix risen from the ashes of old, burning with resplendent glory. It was also the moment that everyone within the universe learned of the existence of Ascendants. And the Ascendants learned who among them were Originators. And immediately after, they saw entire star systems and galaxies deploying armies enough to blot out several stars from the sky. All of them heading to war. This was the beginning.


    [I urge you, return as soon as possible. For the Pinnacle War will not end until only one Originator remains, whether through submission... or death Eternal. So return, before the entire universe is razed to mere ash and dust.]


    Benjamin turned his gaze away from the war. His eyes showing his weariness, the toll of his eonic Watch. And yet somehow, he seemed even more alive than before. This was his purpose, his Eternity made manifest. How envious..., but to each their own paths. Benjamin turned to look at his company, the one who had remained silent for years, watching everything just like him. They were kindred souls to say the least.


    [And perhaps then, I may welcome you in person, O Shaper of Worlds..., O Graven Lord.]


    With those words of parting, the Dream ended. Uriah''s eyes opened with a snap as he gasped for breath. The pain that racked his head, the unbearable burning sensation at the back of his eyes, they were all gone. His fractured memories have been restored, and his purpose is renewed. He opened his hand and found a nearly invisible and imperceptible thread held within, tainted by a milky white and pink light. It was distinctly different from what he saw before as Yulaiah. This was the thread of Uriah.


    He turned his gaze to his other hand as he felt something there as well. He had grabbed onto something in his brief instant of sleep, in his Dream. And as he opened it, he found the crystal clear thread that seemed to vanish if he lost focus on it. This was the thread of Yulaiah, intact and still very much alive. Just as Yulaiah said, he witnessed it all in order to find this thread which he will light ablaze.


    But not now, not yet. His flame has yet to grow. And he has yet to find the other important piece that is required of him. And so he rose from the ground, the two threads coiling into one as though they had always been together. He searched around him for a while longer before finding two more threads, both seemingly made of inky shadows that dipped in and out of his perception. He tied them to himself. They would no longer leave him. He would never lose sight of them, this he swore.


    "Time to look for my body."


    He trudged onward, the cold breeze of the silent world greeting him. It welcomed the start of his new Beginning, the start of the Eternity he yearned for, the start of his everlasting Dream. And as though to assure himself of his Truths, he spoke to no one but himself, an echo following him closely.


    "I am Uriah (Yulaiah), the Graven Lord (Shaper of Worlds)."

 Chapter 57 - Lombros of Reverie

    The cold world sung a soft lullaby, an enchanting peace carried by its winds. Even as they buffeted across the lands of the world unobstructed, they made no sound, merely gently caressing what lie beneath the surface. This silence is inviolable, unequivocally so. It was sacred not just to this world, but to all others. Tranquility, in these tumultuous times, is a precious treasure that none may afford. None but those who lie in their Final Slumber.


    Ah, the Final Slumber...! It is both a welcome gift and a loathsome curse! It was a fairy tale as old as time itself, for those who sought to Dream could see no light in the depths of their resting souls. It was said that all sleep other than the last would show them none but an enduring torment, a lasting judgment to try those who sought respite from the nightmares of the waking world. There is no rest, no peace in sleep. It was a mere illusion that came about from the rejuvenation of the body. But the mind, it remembers. The soul, it is ever awake.


    The Final Slumber was the only one, the end destination of a grand pilgrimage that saw one traverse an endless darkness. That at the end, may they see the light, the tiny ember that flickered in and out of existence. It was but a mere spark, tiny and inconsequential compared to the grand flame that birthed it.


    The Flame of the First Dream...! Oh how it burned brightly in a place that no one could even perceive! And yet, it remained birthing the embers that teased the yearning souls eager for rest. Its blazing heat should have scorched them, made them afraid to even draw near, but they were like moths, swarming toward the Flame without the least bit of care. Its heat turned cold and bitingly sadistic in its reproach. This was no longer a yearning, no longer a Dream. This was obsession, madness unbound.


    And so again, the universe was cursed. The ember that they sought no longer appeared to them. Even in their Final Slumber, they are denied that grace..., that Dream. Until came one who had reached his Final Slumber and did not succumb to the mindless desperation of all others. Unlike them who would gladly throw themselves into the ethereal pyre if they so could, he continued the pilgrimage.


    To him, it was not the ember that mattered. Even were it to appear before him, he would only stop and gaze upon its majesty, its ethereal beauty, in admiration. For but a mere moment, before soon continuing on his way. It would be the proof of his purpose, the one that fueled the resolve within him. What he wished to claim was no mere ember, no mere Dream. He wished for the Flame that he could not even Dream of. And so began the legend of the First Graven Lord, the Slumbering Flame-Chaser.


    Uriah stood before the man''s grave, a mausoleum all to his own. At the very heart of it lay a brazier made of the same cold stone that made the world. And upon it was a silent flickering flame painted in ghastly white. And unlike most flames, it was cold, unbelievably so. Was this the source of this world''s frigidity? Perhaps, as the flame itself emanated an ancient aura that seemed to envelop the entirety of Lombros. There were no moons in the night sky, no star to greet it with daylight. It was only this, a singular torch that bore a flame so languid and cold. It lit up the world however dimly it wished. And upon the slate that stood by its side was no mere epitaph.


    [Here lieth the Graven One.


    In waking, dauntless.


    In sleep, restless.


    To those who would tread upon his path, to chase after the Flame, baptise thyself with his ember, bestowed by Dreams themselves.]


    A baptism awaited, of fire that blazed forevermore. It would be an immolation, a true test of worth, to tread upon the path laid down before them. The restless lives that chiseled the hallowed bricks paved it a legacy as lasting as the first stars. It was daunting, to bear its weight upon one''s own shoulders is both a blessing and a torture. Once borne, it may not be laid down. There is no rest until one reaches the end, reaches the Flame that shall bestow upon them sweet Dreams.


    But what of him?


    What of the Graven Lord... who would not walk upon it? Would he be a failure, a traitor to the legacy of the Graven One? Would he be scorned by Dreams for turning his back on their ember? What of the other within him, the one who yet seeks the true start of his new Beginning, waiting in the interlude of the End? Would they be scorned by Dreams for seeking Eternity instead? Perhaps that was where the difference lay.


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    For the first time in history, a Graven Lord turned his back to the Flame-Chaser''s ember, abandoning it entirely. He did not even look back as he exited the mausoleum and stood upon the plateau that overlooked the barren world of silence. His eyes swept past everything before landing on the mausoleum that he had awoken in before. It was where his grave could be found, among countless others. And he wondered about his place in the world, in the universe.


    The Final Slumber came for everyone. It was an ultimate law that none may escape. But it also came slow, torturously so. This world, Lombros, grew bigger and bigger with each passing moment. Mausoleums rose from its surface sheltering countless graves and tombstone within them. His was just one of infinitely many. And yet still this was a mere trickle of sand compared to the souls that continue to struggle in the waking nightmare. There were other worlds like Lombros, each growing to such unimaginable sizes, each embracing the Final Slumber.


    Meanwhile he..., he came from a tiny village in a nondescript and mundane world in an inconspicuous corner of the universe that barely even welcomed any visitors. It was not Corrin. It was not the universe from which Yulaiah hailed. This was Uriah''s universe, his home. How long has it been since he had referred to it as such? How long has it been since he was laid to rest?


    Unlike Yulaiah whose childhood was filled excitement, whose life was met with the thrill of death at every corner by his own choice, Uriah lived a simple life. A mere scholar who wanted to enter into public service to bring honour and comfort to his family''s lives. He did not know when it happened, but before he could even succeed in that ambition, he was already waking up in the depths of a dreary and desolate crypt. He was plucked away from the life he wanted, stolen away from his family that both supported and relied on him. He missed them dearly.


    Oh, accursed Dream! Why must it be under the cover of night?! Why must the soul wane for it to be rewarded?! They toil and toil endlessly, awaiting the moment that the dark would embrace them, that the cold would keep them. And yet there remained no prize, only more trials, more lies. He has had enough! The Dreams that everyone seek are but a curse meant to drag them to depthless sleep. But he would sleep no longer. It was his uniqueness, his privilege. He had initially wondered why among those who walk in the Final Slumber was he awake. He had wondered why his eyes were open, but now he knew.


    It was all for this moment. For when he realised that Dreams were not a singular path. While everyone else would tread upon the Flame-Chaser''s path, to seek the dreams in their restless sleep, Uriah would light his own path. He would seek the Dreams beyond sleep, the Dreams that would reward those who remained awake. He would seek the Dreams that turn the waking nightmare into paradise.


    And from the depths of his eyes came spewing out invisible flames, unseen even to him. They wreathed his entire body, casting upon his surroundings an unknown light. In the distance, from within the depths of the Slumbering Flame-Chaser''s mausoleum, the pale white flame recoiled in apprehension. It sensed the birth of a new flame within its domain, and yet it could do nothing to snuff it out. This new flame was weak and tiny, barely even enough to match the grand scale of the mere ember housed within the mausoleum. And yet its purity was beyond anything the universe has ever witnessed.


    This newborn Flame was born of his Dream.


    This Flame would birth countless Dreams.


    "I shall seek no Flame but mine own."


    Uriah''s words echoed across the landscape of Lombros. The Silent Crosses spread out across the world were roused, seething in fury and disappointment. The souls that lay asleep though half-awake willed the world to silence his blasphemous tongue, to soothe the ember of the Flame-Chaser. But Lombros silenced none but itself. It remained watching the birth of this new flame, and the man who created it, his arms spread open as he welcomed his baptism.


    "And with this Flame, I shall grant this universe its deserved rest."


    With every word he spoke, his invisible flame grew more and more. Its authority was coalescing, catalysed by his own belief, his own Will. The dim light of Lombros slowly grew brighter and brighter as the newborn Flame overtook the world, cleansing it from the influence of the Flame-Chaser''s ember. The ember seemingly whimpered as it faded into nothing, disappearing from Lombros forever.


    "And unto this Crucible, I shall grant..."


    Lombros, a lone grey world drifting in silence in the void of the universe, its light had always been dim like many other Graven Worlds. But today, it shone brighter than even most stars. And in even the daylight, countless souls gazed upon it, feeling the weariness and restlessness abating, if only for a moment. But this brief moment was enough for them to shed tears, to know their Dreams would no longer be denied to them forever. To know that even in waking, they may indulge in...


    "Reverie."

 Chapter 58 - Of Paths and Crucibles

    [You have created a new path to the Crucible.]


    [$08#!(8 welcomes the addition of a new path.]


    [You have obtained the title: Origin of Reverie]


    [The Cor Ena ¨C **** Flame has been born within you.]


    [The Cor Ena ¨C **** Flame remains unknown beneath the gaze of $08#!(8]


    [$08#!(8 is intrigued by your creation.]


    [As the Origin of Reverie, you are now connected to the $08#!(8 through the budding authority of Reverie within you.]


    [The Crucible now burns with the invisible flames of Reverie.]


    [You have now joined the Pinnacle War of Dreams.]


    [As the authority of Reverie grows, more people would tread upon the path you have created. As the Pathstriders of Reverie grow in number and power, so too would the authority of Reverie become.]


    [There are currently four existing paths to the Crucible: Dreams, Mares, Nightless and Reverie]


    [The Pinnacle War would end only when one Originator of a Cor Ena and one Origin of a Path remains.]


    [$08#!(8 bids you good luck.]


    [You have ascended.]


    Ascension, how easily it came to him. Was this not the same thing he wanted to achieve only recently? Yulaiah ascended in his End, the Shaping Heart catalysing his rise, his rebirth. Is this why Uriah had to do so little to ascend? Has he proven his worth through Yulaiah? Or was it his pioneering of a new path to the Crucible that granted him more than enough qualification to ascend? He did not know. There were too many intricacies to such things that it was difficult for one to truly understand how everything worked. Even Yulaiah''s Eyes of Clarity could not see through them. What more Uriah''s Eyes of the Drea...


    [Reverie demands no other Dream but that of the awakened mind remains within you.]


    [Reverie discards all essences of Dreams within you, replacing them with the essence of Reverie.]


    [The core essence of Eyes of the Dreamer have been replaced.]


    [You have obtained the trait: Eyes of Reverie]


    In an instant, Uriah''s vision changed. It fractured like shattered glass before blurring into a haze. But soon enough, everything returned to normal... almost.


    As he looked all around him, he saw the world he was on, Lombros. It was a dreary grey, cold and silent. But at this moment, it shone with an unknown light, brighter than ever. He could see the countless threads that seemed to be made of sand, each rising from a grave sheltered by Lombros. He could see his threads, the milky white with pinkish tones and the nearly invisible thread. And he could see the two inky shades of threads that led elsewhere, beyond this universe. It seemed no different to before, but if he so much as lose even a bit of focus.... He felt his vision shift.


    Something had overlapped with his perceived reality. It was as though he was seeing through a veil, cleverly hidden, but ever present. It was as though his two eyes were split, one seeing what was before him and the other seeing something else. And that something was a lone tower floating in the vastness of the void. The darkness all around could not drown out its majesty as it glimmered like precious jewels. Its entire length was seemingly carved out of diamond, garnering awe from all.


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    [Has no one ever told you that it''s rude to stare?]


    A woman''s voice echoed out from the depths of the tower, reaching Uriah across a distance that should not have been crossed. The voice carried a powerful authority, but Uriah knew that it was foreign. It did not belong in this universe, and yet it was here. The authority within the voice tried to push him away, to stop him from peeking while also harming him as a punishment. But the moment it crossed the unknowable distance through the authority of Reverie, it seemingly lost its power. It remained only a form of intimidation with no substance, a bark rather than a bite.


    [Interesting. To think there would still be someone with the gall to bother me.]


    The woman''s voice came once again, and it was clear that she was getting more and more displeased. Uriah did not know who she was, but judging from the way she spoke, he surmised that she must be one of the hidden figures in this universe, much like Benjamin in Yulaiah''s universe. As for why someone from an entirely different universe was residing in this one, he did not really care. This meeting was a mere accident.


    [Apologies for my transgression. I have only just acquired this power and have lost control of it for a moment. I did not mean to intrude.]


    [And yet you did, and still are. If you''ve no business with me or my Glass Tower, then I recommend you look away. Now.]


    Knowing that she could not do anything against Uriah due to his strange power, the woman just resorted to words. She hoped that he would listen, or else she would be forced to track him down and deal with him personally. It was a hassle that she would rather not subject herself to. Fortunately for her, Uriah was a kindly soul.


    [I shall be on my way then. I hope the next we meet, it would be in person and under much better circumstances.]


    Uriah did not know if she could see him, but he still bowed politely. It was only right to be respectful of others, especially if you have somehow offended them. At least, that was how he used to live. Would his newfound powers change him? He did not know, but he hoped to keep as much of his humanity as possible. He had seen the depths of depravity that those who succumb to their powers fell to, especially in Yulaiah''s memories. He recalled the savage appearance of the Divine Fist of Fury and shuddered to even think of what he had done to become like that. In the midst of his thoughts, just as the vision of the Glass Tower was fading away, the woman''s voice came one last time.


    [How about no.]


    The vision of the Glass Tower faded away completely, leaving Uriah shaking his head with a sigh. In any world, it was always difficult to socialise. He thought he would be better at it now after seeing how Yulaiah talked to people, but it was not actually a lot of help. In the end, they were the same. He looked around him to ensure that his vision had returned to normal. And as he saw no other changes, he began to wonder what exactly his Eyes of Reverie had done? He had conjectures, but nothing conclusive just yet with only one instance to base his thoughts on. So instead, he focused on something else.


    He looked around him, searching for a thread that would tell him something about what he had just seen. And a while later, he found it. He reached forward and grasped a shimmering thread quite different from the rest. It took a while for him to find it, but now that he had, he would never lose sight of it again. After all, it was incredibly distinct. While all the other threads seemed to be made of countless grains of sand, this one seemed to be made of crystal, of clear glass.


    "Glass Tower... Chiral Witch Queen..."


    He had his suspicion when he saw the tower''s appearance and felt the foreign authority, but now, he had confirmation. The woman he spoke to, the Chiral Witch Queen, was not of this universe. Her authority was not in any way related to Dreams. For she wielded the authority of Mirrors, an authority of a different Crucible entirely.


    Crucibles...


    Many fail to understand what they are. And even more fail to even be cognisant of them. Perhaps to most people, the universe was the greatest unit of measurement of space, and they would not be wrong. For Crucibles are beyond the concept of time and space. Crucibles are at the very heart of existence. Within them lie the singular concepts through which universes exist. For Yulaiah''s universe, they were inexplicably and inevitably drawn toward Eternity. And for Uriah''s universe, it is Dreams. But it is not only these two Crucibles that exist. There are more.


    Eternity, Dreams, Mirror, Death, Desire, Dominion and Oblivion


    These seven Crucibles make up what is known as existence. They are all separate, beyond boundaries that can never be crossed. And yet there are people like the Chiral Witch Queen who cross it still. And there are people like Yulaiah who is sent out of one Crucible and into another. The history of the Alma is one such example. The Alma, a race of disembodied spirits cast away by their own bodies. They were once denizens of Oblivion before being exiled into Eternity. And then there are those who die. No matter where they die, as long as they do, they are sent to Death.


    The Crucibles are separate, disentangled from any interference among them. But still they work as one, creating a system for existence to thrive on.

 Chapter 59 - Divination

    In an unknown corner of the universe, deep within the void, a lone tower glimmered with resplendence. But even with its innate majesty, the very laws of the universe demanded silence, and so the tower remained muted to the outside. None but those who seek it out may find it, and even among them, only those who are granted an audience may enter.


    At the very peak of the tower was a humble throne, quite lacking in extravagance and charm compared to the rest of the tower, but still it retained its majesty and the imposing air of authority. Sat upon the throne was lady who seemed engrossed in reading a rather thick book. Her mature black and purple dress was designed for ease of movement yet still carrying the allure of charming innocence as it sported a motif of butterfly wings.


    Her long hair was of a beautiful ash lavender hue, a rare colour in any world or universe for sure. And yet it did not seem at all artificial. Her hair was as natural as it could get. But to add to her mystifying beauty was large witch hat adorned with purple flowers. Its brim cast a long shadow over her face, hiding her enchanting amethyst eyes underneath. But as she was flipping the page of her book, she raised her head in mild confusion as she looked to her side.


    There, standing a few feet away, was a large mirror that reflected nothing but the star ocean. It was a tool she had personally created, but it was never meant to be used other than for display. After all, if ever she needed it, it meant something she needed to be cautious about would happen. And with her power, very few things could force her into caution. This was why when she saw the small ripple on the surface of the mirror, her eyes instantly turned sombre.


    She closed her book with a snap, waving it away as it disappeared from her grasp like an illusion. With another wave of her hand, the mirror floated toward her, stopping right in front of her. She still could not see anything on it which made her warier, but she knew that those who could create a ripple on her mirror would be able to hide from it if they truly wanted. But she did not need the mirror to show her who, she only needed it to tell her if anything was to happen.


    Her right hand reached for her neck, or rather, the glass pendant that hung from it. Without focus, no one would be able to notice it at all. And yet, it too was a tool of great power. The lady brushed fingers against the pendant before pulling her hand forward and waving it in front of her. From the pendant came a kaleidoscope of butterflies, each shimmering with varying colours. They arranged themselves before her before morphing into a glass cards faced away from her.


    And once more, her hand moved. She picked one card from the top-right and brought it close to her before flipping it. While the backs of the cards looked like clear glass, their fronts were beautiful artworks made from stained glass. These beautiful cards were meant for divination, however, there was something different about them. Upon the card the lady picked was an image of a star glowing with a deep purple light that only grew darker the closer to centre it was. And the words written on the card were unreadable as they hung upside down.


    "Eclipse... reversed?"


    The lady was confused. Eclipse was meant to be an omen. Whether good or bad, it did not matter. It symbolised a certain eventuality in an otherwise uncertain future. But in reverse, it meant the opposite. Not that there is an uncertain eventuality in a certain future, but that the uncertainty is in the past. And the certainty is unfolding in the present. If that was the case, then what is left of the future? The lady picked another card, this time from the centre of the spread.


    "Spirit..."


    The new card depicted a silhouette of a person with no clear details to be discerned. Unlike the Eclipse card, this card was completely clear just like ordinary glass. Perhaps out of all the cards the lady had, this was the singular card with no colour at all. But this also proved that whatever was about to happen, it would be caused by a person rather than being a natural phenomenon. The only problem is that neither the mirror nor the card managed to reveal to her who this person was. With a frustrated sigh, the lady moved her hand once again. She would choose the last card she would flip to complete her divination, but something unprecedented happened.


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    Before she could even choose a card for herself, the entire deck began trembling as a strange power began influencing them. One by one, cards flew out from the arrangement in front of her, revealing themselves as though telling a story of their own. The first was a flower, beautiful but faded. It seemed both alive and dead, yet a purple butterfly still landed upon its petals. The second was a mirror reflecting the previous three cards alternately. And finally, the last card depicted the image of a woman in reverse.


    "Blossom... Mirror... and reversed Maiden. Could it be...?"


    She turned her gaze away from the cards, searching the wall on her distant right for a particular piece. The wall was filled with many portraits, each shifting with and showing many different scenes. And unlike other ordinary portraits, these ones were moving as though an entire world was contained within them. In one corner of the wall, the lady found the portrait she was looking for. The portrait depicted the silhouette a woman, unmoving. Amidst all the portraits on the wall, only this one did not move whatsoever. But she was certain that it was. Time within the scene depicted by the portrait continued to progress, just that the woman within was seemingly in deep slumber.


    The reversed Maiden, although the lady did not understand what it meant for it to be reversed in the context of her current divination, she understood that there were only a few whom the card could be referring to. And the most likely case would be the woman in the portrait. But just as she was wondering what her strange divination meant, the cards began trembling once more, catching her attention. With eyes widening in further shock, more cards left the spread before her, revealing themselves to her on their own.


    The first among this new batch of cards was one that depicted the statue of a man made from gold. It was a golden idol with images of people prostrated at its base, seemingly in worship. The second card had an image of deep crimson serpents. The image itself seemed inexplicably alive with the serpents seemingly slithering about chaotically, each engaging in strange acts that did not seem at all natural to them. Some were engaging in brutal blood sport, raining down a deep red upon serpents intertwined in a strange manic passion, separated only by lonely serpents who gazed upon the rest with a very familiar human arrogance and disdain.


    And finally, the last card had only a singular dot, a black point that seemed to contrast against the other cards greatly. It might seem the most tame and plain out of them all, but if one were to focus solely on the singular dot, they would find themselves drawn into an endless abyss of blackness. The lady herself had to summon her authority to protect her mind from being drawn in. By now, her breathing was haggard and her hands were trembling. Her eyes showed great confusion and a hint of fear. This... was no longer a divination. It may have started as one by her own will, but at some point, she had already completely lost control.


    To be more specific, these last three cards were not even ones she had ever seen before. But how could that be the case? She was the one who created this deck of cards. How could she not know what she had created? And that was precisely the reason why she was growing more and more unsettled and afraid. Something or someone had managed to influence her authority to the point of tampering with her cards. They created cards that she had never seen before, cards that she could not understand.


    "Is it you?! Are you doing this?! I''ve been quiet all this time! I never once meddled in anything! I''m just seeking shelter, can you not let me have my peace?!"


    The lady stood up in frustration and anger as she shouted to the air around her. Whoever her intended recipient of those words was, they did not seem at all bothered. Whether they were the one who tampered with her cards or not, she could not know. The lady gritted her teeth, deliberating whether it was time for her to move. The Crucible had been tolerant of her presence for so long, but it seems she can no longer stay. The only problem now was that given the sudden tampering on her authority, she might not even be allowed to leave anymore.


    "Fine. This old witch has had enough of hiding."


    With her words, the entire tower began to tremble. It spun in place for a while, deep within the void, before disappearing in a brief flash of light. Where it reappeared, no one would know.

 Chapter 60 - Forbidden Royal

    The world was a bright white. From the skies to the lands, everything was painted white. Every blade of grass that swayed with the calm breeze was a blank canvas, or a clean brush waiting for the paint or ink. But it will never come. Not in this world, never. Even the sounds of nature seemed muffled, almost as though they were not meant to be heard. At some point, everything would just blur into a deafening silence.


    The mind cast into this most desolate prison had lingered for countless years. It no longer even remembered what the world outside looked like. It had remained in place, not wanting to further drain itself... or perhaps it was just tired of resisting, of struggling to remain existing. At this point, it was not even thinking of anything at all. The mind was completely blank just as the world around it. At some point, it no longer seemed distinct. Despite being the only sentient living thing present, it might as well just be another pebble on the roadside, a part of the landscape.


    It has been countless years since it had be imprisoned. And after an indeterminate amount of time, finally a change occurred in the seemingly unchanging scenery. In front of the imprisoned one, a drop of paint flashed a beautiful cerulean hue. It spread in magnificent sparks as a hole seemingly opened from the very fabric of space. Through the opened portal, a man dressed in valiant full-body bronzen armour stepped out. The man''s face was hidden beneath his helm, but his gaze locked onto the lone prisoner of this most horrid of Forbidden Gaols.


    Confirming the presence of the prisoner, the man nodded before raising the scroll in his hand. Unfurling it and revealing its contents to the prisoner who was not even looking at it or him, the man proceeded reciting the message he was meant to announce. But even before he began speaking, the unfurled scroll seemed to emanate an inviolable power that spread to the surroundings, revealing the invisible chains that bound the prisoner in place. One by one, the chains were shattered as the man spoke.


    "By imperial decree, Prince Chrysos of the Divine Noblesse is hereby released from solitary confinement. However, due to not having served his sentence of a hundred cycles, he will be sent to the front lines to fight in the war. His deployment is effective immediately and he may only return after achieving enough merits."


    An imperial decree issued by the Divine Noblesse Court, it was the greatest lie one could ever have heard. The prisoner, Prince Chrysos, was well aware that he had already served his sentence more than twice over. He had counted. Ever second of every minute of every hour of every day, he counted. A single cycle was more than five lifetimes of an ordinary human, and he had to serve a hundred of them in isolation. But still he counted. Even after passing a hundred cycles, he still continued counting. Even when he knew that Freedom would no longer come, he still counted. And now, the imperial warden had come acting as though he was delivering a grand gift.


    Prince Chrysos knew there was no Freedom. Being sent to the frontlines was a mere pretext. He was meant to die in battle, but should he survive, he still would never be able to accumulate the merits he needed to obtain Freedom. After all, for all he knew, ''enough merits'' was equivalent to destroying an entire universe. He wondered if they had grown tired of him. They often say that beating a dead horse was no fun. Was that the case here? Perhaps that was so, for as long as he had lived, he had never once fought back. He accepted everything, not intending to fight for the throne or to make enemies of his siblings. But by virtue of his blood, Freedom would elude him always.


    He was a member of the divine race of Noblesse, destined to rule the universe. And yet he was also a human, destined to be slaves and rebels. With tainted blood, he endured years of torment. His mother''s teachings had made him a patient and tolerant man, striving for peace in the comfort of faith. But as always, Freedom eluded him. When his mother died in a brutal accident that was not even subtly covered up, he was then sent into this Forbidden Gaol, accused of high treason. But since he was a prince, a son of the Divine Noblesse Emperor, he was not executed. Now, they were letting him out.


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    Prince Chrysos stood up, his movements sluggish after literal eons of unmoving silence. His maddened peace was broken. The chains that both shackled and supported him had shattered. He was free to move, but Freedom still was not his. He nodded in silent acknowledgement of the imperial decree. He could not go against it. He himself lacked any power whatsoever. All that sustained him in his isolation was faith and peace. And now, he would have to leave.


    The imperial warden, seeing that the forbidden royal was cooperating well, was a little annoyed. He too was a noblesse. He too harbored great disdain for this half-blood monstrosity whose mere existence soils the divine sanctity of their race. He wanted to torture this prince so bad that he could barely hold himself back. He calmed himself down by remembering his mission. He was to escort the forbidden royal to the frontlines, and thus he was not allowed to even touch him. With a click of his tongue, he turned around and led the way without any other word.


    Chrysos followed the imperial warden, stepping through the cerulean portal and finally leaving the Forbidden Gaol. The moment he exited the Forbidden Gaol, a flood of colours flushed through his entire being. His body convulsed, making him fall to the ground from the sheer amount of stimulation he was receiving. His mind was being flooded with so many things that he could feel it cracking. His heart pounded as he wondered if his End had finally come. Unfortunately for him, it had not. His body soon calmed down, and although he was left in a weakened state, he was safe.


    "Get up, slave! Enter the portal and begin your service!"


    Seeing the opportunity, the imperial warden kicked Chrysos, making him roll across the ground. He would be pardoned for just one hit, right? After all, he was only disciplining the insubordinate prisoner. Chrysos coughed out golden blood as he tried to get back up. His whole body was weak, deprived of any strength from countless cycles of starvation. He raised his head to see another portal just ahead of him. This one was made of a sandy yellow light that seemed foreign to this place. But he did not have the Freedom to even ask where it would lead him to. He walked up to it, and just as he was about to step in, he felt a strong force send him tumbling into it.


    The imperial warden chuckled as he brought his foot down, evidently enjoying finally venting his frustrations on the half-blood. With his mission complete, he took the device hanging from his waist and pressed a button. The two portals then began closing, but just before they both completely closed, a flash of white erupted from the portal leading to the Forbidden Gaol. The imperial warden did not even have time to scream before he was swallowed by the white which then disappeared into the other portal. The two portals closed shut, forever sealed. And in the place of the imperial warden was a strange and unnatural white patch in space.


    On the other side of the yellow portal, Chrysos fell to the ground once more. This time, the ground was covered in a tick layer of snow, the cold seeping into his feeble body, leaving him wishing for death. But at that moment, a flash of white emerged from the closing portal behind him and latched onto his body, protecting him from the extreme cold. Chrysos did not seem surprised about the appearance of this whiteness at all. Instead, he felt comfortable as though he had returned to that prison, the vast landscape of pure white.


    To others, it was hell beyond compare, a Forbidden Gaol. But to him, it was his greatest solace, his sole companion in countless cycles. And it seems, he was not the only one who thought so. With the help of whiteness that covered his body, Chrysos stood up, no longer feeling the cold or anything at all. Just like in the white landscape, his body was freed from all stimuli. He brushed his long golden hair back so as not to obscure his vision, but he realised it was pointless. The blizzard would not let him see anything. Without any knowledge of where he was or where he was supposed to go, Chrysos just chose a random direction and walked. Whatever awaited him, he would leave it all to Fate. And to his companion, he smiled.


    "Thank you for coming with me, Pax."


    [A loyal follower heeds your call: Pax, The Mad]

 Chapter 61 - Cradle and Corridor (1)

    It had been some time since the birth of the Path of Reverie. Since the baptism that saw Uriah immolated by invisible flames, the flames have also spread across the world. It was a cleansing like no other, gentle yet extreme. It washed over everything, dying them in the unknowable glow of the invisible flame. The mausoleums that unendingly rose from the cold world''s barren earth had since turned into the most sacred mountains, paying tribute and granting shelter to those who were laid to rest after a waking life of nightmare.


    Lombros, the silent Graven World had now become a hallowed ground completely different from what it was before. Even the Crucible that created it had freed it from its original affiliation. With its ties to Dreams having been severed, it now became the first step in the new path. Its former desolate and lifeless appearance had been completely replaced with something only the mind could conjure. Mystical woods that glimmered with a multitude of colours, snowy peaks that shared their vantage with fantastical creatures, and shimmering waters that soothed the all.... Everything about this world had changed. It was no longer a Graven World.


    In one area of this reborn landscape, Uriah paced forward with a patience unequaled. He was not at all hurried to do anything despite knowing there was a lot he must attend to. In his time exploring the changes of this world, he had come to realise that it was not Time that was relative, but people. Time would continue to flow accordingly. Only the people perceive it differently. They like to indulge in the delusion that they were their own masters and the world was their canvas, but oh how little do they truly understand.


    They are a mere grain of sand among countless others that make the riverbed. The river would flow regardless of their presence. And it would flow according to its path. One might argue that the tributaries are what dictate the direction, but they forget that rivers may flood, spilling over the plains and drowning them in a merciless tragedy. Time is not for one to wield much less to lord over. Time may only be understood. And only once it is comprehended may one be given the opportunity to flow with it along the path of their choosing.


    And thus, Uriah had decided to quell his anxieties and impatience. There would come naught of them but failure and tragedy. And he had faced tragedy enough. There was no need to tempt Fate any more. And so he walked, exploring this newly reborn world, understanding its new existence and its implications to him and his path. The more he saw of it, the more his smile grew gentler. This world was indeed a paradise. It welcomed all, not only those who thrived in waking, but those who rested in the Final Slumber.


    Indeed, Lombros had not abandoned its former purpose. Although it was no longer a Graven World, it had become so much more. It had become like a mother sheltering her children from the evils of the outside. Just the thought made Uriah almost break down in tears. He did not know how long ago he had been laid to rest. But he was certain that Time would have flowed without him. How did his abandoned family fare in his absence, he wondered. With their only reliance gone, they must have suffered, perhaps even cursed him. He wanted to go back, but there was something he must do here first.


    He stepped into the heart of a mystical forest bordered by a few sacred mountains. It was very well hidden and would be nearly impossible for anyone to find. It was a beautiful clearing with such a wide are of nothing but silver grass and beautiful wildflowers. Despite all the multitude of colours now present in this world, this hidden garden seemed to retain the world''s former roots, displaying a kind of muted yet elegant beauty that is scarcely found anywhere.


    Uriah stood at the centre of the garden, admiring it. The world was no longer silent, but it was also not filled with noise. It was the perfect for him. The ambient sounds of waking life and the soothing silence of rest brought him an inner peace that he did not realise he needed. Serenity, how difficult it was to achieve. Even with all his power, he knew that this world might well be the first and the last of its kind. For life, oftentimes, would opt for the bustling of Chaos to thrive. And there was no fault in that. Chaos was essential for growth. It is the only inconstancy that shall ever be constant. But when all is said and done, life too needs a moment of respite.


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    From the depths of his being, Uriah felt the invisible flame growing swiftly. But it too held no impatience. It reflected it creator''s will and likewise took on his beliefs. How else could the invisible flame carry the authority of Reverie. And arriving now in this hidden garden, it was time to formally lay down their mark, the first milestone in the Path of Reverie. Uriah spread out his arms, letting his invisible flames to wash over him and spill into garden around him. The flames seemed to wake the world, urging it to move according to Uriah''s wishes.


    "O Serenity, long have I waited."


    The words came so naturally, yet Uriah did not utter them of his own volition. They came from the very depths his being, reminder that even now, he knew so little about himself. Yulaiah and Uriah both were only barely scratching the surface of the Truth laid buried in the unfathomable depths of their existence. But it did not matter. Time will flow, and they will flow with it.


    Uriah''s body was lifted from the ground by a gentle force. As he rose into the air, he slowly curled up into a ball as the invisible flames thoroughly wreathed him, veiling him underneath their unknowable glow. Uriah''s body could no longer be seen, but every few breaths, the ball of invisible flames would pulse with power, gently urging the world around it to move. And it did.


    From the ground beneath him, a silver bud sprouted. It soon grew taller and taller, bigger and bigger. Its trunk raised high the ball of invisible flames, brandishing it the zenith of the firmament. Its roots dug deep, coiling around the world, unwilling to let go. Its branches spread out, flourishing with silver leaves and flowers that twinkled like starlight. They covered the world with a calming and majestic beauty that made it a true home. And nestled upon its twin trunks was the ball of invisible flames that was now transforming.


    The unknowable glow gave way to a softly glowing membrane that seemed both corporeal and ethereal. Within it, one would find an embryo painted silver with a drop of moonlight. Its eyes wide open, clearly awake and cognisant of the world around it. It watched everything with both innocent wonder and sharp intelligence. Upon the embryo''s emergence, all waking life in Lombros gazed toward it and lowered their heads in worship. This was their creator, their father.


    This was the ascended form of the Lord of Reverie.


    [You have created a new world.]


    [Your authority has risen.]


    [The authority of Reverie has risen.]


    [Lombros has been marked as the Origin World of Reverie. All Pathstriders of Reverie will know of its existence.]


    [Lombros has been given the title: Cradle of Reverie]


    Uriah did not mind the notifications he received. He was connected directly to the Crucible through Reverie. He had no need of such notifications to tell him the implications of what he had done here. The Cradle of Reverie was not meant to be anything special. It was just meant to house his ascended form and to protect this world that had become his starting point. Although he was not born on Lombros, it was here that he awoke from the Final Slumber, the only Graven Lord who ever awoke. Unlike him, all the others could only walk in their sleep, eyes closed.


    From the embryos wide open silver eyes, invisible flames poured out, coalescing into a potent mass. It soon morphed into a humanoid form, gaining the appearance of Uriah himself. The only difference was that his raven black hair was now short and neatly combed. He wore a dark grey shirt and black pants. His shoes were black leather, looking rather formal. He had a black overcoat reaching up to his knees as well as a pair of black gloves. It was as though he was preparing for winter, but he had no need to fear the cold whatsoever.


    This was not a simple clone. Unlike Yulaiah who would have to decide how much power and authority he would give a clone to allow it to become a vessel of the core of his existence, his Source, Uriah had no such limitations. At least for the moment, Uriah was stronger than Yulaiah. This clone he had created could be considered his main body, not even the tiniest bit different from his ascendant body nestled in the Cradle of Reverie. After creating his new body, he then turned around and walked toward the exit of the hidden garden. And as he walked, he spoke to the world itself.


    "Open the Corridor."