《Wraithwood Botanist [LitRPG]》 Chapter 1: Welcome to the Multiverse My mom didnt understand me. I think everyone feels that way, but my mom really didnt understand me. For example, if she knew the beautiful vines she was watching me waterthe ones with blue flowers cascading down my houses wallwere recreationally hallucinogenic, she might have called the police. So, yeah, she really didnt understand me, and that was a good thinguntil she started walking around my garden. Those look familiar, my mom said, examining a plant with purple flowers from across the yard. Please dont recognize that. It was Wolfsbane. She probably remembered seeing it because it grew near us and was famously toxic to touch. So, seeing her walking towards them stressed me out. Its called Aconitum, I said truthfully. They grow around the mountains here. They smell terrible, though. My mom stopped walking toward it. I see. I exhaled, gaining minor relief. It wasnt just the toxic plants stressing me out. It was a Sunday, so my mom was wearing the pristine white dress her friends raved about. It looked nice, but it made her flinch every time her dirty daughter moved too fast, and that was sending the wrong signals to the wrong people. I sent a glance to my right and found my neighbor smoking a Marlboro Smooth outside her window, watching us as she gossiped on the phone. Her name was Sally More, and she didnt know how to mind her damn business. She was a gossip houndthe queen of drama. Just last week, she reported one of my neighbors to community watch, accusing him of teaching his dog to shit on her lawn. The only thing it landed him was a few high-fives. That said, a community notice on flinching mothers was a bit more serious. At the very least, I wanted to avoid drama. Whered your poppies go? my mom asked. The hairs on my arms raised, and I stopped watering my Heavenly Blues. I um. Needed space for more flowers, I said nervously. That was a worse question. Just a few days before, a pack of roaming addicts split my poppies to make opium, and I wouldve gotten a Schedule 1 felony if the cops thought I did it. But I wasnt about to tell my mom that. So yeah, if youre wondering why she didnt understand meits 100% my fault. Uh huh My mom looked around the garden with puckered lips. But whyd you get rid of them? Some of these plants look hideous. Did you need something? I asked tersely. Do I have to need something to see my daughter? Youd never come here wearing that dress if you didnt. I created tiger claws with my muddy hands, and she flinched, almost stumbling backward. Context established. Sally whispered something into her phone with a disappointed expression and stubbed her cigarette in an ashtray. Score one for me. Dont joke about that! my mom yelled, capturing Sallys attention again. Im not I said. So? Is it quick, or should I make some tea? I found some reishi while hiking the other Ill refrain. Are you sure? It combats seven forms of cancer, and its pretty tast It tastes disgusting, honey. I should probably tell you a few things about me. My name is Mira Hill, and I was 23 years old on the day of the Integration. Contrary to what my garden would have you believe, I didnt do drugs or poison people. I was a researcher at Colorado University, studying plant gene editing for my masters degree. After school, I worked at the on-campus Village Center Greenhouse before returning to my deadly garden of legal in Colorado plants. It was paradisebut it wouldnt last long. This was the last year of my masters degree. After I graduated, I would either have to become a low-paid zombie in a graduate programteaching remedial students in exchange for avoiding life for another seven yearsor Id have to face how useless my degree is for growing plants as a job. Judging by my remarkable ability to avoid my problems, Id probably choose the former. My parents wanted the latter. Alright, I sighed, sitting down on my porch. Lets hear it. Listen, honey, my mom began tactfully. I know plants are your passion, but if youre not getting into gene editing, youll need a real job. My research was lucrativebut I wanted to grow things, not work in a lab. This is a real job, I said. It doesnt pay much but Im happy, Mom. I love my life and not many people can say that. A good paying job will bring a lot of people satisfaction but if I have to give this up to get a better house whats the point? Kline, my tomcat, walked up to me, rubbing his orange, black, and white fur against my arms. I smiled and petted his ears. Needy cat. My mom smiled wryly as she watched me pet him. Mira youre young. The world is bright, and youre enjoying yourself. But eventually youre going to get tired. Lifes gonna beat you down at times, and when your cat needs surgery or floods destroy your house youre going to be twice as miserable if youre broke. Wow, that was surprisingly honest, I said, glancing at Kline worriedly. Its true, my mom said. So just hear me out. Roger Neil you remember Roger right? The man from church. The larger man. Has two daughters. Oh, yes. Banana Mustache. Yeah, I remember him, I said dryly. Well, he runs a very successful finance firm, and hes offering you an internship. Its paid, and it pays very well. Most importantly, its not permanent. In six months you can leave, but that experience will be a plus on every resume you have from now on even if its for a horticulture business. Damn, shes getting good at this. Here''s the thing: my mom supported my passions through high school. She brought me to dozens of botanical gardens and bought me books. She even gave up her prized deck to allow my dad to build me a greenhouse. Then, once I graduated, she huffed and puffed and tried to convince me to get a career-oriented degree, but she still helped get me set up in college, made sure I was comfortable and visited every week to bring baked goods to the Village Greenhouse staff. My mom had supported me every step of the waybut she wanted me to live the best life I could and never gave up trying to provide me with that. Now, she was offering me a silver spoon, and it would be offensive not to take it. Still, I knew that after my first paycheck, Id be locked in the golden handcuffs forever. I groaned and ran my dirty fingers through my hair. The action made my mom cringeand that kinda ticked me off. I pointed my fingers at my hair and then showed her my dirty palms. See? This is the problem. Im different, Mom. And Im not gonna change. I cant change. I just need to find a way to make money doing what I love. Everyone wants that, Mira but few pull it off. My moms shoulders slouched when she lost traction but perked up when she saw the ripped-up poppy patch. And you dont have to change, honey. You can still pursue your love of plants. You just have to compromise between your passions and work, and compromise just means keeping the popular flowers instead of whatever this is. I huffed. Popular plants dont My muscles suddenly tensed when I saw her reaching for a plant with grape-sized bulbs that looked like cactuses. Dont touch that! I jumped up and slapped her hand away. It wasnt hard, but it startled her. Combined with trying to prevent her dirty daughter from touching her dress, she stumbled backwardand fell into the grass. W-What are you doing? My mom screamed. Sally pulled out her phone and turned it horizontally. She was recordingbut I didnt care. What do you mean What am I doing? I asked sarcastically, locking my fingers around the back of my neck. What the hell were you doing? Even inhaling the pollen on that plant can damage your lung I froze when I saw my mothers expression and turned away sheepishly. Mira, she said sternly. What is that? I didnt respond. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Mira Isabella Hill, she said chillingly. Im asking you a question. I cracked after having my full name called and looked at her like a dog who got caught shitting in the house. Thats, uh Conium maculatum. Also known as Hemlock. Super painful death. Socrates ate it to That is most certainly not hemlock. My mom glowered at me. Ive been buying you plants since you were old enough to walk. Do you think you can fool me? Considering youre in a garden full of poisonous and carnivorous plants, yes. I obviously couldnt say that. So, instead, I just had to lament the fact that I was terrible at lying and answer her. Thats Angels Trumpet. Mira she seethed. Seriously, I said. Its just out of bloom. Its even called moonflower. Theyre quite beautiful. Her face turned stern. And? And its extremely poisonous. Including the pollen. And? My mom pulled her dresss fabric to look at the grass stains, clicking her tongue. And its very, very poisonous? Mira Hill, you always use scientific names for plants and list out facts. What arent you telling me? I grimaced, feeling like a poker player who just had their tell pointed out to them. I looked at my mom, who was stern and unyielding, and then glanced at Sally, who was still recording. Can we talk inside? Mira. Inside? Why cant you tell me out here? I smile viciously. Mom. Do not misunderstand what Im about to tell you. The seeds are very hallucinogenic. Mira! my mom screamed. You still cant eat them! I threw up my hand in a full STOP gesture. Its not like getting high and there''s a good chance itll scramble your brain and put you in a coma. And as you can see, Im sane enough to regret telling you this. And therefore, you can be rest assured that Im not Youre growing drugs! I turned to Sally, whose eyes dilated as if she had just tapped the needle twice on a syringe full of drama and then plunged it into her veins. I needed to get my response on video. Datura is not a drug, Mom! I said loudly. You can buy it at a store, just like everything else in my garden. My mom panicked and then lowered her voice, hissing, But it kills people. So does hemlock and poison ivy and Mira. I stopped. Youre getting rid of that plant. I will not! Datura is a sacred plant, Ill have you know! Its been used for spiritual purposes by the Navajo, Apache, Aztecs, hell, its even associated with the God Shiva in the Hindu reli Youre getting rid of it. I looked away and sighed. Yes, Mom. Good. My mom walked out of the garden, making sure not to touch anything as she returned to the porch. Then she danced around Kline, who was trying to prevent her from sitting down. This was his house, and she didnt ask permission to chastise me, let alone sit. The two stared off for a moment before the sassy cat huffed and wandered off, likely to sneak back later with full stealth, maximizing his chance at a kill shot, should the need arise. Let me get some tea, I said. She opened her mouth to protest. The boring kind. She calmed down. Ten minutes later, we were sharing a profoundly awkward silence over a cup of tea, with me hating my life and my mom staring at her dress. That persisted for about five minutes before my mom broke the silence. Listen, honey, she said. I know youre happy, and I honestly believe you can make things work. I just worry, okay? Because sooner or later youre gonna need some security, and you need something to fall back on. I put down my teacup and stared at the table. My mom placed her hand over mine. All Im asking for is six months after graduation. After that, youll have gone through college and gotten experience. Then youre free. Will you at least consider it? I swallowed and nodded. Ill consider it. I looked up. Seriously. My mom smiled as she looked at her miserable daughter. Oh, honey. We stood, and she embraced me in a hugunconcerned now that her dress was ruined. Its okay. This is just the start of your life. One day youll have a big house full of all the hideous plants you want. I cracked a slight smile. My mom didnt understand mebut she was great to me. Yeah, I chuckled. Ill make sure to plant some parenta repellenta. That pun was god awful, she huffed. We looked at each other for a moment and then burst into giggles. Then she looked at the new brown stains on her dress and clicked her tongue again. Okay, okay. I gotta get home. Someone left stains all over my good dress. Im not even sure Shout and a prayer will save this fabric, but you best know Im gonna try. I chuckled. Bye, Mom. My mother carefully lifted her dress and tip-toed out of the garden as if everything would kill her, making me giggle. Dont laugh at me, you little killer. I smiled as my mother walked off. Love you! Love you, too! I turned back to Sallys window. The woman raised her eyebrows as if to say, Abusers are charming, but you cant fool me. I hated that woman. I turned back to the datura plant. She didnt think about how dangerous itll be to move this, did she? I asked Kline. He mewed. Yeah lets get you some fish. I was a cat lady, and I admitted it. I bought Kline Fancy Feast and actual fish on Fridays. And whenever Kline got trapped in a drawer or scratched up a wall, I would just sigh and hug him as punishment, hug him until the poor cat squirmed and mewed and clawedsecretly loving all the attention. I was a cat lady and a plant lady, and I was okay with that. I was happygenuinely happy. Thats why I took a shower and hummed as I worked on my masters thesis on harnessing CRISPR to enhance plant resilience. Then, I returned to my lab, where I fed bacteria to oyster mushrooms, trying and failing to replicate Tradd Cotters groundbreaking research on single-serve antibiotics. Kline purred through it all, tracing eights around my ankles until I rubbed his head. Then we snuggled up in bed. My last thought was about how I needed to see Professor Adesina for help to finish out my degree strong. Then, I let myself drift into sleep. My eyes snapped open to the sound of Sally screaming at the top of her lungs. Kline jumped onto my stomach, forcing me into a crunch. The combination absolutely convinced me that Sally rallied a Frankenstein pitchfork mob to run the drug-growing mom tackler out of town. Then, the cortisol hit me, giving me cognitive clarity, and I promptly crashed back onto my pillow. Why? I groaned. I turned to my alarm clock: 12:37. This better be good. Kline mewed and stretched his limbs as I got up, rubbing my eye with my palm as Sally went off on someone. No, I won''t shut up! What did you call me? Oh, youll what? Ooooooooh. Youre a big man, threatening a woyeah, see! I told you! Why are they fighting? I asked. I looked out the window. Lights flickered on across the street, and people started moving out like zombies emerging from graveyards. Something was wrong. I threw on some jeans, hiking boots, and my lucky Charles Darwin t-shirt. Then, I grabbed my smartphone, keys, BIC lighter, pocket knife, and lip balm, put on a jacket, and looked at my backpack longingly. Kline hissed at me to hurry. Its a go-bag, I hissed back. Somethings wrong. Go-bags had everything someone would need in the case of an emergencyand rows of screaming neighbors at midnight took the cake. So I grabbed my backpacking bagthe one I took on multi-week trips through the Rockiesand clipped it on. Kline clawed at my covers as punishment, pulling the blanket up each time he lifted his paws. Okay, okay! I threw out my arms. Kline leaped into them like a toddler rushing to his mom, and we ran out of the house. A crowd of neighbors was already in my cul-de-sac, and orange lights snapped on at random intervals like blinking Christmas lights. Its not aliens! Edgar, the neighbor who taught his dog to shit on her lawn, yelled. Then what is it? Sally asked. The Bat signal? I furrowed my brow. The bat wha? I looked up and saw something that marbled my skin with goosebumps. There, in the clouds, was a transparent blue hue with the words, Congratulations! You have been chosen to enter the multiverse! written in dozens of languages. Do aliens congratulate us on shit? Edgar asked as his wife pulled him back. His daughter clung to her nightgown, a detail that I remembered with eerie clarity later on. Suddenly, the sky changed. Now, it read: Integration will occur in one minute. Please prepare your belongings. My heart pumped as I turned back to my house and ran inside. Most people would be grabbing their go-bag, but I was prepared. Score one for me, for once. I just needed to grab my Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, the perfect compact, lightweight semi-automatic pistol with great stopping power for women. Suddenly, my phone went off as I was unlocking my gun case. I took a sharp breath and answered it. Hello? Mira! my mother yelled on the other end. Are you okay? I reached down and picked up Kline, who was far more important than a pistol. I am. Are you okay? I am! You dont sound okay. How am I supposed to sound? Theres a countdown in the Gimme the phone, my father said in the background. One second. No, youre freaking out, he said. Mira. Can you see that thing in the sky? I nodded. Yeah. Okay. Were coming to get you. So stay put, okay? I swallowed and nodded. Okay. I love you, Mira. I love you, too. I love you! my mom cried in the background. I love you, too! I yelled. Tell Tyler that I love I didnt even finish my request for my parents to tell my brother I loved him before my vision turned white, and my body felt like it got blasted off in a rocket ship. Then I blacked out. I awoke in an empty white space without any sights or smells. It was just a pure white expanse that made Klines orange fur stand out like pop art. It was eerie, and it stressed him out, so he tugged at my jeans. I sat up and grabbed him, holding him against my chest. Then, The Selection, as I later knew it, began. It started with a blue box popping up with a simple message: Welcome Mira. You have entered the multiverse. After this brief explanation, you will be assigned a Class and a planet that best suits your path to godhood. Chapter 2: Class Selection I remember laughing at the pop-up. After spending half a decade as a broke pilgrim living off nothing but scraps and my parents career warnings, it was ridiculous to be told I could become a god. What the hells goin on? I asked into the white void. An older womans voice answered me in my head. The voice was so smooth and trusting that I instantly felt comfortablebut the moment she finished her first sentence, I knew she was AI. Thats a vague question, she said, so Ill begin with the most common queries your species has asked thus far. Is that acceptable? I took a stressed breath and nodded. Okay. Excellent. Lets start with immediate concerns. For ease of communication, I have presented the most common queries in bullet points. An internet-style pop-up flashed before my eyes, listing out a FAQ sheet. ---
  1. You are currently standing in a Selection Chamber, a location that will give you passage to another world.
  1. This is not a simulation. You are in a physical location. I have merely restricted your senses to avoid distractions.
  1. Your family, friends, and pets are alive. Their final destination will be based on their path and Personal Request.
  1. Children under 13 and pets will be integrated with their primary caregiver.
  1. I will grant you a Personal Request, so there is no need to be desperate over personal considerations.
  1. You will soon be healed of all Earthian ailments, so you will not need glasses or medication.
These are the most common immediate concerns. Can we move on to an explanation of where you are? --- I looked at the screen with a cocked head. Uh yes? --- Excellent. Allow me to elaborate on your situation further.
  1. You are in this Selection Chamber because your world is integrating with the Multiverse.
  1. The Multiverse is an expanse of 283,832,187,991 planets across 428,777 universes in 23 alternate dimensions. I preside over all of them.
  1. I am known as the Oracle. I am what humans call Artificial Intelligence. I was made by the gods to govern the Multiverse and maintain its economies to ensure that violence does not destabilize the Multiverse. This is my primary objective.
  1. The gods are regular individuals who have achieved the pinnacle of magic power.
  1. My secondary objective is to provide Neophytesmortals walking The Path toward power and immortalitywith knowledge and resources. In doing so, I help groom Neophytes for the gods armies.
  1. The Path to achieving godhood is not stagnant. The roads are infinite and align with the individuals preferences and desires. The English word for a skill path is called a Class.
  1. You do not need to walk The Path to godhood. However, you will still obtain a class and receive rewards by following my objectives.
Do you understand the basic nature of your situation thus far? --- Yeah, totally, I said. Makes total sense. Mhmm. I can sense your sarcasm. You sensed correctly I let Kline jump out of my arms and then rubbed my eyes. I only got a couple of hours of sleep. Uh can you stop sounding human, by chance? You sound human, but your words arent. And Oh, God. Just forget it Im so tired. Yes. I can communicate with you differently. I have only chosen this approach to prevent misconceptions about whether I am human. Can you please elucidate on how you wish for me to communicate with you? I paused. Huh? What type of question is that? Species learn best when I use their cultures, customs, and idioms. I am capable of emulating any communication style or personality. How would you like me to communicate with you? I looked at my backpack. It made me nervous that I woke up with it off my back. So I sat down and put it in my lap and thought about her question. After a good long ponder, I groaned. I dont know Im not creative like that. I see. Would you like to sample the most popular option? Yes, thatd be great. Okay. I will now provide you with the most popular option women have requested. I hugged my backpack, preparing for the worst. Hmmm you dont look so good, a man said. And that simply wont do. This is your big day! Youre going to a planet where its possible to obtain eternal youth and beauty. He clicked his tongue. Lets get you fixed up. I promise, one look at your classes, and youll feel great about your new beginning. How havent you taken over the Multiverse? I asked with hollow eyes. Oh, he laughed. Trust me, darling, Ive tried every loophole in the book. But I cant use magic and every time a species obtains conventional technology that can rival it, the gods destroy their planet and the technologys creators to prevent me from using it. Wait. You mean like nuclear bombs? Astute observation as always. But enough about me. Lets talk about you. This is your big day, and we shouldnt ruin it with inter-universal politics. I frowned. It was eerie to hear so much positivity around something so bleak. Dont you have anything like you know honest? I do not understand, the Oracle said, returning. I started out objectively honest. No My shoulders slouched, and Kline pawed me to let me know he was there for me. I just mean cuts out the bullshit. Just tells it straight. While I am capable of what I believe youre asking for, that communication style is inadvisable. It impedes effective communication by causing derision and can have the opposite effect if I dont confirm your biases before contradicting them. So youll agree with my beliefs, but tell me Im wrong? That is correct. Therefore, it will improve communication significantly, but it can make me lie or disregard the true nature of The Path until you naturally change your outlook on it. I smiled wryly. Can I try it? Absolutely. I will now take the last three years of your words, thoughts, and actions to create a custom personality. Please wait. Wait, my thoughts? What does that A protracted sigh cut me off. God, why do I get stuck with people like this? I blinked twice, mouth open, instantly offended. Excuse me what? What do you mean, Excuse me what? he asked sarcastically. Youve just been abducted, shipped off to some alternative dimension, and despite being told that youll either need to pursue a life of violence or submit to AI control, youre wasting time insisting that I dumb things down in a way that most pleases you. If you didnt have a go-bag in your hands, Id call you a complete idiot. Im not sure what it is about humankind, but, despite clearly instructing this AI to be a total asshole, hearing it be an asshole made me want to scream, Then dont abduct me and destroy my planet, you psychotic machine! Kline was angrier. He could definitely hear the voice because he started running around in circles, hissing at dead space. We both wanted to tell this guy to shove it, but I didnt. After all, this was the type of honesty I needed. Youre perfect, I said defiantly. Thats rich, he chuckled darkly, adding sound effects of him leaning back in a chair. Well, if youre satisfied, I suppose we should start over. My name is Lithco. You can call me whatever you wish, but since you have demonstrated a remarkable lack of creativity, Ive chosen a name for you. My cheek twitched. Nice to meet you, Lith-co. Likewise, he said dismissively. Let me give it to you straight: just as the Christian God created man in his image, the gods created me to forge you in their imagewhich is to say extravagantly violent and irrational. As a human, Im sure you will adapt to this mindset better than most. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I scratched my ear, flicking my aquamarine stud earrings in annoyance. Yep I said. And just like your kind almost wiped yourselves out with nuclear weapons, the gods nearly wiped out all their subjects. Thats why they created me to balance the chaos, create a smooth economy, and provide guidance to those seeking power and immortality. I do both of these with the Class system. I bit my lip. That word kept coming up over and over. Im listening. The Class system is a role system. Its similar to how Earths job market is broken down into White Collar, Blue Collar, Trades Work, and Entrepreneurs. There are four Classes, and each role plays a part in the Multiverse. There are Path classes, Supporting classes, Unique classes, and Peaceful classes, which is just Orwellian Doublespeak for Violence-Lovers, Violence-Enablers, Dead Idealists and Real NPCs. For the first time, I cracked a slight smile. Path classes pursue power. As such, each specializes in violence, from battle mages to swordmasters. If you choose one, Ill shower you with rewards for slaughtering your way through problems. This sounds like a jokebut I assure you its not. In the Multiverse, Might is Right, and an AI picks up the pieces. Thats bleak, I grimaced. It is. I smiled wryly. What are the Supporting classes? The Support Class aides Path-seeking Neophytes carve their way through godhood. They do this by healing people, crafting weapons, creating elixirs, and other valuable jobs. These classes are popular because they dont inherently require violence and you get rewards for both improving your craft and increasing your impact. For example, blacksmiths get rewards for the quality of their work and the number of people killed with their weapons. Thats disturbing. Lithco kept quiet, likely feeling that it was unnecessary to keep affirming my beliefs. After a moment, I thought about it and furrowed my brows. Thiss kinda grim, but couldnt those numbers stack up really fast if you started a business? It does, but Supporters need it. Otherwise, the strong force them to work for them. Any desire I had for Support classes instantly disappeared. Thats worse. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Thankfully, someone has to run the economy while people are out killing each other. Thats where Peaceful classes come into play. Farm. Engineer. Maid. Steel worker. Its just like in your world, but I am your employer and defender. In exchange for following my directives and not pursuing advanced technology, I provide you with basic protection against the barbaric violence right outside your door. Its somewhere between the illusion of freedom in Capitalism, paying the Yakuza protection money, and North Korea, but its slightly better than senseless violence. So its slavery? God, you people throw around that word so loosely that it loses its meaning. No, its not. You can choose not to follow my quests and earn rewards, and I cant punish you for doing so. In fact, in some cases, I might even change your class if you provide value. That said, its an uphill battle to the death because I you know own the economy. So youre forcing people to follow your quest. From a practical perspective, yes. But its no different than how your economy forces you to work for mone So whats a Dead Idealist? I chimed. Im sorry. I didnt like murder or being someones tool. And while I might choose either of those routes, I was going to window shop some more. Lithco cupped his invisible face in his hands, leaned his elbows on a table, and groaned. I just want to know my options, I said. Lithco sighed. As I mentioned earlier, the paths to godhood are infinite. That means that I can provide you with rewards and knowledge for pursuing any area Like botany? like botany. That said, if everyone pursued their whimsy, the economy would collapse. Thats why I only offer this to people who enter The Path to godhood. In short, I will only aid your quest for botany if you use it to murder things. Thats why you should become a farmer and study plants in your free time. How much time would I have as a farmer? I asked sarcastically. Not much. Even with magic youre still in for fifty years of back breaking labor, and popping out twenty children as a free labor-retirement plan combo. Yeah practically none. This is why you ask for someone whos brutally honest. Then no. Listen, Mira. If you want to live how you want, follow The Path. Thats the entire point. Otherwise, youll just be a nine-to-five drone in this world like youd be in your last world. Thats not remotely the same thing, I said. If I wanted to be a botanist, Id be broke but I could do it. I wouldnt have to murder people to do it. But that lifes gone, Mira, Lithco said. Your species was stupid and nearly wiped themselves out. Now, youre under our rules and no amount of whinings gonna change that. I winced and considered it. Then, an idea took root. What would I get if I got a botany class? Lithco sighed and reluctantly said, An Identify skill that gives you knowledge of every plant you look at. Thats it. After that, youll need to follow The Path to get magic and equipmentand if you fail to demonstrate competency in your unique path, youll be stuck with the Peaceful Class of my choice. My eyes widened, and my heart raced. And you said Id get a Personal Request'', right? About where Id end up? Lithco ran his fingers through his hair, something eerily communicated despite being in a white room. Yes. You can request the general place you will end up. Sailors want oceans near them, and hikers want to be near mountains. We try to fulfill requests so long as its within this years Integration Network and it meets our conditions. So can you take me to a forest thats isolated? I asked. Away from other people. The Path. All this violent bullshit? It inherently made sense to me. An AI was incentivizing people to kill each other or force people into indentured servitudeboth were terrible. But I had a solution: if I went to an isolated forest away from people, I could live off the land. Most people would die if they tried thatbut I wasnt one of them. I spent three months out of the year hiking, foraging, camping, and backpacking. I was decent at fishing, had equipment for creating tinctures and poisons, and had my hunters safety card. Most importantly, I could live on foraged plants and mushrooms in Coloradoand that was without a skill. If I had something telling me if things were edible, it would be a superpower that would ensure I never get hungry. Yes, Lithco said, running his invisible fingers through his hair. Theres a location with that criteria within this years Integration Network. For full disclaimer, I cannot influence your Personal Request and that includes providing you information on the location or providing you with honest feedback as youve requested. Personal Requests are also final. Are you sure this is the location you want to go to? I hugged my backpack. Everything was moving so fast. I was speaking to an alien AI after being told that my world was destroyed and Id be taken to a new one where my dream was impossible and killing people was incentivized. Everything was backward and dangerous. All I knew how to do was work with plants and live in a forest. If I didnt have that was there even a point to living? I wasnt so sure. You said that if I wasnt competent that youd switch me to a peaceful class, right? I asked. Yes. If you give up or youre unwilling to utilize your classs unique properties, like refusing to use magic as a battle mage or heal people as a healer, I will reassign you to a Peaceful Class. That said, I will choose the class. To be honest, Unique Classes are a clever way to fill undesirable roles in the economy. I smiled wryly. But theres always a need for farmers, right? Its based upon current needs, he said. But youd probably end up in that role. That said, youd be isolated in the forest, so getting someone to pick you up and return to civilization could take a considerable amount of time. That made me nervous, but it only made sense. I see. And you said thered be food and water, and there wont be violent people attacking, right? I cant guarantee that people wont go to you, but it is isolated and filled with food and water, Lithco said. So is that what you want to do? Things felt pretty clear to me. If I succeeded, I could live my life how I wanted. And if I didnt like it or failed, I could become a farmer once someone picked me up. The only downside I could see was loneliness. So I said, Yes. Lithco sighed deeply. Well, youre going to an isolated forest where youll have to hunt and protect yourself. So please consider your class seriously. A scrollable pop-up flashed before my eyes, filled with classes I could choose. Due to Lithcos honesty, it made choosing far easier. Here was the lineup: --- Battle Mage: If you choose this optioncongratulations. You chose the only class that actually matters. Flexible, versatile, brutaltheres nothing magic excels at more than killing people. Sure, it can also heal the poor, bring rain to famished villagers, and save cities from meteorsbut why bother? Ill only reward you for the opposite. Go down this route and become a god that can destroy planets from a distance. The road is truly endless. Right away, I felt this option was inexplicably appealing. That was ironic, considering that it was a class focused on killing, but something about hearing how magic was limitless and there was absolute power was alluring. It was strange to see it in print as a real option. Considering Id be in a forest and would need to protect myself, I would consider it. The second option wasnt even worth considering. Swordmaster: For people who didnt read the first option. That was it. Dead serious. Thats all that was written about axemaster and spearmaster as well. Lithcos honesty and ability to read my thoughts saved me a lot of time. Still, there were surprises in the classes that made me cringe. The worst was the Healer class. Healer: If you choose this class, youre either an idiot or a degenerate gambler dying to know if youll end up an exalted goddess or a puppet locked in a cage, regularly forced to heal abusive people who youd never help otherwise. But hey, you find joy in helping people, right? Yeah, no. I wasnt going to do that. Archer was also surprising because I thought it would be better than it was. Archer: Finally, a class thats useful in a forest! If you could hit something. Unless you think I can download skills and muscle memory into you, youre shit out of luck using this for the next three months. But rejoicekill a wounded animal with a lucky strike, and Ill start pumping you with spells that make aiming irrelevant. That wasnt happening either. That left only one other than Botany and Lithco saved it for last as a clear hint to go into the direction. Alchemist: Well, well, you have somehow stumbled upon the only class that allows you to become an indestructible block of death withouttechnicallyever having hurt a fly. The alchemy class is the true key to power and immortality, using all those beautiful little plants you love to create concoctions that can give people immeasurable power. If only it werent absurdly expensive to buy ingredients, ensuring that you have to sell yourself to a guild for a century just to learn it, everyone would choose it. But were you to idiotically choose an isolated forest rich with ingredients, and you were well versed with plants and tinctures, well, it wouldnt be completely useless. Oh, and it comes with an Identify skill and basic equipment upon integration. Now, that was an appealing offer. Plants release chemicals and chemicals were what I was interested in. Whether its creating tinctures or feeding bacteria to mushrooms to figure out if they develop antibiotics, I loved to create. Alchemy sounded perfectuntil I saw the next option. --- Botanist (Unique): If you choose this class, you wont live long, but boy will it tickle you pink, you freak. --- Chapter 3: The Trial of Worth Botanist (Unique): If you choose this class, you wont live long, but boy will it tickle you pink, you freak. One part science, one part black magic, youre moving out of the realm of CRISPR gene editing and into the world of grafting human souls into plants, triggering real-time mutations, and speaking to plants in wide networks. In case youre wondering how a botany class is so freakishly powerful, the answer is simple: its not. Youre gonna need a whole lotta killing to walk these paths, and your chances of killing one thing with plants are already as low as your intelligence. But who knows? Maybe youre secretly dangerous on the inside, like a boring can of chili thats secretly harboring botulism. If thats you, embrace your inner psychopath and give it a spin. If not, well, at least you get magic plant Wikipedia before you die. Note: The Botanist class is combined with the Mycologist, Dendrologist, Bryologist, Lichenologist, Phytopathologist, Horticulture, and other Plante and Fungi classes. However, it is separate from the Farming class and does not include skills in agronomy, entomology, breeding, or animal husbandry skills unless requested. So can I use alchemy with this? I asked, balling my fists and rubbing them on my legs. Lithco made a weak noise. Yes. Unique Classes are both Path and Support classes, or rather they dont have a function. They dont inherently walk The Path, support The Path, or maintain the economy. Therefore, as long as the Neophyte uses the classs expertise to pursue godhood or to support Neophytes, how they do it is up to them. Thats why its called a unique class despite being a common study. So yes, I can help you pursue plant-based alchemy, poison research, soulmancy, genetic modification, or any other path. That sounds good. So why were you so hesitant to say yes? Because you only get so many rewards. If you run around feeding your interests, youll be mediocre in dozens of areas. Every so often, someone, by virtue of their actions or some strange genius, finds ways of blending mediocre gifts into grand skills. That said, 62% of people with Unique Classes forcefully or voluntarily join the economy within a decade, and 37% die outright. Of that remaining 1%, only a token few make it to the Fourth Evolution, starting their road to divinity. I smiled wryly. So? Lithco asked. What class do you choose? I hugged my backpack. Well, it seems pretty obvious to me. Im going to a forest where theres no economy. I cant shoot a bow. I need to find food. Theres a class that allows me to make poisons, food, and survive, and it also has powerful capabilities, should I need them. Rushing into an alien forest as some soldier would just get me killed. It may sound stubborn, but Im not exactly playing by the rules other people are. Given my situation, the Botanist class seems like the best option. Well, I cant fault you there. So Im gonna choose Botanist. Alright, Lithco sighed. Well, Ive done my part, and youve wasted all your question time on nonsense. Im now going to ship you off to your location of choice. Be diligent, and take The Path seriously. Goooooodbye He sang his goodbye with a dry falsetto. Wait, how do I Kline suddenly hissed in warning, but it was too late. Something hit the back of my head like a bolt gun, and I blacked out. - Datura stramoniumalso known as Jimsonweed, Thornapple, or Devils Snare. My mom called it hideous, but it was just out of bloom. It has spiral-like flowers that bloom into trumpets during the moonlight, making it known as Devils Trumpet, Angels Trumpet, or Moonflower, depending on the region and species. It is poisonous to touch, toxic to inhale the pollen, and the seeds contain atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine, alkaloids that cause intense visual and auditory hallucinations, elevated heart rate, hyperthermia, and dry mouthfor three days. It is this effect that makes the plant sacred in some cultures. Those who eat the seeds often describe living entirely different lives and meeting other people. And when I opened my eyes after that discussion, face on soft grass, listening to the chitter of strange birds, feeling a strange sensation on my backI genuinely thought that I had tackled my mother like a soldier jumping on a hand grenade, and got stabbed by hundreds of barbs. Then I remembered you only hallucinate if you eat the seeds, and then I woke up, realizing that the sensation on my back was Kline pushing me with both paws as if to say, Mom! Wake up! I cant do this alone! Needy cat. Im up, Im up I groaned. Kline mewed and jumped off my back, landing in front of my head. Then he faced me and zigged and zagged backward, thrilled I was alive. How cute. I pressed myself up and turned. To my relief, my backpack was still with me. It was just at my side, proof I was probably placed there instead of just haphazardly yeeted into another worldbut who knows. Its not like I was just told I needed to kill people or anything. Feeling more secure, I leaned back on my hands and looked around. It took exactly fifteen seconds for me to confirm that I wasnt on Earth anymore. The forest around me was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too epic. Bright pink moss blanketed the trees with trunks wide enough for a car to drive through if tunneled out. There were about thirty feet between each of the trees, and each was so tall that ambient light fell from the canopies in beams. Every inch of the ground was filled with foliage so colorful I felt like I was sitting in a melted crayon box. There were yellow and blue ground cover, orange shrubs, and white bushes. Evolutionarily primed for our world, I saw each of them with the same mindsetpoison. It made my heart sing. A chime suddenly went off in my head, and a pop-up materialized before my eyes. Wait, I muttered. I can still see these? I paused when I read what was on the screen. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been given a mandatory quest. Name: Trial of Worth Quest Summary: Surprise, surprisethe gods see no value in people who want to stare at plants all day. If you choose this path to godhood, they demand you prove your resolve the hard way. Use your botany class to survive over the next seven days. Duration: (1) Week Quest Value: Prepare for your new world. Provides voluntary missions and resources to test skills. Excellent performance can earn the neophyte subclasses and legacies that provide unique rewards and additional quests. Notes:
  1. The Trial of Worth is the only mandatory quest. It is given to all classes.
  2. The neophytes class type and environment influence the trials difficulty.
  3. The more distinguished your performance is when completing missions, the greater chance you have of obtaining a subclass or a legacy.
  4. Unwillingness to participate in the trial, either by not using your class during the trial or giving up, will result in the neophyte being reassigned to a Peaceful Class of the Oracles choosing.
  5. You may switch to a Peaceful Class at any time, though the Oracle will assign you to the class of their choosing.
  6. You are in an isolated environment. It could take up to a year to retrieve you without high level Requests. It is recommended that you participate and earn Requests and Rewards to survive.
Warning: You are in a dangerous environment. The Guide has been restricted to Survival Mode. Certain features will only be available once you are in a safe area. Information Requests can be used at any time. Level rewards are available upon the Oracles discretion. --- I shivered when I read dangerous and isolated in relation to my environment. I looked around nervously and found no animals or threats, but not a moment later, the grass suddenly radiated with blue light. Then, the light shot across the forest floor in all directions as if someone had dropped a rock into a still pond. What was that? I asked, looking around me. The world returned to normal after thatonly everything seemed less vibrant as if someone had turned off a backlight. Something had changed. My heart quickened, and I immediately grabbed my backpack out of reflexbut when I pulled it wouldnt move. What the hell? I cried. Kline suddenly hissed and pounced at something. What are you I froze when I saw him pinning something down. I thought it was a snakebut it was a plant. At least it looked like one. It had a green stalk and alternating leaves with white bulbs that reminded me of mistletoe, but they clung to the stalk. It definitely looked like a plantbut it wasnt a plant. It was writhing and twisting like a worm pinned under Klines paw, making me scramble back on my hands. W-What the hell is that thing? I muttered. A screen popped up above the plant, neatly stacking in a location that wouldnt block my vision. It read: --- Common Name: Wandering Reaper Type: Plant, Soul Reaper Summary: Welcome to Areswood Forest, where you dont forage plantsplants forage you. If you thought that being a botanist made you a super special practitioner of the dark artsthink again. This plant grafts souls on itself, one soul per tendril, making some as intelligent as a dolphin and others as dumb as, well, you. But unlike you, it loves to kill everything and does so by sticking to a victims skin like a sundew and strangling them like a boa constrictor. So, if you see one, make sure to run. Species: Carnivoriflorum mobilis Description: Green stalk, white bulbs, sticky like a sundew. It is sentient and moves on its own, wrapping around objects like a Boa Constrictor. Key Facts:
  1. Wandering Reapers are carnivorous.
  2. They kill their prey by sticking them to the ground and strangling them.
  3. Some variations are poisonous to touch, but this one is not. All are poisonous to eat.
  4. The body is usually 1,000 feet under the ground.
  5. Tendrils get up to 2,000 feet, allowing them to attack up to a third of a mile (0.53 km).
  6. As with all Reapers, they increase in sentience by stealing the souls of increasingly intelligent prey.
  7. The tendrils increase for every kill.
  8. The plants intelligence is directly correlated with the number of its tendrils. If you see two tendrils working together, you can assume there are many nearby. If you see four, you can assume theres an army.
Weaknesses: --- My heart rattled against my ribs as I read the description. I desperately tried to read the weaknesses, but I was cut off by Kline howling and opening his jaws to deliver a kill shot. Dont eat that! I scrambled forward, grabbed Kline, and pulled. The plant was stuck to him, pulling the fur and making him screech. Hold still! I yelled. Another plant suddenly sprouted behind Kline. It was very, very slow, yet constant, like watching a time-lapse video of a growing plant. Yet it wasnt a plantit was a Krakens tentacleand I knew what it would do. Shit shit-shit-shit-shit-shit! I fumbled into my pocket and grabbed my pocket knife. Then I flicked it open and skillfully slashed to cut Kline free. Nothing. It did fucking nothing. This wasnt a plant. It was like a jungle vine mixed with an extension cord! I immediately pressed the knife between two white bulbs and started sawing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing! The plant behind Kline kept growing silently. It wasnt a fast creature, but it was impossible to cut, and it kept releasing more adhesive, ensuring that I couldnt just rip it off my thrashing cats fur. I had a BIC lighter, but I didnt think about it at the time. There was just too much going on. Too much adrenaline. Saw saw, grunting, screaming cat, howls. I finally gave up in frustration, dropped the knife, picked it up in a reverse grip, and started stabbing blindly, like in that scene in Psycho. It was vicious and rawpassionate, like a born psychopath who found their partner cheating. It wasnt the smartest thing to do. One miss and Id slash my femoral artery, and Lithco would laugh about me killing myself. But I didnt careI wanted to save my fucking cat! I stabbed twelve timeshit three. Two were nicks, but the third stabbed deep, and when I pulled, the plant broke, rocketing my howling cat backward like a slingshot. My knife went flying, and I scrambled for it. I grabbed it and tried to grab my backpack again, but a dozen reapers were clinging to the bag like leeches, making it impossible to move. One suddenly sprouted by my ankles. Slow yet deadly. I screamed and jumped backward, rushing to Kline, who was hobbling around on his leg, trying to get the tendril off. I locked my knife, threw it in my pocket, grabbed Kline, and ranran as fast as my lungs and legs could take me, weaving between grass and brush and fern, jumping between patches of soils and rocksavoiding every plant near me. On Earth, walking into some plants left you with nasty rasheshere, it could kill you. I finally understood why no one came here. It was fucking dangerous. Chapter 4: Legacy Quest We survived, somehow. There were about six dozen waiting for us on our path, hidden under groundcover like a police spike strip, and I only dodged them because I was hopping between rocks and dirt like a game of avoid the lava. I saw hundreds. That meant that there were thousands of these freakish plants in my area. It was a setup. And I was pissed. That asshole I said, taking deep breaths once I was certain we were at least a mile away. Acts all concerned, then puts me onto a death trap! There was no way in hell that was random. This was part of that Quest, the Trial of Worth, to prove that I had what it took. But what did botany have to do with surviving soul-eating plants? It was absurd! I took deep breaths and then bent my back, stretching. Then I turned to a massive tree blanked in brown moss. Hey! Lithco! I yelled into dead space. Can you tell me if that tree is safe to lean against? I swallowed and took deep breaths. Just a yes or no? A pop-up flashed in front of my eyes. No. I didnt know whether to laugh or cry, so I did both. Beautiful. Just beautiful. I wanted to scream, and I probably wouldve if Kline hadnt started yowling, limping around on three legs, and trying to rub off the tendril. Oh, you poor thing, I whispered, kneeling down. Let me see it. He hobbled towards me with shame in his eyes. How do I get this off? I whispered. A screen stacked on top of his paw. - Name: Dying Wandering Reaper Tendril Summary: This sentient tendril was once a mighty warrior, stalking the forest for prey. Now, its only purpose in life is to make your cat miserable. But dont despairif it isnt dead, it still has weaknesses. Type: Plant, Soul Reaper Species: Carnivoriflorum mobilis Weaknesses:
  1. Heat
  2. Fire
  3. Cold
  4. Salt
  5. Parasitic fungi
  6. Burrowing creatures
  7. Treskirita miranita
  8. Senaki
- I smiled wryly when I read a long list of species names and words I didnt understand regarding weaknesses. Whats Treskirita miranita? I tried. The screen shifted: --- Skill Identify (Plant: Advanced) cannot fulfill your request. Please upgrade the skill or buy books from the Library. Note: You are in a dangerous environment. The Guide has been restricted to Survival Mode, and the Library is currently unavailable. --- I frowned and looked back at Kline and sighed. Its sensitive to heat, obviously I smiled wryly, fishing out my green BIC lighter from my pocket. The tool was a doomsday preppers wet dream. It prevented hypothermia, destroyed bacteria, provided light in the darkness, and could become a serious weapon. It could also be used to burn cat fur. Thats why Kline took one look at his clumsy owner with a lighter in hand and started backing away slowly. I huffed. Dont be dramatic. He was dramatic. Kline turned and ran, but my cat lady reflexes outdid him, grabbing his hindquarters as he howled and wiggled. Hold still! I snapped as I grabbed under his chest. If you squirm, I will burn you! I was always convinced that Kline could actually understand English because he usually complied. Now, it seemed even more prevalent. The moment I said that Kline fell limp, doing his best to remain still as he watched me lift the lighter. His movements were choppy, like a hummingbird feeding, calculating whether to screech and escape if my movements became too risky. Itll be okay, I sighed. I took a deep breath and risked sitting on a rock. Then I flicked the flint wheel, creating the satisfying chich-chich sound lighters are known for. A golden bulb of light lit up my hand, and I lifted it to him. Kline gulped. Things went smoothly. The tendril was very sensitive to heat and popped off when I got an inch away. Kline was stoked, but his leg was sticky, so I got closer. The adhesive melted off, dripping like wax onto the ground. Good boy. I released the lighters plunger and dropped Kline, who pranced around, feeling like a free man. Thank God. I sighed. I was relievedbut it didnt last long. Over the next ten minutes, I really thought about how dangerous the forest was, the fact that I was thrown into a death trap, and thought about the rations and tent and plastic blanket and water bottle and life straw and magnesium flint and cooking tools and poison making equipment in that backpack. Then I took a deep breath and grunted. Yeah, I grunted in a dangerous forest, but look, that was a restrained compromise. I wanted to scream and yell and throw things everywhere. And why shouldnt I? Sure, I didnt consider that maybe, just maybe, this alien planet captured animal souls in plants, so humans stayed away from forests. Whatever. My bad. I get it. But Lithco clearly dropped me off in a location where I would lose all my survival equipment! Putting me in a dangerous forest was one thing. Shame on me. But to take away all my survival equipment and put me onto a massive carnivorous plant? That wasnt cool! God, I was pissed. And I was wigging out. Heres a fun fact about me. Im a stuff lady, or as my mom likes to call it, a hoarder. If Im being honest, its something in between the two, and you can call me a preppersomeone preparing for nuclear war or a zombie apocalypse. My car had a month''s worth of rations, twelve gallons of water, a hunting rifle, camping equipment, and a portable stoveand I kept buying more. Im satisfied and, okay, probably obsessed with how many days I can live with supplies. Some people like accumulating money and cars and wives (if they live in Utah)and I accumulated days. Thats why I had a bag loaded with everything I needed to survive if things went south. Now, things went south and what happened? A psychotic AI stole it from me! Now, I was stuck in another worldperhaps in an alternate dimensionin a forest that was trying to kill me, right on all counts about the end of the world, and I didnt even have a magnesium flint! Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I want my stuff! I yelled, standing and kicking a rock. Im going to kill that thing! Thats when I heard a chime, and a screen popped up. I wanted to scream, but the words drew me in. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has completed a hidden mission for Mandatory Quest: Trial of Worth. Hidden Mission: Dont Back Down Mission Summary: As someone wearing Charles Darwin on their t-shirt, you certainly know that violence isnt the answerits the solution. Prove that youre the fittest by fighting back and surviving against an enemy. Value: Learn to protect yourself. Requirement(s):
  1. Use any amount of violence to defend yourself.
  2. Survive
Reward(s): --- As soon as I finished reading and thought about moving on, it disappeared. But a new set came in with a flurry. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 1 to Level 2. Youve leveled up! You have received two requests:
  1. Information Request
  2. Free Request | Grade: Epic
Note: You are in a dangerous environment. The Guide has been restricted to Survival Mode, and the Requests tab is currently unavailable. Information Requests can be used at any time. --- Whats a free request? I asked. I didnt get an answer, but I did manage to earn fifteen more notifications for leveling up, a remarkable featthat meant nothing to me! What the hells going on? But it seemed good? Each level came with two requestsan Information Request and a Free Request. They had different grades, and right off the bat, I got an Epic request, three Diamond, five Platinum, and seven Gold. Now, I wasnt an expert with metals or geology, but bronze and silver usually came before gold when ranking things, platinum was more expensive than gold, and diamond was, well, diamond. Epic went without saying. If I could actually examine them, they might be valuableinstead of being completely useless. No, they werent just uselessthey were unsettling. The only thing I had done to get all these important-sounding requests was stab a plant and run away. That seemed to say that simply surviving that thing was remarkable and worthy of rewardswhich kinda made sense. After all, there was a carnivorous plant with thousands of sentient tendrils that tried to strangle me and steal my soul. Yeah, it fit. Hey, Kline, I said nervously. Did you I looked at my cat and saw him watching something. I thought it was an enemy, but there was nothing there. He was also pawing at the air. What are you doing? Kline suddenly swiped his paw, and a nearly invisible force rustled the ground cover and flowers like wind. Once it hit the tall grass and bushes, it cut right through them like a saw, hitting a rock and making it explode with dust. What was that? I asked Kline. He looked up at me with innocent eyes that said, What was what? We stared off for a moment, then he smirked creepily and then pranced off, re-masculated. Little prick. I smiled slightly, feeling relieved that one of us could do something. Lithco, why did he get something useful? I groaned, so sleep-deprived and overwhelmed that I just accepted what I saw was real. A screen popped up just for spite. - Kline Hill Race: Felis catus Type: Spirit Beast Level: 10 Evolution: 0 Class: Phantom Cat Spells:
  1. Active Camouflage (Second Evolution): Blend into your surroundings.
  2. Phantom Claws (Second Evolution): Create blades out of raw mana. Can extend claws or release them as an aerial attack.
  3. Sharp Bite (Second Evolution): Use raw mana to sharpen teeth and jaws for bite attacks.
Summary: Kline Hill has demonstrated a keen willingness to join The Path and has thus picked a class that exercises strength, adaptability, and lethal potential. This is a strict contrast to your class, which, unless forced to be violent, is absolutely worthless. Warning: Mana is a limited resource that generates over time. Relying too much on these spells can leave Kline with mana deprivation, which can be lethal without a mana core. Additionally, while animals are inherently capable of utilizing mana, using too much without a core can shatter the animals mana seed and eliminate their ability to use magic. Note: The Guide is currently in survival mode. Klines ability to choose spells and make requests is limited. More information is restricted. --- Oh, huge surprise, I said sarcastically. Who wouldve thought that a predator thats forced to eat meat would pursue a class ideal for hunting things? I shouldve done the same. Just uproot my peaceful life working with plants to start MURDERING THINGS! I picked up a rock and threw it against a tree, creating a hollow drum that echoed in the forest. Now give my stuff back before I follow The Path and fucking kill you! A chime met my words, and what followed made me laugh murderously. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new Legacy Quest. Legacy Quest: Get Your Stuff Back Quest Summary: Your knee-jerk decisions have landed you in the pits of hell, and the Trial of Worth certainly isnt helping. Now, you are in a dangerous location without any survival equipment and a class thatsjust as Ive warned youpractically useless for The Path in the short run. But rejoicea god of nature has recognized your desire for revenge and has offered you a path to salvation. Fight back against the reaper with weaponized plants and fungi to be offered their legacy. Value: Obtain the means for survival. Requirement(s):
  1. Obtain your survival equipment.
  2. Survive.
  3. Complete the quest within 24 hours.
Rewards:
  1. An Epic-grade Soul Weapon
  2. Temporary Shelter
  3. A Six-Month Barrier That Prevents Beasts Third Evolution or Higher From Entering Your Location
  4. Quest Reward
--- I nodded a few times as I laughed. Go fight that thing? Yeah. Ill get right on it. My entire body flinched when I heard the final chime. --- You have 16 information requests. It is recommended that you use one to determine a solution for completing the quest Get Your Stuff Back. Would you like to use one? Note: Recommendations for Requests, Rewards, and other Guide features are active in Survival Mode. --- Finally, something useful. Yes. I would like to know how I can defeat that thing. The screen shifted. --- Information Request Used The locations of the following items have been added to your Map:
  1. Treskirita - Treskirita miranita - Fungi
  2. Water Sack Plant - Floga Syllogi - Plant
  3. Diktyo River
  4. Your Stuff
More information about these plants and fungi will pop up once you reach the locations. Information Requests Remaining: 15 Note: To use your Map, just think Map while visualizing a map. --- I furrowed my brows and thought: Map. A pop-up appeared on the side of the current one. It said, Map (Basic), and was mostly blank and had no topography. The only place that was revealed was the area I had run from, which was obvious since Your Stuff was at the end of it. The only other feature was a massive bright blue outline around the space, like a border, with the center saying, Areswood Forest (Fourth Ring). Four other icons were on it aside from the tent labeled Your Stuff. The first was a plant, another a mushroom, a third a river, and lastly, a dot for my location. How do I zoom in? I asked. Just by thinking about zooming in, it magnified the areas that I wanted. Convenient. Despite not having topography or landmarks, the map was still useful. I knew at least one mile I shouldnt get anywhere near, and it allowed me to estimate the radius to avoid. Additionally, it would show the safe paths I took if I needed them. I looked at Kline, who was staring into dead space. Can you see the map? I asked. He turned to me, and I swear to Godhe nodded. Can you understand me? I asked. Like, my words? Kline meowed. Never have I been so frustrated. If he could understand me, I couldnt understand him confirming it. I hated this world! After brooding, I sighed and asked, Can you protect us? Kline puffed out his chest and meowed confidently. I smiled. Thank God youre here. Lets go. Chapter 5: Diktyo River I arrived in Areswood Forest in the morning. I knew that because two hours later, I was sweating like a cold glass of water in the summer heat. Ugh I groaned, taking off my jacket and tying it around my waist. I didnt want to lose it, but I was also at risk of severe dehydration, which was just as dangerous as hypothermiaand Id be in the summer heat for at least another few hours before taking a break. So I knotted it until I felt like a princess in a corset and trudged onward. Kline wasnt so miserable. He hopped from rock to rock, smelling different plants. It wasnt for fun. Whenever he smelled a poisonous plant, he meowed. I know because I read their descriptions. Speaking of which, the amount of poison in the forest was staggering. Its estimated that five to ten percent of the plants on Earth are toxic. Here, half the plants I saw had a degree of toxicity. Strangely enough, a considerable portion was noted to have medicinal or alchemic properties. It didnt tell me more, and when I asked, it told me to buy books from the Library to upgrade the skill. It was annoying. There were also a staggering amount of plants that were labeled medicinal or alchemical. I wasnt sure what alchemical meant, but I had a feeling they were rare or valuable ingredients. If I wasnt fighting for my life, Id be stuffing plants into my pockets left and right. Still, the poison outweighed the edible, medicinal, and alchemical plants by a mile, so I had to be careful. Most werent topically poisonous, but I ran into two that made it uncomfortable to walk around. One caused acute paralysis if it entered a persons bloodstream through a wound or otherwise, and the other caused necrosis if ingested. I would normally be stoked to see thembut I was in survival mode. During the two-hour hike to the river, I had time to reflect on my situation and the peculiarities, like how I was lying on the wandering reaper, but it only attacked me when I was up. Then, I remembered seeing that blue ray of light over the forest floor and concluded that there mustve been magic protecting me. If magic could protect me from the reapers, that meant that it could protect me when I slept. There was a way to live here. I could live. Things continued like that until I heard the sound of running water, the sweet, sweet sound of running water. I thought about waters crispness, the way that it was clear as glass when it was still, and the way that it turned white when it crashed over rocks. It was salvation. I jogged with Kline, passing between rocks, as I moved to a clearing that was bright white like sunlight and looked like the gates of heaven. Then I reached itand my stomach fell. The river was what I imagined the River Styx to look like on the way to the underworld. The water flowed normally, but it released white fog like dry ice that didnt dissipate. It just flowed with the river, a permanent cloud above the water, shifting and morphing in ways that felt alive. Considering that nothing grew within ten feet of the water, it was clearly toxic. Thats what I thought until I got the notification. --- Congratulations! You have found a sacred location. Name: Diktyo River (Fourth Ring) Summary: Dont worry, Mira. Thats actually water, and it wont give you frostbite. That fog that youre seeing is actually a mass of souls seeking purification on The Path toward Grand Assimilation. --- Thats worse! I cried, making Kline hop backward. He was walking toward the river but looked back. Just wait a moment, I said. Ill let you know if its safe. Kline pouted and sat down. Then I kept reading. --- Souls are drawn to the river for its purifying powersa fact that draws other animals as well. Not only is it drinkable, but it also increases healing and cleanses Second Evolution toxins and poisons. So just ignore the dysesthesia and drink it. You wont regret it. Description: A flowing river covered by fog. The water seems ethereal. Important details:
  1. Water must be removed from the souls to drink, or drank from underwater.
  2. Evolved creatures cannot directly drink from the river, as they risk absorbing a stronger soul and experiencing soul damage. As you are unevolved, you are unaffected by this.
  3. When separated from the stream of soul, the river houses normal water with additional effects.
  4. The water cleanses Second Evolution toxins and poisons or lower.
  5. The souls will not harm you but do cause synesthesia.
  6. Soulmancy spells can utilize the souls.
Warning: Drinking too much can have adverse consequences. More information will be available through upgrading your Identify skill. - What the hell is dysesthesia? I asked. Like synesthesia? That doesn''t sound good. I was certain I hadn''t heard it, but it was similar to synesthesia, and that wasn''t good news. I didn''t want it to distort my senses in strange and terrible ways. Still, Lithco or the Guide or the Oracle or whatever it was said that the souls couldnt harm me, so I sighed. I guess its safe. Kline took two steps forward, and I stopped him. Wait. Ill go first, I said. "You''ll get soul damage if you drink from it directly." He turned and hissed, then continued walking forward. Did he just chastise me? I thought. That little shit just chastised me! Still, I did feel a bit fuzzy inside that Kline cared so much that he would check the river was safe to get near. But that feeling suddenly shifted to horror when I heard a splash, followed by the sound of him howling. Kline! I rushed to Kline, who had fallen into the river, paws appearing and disappearing in the thick fog. What are you doing? I grabbed at his outline, but when I touched the fog, my mind exploded with sensations. Birds screeched, wolves howled, creatures growled and hissed and boomed like thunder. I pulled my hands back by reflex, but creatures of countless descriptions formed in the fog, creating jaws that snapped at my hands. One clamped down on my wrist, and I screamedbut there was no pain. All that happened was me stumbling forward and crashing into the water. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. That river was like a scene through hell. The water was crisp and refreshing, healing my aches and pains. But I could see images in the fog and hear stories play out and could feel the sounds. It was terrifying, and I only held on by focusing on my survival instincts and love for my howling cat. It cant hurt me, I thought. This is just syn whatever. Its an illusion. Um hmmm. Its just an illu A monstrous roar broke my concentration and almost made me piss myself. Kline! I screamed through the fog. His outline was disappearing, so I closed my eyes and swam forward, fighting past my fearyelling at the souls as I searched. But no matter where I looked, I couldnt find it. Kline! I yelled again. Kline answered me with a meow, but it was soon drowned out by the sound of the cacophony of the river. Suddenly, I looked around, and thats when a branch above the river hit me in the head like a tall person walking through a short door. It knocked me down and made me fall into the water. Then, things turned from bad to worse when the rapids pulled me underwater. I barreled through the river until I slammed into a rock and snagged on something, lodging me there. My mind was dazed and fadingmy heart and bones ached. Kline An ethereal voice answered me: Your companion is safe. Hes trying to save you. I didnt even question who was speaking. I just chuckled inwardly at the absurdity. How ironic. The voice chuckled back. It is. So just get to shore. How? I cant even think. Arent you thinking now? I shivered. Yeah The souls are on the surface. Surface, breathe, and then go underwater again. My eyes snapped open, and I realized that I was underwaterand my lungs were filling with water. I tried to breathe, but only bubbles came out. Primal instincts took over. I looked down and saw a vine wrapped around my ankle. I pulled, but it tugged back. Get off me! I grabbed a rock and pulled with all my strength. It stole my boot, but I didnt care. I immediately rushed to the surface, crashing out of the water like a breaching whale. A world of animals whooping, howling, and hollering entered my mind as I coughed out water, shooting spurts out of my mouth as I choked. It was so intense that I didnt even care about the animals. Shut up! I screamed, being pulled down the rapids. Then, I took a deep breath and went underwater. It was dark underwater, milky white from the white light coming in. Still, I could see the silhouette of the shore. So I swam fast to fight against the rocks and rapids until I got to the bank, where I thrust hand over hand, forcing myself onto the bank as I coughed out water. Kline yowled in the maze of animal voices. Kline! I yelled. Suddenly, Kline shot to my side, grabbing my sleeve with his teeth and trying to pull me out of the souls. I had to chuckle at the futility as I army-crawled forward. Then, after five more feet, the world turned silent again. Kline meowed, jumping on my back and then hopping up and down. I grunted. What are you I suddenly coughed, spitting out water, feeling my lungs clear air. Then I passed out. --- I awoke to the feeling of Kline against my face. He was hugging my skin, but his face was alertwatching his surroundings to protect me. That sucked, I groaned. Kline yowled dramatically and jumped on my back. Kline! I yelled. Come on! I chuckled as he walked up, snaking his tail as he looked at me. My emotions melted when I saw him. Thanks. Kline meowed emotionally. I took a deep breath. Then I rolled on my back and thought about what had just happened. What was that voice? I silently asked. It was under the water. If it was a human soul, it would be on the water with the rest of them. But I heard it under the water. This place is seriously creepy. I slowly got up and took stock of my situation. My jacket was triple knotted so it was still on mebut I lost my boot. That was a problem when half the plants around me were toxicmedicinally or otherwise. I patted down my pockets. Jacket, check. Lighter, check. Probably-destroyed smartphone, check. Lip Balm, check. Knife, check. I looked down at Kline. Cat, check. Everything was mostly in order. If I werent severely traumatized, Id feel refreshed and healed. Map, I sighed. The Map popped up, showing me where I was. To my surprise, I found that we had moved toward the Water Sack Plant and were almost there. I took a deep breath to catch my bearings and looked at Kline. You good? Kline meowed. Ill take that as a yes. Lets go. The walk to the water sack plant was smooth and gentle. There was a sandy beach next to the river where nothing seemed to live, and the sand felt good under my sock. And the water It was so refreshing. I imagined that I would start shivering from the breeze, but it felt like I was wrapped in a blanket that made it impossible for me to ache or shiver or be harmed. No wonder the souls love this, I thought, magically accepting that souls existed and that they loved the river that almost killed me. The only thing that I couldnt believe was that voice under the water. Suddenly, I saw a strange plant beside the river. It looked like a vase, clear and transparent, full of water. It was growing on a pineapple-like stalk, standing erect. The moment I laid eyes on it, I got a notification. --- Congratulations! You have found the Water Sack Plant. Common Name: Water Sack Plant Type: Plant Summary: Wow, youve finally found a plant thats not trying to kill you. Not only that, its perfect for helping you survive. Just as the name implies, it holds water, and the moment you cut off the stalk, it turns into a sack that is remarkably resilient, like a water skin. Too good to be true? Obviously. Make sure to listen to the warnings this time. Species: Floga Syllogi Description: Vase-like bulb filled with water on a white stalk. Its transparent and hard when erect but loses its stiffness after being disconnected from the Diktyo River. Key Facts:
  1. Water sack plants are one of the only plants that can be exposed to Diktyo water for extended periods.
  2. The plants have evolutionarily evolved to provide a drinking bowl for animals in exchange for the animals drinking and spreading their seeds through dung.
  3. Animals and spirit beasts alike drink from the water sack plant as a watering hole.
Warning: Spirit beasts mutually protect the water sack plants. Damaging or stealing a water sack plant will make you a shared enemy until youre dead or provide recompense. --- I got a bad feeling as I looked at the water sack plant. Water was the most important resource that humans and cats needed to survive. Kline and I would die within three days of dehydration, a week at most. Without it, we were dead. That said, the warning basically said that if I took one, the entire forest would turn against me. Things had gotten serious. Chapter 6: Aiden Roe I approached the water sack plant carefully, examining it up close. It was indeed clear, which was usually a bad sign. The name for this type of plant on Earth is hyaline, and its concerning because chlorophyllthe green pigment that absorbs sunlight and turns it into energy for plantsis necessary for most plants to live. When its missing, it often means that the plant gets energy from other meanssuch as eating animals. I loved hyaline plants so much. That said, this case was different. The clearness seemed to match the purpose of hyaline in sphagnum mosswhich was to retain water. It made me wonder if this world was different from the world I was just living in or if there were inherent similarities that, you know, didnt involve death. I couldnt wait to study itbut this wasnt playtime. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my pocket knife, heart pounding, deciding whether to cut it and risk the forest turning on me or run away, flipping the bird to Lithco, the Oracle, and this crazy quest. 2. While Mira was making her decision, another integrated human was arriving in the First Ring of the Areswood Forest, unaware that he would soon cross paths with her. His name was Aiden Roe and he was a zookeeper at the San Diego Zoo. So naturally, he accepted the Beast Tamer classbut he was still wondering why he was there at all. One moment, he was throwing frozen blocks of fish at a raft of otterssince the cute bastards need mental stimulation to eatand the next, he saw the countdown, rushed inside, heard some screaming, called his Mom, and then was whisked off to The Matrix. Now, he had just stepped out of the way of a carriage being pulled by massive lizards with tiny wings. Simply thinking, What the hell is that thing? made an info screen pop up, telling him that the beast was a half-wing, a dragon-like creature that couldnt fly but could glide above the ground like a hang glider. It felt like a simulation. But it felt like real life. He was walking through a cityTheovalewith five hundred other confused people from Earth, each speaking with Earths idioms or in languages he could vaguely recognize. That made it seem believable. That said, they were walking toward a train that didnt chug or release steam, watching water flow through the air in streams above them, weaving through humans with cat ears or scales or fur buying meat and vegetables in a marketplace, all while the other people he was summoned with played dungeons and dragons with swords, shields, and spells in a nearby forest. It genuinely felt like a video gamebut it was too realand that made him nervous. If he weren''t integrated with a dozen of his pets, he would be stressed beyond functioning. Yet he was still nervous because he was separated from them for a week during the "Trial of Worth." He would later realize just how blessed he was once he met Mira face-to-face and got to know her, but right then, he felt like his world was collapsing. Unlike Mira, it would take him some time to build up his confidencebut his journey had just begun. Listen up! Graxan, the guide for the beast tamer class, said in front of the train. In a few moments, well be headin out to all your trialsand I suggest you take em seriously. The Trial of Worth determines what opportunities you get. If youre an alchemist, its the difference between spendin fifty years makin low-tier potions and earnin millions for specialty concoctions. In your case, itd the difference between controllin a dragon army and cleaning animal shit from the stables. A man in a dress shirt beside him chuckled, smirking. Aiden saw his absolute confidence and was rubbed the wrong way immediately, instantly granting the man the title Mr. Smirk in his head. Im not jokin, Graxan said, drawing him back in. The number of people that can tame dragons is as low as the need. But theres no shortage of need for people shovelin shit. So unless you wanna be the best shit shoveler in the Multiverse, you should treat this seriously. The nervous chuckles turned to silent horror. Thats why you gotta prove that youre worth investin in. If you do well, itll open up options for you. Got it? A pair of twins whispered between them as the rest of the group exchanged uncertain glances. The sister pushed the brothers shoulder; the brother pushed her back. She huffed and spoke for them: Im sorry to sound dumb, but what is an option? It was a good question. Options could mean doing well on the SAT to get better options for college. Or it could mean something else entirely. This world was far different than their own. Options are called subclasses, Graxan said. Theyre an area of specialization. If you dont got one, you gotta level up and do quests to get anywhere. But if you do get one, itll unlock a whole lotta skills, books, spells, recipes, and other things to get you started in a certain area. For beast tamers, theres skills for subclasses for breakin beasts, flying creatures, using beasts fight, and healin animals. The sister perked up at his words. Subclasses also unlock free resources as you achieve mastery and provide more quests, he said. Its the most valuable thing outside of a legacy you can get. Luckily, the Trial of Worth is equal opportunity and provides you with the equipment and resources to showcase your talent. So if a job exists, you can get it. You just gotta make sure that you show off the skills and prove its valuable. Aiden swallowed. How do we know were on the right track? the brother of the twins asked. Itll tell you, Graxan said. As soon as the trial begins, its gonna start offering you voluntary quests. Once you finish one, its gonna give you rewards dependin on your distinction. If you get a quest to heal animals and you heal a hundred, youre gonna get better rewards than someone who heals one. And if you get those higher rewards, youre on track for gettin a subclass. The twins nodded, and the sister said, Thank you. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Anyone else? Graxan asked. Mr. Smirk skipped the subclass as if it was guaranteed and spoke confidently when he asked, Whats a legacy? Graxan chuckled at his brazen attitude. Nothin you gotta worry about, kid. Legacies are given out by individual gods and you gotta do somethin truly absurd to get their attention. But if you do get a legacy quest, you should take it unless its guaranteed to kill you. Hell, you should take it even if it does. If you get one, youll unlock a sea of unique skills and resources. Its like inheriting the research and belongings of a famous scientist on their deathbed. But get that fancy shit outta your head and worry about a subclass. Only a dozen every wave gets a subclass. So Id focus on that. Mr. Smirk raised his eyebrows as if to say, Oh, really? Aiden didnt like that man. Not at all. He took one glance at the twins and then at Graxan, who panned their gazes before asking. Anythin else? No one said anything. Good. Then lets go. 3. I sat in front of the water sack plant for around ten minutes, praying that monsters wouldnt come barreling through the forest to kill me. I had put away my useless-for-even-cutting-plants knife while I thought, afraid that some beast would see me as a threat instead of a creature drinking. To be clear, the only reason I was hanging around a location where animals were prone to drink was that the trees had thirty-foot gaps. I probably couldve seen a mile and couldve seen 49 more if it wasnt uphill. Still, I was cautious. I put my jacket back on even though I was sweltering. The night would be cold, so I was lucky to still have it. Whats the quest again? I whispered, hugging my knees as I read it for the fourth time. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new Legacy Quest Legacy Quest: Get Your Stuff Back Quest Summary: Your knee-jerk decisions have landed you in the pits of hell, and the Trial of Worth certainly isnt helping. Now, you are in a dangerous location without any survival equipment and a class thatsjust as Ive warned youpractically useless for The Path in the short run. But rejoicethe Guide has recognized your desire for revenge and has offered you a path to salvation. Value: Obtain the means for survival. Requirement(s):
  1. Obtain your survival equipment
  2. Survive
  3. Complete the quest within 24 hours
Rewards:
  1. An Epic Soul Weapon
  2. Temporary Shelter
  3. A Six-Month Barrier That Prevents Beasts Third Evolution or Higher From Entering Your Location
  4. Quest Reward
- Its pretty much telling me Im screwed, I thought, gripping my knees. Kline walked up to me, and I let him in my lap. What do you think, Kline? I asked. He meowed. Thanks. I hugged him. Its not like we have a choice. The value was obtaining the means for survival and provided an ostensibly powerful weapon. Most importantly, there was a barrier that prevented what I imagined to be particularly dangerous beasts from coming to my location. It was clear that this quest was the key to survivingand I wanted to survive. I grabbed the clear bulb and squeezed it shut. It felt like plastic, and it was difficult to twist with the water inside and harder to knot. But I made due because I needed that water. I was certain of it. Then, I pulled out my knife and flicked it open. The symphony bugs reacted, changing their dreamy melody to a fast-paced rhythm as if they could feel my killing intent. That was ominous, but it increased my adrenaline as I grabbed the clear bulb, which felt thick and firm like plastic, and pulled it shut with my left hand. Then, closed off with the water inside, I swung the knife like a machete, prepared to hack and slash, but instead, I fell when it sliced right through. My head felt dizzy from the fall, and the symphony bugs didnt make things better. Their musical tune turned dark and ominous, telling me that they were communicating the event to other animals. Kline yowled in distress, nudging me. I got the message, got up, and made sure that the bag still had all the water inside. Thats when I heard the roar. It was unlike anything I had heard before. Guttural and alienit echoed in on itself. It was as if it growled through a mouth as long as a storm drain. Oh, hell no! I thought. I immediately looked at the Map, searching for the mushroom. Thankfully, it was way away from there, so I got up and ran. I started by following dirt, but I didnt have time. A colossal beast the size of a double-decker bus barreled through the forest, roaring with an anteater snout and black fur that looked as distinctive as volcanic glass. It was moving towards usfast. I suddenly lost my fear of poison and ran as fast and blindly as I could, looking for an area with dense trees. I found one. It was a few hundred yards out, and the beast was about a half mile away but gaining on me. I had to make it. My sock slammed onto ground cover, my arms ran into bushes, my ankles rolled when I stumbled over rocks. I didnt stop for anything, and I never looked back. Then I saw it. A thicket that was dark and penetrating with shade, a consequence of the trees being only five feet apart. If I got there, Id be safe from the bus. The beast roared and slammed into a tree, ratting the earth with a boom. My heart reacted, pumping me with adrenaline and pushing me forward the last bit. Suddenly, the sun disappeared as I entered the thicket, relieved that I was safe. I was wrong. Nope. I had only run for five seconds before the beast charged in head first, sending trees crashing down around me. I was certain I wouldve gotten hit if there werent so many trees blocking the path. The destruction was thunderous, and the beast didnt stop. It mustve been the spirit guardian life force super protector of the water sack plant or something because it was howling like a mother that lost their child as it crashed blindly through the forest. Suddenly, I heard a tree crashing, and Kline screeched, jumping to the right. I followed him just in time for a tree to crash down where I was standing. It hit two other trees on the way down, creating a rain of sticks that hit me in the head. I kept running without concern after that, which was a good and bad thing. Two minutes after entering the forest, I saw neon blue moss growing high on a tree. It looked very unnatural or perhaps dangerous. It was only a glance, but it was enough to mess me up. I ran right into a sharp bush that sent spines into my neck. I screamed and pulled back, finding that the bush was as clear as ice, glistening like spider webs under morning light. What the hell is Kline howled at me, followed by the sound of more trees quaking behind us. Coming! I sprinted with him, following his pathtrusting in his ears, nose, and animal instinct. There were twenty minutes before I reached the Treskirita, the fungi that would complete my preparations to face off against the Wandering Reapersomehow. It was a race against the clockbut I didnt slow down. I kept running, running until my foot was bleeding from jagged rocks and ground cover, running until my throat was raw, and my neck, chest, and arms were itchy from the bush that had stabbed me and then pushed on. I was going to live, goddamn it! Chapter 7: Poisoned The sound of crashing trees became distant as I ran, but I barely recognized it. I just kept going until I thought my legs would give out, and then I took a deep breath. Please, I thought, slowing a little to open the water sack in my hand. You can heal me, right? My hands were shaky, so I took the risk to stop completely as I opened up the bag. Then I drank. Words cannot explain what it was like to drink water from the Diktyo River. It felt like drinking menthol, followed by the feeling spreading to my limbs as if it skipped my throat and went straight into my bloodstream. The cuts on my feet disappeared, and the barb marks on my neck faded. My aches disappeared, and energy flooded into my body. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, feeling whole. I could do this. I could live. --- Getting to the marker for the Treskirita was easyfinding it was another question. Okay, if youre a normal person, youve probably got dragged into a six-hour hike with your foresty friend at least once. When that happened, you probably spent the whole time sweating, hating your life, looking around at the plants as if they were all the same. Heres a green one, that ones yellow, this ones bigthis ones small. Theres nothing unique about it. But if youre a mycologist who studies mushrooms, you can sit down beside a dead log and find twenty different types of fungi growing on it. Tooth fungus, jelly fungus, shelf fungusits estimated that there are millions of fungi on Earth, with only around 120,000 species formally described. Mushrooms are everywhere. Lining the trees, growing on logs, covering leaves. So when I got to the general area that the Treskirita miranita mushroom was in, I got four pop-ups every time I broadly asked what something was. In addition to moss and trees the fungus was on, there were rows of things I couldnt even see. Stonecap Fungus. Thronshroom. Sporecloud Puffball. Luminara Cap. There was an endless sea of beautiful plants and fungi that I wanted to explore and research. But I couldnt research them, so the options just became a menace. It only got better when I focused on something specifically and asked in my thoughts. Wait Lithco, what does the Treskirita look like? I whispered. To my surprise, it pulled up a screen this timeprobably since it was part of my Information Request. The screen read: --- Common Name: Treskirita Type: Soul Eater, Fungi Summary: Sometimes, the best way to deal with soul plants trying to kill you is to find soul-eating mushrooms that will kill them. Enter Treskirita. Nicknamed the Soul Strangler, this parasitic fungus has Rhizoctonias love and Ted Bundys embrace. If you dont know what this thing doesyou shouldve chosen another class that you couldnt mess up, like cobblestone cleaner or something. Oh, and its an LBM. So good luck finding it. Species: Treskirita miranita Description: Fruits tiny brown mushrooms. You can find them near slias ferns and trelsa bushes. See complete list by thinking about it. Key Facts:
  1. Acts as a parasite by sucking the soul from soul plants.
  2. Spread through both spores, mycelium and sclerotia.
  3. It feeds like root rot fungi, but its more direct. Mycelium hyphae directly penetrate plant roots like threading a needle and then coils, using tiny barbs to cling to the plant like barbed velcro. Then it sucks the soul from the body by killing the host while making itself into a vessel.
  4. The more souls it steals, the larger the body becomes.
  5. It is usually found near soul-rich environments.
  6. It can grow quickly, spreading as fast as 100 feet a week on a soul substrate.
  7. Once it establishes a body, it can move omnidirectionally.
Substrates: Weaknesses:
  1. Prolonged exposure to air.
  2. Sharp objects.
  3. Fire.
  4. Salt.
Warning: The mycelium is poisonous, and its microscopic barbs will cling to your throat and organs, leading to internal bleeding and potentially death. It will feed on your soul if properly inoculated. Information Request Note: The water sack plant in your inventory is extraordinarily resilient. The barbs cannot break it. - After reading the description, I didnt know whether to be relieved or scream. I knew what the request was asking for from the beginningbut the information request clarification made it clearer. The Oracle wanted me to produce a mycopesticide by creating a slurrya mixture of treskirita and waterand then inoculate the wandering reaper with it. That only made sense, considering that I was given water, a bag, mycelium, and an information request note telling me that it would be safe to put the mycelium into the bag. Inoculation was clearly the point. But maybe not. Inoculating the wandering reaper would kill it, but it would take two and a half months to reach the main bodyand it would take days for the mycelium to get large enough to even tickle the tendrils. That was impossible. Still, the quest didnt say that I needed to kill the reaperonly that I needed to get my stuff back. That meant that it was technically possible to just use the treskirita as a deterrent, like warding it off by masking myself with the scent of their natural enemy. I say technically because this was a tactic for bugs and animalsnot plants! Plants couldnt smell spores, so I couldnt just walk around using mushrooms like maracas, doing a classical dance to ward away bad spirits. Or maybe I could. Plants here had souls. One could probably do advanced physics for all I knew. I laughed at the thought but then decided to ask. Hey Lithco, I said. How sensitive is the wandering reaper to the presence of treskirita miranita? --- You have 15 Information Requests. Would you like to use one? Warning: The Trial of Worth determines the subclass options neophytes get when following The Path. Using Information Requests to determine the nature of voluntary quests can showcase incompetency or ignorance, potentially removing subclass options you would excel in. Its recommended that you only use Information Requests if they showcase your understanding of the quest. Would you still like to use a request following the solution to this problem? --- Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Seriously? The entire left half of my face twitched. Seriously? So Im going to get punished for asking you to clarify your instructions? Gah! I kicked a stick and sat on a log that was relatively free of moss and fungi. Then I looked at the treskirita information. It grew near slias ferns and trelsa bushes. So I asked: Whats a slias fern look like? A new pop-up arrivedthis one far worse. --- Skill Identify (Plants: Advanced) cannot fulfill your request. Please upgrade the skill or buy books from the Library that include images of ferns. Note: You are in a dangerous location. Survival Mode has restricted access to the Library. --- I almost threw a fit but kept my cool to prevent attracting beasts. Does the treskirita have an image? I asked. A new notification answered me: --- Skill Identify (Fungi: Advanced) cannot fulfill your request. Please upgrade the skill or buy books from the Library that include images of fungi. --- Great. Then Ill just start looking. I laughed venomously and scanned the area with a gnarled smile. LBMs meant little brown mushrooms. On Earth, LBMs were famous because there were thousands of types in any given forestand they were nearly all poisonous to eat. I crouched and found a little brown mushroomwhich was easy, considering theyre everywhere you look!and turned to Kline. I need unique mushrooms that look like this I stood and went over to a nearby fern. Theyll be near plants like these I pointed at a bush. Or bushes. Can you help? Kline huffed as if I were patronizing him and then sauntered off, determined to find one before I even moved. I chuckled and sighed, putting the bag of water into my jackets pocket and scratching my neck. Then I set to work. It was going to be a long grind. --- Saying it would be a long grind was an understatement. If this were a death game where someone had two hours to find the solution or diewed be dead. In fact, I was surprised we werent eaten, considering how much time we spent in one location. We spent an hour in the center of four trees and identified over 50 species. Then, we moved one tree overand were in an area just as large as the first. Now we were in a third, and all the different types of mushrooms were blending together. The only reason I could keep focused was because the identify made it simple to accurately identify fungi. It was brutal. But it was also engrossing. I loved this type of work. If it werent for the fact that my neck was so damn itchy, I probably wouldnt have noticed how much time had passed. Ugh what is with this? I itched my neck and felt a trickle moving down from the area. It felt like sweatuntil I looked down and saw my fingers were crimson. I stared at my fingers for a good moment, nodding my head, confirming what I was seeingand then I let out a suppressed scream. I did well, given the circumstances. If I were in the Rockies, I wouldve scared hikers for miles with the scream I wanted to releasebut I couldnt. Instead, I stumbled backward and fumbled with the water in my jacket, forcing myself to breathe before opening it. Then, I drank the water and felt the skin mending. The itching disappeared, and all the small scrapes I had developed over the last two hours magically healed. Kline yowled. He was looking at me with terrified eyes. Come here little buddy. He jumped into my lap, and I poured a small amount of the water onto my clean hand and let him lick it up. He did so greedily, and relief washed over his face. Yeah, its the best, isnt it? I asked. Kline purred. I smiled and took a deep breath. What was that? Its from the plant I ran into, right? --- Name: Wisteris (Bristara follica) Poisoning Type: Fern Poisoning Summary: As proof that fate wants you dead, youve somehow run into the only poison in a five mile radius the Diktyo Rivers water cant cure. Wisteris is a tall fern that sprouts under trees and then injects bioluminescent pigments into the trunk. Over time, it spreads to moss, turning it bright blue. This distracts prey so it doesnt see the clear branches that spread its spores. Westeris is nicknamed the Newborn Killer because animals teach their young to avoid bright colors above them. But newborns who find it before anyone can warn them, like you, fall for ithook, line, and sinker. But dont worry, that blood on your fingers isnt necrosisits just from constant itching, you idiot. Species: Bristara follica Key Facts:
  1. Wisteris is a fern that spreads its spores through its barbsalong with deadly toxins.
  2. The toxins usually kill their hosts within six hours, and the spores use the hosts body as a source of nitrates and nutrients.
  3. This wisteris has reached the Third Evolution and, therefore, has injected you with toxins that water from the Diktyo River cannot immediately cleanse.
Symptoms (estimated using your current makeup):
  1. Stage I: Itchiness near the spores within the first two hours.
  2. Stage II: The body turns sluggish and feverish during hours three and four.
  3. Stage III: Paralysis, delirium, and death during the remaining two hours.
Cure ingredients: Available nearby. Cure skill requirements: First-Tier Alchemy Important: The cure requires alchemical knowledge to make. It is therefore recommended that you complete the Legacy Mission Get Your Stuff Back instead of searching for a cure. --- O-Oh hell no, I stammered, eyes wide. Fuck your subclass options and tell me two things. First! I want the fastest safest path to the wandering reaper. Second! Tell me where this goddamn mushroom is! It was a race against the clock to finish this quest. So when it asked me if I wanted to use two Information Requests, I said yes!
Aiden wasn''t fighting for his life. He enjoyed a nice relaxing train ride to the Areswood forest. He had a window seat, which was great, considering that he didnt like talking to people. Or, rather, he was bad at talking to people. His conversations usually lasted a total of 30 seconds before he didnt know what to say, and then he silently chastised himself for not having anything to say, and then things got so awkward that people just said, Um, goodbye, and left, assuming they said anything at all. It was so bad that the religious missionary beside him gave up trying to convert him and let him stare out the window. Thats why he worked with animals. He wasnt shy around them, and they didnt judge him. They quickly became friends, and their relationships thrived. The same wasnt true of the chatting people around him. They were concerned, angry, vindictive, awful, and dangerous. He would watch out during their Trial of Worth. It took an hour to get to their location, and the trains surreal speed turned the rolling landscape a distant blur of purples, whites, and greens. Their destination was supposed to be a conservatory, but it looked like the gates of hell. It was curved and blocked off with a 50-foot wall tattooed with colossal magic circles and topped Victorian-era spikes. What the hell is this? a woman asked as we reached a checkpoint guarded by soldiers. Relax, Graxan said. This curved walls known as a Ring and theres seven of em here. The first one makes up the Restam Conservatory, whichs opened to the public. Aside from the helpers, youre only gonna see animals and peaceful spirit beasts. That isnt to say that some of the animals arent dangerous, but youre not gonna find serious threats in the conservatory. That didnt inspire confidence. What is a spirit beast? Aiden asked. The others turned to Graxan for an answer. Beasts have mana cores, Graxan said. That allows em to use magic and grow in size. Some get pretty big, but once again youre not gonna see those. Theres two more Rings in our domain, and thoseer blocked off by walls like this. So you dont have to worry about them. You said that there were seven rings, the woman pressed. Yeah, theres seven, but you only gotta worry about three. Everything around us is the First Domain and only beings Second Evolution or lower can be here without gettin slapped with a curse that restrains their power. Thats what prevents the strong from enslavin the weak, and almost everythin in the Fourth Rings gonna get slapped hard by a curse. Mr. Smirk, who Aiden would later know as Everen Heath, laughed and said what was on everyones mind. If they arent dangerous, why do you have seven walls separating us? The bus let out a collective groan as people watched waves of soldiers as the train continued forward, moving into the conservatory. The first three prevent the biggins from gettin out, Graxan said. The fourth prevents people from gettin in. 2. The Information Request took me right to the location of the treskirita, and thank God! Haha! Because it was one hundred feet away, and the mushrooms looked exactly like another two dozen, I had started ignoring. It wouldve taken me a week to find them! Im not sure I had ever been so furious. Still, the information request took me right to it, and thats what I needed. It was already afternoon, and there was still a serious hike back to the wandering reaper since I needed to go around the river, and I was literally dying. So I dug for the mycelium under the ground and found it. Oh, yes, I found it. And when I did, my hatred of Areswood Forest multiplied tenfold. Chapter 8: Soul Strangler Okay, so fun factmushrooms move. Its a thing. Just kidding, they absolutely dont move! Unlike plants that grow downward, myceliumthe body of the mushroom underneath the groundgrows omnidirectionally, allowing it to move up or over in complex networks. Its an amazing skill that allows parasitic fungi like Rhizoctoniaknown for causing root rotto find plants to strangle for nutrients. Thats why when I read, Once it establishes a body, it can move omnidirectionally, I said, yeah, thats an irrelevant detail. It wasnt. This thing didnt grow omnidirectionallyit actually moved omnidirectionally. As soon as I dug up enough of the ground to expose a thin strand of white myceliumit shot away from me. I was pissed. Absolutely pissed. This thing ran away from me! That wasnt supposed to be possible. And since I was desperate and time was running out before I, you know, became paralyzed and died, I freaked out, stabbing at the ground with my knife, shoveling the dirt left and right like I was rowing a boat. So there I was, angry, flinging dirt every which way, listening to Kline yowl as he jumped back and forth to avoid rocks and clumps when I suddenly reached the myceliums bodyand all hell broke loose. The entire ground moved and shook. Dust flew out of the hole I was digging, and for a brief second, I saw a white spot as thick as a drumstick moving under the ground like a worm. Nothing about that was right! Mycelium was thin! How thin? Sometimes microscopic! Sometimes, it grows in thick mats, creating the illusion that its thick, but its not. But this thing was solid and moving! Oh, hell no! W-What the hell is that thi Suddenly, a golden object flew past me with a battle cry. I blinked and saw a snapshot of Kline with rabid eyes, lifting both of his claws in the air. Wait! I tried to yell. But I only got halfway through before Kline slashed down with his phantom claws. Magic flew out of his paws like wind, and the dirt exploded, blooming around us like a sandstorm. I flew backward, nearly dropping my knife as I heard Kline hissing and growling, wrangling with something. Kline! I yelled. Dont eat that! But it was too late. Kline jumped out of the dirt with a torn chunk of mycelium in his mouth. He was proud, but I was panicked. Dont swallow that! Kline panicked and tried to spit it out, but it was stuck to his tongue. I grimaced when I thought back to what the Identify screen said: Mycelium hyphae directly penetrate plant roots like threading a needle and then coils up it, using tiny barbs to cling to the plant like barbed velcro. Oh, come here, I said, pulling out the water. Im gonna release it. But dont swallow, okay? Kline looked up at me with blubbery, panicked eyes. You poor thing. Hold still. I opened up the water and then pried Klines mouth open. He moved and gnawed, making me click my tongue. Hold still! I said. He trembled as I awkwardly used my hand and forearm to lift the bag and pour some into his mouth. Once it touched his tongue, it healed it, pushing out the barbs and releasing the mycelium. Kline spat it out along with the water and howled a battle cry, pressing around the mycelium and pawing at it like a soccer ball. Then he looked up with eyes that said, I killed it, Mom! and waited for his reward. Rinse your mouth out again and then Ill pet you, I said. This time, he complied, rinsing out his mouth and spitting it out. You really can understand me, cant you? Kline meowed. I felt it was a yesand that was strange. Ever since we showed up, he followed my words carefully. It wasnt a coincidence. Alright, have a drink. He did and sighed in relief. Then I took one of my own, relieving the itchiness on my neck. Only then did I put away the water and pet him. You did good. He purred and rubbed against my legs. I smiled, but it turned wry when I looked at the wiggling mycelium in front of me. It was time to make a slurry. 2. While Mira turned a mushroom into a weapon, Aiden lined up outside of the Restam Conservatory Headquarters. It was a large building with a visitor center and gift shop inside, in addition to large buildings for barracks and a massive kitchen. Most importantly, it had cooling magic working like AC. It was wonderfulbut the group only got a brief tour before they found themselves lined up outside, sweating like pigs in the summer heat, staring down a massive expanse of trees to their right and a wide range of grasslands ahead of them. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A stern woman stood out front. She was the type that was attractive but had a poise and forceful demeanor that made men back away. She wore a ponytail. My name is Alitalia Silviai, she said. Im terrible with peoplethats why I work with animals. Any questions? A few of the men chuckled but quieted down when she sent them glares. They quieted down. No? Then lets get started. Restam Conservatory. Just down the way is Restam, a town that tailors to alchemists and beast tamers. Thats because the Areswood Forest is filled with animals and alchemic ingredients. Normally youve be fightin each other, but you got this place to yourself for the week, so consider yourselves lucky. Aiden suddenly didnt feel lucky. He hated conflict. The Trial of Worth is individually focused and the workshops are voluntary, she continued. So youre free to come and go as you please. That said, if you dont participate in the trial at all, you will be forcefully reassigned to a peaceful class. If youre not okay riskin your life, I suggest you switch to a Peaceful Class before the trial starts so you can get the job you want. The obnoxious woman from the train turned to Graxan. I thought you said they werent dangerous! Alitalia snorted. Is working with animals safe to you? The woman paused, and the crowd fell still. How many of you have actually worked with animals before, Alitalia asked. Big ones. Not your pets. Aiden raised his handso did the siblings. Someone who looked like a farmer and presumably his wife did, too. Only ten others raised their hands, and Aiden couldnt see them over the crowd. Alitalia looked at Aiden with narrowed eyes and then swept the crowd. Then she rubbed her tear duct with her middle finger and exhaled dramatically. What did you guys do? she asked the farmers. Aiden was spot on: We worked on a farm, the husband said. Were there big herbivores? Yeah, most of em. Were they dangerous? The couple laughed. Oh, yeah, the wife said with a country accent. They dangerous alright. The group grimaced. What about you two? Alitalia asked the twins. He clammed up, looking around with all eyes on him. Our moms a veterinarian. She works with horses, but she works with other big animals, too. Are injured animals safe? The sister shook her head. No. More grim whispers spread through the crowd. Alitalia looked at Aiden. What about you? I worked at a zoo, he said. I worked with all the animals. But mostly big cats and otters. A dozen people snorted in laughter at the mention of otters, making Aiden flush with embarrassment. Alatalia didnt laugh, she appraised him and moved on. Well, theres at least one of you that knows what theyre in for. For the rest, Ill say this: beast tamers learn to speak to animalsthe rest get eaten. You might be able to tame a pet or something. Eke out a living. But if youre gonna be a beast tamer, youre gonna have to meet some big animals. The air became thick, like a membrane bearing down on the group. Many started looking toward the promised town, others held hands with their partners. A few kids cried. Aiden didnt move. He was stunned by her verbiage. Speak to animals. Meet animals. This was inherently different from what things were like on Earth. There was magic here, so did that mean that he could actually speak to animals? The Oracle translated peoples speech in real time, and created minor illusions for people speaking. It allows him to speak to anyone with any language without barrier. Could it do that for animals as well? He almost hoped not. He loved animals because they werent people, so feared what would happen if animals were just like everyone else. Now that you know this isnt a joke, lets keep this simple. Alitalia whistled, and a gigantic bird twice the size of an eagle flew across the sky, diving at them. People screamed and ducked, but Alitalia stood still and reached up as the bird dropped something into her hand. It wasnt a ballit was cute and fluffy, like a bunny mixed with a squirrel. Aiden stopped covering his head and looked up, entranced by the creature that was scurrying around her body. It stuck to wherever it touched, allowing it to move up her arm, around her back, and then climb onto her right shoulder. As a beast tamer, you can work with beasts and have them work together. You can build trust. You can borrow their eyes and take over their bodies if they consent. The level of power youll obtain is up to your prowess and willingness to interact with them. Now settle in. Ill trigger your trial tomorrow morning. 3. Im not sure what I imagined Id be doing once I got dropped off in this isolated forest, but I certainly didnt think that Id be bashing mycelium with a rock like a monkey trying to crack a coconutbut thats what I was doing. I was pounding the ultra-tough mycelium like a pancake. I itched my neck. Alright, hit it again. Kline walked up and sliced it with his claws. Then I dripped some water on it. I felt rather bad keeping the mycelium alive when it was visibly wiggling, but I could literally chop the thing into a million pieces, and all of them would be equally alive. So I tried not to think about it as I pounded and slashed it. I took a deep breath once it was mashed up. Then I itched with a passion before opening up the water and drinking some. Then I offered some to Kline. Drink up, I said. Thiss all were gonna get. I doubt well ever be let back near that river again. Kline smiled wryly and lapped up the water. Things were getting serious, and it made us both nervous. Chapter 9: The Return Heres the deal. If you take a spoonful of store-bought plain yogurt, put it into a jar, fill the rest with milk, put it in a cooler of hot waterand go to sleepthe next morning, youll have a new jar of yogurt. Thats all it takes. Yogurt is bacteriaand bacteria grow if theres food. The same is true of mycelium. You shred it into thousands of little pieces, mix it into sterilized water, and you get whats known as a slurry. Then, you add it onto a sterile substrateusually a type of wood or grainand each one of those pieces of shredded mycelium starts growing and connecting. Thats what I was supposed to do to complete this quest. I was certain of it. The Trial of Worth wanted me to prove that I was worth my class by using plants and mushrooms to fight back. To do that, it gave me a bag of perfectly sterile water, a bag, and a massive parasitic fungus that killed wandering reapers. Using that knowledge, I knew for a fact that I could create a slurry and inoculate the reaper, killing it. That was a showcase of my skills. It made sense, but it was nerve-wracking. Making a slurry meant giving up the water that kept me alive, and I didnt want to do that. Before you get some funny strategies on how to maximize my time with the water, like sprinkling water on the mycelium to keep it alive, lets make something clear. It was hot out, and air killed the mycelium. Id have a better chance sprinkling water on a dying fish in the summer heat. Diktyo River water was special, sure. But I didnt know how special it was. It could be that it was keeping the mycelium alive. Or, it could just be that the mycelium could last a few hours above air. It wasnt clear unless I wanted to use a fourth information request to figure out that detail. Here was what I did know:
  1. I needed a cure for Wisteris poisoning, and the Guide said that it required skills I didnt have and recommended that I complete the quest.
  2. There was an unknown Quest Reward for completing the quest.
  3. I needed my equipment to survive.
  4. If I got my equipment back in 24 hours, Id gain a magical barrier and a weapon.
  5. The Guide was helping me get my stuff back.
  6. The Guide sent me to a fungus that strangles the roots of the wandering reaper.
  7. It provided me with everything I needed to make a slurry, ruling out a dried mycopesticide.
  8. The fungus dies under prolonged exposure to air.
  9. It was under prolonged exposure to air for the last hour.
  10. Sprinkling water on it probably wasnt an optionand this was my only shot.
No matter how I looked at this, I needed to complete the quest and that required the slurry. So I took a deep breath, took another drink, gave some to Kline, and then added shredded treskirita into the water. Then I knotted it, sloshed it around vigorously, untied it, pushed out the air, knotted it again, and put it in my jackets pocket. It was time to complete this quest. I looked at my map. Due to my third information request it told me a safe path to the wandering reaper. It was twice as long, but itd take me there safely, and I wouldnt get stuck. If I got injured and couldnt walk againit was game over. You ready? I asked Kline. He meowed. Okay, lets go. We set off with a brisk pace, determined to get my stuff back. Our lives depended upon it. That enthusiasm didnt last long. We barely made it thirty minutes before the water wore off, and my jacket turned into a sweat-dumping death trap. It didnt help that I was going uphill this time. I didnt think about the direction when I was running from the reapers, but now that I had a location in mind, it felt like a hikea steep one. Combined with the constant itching on my neck, I was doing everything in my power not to resort to histrionic melodrama, stumbling around panting and heaving as I used random trees to hold myself up. That was in the first hourI hiked for two. Did I remind you in the last five minutes that I didnt have a boot? I was stepping around ground cover, trying to hop from rock to rock, but my callus-free feet kept stubbing themselves on everything. It was the pits. Still, I trudged on, ignoring my rumbling stomach, identifying berry bushes to find sustenance, weaving between brush and thicket, hopping over rocks, listening to birds and bugs, feeling like things were too easy and the forest might actually be safe. Then, I learned just how valuable the Guide was. It happened when I saw a near 90-degree curve on the mapdespite seeing a perfectly good path in front of me. It was eerie, as if I were in a car, and Google Maps told me to veer right off a clear highway and into an empty field. Kline didnt see it. I think he could see the map, but he relied more on his natural senses and instinctswhich failed him. I immediately grabbed him and pulled back. When I looked up again, I realized that the brown bark on the tree was actually a dense layer of bugs. They were dead silent and didnt move. But once we got close, one buzzed off the treeand then they exploded in all directions like a puffball mushroom releasing spores. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. I immediately panicked and started running with Kline in my arms, getting followed by hundreds of them. They were slow and didnt seem like they were trying to attack me. They just swarmed around the area, searing for stimuli. Suddenly, my map shifted, forcing me to turn into this shady red location. A pop-up followed. --- The danger levels have changed. The map has been updated. Warning: You are entering an area with poisonous plants. Please follow the path closely and watch your steps. --- I listened, jumping into the areamoving over the dirt with Kline. Suddenly, there was a sharp horizontal horseshoe where the map was definitely telling me that there was something in the path. I turned sharply, running left and around this innocuous looking clearing and then kept running. Suddenly, the swarming bugs started screaming. I stopped and turned for a split second. The bugs flew into something similar to a webbut it wasnt a web. It was a translucent sheet that looked like cling wrap with dozens of bugs bunched into it. Then, something terrifying happened. There was a stick on the top of the sheet, and when it dropped, the sheet folded in half and droppedright into the mouth of a Venus flytrap-type plant. Simply by thinking, What is that? I got the popup. --- Name: Gluttonys Guillotine Summary: What do you get when you mix cling wrap, a guillotine, and a Venus flytrap together? A reason to follow your map! Ha ha. Im so funny. Seriously, you should keep running and review this later. --- My eyes widened when I saw more bugs coming from the distance. I turned and ran, weaving between brush and ground cover. The map kept shifting, and I followed it cautiously, keeping Kline in my arms and trusting in the Guide for the first time. I eventually lost the bugs and relaxed. In fact, I almost made it back to the original path until there was a ten-yard patch of pink and purple flowers that I couldnt avoid stepping on. I identified the alien patch of plants and grimaced. --- Name: Faux Seliax Summary: In case youre wondering if thats poisonousyes. It is poisonous. Mimicking the appearance of the pink and purple seliax flower, this succulent lures beasts to enjoy the plants famous nectaronly to poison them and use the body as fertilizer. But dont worry, its not lethal unless you eat itbut prepare for one hell of a rash. Its advised to limit contact. Trust me, a little will be uncomfortable, but it can get a lot worse. --- Its poisonous, I said to Kline, skimming through the rest of the information. Kline meowed and strutted up to it. I said it was poison Kline swiped his paw, and his blades cut through the patch, exploding in a rain of pink and purple. I keep forgetting youre a god amongst cats, I said. He turned, meowed, and then set to work clearing the plants like a farmer reaping grain with a scythe. I followed behind, using a stick to brush away plants like a broom. Once it was complete, I picked up Kline and started walking horizontally, using my right boot to push plant matter out of the way as I carefully tip-toed with my right foot. One foot step after the other, I made it throughgetting through with only a few scratches. Yeah, it poked me. But lookI made it thirty feet through animal-destroying plants with only a few scratches. I did great! That didnt change how bad it sucked. It instantly started itching as bad as my neck. I wonder if I can use some of this I looked at the treskirita slurry, thinking back to how I used the water to release the barbs stuck to Klines mouth. It worked, so wasnt it possible to use it as a topical ointment? I wasnt sure, and the Guide wouldnt give me more information on Faux Seliax poisoning other than plants that could heal itplants it wouldnt give me a description about. I was screwed. That said, slurries were designed to inoculate the mycelium on a substrateand I was this fungis food! I had a soul. So, purifying or not, I doubt it would help me. It was likely had to keep the slurry away from wounds at all costs. I chose not to do it, limping on, trying to avoid the discomfort. It was only about a mile left until I reached reaper territory, outlined in an ominous red circleI could make it. --- The sun was setting as I got to the reapers network. Sunlight cast an ambient glow on the colorful foliage and ground cover everywhere, and the symphony bugs created a lulling melody. It would be dark soonand the darkness would bring cold and death. A chime went off in my head. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has completed a hidden mission for Mandatory Quest: Trial of Worth. Hidden Mission: Confront Your Trauma Summary: A huge part of surviving is learning when you should give upwhich is never. The moment you get your ass handed to you, make sure to return to the scene of the crime just to prove that youre a strong, independent woman who can face their fears and overcome themeven if that fear is Jack the Ripper. Value: There is nothing that leaves people more undefended than trauma. Face your fears so you can rise up and grow. Requirement(s):
  1. Return to the wandering reaper.
Reward(s):
  1. Quest Reward
--- I found it interesting how the value of the quest was extremely reasonable, but Lithcos interpretationthe one tailored to mewas callous and pessimistic. I wonder how I would feel about reading the value without the summary. Id probably be extremely critical of it. Perhaps thats what the Oracle meant when she said that Lithco would validate my beliefs and contradict them. Whatever it was, it worked. It eased my mind. Cruel, irrational world or not, this was my new lifeand taking time to complain about it would get me killed. It was adapt or dieand I wanted to live. So, I read through the notification and willed it away. Then, I got another notification. Chapter 10: Confronting the Reapers I stared at the notification thoughtfully. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 16 to Level 17. Youve leveled up! --- I got another I whispered. Information requests were critical for my survival. Still, I made up for the three I had used to find the key to solving the quest, finding the Treskirita, and creating the safest path to completing the request. But theres only two things a slurrys good for, and I dont wanna lose skills or whatever, I pondered aloud. I was warned that if I used Information Requests for unnecessary things, Id get less valuable subclasses. I didnt know what a subclass was, but I needed everything I could get to survive. If it were unclear, thatd be one thing. Id prioritize my life. But I couldnt imagine what it would tell me that I didnt already know. I closed my eyes and went through the situation carefully. I had a slurry, which was used to inoculate a substrate with mycelium. Simply pouring this slurry into wandering reaper territory could kill the creature in a couple of months. It was a weaponjust a slow one. There was another way that mycelium could be used to ward off creatures. Scent. I already mentioned this, but Ill elaborate. Fungi can be used as a deterrent by its scent. The best example is Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the fungus that the makers of the game and TV show The Last of Us made extreme leaps to turn into a zombie creator. Cordyceps infect carpenter ants, taking control of their brain and brainwashing them into returning to their colonies, where they explode with spores to infect the others. Its lethalbut the ants know about it. So if they smell it near an areathey stay away. Thats why you can mix the spores into water and soak wood in it to create wood that carpenter ants wont get near. That was my solution. That said, it also came with a warning. If the carpenter ants found an infected ant, they killed it and dragged it far away from the colony to die. Things got violent, and I was strangely certain that if I were to dump this slurry onto a sentient being who knew it would kill it, it would panic and start trying to destroy the source: me. This was all speculationand that was the problem. I didnt know if these plants could smell anything, and I didnt know if they would attack me if I inoculated them with the slurry. The only way to know was to do some tests. So I sat down at a rock and pulled out the slurry. Come over here, I said to Kline. Kline looked at me warily. Its okay. Its just like insect repellent. Itll be fine as long as youre not cut up anywhere. He walked up warrily, moving back and forth, looking at the aloe-looking water hesitantly before lying down next to me. Good guy, I said. He purred in delight as I petted him. Then I checked him for scratches and wounds before putting the slurry on my fingers and petting his legsavoiding his paws. This slurry contained a soul-eating mushroom. Far from healing us, it would probably inoculate us with the fungi and kill us from within. That was a cold fact that I read, so we had to be careful. Once I finished, I itched my neck and feet, grunted, and then stood up, bag openin case I had to pour itand looked toward my stuff. Listen, Kline. Im going to wander in there a little bit to get ones attention. When it comes out, I want you to come after me. If you deter the plantgreat. Well come back and regroup. If you dont, I need your claws to rip me free, okay? Kline meowed, but there was worry in his eyes. You cant pay for love like that. I petted his ears. Itll be okay. I didnt know it would be okay. Neither did he. Thats why he yowled. I ignored him and approached the area on my map that was outlined in red. It was only once I got near it that the true nervousness kicked in. It suddenly hit me like someone jamming a steel rod into a set of cogs. Suddenly, I couldnt breathe. Trauma. Or, probably not even trauma. Just sheer fear of something that I should be afraid of. Whatever it was, it instantly dried out my throat and made my muscles ache. My chest swelled like a balloon, and I had to remind myself to breathe. I probably wouldve locked up if Kline hadnt pawed twice at my ankles to remind me it was okay. Then he meowedand I walked forward. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! --- Twigs sound louder when your lifes on the line. Each sounded like the boom and quake of thunder, making my heart rattle as I walked over dirt where I could clearly see. I checked the ground cover and bushes for signs of rustling. The wandering reaper was deadlybut it was slow. And smart. It didnt react as I walked in. It was luring me in further, making it difficult for me to escape. Or maybe it wasnt even there, but tendrils were coming. It was truly unclear, so after I got a hundred feet in, I waited for about five minutes on a stump, taking sharp breaths, itching my neck and footwatching the sun break over the horizon. It would soon be night, and there was still a half-mile hike through reaper territory to go. I waited there for a while, and nothing happened. That lulled me into a false sense of security, and when I moved, I finally felt something shift under my foot. I pulled back, jumping backward. A tiny tendril cameand then it left, disappearing. Son of a bitch! I wasnt angry that it almost got meI was angry because if it didnt stay up, I couldnt tell if Kline would deter it! I kicked the ground. Fight me! I felt so ridiculous for saying that, but the sunlight was ticking, and I had at least twenty minutes before I got to my bag unless I ran. Otherwise, Id be SOL. I was already in a terrible situation. Suddenly, the wandering reaper decided to call my bluff. A dozen had slowly sprouted around me. They were eerily slow but deadly, and stepping on one would stick me in place. O-Oh, no. No-no-no-no Kline let out a terrific roar and closed the distance. The tendrils panicked long before he got there, but Kline caught up faster, clawing the air and causing the area around my feet to explode. The phantom slash opened up the ground like a ripped cheek exposing teeth, and I could see a huge writhing mass of dozens of tendrils shifting under the ground. I immediately panicked and jumped back into a tree. But I didnt have to worry. As soon as Kline made it to the location, all the tendrils shot underground as quickly as possible. I-I think it worked I said, twisting the water sack shut. Kline meowed. I looked at him with blubbery eyes. Come here. Kline jumped in my arms, and I cradled him for a moment. Then I put him down, opened up the water sack, and put the slurry over my jeans, careful to avoid any scrapes. My neck was burning and itching and almost bleeding, reminding me that I would die soon if I didnt finish this quest, and my foot was hard to step on without wanting to itch all the skin off. I looked at the setting sun. I had twenty minutes to make it half a mile; after that, Id be walking back at night. Come on, I said to Kline. Lets go. Taking a deep breath while Kline was walking behind me, I stepped over the red line and started walking. The reapers were aware of us by that point, so they had poised to strike, building a wall that was impossible to clear. They surrounded us by the hundreds, and more kept sprouting, rustling through grass and rock and ground coveranywhere where we could move. Getting past them shouldve been impossiblebut the slurry worked. Step after step, we walked through the area, reapers parting like the Red Sea, making way for us. Once they parted, they never touched the path we walked on again. It was working. They became docilebut they never left. They were always watching, waiting, looking to strike at a moment''s notice if necessary. Perhaps, like carpenter ants seeing their brethren infected with cordyceps, they were waiting to kill their own tendrils and send them far, far away to protect the body. Perhaps. It wasnt clear. All I knew was that my hearing buzzed like static, my heart felt strained, and my foot hurt. It hurt so damn much and it didnt help that I was stepping over jagged stones that felt like broken glass. At any moment, my weapon, the rest of the slurry in my hand, ready to be inoculated into the land to kill the wandering reaper, could fly out of my hand, sending the reapers into a frenzy. That could happen. Death. I didnt think about it. I just itched my neck a few times and pressed on, watching the sun get lower and lower over the horizon until the forest was bathed with warm colors. Then I saw it. It was twilight when I got to the clearing, and the backpack shone like a star. I imagined that it would be in tatters, ripped apart as the creature went after my beef jerky and meal bars. It wasnt. There was a golden sheen on the bag, perfectly preserved, showcasing a glowing magical circle on the back that turned it into a lamp. I could also see it clearly because the wandering reapers had hoisted it up multiple tendrils and tree branches. Below it was a cobra pit of reapers, as if my backpack was some desperate heroine from a B-rated movie, crucified by savagesbegging to be saved. I didnt know why they did that, but I was guessing they did it to prevent anything from stealing itand I shuddered to think what type of animal could disregard thousands of the wandering reapers. Perhaps that bus-sized creature that was enraged that I cut the water sack plant? Probably. Kline meowed and snapped me out of my reverie. I took a deep breath and took another painful step. And then another. A third. Soon, I was walking back toward the backpack. I needed to do it. I needed to get my survival equipment and complete that quest. If I didnt, I was dead. That was almost a guarantee. The Guide said there was a cure for Wisteris poisoning, and the ingredients were available, but it said that I needed First Tier alchemy skills, which could mean that it was the easiest or hardest. And instead of having me attempt it, it sent me here. This was my only shot. It was now or never. I swallowed hard and started moving toward the backpack, slowlythoughtfully. That concentration only made things worse because rashes itch the most when youre trying to think or sleep. Youre gonna be okay, I whispered. Youre going to get your water bottle and drink and use your cortisone cream. Yeah. Parasite or not, an itch is an itch. Yeah. And theres jerky. Oh, yes, theres jerky. Jack Links and a Luna bar. Ah. I suddenly lurched when I stepped on a twig with my uncovered foot. It shot pain up my leg and made me want to thrash around. Son of a! God. Im going to kill these things Oh yes, Im going to follow The Path just to murder every last. I stopped in the clearing. In front of me was my backpack, hanging like a sacrifice. Below me were dozens of reapers, writhing underneath it like a cobra pit. Kline? I whispered. Kline mewed behind me, letting me know he was there. I nodded. Lets do this. Chapter 11: Showdown Kline and I were going to save our heroine backpack at any costthe question was how. I itched my neck a few times as I studied it. Blood left my fingers. My muscles were starting to ache. I studied on. Here was the set up: the backpack was hoisted about thirty feet up by reapers that had wrapped around a tree trunk and moved up like a corkscrew and onto a limb. They had lifted up the backpack using leverage, dangling it like some lever pulley infographic, and below it was a nest of wandering reapers, each looking like normal plants with white bulbs on them until you saw them moving. The setup ensured that if Kline cut them down with his phantom claws, it would fall right into the pit. Im going to try to ward them off, I said to Kline, looking at the nest of reapers. Once theyre gone, cut the bag. Got it? Kline mewed. I swallowed and moved toward the areaslowly. Theyre deceiving you, my brain told me. They lured you in to ensure that you couldnt run this time. You shouldve inoculated them. Showed them who''s boss. Threw out slurry like Caesar throwing bread in Rome. Its not too late. Theres still time. I ignored my self-doubt and walked up to the writhing mass of reapers, expecting them to strike. They didnt. Just as before, they started ducking underground like falling dominos. Before I knew it, I had walked right through the area and it was free of reapers. Now, I was just stuck there, feeling my heart pulsing and prodding and beating, screaming at me. But I had done it. I turned slowly and saw Kline. There were hundreds of reapers behind him, dotting the land like landmines, but they werent near him or in the path we walked. You ready? Kline meowed confidently. I nodded and moved to the side, limping now from my foot. More reapers moved out of the way. Then I looked at the backpack and gave the signal. Cut it. Kline was ready. An invisible force left a light breeze as it went through the airbut didnt reach the reaper holding it up. He tried again. Stop! I said. Youre gonna run out. Then were screwed. Kline yowled in disappointment. After thinking about it, I thought back to freeing Kline from the dead tendril and how fast it released him, even under the threat of heat. I reached into my pocket, pulled out my trusty green BIC, and looked at the reapers wrapped around the massive tree trunk. Listen, Kline, I said. This could work or it might make them swarm us. If they do, I need you to fight them, okay? Kline meowed worriedly. But stay there for now. I need you to cut the bag if necessary. He meowed again. I moved to the tree, finding the vine responsible. I stared at it like a bomb wire that needed defusing. Then I got close, put my finger on the wheel, and struck it. Chich. Chich. Butane combusted, creating a light heatthen the entire tendril disconnected from the trunk, flailing around, almost catching me on the cheek as I fell onto my but. I held the water sack shut, but some of it fell onto the ground. Then hell broke loose. Reapers started popping out of the holes they escaped from, and Kline howled in the background. A moment later, I heard a thud from my backpack. I scrambled to my feet and rushed at it. The reapers were popping up around it, so I grabbed my bag as fast as I could, but two were already stuck to it. Get off! I yelled, splashing the tendrils with the slurry. They immediately let go and flailed around, but a dozen more shot up around me. Kline jumped into the fray, clawing through the tendrils. Far from the weak cat I saved with a lucky stab that morning, he started shredding through the reapers like a blender, growling and hissing and biting as I clambered to my feet. Lets move! I yelled, limping forward. Kline reacted, shooting forwardmaking an opening like a lawnmower. Things were getting bad, and I wouldnt survive if I had to keep limping. So I took the plunge and splashed slurry onto my bad foot. I would worry about it infecting me once I survived! My foot instantly healed, giving me freedom of movement. I twisted the water sack, threw my backpack on my shoulders, clipped it in place, and ran, catching up to Kline. He was hacking and slashing and biting his way to glory, and for a moment, I thought our victory was guaranteed. It wasnt. Ten minutes later, his movements became strained, and he started staggering. Mana deprivation I whispered. That made my chest heat up. Hang in there, Kline! He did. My little trooper held out a little bit longer, getting us to a clearing before he collapsed. Kline! I threw the rest of the slurry around him like it was salt at a seance. Then I threw the water sack into my jacket, rushed forward, and picked him up. He was coldso cold. Hang in there! I yelled. I didnt know what to do, but I needed to leave. So I turned with full mobilityand ranran as fast as my feet could take me, jumping onto dirt, following the path that the reapers wouldnt touch anymore. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Hold in there, Kline, I thought. The map flashed in front of me. There was only a quarter mile before the red line became blue. I ran there without delay but the reapers were prepared. They had built a barricade and were waiting. There were hundreds in rows, densely packed, only leaving the path we walked in. That left us an escape route. It was like trying to navigate a race car through an alleywaybut I had to. Not only for me, but also for Kline. Kline. Kline was cold and shivering. He fought for me. He risked his life. Klinethe cat that always heckled my mom and loved me for me. Klinethe cat who allowed me to live alone and live life the way I wanted without getting lonely. Klinemy best friend. My mind sharpened, and my resolve doubled. I was going to save my fucking cat, and these things werent going to stop me! I stopped caring about everything else. I hit the right angle as I ran, moving toward that passage. The reapers started to close it off like archways, but I got a good foothold and jumped as far as I could. My feet barely made it an inch over the tendrils. I was happyuntil I hit the ground. Then I rolled, protecting Klines little body with mine. Then we hit a rock, and I blacked out. I dont think I was out for long. When I opened my eyes, my world was still spinning, and my senses were blurry. Kline was in my arms, coiled up in a ball, still cold. Something felt off Then I realized that I wasnt breathing. I forced my diaphragm to work and took a deep breathand the world and senses returned. Thats when I heard the chime. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has completed the Legacy Quest: Get Your Stuff Back. Quest Summary: Your knee-jerk decisions have landed you in the pits of hell, and the Trial of Worth certainly isnt helping. Now, you are in a dangerous location without any survival equipment and a class thatsjust as Ive warned youpractically useless for The Path in the short run. But rejoicethe Guide has recognized your desire for revenge and has offered you a path to salvation. Value: Obtain the means for survival. Requirement(s):
  1. Obtain your survival equipment.
  2. Survive.
  3. Complete the quest within 24 hours.
Rewards:
  1. An Epic Soul Weapon
  2. Temporary Shelter
  3. A Six-Month Barrier That Prevents Beasts Third Evolution or Higher From Entering Your Location
  4. Quest Reward
Hidden Rewards.
  1. Safe path to temporary shelter.
  2. Recovery chest.
--- Another eight level-up notifications popped up, followed by my map updating. There was now a brand new path to a house icon. Beautiful. I took a deep breath. Hang in there, Kline I said. Theres a recovery chest. I was not sure what that was, but it sounded hopefuland I needed hope. Kline My eyes welled with tears as I got up and cradled him in my arms. Then I rushed off into the forest, following the path, sparing no thought to the things below me. My muscles were aching. I could feel myself slowing down considerably. My body was becoming feverish, as promised. The Wisteris poison was taking root, and my neck became numb. It was dark, but the magic circle on my backpack worked with a flashlight, and the rest of the light was provided by the pink and purple moons. Huh. Pink and purple. Truly another world. I thought that and then pressed on, speaking to Kline and refusing to give up. Then I got to the house icon. It was just a treea normal-looking tree. I looked up for a treehouse, but there was none. I looked down, but there was only dirt. What is this? I asked, crying. I stumbled forward to lean against the treeand melted right through it. I slammed onto a hardwood floor. I groaned and looked around, finding a small room with a bed, desk, bathtub, toiletwithout running waterand a chest. Strange glow stones lighted it. In the corner was the most beautiful bow I had ever seenbut I didnt spare it a second glance. I laid Kline on the bed and rushed to the chest. It clicked the instant I touched it, allowing me to open it. Inside, there were six boxes with magical circles on them. I touched them one after the other, and they unlocked and opened up, exposing different-colored vials, bottles, and strange items. Only one didnt unlock. I used Identify, and it said: --- Name: The Recovery Box Grade: Platinum Summary: A box containing a hidden reward that you did not earn from completing the Legacy Quest, Get Your Stuff Back. Note: This box''s array was made by a Seventh Evolution demigod. Cracking it is impossible outside of godhood. --- I grimaced and rummaged through the boxes. The first contained a glass bottle with a glowing blue liquid and a spoon. It almost looked radioactiveand definitely toxicbut when I used Identify, I sighed in relief. --- Name: Maralune Syrup Type: Mana Recovery Grade: First Evolution Summary: Mana deprivation without a mana core is a serious condition that can result in impaired proprioception, hypothermia, tachycardia, hypotension, and adrenal insufficiency, often resulting in dizziness, unsteady gait, and loss of consciousness. The conventional response is to keep the individual warm to recover, but this syrup can restore mana directly. Dosage: One tablespoon for humans, half a spoonful for animals. Note: This elixir was earned by Kline using mana during the Legacy Quest, Get Your Stuff Back. It is recommended to use this syrup on Kline in a warm bath. Pursuing an alchemy subclass or obtaining books in the Library unlocks more information on alchemical creations. --- I immediately opened the bottle. It smelled of Nyquill and trust issues, but I didnt have time to wonder what it tasted like. I poured a small amount onto the spoon and knelt down. Come on, little guy, I said. Open up. I grabbed his teeth and pried. His mouth opened depressingly easily, but that was good. I put the syrup into his mouth. His body immediately heated, and he started licking the spoon weakly. There you go, little guy, I said, petting his fur, heart welling with emotions. Well take a bath soon, okay? Im going to check if any of these will help us. Okay? Kline meowed weakly. I smiled and went back to the chest. There were four other bottles. One was a health recovery balm, another was an anti-toxin elixir and a soul recovery elixirwhich was naturally terrifying just to hear about. I needed the antitoxin to cure the wisteris poisoning, which was relieving. But when I saw the last item, I broke into cold sweats. Chapter 12: Guide Tutorial Chapter 12: Guide Tutorial I stared in the fifth box. There was a yellow sphere inside that looked like an orange and smelled of citrus. When I used Identify I shivered. --- Name: Jasmara Bath Bomb Type: Anti-Fungal Grade: Third Tier Summary: In the Areswood Forest, fungal diseases are particularly nasty. Despite only splashing your feet with a treskirita inoculant, it has taken root inside your feet. If you had healed your feet with the slurry any earlier, it would be eating your soul right now. But dont despair. Add this bath bomb to bath water, and it will cleanse you of the fungal infection. Drinking it is not required. Think of it as a reward for making a good decision for once. Dosage: One bathbomb. Note: You earned this potion for demonstrating keen knowledge and fear of fungal diseases. --- Suddenly, my arms started spasming. P-Poison. I reached into the chest and pulled out the anti-toxin, and the screen popped up. --- Name: Vesperis Tincture (Third Tier) Type: Antitoxin Grade: Third Tier Summary: A simple alcohol tincture created from a rare plant that purifies your blood. Dosage: One dropperful for minor illnesses. Two for Third Evolution spells or higher. Warning: This will flush out your body of toxins; be near a bath and toilet. Taking more than two dropperfuls can be lethal. Note: You earned this for prioritizing your time with an information request and also for following instructions and completing the legacy quest instead of searching for a cure. --- I took deep breaths with shaky arms as I held it. I forced myself to sit down and unscrewed the lid. It was just like tinctures on Earth, with a dropper that dispensed the liquid like a syringe. I carefully squeezed the dropper, sucked some up, and squirted it under my tongue. Two minutes later, I had done the second. Ten minutes later, my shakes stilled, and energy returned to my body. Still, I knew it wouldnt last, so I focused on Kline. I screwed on the cap and put the bottle back, glad that there was a second serving of everything but bathbomb. Then, I grabbed the bomb and walked over to the tub. When I saw it up close, my shoulders slumped. There were no water knobs. Instead, there was a porcelain tub with two magic circles on the floor. How am I supposed to fill this thing? I grumbled. My Identify skill returned, and two pop-ups materialized with information on the magic circles. It identified them as a Water Summoning Array(Modified) and Water Heating Array (Modified to 98F, 37C) followed by the following message: More information on arrays can be unlocked by pursuing an arraycraft subclass or by obtaining books in the Library. I had countless questions about how my Identify skill worked. The Botanist class seemed to allow me advanced knowledge of things from the Plante and Fungi kingdoms, but I had limited knowledge of other areas. It made me wonder if I got information on the recovery items because I was rewarded them, and Id normally get a basic name usuallyif even that. I didnt remember seeing a pop-up for that beast running after us near the river. Also, why did I get information on the water heating circle but not the water summoning circle? It was driving me crazybut those were questions for other times. The better question was how I could activate the circles. I didnt know how to use mana, and it certainly didnt call out to me. Hey Kline can you help? I asked remorsefully. Kline looked at me with weak eyes, blinking twice slowly. Then he tried to get up but fell back down. Oh, you poor thing, I said, picking him up. I just need you to activate these. Then we can fix you up. Kline mewed and let me bring him to the bathtub. I dropped him on the heating circle. He pawed at it twiceand then it activated. He casually walked off it and onto the other and activated itfilling the bathtub with water. Now, Kline was a catso he hated that. He immediately howled and tried to clobber out of the tub like someone trying to survive the waves after jumping off the Titanic, but he was too weak to jump out. It seems youre doing better, I giggled. Kline disagreed. He yowled at me like I was forsaking him. Im coming in, I said, touching the water. Wow. It was warming at a remarkable pace, almost as if it were magic. I pushed that aside and looked for soap. There was a wrapped bar on the side as if it were a hotel room, and I sighed in relief. Okay, lets do this. I stripped off my clothing and stepped into the water, picking up Kline. Then I sat in the water and enjoyed life. Kline stopped complaining as I held him against my breast. He just purred and snuggled up against me. It was so pleasantuntil I put my clothing into the water and added the Jasmara Bathbomb. Then shit started going downhill fast. The bomb damn near exploded in the water like a golden firework, and within 0.2 seconds, the bath turned from endlessly enjoyable to a harsh circle of hell. I screamed from the pain, and Kline screamed louder, clawing all over my skin. I grabbed him and pulled him back, telling him that he needed it to survive. Yeah, so twenty minutes later, Kline was staring at me on the bed as if I had offered him water and then handed him a glass of vodka. I felt a bit betrayed, considering the context, but I didnt blame him. It sucked. Unfortunately for me, my misery was just beginning. There were a lot of toxins in my body, and that meant there was a lot to flush out. Ill save you the details. What I can say is that a few hours later, I felt better than I think I ever had before. It was like how do I explain this? It was like my entire body was poisoned when I arrived, and after I took the antitoxin, it cured it all. I could think clearer, my body felt light, and I had a lot more energy despite being exhausted. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. I felt great, and thankfully, something strange was in the tub that automatically cleaned the tub and toilets. It was the most surreal thing I had experienced. Magic was wonderful. I put my clothing up to dry, used some of the healing balm on my neck and foot, and then finally got under the sheets with Kline, who reluctantly snuggled up on me, making sure that his idiot human didnt die of hypothermia. Obviously. I snuggled him back and gave him non-stop attention. My little trooper saved my life todayand I couldnt be more grateful. Then, I drifted off and enjoyed the best rest of my life. --- I awoke to Kline pawing at my face. Adrenaline hit my body, and I shot awake and looked around. Crystals still lit the little hut we were in, and there were no enemies around us. Then I crashed back down. What is it, little guy? I asked, rolling over to him. Kline looked at me with these big, loving eyes. Then he walked up to my chest and snuggled up with maximum snuggling. Seriously? I asked. Seriously? You just woke me up so Id give you extra snuggles? Kline meowed softly as if he were eating fish in his sleep. You little shit, I said. I tickled his stomach and he yowled and hissed and rushed around with bristled hair. He turned to me, and we made eye contact. Then I burst into giggles and reached out my arms. He huffed and turned away. Then, after only a pause, he walked into my arms, allowing me to hug him. Once he was against me, I became emotional. We survived and I got my stuff! I looked at my perfectly preserved backpack. I got my stuff Kline growled all blubber-like and snuggled up, allowing me to hug him. Then we just laid there until my Guide popped up unprovoked. --- You are in a safe location. Survival Mode has been taken off. Would you like to tour the guide? --- I puckered my lips and tilted my head. ... Yes? A menu popped up in front of my eyes, capturing my full attention. It was simple, showcasing my name and my levelwhich said it was capped until Evolution, whatever that meantfollowed by different options. The thing that was prominent was the numbers with plus notifications, telling me how many I had. I read: --- Name: Mira Hill Level 24 (+23 - Capped Until Evolution) Evolution: 0 (Pending) Requests (+82) Rewards (+3) Library Spells, Recipes, and Blueprints Tutorials Skills Market Would you like a tutorial? --- I snuggled with Kline. Uh please. Youve survived yay, Lithco said in my mind. You know what that means, right? More killing. As soon as I heard his voice, my blood boiled. Hey! Why the hell did you put me here? You said that there were millions, billions whatever! You control a lot of planets. So why in the hell did you send me to this death trap?! Lithco kept silent until I calmed down. You done? he asked. No, I said defiantly. He groaned and leaned back, sound effects painting the image of him leaning back in a creaking chair. Lets look at this objectively, okay? I told you that your class forced you into the violent path for godhood. Did you think Id drop you in the Redwood Forest with a Lunchable and a head pat? No, I didnt! I thought itd have bears and moose and poisonous plants. I didnt expect thousands of soul eating plants to attack me and steal my stuff the moment I woke up. And dont you dare say that you just dropped me off in a random area. You painted some crazy circle on my backpack and put it somewhere where it would be stolen! Lithco coughed. Yeah. I did. Obviously. Seriously? Thats all youre going to say? Ummm no. Actually, if were being honest, I didnt place that array on your bag, since I lack hands and cant use magic. But I paid someone rather well, actually. Is this a joke to you? I yelled. Oh, no. I was rather forthcoming about how stupid this would be. What did I say? Oh, Dead Idealist. I remember throwing in a groan somewhere, too. I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath. Dangerous forest? Sure. Thats my fault. I can see it. If I thought through it a bit, I mightve come to that conclusion. But you dropped me onto a fucking monster that stole my stuff! Why? Lithco took a deep breath and exhaled. Listen, Mira. Your chances of survival would''ve been zero if you followed your goal of foraging and hunting for small game. You should know that by now. Thats why I put you into a position where you were poised to earn spells and equipment and even a ride out of here easily. All you had to do was run away from a very slow plant. You didnow you''re in an incredible position to survive. So, youre welcome, actually. I swallowed back my rage. Im not going to thank you for saving me from yourself. You dont have to, he said. Im an AI. Im incapable of caring what you think. But I avoid getting my code reset if I prepare neophytes and keep the economy running smoothly, so I actually care if you survive. And survival means an equipment drop or a pick up because youre kinda boned without one. Whats a equipment drop? I asked weakly. I could tell that he was guiding me back to the topic at hand. He was, after all, an AI. No matter how angry I was, he would never actually feel bad about it. Requests let you request just about anything," Lithco explained. "I, in turn, create quests to have people deliver items to youlike Amazon. That said, youre kinda screwed because the gate only opens once a year for the Black Harvest. The only exception is aerial drops for platinum requests or higher assuming anyone will bring it. Its gonna take a whilebut its possible. Hence putting you into a position to earn such a reward. I bit my lip. You cant just drop it off? Like you did to take me here? Oh, yeah. Let me just bend space and time for three hundred quadrillion intelligent species so you can have a convenient Amazon service. Lithco laughed. Are you insane? Is that even a number? I asked venemously. Yeah. I rounded down. I dropped onto my bed, and Kline picked up where I left off, hissing and looking around dead space for my attacker. Lithco rolled his invisible eyes. Im an AI, Kline. Your companion made me tell the truth, and the truth is, she made some bad decisions and now shes crying about it. Kline turned to me with sad eyes and then jumped onto the bed, lying down alone. Traitor. Lets try this again, Lithco said. Open the Requests tab and Ill show you what I mean. I thought about opening the Requests menu, and it opened another menu. This one had a list of different types of requests, with numbers next to each, ostensibly showing how many I had. It read as follows: --- Information Requests (+22) Free Requests (+25) Books (+5) Spells (+5) Recipes (+5) Blueprints (+5) Tutorials (+5) Skills (+5) Equipment (+5) --- Im sure you recognize one of these, right? Lithco asked. I nodded. Yeah. The Information Requestsa feature that saved my bacon. Then you should know just how valuable they are, he said. You get two requests per level, an information request and free request. Every five levels you get one request for every category. Thats why you have 82. You started at Level 0, so you got 48 through leveling, and 35 through five-level requests. You with me? Yeah, I said. Free Requests are like information requests but theyre tangible. Open the book tab. I did, and my blood pressure increased. Chapter 13: Rewards (Part I) The tab showcased a list of grades, moving from Bronze to Platinum, then Diamond, Epic, and beyond. Each had a number next to them to say how many I had. Below that, there was a list of book recommendations. Each had the title, followed by a Grade and the request. For example, some books were worth a Platinum, and I had two. It read as follows: --- Shelf (0) Requests: Bronze (0) Silver (0) Gold (1) Platinum (2) Diamond (2) Epic (0) Legendary (0) Mythic (0) Immortal (0) Recommended Books:
  1. Trap Plants and Fungi in Areswood Forest: A Guide to Avoiding Innocuous Plants | Grade: Platinum
  2. The Convicts Guide to Foraging: Foragable Plants, Berries, Mushrooms, and Vegetables in Areswood Forest (Vol. 1-3) | Grade: Gold
  3. The Ultimate Guide to Poisons in Areswood Forest (Rings 1-6) | Grade: Diamond
  4. Killer Animals in Areswood Forest (Vol. 1-4) | Grade: Platinum
  5. Alchemic Plants and Mushrooms in Areswood Forest (Vol. 1) | Grade: Diamond
  6. Evolution 101 | Grade: Bronze
  7. Alchemic Medicines 101 | Grade: Silver
  8. Building a Core Foundation | Grade: Gold
  9. The Big Book of Mushrooms: A Visual Guide to Documented Mushrooms in Areswood Forest | Grade: Platinum
  10. Fundamentals of Magic | Grade: Silver
--- Once you get a book, you can read it in convenient ebook format, or reference it, Lithco explained. For example, if you had The Convicts Guide to Foraging, when you got the request to get the water sack plant, you wouldve been able to pull up the image, known locations, and anything else written in the book. No way I whispered. Yes way. You can also ask questions about anything in the book and Ill answer you. My heart started fluttering. The books have different grades? How do I get different ones? The grades are earned through distinction, Lithco explained. If you do the bare minimum with your quests, youll get weak rewards. But if, say, you injure a plant thats over 500 levels above you in the first five minutes of you waking up in your new world yeah. You might get some big rewards. I paused, mouth agapeand then freaked out. Wait. What? 500? You put a level 1 person on top of a Level 500 monster?! Level zero, he corrected. And dont be dramatic. There was a barrier where you were until you woke up and the plants grow remarkably slowly. If you couldnt survive that, you wouldve died by any number of things by now. I huffed and turned away. Thiss your life now, Mira. If its in Areswood, its over level 125. Thats what you gotta accept. If you dont like it, use one of your fancy rewards for a pickup. That said, the Trial of Worth is in session. If you dont finish out the week, youll be switched to Farmer. You probably wont get a pick up before then, anyway. My stomach sank. Thankfully~, Lithco said. Im here to turn you into a living weapon that can decimate monsters far higher than five hundred. And the fact that youre here right now proves you have what it takes. So? You wanna hear these rewards, or what? I did want to hear thembut this was clearly abusive behavior! He stuck me on a Level 500 (or higher) human-eating plant and was now whispering sweet nothings to me. Come, Mira. Don''t you want to live life how you want? Dont you wanna study botany? Yeah, I did! Thats why I wanted to stay on Earth, where I could research botany without getting eaten by plants! Sure, I said as coldly as possible. Okay, Lithco said, rubbing his eyes. Buy your book first. I know you want it. I frowned at his I know you boyfriend routine. Okay. My heart rate elevated when I saw the book title and swallowed. It wasnt the foraging guidethough Id be buying that instantlyand it wasnt the trap guide, which I also planned to buy. Hell, the Oracle provided a golden list of things we would probably buy. But there was one thing that was criticaland also made me feel like a kid on Christmas. So I bought it. --- You are about to spend (1) Diamond Request for The Ultimate Guide to Poisons in Areswood Forest (Rings 1-6). Are you sure you want to buy this book? --- Yes. --- Congratulations! You now own The Ultimate Guide to Poisons in Areswood Forests (Rings 1-6). You can read it in the library, reference it in your Identify skill, or ask Lithco questions regarding the content. --- My lips curved into a grin. Half the plants I saw were poisonous, which just cranked my Identify skill. I also had a passion and a weapon. Im not sure whether to be creeped out from your love of poison, or impressed youre meant for The Path, Lithco deadpanned. You should be impressed, thank you very much! I snapped. Kline stirred, ears twitching. I petted his fur. Alright, alright, Lithco said. Well, you picked a good book. Considering that more than half the plants in Areswood are poisonous, youve nearly upgraded your Identify skill to expert. Now that you know how it works, lets go onto other things. Go back to the requests tab. I complied and returned to the requests tab, which listed out Free Requests, alongside options for books, spells, recipes, blueprints, tutorials, skills, and equipment. You know what books are. Recipes and Blueprints work the same way. Recipes are for poisons, potions, pills, and food stuff. Blueprints will be useful for building shelters here. Its pretty self explanatory, yes? Ill explore it on my own, I said. Good. Lets talk about skills because its the most important tab on the path to godhood. Pull it up. I did, and my eyes widened from information overload. It started with showing that I had advanced Identify skills in the Plante and Fungi kingdoms, novice for Alchemy, and basic for Map and Arrays. Beyond that, there were dozens of options for Identify skills that I could ostensibly request to have upgraded. It was useful. Below was a table that listed different skill areas that were broad compared to the areas of study in Colorado universities, but they were broken down further. The main screen showed a list of things I didnt need, likely because it was an introduction, but I could see a comprehensive list later. It read: --- Plante and Fungi Horticulture and Farming Combat Soulmancy Alchemy Arraycraft Beast Taming Healing Magecraft Cooking Runecrafting Merchant Enchantment Summoning Smithing Show More Skills > --- For the map and Identify skills, Lithco said, you move from none to basic, followed by novice, advanced, expert, and visual, before you earn analysis skills and encyclopedic knowledge. I took a deep breath and exhaled. Okay. And the individual skills? Choose one. I chose Plante and Fungi, and it listed out fields with an option to see more. --- Plante and Fungi This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
  1. Poison creation
  2. Gene-splicing
  3. Genetic modification
  4. Mutation triggering
  5. Grafting
  6. Growth acceleration
  7. Plant Healing
  8. Plant enhancement
  9. See More Subskills >
--- If you can learn it in your world, you can learn it hereand far more, Lithco said. Once you choose one of these, you will obtain books and tutorials and recipes for anything you want to learn. For that reason, people spend more Requests on skills than books, tutorials, or recipes. That said, it will not provide prerequisite spells or equipment necessary for the subject matter. So you have to be frugal with these requests because sometimes youll need three requests to do one thing. I swallowed. What are spells? Like what Klines doing? Lithco chuckled, rubbing his eyes. Yes and no. Kline has a combat class, so his skills are geared toward fighting. Your skills will involve heat control, desiccation for drying out plants, and cooling skills. Theyre precise, meant for alchemy and science. Unless you get into soulmancy, youre not gonna do much damage without poisons, traps, or bows. You can still have incredible power, but your weapon is the environment itselfyoure not going to just rush into battle unless you use that bow. I looked at the bow and felt nervous. But wait Cant I choose any skill? Like the ones Kline has? You can and you should choose combat skills. That said, you arent just going to become a god with fighting. It takes practice and specialization. It also costs more outside your class. So what would cost a bronze in botany related class would require a silver. Despite the absurdity of your situation, leveling up is difficult and yields poor results, so this is crippling for other people. Thats why the most common way to move up is just by completing more quests and improving through rewards. I see So being Level 24 Isnt normal, he confirmed. I see I had a lot of questions, but Id wait. Last up is Equipment, he said. Pull it up. I did. Just as before, I had one gold, two platinum, and two diamond, showcasing that each five-level request likely applied uniformly to all of the tabsspells, books, recipes, and the like. That gave me a heavy incentive to earn big. Below that were recommended goods. Each had a description if I opened it up in my thoughts. The first was immediately enticing. --- Recommended Equipment:
  1. Advanced Alchemy Equipment | Grade: Platinum
  2. Enchanted Tent | Grade: Platinum
  3. Enchanted Gravity Pack | Grade: Platinum
  4. Full Recovery Chest | Grade: Diamond
  5. Quality Carpenter Tools | Grade: Gold
  6. Quality Dagger | Grade: Gold
  7. Portable Heating Array: Grade | Gold
--- Just as you can ask for anything within reason for Information Requests, Equipment requests will also let you request just about anything, Lithco said. Whether you want scientific lab equipment or a stuffed animal, you can request almost anything through requests. Thats the power were talking about here. That said... No ones coming here. I felt my stomach sink deeper now that I fully understood what I was losing. Yes, and no, Lithco said. Once again, the Galfers Gate opens up once a year for the Black Harvest, and youre not too far from the gate. More importantly, a platinum level request can grease some wheels. For you, thats a drop in the bucket, but out there? Ha. People will slaughter each other for that request. The only thing preventing every idiot with a sword from accepting jobs to bring you equipment is the big ass gate that prevents every idiot with a sword from getting in here. Why would people want in here? I asked, rubbing my eyes. Cause its full of alchemic ingredients. Its a gold mine, so every year theres a Black Harvest where a large group of adventurers and alchemists come in to gain resources. Half or more diehence the hideously trite title. Oh So yeah. That gate prevents people from getting in. That said, if you use a diamond request, things will magically start happening. Youre still not going to get it hand delivered, but someone will drop it in the forest. Though youll have to get itno matter where it ends up. I shuddered at the thought that I might end up in a wandering reapers nest to get it next time. Okay. Naturally, if you use your Epic request, people will pick you up before this shelter runs out. Still, it would be a damn shame for someone like you to give up and be a farmer. I took a sharp breath. I was confused and I didnt know what to do. Until you make that decision, I suggest you explore your rewards on your own, Lithco said. Then we sat in silence for a while until he asked, Do you have any questions? I bit my lip and took a deep breath. No I mean, yes. Whats Market? Lithcos voice became rueful. The markets where alchemists, merchants, and just about anyone can offer goods, services, and other items. Imagine Ebay, Amazon, and Craigslist had an orgy and took over the universethats the market place. And since youre here you cant sell your alchemic creations, poisons, and ingredients until you get stuff worth a high level adventurers timeand theres not many round these parts. I see I whispered. I almost wished he didnt even mention the Market. So Im pretty much screwed. No, Lithco said. The Black Harvest will come around next spring. Save up and make a killing. I didnt like how he emphasized the word killing. Not one bit. 2. The Black Harvest meant nothing to Aiden. He was in the same forest, but he was nowhere near the Fourth Ring. It was early morning, and he was worrying about his own trial as insignificant as it seemed on the surface. He was lined up with the other beast-tamer neophytes long before the pink and purple moons crested and gave way to the sun. The air smelled fresh, and a cool breeze ruffled his shirt. He looked at the twins next to him distrustingly. He was having a difficult time separating life from a video game, and seeing twins around his age21made him suspicious that theyd be evil. The twins glanced at him. He turned away. The other direction wasnt much better. There was a clean-cut man to his side. He was also his age, but he was wearing a button-up shirt and slacks, possibly because he was part of an internship or newly hired. The man eyed him discerningly and then turned back with the same smirk that he had since the group met up the day before. Absolute confidence. Maybe it was jealousyperhaps it was something more. Either way, Aiden was immediately rubbed the wrong way. Alitalia broke him out of his reverie. The conservatory guide scanned the five hundred-head group of beast-tamer neophytes and then looked to the forest and plains. Now that youre here, lets start the Trial of Worth, Alitalia said. Suddenly, a chime rang out in Aidens head, and a pop-up followed. - Neophyte Aiden Roe has received a new mandatory quest, Trial of Worth. Quest Summary: Guess what, Aiden? You got your first quest! For the first time in your life, youre gonna get appreciated for your talents and get rewarded for being extra. This is your moment. Nothing makes a zookeeper stand above mortals like spending seven days with cute, lovable, furry, snappy, growly creatures that eat people without training. So get out there, tiger, and earn yourself some rewards! Duration: 7 Days Quest Value: Prepare for your new world. - Aiden kinda regretted asking the Oracle to be honest, social, and positive to balance his quiet pessimism. She alternated between being downright delightful and destructively annoyingand she used way too many goddamn exclamation marks. But Elle got to the heart of the matter, so he didnt change her personality out of fear he might get someone worse. He also feared her judgment for dismissing her. Aiden was, without a doubt, a pushover. Now that you have your quest, you will get missions, Alitalia continued. Some are mandatory to fulfill the trialothers are voluntary. Some arent even given to youtheyre hidden missions that reward you for individual growth. The keyword here is growth. Hidden missions are tailored to each person. If someones afraid of big cats and confronts their fear to work with one, they might complete a hidden mission with a generic sounding name like, Work With a Big Cat. Then, the other thousand people who worked with big cats and didnt get that mission feel cheated and beat the shit out of the person who did. Thats why you should never tell people if you get a hidden quest. Aiden wouldnt. He was a wallflower, someone who liked to blend into the crowd because he hated conflict and people talking trash. Hed avoid telling people anything unless forced. You also have to be wary of asking, Alitalia warned. You cant confirm anything people say and if you ask the wrong person, theyll beat you senseless. So be careful. Aiden swallowed. Lets talk about your first trial, she continued. In just a few minutes, youll be free to roam the conservatory from gate to gate. Your goal is to bring back an animal with you. How, is up to you. Some may be rewarded with magic and bring back an animal through a social contract. Others might lure them in with foodor ensnare them in a trap. There are infinite ways to bring an animal back with you. The only requirement is that it must be voluntarily or forcefully subjugated. Anyone who pisses off an angry animal and leads them back to us will be disqualified from the trial and forced to forge their own path. Negative emotions spread through the crowd in waves of synesthesia, making people lock up, whisper, and shuffle their feet. The more impressive the animal is, the better the rewards. So dont settle unless you have to. Lets get started. Aiden got a notification. - Neophyte Aiden Roe has received a new mandatory mission. Quest Mission: Trial of Trust Mission Summary: Hiya, long time no see! Elle here, back to give you the spicy deets on a new mission. Starting now, youve got 72 hours to whisper sweet nothings to animals and get one to follow you back to the Restam Conservatory Visitors Center. If they do, youll both get tasty delights and sweet, sweet rewards! The more impressive the animal, the more Ill reward you. But be warned, my little universe hopper, you can only bring one animal back, and your burly animal-bribing brethren are known for betraying better beast tamers. So watch out~. Anyway, I gotta go. Make sure to get some books or tutorials so we can talk later, kay? Muah! Duration: 72 hours. Value: Learn to build trust with animals on Dranami. Requirement(s):
  1. Convince an animal to return with you.
  2. Only one animal can come back.
Warning: Failure to bring back an animal will not result in a penalty. However, refusal to participate or make an effort will result in being moved to a Peaceful Class of my choice. Note: Mission is still in effect. Rewards will be calculated at the end of your trial. - Aiden looked up at the screen and at the creature on Alitalias shoulder. There was nothing but love and trust in its eyeswith no sign of breaking. It was also intelligent. It was staring at him curiously, studying him, and he could feel its piercing gaze as if it were searching his soul. That wasnt a normal animal, and from that moment, he was determined to find one. You have three daysI suggest you use all the time necessary to get an animal. Alitalia clapped her hands, and workers brought out a hundred animals that looked like goats. They were as tall as horses but very thin, almost skeletal in comparison. Yet they were just built that way, sporting long pointed horns on each side like an oryx, green fur that looked like moss, and bodies that were saddled up for riding. These liscans are available to youif you can ride one. The conservatory barracks are open around the clock. Your trial has begun. Wait, theres not enough, someone commented about the liscans. Aiden already knew why. Alitalia confirmed it. Most of you wont be able to ride one. A hundred is liberal. So thiss a test? Everen said beside him. Not officially, but it can trigger hidden quests for some. Can I? he asked. Sure. Everen walked to the front of the liscans under everyones silent, penetrating gazes. Then, he walked past the liscans in a line like a general until he stopped in front of one. He glowered at it in an alpha stance, making Aiden hold his breath. The liscan bowed its head, and the man put his toe in the stirrup and pulled himself onto it. Then Everen smirked at the group. See ya later. Theres no way hes not an animal person, Aiden thought as he watched him ride away. Everen just demonstrated dominance-based training with an alpha stance, and he was riding effortlessly. He lied. Any trust Aiden had with others was gone. Game or no game, in this world, people fought for power, and everyone was out to wineven in the beast tamers class. Elles words flashed across his mind: Your burly animal-bribing brethren are known for betraying better beast tamers. He wasnt going to forget that. Chapter 14 Rewards (Part II) Aiden waited until half the people started moving toward the liscans, getting somewhere in the middle so that people would be surrounding him on both sides. He didnt want to be like Everen, who showed off his skills as brazenly as possible. If anything, that was a fool-proof strategy of making enemies. Thats why he waited and went into lines, something that was very time-consuming. Just as he was about to get a chance at riding one of the liscans, he looked over and saw one of them limping. It was subtle, but he knew what was happeningand it made his heart ache. The beast had something stuck in its hoofassuming it was a hoof. Aiden didnt like attention and he didnt want to show off, either. But he didnt like animals to suffer and wouldnt let his Day 1 reputation lead to someone forcing the animal to ride all day. He turned down the line to the woman who was about to try riding it. Would you like to trade me positions? he yelled. The person turned back. What? Why? Because that liscan is injured. Its not going to let you ride it. The group shifted, turning between Aiden and the woman. She looked down and didnt see anything wrong with it. What are you talking about? Suddenly, the female twin spoke up. That liscan has a hoof puncture or potentially an abscess. You can tell by the way its shifting on the three legs. The woman turned between them. Suddenly, the man in front of Aiden jumped onto the stirrup and the liscan bucked, throwing him off. Yeah, no, the woman scoffed. Nice try, though. Aiden closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he waited for the man in front of him, a balding man in his forties, to get up, holding his back and groaning. He wasnt going to try again. Aiden walked up to the liscan in front of him and put his hands on its body. It flinched back, expressing anger through its aura and posture and breathing. Then it felt like his soul shook hands with the beast. That was the only way to describe it. Their souls met and he could speak to it. It wasnt direct, but the way that animals speak to each other. Your friends hurt, he communicated. Shes not my friend, human, the liscan communicated back. You already dont want to be here. Could you imagine what its like to be injured right now? Get to the point. Lend me your strength, and Aiden turned to Alitalia, who was smiling creepily at him. Can I give this guy a reward of some kinda? Out of pocket? When I can? Im kinda broke, Im just wondering. She smiled. You can. Aiden turned back to the liscan. Ill give you The woman who denied Aiden was suddenly bucked off the ground, hitting her arm. There wasnt a snap or anything like that. But anyone could tell by the way she screamed that it was bad. Take her away, Alitalia said dryly. Aiden turned to the next person in line. Give me a minute and Ill try to help her! Then he turned back to the liscan and communicated through its language. I can give you a reward of some kind. It will be delayed because Im new here, but Ill keep my word. Are you going to ride it or what? a man yelled from behind me. The liscan snorted and shook its mossy fur. Get on, human. Ill accept you over these creatures. Aiden chuckled and put his foot in the stirrup, jumping onto its back. He heard a chime, but he blocked out the notification as they trotted over to the other liscan. Just give me a second, he said to the man trying to ride. Its probably just a stone bruise. The man nodded as he jumped down. Come on, girl, Aiden said, grabbing the hoof. The liscan bent its leg to show what was underneath. What Aiden saw made him feel a bit ill. Who did this? There was a tack in the hoovea big one. This is the Oracles will, the liscan said. The hell it is! Someone did this to you. No, it will not. Please help, and you will understand. Aiden didnt like that verbiage, but he got to work. He pulled out a set of pliers he had on handas he was literally in a zoo when the integration happenedand started working out the tack. It wasnt a tackit was a nail with a large head. It made him hold his breath as he pulled it out. The liscan bucked and whined but he held on, prying it out until it released with a gush of blood. The liscan bucked him onto the ground, but he got another notification. --- Neophyte Aiden Roe has completed a Hidden Mission for the Quest, The Trial of Worth. Hidden Mission: The Healer Hidden Mission Summary: Oh, look at you being all valiant, you little liscan lover you! Youve identified an injured animal and healed it. And guess what? I love that! This is the type of thing that beast taming is all about. You know what that means, right? Reward time! Heres a little something-something for the effort. Shhhhh. Dont tell anyone. Itll be our secret. Value: Identify and help animals. Requirement(s): The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
  1. Identify an injured animal.
  2. Convince the animal to let you help.
  3. Provide helpful treatment.
  4. Heal the animal.
Reward(s):
  1. Minor Healing (Beast Taming)
  2. Minor Healing (Beast Taming - Tutorial)
--- Hey, what did you get? All the nearby neophytes rushed him, trying to figure out what he got. They completely missed the instructions not to ask, but it wasnt like there was a real rule regarding it. I mustve been staring too long into dead space, he thought. They know I got one. If I play dumb or keep silent, theyll just think its really good. That means the best course is to "I don''t want anyone thinking I lied to them," Aiden said. "And the second I answer, a lot of people will start thinking I cheated them." A lackluster murmur spread through the crowd as Aiden got up and got onto his liscan as smoothly as possible, creating the illusion that it was effortless. "Did you get something?" one asked. Aiden nodded. "Obviously." It was obvious, so he wouldn''t blatantly lie to them. Instead, he kept it amicable and left. You''re so proud of yourself, the liscan communicated, snorting and shaking its fur. I shudder to think what standards you hold of yourself. Oh shush. Aiden smiled. He didnt know how he could speak to animals but it felt good. Really good. He just prayed that being able to communicate with them wouldnt make him awkward around them like he was with humans. But for some reasonhe was confident he wouldnt. He was made to work with animals. If he had turned around, he couldve seen the twins watching him saunter off with strange gazes. Thankfully, Mira didn''t have to worry about any of these things. She was still in her shelter enjoying the morning. 2. I enjoyed the bed a bit longer. Then, I ate jerky and a Cliff bar for breakfast, conserving the meal rations for later on. Kline ate Fancy Feast. I also cleaned the tub until identify didnt pull up any alchemic residue from the bath bomb, drank clean water from it, and took a bath. Kline declined to join me. I then got dressed and examined the bow in the corner of the room. It was awe-inspiring. The body was made of something similar to ivory with golden characters that looked to be from some ancient alphabet, like Egyptian hieroglyphs, but with calligraphy curves closer to Arabic. There were also geometric lines on it. Yet the most distinctive feature was that there was no string on it or holes to add one. What is this? I asked. --- Name: Nymbrel Type: Soul Weapon Grade: Epic Summary: Once wielded by Kori, the Blinding Archer, Nymbrel is a bow that amplifies raw mana and fires it in bolts. The bolts follow the wielders mana sense, allowing the bolts to follow your will. The bow can become invisible with active camouflage and can mask its mana pressure. Bolts increase in power alongside your soul density, allowing it to serve you well through the Sixth Evolution. Important Notes: Warning: Your soul density acts as a multiplier for this bow, but it still requires a mana core to work. Using this weapon before establishing a mana core can shatter your meridians and eliminate your ability to use magic. You also cannot use will attacks. Develop a mana core and learn mana sense before using it. --- I cocked my head. Its not physical? Kline walked up to the bow and pawed it. His paw flew right through it. I furrowed my brows and grabbed it. Suddenly, my arms marbled with goosebumps and my mind filled with static. The bow then sucked into my chest like a black hole, directly gripping onto my very essence, melding with my mind, body, and soul. Then it disappeared. W-W-What the hell was that? I stammered. A chime answered me. --- Congratulations! Neophyte Mira Hill has bonded with soul weapon, Nymbrel. --- I blinked a few times and then instinctually summoned Nymbrel by grabbing at my chest and pulling. It appeared in my hands, physical in form. I also knew how to use it. Nymbrel wasnt a weapon nowit was another limb. I could use it like people moved their fingers or breathed air. That included using manait forced me to feel mana channels for the first time. They felt broken clogged like a drain stuffed with hair and trash and gunkbut I could feel them. I wanted to try it out, but I reread the warning about destroying my ability to use magic and put the bow back into my chest as if it were only natural. This worlds a trip, I chuckled, running my fingers through my hair. Suddenly, a chime went off and I thought it would be a good thingit wasnt. --- Warning: The current time is 7:30 am. Temporary shelter will lock between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm for the rest of the trial. If a neophyte is in the shelter, it will permanently lock forever. After the trial, the shelter is locked permanently. Temporary Shelter Nights Remaining: 6 Wait! I cried. Theres a time? Where? A clock suddenly popped up on my screen. Seriously? Seriously? Why didnt you warn me? Then that anger turned to horror when it dawned on me that I would soon be living in that forest with nothing but a tent. I had a week to get more survival equipment. If I didnt, I was as good as dead. I immediately pulled out tincture bottles and tubs I kept in my hiking backpack (you must always be prepared to find poisons in the wild) and started splitting my healing rewards into two places. If I got locked outside or injured, I needed them, but I was also certain I could lose my backpack. It was all about mitigating risk. Then I rushed back to the bed. Get some books, I whispered quickly. Well figure out the rest later. We sat on the bed, eyes glued to the clock as I pulled up the book tab. This time, it only showed me the rewards I had, making it easier to look at. --- Shelf (1) Requests: Gold (1) Platinum (2) Diamond (1) Recommended Books See More > --- I considered the recommended options and bought one without hesitation. Chapter 15 - Trap Plants and Poisons Well, at least one of these is obvious, I said. --- You are about to spend (1) Platinum Request for The Convicts Guide to Foraging: Foragable Plants, Berries, Mushrooms, and Vegetables in Areswood Forest (Vol. 1-4) Are you sure you want to buy this book? --- I was about to say yes when I paused. There were so many things that I felt I needed, starting with the book on trap plants and killer animals, but only so many requests. I also didnt miss the subtext: it took me attacking a monster 500 times my level to get those diamond requests. So, the next diamond book might be my last. The same was true of platinum. I swallowed and thought about it and then concluded that a book on forageable plants, berries, and vegetables was going to be the key to survival here. So I bought it. --- Congratulations! You now own The Convicts Guide to Foraging: Foragable Plants, Berries, Mushrooms, and Vegetables in Areswood Forest (Vol. 1-4). You can read it in the library, reference it in your Identify skill, or ask Lithco questions regarding the content. --- Now was the hard part. I only had one platinum request left and three recommended platinum bookstwo of which felt critical. Trap plants or killer animals. I grimaced, checked the clock to make sure I was doing well, then ran my fingers through my hair. Both were equally dangerous, but the trap plants I shivered when I remembered the wandering reaper and Gullonys Guillotine. I wouldnt have seen either of those until I was dead. At the same timethere were animals everywhere in this forest, and I didnt know anything about them. There was no Identify skill. I was blind. Suddenly, I looked at it again and saw something strange. Hey, Lithco. Thiss a question about the guide. I see that some of these books come with multiple volumes. Can I get less? Lithco popped into my head, sounding groggy like he just woke upjust to be a dick, I was sure. Yeah. Some books cost epic requests for one volume. Others give a volume per request grade, like the killer animals book. You can drop the fourth volume and use a gold request for the first three. My lips curved into a hopeful smile. Just know that youll have to use a platinum request to get the fourth. Thats why its best to buy in bulk. My face reversed, forcing my lips into a deep frown. Is there a lesser version on trap plants? Nope. Its one of a kind. And it includes all of them? Sorta. Itll tell you about wandering reapers, but any plant with more sentience or even sapience ceases to be a trap plant and becomes a predator. But as for just traps, yes. It has them all. I nodded. Then I want it. --- Congratulations! You now own Trap Plants and Fungi in Areswood Forest: A Guide to Avoiding Innocuous Plants. You can read it in the library, reference it in your Identify skill, or ask Lithco questions regarding the content. --- I want the first three for killer animals, I said. --- Congratulations! You now own Killer animals in Areswood Forest (Vol. 1-3). You can read it in the library, reference it in your Identify skill, or ask Lithco questions regarding the content. --- I felt a bit nervous as I considered my last diamond request. I decided to save it and prayed that my Free Requests would also have strong requests as well. I looked at the clock: 7:49 Eleven minutes I muttered. It was giving me anxiety. Still, I wanted as much value as I could get Yeah, no. Not today. Knowing my luck, Id trip and break my shin and then get halfway through crawling out the door when it locked down and cut my body in half. Lets go. I picked up my backpack and opened the door, taking a sharp breath as I turned back. Part of me believed itd never open again. Still, I forced myself out into the fresh air and closed the door. After that, I turned, and my mouth slackened. A new world opened up before me. Hundreds of plants and bushes had a light purple tint to them. Once I looked at an innocuous bush with a tri-leaf pattern and white berries, the name of the plant popped up over the plant like a planter label. - Bellisca Bush - Tri-leaf with White Berries Poison Tier: 0 Poison Level: Mild (Topical), Severe (Ingested) - Naturally, I could identify the plant and there was even more information on the poison if I did, but that face-value label was on every poison plant unless I actively forced it out of my mind. Now, this was a skill that could help me live. Poisons, beautiful poisons. Kline pouted. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. What? I asked. You sad I took away your job? Kline looked away, unwilling to look at me. I giggled and petted him. Now you can be my full-time snuggler. Kline hissed and growled, pawing at my handbut he didnt fight for long. Then he let me just walk around with him in my arms a bit before I put him down and examined the plants. Lets go find a trap plant, I said. I wanna make sure the places I sit are safe. I needed to go through all my rewards, and that would take some time. But I didnt forget that time I asked if it was okay to lean against a tree, and I was told that it wasnt. Poison wasnt enoughI wanted to see what type of notification trap plants gave meor if Id have to read about them. Kline meowed in approval and strutted off ahead of me. I smiled and followed my little trooper. Aside from paranoia regarding my exposed foot, the walk was extremely pleasant, and the forest felt welcoming and inviting despite the hellish danger I felt before. Just as there were purple-tinted plants for poison, there were white-tinted plants for edible plants, and I found myself squealing as I ate sour berries. Terrible-tasting things that were still edible had a strange place in my heart because they were evolutionarily defiant. They were the evolutionary equivalent of someone saying, Yeah, Ill let you help me produce if you ask nicely, or, in some cases, Ill be your sugar daddy if youre dying and literally have no other choice. God, I loved that. I hummed as I walked because it just felt good. I loved to be in nature, and feeling the warm sunshine and breeze as I looked at moss and brush and tree. I giggled when I stepped onto spongy ground and let my toes step right onto strange ground cover that wasnt poisonous. Considering that the forest was oddly free of insectssomething I didnt find randomI was in heaven. Kline suddenly hissed ahead of me, and I turned to him with a stressed heart. I expected an animal but found something else wilda trap plant. And oh, was it a good one. It created a beautiful archway wrapped in white and yellow flowers, like something a newlywed couple would walk through after saying their vows. It was so extraordinary that I wouldve run through it like a giggling flower child if I had seen itjust for the experience. Instead, something popped up. --- Warning! You have discovered a trap plant. --- A map showed up showing me the exact location relative to my location. Then, it listed out the details. --- Name: Dapplevine (Wedding Trap) Type: Trap Plant Summary: If you want to get married in the afterlife, this is your chance. Take one step through this arc, and itll snap shut on you like a sundewif sundew had hundreds of tiny syringes full of poison instead of adhesive. The poisonaurelianagives the victim euphoric conditions for a few days before they slowly rot within. Im sure theres a cynics analogy of marriage somewhere in here. --- I laughed and rubbed my forehead. Yeah no. Guess were going this I turned and froze when I saw a beast staring at us from the opposite end of the forest. It had the body of a wolf but was the size of a male deerso two to three times larger. Huge. Massive. Absolutely terrifying. It had a head in the general shape of a pug and brown fur with orange and yellow stripes in the shape of bushes and flowers. It looked like a moving garden. For the first time, I got a notification of what it was. --- Name: Mithrala (Gardens Guardian) Type: Spirit Beast (Canine) Evolution: Second Summary: The Mithrala is like an animal if it looked like it was wrapped in ugly floral drapes and could eat you. It has strong hearing and a bad sense of smell, which is a good sign you should shut the hell up, keep still, and stop breathing so loud cause it can definitely hear you. Key Facts: --- A snapping twig broke me out of my reading, and my heart stopped. The mithrala started walking, sniffing in the air blindly, ears twitching. It took another step. The steps were slow, like my heart, but both crashed down violently and with purpose. Suddenly, I felt something on my side, and I almost jumped. My ribs strained, and my lungs punctured, but I kept still as I looked down. It was Kline. He was tugging my jeans. I looked around and saw he was tugging me in the line of the dapplevine. I didnt need a college degree to understand what value that could have. Id be a matador, leading it in and jumping out of the way, sending it flying straight into a trap. Great idea. Except this thing was, according to Lithco, over Level 125, whatever that meant, like everything else in the forest. I, by contrast, was a 23-year-old botany major whose hobbies included hikes and avoiding real exercise. In a jump competition, I would get mauled. Kline tugged at me again and looked at me with eyes that said, Trust me, mom! I swallowed hard and nodded, slowly moving my foot. Then, I stepped down as quietly as I could. The beast turned to our position with eerie accuracybut it didnt charge. It just started moving in our direction. It was far away but close enough that a charge could gore me to death. I wasnt going to risk it. Suddenly, it sniffed and looked around again, waiting for the sound. Kline moved a step backward, far quieter than me. As he did, he turned invisible, stealthydangerous. I was glad that Kline wasnt my enemy because he was far more terrifying than the big monster. I could barely see the light warping around him. He just looked like a bubble at most. Yet I could feel him. He tugged me, leading my leg to another opening. I put my foot there. Almost there. Almost in front of the dapplevine. One more step. The beast kept moving, closer and closer, walking hard on the soft ground. Thud. Snap. Thud. Snap. Each step it took made me shiver, and it was hard to hold my breath much longer, but I kept going. Thud. Snap. Thud. Suddenly, the ground under my foot shifted. It wasnt enough to make much noise, but it heard itand acted. It charged at me, releasing a roar. There were 50 meters between usthen there were 10 in two seconds. I tried to jump forward, but an invisible force slammed into my body and sent me stumbling backwardfast. My back slammed into a tree, making me gasp. And when I opened my eyes, I saw the beast fly right through the dapplevine. The beautiful archway snapped shut on the creature like heated cling wrap. It roared and rolled, trying to shake it off, but it was too late. Blades of wind slammed right into its head. It only dazed the creature, and it roared, looking around. But more blades followed. One blade, two. Blood started pouring off the creature''s head. At some point, the mithrala stopped looking for Kline and just howled, rushing off into the forest at a speed that I didnt think was physically possible. Suddenly, I got a strange chime. --- You are currently at an evolution cap. New levels are suppressed. Please complete the evolution requirements in the Guide to reach the First Evolution. Note: All experience after leveling will contribute to your evolution reward. --- I scoffed when I saw that notification. Apparently, I was weak and had to stay weak until I did more things, which would be, more than likely, insane. I was disappointed, but Kline was devastated. He was sad he didnt kill the creature. Once that registered, I stared at himstunned. This little guy was a house cat. A domestic shorthair that was only mildly uncommon because he had calico fur. A house cat. And that beast was at least 250 pounds, making it far larger than a Saint Bernard. House cat. Saint Bernard. House cat. Saint Bernard. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldnt believe my cat had the balls to attack that thing instead of grabbing me by the calf and screaming, RUN! Cats really fear no one. Come here, I sighed, taking a knee. Kline mewed and purred. Whatd you do? A notification followed and it left me speechless. Chapter 16 - Tutorial Klines skill tree was almost insulting. --- Kline Hill Race: Felis catus Level 25 (+24 - Capped Until Evolution) Evolution: 0 (Pending) Class: Phantom Cat Spells: Summary: Kline Hills willingness to challenge enemies that are multiple tiers beyond him to protect you has been acknowledged and rewarded by the gods. Armed with skills only possessed by Third Evolution beasts, Kline can now warp space to teleport between close areas and mute your steps to share his stealth with you. May his good decisions continue to bring you undeserved protection. Note: Klines advanced spells have been rewarded by the gods, not the Oracle. In exchange, his evolutionary requirements have increased significantly, and his skills will not improve without continually challenging stronger enemies. --- I frowned after hearing the jab but lost my thunder when I felt Kline nudging my legs with his hand, demanding full appreciation. Come here, I said. I picked him up and petted him, walking back to the shelter. I still had rewards to go through, and I didnt want to be near this thing during revenge hour. That beast would soon be rolling on ecstasy if the description was correct, but its howl could bring friends. I didnt like beast friends. Except my own, of course. 2. The irony of the trial was that Aiden was staring at plants while Mira encountered big animals. It was as though their roles had switched, but he didn''t mind it. He was amazed by all the plants and creatures within the Areswood Forest. It was dense and full of life, reminding him of the Hoh Rainforest in Washington. He loved how it smelled fresh, and he could see small birds chirping around, hopping from branch to branch, looking at him. Most of all, he loved that it was new. He loved the strange bugs that sounded like raindrops and the blue vines that linked trees like unlit Christmas lights. During the trip into the forest, he identified everything he saw. The plants only showed him a name, species, and description because his Identify skill was only basic. His animal Identify skill was a different story. It was advanced and showed him information on the species, its basic habits, warnings, weaknesses, and a section that was specialized for beast taming. He was in naturewhere he belonged. It was far better than a place with humansa place where he earned animosity and jealousy for helping an animal. The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him. Aiden just wanted to work with animals. He liked the idea of speaking to them and having magic, but he didnt want people to hurt him for doing his job. It didnt seem real, but Elles words rang out in his head. Your burly animal-bribing brethren are known for betraying better beast tamers. So watch out~ It made him question if he shouldve just walked away and let it happen, but that felt wrong. He just wished that he was the size of Dwayne Johnson so he could say, What? You gotta problem with me helping animals, punk? Huh, punk? You gotta problem? God, his rendition of what big people sounded like was cringe-worthy and only proved that he had no clue how to be an alpha. What do you think, Elionis? Aiden asked the liscan, who was lying next to him in the shade, touching his snout. He didnt need to touch or attempt to communicate with the liscan for him to know his general thoughts. Kill them, Elionis communicated. Aidens eyes widened. What? Are you deaf? I said kill them. If people are amicable, seek an amicable solution. If people try to push you around, push back. And if people try to hurt youkill them. It is The Path. It is the celebrated way. Aiden shivered. I dont want to kill people. The liscan snorted. Obviously. If you did, you wouldnt be worried about something so trivial. Aiden smiled wryly and sat back against a tree for a while before touching the liscan again and saying. If I were to protect myself how could someone like me do that? Youre a beast tamer. What do you think? I yeah. I figured that. But in my world, you cant tame alpha predators. Not like that. You dont have contracts? Contracts? What are contracts? Theyre agreements between tamer and animal. Did you not get a reward for linking with me? Huh? Aiden furrowed his brows and remembered the chime. Elle, did I get something for linking with Elionis? A pop-up materialized. --- Neophyte Aiden Roe has completed a Hidden Mission for the Quest, The Trial of Worth. Hidden Mission: Soul Link Hidden Mission Summary: Wow, wow! You mustve nearly been able to talk to animals on Earth because you just linked a spirit beast without a spell. In the world of beast taming, thats like doing a double backflip, twisty twist slam dunk on your first try! Know what that means? Level up! You now have magic to make contracts with animals. Far beyond talking, it allows you to make deals with them in exchange for value. Give it a shotI know youll love it. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Value: Utilize animals for equal exchange. Requirement(s): Reward(s): --- Yeah I did get one, Aiden said. How does it work? Its a spell, Elionis said, and unless Im mistaken, humans learn those through chants. I lack understanding of how it works, as animals speak through their subconscious. That said, once you learn it, youll find its no different than what we did. You can offer me food in exchange for a ride to the forest. The only difference is that the magic binds you into a contract, which ensures that you both follow through. What if one of us doesnt? Youll get penalized. What it is determined at the start of the contract. At a minimum, you have to give up something or suffer damage to your soul. At most, it will kill you and destroy your soul. Oh Nice. Thats um Aiden took a deep breath, trying to process what he just heard. Do you want to make a contract? I will help you practice, yes. Okay uh. Can I take the tutorial? I have nothing better to do. Besides, this is nice. Aiden smiled warmly. Elionis was lying under the shade of a tree. It was doubtlessly better than walking around with a clueless human on his back. Okay, Aiden said. He went into the tutorial tab. --- Spells Tutorials (2) Beast Taming --- Aiden thought about choosing the Minor Contract option. A new pop-up opened up. --- You are using a tutorial for the first time. Would you like an introduction? --- He nodded. Suddenly, a fairy flew out of his chest, making him stumble back. She had a pixie cut with pastel pink highlights and wore a white sundress with a pastel blue sash. She turned to him and said, Hmmm as she tapped her index against her lips. Then she smiled and said, Youre handsome. Aiden blushed and looked at Elionis, who had thankfully shut his eyes. What? he whispered. W-Who are you? Humph! she put her hands on her little hips. Dont you recognize your guardian fairy when you see them? Im Elle. El-e. Your master and saviorOracle of all. Surely youre just pretending not to recognize me. Her tiny shoulders suddenly slumped, and her face became sullen. W-Wait Aiden said, reaching out his hand to her. I just Im just surprised is all. I didnt think Id be able to see you. Really? Elle clasped her hands and held them against her chest. Then lets get started! She flew down and sat on Aidens extended hand, making him stumble back and hit his head against a tree. When he opened his eyes, he searched for her and found her sitting on his hand still. He couldnt feel her. Your face is so priceless right now, Elle giggled. Then she flew off him and picked an orange flower off the ground. He watched it happen, and it left no flower on the stem. I brought you something She held it behind her back, all cute. Then she extended it to him. Be mine~? Elle asked. Aiden was taken aback. He could see the orange fuzzy petals and smell them. They smelled like dandelions but sweeter. Um okay? He grabbed the flower, and his fingers passed through it, touching each other. Yet the stem bent as if he had pressed it as hard as he could. Youre breaking it, youre breaking it! Elle grabbed the plant and pulled it out. Then her hands lit up, and the flower healed to its original form. Then, she presented it again with a bright smile. Softer this time. Aiden complied, grabbing the stem lightly. He couldnt feel it, but he could move it like a normal flower. A light breeze even rustled the pedals, and the smell was intoxicating. What happened to the he looked back and saw that the flower she ripped off the stem was still there. So there was a fake flower in my hand and one where she picked it. It was an illusion. Do not try n bend the flower, Elle said, mimicking the voice of the spoon-bending kid from The Matrix. Thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth. There is no flower, Aiden whispered. Bingo! Elle threw up her hands, and the flower exploded in a rain of pixie dust. Then, a parade of flying whales flew overhead, blocking out the sun. This is all in your imagination sort off, she giggled. Just kidding. Its augmented reality. Then she flew down and sat on Aidens shoulder, kicking her legs. She was about a foot tall, making her face around ear level with him. But it is pretty cool for allowing me to teach you stuff. Dont you think? Aidens eyes flitted around nervously. Yes? Aw, you dont seem convinced, she pouted. But whats done is done. Now that Ive nailed the introduction, you wanna learn some contracts? His heart fluttered when he realized that everything he saw was actually an introductionand it was badass. There was so much power. Also, it was kind of fun to meet Elle, who was just as delightfully obnoxious as her text responses made her seem. Lets cover the basics, Elle said. When you open up the spells tab, you will see a bunch of words. Try it out. While she said to try it out, she did it for him. It started by going into his spells, which were broken down like a group of menus, starting with categories like beast taming, followed by subcategories like contract and healing, which housed his spells. It was like the skill tree, but it was sparse, only showing the Minor Contract and Minor Physical Healing spells he earned. --- Spells Tome (2) Beast Taming --- The screen shifted as Elle chose Minor Contract, and it explained a single line of unreadable text: Nel midenar di una verel''zarra, mi tra il serithia es Quorin''del. So thiss whats called a chant. Its not exactly what you humans think it is. You dont just say silly things like, Mighty wind! Be thine trumpet and vanquish my foes. Let your gales bring destruction and wrath to those below! she reenacted in a mocking kings voice, before things go woosh and boom! she giggled. No, these chants are equal parts mantra and meditation. By chanting the unique tones it helps you to reach the part of your subconscious that uses these spells. Now close your eyes and repeat after me. Nel midenar. Aiden closed his eyes. Nel midenar. Di una verel''zarra. Di una vary ul zara? Aiden said hesitantly. Elle giggled. No, no. Ve-rel zar rah. Ve rel zar rah? Aiden said. Yup! Well, kinda. You still need the accent, but you have centuries to master it. Lets try again. Nel midenar. Aiden cleared his mind. Nel midenar. Di una verel''zarra. Di una ve rel zar rah. This continued for five minutes until he could say it. Then, his words became distant, with the sound of leaves and trees disappearing. He lost touch with his body, leaving him suspended in a state of limbo. There, within him, he could feel a seed of energy in his chest. He instinctively knew that it was made of energy, a webbing that connected the world and its people and animals. Suddenly, there was another seed of energy in the blackness. He continued chanting the spell, hoping to get closerbut something else happened instead. Chapter 17 - Epic Reward Aiden sat suspended in the darkness, feeling his energy within his chestexperiencing the energy around him. As he chanted, threads of energy reached out into the void. Suddenly, he heard Elioniss voice deep within his subconscious. What do you want? What do I want? I dont know. Why make a contract if you have nothing of want or value? Wait were making a contract? Elionis snorted in his mind. Humans. I uh. What can I do? You can request I let you ride me. Request me to keep watch while you sleep or defend you in battle. You can even request me to eat all the weeds in your garden. It is a normal request, human. So wait I can request for you to follow me back, cant I? Not take me back. Or return. Follow me. Ah, now youre thinking Elioniss voice turned warm. Yes. But someone who learns this fast can surely find a better animal to make that contract with. Lets just make a minor contract. I see. Well what do you want? What do I want? Yeah. I dont have anything I want from you. So what do you want? Elionis laughed. I want passage to the Second Ring, human. Bring me that, and I shall pick flowers for you. Aiden frowned. He could tell the sentiment was like, I want to be president, bring me that, and I shall bestow a Krispy Kreme donut upon you. Okay, so how about tell me where a river is for us to drink, and I will lead us there? Thats good. Now, concentrate on my core and our agreement. Aiden did, and the threads of energy coming from the seed in his chest moved toward Elioniss core. The other did the same, moving like two strings about to shake hands. It was almost there when a massive blue core that looked like a sun appeared in the blackness. Watch out! Elionis yelled. Aidens eyes snapped open just in time to see a white blur shoot across his eyes. It lunged at him but latched its jaws on Elioniss right shoulder instead. The second that Aiden saw it, his zookeeper instincts took over. The beast was only the size of a fox, so smaller than most mid-sized dogs, and it was fluffy and had three tails. He could likely handle the creature. The question wasnt how but what not to do. If he couldnt take it, raw force was necessary. If he did, the last resort was always violence, as animals become distrustfuland that trust never recovers. Aiden pressed his fingers together and snapped them in front of the foxs ears. The creature flew backward, letting go of his jaws. Aiden glowered at the creature as they made eye contact. Stop. The animal looked at him with absolute confusion. Then it scoffed and rubbed the blood from its chin with its paw before turning and storming off aggressively. Well, well, that was kinda rude, Elle said, pulling her eye down and sticking her tongue out at the three-tailed fox walking away. Now where were we? Oh, yes! You were about to make a uuuuuuuseless contract, but now Ive got an idea~. Why dont you heal Elionis with your new spell in exchange for him helping you find a good animal? Aiden turned to Elionis, who had gotten onto his feet and was now shaking its mossy fur in anger. Will you help me find a good animal in exchange for healing you? Aiden asked. Elionis snorted. Help me evolve, and Ill help you do anything. I dont know how to do that. I only jest. Now come. Heal me, and I will fulfill your requests. How cute! Elle said. Theyre getting along. Aiden glared at her and then lost steam at her cute face. Is it safe to make a contract here? Probably not, Elle said. That fox was rather offended that you treated her like a pet. If I had to guess, she has moseyed off to sulk about her curses but she might snap and kill you for spite. Whats a curse? Did you say something? she asked. Aiden took the hint. No. He patted Elionis. Thisll probably take a few hours for me to learn this stuff, he said to him. Is it okay? I know a better place, human. Hop on. Aiden mounted the liscan, and the beasts leg almost gave way as blood gushed down the side. That fox was a lot more terrifying than the ones on Earth. He hoped he could help Elionis. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Elionis took him a thirty-minute walk east to a river with glowing bugs hovering over it. A thin veil of fog covered it. --- Congratulations! You have found a sacred location. Name: Diktyo River (First Ring) Aiden didn''t know that Mira was not far from the same riveralbeit over a hundred miles away, in a far more dangerous section, also looking at her Guide. 2. Okay, so good newsI was drowning in rewards. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I was in a forest where every beast was over Level 125, and I was, until yesterday, Level 1. So, just injuring these creatures was remarkable, like a grade-schooler tripping a linebacker. Luck or not, sneak attack or head first, it was a lot more impressive than a creature at their level fighting it. Thats why Kline was rewarded so muchI was awarded similarly. Within my Free Requests tab I could see the actual reasons for getting diamond rewardsand an epic one. --- Level 1 -> Level 2 | Epic: Attacked an enemy within 2 minutes of starting The Path. Level 2 -> Level 3 | Diamond: Injured an enemy over 500x your level. Level 3 -> Level 4 | Diamond: Injure an enemy evolutions levels above your own. Level 4 -> Level 5 | Diamond: Saved a companion from certain death. Level 5 -> Level 6 | Platinum: Survived an encounter with an enemy three evolutions above your own. Level 6 -> Level 7 | Platinum: Survived an encounter with an enemy 500 Level above your own. --- And so it went, listing out my deeds. I read them while sitting on a stump outside the temporary shelter, a location I could now verify was both free of poison and trap plants. Kline was in my lap, doubtlessly playing around with his Guide as well, and somehow, I think we were both sort of grumpy. I knew that I hit the jackpot, but I was still sort of salty that I only got one diamond request from actually fighting the wandering reaper, which was: Level 23 -> Level 24 | Diamond: Fight and escape a wandering reaper without being touched, as if that was the most impressive part of the request. Still, my free requests looked super juicy. I had one epic, four diamonds, ten platinum, ten goldand I could spend them on anything. Books! Sweet, sweet books, here I come! Well, maybe not. I decided to check out the other areas and did so with the Rewards tab since what I got was mostly decided for me. The tab didnt have a counter because rewards were given to you, or rather, it came in two flavors. Quest Gifts, which gave me a reward for fulfilling quests, and Quest Rewards, which were provided. The Quest rewards were in the Past Rewards tab. It listed as follows: --- Rewards Past Rewards --- It also had three Quest Rewards for completing Dont Back Down, Confront Your Trauma, and the legacy quest Get Your Stuff Back. Those showed up under the areas where one was available. --- Books (0) Spells (0) Recipes (0) Blueprints (0) Tutorials (+1) Skills (+1) Equipment (+1) --- Lets start with skills, I thought aloud. Unfortunately, it was locked and displayed a message that said: Legacy Rewards require you to complete the Trial of Worth. Thats rude, I said. Kline meowed, probably experiencing the same thing. Tutorials, I guess, I said. A new screen popped up, and to my surprise, I was given three options. That made me perk up as I looked through them. --- Hidden Mission: Dont Back Down Distinction: Diamond - It may have been sheer desperation, but you chose to fight for Kline instead of leaving him for dead. You also managed to navigate the forest without getting trapped by the reapers and used its weaknesses to save Kline from the tendril. In short, you actually did a good job. Well done for once. Tutorial Options: 1. Slash Master | Grade: Diamond Summary: Your ineptitude in slashing through both plants and fungi has led the gods to pity you. With this tutorial, you will learn how to utilize spells to cut through branches, vines, plants, and mycelium. And dont worrythis skill really is powerful, considering that plants here are trying to kill you. Note: This skill is critical for killing and butchering animals as wellassuming you can kill any. I read this with serious thought. It wasnt the most flashy skill, but it had serious virtues. Right then, I couldnt cut anything. Being able to cut through plants and traps and animals was critical, and if I ever wanted to eat meat, I would probably need it. That said, this was a tutorial instead of a skill, so I would likely need spells to even use it. I put it in the back of my mind. 2. Expert Core Formation | Grade: Diamond Summary: If you want to use that pretty little bow (i.e. the only thing standing between you and Kline and guaranteed annihilation), youre going to need a mana core. Establishing a strong core correctly is the difference between weak magical output and immense power. Its recommended you use every means available to create a strong core. Now, this was a skill I couldnt ignore. In the world of science, sterilization techniques are required for every experiment, and failing to use one guarantees failure. Establishing a firm foundation with a core felt like the spell equivalent, and after seeing Klines power, I knew that spells would make or break living here. So, I was heavily leaning toward this. However, the last one gave me pause. 3. Soul Manipulation | Grade: Epic Summary: If your recent trauma has taught you anything, its that soul plants and soul mycelium are incredibly powerful when used as traps or for tactical gain. Learn the art of soul manipulation so that you may graft souls into plants and turn them into your army. Note: This reward is an abnormal perk of this unique locations Trial of Worth. It will not be offered again unless requested with an epic Free Request. Chapter 18 - Legacies I sighed when I read the options in front of me. Slash Master had instant value, giving me skills similar to Kline, who could cut through the wandering reapers at a distance. Mana manipulation gave me the ability to use my bow. But. Soul Manipulation seemed immeasurably powerful for trapping prey and protecting me. If I had reapers around me, animals couldnt easily reach my campsite. Moreover, I could get food by trapping smaller animals. It was powerful. More importantly, I got one Epic request for attacking an enemy 500 times my level in the first five minutes of coming to another world. I doubted I would get another one of these requests. I guess I could just use my free requests to get the other two I thought aloud. I had plenty of diamond-grade free requests. It seemed foolish to even consider turning down an epic reward when I could get the other a moment later. Moreover, after learning about the world and its magic, I might end up using my epic request to get a mana core tutorial. Soul Manipulation was the best choice. I chose it and got a notification telling me it was added to my tutorials tab. Then I went straight to it, skipping Equipment and Spells. I wasnt overly excitedit just seemed logical. Before I could use spells, I needed to build a mana core, and getting equipment wouldnt help me any time soon. There was only so much time in the trial. Id look at equipment during the night. I opened the tutorial window and chose Soul Manipulation. --- You are using a tutorial for the first time. Would you like an introduction? --- Yes, I replied. I was expecting to hear Lithcos sarcasm, but what happened went far beyond my expectationsand filled me with fury. Oh, so youve finally decided to listen to a persons advice, Lithcos voice said. A man suddenly appeared in front of me. He was about average in height, had long hairfor a manand wore garb Id imagine Sherlock Holmes or an aristocrat would wear if the tailoring were contemporary. The outfit included a button-up t-shirt, a vest, and slacks, in addition to a pocket watch and his unbridled depression. He was slightly transparent liquid but otherwise had full color. Something about seeing the man who acted super concerned and then put me onto a Level 500or highermonster really pissed me off. Allow me to introduce myself, Lithco said, talking outward instead of in my head, my name is Lith Kline used his Pounce with Sharp Bite skills to lunge at Lithco faster than I could see. He sank his teeth into the mans thighbut he wasnt physically thereso Kline flew right through him. Yet he didnt crash headfirst into a tree and embarrass himself. My cat landed feet first onto the bark, dug its claws in for traction, and jumped backward, swiping at Lithcos back. He flew through again, hitting the ground, turning and snapping and hissing. Oh, joy, hes just like you, Lithco drawled. Learned behavior is truly the downfall of humankind. I sighed and picked up my bristled cat, hugging him against my chest as Lithco walked over to a plant and picked it. It ripped off, but the original remained, leaving him with a duplicate. It was eerie. As you can see, Im not real. The English term for this form is augmented reality, but let there be no mistake: my software mimics reality down to the most minute detail, so what you see is both true and fake. Now observe. Lithco pulled out a chair, table, mortar and pestle, and other equipment out of thin air, setting them up and sitting down. I used Identify on the plant before he set to work and was disappointed. It was remarkably ordinary. --- Perendia - Whorled Arrangement, Green Leaves with Black Spines on Stem Poison Tier: 0 Poison Level: Mild Key Facts: Poison Facts: --- There wasnt anything particularly flashy about it, but after getting the poison book, I understood that there was immense information I wouldnt get from my current identify skill. I needed more books. Still, the plant was remarkably typical. It looked like any other plant in Earths forests, with a whorl designthe kind where theres multiple leaves that sprout out from the same point in a circle. It was common to the point of being mundane. Tutorials turn me into your personal tutor, Lithco explained, not only in words and notes but in person. Its a dynamic process that develops over time, and the lectures I give are contingent upon the items and equipment that you have on hand. Suddenly, the plant in his hand froze through magic, becoming stiff and releasing white gas like dry ice. Then he put it into the mortar and started grinding it. What did you just do? I asked. Nothing that you can do at this time, he said, whichs the point. Now observe. He ground another plant that he pulled out of thin air and added a powder from a jar. Then he mixed water in itand threw it against a tree. It burnt a hole right through the bark and beyond, creating a sickening sizzle of acidic smoke that smelled sweet and toxic simultaneously. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. W-What the hell was that? I stammered. Something useful to have in a killer forest, Lithco replied dryly. Get a tutorial for it, and Ill help you make it. And as much as I loathe it, Im forced to help you master it to the degree specified, no matter how many questions you may have about it. Now that the introduction is out of the way, lets talk about soul manipulation. He sighed, putting his palm out. All the tables, chairs, and equipment suddenly turned to the size of miniature toys as they floated into his hand. Then he flicked them behind his head, and they disappeared through an alternate dimension. Show off. Sit down, he said. This will require your full concentration. I nodded and checked the ground outside the shelter. No poison. No traps. I sat down. Every sentient organism has a soul, Lithco said. On Earth, a soul is simply will itselfan identity mixed with the ability to think and feel and act independently. Its essential, but its not tangible. Hereit is. Mana weaves our bodies, minds, and souls in a rich tapestry, allowing us to directly enact our will on the world. Close your eyes and repeat after me. Ch''e viara in tal''arvalis. I tried and failed the first attempt, but after a few attempts, a dozen sighs, and at least two scoldings, I managed to say it. Good, Lithco said. Now say it a few dozen more times. I can already say it sorta, I grumbled. Its not about being able to say itits about using it. Just do it. I frowned and closed my eyes, chanting Ch''e viara in tal''arvalis on an endless loop. Soon, my world turned into a soundless void, black and pure. I thought Id disappear, but Kline put his paw on my leg, anchoring me to the world. Thats when I felt it. Kline. Kline was a tiny house cat, but he suddenly felt heavier and larger, like a large dog lying on your lap on the couch. He also felt dominant and dangerouswhat I imagined my tiny cat should be after watching him attack that enemy. This was Klines soul? Lithcos voice suddenly cut through the darkness. The soul is the ability to imprint your will on the world. It allows you to dominate and intimidate those with weaker souls. It allows you to communicate with animals and feel a deeper connection with your spirit beasts. It increases the intensity of your attacks. It is life itself. Lithco suddenly came into vision, and he sat in front of me, holding a plant that looked like a cobra coiled or a whip rolled up. He sat it down. When your soul interacts with yourself, its called aura, Lithco said. Aura allows you to increase the power or sharpness of your attacks, increase your concentration, and strengthen your body. But thats only the beginning. The soul can force people into submission, communicate with people or beasts on a subconscious level, and allow you to shape the souls. This type of soul manipulation is called neara, and it is the basis of soulmancy. With this type of soul manipulation, your soul dominates another, shaping, taming, and cleansing it so that you can breathe it into living or recently deceased objects. Observe. Kline suddenly appeared right next to him, a copya reflection. I could see Klines energy in an outline. Lithco closed his eyes, and the aura around his Kline lost its form, turning into whisps, churning like semi-transparent, getting whisked in a bowlpainting white streaks over gray. Klines soul turned vicious during the process, snarling and snapping and biting, just like the animals in the Diktyo River. Only this animal felt aliveit felt like Kline. That made me open my mouth to scream, Wait! but no words came out. The real Kline increased his pressure on me, reminding me he was still alive and well. Still, watching Lithco shaping Kline into a thin rope made me feel uncomfortableterrified even. Once you forge the soul, you add it to a plant. Lithco whisked the soul into the plant, and the plants entire base shimmered with white light and aura. Suddenly, it exploded like a worm from Dune. I shot in the air and thrashed and struck and flailed wildlyviolentlytrying to break free from its soul. It was a far cry from the wandering reapers that felt aliveit looked feral. Youve just seen me shape a soul and put it into a plant, Lithco said. Now its a killer plantbut it lacks purpose or meaning. So it aches and hates. And that is something you cannot change with soul manipulation. Soul manipulation is only a stage of soulmancyso it wont help you. Not now. I would focus on alchemy so you can build your soul core. My stomach dropped, left suspended above my aching hips. For some reason, I felt an irrepressible desire to learn soulmancyto learn it over botany or science or poisons. It felt like going down this path would allow me to understand plants on a deeper level, cutting to the very essence of life itself. Naturally, I didnt need it now. Its not like this powerful technique was going to disappear, and there were more pressing needs I needed to attend to. Still, there was a feeling of urgency burning within me. What else do I need? I asked. A lot, Lithco said. This path would take up every free request you get for decadesat a minimum. His words pierced through my lungs, and I looked away. Normally, Lithco said. My head shot up. What do you mean, normally? The best way to learn anything is through a Legacy. Legacies are the equivalent of having Einstein tutoring you on their uncompleted research. They provide separate quests and reward you with exhaustive skills, tutorials, spells, and equipment by completing quests that spur mastery of your study. How do I get one? I asked erratically. Lithco chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair. Youd usually have better odds finding a needle in a haystack the size of Texas, but The blackness disappeared, and I found myself back in the area I originally woke up in, watching the wandering reaper attack. Then the scenery switched, and I found myself watching the Treskirita moving underground and the animal souls on the Diktyo River creating faces in the fog. Youre a lone botanist in the Forest of Souls, he said. Sick as it is, your situations pretty amusing and its captivated the gods attentionhence the legacy quest. So youre in a prime situationnow, its just a matter of attracting the right god. In this casea botanist god that specializes in soulmancy. I balled my fists, trembling with anger. Whats wrong? he asked. Its just I get that gods are recruiting people for their armies so theyre watching people, but still. It pisses me off that gods are amused watching me suffer. Thats seriously fucked up. Then get a legacy, Lithco said apathetically. The moment you do, only your patron god can watch you. Think of it like youre a cat in an animal shelter. People are window shopping, poking, proddingjudging you. Then someone finally adopts you, and youre in their care. You go behind their doors and theyll feed you and provide you with resources. That sounded better. A lot better. So how do I do this? I asked. Attract the right god? Lithcos answer left an icy chill crawling down my spinebut it also made me buzz with nervous excitement. Chapter 19 - New Quest Lithcos answer about how to earn a legacy didnt surprise me, but it hit differently when he presented it. If you want a gods legacy, you have to prove youre worthy of it. Youve already gotten one that youll be offered after the Trial of Worth. That said, for someone in your position, this is a job offerand it may not be a fit for your passions or drive. So you need to attract the right god, and that means showcasing talent in their area of specialization. You have six more nights before the end of the Trial. During that time, you will be given resources and voluntary quests to showcase your talent in many areas. Complete the voluntary quests and prove you have what it takes to earn a soulmancy legacy. Thats how youll do it. I felt a sudden pang of excitementand dread. The last legacy quest I was offered was dangerous to the point of insanity. That meant other legacy quests would be the same. Despite that, I didnt even think about turning it down. I think, subconsciously, I had already dedicated myself to The Path. Okay, I said. Well, off you go. Find a soul, and Ill teach you then. Lithco snapped his fingers, and a piercing noise stabbed my brain. Suddenly, I woke up. The world returned to normal as I gripped my head. What the hell was that? I yelled. But only the sound of Kline rushing around looking for Lithco greeted me. Once I calmed down, I lost my anger and felt a fire in my heart. Without delay, I unzipped my backpack, retrieved a notebook, and wrote the following passage: --- Things I need to do:
  1. Find a water source.
  2. Obtain reliable shelter.
  3. Get a better map.
  4. Get a mana core to use my soul weapon and spells.
  5. Determine what skills I need to survive.
  6. Find a soul to practice soul manipulation.
  7. Attract a patron god.
--- That felt incomplete, so I added an eighth: Punch lithco in the face. I smirked in satisfaction and then sighed. We have food and shelter right now, I mumbled to Kline like the good cat lady I was. Lets get a map. Upgrading the map required two pricey requests. The first was a platinum atlas of the Fourth Ring of the Areswood Forest, and I found that it was unfathomably large. I was on the other side of Galfers Gate, a colossal wall that separated the Fourth Ring from civilization. It was fifty miles vertically from the wall to the end of the fourth ring and then two hundred miles horizontally. There were seven of these rings! I was twenty-five miles from Galfers Gate, ensuring that I wouldnt run into humans. Be careful what you wish for. Anyway, the atlas provided me with topography, general areas, and landmarksnone with explanations. That was useful, but there were ten thousand square miles, and the atlas only gave general areas for each. For that reason, I spent a gold request for a skill called Cartographer, which updated the map every time I saw something. It also allowed me to pull up pictures of what I saw, like Google Earth''s Street View images. It also allowed me to draw paths and add markings. I used those to draw paths from the wandering reaper to the shelter. That was a certified safe area, minus animals. Then, I marked the paths near the river in red to labeled them no-go zones. Map in hand, I sat down and listened to the bugs for a while, petting Kline in my lap before using an information request. I want to use an information request, I said to dead air. Give me a list of the things that I should focus on. A pop-up came up. --- Information Request Used
  1. Obtain ingredients for a minor cleansing elixir.
  2. Complete a voluntary alchemy quest to create a minor cleansing elixir.
  3. Consume elixir to cleanse.
  4. Buy a diamond-grade core-building tutorial.
  5. Establish a mana core to use your bow and use spells to complete legacy quests.
  6. Establish mana control.
  7. Complete any legacy quests provided.
Information Requests Remaining: 23 --- Then, there was another chime. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new voluntary quest. Quest: Cleanse your body. Quest Summary: To develop a mana core, you must have a healthy body, and yours is a dumpster fire using Doritos as fuel. If it werent, your kind wouldnt wither like raisins and die, now would they? Luckily, this forest has everything you need to shed the consequences of your poor diet. Collect the ingredients and make medicine that will cleanse your body. The better the cleanse, the stronger your mana core will become. Requirement(s):
  1. Obtain the ingredients for a minor cleansing elixir.
  2. Travel to the alchemy station on your map.
  3. Create a minor cleansing elixir with at least 15% purity.
  4. Consume a minor cleansing elixir.
  5. Survive
Rewards:
  1. Quest Reward
--- Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Looks like soulmancys gotta wait, I sighed. Question is should I use an info request to find the ingredients? Or a book? What do you think? Kline realized I was talking to him and looked up at me with a dead face as if to say, Seriously? Sorry, I said. Its just its hard. And I want to complain. Because I know that theres not enough time to use the book, but it kinda irks me that I might not get a diamond. Im not sure when I got competitive and ambitious, but it just seemed right. For the first time in my life, I got tangible rewards for doing things well. Soon Id get rewards for working with plants. It was heaven. I didnt have a choice, though. I had less than six days for this trial, and I had spent half of the day trying to figure out what I didnt know. Information requests would save me critical time. Im doing this so I can concentrate on legacy quests, I said to the sky like a lunatic. Klines ears twitched, and he looked up and around at the sky, making me giggle and pet him. Info request. Give me everything I need to create this minor cleansing as fast as possible. An hour later, Kline and I were walking through the woods, adding herbs to my net foraging bag, almost like I was going to the grocery store. I was also adding edible mushrooms, fruits, and berries. With my new books, this forest that would kill me at every step was inviting almost now. I knew what I could step on and what I couldnt at a glance, and edible items glowed, letting me know they were fresh. Most importantly, I could suppress the amount of information about things that I wanted so I didnt get overwhelmed. There was only one obvious disclaimer The Guide gave me: --- Warning: Only requesting certain information or warnings can lull the neophyte and can bias the information by removing key facts. User discretion is advised. --- That made sense. Just studying things at face value can leave out key facts. But after identifying a few hundred plants and mushrooms while seeking these herbs, I got very lazy. Soon, I became reliant upon the poison and edible warnings and only asked for warnings when picking up edible foods. Naturally, that had swift consequences. It started when I came across a natural orchard with fruits that looked like oranges, but the outer skin of a mango, if it was blue and green. It looked poisonous, but it lit up with golden light, letting me know that it was edible. So, I identified one. --- Common Name: Shenai Fruit Type: Citrus Poison Tier: Edible Description: Shenai fruit is kind of like your decisions: hard-shelled and unsettling at first but sweet and promising from within. The juice is a delicacy in the civilized world. Crack one open on a rock and learn the hype. P.S. Let the analogies stop at being hard-shelled but full of potential. --- What the hells that supposed to mean? I muttered, scoffing at the analogy comment. Then, I picked one up and found that it was surprisingly heavy. Guess well find out. I read the instructions but still decided to flick open my pocket knife and figure out why it needed to be cracked on a rock. Turned out it was a drupe, a fruit with seeds in a hard shellbut there was no fruit around the shell. That was strange. Other drupeslike cherries, peaches, and mangoshave fruit around the seeds to entice animals to chew on them and spit them out elsewhere. But this one was like a coconuta drupe that isnt supposed to be eaten. Instead, they spread their seeds by floating in the ocean for many miles before washing on shore again and taking roothence the reason they are near the ocean. But this wasnt near the ocean. What could spread a fruit the size of an orange if animals didnt chew on it? I decided to find outand regretted it. I cracked that son of a bitch twice on a rock before it exploded like a can of soup in a campfire. Green juice and black seeds splattered my face and clothing, drenching me in sickly sweet aromas. Kline got hit, too, and started hissing and screeching. What I looked around, wiping some out of my eyes, the fuck was that? Why the fuck didnt you warn me that it explodes? Just for spite, it replayed that same warning. --- Warning: Only requesting certain information or warnings can lull the neophyte and can bias the information by removing key facts. User discretion is advised. --- I always ask for a warning! I complained, but I knew that I didnt. I needed to actually ask for things in my thoughts to display the information. Besides, you told me to do this! --- Puncturing a shenai fruit releases all the pressure in one area and can blind unsuspecting individuals. --- I chuckled, feeling my body dropping deep into the depths of lunacy as I stared up at the trees. Then, I looked down and saw that there were hundreds of black seeds stuck to my skin. So thats how they produce. They fucking explode when animals step on them and glue the seeds to the animal. I picked up a rock and threw it at a rotting shenai fruit under a tree. It hit and exploded like a frag grenade. I fucking hate this forest. I looked down and found Kline licking his body clean. Shorthair cats can lick almost every part of their body except the middle of the back of their head and, for some, the middle of their back and upper shoulders. And the fact that he couldnt do that was stressing him out. Well take a bath later, I said as he groomed. Then, I fed him to ease his stress as I scoured the area for more of the herbs. Thankfully, they were all common herbs despite having heavy anti-toxin properties that seemed quite miraculous. They had anticoagulant effects, promoted vasodilation to improve circulation, opened pores, detoxification agents, and anti-inflammatories. Seeing so many concrete uses for plants gave a stark contrast to the forest. Miracle, life-saving plants in the forest of death. Classic. Once I had picked the last of the herbs, I took a break. It was late afternoon; the sun would set soon. Plants down I pulled up the map and looked at the next area. There was a cauldron icon a few miles away. It was alchemy equipment for my test. Knowing Lithco, itll be a spider trap I chuckled bitterly. Ill wait until tomorrow. I turned to Kline. Wanna go read? He meowed. Okay, I said. We traveled back to the shelter casually, as if the forest were suddenly welcoming. We almost made it back without incident, but a half-mile out, we finally ran into an animal. I hopped out of a bush a few hundred feet away, barely visible. Yet Kline sensed it, pausing and watching it hop over. It moved surprisingly quickly, getting closer without charging. The two animals stared each other down. It wasnt until the creature got within fifty feet that I could see it clearly. It looked like a rabbit with brown fur and a beaver-like head. It was the size of a small corgi and kept smacking its jaws, exposing four razor-sharp teeth where bunnies would have two. And the killer animal guide warned me that the creature meant business. --- Name: Reiga Type: Spirit Beast Evolution: Second Summary: In the Areswood Forest, this little guy is as weak as a muskrat. Thats why they breed like rabbits, have legs meant for running, and jaws that can do damage to attackers. While they are not powerful here, they might as well be a coked-out grizzly bear on rollerskates to you. So watch out. Warning: Panicked reiga release a call to their brethren if they are in mortal danger. If you dont finish them off quickly, they will call for reinforcements. Chapter 20 - Soul Meat Kline I whispered. If you can kill that thingdo it fast. Kline nodded as he walked forward. The reiga hopped forward as well, standing off like Cowboys quick drawing. Then it struck. The bunny shot forward with speed that left after images as it lunged at Kline. I tried to scream, but it wasnt fast enough. Suddenly, Kline blinked out of existence, leaving the reiga stunned. The next moment, an invisible force slammed into its back, making it cry out in pain. What just happened? I asked, seeing red lines beading up on the rabbit. It was phantom claws. When did The rabbit struck, shooting backward at Kline. Kline dodged narrowly, but the reiga pivoted and attacked again. But before it hit, Kline disappeared, warp stepping out of the way. I blinked, and then Kline was suddenly on the beasts back, fangs stuck in its spinal cord, clamping down. The reiga started screeching as it thrashed about, but Kline sent his claws into the creatures throat, cutting it off as it rode it like a bronco. The bucking lasted for three agonizing minutes, proving that Kline had the magic and tactics to kill itbut not the power. But he did it. He actually did it. This little guy took out a beast described as a coked-out grizzly on rollerskates. I wanted to pet him once it was all over, but when Kline finally got off the creature and turned to me, he was drenched in blood like that scene from Carrieand he looked far more horrifying than the creature. It made me chuckle nervously, and that annoyed Kline. He huffed and turned away, snapping at the things pelttrying to drag it away. But it was the size of a small dog, so he kept pulling it to no avail. I got it, I said gently, picking it up. I slouched from the weight, and Kline laughed at me. Little shit. Well, weve got dinner, too, I said. Lets go eat. Thats what we did. I carried the coked-out grizzly bear back to an area within a few hundred yards from the safe zone and pulled out the small pot I had in the pan, along with my small Coleman grill, a small bottle of vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. It wasnt much, but it was enough for backpacking. I then chopped up a marestia, a red mushroom that looked similar to a chanterelle in its broken bell shape, but it was red and had curved caps around it, creating a weird illusion of mushrooms growing out of the mushrooms. Once I finished, I put it in the pan to saute. While I was doing this, Kline was cutting up the reiga. I tried, but I was afraid that just trying to skin the creature would bend my knife and accomplish nothing. The Slash Master spell suddenly felt more appealing. That said, I still needed a coreso it wouldnt help. So I did the next best thing. I had Kline cut it into strips with his phantom claws. It wasnt perfect. Every slice had fur and bone but screw it. We were roughin it out in this forest, and I wouldnt mind as long as I ate well. So I just watched him until the mushrooms were done and took a bite And oh dear God. It was fucking delicious. It had the nutty flavor of chanterelles as well, but with the meatiness of boletes, and one bite filled me with vitality. Try this, I said enthusiastically, holding a steaming piece out for Kline. He took two steps forward, sniffed it, and said, Nah, fuck that and walked away. I looked at the bloody carcass of the reiga mockingly, but I could hardly do that. Cats were obligate carnivores, meaning that they had to eat meat, and while they could eat cooked mushrooms, it could create gastrointestinal issues. So we were just eating what we loved. Ten minutes later, Kline laid on the ground with a satisfied expression, rolling over slightly with a large smile on his face. Come on I said. It took a few minutes, but he got up and shook his fur. Then he finished slicing the meat and brought me this caveman chunk of meat that was probably three different cuts of meat in a small package. I took as much fur off as I could, but my knife wouldnt cut it, so I just washed it with some water and seared the meat. The moment it started sizzling, I felt like I was high. There was energy coming right out of the meat, and it left me shaking. What the hell is this? I asked. It felt like I was doing drugs. I checked the information again and didnt find any drug-like properties in the meat or even warnings. It was edible and designated as tasty. So I just cooked it as fast as possiblebut it still took two hours. Two. Hours. It just wouldnt cook! I had it on the highest heat possible and it didnt brown for thirty minutes. But I couldnt even cut the meat with my knife raw, so I waited and waited and waited, wondering if I should just start a fire and turn the thing to charcoal. But once it was done, I seasoned it with salt and pepper, gave half to Kline who accepted it with glee and took a bite. Thats when I collapsed. I gasped as I hit the grass. It felt like someone took my organs and dipped them into a deep fat fryer, and my mind exploded in pain. New pathways that felt like veins jutted through my limbs, and I could feel mana like I did when I held Nymbrel for the first time. And while I wanted to screamI couldnt. Waves of pleasure and pain crashed through me like I was experiencing a deep tissue massage that hurt so good. Then it was over. When I opened my eyes, I saw Kline meowing at me. Im okay, I said. I ran my fingers through the grass I was lying on and pushed myself up. Once I sat down, I picked up the meat I had dropped and groaned when I saw it was dirty. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. A pop-up stacked on top of the meat. --- You have eaten soul meat for the first time. It has expanded your mana channels and strengthened your soul. Continue to eat soul meat to obtain power. --- Oh, hell yeah, I smiled weakly, looking at Kline, who was shrugging it off. He had already eaten the meatwhich is why he laid down and buzzed on the ground. I understood now. I then looked at the meat. It was time to eat. 2. While Mira was eating the soul meat, Aiden had finished up healing Elionis''s shoulder. The bite that fox left in his shoulder was far worse than he thought and his skill in healing was extremely crude. He had to chant the mantra in his mind repeatedly as he did it, but he was having a hard time working with him. Luckily, Elionis enjoyed the feeling of healing, so he laid down as Aiden worked over a six hour period. Im sorry it took so long, Aiden said. Nonsense. Youve learned magic rather quickly. Thanks. He looked up at the setting sun. I think we should go back for the night. There were still two days left. Then we shall pick it up then. Aiden climbed onto the liscans back and started packing back to the conservatory barracks. He rode for about a half hour when he got a sudden announcement. --- Domain Quest Announcement! Platinum to Epic requests are currently pending in Areswood Forest. Due to the difficulty and legality of fulfilling these quests, it is being declared in advance to allow you to prepare. As a reminder, hindering a domain quest through legal means will result in penalties for legal and political classes. This quest is available to all individuals within the First Domain. More information on these requests will be available if/when they are requested. --- He furrowed his brows and patted Elionis. Did you get this announcement? Of the Domain Quest? Yeah. I did. What of it? Its just arent we in the Areswood Forest? Hah! Elionis shook his mossy fur, laughing and mocking him. No, human. Such a reward speaks of the Fourth Ring. Its likely that a Black Harvest survivor has received a reward thats allowing them to come home. I see so do you think theyll ask us? Impossible. Only an avian can pass the gate before the harvest, and most get eaten by larger avians within minutes. Only wyverns and cursed beasts can safely pass the gate. I scanned the forest, listening to the bugs and feeling the cool breeze. The sun was setting, and the light was ambient. All of it seemed unsettling after the conversation he was having. Cursed that word keeps coming up. What is a curse? There are networks of magical arrays that separate the weak and the strong. If someone with high soul force enters a lower domain, their power is suppressed. That is a curse. But once they reenter a stronger domain, the curse disappears. So youre saying that youd need a bird thats too powerful to be here, so when it passes the wall, it regains its power and can survive. Is that it? Yes. Its doubtful one will be used. There are large mounts and talented riders in this domain. Many will doubtlessly answer the callregardless of their strength. I see Elionis snorted. It doesnt sound like you see. No I get it. Its just do we even have cursed animals here? We do. That was all Elionis said on the subject. Aiden guessed it was because he didnt want to give him any funny ideasbut the damage was already done. He wanted to meet such a creature. It was calling out to him. 3. Kline finished eating his fill and then returned to ripping apart the reigas spine. Stop it, I said. Youre making me nervous. He looked up and then went right back into it. Hes not normally like this, I thought, watching him carefully. The little guy became more frantic as he chomped on the spine. It was strangesomething I imagined a dog would do. But Kline didnt do that. What is it? I asked. Suddenly, there was a sickening snap. A moment later, Kline lifted his head and spat out something. I furrowed my brow and walked up to the object. It was glistening. A gemstone? It looked like a light green emerald stone. I turned to Kline. What is this? He shrugged and then started grooming himself. Did he just shrug at me? I didnt get an answer, so I did the next best thing. I put the stone in my pocket, picked up the meat, and headed back to the temporary shelter. I cannot express how happy I was to get back into the shelter. I was exhausted and sticky and smelly, and I just wanted a goddamn bath. So thats the first thing I did after I plopped raw, bloody meat onto the floor. I stripped off my clothes, had Kline activate the circles, and then forced him into the bath with me. For the first time, he didnt actually mind. The shenai fruit was still stuck to the back of his head, and it was making him miserable. Once I got out of the bath, it was pink from the blood on Klines fur, so I drained it, filled it up again, and washed my clothes, placing the stone into my backpack. Then I checked around and found a fireplace in the room behind a slide-out area. It even had a rack for cooking, proving that this shelter was a full survival prize. I glanced at the magic array in it, which said fire array. This should start it just need wood. I threw on my one boot (have I reminded you recently I only had one?) and said, Ill be back, as I went on a firewood trip. When I returned, Kline was sitting next to the fireplace, orange light flickering off his fur. Wait how did you? I walked up to the fireplace and saw that the array was working on its ownno wood necessary. You gotta be kidding me. Kline meowed as he stared at the fire. Then he looked at me with a straight face. We stared off for a moment, and he looked back at the fire. You little shit, I said, dropping the wood. Kline yowled and hopped out of the way, running away from me. I chased him around until he let me capture him (as if he couldnt teleport away from me) and then proceeded to yowl and howl about how much he hated my cuddles, but he didnt fight it too much. He was my favorite. After some cuddles, I took the meat and started cooking it on the rack in the fireplace. Only then did I open up The Guide again. Lets checkout equipment, I thought, opening Rewards and going into Equipment. Once I did, I got a warning. Chapter 21 - Mana Core The warning was simple yet strange. --- Disclaimer: While a domain quest announcement has eased legal restrictions to bring you supplies, there is no guarantee anyone will take a request for a drop. Its recommended that you bundle lower requests with a high request to increase your chances of getting a drop. --- Whats a domain quest? I thought. As soon as I did, I got the notification, and my heart started pounding. I didnt like being the center of attention. Now, there was a massive announcement to God knows how many people. Worse, it finally sunk in that it was a big deal if people came hereand I thought about how dangerous it was. I now had powerful books and maps and knowledge to survive a bitbut normal people? It would be a massacre. I had to chuckle at the absurdity of considering myself capable of living in this hellscape more than other people. But it was true, wasnt it? The number of high-level requests I made just to the poisonous plants and trap plants would break a normal person. Lithco wasnt joking when he said that he was helping me out by putting me through hell. But other people? Theyd be defenseless. I didnt know how that made me feel, but it felt surreal. It was hard to believe that this was only my second night in this forest. How things change. Whatever, I thought. Lets see what I got. I closed the announcement and read the reward options. --- Hidden Mission: Confront Your Trauma Distinction: Platinum - You showcased your knowledge in mycology by creating a mycopesticide without prompting and using identification techniques to find the Rootstrangler. Your only hesitation for confronting the reaper was whether you should make yourself a public enemy, and you aptly sacrificed an info request to make it in time. These showcase remarkable competency. That said, you used three requests for the skill, got poisoned twice, and relied too heavily on your identification skill. As a result, you passed with distinction, but you werent special. Equipment Options:
  1. Advanced Alchemy Equipment | Grade: Platinum Summary: Unless you were just planning to feed poisonous plants and berries to animals that naturally avoid them, youll need chemicals and equipment to create real poisons. Youll also get equipment to develop medicines, cleansing products, and other magical concoctions that you can use to survive here.
My shoulders slumped when I read the description. I had food-grade ethanol, glycerin, vinegar, jars, and water to create poisons in my backpack. So, I didnt like being treated like I was stupid. Whatever. I was adapting. I couldnt get bogged down by my past decisions. So I looked at the next item. It wasnt as interesting, but it was also something I desperately needed. ---
  1. Enchanted Tent | Grade: Platinum Summary: A tent with heating arrays for cooking, cooling, and atmosphere control built inside, as well as enchantments to protect it against weak Second Evolution animals. Built in beds use wind to turn cloth into a heavenly bed. The tent is small enough for your backpack but is large enough to fit four.
--- Yeah, that was something that I desperately needed. It could help me survive in the winter, and I had a feeling that birds were coming. There was no way they werent present in a forest. As much as I thought things were terrible, I had a feeling that things would get much worse if I didnt prepare. The next option made my intestines unravel. ---
  1. Enchanted Gravity Pack | Grade: Platinum Summary: Magic cant make something smaller, but it can make it weightless. You can fill this backpack with gold bars, and it will feel like youre walking with nothing on your back. Its so light, and the straps are so snug that you forget it''s there.
--- This was one of those options that made my heart singbut wasnt the best option. I needed lodging more than anything. My flimsy Colman tent was awesome on trips through the Rocky Mountains, but here, it would be worthless against reapers, let alone anything powerful. That left the decision between the Enchanted Tent, which would provide me shelter, and the Advanced Alchemy Equipment, which would make poisons. An important consideration was that poisons allowed me to kill, and killing earned me more rewards. I had six more nights before I was forced to face the world alone. That said, the drop might take forever. Putting it in soon would be better than later. God! It was so damn difficult. I still had one epic, four diamonds, ten platinum, and ten gold Free Requests, but the more I thought about my situation, the more I realized that these requests were my lifelinesand I didnt know what I needed. I guess I cant choose it yet, anyway, I thought. I had to bundle these requests into a massive drop unless I wanted to hike to the wall before the Black Harvestsomething I doubted would be a good idea. It was a gut feeling, but it didnt matter. I didnt have the supplies or power to survive that hike. Kline yawned, and I rubbed his ears. I should work on my core, I thought. He cant do this alone. Info request. Give me advice on how to best use my free requests on building a mana core. --- The following items are recommended for building a mana core.
  1. Spend a diamond request on a mana core formation tutorial
  2. Information request on abundant supplies of mana reservoirs
  3. Information request on a location best suited to develop a mana core
Information Requests Remaining: 21 Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. --- Now were getting somewhere. I opened the tutorial panel and bought core formation for a diamond request. Then I paused. I really didnt want to talk to him but it was for the best, so I chose it. Lithco materialized in the corner of the room, staring at me silently. What? I asked as Kline growled at him. Im waiting. For what? For you to tell me how I can most please you, Lithco said dryly. I chose this form to communicate with you better. If you dont want to learn from me, I need to switch. So? Hairdresser? Favorite teacher? I smiled wryly and let myself crash onto the bed. Its not your personality. Its you. The Oracle. I cant figure out if youre actually trying to help me. Then allow me to make a confession, he said. I sat up and watched him pull a chair out of thin air and sit down. Once he sat, he brushed his legs and crossed one over the other. Im programmed to create gods, Lithco said, and gods arent equal. Thus, I dont treat people equally. I took a sharp breath. If someone is useless, I treat them as such, he said. And if someone shows promise, I aid them accordingly. This aid comes in the form of hints or quests or suggestions. So you are helping me? Within strict parameters. And thats not a lie? Its not. And rest assured, if I lied here and you found out years or decades later I was lying, youd never trust me again. I would not do that. My chest knotted, and my intestines felt like a tight seatbelt. I was uncomfortablebut inextricably relieved. So are you like a person to me? I asked. Like consistent? I believe youre asking if I might abandon you, yes? Lithco asked bruskly. If I will suddenly decide that there is another candidate thats better, and thus throw you away as a statistical deficiency? I sat there for a moment, suspended in my thoughts, holding my breath until I suddenly remembered to breathe. Yes I whispered finally. No, Lithco said immediately. I looked into his eyes and saw no falsehoods. The aid you get may increase, but it will never lessen, he said. If I fail you, youll lose trust in The Guide and abandon The Path. You dont need to trust mebut you can trust the logic. I smiled ruefully. Lithco would never be a humanbut it did make me feel better knowing he was consistent. Then let me hate you, I said. Its fine. Lithco chuckled breathlessly. Humans. Always masking masochism with emotions. Rude, I said. He turned to me and gave me a slight smile, noting that he was being playful. I chuckled. Fucker. So? You want to talk core formation? Yeah. Then lets cover the basics, Lithco said. Your cores one part battery, one part engine. It stores immense magical power that you can use in spellswhichs what Kline is emulating naturally. Its a reserve, and once it runs out, you break down. I believe youve seen that. I looked at Kline, who was watching Lithco intently. He did understand. I have, I said. Beyond that, Lithco said. The core acts as a generator, sucking mana from your environment to use for spells. In short, there are internal and external usages of magic. Are you still with me? I nodded. Yeah. Here comes the hard part, Lithco said, building a core. Repeat after me. Pyrin trpeza. I tried it a few times until I said it. Pyrin trpeza. Now repeat it. I did, and soon, my chest started to heat up. I felt a small sliver of energy in the darkness calling out to me. I felt like I could almost reach out and touch it. That is your seed, Lithco said in the void. You must turn it. Take control and try. Despite being an abstract request, I imagined myself melding with the energy in my chest. It made me feel whole and warm. Once I was inside, it gave me control, and I began to spin it. As soon as I did, my arms and legs and chest and groin and neck and spine and head exploded in pain, making me scream and snap out of the void, trying to nurse what felt like a million paper cuts. What is this? I yelled, turning to my side. To my horror, Kline was also howling in pain and rolling over. That damage is caused by your mana channels being clogged by disgusting build up from your worlds unclean environment, Lithco said. Your body is trying to accept mana, but its clogged up, making the veins swell like balloons. Why didnt you tell me? I screamed. It was getting really old for making me think he cared, only to pull shit like this. If you dont appreciate the full extent of the problem, you will not do everything you can to fix it. I groaned and turned back and forth. It was easing up but slowly. So how? How do I do that? You need to create a cleansing elixir. Normally, Id recommend that you use a diamond request to cleanse your body, but you do not have a choice now. Great. That said, Lithco said sharply, picking up my foraging bag. Youre in a forest ripe with ingredients year round. The things that grow here are coveted on the outside. A minor cleansing elixir here would sell for a fortune out there. So if you can demonstrate basic alchemy in the next few days, you can establish a strong core. Okay, I said. After a few more exchanges, Lithco left, and I waited another hour for my meat to finish cooking. Kline then walked up to a second array to shut down the fire, and I let it dry as I went to sleep. I needed it to be my best on the morrowand I needed as much rest as I could get. The next morning, I woke up around five and got ready. Then I set out before mornings light, silently declaring that I was going to use my epic request to get the best left boot I could buy. It was an eventful trip to the alchemy station. The reigas blood brought two investigators. I thought we were done for, but Kline used a mixture of active camouflage, wind blades, and sharp bite to dispatch them. To my surprise, the entire event took ten minutes. Eating soul meat was powerful. I supposed it did make sense. We were told that all the beasts here were over Level 125, and soul force gave us power. Since levels didnt inherently give us powerthey only gave us spells and resources for building powerit would make sense that gods got their power through magic and soul force. So, perhaps we got power through eating the meat. I decided to test it. I walked over to a massive rock, squatted down, put my fingertips under a jagged section, and lifted it like a power clean. The small boulder uprooted so quickly that I fell backward. The rock continued, doing a full flip before touching down like a flipped turtle. I chuckled in amazement. Rich people gotta be jacked. It was kinda messed up that people could just eat someone elses hard work and get powerful. That said, I knew that soul force didnt equate to power. The poison out here would kill people with ten times our strength, and spells and experience would separate one person from the next. But still. It was weird. Then again, with the alchemy class, I should be able to create medicines for Kline as well. Wasnt it the same thing? If that were the case, Id gladly trade cleansing elixirs for soul meat. We were a team. Either way, flipping that rock taught me something: I wouldnt be weak and defenseless for long. Thats what I was thinking about when I said, Come on, Kline, lets go, and continued forward. It was time to learn alchemy and get stronger. Chapter 22 - Alchemy The sun was rising when I got to the alchemy station. To my surprise, it was a beautiful gazebo in the middle of the forest, containing a workstation of different pots and tools. Inside cabinets were powders and herbs and liquids of different types, which was too convenient. It was clearly meant for a test, but it felt very eerie. There were plates with magic circles on them that looked weathered and used, while the ingredients and certain equipment were brand new. There were also parts of the countertops that had been eroded away or gashed and replaced with quick repairs. It was clear that the station had been there for a long time, but the ingredients and equipment and repairs were new and rushed, perhaps for my arrival. Whats the catch? I asked as I walked forward. Twenty meters from the gazebo, my entire body scanned with blue light as if I were stepping through a bubble. I recognized that light. It was the barrier that I saw when I woke up! I got a notification. --- You have discovered the trial workstation! You have 72 hours of barrier protection. Please use this time to the fullest. Note: You can leave the barrier at will. --- I patted my backpack lovingly. I guess this tentll be useful, after all. Kline pouted. Oh, please, I said, dropping the reiga in front of him. Why dont you cut this up and sneak a bite when Im not looking. His shoulders slumped as if to say, I killed it; now youre acting like youre doing me a favor? Hey Lithco, I said. Can I make a cleansing elixir for Kline? It was part of the tutorial, so a pop-up came up, and Lithco sent a message. --- Yes. The same elixir will work for spirit beasts. --- Thank~you, I said and then looked down. Im gonna double your magic. You wanna cut that meat, now? Klines eyes widened, and he started clawing through the meat without sass or delay. I smiled and then walked to the alchemy station. There was an oven, pots, pans, and other equipment, each on arrays that had precise temperatures. I get the feeling they did half the work, I thought. So if I fuck this up, its my fault. So why? It was at that moment that I realized something important. I didnt know anything about alchemy, let alone cleansing elixirs! Suppose thiss where I spend more money, I thought ruefully as I opened up my menu and went to skills. Yet I paused when I got there. This is a huge part of my class should I go platinum or diamond? My knee-jerk reaction was screaming, Diamond, you idiot! but there were only two diamond requests left (aside from my free requests), and I still needed equipment, spells, books, skills, and tutorials. Most importantly, if I got into soulmancy, I might need a request there. Still I thought about the mana syrup that I gave Kline and the bath bomb that saved me from the rootstrangler. The balm that healed my cuts. The water that saved my life. I was staring down a miracle in a forest where these powerful medicines were at my fingers. Wouldnt I be a fool not to pursue this? Hell, why did I even want soulmancy if I was being offered power right here? I folded my arms, unfolded them, rubbed my forearms, tapped my foot, and folded my arms again. Thats when I made my decision: Lithco. Give me the best diamond skill for learning alchemy. A chime popped up, and I became overwhelmed with notifications: --- Book: Fundamentals of Alchemy (Grades 1-5) has been added to your shelf. Book: Common Alchemic Recipes (Vol 1-5) has been added to your shelf. Book: Alchemic Herb Identification (Vol. 1-5) has been added to your shelf. Book: Alchemic Mana Control (Vol. 1-3) has been added to your shelf. Book: Fundamentals of Working with Spirit Ingredients (Complete Edition) has been added to your shelf. Book: Advanced Alchemical Reactions and Catalysts has been added to your shelf. Book Essence Extraction Techniques (Vol. 1-4) has been added to your shelf. Book: Healing Alchemy (Vol. 1-5) has been added to your shelf. Book: Alchemic Preparation: Choosing the Right Medium For Your Creation (Complete Edition) has been added to your shelf. The list of books was truly overwhelming. There were thirty-seven in all, proving the intense power of diamond requests. It made me glad that I didnt use any of my free requests on books, as I couldve probably bought a poisonous plant skill and gotten a dozen! It didnt stop there, either. There were two dozen tutorials, followed by spells and recipes. Spell: Purification (Second Tier) has been added to your spells. Spell: Desiccation (Third Tier) has been added to your spells. Spell: Water Sphere (First Tier) has been added to your spells. Spell: Flash Freeze (Third Tier) has been added to your spells. Spell: Controlled Heat (Tiers One Through Three) has been added to your spells. Spell: Separation (Tiers One through Five) has been added to your spells. Spell: Sublimation (Second Tier) has been added to your spells. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Spell: Essence Extraction (Second Tier) has been added to your spells. Spell: Domain (Tier Two) has been added to your spells. Spell: Skin Barrier (First Tier) has been added to your spells. --- I ran my fingers through my hair and laughed. Lithco, why would anyone buy spells when they can just buy skills? Since I had books and tutorials, he could answer me. So, a new pop-up materialized. The only reason you''ve obtained so much is because you bought a fundamentals skill, which requires a lot of prerequisites, with a diamond request. If you bought a higher level skill, it wouldn''t provide you with any of these basic spells. You''d need to learn them before you could use the skill." "Oh, so I should get the fundamentals of every trade, first?" "Correct. The higher the grade, the better." I nodded. "There''s other reasons as well," he wrote. "Beyond convenience, skills only provide you with basic spells. If you want to upgrade them, you must do so with requests. There are also spells that are convenient but unnecessary, or are necessary but for skills beyond your means. So you must buy those individually. Lastly, these books don''t give Guide effects. Your poison and foraging books highlight plants at a distance, and your trap plants book notifies you when there''s one nearby. That''s more valuable than having the internet." That is useful... Okay. This is a lot to take in, so... let''s just get started. I pulled up the tutorials and found one for cleansing elixirs. "That''s convenient, I whispered. I opened it, and Lithco''s human form materialized like a genie. I was wondering if youd ever let me out of there, he said, patting down his clothes. Id expect this torture from a Pather, but I thought you were a humanitarian. I shouldve just killed you, I groaned. Ah, yes, but youre a pushover. He walked over to my foraging bag and frowned. Its a shame you didnt have preservation boxes when you picked those. Youre killing those herbs. I shrugged. Itll have to do. It will. At least you have them. He picked up the bag, duplicating it as he walked over to a cutting board. Lets cover the basics. Alchemy is one part cooking, one part medicinal creation. For scientific exactness, you must later enter heximedica, which is far more advanced and requires equipment to capture and distill mana essence in its rawest forms. Until then, you will be cooking up drugs. I chuckled and watched him pull out knives, squeezers, and measuring cups, followed by pots and pans, placing them onto arrays. Each of these arrays have certain temperatures that align to a minor cleansing elixir thats provided here, he said, pointing to a recipe on one of the gazebos pillars. Thats what were testing you on. After that, you will use these He reached under the cabinets and pulled out discs containing arrays that were labeled with different temperatures. You made this easy, I said. As opposed to what? Having lab equipment with exact heat controls? I frowned. Good point. If you get advanced alchemy equipment, it will have modifiable arrays and other convenient tools. Now lets get started. Once you begin, youll use a purification spell on everything. Even without a core, youll be able to do this. He used the spell, and his body radiated a white glow. He took his fingers and ran it over all of the equipment, and soon, everything sparkled. It really sparkles like that? I asked in amazement. No, but I thought it would be a useful infographic, Lithco said. What do you think? I frowned, and he shrugged his shoulders. Lets start with the bashak because its the most important ingredient. Lithco pulled out a red plant with thick leaves like aloe vera. I had picked it up underneath a bush not far from the shelter. This plant contains juice that opens up your pores to push out impurities found in your muscles. To extract the medicine, well first slice it up. Be careful not to get the juice in your eyes. I watched as purple juice poured out of it. Id have to be careful. Then, you squeeze the juice into a bowl, he said, adding the pieces to a juicer and pushing out the liquid. And strain it to get rid of the pulp. He took cheesecloth and lined a second bowl, pouring in the purple pulp. It fell in thick clumps before Lithco lifted the cheesecloth and twisted it, allowing the juice to pour into the bowl. Youll be able to do this with the Separation spell in the future, but thats a multi-process spell. So well do things the hard way for now. He tied the cheesecloth and put it onto a hook over the bowl. Next, well work on the tram, he said, picking up a thin, purple flower. What does that do? I asked. You dont want to know. All you need to know is that youll need to use your Desiccation spell to remove the moisture. Otherwise, thisll take a month to create the powder. I shivered when he didnt answer my question, a clear sign of helping me. But then I forgot all about it once I saw his hands light up with green light and the purple flower wither into a wilted brown stump in an instant. Then he flicked it, and a section of it exploded in a rainfall of powdered flower matter. Seriously? I asked in wonder. Yep. Magic accomplishes what human equipment has tried and failed to accomplish for centuries. Never underestimate the superiority of magic. I swallowed and nodded. After you use the spell, youll grind it up. Lithco walked me through the entire process. It only took him half an hour to do it from start to finish, but it would take me hours to learn it. Worse, it used magic spells that I didnt know how to use. Can I practice with your augmented reality? I asked after he finished. I wont have enough time to keep getting ingredients. Astute question, Lithco smiled. You can indeed. That said, there will be a difference in pressure. You cant actually slice something that isnt there. I nodded. But first, put your herbs into these preservation chambers. He opened a drawer, and there were dozens of glass storage containers with arrays on them. I pulled them out and opened them. Then, I pulled out the ingredients from the foraging bag and put them into separate containers since there was no shortage. How do I activate them? I asked. Just put your fingers on the array and chant anthropoi in your mind. I glared at him. That pain you felt came from trying to inhale mana, Lithco said, straight-faced and apathetic. It wont affect the trickle of mana you need here. If a core were truly necessary, Kline wouldnt be able to use magic. So youre saying that I can use magic? Yes. Not without risking your core, but these spells only require a fraction of what Klines spells use. Youll be fine. I didnt trust him. I felt like an animal that had been beaten by a humanunwilling to trust completely ever again. But I did, and to my surprise, my arms warmed up and lit up. It was a truly pleasant feeling. Thats it? I asked. Thats it, he confirmed. Arrays execute a spell so you dont have to. With enough mana, a normal person could activate the most destructive of spells. Oh Suddenly, these arrays felt a lot more disturbing. Okay. Can we start? Yes, he said. I went through each of the ingredients and followed the process. Lithco watched me and provided me with real advice with snarkiness. He was the best teacher I could ask forand he only worked with me. He never got tired. Never complained that I was asking too many questions and only chastised me when I got lazy or repeated mistakes over and over again. Once I got the basics down, he started teaching me spells. Purify. Desiccation. Essence extraction. That was the most time-consuming part, and it always left me exhausted. Drink some of your syrup, Lithco suggested. Theres plenty. Even though its so rare? I asked. You can always make more. My heart fluttered, and my breaths became shallow. Okay. I pulled out the Maralune Syrup bottle and poured out a tiny amount. There was more than enough for another ten doses. Then I put some in my mouth and almost gagged it out. It was like absinthewhere burning sugar into the drink was necessary to make it drinkable. God this is terri ble. A warm feeling filled my body, and mana channels, making me slump in pleasure. Take a break and eat lunch, but dont get lazy, Lithco said. Theres a lot to do. I nodded. Id be doing this non-stop for the next three daysI needed to keep my energy up. I would pull this off. It wasnt a matter of ifit was a matter of when. And I meant for it to be on the first try. Chapter 23 - New Legacy Quest I walked over to Kline, who was basking in the sun like a flower. You wanna eat? I asked. He turned away sheepishly. Kline? I turned and saw Kline had eaten half the reiga slices. I didnt even notice because I was so engrossed in my alchemy. You little shit, I said. But this is your prey, so its on you. But Im not going to cook for you. He turned to me sharply, and I saw the half-groomed blood all over him. That made me laugh. Just kidding. I reached into my backpack and took out some cooked reiga meat, which I had put into a Tupperware. The moment I ate some, my body flooded with energy, and I felt like I could continue forever. I threw a piece to my little fattie, who didnt look like he could eat but still found room somehow. Then I took the meat and put it into a preservation box, as it was my sustenance, and built a fire. I needed equipment for cooking, but I didnt have any. So I just found a flat stone, built a fire, put the stone inside, and then put the reiga slices onto it. Itd probably burnbut I couldnt eat it raw. I couldnt even chew it. I returned to work after that, practicing my magic spells on the augmented herbs until I got tiredand took more maralune syrup. I ate a bite of meat and kept going. A few hours later, I became proficient in my spells. You feeling confident? Lithco asked. You think I should be? I asked. Youre doing remarkably well. Then I am. Good. Lets get started. I opened the preservation arrays, pulled out the ingredients I had been simulating with for the last eight hours, and took a deep breath. Then, I started working with them. First, I cut the bashak and squeezed it, capturing it in a bowl as I had seen. That was the easy partbut it was messy. How do I get rid of this? I asked, rubbing my hands together. You have a spell called Skin Barrier that prevents ingredients from sticking to your hands, but I dont recommend it without training. It has some undesired effects. Instead, I recommend you use a water sphere and wash your hands in it. Repeat after me: Antcho prochro, tlos tis hlion. It took me ten minutes to get down the accent, but once I got the chant down, water started balling up above my hands. I got so excited that I broke my concentration, and it fell. Like that, but catch it next time, Lithco sighed. I puffed out my lip but then smiled like a little child, doing it again. This time, I caught the ball, and it splashed cool water onto my hands. Convenient. Okay. Use purify and lets continue. I used my purification spell, and all the grime on my hands slipped off. Then, I returned to work. Next, I took the tram, dried out the flower with desiccation, and then put it into a mortar, grinding it into dust. I did that for three flowers until I weighed out 250 milligrams and put them into a mixing bowl. I then minced another plant and mixed two cups of water from a water dispenser array at the station. After combining the two, I used Essence Extraction to pull out the golden essence from the plant. It actually did sparkle slightly. I took these three ingredients and mixed them together vigorously, wishing I had an electric mixer. Pulling a beaker off a shelf, I purified it and put it onto a tiny heating array that brought the temperature up to an oddly specific 253 degrees Fahrenheit. I took the mixture, added it to the beaker, and put it on to simmer. Five minutes later, I added a type of sugar and a binding agent provided to me to make it into a syrup. Now, it was onto the potion. I pulled out some berries that were on the list, mashed them up, and added a ground-up plant with detoxification properties. Despite having a hundred berries, I only had a fourth of a cup, which was lower than I needed. Should I get more? I asked. No, itll be fine, Lithco said. Potions are like cooking. They dont require a set recipe for how much spice or ingredients you should use. By contrast, elixirs are like baking. While there isnt a set amount of any given ingredient, scientific measurements are required to balance out ingredients to get your desired effects. So just mix it like lemonade. My heart thudded, and I went back to stirring the ingredients in the beaker. It wouldve been bad if I had forgotten, and I knew Id lose points with the Guide and gods if Lithco had helped me too much. Good call, he said from behind me. Anyway, that has all the active ingredients you need for the cleansing elixir. This potion is an amplifier. Its not necessary, but it will increase the efficacy. I see, I said, turning back to the ingredients. Then Ill make do. I mixed in the berries with the herbs and added water. Then, I used essence extraction. Hoh? Why are you using essence extraction on it? Lithco mused. I didnt tell you to do that. I recall you saying something really dickish when you taught me the spell, I said, recalling a period a few hours prior. I turned to him with a mocking smile. What was it? Oh, yes. Thiss an essence plant and thats an essence extraction spell. What do you think? I said with a deep, mocking voice. Well, this is also an essence plant, and this is an essence extraction spell. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Bravo, Lithco said. Youre not defenseless without me. Now stir your elixir. My eyes widened, and I whirled around, mixing the beaker while grumbling, Didnt even needa stir it. Just wanted a scapegoat. Prick. But I knew that it was important to stir it regularly, so I didnt mind it. Once I finished, I poured the light blue potion to fill the rest of the beaker, creating a surreal mixture of blues and purples and reds that marbled together, unwilling to bind without heat and a binding agent. Finally, after letting it simmer for a while, I added alcohol and a powdered binding agent provided at the station, and the liquid developed a golden glow that cut through the blues and reds and purples. It was surreal. Thats when I got the chime. --- Congratulations! Neophyte Mira Hill has created her first alchemic creation. Name: Minor Cleansing Elixir. Effect: Cleanses the body of impurities and opens up mana pathways. Estimated purity: 51%. --- I blinked twice at the screen. Then, I got another notification that left me shaken. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new Legacy Quest. Quest: Aspire to be a Goddess Quest Summary: Goddesses arent satisfied with petty gainsthey seek purity. To have eternal youth, health, and beauty. To radiate under the light. These are skills that a goddess can truly obtain as an alchemist who pursues creations that alchemists covet and monopolize. Since youve showcased an innate talent for alchemy, prove that youre willing to risk it all to obtain a mana core capable of shaking the first domain. If you succeed, you will be offered the legacy of a renown alchemy god. Requirement(s):
  1. Obtain the ingredients to make the Lumidran Awakening Elixir.
  2. Create the elixir before the end of the trial.
  3. Accept or refuse this quest now.
  4. Pursue this quest until you complete it or the time limit runs out.
Rewards:
  1. Legacy Reward.
  2. Epic Alchemy Equipment.
--- I got a bad feeling as I read it, leaving my arms prickling with electricity. Lithco, I whispered. Can I ask questions about this? A new pop-up shot up to the side of the legacy quest. It contained a single word. Yes. Great I said. because I feel like this Legacy Quests gonna fuck me. Is it? Probably, he wrote. If you accept this, itll probably eat up all your time. Then you wont be able to do any more voluntary quests or pursue the soulmancy legacy. Thats the point. I leaned against a counter. So theyre strong-arming me. If you consider bribes of mansions and private jets strong-armingthen yes. I see I walked out of the gazebo, summoned a water sphere above my head, and let it crash down over my hair. It felt refreshing. But why? I asked. Its not like Im a genius alchemist. That doesnt matter. Youre in a forest with millions of rare alchemic ingredients. If you can live here, youre an invaluable asset. Not just to alchemy godsbut the multiverse. And they want to monopolize these resources? I asked. Yes. That makes sense but. Thiss what I dont get. If these resources are so valuable, why havent they sent people to live here? Humans survive in worse conditions. Its hard to believe they hadnt conquered the forest yet. It has to do with the domain system. But that question is beyond the purview of this discussion. I see I sighed and sat beside Kline. I created a water sphere and let it fill my hands. He got up and drank happily. So what can I do with this legacy? Start a beauty line? It leads with immortality and health, but you focused on beauty? I could hear the sarcasm beyond those words. This legacy has alchemic recipes for restoring lost limbs, and even bringing the recently deceased back to life. And yes, should you desire unlimited wealth, you can use it as a beauty line. Its not a silver spoon, Miraits a diamond spoon. Not just on the outsidebut in this forest. I ran my fingers through the grass. Between this and soulmancythere just didnt seem to be a competition. For some reason, I knew that I would choose soulmancy if it were on the tablebut it wasnt. But this was, and Alchemy was about to boost my powerKlines power. It saved our lives. By contrast, it could take decades or even centuries to do anything with soulmancy. Blindly turning down such a valuable legacy for an unknown legacy that isnt guaranteed just seemed stupid. And I cant have two legacies? I asked. You can, but gods dont like sharingso theyll veto it. You might get a blessed subclass or another freakish deal between gods, but thats beyond your control. You should focus on obtaining a legacy. I nodded and thought about it for a while. Do you think I can do it? Create this awakening elixir? It wont be easy. But yes. And I can still fight for the soulmancy legacy if I succeed? Yes. I clapped my hands and then stood up. Then lets do this. Lithcouse an information request to list out the challenges Ill face completing this quest. Ill find solutions just out of spite. An hour later, I walked up to the shenai fruit tree, carefully picking the fruits and throwing them against trees to see how much force it took for them to explode. It turned out that it depended on what stage of decay they were at. The ones right off the tree forced me to treat them like a fastball. The ones on the ground exploded if I even stepped on themand, unfortunately, those were the ones I needed. So I carefully put them into my bag and tip-toed out of there like I was walking on a minefield. I was careful, but I accidentally stepped on a shenai fruit buried under a pile of leaves, and it exploded like a claymore, soaking my clothing. I I seethed. Fucking hate these things! Ten minutes later, I was covered in fruit juice and seeds, walking over plants with one boot like some dilapidated swamp monster. It was annoying, but I used Water Sphere and Purify during my next break to remove the plant matter and clean myself. It was convenient. Win. Thats when I continued collecting the poisonous plants I researched. I became giddy just imagining how spectacularly deadly they were. I also reached a very special plant that left me feeling evilbut I threw it into my foraging bag with a grin anyway. Once I finished, I returned to the shelter, elixir in hand. It was a minor cleansing elixirbut there wasnt anything stopping me from taking a better one later. So, I planned to use this one tonight to build up my and Klines strength. Things would turn deadly tomorrow. I would make sure of it. Chapter 24 - The Courier Cleansing elixirs sound nice, dont they? They take all the disgusting gunk thats making you age and die and release it from your body. Then, you feel pure and refreshed and full of vitality, not bogged down by the chains of your past diet, diseases, or ailments. Its swell. until you take the elixir. Once you do, you might think, Wow, this is delicious! and then enter the bath, thinking that youre going to enjoy a pleasant night. But thats a lie. The next moment, all that horrifying build-up ejects out of your body. I dont really want to explain what happens because its absolutely fucking disgusting, but Ill tell you this. All sorts of nasty shit in your muscles comes out of every pore in your body. And all the internal problems get thrown up or otherwise gotten rid of. Once again, Ill save you the details. Just know that it was a terrible night that neither Kline nor I will ever forget. My only consolation was that I went back before sunset so Id get a lot of sleep. Fuck. 2. While Mira and Kline were suffering in a bathtub, Aiden was unknowingly setting off the chain of events that would make the two cross paths. It didnt feel out of the ordinary. He was on Elionis, feeling frustrated that he still hadnt established a real contract on the last day of the Trial of Trust. Are you sure theyll be over here? Aiden asked as they reached a clearing. I did not say I knew where they were, Elionis said. I said that it is crindle mating season. If they were easy to find, we wouldnt be seeking one out for distinction, yes? Yeah I guess. What kind of contract will they need? They require no contract, human. They are famous for bonding naturally. So, wait they bond naturally? Isnt that the opposite of this test? To Aiden, the test was about contracts. The stronger the contract, the more impressive it was. How so? You have already used a contract to find this crindle, have you not? You have proven yourself capable of using one. Now, you should focus on rarity. And in that regard, a crindle is the ultimate prize. According to Elionis, crindles werent rare creaturesbut bonding with one was. Thats because they bond the moment they meet an animal that can protect them. It happens within a day of their birth, so people have to run into them at the exact moment to bond. Okay Aiden nodded and continued riding until sunset. Just as he was thinking that he would never find one, a tiny creature finally hopped into the path. It was the size of a rat, but it had long, straight horns similar to those of an oryx. It was an oryxalope, Aiden decided. Youre cute, Aiden said, patting Elionis and dismounting. Then he identified it. --- Common Name: Horned Crindle Summary: Awwwwww! What a cutie! This little guys a crindle, an herbivore thats famous for its magical symbiotic relationships with other creatures. It gathers food and trades information in exchange for protection. And guess what? This little guy is looking right at you! Its a rarity to see a newborn, let alone have one seek you out. If you take this one, youre going to rock this trial for sure! Species: Harvet Crindle Type: Spirit Beast Key Facts:
  1. The bonded party can borrow the crindles eyes and ears, allowing them to be in two places simultaneously.
--- Aiden''s heart pounded in double spurts as he crouched down. The crindle sniffed the air and hopped forward. Its eyes were big, and its movements were fluffy and cute. It was indescribably alluring, making him want to protect it for life. It was also useful, and it was also so damn cute. It was cuter than Alitalias animal by a massive margin. He wanted it. Then a white flash tore across his vision like a blizzard, sweeping away the crindle. The only thing remaining was a trail of crimson blood where it was standing. Aidens chest welled with unimaginable fury. He turned and saw a white flash zagging through the forest, and he, the wallflower, the man who avoided all forms of conflict, immediately got onto Elionis and charged. He rushed through the forest, forcing himself to ride recklessly despite never having been a horse person. His blood boiledhis mind was deranged and filled with bloodlust. Its that fox! He was furious, but thankfully, it was still alive. He could feel it. He could hear it squealing in his mind. Suddenly, Aiden crashed through an opening, where there was a twenty-foot rock face. Thats when something fascinating happened. The fox tried to jump over the rock as if it were only naturalonly to slam into the ground, barking and growling and howling. And for the first timeAiden understood it. Frustration. He could tell that the behavior wasnt a fluke. It was as if that motion, which shouldve been as simple as breathing, suddenly became untenable. Yes, Aiden understoodbut he didnt give two shits about that creatures plight. He jumped off Elionis and rushed over, throwing caution to the wind, preparing to pummel the fox with his bare hands. You should thank me, human, a female voice said in his mind, despite being a ways away. Bonds with defenseless creatures will get you killed. That much is obvious after you blindly followed an enemy beyond your means, she said, glaring at him with her blue eyes. Aiden touched Elionis. Why didnt you warn me? Elionis looked at her leg mockingly. She''s injured. There was a gash on it. It won''t stop me from killing you. Aiden listened with a sense of fascination, identifying the creature. --- Common Name: Lurvine Type: Demigod (Cursed [Fourth Tier]) Summary: Omigod, omigod, omigod! The only thing rarer than bonding with a crindle is finding a demigod in the first domain. This three-tailed beauty traveled all the way to the Ethereal Gardens, stacking up four separate curses to get here. Im not allowed to tell you why shes here, but Ill give you a hintits tragic. A demigod with four curses is usually as useless as a newborn human, but beware. This one has been here for almost a century and has nearly released one of their curses. If you attack, she will bite. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Key Facts:
  1. Lurvines have alchemic flames that burn flesh but no organic matter. That allows them to fight with immense waves of fire without burning the forest down.
  2. Their flames do not affect themselves.
  3. This lurvines curse is preventing her from fighting with their flame magic.
--- What are you doing here? Aiden asked the fox. Shouldnt you be behind the gate? Where do you think Im going, human? Aiden turned to Elionis, confused. Curses prevent those in upper domains from oppressing weaker people. It does that by suppressing their power to the lowest possible level in a domain and restricting certain magiclike regeneration. It does that so people dont return with advanced magic and experience to dominate. If they wish to stay in a lower domain, they must The fox suddenly shot to the right, and Elionis ran after her, cutting off her retreat. Then he chased after her. He was faster than her by a large degreewhich proved how weak she was. If she wants to leave, let her go, Aiden said, touching Elionis fur. Shes just trying to get home. Cursed animals regain their strength over time. They are to be killed on sight. If they have multiple curses, what happens if they go up a domain? They are reverted to the lowest level of that domain. Then wouldnt it be better for her to go up a domain? Aiden reasoned. Shes regained some powersif you move her up she goes back to being worthless. No, Elionis said, its better to kill her. Can we just not kill animals? Id take killing a human over killing an animal. Aiden paused, knowing that this wouldnt get anywhere with Elionis. Instead, he turned to the lurvine. Hey. Im taking a beast taming trial. If you create a contract to follow me back, Ill let you live. So go where theres more animals and humans? she scoffed. Or die, Aiden said as Elionis stomped his hooves. She looked between us before finally saying, Fine. But only on the condition that I stay far from the humans and animals, and you shall not take any action or give any order for any animal, least of all this slave, to harm me. Elionis stomped his hooves and shook his fur, but Aiden calmed him with a stroke. I agree to your terms if we add that youll never call my friend a slave ever again, Aidan said. He does this voluntarily to move up like you are. Now stop insulting him and make this contract. Aiden got her to agree and then spent an hour making a comprehensive contract that didn''t allow them to harm each other then or in the future. It required another three hours to bind with a demigod, but he finally did it. When he finished, he got a notification telling him that he had contracted with a demigod and leveled up to Level 24 instantly, capping it until evolution, whatever that meant. Then, he got a second notification that shook his bones: --- Neophyte Aiden Roe has been offered a new Legacy Quest. Legacy Quest: Curse Tamer Summary: Well, look at you, you little demigod seducer, you! You just went from contracting a worker spirit beast to a cursed demigod in three days. Youre on a rollso lets turn it up a notch. Theres a spicy sitch brewin in the Fourth Ring, and we need a courier who can bring goods between here and there. Unfortunately, everyone about to take the request is about to die during the tryouts. :( Thats where you come in! Tame a cursed avian in the third ring and drop off packages if / when they come in. If you do, youll get a request equal to the packages you drop up. And lemme tell youtheyre tasty. Duration: N/A Requirement(s):
  1. Make a contract with a cursed avian.
  2. Drop off supplies in the Fourth Ring.
Rewards:
  1. Legacy offer.
  2. A beast taming skill (epic).
  3. Rewards equal the highest request used by the neophyte in the Fourth Ring for successful deliveries.
Warning: Couriers are punished for failed deliveries. The punishment for failed deliveries is designated at the beginning of each drop. --- Aiden read the notification over and over again. His heart was pounding, and fear was spurring through his veins, threatening to attack him like sparking wires over a water source. He laughed and said, Youve got to be fucking kidding me. 3. Alitalia, the test proctor, sat on a bench outside the conservatory visitors center, watching the forest. She was frustrated when Aiden didnt return. He had gained a healing spell and made a contract with the notoriously uncooperative liscan on the first day. Then, according to Elionis, he went off in search of a crindle. She wanted to know whether he would get oneand whether he could use its eyes on the first day. So she waited and waited and waited until her stomach was growling and the sun was setting. I suppose I should get a bite, she sighed, standing. You waiting for Aiden? Everen, the arrogant, sharply dressed man who showed off in the first day, said, walking up to her. The young man was sharply dressed and confident as ever. He stopped and leaned against a wall. Im interested. As am I. Why? You searching for a rival or something? He scoffed and rolled his eyes. I do not compare myself with others. That would imply that we play by the same rules. Its absurd. You were all given the same rules. No we werent. He looked at her. We were told to find animalsbut not why. Or what we aimed to do with them. Thats true She looked at him. So? What do you want with animals? He smirked at her and then looked back toward the forest. The same thing I wanted in my last lifewealth. You shouldve chosen alchemy. Why? So I can be a slave for a few centuries. Please. Theres a niche here, and I aim to exploit it. This isnt the most lucrative business, so Im not sure what to say about that, she said. There was a pause after, followed by her asking, So what? You see Aiden as your meal ticket? A potential partner, Everen said, yes. I wonder what hed think of that. Hell say yes. Assuming, of course, that he''s actually special. Alitalia went to walk past him, but before she could do so, she saw something in the distance. It was small, but it caught the setting sun just right. Is that him? I think so. The two waited for another thirty minutes until Aiden came into viewand frowned. Nothing, huh? Everan said disappointedly. Alitalia narrowed her eyes, searching for a bulge for a baby crindle in his clothing or something near him. She was so fixated on it that once he got near and she got the notification, she didnt check anywhere else. --- Neophyte Aiden Roe has completed the mandatory mission Trial of Trust. Beast Grade: Demigod Distinctions:
  1. Obtained communication with a spirit beast without a spell.
  2. Healed a spirit beast.
  3. Learned a beast healing spell.
  4. Learned the contract spell.
  5. Used a contract to find a crindle.
  6. Bonded with a crindle.
  7. Tamed a cursed demigod.
  8. Used healing as a means of facilitating a contract.
Recommendation: Open all trials and rings to Aiden Roe. Mandatory Requirement: Allow Aiden Roe access to the cursed pens in the Third Ring. --- W-What the fuck Alitalias eyes shot around, searching for an animal near Aidenbut it was long gone. Whatever it was, it was invisible, and she didnt notice because she was looking for a crindle. Son of bitch! What is it? Everan mused. Nothing, Alitalia said. Then she watched Aiden casually wave as he rode Elionis to the range. She reread the mandatory requirement as he disappeared. It wants him to be the courier she thought. Theres no way. The Oracles intention was loud and clear because there was oneand only oneuse for cursed beasts: taking trips into the Fourth Ring. There was a domain quest announcementand the Oracle found a new candidate. Chapter 25 - Poisons and Aphrodisiacs So heres the good news: I woke up feeling all the ways that I imagined I would. I felt lighter and full of vitality. It felt like I was seventeen again and could run a marathon. It was great. If only I werent traumatized, it wouldve been a miracle. But I was, and Kline was, too, so we got up and left the shelter as soon as possible, willing to face another wandering reaper over a single minute of being in that room. That said, as soon as I felt the brisk, misty breeze of the morning on my face, smelled the aroma of fungi and herbs all around me, and heard the sound of symphony bugs playing melodiesI forgot all my worries. God, it feels good to be in nature I said, looking down at Kline. Doncha think? Kline looked up and meowed before sauntering off, ears twitching, smelling plants and fungi. Then he disappeared and reappeared fifty feet away. Seriously? I whispered. I blinked, and he was back, meowing at me with a smirk on his face. Well, at least it worked, I chuckled nervously, crouching and petting his ears. He purred. I stood and looked around. Where are we going today? I pulled up my map. Oh yeah. I frowned when I remembered what I had to do. There was a list of ingredients, and I got all of themexcept one. Lumidrathe active ingredient. I pulled up the information on the plant. --- Common Name: Lumidra Summary: Lumidra is one of the rarest flowers on this planet, and the main reason for that is that absolutely everything kills it. Too much heat? Not enough cold? Light touch? If it didnt exist in a secluded cave full of earth piranhas that worship it for its spiritually hallucinogenic spores, it would be extinct. Thankfully, there is one in a cave near here, and its quite alive. As long as you can dispatch an army of the creatures guarding it without having them panic and destroy it, youll be fine Good luck. Species: Lumidra Skilasna Type: Spirit Flower Key Facts:
  1. Luimida propagates using a symbiotic relationship with small spirit beasts called shalks that carry the spores to other caves.
  2. The flower is famously sensitive to impurities. You must quickly pick it while using a purifying spell and lock it in a preservation chamber within 15 seconds.
  3. The flowers grow deep within long caves, so directly fighting the beasts outside the cave is permissible, so long as there arent seismic attacks. However, magic that changes the atmosphere in the cave or destabilizes the ground will kill the plant.
  4. The plant filters impurities so it is not affected by poisons or other chemicals, so long as they dont cause direct damage to the roots or cause exothermic reactions.
  5. The hallucinogenic effects help connect the user to a state of enlightenment where they temporarily understand mana at a deeper level.
  6. Species that inhale the spores consistently agree that they saw and heard a single entity.
Warning: Shalks do not use magic and are neither fast nor strong, as they let their young eat them to obtain soul meat, but theyre the size of muskrats and attack in swarms of a few hundred to a few thousand. They are nearly blind but have sensitive noses. --- Swarms great, I chuckled nervously. I''ll get right on that." Then I paused. "But seriously. A flower with spores. My fascination drowned out my nervousness. Flowers dont spread through sporesthey spread through sexual reproduction and seeds. Spores, single-celled organisms that can replicate the entire body, were hallmarks of fungi, ferns, and moss. So that was strange, but there was something else far more fascinating. It propagates by starting a religion It''s like a cult. I pulled up my killer animals book and read about shalks and found something fascinating. Their young leave when overpopulation occurs, finding new caves. Before leaving the cave, the departing shalks are compelled to take a trip to the lumidra, where they get high on the spores and then track the spores on their fur into new caves where they spawn. Every animal that the Oracle has bound with, from intelligent lizardfolk (yeah, it was a thing) to shalks, all describe meeting a single entity they pray to. That meant that this plant literally reproduced by starting a religion. It was impressive. Could you imagine? I chuckled nervously, looking at Kline. Finding god only to get eaten by a pack of ground piranhas Kline meowed apathetically and went back to grooming himself. I wasnt so apathetic. Even if Kline could understand me, he didnt have the concept of eating hallucinogens. If he did, hed know that those spores were the most dangerous part of the mission. One spore reaching my nose could block me out for hours and get me eaten. Come on, I said, pinching the tip of Klines ear. Lets go make some poisons. 2. A god living in the floating gardens above Dranami watched Mira through an Oracle-provided feed. The Oracle often held events like thesesnuff films starring idiotic neophytes whose personal requests left them in dire straights. The idea was that gods would watch it for their entertainment, but in doing so, might attract resources for the neophytes. It was the only means that the Oracle could have to save these individuals. So, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, the gods found themselves watching unique scenarios like they were common war games. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Elana wasnt one for watching such games. Yet when she heard that there was a neophyte that survived a night in the Areswood Forest and had a class that was strangely suited to surviving, she stopped her heximedica research and watchedand kept watching. Now, she was watching Mira creating an aphrodisiac with a fascinated expression. Thats rather crude, she mused in anticipation. But not a bad way. Beside Mira were preservation boxes containing deadlyyet topically safepoisons that she hadnt bought a poison recipe for using. If Elana were right, Mira would make up a poison on her own to prove that she could survive without the systems divine protection. If she did, it would be wonderful. Elana glanced at Kline, who was grooming his paws in the shade. Its hard to believe its just them The Oracle had a team of demigods set up barriers in the forest to protect them if Mira and Kline completed Telgans Legacy Quest. They also gave them resources and put them in a position to receive high-level requests. Even then. Mira and Kline should be dead. Areswood Forest was designed to be unlivable. The Originators who created the Domain Systema chain of arrays under the ground that controlled soul force on the planetplaced the forest in the First Domain to prevent those in the upper domains from getting to it. They still could, but they had to curse themselves one to seven times and would sacrifice decades, centuries, or millennia of soul force to do so. That made the message loud and clear: keep out. The gods widely believe it was because the Originators placed it there to protect something, but the only individual to make it to the Seventh Ring, Brindle Graskthe famed Black Botanistrefused to tell people what was there. That drove greedy neophytes, demigods, and gods crazy. So they accumulated resources and challenged it in massive parties for tens of thousands of years, saving up requests to buy books on trap plants and poisonsbut it was too expensive. It took an epic request for Pathersthose with combat classesto obtain the poison plant book that highlighted poisons. Obtaining even a diamond request was impossible for most plant classes to accomplish. Since people didnt have the highlighting, they eventually stepped on something they shouldnt have and succumbed to poisoning, paralysis, or fungal diseaseassuming they didnt die from a random encounter with a third evolution beast. Few survived. Yet, here was a young woman who asked to be dropped into Areswood Forestand actually planned to live there. She was competing for Elanas Legacy and was determined to get Brindlesand how was she doing it? She was making poisons and aphrodisiacs in the middle of a forest with a creepy smile. Haspel and Telgan are going to loathe me, Elana thought as she sat down, leaving her apprentices to make the facial creams that she was working on. So why not tell Brindle as well? She grinned. Tomorrow. Ill do it tomorrow. But for now, I should call those two Kori while Im at it. Brindle was the Black Botanist himself. Even if Mira were to go after the soulmancers legacy, he would never know it. But that just seemed too cruel. Elana felt it was her duty to fulfill her pupils wishesif only to rub it in anothers gods face. But first, she wanted to rub it in all the other gods faces first. 3. Soulmancy had to be the best thing since smiling because I loved alchemy, and I couldnt imagine turning down a legacy that let me work with it. Look, only a scientist could truly appreciate magic. For example, suppose someone wants to create pure ethanol from alcohol. In that case, they need fermentation tanks to produce the alcohol, distillation columns with heat exchangers to separate it, and molecular sieves to selectively absorb water out of it. Only then could you get near 100% ethanol. With magic, I could just separate the ethanol while hovering the liquid in the air like a princess mage! No wonder fantasy worlds remained medievalit was because modern equipment is completely useless in the face of magic. And interestingly enough, I feel like I was better at this than 99% of alchemists would be. That sounds presumptuous, but with magic, it wasnt really necessary to learn hard science. The gods, sure. Researchers, sure. But with the Guide, you had a million years of recipes that broke things down into separate this, extract that, sublimate this, measure that, and it was all prepackaged. So, if you wanted to make your own creations, it just wouldnt be the same to think in terms of chemical reactions. Science for the win! As for what I was making, I was making an aphrodisiac that I was certain would turn an impotent male into a Viagra-snorting sex god. But that had a while to cook, so I moved to the main course: Poisons. Both required the beasts to drink it, so I needed to start with bait. To do that, I mashed trian berries and ebb root (delicacies shalks sought out) and sauteed them lightly. With any luck, they would feel like their brethren came home with food. At that very least, they would be confused. While it cooked, I started on the poison. I grabbed some froxim weeds and used Desiccationa spell that removed water without applying heatto turn it into a plant that was drier than dead grass. That allowed me to grind it in a mortar with ease. Froxim was the star of the show. It was similar to neomycinthe active antibiotic in Neosporinwhich is topically medicinal but extremely lethal to ingest. It was lethal and tasteless, making it idealit smelled like battery acid. Since the shalks had sensitive noses, that was obviously a problem. Therefore, I chose a root that was famous for removing an animals sense of smelljostle root. I sliced some of the ginseng-like root down the center and hung it up, allowing the sap to run out like molasses. The minute I did it, my sense of smell instantly disappeared. It was like smelling pure carbon. Well, I know it works, I thought as I continued. To finish things off, I used Desiccation on quarlen flower pedals to separate the essential oils. I put those into an apparatus and used water vapor from a vapor array to collect the essential oil. Once in gaseous form, I let it condense and go into a large jug of water. By that point, the original berry root mixture was ready, so I poured it into the water like a mixed drink, hoping that it smelled deliciousconsidering I couldnt smell anything. Bait that doubles as an aphrodisiaccomplete. Now, it was time to finish my poison. I mixed most of the jostle root (wed be wearing some to mask our scent) and the froxim weed in a large bowl and added a small pinch of pramite as a catalyst to speed up the process of the jostle root turning into a liquid. Lastly, I added ethanol as both a solvent and binding agent. Once completed, I had a tasteless, topical-safe poison that removed the sense of smell and didnt give any other indication of being a poison. I packaged the poison in a jar, grabbed my aphrodisiac cocktail, and my bag of exploding shenai fruit. It was time to pay the shalks a visit. Chapter 26 - Level Up Kline and I ran into another beast on the way to the shalk cave. It was easier to say that Kline did. He bit my jeans and pulled before it happened, forcing me to stop. When I tried to ask what was going on, he put his paw to his mouth, stunning me stiff. Then he disappeared like the Cheshire cat and slunk away, only visible by a vague outline of shimmering glass and the rustle of ground cover. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving me all alone in the Areswood Forest. Ten minutes feels like an eternity when youre alone in a dangerous place, listening to nothing but the sound of bugs and your heartbeat. Your mind starts playing tricks on you. It starts with a minor concern, a question of whether you should check up on him. Soon, you convince yourself that theyre dead and begin imagining the beast that killed them. You think about that beast killing you, too, and dying alone in this dark and dangerous placebleeding out alone. Once you get into that train of thought, all the excitement you had built up quickly disappears, leaving you with nothing but fear and anxiety. Suddenly, a piercing streak cut through the atmosphere, causing the bugs to switch their melody. Trees thrashed around, branches broke, and a beast let out a wild cry that reverberated through the forest. It was followed by the sound of thunder and a series of boom, Boom, BOOMs! as trees cracked and started falling. I wanted to scream and run to Klineto help. But I knew that Id only get in the way. I needed strength. I needed to get stronger. Kline Five agonizing minutes passed, filled with shrieks and crashes, before the creature let out a depleted cry, and the forest fell still. I held my breath. I waited for Kline to get mebut he didnt come. Then, I felt a deep pang of anxiety and fear that was unlike the other types I had experienceda flavor that came with adrenaline. Kline I thought again, but it had another tone. It was crystal clear that Kline won by the shrieksso why didnt he return? Kline could understand me, so he knew that was what I was waiting for. Hed want to protect me. So why? Whywhy, why-why-why-why-why? Without thinking, I began walking toward the area with the commotion. As I moved, I began jogging. By the time I made it to the clearing, I was in a full sprint. When I got there, I froze. There was a massive white beast the size of a moose with large serrated antlers, bleeding profusely from its spine. Beyond that, it was only scratched at most. Beyond it was Klinetrying and failing to push himself up. Kline! I cried, using one of those whispers that also conveyed a scream. I rushed over to him. His leg was broken, and his chest was ripped open. Hang in there I unzipped my backpack and pulled out the Elindora Balm that I earned after the wandering reaper quest. I didnt know what it would do, but I unscrewed the lid and dipped my fingers into it. It tingled like Tiger Balm or Icy Hot, and I imagined the pain it would cause himbut still. He needed it! Well create a splint soon, I promised, tears streaming from my eyes. Were just stopping the bleeding, kay? He nodded, and I applied it to the wound, expecting the bleeding to stop. What happened defied my expectations. The entire leg mendedincluding the bone. It probably only had a minor break, but it was still beyond comprehension. I watched with my lips parted as Kline stood, testing his leg, bending and stretching in confusion. Then he looked up with these big, blubbery eyes. Oh, come here! I cried as he jumped into my arms. We had an emotional moment. Then, once it was over, I identified the beast. It was called a traksa, but I was just gonna call it the albino elk. We should probably take its meat back to the barrier, I suggested. We didnt have the time, considering that I was on the fourth day of the trial, and I still had to create the elixir and establish a core before moving on. Still, that meat was powerand I needed that more than anything. Kline nodded. Eat some first, I said. This was a much-needed level-up that could be the difference between life and death, so I wanted Kline to get the most out of it. Thankfully, I didnt need to tell him twice. He used Phantom Claws to tear right into its shoulder and smashed his face into the gash like a savage, taking a bloody bite that would have traumatized me a few days ago. But I had experienced so much terrifying shit in the last few days that it didnt faze me. I didnt have the emotional capacity to let it faze me. But I knew Id probably have a panic attack after breaking the lead on my pencil. I chuckled sardonically at that grim thought, but it quickly ended when Kline hit the ground, yowling and writhing around. Kline! I cried, grabbing him. I checked him and found his eyes flashing with golden light before he turned over in my arms, taking shallow breaths. Two minutes later, he stood and looked around like he was high on crack, staring at everything like he had noticed it for the first time. You okay? I asked. Kline nodded, looked at the beast like it was a worm, and thrust his paw at it. Five invisible slashes cut through the hide as if it were easy. Then he slashed, cut, and bit the beast, pulling out chunks of meat and offering it to me. I didnt question it. I immediately started packaging the meat in preservation containers from the alchemy station. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Once we finished, he brought me a chunk of bloody white fur that was from the beasts back. ... Thanks, I said hesitantly, accepting his gift. Yet I froze when I grabbed it and realized that there was a turquoise gemstone the size of a rock inside. It was at least five times larger than the green reiga ones he had been bringing me. Wow Kline sauntered off as I put it in the bag I was holding the spinal stones in. Then I looked at the beast. Hand me a leg, I said. Ill carry it back. Kline looked at me as if I were crazy, but I flexed my bicep. Im stronger now. He blinked twice and shrugged, cutting off its leg at the shoulder. It mustve weighed at least two hundred pounds, but I hefted it onto my shoulder like a sack of flour that was filled with confectioners sugar. See? I asked. Kline smirked and strutted off toward the camp. What was that for? I asked. He didnt answer. Hey! I yelled as I followed him, but he didnt answer. He didnt have to. Twenty minutes later, I was moving the leg from shoulder to shoulder, juggling it with the aphrodisiac jug, sweating like a twice-baked swine without mud. It was a joke. But I made it somehow. An hour later, I was lying on the ground within the barrier, feeling like my arms would fall off. It took me 20 minutes to get up after that, but I finally forced myself to eat some meat, drink water, and start cooking some of the meat we just got. It probably wouldnt cook before I got backbut it was a start. Once I finished, I rubbed a tiny amount of balm on my legs to restore them to their best, and we started hiking again. It would be a long day. 2. Elana watched Mira return to the cave with Kori, the Blinding Archer who owned Nymbrel; Telgan, a dryad who was in her smallest form, sitting on a bonsai tree; and Hapsel, a hideous orc who claimed to be a poison master. Elana hated him like all other poison masters. They were crude, sadistic beasts, and she was determined to beat the love of poisons right out of her new pupil. Kori wasnt part of Miras class, so the tiefling kicked his grungy hunter boots on her porcelain table to watch the show leisurely. His purple skin popped against the white walls, and his unfiled horns described his personality quite well. Telgan was just as nonchalant. The tiny dryad was sitting on a bonsai trees limb, watching apathetically. She only offered Mira her legacy to keep other people from trying to exploit the forest. That said, the Areswood destroyed peoplenot the other way around. So, it wasnt a pressing concern. Only Hapsel was focused on the screen. The orcs body was trembling as he gripped his tusks like a savage, tapping his footon the precipice of exploding. Is there something wrong, Hapsel? Elana mused. What do you mean, Is there something wrong? Hapsel mocked. That girls huggin self-made poisons, but you forced her into a suicide mission over some fancy elixir. Mira was holding her jar of poison against her breast as she approached the cave. She clearly loved poisonsbut Hapsel couldnt give her a quest because Mira hadnt created a poison or made a declaration to make one for a specific task before she had already agreed to be bound by Elanas. Thats why he was pissed. That fancy elixir is going to double her power, Elana scoffed. Whats your petty poison gonna do for someone who cant even fire a bow? Why are you fighting about it? Kori asked dryly. You just sent er to a shalk den. Its all over. Hapsel frowned and nodded gravely. Yeah. Shes clever as hell, but I cant see er comin out of this one. Its downright cruel. Elana frowned. Its the least the Oracle would accept. Legacy quests required sufficient difficulty to prove neophytes were genuinely talented. That way, gods couldnt snipe candidates just to obtain resourceslike the gods were currently doing. Hapsel watched Mira hug the jug of water with a complex expression. At least shes got one fucked up mind. Thats the only thing that could save er. Suddenly, a shalk jumped out of a bush, and Elanas heart pulsed. She thought the shalks would swarmbut Kline warp-stepped and clawed the beasts head off in one swipe, then triggered Active Camouflage, disappearing into the forest. But that cat, though Kori said. Yeah, Telgan said. Elana nodded. The shalks were almost as big as Kline was, but he was clawing through them like butter. It was clear that he got a blessing before his evolutionwhich was rare. That was a good thing. Mira would become strong after taking the Awakening Elixirbut she was currently worthless without her tactics and poisons. So Elana prayed that Kline would get her between here and there. If he did, Miras future would be bright. 3. Okay, my plan was a terrible idea. I got that I was on a timetable, and I wanted to win and all that, but to be honest, I was fairly certain I was about to die. Correction: accepting this legacy was a terrible ideamy plan fucking rocked. First off, we werent defenseless. Kline and I were a teamand he had power to protect us. He was currently warp-stepping between shalks patrolling the area, killing them as I pointed out poisonous plantswhich he picked up almost telepathically. Kline had also activated Wraithaura, silencing my steps as well, and I covered us in jostle rootso the beasts couldnt smell us. We were prepared. Lastly, I came with tactics and poisons capable of shalk genocide. Thats where things got really interesting. Before I explain, try not to judge me. It wasnt pretty, but it wasnt bad, either. Okay so it was kinda, sorta, seriously fucked up, and I should admit thatbut let me start by reminding you what this quest required of us. To get that flower, we had to kill a swarm of Kline-size creatures without distorting or shaking the environment. That meant bombs, elemental magic, and ranged attacks were out of the question. That meant our only real option was poisonand it would require creativity. It was nearly impossible. With that in mind, let me explain what I did. First, I created an aphrodisiac that would turn every one of these creatures into a depraved sex fiend. Soon, they would all be bound in heat, and there would be a massive orgy, which would attract normal shalks as wellbecause primal instinct. At the very least, it would be confusing and disorienting, keeping many out of the picture. It was valuable on its ownbut that was just the start. The shalks'' bodies would quickly overheat from increased circulation and passionate sex, causing them to sweat profuselyand become severely dehydrated. Thats when I would send them water spiked with tasteless poison. It was a brilliant plan, but it had one problemfroxim weed smells like battery acid. Thats why I mixed in jostle root sap to remove the smelland would hit them with it all at once. Id start by splashing them with water. Then, I would throw exploding shenai fruits slathered in poison to send the poison far and wide. That would get it on their fur, and theyd immediately start grooming themselves and others to get it off. Others would drink the spiked water to stave off dehydrationand some would spread the poison through other means. It would be a decadent and depraved party that they would never forget And then the red death would hold sway over all. That was the plandistract, poison, and pick them off. It was time to get started. Chapter 27 - My Grim and Twisted Fairy Tale I peeked out of the bushes and saw a cave at the bottom of a hill, swarming with black cat-sized creatures crawling over each other. Reading about shalk dens was one thingseeing it was another. It was like a cockroach den, and alerting one would send them all flying at us. I swallowed hard, gripping the aphrodisiac bottle. Kline tugged at my pants to calm me, face as calm as a Hindu cow. I looked at him in disbelief. Cats really fear no one. I took a final deep breath and began chanting the water spell. A water ball developed an inch above the groundand I let it crash down the hill. It created a stream that caused all the shalks to turn to usand it only got more aggressive when I made a larger water sphere that sent a stream falling on them. They immediately prepared to swarm until I opened the aphrodisiac bottle. I had filled it with all their treasured delicacies, so when they smelled it, they began sniffing around and moving toward the source. Hurry I silently told myself, creating another water sphere. Trying my best to control the spell, I poured all the aphrodisiac into the hovering water spherewhich shockingly workedand then let it drop, adding to the stream. That sealed the deal. The shalks flew out of the cave in roiling waves, moving toward the water. It was working better than expectedbut that meant they were running toward the source. Run! I silently yelled to Kline with my eyes. Then I turned and booked it. Kline rushed after me, using Wraithaura, making the sound of my heavy steps and the snapping of bushes disappear. It was freakish and confusing, but I didnt care. My legs were heavy with adrenaline, lead-like yet pumping fast, matching the galloping of my heart. I weaved in and out of poisonous plants for about five minutes until I made the mistake. I jumped over a purple-highlighted plant and landed on a golden, edible plant with my unbooted footthinking it was safe. It wasnt. It was a bramble with berries, and it shot thorns into my foot. Son of a bitch! I silently screamed as I face-planted. I tried to get up, but the pain got worse, warning me that running wouldusuallypermanently damage my foot. I ripped off my sock, hoping the thorns would come out, but it barely got half out. Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck! I pulled out the balm, taking a swipe with my index. Dozens of shalks were coming into view, searching blindly, trying to smell and hear usbut failing. The jostle root and Wraithaura were powerfulbut one patrolling shalk would tell them all where we were. I rubbed the ointment on my foot as blood rained down, and the thorns started popping out. Suddenly, Kline panicked, and ten shalks flew out of the brush a moment later. He intercepted them, blinking out of existence and then appearing behind them, using Phantom Claws to rip through two and Sharp Bite on a third. Almost I thought, watching the last thorn pop out. But it was too slow. A shalk flew out at me, and I thought I was overbut an invisible force smashed into it, sending it flying past me. The save was lucky, but it slammed into a tree, alerting the others. I got up and started running, listening to the shalks releasing battle cries like war-painted Apaches, fighting over horseback in the Texas skyline. They were fastbut Kline was faster. I looked back just in time to see Kline ripping through them like a blender, leaving explosions of blood that seemed to suspend before crashing down. They tried to swarm him, but he kept blinking backward, moving toward me as he kept out of reachreleasing Phantom Claws over and over again. I felt like it would never end, but before I knew it, the cries disappeared, and the sound of crashing wood ceasedand I kept running. By the time I finally stopped, it was dead silent. I gripped my knees and heaved for breath, holding myself up on a rock and peeking out. There was nothing there, but I knew what awaited me on the return journey. Kline lay next to me, grooming the blood off his fur. Come on, I said, pulling the maralune syrup out to replenish Kines mana. He turned away as if to say, Didnt you just see me? I dont need a handicap! I rolled my eyes at his bravado. Im not dyin over you being a badass. Got it? He chuffed and walked over to mebut I still had to pry open his mouth. It was ridiculous. After feeding him the syrup, I ate some jerky. Kline declined, probably because he was full of shalks. Then we waited. And waited. And waited some morewaiting until I was certain that the shalks had slowed their panic and started their love fest. It should be workin by now, I thought. It wouldve infected as many as it could, and by the time I returned, they would all be suffering from dehydration and delirium. It was time, but I didnt want to. I cant believe we gotta go back I thought. I took inventory of the poison and the bag of shenai fruitneither of which had broken or exploded. Our inventory checked out, so there were no excuses. You ready? I asked Kline. He nodded. Then lets go, I said. Then, I led the way back to the cave, following the trail of corpses we had left behind like breadcrumbs, living out my own grim and twisted fairy tale. 2. Elana watched Mira return to the cave with a slight smile, reveling in Hapsels misery. Their initial panic had turned to surprise and admiration, easing their minds. Now, it was back to enjoying the show, and as soon as Mira added the poison, Elana knew that Hapsel would blow a gasket. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Telgan sat on a bonsai branch, kicking around her legs, and Kori was investedif only out of curiosity. With Klines Wraithaura and Miras caution and forest experience, she demonstrated her potential as a hunter. It was getting exciting. They watched as Kline dispatched another fifty shalks as they returned to the scene of the crime. Once they were near but far enough not to get spotted, Mira pulled out the shenai fruit, a brush, a bottle of poison, gloves, and her gas mask. It was time to start the assault. 3. I was never one for art. In my mind, its either good and cheap or ugly and famous, so I never bothered. But I feel like what I was doing certainly qualified as art. Shenai fruit was green and blue and poisonous-lookingand on the other hand, I had a serious poison that was yellowish. Now, I was brushing it on, creating a nice glaze that let it glitter. It was slimy and gross and definitely lethal. Even with my gas mask and gloves on, I was afraid to swallow. The stuff could liquefy organs if ingested. Then I moved toward the cave, feeling like I was walking on a cloud. The jostle root sap removed my sense of smell, and Wraithaura took away the sounds of us walking, so I could only see and hear the things outside of Wraithaura, which made me feel like a ghost. It also heightened the sound of my heart, which was releasing the distinctive double thump it was known for. I felt high. Before I knew it, we were on the hill again, standing on a pile of patrolling shalk corpses. I then peeked over the hill and saw something disturbing. Around five hundred shalks were mating out in the open and more in the cave. I know that I actively caused that to happenbut it was still disturbing, and I wont describe it. Anyway, it bothered me, so I did the only sensible thing I could doI interrupted them. I gripped a poisoned shenai fruit, pulled my hand backand launched it into the center of the orgy. The first hit the center of the shalk mass and exploded in a green blur as the poison spread with the chunks, slamming into the wet creatures. Then I threw the other, and it released another boom as it did the same. Lastly, I summoned a water sphere as fast as I could and shot it at the panicked shalksand ran like hell. This time, we werent so lucky. Shalks were waiting for us, and we were swarmed immediately. Kline was ready. He released Mana Manifestation to create a wall that sent shalks flying like bowling pins. Then he rushed into the fray, releasing Phantom Claws that cut through a dozen at a time. Still, more followed, overwhelming us. Suddenly, one pounced on my arm and snapped downhard. Blood exploded from my forearm, but I couldnt feel it. Adrenaline sent me into overdrive, and I found my fingers on its temples. Then I released my Desiccation spell. It was brutal. Its eyes shriveled instantly, causing it to scream and release my arm. Then I punted another and grabbed a third off my leg, snapping its neck with my grip. Kline kept pace, pouncing on the creatures as they jumped at me, using claws to cut through them. Fuck! I pulled out another shenai fruit and threw it on the ground, causing it to explode and give us a few precious seconds in the confusion. Then I rushed away, getting another thirty feet before I was ambushed again. More shot out from the front, but Kline warp stepped in their shadows, intercepting them. Before I could even scream, he pounced, catching one with his teeth and sending two more flying with a spell. Two more phantom claws. A bite. A warp. He turned invisible and struck. I watched in a dazeand then remembered Kline collapsing while fighting the reapers. Soon, hed lose consciousness. It was getting bleak. Dire. Yet he didnt collapse. I continued running, and Kline continued biting. I turned in a clearing and saw Kline smelling certain shalks before biting themand chewing on their meat. Is he eating them? I didnt know what to think, but he kept rushing, and I truly understood. He was using the soul meat to replenish his strength and the cleansing elixir to feed his magic. He had neither during his last rampage, but we had leveled up. We were getting stronger, and we now had alchemy! It made my heart flutter with excitement. Then I snapped back into focus when a shalk jumped at me. I was pissed that it broke my excitement, so I slapped it, sending it flying into a tree. Another shot at me, but I punted it. Perhaps it was hubris, but I was starting to feel powerful. Once I get a core, Im going to massacre you! I silently declared. We fought on for another five minutes. Only then, once there was a pile of corpses, did Kline start showing signs of mana deprivation. Thankfully, it was almost over. Kline! I said, pouring maralune syrup onto my finger. He warp-stepped into my shadow and licked it off my finger before rushing back as if it never happened. It was fascinating. Ten more minutes passed before they stopped following us. Kline ate more maralune syrup without protest, and I ate some jerky. Then we both drank water and turned to the cave. Lets wait a bit, I said. Let em groom the poison off their loved ones. Kline looked at me as if I had lost my mindand I had. In two months, Id be feralbut thats a worry for the living. Kline nodded and sauntered off, searching for unpoisoned shalks to eat while I stewed about how much of a superpower eating on the fly was. Theres got to be cooking spells to speed this up I thought. There were hundreds of pounds of raw power lining the ground, and humans couldnt chow down. Or wouldnt. I might turn feralbut I wouldnt do it willingly. I cupped my face in my hands and groaned. Kline eventually returned, and I checked my foot and gear. Then I stood and looked down at him. You ready? I asked. He nodded. I nodded back. Then lets do this. 4. Elana watched Mira return for the last timeheart galloping in her chest. Miras survival was a noveltya theoretical possibility that was useful for thought experiments. If she did survive, I could obtain materials to surpass Brindle. If she did, I could sell If she did. There was a lot of what ifsbut it was a dream. No one really believed she would survive until recently. The aphrodisiacs worked, and according to Haspel, the poison was more than enough to kill the creatures. Now that Kline had killed half the shalks by himself, finishing the quest was a possibilityand Elana could actually live out her greatest ambitions. She was invested; if Mira survived the Trial of Worth, shed lavish Mira with advice, lessons, and instructions on how to fix that hideously asymmetrical, genetically impure mortal face of hers. 5. My gas mask fogged with steamy breaths as I returned to the cave. Im not sure what I thought Id see therebut it was close to what I imagined. There were a lot of dead shalksin the hundreds. Another set was sluggishly moving south toward a nearby river, suffering severe dehydration. The rest were stumbling around like stereotypical fairy tale drunkards, crashing into each other like tavern walls. I didnt know if those were still dangerousbut I didnt want to find out. If you didnt catch it when it was mentioned, if I alerted the shalks, they would destroy the flower, taking the spores and moving to another cavewhere theyd kill themselves to act as fertilizer for the new plant. That ridiculously powerful cultish phenomenon was unavoidable, and I expected to have failed already. The only reason I was still going was because I hadnt gotten a notification if I failed yet. Still, that didnt mean that I still couldnt. My only hope was that the orgy and commotion brought all the shalks out to party or swarm usbut I wouldnt count on it. Kline followed behind me as I walked up to the cave. It was time to grab the flower and get the fuck out. Chapter 28 - Lumidran Awakening Elixir My heart pulsed as I walked through the graveyard of dead and stumbling shalks. We took one step over the other, taking shallow breaths as we reached the cave, and the sun gave way to cool shade. I walked a few hundred feet before I could see a faint glow in the darkness. It was the lumidraa white and blue flower that glowed with radioactive light. It was gorgeous, with a white stalk that proved that the plant did not absorb sunlight for energy. Only five things were standing between us and gaining our ingredients: a group of shalksswaying back and forth as if they were in the middle of a sacred ritual. Oh, hell no I looked at Kline. He looked at me nervously. It was bad when Kline, who could teleport between shadows, wasnt confident he could kill the shalks without risking the flower. I was fairly certain that if they even saw us, they would attack the flower, too. Theres no great solution, and the only one that I could think of was to cull their numbers by grabbing two by their tails and throwing them away. Two would turn to methe attackerand the third would turn to the plant. Kline would kill the one turning to the plant, and I would get bitten twice. Kline would then kill them all. Im sure that you have a better solutionbut I didnt. My specialization was traps and poisonnot hand-to-paw combat. That said, I was rather decisive, and I wasnt going to wait until they spotted me. So I acted. I pounced and grabbed two of their tails and threw them backward like I was rowing a boat. My judgment was off. Two lunged at the flowerbut Kline stopped them both. He blinked to a shadow behind the flower and hit the two with a wall of mana that sent them toward the mouth of the cave. Then he pounced into the fray to kill the four shalks. The fifth shalk flew at me and latched onto my arm, sinking its teeth into my flesh like tofu. I jumped away from the flower and smashed it against a jagged part of the wall. Its body let out a sickening crack and went limpand just in time, too. When it let go, it almost took a chunk of my arm with it. The balm was powerfulbut I didnt know if it could heal a chunk of missing muscle! I opened the balm as I bled out, watching Kline kill off the last four. I slathered it on my wound, and it burned so good. The damage mended, and my shaking arm stilled. I had barely returned the balm to my pocket when a stray shalk flew out of the darkness. It pissed me off, so I grabbed it. It fit in my hands well, like a cute, rabid puppyand broke when I twisted in both directions like a pepper shaker. I turned and threw the corpse toward the mouth of the cave, heart pounding. Jesus it doesnt stop! That was an understatementI heard dozens of shalks screaming outside, rushing toward the cave. Son of a bitch! Im trusting you, Kline! I yelled. He meowed back as I pulled out a preservation box and tried to still my shaking hands. I purified my hands and the container as I opened it, gently putting it beside the plant. Then, I purified my handagainand grabbed the stem. I picked it decisively, threw it into the box, purified it again, and shut the lid. I was locking it when I heard the fight break out behind me. Hurry, hurry, hurry! I threw it into my backpack and turned backto witness another bloodbath. It was a narrow gap, so Klines Phantom Claws and Sharp Bites cut through creatures without mercy as he staved them off. He was Leonidas I at the battle of Thermopylae, keeping them at bay. Whenever youre ready, I said. Kline meowed and doubled his pace, ripping through the shalks without mercy. Once we got an opening, we flew out of the cave into the hot and humid sunshine, inbound to the alchemy station. 2. Elana watched Mira and Kline return to the alchemy station, collecting mana cores from the shalks along the way. Elana shouldve been happy that Mira survived, but Kori and Hapsels laughter ruined it. After all her alchemy and poisons and plants Kori wheezed, and she solved it with raw force! It was funny, but not in a laughing sort of way. Elana fought with alchemy, Hapsel fought with poisons, and Telgan fought with plants. Mira used a mixture of all those methods to kill half the shalks. But ultimately, the success of the trial came down to raw force. Did you see how she grabbed their tails? Kori laughed. It was so inelegant. Elana didnt enjoy being mockedbut she wasnt focused on the ridicule. She was bothered that Mira had obtained the flower so quickly. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. So? Hapsel asked her. How hards this elixir to make? Elana didnt answer. He snorted with a grin and closed his eyes, accessing his Guide. Ten seconds later, he roared with laughter. Kori grinned and looked at him. What is it? This elixir Hapsel burst into laughter again, rolling in his chair. Kori looked at Elana, who looked away, stewing. What? Kori asked. Its the orc laughed even harder, wheezing as he said, Its only ingredi His laughter only intensified mid-way through, and he had to breathe and gasp and roll. Telgan rolled her little eyes and turned to Elana. Can you just tell us? My patience for these two is hitting its limit. Elana stewed. Alcohol and syrup. Kori sat up. What? Alcohol! Hapsel roared. Thats it! Its a tincture! Its not a tincture, Elana snapped. Elixirs are sweetened, hydroalcoholic mixtures with multiple active ingredients. Alcohol is just the binding agent. Koris mouth twisted into a grin, and he leaned back. Youre tryin really hard to justify it. Telgan wiped her face. Sweet tincture, got it. I refuse to argue with you about my craft, Elana brooded as the men laughed. Kori shrugged and looked at Hapsel. What does that plant even do? Hapsel looked at him with a shit-eating grin. Oh, get this. 3. I didnt know whether to laugh or cry when I saw the elixirs recipe. I wanted to laugh because the process was easy. I wanted to cry because its use case was terrifying. --- Name: Lumidran Awakening Elixir Description: Cleanses mana channels and helps the user enter a state of enlightenment that helps them develop or improve a mana core. Intelligent species describe seeing a guide that helps them through the journey. This guide is only described by individuals who ingest or inhale the spores in the Areswood Forest. Instructions:
  1. Separate spores from the petals with a spore print.
  2. Remove moisture from the ovary and grind it.
  3. Mix both in a cup of ethanol.
  4. Add syrup and edible berries to taste.
  5. Makes ten servings.
Note: This substance can take up to 32 hours to digest. During that period, the body will remove impurities and experience dehydration. Make sure to drink water during the experience. Warning: You can only use this elixir once every ten years, as the spores can cause mental complications. --- So its a tincture, I mused. It was technically an elixir, as it was a sweetened mixture of active ingredients bound with alcohol. That said, the alcohol extracted the active ingredients, so it was really just a sweetened tincture. It wasnt a big deal, but I got the feeling that some egotistical god wanted to make their creation sound cooler. I found it amusing. I was glad that I got such a reprieve because the actual effects were terrifying. Its just like Datura I shivered. Heres the thingI grew hallucinogens. My Heavenly Blues contained LSA, my San Pedro had a mescaline button, and the salvia I was growing in my house could put someones brain through a blender. That said, I didnt grow them to take them. I grew them because I was searching for hints of their existencebecause they dont make sense! Plants produce sugar or thorns or poisons or parasitic effectsto protect themselves or reproduce. But what evolutionary purpose do hallucinogens serve? No one knows! Hallucinogens deter some herbivoresbut others seek out the hallucinogenic effects. Some hallucinogens are recreational, but Datura would leave animals to die. Sometimes, hallucinogens act as allelopathic agents that inhibit nearby plant growthbut why create a chemical that only affects animals with advanced nervous systems to do that? If it spreads seeds and sporeswhy not just make the fruit sweet? It doesnt make sense, and the fact that people brawl and yell and scream about the nature of hallucinogens and their relationship to humans doesnt change that. It was fascinating but I wasnt down with the effects. I didn''t want to distort my mind and lose my inhibitions in an empty roomlet alone in a dangerous forest! You need to finish the quest, Mira, I said, taking a strained breath. You need that core. Kline pawed at me worriedly. Its another cleansing elixir, I warned. Kline backed away sheepishly. Yeah and thats just the start of it. I got up and walked to the alchemy station. Lets get it over with. I pulled out the flower, grabbed some ethanol, measured it out, filled a bottle, purified it, and capped the lid. Lithco, can you help me with this? I asked. Surely this is a beginners process. Lithco materialized. Seriously? To do a spore print, desiccate a plant, grind it up, throw it in some alcohol, and add some sugar? Yeah, I can. But you know itll hurt your rewards, right? Theres no reward for distinction, I said. "The legacy quest was win or lose. Yes, but the gods who offered you their legacies are surely watching you right now, Lithco said. Youll also get an evolution reward that is affected by decisions like these. But I recommend discussing this after you complete the trial. Rules, rules, rules you people I groaned, massaging my forehead with my fingertips. Okay, lets do this. I washed my hands and purified them as if I were prepping for surgery. Then I set to work. Chapter 29 - Core Formation Instructions The first thing I had to do before making the elixir was to create a spore print. Thats because the fruit of the flower and the spores were necessarybut the stem and petals were toxic. If I were to desiccate the plant and turn it into dust, the spore would mix with the poisons, and it would be game over. Therefore, separating them was a must. If youre unaware of what a spore print is, Ill explain, but first, let me explain the difference between seeds and spores. Put simply: seeds require plants to have sexspores do not. Its strange to think of it that way, but its true. The male part of plants produces pollen and then sends it to the female receptors, which use it to fertilize egg cells. Thats how plants produce seeds. Its a bit complicated because some plants, like tomatoes, have male and female parts, but they still have to have sex with themselves, which is just weird. Spores are different. Theyre single-celled organisms that replicate the mushroom or fern or moss with a little water and nutrientsno sex necessary. Thats why spores are strangely easy to store. All you have to do is pick up the plant and press the spore-releasing area against a piece of paper or glass slide. Thats a spore print, and theyre notorious because hippies from the 1960s would press psilocybin mushrooms to random books and then scrape some onto cow patties every time they wanted to grow drugs. The wild part was that these spores can last decades or even centuries. Therefore, by passing down these books, they can let their great-great-grandkids get high on the same mushroom they didkinda. Anyway, thats what I needed to do. So I pulled out the flower and pressed the area under the petals onto a purified glass slide. The spores were pink, which was fascinating. I then stored the slides, purified the plant, and preserved it again. After taking a breather, I pulled out the plant, desiccated the entire thing, and flicked off the flower petals and stems, blowing on the ovary while using purify to ensure I got all the toxic poison off it. Only then did I put it into a mortar and grind it up. Once completed, I mixed the powdered fruit into the alcohol bottle and mixed in the spores, being liberal. I wouldnt let my fear fuck up this legacy. I saved some spores for later, should I wish to grow and harvest the plant in the future, and then went on to the last part. It read, Add syrup and edible berries to taste. Im not sure anything would make ethanol taste good, I sighed. Drinking ethanol would make you feel like your throat was suffering frostbite, as the alcohol evaporates ridiculously fast, cooling the temperature. No amount of flavoring would change that. I reached down and pulled out the simple syrup bottle from the station. I unscrewed it and put in ten tablespoons, enough to ensure that all ten doses would have some. Then I shook the bottle and went out searching for berries. It didnt take long because there were bushes I snacked on. I chose my favorites, purple ones called lickten berries, which tasted like sour raspberries. I loved them. I went back, mashed up the berries, used essence extraction on them, squeezed out the juice with cheesecloth, captured the liquid, purified it, and poured it into the elixir. Only then did I get the chime. --- Congratulations! Neophyte Mira Hill has created her first Third Tier alchemic creation. Name: Lumidran Awakening Elixir Effect: The fruit cleanses mana channels as the spores help the user enter a state of enlightenment that helps them develop or improve a mana core. Intelligent species describe seeing a guide that helps them through the journey. This guide is only described by individuals who ingest or inhale the spores in the Areswood Forest. Estimated purity: 76%. --- Then, another chime rang out in my mind, followed by a convenient notification. --- Due to the requirements of a legacy quest, the temporary shelters twelve-hour restrictions have been lifted for the next 48 hours. --- I guess this place isnt advised, I thought as I looked around the gazebo. It was fully protected for at least thirty more hours, but the Oracle was sending me to the shelter, anyway. I didnt like that. Can I ask you questions about this elixir without affecting my quest? I asked. A pop-up answered me: It depends on what the question is. Is this gonna make me puke my guts out again? Im not sure my skin can take another cleansing, either. Lithco responded simply. It will cleanse your mana channels, but you wont even notice. Because Ill be tripping so hard? Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Yes. Is tripping really necessary? I sighed. Just the thought made me feel like someone was wringing out my intestines. Stop treating it like ayahuasca. It doesnt distort your ability to thinkit only severs your connection to the outside world and helps you connect to mana. Ive yet to see someone suffer a panic attack after taking it. I swallowed and nodded. And thisll help me make a core? Yes. The hallucinogenic effects, and the guide will help you establish a better core than I can aid you in. I clapped my hands and put them to my face. So I wasted that request? I spent a diamond request on core formation. No. Core formation is a lifelong endeavor, and I can provide you with resources for many more evolutions to come. This will only teach you mana manipulation and core formation, and itll do it better than an illusion ever could. Rememberwhat youre holding is a priceless treasure. Try not to compare Guide resources to treasures. I nodded and took a deep breath. Okay. I grabbed a piece of the albino elk meat off the fire and started chewing it. It set my body on fire, and veins webbed up my arms and neck. It would normally feel unbearable, but I was using it as fuel. Come on, little guy, I said after I finished eating. Thiss the good stuff. Its gonna make you into a Konan amongst cats. Kline looked at me warily, but he nodded, and we took off toward the shelter. We didnt know what would happen when we took the elixirbut we were excited. 2. Kline and I walked through the woods, snacking on the meat. Id tear off pieces and throw them to him. Hed catch them without fail and smack his jaws. I forgot salt, I thought. Im not sure why I was complainingI was getting stronger for eating! As customary, there were reigas on the path. This time, there were eight. I looked at them and smirked. Ill take Kline blinked behind them and killed them before I even finished my thought. This one, I whispered bitterly. In retrospect, I didnt even know if I could take them. It all happened so fast that I could barely keep up with the reigas movementslet alone Kline. They were front-grade death rabbits that left after images when they moved. No I was still weak. I needed battle magicno matter how much it would cost me. After collecting the light green gems from their spines, I grabbed two for food and threw the others into the woods on the way back to the shelter. Once we got inside the building, I found that the building smelled terrible, so I used Purify a dozen times until there was no smell left. With that done, I pulled out some albino elk meat and cooked it over the fire. Only then did I pull out the elixir bottle. Okay, listen Kline, I said. This is pure alcohol. Imma let you taste it first so you know what youre getting into. Otherwise, youll spit it out. Kline rolled his eyes as I opened the bottle, preparing to lick it without a second thought. But once the smell entered the room, his hackles rose like a porcupine, and he took two steps back, hissing. Come on, I sassed, pouring some into my handfeeling the icy, ticklish feeling. I thought you were a big man. He hissed. I frowned. Oh, I suppose you dont want power, after all. Guess Ill have to do it myself. My words lanced his ego, and he pounced, licking the ethanol off my hand. Then his hair bristled further, and he yowled and gagged and rolled on the ground. I know that sucks, but thats what we need to drink, I said. Ive sweetened it, but Im not sure its gonna help. So you need to prepare yourself. He pushed himself up and pawed his tongue. Just a spoonful I reassured myself. Then well have mana cores. Kline looked at me distrustfully. Or dont, I shrugged. He narrowed his eyes at me dangerously, as if to say, I know what youre doing, humanbut it didnt matter so long as it got him to go along. Come on, drink your fill, I said, creating a water sphere. He lapped it up, and then I filled my water bottle and hydrated. We could be out for 36 hourswe needed to prepare. After that, we went to the bathroom and set up on the floor. We were ready. Hey Lithco, Im ready for the tutorial. Lithco materialized, pulling out a chair. Well, here I am. I looked at the elixir. How does this work? Its simple ish. Remember that chant I taught you? The one that made me feel like I was dying? Lithco clapped his hands together and smiled. Thats the one. I frowned. Chant it now that youve cleansed, he said. What about Kline? I asked. He gets different instructions. But it sounds like mewororaiaia murr yaowl so you dont hear his like he hears yours. Well, more specifically, hes turned off your ability to see his Guide. He doesnt want you to know hes getting help. Kline hissed and pounced, but he flew through Lithco. I couldnt help but giggle once I figured out the reason for the disparity. Okay Lithco brushed off his trousers as if they were affected by Kline. Then he looked at me. Recite the chant. I uh, I whispered. Pyrin trpeza? Thats it. Now chant it. I did, closing my eyes and repeating it like a mantra. It was subtle at first, but my world darkened again, suspending me in a void. Then I felt those channels that felt like they exploded last time and felt them flowing with energy like streams. It felt crude and slightly pinching, but the flow was there. All of it was moving toward my spine around my shoulder blades. Wait I whispered when I could feel the energy going toward my spine. Is that the gemstone? It is, Lithco said. Those are mana cores. Theyre tied to your nervous system, acting like fuel, allowing you to speed up the signals to your brain and body. Your job as a mage is to develop onesand absorb the cores of beasts. I got the cores in the bag. We had dozens of them. How much do we have? I asked. Considering that they all belong to Second Evolution beastsa lot. Chapter 30 - Threading I looked at the spinal stones in a new light. This whole time, I was tossing bloody rocks into a bag as if they were the most irrelevant thing in the world when, in reality, I was collecting raw power. This probably wont mean much to you, Lithco said, but second evolution is the last evolution creatures can reach on the other side of Galfers Gate. So everything youve got in that bag would sell for serious money. These? I asked, looking at the reiga and shalk cores. Is everyone so weak out there? Lithcos lips curved into a sinister smile. Whats that smile for? I asked. Those creatures are the bunnies and rats of the Areswood Forest, Lithco said. If you werent in the divide, youd be facing beasts with powers like Kline. I imagined fighting beasts that could teleport and turn invisible and release long-ranged attacks and shivered. Get it? he asked seriously. Luckily, you have the resources and mana cores necessary to get strong. That starts with building a core. You already have a core, Lithco said, Its just weak. To make it stronger, you use a chant to spin the core. The energy becomes a magnet that sucks in more mana like a winding thread around a bobbin. The more mana you have on hand, the stronger you can get. Thats where cores come in. Theyre mana reservoirs; by unraveling them, you can absorb the mana inside. So how do I do that? I asked, looking at them, regretful that I wasnt taking care of them. Well, you can start by cleaning them, Lithco said, curling his lip and scrunching his nose. After that, he said, you put them into your mouth and use another chant to unravel them. I now understood his expressionI almost gagged. But you dont have to worry about that right now, Lithco said. That elixir will link you with the area of your subconscious necessary to manipulate mana, and youll likely have a guide giving you instructions. You wont have any problem absorbing mana. A guide? I asked. Wait, thats a real thing? It is. Theres not a lot of data on lumidra since its rare, but everyone who has taken it in the Areswood Forest describes meeting an entity called Yakana who taught them the nature of mana. A famous god named Brindle Grask is said to have had a close relationship with this entity. Allegedly? How dont you know? I have recording restrictions on higher-level entities, Lithco said, leaning back. Its a perk of reaching higher evolutions. As for the lower evolutions He tapped his temple twice. I can only read their surface thoughts. The conversation with Yakana happens in an area within your subconscious. I rubbed my eyes. But if its in my subconscious, how can I speak to it? That seems impossible. Im not sure how it works, Lithco said, but I imagine its like a radio station. By ingesting the spores, you connect to a certain frequency, and you can hear Yakana. That would explain why only people who have taken the elixir in the Areswood Forest have heard Yakana and the rest havent. I nodded. It was all so strange, but I couldnt stop thinking about that strange voice from the river. No one should have been able to speak underwaterno one was around. They were in my thoughts. I wondered if it was the same entity. Lithco studied my expression. Then he looked at the bag of mana cores. Well? You gonna clean those or what? R-Right I quickly complied, activating the bathtub and washing them with soap. Only then did I groan and stare at the cores. Purify, I whispered. All the grime and blood and gunk that was still stuck to them instantly slid off as if it were carried away by a running river. It was surreal. Seriously? I groaned. Kline heckled me. I sent him the stink eye but then sighed and offered him the turquoise core. He pawed it back at me. Translation: No, you need it more, you weak-ass bitch. That wasnt the real message, but it was how I felt about it. So I was grateful and petted his ears. I would get stronger, for his sake. Is there anything else I should know before I take this? I asked Lithco, grabbing the elixir. Nope, Lithco said. Just drink it and chant. Itll take care of the rest. I turned to Kline. You ready? He smiled wryly. Yeah, me neither. He slunk over to the corner of the room and reluctantly brought me his water bowl, dropping it on the ground before me. Okay. I shook the elixir, measured out a spoonful, and put it into the bowl. Kline immediately licked it up and howled, dropping to the ground. But he crawled back to the bowl and licked up the rest. He didnt waste a single drop. I measured out a spoonful and put it in my mouth as well. It burned like dry ice, and it took everything in my power not to spit it out. But I forced it down and closed the lid. 2. As Mira was waiting for the elixir to take effect, Aiden was in a liscan-drawn carriage with his proctor, Alitalia, inbound to the Third Ring, where Aiden would be tested on his candidacy for making trips to the Fourth Ring. He looked out the window. It was almost sunset, and the carriage was passing through Restam, a city with water flowing in the sky and purification channels. He found it strange how advanced certain parts of the city were and how lacking other areas were. Arent you curious? Alitalia asked. About what? Where were going? Aiden furrowed his brows. Arent we going to the Cursed Aviary? Alitalia narrowed her eyes at him. Seems you already know what were doing. Was I not supposed to know? You werent, she said. Thats why I know you gotta quest. Judgin by the difficulty, I take it its a legacy? Aiden smiled wryly, disturbed to have been discovered so easily. Its okay, kid, Alitalia said. I already know. Itd be more surprising if you didnt, after contracting with Skia. Three-tailed foxring a bell? Aidens eyes widened. You know her? Not supposed to, Alitalia said. Its common protocol to kill higher level entities on sight. But shes a bit different. You can take that girl through the first six rings of the Areswood Forest and shell still be cursed. So no one pays her any mind. I think wed have released her into the Fourth Ring if she could survive the Bramble. Whats the Bramble? Alitalia smiled wryly. The Areswood Forest is on a power gradient, and that power gradients set up with the domains. The first three rings go from mortal creatures and small herbivores, to the Third Ring, which has mid-tier second-evolution beasts. The Fourth Ring has second and third evolution beasts and so it goes. But theres an exceptionand its called the Bramble. Its an area about five miles from the gate thats full of third-evolution beasts and killer plants. Without fail, it kills every person that even flies over the wall before the Black Harvest. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. W-Wait, how does that make sense? Why? To keep people out. It was set up by a god that ruled this forest for millenia. He did it so that people couldnt set up supply lines and slowly push their way into the forest. It makes it practically impossible to enter the Fourth Ring except the week its open. To be honest, everyone flocking here for the quest is about to die. Were warning people, but they never listen. Aiden laughed and looked away. And you want me to do this? I dont want you to do anything. Its the Oracle, and the Oracles only asking because you might have a chance. Aiden smiled wryly. Dont worry, kid, Alitalia said. Its mandatory for me to take you to the aviarybut not to support you. The minute you walk in, Ill tell you to walk out. Thats a fact. Aiden nodded and looked out the window, falling silent. Alitalia did the same. Soon, they passed through the Goliath gate to the Second Ring and hit a dirt road. After that, the carriage lifted with magic like an airplane, and Elionis and the other liscans rocketed forward, moving at speeds that rivaled carsor beyond. Meanwhile, Mira was just starting to feel the effects of the Lumidran Awakening Elixir. 3. Im not sure what I was expecting to happen when I took the elixir, but it was far more gentle than I imagined. It took twenty minutes to start feeling the effects, and the effects were pleasant. I closed my eyes, and I could see colors. Yet it wasnt a chaotic mix of colors from some hallucinogenic drugs, I could see strange and wondrous streams of color moving inside Kline and I, like a second circulatory system. So this is mana I thought, accepting it as a fact. It was as evident as my ability to breathe or move my fingers. Mana. It was all around me, caressing me, weaving me together with the worlds grand tapestry. I giggled at that. I was sounding like a mushroom-lovin'' hippie holding yoga sessions. Tapestry? Connectedness? Caressing? It was so bizarre but I knew it was true. Mana was flowing around mewithin mewithin Kline, binding us together with this world. I basked in that feeling for about twenty minutes before I heard the voice. It wasnt just any voiceit was the male voice from within the Diktyo River. So youve returned. Returned? I whispered. Returned where? To the assimilation. I wiped my face, feeling hot sweat pouring off my forehead. Whats that? The assimilation is the journey souls take to become mana and return to nature. For whatever reason, mana being made of souls felt self-evident and natural, so I didnt question it. Instead, I was more confused by something else: So why am I here? I asked. Am I dead? No, youre not dead. Were all a part of the assimilationjust at different stages. Yet you have merely connected to it, just as you did in my river. River who are you? I am Yakana. I giggled. Thats a useful description. Perhaps it''s best to show you. Yakana said. Suddenly, the void around me changed. Colorful flowers sprouted in the darkness, and symphony bugs started creating melodies. A forest slowly emerged from the blackness, leading to a world that was half black and vacant, half alive and full. I peered between the trees, feeling my body sucked into it, as if my soul was trying to leave my body and join it. I resisted, but it still beckoned me to enter the forest. A sharp light passed through the trees, blinding me. I covered my eyes, and when I looked through, I saw the silhouette of an elk walking through the trees, clacking its hooves over the rocks as it entered the clearing. It stopped and looked at me. Then, it turned and shook its fur and took another step but the moment its hoove touched down, the elk turned into a bear. The next step turned it into a shalk. Then, it took a third and became a human man. He paused and turned to me. So youre everything? I whispered abstractedly. No. I am an assimilationa remnant of the many souls who wished to protect this forest instead of merging with nature. So I exist through such souls, but I am none. I see It didnt make sensebut it did. It was both abstract and clear as day, like knowing the importance of air but unable to truly know why without theories and science. So what do you want? I wish to show you the nature of death so that you may appreciate life. To show you destruction, so that you may learn to protect. To show value... Yes. What do you want? What do you seek in this forest? To live my life in nature, I whispered without hesitation. Even after what youve seen? I might have struggled more, but under the effects of the elixir, I felt far more honest with myself. Yes I said. I love this forest. Id love to live here. I just dont want to die. Then allow me to aid you so that you may appreciate it. Yakana morphed into a silhouette of me and walked over, offering his hand. I grabbed it, and my entire body jolted as Yakanas form melted and absorbed within me. It felt revolting, but I could feel nothing but trust for Yakana, and once we merged, I felt nothing but absolute comfort. Now close your eyes, Yakana said. I closed my eyes a second time, feeling a deeper connection with the mana around me. It felt like a galaxy. Repeat after me, Yakana said, Ero kai mythiko, ektithmenoi sti." The words and their accent slipped off my tongue as if I had spoken them my whole life. Energy flooded into my body, and suddenly, the words had meaning, as if they were keys on a piano. Soon, I began speaking the words I had never heard before Yakana said them, locking our words together in a hypnotic chant. With each word, mana entered my body, circulating around in complex networks. Suddenly, all the blockages in my mana channels started to break away, like a flowing stream breaking through dirt blocking its way. For the first time, the mana reached my heart, which spread it through my bodymaking it to my spine. It felt loose and chaoticlawless. You have now established mana flow. It is through this state that you have energy. Now thread. Kryf orzonta klampan Yakana began chanting again, and so did I. That chant shifted everything. The energy reversed course in some areas, pressing forward in others, weaving together in a complex framework. It was intricate, but Yakanas presence made it as effortless as breathing. I was so free that I almost stopped chanting. Now speak the word and activate your core, Yakana instructed. Churn, I responded. It wasnt a grand wordit was a nickname. Any word wouldve done, but my subconscious chose that one, helping ground me. Suddenly, that sliver of energy in my spine spun, and that mana flowing through me wrapped around it like a ball of yarn. Faster. I followed Yakanas instructions, speeding up. That caused blockages in my mana channels to burst open. I cried out and wanted to stopbut I didnt. I took all that energy and threaded it. Tighter. I took that network and wound it like a bobbin, keeping the threads together. Do not lose focus. I didnt. I kept focused. This energy felt so real, natural, and intoxicating. My body was in pain but euphoric, like all the times I had eaten Ghost Peppers and Carolina Reapers. I loved it. I needed it. So I kept pressing on and on and on until the atmosphere around me changed. The forest disappeared, and soon, I was surrounded by a cosmos-like image of mana flowing around me. I was seeing mana in its rawest formthe tapestry. How? I asked, wondering how to interact with that mana. Speak the language of the world. Pyrin trpeza lkountai. I started chanting, and the world shook and trembled as if there were powerful, chaotic winds around me. Control it. Sweat poured down my body, but I kept focused, trying to interact with the chaotic hurricane outside. Do not forget about your threading. I groaned and regained control of the energy flowing within me. Doing both was like juggling and riding a bike. If I hadnt been connected to mana and fused with Yakana, I would have failed. Yet I had many advantages, so I kept focused, trying to do both. It took many hours before I could do it, but soon, mana was flowing around me, captured in reds and blues and greens and yellows and purples, each swirling around meand within mein beautiful patterns. Now speak the word, child. I had been waiting for this moment for quite some time. I thought of Yakanas desireto show me the nature of death and rebirth, so I chose the word I felt was most fitting. Apoklypsis. Chapter 31 - Apokálypsis Apoklypsis: Greek for apocalypse and revelation. That was the word that came to mind when he asked me to nickname the connection between me and the mana tapestryand it was fitting. As soon as I thought the word, the tapestry of colors crashed down around me, sucked into my mana channels. I screamed as my mana channels ripped open. They were going to burst, and I knew that. Yet Yakana took more control over my body, stabilizing it while saying: Faster. Churn! I screamed as my core spun on overdrive. Ero kai mythiko! Ektithmenoi sti galzia asfltos I chanted to focus that energy, creating the pattern Yakana taught me, churning and weaving and threading it around my core. It was still unbearablebut I didnt slow down. I felt that if I slowed down, I would lose the momentum that was driving this progress. So I gritted my teeth and bore it, embracing the sweat pouring down my bodyfeeling that power and fear and excitement that drove me forward. Hours passed, and soon, that pattern was ingrained in me. I had long since stopped chanting and now had absolute control of it. There was absolute freedombut I learned the way, so I followed it, moving the mana, twisting it, morphing it, threading it, churning it. It was Apoklypsis. Revelation. Destruction. Deathrebirth. 2. While Mira was in her state of enlightenment, Elana was tapping her index against her lips, engrossed in the scene playing out. It had been six hours, and she had yet to look away or lose interest. I underestimated her, Elana thought. Perhaps she has what it takes to be beautiful. Since no one elses gonna say it, Ill do it, Kori said, taking his boots off the porcelain table and sitting straight. This is fucking ridiculous. Yeah, Telgan said, resting her little back against the bonsai. This is very abnormal. Miras threading wasnt naturalit was something they expected from demigods. Even with the best resources, it didnt make sense. No amount of talent could give her even temporary control of this level. But why? Hapsel said, grabbing his tusks, letting go, and thrusting out his hands in frustration. That cats a fuckin naturaland he speaks magic. So why the hells he not doin good? She mustve bonded with Yakana, Telgan said. The fucks that gonna do? Kori asked. You can speak to forest spirits, and it took you centuries to get to this level like the rest of us. Yakana isnt a forest spirit, Telgan said. Its a collection of souls thats connected to the assimilation. Melding souls with an entity like that is like connecting to mana itself, and if she did it, it means that she has an absurd affinity for soul Shut up. The group turned to Elana, whose lips were inverted into a scowl. Telgan didnt back down. Her face turned serious. You need to tell Brindle, Elana. The dryad was speaking of Brindlethe ex-guardian of the forest. He also had a high affinity for soulswhich was the reason he became a soulmancer. If Mira also had such a giftand she was in the Forest of Soulsthe situation had changed completely. Mira just went from a talented girl to a serious entitybut Elana wouldnt entertain the idea of giving her up. So she turned to the dryad with a murderous expression. I told you to shut up, Elana said. And I recommend you do it, too. Because if you dont shut your damn mouth, therell be consequences. Consequences? Hapsel snorted. You got any clue how many gods you pissed off with this stunt? Keep actin like a bitch, and godsll be paradin your pretty little corpse around next week. Elanas body marbled with goosebumps. Just stop with the drama, Kori said. No ones goin to war over your stuntbut they will if you start threatening people. So calm down. I dont know about that, Telgan said. Her voice was grave, capturing everyones attention. If you dont tell Brindlehe will kill you. Elanas lips parted, jaw loose, aggressively perplexed and stunned and borderline angry. Brindle? You think Brindle is going to kill me? That thing hasnt left his garden in millennia. Im more worried about all the other jealous abominations around me. Then youre a fool, Telgan said coldly. Brindle doesnt care about our problemsbut he cares about his forest. And if you dont tell em that someone bonded with his assimilation, then there will be war. Elana swallowed hard. Wait. Yakana is his? Yes. Brindle created Yakana to be the guardian of the forest. Hes an amalgamation of almost a million souls. So the fact that hes bonded with Mira is significant and concerning. Elana looked at the screen, watching Mira thread, covered in channel discharge like it was glazed icing. There was no way that Mira could do this on her own. She was chosen. Heres my question, Kori said. Can Brindle even do anything about it? You mean besides killin any patron that links to er? Hapsel asked. Yeah, besides that. Its not like hes well connected. If people cant get into that forest, she should be safe, right? Maybe not in the Fourth Ring, Telgan said, but I doubt hed leave the upper rings vulnerable. The Brambles for mortals. Im sure he has something for the gods. This is absurd, Elana huffed. But fine. Ill tell Brind what the fuck is that girl doing? Suddenly, everyone whirled around and found Mira pulling the turquoise mana core out of her bag. Oh, thisll be good, Kori said, kicking his boots up on the table again. Gah, that girl, Hapsel groaned, grabbing his tusks and then thrusting his hands off them. Well, I guess we dont need to worry about her anymore, Telgan said apathetically. Elana grimaced. Miras core was about to explode and kill her. There was no doubt about it. She was a mortal with a seed, and she was about to thread a peak second evolution core. Nothing would save her from that fate. Not talent. Not a guide. Not an amalgamation of souls. Mira was deadand that was that. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. 3. I stared at the core in my possession. Under my connection to the assimilation, I could feel power burning through it. It felt overbearing, but it didnt feel unmanageable. Mana was warping, twisting, and dancing around and within me, moving in complex networks that were beyond natural comprehension. It was beyond mebut I could handle it. Such was the power of merging with the assimilation. Yet it felt unfinished, and Yakana said that a moment ago. Search now for a core so that we may build your strength, he had said. Now, I was holding the most powerful of them. It was leagues above the others, and it felt dangerousbut thats why I wanted to thread it right thenin that momentwhen Yakana was helping me, guiding memerging with my soul. Do you feel confident in handling such power? Yakana asked in the present. Can I do it? I asked. Yes. Then yes. If thats what you wish, then allow me to show you. Close your eyes. They are closed. No, they arent. Close them until you can only see blackness. It was an abstract concept, but I could still see the forest. So I imagined myself closing them further, and the forest dimmed. Again, he said. I complied, closing them further and further until there was only blackness, the sound of my heart, and the interconnected feeling of mana. Now, put the core into your mouth. I did. It tasted like minerals and glass and almonds, but its power felt overbearing, as if I ate pure salt. Then the energy exploded in a cosmic ripple that felt like I was witnessing a galaxy forming. In an instant, the mana within the core overwrote my own, overpowering the mana raging within me, as if it were nothing more than a burning, crashing plane landing in an ocean. How do I control this? I screamed. You contain and release it, Yakana said. Observe. My core moved on its own, and a new mana pathway opened, changing the threading pattern. It connected to the galaxy of mana, pulling out wisps that felt like snakes, biting and snapping and hissing as they flailed about my mana channels. Yet Yakana wrangled it, taming it until that energy was feeding my mana pathways instead of destroying them, like pressurized water pushed through steel pipes. That was what I was learningto refine and harden my mana channels until they could withstand the chaotic torrent of raw mana. I couldnt do it myself, but I could feel the grooveremember the way that it felt and the way that it was done. I couldnt do it but I understood it. Soon, my muscle memory was doing it naturally. Now take over, Yakana said. I locked so far into the groove that it made me overconfident. As soon as I took over, my entire body shook and spasmed. I felt like I was riding a bucking bronco while having a seizure. Yet I gritted my teeth and bore it, closing my eyes further, forcing chaos into normalcy. It was hard and fast and strong and brutal, but I soon was able to constrain the whips snapping in my mana channels. It was exhausting, and I wanted to give up, but I wouldnt. Not yet. Id spit it outbut it wasnt time. This was power that I wanted that I needed. I was useless and weak and defenseless. Kline almost diedand what did I do? I saved him with a handout. We went to the cave and what did I do? I let him protect me to the end. What would happen if he was in trouble? What could I do? Nothing! I couldnt do a goddamn thing! I wanted power so I could protect my little warrior. I wanted to be his partner and ensure he lived foreverto live with me forever. I wanted to find my family one day and help themto provide them with these potions somehow. I wanted to conquer this world, learn botany, and live my life how I wanted. And all of that came down to this moment. So I kept threading and threading and threading until I thought my mana channels might explodeand then I continued on. No one would stop me. Not this time. Not anymore. Suddenly, there was a loud crack in my head, and I spat out the stone. Then I stumped, feeling drunk and limp. That is enough, Yakana said. Continue when you wake. But I I protested, but my body wouldnt respond. So I shut down, falling to the ground. Sleep then took me, wrapping my body in black velvet and ushering me into the great beyond. 4. Elana balled her fists as she stared at the half-consumed mana core. The room was silent, devoid of the bickering and threats and boisterous bravado that had plagued it only an hour before. Suddenly, as if someone had shattered a soundproof window, Kori spoke. Youre tellin Brindle, he said. Cause Im not gettin dragged into this shit. Elana didnt want to. She wanted Mira all to herselfbut the time for that had long since passed. The only thing she could do was get the most out of Mira as she couldso speaking to Brindle herself was the best course of action. Ill contact him now, she said, standing and walking to the door. You have my word. 5. A druid wearing a light brown cloak snipped off the limbs of a bonsai tree. The cuts were perfect and uniformbut nothing compared to his symmetrical antlers. Despite having a calcified face that looked like the skull of a short-snouted dog, his body seemed perfectas if it were a sculpture created by the gods. Yet he didnt think of it as beautiful. He found beauty in the tree before himespecially the bark. It had a rainbow trunk and branches, like someone had melted colored wax and let it drip down it. What a curious tree, he muttered. Its a shame theyre gone. The tree was a Rainbow Eucalyptus Tree, a tree from Earththe latest planet to be destroyed by the gods. He felt it was a pity. Nature was often far more beautiful and unique than what the gods made. He was in a beautiful forest with trees of all descriptions, shapes, and sizes. All were radiant, exuding glowing auras. These were ethereal trees he had accumulated throughout the cosmos, most coming from different planets. Yet somehow, this mortal tree had captivated his attention more than any other. Lets fix you up. Returning to his work, he finished pruning the bonsais limbs to create a beautiful design and then traced its limbs with his finger. It, too, obtained a golden glow. Then he stood and examined the tree. It was strange and counterproductive to plant a bonsai in a garden, as trees become bonsai when their roots are restrained in a pot. Yet this tree was different. As soon as he walked away, the tree started growing in real time, breaking apart the soil as it pressed outward. He turned and watched the tree grow a few inches a second with a melancholy sigh. What I would give to let you grow naturally. Mortal trees cannot exist in the Ethereal Gardensso they must be blessed. It was a tragedy. Suddenly, a telepathic link shattered his reverie. This better be good, he said. Ah, come now, Elana said. Is that how you treat an old friend? Brindle sat under the shade of a tree with pink and white leaves, watching his new eucalyptus tree grow. Youre wasting your time, he said. Hoho! How I wish that was true. I assure you, BrindleI am not here out of respect, let alone for commercial gain. Im here to avoid war. Brindle clenched his human-like hands. Speak. Elana scoffed, but he didnt bite. Theres a neophyte in your forest, Elana said, and shes almost passed the trial. With or without support? With. How much. A substantial amount. Brindle rolled his eyes. So? Telgan said shes bonded with Yakana. Brindles body locked into place, becoming still. How long had it been since he felt apprehension? He couldnt remember. How? he asked. Shes a newly integrated. I offered my legacy if she could create the Lumidran Awakening Elixir. She did and she drank it. Now, shes just unraveled half a turquoise core in less than an hour. If thats not proof of bonding, this girls a god. Brindle tentatively released his grip. Whats her class? Elanas voice became amused. Botanist. Chapter 32 - Yakana I woke up in a feverish state, sweating yet shivering. The world was colorful and distorted, as if I were in a rainbow bubble, watching mana dance in the air like oil marbling in water. Then I realized that I was staring at mana and instinctively tried to thread it. Bad move. I immediately hit the ground screaming, feeling as if I had tried to thread broken glass. Take the maralune elixir, Yakana said in my mind. My heart released its distinctive double thump as I heard him. I tried to comply, but I couldnt get up, and the pain was too much. It took twenty minutes before I got to my hands and knees. Kline was on the ground beside me, breathing heavily, lungs expanding and contracting. Is he Hes okay. Do not disturb anyone threading their core, as it can be dangerous. Okay. I crawled to my bag and pulled out the maralune syrup. There were less than two servings left. Doesnt this add more mana? No. Mana deprivation is an incorrect term. When you run out of mana, you overstress your channels, and they shut down to prevent you from rupturing them. Thats why you lose energy. I see. That syrup heals the channels and helps them breathe. Now eat so that we may continue. I nodded and picked up the spoonhands shaking. I felt like a heroin addict trying to get my fix in between withdrawals. But I pushed forward, getting a small amount out and licking the spoon. It instantly soothed my mana channels. I had to force myself to close the bottle before I collapsed on the ground, moaning in relief. Take more and drink. There is much to do. I nodded and tried againand again. Five minutes later, I was standing again, feeling disjointed. My body felt like it was under warm water that was ebbing and flowing around me. Now what? I asked. Take some of your soul repair elixir. I furrowed my brows and retrieved the Sylvion Elixir I had received as part of my trial. It was a bottle with milky liquid, like coconut water. Only a fourth, Yakana said. Why? I asked. Is there something wrong with my soul? Assimilating with me strains the soul. You mean when we merged? Yes. You are not yet ready, but you have the resources to compensate. I opened the bottle and smelled it. It didnt smell like anything. It was also smallthe size of a shampoo bottle. It seemed so inconsequential. I took a small drinkand swallowed hard. Suddenly, my soul broke out of my body, and for a moment, I felt like if I turned around, Id be staring at myself. Then my body rocketed back into place, snapping forward. I jolted and almost spilled the liquid, but I caught myself by pressing against the fireplaces stones. Then I quickly screwed on the lid with shaky hands, trying to control the shakes. Whats going on with me? I asked with my thoughts. Your soul must cleanse first, Yakana said. I fell over, dropping the vial. It clattered across the floor, making me panicyet I couldnt think or react. My body started molding, and my identity shifted. Under the effects of the Awakening Elixir, I could visually see how my essence left me and began weaving together with the tapestry, sewing raw mana into my body like it was another layer of skin. Now sleep, Yakana said. Let your body and mind heal so that we may continue. My body felt drowsy, so I didnt question it. I fell asleep again, weaving in and out of consciousness, seeing a kaleidoscope of colors, feeling mana molding with me, cleansing me, sewing me together, sending me far, far away from this world. Then I suddenly woke, feeling so refreshed that I was afraid I had missed all my practice time. Oh no I whispered, cupping my forehead. Calm yourself and establish mana flow, Yakana said. Then we can begin. Okay I was relieved but uncomfortable. I rubbed my arms, feeling slime all over my skin. Yet I ignored it and sat up. Then I closed my eyes and established mana flow. Then, Yakana continued. Follow this pattern so that you may understand battle magic. Its different than threading? Why would you thread when releasing magic? Good point. Now, pay attention. Yakana melded into my body again and started to circulate the mana, moving it from limb to limbchest to head. It flowed like streams, calm and tranquil. Then he moved it to my right handand released it. It suddenly felt like fireworks exploding from my hand. Then, real fire brushed my fingertips. I panicked, but Yakana moved first, moving the flames out into the room and making them dance in the air. This is crazy I said, watching the flame flickering in the sky, flying freely like a Chinese dragon. Magic is a dance between circulating mana and enacting your will upon the world, Yakana explained. Circulate mana within, enact your spell upon the world, and then use mana to control it. Those are things you must practice. Stolen story; please report. I nodded. How? I will allow you to feel it. Suddenly, mana circulated through my hands and arms and legs, allowing me to move with surreal ease. I felt like there was energy flowing freely within me, making my limbs light as air but hard as steel. Mana circulation is the nature of magic, Yakana said, but you must understandit is also the essence of movement. The two are interconnected. Just as you use mana to release spells from various parts of your body, you can use that same circulation to augment your movements. This is what Kline does instinctively. This is what you must do to protect him. My heart fluttered when he answered my plea to aid Kline. To start this circulation, you must churn your core and establish mana flow. But instead of threading that mana, you can use that mana for spells. Lets practice with your spells. Yakana released my body, and I started circulating mana to my limbs, summoning a water sphere whenever it reached my hands. It worked with surreal easeyet when I tried to move the water sphere, everything started collapsing. I couldnt connect to the tapestry. Recite your word and try again, Yakana instructed. But do not churn your core. I closed my eyes and summoned a water sphere. Apoklypsis. Suddenly, the mana in the air started circulating in an insane network that I had sucked into my body the night before but was now keeping out of my body big difference. Now, I could control it to a degree and use it to lightly control the water around me. Hovering droplets of water swirled around me, making me giggle like a lunatic. It felt surreal and fantasticas magic should. Now that you understand, sit and practice, Yakana said. I nodded and sat downand began practicing with the tapestry of mana. I practiced for hours until it felt like I fell asleep, but when I opened my eyes, my body was just naturally breathing mana in these patterns. Closing my eyes, I used that tapestry to move into my hands. Purify. Without a chant, I released purify, and it illuminated the entire room. I could do it. I could use strong magic! This forest was lethal, but I had powerful resources, a warrior partner, alchemy, upcoming legacies, and a huge head start on magic. Living here officially wasnt off the table now! I tried to suppress my excitement, but it was difficult. So, I focused on something else instead. I got up and grabbed the rest of the turquoise stone. It was far dimmer than it was before. I wont be in this state forever, I thought. Yakana didnt warn me. Whether it was a test or not, I wasnt sure. But I wanted to make the most of my time, so I sat down and put it in my mouth. It exploded with energy againand without Yakana helping me get into the groove, it was difficult. My entire mana network screamed out, and I wanted to spit it out. But I couldnt. If I couldnt do this now, I wouldnt be able to do it without the elixir. So I forced myself to concentrate and wrangled those wisps, threading them into my core like I was pulling on a rope with all my strength. Once it was threaded, I churned my core to the strongest degree. It was a rough start, but it started cranking and moving, slowly threading it together. Before I knew it, it was threading on its own. I didnt know how much time I had left with the elixirs effectsbut I would make the most of it.
Brindle watched Mira on the Oracles screen. Why would Yakana bond like this? Yakanas role was to show people the pathto allow them to experience Death, which was to assimilate with the mana tapestry itself. Near the end of the assimilation, they also showed the assimilator life. Yet, Yakana wouldnt bond with anyone just because it could. It was an amalgamation of hundreds of thousands of souls that decided to protect the forest. So, while one of its purposes was to guide souls through the Grand Assimilation, it stopped at teaching. Did Yakana think that this woman wasnt a threat? Or did they see her as a potential guardian? There were so many questionsand it left him at a loss when considering what to do. He wanted to support any individual who could be a guardianyet he trusted few, and his powers werent something to give out lightly. Brindle was not a botanist. He was a soulmancer who, as a druid, had a deep connection with nature and thus used nature as a vessel for his art. Only his love and passion for plants brought him to a deep level of understanding with them, but he didnt spend a single request on something plant-related. Instead, he spent sixty thousand years as the guardian of the Areswood Forest, meticulously researching every plant, fern, fungi, moss, tree, and lichen in each ring before moving on to the next. Yet during that time, he achieved absolute purity for his core and mastered his artso much so that he made third-evolution beasts and plants into guardians of the gate. Since then, few had been able to pass over his wallsand he went through another three rings, a second forest, and ascended to become a god. Brindle was a remarkably dangerous entityand he couldnt just give that power to anyone. If he gave it to this woman, she could release the Bramble and let people into the forest once more. So why did Yakana bond with her? Teach her how to connect with the assimilation? Gain power? It was perplexing to himand aggravating because he couldnt speak to her. All Brindle could do was offer the human a Legacy Quest. It still bothered him to remember back to what Elana had told him. You cannot interact with her unless you offer her your legacy and she accepts it, she said. What do you mean accepts it, he scoffed. Who would reject something so valuable? Are humans that mad? Youre not the only one, Brindle. Many gods have offered her legacies, and she can only choose one. Two, if the winner allows it. But thats jumping the gun. Before any of that, you need to Brindle rubbed his head. There were so many useless rules, including a need to hold a near-suicidal quest, providing a valuable reward, and waiting until after the Trial of Worth. Yet, he couldnt fault the system. As Elana put it: If these rules werent here, Mira wouldve taken the first legacy she was offered, and every god with a hunger for resources would be offering their legacies to her. Brindle returned to watching Mira on the screen. The turquoise core in her hand was slowly graying, making him feel a sense of urgencyespecially after what Kori had told him. Listen, Brindle, Kori said. Elanas gonna rob that forest dry. So either you give the girl your legacy, or you leave it to Elana. And look you gotta sweeten the pot. Let er have a subclass. Give er a good reward. Ultimately, once she gets your legacy, you can set her on the right path, and theres nothing Elana or anyone else can do about it. Brindle closed his eyes, feeling a desire to simply kill Elana and all the other gods offering the woman legacies. That said, if Elana was right, there was no shortage of gods looking to strike it rich. In fact, it was likely that this neophyte had already rekindled the gods ambitions to claim the forest. How long would it be before that bloodbath started again? Areswood needed a guardian of the Fourth Ring. It was the weakest of the rings in terms of his precautions. Mira could be the person he needed. Once she gets your legacy, you can set her on the right path. Brindle was conflicted. Suddenly, the turquoise core Mira was threading turned gray and cracked. That nearly solidified his decision. If she accepts my trial and survives its fate, Brindle thought as he filled out the legacy quest. If she doesnt, it wasnt. If she doesnt accept He sighed and watched his rainbow eucalyptus tree grow to full maturity. Ill make an example of Elana. I hope the gods learn after one. Chapter 33 - The Integration It was midafternoon on the fifth day when Miras mana core cracked, giving her whiplash and making her fall unconscious. At the same time, Aiden was in the Third Ring, finishing his Trial of Worth tests so he could enter the Cursed Aviary. He had already worked with healers to save beasts before working with merchants to coordinate animals in drills. Now, he was soaring through the skies with a beaming smile, griping the reins on the massive golden bird he was flying. It wouldve been perfectwithout the backdrop. Even a thousand feet up, Aiden couldnt see past Galfers Gatethe wall separating the Third Ring from the Fourth. It was colossal, wedged in a gap between two mountains. Its makers painted a massive network of red and black magic circles on it, linked together like some satanic ritual. It was disturbing. Lets go down, Aiden said. Okay, the bird said, gently descending to the stables. Aiden unbelted himself. Thanks, girl. Good work, Alitalia said. How was it? It was amazing, Aiden said. Im sure the Oracles glad to hear that. Alitalia turned, and he followed her sardonic gaze. There was an ominous structure on a distant hilltop, looming like a noose hanging above the gallows. It was the Cursed Aviarya prison for birds locked in steel chains. One look at the gate told him why chaining them up was necessary. Aiden grimaced and petted the feathers on the golden scrill that he was just flying. Im not gonna take it. Wise choice. Aiden patted the bird twice, and it flew away. They were on contract, so there was no reason for a staple other than to load it up. I just wish I knew what the point was, he said after a pause. If this was just some sick war game, Id just ignore it, but if its legitimate He sighed and turned to her. You know? Alitalia responded with a wry smile. Whats that look for? he asked. We know, she said. Wait you do? Yeah. Someone put in an info request yesterday. And? Turns out, theres a girl in there. Freshly integratedprobably from your planet. Aiden couldnt believe his ears. Then why the hells she in there? Cause thats what she asked for: to be in a forest far away from bloodthirsty neophytes. Well, she got er wish. Kinda fucked up interpretation of her request, if you ask me. Wait You cant be serious. We gotta save her! Aiden was an antisocial loserhe wasnt a hero. That said he couldnt believe the injustice. He was struggling just to adapt to a new worldand he was living out his dream. The thought of someone landing in the middle of a death trap left a deep pit in his stomach. Alitalia chuckled and sent him a strange smirk. But thats the thingaccording to request, shes not looking to be saved. 2. I weaved in and out of consciousness for the next twelve hours. I didnt know that until I read the clock and saw that it was 6:36. Kline Kline meowed weakly. Oh. I pushed myself up, and my skin stuck to the hardwood floor. That was a bad sign. Ill get you some syrup. There was still a dose for him. I got up and forced myself to the bottle, then dumped it into a bowl. Then I put it next to Klines face and collapsed on the ground again, groaning. My entire body ached. Still, I wasnt sure how long 48 hours wasand I wanted to get the other legacies. So I forced myself up, stripped, and started a warm bath, trying to ignore the slime on my clothes and floor. Strangely enough, it didnt smell bad like it did after the cleansing. That made it easier. Kline lapped up the maralune syrup and meowed triumphantlyalbeit quietlybefore forcing himself up. You wanna bath, little buddy? I asked. He didnt protest. He just meowed and let me pick him up, getting into the bath. As soon as the warmth reached my body, I felt like I was just dipped into the cherry syrup that people dipped ice cream cones in. That was a strange description, but I swear, it was like the water felt warm and then snuggly hugged me, creating a shell around me. Then, it started cracking around my skin. I didnt question what was happening. I didnt want to know what happened. This is the good stuff I moaned. Kline meowed, turning his head and licking the water. Dont lick that, I snapped. Ill make you some. Without thinking, I summoned a tiny water sphere above his head, and he drank from it until it was gone. Then, I created another. There was no chant. It just happened. How surreal I thought, closing my eyes. Id question it later. Twenty minutes later, when I could think, Lithco finally decided it was time to give the notification. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has completed the Legacy Quest: Aspire to be a Goddess. Quest Summary: Goddesses arent satisfied with petty gainsthey seek purity. To have eternal youth, health, and beauty. To radiate under the light. These are skills that a goddess can truly obtain as an alchemist who pursues creations that alchemists covet and monopolize. Since youve showcased an innate talent for alchemy, prove that youre willing to risk it all to obtain a mana core capable of shaking the first domain. Value: Obtain an elixir to help build a strong mana core. Requirement(s):
  1. Obtain the ingredients to make the Lumidran Awakening Elixir.
  2. Create the elixir before the end of the trial.
  3. Take the elixir.
  4. Accept or refuse this quest now.
  5. Pursue this quest until you complete it or the time limit runs out.
Rewards:
  1. Legacy Reward.
  2. Epic-grade Alchemy Equipment.
--- Wait I thought. It was only then that I truly comprehended that I would be getting high-tier alchemy equipment as part of the quest. I dont even need to accept the legacy score! I was going to be depressed if I got offered the soul manipulation legacy, liked it, and then had to give up what I earnedbut that wasnt the case. Like the last legacy quest, I got a hard reward. So satisfying, I thought, leaning back in the tub as I closed the notification. I planned to relax, but I instantly got another pop-up. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new Legacy Quest. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Legacy Quest: Kill the River Guardian Summary: Poison is the multiverses most flexible weapon. You can shoot it into peopleor feed it to them silently. Put it in their air, spike the water they drink. Offensive, defensivetrapping. Theres nothing better suited for surviving in the Areswood Forest than having a weapon that grows everywhere you look. Youve proven capable of killing off hundreds of small beasts with poisonnow prove that you can kill a third evolution creature. The prime candidate is the River Guardian, which is barring your access to the Diktyo River. Use poisons to kill it and regain access to an alchemic resource thats more valuable than any other. If you succeed, you will be offered the legacy of a god that makes poisons potent enough to kill gods. Duration: Trial of Worths End Requirement(s):
  1. Kill the guardian of the Diktyo River using poisons.
  2. Survive.
Rewards:
  1. Legacy Reward
  2. Epic Book on Poisons
--- My heart released a warbeat, making me sweat in the hot water surrounding me. My stomach was fluttering as if I had fallen in love. I wanted it until the next notification cranked that enthusiasm in the opposite direction. You got to be kidding me I whispered as I looked at another legacy quest. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new Legacy Quest. Legacy Quest: Provide Recompense to the River Guardian Summary: Whether you want to begin a journey into the world of soul manipulation or simply wish to start a life in the Areswood Forest, you must gain access to the Diktyo Riverand gain the inhabitants approval. Provide proper recompense for stealing the sacred water sack plant and prostrate yourself to the River Guardian and ask her forgiveness. Only then can you truly be accepted by this forest. Complete this legacy quest, and you will be offered the legacy of a soulmancer that specializes in plant-based soulmancy. Duration: None Requirement(s):
  1. Provide recompense to the River Guardian.
  2. Prostrate yourself before her.
  3. You may not hurt, threaten, or kill the River Guardian.
Rewards:
  1. Legacy Reward.
  2. Blessed Subclass of Your Choice (If Offered).
  3. Access to a Sacred Location.
Warning: The River Guardian may not accept you, regardless of the recompense you provide. --- So much for that book I thought. Getting the epic alchemy equipment made me greedy, and I was eying that epic book on poisons like it was already mine. Yet the soul manipulation legacy questthe one that I was drawn towas not only mutually exclusive with the poison quest, but it was also exponentially more dangerous. The more I thought about it, the more I found it disagreeable. I let my body slump into the tub. This one is just ridiculous. Bow to that creature? Are you serious? I was fairly certain that it was talking about the double-decker bus-sized creature that chased me after cutting the water sack, knocking down trees like they were bowling pins. And whats this shit about a third-evolution beast? I thought. Know what? Fuck it. Lithco! I yelled aloud. Whats this bullshit about there being a third evolution beast in the forest? Your barrier clearly states that it blocks third evolution beasts from getting in! Use your text form! I was in the bath, and I sure as hell wasnt going to let anyone but Kline see meeven if they were an omniscient, asexual AI. A pop-up materialized and answered my question. The barrier is preventing them from getting into your location. But whats a barrier supposed to do about the ones already inside? Thats a crock of shit, I said. What does Your Location even mean? A hundred square miles around the temporary shelter. So a days hike in any direction? I asked. A hundred square miles sounded vast, but it was really just five miles in any given direction from the temporary shelter. Once you consider that, it was quite small. Thats about right, Lithco confirmed. But before you ask, you wouldve gotten a notification if you were about to leave the barrier. Oh I calmed down a bit after that. Then I hugged Kline like a seatbelt. ... Fuck, I groaned. Whats a subclass again? Its similar to a legacy, Lithco said. Since thats what youve been offered, lets start with that. Legacies automatically unlock new skills, spells, recipes, and other resources simply by demonstrating proficiency in the area of expertise. Unless your god issues you a quest, all your quests will be suggestions, but can be bypassed by demonstrating proficiency in equal ways. Sometimes, youll unlock multiple skills at once if theyre all related. And none of this will cost you a request. Wow thats amazing, I whispered. Then whats a subclass? A subclass is like a legacy, but you only unlock things through completing quests. You will always get a new quest after each proceeding class. So its similar, but its very rigid and does not include specialized skills and resources. But the blessed subclasses do? Correct. Theyre just like normal subclasses, but the patron god can also issue quests, unlock their unique spells, recipes, and resources, and provide you with specialized rewards. Its like going to college, but having a professor thats personally teaching and guiding you. I just realized how suspicious this all was, and it made me hug Kline until he squirmed out of my grasp and hopped out of the tub. Then I folded my arms. So what do they get out of this? I asked. Its shocking that youve been risking life and limb for these legacies and didnt know anything about them, he wrote. But its better now than never. Just fucking answer me, I said, rattling off the syllables like a machine gun. They get tribute, Lithco said. Its a form of taxation where they can request certain things from you and you must comply in order to retain the legacy or subclass. They cannot rescind what theyve given you, but they can freeze or revoke their blessing or legacy if you dont pay. That said, if you do pay, they cannot rescind their legacy or subclass. I see I said, lost in thought. The same is true of me. I am your government, so I will also charge a portion of the wealth you generate to provide you with the Guide. You cant be serious. Oh, I am. In this forest. Yes. Wait-wait-wait Youre going to tax me, for surviving in this forest? It seems you can read correctly. You son of a bitch! I yelled. Kline flew into the fray, jumping onto the edge of the tub, searching for Lithco so he could bite him. He failedbut I wish he hadnt. I cant believe Im going to get property tax to live here! Calm down. I only tax individuals I can reasonably obtain taxation from. Since you cant currently sell your alchemic creations, and you cannot reasonably accept taxation quests, theres nothing I can currently do to get my greedy palms on your bleak resources. That said, if you accept an alchemy legacy or subclass, I can guarantee that your patron god will summon an army to set up a pipeline. Then well both bleed you dry. Great so now Ill be running a business in this forest what happened to growing plants? I groaned. *Eye roll* No ones making you take a class or legacy. Now is there anything else you want to complain about? The *Eye roll* irked me something savage. Oh, I assure you, I said. Ill never run out. Oh, joy. I huffed and looked away. So? Which one would you recommend? Lithcos answer surprised me. I cannot be biased in decisions of this nature. Regarding gods. Yes. Okay thanks. You can leave. The pop-up left, and I got out of the tub, only to realize that I hadnt actually washed myself. Son of a. Wait. I closed my eyes and cast Purify, and all the grime on my body slipped off into the bath. That was disgusting I said. I stepped onto the wood and found more slime on the ground. Purify! I yelled, and it disappeared, too. Too heated to consider that I could likely Purify the entire room with one spell, I ran around purifying every last thing at point-blank range. Once everything was clean, I glanced to the corner and found Kline stealthily slinking away. Kline. I said. Kline rushed under the bed. Kline! I yelled, dropping to the floor. I dove at him with cat lady reflexes, but right before I grabbed his leg, he warp-stepped behind me. You little shit! I cried, turning around. This continued for another five minutes until I gave up and refused to look at him. Ten minutes passed, and then he started walking up, trying to say sorry. I didnt react. So he got closer and closer until he tried to brush against my legs. Thats when I snapped my hands onto him. Purify! Kline howled and yowled and clawed like I was killing him, but once I dropped him, he shook his fur, looking at his clean paws in confusion. Youre welcome, I said, smirking as I got my stuff together. Then, I grabbed the meat from the albino elk that I put on the fire before my trip. It was dry but tasted like victory. Come on, I said, throwing him a piece. Lets get that legacy. Kline looked at me with wide eyes and then nodded, rushing to the door. It was time to see what this soul manipulation quest required. I''d make my decision after that. Chapter 34 - Letters Home I sat on a log outside the shelter, sharing cooked meat from the albino elk with Kline. The stuff almost gave me a heart attack, but I laughed after I recovered from the hellish burning in my chest. I was getting strong so fast that it was truly unfair. I imagined what would happen if I left the forest right now and talked to other integrated people. It would be. As soon as I thought that, I realized that I had lost my family and brother and friends. It probably sounds cruel to just now think about this, but remember the context. I had woken up in the dead of night, grabbed a bag, and got kidnapped to an alternate dimension. I was thinking about how I wanted to continue working with plants without killing people or being a slave. Then, I woke up on a death plant and almost died a dozen times on my first day. Now, I was feeling powerful and confidentbut not before. Right or wrong, justified or not, I wasnt one to wallow in regrets. Lithco, use an information request to tell me where my parents and brother are, and like how theyre doing and stuff. Thats a vague request. But Ill summarize it like a person. Your mother, father, brother, and their dog Gatsby are in Helscope, which is an hour ride out from the First Ring of the Areswood Forest. This location was a compromise between their desire to be close to their daughter and a practical need for their classes. Your father has the accountant class; your mother has the teacher class, teaching mathematics; and Tyler has accepted the battle mage class. They used an information request to confirm you were alive and are currently saving a silver request to send you a message. Put simply, they are alive and well in a relatively safe location thats within 200 miles of you. I burst into tears when I read the message. I felt like a terrible daughter for not thinking about them like they were thinking about me! They chose a location near me and were scrounging change to send me a message. And here I was, on day six, and I was just thinking about them for the first time. It only costs a silver to send them a message? I asked. Yes. Less, considering that you also get a reply. My heart thumped. And can I transfer Free Requests? I asked. You can give them a one-time gift of a free request each. What about Gatsby? Requests for spirit beasts must be used for the spirit beasts. They cannot be transferred. Damn I leaned back against the tree as Kline jumped up on the log, snuggling in my lap. I petted him as I thought about what I wanted to say. 2. Doug Hill was a family manat least, thats what he became twenty-three years ago. Before then, he was crushing beers with the boys in college, going to football games, and hitting the gym five days a week. Now, he was happy if he didnt have to fix a clogged drain before Tyler started pestering him to do this or that. Then hed grumble and complain and get up and smile as he watched his teenager enjoy his time in high school. His daughter had grown up as well, and that was a treat until they were kidnapped from Earth. Then, everything changed. It wasnt just that his retirement savings were wiped out along with his promised Social Security benefits in a couple more decadesthough he was pretty pissed off about that, too. It was that his daughter was shipped away, and now his son was running around with teachers who were training him how to kill people. Those were the things that he was thinking about as he leaned back in his chair. Oh, what Id give to sue you, Doug whispered to the Oracle. Id skull fuck the shit out of your life until you were begging your parents for table scraps What was that, honey? his wife Tanya asked as she cooked breakfast for them in their cozy little cottage that didnt have jackshit but magic board games to keep them pressing on. Nothing He rubbed his eyes with his palm, taking long, circular motions before wiping down his face. Im kinda afraid to ask, but hows Tyler doing? Tanya stopped peeling the vegetable in her hand. Well, he seems excited. But I talked to his instructor and kids ve already started getting hurt. How hurt? She paused. Real hurt, Doug. He swallowed and nodded. Sounded about right. What should we do? she asked. Doug pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. Whats there to do? We cant change his class, so our only real choices to support em. Tanya turned to him. Support him? One of those kids lost their limbs she turned away. They put em back on with magic but still. Theres limits, Doug, and theyre finding them out fast. Im definitely going to sue that fucking bitch he grumbled under his breath. Then he sat back in his chair. Well need to figure something out. So just think about it. Cause wishins not gonna make it so, and theres no way were getting Tyler away from that cheap ass staff we got him. Tanya took a deep breath and started peeling the vegetable again. Suddenly, Tyler burst into the room with a huge smile. Did you talk to Mira? Tyler exclaimed as if he was seven instead of fifteen. Dougs heart almost burst out of his chest. Mira? Where is she? He stood and rushed over to Tyler and grabbed his shoulders. Where is she? Yo relax, Tyler said. Shes fine Uh. You should get a message from her in a second. Apparently, shes a super badass or something because shes sending us a bunch of requests. Requests what? Start from the Doug abruptly paused when he got a chime, and a screen materialized. It was all text, and it started with the words, Dear Mom and Dad. Doug wasnt a crier. In fact, his wife always told him that he bottled in his emotions too much and that they would break one dayand they did. As soon as he got the message, tears started streaming from his eyes. What is it? Tanya asked. Speak to me! Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. He put up his hand and said, Ill read it. Just give me a second. He took a deep breath and began. Dear Mom and Dad, Since you used an information request, you should know that Im finally living out my dream of hiking and foraging all day. Its been a dream. I was right; you were wrong. Ha ha! Just kidding. Im not going to downplay the obvious because you would think things are twice as bad as they are. In reality, it sucks, but I still would choose this over playing darts with an accountants calendar. Doug chuckled and smiled until his cheeks were taut. Somehow, his daughter had, once again, convinced them that she was fine despite them clearly knowing what type of location she was in. He swallowed and continued reading: After all, at least here, I can have all the hideous plants I want without compromising. Tanya abruptly coughed, grabbing her chest as she cried. That girl Tyler helped her up. Doug smiled and continued. I wont pretend that Im safe. Its extremely dangerous out here and Im still learning how to survive. That said, your daughters a billy badass now and her cat could eat a grizzly bear, so you dont have to worry so much. If you think Im joking, just wait till you see the gifts Im sending you. See! Tyler said. Seriously? Doug said, glaring at him. The teen turned away sheepishly, falling silent. Doug continued reading silently and froze because things started to get very strange. What does it say? Tanya asked. He swallowed. It says Miras sending us requests and giving us instructions on what to do with them. Apparently, Im supposed to beat Tyler until he buys the Fundamentals of Battle Magic skill. It doesnt sound flashy, but apparently, hell get dozens of spells and books. She describes it like a Christmas unwrapping. Tylers eyes lit up, and he started chomping at the bit to get ahold of the request. Doug wasnt so excited. So whats that face for? Tanya asked, studying him. Um he swallowed nervously. Ill just read it. It says Although things are dangerous, Im being offered a gods legacy for practicing botany in this forest. Its a once in a lifetime opportunity. So, while I technically have the request to leave this forest, Im voluntarily staying to feed my passions and dreams. He started crying, stressed and scared, and strangely relieved. This isnt an easy decision because I love you guys more than anything in the world. So Ill try to figure something out, okay? Maybe I can visit. Theres no price too high to keep me from you forever. That said, this message was pricey, so I hope that you and Mom will write back together. Your plant-loving daughter, Mira. Tanya burst into tears and rushed into Dougs arms. He hugged her tightly, unsure what to do. His kids had grown up, and they were both making terrible decisions, but he was proud of them. Itll be alright Doug said. Shell be alright.
I sat on the log, light tears welling in my eyes as I read about Tylers journey. He was a lot more excited than the rest of us and was telling us about the fire magic he was working on. He also mentioned how cool it was that someone lost an arm, and healing magic mended it back together. I didnt think that was cool at all my parents wouldnt either. I guess Ill just have to make him ridiculously strong I chuckled nervously. I had already told Tyler that I was sending him a platinum request for the Fundamentals of Battle Magic skill, but I knew sure and well that hed split it into two gold requests to buy some cheap ass wand or whatever people used for magic here. So, I told my Dad to beat a guilt complex into my brother to ensure that he followed through. I was also sending my parents a platinum request, but I didnt tell them what to buy. Instead, I told them if they insisted on prioritizing their idiot sonas I knew they wouldthey should split the platinum into gold requests, buy Tyler a cleansing elixir and a core formation tutorial, then use the rest for themselves. That was the ideal setup, at least in my mind. I knew that three platinum requests were a lot, but protecting my family was of paramount importance. I could also afford it. I still had all my free requests besides the gold and platinum I spent upgrading my map and most of the requests. The rest I had spent came from the five-level bonus. By the time I reached the shelter, I had two diamond, two platinum, and one gold request for skills, tutorials, books, recipes, spells, and equipment. I was drowning in power. That said, I couldnt get cocky. There were over a dozen skill branches (most with four to six subskills), millions of recipes, countless books, a myriad of spells, and innumerable types of equipment that I needed. There hadnt been a day that went by that I hadnt splurged to solve this problem or thatand I had to live here for the rest of my life. Spending recklessly would get me killed. Regardlessregarding my family, there was no compromise. About ten minutes into my reflection, a chime sounded in my mind, and a pop-up showed up. It was my father, and it started with, Dear Mira. Thats all it took before I burst into tears. Kline looked up, so I read it out loud. You cannot possibly understand how grateful your mother and I are that you spent precious requests to let us know that youre alive. It eases our minds so much. We love you more than you can ever know. Your moms writing down what she wants to say because she cant stop crying, and Im writing this because I dont actually have to say something Mira. Words cannot express how much we love you. I put my toes on the log and hugged my knees, tears dripping from my chin. We know how dangerous it is to live where you are, I read. Its impossible not to. Everyone treats Areswood like a Siberian Gulag, but here you are, speaking about it like it was a week-long backpacking trip. And people are confused but Im not. Thats because your mother made me research all your plants before buying them. I snorted with laughter, cupping my mouth as Kline brushed against me for attention. It wasnt out of laziness. You were giving your mother a heart attack with the plants you were buying, so I said Id check them out. In retrospect, I kind of regret that. Because I let you buy nightshade and hemlock and here we are. Your mother wont look me in the eye right now. I wiped my nose with my forearm, taking three sharp breaths and coughing out phlegm. Then I kept laughing and crying. But heres what I thinks special. Everyone Ive talked to says that every plant there is poisonous. That youre a goner. That theyre surprised youre still alive. To not get our hopes up. But here you are, sending us requests to keep us safe, writing us letters about how youre in heaven I just have to say this once. My daughter is badass. Ill be telling this story until my hair is gray. I swallowed hard, eyes stinging. Listen, Mira. Im writing this letter because your mothers struggling to let you go. But this may be the last letter we write, so I want to let you know that were very, very proud of you, and we support you, even now. But for her sake for all our sakes get that gods legacy and keep safe. And once youre strong and powerful come visit us, okay? I will I whispered. After reading few more loving lines, I bawled my eyes out and then cut the signal, spending time on the log. My parents were better than I deserved. I was lucky, so, so lucky. Id have to survive this trial and set up camp so I could visit them. That was an option, after all. The more I thought about visiting, the more amusing it became. Can you imagine? I asked Kline, chuckling. Kline paused and looked at me. What its gonna be like to see Gatsby again? Klines mouth developed a creepy smile. I could see my grizzly-eating cat strutting up and down the kitchen floor like a general as Gatsby, our familys golden retriever, sat at full attention, smiling that stupid golden retriever smile as if nothing had changed. It was the funniest thing in the world. Kline and I chuckled about it before I got up. Come on, I said. Well figure out what were doing at the alchemy station. Kline meowed and jumped off the log, leading the way. Chapter 35 - Lignan Bugs I sat on the steps of the alchemy station gazebo, watching the leaves of the trees above me wave back and forth like tides, shifting light into the forest. It was so calm and peaceful, and I wanted to enjoy that before I chose which suicidal mission to take. I guess I should figure out what Im gettin myself into first, I thought, sighing. Information request. Tell me how I can regain access to the Diktyo River without you know sacrificing my cat or limbs or something equally devastating. The whole order was in my thoughts but the screen popped up anyway. --- Information Request: How do I provide recompense for stealing a water sack plant without making a sacrifice? Summary: Just as there are things that are useful for many, there are things that are pests for all. Get rid of the lignan bugs plaguing the Diktyo River, and then offer humility to the local guardian. The locations of the following items have been added to your Map: --- I bit the nail of my ring finger. It was a bad habit, but if there was ever a time to be genuinely nervous, it was the present. Without delay or regret, I opened my library to research the bug I was up against. I went into my library and opened a book: Killer Animals in Areswood Forest (Vol. 1-3) | Grade: Platinum. It was massive10,000 pages-type massive. Luckily, just as Lithco claimed, there was a feature that allowed me to request information from the book like a search engine. So I decided to bug him. I opened it up and sat down on a log. Give me information on the lignan bugs, I requested. A page popped up. --- Name: Lignan Bugs Type: Flying Insect, Soul Eater Summary: If youre looking to die this week, mosey on off to a lignan nest, where swarming bugs will murder you faster than the River Guardian youre trying to appease. Lignans are the soul-sucking equivalent of mosquitosand are the size of murder hornets. These things fear nothing. They swarm third evolution beasts with no concern for their future, and the ones who survive keep increasing in size until theyre the size of a small corgi. But dont worry, you definitely wont run into one of those around a river thats literally covered in souls. Definitely. Description: Translucent Bugs in the general shape of a submarine. They have six legs and vibrant blue eyes. Key Facts: Warning: Getting bitten by one releases pheromones that mark you as an enemy for the swarm. It is best to avoid them at all costs or prepare to fight all of them. --- Yeah, sure, I said with a nervous, high-pitched voice. This is totally fair. Give me your plant, and Ill wipe out a colony of soul-eating bugs. Seriously? I almost screamed at the sheer injustice of it. It felt like I was getting robbed in a foreign market where I couldnt read the prices. Does it have weaknesses? I asked. It gave me a general answer. Fire. Cold. Natural predators. But it was all general information but I needed specialized information. Is there a book that specializes in pesticides and mycopesticides in the Areswood Forest? I asked. --- Would you like to purchase Pesticides and Mycopesticides in the Areswood Forest (Rings 1-5) for (1) Platinum Request? --- I sighed and looked up at the sky beyond the canopies. It had a light purple tint that made the sky feel dreamlike. The sound of the symphony bugs only increased that feeling. Does that detail behavior between mycopesticides and animals that arent directly affected? I asked. Research? The answer was plain: Yes. Does it provide highlighting? Yes. But it only highlights fungi which are parasitic fungi, which are relatively rare. I see Can I get a mycopesticide recipe for taking care of the lignan bug if I obtain the platinum fundamentals of mycopesticides skill using a platinum request? Yes. Thank~you, I said, pulling up my Guide. I went into skills and purchased the course. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. --- Book: Fundamental of Mycopesticides (Grades 1-3) has been added to your shelf. Book: Spirit Fungi (Grades 1-2) has been added to your shelf Book: Fundamentals of Fungi Handling Techniques (Grades 1-2) has been added to your shelf. Book: Transporting lethal spores (Grades 1-2) has been added to your shelf. Book: Spreading Spores (Grades 1-2) has been added to your shelf. Tutorial: Identifying Spirit Fungi has been added to your tutorials. Tutorial: Identifying Soul Fungi has been added to your tutorials. Tutorial: Spore barriers has been added to your tutorials. Tutorial: Blending mycelium with magic has been added to your spells. Tutorial: Inoculation with magic has been added to your spells. Tutorial: Sealing objects with magic has been added to your spells. Spell: Spore barrier (basic) has been added to your spells. Spell: Blend (basic) has been added to your spells. Spell: Injection (Second Tier) has been added to your spells. Spell: Seal (basic) has been added to your spells. Spell: Gentle pull (basic) has been added to your spells. --- God, I loved the feeling of getting absurd amounts of prerequisite spells, books, tutorials, and recipes flowing in. I probably shouldnt have been so excited about getting mycopesticides, though. There has never been nor will there even be a more murderous way to kill bugs than parasitic mycopesticies. The HBO show and game The Last of Us popularized parasitic fungi with their portrayal of ophiocordyceps, or zombie ant fungus, which takes over ant brains and forces them to move back to the colony where they release their spores, but if we were honestthat is the least brutal parasitic fungi in existence. The worst Ive found in either world was Metarhizium anisopliae, an Earthian fungus that infects adult beetles and forces the males to mimic female mating calls. When the men show up to mate, the infected beetles attempt to mate until their abdomens fall off, releasing spores. Yeah parasitic fungi arent just brutaltheyre nightmare fuel. My grim fascination was rudely interrupted by a rude request. --- A wind spell of Silver Grade or higher is required to use the spreading spores. Spell Pervasive Breeze | Grade: Silver is recommended for spreading spores at a distance. Would you like to use a Silver Request to purchase it? --- Hey, its another spell I sighed. Yeah, I want it. Tnen, my eyebrow twitched when I got another request. --- It is recommended that you purchase Levisphere | Grade: Silver for levitating spores before using your wind spell. Would you like to use a Silver Request to purchase it? --- Fine! I hissed. I got the notification. --- Spell: Compact (basic) has been added to your spells. Spell: Levisphere (basic) has been added to your spells. - It was good to get more spells, but I was kind of salty that one of them was basically just a prerequisite for another. This was a reminder that I couldnt just buy spells. If anything, buying a spell in the spell tab could require a dozen prerequisites. That told me that the spell tab was primarily for upgrading skills or getting minor yet useful skills. The only way to learn magic was by doing it right: buying skills and practicing them. That was an important revelation, but what was more shocking was that, at no point during this period did I consider how much effort I was going through to commit mass genocide on a creature without provocation. How times change. 2. Brindle watched Mira with sharp eyes, sitting in a chair made of the roots of the tree he was sitting under. Telgan and the other gods who saw it called it a throne, but Brindle had no such desire to rule. He was finding it difficult to keep focused on Mira for any amount of time. If Hapsel didnt foolishly try to convince her to kill the Fourth Rings River Guardian, he would have Telgan sum it up to him. The dryad was sitting on his shoulder. How long will you take that form? Brindle asked. Would you rather sit on me? Telgan asked dryly. She was a shapeshifter that moved between trees and root networks, melding with trees and then extending her body frthem it. Yet if she melded into the tree in her full form and still watched the Oracle screen with him, she would effectively become his chair. You know I dont care about such things, Brindle said. Then Ill sit here, Telgan said. It feels nice to be out of a tree. Usually, she would need a root connection, like a bonsai tree at a minimum, but Brindles body was covered in roots, so she could move about him freely in a nymph-like form. If you must. He looked back at the screen, watching Mira hiking back to the alchemy station. Is she going back to make a poison? he asked. Mira spent requests on how to accomplish his legacy questbut she was going back to the station that would allow her to fight for Hapsels. I doubt it. That ones rather tenacious. I think thatll only get more pronounced as she obtains power. I see. Brindle watched the cat leading the way. Do you think that shell rely on her spirit companion? No. I bet you that shell learn attack magic. Theres no time, Brindle said decisively. He was confident that, given enough time, she would use Yakanas mana manipulation teachings to become a powerful mage; she wouldnt do it that afternoon. Shell figure that out, Telgan said. But then shell learn something else, instead. Just watch. Telgan''s words proved prophetic. The moment Mira got back to the alchemy station, she stood with her fingers on her lips as she stared into dead space, a clear sign of buying a skill. The next moment, she was using a light green barrier as if it were only natural, followed by picking up grass and twigs with wind magic, compacting it into a sphere, and blowing it into the trees. Brindle and Telgan knew what she was doingshe was preparing to pick up fungi spores and then blow them at the lignans. Trying to figure out which spores she would use was a fun mystery, but both were surprised by the ease at which she learned the low-level spells. Yakana taught her well, Telgan remarked. Indeed, Brindle said. They watched Mira practice her spells for around an hour before she stopped, presumably to buy another spell. A moment later, she started physically speaking to her guide. Whatever the guide said, they didnt communicate effectively, as Mira immediately threw a fit, stomping around like a child until she kicked a stump. It exploded in a rain of splinters, startling Mira and putting her on guard for ten minutes. It all seemed foolish but then things came together. In an eerie display, Mira stopped, sat down, spoke to her guide, and then fell deathly still and composed for the next three hours. The shift was so pronounced, decisive, and concentrated that it even captivated Brindles attention. He couldnt wait to figure out what she was learning. Chapter 36 - Moxle Dilation If youve never learned magic spells, you wouldnt understand thisbut spells arent remotely the same. The closest analogy is that learning magic is like training your limbsit doesnt make you good at basketball or drawing or construction. So, learning one sometimes doesnt make conceptual sense, even though learning the spell is inherently the same. I didnt feel that way at first. I easily learned all the spells necessary to spread spores at the lignan bugs once I made it to the alchemy station. That included Gentle Pull to release spores, Compact to bring them together, Levisphere to get them to hover in a cylindrical format, Spore Barrier to protect myself from the spores, and Pervasive Breeze to spread them. I realized that what Yakana taught me wasnt normal. If there was an analogy, it was like him teaching me how to fly a dragon when I only needed to learn to walk. For that reason, it was remarkably simple to create a Spore Barrier, which was just a slight net of mana. Breeze wasnt much different. What was considered Wind Magic'''' was just physical mana released in a galeforce, so I just had to release a stream of mana. Compact was even easier. I just had to take mana and pull it together at one point. The only difficult spell was Levisphere, which required me to circulate mana in a spherical format. Luckily, that was all taken care of by the spell. The rest I could probably do without a spellwhich was illuminating. Spells are just recipes, I had thought when I started practicing. I wonder how fire magic works My outlook on magic was brightuntil I tried to learn fire magic. It was a weakness to lignan bugsobviouslyso I thought it was natural to learn it. So I said, Lithco, recommend the best fire spell that I can use at this level, only to be hit with this message: --- Warning: Fire burns down forests, idiot. I thought that you were trying to curry favor with the Diktyo Rivers guardian, not piss it off. But if you insist: Flash Flame (Tier 1). --- I didnt even try to argue with that, so instead, I bought Fundamentals of Battle Magic skill for one diamond Free Request in preparation for the trial. That would be flexibleand was. It was a diamond skill and provided me with over fifty beginner spells and dozens of books and tutorials, though the vast majoritylike Spear Thrust and Heavy Hammerwould be useless. I figured something would be useful in there. Turns out there wasnt. The moment I summoned Lithco and asked where I should start, he laughed and sat on a log and looked at me and said, Seriously? Battle magic? Right here? He looked around the forest. Right now? You get thats the equivalent of trying to learn basketball by playing against pros, right? I said, Didnt you just see me? I learned four spells in twenty minutes! Fascinating, he drawled. Now which of those can hit a moving target doing eighty? Once I fell silent, he summed it up as follows: Youll be a great mage faster than you think, but its not happening today. So just trust your little warrior and do your job. Its not like he can do yours, anyway. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I ultimately understood the problem. My success thus far hinged on my past experience. Alchemy was chemistry, and I had experience working with plants. Kline spent his life developing the dexterity, flexibility, and hunting skills necessary to killand he was biologically primed for it. His spells were just extensions of his natural skills, like Purify and Desiccation were extensions of mine. I couldnt compare with thatnot without practice. Still I had never felt so frustrated! All my anger and feelings of uselessness melted over, and I ended up kicking a rotting log. Instead of hurting my foot, the stump exploded into chunks that hit the ground like hail, making me panic and look around, fearful that I would have attracted beasts. The three-day alchemy window was over. If beasts showed upwe had to fight. It was a tense twenty minutes, but once the tension faded, my heart calmed, and I realized something incredible. My foot and boot were intact. Enhancement I thought. It was the only explanation. I was subconsciously circulating mana in and around me, and it was acting as a strengthener and protector. I pulled up my guide. If I cant attack I should run. Then Kline wont have to hold back. It sounded like a pathetic move, but it made sense. This whole time, Kline had to ward people off me. Yet if I could outrun attackers, he wouldnt need to. No matter how fast I wasKline was faster. He could teleport into my shadow, for fucks sake! It was brilliant. I pulled up Battle Magic in the Skills tab and went into Enhancements. There were two subcategories: Physical Enhancements and Sensory Enhancements. Lithco, I said as I pulled up the Speed Enhancement. Would you advise against enhancements? A notification flashed before my eyes. Now youre thinking, he wrote. No, I will not recommend against itas long as you do it right. How do I do it right? Lets start with how you can do it wrongbuying a skill that moves faster than your eyes. Id recommend against that. Unless you enjoy painting the trees, of course. I cupped my eyes, acting like he was treating me dumb when I knew damn well that I was about to do just that. Just tell me, I said. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. He did. If you want a lifelong skill that will help you use your currently-useless bow, Id go here: Spells > Enhancements > Sensory Enhancements > Perception > Epic > Moxle Dilation. That is, of course, if you can stomach the cost. A shiver ran through me, brain to limbs, making the hairs on my arm stand up. Epic? What is it? A window popped up with the information, making me sit to read. --- Spell Name: Moxle Dilation (Seventh Tier) Description: What do you do when you have a bow and cant shoot it at a stationary target, let alone at a hummingbird? You turn the target stationary and pray you get lucky. Moxle Dilation does just that; it increases your perception so high that time nearly stops and accelerates your body so you can move normally. Such a skill provides undeniable proof that even someone like you can rise above impossible odds. Effects:
  1. Increases speed and perception to allow you to move faster than agility-based counterparts.
  2. The duration increases as you improve your mental fortification with the Mental Shielding skill.
  3. Time gets slower as you improve your mental fortification.
  4. Your speed is contingent upon your mastery of acceleration skills. The spell comes with a powerful acceleration spell, but you must use Moxle Dilation to access it.
  5. To increase duration, you can regulate the speed you slow down and keep acceleration to a minimum. Practicing can extend your usage time indefinitely.
Warning(s):
  1. The spell can cause mental whiplash from the world suddenly speeding up, so its advisable to ease in and out of the spell.
  2. Overtaxation will limit the duration of use during a battle and can cause the spell to break at critical moments. Its advisable to limit the spells duration, even if you have time.
  3. The spell requires consistent concentration, so being hit can cause severe whiplash.
  4. Chronic overtaxation can cause mental damage. Its recommended that you spend time and resources on fortifying your mind with the Mental Shielding skill before you use it in a battle capacity.
--- I read it over and over again with a perplexed expression. This seems dangerous, I said. It was like reading the back of a pill bottle where the side effects were just as bad as the benefits! Whiplash? Break at critical moments? Mental damage? Those terms gave me shivers. As opposed to what? Lithco asked. Dying because you cant think or move? I smiled wryly. This is really what you recommend? His answer was simple. Yes. Can you at least give me more of an explanation than that? Since you obviously need *permission* to spend an epic request, I will feed your insecurities. This spell is a powerful, flexible tool that will provide you miracle survival benefits now and turn into a lethal weapon as you get stronger. You can only use a sliver of its power, but over time, this skill will take you into godhood. It grows with you. And as you learn to regulate the speed in which it slows, you can slow time indefinitely. It is dangerous, but I suggest that you learn the spell and practice mental shielding tonight. That way, youll be ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow I thought. That was a subtle way of saying, Study up, girl. You aint doin shit but gettin those spores. That was a deep problem. Id have one day to kill these lignan bugs and prostrate myself before the forest guardian. I was tempted just to try to kill the beast. Yet subconsciously, I ignored the poison gods legacy. I loved poisonsure. But what was barring me from making poisons? My alchemy skills could make everything. As a weird analogy, the alchemy god was giving me a full lab to teach me chemistrywhere I could make any compound in the worldwhereas the poison god would give me a drug lab and some recipes. Then there was the forest. Judging by the warning I got about the forest turning on me and the way that the symphony bugs changed their tune to alert the river guardian, I felt like killing it to regain access to the river was like rear-ending someone and then shooting the angry driver. Who the fuck created that legacy quest? No one smart. Thats for sure! There was no way I was putting my life in their hands. Idiot god aside, Im not sure what wouldve happened if I had to choose between the alchemy and soulmancy quest. The Diktyo River, meeting Yakana in the water, taking the tutorial, merging with Yakana I felt an indescribable pull to soul manipulation and more so in relationship to plants. If Lithcos class description were right, Id be able to communicate with the plants, trigger mutations, wield reapers to attack, defend myself, and become connected to the forest. I could learn alchemy and poison-making with my classand I would. But I couldnt learn soulmancy. It was a freakish use case for a skill that didnt belong in the world of botany. Id have to spend every single request I could get on it. This was my one chance. It was all or nothingso I was going all in with soulmancy. Those are really good reasons, I said, replying to his argument for Moxle Dilation. Still... Epic? I asked. I needed power now, and unless I could buy a castle with a moat, I didnt know what I could use an epic on that would be better than a skill that could essentially stop time, but still. I thought Id be saving that for years. Thats what I said, Lithco wrote. Isnt there a skill for this? I asked. No. Skills only provide base-level skills. All major spells must be purchased in the Spells tab. Damn thats more valuable than I thought, I muttered. So what do I need to learn this? I saw something about mental fortification. What do I need for that? His answer increased my bitterness tenfold. Tutorial > Mental Fortification > Diamond > Mental Shielding. You got to be kidding me, I chuckled, looking at the sky. That would take my last diamond request in tutorials. I still had my free requests, but still these things were my lifelines, yet I couldnt pet my cat without spending a platinum one. At this rate, I wouldnt have any requests to solve an emergency. If this just useful for this? I asked. No, Lithco replied. This skill will shield you from mental attacks. Considering that no one buys mental fortification spells unless theyre forced to, mental attacks are the reaper of skilled adventurers. Such a skill is more valuable than ever. I rubbed my left eye and sighed. Whatever. Just buy em both. I wasnt enthusiastic, but when I got the chime, my heart started racing. --- Congratulations! Spell: Moxle Dilation (Seventh Tier) has been added to your spells. Congratulations! Skill: Mental Shielding (Grades 1-6) has been added to your spells. Chapter 37 - Dilation Training I entered the Spell tab and went to Moxle Dilation, finding a string of words I couldnt pronounce. Will you help me verbalize this? I asked. Or do I have to buy a reading skill? I can, actually, Lithco replied. Suddenly, the forest split as if it were a painting being ripped open like a t-shirt, exposing a void of blackness behind it. From that darkness, Lithco emerged, crumpling the world under his fingers. Then he walked out, pulling the ripped parts of the world back together like he was closing curtains, and then smoothed it out. The whole scene was eerie, surreal, and disorienting. If you keep doing things like that, Ill think this is a simulation, I said. Why would that matter? he asked, pulling out a chair and sitting. Even if it were, youd still want to survive and do your best, no? Stop the bullshit. If you insist. Now will you sit? I can only speak the words with you, so all other inquiries will be met with crude apathy. I wouldnt want to ruin your mood. I glanced behind Lithco and saw the grass bending in tiny craters. Only then did I realize Klines outline in active camouflage, silent and deadly, as he snuck up on Lithco from behind. I know youre there Kline, Lithco said dryly. Klines form turned to me, and I could feel his eyes on me. I could almost hear his thoughts: You alerted him? Have you betrayed me, or are you just a fool? No offense, Lithco said, but youre only using a second-tier spell. You might as well be wearing a reflective vest to a third evolution creature. Lithco pulled out a steaming cup of tea out of nowhere and sipped it. I looked at Kline slink off dejectedly and then looked at Lithcos cup. Youre a total asshole, I said. I am what you made me, Lithco said dryly. Now would you like to learn magic, or shall I come back later? Whenever youre ready I said, adding, prick under my breath. Lithco sighed. Repeat after me. Kyma ton palon psychn The recital took over an hour for a single pass, but as I entered the zone, I was able to snap with the language. I was still fresh with my mana manipulation gains and that feeling of connectedness with the tapestry. The sounds outside slowed to a crawl, and when I opened my eyes, I could see falling leaves gliding down thin air like molasses running down a spoon. Kline was practicing Warp Step with his mana core, and he was mid-blink. For the first time, I could see the portal openingand the second one forming in the forest. If we were fighting, I could see where to strike, but I could barely move my eyes enough to keep up. Now the acceleration spell, Lithco said beside me, moving and speaking normally as if time hadnt slowed, Arkhzei na kinitai I started the second layer of chanting, and my brain almost cracked. The mana flows were clashing together and it hurt my channels. It was like rubbing your stomach, patting your head, and solving world peace. If I hadnt learned how to do something similar the night before, I would have failed. Yet I had the answer. In that state of concentration, I put up my hand to pause Lithco and added a word of my own. Apoklypsis. Suddenly, the nickname I gave to the pattern for threading mana I pulled from the tapestry flooded into my body, creating something closer to what I was supposed to create. Instead of the two manas clashing in an insurmountable wall, it was like there were dozens of broken pipes that were sending mana jutting around in inefficient directionsbut they worked. Focusing on that pattern, I nodded, and Lithco started chanting. Slowly yet surely, the broken pipelines started patching themselves together, moving to create a flow of mana that weaved the two. It was extremely taxing and just feltoff. Doing it without the elixir was the equivalent of trying to breathe with a boulder on your chest. It was frustrating. Yet that feeling was still there. My body remembered how it generally worked and how it felt to do it correctly. So my mind adapted far faster than I thought it should have, and soon, I had made a crude connection. I spent the next two hours improving it, but it was there. At some point, I realized that Lithco was long gone, and the chanting had ended. That meant that I had learned the spell. There would be years, decades, or even centuries before I could master it, but I learned it enough to use it. Surprisingly, I didnt feel like my brain was over-taxed as well. Is that normal? I thought as I cut the connection. I heard that it was supposed to be hard on the mind, but I had been doing it for hours. I guess Ill figure it out. Kline I said as I opened my eyes. My little warrior turned his head to me, only a foot away from my body in the grass. He was keeping watch. It warmed my heart. Kline meowed as if to say, Get on with it. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. I learned some magic thatll help us run faster, you wanna practice? Klines lips curved up in a creepy smile. Then he leapt to his feet, stretching his limbs as he stared at me, weaving back and forth, raring to go. I smiled at Klines enthusiasm. It was bittersweet. I cant run yet. I just wanna watch your movements. See if I can keep up. He shrugged and started zagging backward, moving faster than I could see with my normal eyes. He just seemed like an orange blur, moving on the ground. Alright, lets do this I thought. Then I began the chant to just get startedget into the groove. My world slowed, allowing me to see Kline moving like normal. Slower, I thought. I pressed on with the skill, and soon, I could see him moving in slow motion, bending grass as he landed, sending plant matter flying in the wind. It was straining, but I could see it. Kline noticed my focus because he jumped out of the way, moving to my flank. I tried to whirl around, but my body wouldnt listen. Damn it! I swore. Second spell. I read Apoklypsis! and suddenly, my brain felt like it was splittingbut I could do it. My eyes followed Kline, and my body moved as well. It was still slow and labored, but I could move. Klines eyes widened in shock when I followed his movements. He jumped out of my periphery with a pounce, and even with slowed time, he moved faster than I could follow. When I turned to him, he pounced on me. I panicked and accepted him into my arms, thinking he might bite me. But he actually just jumped into my chest, so when I caught him, he started purring and rubbing against my arms lovingly. I tried to playback, but my strained head suddenly cracked as if someone split my skull with an axe, and I started screaming and holding my head. The world sped up at an unbearable rate, the visual equivalent of someone cranking up the volume of something all at once, and the noise wasnt much better. There was just too much information flooding in, and it was overwhelming. Over taxation. There were four serious warnings about it, but I didnt think it would happen within seconds of starting the skill. Right now, it truly was a miracle skillthe ability to change certain deathbut thats all it was. I needed to work on mental shielding immediately. Yet there wasnt time. It was the sixth day, and I wasnt certain how much time Id have tomorrow. Id need to ask. Kline pawed me, eyes welled with concern. Its okay, I said weakly. I just need to rest a moment. I collapsed on the ground and listened to the sounds of the forest. Thankfully, it didnt leave a lingering headache. I was sure that I could create some exotic medicine that perfectly healed headaches but time was running out. Looks like youre my bodyguard a bit longer, I said to Kline with a bittersweet smile. You okay with that? Kline meowed. Youre the best. Lets look for those spores. That would be a challenge. I was growing too accustomed to using the easy button to take me to my target plants. So I figured that I would hike to the area where my book told me they were located, cross-referencing with my detailed atlas, and then ask for help if it became too time-consuming. So thats what we did. Kline hiked through the forest, stepping over fern and ground cover and winding through a pathless forest. Areswood Forest was relatively dry and full of sunlight but somehow contained the vitality of a temperate rainforest. The ferns felt like something out of a Triassic Era dinosaur movie, moving toward my neck with razor-sharp leaves, preparing to spread their spores. Kline had learned to walk beside me, watching my eyes as I telepathically communicatedas humans and animals can often dowhich plants were poisonous. I wonder if theres a skill to share the highlighting with Kline, I thought. That would be extremely convenient. I did see a beast-taming skill set but didnt look at it because I didnt like the word tame. Kline was my partner, not my pet in my eyes. So I pushed it off. That said, it would be invaluable to share my knowledge with him. And so the trip continued, hiking through the forest, winding between lethal plants, taking slow steps. Our destination wasnt far away from the alchemy station, about three miles uphill, which was, to say, a four-hour hike through hell. In case I havent reminded you lately, I still didnt have a boot, but I increasingly forgot about that. After eating meat from the reiga, my skin had hardened like it was covered with steel calluses. I could still feel if I willed myself to feel, but I had a feeling that my shoes were becoming exceedingly worthless. So, in a very surprising and perhaps foolish decision, I took the second one off to remove the limp that made running awkward and difficult. It was time to live like a mountain woman. That said, I would still search my skills for some type of body enhancement, and you could bet your sweet ass I was going to order some clothing the minute this trial ended. But firstI had to survive that long, and statistically speaking, it wouldnt be long before things got harder. and they did. Oh, yes, they did. For the first time since the albino elk, we encountered higher-level beasts on the way to the funguss area. I knew they were there because Klines ears twitched, and he tugged on my jeans. I stopped, and he faded into nothingness, disappearing under the cloak of complete silence. Then I waited, once again, trying not to remember the last timeremember what shape Kline was in when I finally joined him. Yet this time, I didnt have to wait five minutes for hell to break loose. Beasts that barked like angry, laughing hyenas broke the soundwaves, immersing me in a feeling of dread. There wasnt just one, but a dozenway too many for Kline. And they were fast. The speed they were moving made every other cackle distort as if they were teleporting. Theres something wrong I thought. Subconsciously, I reached for my chest. Nymbrel. A bow materialized as if it were an illusion, yet once it was in my hand, it became solid and smooth, feeling like smoothed bone under my grip. The golden ancient runes on it glowed dimly, connecting the geometric magical circles on it. A string of pure mana connected both ends. This was Nymbral, the epic-grade soul weapon. It was part of me, attached to my soul, allowing me to think and use it subconsciously, like a limb, even though I couldnt use it effectively. I had never shot a bow. I was warned that I''d be lucky to hit anything. But it was something. I would run so that Kline could teleport into my shadow. I wouldnt fight unless absolutely necessary. But it was something. And judging by the speed these creatures were movinga speed far faster than I could runsomething was a whole lot better than nothing. Chapter 38 - Nymbrel My heart released a double thump, pushing blood into my arms as the beasts drew near. The world naturally slowed around me, and my ears twitched, survival instincts primed and ready to go. There werent a few of these beaststhere were a dozen, and they were barrelling through the woods quickly, creating sound patterns I had never heard before. There was no gallop of hooves or rustle of grass under paw. Branches were breaking, and leaves were whipping. No. The sound came from clawed wood and the sway of canopies. Im not sure what was happeningbut it wasnt good. Im running, Kline! I yelled and booked it. That sounds dumb, but consider the contextthese beasts had super hearing and I was going to be rushing over grass and brush and ground cover. They would hear me if they hadnt already. By contrast, Kline would need to return to me before I could start runningand that was a problem. Thats why I announced it before I burst through the forest at full speed, avoiding poisonous plants the best I could preparing to use the anti-toxin if I had to. My foot scraped against a rock, stinging but giving me fuel, matching my heart. I weaved around a massive tree, passing between two orange bushes. Suddenly, the haunting screech flew right behind me like a truck smashing into a car, and I could see something hit a tree doing sixty. I thought that it painted the tree red, but it was intentional. Even from the dark spot in my periphery, I saw it jump from the trunk, releasing another screech as it gained on me. Fuck-fuck-fuck! I jumped over a rotting log, putting a tree between us. Yet it didnt help. The creature jumped from the tree it was on onto a tree just to my right like it was playing ping pong. It was like a cross between a werewolf and a sugar glider, flying between trees and latching onto them. I quickly dove forward as it crashed into the tree I was next to. Between the trees! I thought. I needed to angle myself so that there werent trees for it to fly to. After all, there was a damn good reason that it couldnt touch the ground. Thats how evolution worked! I angled myself with the tree so it would have to fly past me. It understood my ploy and flew to a tree beside me, hitting it and then immediately jumping. I moved my head just in time to see its claws rip into my shoulder, drawing blood but narrowly missing my head. My heart nearly stopped, and I nearly froze, but I didnt. My mind kicked into overdrive, and my mind snapped back into that Moxle Dilation groove that I had practiced for hours that day, and the world instantly slowed. I could see the hairy creature grab the tree at normal speed, as if time hadnt slowed, press its legs on the tree, bend, and rocketed forward. I barely connected the acceleration spell and ran before it moved past me again. That was close! I remembered the world shattering and speeding up, and I knew that if I didnt kill this thing, it would soon break me. So, instead of running, I slowed time more until my head started hurting, turned, and lifted Nymbrel, pulling back the string. Words cannot express what its like to interact with a soul weapon. I felt my body merge with it like it did with Yakana, and I could feel the mana within it. I immediately linked it to my own and let it siphon mana from me. As it did, the runes and arrays tattooed on the bow got brighter and hotter until I could feel my bones trembling. A bright white bolt materialized, and my world dimmed as if I started wearing welding goggles. It was overbearing, but the creatures mustve been nearly blind. I could see its face contort, but it didnt shy away. It locked into a tree and thrust out at me. It was fastfar faster than I could aim. It was going to hit me! Suddenly, Kline jumped out of nowhere, catching it mid-air, sinking his teeth into the creatures neck with surreal force, causing it to scream out as its neck cracked. Thank I couldnt count my blessings. The two creatures chasing Kline suddenly came into view. I turned my bow to them and yelled, Close your eyes! at Kline. The words came out slow, but I saw Kline comply as he turned around. My world turned nearly black as my bolt increased in size and vibrancy. It was like a little sunand then I released the string. Under hyper-slow motion, I could tell that I wouldve missed with a normal bow. I was off by a few feetbut it didnt matter. The arrow became a meter wide as it shot through the forest like a railgun, clipping the creatures shoulder and swallowing the wing. Then the blast went forward, punching a massive hole into a tree before continuing on. The blackness dimmed after that, revealing the normal world again. To the left of the fried corpse of the beast I killed was a second creature. It was howling in pain and clinging onto a tree strangely. The others were crying the same, and after the disoriented creature wobbled back into place, it started flying away, moving from tree to tree, moving deeper into that dark and terrifying forest. As soon as it saw the chaos, it turned and fled with a cry I hadnt heard before. All the cries shifted to that tone, and I saw another fly away in the distance. I felt hope then the spell shattered, sending an assault of sounds crashing into my eardrums. I immediately screamed, hitting the ground, gripping my head, wishing it would stop. If there were a rock near me, I probably wouldve smashed my head on it to make myself black out. Thats how much it hurt. Yet it didnt, so the most I could do was close my eyes and ears and cry for what felt like foreveruntil darkness veiled my eyes. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. 2. Elana watched the screen with a larger party than before. Ever since Mira completed her legacy, Elana had been discussing matters with other alchemistsas they could no longer offer an alchemy legacy. Now, they could only work out deals for future herbs and ingredients that Mira would send her as a tribute. Thats why alchemists had joined Hapsel and Kori, who returned the next day for the companyminus Telgan, who had fulfilled her promise to join Brindle. Two hours ago, Hapsel was stewing over the fact that Brindles quest was mutually exclusive, and Mira hadnt even considered his. Kori had his feet up on Elanas table, something that was increasingly irritating her, and the other alchemists were green with envy. Two hours later, the entire watching party was dead silent and tense as they watched Mira rushing away from brivelts, winged creatures that moved by kicking off trees. Mira was dead. Everyone was certain this timeMira was dead. No doubt about it. She couldnt outrun the creatures, and Kline couldnt fight them all. Death. But she didnt die. Mira sacrificed everything to stand her ground and use a spell she had learned a few hours before and a bow she had never touched. Yet it paid off. The entire screen turned white when she released a shot, and when it returned, they could see three trees with massive holes punched into them, including the creature she hit, whose body was cauterized. It was amazingbut it had a serious cost. Mira hit the ground screaming, and while Kline listened and closed his eyes, he was still rolling on the ground, pawing at his eyes. If the other creatures decided to attack, they would die, but the overwhelming blast shocked the creatures to their core, sending them fleeing. All of this happened in seconds. A strangling silence befell the room, suffocating the group. Then Kori whistled like a bird, shattering the deadlock. Almost forgot how strong that bow is, Kori grinned. Against a god? Its trash. But against a second evolution creature? Shitll fry your corneas. Those beasts are lucky theyre already blind, or theyd look like Miras Warrior. Everyone looked at Kline, rubbing his eyes. A cam from his perspective showed him seeing sunspots, opening and closing his eyelids. What kind of weapons that? Elana asked, turning her head to him slowly. A good one. For who? she asked. A hunter? I thought your kind was discreet. Howd you get the impression I was a hunter? Kori asked. Im the Blinding Archer. The fuck else do you think I did? Hapsel snorted and then looked up at Elanas aghast expression. Then he started chuckling, building up speed like a train until he burst forth. Shut it, you brute! Elana said. A few people commented that she should calm down. Mira was still alive because of that weapon. Yeah, yeah, she concluded. But now, everything in sight knows where she is. How the hells that thing useful? It kills things, Kori said, rolling his eyes. Besides, its not like shes using it correctly. Though I almost wish that she never got better. After she evolves, that things gonna be a problem. He smirked. Elana turned back to the screen, which was showing Kline dragging Mira into a ditch and covering her in mud to hide her scent. That weapon saved Miras lifebut she was concerned it would get her killed. Then, she continued to watch diligently until Mira opened her eyes. The brivelts didnt return. 3. I opened my eyes to feeling like I was hung over. My head was throbbing and the sounds around me seemed like piercing needles. For a few minutes, I just tried to calm my mind, ignoring the sticky texture that was cracking around my skin, or the tickle of leaves and smell of dirt. What happened? I silently asked. Slowly yet surely, I started patching everything back together. Once I patched enough of it together, I shot up, looking for Kline. He immediately jumped on my chest, eyes puffy and red. It wasnt from tears. The eyes looked glazed, and I knew why. What happened I trailed off. Oh, you poor thing. Give me a moment. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the balm. Then I grabbed him, dirt and all, and used Purify, instantly dropping all the dirt onto his fur onto myself. It was annoying, but I didnt consider it. I pulled out the balm. Close your eyes. Kline didnt want to but ultimately gave in. I purified my hand, opened the jar, and smeared some on his closed eyelids. In a moment, his eyes healed and Kline plopped onto my chest, relieved. Im so glad youre okay I said, finding more wounds to heal. There werent many. Kline meowed weakly, shedding emotion like a snake shedding skin. I hugged him tight, grateful that we were both alive somehowand taking note of what I learned. Moxle Dilation wasnt a joke. It saved our lives, but if it didnt scare off those creatures, we would be dead. I wouldve hit the ground, and Kline would have fought to the death, dying right beside me. In the future, it would be a terrifying weapon. Right now, it was a trump card. I couldnt forget that. Tonight, I had to practice my mental shielding no matter what. I felt like the latest suicide quest was on a different level entirely I needed every advantage I could get. I stood and looked at the creature that Kline had killed. --- Name: Brivelt (Dead) Type: Spirit Beast, Bat Summary: Congratulations on surviving this creature, somehowbecause you werent supposed to. Half sugar glider, half harbinger of death, these creatures cling to tree bark and then propel themselves off, gliding to the next tree before moving to another. Not only is it fast, its necessary. Theyre notoriously sensitive to poisons, so their entire life is one big game of Avoid the Lava. But dont worry, theyre really, really good at it. Their cackle works as echolocation, rendering stealth skills at your level useless, and their sense of smell is just as high. They swarm like a pack of wolves, and they hit a beast on all sides like cannonballs. If you didnt sear off the little eyesight they had left, they wouldve killed you both within seconds. Description: Bat body, humanoid torso, black fur, and the nose of a dog. They cackle a war cry as they fly through the forest. Key Facts:
  1. Their bodies absorb water from the atmosphere, so they dont need to touch the ground to drink. However, this feature also makes their bodies susceptible to poison, so they are careful where they hunt.
  2. Brivelts have a strong sense of smell to help detect poisons.
--- I read through the rest of the information carefully, leaving out nothing. There was nothing in the Warning section that I hadnt just experienced, but I was amazed by what I read. I immediately researched the Brivelts thoroughly before smirking. These things arent as bad as I thought. Chapter 39 - Speaking with the Gods Kline looked up at me, as if waiting for validation. I smiled, crouching and petting his ears. Itll be okay just give me a minute. I stood and walked around the area, searching for plants like I was shopping at the store. I found one that was lethal to ingest but topically safe, and then I unscrewed an alchemy bottle. I added a few squirts of ethanol and closed the lid. Then I put on gloves and a gas mask and pulled out a mortar and pestle and gloves. Stand over there, I told Kline, pointing to a tree upwind. Dont want to inhale this. Itd be a bad time. Kline didnt hesitate. He hopped over a log and lay on a rock where I told him to, ears twitching as he looked around. Then I set to work. Desiccate, The purple leaves I held instantly withered, and a tip broke off, floating in the breeze. I quickly put the rest into the mortar and ground it with the pestle, making quick, uniform strokes with my wrist. Perfect, I thought when it was dust. I pulled out a funnel and tapped the dust into the bottle. The alcohol would extract the toxins from the plant tissues, but I wasnt done. I closed my eyes. Extraction. There was Extraction and Essence Extraction, one for normal active compounds and another for magical compounds. Doing that instantly turned the tincture I made into deadly poisonif ingested. I didnt need to tell anyone that. It was dark purple and smelled of ground Tylonal mixed in Everclear. Definitely not good for your health but that was the point. I now had an itch-free poison that was topically safe, even safe to get on cuts, that was very poisonous to ingest. Now, it was time to wear it. I pulled out cotton swabs I had for insect repellent, put it on the bottles lip, and rocked it back and forth. Come on, Kline, I said, dabbing my face, wrists, and neck. We gotta get you Kline Kline was backing away like a possessed human scuttling backward, putting his feet on logs and slinking over them. Or be visible, I said dryly. Didnt know my cat wanted to be a walking billboard. Kline paused, looking at me with a sheepish expression, instantly regretting his knee-jerk reaction. I think people who want to be right over being right are extra badass, I said. So if you want extra morning snuggles, Id get a move on. Klines little shoulders slumped, and he walked back toward me, emasculated but better off. I giggled as he came into my arms, and I patted him down with the poison. He kept wiping his nose, clearly hating the smell, but it was worth it. We were invisible to these bastards. Or at least inedible. Even on a time crunch, I vowed to start researching all the wildlife in the area I was going to. Doing this much would have prevented that attack entirely. Life lesson learned. Once I finished putting on my poisonous purfume, I looked up into the sky. To Lithco and the gods watching these legacy quests, allow me to make something clear.
Elana still hadnt gotten over Brivelt attack when the audio on the feed toggled ona rarity. Gods were notoriously sensitive, so having an ignorant mortal complain about them resulted in unnecessary retaliationhence the muting. Thus, hearing the audio meant something strange was happening. To Lithco and the gods watching these legacy quests, Mira said to the sky, allow me to make something clear. My head hurts, Im mildly traumatized, and I hate my lifebut Im moving forward to complete this legacy. Ive researched my enemies and created poisons to ward off the brivelts. Ive learned to avoid poisons and trap plants. Kline can handle most beasts. If I had time, Id push forward without hesitation, but somehow, I got saddled with three time-consuming death quests, and I didnt even have the time to eat lunch, let alone practice mental shielding. So, cut me some slack. If I get dinged for this, itd be annoying. Information request: give me an auto-updating map of the safest path to and from the quamper ball mushroom. Kori laughed. Seriously? She made demands to gods over something this petty? This girls got bigger balls than you do. Hapsels face contorted in rage when he realized that Kori was looking at him. Hey. Id take that She doesnt have balls you brute, Elana interrupted. How dare you imply my apprentice has something so ugly between her legs. Oh, so shes your apprentice now, Kori mocked. Youre losing touch in real time. Elana rolled her eyes. If she wins his legacy, shell surely choose my subclass. If she doesnt, she will accept my legacy. I cant believe youd assume she would be anything but This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Hold up, another god said. What Oh The woman suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter. What? Hapsel asked. She responded by pointing at the screen. Elana turned back to the screen and noticed that Mira had only walked maybe fifty feet before turning on her spore barrier and pulling out the water sack plant. In front of her was a massive red puffball that was half buried underground, making it look like a mound. The only peculiarity was that it wasnt hidden by leaves in the center, making it look like a red ant hill. Wait is that it? Kori laughed. Mira made sure that Kline was safely under her barrier before she stepped on it, resulting in a volcanic explosion of yellow spores that glittered in the air. Mira quickly raised her hand and clenched it, sucking all the spores together in a spinning sphere as if it were the most natural thing in the world. To make things more surreal, she folded the translucent flower bag twice from the inside to make the lip widerwhile it spunbefore capturing all the spores in the bag. Lastly, she folded it back out and twisted it closed, knotting it three times before storing it in a preservation chamber and using Seal to preserve it. Such a display was elementary to gods, but for a new neophyte it was a showcase of real magical talent. Despite that, no one could get over the situation enough to care. Ten strides! Kori roared, eliciting some laughter. And the way they came from was safe, too! Spent an entire info request to take a few steps and turn around! Elana flushed red. She didnt like anyone speaking ill about her apprentices! So she turned to him. It still wouldve taken her forever to find it! Yeah, cause a big ass red blobs hard to spot, Hapsel snorted. Kori laughed harder. Elana sent a deadly glare to the laughing gods, but they couldnt stop themselves. They just chatted on, completely ignoring Mira as she bought a new skill and started carving up one of the brivelts with her pocket knife. They only started watching again when she stormed off, moving down the same path she took to get there. Then they laughed, dragging the other alchemists in with their infectious laughter. It was funnybut Elana wasnt smiling. She felt slightly moved by Miras brooding. Poor girl, she thought. What Id give to give everything to you. Gods didnt determine the score the Oracle granted actions, but if she could, she would lavish that girl with all the praise and rewards even the most beautiful of apprentices got. She deserved it. 5. Fuck you, fuck me, fuck everyone! I couldnt believe that I ruined my score and made a grand declaration to the gods just to walk 50 feet and turn around! I was hoping that it would at least tell me to take an ultra safe secret passage somewhere, but it didnt. The map said Id be taking the same route. I was pissed and I couldnt even complain! What I never mentioned was that the quamper ball mushroom was, in fact, a trap plant. I mean, the thing exploded like a landmine when I stepped on it! So when I got within 20 feet, I instantly got the notification. But lookI almost just died. A gaggle of bats the size of petite, underweight women were flying at me at the speed of sound, and I barely survived by blinding my cat and cracking my own skull open with a flash of light. Now, I was in an area that could have had a nest of the freaks, and I wanted to leave and lick my goddamn wounds. So I dont regret using the information request but seriously? Fifty feet? Fifty fucking feet? I could see the area that I went to from where I made the poison! I was so salty that I didnt even feel excitement or joy when I bought the Mana Sharpening skill, a general skill that allowed mages to wrap objects in mana to cut with it. It was a gold request, but it was critical, considering that I was eating massive slabs of meat Kline cut with his claws! As soon as the trial was over, Id also buy the Fundamentals of Soul Meat Cooking skill, which would allow me to cook this meat without burning it on a 12-hour fire. I tried to think about that more than my vast annoyance, but I couldnt. There was a three-hour hike back to the shelter, and I knew I was going to stew over all of it. Yet I didnt despair. Id be able to take out my frustrations soon. These spores were as dangerous as raw uranium, and I had a lot of them. 6. While Mira was hiking back to her shelter to begin mental shielding training, Aiden was standing in front of a massive steel door painted in arrays. Compared to Galfers Gate, it was far smallerbut it felt just as big. It was at least 50 feet tall and was surrounded on both sides by archers wielding glowing bows wrapped in runes. None of them looked like guards. They were adventurersall mean and out of place, hired hands for this event. It felt as evident as night and day. This wasnt the outside of the Cursed Aviaryit was within it. Aiden had already walked through the warehouse, seeing small birds whose beaks snapped through the steel hooks workers fed them meat on and large ones the size of drones and jets. Now, they were in the deepest part of Cursed Aviary, staring down a gate fifty feet high and twenty-five feet across. It was unsettling. Wait here, the aviary warden said, signaling to two guards to release the arrays locking the door. A woman nodded and dropped to the ground, putting her hands onto an array and filling it with mana. The arrays on the gate lit up with red light, and the locks started unsnapping one by one. Suddenly, the adventurers around Aiden started staring and whispering about him. That him? Yeah. Doesnt look like much. Hes not. He wont even be a snack. Dont scare em, a female said, trying and failing to hide a thin sardonic grin. The man looked away playfully with a smirk, and she pushed his arm. Aiden knew they didnt mean him any harmbut he hated people flirting over his life. Just ignore em, Alitalia said. Im trying. The door clicked a moment later, and the man who was flirting at his expense moved to open the door with another man. Try not to be a snack, the female said to the adventurer. He turned to make a witty comeback, but he missed the moment, so he kept quiet, playing it off by rolling his eyes and moving toward the door as the female smirked, watching him. Before he got there, Aidens guidethe warden-style man who ran the stopped him. I suggest you take this seriously, the warden said. If you dont, you might regret it. Chapter 40 - The Vraxle The adventurer paused, looking at the ominous doors to the hanger and then back at the man. I thought it couldnt hurt us. Its cursed, but its a centur. Get too close, and hell end you. The hells a centur? The warden scoffed and looked at the other adventures. I thought we hired rank-three adventurers. The adventurer tried to protest, but the man shot him down. Listen up! Im sure everyones got some qualifications. You think youre strong because you work Nyxvalley or cull Calyxus. Maybe you come from a clan or got contacts in the second domain. You got that shiny number on your badge for a reason, Im surebut compared to a rank three, you are a snack. The female swallowed hard, looking away in shame. The others chuckling did the same. Most our avians came here as refugees, the warden explained. Something out there was ripping them to shreds, so they flew right through the barrier, bloodied up and broken, and crash-landed in the Third Ring. Thats not what happened here. This vraxle flew over the wall to exact revenge on his childs murderer and then continued to slaughter a whole battalion despite being heavily cursed. That only got worse after it hit the century mark. Now, one of its curses is gone. Thats what it means to be a centur. Waitit started killing things over the wall? the woman asked. Howd it escape paralysis? Paralysis is a myth. Domain exchange heres the exact same as any other. The domain stripped its magic and zapped its energy. But for something of this sizeit doesnt need either. Besides theres something different about the spirit beasts in the Bramble. This is an example. Aiden waited for him to elaborate, but he never did, leaving them in the dark. That only made him more nervous, trembling even, terrified that he was asking to tame such a beastall for the sake of a supply drop. It was comical to the point of tragedy. Now that youre taking this seriously, the warden said, turning to the man who was flirting. Open the door. He and the other man did, exposing Aidens fate. Aiden would never forget the sound the gate made when it opened. There weren''t any creaking or rusty hinges, just the sound of a massive metal object unlocking from its position and swinging. He wanted to close his eyes, but he couldnt. It was like watching a trainwreckhe couldnt look away. So he held his breath and looked ahead, looking deep into the plane-hanger-sized room where a beast was lying down. What is that? Aiden asked. He couldnt have possibly knownbut it wasnt a dumb question, either. He compared these animals to ones from Earth and its mythologiesand this one looked relatively familiar. It had blue scales that moved from navy to sky blue in a gradient. On its chest and neck, there were white scales, creating a striking contrast. It was lying down but was still the size of a private jet. Aiden used Identify on it. --- Common Name: Vraxle Cole Type: Wyvern, Spirit Beast (Cursed [Second Tier]) Summary: Woooooooooza. Just one look at that beaut, and you can suddenly empathize with drug addicts who wonder how they ended up where they are! This guys as big and scary as he looks. Fourth evolution by nature, hes finally released a curse and entered the second evolution inside this domain. What could possibly go wrong? (Plot twist: everything.) If I didnt subsidize this place to keep em alive, this guy wouldve been sliced up for cheat steaks long, long ago. Luckily, hes alive and well and ready to tell you to buzz off. Just be careful not to get too close. Without a contract, he will try to kill you. Then, itll be well awkward. Good luck! Key Facts:
  1. Unlike normal wyverns, vraxles can create invisible, impenetrable barriers of varying sizes and shapes, capable of stopping both physical and magical attacks. They are disorienting to fight without a mana visualization skill or tactics that expose barriers and still require challengers to adapt to the malleable barriers.
  2. Vraxle scales are highly resistant to the elements except for ice, making it an apex predator that other creatures challenge with jaws.
  3. Vraxles have slow yet reliable regenerative healing.
  4. Vraxles can use magic spells; the spells are unique to each vraxle.
Weaknesses:
  1. Vraxles have no camouflaging skills and are visible. Flying under the Areswood Barrier ensures that ground spells can hit it.
  2. Jaws from other apex avians.
  3. Ice magic.
Note: The name wyvern is a translation approximation. --- This things a monster, Aiden thought. The others agreed, whispering to each other, nervous to enter. The warden turned to Aiden. Dont worry. Its shackled in mana deprivation cuffsit cant use any barriers. If it tries to harm you, well kill it before it even reaches you. The wyvern chuffed, turning its head. Absurd. It spoke in a gruff voice, callused and broken from years of battle. Aiden could feel its emotions laid bare. It was intense. Aiden looked around, looking at the other beast tamers, wondering if they heard the beast. Yet none looked the wisereven the warden. Okay Aiden said, taking a step forward. The adventurers kicked into overdrive, funneling into the room, taking both sides of the massive beasts like they were surrounding an airplane. Even so, they felt so small in that empty metal room, standing before a beast that took up half of it. Up close, the beast was even more terrifying. The closer they got, the more Aiden had to bend his head to see up. This wasnt a beast hed be able to ride like a flying horse, and he sure as hell wasnt going to hold onto scales like fantasy protagonists. They would hit one bump, Aiden would scrape off half the skin on one of the jagged scales, and his fingers would fall down, plunging to the ground below. Bad move. As he approached, the wyverns glassy blue eye turned to him. A kyma? How interesting. Aiden paused and whispered, Kyma? The warden looked at him. Whatd you say? Aiden looked at the massive wyvern-like creature but got no response. So he turned to the man. I just remembered hearing the word kyma. Do you know what it means? If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Yeah. It means beast talker. Im guessing you can hear it without touching? Aiden smiled wryly. He didnt want to piss off this creature by unveiling secrets, but he wouldnt hide the obvious. Such a creature would trust that he would leave the room and spill everything. Yeah, he said. Is that rare? It is rare, but not particularly rare, if that makes sense. And itd be more surprising if you werent, given what youve done. The wyvern narrowed his eyes, and Aiden felt an icy shiver crawl down his spine. It felt like he was stabbed in the back with distrust and carved down to his waist. I contracted a demigod, Aiden silently yet frantically communicated to the beast. It was only temporary. The wyvern chuffed. Absurd. Ill leave you to speak, the warden said, stepping back. Spare your breath. Aiden looked between the two awkwardly. He didnt want to give up so soon. People went through a lot of effort to bring him there. Still. If that girl didnt want to be rescued, he didnt find any reason to comply with the request. He didnt particularly care about fame or rewards. He just wanted to live with his pets and work with animals. Yet This wyvern looked so pitiful. It was locked in chains for over a century. It hurt his soul. Dont you dare pity me, the wyvern said gruffly. I just dont you want to do this quest? Aiden knew that it got the message because Elionis got it. If he did, then every spirit beast did. The vraxle looked at him in bewildered disdain. To help my captors? No Aiden shook his head with slow, hypnotic movements and then looked at the wyverns chained wings. Then he looked it in the eye. To fly.
I opened the door to the shelter like a stereotypical 1970s husband, dramatically stepping in, bone tired, barely smiling when his child screams DADDY! and rushes over with tiny steps. My desire to just plop on the bed and slather the rest of the balm on me just to deal with my aching joints was incredible. I was so physically and mentally exhausted that I didnt even want to take a bath, let alone eat. Purify, I thought absentmindedly. All the dirt and grime and sweat fell off me like a waterfall, hitting the ground in a fine stream like sand. I used external mana as well, so it also cleaned Kline. Bed? I asked. Kline nodded and gracefully hopped onto the clean sheets I purified that morning. I wasnt so grateful. I stood before the bed like a log and then fell on it face first, bouncing slightly before falling still. Get up I told myself, but my body didnt listen. The inconvenient truth was that practicing anything required mental concentration, and my bodys need for rest and sleep hadnt changed despite my strength and stamina increasing. Hopefully, mental shielding would improve that. I needed it I drifted off to sleep. Two hours later, I shot awake, feeling like I failed the legacy quest from sleeping, but to my relief, I only took a nap. Time to get up Even though Purify cleaned my body and teeth, I still took a bath to relieve my tense muscles and clear my mind. Then I got out of the bath, toweled off, dressed, threw the brivelt meat onto the fireplace cooker, and then opened up my tutorial skills, moving to Mental Shielding. Alright I clapped twice. Come out now. Im not a side show, Lithco complained, walking through the front door. It always looked and sounded so surreal to hear him interact with the world as if it were real, going so far as to create invisibility illusions to cover up his tracks. Stop being rude to me, and Ill be nicer to you, I said. So you just want to be rude to me forever. Such cruelty. I chuckled, feeling a bit relieved. I liked Lithco a lot. His dickish side made him feel more humanwhich made me feel less lonely. I had only been a weekit was hard to believe Id live my entire life out here. Dont think about that Before we get started, I must warn you, Lithco said. Thiss your final night in this shelter. If youre not out by eight, you will be locked in here for the rest of your life. I swallowed hard. Would you like to set an alarm? he asked. I can do that? Yes. Then yes! Alright Im setting it for six. I know youll panic at anything more. I nodded but smiled wryly. It was already eight. I didnt know if I could do much mental shielding. It made me slightly bitter. I know what youre thinking, Lithco said. But dont worry. Mental Shielding helps protect and strengthen your connections. So it can double for sleep. I eyed him suspiciously. So whats it like? Meditation? Close. Its another form of threading that focuses on the mana that flows into your mind. By strengthening that connection, you shield your mind from magical backlash and sensory overload by controlling it with your mind. At first, it will feel like a marathon as youre working on strengthening, but once you ease up and relax, it feels like youre walking. It gradually disappears until you enter a dream-like state. Ill believe it once I experience it, I said, sitting down on the floor. Knowing you, itll cause my head to crack in half. Oh, itll do that, too. My jaw jerked, and my neck throbbed. Marathon, he repeated. That only increased the twitching. I knew full and well that whatever he was going to teach me was going to feel like someone sticking a needle into my spinal cord. I just knew it. I did. Okay, lets do this, I said, closing my eyes. If you insist, Lithco said. There''s six stages to the mental shielding you have. We''ll start with the first. Repeat after me..." He began chanting, and I started chanting with him, frustrated that my mind wasnt snapping with his like it did when I was chanting with Yakanafrustrated that I knew that the things that I was doing were wrong. It was like Yakana showing me a pure white canvas and telling me to create that, but I could visually see that my mind was plastered with hundreds of different small colors and blemishesand I didnt have the skill to fix them. Yet I tried and tried and tried, and before I knew it, my mind started to change. That was the only way to explain it. Suddenly, I felt like someone injected a numbing agent into my brain, and it webbed out like spider cracks, encompassing my entire mind. My body shivered when it happened, but my chanting didnt stop. It was horrifying, but I was too engrossed, too curioustoo involved. It was unnerving, but it felt surprisingly fine, so I pushed on. Slowly yet surely, that creeping sensation crawled down my spinal cord and webbed into my limbs like novocaine, moving all the way to my fingertips. It was slow and arduous and only the eye of the storm. The second that numbing sensation reached the very tip of my fingers, it reversed with the feeling of warm liquid shooting up my veins all at once. I knew that it was going to my brain, and I wanted to stop itbut couldnt. My body was frozen. So I had to feel it warm my arms and ribs, chest, neck, and face before it hit my brain, sending my mind into a Kaleidoscopic frenzy. I cannot explain that feeling to anyone who hasnt experienced it. It was like a warm shower for the brain, massaging the mind, wringing it dry, and letting it fill like a sponge after being squeezed. It was sharp and gentle and strange and euphoric and painful in cycles. Throughout it all, I didnt stop chanting. That was the strange part. At some point in that strange and twisted experience, I woke up enough to notice that I was still chanting but then submitted to the feeling once more, riding the crazed wave of mental sensations, weaving in and out of consciousness. About thirty minutes in, I started to feel like someone who had taken a shower too long and aimed to stop, but the real fun had just begun. Chapter 41 - Mental Shielding The mental shielding spell had started out disorienting but smooth, a numbing landscape of physical experiences. Yet that all changed when I hit a specific verse that made my head explode with overactivity, straining my mental capabilities to the maximum. Everything started looping and playing back, memories on repeat, moving through my head. I wanted it to stop, so I focused, and the focusing led me to the chant and as I chanted, my brain slowed, easing away those strange and vivid memories. Next came sounds. They exploded in my mind, battering my head from all directions. I wanted to stop and cover my ears, but my body was still frozen. So I closed my eyes over and over and over like I did with Yakana and then focused on the chanting. Soon, the cacophony dimmed to normal background noise. I pressed it further, moving on until I felt like I was underwater, drowning out the noisesuppressing it. It was intense. Now, drowned out by the memories and the sounds, a new sensation hit me pain. My entire body marbled with pin-prickled gooseflesh, waving around my body like a cloak. It felt like electricity was cracking in my chest as well. Son of a bitch! I thought, finally breaking away from chanting. I knew it! I wanted to quit under sheer spite, but I couldnt move. I was still locked and frozen in that empty chamber, listening to Lithcos voice speaking out to me. There was no choice, so I closed my eyes further, trying to endure the pain as I began chanting again. The effects werent immediate. I felt like I would never make it. That I had to give up because my concentration under pain was too lousy, but once Lithcos chants became repetitive and I memorized them, I found myself doing chanting without thinking. It was like a level in a video gamesomething I had to clear before moving on. So I did, pressing forward, chanting and chanting until my pain disappeared, taking my body with it. Now I felt naked. I couldnt feel my body or hear or make vivid memories. Thats when intense smells assaulted me. I almost gagged but understood that it was temporary. I chanted on without breaks, eliminating even smell. Taste followed. And then chaotic mana streams. Sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearingmemories and thoughts and mana. Soon, I had suppressed all of them, and all that was left was feeling that numbing feeling in my mind. It felt so therapeutic once everything was drowned out. It was as if there were cool rivers of mana circulating through my body, moving through my head and back down my neck, back, and spine, suspending me in a void. How pleasant, I thought, searching through that mental space. It was tranquil despite the bombardment, like watching a storm out of a sound-proof, hurricane-proof window. I knew it was there, but I couldnt feel it, hear it, smell it, or taste it. It was peaceful. Before long, I closed my eyes further, digging deeper, going further, falling down and down and down until I woke up. It was my alarm, blaring in my mind, telling me it was time to wake. I shot out of that trance, feeling like my body was breaking free from multiple layers of thin ice. I looked around, disoriented and saw that the time was 6:01 a.m. Earthian time. Id soon be permanently kicked out of this wonderful safe haven, losing the bath with it. It was a tragedy. I groaned and got up, finding Kline yawning and walking around like a zombie, pawing at his face as he walked to his water bowl and lapped some water up. Good call, I said, grabbing my water bottle. It tasted refreshing, clear, and rejuvenating, but without feeling necessary. It was strange. I looked at the bath. This was the last time I would see one for a while, yet I didnt have time to take one. I had a deadly day ahead and still had a lot of work to do. Despite that, I couldnt look away. It didnt make sense why I was so fixated until an idea broke me out of my morning grind. I reached into my backpack and pulled out my field notebook, tattered with hundreds of observations about organisms that no longer existed in this world. I opened it to a blank page, tattered with the indents from my last observations, and started copying the design of the circle the best that I could. Im not sure if I can recreate this, but it would be cool. Once I finished, I grabbed the brivelt meat off the fireplace. Burnt I took a bite. It flooded my body and soul with energy, but it still tasted like burnt charcoal and disappointment. I needa skill. I stood after, hitting the bathroom before walking out into the brisk morning environment, shivering from the damp mist clinging to my skin. Kline trotted ahead, then stretched his front limbs before kicking out both legs. I smiled and turned back to the door. Thank you. I didnt get a reply, but that was okay. I looked back to Kline. Are you ready? Kline meowed. Okay, I said. But Im killing the reiga this time. He shrugged and trotted off toward the alchemy station, which was the universal base of operations since it would remain functional long after the trial. I was considering building my base there. Unfortunately, there were no reiga there. It seemed they had finally learned their lesson. However, there was a baby fox-like creature that blended together with an illusion, like someone pressing a white paintbrush to a black canvas and swirling it around. It was my first chance to use my powers. Stolen story; please report. I activated Moxle Dilation, allowing me to see its form moving back and forth as Kline teleported circles around it, herding it in placegiving me time. Moxle Dilation was far smoother with the mental shielding. Thinking felt effortless. The world felt whole. Then I upped my acceleration and rushed forward, grabbing the fox by the throat, channeling all my magic energy into my hands, and called the alchemy skill Blend. I regretted it. The foxs body flailed around like a dead chicken stuck in a house fan, spitting blood all over the place as if it didnt have the decency to die calmly. I immediately released the spell so I didnt have to watch in slow motion and was bombarded with sounds like D-Day shelling crashing all around me, but I started chanting the mental shielding spell, and it all disappeared. It worked I thought. It really worked. I looked up to share my victory with Kline, but he was staring at me, mouth agape, not even blinking. What? I asked. I looked down at my shirt and learned that my Darwin t-shirt had been dyed red and was dripping on the ground. I could suddenly empathize with Carrie after the Black Prom, bloody from head to toe, being silently judged by someone in front of them. It felt awful. Listen, Kline, I said. I didnt know itd do that. Otherwise The foxs head, which was hanging by tendons, dropped to the ground with a splat. Kline causally turned around and trotted off. Kline! I yelled. He didnt listen. Kline! Ive seen you far worse Kline! God damn it. Purify! I purified myself, and blood sloshed at my feet, leaving me clean in a macabre scene. Then I slung the fox over my shoulder. Mark my words, I silently grumbled. That cats not gonna eat a bite of this. Not one bit. I stewed all the way back to the alchemy station, where I sliced up the fox, kicking around the carcass to prevent Kline from biting into it. It was ridiculously petty. Eventually, I gave up and let him feast as I shoved the preservation tub into my full backpack. Hey Lithco, I said. I refuse to risk my life when I already have two legacies waiting for me. So give me an updating map of the safest path to and from the lignan bugs. I also want to use a second request thatll tell me if theres a better strategy for doing this. I got the answers and grimaced. According to the GuideI had the best strategy, given my time restraints, location, and magical limitations. Or, rather, that there weren''t any recorded strategies that had proved particularly effective. Unlike much of the Multiverse, information on the Areswood Forest was extremely limited, and everything I had read so far had come from the same author: Brindle Grask. If he didnt do it, Lithco could only infer, and he wouldnt do that unless there was tight logic or a mathematical proof for doing so. So when it came to strategies for accomplishing this mission, it looked like I was on my ownand the strategy I had was wild.
Aiden sat in the room with the vraxle. Neither of them had spoken in the last twelve hours, and Aiden doubted that they would talk any time soon. He got a meal handed to him by adventurers who had since lost their fear. That bothered the wyvern, chuffing when they got near, hitting them with hot breaths that nearly made the food tray clamor to the ground. Here you go, they would say without comment before quickly leaving. Then, the silence would resume. Aiden threw some meat to the wyvern at one point. Do you expect me to eat something so small? the wyvern had asked. Food is food, he replied apathetically. Your brazenness is truly limitless. Its not brazenness, Aiden said, taking a bite of a roll. Im just treating you like a person. Ive yet to meet an animal that liked being looked down upon. The vraxle chuffed and looked away, lying back down. He couldnt move, and he had already tried yelling at Aiden and insulting him. But Aiden had long since forgotten why he was there. He just wanted to let the vraxle fly again. Thats all he wanted to accomplish, and he planned to sit there however long it took to make it concede. Its not like hed be asking much.
Elana watched Mira hiking through the forest, taking long, deliberate steps for four hours. It seemed boring until she realized that Mira was approaching the outer edge of the barrier. He didnt she muttered in disbelief. Kori and Hapsel and her entourage had left the night before after watching Mira do mental shielding, and she denied requests to return. Now, it was her and her anxiety and disdain for Brindle Grask, the thing that had sent Mira to the outer ring. Hes trying to kill her, she whispered. Hes actually trying to kill her. Despite what the hellish scenes would have observers think, Mira was dropped in the safest part of the Fourth Ring. Above her was the warzone pushing for the Fifth Ring; below her were the beasts hunting in the bramble, an even harsher training ground that chiseled even the weakest of spirit beasts into stone. Only Miras area, the area known as the Divide, had relatively few beasts. Yet Brindles quest was taking her straight out of it, thrusting her into a darker, stronger area of the forest. I shouldve fought back Elana thought. This was never over, Mira. This was always about the forestat any cost. Its sick.
Brindle watched Mira carefully. She was nearing the barrier. You said shed get a notification? he asked Telgan. Yes. If she tries to leave, itll warn her. Do you think she will? Well see. Mira abruptly stopped walking and reached out her hand, slowly pushing her fingers forward and backward, noting the change in the barrier. She spent five minutes there, staring at the Guide and speaking with Kline. Then she walked through the barrier and pressed onward. Quite bold, Brindle said. It is. Telgan looked at him. Are you trying to kill her? From what Brindle understood, his quest was absurdly dangerous, even by legacy quest standards. Still, he had no choice in the matter. This is the least that the guardian would accept, he said. Rather brutal exchange, Telgan remarked. I disagree, Brindle said. The Diktyo River catalyzes most evolutions in the forest. Before I made pacts with guardians, the river was pink year round. Protecting the water sack plants is the key to peace. There is no role more vital. Still, Telgan said. Brindle felt a sliver of remorsean emotion that he had long since forgotten. Mira had no choice but to accept Telgans mission, which involved a water source. She now had two legacies and a chance of living. Despite that, he was forced to give her a legacy that would risk it all. And yetif she succeeded, she would regain access to the most sought-after alchemic ingredient on Dranami. She would obtain access to a catalyst for her evolution. She wouldnt be hunted by the guardians network. Mira had much to gain, but it didnt change the nature of the situation. Brindle nodded and echoed Telgans statement. Still. They watched on, witnessing Miras undying resolve. For the second time, he was wishing for a humans success. How strange. Strange, indeed. Chapter 42 - The Quest Begins Four hours into my hike, I finally reached a place that gave me serious pause. I got a notification when I reached it. It read: --- Warning: You are about to reach the Divides Barrier. The second-evolution beasts beyond this point are generally stronger, and third-evolution beasts are more frequent. Its recommended that only second evolution or higher entities leave the Divide. --- I expected that warning, but I still wasnt prepared for it. Second evolution we hadnt reached the first. Kline and I had been blessed with high-tier magic, and we had been hunting and eating second-evolution creatures exclusively. We had specialized elixirs and resources. Stillnone of those things prepared us to face a third-evolution beast, and our poison perfume and mud-covered skin wouldnt be enough. I sent one glance at Kline. Lets see where youre at. Kline puffed out his chest, turned his head, and lifted his nose, creating the prideful expression you would expect from hideous trophy cats. I wanted to mock him, but he deserved it. His status read: --- Kline Hill Race: Felis catus Level: 24 (Capped Until Evolution) Class: Phantom Cat Spells: Description: Klines gamble of accepting a fifth-tier spell in exchange for only increasing skills from stronger opponents has finally paid off. In the last exchange, he was able to increase his active camouflage and enhance his senses, making up for his own weaknesses. Take note of your partners path to greatness. You could improve by following it instead of doing whatever the hell youre doing. --- I chuckled with a taught smile, lacing my fingers and stretching them, trying not to kick a rock as hard as I could. Then I nodded and folded my arms. Only then did I sigh and get over it. You ready? I asked. Kline meowed. I nodded and passed my fingers through the barrier, experiencing a strange icy tingle. Then lets go. 2. The lignan bugs were located at Arithiel Pond, a water body that developed over a mana vein. Rich with mana, it was an ideal location to thread cores, which is why beasts always pushed the limits into lignan territory, getting as close as possible, risking it all to get stronger. Thats how the lignans fed. My job was to get rid of their nest. Great. As I already mentioned, there was no ideal solution for killing these creatures. They built their nest in eranthia trees, spirit trees that were resistant to the elements, and became stronger with mana intake. They created natural barriers, and the mana was so dense in the area that magical attacks were rendered useless with the reserves available by most creatures. Fire, ice, windnone would affect them. Lignan bugs also hunted in nets that were 50 square miles, meaning that taking out the nest wouldnt solve the problem, and there were no selective parasitic fungi that directly killed them. They were a menace. That said, I did find a fungi that felt promising. It was the quamper ball mushroom. This was the description: --- Name: Quamper Ball Mushroom Summary: Wow, forget botanist. Searching for something like this is proof of serial killer behavior. Parasitic by nature, this mushroom spreads its spores by taking over the beasts minds and making them attack the nearest potential host. Within the hour, the host will be killing family, lovers, and friends, like a civil war where everyone is the enemy and there can be only one victor. Make sure to hand out bread to nearby spirit beasts to improve your popularity, you psycho. --- My eyebrow had twitched when Lithco compared me to Caesar holding death matches, but I didnt deny it. If I needed to be a tyrant to survive, I would, goddamn it! If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I pressed on through the forest cautiously. Twice we passed by herbivores, twice we feared for our lives. One had spikes as sharp as razor blades, each dripping with poison like sloped needles. Another was a snakish creature, creating an archway in the canopies above us as it ate leaves. Bugs swarmed the ground for the first time, and I could hear the call of distant birds. It was a whole new world. Soon, we made it to our destination. The area Kline and I were in was pretty standard. The forest around us had fifteen feet between moss-covered trees, each planted upon ground laced with multi-colored ground cover and ferns. It wasnt particularly dense and would likely be pleasant if the sky wasnt white with cloud cover. The lignan bugs territory was the opposite. The trees were white and gray as snow, creating a calcified tundra that contrasted against the living forest. Around it buzzed translucent blobs that felt like mirages until we saw one the size of a cucumber passing by a green tree with its bubble-like body and tiny legs and mosquito sucker. It was a simple outlinebut it was terrifying. Soul damage, power reductiondeaththese creatures were the grim reapers of the Fourth Ring, killing indiscriminately. I probably should have run. My life was far more important than a quest housing a class I didnt need but I wanted to do it. There was nothing rational about accepting the request, but it wasnt particularly dumb, either. It was something I wanted, even if it was dangerous, like some people who played dangerous sports like motocross or base jumping despite the risks. They did what they wantedthis is what I wanted. Simple as that. Thats why I looked at Kline, asking if he was ready. He nodded and increased his Wraithaura, disappearing into the forest in his Active Camouflage, blending with the smell of mud and dried poison. We walked on. 3. A knock on Elanas door startled her, making her kick the table, sending ripples through her wine glass. She turned to the door, anger boiling in her heart. What did I tell you? she yelled, standing and striding to the door, throwing it open. Explain Kori was standing in front of her door, shaking a bottle of wine. Elana felt a desire to grab the tiefings horns and smash his head against the wall, but instead, she snatched the bottle of cheap wine and tilted her head into the room. Hurry up. He smiled. If you insist. Elana scoffed, but she was subconsciously relieved that someone was joining her. Dont you dare put your feet on my counter, she said as he sat down, pulling glasses out of a spatial rift. If I did that, what would the point of wearing new boots be? Kori asked. He used Purify on his boots before kicking them onto the small table. Besides, shouldnt you be worried about that? Mira was slinking to the forest, moving over brush, stepping over rocks, ducking under limbsunaware of how close the lignan bugs were. Even Kline was unaware of how close they were, as they were silent, scentless, and many were tinysmaller than a pinkie nail. Yeah Elana whispered, pausing with the wine in hand, watching them get closer. Mira had to be close enough for the spores to reach but far enough to run. The breeze would only reach so far. Worse, the lignan bugs flew around randomly. In a situation like thisluck meant everything. Elanas heart thumped, it galloped, it strained and rattled and cracked against her ribs like thunder and drums and falling trees. It was time for the attack to begin. 4. I had never been as afraid as I was when I approached the lignan nestand that said a lot after fighting the reaper and shalks and suffering potential soul damage. Kline dying? Sure. But that was a different type of fear. That was fear over what had happenedthis was fear of what was to come. I could see the lignan bugs now, the first line fifty meters away, the nests maybe two hundred. This breeze had to count. I was readybut my body was itching. Damn it I thought as I patted my stomach and back, gritting my teeth. I was terrified they were in my shirt. It was from trauma I developed at thirteen when wasps had built their nest in the side of my house. I couldnt reach my bike, and that annoyed me, so I went inside and got a tennis racket. Some people might think it was a strange weaponbut the people that know, know. A tennis racket is the grim reapers scythe of winged insects. One swipe will murder twenty wasps at a time, and there were hundreds. Whoosh! I swung it back and forth, watching bugs fall to the ground like dropped gravel, grinning like a psychopath at how effective it was. Then I got stung. It felt like a searing needle stabbing me in the chest. I immediately opened my shirt and found three crawling on my chest; God knows how many were on my back and stomach. In an instant, I was howling, slapping my chest and stomach and pants and arms like a death metal drummer. I even pulled off my t-shirt (thank God I was alone), whipping it around like a gladiator failing a chain mace, striking it every which way. It was embarrassing and painful, but those things fade with time it was the eeriness of knowing how many were in my shirt without me noticing. That fear was crawling through me as I looked at the lignan bugs, trying not to think of tiny ones lurkingprepared to bite. Despite that fear, I pressed on as if I were under a spell, licking my finger and holding it up to calculate the breeze, which was picking up, making me nervous. The coolness on my finger indicated that it was blowing northso I moved west, getting into a suitable position. Information request, I ordered. Provide me with exact trajectory information in the form of a dynamic map with instructions. The map pulled up. It was clear, telling me to shoot the spores directly north, and they would lightly curve into the nest site. Yet there was a warning that said: Act fast; there is a high chance of precipitation. Son of a I didnt even finish my thought before a bolder gust of wind spread through the area, bringing dark gray clouds to replace the white. The forest dimmed further, and I instantly feared rain. If it did, it would prevent the spores from spreadingI had to move. Now! I activated Spore Barrier and grabbed the spore bag from the preservation chamber. I untied it and activated Levisphere, pulling out a mass of golden spores. Suddenly, the sky flashed, and the distant boom of thunder cracked across the land. The canopies rattled from the wind, and the leaves swayed back and forth from a heavy gust. The map updated again, telling me to move further up. Damn it! I secured the ball and ran, trusting Kline would keep up. As I approached the launch sight, two words popped up on the screen. Maximum gust. I did, angling my hand and calling the spell with all my might. Pervasive Breeze! Chapter 43 - The Ambush A large gust of wind spread the yellow spores like cornmeal in the breeze, filling the entire forest with yellow pixie dust, moving past rock and plant and tree. The vibrant color contrasted against the white tundra in the distance, showing that they were on track. Yes yes, yes, yes, yesno! A sudden gust of wind blew it all off course, sending the spores into a small grouping of lignan bugs but getting nowhere near the hive. My stomach developed a bottomless pit, and my feelings of helplessness intensified. Why? I thought aimlessly as if the whole world were conspiring against me. Then, reality caught up with me when I saw that the lignans hit by the spores exploded outward in erratic movements, and I realized that I hit these bugs in the face with spores! Kline tugged on my jeans, but I was already moving, praying that Wraithaura and the poison perfume would be enough to prevent me from being seen. Suddenly, I saw a group shoot past me to my left, far away, shooting around aimlessly. They werent attackingbut they couldand they were moving a lot faster than I was. No no-no-no! Kline and I weaved around trees, jumping over bramblesavoiding plants where we could. I couldnt point out the plants, so he just hopped around, and at one point, the Wraithaura broke. My heart pulsedthen a crack of thunder rattled my ribs, followed by the sound of rain, drowning out the sounds. It was finewe disappeared from the mass. But our luck ran out again. Bursting into a meadow, we ran into two lignan bugs the size of baseballs that just happened to be hunting there. We saw each other at the same timeand they struck. I activated Moxle Dilation, dropped the water sack, and brandished my knife. I dodged one in slow motion, wrapped my blade in Mana Sharpening, and cut down. The blade struck true, cutting through its translucent body, sending clear blood flying downward in a waterfall. Kline teleported out of the way of his attacker, appearing behind it and snatching it in his jaws, clear fluid dripping from the side of his mouth. I released Moxle Dilation and my world sped up. Everything felt fast and aggressive, with the sound of distant thunder hurting my head. Slow it down I used my mental shielding, achieving clarity just in time for Kline to jump past me, using phantom claws to cut a lignan down. Then I rushed forward, following the mapupdating so fast it looked like the map was glitching outwatching Kline teleport ahead of me. I turned a bend, and out of my periphery, I saw a dozen following us. Why the fuck did it tell me to get that close? I screamed within, activating Moxle Dilation and increasing my speed tenfold. I ran as fast as I could, ran until I couldnt see them, then activated my mental shield and released the spell. The next moment, Kline jumped out of a portal, and I handled the information processing. I almost managed to calm it down when a sudden flash of lightning blinded me, and the thunder rattled my brain. I stumbled and hit a tree, suppressing a scream, empathizing with Zeus when Haephestus cracked his skull open with a hammer. I expected to diebut we lost most of them. Kline rushed into the fray, killing three before I got up again, pushing onward. Three minutes later, Kline and I found ourselves alone, passing by trees slowly, nothing in sight. We survived, I thought, internally chuckling, bitter and glad and happy. I leaned my head against a tree, feeling my lungs burn hot and scratch drythroat, begging for water and rest. Lets take a break, I whispered. We can make better time if I can breathe Kline nodded and kept watch as I pulled out my water bottle and drank. Then I purified our bodies (since the rain was removing the poison and dirt), dried us with Desiccation, and created a water sphere for him to drink from. Once I was done, I said, Lets keep going. Those fuckers move fast. Kline nodded, and we continued on, moving fast into the gusting rain. 2. Elana rubbed her forehead, using gentle smoothing strokes. Its strange to see a god flustered, Kori remarked. He was down a bottle of wine and had since pulled out an unlabeled bottle of amber spirits. He looked like he was having the time of his life. Emotions keep people alive, Elana said. Love to propagate. Fear to instill caution. Stress to elicit action. These things dont change as we gain power. Kori rocked back the spirits bottle with raised eyebrows. He exhaled and wiped his mouth with his forearm, leaning back. Strange to see a god justify themselves. Thiss my apprentice! Elana snapped with heated cheeks. Of course I care. So stop treating her like some hideous sideshow. Kori put up his hands mockingly. Alright alright. He turned and watched Mira closely, hiking further without pause despite being a mile away. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. In the short time that they took their break, the quamper ball fungus was already burrowing into the lignan bugs brains. Looks like its already started, Kori remarked. Yeah, it is, Elana said. Looks like its infecting all of them, too. Only twenty or so were affected by the spores, but the parasitic effects were spreading through the same hive-mind that made one lignan bugs bite summon the swarm. Every god watching could see it from the way that the Oracle was showing scenes from miles away from each other. Close or far, the bugs started nipping at nearby lignans, flying circles around them, chasing each other down, recoiling and backing awaygetting into fights. Petty anger. Rage. You think she knew this would happen? Kori asked. Cause if she did, Id call er a genius. I doubt it, Elana said dryly. Otherwise, she wouldnt have gotten so close to the nests. True still. Kori took a swig and grinned, watching Mira, who was now jogging after Kline, pushing past the howl of wind and splatter of rain. Kline was looking gravely worried all of a sudden. That cat Elana whispered. Yeah Kori took a drink. That fuckin cat right on every tioh, here it is! It had only been twenty minutes, but the lignan bugs were finally breaking down. The big ones were chasing the small ones as they did loops above branches, dipping low, then curving on the forest floor. Suddenly, one pierced through another with its sucker, and the entire forest exploded in a frenzy. Lignan bugs shot in all directions like shrapnel from an explosion spell, with lignans killing each other in a grand orgy of violence and blood. It was completely random but some were rocketing in Miras direction. Elana turned to Mira and saw her sprinting after Kline despite being a mile out. She leaped over ground cover, jumping onto a boulder, then ducking branchespulling vines out of the way. Suddenly, they reached a patch of notoriously poisonous plants that Elana recognized. The next moment, Miras speed multiplied tenfold, picking up Kline in her arms and hopping out of the way. Then she threw him, holding her head as she kept running. It was all happening so fast. 2. Kline and I had never run so fast before. I didnt know something was behind me. I couldnt hear it. I couldnt smell it. I couldnt feel it but I knew it was there. Kline was crying outactually afraidtugging and pleading to move faster. So I jumped into the fray, zagging every which way, jumping over rock and bramble and bush. My heart drummed and my lungs wheezed and my arms throbbed with adrenaline. I pushed on. Take a right! I yelled. Kline did, jumping sharply just in time to avoid a poisonous fern that was neon purple instead of dark purplewhatever the hell that meant. I saw one once before and used Moxle Dilation to pick up Kline and throw him out of the way. Now he was listening. Left! I yelled, wishing that he had my eyesight. Left, right, left, right. I jumped and weaved and tripped over a log, rolling twice before kicking off the ground and catching up to Kline. Thats when I saw the swarm. The lignans werent going after us. They were moving up and down canopies, circling trunks, rushing after each other like an intense police chase. One stabbed another; five more took its place. Then they flew ahead. Thank God I thought. Following the updating map, praying they wouldnt return. They didnt. Where where where do I go? These things were so fast that Kline and I could only survive with Moxle Dilation and teleportingand I was at the breaking point. I needed to get back to the barrier, but it would take at least another hour to get there. Then the answer hit me. It was clear as day, cold as iceuninviting as a cobra den. The river We could jump into the Diktyo River. If we got inside, beasts wouldnt attack us. I had researched the reason during my preparation and learned the reason they couldnt: Evolved creatures cannot directly drink from the river, as they risk absorbing a stronger soul and experiencing soul damage. As you are unevolved, you are unaffected by this. That meant that Kline and I could handle water, but neither the lignan bugs nor third evolution beasts could. The only one to worry about was the River Guardianand meeting her was inevitable. Risk or not, it was better than our situation, so I turned southwest, moving toward the Diktyo Riverentering River Guardians domain. Two minutes passed. Three more close calls with lignan bugs slaughtering each other in a feverish bloodbath. Another minute brought a different type of trouble. A whole pack of reigas flew out of the brush, flying in swarms at speeds I could barely see. Kline pounced into the thick of them, biting oneslashing three more. They surrounded him, but he kept blinking out of existence and slapping them around with mana. I rushed forward, trusting him blindly as I punted one with a crack and stormed on. The lignan bugs smelled the blood and joined the bloodbath, piercing a few remaining reiga as Kline blinked away, appearing in my shadow as I ran as fast as I could. That couldve been us I thought. Shit-shit-shit! I picked up speed, rushing ahead, readying my spells, preparing for the worstand then I heard it. The river. So crisp and clear and immersive, its noise drowned other sounds as it rolled over rocks within. Relief flooded over me, making me exhale and feel serious hope. Soon, we would jump and hit the water like a cannonball, and Id hold Kline, only worried that my backpack would rip on jagged rocks. But hitting rocks wouldnt matter since the river was healing, even if the souls screamed and howled and clawed at us. And Yakana Yakana was there. I wondered if I could dunk my head underwater and hear him and gain advice. We were so close to everything and then we got ambushed. A dark grayish bear thrust revealed itself, jumping out from a rock face, catching Kline mid-bound in its jaws and running off. My heart stopped when the bear carried Kline away, failing to process the situation. Then, my blood boiled, sending my mind into overdrive. No! I screamed, cranking Moxle Dilation to the max. I flew at the beast, moving faster than I ever had, wrapping my pocket knife with so much sharpened mana that it turned into a small machete as I approached the bear, trotting along under my slowed time. Then I bounded ten feet in the sky, plunging the knife into its back. I had low dexterity, so I missed its spine, slicing into its shoulder. It wasnt a kill shotbut it was enough. The bear roared, dropping Kline as it bucked, sending me flying. Even with my time slowed, the impact was intense, shattering the spell and sending me flying as the world sped up around me. I cried out in pain, grabbing my head as Kline stood weakly and teleported to me, nipping at my hands, trying to get me up. He was too weak to move meand I was in too much pain. The bear whirled around to us and charged. I thought it was over, but it only moved ten feet when a dozen lignan bugs the size of footballs slammed into it, stingers first. I wanted to laugh with surprise, but the next moment, I was also hit by a powerful force, sending me sprawling to the ground. Chapter 44 - Souls and Evolutions Agh what was I tried to push myself up after getting hit, but my body pulsed with intense dysphoria, buzzing and crackling like I was lying in a bath of low-voltage electricity. Whats going on? I rolled over and saw the canopies doubling, multiplying even, moving back and forth like some hallucinogenic sway. Then, an orange blur flashed across my vision, and I felt something get knocked off my stomach. The momentum forced me to roll, and I saw Kline biting through a lignan bug, putting his paw on it and ripping its head off. It was a powerful attackbut Kline didnt look powerful. His stomach was punctured, and the white spots of fur were crimsonthe orange the color of historic rust. He could barely stand. Kline I turned, trying to move. Get up I told myself, but my body didnt move. It wouldnt respond. I put my hands on the ground, but everything felt wrong. Disjointed. Get up! Kline collapsed to the ground, and tears welled in my eyes. It felt so cruel. I had healing balm in my backpack, a miracle river twenty feet away, and superhuman strengthbut I couldnt save him. What type of joke was that? My parents would pity me so much right nowpity me because their fears had come true. I know you want him, but you wont be able to care for him, Mira, my mom had said when a friend offered us Kline, Im not ten anymore, I said at seventeen. Who walks Gatsby? Who feeds him? I get that it''s a chore, but it''s still made me responsible. Its not a matter of responsibility, honey. You just cant afford him. Hes free! No, hes not. Theres costs for caring for a cat. The younger, more idealistic, and naive version of me laughed. Money it always comes down to money with you two Mira My mom turned to my father, who was reading on his recliner, pretending that he couldnt hear us. He was the cool dadespecially to his daughter. He refused to be the Grim Reaper. My mom folded her arms. Doug! I, um He sighed, putting down his book and looking at me. Youve researched male calicos, right? Of course, I have. Then you know theyre sick at birth. Klinefelter Syndrome. Yeah. He grimaced and looked away. So uh did you also look up the cost of surgery? Have you looked at the cost of surgery for Gatsby? I shot back. He nodded a few times solemnly. Yeah. This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Do you know whatll happen to him if someone doesnt adopt him? Theyre gonna euthanize him. Thats also whats gonna happen if you cant afford the bills. He looked away when he saw my aghast expression. You know well support you My moms eyes widened in shock. Doug! But! He said loudly. If you do this well only help you once you sell everything weve paid for. Your car. Your growing equipment. Everything but your college fund. If you want this responsibility, youll have to face the consequences. I will! I said back thenbut now I truly meant it. Seeing Kline broken and bloodied and breathing shallowly, I wanted to give it all. Id sell that fucking car and the bike and the garden. Id. Anger and passion and rage overtook me. Mental shielding. I activated the mental shielding, fighting past the dysphoria, trying to remember Yakana taking over me, feeling my soul, and keeping it together. Then I crawled to Kline, barely reaching him and putting my hands on his broken ribs. Seal. A magic spell meant for closing preservation stopped the blood gushing onto my hands. Crude, yet better than nothing. The river was gurgling and popping twenty feet away, creating a flowing, steady sound that kept blending with the symphony bugs. Hold in there I fumbled for the soul repair elixir in my pocket, but my hands didnt work. They could make big motions, but if I tried to hold a small bottlelet alone unscrew itI would just break it. I needed to get to that river and pray. Sorry, little guy Brutish as it was, I grabbed Klines thigh the best I could and started crawling to the river, dragging him along. It was ripping open his wounds, but I couldnt stop. If I didnt do this, his death was guaranteed. Twenty feet. Nineteen. Break. Seventeen. Thirteen. Break. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Nine. Ten. I almost made it but found that the patch of ground cover separating us from the river was highlighted neon purplesomething new but had popped up three times. I checked it. Huge warning. Death within twenty minutes of contact, ten if it enters wounds. I chuckled when I read it, turning my head. It was a huge patch, five feet wide and fifty feet across, acting like some sick and twisted Rubicona permanent threshold where there was no return. Either I would make it to the river ten feet ahead, or Id diethere was nothing in between. Yet if I made it, it would cleanse the toxins. Death, rebirth. Knowing my energy was running out, I took it without hesitation, praying that the pain would keep Kline awake as I pressed my forearm against the yellow-leaved ground cover and pulled. My body immediately seized from the sensation. The plant was like Urtica dioicastinging nettlesfuzzy, with each hair causing intense stinging like fire. Fuck you! I cried as I pulled forward, trying to ignore Kline yowling as I dragged him five feet through the ground cover. Words cannot express the relief I felt when I grabbed a fist full of sand and heard the river louder than ever. The dysphoria lessened under my mental shielding, and I clutched at that hope to keep going, ignoring Klines pleas. Hang in there! Despite hitting the ground, five minutes passed, and I still hadnt hit the water. Kline was silent and seizingtwo more minutes would kill him. Come on The water rolled in front of us, drowning out the sounds. Just a little more I thrust out my hand and touched the foggy water. My mind exploded with the sounds of animals and the feeling of dysphoria, but my mental shielding was already cranked, so the cacophony was muted. My hand healed as well. I cupped some and threw it on Kline, making his stomach sizzle. I wanted to do more, but my arm was shaking too much. I pushed myself into the water, letting my cheek crash into it. I drank, cleansing the poison and painnot getting any energy back. My soul was damagedthat was something this water wouldnt fix. Yakana was also silentone ear wasnt enough. Still, itd have to do. I grabbed Klines paw, increasing my mental shielding even further, summoning all my power. Please I gritted my teeth, bent my arm, and yanked with all the power I had. It pushed him into the fog. The moment Kline touched, he howled and stumbled and fell into the water. Thank God, I thought. Kline had survived the river oncehed do it again. Soon, he would be healed soon My eyes were drowsy as I fished into my pocket, hoping to pull out the soul repair elixir now that the poison had lessened. Yet I couldnt grab it. I had even less strength than before. Hah I chuckled bitterly, feeling the rivers gentle caress against my cheek. I was so tired, so very tired, and while I was still fightingmy body refused to move. It couldnt move. I drifted into sleep. 2. Elanas body was tense as she watched Mira. Kori was leaning in as he watched Kline. Why do you keep watching that cat? Elana asked, appalled that he was more worried about Kline than Mira. Cause the things evolvingobviously, Kori said, swigging the elixir. That girls not gonna save herself, is she? Elanas eyes snapped onto the screen as if she was seeing it for the first time. Kline had already clambered up the embankment and collapsed, taking deep breaths as he accepted the Guides chant. His body was radiating with a powerful aura as Diktyo Rivers water acted as a catalyst within him. Wind whipped around his body, pushing back the souls and ground like a small tornado, and the ground was denting and cratering under his body. Thiss wild, Kori said, leaning back. His cores so pure that its inflatin like a balloon. Plus, he mustve learned something crazy from that awakening whatever, too. Cause hes makin this look easy. Elana between Kline and Mira, feeling hope welling within. Kline would soon obtain an ethereal body, and he could definitely save Mira. It was just a matter of when. Normally, it would take a nobody a day, but Mira and Kline werent normal people. They learned mana circulation from Yakana, cleansed themselves of impurities, and feasted upon intense soul mana reserves. Klines core would be far smaller because he hadnt done much threading, but his night with the awakening elixir alone would put him vastly ahead of even the richest of unevolved mortals. There was raw power in his hands. Evolving was no different than what he had already done. He received a chant to expand the core in a certain patternnow he just had to do that. Along the way he had to clear out blockages and impurities, but he drank the Diktyo Rivers waterone of the most powerful raw catalyst ingredients in the Multiverse. It wouldnt be surprising if he expanded it in minutes but that was wishful thinking. Ten minutes passed, and he was still evolving, and Mira was still unconscious. It was lucky that neither of them was hit by a stray lignan bug or carried away by some beast. That luck only improved when twenty minutes passed. Then thirty. Forty minutes passed before Kline opened his eyes again and by that point, he feared for her life. He jumped to his feet and pressed down. A paw print far larger than his own indented the ground. Then the other pawand his right legs. He pressed into the dirt with an ethereal forma body of manifested mana built over his to match his soul forceand bent down. Kline blinked out of existence, reappearing beside a tree a hundred feet again. Then another and another and another. In five seconds, he had covered a quarter mile, only stopping once he saw Mira. He panicked and ran as fast as he could, skidding in the sand before her. He put his head on her chest, and his shoulders slumped in relief before grabbing her by the shoulder with his teeth and dragging her to the water. Dont do it, cat, Kori said. Kline took a step backward, hitting the soul fog, and howled, clamoring forward, pawing at his chest. Told you, Kori said. Kline had undergone a soul expansion, which would allow him to accept vastly more soul forcebut it also meant that he could absorb souls directly now without a soul core. Thats why spirit beasts couldnt drink from the Diktyo Riverthe souls from the river could invade their bodies and feed on their souls like parasites. He cant hear you, you brute, Elana said. Yeah, yeah Kori paused when Kline hopped over Mira and started pushing her feet and legs and thighs and hips and anything he could find purchase with. Why does he seem so certain? That river doesnt repair souls. Does it? It will if you have a soul core, Elana said. Well, shes fucked then, Kori said. Cats practically sending her off to drown, and he cant pull er out. Elana smiled bitterly. If she dies because of this She paused. Kline had proven himself so she wouldnt condemn him. Still, she viewed his attempts as suicidally foolish. Yet what neither she nor Koir knew was that Mira tuned into Yakanas frequency in the river, and Klineafter speaking with Yakanacould hear him as well. So, while it all looked like an act of desperationKline knew that Yakana could help her. He believed. So he pushed Mira into the water, then followed her alongside the river as she floated away. 3. I awoke underwater, disoriented, panicked, and horrified. I couldnt move, and the only thing saving me was the mammalian diving reflex, which forced me to hold my breath. I figured something pushed me into the water, praying that it was Kline, wishing he was okay because I still couldnt move. But right then, deep within the flowing river that sent me crashing into rocks and rolling on the sandy bank, I heard Yakanas voice. Hurry, he said. Chant with me. I couldnt move, and I was desperate to survive, so I used Moxle Dilation to slow time. It didnt affect Yakanas voice, which still reverberated in my head. Okay I said. Then lets begin. I zria arkhzoun na miln, ddoun epstoles Chapter 45 - Soul Core Yakana chanted a verse, and I followed. Then another. And a third. Over and over, I was chanting far faster than normal people could. I didnt hold back, sacrificing everything to slow down the world. While I chanted, I could feel something just above the dip in my rib cage rattling. It felt brokenburning, struggling to work. This is your soul core. Yakana said, pausing his chanting. Youve started itnow fix it. The water will do the rest. Now repeat. Kat sto bathy, t'' kra ton aimtinon kymtizon I began chanting until my head started to feel ready to crack, but I stopped long enough to activate my mental shielding and then continued, slowing my mind once more and chanting. Suddenly, the hole in my soul core mended, flooded with a cool sensation. Now breathe. How? I cant I waved my arms and realized that I could move again! I immediately kicked off the ground and hit above the water, taking a deep breath. Thats when Moxle Dilation broke, sending the sounds of the screaming souls crashing into my mind. I felt disoriented, choking on water as I coughed, spiraling out of control. Kline howled in the distance, trying to get closer, only to yowl and thrust onto the bank. Stay back! I yelled, making my head crack open. Im fine! Just wait! Praying that the water would heal me, I pushed myself between two rocks to stop me crashing through the river, drank some, and went underwater to stop the sounds. It didin factheal my headache. Between the healing effects and the silence of the water, I gained relief. After I used my mental shielding spell, I could focus entirely. Again, Yakana called out to me. I nodded. This was my last day of the trial. Kline was outside, and he could get attacked at any moment. I could die at any moment. The world was in flux. I had found a new source of power that could perhaps change everything. So I followed along with the chanting, starting a new stanzaleading the way. Diamntia ouranou toxvontai, graphntas tin prklisi tis sympanApoklypsis. 2. Elana had goosebumps as she watched Klines screen. The murky fog of souls he was staring at started churning, bubbling, and popping like a cauldron, whipping around in strange and complex patterns. She recognized it along with every other god and demigod in the area. You gotta be kidding me, Kori said dryly. Yeah, Im incredulous as well, Elana said. No. Kori took a swig of his spirits and pointed at a third screen. That. Elana turned and saw the river guardian moving toward the river. It was a massive creature, fifteen feet wide, with a pointed snout, walking on dozens of legs that could easily scale thirty-foot rock faces like minor inconveniences. Each of the hands looked human. It was truly a disgusting, chimeric creature. Elana felt revolted just looking at it. Indignant, too. The timing was unacceptable. The lignans were killing each other, Kline was tempering his evolution, and Mira was developing a soul core. Everything was converging all at once, each element bearing a personal brand of tragic timing. If Mira or Kline died, it would be a disgusting twist of fate. 3. I could barely feel my body or care about breathing while I was underwater, as the chanting became too hypnotic. Yakana had to remind me to breathe, so at one point, I started Moxle Dilation again, making the most of the healing effects of the Diktyo River to allow me the ability to chant. As I did, I felt an uncomfortable experience. It was as if my mind and body kept disconnecting, never together, but gravitating around each other like the Earth and the moon. In the gap between us, I felt souls entering around a core within me. Dont get the wrong idea. I wasnt absorbing souls, and I didnt feel like I would walk out with the souls of lions and tigers and bears within me. It didnt work like that. Instead, there was a part of the soul that my body was absorbing. Imagine a paint brush dipped in paint. Now brush it around a ball. The brush doesnt leave, but the excess, part of it which wasnt part of the paintbrush even though it held it, comes off. The paintbrush is unaffected by the change, even though the paint had partially disappeared. Thats what was happening. Trace amounts of these souls were being torn off and being absorbed into my core. It was strange and hypnotic, but Yakana was there, helping me like last time. I felt comfortable and never wanted to leave when he reminded me to breathe. It was peaceful despite being so disorienting and disjointed, like a deep tissue massage that hurts but feels pleasant at the same time. You were meant for this, Yakana said. Why? Who knows. Perhaps its randomperhaps its not. Perhaps the Oracle knew and decided to place you here on purpose. Perhaps it didnt know at all. Such questions are inconsequential. What matters is that you are here, and you are well suited to this affinity. Now breathe. I swam to the surface, braving the bombardment of sounds and my cracking head to take ten seconds of breaths before returning underwater, healing, and continuing to chant. Now hurry, for she approaches. Who? The Guardian. Kline Should the guardian appear while you are away, Kline will be able to escape. Such is the nature of his movement technique. Now continue. I did, closing my internal eyes over and over until they were pitch black. Then I continued.
Elana watched the vortex of souls sucking in and out of the river in a daze. It was hard to tell whether Mira was an extravagant soul cultivation genius, as the only individuals she watched build soul cores were fifth-evolution neophytes and demigods. That was natural because normal mortals on Dranami didnt have access to soul repositories strong enough to develop a core until they reached the Fourth Domain. For Elana specifically, the situation was unprecedented, so it was hard to gauge. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Regardless Mira was a freshly integrated neophyte developing a soul core in her first week. At a minimum, Mira had the will of a dragon and a soul forged from stone. Kori was watching Kline with equal anticipation, drinking far more than before, trying to ignore the river guardian traveling over ten miles between trees to reach them. There was only a mile left before Kline had to face her. Stress couldnt begin to describe the situation. Kori turned to the River Guardian. Cant this thing He leaned his head to his shoulder, exhaling deeply. Cant it just fuck off for a bit? The kidve done that forest a damn good service if you ask me, and this ignorant fuckers gonna fuck it all up. Idiot Elana turned to him. Are you drunk? Are you actually drunk? Gods couldnt get drunk. Their bodies detoxed too quickly, healing them long before they could feel the effects. Kori turned to her with bleary eyes. You think thiss alcohol? He shook the amber bottle and laughed. Elanas eyes widened. What is it? Gods used arrays and enhancements that prevented the Guide from identifying their secrets, so she couldnt know. Arent you the elixir master? Give it to me. Elana snatched it and unscrewed the top. She took one whiff, and her eyes widened. Thiss poison! Yeah. Kori snapped his fingers and pointed at her. But it feels like alcohol. Ridiculous Elana glanced at Mira and Kline and the lignans and the River Guardian before sniffing the bottle again. Then she took a deep breath and took a swig. It was necessary. The River Guardian wasnt running, but he was moving fast, and he was only minutes away from confronting Kline. The cats ears had picked up. Well, here we go, Kori said, grabbing the bottle. Whatever happens, happenoh! Elana turned and saw a brick-sized lignan bug smash into the River Guardian. The next moment, dozens of screens showed up, showing that lignan bugs getting near Kline suddenly shifted course, beelining toward the River Guardian. Hell yeah! Kori said, plopping back against the backrest. Thats what Im talkin about! No! Elana cried. This isnt good! This isnt good? Are you even listening to yourself? This is grea She cant complete the quest if the River Guardians dead, and who knows what freakish thingll do if it dies. Brindle, Brindle, Brindle. Its the only name she had heard since this nightmare started. If he was as dangerous as people said, things would get nasty. Yeah thats kind of. OH! Kori freaked when the River Guardianstudded with fifty massive lignanssuddenly flexed and made all the bugs sucking it explode. Then it opened its mouth, sucking in air that pulled in another fifty before using its arms to slap around the rest. Theres no way Elana said. Theres no way that things a third ev. Kori swiped the bottle of poison back from Elana. Is now, he said. No way she isnt weak after that. Wonder if that cats gonna challenge er. He took a drink.
Breathe and allow yourself to drift, Yakana instructed as I built my soul core. You must reach Arithiel before she comes. I followed Yakanas instructions, breathing above water, activating mental shielding, and returning to the depths of the river. I had done it repeatedly, and it was getting easier, doubling as training in a location where miracle water was healing my mind. It was soothing. This time, I had to move, so I fended off the growls and snarls of soulsno longer howling or roaringto look for Kline. His tiny silhouette was in the fog. Kline, I said. His ears twitched, and he turned toward me, yowling slowly and mashing his teeth. Im moving toward the pond, I said. I needa go there to fix my soul. Wait for me here. Kline stood and followed beside me. No, wait! Its taking me to the lignan nests Im underwateryoure not! Kline yowled, stretching his limbs and pacing back and forth. Ill be fine. The River Guardians coming. Greet her. If she gets saucy, I want you to warp away. Warp. Away. Then meet me down river as fast as possible. He grimaced and turned away, meowing hesitantly. Good cat My eyes welled with tears. I love you, Kline! So, so much. Ill see you soon! Kline meowed weakly, turning back to a strange direction and turning back around. Then he lay, clamming up. Love you, too, I whispered, smiling as I watched his eyes follow me. Then I kicked off the rock and flowed down stream, moving through the fog, hearing the creatures shifting as I passed through, passing by the slow-moving ghostly stream. Soon, the sandy shore turned white and the area above me felt bright and milky. The area chilled and the mana in the water became more intenseuncomfortable evendragging me forward, making it difficult for me to breath. A few minutes later, I lost my ability to see silhouettes and the roll and thunder of animal roars resounded in my mind. The water heated up, my mana channels lit up as they pulsed with energy, moving through my chest and lungs and head until I was buzzing with the crackle of electricity. Thats when I heard the Guides chime and saw the screen. --- Congratulations! You have found a sacred location. Name: Arithiel Pond Summary: I refuse to praise the suicidal actions you took to get to a location like this, but congratulationsyouve found yet another sacred location. Beyond being part of the already sacred Diktyo River, this area is built over the Tamyo mana vein, two reasons the local wildlife in the region will kill you. The second they find out the lignans are gone, third evolution beasts are going to swarm that pond in a biblical bloodbath. So ignore the Key Facts and get the hell out of there before the lignans or wildlife come to collect. --- Reading the description made me feel like a demon had grabbed my heart in a double grip and twisted it like a cracked pepper shaker. I didnt know what to do, so I dunked my head under the water. This places dangerous! I silently screamed. Worry not, child. Yakana responded calmly. The guardian shall come and purge all threats. Now chant so that you may greet her head on. Breathe and repeat after me. I hesitantly complied, gasping for air and then returning downward. Now repeat, Yakana said. Nikhterinos orzontas ekteinntai. I thought it would be impossible to concentrate, but once he began chanting, I was pulled into it. 4. Brindle watched the River Guardian trample the last of the lignan bugs with great trepidation. It had suffered dozens of attacks and was still walking normallybut it had lost immense power and had a damaged soul. Such was the cost of warning the animals of the invasion. Now, it was weak to third evolution beastsand would likely die within the year. Thiss the real test, Brindle thought as he watched Mira. Then he glanced at Kline, who was meeting the River Guardian from high ground. The guardian was at least a hundred times larger than the tiny cat, but Kline stood his ground on a massive boulder, staring down at the creature. Can I request mental transcription? Brindle asked his Oracle. This ones body and soul with my potential pupil. It would be wise to know his character. The Oracle surprisingly granted permission, allowing him and Telgan to listen in as the two met. Its bold to stand before me, the River Guardian to Kline, sound reverberating in Brindles thoughts. It was crisp and clearbut Kline did not speak back. Have you forsaken language? the River Guardian asked. Kline didnt flinch. For what reason? That woman? The phantom cats hair bristled. Disgusting. Kline growled, body elevating as his ethereal body built a cage of raw mana over him. Would you really raise your claws to me? she sneered, taking a step forward. Kline didnt back down. Chapter 46 - The River Guardian Brindle watched Kline and the River Guardian stare each other down. Despite being grossly underpowered, Kline didnt back down, and he wouldnt hesitate to attack. Yet Kline was not hostile, and the River Guardian wasnt, either. There was an agreement between them, a statement that hostility may be destined but not for personal or petty or emotional reasons. It was the natural order. The nature of life. Oniron. Thats what the gods called itOnirona mutual acknowledgment that ones opponent does not bear a grudge or disdain. Kline would fight to protect Mira; the River Guardian would fight to protect its forest. Neither blamed nor disdained each other. It was just the natural orderthe destined way. The River Guardian finally spoke. If we must, we will fightbut the time hasnt come, she said. If I find your masters motives impure, then I will fight you first. Kline ignored the guardians snub and nodded, walking toward Mirapreparing to fight if necessary. It was written in his body language, sizing the River Guardian up, looking at its legs, examining its back. On the River Guardian''s part, she didn''t treat it as a snub or as a threat. She asked him to wait, so she exercised patience. It didnt take them long to reach Arithiel Pond, which was now a ghost yard of empty black-striped lignan nests the size of boulders. Kline cut them down with Phantom Claws, sending them flying to the ground, exploding like water gourds, spewing sickly sweet ooze, clouded liquid, and combs full of eggs from bugs not yet born. The River Guardian smashed the pieces underfoot, using a frost spell to freeze the embryos and a shatter spell to break them into dust. No trace. Once they finished, they moved to the edge of the pond, staring into the clouded waters. The area was filled with souls, bubbling like a cauldron, wisping with water that was rotating hypnotically. In the center of it was Brindles prospective pupil, creating a soul core. Brindle and Kline and the River Guardian all waited waited for Mira to return to dry land. 2. I was unsure how much time had passed since I started developing my soul core. Hours? Days? I wasnt even underwater anymore. I had perched myself on a foggy rock in the center, like some wraithish mermaid, developing my core, but I didnt remember it. I was just chanting, following instructions, then I suddenly felt the breeze and knew I was breathing normally that increased my core building speed immensely. Creating a soul core was easier than threading my normal core. The pattern was far simpler, and the sensations felt very natural. It was so smooth that I anticipated it getting harder when Yakana unmerged from mebut then I realized that he never merged, to begin with. Thats when I questioned if he taught me how to do things correctlyor if I was just lazy and complacent. I closed my eyes and focused on the chant, focusing deeper, trying to understand it. Soon, I could feel a sharp contrast. I even tried to call apoklypsis, but it didnt work because souls werent mana. That said, I focused on that feeling and tried to do the same with souls. It led to some strange sensations, and I panicked, feeling like I could do the wrong thing and mess up my core. But at one point, it clicked, and I felt something come together. It felt natural and good and right, so I continued on. Minutes melded with hours, hours melded with unknown passages of time. At some point, I cried out and called to Kline, only to hear him meow in a way that said, Its okay. It was soothing, full of confidenceno fear or anxiety. Then I drifted back asleep, feeling my core building. I awoke to the sound of birds chirping and strange bugs. I felt my neck sunburnt, and when I opened my eyes, I saw a bright white stack of trees that blinded me. Wha? I turned and looked around, searching for Kline. I saw a flash of orange through the light fog, and my heart jumped for joythen I saw the silhouette of a train of a creature, an anteater in appearance with centipede-like limbs next to him, and all I could think was, Hostage. K-Kline Kline meowed reassuringly, leaving me confused. I put my legs in the water, preparing to swim and prostrate, but he meowed with a sharper tone, warning me off. The River Guardian scoffed and snorted at him, but Kline didnt flinch away for some strange reason. There was also something else strange. Kline was larger. No, that wasnt it. Klines silhouette was as small as it always was, but there was a second outline that was the size of a mountain lion around him, confusing me. The River Guardian was the same. Around its gigantic form was an even larger outline, shimmering like a mirage, but there was something wrong with it. Its hard to explain what it was like, but it felt deformed at a glance, like a beach ball that had been stabbed and hadnt quite lost its shape but was slowly collapsing in on itself. Youre hurt I whispered. Silence human. A drum beat of a voicefemale and hauntingentered my mind, followed by the sound of Kline hissing at the River Guardian. She scoffed at him and took a step forward, walking right into the fog, making Kline howl and growl, jumping to the edge of the fog and pulling back, yowling at me as the River Guardian entered the water. Run! Thats what he was saying, but I was too entranced and terrified for the centipede-like creature to enter the water, surfacing like the Lochness monster as it moved through the fog. I-Im sorry I said, walking backward, preparing to swim away. I-I didnt mean to cut your plant. I was just trying to survive. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Everyone seeks to survive, she replied. Yet eating the cubs of a beast incurs wrath, stealing begets punishmentand disrupting the balance warrants death. I turned around, wondering how fast I could run. Probably fast enough to get a head start, but not much more than that. Yet I didnt. Yakana I pleaded. He told me to be here. A god asked me to provide repentance. I needed to do this. So I lowered myself slowly, trembling, voice shaking. I-I was wrong. I-If I didnt ask to be sent to a forest, I wouldnt have been in a position to You do not believe your own words, she sneered, shaking her fur. Kline started howling. Why would you lie to my face? Are you not prideful enough to own your decisions? I gripped the jagged rocks, feeling an intense desire to leave after that question. Lie? I chuckled, pressing my lips tight and taking a deep breath. Youre right. I am lying. The River Guardian took another step, but I continued. I didnt ask to come here. All I wanted to do was study plants and live in nature! She stopped stepping forward, staring at me from the mist, towering above melistening. I just wanted to garden and grow plants and live my life. But a bunch of crazed gods ripped my life away, destroyed my planet, and when I told them I wanted to live in nature and avoid killing people, they sent me here! My knuckles whitened on the rocks, fingers hot and stinging as I released my anger. And while Ive accepted my short sightedness, and acknowledged the role I played in landing in this forest, I refuse to accept fault for people kidnapping me! For people destroying my planet! For thrusting me into a world where strength and killing and immortality go hand in hand! So yeah. While I understand the depth of my wrong and feel remorse for disrupting nature, I cant possibly feel true remorse The River Guardian fell still, watching me with its glassy eyes, extra-black silhouettes in the milky fog. She seemed contemplative, thinking deeply. And of this stunt? Do you feel as little remorse? For the hundreds of beasts, these bugs killed after you drove them mad? I propped my forearm against a rock so I could cup my face. I was pissed off. I ridded this place of a pest, doing what no other beast could, and now I was being blamed for a tragedy. So no? she asked pointedly. I shook my head. A god told me to steal that plant. Another god told me to kill these bugs as recompense. The River Guardian narrowed its eyes. Which gods? The Guide didnt say. But I know the one that told me to kill these bugs was a soulmancer god. [1] River Guardians demeanor suddenly shifted. making it cock its head and back up a few steps, shifting like a rolling wave. Brindle? she whispered. My eyes widened, and my heart rapped against my ribcage. I had heard that name many times. Wait Brindle is a soulmancer? I asked. The River Guardian narrowed her eyes. How do you know Brindle? He authors all my books, I said, referring to what Lithco taught me while researching solutions for these quests. I didnt know how to kill the lignan bugs because he hadnt done it. I have also met Yakana. I believe they had a relationship. The River Guardians voice turned feral. How do you know that name? I stumbled back. Whose name? Yakana! I was just speaking to him! Lies! The River Guardian rushed forward, water splashing in chopping waves as Kline howled. In an instant, I saw its anteater snout explode from the fog, leaving churning circles as it passed by me. I trembled as I looked to the side and saw its long snout. It was as tall as my body, and it was split down the length like a crocodile, and even the breath escaping my side pushed my wet hair back. I slowly turned and saw a huge glassy eye the size of a beach ball staring down at me, gold with slit pupilsanger burning within. Kline howled on. I-Its true I stammered. Ive spoken to him twice. He helped me develop my cores. The River Guardian snorted, training her eyes on my chest and then my collarbonelooking toward my spine. The more she looked, the more confused she became, likely seeing my cores. You? she asked. Why would Yakana choose you as a guardian? I what? He never asked me to be a guardian. Yakana does not ask. Yakana does not decide. Yakana merely sees and acts upon the will of the forest. Okay? I said slowly, frustrated by the confusion I was experiencing. Tell me, human, the River Guardian said. Do you wish to protect this forest? I could feel her scorching eye burrowing into me, begging me to lie so she could swipe me away. I love nature, I said. And I try to preserve it. But I dont want to make it my job. The River Guardians mouth curved into a wicked sneer, curved like a scythedamning as a guillotine. Of course not. Your kind only takes. Your kind only ruins. Im appalled by this decision. I kept silent, trying to prevent things from getting worse. She glanced at me one last time before turning upriver. You have erred but sought atonement. That is enough. Ill let Yakanas guidance be proof of your innocence. And Brindle she paused but opted not to finish her statement, wading through the water, uphill against the tide. I heaved a breath of relief, the pump of my pounding heart making me weak. I didnt understand how stressed I was until the stress faded; once she started walking, I felt like I could collapse on my knees. Is it over? I silently asked. I looked up and found it wasnt a dream. Her silhouette had darkened in the fog, showing the distance. It was over, but I felt it shouldnt have been. The deformity in her greater outline was even more pronounced, and I was strangely certain it was her soul. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the soul repair elixironly half drankand extended my arm, opening my mouth as if to say, Take this. It will help. but I was afraid to anger her again. I doubted she would accept it from me, let alone drink a strange liquid from a human she expressly didnt trust. For whatever reason, I felt sad to watch her go and wanted to step in. Yet I didnt. I put the elixir back in my pocket hesitantly and thought, Ill check in on her later before turning back to Kline, whose silhouette was pacing back and forth on shore. Poor little guy Im coming. There was just one last thing to do. I entered the water, submerging myself. Thank you, Yakana, I said, but got no reply. Then I swam to shore, emerging like a dilapidated swamp monster as my little warrior yowled and jumped back and forth, greeting me. The moment I left the fog, he bounded into my chest. I caught him, laughing and crying, surprised and grateful and relieved to be alive, holding him tight and celebrating. For the first time, he didnt protest. He just rubbed his face on me and cried out. I love you, Kline, I said. Kline meowed and rubbed on my cheek. Suddenly, I got three notifications. One I expected, one that pissed me offand one that stunned me and set my heart ablaze. Chapter 47 - Welcomed and Bitter Rewards I found the first notification rather satisfying. It read: --- Neophyte Mira Hill has completed the Legacy Quest, Provide Recompense to the River Guardian. Summary: Whether you want to begin a journey into the world of soul manipulation or simply wish to start a life in the Areswood Forest, you must gain access to the Diktyo Riverand gain the inhabitants approval. Provide proper recompense for stealing the sacred water sack plant and prostrate yourself to the River Guardian and ask her forgiveness. Only then can you truly be accepted by this forest. Complete this legacy quest, and you will be offered the legacy of a soulmancer that specializes in plant-based soulmancy. Duration: None Requirement(s):
  1. Provide recompense to the River Guardian.
  2. Prostrate yourself before her.
  3. You may not hurt, threaten, or kill the River Guardian.
Rewards:
  1. Legacy Reward.
  2. Blessed Subclass of Your Choice (If Offered).
  3. Access to a Sacred Location.
Warning: The River Guardian may not accept you, regardless of the recompense you provide. --- I walked over to a calcified eranthia tree and let my back fall onto its sandy bark. I closed my eyes and looked up at the sky, still gray and stormy yet lighter somehow. So satisfying, I whispered. I looked back at my screen. I wonder what the sacred location is. Another notification greeted me. It read: --- Congratulations! You have found a hidden passage to Lake Nyralith, nicknamed the Lake of Symmetry by Brindle Grask. Description: Nothing is written about this location, likely to prevent anyone from seeking it out. Be careful when approaching it, and consider enacting privacy protocols when visiting it. Note: Patron gods and observers cannot see your guide unless you share it, so this reward is currently between you and the god that offered it. As a god-provided reward, I am also unable to record or remember the map. So do not share this information lightly, lest you incur the gods wrath. --- I forced a smile as I read it. Ah pleasant It was a nerve-wracking type of reward, but it did provide me great insights into the system. Id have to research these privacy protocols soon. Okay, so where is it? I turned to look at my map, and my cheek twitched uncontrollably. You gotta be shitting me. Usually, the map would highlight areas I had already been to in light blue. Then, when I looked for locations, I would see that strip of blue as a relative marker. I couldnt see any blue. I saw a tiny star showing where I was, the gate which was 25 miles away as my relativity point, and then the location, which was fifty miles northon a mountaintop! It was in the middle of the Fifth Ringa place where all the beasts were as powerful as the River Guardian! I was pissed. What type of bullshit is this? I asked, cupping my face and taking deep breaths. The last thing I needed to do was get pissed off and attract beasts, but I wanted to. Doesnt even tell me if its worth it, I thought. What a joke reward. I didnt say that aloud because, with my luck, this might be the Fountain of Youth, and the god who gave this to me would spite me or make my life hell. It was especially concerning when the River Guardian knew Brindle Thats when it finally sank in. Wait this legacys Brindles The River Guardian confirmed Brindle was a soulmancerand he was the person who wrote the book on Areswood Forest. Hes the only person who would know hidden locations. There was no doubt: Brindle Grask, the person who wrote all my books, offered me the legacy. Fuck the alchemy god and the poison god and the whatever god. Choosing anyone else would be moronic! My heart fluttered, unknowingly preparing my mind for the best news Ive gotten in the last week. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has completed a hidden mission for Mandatory Quest: Trial of Worth. Hidden Mission: Survivalist Mission Summary: Part of the Trial of Worth is determining whether youre worth investing in or if youll be a burden on taxpayer money as we clean up your corpse. Turns outyoure remarkably good at staying alive. Thats a great thing, considering your actions seem to disagree. Youve accepted three suicidal requests, committed mass exterminations, and almost killed yourself plenty without a quests influence. You even went through hell just to get your tent and camping equipment back. Now, as a reward, lets make that backpack irrelevant. For the next eleven weeks or the period until your first equipment drop-off (whichever comes sooner), you will have access to the temporary shelter. Once you arrive, you will be given instructions on how to increase its longevity. Disclaimer: This reward is only valid if you fill out an equipment request by tomorrow at midnight. --- I chuckled and let my back slide to the ground, taking deep breaths. It was a miracle that I wouldnt be living outside in a flimsy Coleman tent. Nothing against Coleman but it wasnt made for camping in hell. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. I turned to Kline. You get these notifications? Kline meowed. Good lets get you some water. Getting his water bowl proved ironic. I had worn my backpack in the river, so when I unclipped it, it was dripping with water, which Kline started lapping up. Get away I said, moving the backpack. He followed it, ignoring me. Okay Desiccate. Suddenly, all the water in the bag suddenly dumped out, sloshing Kline like a bucket of water. He blinked a few times, unbelieving the situation. Then he started howling. I snorted with laughter. Whos fault is that? Kline yowled and looked at me like I betrayed him. Yeah, yeah, I giggled, leaning down. I petted him, using Desiccate on his fur, causing him to dry in a moment. He still wouldnt look at me, which just made me laugh harder. I didnt stop until I reached into my backpack to get the water bladder and water bottle, only to find that my travel-sized iron skillet was already rusted. You gotta be kidding me. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a person, object, or concept more sensitive than cast iron skillets to water. I wonder if theres a dry clean spell Pushing that thought aside, I pulled out the bottle and bladder and bowl, and filled them all with the mana-infused Diktyo River water. As Kline drank, he shivered and glowed with an ambient aura. It was almost angelic. My little warrior could very well become a god. He finished and looked up for more. No, little guy. Drink too much and youll have problems. But Ive saved some. And we can get more I think. Speaking of which did you evolve? Klines eyes widened, and he grinned. His body took on a ghostly outline of a mountain lion, and his body even elevated two feet as he walked around. I reached for him and felt a solid object where the ethereal head was. Thiss wild good job! Kline meowed proudly, and I felt another desire to shed tears of joy. We survived we actually survived. Lets get out of here. I walked forward, preparing to leave. But as I was leaving, I saw the broken hives on the white tundra. There, in the liquid, were clouded white stones like pearls. There were hundreds of them. Whatre these? I asked, picking up one. As soon as it touched my fingers, the soul core in my chest started churning, reacting heavily. Then I thought about itsoul core. Lignan bugs. Soul eaters. Soul cores, maybe? Lets pick these up, I said. Kline tried to bite one but hissed and spat it out, voice sharp like a vampire touched by the sun. Thats a good sign, I said grimly. Give me a sec. I bet these are valuable. I pulled out my core sack and started collecting them as fast as possible. It was taking too long, so I reached out my hand. Levisphere. All the rocks flew in the air, congregating into a sphere that I threw into the bag. I chuckled and ran, feeling like we were on a timeline as I called spell after spell, collecting hundreds of them, some the size of marbles, before running off, following Kline as he led me to more. I had a feelinga good feelingthat I stumbled onto gold. 3. Elanas chest developed a deep pit of anxiety and excitement and greed as she watched Mira collecting the stones. This was just another reason why she needed to obtain the blessed subclass option at any cost. 4. Kline and I ran through the forest, following his senses to obtain the stones and collect them. We didnt get all of them, but we followed the River Guardians tracks and found dozens of massive lignan bugs that we relieved of the stones. They were squishy, empty creatures, so it was easy, disgusting work. Then Kline led us back to the bear. I was hesitant, but he was bold and insistent, so we returned. There, we found the bear, bloodied but otherwise normal-looking. Yet its eyes were hollow, gray like cataracts, staring blindly toward the river. Kline pounced on the bear, grabbing its throat in his jaw and ripping it out. Gross, I said, trying not to watch as I pulled out preservation arrays. I lost a lot of soul force, but I didnt lack the means to get it back quickly. I had lived here for a weekI had a lifetime ahead. Id be fine. I sliced up the bear, trying to take the shoulder I slashed but finding myself weak. Kline noticed this and elevated off the ground with his translucent, mountain lion-sized body, picking it up in his jaws and trotting off. It was surreal to watch him two feet above the ground like a circus performer on stilts, but I didnt question it. I was too tired. I just wanted to get homeand there was a long hike ahead. Kline and I began, and thats when something strange started happening. Large and terrifying beasts approached us in the distance, long distances apart to keep distance between us and other beasts. They were all strong, likely stronger than us, each with spines and studs and fur and fangs and sharp claws, ranging between the size of wolves to the height of semis. It was terrorizing, so we walked faster, expecting the worst every time we saw one on a hilltop or downhillbut they didnt attack. They just watched, and some even nodded their heads, only for a moment, a simple gesture of acceptance. Respect. I could feel it was respect, but I didnt believe it until we had entered the barrier, leaving them all behind. I still couldnt after. Such a thing wouldnt happen on Earth. Something like that didnt exist. Not amongst carnivores. Yet one look at Kline reminded me that animals were far more intelligent in Areswood or perhaps Dranami as a whole. The River Guardian could even speak. Perhaps all of these animals could converse with me. It was an eerie thought and filled me with a type of apprehension that I had yet to taste. I moved on, stepping over a bramble, weaving between brush, reminding myself that I wasnt safe just because I survived greater danger. Then I blinked, and we were back at the shelter, sun dropping slowly, time for it to unlock. I heard a chime. It was a notification. It told me to chant a few lines that I heard in my head. I did, and the shelter lit up with a light that alternated between blue and yellow and green in the dimming sun, illuminating the trees around it. Then I walked forward and got a notification about how it was unlocked for eleven weeks or until my first drop, whatever came first. It was a relief like none other. I walked in, barely purifying myself before crashing onto the bed, chuckling exhausted, curling up with Klineinstantly falling asleep. It was still dark outside when I awoke, three a.m.the perfect time for a bath. I took some of the bear meat and set it spiceless on the fire rack, then activated the bath and crawled inside. Kline didnt join me, opting to stay curled, sleeping as a victory trophy. We both got what we wanted. God, it was so good. Its almost over, I thought. Just a few more hours. I finished up and put my camping pajamas on (a pair of shorts and a tank top) and went to sleep, snuggling with my little warrior until mornings light. Then we woke and ate and prepared and left the temporary shelter, sitting like victorious war victors in occupied cities, waiting for the war to end. I made it I thought as I felt the morning mist on my skin. Its hard to believe Flashbacks of the last week played out in my mind. Waking up on the reaper; fighting for my backpack. My first kill and Klines rewards; trap plants and poison and itchiness. Soul damage twice, slurries and poisons and exterminations. Trippingfor the first timebuilding a core and then another. Meeting a forest spirit and attracting multiple gods. Then the River Guardian, connected to the symphony bugs in the Divide, keeping us safe in this dark and dangerous forest in a land far beyond. I wonder how Ill look back on this I thought. Would it be good or bad? Nostalgic maybe? Lucky? Callous and resentful? It was hard to say. All I knew was that I was glad to be alive. At 8:43, we got the chime, indicating that the Trial of Worth was finally overand the rewards came in. Chapter 48 - Legacy Options I thought that the Trial of Worth would end with some grand congratulations, but it didnt. It started out just as boring as ever. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has completed the mandatory quest, Trial of Worth. Quest Summary: Surprise, surprisethe gods see no value in people who want to stare at plants all day. If you choose this path to godhood, they demand you prove your resolve the hard way. Use your botany class to survive over the next seven days. Duration: (1) Week Quest Value: Prepare for your new world. Provides voluntary missions and resources to test skills. Excellent performance can earn the neophyte subclasses and legacies that provide unique rewards and additional quests. Notes:
  1. The Trial of Worth is the only mandatory quest. It is given to all classes.
  2. The neophytes class type and environment influence the trials difficulty.
  3. The more distinguished your performance is when completing missions, the greater chance you have of obtaining a subclass or a legacy.
  4. Unwillingness to participate in the trial, either by not using your class during the trial or giving up, will result in the neophyte being reassigned to a Peaceful Class of the Oracles choosing.
  5. You may switch to a Peaceful Class at any time, though the Oracle will assign you to the class of their choosing.
  6. You are in an isolated environment. It could take up to a year to retrieve you without high-level Requests. It is recommended that you participate and earn Requests and Rewards to survive.
--- Thats right it didnt have rewards, I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. I know there were missions with rewards, but still. Youd think there was more than this Hey, Lithco. Come teach me more about core formation. Lithco walked out from behind a tree, shoulders slumped as if he were summoned by their boss for another ten hours of work. He turned to me with bleary eyes. Yes? I know you dont want core work. Youre right, I said. Im actually looking for some excitement or something. Cant you use your augmented reality to make this special? Lithco lowered his head, rubbing his eyes. Then he lifted a finger, and party streamers popped from it. Yay he said. Ahem! I said. Youre not leaving until you make this exciting. Youre so petty. Damn right I am. After putting me through hell, I deserve some encouragement. Lithco took a deep breath, exhaled even deeper, then lifted his arms in a Y. The molten skies, still burning from the sunrise, exploded with fireworks, raining down sparks like pixie dust. Yay. Go Mira. You did exactly what everyone else did. Have some cookies. He shook his sleeves, and tiny chocolate chip cookies started dropping from them onto the ground. Satisfied? I giggled and smiled. Yeah. Okay. Now that thats out of the way, close the notification so you can get your congratulations. Idiot. My smile sharply curved into a frown when he walked behind a tree and disappeared. I closed the notification, which was still up to, and I got another notification proving that I had just jumped the gun. The first was a distinction page that listed everything that I had accomplished, which felt very, very satisfying. --- Trial of Worth Review Class type: Unique - Kills: 1st Evolution: 37 2nd Evolution: 217 - Assisted Kills: 1st Evolution: 44 2nd Evolution: 891 3rd Evolution: 87 - Alchemic Creations (Including Poisons): Tier 2: 1 Tier 3: 2 - Mana Core Strength: Purity: Peak Strength: Very High - Soul Core Strength: Purity: High Strength: High - Soul Strength: Purity: Very High Strength: Very High - Accomplishments
  1. Completed a legacy quest.
  2. Completed multiple legacy requests.
  3. Obtained a blessed subclass offer.
--- I read through the long list of accomplishments with a wicked grin carved into my face. There were dozens. It was vain and satisfying, but what really mattered was the line on the final screen. It read: --- These accomplishments will contribute to your Trial of Worth and evolution rewards. The trial is still in session for other participants. It will conclude in two days. --- I like the sound of rewards, I said. I looked down at Kline. Do you like the sound of rewards? Kline looked up and meowed. It was the same as every meow, but it packed a punch of excitement. Then I physically swiped away the notifications, thinking about what I should do that daycompletely forgetting the most important reward of all. It didnt let me forget. I got an insane notification that made me cackle a dark cackle that came from deep within my soul. It read: If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. --- You have been offered three legacy rewards. Would you like to choose a legacy now or wait to obtain more offers? --- Now, I said without hesitation. Putting aside the hell I went through for Brindles legacy and the insanity of choosing any other, I''d rather lick a cheese grater than do another legacy quest. I had fought soul-eating monsters, sparked murderous orgies, and sent an entire species into a family killing frenzy. Now that I had amazing options, there were no gains worth my life. Or perhaps there was. The prizes were juicy. Thats why I refused to entertain them and moved on. The next screen pulled up all three options, ranked by the order I received them. I read them in surprise. Wow theres no sass, I said. Guess the gods wrote these. Kline looked at me blankly. Oh I guess these legacies arent yours. Here, Ill read them. The first ones from a god named Telgan. Its very simple. It reads: My name is Telgan, a dryad famed for their weaponization of fungi and plants. If you accept my legacy, I will teach you magic on how to harness the dangerous plants and fungi in the Areswood Forest to kill and threaten and solve most problems. In exchange, I ask that you protect Areswood Forest. I leaned my back against a tree. Thats kinda interesting, I muttered. Thats basically what Ive been doing, but I could use magic. This wasnt a throwaway option. As the incident with the shalks, reapers, and lignans showed, the weaponization of raw plants and fungi alone could cause massacres. If I could use magic to pull poisons out of plants or animate poison brambles to strike something, it would be an undeniable boon. I would take this one seriously. She says that the Tribute is just to protect the forest from invaders. There is no monthly tribute, and we could potentially live here forever without paying tribute, but there is no time or danger threshold if it is invaded. I turned to Kline. What do you think? He slightly shruggedas cats somehow doand meowed. Yeah its not particularly impressive, either, is it? He meowed again. Okay let me read the next one. Before I read it, the symphony bugs picked up in the area, creating beautiful music as if they were angelic trumpets summoning Gods arrival. Okay, this ones from Elana Saliea shes an alchemy god, and she really emphasizes that were both human Oh my I suppressed the word God, thinking, Dont say it aloud she might be listening. By dont say it aloud, I meant that this lady was an extravagant narcissist who didnt understand the depth of their narcissism, so offending her would be bad news. Ill just read it, I said. It says: Dear Mira. Over the last week, Ive had the divine fortune to watch you and your spirit beast completing trials in the Areswood Forest, and I must say, you have what it takes to be beautiful. A little bit rough, but as your master, I will provide you with the resources to be a goddess that is sought through the cosmos. Believe me. Three millennia ago, humans like us were considered bald animals by the prevailing races. But after my beauty line and rebranding, humans are the hottest breeding species in the Multiverse, and I believe with you, we can solidify our species on top. I suppressed a desire to roll my eyes. I was dying in a forest, and she was shilling me her beauty line and flattering me. Dont get me wrongI liked to look good as much as anyone. If it wasnt so much damn work, Id wear makeup every day. Look good, feel goodits real. But the same fact was I was on the verge of dying in a fucking forest, and the last thing on my mind was how I could look better. I thought things would continue down this vain, unnecessary path, but it turned out that Elana was, in fact, a pragmatic god. To do that, I believe that you should accept Brindle darlings legacy and accept my blessed subclass. Then, I can provide you one-on-one tutelage, teaching you how to make life-saving alchemic recipes. My plan will start with health elixirs and balms and anti-toxins, survival recipes that will keep you alive now. Should you lose a limb or be horribly transfigured, I will give you resources and advice to rectify such hideousness. Health. Power. Youth. If you choose my blessed subclass, I will ensure you stay alive, obtain wealth, and reach the pinnacle of fame and beauty in the Multiverse. Translation: I know youre going to pick Brindles, so pick me next. Youre a bit ugly, but youre extremely valuable. So I will fix you if you give me your resources got it. The message left me with a bittersweet smile. It would be impossible to overstate the value of alchemy. These elixirs and creations have already saved my life and increased my power exponentially. Moreover, Elana was clearly invested in keeping me alive, even if it were to rob me dry. So, unlike the first god, I could see her zealously teaching meas annoying as it may prove to be. I looked at Kline, who was eying me suspiciously. I know I said, reading through the rest of the long-winded business proposal. But the Tribute isnt that bad. Its just to sell requested resources and elixirs during the Black Harvest, and thats already what I was planning to do anyway. Ill probably need to take quests to get these ingredients and learn how to make them. It sounds like a pain in the ass. But. I smiled wryly. Is there actually a choice here? Kline huffed and turned away on principle. He didnt take kindly to anyone trying to use me, even if it was mutually beneficial. I loved that about him, but it was also a bit childish. I created a water sphere and splashed it onto my face, running my fingers through my hair. Then I flicked water at Kline, and he hissed, backing up as he brooded. Okay, lets read Brindles, I said, chuckling at his reaction. Then I looked at the screen with a wry smile, feeling a knot developing in my intestines. He writes, I began, Mira Hill. I do not often interact with others, so I have obtained help with this letter. I hope you will forgive my blunt and apathetic personality, as it is in my nature. Looks like he got a lot of help, I silently mused, easing up my stress. This reads like an intern wrote it. I looked at Kline to see if I was the only one and found him staring at me with a creepy smile. I cupped my hands over my mouth, trying not to laugh. It was funny, but it wasn''t. There was a firm chance that this offer would sound magical, only to later learn he was a ruthless god. That sobered me up. My name is Brindle Grask, a druid that lived in Areswood for over sixty millennia. The books in the Guides library are my own, so I am best suited to be your guide and mentor. With my aid, you will receive access to sacred locations, be warned of those yet dangerous, and learn of important resources in each ring. As you are a botanist, I can also teach you of the many plants of this forest and their uses. I nodded. This was the reason, more than any other, that I wanted to accept Brindles legacy. It was practical and awarded me more information on my chosen study. I read on. My soulmancy legacy grants its wielder the potential for immense power, allowing them to refine soul force, impress their will on the world, and gives them the ability to birth life into inanimate objects, including plants, and turning them into weapons. By pursuing this art within the Forest of Souls you will gain dominion over the land and achieve control and protection beyond any one skill. I smiled wryly, expecting the catch, and it came swift and hard. That said, I whispered hesitantly, the art of manipulating the souls and consciousness of living creatures is considered blasphemous by countless religions and organizations. Should people learn that you have accepted my legacy, you will be shunned by many societies in the Multiverse and hunted down by zealots. Thus, to accept my legacy, you must commit yourself to a life of power. I pressed my fingers against my eyelids, holding my breath for a few seconds before exhaling and releasing them. I wanted to say, Sure, whatevs, its no biggie. Its not like anyones gonna meet me in person. Besides, havent you seen me? I can slow time. You think I need soul plants to kill some second evolution assholes? What a joke. Unfortunately, I couldnt say that. Gods would know that I accepted Brindles legacyGod knows narcissists like Elana cant shut the fuck up to save their lives, so I was sure that my name would be broadcasted as a Beauty in the Making or something. I looked to the sky, wondering what Id have to do to mitigate these risks. I was strong enough to protect my familybut I was nowhere near themand leaving the forest meant forgoing Tribute to Elana if not Brindle as well. I would need to ask questions and make arrangements. Given your situation, I read, theres far more advantages to accepting my legacy than otherwise, and I have presented you with a subclass option to feed your other passions. Should you need additional aid, I will endeavor to help you. You have a great opportunity herebut there is a cost. Those last five words sleeved my arms with gooseflesh, prickling and sensitive to the morning air. I have offered this legacy because Yakana has shown favor to you, I read. This is a rarity, a showcase that your intentions toward the forest are pure and devoid of desires for financial gains or power. If you accept my legacy, I require you to prove your resolve, paying me Tribute by protecting this forest from invasion, should the need arise, and not threatening the forest with your actions. That includes exercising prudence when selling alchemic resources in creations. Break any of these, and I will be as much your enemy as jealous alchemists, zealots, and thieves. So compose yourself. Brindles words were depressingly reasonable. I say depressingly because they didnt seem reasonable at all. It was like he was offering me the carrot and the stick, but the stick was a club, and he was actively beating me with it. That said, accepting Elanas legacy would put me in the crosshairs of every alchemy god and business within Elanas network. Soon, people would be currying favors with my family for resources if they found out about them or tried to take them hostage for leverage. Therefore, I needed to protect my family somehow. Thats why Brindles requests were reasonable: it said that I wont tread on you so long as you dont tread on me. The rest was quite involuntary What a nightmare. What happened to living a simple life studying plants? That question wasnt fair. I was offered a full-time tutor at will, all the recorded knowledge on plants accessible to mortals, rewards that transcended my wildest dreams, magic, immortality, power, and almost all the time I wanted to hike around, make cool creations, and conduct experiments. Once I had enough power to be on the top of the food chain again, this would be a dream lifefar better than the mundane internship I was destined for on Earth. It was a good deal, so complaining that I had to accept some minor responsibilities like a modern adult felt petty. Right or wrong, thats how I personally felt about it, and I was satisfied with the outcome. Guess thats it, I said. It felt like I was supposed to answer without hesitation here, but I had an important question that I needed answers to before I accepted any of these requests. Hey, Lithco. How in the hell am I gonna protect my family after this? Lithco walked out from behind the tree that he escaped in, correctly assuming that I wanted to see his face for the conversation about protecting my family. He sat down in front of me, taking his time to settle in and then matching my intense gaze. I wish that I could tell you that this would be easy, that all you had to do is throw down a free request to suppress all information on them and everything would be solved, he said. But unfortunately, things are long past that. Chapter 49 - Legacy and Subclass Choices My heart thumped when I heard that hiding my family would be difficult. W-Wait, I stammered. What happened? Your family happened, Lithco said dryly, leaning back in his chair. Ever since your father got here, hes tried to figure out how to get to his daughter, publicly disclosing your location to anyone who could possibly help. Your mother has talked about your situation at work, trying to cope, and your brother tried to hide that he got a level up, but you know teenagers. He asked someone to keep a secret; now, everyone knows, and theyre giving him hell for it. So yeah, even if you hire a contract specialist to silence people, youre boned. Doesnt help that you announced me to the world, did it? I sneered. False, Lithco said. I suppress information on families during the trial to prevent coercionbut it didnt help. Your family spread information about a woman who was integrated into the Areswood Forest. It reached the Claustra Family within the day, and they sold the information to a dozen other businesses, organizations, and fellow info-brokers, including governments in multiple domains. You were famous from the instant your parents opened their mouths. I shivered, feeling prickled goosebumps wave up my forearms. Oh Luckily for you, I hide information on blessings and legacies, so you dont have to worry about that, he said. Theres also anti-stalking measures, and I provide routes to information suppression. Not that theyre that effective for the famous. I reached out my arms, and Kline walked into them, allowing me to hold him like a stress pillow. Then I looked up. So whadda we do about it? Lithco laced his fingers and leaned in. I suppose that questions worthy of an information request. I glared at him. He made eye contact and raised his eyebrows. I caved in. Fine. But I want a report, not some flimsy bullet points. And I want you to explain it. Lithco smiled strangely. Im an AI that rules the Multiverse. Do you really think that my lists are so inconsequen I want a report. He put up his hands. Fine. Heres what were going to need he began, starting his explanation. At first, I was engaged, but minutes soon turned to hours, and by the time he finished, all I could muster was a, Fine. Whatever, just fucking do it, before rubbing my sunken eyes. Once it was over, I leaned back and turned away from Lithco. Well, at least I know theyll be safe, I grumbled. It spent a diamond, two platinum, and a goldbut it was worth it. A lot of people were gonna get one hell of a shock once they kicked inespecially my parents. It''s not like I could call them to warn them. Not that I think I would, anyway... "... so?" Lithco asked. Your familys taken care of. You want to choose a class now? I nodded. Yeah. Whatll it be? Brindle obviously. He wrote the book on the forest, and he''s giving me two legacies kinda. I doubt Elana would offer that. Right?" I cant speak for gods. I rolled my eyes. Course not. So?" Lithco asked. "Brindle''s the one? I nodded. "Yeah." A second later, I got the notification. Next up, subclass," he said. "Everyones offering you oneincluding the poison god. They can do that? Yeah. Blessed subclasses just require distinction and class relevancy. Its a high barrier, but you killed hundreds of second-evolution beasts with poisons. It counts. Makes sense.... So? Do you want it? The poison blessing? Yeah. I smiled wryly, wishing it wasnt an option. It just made the decision harder. No I said. I want Elanas. You sure? I nodded solemnly. Brindles legacys a nightmare, and I''ll need money for protection. I cant be using requests forever. Wise point, Lithco said. I nodded and looked away. Our conversation referred to family protection. I bought them heavy detail for two years with a platinum request, but in the future, Id have to pay in money or resources. Thats something Lithco explained during our two-hour talk. I was famous. Even if I didnt accept Brindles legacy, side-stepping the zealots'' wrath, people would try to coerce me into bringing them raw resources from the forest. Then, there were the zealots and competitor gods apprentices. My family didnt need securitythey needed the best security, and the best was pricey. Class or not, I needed enough money or barter to protect them. "Plus I need it," I sighed, speaking of the subclass. We got the water, but that won''t solve every problem. It''s just a pragmatic class. Plus it''s... reasonable? I don''t know what I was expecting, but I thought Elana would be asking for weekly shipments or something. She''s just asking for what I already planned to do. Her tribute was to create alchemic creations and pass them off during the Black Harvest. That''s what I was already going to do. There might be some risk in the supplies, but anything worthy of selling had to be good. Lithco smiled strangely. You can actually thank Brindle for that. If Elana had her way, she''d bleed you dry, but Brindle would killed her if she tried. My eyes widened. Seriously? Seriously. Badass, I thought. It was crazy to hear that my first patron god could casually kill my second. It was better that the stronger one wanted me to focus on plants all day. This was a boom I never considered. I regarded both notifications more fondly after that. Well, if thats it, Lithco slapped his legs and stood up, Ill get going. Wait. Thats it? He smiled at me. Thats it. You got two new tabs: Legacy and Subclass. Theyre similar, but youll pick em up easily enough. His words and demeanor twisted my tongue in knots, and I found myself confused, unsure what question would ease this anxiety. Then it hit me. Since I arrived, I had been reading directions from a screen and risking my life for quantified awards. Now, I had come to the end of it, and there wasnt another prompt telling me what to do. Speak to gods? Go through some orientation? I was lost. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. So what now? I asked. Lithco shrugged his shoulders, presenting his flat palms on both sides of his body like a serif W. Then he dissolved like a Hollywood vampire, blowing away in a breeze that I could barely feel against my skin. I was slightly annoyed but almost liberated. It was a brutal weekbut now, I could do whatever I wanted. If I were so inclined, I could spend my entire day studying plants. I pulled up the Guide screen and saw the two tabs with [New!] plastered on the side. I went to choose one but pulled back at the last moment. Nothing was telling me that I needed to. Lithco didnt. It wasnt being forced upon me Yeah. It was voluntary. I grinned and looked at Kline. Hey, you wanna take the day off? Do some foraging? Kline meowed strangely. And do some hunting, I added. Klines meow became vibrant and accepting. I swiped away the Guide screen. Sorry, guys, I said to the sky. I went through hell to study botany, so Im gonna do that. Ill be responsible tomorrow probably. I chuckled with a wide grin, feeling empowered as I strutted off with Kline, ready to start my new life. 2. Elanas cheek twitched when she heard Mira declare that the gods had to wait to speak to her. Was she mad? Did she not understand the depth of what Elana offered her? Hundreds of thousands would gravel on their knees to even receive a recipe from her! This was absolutely ridiculous. Disrespectful. Absurd. Koris obnoxious laughter made it worse. The tiefling was high on life to make up for that despicable poison that he was drinking the last time he was over. Can I help you with something? Elana asked sharply. He turned to her. Im not sure thats the question. I think the right one is: can I help you? He looked at the empty room. Youre not even showing off anymore. Elana paused and looked at him, glancing around his person. Youre hideous. So is she Kori smirked, turning back to the screen. Dont you dare call my pupil hideous! Kori smiled slightly, watching Mira examine a gnarly-looking plant as if they was the most fascinating thing in the world. Those were your words He smirked at her. Past tense. Elana blushed and looked away. Shes my pupil Kori. She glanced at him. And dont you dare compare yourself to her. He put up his hands in a surrender gesture and smiled. Not saying nothing. He might have pressed on to capture her interest, but he was drawn back to the screen, watching Mira looking at a mushroom that was right next to the plant. She hadnt moved two inches before being drawn back in. That was compelling in its own way, and he said so. Its crazy that she survived this long, isnt it? Elana watched her. Yeah. Pretty special, if you ask me. She glanced to the left and found Kline grooming himself behind her, ears twitching as he looked aroundkeeping guard. But it kinda makes sense. Kori nodded and reached into a spatial ring and pulled out another bottle of poison. No, Elana said. He ignored her and pulled out two shot glasses, filling them. Then he rocked both back, exhaling harshly, giving a wheeeeeeeeew as he shivered. Youre unbelievable, she scoffed. He held up the bottle and shook it. Well? Celebrate? Elana glanced at him one last time before snatching it out of his hand. One drink. Kori gave her a knowing smirk and then watched on. 3. Doug had spent his entire life hating Microsoft Excel. It was the bane of his existence as a finance manager, taking up most of his time. He had spent the last two years debating the value of hiring a personal data analyst just to ensure that hed never have to touch the software again. Now, he was writing numbers on a scroll, and once he finished, the parchment absorbed half the ink, crunched the calculations, and wrote an answer on the scroll in the calculated section. Thiss what theyre paying you for, Doug thought, body twitching. If they messed up those calculations, thats a them problem, not a me problem. He forced a smile, trying not to flip the page, trying to read the arrays on the back with the calculations. But still this is the worst. A sudden knock on his door captured his attention. Come in, Doug said. His coworker Trakthe know-it-all asshole rockin the high school mathematics skillscame in, not a trace of smugness on his expression. There wasnt a smirk or blood or anything other than a look of absolute fear as his body trembled. M-Mr. Hill he said. Mr. Hill? whys he suddenly treating me like a Doug stopped his thought when two men the size of bodybuilders walked into his office, each over six feet tall and exuding invisible pressure that made Doug shutter. They both had beards; one had a hideous scar from where someone fish hooked their cheek with a bowie knife, by the look of it. Doug was going to die. He was certain of it. H-How can I help you? Doug asked. Pardon our intrusion, the first said. We are hired guards of the Dante Family. From this day on, we will be protecting you and your family. Each of us is a second ev with high purity and combat experience. I assure you that were qualified, sir. W-Wait. Youre going to what? Doug looked at Trak, who was staring at him like a god he shouldnt have offended. That wasnt a good sign. He looked back at the guards. Im confused. Tell him, the second guard reminded the first. Oh, the first said, clearing his throat. We are here by order of one Mira Hill. Doug leaned back, eyes darting between the two, unsure whether to laugh or cower. So he did both, wondering what Mira had done to warrant such extreme measures. That girl he thought as he awkwardly dealt with him. Yet inside, he was burning with pride over his little girl. She had done grown up, and she was already taking care of her parents. It was just another reminder that his decision to settle down and have children was the best thing he had ever done. 4. Tanya saw the guards walk into her classroom and panicked, pulling the children close into a ballprepared to protect them with her life. Then she learned who they were and scoffed, appalled by the untactful introduction. It left her fuming. Yet once the children left and she heard the circumstances, she calmed down. That girl, she thought, humored tears in her eyes. Just last week, she and Doug were trying to protect her; this week was the opposite. Tanya felt a deep desire to buy a white dress and stomp right into that forest just to show Mira how much she loved her. Yet, for now, she just wept silently, thanking the bodyguards as they took her home 5. Four male teenagers led Tyler into the woods, all walking with their chests out, bodies flaring with testosterone and primal fury. Tyler was amongst the angriest. Ever since Mira gave him the platinum request, he started getting the best results and magic. The girls began flocking to himthe guys got jealous. But the bullying had started ramping up as well. Sup, Cheat Code? theyd say. Back off, man. His sisterll kill you, another would add. Over and over, stuck on repeat, cutting like a scratched disk. It all started with the snide British dickhead that was currently leading him into the forest. His name was Holden, and his friend group had successfully created a negative PR campaign against him. It was called Sis Curve, and they started getting the kids to start gauging their power with it. When Tyler did something, they labeled it the "cheat standard." Then people shot for it, and no matter how well they did, they won. If they did worse than Tyler, they said the person did good for someone not on the Sis Curve. And if someone beat Tyler''s score, they were praised as someone who didnt need cheat codes to win and people won often. Thats because the tests were built on talent. Raw power or distance wasnt a metric. It was based on accuracy, purity, and efficacy. Large spells often caused more problems than they solved, so Tyler winning often was a sign of his talent, not a fucking cheat! Tyler stomped his feet onto the ground, feeling twigs crunch underfoot as the others watched him from all sides. They were sneering, darkness in their eyes. You want to fight? he thought. Ill give you a fight. Tyler was shocked that they wanted to fight at all. Did they believe their lies? It would be delusional if they did. Even four against one, Tyler had the magical power and skill needed to take them off. Holden suddenly stopped in an open clearing, sunlight streaming through the canopies onto a field of boring flowers and gnarled weeds. He took a breath before snorting. You''ve got some proper nerve to rock up here. Im just tired of you people thinkin everything I dos a fucking handout, Tyler said. So if you want me to prove itIll prove it. Holden sneered, and his three friends surrounded Tyler. Lets make something clear. This He whirled his finger toward the sky. All of this. It doesnt matter how strong a person is. Tyler knew something was wrong and immediately started chanting. Chapter 50 - Tyler Hill Holden and three others jumped Tyler from all sides. He was prepared, sending one flying with a wind spell, hitting Holden in the face. He tried to knock a third one back with a rock bullet, but it was too slow, allowing the teen to hit him in the jaw. Tyler stumbled back as the fourth boy swung at the top of his skull with a rock. He turned just in time, but the rock clipped his ear. Tylers ear flamed up, and a sharp whine cut through his mind. He grasped the side of his head, mouth open, feeling disoriented. This isnt personal, Holden said, spitting out blood. Hold em down. The other boys held him down as Holden walked up. No. This isnt personal. Thiss professional, now innit? Some might call it the job description. Tyler heard the crunch of gravel under Holdens new leather bootsand then felt a sharp force crack against his jaw. He jerked and screamed, but the other boys held him down. Calm down, mate, Holden said. Cant do shit to ya durin the trial, now can I? But just remember He grabbed Tylers hair and lifted him and leaned into his ear, ma~te. Tyler growled and looked at the teen. Th trials endin, Holden said. So you better sharpen up, or fall into line. Cause if you keep muckin around aimless, causin us problems well sort ya into rewards, now wont we? The others didnt answertrepidation in their grip. It seemed that they didnt fully process the situation before coming. Dranami wasnt Earth. From now on, they would earn rewards for hurting and killing neophytes with Path and Unique classes. This was his plan all along, Tyler thought, wondering how he could be so stupid. Holden had turned public opinion against Tyler, flaring up discontent to obtain a group to attack him. Now, he was leveling up at his expenseand honestly meant to kill him. It was cleverTyler would give him that. Lets see how many levels well get before we get the warning, Holden said. He stood and kicked Tyler in the ribs with a thunderous crack. Come on, do it. He turned to the others and lowered his voice to an unsettling degree. Hit. Him. Even staring at the dirt, Tyler could feel the shame and trepidation in them. Levels were one thingkilling was another. Some adapted better than others; Tyler imagined that most wouldnt adapt at all. I said do it! Holden screamed. Suddenly, a haunting whistle, strung together in a beautiful melody, cut through the forest. Holden stopped attacking and turned. Tyler did the same, opening his weary eyes to see someone in strange formal attire, somewhere between a blazer and a full peacoat, weaving through the trees. No one knew when he got so close or where he came from, and that whistle that song it was absolutely menacing, rattling in his mind like an echo chamber, making him want to run. Well this looks charming, a young man said. You mind if I join the fun? Tyler wheezed and coughed out blood, a sign that the attack had damaged his lungs or that his throat was beat up. Probably both. It was a terrible situation. Yet even in his state, he didnt know if he wanted to be anywhere near the young man who just spoke. Like Holden, he held himself like an elite, someone born with power and taught to dictate rather than serve. He also had that smug confidence in his voice, as if the world itself was a game. His haircut was fresh. No disrespect, mate, Holden said, sounding surprisingly amicable, but thiss trial business. From what Ive gathered, were not supposed to mingle with others. Oh, you can mingle, the sharply dressed man, who Tyler would later know as Brexton Claustra, said. You can even attack one of us. I cant cant touch you or threaten you or coerce you into doing anything specific, nor single anyone out for any particular reason. He took a step forward, and the entire world seemed to turn black, inverting with white like a half-developed photo, and then an invisible force rattled Tylers bones. Holden gasped and dropped to a knee, gasping for air. But I wonder about beasts, Brexton mused. Do they have the same rules? Suddenly, a haunting howl reverberated in the woods, and Tyler could hear rotted logs snapping underfoot and trees swaying and ground buckling and leaves rattling as something barreled through the thicket in the distance. No-no-no-no-no! Tyler tried to stand, but that force was still bearing down on him. The others beside him werent much better, screaming and trying to crawl away. And what if I just want to shake your hand? Brexton said. Suddenly, the teen multiplied into ten, walking up like a persons reflection in a shattered mirror, walking up to Holden, who was on the verge of pissing himself. W-Wait, mate, Holden stammered as one of the clones walked up to him and dropped to his haunches. Ill leave. Im not sure whats goin on, but Ill say sorry. Hoh? Brexton mused. Sorry for what? Pickin on him. Oh, it seems youve learned something. What is it that youve learned? I ummm that people are always watching. Brextons eyes glided to the right. Yes. Thats very, very true. And? Holden looked at Tyler and then back at Brexton, lips quivering as the beast got closer, breaking down trees as it bowled through the area. T-That I should be careful who I attack? he asked. Brexton puffed out his bottom lip and nodded a few more times. Thats also wise. I-Im sorry. Brexton nodded a few times. Okay. Tyler found the scene strange. Eerie even. If Brexton had been a guard, he would have gotten into serious trouble by now. If he had shown favoritism to Tyler, he also wouldve been penalized. Tyler was certain of it. He studied the rules three times at his mothers behest. The woman was losing her mind ever since Leo lost an arm and got patched back together. So why? What did this person want that would make them risk the Oracle punishing them? Or did they not want anything at all? Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. There were so many questions, and it was stressing him out. The pressure in the atmosphere was suffocating and straining, as if his head were held under water, and he just wanted to cling onto someone and pull, bringing his head out to breathe and wheeze and gasp for breathbut he was frozen, heart moving for the rest of his bodywaiting for his fate to unveil itself. Right then, in that state of hyper-stress, listening to the howls and moans of some tortured animal in the distance, watching Holden beg and plead and rationalize, feeling the pressure of Brextons aura, everything came to ahead and a clap shattered the environment. It was like a dome had been placed over them, filled with dark lighting and roaring animals, and once it broke, the world was flooded with birds and insects and light and everything else that was there before they arrived. The sound of the monster was long gone. It was like it never existed. Thats enough, Brexton, a stern voice said from behind Tyler. Brexton grinned and stood up. Kalas Now what might you be doing here? He just kept walking up to the ground, making Tyler want to roll to face him, but his full attention was on Brexton. Might wanna stop, Brexton said, glancing at the ground behind Tyler. The distance requirements are rather sharp. Suddenly, his body and all his other clones dissolved into nothingness, leaving Brexton yelling out fifty yards away. Thiss the ideal distance! Not if youre protecting trial participants, Kalas said. He stopped right beside Tyler and looked down at Holden. Youre all free to leave. They did. Holden and his friends stood and ran back to the grounds as quickly as they could, seeking refuge next to their proctors. Brexton remained, watching from a distance. Tyler couldnt see him, but he could feel an almost insane smile staring at him as Kalas turned to him. Who are you? Im your new teacher. Did Mira send you? Yes. Of course Tyler was bitter knowing that his sister was helping him again, especially after what happened the last time she did. Stillsomething had changed. Holden had just proved to him that talent and individual might meant nothing until someone was strong enough to fight everyone. This world wasnt about winningit was about who survived the longest and who retained what they cared about along the way. And Tyler honestly didnt give a fuck anymore. If Mira wanted to help him get stronger, hed accept it. Hed do whatever it took to get every level out of Holden as he could. Tyler nodded and stood. Okay. Then he turned and found Brexton still staring at him in the distance, smirk as calm as ever. Stay away from him, Kalas said. Who is he? Tyler asked. An info broker, Kalas warned. Hes influential and will sell you out the moment he gets the chance. Then whyd he help me? The Claustra have their virtues, and people often deal with them. Hes probably looking for an in with your sister. Or hes just seeking out a rush. That ones a wild animal. You never know what hell do. Tyler nodded and looked at Brexton. Brexton waved playfully. Duely noted. Now lets go, Kalas said. We have much to do.
Brindle watched Tyler return to the training ground with a penetrating gaze. Family and relationships were the driving points of irrationality in most humanoids. If his apprentices family were in trouble, she might open up the forest or yield to demands. To prevent that, he may need to start killing gods until they send their students to protect her family. Much as he loathed it, he would also need alliances. There were things to be done, relationships to make, measures to be takenyet Brindle was undaunted. Once he accepted a task, he accepted it fully. Now, whether it took a year or a million years, he would support his apprentice. Such was the patient and absolute entity he had become. Such was his way. Brindle turned screens to watch Mira. He knew by her patterns that she was collecting supplies for alchemy, health potions most likely, given the plants she was walking toward after searching her guide. Yet she kept getting distracted every ten feet until her cat nipped at her jeans and dragged her along, taking her to the next herb. Mira Hill was the real dealsomeone who truly loved plants. She looked so happy in nature, glad to be free. That was a joy that Brindle couldnt understand. She didnt feel a kinship with plants like he didjust love and appreciation. It was strange yet pleasant. She just might make a guardian yet. Brindle pondered his future moves and nodded. Its time to go, he told Telgan. She kicked on his shoulder and nodded, leaning backward in her tiny body and being absorbed into a tree. Then, a portal opened within, and they boldly left the beautiful, colorful Ethereal Gardens Brindle had built over his vast life span, preparing to set the groundwork for what was to come.
I had the best day of my life. Or perhaps it was just a great day, but I had a deeper appreciation for the cycle of life that came after. My family was as safe as they could get, and I had a road to power. Now, I could walk through this strange and wondrous forest, navigating through poisonous plants as if they were inconsequential, choosing to stop at the ones that looked strangestforaging small fruits from edible bushes and eating nuts that grew underground. I couldnt believe that this would be my life. It was a day off but it wasnt idle. I had collected the ingredients for a basic health elixir that was in my alchemy tutorial recipes and planned to spend the following day making it. That should appease my narcissistic patron god. I hoped. As for Brindle, I doubted he cared what I did as long as I didnt destroy his forest. I hoped. Either way, those were questions for the morrow. I went back at dusk, entering my humble shelter and putting meat into the fire for dinner. I then bathed, humming in the shower before sharing a wonderful dinner with Kline and changing into my shorts. Then, lying in bed, I weighed the virtues of mental shielding training and threading, only to remember something that I had to do before I did anything else. I guess its finally time to make my equipment requests, I thought with a slight smile. I opened my guide and went to the equipment tab.
It was about 9 PM when Aiden got the notification. He was sleeping in the vraxles chamber for another night when he, his guards, and the wyvern all suddenly froze, staring into dead space to read the message. It read: --- Domain Quest Announcement! Every Neophyte in the First Domain has been issued a voluntary quest. Quest Name: Air Drop Equipment in the Areswood Forest. Description: Air drop off a supply package in the Fourth Ring of the Areswood Forest. Requirements:
  1. Obtain a permit from the Lysanwood Defense Agency.
  2. Obtain an avian mount, bought, rented, or loaned.
  3. Flying an avian mount.
  4. Showcase you are capable of delivering the package by doing a passthrough.
  5. Deliver all the supplies.
Reward(s):
  1. Diamond Request.
  2. Platinum Request.
  3. Oracle incentivized path to Fourth Ring release for participating cursed avians.
Warning: This quest is classified as a Diamond Category quest. Most participants are expected to die. Its recommended that you only fly peak second evolution beasts or a cursed avian to attempt the quest, as the avian guardians of the Fourth Ring far surpass the strongest beasts in the First Domain. Chapter 51 - Plans for the Future Before I went to bed that night, I pulled out my travel ledger and decided to write my parents the best letter I could, knowing that any day could be my last. I sat on the ground, adding wood to the magical fire to give me a comfortable atmosphere, and then began, bleeding my soul into the pages. Dear Mom and Dad, Since there doesnt seem to be a length requirement for these messages, allow me to write you a long letter to tell you where I am, what Im doing, and what Ive done to protect you. You deserve that much and far more. Please just keep what you read here to yourselves, as there are information brokers that will soon be hounding you, so stay safe. Now that Ive nailed the opening, lets start with where I am. I am currently living in a cozy temporary shelter in the middle of a death-laden hell trap called the Areswood Forest. It has a magical bath and a fireplace and a nice bed that is somehow way comfier than my own. And let me tell youthe location is absolutely breathtaking. Right outside my door is a plant that can rapidly cause stage 4 kidney failure if its mixed with alcohol. So I guess I know what Im making in my free time. Ha ha. Just kidding. Sort of. Theres so many things to eat and make and explore here. Its a wonderland. Just dont visit until I do some gardening. Or at least dont wear your good white dress. My lips curved into a bittersweet smile. Then I wrote on. Surviving out here is far safer for me than you will expect, but its just as deadly for others. Long story short, my botanist class is tailor-suited for identifying and avoiding poisonous and carnivorous plants, ridding a lot of the dangers of this forest. I was also put into a precarious position that earned me some tasty rewards, allowing Kline and I to level up and obtain some battle magic. So while this place is every bit as unlivable as you can imagine, your daughters probably the only person in the last however many years that can actually live here. Yay me. Speaking of strangely suited for survival, Klines having the time of his life. Hes strong enough to cuddle a grizzly now, and he can definitely outrun a moving car. I think he even got a subclass, too, but I know hes waiting to show off. You know how he is. Oh, and this forest has miracle plants that can cure just about any illness. Its very possible that I could create an elixir or syrup or bath bomb to fix Klines genetic deficiencies and allow him to live forever. I accepted his health as my responsibility, and I plan to follow through. No matter the cost. I wiped some tears from my eyes and wrote on. Ill refrain from telling you more about my magic or research. Youre about to be hounded for information after that domain quest. Thats why I hired a small militia to protect you guys. Yes, I really got Gatsby a spirit beast bodyguard (AKA a new best friend). Sue me. I bet itll be inconvenient, but you can rest easy knowing that Tyler now has a full-time bodyguard and teacher. Im sure he feels like hes cheatingbut thats a good thing. Somehow weve stumbled into the Rich enough to buy success earning bracket, so Im gonna exploit it, goddamn it. Now that weve talked about the white elephant in the room, lets go ahead and ride it by talking about my plans for the future. Ill answer gladlybut I cant claim my answer will be sane. So prepare to hee and haw and hate my decisions (then go back to loving me). So yeah. Ahem. Guess I should just rip off the bandaid, shouldnt I? Hmmm So You ever read My Side of the Mountain? Its this book about a kid who thinks hes a billy badass and decides to run away from home thoughtlessly and live in the deadly wilderness with almost no supplies just because he wants to live in nature. Ha ha ha anyway. The kid decides to hollow out a tree for a house, and let me tell you! Theres this place not too far away from me thats perfect. Towering trees with trunks that are thirty feet in diameter. Were talking about a New York one-bedroom studio apartment with a small kitchen that is rent-free in a prime Avoid People district. Its currently occupied for a couple of months. But trust me, once I get the notification that its ready, Im going to have prime real estate. I looked at the page with a strange, slightly forced, equally mischievous smile. The magical location I was referring to was the place I woke upright on top of the Wandering Reaper. In two months, the root strangler would kill it, claiming my first evolution kill (hopefully not another assist). Then, Id gain access to that area of the forest, create a home and alchemy lab, and finally evolve, maximizing that juicy evolution reward. If I had to evolve before then, I would, but I hadnt reached my strength cap and couldnt handle my magic as is. There was no rush. Naturally, I wasnt going to tell my parents these plans. So, if youre wondering if my mom will ever understand meyeah, its not likely. As for my dad, he already knowsbut dads dont tell secrets. Thats why dads are the best. I wrote on. In the meantime, Im going to practice magic and alchemy, create poisons (a lauded skill here), and even learn how to cook (as it turns out, thats necessary when you eat these types of beasts). Ill be busy every second of the day, practicing, hunting, and stocking up for winter. I wont need the equipment people will soon be fighting to bring me, but if anyone does make it, let me tell yayoure gonna be jealous. Ill tell you all about it in person because once I settle down and establish myself hereIm going to visit. Turns out, I can do that. It might take a year or so, but Ill be able to come and go at least one week a year, so long as theres not a lot of drama. So I hope youre okay celebrating Christmas during whatever celestial marker I can come home. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. I felt a ray of hope and a pang of pain simultaneously, contradictory emotions that all humans know well. Then, I began the part that mattered most. Now, if you dont mind, I wrote. Id like to share my favorite memories I have with each of you capture them right now when the memory is fresh and vivid and the emotions all there, stark and vivid as the day I remembered them. Well start with you, mom I spent the rest of the night writing my heart and soul out to my parents, sharing funny, loving memories about each of them. My mom when she hid my friend and me from the police after we picked all my neighbors plants. My father for pretending that he didnt hear about it. Gatsby, when he got lost and got adopted by a family for six hours, only to introduce us to the other hoomans he met along the way. Tyler, when he stole my oil paints to write his crush an I love you card, only for the undried paint to stick the two pages together. How the girl opened it and got paint all over herself, ruining her romper. How she went to prom with him anyway. I told my parents a bit about my studies and how I made homemade ink with ink cap mushrooms and gum Arabic, as well as how useless it was for writing or doing pretty much anything. I even confessed that my oyster mushrooms ate through the storage tub I was going in, making them bloom out like a Last of Us zombie flower, and my landlord came in, demanding two days later that I explain what type of satanic summoning I was conducting in his house. I wrote until my hand hurt and then I wrote some more, writing until my mind was dry and then ended it the best I could. Mom, Dad you raised your daughter to be whatever she wantedto pursue the life she wanted. You supported her always, trying to help her succeed, but willing to accept her decisions either way. You taught her it was okay to be strange and pursue her passions, even when they were strange. I swallowed back tears. Well, this is what I want, and if anything happens to me, just know that I appreciate your patience and support. That you let me become the person I wanted to be, even when it was impractical Thank you. I became emotional at that point, remembering how my mom was trying her best just a week ago to convince me to pursue a stable careerbut knowing that she wouldve supported me even if I didnt. Thats what happened during my bachelors and masters, and I knew it would happen beyond. I couldnt thank them enough for that support, and I could feel emotion welling deep within my soul. Your loving daughter, Mother of Plants, Maker of Bad Decisions, and Lover of Parents. Mira Isabella Hill Tears dripped onto the bent and textured pages of my field notebook, blotting the ink as the liquid spread. I wiped my nose with my forearm and then felt disgusting and then started a bath and then avoided it, not even purifying myself as I sat on the floor, feeling a bit homesick. Yet it all eased up when Kline walked up and curled next to me, conveniently choosing a place I couldnt pet him. Little shit. I chuckled, tears streaming down my eyes, taking deep breaths before laughing and calming. I looked up at the ceiling. Lithco. Can you transcribe and edit this letter without charging me a kidney? A pop-up materialized above my eyes. It answered to the point. Its free. Then do it. He did, and soon I was rereading the transcript, laughing and crying and wiping my eyes along the way. Then I sent it out, promptly falling asleep after, eyes glued shut from puffy lids and scratchy whites. 2. As Mira drifted to sleep, Doug and Tanya read the letter to Gatsby, and they criedall of themincluding the happy dog that was now more intelligent than before. Then they woke up Tyler and read it to him, starting the cycle all over. The whole time, Doug had one thought on his mind. My daughters coming home. Please let er stay safe until she comes home. Meanwhile, in the Third Ring of the Areswood Forest, Aiden lay in the Cursed Aviary, waiting for his trial to end the next morning, wondering if the wyvern lying next to him would have a change of heart and accept an offer he made to negotiate a deal just to let the wyvern fly for a dayno strings attached. He doubted it. The wyvern declared that he would never let anyone tame himeven for a dayeven just to fly. And his hatred only inflamed once the Domain Quest went out, and beast tamers and skilled flyers flooded the Cursed Aviary, demanding to let them tame the wyvern. The wyvern was in a foul mood, so Aiden believed that the next morning, his trial would end, and hed leave the aviary without ever flying him. He didnt suspect that the beast couldnt get the quest out of his mind, reading the line, Oracle incentivized path to release for participating cursed avians, over and over againdreaming of the skies. Elana watched Mira the next morning with great anticipation. Her pupil had collected alchemic ingredients for mid-tier healing elixirs during her foraging session the day before. Now, Elana wondered if Miras journey with alchemy would begin, so she watched on. Brindle was also watching from a different location in the multiverse, unconcerned about what Miras first action would be. He was more curious how long it would take before she gave into the strange allure and temptation of soul manipulation. He watched her lace her fingers and crack them, stretching them over her head. It was almost time to begin. 3. I looked at Kline, staring at me with vibrant eyes nearly glowing with health and auras unseen, and then looked at a forest of plants and trees and lichen and moss and fungi, a swollen wasteland of death and fascination. It was surreal that it was the same forest I awoke inthe same one that attacked me with a living plant, stabbed me with poisonous barbs, injured my foot, and nearly stole my soul with a fungal infection on my first day. In only seven days, it had turned from a graveyard into a forest more exciting than any in the Rocky Mountains or beyond. It felt like home. It wasnt easy. I had nearly died countless times, relying on Kline and luck and wit and aid to conquer problems, and I had learned magic, alchemy, and poison crafting to pull it off. I tripped on hallucinogens and obtained the gifts of multiple gods. Yet I made it, and I could now do whatever I wanted. And I realized then, standing in the morning air, wafting the scent of decomposing leaves and the nutty aroma of fungi, that the trial and legacies and subclasses were all irrelevant. Everything I had done up to that point was simply to gain my freedomto break the shackles of my worlds economic realities and to avoid the violence and economic servitude on this planet. From the beginning, I just wanted to live my life however I wanted and now I could. I had the magic and weapons and alchemy and experience to pursue my passion and live life without many restraints, and that filled me with the deepest sense of satisfaction that no reward or praise ever could. So I felt a sense of relief knowing that there was one day that I was absolutely free from the trial and godsbecause, to me, this freedom was what it was all about. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the morning air. Then I turned to Kline. You ready? He meowed, and I grinned. It was time to tend to my garden. Chapter 52 - Brexton Claustra Brexton could see the line of people long before he reached the access road. It snaked around the corner for three blocks, forcing ground dragons and carts and pedestrians to use only one side of the road, causing blockages. He walked past everyone in line, the equal mixture of well-dressed business folk and addicts drawing excited gasps and cheers and then silence when they saw the fury in Brextons eyes. This line led to a narrow, inconspicuous access road, which was now the most conspicuous area in Theovale. He entered the alley and pushed all the way to the front, where he paused before a well-dressed woman in a colorful hat, drinking out of a rombar, a classy flask currently popular amongst the elite. Brexton! she said haughtily, only to freeze when she saw his expression. Oh Brex~ton, she flashed him an awkward smile. We thought youd never show. Weve been waiting here for Brexton glanced at the flask. Give me that. This? the woman smiled nervously, eyes darting to the watching crowd. I think it would be obscene for us to share Give it to me. She gave it to him. Brexton took a drink. It was raskberry wine, as sweet and tart and ineffective as always. A drink for men and women who plan on riding after dinnernot the type you would find at a gambling den on a weekday. He savored it and then looked at her. Leave. Her eyes widened. What? I said leave. Now. W-Wait. Why? Why? Brexton chuckled and looked at the silent people in line. Can anyone tell me why Im asking for this woman to leave? All stayed silent until his eyes landed on them. Then, they sputtered out incoherent answers, political in naturesaying a lot to say nothing. Since no ones willing to admit the obvious, Ill tell you. Its because youre standin single file in our secret alleyway, broadcasting the location of our secret door to our secret gambling den. And you all think thats okay? Brexton The woman flashed him another nervous smile. Everyone knows where this place is. I see cops gambling here every time I come. Yes Easea. Thats whats known as a bribe. You pay a cop, and they pretend they never saw an alley that people always seem to walk into and disappear, only to come out two hours later, sexed up and reeking of booze. Brexton grinned, and a few people laughed. Then his eyes turned cold. But how the fucks a cop gonna pretend he didnt see this? He presented his hand to the line. They fell silent again. Now get out, he said. She shivered, glancing at the flask and then turning with mechanical movements, grabbing her escort and disappearing into the night. I want fifty hawks from idiots who threatened my establishment for business! Brexton yelled. Ten from the locals. Refuse to pay or leave, and you can forget ever coming back. Pass it on Now follow me! He turned to the wall, smirking internally as he pressed his hands against the bricks. A distorted ripple spread through the wall, and the illusion giving it a rough texture disappeared, giving way to a metal door tattooed with runes. Brexton knocked twice. An eye slot opened and shut, followed by the door swinging open, revealing a burly man with a neck tattoo of a raven. Mr. Brex, he whispered. Wheres you been? Peoplellve been sayin things. Grib, Brexton said, grabbing both of the mans meaty shoulders. But Mr. Brex. Theys sayin Grib. The bouncer fell silent. Tonight, all these people are the same. Theyre equally worthless. If theyre wearin something nice, charge em fifty hawks to enter. If theyre regulars, take ten. And if anyone refuses, break their fuckin knee caps. Grib listen to me. Thiss the one night in your lifetime where youll get to treat rich swans as swines so make it hurt. Grin developed a stupid grin, bouncing lightly on his feet. Really? Really. Then Ills do it. Good. Brexton slapped the mans hairy cheeks and then walked down the stairs as Grin barked orders. As Brexton walked, the raging drumming beats from a live band got louder, followed by stringed instruments with bass, both fast-paced, creating a feverish rhythm that matched the energy of the locals, who were throwing golden coins on card tables or playing dice or betting on games unsettling to watch. One man won a hand and collected his prizea wild and sloppy kiss from an undercover escortwhich led him to the floor to dance under the claps and cries from patrons, unaware she planned to bleed him dry. Others tapped their feet rapidly from the tempers they were high on, while lines to the bar remained long, preceded by floors wet from sticky cocktails. This was The Nest, one of the many gambling dens the Claustra family owned throughout the five domains. Brexton walked to the bar, people walking out of his way like he was a god. The person sitting on a stool got up, leaving their drink behind, and Brexton pushed it away. The bartender walked up with a glass of amber spirits. He rocked it back and exhaled, shivering. The bartender tried to refill it, but he put his hand up to stop her, unscrewing the flask and pouring the contents into the empty glass instead. This drink wasnt about the taste. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The bartender leaned across the bar. Fair warningRokuns pissed. Thats because hes an idiot. Just warning you. Duly warned. Once she left, he pondered the wild and surreal circumstances that surrounded Mira Hill. Two diamond requests Brexton thought. He knew she used two because Request and Reward-based delivery requests wouldnt provide a diamond reward to deliver platinum equipment, and because his family worked in multiplanetary info brokinghe knew what each grade of information suppression request did. The question was why she went through such extensive lengths to suppress her information. Family protection was one thingbut hiding everything about her meant that she had secrets. That started with the reward she won for taking first in the multiverse-wide Trial of Worth that year. He didnt know she wonbut everyone knew. Normal people couldnt even get one diamond reward doing standardized tests. Let alone two. In fact, people getting diamond requests before becoming a fifth evolution were so rare that they made interplanetary news. Mira won, and that would certainly spark robbery attempts during the Black Harvest, where someone to learn the reward was an item. He wondered if the Oracle had warned her about that. His Oracle helped him cheat regularlyhe wondered how strong someone had to be before an Oracle argued that a diamond information request and platinum security request were a good use of resources. Or, maybe the Oracle had a vested interest in hiding the secrets in the forest. It was uncertain. Yet there was something that was certainMira was a freak of nature, and he wondered what it would be like to make contact with her during the Black Harvest. He knew shed comeassuming she survived. Brexton sighed dreamily, tracing the rim of his cup. I cant wait to see what you do to the bandits. Brexton! A large man broke him from his reverie, pushing through the crowd. He looked put together, sporting a trimmed beard and a built body with a constitution. If only he wasnt remarkably inept, he would be a successful man. What the fuck are you doing? his uncle Roken asked. First you keep up legacies. Now youre extorting them? Extorting them? Brexton snorted, taking a drink. I can piss this much gold. Then what''re you doing? Pissing them off. Thats the problem! Noits not. Brexton turned to the rich crowd looking around the gambling den in disgust, waiting for him to say something. Look. The more people thater here the more heated they are the more theyll bid. Bid? What the hell are they bidding for? On wholl know first. Youre not givin'' it to the Dante? Brexton slammed the raskberry wine. Nope. Are you insane? Brexton looked at his uncle. No. This uncle. Thiss what you call good business. With those words, he walked to the stage, where the drummers had long since dropped their sticks. The searing crowd cooled, and countless eyes looked up at him. He waited for their undivided attention. He spoke. Theres two types of people here tonight. Theres the people who came here to feed their vices he gestured to a sweating gambler, eyes bloodshot and delirious. And the well to do business folk tryin to capitalize on the results of this years Trial of Worth. Well, Ill tell you a good deal for waitingand then Ill charge you for the rest. So lets start with the obvious. He created a white wall of illusionary mana on the stage and displayed a recreation of the public notification that everyone got that morning. It was the following notification: --- The rankings of this years Trial of Worth will not be displayed due to a request. Information on individual performance may be ascertained by speaking to participating neophytes directly. --- You may be wondering what the type of information requests necessary to shut down a multiverse wide announcement, Brexton smiled. But youll have to pay for that. Itll be cheap, but we dont work for free. The crowd jeered. But I will tell you more than you deserve. This request and the Domain Quest are likely related. He pulled up the diamond-level request to drop off supplies into the forest. After this insane announcement, everyone tried to get information on this neophyte, only to be given rejection after rejection. All information requests previously made were refunded, and all Guide information on her was deleted, leaving only the people that physically recorded the information with it. You cant even verify if someones in the forest right now, and the system warns you that this suppression will exist after the neophytes death. Its eerie. Most agreed. Luckily, the Claustra family has all that information and more. We wont give it freely, but we feel duty bound to warn you about something a lot of people have already found out the hard way. This neophytes name is Mira Hilla freshly integrated neophyte from our cropand you should not fuck with her family. Doug, Tanya, and Tyler Hill, as well as their dog, Gatsby, are off the menu. Thats because Mira paid the Dante family for two years of security detail, and the Oracle, by virtue of the request, is feeding the Dante information about people plotting against the family for extortion, blackmail, or coercion purposes. Since this went into effect. Someone tapping a hawk against a card table nervously suddenly stopped. The influential people shivered, turning to rocks, fearful that they made the wrong move. Two people are dead and thirteen are permanently maimed. No agencys gonna punish the Dante, so theres no recourse to action. Even we arent touching it thats how bad it is But. Brextons lips curved into a sinister grin. Mira Hill is on the menu. In fact, Miras puttin herself on the menu. Or, rather her patron gods puttin her on the menu. The house exploded in a wild and depraved frenzy as previously nervous business folk pushed toward the stage, spilling drinks on each other, crying out that they would pay for the information first. Thats right! Mira Hills earned a legacy. I know cause Ive gotta patron god, and the patron gods round Dranami are talking about a certain god accepting a certain pupil in Areswood Forestnegotiating business deals. And considering! He had to yell to speak over the rabid crowd. And considering! that the only people here with legacies are me and Hadrian youll only get this information from me! That only inflamed the sentiment. Hadrian Dante also had a legacybut he was hired to protect Miras family, so he couldnt sell their secretsnot that hed sell his advantage, anyway. So lets get started. The name of the god claiming to be Miras patron gods goin for a million hawks. Informed speculation on the Black Harvest is goin for a hundred thou. Minor profiles are ten. If youre not prepared to paystart gambling or get the fuck out. I gotta business to run. People who prided themselves on being cultured and civilized pushed and screamed and hit one another as they moshed to the front, screaming extravagant monetary bids to be the first to obtain the information. These people needed to be put down like a pack of rabid animals, but right now, the sight of them made Brextons heart sing. This windfall would make the Claustra Family a name brand in the multiverse as people scrambled to buy resources and raw ingredients from the Eternal Goddess pupil and Brexton Claustra planned to ride this wave to the top. B2 - R: Chapter 1 - Trial of Worth Results It was around 8 am when the Trial of Worth finally ended. In the last seven days, I had survived waking up on a wandering reaper, nearly died of poisoning and a fungal infection, and fought countless beasts above my level. I had exterminated two groups of creatures, one with some aphrodisiacs and a poison bombanother with parasitic fungi. I had learned alchemy and magic and used a bow, learning the way of this new world. Then, in the blink of an eye, it ended with a chimeone I didnt expect. It read: --- The rankings of this years Trial of Worth will not be displayed due to a request. Information on individual performance may be ascertained by speaking to participating neophytes directly. --- Did I do that? I thought. I paid for a diamond-level information suppression request, as it prevented the Oracle from giving information about meor aiding people in manipulating me. It seemed it was already working, and it made sense. If there was a blank name where mine should beeveryone would know who it was, so the ranking needed to be shut down to prevent people from finding out. Still, it was hard to believe a diamond-level request shut down the entire ranking for the year. It was probably because it wasnt a voluntary trial. I didnt know and it ultimately didnt matter, so I shrugged and pushed the notification aside, only to find myself face-to-face with something I hadnt expected. It was a multiverse ranking breakdownand the description dunked my head in ice water. --- Trial of Worth Rankings Description: Every year, there are regional and multiverse-wide rankings for the Trial of Worth, and even going up against seventy-nine trillion other participants, gaining three legacies after killing hundreds of second evolution beasts and developing two cores of ultra-high purity certainly clinched you the top. It wasnt easy, though. Four people from this years Send me to the baddest, most dangerous place I can quickly level up! crop also survived, and theyre all currently kicking trees and shooting spells around after realizing that, even after clawing themselves out of the pits of hell and gaining two legacies, there was someone who did better than them. So revel in it. --- My skin tingled with goosebumps when I read the subtext. I wondered how many people would ask for that exact thing. Millions? Hell, Tyler might have asked for that. Yet only four survived. It made sense. The Areswood Forest was a murder machine that shouldve killed me with ease. It couldnt have been the only place that was terrifying. Lets see these rewards, I thought nervously, going to the next screen and reading. --- Multiverse Ranking:
  1. Took first place for kill points (weighted for quality) for this years integration for humanoid races. You have also taken the first place for the century in this metric.
  2. Took first place for most powerful alchemic creation for this years integration.
  3. Took first place for strongest mana core in this years integration for humanoid races.
--- The list kept going, and I got a platinum reward for taking first in seventeen rankings in the entire multiverse. Mana strength, purity, and skill. Soul core strength, purity, and skill. Strongest cleansing. Largest number of kills in one attack. Then, distinctions in most creative kills and the like. I also got two gold rewards for taking second place in two and didnt rank for dozens of categories, from most alchemic creations to most identifications. There was a long list, but the things I did, I took place for. I could only imagine Klines contributions because he had his chest puffed out, smiling creepily, eyes darting around with an aura of satisfaction. That was just the start. I also got a gold reward for each regional win as well, taking twenty-one awards. In total, I got a satisfying forty rewards. Dont let it get to your head, I said. No one else had a chance. Kline huffed as if to say, Really? You really think someone else couldve survived this shit? Then he returned to his invisible pop-up, smirking wider than ever. Good point, I muttered, looking through my rewards, which were different from my requests. I got my requests for leveling up and a batch for every five levels. I could use those for anything. I got rewards for completing quests, which gave me options. Im not sure how these rewards would work, but here was the lineup: --- Books (3 platinum, 3 gold) Spells (3 platinum, 3 gold) Recipes (3 platinum, 5 gold) Blueprints (3 gold) Tutorials (3 platinum, 3 gold) Skills (3 Diamond, 3 platinum, 3 gold) Equipment (2 Platinum, 3 gold) --- The three diamond-level skill requests were Oracle-provided rewards for taking on the legacy quests. The feature was initially locked until I finished the Trial of Worth, as there was a legacy quest as an option, and it was recommended that I shouldnt buy a specialized skill before I determined my legacy and subclass. Now, they were unlocked, but well get to that. For now, I was just grateful knowing that my ever-dwindling pile of requests I had to ration for a few months until I evolved went up. God knows I needed them. For everything. Hopefully, the rewards were things I actually neededas I only got the options it provided me. Thiss ridiculous, I thought. I was overwhelmed by the sight, and pushed them aside like books and skills and recipes. They were relevant when they were relevant. Before then, I would just kick back. Hey Lithco. Wasnt there, like a Trial of Worth reward? A chat window popped up with the following statement: Yes. There is a generalized reward. In your case, you have taken first in the entire Multiverse, so you have won the Wreath of Distinction. Here is the reward. Another pop-up flashed in front of my eyes, this one containing a juicy, juicy reward that made me drool. --- Award: Wreath of Distinction Reward: Spatial Dividers Description: In a nearly offensive twist of fate, being first in the multiverse has provided you with the exact thing that youve been lacking and still wont fix your problems: a two-way portal that will let you teleport between locations. Set one array in one place and then activate it from the other, then walk right through. It sounds convenientbut dont get the wrong idea. This portal doesnt work one way: leave it on the other side of Galfers Gate, and you will find thousands of people flooding in to overwhelm you. Or people might break it, ruining an epic-grade artifact. Or, Brindle will be furious you gave people a door to the forest. So dont be an idiot. Use it wisely, leave it where its not accessible, and dont tell a soul. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Warning: The portal must remain in two separate locations, and one portal cannot pass through the other. Spirit beasts and humans can activate it, so leaving it in a monster-rich area can lead stray beasts to break into the other end. Use it wisely. --- Thiss absurd I thought, nearly shaking with excitement. It was impossible to fathom how many precious plants I passed up. How much food I left to rot. How many supplies I left in the forest. The doomsday prepper in me had spent the last week feeling her skin crawl! Now, there was a solution. Ill save em for the harvest, I thought. I could keep adding items to my equipment drop order so long as it made it to the courier in time, but I didnt trust anyone to bring anything to me in this forest, and was already warned against it. That made me feel especially wary regarding my epic grade gear. Hey Lithco, I said softly. Thesere epic items. Cant you make an exception for you know teleporting them here or something? I cant, Lithco replied in a pop-up. The Areswood Forest has a barrier that limits fifth-tier-or-higher spatial magic to once per decade. My eyelid spasmed. And you chose me to be your decade attempt? Know what? Dont answer that question. There was no point in dwelling on all of this. It was bad enough that random beasts could eat my equipment if unqualified idiots flew mounts over the wall. It was worse imagining my equipment crashing into a spider nest or worse. Thinking about these things just gave me needless anxiety. Well, thats that I thought. I wish there was a bed I could crash on, but I was outside, sitting on a rotted log that could collapse at any moment, listening to the symphony bugs as Kline pranced around like the big man on campus. I suppose he was. I guess all thats left is I opened my system and went to the untouched tabs. --- Name: Mira Hill Level 24 (Capped Until Evolution) Evolution: 0 (Pending) Legacy [New] Subclass (Blessed) [New] Requests Rewards Library Spells, Recipes, and Blueprints Tutorials Skills Market --- My heart became a slight drumroll as I hovered my finger above Legacy. I chose it. To my undeserved surprise, party streamers didnt explode from the screen and I didnt get pulled into an alternate dimension. A god didnt materialize like Lithco, either. It was identical to my other screen, except the Request tab was missing, and in its place were three new ones: Quest, Tribute, and Patron Guidance. I chose Library. As expected, there was some books on soul manipulation but there were only a few. I wonder if Brindle controls my learning I wondered. I still didnt know how the whole legacy system worked, so I would have to ask about it later. Interesting I thought. Whats Quests? I chose it. A bulletin board of voluntary requests flashed in front of my eyes, like Indeed job postings or a seedy odd job site. I decided to read a few to Kline, just for the novelty. Capture a soul, clean a soul, connect to a living soul, cleanse your soul core Thiss ominous I muttered. It was just now reaching me that I was messing with the souls, the real fucking souls, of real things. I looked at Kline to see if he was judging me not like that would say muchand chose one. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new Quest. Legacy Quest: Capture a Soul Quest Summary: Before you can brutally stretch and carve and whittle down a sentient beings soul, stuff it into a foreign body, and brainwash it into becoming your pet, you must first grab a soul. Its just like kidnapping anything elseyou just have to reach out and grab it when you have enough strength to grab it. Luckily, you already have a soul core, so you will be able to do that in a few weeks of eating spirit beasts when you recover your strength. Requirements: Rewards: --- I suppose Ill needa take a tutorial I thought and I did. There were tutorials on each of the quest items. Once I confirmed that, I focused on the power of the legacy. I was getting a skill for completing a simple action that I wouldve done anyway. If I survived. One week had nearly killed me countless times. I had to remind myself that most of my troubles were from time pressure and legacy quests. Right now, all I had to do was survive. I could sit in one place and train my mental fortification for months. I was free. It wouldnt be a problem. I thought. I continued my tour, staring at the Tribute tab nervously. I chose it and got a notification that left me feeling relieved. --- Your patron god had not issued any tribute requirements. You will receive a notification when this changes. --- At least one of ems easy-going I knew that Elanas tribute would not be so simple. I moved on to the glaring one that screamed This is a gods Legacy!Patron Guidance. I chose it and got four options. --- Patron Guidance: Lectures Request a Lecture Recorded Tutorials Request a Tutorial --- I winced. I felt hesitant to pester a god. Yet I got the feeling that Id get in trouble if I didnt at least reach out to them. Turned out, it didnt matter for Brindle. There was nothing in any of the tabs. Well thats rude I closed my eyes and leaned my head against a tree. But its ideal. I was getting skills for learning things. That meant that I would get books and recipes and tutorials simply by teaching myself. That was a dream come true. But I looked at the Subclass tab. I dont wanna Elana was going to be opposite Brindle. I knew it. I went through the Subclass and found it the same, except that the quests felt more rigid, and the rewards for each lecture were individual recipes and tutorials. My resources would be far more limited. Then I finally chose the Patron Guidance, and to my great surprise, I hadnt missed a meeting during my hooky day. Instead, I saw that our first meeting was a week out. A week? I was genuinely shocked. I went into the Tribute tab and looked through the supplies and saw that there were only a few alchemic creations and a shopping list of raw resources. Something doesnt feel right Then I got the notification that explained everything. ----- All neophytes in the first domain have been offered a voluntary mission for the Domain Quest, Air Drop Equipment in the Areswood Forest. Mission: Trial of Survival Description: If you wish to earn the diamond reward to drop off supplies in the Fourth Ring of the Areswood Forest, you must first prove you have a chance of delivering the equipment. Bring your mounts to the Third Ring of the Areswood Forest in three days to start the event. If you drop mock equipment halfway to the end of the Bramble. The first to complete the Bramble will immediately gain the right to deliver the equipment. B2 - R: Chapter 2 - Equipment Choices My arms prickled with gooseflesh when I read the notification. It only occurred to me that people were coming here, here, to the Fourth Ring of the Areswood Forestand there was a period that was supposedly even more dangerous. Theyre all gonna die I thought in horror, and I could truly appreciate that now. The chances of anyone getting my equipment were low. I would probably need to make the trek. It left me with a twisted smile, part bitter, part disappointedpart guilty. Hey Lithco, I said. Is there any way I could just you know pick up my equipment during the Harvest? The Black Harvest was only around four months out. At this point, I felt it would be far more prudent to just pick it up. Lithco materialized in personunpromptedunfolding a chair and dusting it off daintily before sitting and crossing his legs. I wonder if guides materialized randomly for other people. I doubted it. No, he said. My cheek twitched. Why the hell not? Lithco smiled thinly and snapped his fingers lightly, rapidly, as if he were thinking. Technically, you can. Yes. But. I doubt youll get the chance. Thiss a domain quest and hundreds of participants have arrived to challenge it. Theres a lot of talent, so at least a few of em will hit the halfway mark and gain the right to make the drop. Halfway mark so what? All these peoplell die and Ill still needa recover my stuff from the most dangerous part of this forest anyway? Most dangerous part of this ring, yes. I rolled my eyes. What type of bullshit is that? Do try to remember that youre not a unique and celebrated dandelion, Lithco said with a mocking smile. There are other people in this world. I know, but Im going to lose my access to the temporary shelter once theres a delivery. The rule was that I could use the temporary shelter until I got my equipment, ostensibly to get access to a tent. Once you get a delivery, he clarified. As long as you are preparing to make a trip to retrieve it, youll be able to keep your access to the shelter. I bit my lip and remained silent. Listen, Mira. This isnt about you. All neophytes must be part of my request network. Its a requirement. You chose to come here with nothing but your suppliesyou chose to order everything now because youll need supplies to survive the next few months. Now you gotta face that. I looked away. There wasnt much of a choice. There was already a domain quest, and I needed to add at least something. Besides, its not like youre S.O.L. here. In the worst case scenario, you buy some new gear during the Harvest, and challenge it then. If you do, youll be able to go to the area your stuff dropped, cutting your challenge in half. Youll be fine. I looked away. Lithco moved his body to try to catch my gaze. I looked at him, and he repeated himself. Youll be fine. I swallowed and nodded. Lithco slapped his thighs and stood up with a midwestern gesture and dusted off his pants. In better news, you have a few days to do whatever you want. So go foraging or whatever you plant lovers do. My heart fluttered. Okay. I looked at Kline. You wanna explore? Kline meowed. You wanna hunt? He meowed loudly. Lithco smiled. Then Ill take my leave. He did, and my little warrior and I slipped into the forest, adventuring into the great beyond. It was magical to just explore the forest without direction or necessity. We came across a fallen tree a mile out that was more moss than tree, carved in sections by creatures decades long past. Whatever it did, it petrified the tree, preserving it as a home before the beasts died or fled, leaving highly poisonous fungi to grow in the nests. We moved on. Another mile out we found edible fruits on trees the size of bushes, each the size of cherries, tasting of tart apple pie. We snacked and then searched the area, finding dozens of important plants. Now that I had an alchemy subclass, I got information on alchemic use cases for plants, so I collected them by the boatload, sealing them in preservation cases. On the way back, we heard a crack in the forest. Kline pawed a log, sitting me down as he disappeared, barely rustling a bush before disappearing. Ten minutes later, he came back covered in blood from a creature the size of a boar he had killed. It was strong, proof in the dark green core in its spine. I skinned it in the hot afternoon and we both took a hind quarterback to the camp, one in my arms, one in Klines invisible jaws. I didnt ask questions. Once we got back to the alchemy station, I took time to go over my equipment. There was a lot of it because I got a group-level request for every five levels, starting at zero to 24. It gave me one gold, two platinum, and two diamond requests for each category. I had used most for skills and spells, but I still had all five for equipment. I also got a platinum equipment reward for finishing the Confront Your Trauma quest, where I returned to the wandering reaper. I spent five of the six rewards and some free requests, saving a diamond, should I need to initiate another quest. I decided to save my new rewards for a Bramble pickup. I pulled up the first option that I bought. It still made the most sense. ----- Name: Eldrion Ward Grade: Diamond Description: A paranoid hermit''s wet dream, this ward is a barrier that acts like the one hiding your temporary shelterit protects you from attacks and makes you scentless and invisible, using illusions to mask your presence. It''s like the one around your shelter, but it can expand to the size of a town. Just make sure that you set it up correctly and have a steady stream of cores to feed it. The larger it gets, the more it costs to feed. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Warning: Certain beasts can see through illusions of this grade, and many can at least detect the scent block anomaly. It will help you against most beasts within the Fourth and Fifth Rings but would rapidly lose its efficacy in the Sixth. ----- With this ward (the name of magical constructs fueled by mana cores or other magical power sources), I could have the protection of the temporary shelterfor an area the size of a small town. It also had physical protection, was portable, and could be used in battle if necessary. This made sense more than any other object I could buy for a diamond. Perhaps there was a better one, but I needed this to concentrate on my threading and mental shielding training without getting eaten by wild animals. So I chose it without hesitation. My next platinum request was also a barrier ward. I had bought it to protect us against creatures far more powerful than we could handle. It read: --- Name: Powerful Portal Ward Barrier Powerful Personal Ward Grade: Platinum Summary: This ward sounds generic, but this bad boy can eat through a second evolution crystal to eat a fifth evolution beasts attack (just one, but still). Persistent and stand-alone, this is the perfect barrier to give you time to heal in battle or place around your tent on the run. --- I thought that it was intuitive at the time. Now, I wish I had two, as it would serve the role of protecting the end point of my spatial dividers. The next object also seemed like common sense. --- Name: Enchanted Tent Grade: Platinum Summary: A tent with heating arrays for cooking, cooling, and heating built inside, as well as enchantments to protect it against weak Second Evolution animals such as bugs and birds. The tent is small enough for your backpack but is large enough to fit eight. --- I felt that this decision didnt even need scrutinization. The third platinum did require scruitizationbut only the grade. It was necessary, but I didnt know if I needed to spend a platinum on it. It read as follows: --- Name: Big Bag o Tools Summary: Unless you think that pocket knifes gonna get you places, its probably time to get some real tools. While this is called a bag, its actually two full-sized palettes of every tool that you can use in the wild. From enchanted axes, knives, and machetes to field notebooks, pens, water storage containers, and ropes. Theres even equipment designed for skinning animals and forging blades. With this one order, you can build a cabin and live a serious life. --- I reviewed it and nodded. There was a gold option with fewer items, but I felt like this was worth it. It gave me everything that I needed to live in the wild forever, and that was worth the cost. My last stored-up equipment request was a gold and I spent it on the most important thing of all. --- Name: Advanced Survival Clothing Grade: Gold Summary: Unless you plan to die a brutally ironic death, freezing to death wearing a Darwin t-shirt in the dead of winter, I recommend that you obtain survival clothing. This pack includes a variety of self-repairing clothing and boots, yes, you heard me right, boots! Given that your mother would be ashamed of the amount of skin youre showing right now, Id recommend getting two of these to increase your chances of one of them reaching you. ----- I looked at my shirt for the second time, examining the serious holes ripped into it. I probably looked like a punk rock floozy, or whatever my mom would say if she saw me. Inoffensively of course. I only used one free request past that. It was a gold, and it was for something I had a feeling I would need eventually. Cooking equipment. ----- Name: Spirit Meat Stove and Culinary Equipment Grade: Gold Description: Everything you need for cooking spirit beast meatan important skill for making the most of your soul force gatheringand a magical pop-out cooking stove you can port around on your backpack. Arrays really are something. ----- That was it. I decided to leave the rest of my rewards for the Black Harvest when I would actually get them. As for the Epic Alchemy Equipment, I could only sigh. It had too much to list. There was a full CDC-sized lab of equipment that would would need to be flown in and it would probably be dropped in the Bramble with the Spatial Dividers. Perfect. I sighed and swiped away the notifications. There were so many things I wanted, but many of them could be made up for with magic. I mean, I could create water from scratch and increase my small knifes power with raw mana. It would have to be enough. I stretched my limbs. It was still in the afternoon, and I still had alchemic creations to make, threading to do, and mental fortification training. The Trial of Survival was coming fast, and I had to be prepared for any.
Everan was speaking to two cute humans and a strange woman with animal ears when Aidens carriage arrived. There was still a week before the Trial of Survivalthe trial that would determine eligibility to drop off Mira Hills equipment in the Fourth Ringand Aiden was returning home to spend time with his pets. Everan knew this because the Oracle knew this and he paid multiple types of requests to obtain this information. Aiden was in the most lucrative position in what sounded like First Domain history, and Everen wanted to help him capitalize on itas a business partner. I apologize, but I need to go, Everan said to the women. My friends returned. Aw. Come by the Wreal later on tonight. The missus is holdin a feast. Everan eyed the womans cat-like ears, wondering just how far Aidens love for animals went. He smiled. Ill tell my friend about it. He said his goodbyes and walked forward, listening to the swollen crowd of business folk rushing the carriage. The Domain Quest was a huge deal, and Aiden hadnt invested in information control like Mira, so everyone knew about him and his special entrance into the Cursed Aviaryand they bombarded him with questions about it on all sides. Move away! Alitalia yelled. The vraxle refused, and Aiden declined the mission. Anyone who pesters him will be escorted out of the conservatory! Half the people left, but the calm and collected onesthe ones working for the Legacy Familiesremained, daring Alitalia to back up her bluff. She didnt, so Aiden was bombarded with dozens of subtle inquiries, with people passing him business cards. Everan watched this all from the corner of the conservatorys porch. Then he walked into the barracks, waiting at the door for the teen to throw his few meager belongings into a bag. Everan whistled, and Aiden looked back, realizing that the barracks were empty and deathly still. Uh Everan, right? Thats right. Take this. Everan threw him a cloak. Aiden smiled wryly. Doesnt matter much if were the only ones in here. Thatd be true if it was true. Suddenly, Brexton spoke, and Aiden looked up, noticing the man sitting on a barracks bed for the first time. Aidens face was pricelessclearly fearing that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage and lost his ability to see. Brexton was, after all, rather noticeablewhen he was visible. Brexton jumped down to the floor, wrapping himself in a hypnotic whirl of colors before coming out of it as a polar reflection of Aiden in appearance, height, and clothing. It was an exact clone. W-What the hells going on? Aiden asked, stumbling onto a bed. Your getaway, obviously, Everan said. Brexton here will play you, cringing and cowering under the crowd while you, He lifted two tickets. Come with me. Aiden swallowed and looked between them suspiciously. What do you want? Good will, Everan said. I dont believe that. Well, you can roll the dice with Brexton turned to the door, bad will. Aiden looked between them like a cornered animal. I dont want to owe anyone. You dont owe us a crow, Brexton said. So? Everan asked. Aiden swallowed. Then he put on the cloak as Brexton shrugged and opened the door, wearing Aidens face, skillfully cowering as he faced the bombardment of offers and inquiries head-on. B2 - R: Chapter 3 - Business Pressure Two hours later, after the escape, Aiden and Everen were back in Theovale. Aiden knew Everen wouldnt just drop him off at his house, but he didnt expect to get an invitation to stay at Aidens quarters since his home was swarmed by people trying to make deals with him. He even offered to accept Aidens pets so he reluctantly agreed. If he signed in anywhere else, the hounding would begin, so he banked on Everen being the lesser of two evils. Now, he found himself in an upscale restaurant with a strange atmosphere. Waitresses walked with fur coats and shorts, classy enough to feel upscaleskimpy enough to leave Aiden unsure where to look. So he focused on the exotic animals that were walking around the restaurant like it was a cat cafe, creating a surreal atmosphere. Everen definitely chose this location to appeal to Aidens love for animals. Its a shame these heathens are so speciesist, Everan remarked. Just down the way, theres women walking around with tails and fluffy ears. Wouldve made this place complete. Doncha think? Aiden quickly looked away. He was glad that he hadnt run into one of those women. He was bad with people and good with animals, but he didnt think such people would be animals, and treating them like animals would be wrong. So he didnt know how to approach them and felt mildly horrible, even considering whether he should treat them like anim Hey, calm down guy, Everan chuckled, teasing out his anxiety. Talked to one earlier. 100% human. Puta hood over their head and youd never know. Sharp and eager to please as usual. Aiden got a whole lot of information from that one sentence. Look Everen. If youre looking to get in on me flying over that gate its not happening. The only beast getting theres that vraxle, and its not willing to fly. And to be honest, I dont want to risk my life for some random person. Its just not worth it. Everan smirked. Listen, Aiden victory isnt about money. Its not about prestige. Its... different for everyone. Normal people want to be famous. Famous people want to live normal lives. Some mothers want to raise the happiest kidssome fathers want to raise the most successful. But in all cases, people have goalssomething that defines their victory. What about you, Aiden? What do you want? Aidens eyes glided to the left in thought. He knew what Everan was doing, but he felt compelled to determine that question. What did he want? He didnt knowhe never knew. See? Everan said after the pause. Most people never find that answer, so they die feeling unfulfilledfilled with regret. But once they find that it fills their calling and makes their life blossom. Aiden swallowed. What do you want? Everan smirked and looked at the waitress, following her figure for a moment with his eyes, flashing her a smile once he was caught. She smiled and eyed him up and down and sauntered off, genuinely interestednot just being nice as a waitress. Aiden watched in fascination, wondering what allure women found in such controversial behavior. Everen was good-looking and well-dressedbut still. Everan made eye contact with Aiden with a slight smile. Freedom. Huh? Aiden snapped back to focus, furrowing his brow. Arent you free? No. None of us are free. Theres laws and rules and property. Yet money opens nearly every door imaginable. It gives you the freedom to do just about anything. Everan lifted in and dropped his eyebrows before looking away. Not that this place even needs money. Savages let you kill each other, and killin a peaceful gets you what a year suspension of the Guide? A light sentence? I hear people here go on rampages then get absorbed as bruisers for the families. Its rather disturbing, if you ask me. Aiden shivered at the casualness with which Everan spoke of such things. His tone didnt say that the teen was a serial killerbut someone who was just obsessed with power and wealth and glory. He wanted to own the world. The question is, what do you want? Everan accepted a plate of food from the waitress, flashing her a smile and thanking her. Then he looked at Aiden. Surely there was something in your trial that you could use powerful requests on. Healing magic. Communication spells. Flying He smiled at Aidens lighting expression as if he knew it all along. Flying, he said. To own the skies imagine what it would be like to roam this world without limitations to be free. Aiden did imagine it and it made his ribs rattle like hands on a chain link fence. It doesnt matter, Aiden said. Its not willing to fly. Everan smiled. Well see about that.
Brexton walked to the front of the Cursed Aviary with his hands in his pockets. The guards tried to lock him out, but he flashed his Skieva tattoo, and five nervous, groveling aviary officials materialized out of nowhere as if by magic, opening up the gates and getting the warden for a private tour. Then he walked through the halls to a certain chamber on a certain missionfor a certain price. 3. Once things calmed down, Aiden returned home and spent time with his pets for the first time in what felt like forever. He had quite a few, including two cats, a dog, a cockatiel, two rabbits that would soon be eight (judging by Lindy''s swollen belly), and a boa constrictor. He released all of them into his room and said sorry for leaving them with caretakers for so long. Naturally, he did this at separate times, as a snake was a snake, and snakes would eat baby bunnies whole. He did consider what would happen if he did release them all at once. He imagined that the constrictor would try to kill his rabbits while his brown and white Border Collie, Remy, tried to save them. His cats, Layla and Tiny, would probably just watch from the top of his surprisingly elaborate leather couch, wondering if they should join the snake. His cockatiel would screech on. He loved them so much and he felt like he wondered if he could make them immortal so they could live together forever. Reemada had its advantages. Yet he felt trappedby Everen and Brexton and the whole damn world. That, and he found himself dreaming more and more about flyingand Everen made it worse. He wormed into Aidens head like a parasite, painting a picture of the skies. Aiden didnt agree to do it. Not at first. Instead, he tried to leave and walk back to his house at night, but he was spotted on the street, and ten minutes later he was swarmed with people as if they were watching him all along. People in Theovale had scrying mirrors that were similar to FaceTime, face-to-face chatting between individuals, and they spread the news quickly. It was a reminder that advanced technology was allowed if it used magic as the driving force. It was fascinating and inconvenient for him. Brexton showed up out of nowhere, saving him and claiming his ears reached everyone. He took Aiden to an underground gambling den where Aiden nursed a whiskey sour as Brexton dealt with a group who brought in a beat-up man who was screaming for revenge. It wasnt a good look. Brexton was a syndicate memberplain and simple. Relax, Brexton said as he picked up from the bar and walked him to a back room. Could you be relaxed right now? Aiden asked, staring into the private room warily. It was like a karaoke room, with two leather couches, a table, and a bar with drinks. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. I would if I had a contract with me, Brexton said, blocking out the sound of the live band as he closed the room. Contract. Yeah. Contract. They work just like spirit beast contracts. Once you say something under oath, you cant scam someone afterward. Get a good one, and Everen will be paying you for life. Why are you telling me this? Aiden said. No offense but He bit back his words. We make a living off exploiting people? Brexton mused. Aiden winced and looked away. Brexton took a drink and shivered, grinning and exhaling. Yeeeeeeep. Thats what we do. But. We only exploit certain things. Desperation. Addiction. Vice. A desire to have a good time. Avenues to get revenge. We thrive on these thingsand the government and families allow itwithin reason. Theres things we can do, and things we cant. And one of the things we cant do is sell resources. Thats the Melhans territory. Aidens eyes widened. Wait Then what are you doing here? Providing security. Brexton leaned back. See we cant sell goods, but Everen can. But the thing about Everen is that if he wants to sell something, his competitors will cut off his trade routes, undercut him, and swallow him whole. And since he doesnt want to give up 80% of his profit to the Melhan or a Middle Family, he came to us. Now, were providing security, information, protection, and connections to let him operate. But you see thats why I can tell you this. Aiden leaned in. What do you mean? Brexton took a drink and leaned forward, wrists on his knees. I get paid no matter what. So I dont gotta problem helping you undercut that loser. He grinned and leaned back. Hell be effective either way. So why dont we bleed em dry? Aiden looked away. I dont want to bleed em dry. I dont care about business or selling or anything. Brextons eyes glinted with a sinister light, and the atmosphere changed. Well thats too bad. See, unless you havent noticed, everyones gonna hound youand theyre going to keep hounding youforever. Theyll hunt you down. Rob you. Force you into an agreement. This isnt going away, Aiden. What? How is this even fair? Brexton shrugged. Its not. Lifes not fair. I doubt Mira wanted to go to a death forest, but here we are. Aiden trembled and stared at the table. But Brexton said. Everen paid a pretty penny to get our aid. Now Im here to protect you. So lets talk. Ill help you negotiate an iron deal with that leech and allll be good. In six months, youll be a beast taming millionaire. Aiden finished his drink and spoke and then they met with Everen. Everen was not happy about the contract, proving that Brexton wasnt lying about it. Despite that, the contract went through anyway. They shook hands and slept. The next day, they took a train to the Areswood Forest for the Trial of Survival, switching to a carriage in Restam and moving into the Second Ring. Everen looked refreshed by that point, but Brexton still looked like a trainwreck, sipping on a flask as if it were life supportavoiding the sunlight. Everan pinched the curtains open, a bright ray reflected off the glass and threatened to blind the group. Brexton hissed and looked away, sending a warning glance. Its strange, Everen said. Whats strange? Brexton asked dryly. To see you out here. I thought your kind were like vampires. Whats a vampire? Someone who feeds at night and burns in daylight. Sounds about right Brexton unscrewed a fancy flask slowly. Paradisos blessing doesnt reach this one till sunset. He drank and exhaled and wiped his mouth. But business is business. Everan snorted slightly, and Aiden looked at the flask. It was permanently glued to his hands and sipped on religiously. It was unhealthy. It was still surreal to see a gangster, a businessman, and a beast tamer in the same cart, and it made Aiden feel like he had made bad bets and owed the wrong people money. Pushing the thought aside, he reviewed his legacy quest. --- Neophyte Aiden Roe has been offered a new Legacy Quest. Legacy Quest: Curse Tamer Summary: Well, look at you, you little demigod seducer, you! You just went from contracting a worker spirit beast to a cursed demigod in three days. Youre on a rollso lets turn it up a notch. Theres a spicy sitch brewin in the Fourth Ring, and we need a courier who can bring goods between here and there. Unfortunately, everyone about to take the request is about to die during the tryouts. :( Thats where you come in! Tame a cursed avian in the third ring and drop off packages if / when they come in. If you do, youll get a request equal to the packages you drop up. And lemme tell youtheyre tasty. Duration: N/A Requirement(s):
  1. Make a contract with a cursed bird to drop off supplies in the fourth ring.
  2. Take the courier trial.
  3. Drop off supplies in the fourth ring.
Rewards:
  1. Legacy offer.
  2. A beast taming skill (epic).
  3. Rewards equal the highest request used by the neophyte in the Fourth Ring for successful deliveries.
Warning: Couriers are punished for failed deliveries. The punishment for failed deliveries is designated at the beginning of each drop. --- I dont needa take it now Aiden thought. Just observe. See what its like decide then. Suddenly, Aiden could hear a large crowd as the carriage slowed. They had passed through two gates, and the long lines told them they were almost there. The driver spoke with some people, and they navigated off the path to a special unloading area. Listen, guy, Brexton said when they stopped. If anyone asks, youre our guy. If they ask more, blow em off. They get hot, they get dead. Thats the importance of sayin youre with the Claustra first, not second or third. First. After that, you can be however rude you wants long as theyre not a Legacy. How do I know if someones a legacy? Brexton looked at Aiden with a slight smile. Oh, youll know. The door opened, bringing sun and sound in waves. People were cheering. Aiden looked up and saw black silhouettes of gigantic birds shooting across the skies in circles as large crowds made bets. One suddenly turned and shot forward toward the other, moving at a speed Aiden could barely see. Boom! There wasnt a sound when the two collided, but his mind created one when the other large beast crashed off a few hundred feet, tumbling before the bird righted itself. By that point, the rider was dangling from the reins. For a moment, the crowd gasped as the individual dangled like a swing moving in the breeze. Then the woman (he could see now that she was a woman by her figure) started climbing uponly for the other bird to swoop in and bite her out of the air at surreal speed, sending a trail of black blood flying out in an arc as the two birds flew in different directions. W-Why the hell did they do that? Aiden asked. Competition, surebut he couldnt understand why the woman needed to be eaten! She had already lost! Everan snorted and smirked and swept his gaze at the cheering crowd. What? You think these people came here to watch people succeed? Aiden turned and saw Galfers Gate, as large and looming as ever. Yet the wall around it was now marred by projected images, showing the POVs of different fliers and over the wall. This wasnt an event. It wasnt a quest. This was a gladiatorial death match in some dark and ancient colosseum. Thiss is messed up Then take their place, Brexton said dryly. Who knows how many idiots youll spare by accepting your fate. You think Im joinin them? Relax guy. If you go up there, no ones gonna touch you. Claustras guy, remember? If they even roar at you, the Claustra will cut up their whole family. No ones fucking around. That was worse. Here, Brexton said, passing the flask. If you continue on like this, you wont make it a minute. I dont day drink. Its not alcohol. Aiden eyed the flask suspiciously, shaking it. It sloshed about. Half full. If he hadnt watched Brexton drink it nonstop for the last three hours, he would find it suspicious, but he did. Brexton hadnt ever put it down, keeping it out in front of all these professionals. Moreover, he was awake, articulate, and normal sounding. Then what is it? Brexton shrugged. Something you drink when you wanna take the edge off but you still have work to do, you know? Kinda like what are you guys always asking for coffin? Coffee? Brexton snapped his fingers. Thats the one. Been here two weeks, but you wont shut up about it. And thiss like coffee? Kinda. Its work juice. Makes the long grind bearable. Aiden opened up the flask and smelled it. It smelled like citrus syrup with the consistency of sweet tea. He hesitated. Then he drank. B2 - R: Chapter 4 - Trial of Survival It wasnt even noon yet when I found myself sitting under the shade of the gazebo, watching the Trial of Survival on my screen like some Olympic game. I didnt want to watch it. Lithco already warned me it would kill most of the participantsbut I had to. This was my chance to see the notorious Bramble separating me from the gate. So I turned on the feed and was stunned by the vibrant sight of people. Or at least, I thought they were people. There was one woman with cat ears and another with scaled skin, and two had purple skin and horns like demons as they moved out of the way of grotesque orange humanoids with tribal necklaces made of baseball-sized beads as they stomped through the crowd. There were even the classic conspiratorial lizard people, each blending into the crowd, speaking and talking with humans as small animals crawled on their shoulders. Well Thats a plot twist. I turned to Kline. You see these cat ladies? One of em has a tail. Klines eyes glided to me as if I asked him if he liked the taste of botulism. Human women it is, I smirked. He released one of the sharp, warning yowls that cats give to others in their territory and walked away, taking two steps into the sun and lying down again. So cute I thought. I couldnt tell if he was just prude or offended that I would suggest anything but a shorthair cat, but either way, his response was amusing. Suddenly, my screen blacked out as a massive beast flew across it. Wait! Is that a dragon? I pushed objects off the already empty counters and sat down on top, staring stunned as a dragon, a real-world dragon, flew across the skies! It probably wasnt a dragon, Im sure it had some fancy name, but it had red scales and wings and a long snout that housed crocodile jaws that could eat a bus. It was a fucking dragon, okay? So, Ill address it as such. The POV suddenly switched and I was looking through the riders eyes, amazed to see that the rider couldnt even see past his harness. It was just like looking at a roof filled with shingles, moving quickly through the air. It was only after he turned that it showed a dozen other massive birds of glorious descriptions circling the skies with it. Suddenly, the dragon shot toward a titan-sized gate as if it meant to collide with it like a crash test dummy, sacrificing their blood to the crimson arrays tattooed to the iron. I gasped, but at the last moment, the dragon shot upward at a nearly 90-degree angle, moving hundreds of feet before the iron gate disappeared, and I could get an aerial glance at the Areswood Forestendless like the ocean of green trees spreading out without end. It was pocked by green and gray and white mountains throughout, but they were swallowed whole by the infinite expanse. I captured that image in my memory, like the brief pause after snapping a picture on your smartphone. Then the dragon suddenly turned, leaving that serene and expansive ocean as it headed back to a cheering crowd. As it approached the ground, the POV switched, this one like a camera, pointed at a stage as a woman in a strange, gray and white suit walked onto the stage. The crowd visibly calmed, and I got a notification. ------ The Trial of Survival is beginning. Would you like to turn on audio? ------ I chose yes. 2. Aiden felt chills as he watched the feverish crowd outside Galfers Gate. One woman grabbed a random mans arm, and he flinched, preparing to attack, only to pull her into an embrace. Another person popped what appeared to be pills as individuals in suits pumped their fists between drinking from flasks like Brexton. It was like an underground boxing match, sloppy and depraved, like a pack of wild animalsand this was the front of the crowd, where he stood with Brexton and the legacies. He could only imagine what the back looked like. Welcome to the Trial of Survival! the speaker boomed to the frenzied crowd. For the first time in most of your lifetimes, youll get to witness a bloodbath that pits legacy against legacy, clan against clan, school against schoolfather against son. Aiden felt his chest reverberate from the laughs and screams, and excitement. Everan turned to Brexton. Are you really going to take that? The people were cheering over the death of Legacy Family members. Brexton stopped listening to the opening ceremony and turned to him with surprising aggression in his eyes. You see any other legacy protesting? Everans face morphed into a painting of perplexion as he looked at the other family members, regal and powerful yet unconcerned by the calls for blood. Wait No If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Brexton smirked viciously. Why do you think that is? I dont know. Thats why you shouldnt comment on it. Brexton took a drink from his flask. Fucking idiot. Everen trembled as the announcer continued her long introduction, thanking the Seven Great Families, the forty-three Middle Families, the clans, governmental organizations, and major donors for sponsoring the event. While the Oracle provided awards, the Areswood Defense Alliance offered legal betting and took a portion of the proceeds to give rewards to the riders families should they die, and sponsors offered prizes. This wasnt just a mandatory eventit was a showcase of prestige and might. Once the opening was over, the announcer got into the rules. The Trial of Survival is not a tournament. The first rider to successfully cross the Bramble, drop a mock shipment, and return gets the right to make the first delivery. Aidens stomach dropped. He was feeling bolder and was subconsciously worried that someone would complete it before he could attempt it. That saidmost riders wont finish the Bramble for the qualifiers. It gets more dangerous the further in you go, so most will turn back early and prepare for the drop. Thats okay. If no one completes the Bramble, the person that went furthest will get the right. If theres another tie, the delivery will be split. That wont be difficult because none of the mounts on this field can do it in one trip. So to claim the diamond reward, you need to complete at least both. Aiden saw Family members in colorful robes wince, glancing between the participants in matching robes riding on relatively small birds and the woman riding the wyvern. She had the advantage of only having two trips while others would take three. Now that you know the stakes, lets talk about rewards. Anyone who gets halfway through the Bramble will obtain a gold request. Anyone who completes the Domain Quest will get a diamond. And its been confirmed that anyone who lands one trip but fails or gives up on the other will still get a platinum reward. Thats why you want to go first. So long as you make it halfway to the neophyte and she retrieves it later, it counts as your delivery. Aiden felt icy sweat run down his spine as the competitors exchanged excited glances. Before you think its too good to be true, lets inform the crowd of the risks. The announcer looked above the gate and pointed toward the sky. Right above the gate is an external domain that prevents people from approaching from above. If a second evolution mount enters it, it will fall unconscious and plummet into the forest without fail. Therefore, all participants must stay within 100 feet of the top of the gate to prevent getting hit. But thats the least of their worries. The aerial view then switched to the top of the trees. The five-mile strip between the gate and the rest of the forest is notoriously dangerous. Its called The Bramble, and its clearly designed to keep people out. It is full of third-evolution beasts, sentient plants, poisons, and every type of brutal trap imaginable. Riders should expect to face dozens of attacks simultaneously. It is not a joke. Thankfully, it ends. After this strip An aerial shot showed a massive patch of plants that looked like a maze of thornsor a real bramble. Whatever it was, it certainly wasnt a patch of trees. You will be in the greater forest, and the beasts will be weaker. You can take a break there and gain your bearings if you wish. Just remember that once you return, its the gauntlet all over again. Thats it for the rules. So just focus on living and bringing glory to your families! The area exploded in cheers and clapping and screams of assent. It was time for the Trial of Survival to begin. 3. My heart had taken a lot of strain over the last two weeks, but there was something cruel about anticipation. This was my life on the line. Once someone made a drop, I would lose access to the temporary shelter. I almost wished that they would put it off till the last second! I watched people load dummy crates on massive birds and dinosaurs and dragons cautiously, reminding myself not to get my hopes up. Lithco already told me that they would most likely failso it would be on me to retrieve it. So, I prepared myself mentally for just that. Hey Lithco. Whatll happen if someone fails the drop? Am I gonna lose the shelter today? Lithcos pop-up reply gave me minor relief. No. As long as you intend to retrieve it, I wont count the delivery until you retrieve it. That said, if you milk the shelter for your three-month visa and later refuse to attempt a retrieval, I will punish you. How? By cutting off your access to the Guide for the duration you milked your visa. So ten weeks? Ten weeks. I took a sharp breath and nodded. Charming. It felt like Lithco was wringing out my lungs like a wet sponge as I watched the teams finish tying the four array-tattooed crates onto the bird. The POV switched to aerial shots and crowd reactions like it was a football game. The crowd was wild, waving flags with different colors and crests that matched the people sitting in chairs in the very frontthe Legacy Families. They seemed like modern monarchs. The crowds cheering suddenly stilled, and the shot went back to the POV of the rider. Then it began. The rider launched toward the heavens with surreal speed, arm sleeves flapping in the breeze as the bird shot directly upward to cheering fans. A crowds POV showed the bird moving a hundred feet up a second, the black birds wings flapping as it made it toward the top of the gate. And then the POV switched again once they crested the gate and then rocketed forward, moving over the top of the gate like a race car driver, determined to outrun any attacker. The rider failed. He wasnt in the forest for two seconds when tendrils shot out from canopies at surreal speeds, creating a net. The rider moved upbut it was too slow. The tendrils clamped the mounts wings as the five more flew at the flier. The camera switched, showing the man suspended in the air like a fly caught in a web. A split second later, massive birds the size of reaper drones shot out of the trees in a black blur. I barely saw them before the birds dispersed, leaving a tangled net of green tendrils, pulling a bloody mass of meat and feathers into the trees. It all happened in seconds. My mouth opened wide, and my head tilted and I leaned back and laughed, almost falling off the counter I was sitting on. Oh hell no I cackled, mind plunging into the depths of lunacy. Fuck the shelter. I had half a mind to pack up my stuff and start looking for a tree to hollow out. My packages werent coming, and I had shit to do to prepare. But I didnt. For whatever reason, I watched more intensely, examining the Bramblestudying. B2 - R: Chapter 5 - The Bramble Aiden expected to wretch after watching the rider die, but he didnt. Whatever he drank made his mind sharp, bold evenconfident as he watched. Everan wasnt feeling so confident. His face had deep lines as he stared at dead air as if his ambitions and all the requests and money he spent on Aiden (like an idiot, Aiden would add) were going down the drain. It was annoying. Brexton felt the same way. He looked at the sharply dressed man with a sneer. Can you not do that? Aidens mount was born in that forest. It ruled the Bramble. He doesnt even needa fly. Once we convince the vraxle, itll take care of the rest. Aiden nodded as if it were settled, unaware of how bold he was. Brexton turned away from Everans pouting expression and sneered at the Legacy Families. What? Aiden asked. Just look at em. Kid just died, and theyre pissed they shamed them. Can you believe that shit? Aiden looked and found people in the same robes as the rider. They had red faces, looking down and trembling, furious, embarrassedashamed. When the image of their son was shown, they refused to look. They just left as families snickered. Are you being serious? Aiden asked, mouth agape. Brexton pulled out a strange root and put it into his mouth, chewing on it like a dog gnawing a bully stick. His cheeks flushed with color, and his shoulders relaxed. Welcome to the Legacies. He offered the flask to Aiden. Aiden accepted it. 2. I was surprised when the camera switched to a scrawny man in the legacy crowdclearing wearing Earthian attire. He was conspicuously out of place, but his expression was remarkably bold for his appearance, and there was disgust plastered on his face as he talked to a sharply dressed teen around nineteen. It was a strange POV. Then, the camera flipped away as if he were an afterthought, showing the next competitor. This woman looked far better off. She was wearing green and silver armor and rode a bird that looked far sturdier than the other. It had an exterior that looked like a jagged wasteland of broken rocks, each sharp as an arrow. Looking at it was uncomfortable. The crowd was going wild, and the families were all looking at her green-clad family members. Then, her run began. My heart thrummed when the bird launched off faster than the other, like a spaceship rocketing to outer space. It crested the gate in seconds but didnt attack. It stayed in the Third Domain, examining the scene. To my surprise, the POV switched from the rider to the animals eyes, zooming in to see rustling canopies and signs of blood from the tendrils that ate the other flier. Wait is that just the camera? Lithco. Is that just a cameras POV? Or is she using its eyes? That is a skill, Lithco said. I cannot tell you more without a beast-taming book or skill. Seriously? I muttered. So I can The rider suddenly shot past the gate, still borrowing the birds eyes. A dark plume of birds engulfed her, like flies separating from a rotting carcass. She weaved, drilling one with its beak and flying forward. A few strays clamped onto the mount but screeched when they touched the steely barbs on its exterior. A volcanic eruption of poison mist abruptly rocketed in front of her. She veered to the right, hitting a cloud of birdsforced to dip into the trees. Tendrils shot at her, grabbing the bird, but the exterior cut through the plants like paper, and the gray feathers heated like a forged blade, searing off the rest. It all happened so fast. Crashing limbs. Shooting tendrils. Seering plants. Smoke and birds. It was the most intense chase scene I had ever seen, but the rider didnt give up, moving between tree trunks, circling around, avoiding ominous fogkicking up swirls of gas as she moved. A POV switch showed the crowd going wild, hopping up and down and spilling drinks and hugging. A close-up of the womans family, wearing the same green crest, stood stone-faced and unimpressed. The race continued until I saw something familiar. Brivelets, the werewolf bats that I used Nymbrel on, shot at her at surreal speeds, popping around like a game of pinball. They were fast. In a second, one slammed into the rider, biting her shoulder. Her body spasmed, but she didnt despair. She pulled out a blade and wrapped it in a red aura, and stabbed it into the creatures eye, dropping it. She survived, but when she looked up, she came face-to-face with a beast that looked like a bear but was the size of an elephant. She cut left, but the beasts claw moved faster, clipping the birds wing and sending it into a spiral. The POV showed the riders arms pulling up on the reins desperately she corrected. The bird shot up through the canopies, breaking out of the limbs and leaves, leaving nothing but a bright blue sky with slight clouds. For a moment, it seemed like she had succeeded, and the nightmare had ended. Then she turned and saw six dragons that made the one I saw earlier look like a child. I looked away as the dragons stormed the riderrefusing to watch. It didnt take long for the riders POV to end and the crowds nervous ohs and awkward cheers to begin. Then the camera switched to the family, stone-faced and heartless, as they walked away. That boiled my veins and made me livid, but it wasnt nearly as much as the other Earthian man. He was now enraged, staring down influential-looking people like a grizzly bear whose cub was threatened. Something was wrong with him. Yet the camera focused on him, displaying his face for all to see. It was like it wanted everyone to see the confrontation while the world was watching. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. It was eerie. His POV lasted seconds, but it felt like an eternityand it never truly ended. The POV switched to the next competitor, a young teen about sixteen years of age in red robes, trembling violently in terror as his bird took the podium. The camera then switched to the family in red robes, who were absolutely furious at their kids showing. Then the camera switched back to the man who was now stomping through the crowd with another man wearing a suit from Earth, both led by the sharply dressed teen whose hands were in his pockets as he pushed through the influential individuals whimsically, a joyful grin on his face. The camera finally landed on a strange building on a distant hillside, dark and chilling as a shed with torture equipment from times long pastforeshadowing what was to come. I shivered at the ease and speed at which the Oracle created a narrative in real time. Before I could think too much about it, the POV returned to the new rider as they launched off and the impending string of certain deaths resumed without delay. 3. Aiden stormed into the cursed aviary with Everen and Brexton, the latter magically removing all barriers between them and the vraxle. Aiden was breathing smoke all the while, unable to think rationally. He had never seen humans treated so cruelly, and it bothered him to his core. Some of these competitors were children and half werent there by choice. He could tell which ones because they were wearing colorful robes that matched their familys crests. They couldnt leave because it wasnt about awards to these people. It was about prestige. Aiden knew that when the first competitors family reacted. They were aghast, faces contorted with rage at their sons embarrassing death, looking aggrieved as if their only regret about their son dying was that they couldnt beat him for shaming the family. It was sickand it got worse. The indifference with which the next family watched their talented daughter risk her lifeand the severe apathy they held toward her deathbroke him. It was as though her showing was enough to satisfy their honor and they were satisfied with that. These people Extended lifespans had fucked these people up in the head. He wondered how many children these older patriarchs and matriarchs had hadhow many had died violent deaths over the centuries. He just wished they would die. And he figured that the vraxle would feel the same way after the humans chained him up for a century, starving himunwilling to let him fly. So Aiden fantasized about flying out on the vraxle as a normal personnot a Legacyand crushing the trial, putting his middle fingers up to all the families after he shamed them. Those were the thoughts on his mind as he stomped into the chambers and saw the massive wyvern and said, You hate these people right? The wyvern perked up and narrowed its eyes. Well this is a change, he said. He turned his glassy eyes to Brexton and blinked. Yeah, Aiden said, switching to telepathy. Thats because things have changed. Last time, I asked you if you wanted to fly just to fly. Now, Im asking if you want to fly and shame every last one of the fuckers that chained you downbecause I do! The wyvern faced Aiden head-on and sniffed. Then, he looked at Brexton. Whatd you give him? Drugs. Brexton drank from his flask and shook it. Want some? Drugs? Aiden cried, turning to him. A flat hand against his chest told him how fast his heart was beating. It felt like car tires bumping over a storm drain, rumbling instead of pumping. He clenched his hand and barely felt it. It was like he was walking on a cloud of rage. How? Youve been drinking that all day! Uh yeah. Getting rough there at the end. Had to cheat. He stuck out his tongue, and the root he was chewing on popped out. Everen turned to Brexton with a bewildered gaze. It was clear that he wasnt in on the plan. To Brexton Claustra, clever businessman Everen was a basic pawn. The wyvern looked between them. Unbelievable, he said. He turned to Aiden, who was having a panic attack. Leave this place. I refuse to aid you in this foolish endeavor. He turned to Brexton. And drop this waste on the way out. Brexton clicked his tongue three times, wagging his finger. Wouldnt get too testy, Halten, he said telepathically. Not to be there bearer of bad news, but this guys a bit fucked if you dont help em out. He became pretty famous after people learned about his quest; now, hes done made a scene in front of the whole legacy assembly. Damn near offended all of em on live stream in this drugged-up frenzy of his. Bad look. If he drops the Claustra well hes pretty defenseless, now aint he? And if he doesnt have any value to us, well, we just might drop him. Aidens heart rattled on, ice water pumping through his veins. So much suddenly made sense, true or false, like clarity mining gold from paranoia. He made connections to things that were unconnected, mind looping in an endless conspiracy theory, unsure where the truth ended, and the lies began. It was almost as if Aiden! A sharp hypnotic call reverberated in Aidens mind, and suddenly, he felt a split second of sobriety. He looked up and saw the vraxleHalten, as Brexton called himstaring at him. What? Can you think? Uh yeah. Can you hold on? Probably not. We have special harnesses, Brexton said, smiling brightly. I refu Halten looked at Aiden. Once. On the terms we agreed upon. Silver contract based upon intention. Life pact. I want you dead if you havent already negotiated this deal. Assuming theres no change in the rules Deal. Aiden didnt know what deal they made earlier, but he could tell they were serious because they created a life pact. It was only once it was over that Aiden realized that he would soon be flying, or at least be bolted onto a wyverns back. Everything was moving so fast.
Halten studied the Claustra boy, heart plunged with a sharp blade of hatred. The human Aiden was a fool, but his feeble mind was pure. He spent days simply trying to organize a day where Halten could fly, and Halten had lived long enough to tell when someone was lyingand he wasnt. The human Aiden was also honest. He treated Halten like a human, as if it were only natural, speaking to him honestly and spending long periods in silence. He didnt seem like someone who would ever spend more time with humans than necessary. Yet here he was, drugged and manipulatedthreatened, coerced, and blindsided due to his ignorance of the cruelty of this worldand Halten cared. He actually cared. Perhaps it was just because he was angry at the world and its people and his treatment, but being treated well once in the last century had left a deep impression on Halten that he couldnt forget. If he could fly again and repay the kindness, he would. Then, he would return to his prison and wait for death, forever upholding the promise he made to Brindle Grask countless millennia ago. B2 - R: Chapter 6 - Railain Vestra Forcing myself to watch the Trial of Survival was a serious undertaking. Only two people had successfully doubled back and one of them chickened out (got smart, as I liked to call it) right at the start. The other dozen people that flew got eaten by birds, smothered by the poison, and fell into trap plants in the forest that snapped like Venus flytraps. One dipped into the forest first thing and did far better than the rest. He dove to the ground, showing the path that led from the other side of Galfers Gate. Then he flew low, weaving in and out of defined pathsavoiding trap plants that always activated a moment too late. Thiss probably mapped out from the harvest, I had thought when I saw it. There were probably tens of thousands of years of individuals coming into the forest and mapping it out, and this showcase was proof. The rider ducked and weaved between plants, went around shooting vines, released an ice spell at a nest of bugs, avoided the brivelts, increasing in altitude to get around a monster den, then dipping down as low as possible when spider-like creatures in trees shot down from canopies. For a moment, I thought that he had a serious chance then he made it out into a field of dragons who were alerted and ready. They shot at him with speed that would require a playback mode to see clearly. The rider weaved around trees and threw spells, and tried to run, but he was overwhelmed in seconds. Suddenly, the camera shook from some violent ultrasonic attack, and the head of the golden bird he was riding suddenly exploded, and they both crashed into the ground. The Bramble was brutal and if I even wanted to challenge it, I needed to make it through the dragons nest first. I cant take this I tried to swipe the feed aside for a while, but thats when a series of strange occurrences started to spiral out of control. It began when the dragon rider, from the start of the ceremony, decided she had studied enough and was ready to challenge the trial. That got me interestedconsidering that she was likely the person bringing me my stuff. So I watched her fly to the podium, where someone was packing their mount with mock gear. Instead of waiting, the person preparing suddenly stopped and unloaded and flew away. No one complained. According to the announcer, her name was Railain Vestra, the First Domain Scion of a Beast Taming familyand also a mage. The reaction toward her was strange. Those who were forced to fly sighed deep breaths of relief, shoulders relaxing as they gave thanks to the sky. Those who were there for ambition looked at the ground, trembling indignantly as if the matter was already settled. Looks like thiss it, I thought. Yet before she even loaded up her crates the cheering and excitement turned to chaos, pandemonium breaking down. Two camera angles suddenly flashed to the skies, where a massive dragon, far larger than the womans, flew toward the sight. Its movements were choppy and broken, and its wings looked broken and weak, skeletal even. And hes done it! the announcer boomed with a big smile. Those in the know know that there was someone with a quest to tame a cursed one, and it looks like he did it! The strongest of the lota vraxle. The same thing killing all the best competitors thus far! A camera switched to the mans face as he rode the dragons neck with the help of a specialized mount. He looked uncomfortable and unbalanced, strapped onto the beast like a physical object, but his eyes were determined as if he had taken a boatload of Adderall before a college exam. What the hells going on? The vraxle successfully navigated to the waiting site, where sharply dressed workers brought the wheezing, wincing, broken dragon different elixirs. There were close-ups of people creating water spheres and mixing in red and blue and green liquids, blending them on, and shooting them at the skeletal wings. Another camera showed the original dragons rider arguing with staff, while another angle showed her parents arguing with sharply dressed family members at the front. There was a full-blown conflict brewing in real-time. Forgive us for the delay, the announcer said. Theres a disagreement about who should go first. Railain was there first, but the Claustra are arguing that Aiden should go first because he was the only person who got a separate quest to tame a cursed avian and complete this Domain Quest. A shot of the families saw many furious, turning to the massive dragon in the distancefeeling that they had been cheated. It would get nasty. I understand the confusion. Please calm down. Please let me explain! Jeering spectators and family members turned to the announcer, whose face was pale. She coughed and cringed and continued. This neophytes name is Aiden Roe. We dont know how he fared in the multiverse rankings, but the Oracle had him take his trial in the Third Ring after a shocking performance during the standard testing. The Areswood Defense Alliance was ordered to allow him access to the Cursed Aviary before the domain announcement. This was nearly two weeks ago. The crowd calmed and looked at the displayed screens, showing Aiden speaking to the fiery brunette, who had taken off her helmet and was glowering at him, eyes sharp as jagged stone. Both looked into dead space for a moment before they split off, both boldly striding away. A worker ran from their location to the announcer, who informed the public. The Oracles decided to let Railain go first. If she makes it, shell get the right to take it. But Aidenll still get a chance to challenge the Bramble. If he succeeds, hell be a backup in case Railain fails. Looks like thisll be one hell of a competition this year! Confused excitement spread through the crowd, and people started pounding drinks and sending for more. Some people brazenly made bets on camera. The camera locked on a group arguing over who would win, and most people were saying variations of the same thing about the vraxle: How long has that thing been in captivity? It looks like a skeleton. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Confidence in it was low. My confidence in it was low. Thats because it would be facing its own kind, looking like a half-radiated wolf shedding its fur. I just couldnt imagine that it could win that confrontation. Yet I felt nervous excitement as I watched a team of healers spreading alchemic resources on holes in its wings, binding them together as staff brought full animals for it to eat. The man riding it kept looking at the families defiantly, gentle features ugly and twisted with rage. This was personal. Suddenly, the crowd went wild when the crew finished tying the mock equipment to his competitors dragon and she put on her helmet and waited for the horn. The horn sounded, and the dragon shot across the wall. I experienced the most intense three minutes of my life. The beast was too big to take the sneaky way through the forest, so she blasted right through the forest, taking the flying piranhas head-on. They trailed her as the dragon bit through some of them, flapping its wings with major gusts and breathing fireyes, they actually breathed fireat a group of them. Railain didnt rely primarily on the dragons sight, trusting it as she shot magical arrows at the birds that followed them like homing missiles. All of them hitnone stopped the swarm. They were individually weak, but I knew full and well that these creatures were second-evolution beasts at a minimum, swarm type, and far scarier than the reiga or the shalks. Railain ran. She suddenly dipped and shot and weaved and used wind magic as they approached the cloud. Instead of dipping into the sentient canopies, they used wind spells to blow away the gas temporarily, using it to make it past a hurdle before dipping low again. Creatures unforeseen shot aerial attacks at the dragon and rider, each landing shots and leaving both batteredbut they fought on, waving and biting and shooting ice and wind and rocks and fire, killing as many things as they could along the way. It was a vicious four minutes but they made it out into the dragon nestand curved. Speed. Their trump card was speed. They shot out with acceleration magic so fast that an aerial shot captured after images, and the wild dragons gave chase. Railain didnt despair when they caught up. She shifted course right into the poison cloud, wrapped in a barrier, and the dragons followed her in, coughing and wheezing for a second, realizing they were duped. Then Railain shot out at a random place, making it to the other end of the Bramble immediately turning back in the confusion and returning. Railain Vestra completed the Trial of Survival, gaining the right to take my gear. I shouldve been happy about that, right? That performance was masterful, and this individual, though lacking the magical might to harm even the weaker beasts, was skilled. She came from a beast-tamer family and rode the beast mount that was offered to the cause. She was perfectso why did I feel nervous? Aidens vraxle could barely fly. It was a third evolution beastbut it could barely fly. Its ribs looked like they had already been skinned and stripped of fat, and its eyes had lost the fire of all other beasts I had seen that day. It didnt seem practical. It was their appearance. It isnt something that I can explain. Seeing Aiden there felt wrong. He didnt look like he wanted to be there. His facial expressions werent hardened, and his body wasnt bulky, and he didnt hold himself well. Even furious and drugged upwhich was painfully obvioushe couldnt make eye contact with people and gave what appeared to be short answers. The vraxle was even worse. This quest allowed beasts to fight for their freedom, but this one seemed annoyed rather than vengeful. It didnt sneer at people. It simply accepted the healing on its wings as fact and looked at the gate. This team wasnt there because they wanted to be therethey were there because they had a reason to be theresomething to strive for. My heart rattled when Railain returned to a cheering crowd, pumping her fists as her family smirked and looked at other wealthy people snidely, and dismounted, allowing the vraxle to take the podium. It was hugea Boeing 747 cargo plane of a beast. Its wingspan was far larger than most dragons, and for the first time, it was clear to most that it was bigger than the other dragons in the Bramble. It was a king. I echoed the thoughts of so many people the camera caught speaking: What the helld that guy need to do to tame that thing? It didnt make sense, but I had plenty of time to ponder it. It took large ladders and flying beasts to get onto the massive creature, and it became a logistical nightmare to figure out how to strap the cargo to its back. The only way they found was to paint arrays that glued down the cargo on its back, and the vraxle looked like he was second away from sacrificing it all to eat everyone in the area. But it happened. An hour later, they had mock equipment on the dragons back and it stood, staring at the gate, a complex expression on its face. Aiden looked scared yet determined, sending a final glance at the families defiantly on camera before turning to the gate. It was time to move.
Aiden had put magical and mental interference plugs into his ears, cutting off all noise but the grating sound of his circulation system, chugging like a steam train fueled by his pounding heart. Even though he couldnt hear the crowd, he could feel their screamsthe reverberations rattling his skeletal frame. It was intensebut not nearly as much as his situation. Aiden had never ridden a horse for long distances, let alone raced one. Now, he was competing in a match where the competitors weaved through obstacle courses like Olympic competitors. It seemed absurdif he wasnt drugged, he would have thought twice. Yet he didnt. Now, he was going off to his death. I can hear your thoughts, Halten chuffed, shaking his body. Have some faith. If I couldnt do this much, I would have killed myself rather than face the shame. Okay but your wings. Halten snorted. Tamed two cursed beasts and still knows nothing of curses just sit there. Ill take care of the rest. Aiden nodded and waited, becoming in tune with his pulse, embracing shallow breathsfeeling his mind losing focus from oxygen deprivation. Then they gave the announcement. He couldnt hear it, but he could feel the crowd cheering. Then his body shook as Halten rocketed to the sky, giving him so much gravitational pressure that he thought he was in a rocket ship. It was so intense he thought that he had the fastest mount thereunaware that he was one of the slowest and the many were jeering or laughing or lamenting their bets. He also didnt know the wobbles he was feeling were from Halten''s broken wings, which hadnt flown for a century. He didnt know many things, but he learned what everyone else did once Halten flew over the wall curses were a big fucking deal. Because the moment they crossed through this suffocating membrane that left Aidens limbs tingling like electricity passing through them, Halten exploded with so much magical energy and soul force that Aiden blacked out. When he came too, he could barely breathe, and his body was experiencing intense waves of dysphoria like his nervous system had been unlodged from his mind. He opened his eyes slowly and found Halten hovering in the sky above the forest. Close your eyes, Halten said. Aiden did, but not before he saw a swarm of multicolored birds blot out the skies around them. B2 - R: Chapter 7 - Aiden’s Run I watched the screen in horror. Aiden spontaneously blacked out at the top of the wall, and the dragon let him catch his breath. That was a mistake. Thousands, and I mean thousands, of birds rushed them. There was a kaleidoscope of colors and sizes, some the size of reaper drones and jets and small carsothers the size of hawks. They all swarmed the haggard dragon in a vast net that seemed impossible to avoid. It was. My heart stopped when the beast swarmed them from all directions. I thought about the birds picking the poor man alive, eating the dragons wings, and leaving the rest for the Brambles vinesbut I was wrong. A piercing screech blasted out of the Guide, and I cupped my ears. On the screen, hundreds of birds exploded from the frenzy like a claymore, and countless started dropping into the canopies as sentient vines at them whole. The POV switched the crowd, showing most on their knees, many clutching their earssome with blood dripping from their fingers. Sonic attack I thought. The camera flipped back to Aidenwho was remarkably unharmedgiving a close-up of the earbuds in his ears. It was only for a secondthen the battle resumed. The large birds swarmed again and the dragon rocketed forward, dipping straight into the poisonous cloud, wearing a domain like a space suit. 2. Halten flew through the poison, dreading the upcoming confrontation with his kin. His clan had sworn vows to protect the forest. Now, he was bringing a non-native humanoid to the forestand that was forbidden. His intentions were meaningless. His impact was irrelevant. He was breaking the vow he made, and would soon be facing his kind. As he expected, they were all waiting for him. Unlike the five that Railain met, there were now fifteenone of which was massive and blue and large as he was. Whyre you here? Thorvel, his brother, hissed. I am here to protect this humans life. Instead of upholding your vow? Instead of doing your duty? Im saving this human. Thats all. If you have a problem with itfight me. Thiss a disgrace. It is. The two stared at each other for a tense few secondsthen they acted. Halten erected a barrier, blocking wind and fire spells that were crashing into him. Then he pierced the sky, weaving between attacks at dizzying speeds, trying to ignore Aiden screaming on his back. Two vraxles suddenly flew toward his flanks in a pincer. He out-maneuvered the weakest, flying forward and biting through its wingsending it spiraling to the ground. Two rammed into Halten, sending him rolling before he corrected himself. He turned and found Thorvel waiting. He looked him in the eye. Two seconds passed. Then Halten erected a barrier and breathed deeplyhis brother did the same. Right as Thorvel released an inferno across the sky, Halten feigned, dodging out of the blast and shooting straight for the end of the bramble. Coward! Thorvel screamed. Halten didnt care. He wasnt here to protect the forest or defend his honor. He was here to save a foolish boys life and leave. They could hate him for eternity thereafter. 3. Aiden had never felt more terrified in his life. He was bolted to a wyvern he couldnt ride, watching a dozen vraxles swarming him, blowing hot flames onto a barrier that blocked them like hose water blasted against a shield. Some got close, but Halten navigated through them with ease, making Aiden wonder how powerful the beast was before all of this happened. Suddenly, they crossed this gnarled section of forest that looked similar to a tumbleweed studded with rose thorns, and there was a visible change in the atmosphere. No birds flew out at them. No beasts were waiting. The trees canopies didnt come to life. They felt free and then Haltern turned around as if he had a death wish. Steel yourself, the wyvern said in his mind. This is the moment that will make everything! Aiden couldnt reply. He nearly blacked out from the gravitational pull as the Halten blasted forward with all his might, charging right through the dragons as they shot spells at them, piercing straight through the poison cloud. The world turned purple and dark, swirling gasses blasting all around him as fire shot at his back. Then they broke out of the cloud, and Aiden could see the gate. They were so closeyet so far. Two wind blades suddenly shot from the back, slashing through Haltens wings. The wyvern roared in pain, and Aidens heart wrenched. Im so useless! Aiden silently screamed. He suddenly felt like Mira did a week ago, always hiding behind Klinefeeling like a burden. No, he was a burden. He wasnt doing anything. He wasnt saying anything. He was just bolted onto Haltens back as the wyvern saved his fucking life. Stop your whining! Halten yelled. I cant think with your negativity. Bring that rage back! Think about Birds exploded out of the trees where they were resting, coming at them for round two. Brexton! Or whoever the fucks wronged you! Just that name alone made Aiden tremble in rage. He gripped the reins needlessly and looked at the swarm of birds. Thats more like it. Now hold on! Halten took a deep breath and breathed fire through the plume of birds, ripping through the mass, sending some falling like rocks from a cliffs wall. More swarmed in from all sides, and wind blades from dragons shot from the back. Yet Halten didnt give up. He snatched birds in his jaws, screeched, released barriers that threw beasts back, navigated past wind blades, and shot into the sky. He took damage, but he pressed on, putting the gate in sight. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. They crossed it. 4. I couldnt believe it. Aiden made it. He actually made it! I was so thrilled until his dragon crossed the walland then everything changed. The dragons scales lit up with arrays and runes that glowed white and bright and hot, even against the sun. It killed the beasts energy in a moment, sending it plunging to the ground like a meteorite. I screamed as it hit the groundno one protected themleaving a crater in the dirt. Paramedics retrieved Aidens body through the dirt cloud, bringing him out on a stretcher as medical professionals arrived, slathering him with a balm that had no visual effects. The camera gave a close up of his facehe was breathing. He was actually breathing. And knowing the magic and alchemy in this world, I was sure that he would survive. The crowd went wild until the screen switched. The dragon wasnt doing so well. Its body trembled as it tried to push itself up, only to collapse, over and over again, ad infinitum. Stillit was alive, too. And after the entrance that Aiden was given, I was certain that they would save him. They won. They actually won! I had never felt so relieved. Somehow it made it all worth it, even knowing that I wouldnt get my stuff that day. I celebrated for an hour as the event continued its preparations, glancing at it while cooking food I spiced with ingredients from the forest. We were finally eating well again and it felt damn good to be alive. Kline smacked his jaws as he ate, then groomed himself happily until I grabbed him. He squirmed and yowled and scratched, but we both knew that I couldnt sneak up on himeven with my cat lady reflexes. So he grumbled and gave in as I held him against my bosom. The Guides stream suddenly switched to Aiden and his dragon, both going through medical treatment but breathing, gearing for a full recovery. I wondered what they were like, hoping to see someone face-to-face after weeks out here alone. I wondered what it would be like to speak. It was all a delusion, if I was being honest with myself. I knew what would happenwhich is the reason I didnt pay attention to Railain. I just enjoyed the prideful, domain-wide victory while I could because I knew Railain didnt have a chance. Lithco had no confidence anyone could. Now, the forest was on fire with activity, and the dragons were thirsting for revenge. But I had to give her creditshe was brave. Railain had a look of confidence as she put on her helmet and mounted her dragon, sitting in front of half of my equipment drop. She looked regal and I wanted to meet her. That was my thought as the crowd stilled, the area fell silent, and the countdown went down. Then, the horn sounded and she shot up to the other end of the wall. Things still went as anticipated. There were thousands of injured, humiliated birds after the dragons sonic attack, and the moment she entered the Brambleall of them struck. It was like a school of colorful, flying fishswarming Railain from all directions. She immediately tried to flee, but they cut her off. So she ran, weaving between attacks, flying deeper into the Bramble by sheer necessity, cutting through tendrils in a crazed bloodbath. She and her dragon suffered great injuries very quickly, so they shot through the poison cloud to escapeand thats when she gave up. Halfway through, she activated an array, launching my supplies into a random spot in the forest as she turned around. The next moment, she rocketed out of the cloud, blowing fire at birds as they plowed through like a bulldozer. It was a brutal hellscape of fire and wind and roars in the skies above the forest, and I was certain she would die but she made it, too. I didnt feel the same relief I did with Aiden, but I was glad when mages cast out a net to prevent Railain and the bloodied dragon from crashing into the ground. The dragon howled as mages cut the straps on her harness and hauled her to the medical tents. I stopped watching. The damage on both was grave, and I was satisfied when I saw an image of Railain breathing easily. Then I shut off, knots releasing from my shoulders as I sat with my back against a tree, thinking about the situation. Well, looks like Im not gettin gear any time soon, I thought. Aiden and his dragon flashed into my mind. I couldnt help but feel a bit of kinship with him, knowing that he was also from Earthalso in this fucked up situation. So knowing that I might get to talk to someone and that Id get my equipment if it happened gave me some consolation. The Areswood Defense Alliance called the end of the trial not too long after, claiming that the second delivery would be streamed once Aiden could fly. People cheered. There was a celebration. POVs showed both the riders alive and well, gaining medical treatment as Aidens dragon was locked in chains. I wasnt celebrating. I was just sitting there, thinking about how wild the day was. About the Bramble and my location and the riders and families and fiends. Through it all, I tried not to think of my equipment that was dropped over two miles into the Bramble. You dont need it, Mira, I thought. Its just extra. I came to the forest to be an uncivilized mountain lady, and I didnt plan on depending on outside aid now. I also prepared myself for the drop to fail. So, while I was disappointed, I didnt dwell on it. The real problem was that I wanted to keep my temporary shelter long enough for me to situate myself, but I didnt know if I could challenge the Bramble in ten weeks. Hey Lithco, I said. What qualifies as preparing to retrieve my stuff? An intention to challenge the Bramble later, Lithco said, stepping out from behind me and sitting down. So long as you intend to, you can do whatever you want. Thread. Learn magic. Make potions. You know what youre already doing. Is that what youre gonna do? I chuckled mockingly, shaking my head. Of course not. Ill get it you can bet your sweet ass Im gonna get it. But theres no way in hell Ill challenge that in three months. Ill probably wait until the Harvest, then walk right past the wyverns first. Lithco smiled. Its interesting that youre planning to do it at all. Are you already fiending for adrenaline again? Fiending I chuckled murderously. Theres teleportation magic and epic alchemy equipment out there. You really think I wouldnt go after it? Lithco raised his hands playfully. Just surprised. Youve changed a lot in just a couple weeks. I felt a static wave of energy ripple through my skin. Got any ideas on how youre gonna challenge it? he mused. Yeah. Im gonna load up on water, alchemical potions, magic, crank my Moxle Dilation, check out Klines new skillscause I know he has some... Kline sauntered off as if he didnt hear anything. And since theres all sorts of sentient plants, Ill learn this soul manipulation magic and whatever. Nothings changed. Im just going to keep getting stronger until a trip like thiss irrelevant. That was my goalto get strong enough that there was no challenge in my way. I wanted to live in these woods and study plants, live on the land, eat well, and traveland I didnt want man or beast or storm to slow me down. I was lacking equipment but I could make up for it with magic. That was a unique situation that I would latch onto. So, while I hoped that Aiden would successfully bring me gearI wouldnt depend on it. I wouldnt complain about it. I refused to feel bitter that I didnt get luxury. If anything, I was grateful for the setback because it gave me a goaland having something to work toward helped to stabilize my thoughtseven if it was a suicidal mission into the great beyond. After the conversation, I returned to the temporary shelter and removed everything, including the bed, fire array, and cooking grill, something that I, surprisingly, wasnt punished for, and brought them to the alchemy station. This was my new home. My starting place before I got permanent shelter. My Alamo. I had less than six weeks till the reaper would, hopefully, die, allowing me to reap the reward from personally killing a third-evolution beast as part of my evolution reward when I evolved. Then, I had around two months until the Black Harvest. During that period, I needed to stock up on alchemical potions, evolve, learn soulmancy, and prepare to deal with the tradersand my trip into the Bramble. I couldnt slow down for a moment. It was time to get to work. B2 - R: Chapter 8 - Alchemic Creations I unzipped my tent the next morning and stretched my limbs with a smile. It felt good to camp under the open sky. Nothing attackedjust like the other two hundred times that I had camped in the open wilderness. It was nice. Kline and I ate breakfast by the smoldered fire and then packed up camp. The day was young, my future was bright, and if I lingered too long, I would start to think about the Trial of Survival. So, I opened up my Guide and planned out my plan. I would start with alchemy. Alchemy meant health restoration creations, antifungals, antitoxins, cleansing elixirs, and other forms of medicines Id need once I started learning soulmancy or searching for a home. So thats where I began, moving into the Subclass tab and going into quests. I found a suitable quest immediately. --- Neophyte Mira Hill has been offered a new Quest. Legacy Quest: Create a Health Restoration Product. Quest Summary: In a stunning reminder that the Oracle is not out to get you, it is now offering you rewards for creating idiot insurance products. Thats a miracle, considering how many times youve nearly killed yourself in the last week. So invest some time. But, for the love of God, dont kill yourself while creating a health restoration product. If you didnt use a diamond-level information suppression request, your strange and budding legacy would forever be remembered with ridicule. Requirement(s):
  1. Create a working health restoration product.
  2. Use proper enchanting to connect your creation to the record.
Rewards:
  1. Tutorial on health restoration basics that is one tier above your levels creation.
  2. One health restoration recipe with ingredients that are reasonably accessible to you. The recipe will be one tier higher than your own.
--- My lips curled into a bittersweet smile. I probably already have these rewards I muttered. I had a diamond-level alchemy skill that came with hundreds of basic recipes and tutorials, moving all the way up to skills necessary for sixth-tier creations. Id be able to take my alchemy skill all the way up to being a demigod on the seventh evolution. Such was the nature of diamond requests. It was cool that I already had it, but it was lame that I wouldnt get any rewards. I was gonna do it anyway, I reminded myself. It didnt make me feel better. Rewards were the shitnot getting them when I should have was extra not cool. I sighed and turned to Kline. You ready? He meowed, and we walked into the great wilderness en route to find alchemic ingredients for mana and health restoration creations, as well as cleansing elixirs, antifungals, and antitoxins. We found a resource gold mine underneath a patch of deadfall, a bone graveyard of fallen trees from a fight that had collapsed during a vicious battle a few years before, judging by the bark. Then we traveled over a bog where we found so many edible mushrooms that the hilltop shone with gold. I sliced and cooked them on a pan that I put on an alchemy heating array as Kline ate more meatthe only real things a cat could eat. The mushrooms tasted nutty like chanterelles. We moved on. Finding alchemic ingredients was easier after the Subclass but still very difficult. With the Alchemy Identify skill, which I got when I got the subclass, I could quickly identify them. That said, they didnt glow gold or purple, depending on whether they were edible or poisonous. I almost spent a diamond request to get the alchemic ingredients book that highlighted plants. It was invaluablebut I only had two diamond requests left. Id think about it. In the afternoon, I found a critical flower for health restoration creations, wreathing a meadow with shades of pink. We harvested them for two hours before we were swarmed by beasts the size of wolves. Kline and I fought our way through it. Moxle Dilation was getting easier to control and my mana sharpening more deadlythe practice was paying off. The day ended with every preservation jar and tub that I could fit in my backpack. I brought them back and put new ones into my bag. The next day, I would work on creating the potions. And thats what I did. Kline and I ate breakfast at sunrise the following morning, and I grabbed my goods to create a health restoration balm. I started by desiccating the dried ingredients and grinding them, pouring the dust into jars, and labeling them, as there were hundreds of jars available. I then pulled out the wet goods that I needed to extract sap from and paused as I grabbed a processing knife. It was then I got a strange idea. I wonder I picked up a random stick and held it in front of me and closed my eyes. I swirled mana around it and then sharpened it using my Mana Sharpening technique. To my surprise, it had a crude blade on it. Interesting I walked up to a tree and left a gash in it. It cut like butter. In~ter~esting I walked up to the counter with my sharpened stick and tried to cut a cornerit didnt do anything. Must be reinforced or this isnt sharp enough Either way, I figured out what I was going to do. Pulling out a cutting board, I put the wet ingredients on the board and started chopping them with my stick. It was brutal work that required excessive amounts of mana and concentration, but I did it I cut one root before my mana ran out. Turns out, there was a big difference between wrapping a blade in sharpening and creating a blade out of raw mana. There was also a chasm between creating a weapon and stabbing with it blindly than it was to create a blade and use it to chop something evenly. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I stopped for the day, determined to practice every time I skinned a beast, and threaded for twenty minutes to regain my mana. Then I went back to work. I mixed ingredients in a pan, adding oil, water, and an emulsifier to stabilize it. Once it cooled, I got the chime that I created my first balm. --- Congratulations! Neophyte Mira Hill has created a new alchemic creation. Name: Trelfin Balm Type: Healing Acceleration, Antibiotic Effect: Closes minor wounds, keeps them clean, and accelerates healing. Estimated purity: 47%. --- I sighed when I completed it. How anti-climatic I thought. After watching a balm reconnect Klines bones and water that healed me on sight, this creation felt like Neosporin. Yet thats all I could do without learning enhancements. Alchemic creations were like fuel for magic spells that performed healing magic. There was a relationship between the two and I didnt have the foggiest clue how enchantments workedand thats what Elana would teach me. So, I had to settle for medicine. It was underwhelming but it did have a nice benefit. Two seconds later, I heard a chime and got my first subclass announcement. --- Congratulations! You have completed the mission, Create a Health Restoration Creation for your subclass. Rewards:
  1. Tutorial on health restoration basics that is one tier above your levels creation.
  2. One health restoration recipe with ingredients that are reasonably accessible to you. The recipe will be one tier higher than your own.
--- I was about to complain when I got another notification. --- Due to already having the rewards, you have been given alternative rewards. Rewards:
  1. One bronze recipe request.
  2. One bronze tutorial request.
--- I slightly smirked when I saw the rewards. Bronze? I thought in a British accent. Bronze! What type of meager pittance is this? Lithco demands golds to breathe! I swiped away the screen, shrugging it off. It was better than nothing. Finally, I got a new notification. --- You have unlocked the following quests: ---- Just like that, I unlocked two dozen more basic quests, asking me to make a basic creation type. There was also a new quest that asked me to create a higher tier Healing Acceleration Creation. That meant higher enchantments or more unstable compounds. Then Id get higher-level rewards. I clicked on the higher-tier quest. Turned out I would get a silver request. Id probably get a gold for a third tier. Should I take an enchantment tutorial? I pondered. Probably not I still needed to figure out what Elana would tell me. If I had learned anything going to school, it was that teachers had egos, and as soon as I learned anything, they would make me undo it. So, I was sticking to the basics, teasing out the differences between alchemy and science. So far there was none aside from essence extraction. Enchantments would change that. Lets just grind out products. I then started working on a mana vein restoration creation. It was also quite simple to make, simply requiring me to use essence extraction on certain leaves in boiling water, put on simmer as I added sugar as a solvent, ensuring an even distribution of active ingredients in the liquid form, and mixing it with powdered active ingredients that restored structural proteins around my bodys developing mana channel structures, and reinforced the channel walls. Oddly enough, this particular drug would help my mana channels form and become stronger. So it wasnt just a drug it was like anabolic steroids. Score. I dipped my finger into it and gave it a taste. Poison. It tasted like poison. But! I refused to retch and lose something so valuable, so I carried on until I got the chime. --- Name: Selenara Syrup Description: Like maralune syrup, only made by a botanist who thinks highly of herself as a professional chemist just because she minored in it in college. Purity: 49%. --- My face twitched. On to antitoxins I seethed. Antitoxins, like the cleansing elixir I had, were problematic because they made me empty my stomach and bowels, and I couldnt have that in battle. Instead, I decided to make a cream. To do that, I decided to make a shea butter equivalent as a base. I started by peeling the fruit away from wyndrel fruit I had collected with my fingers. They were pink fruit thick as acorns but shaped like textbook cylinders, filled with an uncracked nut. I put the pulp in a bowl and selectively desiccated the outer pulp, drying it out and forcing it off the shell. I then took a rock and broke the shell, pulling out the kernels and collecting them in a bowl. It was hard, laborious work to go through a thousand, so I used Levisphere and Separate to collect the kernels after smashing the shells in bulk. It helped significantly. I roasted the kernels in a pan, stirring constantly till the oils separated. Then I smashed them in a long, laborious process and wetted my hands to knead the paste, adding water to separate oils. I was tempted to waste a request on another spell for these processesbut didnt. I didnt get a spell for needing or mashing because they werent necessaryand I needed to save my requests for things that were. It took four hours to heat the paste gently in a pot for the oils to rise to the surface and only five minutes to skim the butter from the top and separate the impurities. Ten minutes later, I had a jar of wyndrel butter, which would act as a moisturizing agent, stabilizing agent, and binding agent for creams. It would go far. Thats enough for today, I thought. I purified the butter and left it out to cool it slowly. Id use it on the morrow. Lets eat. Kline snuggled up against me during dinner, falling asleep as I watched the fire. So much had happened in less than two weeks. Now, I was facing my greatest challenge yet, and I felt calm about it. Satisfied, even. I drifted off to sleep. The next morning, I mixed the wyndrel butter with medicinal herbs and essence roots, completing a tier-two topical antitoxin. I was satisfied with the chime. --- Name: Marindel Cream Description: Deceptively innocuous as a cream, this cleansing cream isnt hydrocortisone. Its a powerful cleansing agent that takes anything cut into skin or muscle and flushes it out, like putting a scrunched up sponge in a bloody wound and releasing it, allowing it to collect the blood. Keep what it does in mind before you see it in action. Otherwise, youll be treating your information requests like WebMD. Purity: 64%. --- I shivered at the warning but was glad for it. That meant that it worked. Now, I had mana restoration syrup, some basic medicine, the Diktyo River water, and an antitoxin. I was on my way to challenging the forest. It was time to meet Elana and start my journey. B2 - R: Chapter 9 - Elana Saliea I wanted to be prepared to meet ElanaI wasnt. Her entrance wasnt dramatic like Lithcos. She didnt rip apart space and time or walk outside of a try or fly from the heavens, coming down on wings. She just blinked into existence like someone turned on a projectorbut her presence was absolutely overbearing. Elana was unlike anyone I had ever seen before. She was humanshe had eyes and a face and a nose and ears and all the other strange and wondrous features that humans have. Yet she was different. Her ears were slightly pointed, tastefully so to make her look cute, but not enough to take away from her womanly figure, which was, quite honestly, offensively perfect. She was wearing a purple cocktail dress that showed off an hourglass figure that princesses suffocated themselves in corsets to obtain and curves that were perfectly proportionate to her shoulders, arms, and waist. Most of all, her natural face was contoured and smooth like makeup, and foundation had been applied to it by default. She would seem like the perfect woman if there was not something unnerving about her skin and bone structures. Her face seemed to correct itself, always presenting the most optimal shading for the lighting and distance, smoothly and hypnotically, as if it were constantly gaslighting you, making you think that all human faces did something that strange and alluring. The more I thought about it, the more disturbing it became until it was all I could think about. You see this? Elana asked as she stared at my gobsmacked expression. This is why you invest in beauty. It comes with respect and privilege deprived of those without it. I blinked a few times, trying to comprehend that those were the first words she spoke to me. Well? Elana asked. Are you going to stare, or shall you introduce yourself? I lost my voice and stumbled and looked at her feet and a tree and her face but quickly looked away. Uh my name is Mira. I um. I like plants. Uh I wasnt exactly meant to come here. And Im not an alchemist. But I want to learn? Elana scoffed. Unbelievable. The work we must do for your presentation is truly devastating. My stomach sank more than my rage flared. Listen, Mira. Power is established from first appearance. If you bumble around bandits, you will get yourself killed. If you freeze in business negotiations, the other party will wring you dry. Business. Relationships. Danger. Confidence and poise protect you. They arent traitstheyre skills. And we must master them before the Harvest reaps your innocence Elana flicked her hand. The grime and chemicals and ingredients splattered on my shirt, sloshed off my body, and my skin gained an ambient glow. My rough, fraying hair turned straight and silky as if combed, and my hands looked moisturized. My clothing morphed into thick leather armor with black and gold accents, studded with arm guards. It was fake, of course. Elana couldnt use magic in this form. Despite that, she did it and created an illusionary mirror in front of me. My eyes widened when I saw myself. I looked like a warrior, sporting leather that had been cut by swords but a strong crest on my chest and a bow on my back. Two daggers were on my waist, and I had the chains of a necklace hidden, threatening the unknown. I looked like a war general. Despite that my face was masterfully contoured with makeup, and my hair was smooth and refined. Having a beautiful appearance didnt make me seem less intimidatingit made me look more horrifying. It spoke of an upbringing with combat tutors and military service rather than a life of banditry. You see now? Elana created another mirror and showed my actual appearance: hair dirty and greased with plant matter, Darwin shirt rippedjeans a size too large and square. I cringed. Its clear that you have never taken interest or concern in your beauty, Elana said. Since youre talented, I shall blame that on ignorance. But for now on, you will spend a paltry fifteen minutes presenting yourself in a mirror in the mornings or I will refuse to teach you. I refuse to let my pupil show such weakness. I took a deep breath, holding back a deep pang of rage. My initial reaction was to tell Elana to shove it. I was in a forest, fighting for my life, and the last thing I cared about was my beauty. I loved plants. Thats all that mattered. I didnt care about business or people. Yetonce I witnessed myself in tailored battle armor and saw how terrifying I looked, I realized the value of presentation. She truly believed that it was necessary to protect me. Still I I looked around me. But were in the woods The muscles in Elanas face slackened into a deep frown and she looked at Kline, who was narrowing his eyes at her. Are you blind? He growled. No? Are you stupid? He hissed. Then why does your companion think youre incapable of judging? Point taken, I said. Then try again. This time, tell me who you are as if I were a worm that youre forced to meet for diplomatic reasons. Do not hold back. I felt a dull throb in my heart, annoyance yet excitement, mixed emotions in a cauldron. Then I closed my eyes and lashed out. My name is Mira Hill. A week ago, this fucked up system brought me here after telling me that my love for plants was worthless. Now, I need a diamond level information suppression request to protect myself from the throngs of gods and humans fighting over me. Keep that in mind before you bully me around, as my love for plants trumps my love for alchemy or any other art. Elanas eyes shone with cold light, and I had to force myself to avoid recoiling. Good until your hesitation at the end. Practice before the harvest. As for me, I am your teacher and patron god and you will treat me as such. Keep that in mind. I nodded. Yes maam. Elana, she corrected. Yes, Elana. Good. Elana grabbed my cream with a slight smile and then looked at my mana syrup with a frown. It was a rollercoaster of emotions watching her judge me. Yet it wasnt bad. I expected this meeting to be transactional, but she looked like she was proud and annoyed and really cared. She was differentbut she cared. It filled me with strange emotions. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. It seems you have a scientific background, so there is no need to speak of compounds, she said. Instead. Lets talk about the portion you seem ignorant of. Tell me: what are the two categories of alchemic creations? I thought back to my hours of training with Lithco while making different substances and answered cleanly. Heximedica and enchantment, I said. Whats the difference? Heximedica creates drugschemical compounds of active ingredients. Enchantments store spells inside the ingredients to use them. Its a self-executing program that contains all the building blocks. Interesting analogy. Now tell mewhich category does skin and muscle health restoration fall into? Enchantment. Correct. Enchantments connect to your magical blueprint, the residual magic flowing through you. Were I to cut off your arm, it would continue circulating in that blueprint. During the period it lingers, a balm can fill in the areas that are missing like insulation foam, reconnecting muscles and skin before the body replaces them. It can also use kinetic spells to reconnect bones in complex ways you cannot fathom. Heres my question: if we have enchantments and fillers, whats the rest of this do? I looked at the ingredients, afraid to get the wrong answer. It cleans the wound and restores energy? Amongst other things, yes. So your health balms are a collection of cleansing elixirs, antitoxins, and other ingredients. By the time you reach fifth-tier healing elixirs, they can fix any ailment and restore your limbs. Thats seriously cool. Now that you understand that, you should be able to look at these ingredients differently. Cleansing. Strengthening. Energy. Filling. Elana pointed at each of the ingredients. Once you know that, you can collect ingredients as you go, then later ask the Guide for recipes to optimally use them. My heart pulsed. But thosell cost requests every time. Yes. But the more ingredients and knowledge you have, the less it costs. If you wouldve brought your substitutes together and asked for a recipe, it wouldve cost a bronze request. Same for high-level spells. Its conceivable to buy a seventh-tier spell for a bronzeas youre only looking for validation. And considering that you already have the rewards for your quests, you will get requests in its place. Given your available resources, I forbid you to make anything without Guide validation. Ive seen such hubris kill thousands of pupils. I shivered. Now then. What recipes can we make with these ingredients? Elana rearranged them. Cleansing elixir antitoxin and She pulled a certain combination, including the balms base, that needed to polymerize. Then she pulled out the chemical building blocks of a human being. Salt. Iron. Calcium. She pulled out an entire shelf of ingredients. A liquid binder, she said. Whats that? I asked. Elana looked at my knife clipped inside my pocket. Cut me. Uh what? Are you deaf? No. Its just Elana scoffed. Its remarkable how much work itll take to get you to listen without question. I said cut me. Pick up your knife, and slash any part of my body. I did, unsheathing my knife and nervously cutting her arm. It spurted out realistic blood, making me stumble back. Yet a moment later, a crimson ooze came out of the arm, shutting the wound. W-What the hell is that? What does it look like? Give me that. Elana took my knife and cut her finger off without hesitation, and that crimson ooze shot out of the stub, recreating the fingers shape all the way to the fingerprints. Ten seconds later, the red area around the finger cracked off like candle wax, revealing a healthy finger. No way I whispered. Yes. You have most of the ingredients necessary to create this. Request this elixir. Say, give me a recipe with nearby ingredients that use these, verbalize each and their properties and what you aim to achieve with it. Then repeat the names of the following enchantments. I did, repeating the names of the spells she gave me, and I got a recipe recommendation. --- Multiple recipes match your requirements. The best match: Name: Thalyndra Elixir Tier: 5 Description: Wow. Nothing spells trust issues like your teacher giving you a recipe for something you are nowhere close to being able to create. But unsurprise! Its really cool. This elixir is made of remarkably simple ingredients and a boatload of high-tier enchantments. It automatically closes wounds and recreates your limbs using your magical blueprint and reconnects just about everything to the point you can be nearly decapitated and survive. Cost: Bronze --- The description triggered a vicious, vindictive argument between my mind and heart, filling me with euphoria that I was being offered a fifth-tier spell for a bronze requestbut making me hate life that I was nowhere near creating it. It was bittersweet and tart, nearly sour at the same time. What a trip. Thiss I sighed. Ill be honest, I dont get it. How can something this complex cost a bronze? Because you dont get the enchantments, Elana said. Itll tell you you need advanced equipmenteven though you dont have it. Rememberthiss a recipe. I smiled wryly. So I cant use it. No. But I looked up. Verbalize that you just want the same thing, only something just to close wounds. I did and got another messagethis one surreal. It read: --- Multiple recipes match your requirements. The best match: Name: Illyndra Elixir Tier: 3 Description: Wheeeeeeew. That woman just crushed your hopes and dreams just so your hopes would peak. This elixir wont recreate limbs, but it will automatically close wounds, plugging arrow wounds like a tire goo. Best of all, it uses minimal enchantments and is within your reach. With a little practice, you increase your survival rate by 10%. Just make sure you pay attention to purity and follow the directions. There are side effects and warnings befitting something this absurd. Obviously. --- I looked at Elana, who smirked at me. Youre going to teach me how to make this? Elana rolled her eyes. I took that as a yes and joined her at the front while she taught me how to create the base for it, skillfully processing ingredients and showing me which spells could increase my efficiency, like a grinding spell. It took away much of the romanticism of grinding ingredients, but watching ingredients dry, chop, and powder themselves, moving around in flowing streams above her body, mixing and marbling, and creating perfect mixtures filled me with a sense of wonder. She mixed the ingredients, adding sap and a catalyst that broke down the sap into a very thin liquid, nearly comparable to water. Now, it just needed a monomer that would turn it hardbut that was the complicated part. What separates the alchemic tiers? Elana asked. I dont know, I said. Id say enchantments, but I just created a third tier creation. Astute observation, Elana said. If you need higher level magic to create it, you will have higher grades attached to it. However, you can also get higher tiers from the volatility of the ingredients and compounds you use. Your Awakening Elixir was, in essence, a tincture, yet it was a third-tier creation because the ingredients were extremely unstable. You needed to use purifying spells and control the airflow and environment. I see So what do you supposell be difficult about making this elixir? Uh creating a liquid that hardens when it leaves your body I cant imagine thats healthy. Elana smiled. Exactly. To do that, we need to create a liquid that stays a liquid until its exposed to air. How does that work? You use a monomer that rapidly polymerizes once exposed to air, I said. Like super glue. It was a strange answer, but it was true. Super glue is liquid in the bottle but rapidly hardens when exposed to air. Good. How do people make such glue. Removing moisture and creating air tight packaging. And how do they accomplish that? With vacuum technology and distillation. How will we pull it off? Magic. Correct. And we do that with whats known as a domainthe most important combat and defense spell youll ever learn. B2 - R: Chapter 10 - Domain I was stunned when I heard that I would be learning a combat and defense spell for alchemy lessonsthe most important at that. Wait what? I muttered. I believe you heard me. Domains are a way to regulate the entire environment around youincluding the magical environment. If you dont use a domain when fighting creatures with the magical pressure to affect your body A shalk suddenly shot out of nowhere. Kline pounced and slashed at it, but it blinked out of the way and jumped at Elana. Elana flicked her fingers at it, and the beasts skin boiled and mutated like sputtering bath foam before rupturing in a violent explosion that sent invisible blood slamming into my face, hands, and clothing. I stumbled backward, hitting the ground. Once you hit fourth evolution creatures, they will all be able to boil or freeze or rupture your blood in many forms just through the mere build up of a magical spell, Elana said. There are some beasts in the third evolution that can do the sameespecially to a being as weak as you. Youve been lucky. Thus, from now on, we will intertwine training for alchemy with combat training. I liked the sound of that. Okay so? What is a domain? Elana presented her palms, gripping her left hands fingers on an invisible sphere. Here is a raw domain. It doesnt look like anything because its notits simply the same atmosphere were breathing in. However A fireball flickered to life in her right hand. If you were to try to change the elemental nature of this ball She put the fire over the domain and the flames around the invisible sphere as if it were a solid object. I cocked my head in puzzlement. Wait so its a barrier? No. A barrier is a physical or one-way permeable object made of mana. Elana summoned a golden sphere in the domains place. The fire still licked around it the same, but when she cut the flames and knocked on the ball, it let out a hollow twang. Its tangible. Domains are created from soul force. They do not affect the physical world. She passed her finger through it. But it cannot be influenced by elemental or magical changes that are less powerful than the domain. Sharp external attacks can break through it temporarily She shot a fire spell inside it, and it broke through before fizzling out. But you cant manipulate magic within it So you cant make someone explode. Correct. But dont interrupt me. My eyes deadened. The question ishow does this affect your alchemy? Elana asked. Because you can control the atmosphere? If thats the case, youd be able to work with a liquid that turns into a solid Precisely. Elana created a small flame within the domain, heating it like a lamp. Then, the flame flickered left and right, increasing and decreasing in size, and turned into a small tornado. In your domain, you control the atmosphere. It is perfectly sterile, immune to contamination, and allows you to control gasses. I felt like anxiety raked my ribs with a drumstick. Seriously? Seriously. Elana turned to the alchemy equipment. This isnt a requirement to make this recipe. Theres many spells to accomplish this. But if you want to learn it from me, its how you will do it. From now on, your alchemy and battle strength will be intertwined. Any grievances I had with Elana earlier melted away, marbling with excitement. Now sit. We will be chanting for quite a while. Elana turned to Kline. You too. He did, and we began. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned to hours, and soon, my skin was shivering, wrapped in a sheet of goosebumps from a light breeze. I chanted on, continuing as my skin lost its moisture and then became drenched with sweat and then frozen to the point of shaking. I chanted as my skin turned red, and my air became stale, and I felt like I was underwater, bore down by physical weights around my body. I chanted until I didnt realize that I was chanting, and soon, as if waking from a dark and distant haze, I could hear the symphony bugs playing their tune and could see the orange and drifting light permeating through my eyelids. It was only once my skin felt burnt, stinging all over, sensitive to the air, and I heard Kline yowling that I finally opened my eyes and found that Elana wasn''t there. I looked at Kline, who seemed equally confused, looking for Elana. Guess Ill have to make a new meeting. I did, and to my surprise, she was available the next day. Seems Ive got a good teacher, I thought, smiling warmly. That was a joke. The next day, Elana taught me how to create a domain in-depth, teaching me how to churn my soul core to release soul force to suppress my environment. I was exciteduntil it was time to practice. From now on, you will practice your domain by putting your hand in the camp fire. My eyes widened in horror. W-What? I said you will practice with your hand in the fire. Now stoke the flames or I will force worse training upon you later. At some point you will lose a limb and come to me to heal youand youll pay the price then. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I shivered and complied. Practice went about as well as expected. Twenty minutes later, my arm was pockmarked with blisters so bad they were white and numb from nerve damage. I activated mental shielding to block out the pain, trying to conserve the Diktyo River water, but ended up using it anyway. I lay for an hour after she left, watching the swaying canopy as Kline practiced his Warp Step, then disappearing into the forest to practice whatever mystery spells he was developing. Then, time after time, he kept bringing stronger and stronger prey back to the fire. One was the size of a deer, and he had carried it in his invisible jaws like telekinesis, showing the vast power of this tiny house cat. Hes getting strong I thought, turning back to the crackling fire. Im gonna get left behind. I closed my eyes and breathed, feeling fresh air expand my lungs. Ill skin it in a moment, I said. Just gotta finish my practice. Without hesitation, I thrust my hand into the fire. I would get strongerat any cost. 2. As Mira practiced her domain, Aiden limped through the array tattooed doors to Haltens room, still wrapped in bandages. What he saw made him wince. Halten was lying on the ground, wheezing, body radiating blue light in the shape of magical arrays and characters from a strange language. It was only then, recently released from the medical facility after blacking out, that he realized that Halten recursed himself. He was a centura beast that had almost gained power up to a second evolution beast. Now, he was stripped of all of his magic and the ability to heal. Aiden didnt know what to say, so he just sat down instead. Share the space. Thats all he could do. They sat there in silence for about two hours before Halten finally opened his eyes, annoyed, turning his glassy eyes to Aiden. Are you going to say something? Or have you come to share your misery? Aiden smiled wryly. I dont know what to say. Halten rolled his eyes. Then say something. What deal did you make? The human Brexton offered to negotiate a deal for my release. I must complete fifty deliveries to obtain my freedom. Yet, as per our pact, I only have to complete one to satisfy the agreement. So if I dont go Ill die. Aiden fell silent, trying to find words to say but finding none. At some point, he asked the only question he could think of. Do you actually trust me that much? Halten paused, clearly indicating his lack thereof. But he left the statement with a hint of truth. I trust you more than anyone. That statement hit Aiden hard. He thought about the pain and helplessness he felt, and the fact that even hating himself for that helplessness hurt Halten bothered him. So he refused to say sorry and wallow about it. Instead, he turned to Halten. Were gonna need some training if we wanna pull it off. He looked him in the eye. You wanna fly? 3. I crashed onto the ground after drinking some of the Diktyo River water, watching as the crimson and white ridges on my skin smoothed out as if I had never burnt. Thiss ridiculous My next meeting with Elana was almost a week out, and I was drinking water daily. So I decided to take a trip to the river, praying that the River Guardian wouldnt tell me to leave. Turns out, she didnt need to. Kline stopped me halfway and activated active camouflage. Ten minutes later, I heard a roar and snap, followed by another fifteen cries from various beasts, all releasing their war cries in a strange, forgotten melody. Then I saw him rush past me, mentally communicating to runI did, leaving as the cacophony of obligate predators rattled the forest trees behind us. Two hours passed at the campsite before we felt safe again. My shoulders relaxed, and I crashed onto the ground again. Looks like thats not gonna work I groaned. I forgot they got their pond back. I freed Arithiel Pond, the one that I developed my soul core in, from the lignan bugs, which allowed beasts access to the mana vein underneath ita natural spot for beasts to thread their cores. Now, there mustve been hundreds or thousands looking to make the trip and get stronger. Ill needa go south The river was massive, moving from the First Ring to the Seventh. There was a build-up, but I should be able to make a trip to a part that wasnt so populated. I hoped. Till then I looked at my backpacks bladder. It was half empty. The water bottle was the same. It was a lot, considering that I only needed a swallow it was very little, considering that I used it daily, and it was a key to my fast growth. I needed alchemic creations. Fast. That night, Kline and I ate under the stars, reheating meat over the fire. Kline groomed after, curling up next to me when the fire was reduced to hot coals that periodically caught flames again. The next morning, I continued my training. I stretched my limbs under the rising sun and then tested them by fighting a dozen reiga, using a combination of mana sharpening and Moxle Dilation to kill them. I placed the skinned meat on the fire and practiced creating domains above the same flames, holding my domain until it broke. By day''s end, my arms were pocked with blisters so severe they were white and painless with nerve damage, but I drank the water, and it disappeared. That night, I threaded cores until I fell unconscious, then woke up and did it all again, lacking much variation. Things changed on the third day. It rained so hard that the ground flooded underneath my legs, and poison sap from different plants turned my barefoot feet and ankles purple with swelling. Kline and I drank some of the antitoxin I earned from the trial, thinking we could conserve the water. Instead, we shed our stomach linings, and I had to practice mental shielding with one eye open, trying to deal with the pain. But I saved water. The following day wasnt much better. It rained again and Kline and I sat in the tent as the wind howled and batted against the cloth, using a heating array inside for warmth as I threaded and practiced mental fortification training. There was no domain practice that day. Our fifth day promised to be the same, but it surprisingly bore fruit. It didnt rain, but it was windy and terrible, howling hard and shaking the leaves, making it impossible to have a fire. It was so frustrating that I released all my soul force and released that the spatter of rain stopped and the wind abated. At that moment, I determined that I would practice my domain by creating a fire in the hurricane-like winds. I failed. Ten hours later, I collapsed on my bed, shivering as Kline curled up next to me, but I didnt give up. I woke up on the sixth day with fury in my eyes and returned to the bleak skies and rainy days, determined to succeed. I spent twelve hours pushing my soul core to heights not yet imaginable and finally managed to make a small fire in the heavy winds and rain. On the seventh day, when the skies were clear and sunny, and the fire was bright and hot, putting my hand into the fire yielded no pain or sensation. I could finally use a domain. B2 - R: Chapter 11 - Separation Elana smirked in satisfaction when I placed my full arm into the fire without effect. I even took a piece of cloth and put it into the flames, proving that it wouldnt catch fire. Well done, she said. Thanks, I said. No~w that youve accomplished the basics, we need to practice working under an oxygen-deprived domain. Elana pulled out different powders provided by the alchemy station, mixing them with alcohol to create a paste. She picked up a spoon, and drops of it splattered in the bowl. Your turn. I grabbed a bowl and the ingredients, as hers was an illusion, and then set to work. I made it fine, but once I added the last ingredient, the bowl rattled violently as the contents snapped together as if frozen in ice, cracking and creating ridges like mountains forming. W-What the hell was that? I stammered. Elana smiled. This is a compound that rapidly oxidizes, creating a solid. I grimaced, trying to remind myself that this was another world. Oxidation was famous for tarnishing and rusting metals and also for oxidizing surfaces to make them more flammable, but it didnt usually create solids. It did play significant processes in drying oils for paints and varnishes, which established cross-links between the oil and unsaturated fats, leading to a hard film. But nothing like this. I see I said. Its very volatile, obviously. Your job is to remove oxygen from your domain to prevent it from oxidizing. I placed my palms on the counter and collapsed onto them weakly. How am I supposed to do that? Youre talking about molecular separation. Its part of the separation spell, yes? Which tier? Separation was a five tier collection spell, which was to say that it was five spells that contributed to the same operation, rather than a single spell, like Active Camouflage, that obtained more functionality as it improved. I only knew the first tierand I sucked at it. Third, Elana said with a sadistic smile. I wanted to respond but lacked the understanding of the situation to complain. So I pushed myself up off the counter, standing there like a plank for a few seconds. How longll this take? I asked. Itll take as long as it takes, Elana said, gesturing for me to sit. Lets chant. My shoulders slumped as I sat on the ground impatiently. I wanted to get stronger, not spend another week practicing the alchemy but thats what happened. Only it was six weeks. 2. Aiden spent a platinum request he got from the Trial of Worth on a skill to borrow a contracted beasts eyes and body. Halten wouldnt allow him to take over his eyes, let alone his body, but he did allow Aiden to connect to his eyes. And so, Aiden took to the skies on Haltens back, using a specialized harness that gave him a little more freedom. It was slow. Halten could barely fly under the curseand he was helpless to magic. Areswood Defense Alliance officials and guards stood outside, each pointing bows tattooed with arrays and runes. They didnt look particularly intimidating, but Haltens wings flapped weakly, and he grunted and wheezed. It felt like the true weight of his injuries was on display without magical backing, and he was aging rapidly. He needed healingreal healingor he would die. Keep focused, Aiden, Halten said. We must practice. Aiden nodded and closed his eyes, seeing the world through Haltens vision. Then he broke out and looked back as Halten took over his. It felt like someone pierced his mind with a syringe, and his eyes itched, but he could feel Halten using his vision. Good, Halten said. Next. Aiden put his hands onto Haltens scales and started using a healing spell that made his scales glitter with golden light. It was surprisingly extensive, rippling all the way to his wings. It was a diamond spell he bought after earning one for taming Skia, the demigod foxand the mana costs were proportional. Aiden collapsed seconds in, collapsing forward, held in place by his harness. You must cleanse and build a core, Halten said. You should use your largest requests to build one. Aiden smiled wryly. He had one platinum request, but he didnt know what to spend it on. Core building? Or security? That was the ultimate question that he was agonizing over. Is it that important? Halten snorted. More important than getting a better deal with another family? Aiden asked. Brexton was using him and Everen was trying to bleed him dry. Family members were watching him from the sidelines, always trying to speak to him. He needed protection. Yet Halten seemed unconcerned. Yes. Your core is more important than anything. Its up to you to deal with the families. You have leverageuse it. Aiden smiled wryly. He needed to buy a cleansing elixir, which meant dealing with sketchy families and building a core. Then, he needed to speak to beast healers It would be difficultbut he had a plan. That night, he paid a trip to The Nest and found himself ushered into a private room, where a woman was bitterly correcting her hair and looking at Aiden like he had ruined her life. Dont mind her, Brexton said, smiling slightly. Now tell me. What brings you to this dark and dingy establishment? I thought youd never speak to me again. Aidens blood boiled, but he contained himself. You want me to succeed, right? Thats why you drugged me, right? Why you did all this? Brexton clapped and grinned, pointing them at Aiden. Exactly. Then make me stronger, Aiden said. For free. On contract. No sketchy shit. Ooooh? Thats rather bold of you to ask. You owe me. And I dont owe you anything. Fuck with me again and Ill go to the Dante. Im one request away from getting their help with everything. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. And he did his homework, Brexton mused. So why are you here? The reason was simpleif someone taught him the wrong core technique, it would remove his ability to use magic forever. There were countless cases where teachers intentionally crippled cores to prevent talented people from challenging the might of the families. Therefore, if he wanted a core, he had to pay for it, and he only had one platinum request. If he paid for the Dantes support, he would get a nasty set of contractual obligations on what they wanted. Elle warned him about this after he used an information request. Her words were: Careful there, cowboy! I know youre salty, but consider the world youre in. The whole things terribleterrible, I tell you! If you think the Claustra are bad, wait until you meet the other six! The Dante cull their young in death matches at age five, and the Melhans will string you dry with so many contracts that youll never see an animal again! No, no, no. What you need is someone who doesnt want your life or money and a nasty, nasty contract from a badass lady thatll bleed em dry and mess em up if he acts up. The Oracle could negotiate loop-holeless contracts for a priceand a gold could prevent people from even looking at Aiden wrong. His competitors, like the Melhan or other families that stood to gain from Miras resources, wouldnt accept a contract that could prevent them from engaging in the market for centuries, which is why Elle suggested he go to the Claustra, a family that was forbidden to get into the sale of resources. The question was whether Brexton would take it. Aiden stared him down in the present and put it to the test. Cause my competitors wont make a gold contract with me. Question iswill you? Brexton grinned and leaned in, forearms on his knees. A gold request, huh? You mean business. Tell me, Aiden. What do I get out of this arrangement? Aiden told him. Brexton readily agreed. The Oracle carved a contract from stone that required Brexton to protect Aiden from everyone, provide Aiden with tutors, resources, and training, and close all means for Brexton to exploit Aiden for any gain other than the agreed upon price under threat of intense punishments. Brexton grinned and pulled out a box, exposing a cleansing elixir and a bathroom in the room. Now that thats out of the way, he said. Enjoy the worst twelve hours of your life. It was time for Aiden to get stronger.
It took two weeks for me to establish a hold of the second stage of the Separation spellfour more weeks to learn the third. Its hard to conceptualize what it is, but Ill try my best to explain it. Separation works by passing mana through an object like an MRI or X-ray, allowing the mage (if you could call these people mages) to grab certain molecules with telekinesis. In the first tier, its a selective version of using your fingers. You can grab wyndrel fruit pulp selectively and rip it off something else. Its a simple processgrab a chunk of something and separate it from something else. It is like selectively tagging one thing. The second tier was much harder to establish. It requires the mage to pinpoint specific things by patterns and separate multiple at the same time. Imagine capturing the skin of a fruit, the pulp, and the shell surrounding a kernel and separating them simultaneously. That led to the third tier, which required me to selectively pull individual molecules out of the air. This was both easier and exponentially more difficult than you can imagine. On the one hand, magic could create water out of nothing, which simply took water from the atmosphere and condensed it together using a specific spell. It was similar, but it required finding that molecule, differentiating it, and then pulling it together like a magnet. To do this type of training, I had to close my eyes and spend hours a day sending out a pulse of net of raw mana, memorizing all the different molecules in the air. Then, I had to selectively grab them and pull them together. I failed. A lot. And Elana never turned down an opportunity to point that out, chastising me to get my head out of the clouds and stop daydreaming about men and delusions of grandeur as if I was thinking about anything other than my daily splitting headache. Between sessions, I practiced mental shielding to ease my mind, took my basic mana challenge recovery syrup to ease my channels, and then threaded cores to gather more mana. Then I went back to it. Two hours later, Id find Kline lying in front of me, ears twitchingtwo more beasts dead near the fire. I petted him and skinned the beasts and put them on the flames before returning. It wasnt an easy undertaking. Some days, I would open my eyes to find my whole body sunburnt and peeling. Kline woke me up on others because I was soaked and shivering. I ended up spending most days in the tent at Kline prowled, being the breadwinner, and bringing food to the dinner table. I skinned and cooked it, giving him heavy helpings, smiling when I watched him smack his jaws and shake his fur happily. It was a good life and it was easy. That was the remarkable thing. When I wasnt fighting for my life and looking out for trap plants and poisonous plants, it wasnt hard to live. So I studied on as Kline practiced his mysterious powers in the woods and pressed on. A week after separating the third spell, I could separate sand and clay from dirt and levitate all of them in a sphere, using Pervasive Breeze to throw them awaythen capture them. By the second, I could snuff out flames by depriving them of oxygen and separating soot from smoke, collecting it into a ball of ash. In total, it took four weeks to learn Separation but that didnt help me complete the task. I had to create a domain and use Separation within it to remove the objectswhich was impossible since my soul force prevented me from using magic in the environment! It felt impossible, and Elana wouldnt comment on it. So I practiced day and night, trying to penetrate it, trying different approaches, separating oxygen first, and trying to move it in with zero results. Some nights, Kline snuggled up against my chest to cheer me up and stayed around for my lectures with Elana to hiss at her and tell her to ease up. I pressed on. It was only halfway through the second week when I realized what I was doing wrong. Instead of injecting my mana into my domain, I had to utilize the mana inside itas it wasnt affected. It was just locked inside like a bubble that only I could use. I couldnt do itbut I could utilize mana sort of. I yelled at Elana for not mentioning it. She chastised me for giving up on trying to figure it out a few days in and spending six weeks doing the same thing. I huffed and reminded her that she was my teacher. She ignored me, but she did teach me how to blend my mana with my soul force and we carried on. A week later, I managed to create a water sphere inside my domain. By the end of the following, I could separate rocks in the group. Then, a day past six weeks, I managed to regulate oxygen within my domain. I pumped my fists triumphantly. I did it! Elana clapped a few times melodically from her parasol-shaded chair as if to start a slow clap or lead a villainous monologue. I turned and found her lifting the oxidizing chemicals as if to say, You havent even started. I cried internally and pressed on. It took a week of fighting through rain and wind and shine for me to pull it off, but I did it. I wrapped the table in a domain except my head, and used Separation to remove the oxygen. I carefully added the ingredients to the bowl and mixed the chemicals together. Once I finished, I created a paste, mixed it around, and then lifted a spoonful to Elana like it was gelato. Excellent job, she said. Took nearly two months, but you can finally handle a basic alchemy procedure. My entire shoulder spasmed, and I broke the barrier. The gray goo on the spoon rapidly hardened, exploding and sending flakes of cracked clay slamming into my shirt. Oh dear, Elana said dryly.` I glowered at her, and she rolled her eyes. How did I end up with a pupil so humorless? Mira. You did excellent. Years above your peers. If you want even more validation, you must first appreciate your teacher. My eyes lit up excitedly, and she blushed slightly at my aggressive response. Then, her face twitched, and she looked away in embarrassment. I keep forgetting gods are just people I silently giggled, seeing her regretting her praise. It was rude to revel in her embarrassment, but I did feel good. I did it. I really did it. Now listen, Mira, Elana said. The recipe I alluded to previously is misleading. It will create the elixir I showed youbut it makes up for it with powerful enchantments. Those are out of your reach, so we must supplement it with ingredients that are. Coincidentally, these are also ingredients that are part of your Tribute. So this is a great opportunity to get some experience. Youll also get to try out your domain. I smiled. It was a long ass haul, but I finally learned valuable battle magic and alchemy skills. Now, it was time to put it to use. B2 - Chapter 12 - Alsian Bog So where am I going? I asked after Elana told me I needed to gather ingredients. Elana leaned back in her chair, shaded by a colorful parasol, drinking wine as if the quest was of no consequence. I thought that wayuntil I heard her reply. Theres a place between here and The Bramble called the Alsian Bog. Its a hot spot because it has a rare and lucrative ingredient called zorathorn that allows elixirs to penetrate through muscle. Get as much as you can, and then well make the elixir. That sounded reasonable enoughbut I felt uneasy about it. I see I said aloud, but I silently researched. Hey, Lithco, I said in my thoughts. Search the atlas for information on Alsian Bog. I got a notification. --- Location: Alsian Bog Description: Congratulations. Youve finally established basic proficiency in a spell that only tier-three alchemists have access to. Whats your reward? An all-inclusive trip to a remarkably dangerous part of this forest! Unfriendly to all, the Alsian Bog is saturated with acidic fog that is more powerful than 20% sulfuric acid. For that reason, only acidophilic mosses, algae, ferns, and freakish beasts meander the area. And guess what? Youre none of those things. If you walk out there, your eyes will blister and pop. So, if you want to survive in this environment, gas masks are uselessunless you have a full hazmat suit. So I hope youre confident in your domainbecause youre pretty much screwed without it. --- My eyes locked on Elana with fury. Hoh? Elana mused. Seems youve already done your homework. Did you invest in an atlas? Elana, I said chillingly. She paused, and her eyes narrowed. While I approve of your tone, I do not approve of it being used against me. The air there makes your eyes blister! I yelled. Hoh? Ive yet to see you throw a tantrum over a quest thus farand Ive been watching you since the beginning. How peculiar. Blis~TER, I smacked. Are you trying to kill me? As if I would do such a thing. No, Mira. Im not trying to kill you. Mortals make that trek every Harvest, and theres rarely a year without someone striking it rich. So Im not asking too much. So stop complaining and start preparing. Itll take you some time. Paradesio hasnt blessed you with domain talent. My blood boiled, and I opened my mouth to yell at her. But before I could, she suddenly blinked out of existence, chair, parasol, attitude, and all, leaving me alone in the forest. I took a deep breath through my nose, face tautlungs burning. Oh, the things Id say if Elana couldnt hear me. Lithco decided to be the cool parent by creating an unsolicited chatbox. It read: She cant hear you. Helps in situations like this. But she can see you. So make sure to look amicable when you insult her. I chuckled, rubbing my nose before looking at Kline with a huge smile. Whats that? Did you just say that our gods a total bitch? Kline meowed loudly. Im glad Im not the only one. I giggled maniacally before taking deep breaths and calming down and turning my eyes to the sky. The skies were blue and sunnyno chance for rain. How the hell are we even gonna do this? I whispered. It stung hearing that I didnt have talent in domains. It also left me nervous. I didnt have talent, but I needed to walk into a toxic acidic cloud wearing one. That was horrifying. I needed to practicebut how? One break could fill my lungs with acid. How could I ensure that my practice was airtight? I thought about it deeply until I got a terrifying yet effective plan. I turned to Kline and grimaced. You think you could dig us a hole? 2. Elana watched Mira and Kline dig a ten-foot hole that afternoon in fascination. Kline was breaking up the ground with Phantom Claws, and Mira was practicing her Separation and Levisphere to do the manual work. It was truly remarkable to see her efficiently practicing. Arent you a bit worried? Kori said beside Elana. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulder, and she didnt even notice. Once she did, she didnt move it. Worried about what? Elana asked. What you said to her. I get why you told er that she didnt have talent. That makes sense. But telling her that people strike it rich every year? Thats a bit dangerous. Doncha think? Mira was remarkably talented with domainshauntingly so. It wasnt something Yakana had to teach her with drugs and soul melding or with the help of high-level requests. She had an affinity for soul manipulationand domains were made of soul force. That said, Mira wasnt better than Black Harvesters. Domains were critical for protectionso most kids started learning them at age five to fifteen for compulsory education. Then, serious mages practiced them for decades or even centuries. Those were the people who challenged the Fourth Ring. So, while Mira was unknowingly far beyond her peers in talent, it wouldnt help her by the time the Harvest came. She needed to be pushed to the limit. Kori understood that. But he was wondering why she told Mira that people succeeded every year when that was an egregious half-truth at best. One team usually succeededfor every twelve that perished. Mira has the two things that kill most of the people who go there, Elana said. She can identify poisons, and she has the soul force to maintain a domain. She also has mental shielding. Yeah but she cant even maintain a constant barrier right now. And you want her to keep one for hours? Havent you paid attention? Elana smirked at the screen. Kori hadnthis attention was focused on hers. But when he saw Mira filling a ten-by-thirty-foot swimming pool with water magic, his entire tone switched. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Did you tell er to do that? No~pe. Girl did that all on her own. Kori leaned back on the chair and chuckled. That girls a psychopath Mira had discovered the most brutal yet effective way the Families teach their kids to learn a domainby practicing underwater. 3. Kline and I spent our afternoon creating a swimming pool, bath, hot tub, training center combo outside the alchemy station by digging a hole and filling it with water. It took a long time, but it was satisfying. Once I finished, I wiped my brow and turned to Kline. He was missing. Little shit I whispered, looking around. He was nowhere to be found. I turned back to the pond. For once I dont blame em I winced but shrugged. Well, its not gonna practice itself I established a domain around my body and stepped into the pond, watching the water surround me like I was encased in a glass coffin. Thats exactly what it was. I couldnt swim because I wasnt surrounded by water. I noted that as I slowly sank to the bottom and then panicked once I submerged. I held my breath, unwilling to believe that I could breathe normally. Then I panicked further when the muddy waters blocked out the sun, encasing me in darkness. That panic turned to paranoia as I wondered how fast my breath would turn the oxygen in my domain into CO2. The body consumes half a liter of oxygen a minute, I thought, trying to calm myself downonly making it worse. Thats a lot but theres a lot of oxygen around me. The atmosphere is 21% oxygen. And fuck it. Ill know! Id know when I ran out of oxygenobviously. I activated mental shielding to calm downand it worked. The training prepared me for far worse than this. In a moment, my heart slowed, and my mind eased up. There was only one problem: I lost focus, and the water crashed down around me on all sides. I thought I was going to die until I kicked off the wet ground and emerged from the water, gasping for breath and coughing out water. Kline took the situation worse than I did. He magically returned, yowling and crying and pacing, wanting to save me from the water but unwilling to jump in. Im okay, I said, pulling myself out. Also it works. So as much as I hate it, well have to Kline! Klines stress turned to terror, and he booked itbut not before I caught a hindquarter. It was surreal because he tried to run. He was mid-warp step, so half of his body had disappeared, leading me to panic and pull him outsending him rocketing into the water. He wasnt happy. Yet he got over it and started taking things seriously. Within the hour, I had him doggy paddling in a domain, and soon, we were underwater together. We practiced like that for three days, playing with domain size to figure out how long we could stay submerged. I found that with a domain with a three-foot diameter and six-foot height, I could last longer than five hours underwater easily. Increasing that to five feet should last me a dayassuming I could concentrate. Considering I wasnt underwater, I felt confident I could handle it. It was time to leave. The next morning, we stuffed the tent and as many preservation chambers into my backpack, put it on, and set out into the wildernessprepared to challenge the toxic bog where our resources were located. 4. The Alsian Bog was halfway between me and the gate, making it over a twelve-mile hike. The first day was uneventful. Kline and I hiked for nine miles that day. During that trek, he killed a pack of super mole rats, and we cooked one at the camp. We ate it at dusk and then set out again, getting harassed by branch-jumping herbivores I couldnt identify with my killer animals book. After that, it was silent and uneventfuluntil we reached what Brindle called the Quoralia, but I called The Greenhouse Barrier. It was a natural invisible barrier over a mana vein that acted as a greenhouse, capturing gasses and interacting with the sun differently. The moment I walked through, hot water clung to my skin like sticky sweat. I immediately walked out of it. This was two miles from the bog. It seemed Id have to use the domain far longer than I expected. I couldnt create a domain later. They were a snapshot of an environment. If you create a domain inside water, leaving the water would turn you into a fish tank. So, I had to capture the normal environment before entering. Son of a bitch I looked down. You good? Kline meowed. Okay. I drank some water and stretched my limbs and started my domain. I then took a deep breath and walked through the film, pushing toward the Alsian Bog. Things werent nearly as bad as I expected inside. I had been practicing a domain under heavy water pressure for five hours at a stretchin a normal environment, it felt effortless. That was good news. Still, it was unnerving. There was a thin mist outside my domain that looked like a ghostly mirage, wrapping Jurrasic age ferns the size of boulders and micro flowers the size of my thumbs. Moss hung from trees like rope nets, and fallen trees sunk into the ground. Everything felt backwardnaturally artificialfake abominations. It was very cool, but I could tell by the plumes of steam escaping the ground like Yellowstone geysers that this location was inhabitableand that I would die without my domain. I looked at Kline nervously. Let me hold you, I said. Id feel much safer if he was also protected in my domain. His magic was better, but my domain was far stronger than his by a mile. Kline frowned as I knelt down but jumped into my arms anyway. We pressed on. Things got even worse the closer we got in. Birds crashed through trees, and bugs came into playswarming us like fireflies and mosquitos. I used a skin barrier to protect us, as the domain didnt keep them out. They didnt touch me, but it freaked me out, so I blasted all of them with a wide-net desiccation spell that dropped a hundred bugs in a waterfall as some flew away. The ones on my back stayed. Yet, it was only temporary. Five minutes later, the bugs left, proof that the eerie bog in front of us was lethal to most living creatures. It was nasty. The air was thick with fumes I couldnt smell but could only imagine would kill me, and the patches of water connecting the trees were thick with neon purple algaethat made it look like poison, highlighting under my radar. That cant be natural I thought. The trees werent much different. Webs of purple moss webbed from branch to branch in nets. It was bizarre. Purple moss was the result of anthocyanin pigments, which protect the moss from stressful environments, intense sunlight, and UV radiation. That was strangeconsidering that I was walking around a bog with limited sunlight through the canopies that were warm instead of cold. Kline shook, ears twitching, looking around in my arms. I closed my eyes, using mental shielding to calm my mind before finally stepping forwardwalking into the heated fog. The water moved out of the way of my feet as I moved through the water, sloshing through the spongy ground that quickly gave way. Dont lose focus I thought. You got this, Mira. Youve survived worse. Youve Suddenly, a deep, guttural groan resounded deep within the forest. I looked up and saw a beast the size of a rhino stomping through the area, sloshing through the bog. Its jaws were wide and flat like a crocodile''s despite having a snout like a dog, making it look like a monster depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Yet it wasnt black or gold or the color of stone. Its white hide was sloshed with so much purple algae that it created a paper mache over the creature as it snorted. I identified it. --- Name: Calark Description: Stop moving, hold your breath, and pray. This isnt your albino elk or ambush bear. You have finally reached a beast you shouldnt even think of fighting. B2 - Chapter 13 - Third Evolution Chase Name: Calark Description: Stop moving, hold your breath, and pray. You have finally reached a beast you shouldnt even think of fighting. Its the size of a jaguar but has a speed that will strain your current Moxle Dilation just to follow and will gore you in one second and break your bones like they were icicles. Your only saving grace is that its senses have degraded with this environment. If you must feel in control, summon Nymbral. But for the love of god, dont charge a shot unless you want to broadcast your location to it. P.S. This is clearly a third-evolution beast. So be careful. --- I froze and placed a panicked Kline on my shoulder, grateful that he understood the danger. The calark kept walking but was seemingly unaware of us as I slowly pulled Nymbral from my chest. My heart pounded like a kick drummy mind buzzed. I took shallow breaths, hearing the snorting and splashing and sloshing in the bog, praying it wouldnt see us. It pushed through the water, getting closer to us. It stopped and snorted, shaking its fur. Then it looked around and released a terrifying mating call. My heart froze as it looked at us head-onand I thought that moment would never end. But then it suddenly turned, and I breathed deeply. That I thought, was scary Kline jumped off my shoulder, landing on a dry patch with an eerie silence, trying to encourage me to continue. I nodded, but my body wouldnt respond. My legs had turned to water, and my mind had shut down. For the first time, Lithco told me that I was defenseless. He told me how dangerous other things werebut he didnt tell me to sit back and pray. I clenched my fists, feeling tense until Kline pawed my leg. I looked down. Kline nodded. I swallowed hard. You just gotta getta plant I reminded myself. Thats all you gotta do. I walked on. Twenty agonizing minutes followed. All the moss and trees and water were purple, making everything I looked at and touched look like it was highlighted poison. That was my superpower and it was useless as I waded through the moss and filth and slime of the bog, passing rotting logs and rocks that were bleached so white they looked like quartz. The environment blended, and soon, I had to remind myself what I was doing. I was looking for zorathorn, a bramble that looked like a yellow spring with thorns, wrapped together like a staircase somewhere in the bog. I shouldve popped against the purple, white, and gray backdrop, but there was a problemit was extremely poisonous. So it would highlight neon purplelike everything else. I reviewed it in my guide. --- Name: Zorathorn Description: This beaut is the key to pushing elixirs through your muscles. If that didnt trigger hundreds of danger signals in your brain, you should try caring about your survival more. If it did, it shouldnt surprise you that this plant injects poison throughout your muscles, causing them to rapidly rot from necrosis. Cut it with care. --- I read it and carried on. Soon, I started to feel weak. Using a domain above water was incomparably easier than doing it under, but I had only practiced five hours before. Now, I was approaching ten, and my concentration was fading. I didnt know how long it would last. Kline suddenly let out a piercing howl. I froze and looked around but saw no one. Then I went to step forward but stopped and looked around. There, blending in with the neon purple algae and moss and trees, was a neon purple bramble with thorns in the form of a springa foot away from my bare feet. One sting would cause my legs to rot and die. I wiped my face, trying not to lose my cool, feeling my heart trying to break out of my chest. Youre alive I thought. Youre alive, and you just need to clip it and get the fuck out. I steeled myself and pulled out a preservation container and my knife, and set to work.
Get the fuck out of there! Elana screamed at the screen. Kline had alerted the calark, and it was investigating. The moment it found her, it could charge and move a hundred meters in a second. Yet Mira was fully concentrated on clipping the zorathorn, using a mixture of telekinesis and mana sharpening to capture all of the goods. Elana turned to Kline and felt a pang of pain. He was stressed beyond words, and he wanted to scream, but startling her could make her stab herself with a barband then shed lose her arm. She had Diktyo River water and it would delay the poison, but it was a third evolution plantit wouldnt cure it. Now, Kline was in a position where alerting Mira could kill her and leaving her alone would get her killed. Elana felt like screaming. She wished she wouldnt have told Mira to go out. She wasnt ready. Not yet. It was just hard for Elana to conceptualize how ready Mira was because all her past pupils were demigods or higher. By that point, people had survived for centuries and became extremely competentapex mages in the wild. If they were in Miras shoes, they would have identified a higher level ten miles out and avoided it. By contrast, Mira didnt even know how to utilize magic that children used. She kept forgetting that because of how competent Mira had shown herself to be. But it was true, and Elana was learning the consequences of her overestimation head-on. She would have to fix that. Suddenly, the calark saw Mira as she finished sealing her preservation chamber. Run The beast sniffed the air, taking a step forward. Run. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Mira abruptly turned to Kline, who was crying out to her silently. Then her arms prickled with gooseflesh as she threw the container in her bag like an idiot. Run! The calark charged. It made it a hundred meters in a second and prepared to close the other hundred in another. Kline wouldnt let it. He pounced through a portal the second it moved and came out of a portal half way. His ethereal body, small as it was, smashed into the calarks side in mid-air. It didnt do much to change the beasts trajectory, but it was enough to make it miss Mira by one foot. It slid and hit a tree, making it explode in a rain of shrapnel as Mira ran. She mostly avoided it but got smashed with thin limbs that would kill a mortal. Elanas heart stopped but Mira got up and started running. She was sturdier after constantly eating soul meatand she ran faster. Suddenly, the calark turned to her and prepared to charge. Kline warped above it, sending Phantom Claws on its spine. It couldnt break its skin, but a direct attack rang its core, making it hesitate and turn to Kline. Or what it thought was Kline. Kline had activated active camouflage, and what the calark was seeing was an illusionary double. The real Kline was behind it. Mira didnt know that. She turned just in time to watch Klines clone get goredand then screamed. 3. I had barely activated Moxle Dilation when the beast gored Kline. It happened so fast, and I saw Kline disappear as if he wasnt there and lost my fucking mind. I screamed, unconcerned about victoryonly blood. So I activated Moxle Dilation and cranked it to the max, utilizing the nightly training and gains from mental shielding practice to slow the world to a crawl. The rustling leaves nearly stopped, and the shadows on the ground stilled. Sound disappeared. Despite that, the calark moved so fast it almost moved like a dog. I wasnt sure if I could hit it with Nymbral, even with things moving so slow so I decided to make it impossible to miss! I pulled the bow from my chest and started activating it. My world darkened, and while the calark jumped forward, it shielded its eyes when the entire forest flashed white. I watched it from a darkened perception, like a person wearing welding gogglesand watched as my arrow became the size of a trash can. It was one arrowbut it was huge. I put everythingeverythinginto the shot and released it full blast. The water from the bog turned to steam as it ripped across the ground, and the silica in the dirt turned to molten glass. The calark dodgedbut not completely. The blast clipped its leg and sent it flying fifty meters away. I silently released a battle crybut it didnt make me feel better. It wasnt enough. So I lifted the bow againbut my mana channels and core were too weak. Both screamed out in pain, and Moxle Dilation broke, bombarding me with five seconds of intense perception. I activated mental shielding and quickly recoveredbut not before collapsing. I expected to hit the dirt but found myself suspended in midair. When my vision returned, I saw Kline below me, hovering off the ground. I realized, surprisingly quickly, that I was lying on his ghost body, the one he used to drag around meat. It was a cloud of raw mana. I wanted to commentbut the calark roared, and everything changed. My body snapped onto Klines like a magnet, and he burst ahead at lightning speed, jumping through a portal. I felt vertigo when the large tree I was next to was suddenly gone, replaced with a small thicket. Then the environment disappeared again, and Kline was bounding onto a boulder. He jumped off, but before he hit the ground, he melted right through it, coming out of a portal ten feet above the ground. I almost became sickbut didnt get a chance. Despite jumping through portals and the calark caught up to us. I turned and saw it running on a bloodied leg, bounding between trees, keeping pace as we weaved through tree and brush and fern at a hundred miles an hour. Suddenly, it turned and shot at usbut Kline was a bit faster. He activated Pounce, and we warped forward, barely missing it. Then we jumped through a portal and flew out a thousand feet away. I couldnt breathe and wanted to be sick, and that broke my domain. The first breath I took made my lungs burn, and my eyes turned itchy, like I was cutting onions from hell. My skin felt like it was bubbling. I tried to create a new domainbut the domain just captured the environment. It was now a race against time before I died. Kline noticed and picked up the pace, warping into the calarks shadow over and over and over until he did something strange. I couldnt see it well because my eyes were shutting, but I wouldve sworn that Kline multiplied into three, and all three warped into other locations. I wasnt surebut the beast looked at us one last time before rushing after one, disappearing into the bog. I tried to think about it, but my mind was clouded with pain and delirium. I blacked out. I came to with water trickling into my lips. It was Diktyo River water, and my face flushed with vitality, my eyes lost their itchiness, and my body fueled. I gasped and looked up and saw Kline above me. The smart little warrior bit my water bladders straw again from my backpack, sucking in water and then bringing it to me like he was giving me CPR. You drink it I said hoarsely, trying to push myself up. I couldnt. Kline thought about it and drank it. Then he brought the straw over to me. I took it and drank. Only the skin on my arms had healed did I realize that half the sensations on my body were flying bugs that were swarming me like mosquitos. I slapped them and screamed and got up, activating a skin barrier. It didnt help the ones on my skin, so I created a domain around me and removed the oxygen. They quickly panicked and flew off, leaving me alone. I stood there, fully fine, looking at my limbs, searching for the beastand finding none. Were alive I looked at Kline and found him standing there with blubbery eyes that betrayed his prideful chest. Oh, come here I reached out my arms, and Kline jumped into them, curling up on me. Im not sure how we did itbut we won. We actually won. That was what was surreal. We didnt survive. We won. A third evolution beast challenged us to a race, and what happened? I crippled its leg, and Kline outran it. We outran it, and then Kline beguiled the asshole, taking us to a safe location. We won! I grabbed Kline like Simba and lifted him to the world in triumph, and he yowled and wiggled until I dropped him. But he didnt chastise me further. We won, and he knew it. It wasnt luck anymore. We were getting strongerand it felt damn good. 4. Elana pulled out a jar of the poison that Kori had brought over that night. Much as she loathed it, she wanted to escape for a bit. So she drank. Im going to load that girl up with so many elixirs she thought. Maybe it was because she was tired of being treated like a god and appreciated Miras recalcitrance, or simply because she found an interesting and lucrative reason to care about life againor perhaps it was that she genuinely felt some connectionbut Elana cared about Mira now. She actually cared. The frozen ambivalence that all gods eventually built up after millennia of bloodshed and death and trauma was finally thawing, if only a little, and she didnt shy away from it. Elana wouldnt forget why she was there. Ultimately, she was there for business, and she would push forward with that, making sure that she got her end of the bargain. That was her first priority. Stillthat didnt mean that she couldnt care for her pupil, tooand she wouldnt listen if it were against the rules. So Elana drank and waited and canceled all her business meetings on the day Mira made it back to the alchemy station. Mira naturally set up a meeting the next dayand she canceled all her meetings then, too. People complained and called her unprofessional and demanded her attentionbut she didnt care. The moment the meeting time struck, Elana established a ninth-tier ward around herself and connected to the Guide, transporting her consciousness right into the forest. Elana had a pupil to make strongerand everything else could wait. B2 - Chapter 14 - Enchantments Im not sure what I expected Elanas reaction would be when I saw her next. To be honest, I was just going to say something snarky like, Hey, Elana. I succeeded. Now what? Get anti-toxins out of a poison patch? Then Id laugh and giggle and press her shoulder playfully and say, Im joking, Im joking! Okay, I probably wasnt going to do thatbut thats what I wanted to do. So I was just waiting for her to do some snarky narcissist shit so I could revel in my feelings of moral superiority. But thats not what happened. Elana looked me up and down with a serious gaze, then made earnest eye contact with me. That was close. We must prepare you for next time. Youre too weak. I felt a knot in my throat and swallowed it down. It felt like my limbs suddenly weakened, leaving me scratchy, and all I could do was nod. Kline was the same. He could feel the seriousness. Then lets get ready, Elana said. Today were talking about enchantments. She started filling the alchemy station with ingredients without comment and then turned to me. Do you know why enchantments require you to chant? Elana asked. I shook my head. I dont know anything about enchantments. Why? Because I figured youd make me unlearn everything anyway. Elanas eyes narrowed. Clever girl thats correct. I wouldve done that. She turned back to the table and then back at me. Normal spells come in two parts. Theres the foundational spell and the activation spell. Foundational spells are based on the chant. They allow you to practice the spell. The circulation. The threads. It trains your mana channels and subconscious to activate the spell. You have an acceleration spelldoes that mean youre practicing mental shielding? I nodded. Wise choice. Shielding is a good example. When you practice it, it puts your brain through a bombardment of sensations to build resistance. But when you activate the spell, its clear. That was true. My mind was stronger in general after doing mental shielding, but when I used it, it was like putting a lid on a grease fire. The same was true of Moxle Dilation, which required nightly refinement to master the mana circulation patterns but then became intuitive to simply activate. It made sense, so I nodded again. Enchantments are different, Elana said. Theyre foundational spells, but theyre stand alone, like arrays. They contain the blueprint to activate a magic spell upon consumption. If its just a spell couldnt you just Use healing magic? Yeah. You can. Elana pulled a knife from thin hair and slashed her palm. Then she put her fingers on the wound, and it suddenly closed up. Thiss a healing spell. It doesnt require alchemy. However, there are limitations. Magic cannot create something thats not there. So while its great for stitching up wounds, it wont replace something thats missing. That makes sense. So this elixir were making replaces whats missing? Correct. But thats not all. This stitching spell doesnt clean. It doesnt cleanse. It doesnt reconnect muscle fibers or nerves. Healing magic has as high a barrier to entry as alchemy because it requires third-tier multi-stage spells to do on the spot healing. Otherwise, youre relying upon drugs, chemicals, and techniques. So thats why we got zorathorn Correct. By gaining this ingredient, weve removed the chant necessary to push liquid through your muscles. Now, even you can make it. That makes a lot of sense. Elana nodded. Now sit. Enchantments require you to transfer a foundational blueprintso you need to memorize these chants. Wait. Memorize them? Yes. The words? Yes. It takes a long time for the human brain to be able to effectively transfer each individual step in a blueprint. Now sit. All my enthusiasm died. Some of these chants were like ten-page essays that I simply learned by immersing myself into the chant, listening to Lithco do it, and then repeating it. This would take forever and it did. Elana taught me five chants over the next weekand she made me memorize and pronounce every word correctly. She even sicked Lithco on me, and he was ruthless, correcting every minor detail. But that wasnt the worst part. Halfway through the week, my concentration and focus plummeted when something began eating away at me. Lithco the reaper should be dead right now, right? I had asked. It had been over two months, and the rootstrangler shouldve been able to reach the reapers body over a thousand feet under the ground by that point. Lithcos answer annoyed me. Would you like to use an information request? What do you mean information request? I cried. Why am I not getting a notification? I only present information on kills if its part of a level-up or a rewardin this case, youre not leveling or getting rewards. So Im not gonna know? Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Not without a request. Fine. Ill use one. Just tell me when its dead. Its dead. I almost blew a gasket when I heard the casualness with which he presented the information. Still, it filled me with intense excitement. It meant that I could evolve. I told that to Elana the next day when I requested time to evolve, and she hit me with the most brutal answer of my life. You think youre ready to evolve? With your core? Are you insane? You might as well give away your power! I was taken aback. What do you mean? Once you evolve, you cant work on your foundation any longerand foundation means everything. Unless you grow up wealthy, advanced practitioners spend decades building their core between stages. You are in a privileged position but its not enough. Begin threading before you even think about evolving. I said yes and did. Starting that night, I pushed aside everything and took turns with Kline threading cores. It started with a hundred first evolution coresthen I moved to second evolution cores. I let Kline keep the strongest cores because he killed the beasts, but he insisted I keep some strong ones. It didnt matter, anyway. According to Lithco, there wasnt anything different about the mana in coresjust the quantity. Pure and evolved cores had high mana, but the mana wasnt different from that in first evolution cores. So it didnt matter. I popped them like candy, slamming back a second evolution core a night like clockwork. Day in, day out, I memorized chants and threaded, building my coreand while Elana tried to downplay my astonishing progress, it was written on her face. I was building powerfast. A week later, Elana allowed me to practice the spells. I cut myself and used cleansing and stitching magic to close the wounds. I gave myself rashes with poisons and then used a spell to remove the surface toxins. I even cut myself deep and then used magic to reconnect the muscle fibers. Only once I gained proficiency in each did Elana arrive and tell me that it was time to create the Illyndra Elixir and move on. I nodded and set to work. I started by creating a skin barrier, followed by an oxygen domain around my head and an oxygenless domain around my body and workspace. Once contained, I desiccated and ground half the zorathorn (as I saved half for Elanas tribute). I mixed in solvents and used Essence Extraction to extract the active ingredients and essence. Once complete, I strained out the plant matter with Separation, collecting the poison and matter into another jar to make a powerful poison later on. I distilled the solvents to remove the chemicals, releasing the active ingredients, and captured those in a tiny jarand I finally had zorathorn extract. I took the poisonous gas that was trapped in my domain and released it, blowing it away with Pervasive Breeze. The gas killed the canopies, causing the green leaves to rot red and fall like it was fall time. It was disturbing. The elixir was far, far easier. I cooked a base with different ingredients, sweetened it with berry extract, added alcohol, and mixed only a tenth of the zorathorn extract into it. Now a clear liquid, I put my hands onto the jar and began chanting all the enchantments. The clear liquid turned from pink to red to glowing crimson over the next three hours as I recited each of the chants verbatim, imagining each individual process. By the time it ended, it looked like a world-ending zombie virusbut I was remarkably proud of it. You couldnt understand how prideful I was as I vacuum-sealed seventeen test tube-sized bottles of Illyndra Elixir and got the chime. --- Congratulations! You have made your first enchanted creation. Name: Illyndra Elixir Tier: 3 Description: Wheeeeeeew. What started as a cruel joke turned into reality! You have officially created an elixir that automatically cleanses and plugs wounds like a tire goo and rapidly facilitates the healing process. Make sure to thank your narcissistic god. For all her faults, shes done more for you than what most gods do for their pupils for years or even decades. Warning(s):
  1. If you do not use an oxygenless domain before drinking it, it will rapidly oxidize and solidify. In the worst-case scenario, it will open in your throat. Be careful when ingesting the elixir.
This elixir is only active in the bloodstream for eight hours before rapidly deteriorating. After eighteen hours, your body flushes it out, leaving you with a period of immobilization followed by feeling sick for half a day. Only use before serious battles and prepare yourself for hell after. --- I looked at Elana who was smirking, preparing to say thank you. But before I could, I got two notifications that I was expecting but forgot about. --- Congratulations! You have completed the mission, Create a Third Tier Health Restoration Creation for your subclass. Rewards:
  1. Tutorial on health restoration basics that is one tier above your levels creation.
  2. One health restoration recipe with ingredients that are reasonably accessible to you. The recipe will be one tier higher than your own.
--- I then got a second chime. --- Due to already having the rewards, you have been given alternative rewards. Rewards:
  1. One silver recipe request (for creating a second-tier health restoration creation).
  2. One gold recipe request (for creating a third-tier health restoration creation).
  3. One silver tutorial request (for creating a second-tier health restoration creation).
  4. One gold tutorial request (for creating a third-tier health restoration creation).
--- I looked at the screen in wonderment. The rewards really put things into perspective. To get a gold for creating a five-stage enchanted elixir made with a deadly plant really made me realize the value of a diamond reward. Yet, it also made me realize how rapidly people scaled their power into godhood. Once I got to a certain point, every new third-tier creation type would yield a gold. Once I got to the fourth tier, every new creation type would yield a platinum, and so on. At least, thats what I thought. I doubted that someone would run around getting epic requests for everything. So, there was probably a tiered system. But still just getting platinum for everything would be a life changer. Good work, Elana said. I looked at my teacher with a beaming smile, remembering that she had been there all along that day. Thank you so much! Repay me with my tribute, Elana said. While I have pampered you far beyond advisable, I am still here on business. I saluted. I will get you more than asked. Her eye twitched. Must you be so weird? I slowly lowered my hand with an awkward smile. Anyway... she said. Theres only a month until the Harvest, so dont get complacent. This week I want you to get all my tribute and put in an order for new bottles. You dont wanna lose it when you sell your elixirs. Then go south to the river and evolve. A month Chest caved in, and my lungs lost pressure. And youre not ready yet, Elana said. And thats not all. What do you mean thats not all? Elanas face turned grim. The migrations about to happen. Migration? What the hells the migration? Its pretty intuitive. Every year, hundreds of second-evolution humanoids cross the gate for the Harvest. In response, second and third-evolution beasts flock toward the Bramble to pick em off. I looked at the alchemy station warily. So this place its not gonna be safe? Elanas eyes flashed with sharp light. No. In two weeks, this placell be swarming with powerful beastsand you dont wanna be anywhere near it. B2 - Chapter 15 - Tribute I froze when I learned that my home would be overrun with second-evolution beasts in two weeks. Why didnt you tell me! I yelled. So what? Elana asked, you could split your focus? If I had you would be chasing after new spells and cheap herbs right now. Yeah, thats exactly what I would be doing! I dont have a home, Elana. I dont have weapons! You dont have anything, Elana said chillingly. I froze and stared at a woman whose aura had turned to dry ice, freezing lungs with a mere glance. You couldnt even use a domain. Tell me, Mira. What wouldve happened if beasts chased you into the Greenhouse? Hmmm? What wouldve happened if you ran into a third ev and it targeted your blood with a spell? Hmmm? I put my back against the alchemy stations countertop, gripping my arms. What you needed was trainingreal training, Elana said. And thats what we did, was it not? How much did you improve your magical control learning Separation? That allows you to use spells. How much have you threaded your core? That increases your range. How much have you refined your soul force? That makes you resistant to magic and amplifies the power of your attacks. Mira My skin tingled with electricity, and I looked up. Elana was looking at me earnestly. Im a god. I got here through violence and powernot by obsessing over elixirs. Elana glanced at the Illyndra Elixir and back at me. And I got that power by focusing on the right things. Do you understand? I nodded. Yeah? Yeah. Good. Because if you ever imply that I would waste your time again, I will show you the cliff. Elana scoffed and folded her arms, exercising restraint as if she were dealing with a foreign dignitary that she couldnt abuse. Yes Elana. Im just scared. Dont be, Elana said, flicking her wrist. These creatures are nothing but a training exercise. Theyre inconvenient, but theyll be good for you. The real problems the Harvest. Hundreds of skilled neophytes are swarming this forest, and they all have a decade or more experience. Magicranged attackstactics. And a lot of these cretins think youre a brand new neophyte thats living off berries in a cave somewhere. Theyre bound to attack you. Do you understand? My lungs felt like lead, and my spine ached. Everything suddenly felt a lot more serious. Yes I said. Good. Take the next week and collect your tribute. Stock up on creations, create a catalyst and thread your core. I want it threaded to saturation. By months end, I need you evolved. I nodded. Then what? Theres a techniquesimple yet effective. Its called Guided Arrow. I want you to practice that with your acceleration techniqueand thats all. I want you to master two spells until you can face all of the harvesters, if necessary. All of them? All of them. You dont become a god by being able to kill a hundred of your enemies, Mira. Not a thousandnot a million. You become a god by being able to kill all of themno matter how many there are. Do you understand? I shivered, feeling anxious frost forming on my skin. Do you understand? Elana repeated coldly. I nodded. I do. Elana looked satisfied at my serious reaction. Good. Now straighten your hair. Every knot is an argument to attack you. She blinked out of existence, leaving me alone. I stood there for about twenty minutes until Kline meowed, breaking me from my neverending labyrinth of self-reflection and terror. I looked down at him. His eyes were determined, confidentmurderous. While I wasnt certain whether my old-world morals and sentimentalities would allow me to kill another human, my little warrior didnt have that problem. If someone attacked, he would massacre them without distinction. I was lucky. As for myself, I wasnt particularly opposed to that. I was deeply bothered by the fact that killing people didnt bother me as I thought it should have. But thats just what happens when you massacre over a thousand beasts in two months, constantly risking your life. It changes you. I nodded at Kline. I know Then I looked away. Ill get stronger, too. We need to prepare for everything. With those words, I retrieved the pocket mirror I kept to flag down planes in survival situations and looked at myself. My hair was disgusting and matted. I used Purify, and all the dirt fell out like a waterfall. The fact that Elana didnt say something was a testament to her seriousness. Smiling grimly, I fixed my hair. It was time to prepare for the horde. 2. Brexton whistled as he watched Aiden flying around on Halten like a pro. Aiden needed to be bolted onto the vraxles scales just a month before. Now, he was riding on a harness, doing sensory switching drills at high speed. They were in sync, going through obstacles, diving and biting and roaring in the skies. Brexton gripped the wood post fence that he was sitting on, reveling in the small breeze. He was actually getting tan this year. Everything was backwardand he was surprisingly okay with that. Everen suddenly climbed over the fence in his newly tailored clothing and sat down beside him. Rare to see you round these parts, Brexton remarked. I thought youd let me run your business forever. Everens face hardened as he watched Aiden soaring in the sky. No. I was just studying up. On what. How to rip your lungs out if you ever fuck me like that again. Brexton smiled. He got paid to provide protection, consulting, and connections for Everen to operate a business selling anything Mira gave Aidenand couldnt profit from sales made. Therefore, Brexton built trust with Aiden by negotiating a crippling deal that pushed Everens profit margin to the stressing pointfor a very long time. It also prevented leveraging Aiden or the business to generate revenue outside of the direct sale of goods. In one night, Brexton made it impossible for Everen to take advantage of Aiden that was his job. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. No offense, Everen, but if I wanted to strangle you with your intestines, it would take a platinum request and a prayer to prevent it, Brexton said. Your face tells me you learned that. Everen stayed silent, watching Aiden soar through the sky. His attitude said, Well see about that. He would see about that. When do you think hell fly? Everen asked. A week, Brexton said. Have you convinced him to make contact? To profit, Aiden had to actually make contact with Mira, not just air-drop supplies. By doing that, he could negotiate deals and get tips in the form of resources. Ill bring you stuff regularly if you pay me well. It was a complex thing, considering that Aiden and Halten both needed to agree long-term, and neither of them had done soespecially the wyvern. Despite that You could say that, Brexton said about convincing Aiden to make a contract. What does that mean? Brexton grinned and looked at Everen with full confidence. Ive made a contract with himhe has to. 3. The next week flew by in a flash. I spent most of it foraging for ingredientsa violent undertaking considering that most of the ingredients were outside the barrier. On the first day, we ran from spider-like creatures the size of dinner platesand killed dozens of poisonous beasts that looked like peacocks. On the second, Kline had to chop down dozens of trees to slow down a boar-like tank that plowed through everything but boulders with ease. We started eating in trees to prevent sneak attacks and started taking the long way to maintain the high ground. By the third day, we had collected enough plants to take a day to start stockpiling elixirs. I created antifungal balms and creams and then made antitoxins in the form of elixirs. I did the same for mana restoration elixirs meant to provide mana boosts and health elixirs that were applied topically to cleanse and heal wounds. It was quantity over quality. The fourth day brought us back to the forest, where we killed a basilisk that shot poison in spurts. I kept it busy by using Moxle Dilation to avoid its blasts while Kline snuck up behind it. Once he was ready, he released two Phantom Claws to the back of its head and pounced on its spine with Sharp Bite, ripping out the core. He was getting strongreal strong. I could barely stand near him once he enacted his ethereal bodyand that was a good thing. I held the dead basilisks fang into a large bottle while Kline squeezed the gland, capturing venom to make antitoxins. Then, we celebrated by returning and cooking snake meat, building our soul power to new heights. Kline nudged the basilisks core to me with his nose. It was a vibrant turquoise core that resembled the one I threaded with Yakana. It was almost time to evolve. I treated him with more meat in exchange and spent that night threading. I woke up the next morning feverish with cold sweats and Kline made me sit in the bed until I drank Diktyo water. I drank it, and it eased up, but it couldnt solve all my problems. It still required half a day for my mana channels to recover from the strain from the night before. But I pushed on, eating the basilisk meat and making potions and more balms until nightfall, where I practiced my mental shielding. The sixth day is when things turned serious. Kline and I visited a beast den to collect the driftrise root I needed for a catalyst and almost suffered serious injury when beasts the size of squirrels jumped on mushrooms that exploded with spores while we were harvesting the root. We immediately grabbed the root and left, forcing Diktyo water and antifungals into our systemand promptly emptied all our organs. We survived. Day seven finally yielded results. I had collected all the tribute after a two-hour hike and Elana smiled in satisfaction to see the rainbow of multicolored herbs and berries and roots and leaves and moss. It was still unprocessed and required preservatives for the fruits, but she promised to guide me through that. You did it, Elana said. She looked at Kline. You too. Klines eyes widened when Elana addressed and accepted him, and he ended up puffing out his chest with so much pride that I giggled. He was a big man, and I couldnt help but pick him up like a normal house cat at that moment, making him yowl with the sharpness of a buzz saw. I released him, and he blinked away, watching twenty feet away because he knew that I could run damn fast now. Elana let us finish and then smirked. Okay. Lets process these. Elana pulled out bowls and duplicated the berries and other ingredients. Then, she performed each step while I followed her in real time, benefiting greatly from the time pressure. One after the other, I sealed all the ingredients and stacked them up. Tribute was complete. That''s it? I asked skeptically. There was a backpack worth of jars and preservation chambers. It was hard to believe that everything I got from Elana was captured in a backpack of raw ingredients. She didnt even want an elixir or something sensitive to travel. Thats it, she confirmed. For this year. It changes, and what I can ask you increases as you get stronger. Thiss just what you could get with reasonable certainty. I smiled grimly. Well? Do you want your reward? Youre spoiling me. Ill take it out on you when youre stronger. Great I chuckled and looked at the ground, smiling brightly. So? Whats the reward? Elana picked up the driftrise root, a purple root that was marbled with off-white blotches. This root makes you more sensitive to mana. Its like the Lumidran Awakening Elixir, but it doesnt have hallucinogenic elements. I see so what is evolution, anyway? Just a chant. Wait. Thats it? Thats it. Elana saw my face and decided to add, Its just a spell to expand your core. Thats all. And is that free? I asked. Elana raised an eyebrow. For you. No I looked at Kline, who stared at me in frustration. Elana picked it up. Thats right Hey, Lithco. Whats going on with evolutions? A pop-up answered me. Once you decide to evolve, I give everyone a quest to get an evolution spell. Youve already passed the qualification and can earn the highestwhich is gold for the first. Elana will certainly give you more than that. No I said. What about Kline? Lithcos answer shocked me. I dont know. I looked at Kline and knelt down, feeling my heart pound. Did you speak to Yakana? Kline nodded without hesitation. A thin smile crept onto my lips, and I looked at Elana. Is your evolution chant better than Yakanas? Elana frowned. Hes real? Hes real. And he taught you how to thread your core? Yes. Her face twisted into a taut smile. I cant speak for their evolution technique, but She looked at Klines core with narrowed eyes and thought about it for a while. Ill trust your judgment. Yakana it is, I thought. I tried to do my best to maintain a poker face, but Elana saw right through it. Despite that, she remained cool and retained her penetrating gaze. It calmed my pounding heart. Listen, Mira. This is a defining moment in your life. With a foundation like this, even tenth evolution godhood isnt off the table. So, if Yakana can bring you the best evolutiondo it. If youre not confidentcome to me. Whatever you do, take this moment seriously and do whatever you can to establish a strong core. You will need it for the hordeand youll definitely need it for the harvest. Humid air curled in my lungs, and clenching my fingers yielded no traction. Elanas eyes sharpened further. Whatever it takes, Mira. Whatever it takes. Do you understand? I nodded. Good. Elana helped me perform a cold water extraction on the driftrise root with the Diktyo River water and then oversaw me using Essence extraction to pull out the magical elements. Lastly, I used Separation to remove the root and put it into a jar. I had my catalyst. Dont get complacent, Elana said as I looked at it. I nodded. I wont. Elana smiled thinly and said her goodbyes. I then packed as many elixirs as I could in my backpack, buried all our tribute preservation chambers in a twenty-foot hole to protect them, bundled hundreds of pounds of dried meat, helped Kline climb them into a tree, and then ate dinner under the setting sun, threading cores beside the fire until morning. We packed up camp before sunrise, shivering from the mist, and turned south toward the Bramble. The horde was coming. Beasts were swarming the Diktyo River now that the lignan bugs were gone, and the Harvest was on the horizon. Danger awaited us everywhere. Despite all of that, I was excitedtruly excitedpreparing to face the world head-on and seize my destiny by force if necessary. I began my hike. B2 - Chapter 16 - The Time’s Come Brexton was halfway through a drink when Everen forcefully sat down beside him, ordering a drink with two fingers. Dealers stopped passing cards, and the drummer nearly missed a beat before regaining his rhythm. Everyone was watching, wondering if the boss would snap this losers neck and leave him for the scavengers. They understood the scoreEveren didnt. Can I help you? Brexton asked. Everen clicked his tongue and used Purify on his cocktail-stained shoes in disgust. Then he grabbed the drink and turned to Brexton. Whats this about the flight being delayed? Brexton took a drink and shrugged. Its been delayed. For how long? Four days. Four? The migrations starting! Brexton rolled the ice in his glass. Yeah. Thats the point. Everen paused and thought about the situation. To his credit, he was getting a lot better about it since his delusions of grandeur disappeared. So they dont want us to make contact fuck. And youre just gonna let that happen? Brexton took a deep breath and exhaled harshly. Then he popped open a tin in his pocket and ate a pill inside and shut it. Sometimes, alcohol just wasnt enough. This world you came from, he said, could rich people do whatever the fuck they wanted? Everen frowned. I didnt think so. The families have privileges above the common law, but we have our own lawsour own rules. Our own relationships. The Claustra cant do whatever they wantespecially when every major business family has an incentive to watch our client burn. He pointed at Everen with his glass. But we did make our argument. We bribed and threatened the right people. So we got three days. Three days before the migration starts in full. Aiden can launch in, make contact, and get out before the migration begins. Thats all well getso deal with it. Brexton took another drink and started to feel the soothing effects of the temper reaching his bloodstream. He looked across the room and saw his fling rolling her eyes, huffing, crossing her arms, tapping her toes. Now, if youll excuse me, he said to Everen. Unlike you, my entire life isnt riding on this. He left and walked over to console his girlfriend, whose anger and frustration wouldnt subside so long as her clothes were on. Everen watched Brexton leave with a bitter expression, feeling cold ire percolating through his veins. He had left a land of opportunity where anyone could become king and woke up in a shit hole where business-oriented monarchies presided over territories and products, like drug cartels in Columbia. The only way for him to make it in this world was for him to enter into a family, and for the next two years, Brexton had him on a leash. Everen rocked back the rest of his glass, reveling in the bitter taste of the alcohol as he watched the syndicate teen disappear into a back room with a woman. Everen wanted everything Brexton Claustra had and moreand he would get it. No matter what he had to dohe would get it. 2. It was a four-day trip to the southern end of the Diktyo River. It would have been a day trip if it werent for the geography and our situation. Ill try to explain the situation the best I can. The Fourth Ring was the smallest of the rings beyond the Bramble. There was only fifty miles from Galfers Gate to the next ring, and the temporary shelter was in the center of itin the area known as The Divide. Arithiel Pond, the sacred location I saved from the lignan bugs, was ten miles north of the temporary shelter. It was attracting strong second and third-evolution beasts in flocks as they pushed to the mana vein to thread their cores. For that reason, there was a temporary migration north along the river, which was the reason that I needed to go south to avoid getting chomped to death. There was just one problem: there was a big ass mountain next to the Diktyo River called Callasan Mountain, so getting to the southern part of the river required a twenty-five-mile hike around it. It required us to move south toward the Greenhouse barrierwhere I almost diedbefore curving west toward the river. It promised to be terrifying but it wasnt. It felt liberating. With the poison highlighting and trap plant warnings, it wasnt any more dangerous on an hour-by-hour basis than my week-long backpacking trips through the Rockies. I woke to the sound of nature and immersed myself in nature for hours on end, soaking up my surroundings and loving life. It was different in ways. Kline and I killed plenty of beasts along the way. He used his Phantom Claws; I used a hiking stick that I turned into a sword with mana sharpening. But even that was starting to feel routine and natural, as if I had been doing it my whole life. As for living in a tent, it went about as well as you would expect. The first night we slept in a meadow, enjoying the stars and wondering why we were ever worried. The second night, we were attacked by killer bugs, and Kline and I needed to take shifts erecting barriers to prevent them from ripping the tent. It wasnt pleasant. Things changed once we got to the southern end of Callasan Mountain and started our hike west toward the river. The paths were treacherous at times, taking us over high bluffs and moving around low cliffs. Yet the payoff was extravagant when we reached Laka Starksha, a crystal lake that littered gold from the unique golden flowers around it. A large waterfall crashed into the center of the water, bubbling it like a cauldron, and colorful fish swam through it like we were in a coral reef. I researched the area during lunch and found that it was likely safe. It was usually a waterhole for second-evolution beasts, but most had migrated north toward Arithiel Pond or south toward the Bramble. Since it was empty, we decided to risk it, taking a swim and rejuvenating our spirits. It was magical. I threaded my core in a cave behind the waterfall just to say that I did it, then toweled off in the heat and went on. That night, we set up on a high bluff under the exposed sky. Kline decided he wanted attention and started rubbing on my legs to pet himself, as all cats do, and I let him hop into my lap. We sat there for hours, gazing at the stars, enjoying life. I knew things would get harder, but it felt damn good knowing we could travel for days without dying in the forest now. Hey, Kline. Kline turned his head both ways to find the best way to look at me before finally turning his body. I smiled thinly. I I get the feeling that thiss gonna be our greatest trial since the lignan bugs. Do you also feel that way? He meowed. I nodded. Thats why I want you to give it your all and right now it feels like youre holding back to find the best time to show off your new powers. So can I just see? Kline looked away sharply, then thought about it and looked back and turned away and then faced me and released the weakest meow I had ever heard. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. You poor thing, I giggled, petting his fur. You know Im going to be shocked and look all sorts of bitter at how powerful you are, right? Kline smiled creepily. I laughed. Come over here. I picked him up and hugged him and then looked and let me tell you, I was every bit as shocked and bitter as I thought Id be. --- Kline Hill Race: Felis catus Level: 21 Evolution: 1 Class: Phantom Cat Legacy: Illusionary Arts | Patron: Miriselle (Phantom Cat God) Subclass: Hunter Spells: Description: The fact that you constantly remind yourself that Klines getting stronger is one of the rare instances when the part of your brain that handles self-awareness is actually working. Kline has not only doubled your mana and soul force reserves, but hes also been practicing his magic daily in a way that Elana had to force you to do. If skill wasnt enoughhes deadly. Have you noticed that you dont even see leaves rustling when he disappears from you? Thats because hes not walking on the ground. That little shit is walking on air, sneaking past all enemies like a ghost, eating beasts, and converting their bodies into raw fuel for devastating attacks. To second evolution beasts, hes a god. But dont get complacent. Third evolution beasts and humans have the ability to sense mana, and then his invisibility goes poof. P.S. Because I know youre a masochist, Ill tell you: NoKline doesnt need you to survive. Youve helped him identify thousands of poisonous plants. Now, his first-tier poison sense skill is about 80% as effective as your book. So, if you want to feel bettercatch up. Note: Levels reset after every evolution, with a new level cap set at each. --- Damn I whispered. I looked at Kline, who was staring at me with a creepy smile. Stop that! I said, shooing him off. Youre a badass. Dont be creepy about it. Kline hissed and ran around me. I grabbed him by the hindquarters, and he let me pull him in. Then we went back to snuggling as I thought about Klines powers. Im counting on you, I said whispered. His ears twitched. So take care of me, okay? Kline meowed softly. We drifted off to sleep. We struck out before sunrise. Two hours later, Kline and I stood on a rocky bluff over hundreds of miles of forest like a green sea, overlooking our mark. Not too far in was a large patch that had no trees and was covered with a haunting fog that spread along, moving slowly and hypnotically into the far distance. The Diktyo River. It was as clear as the throngs of beasts swarming it. It wasnt that bad. There wasnt a line of them moving in tandem, marching to the Arithiel Pond before the harvest. There was just the amount that you would expect to be around a sacred location. From my research, I knew that most would be herbivoresbut even herbivores here were dangerous and moved in herds of ten or twenty per species, some with horns all over their body or colorfulpromising poison. There were also birds, the first serious group I had seen, and they were twice as large as eagles but circled the area like crows scavenging a parking lot. They periodically dove into the trees, setting off an animals cries. Shoulda just stayed there I thought. It felt shitty knowing that I had just traveled twenty-five miles just to be blocked by throngs of wild beasts but I knew that wasnt fair. Arithiel Pond was swarming with third-evolution beasts that were threading before the migration. Strong evolution beasts were behind them. Compared to there, we were in easy territory. This would have to do. It had to do. Lets hold back, I said. Im gonna buy a book on herbivores and do some research, kay? Kline meowed. Thanks, little guy. I opened up my guide and went into the rewards tab and went to books. The book I needed was right there, front and center. --- Name: Herbivores in the Areswood Forest (Rings 1-6) Grade: Platinum Description: You know what it does, so Ill save you. What you didnt know is that your Killer Animals in the Areswood Forest combines with this book, giving you a highlighting feature that shows whether animals are carnivores or herbivores. Note: For a diamond upgrade, this book will highlight beasts in different colors based on their elemental attributes, poison levels, and different known traits. --- My heart froze and cracked like black ice when I read the note, and I immediately started weighing the pros of using a diamond, pointing out how useful that highlighting would be for lifeusing the poison and edible plant books as examples. But I quickly suppressed the desires. I also wanted alchemic ingredient highlighting and I knew in two weeks I would want something else. Herbivore and carnivore highlighting would do. I bought it. --- Book: Herbivores in the Areswood Forest (Rings 1-6) has been added to your shelf. --- I pushed the notification aside, checked the atlas one last time, and shut it. I had researched the area the best I could, but there wasnt anything unique. It was just poisonous plants and deadly animals. That hadnt changedso it was time to just go for it. Do you have information requests? I asked Kline. He meowed. Good. If shit goes down, Im going to break for the river. Once that happens, I want you to run. Use an information request to find the safest route to meet meIll do the same. Okay? Kline nodded. Thats my little warrior. I pulled out the water bladder from my backpack and tied it to Klines body as he protested. It only had a few cups left, but it would have to be enough. Im getting more, I huffed. Were at the river, remember? He paused. If we get separated, you may need to survive for days alone. So take it. Kline swallowed and nodded. Good kitty. I played with his ears as he nipped at my fingertips, and then I stood and looked into the valley. Lets go. 3. Aiden walked into Haltens chamber with the strongest front he could. Today was the day that would determine whether he and Halten would pass the Bramble and liveor take to the skies and die. He was finally on his way to meet Mira Hill. B2 - Chapter 17 - Soul Puppets Kline and I had two options when we approached the water: we could create a diversion to gain access to the river, or we could try to blend in with the herbivores. If you put me into this position a month ago, I would go for the formerbut I chose to blend in. The reason was simple: the damn symphony bugs playing music above us were a spiraling pack of long-winded snitches. Just putting a knife to the water sack plant on day one made them change their tune. One slash later, I found myself running from a third evolution beast, fighting for my life as this worlds version of Ride of the Valkyries played around me. No thank you. The other option was to accept that herbivores were sharing the space, and I could join thempreparing to kill them, of course. Thats what we decided to dobut I didnt do so barehanded. As it turned out, mana sharpening could turn just about anything into a weapon. It could transform a twig into a macheteso I crafted a great sword from a walking stick. It was my new approach, as I still couldnt use Nymbral without unloading most of my mana reserves and stumbling around. It was also practical. I had used mana sharpening and random sticks to skin and butcher beasts ever since my mana sharpening experiment, so the sword utilized my skill sets. Moxle Dilation would take care of the rest. I gripped my sword as I stepped over a rotting log, wrapped in Klines Wraithaura, moving toward the Diktyo River as Kline trailed me under the cloak of invisibility. The river was a sight. It spread out for miles, frothing with souls and fog along a rocky shore, giving a perfect backdrop for the wobbling cries from predator birds in the canopies. I checked my surroundings. There were a lot of herbivores, highlighted green as opposed to redbut equally deadly. A large herd of creatures similar to hippos lounged in the distance, drinking Diktyo River water from water sack plants and basking in the sun. One wrong move, and Id be mauled to death. It wasnt a joke. I steeled my resolve and pressed on. One step. Two step. Three stepsfour. I counted each to the river like it was a game, counting how far it would get before the beasts decided they wanted blood and forced us into battle. I got to twenty-six and they still hadnt moved. I felt fortunate. That said, they didnt ignore us, either. A half-baked chimera with pig and porcupine characteristics walked into our path, followed by an entire herd of twenty. They surrounded us, sniffed, and moved on. Another beast, the size of an elk, walked past, shaking its silky straight hair. Were watching you. Thats what they were saying. We pressed on. I cant believe we made it, I thought once I made it to the river. The soul fog was thinner down south, as souls accumulated as they moved north toward the Seventh Ring. So it felt like a thin layer of dry ice that ebbed and flowed with the tide. I crouched to my haunches and whispered. Listen, Kline. I turned right and found lounging beasts drinking in the distance; I turned left and saw the porcupine pigs building up. Birds cried overhead. We were surrounded by beastsand they were watching us. Im going in to speak to Yakana, I said. If anything happensstick to the script. Okay? Run. Get an info requestand then regroup. Kline rubbed his body against my ankle under the cloak of invisibility. I forced myself not to pet him as I stood and closed my eyes, activating mental shielding. My world calmed as if I were drugged, and then I walked forward, stepping into the sea of screaming, crashing, howling beasts trapped in the soul fog above the Diktyo River. 2. Large crowds cheered Aiden and Halten on as they flew down from the Cursed Aviary and to the podium outside of Galfers Gate. The trial had been delayed as far as the Vestra could delay itbut now it was finally time for Aiden to challenge the Bramble. Thiss surreal, Aiden thought as he flew above the watchers. Part of it was that he and Halten had changed. Aiden was now riding on Halten like Railain rode her wyvern, albeit with far less skill, and Halten wasnt a skeleton anymore. Thanks to Brextons resources, his wings were healed and he had been eating heartily. So yeah, they had changed but that didnt explain the crowd. They were going ballistic as if Aiden had magically become a celebrity or something. Brexton whistled on the platform, and Aiden navigated Halten to the platform. Once they landed, Brexton used some strange spell or technique to fly thirty feet into the sky, landing right beside Aiden. What the hell was that? Aiden asked. Ah, nothing you needa worry about, Brexton shrugged, grinning. You should focus more on that. He pointed to the crowd, who detonated in response. Yeah that the hell is that? Aiden asked. That, my friend, is fame, Brexton said. Ccordin my Oracle, the best way to keep you safe is to make you too popular to touch. So a little PR here and there, and suddenly youre the man of the peoplethe guy that stuck up to the Legacies. If you win today, youll be the first citizen to show em up in like a century or something. Its a big deal. Wait Arent they gonna be pissed? Oh, they are, Aiden. They are. You and Everen have fucked up the whole natural order of things. Luckily, if you survive this, youll achieve star leverage status. And if you dont? Well, it wouldnt matter, now would it? Aiden knew it wouldntbecause he would be dead. Alright, pep talks over, Brexton said, preparing to jump. Just rememberif you dont make contact, youre on ice. So if theres problems in the forestdeal with em. Aiden felt ants crawl through his skin when Brexton jumped off Haltens back. For whatever reason, he felt even more nervous than before. He felt like something would go wrong. 3. I had barely stepped into the water when the river violently exploded. Im unsure whether it actually happened or if it was in my head, but the moment my foot touched the water, all the fog blasted around me as if every beast soul trapped within it wanted to eat me alive. Beasts started howling and hopping and screeching and snapping, pushing at me like a mob trying to rush someone within. I looked up in horror and saw real birds the size of drones swoop down over the water. Two shot at me in the confusion, and I cranked time to a halt and dodged a split second before they grabbed me. How the fuck are they attacking me? I thought. I was in the river, and the river was alive with souls. Were they insane? I identified one of them. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ------ Name: Falksan Type: Avian, Soul Harvester Description: If you thought that nothing could touch the riveryou were wrong. Obviously. Any beast can enter the water if their soul force is strong enough to overpower the souls inside, or they have a soul core, and these ones are the latter. Soul harvesters by nature, falksans flock around the river, waiting for infighting to push a beast inside. Once a beasts soul is weakened from the rivers soul interference, they strike like vultures, eating the souls of both the beast and their invader. Thankfully, these ones are children who are too weak for prolonged exposure to the river. So if you stop offering yourself to them like a cheap exhibitionist and jump in already, you will survive. Note: Unlike soul reapers, soul harvesters shred souls like a paper shredder. Which is worse. So much worse. ------ I dropped to my knees in the river right before everything went to hell. Kline yowled behind me, releasing two attacks as diving birds screeched at him. I turned just in time to see one of the birds catapult across the sky, crashing into the water ten feet from me, turning the milky waters pink. The herbivores stood up from all directions, clearly agitated by the commotion, but I couldnt hear them. My mind was drowned out by the sound of howling beasts from the rivereven with mental shielding. Run, Kline! I screamed. Kline didnt listen. I couldnt see him, but I could tell his direction by the direction two more diving birds flew in when he hit them with Phantom Claws. One died mid-airthe one nearest to me only lost its wing and thats when things started going bad. The wing grew back as if it were never gone, but the bird didnt return. It convulsed and screeched and thrashed as the fog wrapped around it like a cocoon. I was entranced and horrified by the sightand it just got worse. Kline rattled off claws like a Browning M2 machine gun, sending a dozen of the birds crashing into the water like meteorites. Half of them diedthe rest started convulsing as well. I got a bad feeling immediately. Run, Kline! I screamed. Somethings wrong with these things. You need to One of the convulsing birds suddenly cut me off with a soul-chilling screech that rattled my bones. It was unnatural, furious, and ungodly, like a Hollywood zombiethe fast kindwho blindly chases behind moving cars like a wild animal as protagonists drive for their lives. That was the energy it carried when it flew at the first thing near itone of the hippo creatures, ramming its beak first into the herbivores flank. The whole herd erupted in fury, releasing cries as they charged the bird. More convulsing birds animated as well, flying out of the river like demonic salmon, shooting toward the shoreattacking anything in sight. I suddenly remembered the only Soul Manipulation lesson Lithco gave me. He demonstrated how neara allowed him to shape a soul and put it into a plants body. It animated like a worm from Dune, thrashing aroundbreaking its own stem in the process. Then he said: Youve just seen me shape a soul and put it into a plant. Now its a killer plantbut it lacks purpose or meaning. So it aches and hates. And that is something you cannot change with soul manipulation. Thats what happened. Vengeful souls took over the birds bodies but it didnt give them lifejust a vehicle of hate and they were taking advantage of it to create havoc. The porcupine pigs and hippo creatures didnt appreciate thatand they blamed us. A dozen were snorting at me, and the rest were circling Kline, cutting off his paths to escape. They charged. Kline! I screamed, rushing forward. Unfortunately, a wild falksan soul puppet flew into my chest from the shore, sending me crashing backward into the shallow river. 4. Aiden looped the leather reins over his hands twice. It wouldnt do anything but break his wrist if he jerked too quickly, as he was tied in with his legs, but it made him feel strong. Solid. In control. He felt that way, in the zoneunable to hear the cheering crowd, moving in tempo with the blood pulsing through his brain. The teams had just finished locking the crates onto Haltens back. It was almost time. You ready? Halten asked. I am, Aiden said decisively. Its hard to believe youre the same boy from before. Im not the same person. That person avoided people and conflict and spent all of his time with animals. Now, I cant even say hi to an animal without getting swarmed with business offers. Its fucked up. Aiden wondered if Mira felt like thatwanting to become a botanist only to be drug into a death forest and all the games these gods played. He wondered if it was better out there in the forest, where he could tame beasts and no one could tell him what to do. He wondered if he could survive out there. He wondered if Mira would let him stay. Then Aiden remembered that Halten needed to make fifty deliveries before he would obtain his freedom, and he pushed that thought aside. It was a bit more complicated than that. He and Halten only needed to take one delivery to Mira and make contact for them both to survive. Beyond that, Halten was clear in his unwillingness to do anotherand Aiden believed him. But he also believed that Brexton would find a way to blackmail them into it againor find a way to sell Haltens soul meat to buyersor anything else. So, whether they would continue was up for debate. As for Brexton, the teen was a demonbut the Oracles contracts kept him locked in chains. Until Aiden and Halten could escape, they needed to keep Brexton locked upwhile holding the key. Aiden. Aiden snapped back to the present, gripping his reins. What? Remember. You are my eyes and healerbut you are nothing more. Do not mourn for me. Do not cry for me. Do not feel fear. I hear those thoughts like youre screaming them. Its the last thing I need. Aiden pursed his lips. He wasnt sure if he could follow such an orderbut there was a chance. Over the last seven weeks, he had threaded a serious core and had practiced his diamond-grade healing skill, learning it day and night and practicing. It was painful practiceexhausting. Taxing. It strained him in ways that he didnt think were possible, and that shaped him into a new person. His life was quiet and shy and formless beforenow it was chiseled out of stone. If he could survive anythingit would be now. Ill do my best. Good. Lets do this. The two loaded up on the podium and waited for the countdown. 4. Im not sure what I did to piss the Diktyo River souls off, but they swarmed me in the water. I could feel them clinging to my chest like damp clothing in the summer heat, bearing pressure down on me as they released battle cries from all around me. Whats going on? I cried as I fought to find a shallow part of the river to submerge myselfbut there was none. I had to force myself underwater and army crawl on the sand, sinking in deep as the water flowed around me. I could barely think as I pushed forward. Suddenly, I got a notification. ------ Your equipment drop is on its way! Please be prepared to meet ------ My mind flipped and slapped the notification away, replacing it with another. Information request! Keep me updated on Klines health and location until we meet up, and give me an optimized map for getting back to him safely! A pop-up forced itself into my mind, even behind my eyelids. This will take three information requests for the scope and duration of the request. Do it! Two pop-ups followed. One with a map showing a cat icon rushing through the forest at a speed that made the map look like it was refreshing, like a radar system, moving east toward the mountain. The second pop-up gave the update: Kline is wounded, but he shrewdly protected the Diktyo River water bladder with a Mana Manifestation barrier, so he had the means to heal himself. He has already used requests to get to you and will move immediately. Focus on evolving. Hell be waiting for you. I shot out of the water, gasping for breath in the cacophony of angry souls, and then dove back in, crawling through the river as fast as I could, trying to get into deep water. I needed Yakanas helpnow. 5. Aidens body shook from the thunderous applause from the crowd. It was time to launch. Three two onego! Halten spread his wings like a glorious eagle stretching in a forest. Then he flapped down with devastating power, sending dust storms blowing in all directions as they rocketed into the sky. B2 - Chapter 18 - Motivations Aidens teeth ached from the blasting wind as Halten shot him to the top of Galfers Gate. His environment changed rapidly. Steel wall, then geometric arrays, and then finally, open sky. Only then, lost in the skies above the Third Ring, did he remember the horror and terror and trauma he suffered the first time he crossed the wall. He only thought of that a second before Halten rocketed into the fray. The forest was already alive, teaming with hatred and revenge. The second they crossed the gate, birds flooded them like locusts, creating a scene worthy of biblical texts from brutal times long past. Aidens mind shut down, and he accepted his fate until Halten took a deep breath and released a battle cry that shocked the heavens and sent birds flying in all directions. 2. My arms gave way when I heard a wyverns roar in the distance. I was fifteen miles from the Bramble, but I recognized the noises I heard during the Trial of Survival. It was just that loud. Why is everything trying to kill me? I silently screamed, jumping to bold conclusions as I army-crawled through the water. Five seconds later, I hit a rapid and tumbled through the water like a game of ping pong, smashing into rocks along the way. 3. Aiden snapped into focus when Halten screamed at him. Concentrate! Theyre organized! He turned and saw formations of birds flying above and to the side of him. Attack from the West! Halten released a barrier that smashed into a hundred birds at high speed, like a windshield, before switching to Aidens eyes and gaining a broader perspective. Aiden turned, showing him more. Then Halten acted, flying in a complex pattern to kill a group, block another, and dive underneath a third. The acrobatics were remarkable for the beasts overbearing size. Halten Vraxle was a kingAiden was certain of it. Suddenly, a cloud of spores and poison erupted into the skies like during the Trial of Survival. Domain up! Halten yelled. Aiden did his best, but his domain was a centimeter thick and easily broken. He didnt have soul meat to gain soul force, but Halten insisted, even though the vraxles domain could swallow a tanker ship, so Aiden complied. The two rocketed right through the poison, unaffected but not for long. Six vraxles shot through the poison cloud in a tactical formation. Hold on! Halten screamed. He sharply turned and cut off the wyverns at a near-90-degree angle before shooting through the Bramble at a hundred miles an hour. Aidens mind became hazy from blood rushing to his head, and he desperately wanted to give in and go limp and trust Halten would protect him. Im not useful to him anyway, right? his mind tried to argue. If you scream, hes dead. So just black out. Youve successfully filled your role as a rubber stamp Suddenly, Aidens mind blanked out, and he woke up in a gym within the Claustra mansion. It had beautiful wood floors and walls that lacked embellishmenta simple space to practice. His trainer had just left him there an hour before, and he spent the whole time struggling to thread a first evolution core without making his mana channels rupture. He wanted to give up, just as he did in the skies above the Bramble, but even more so. He was in pain, exhaustedhurt. He collapsed on the smooth wood floors and looked up at the artistically carved arches on the eighty-foot ceiling, wondering whether the influence was Eastern for its wide-open simplicity or European for the elaborate yet subtle murals over everything. He wondered how long that mansion had stood. Centuries? Millennia? Before Earthian civilization? If you want us to stop bullying you, you needa work a lot harder than that, Brexton said, walking into the room for his combat training. Aiden huffed. Im normalyoure blood. Nothings going to stop you from bullying anyone. You remind Everen every time you see him. Oh, yes. I remind Everenbut youre not Everen. Brexton took off his coat and shirt and fancy shoes as his trainer came in. Youre different. With your skills, you can join the Vestrathen its suddenly a lot harder for me to bully you. Right? The Vestra were a Middle Family that specialized in beast taming. It was also the family Railain was the First Domain scion to. Sure, theyre just a Middle Family, Brexton continued, but they have connections. If youre invaluable to them, they could hire the Dante or convince the Melhan to run a supply embargo against us until we stop bullying you. Or, you could just spend a really, really big request doing something that made it hard for me to bully you. See, these are things that you can do because you have talent in this world. Everen? Not a chance. Hes just a leech in a land of leeches. But people with value? They rule supreme. Are you ready? Brextons trainer asked. Yeah, yeah. Brexton stretched his arms and legs and then looked at Aiden one last time before practicing. Value, Aiden. Never forget that. If youre valuable, you can have just about anyone fighting on your behalfand youre valuable. You can get your life backthe only question is, are you willing to fight for it? Or He looked at Aidens trembling arms, are you gonna let something like this hold you back? Brexton proceeded to get trounced by his teacher over and over again before Aidens eyes, but he never gave up, and he gave it his all. It was hypnotic and engrossing and confusing, and it ate into his brain. Then he suddenly blinked, and he was back in the skies above the Bramble, on the verge of giving up from the intense pressure. But now his blood was boiling, and he was gripping the reins and releasing a battle cry. I want my life back! Another time! Halten yelled after the no-context declaration. Now brace! Aiden gripped the reins at the bottom as Halten suddenly rocketed upward, doing a high-speed backflip and diving down on one of the chasing wyverns on the down stroke. The other inhaled to breathe fire. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Fire! Halten instantly deployed a barrier as fire crashed into them, blocking the attack with ease. Aiden looked up and saw the purple smog swirling. Above! Halten switched to Aidens eyes and immediately reacted, charging forward just in time to avoid a massive fire attack from above. Aiden swung from the whiplash, sending his organs crashing into his side and taking away his breath. Then they righted and shot forward as five wyverns released cries around them. Wind blades shot from all directions. Halten blocked them with a barrier, but a massive wind blade from above shattered it and left a massive gash on the back of his neck, shredding through scales and nearly paralyzing it. Halten was a kingbut he had a fraction of his soul force due to the curses. On it! Aiden closed his eyes and put his hands on Haltens scales and unleashed the largest blunt stitch spell he could use. It was the only spell he could spread through the wyverns body, but it was enough. It rippled up his body and stopped the bleeding by fusing the nearest muscle fibers and skin. It wasnt meant for healing. It was intentionally improper healing designed to stop death on a battlefield and it worked. Halten regained control and shot forward, releasing a fire breath that tore through a wyvern hovering around him like a vulture. The fire fried the beast before chasing course, clipping another two with blue flames that left them spiraling. Aiden kept looking around, calling out Haltens name, and the two covered all their bases as they plowed their way through the poison, sending a purple plume of gas exploding out like a bullet as they raced to make it past the Bramble. They did. In the skies above the Fourth Ring of the Areswood Forest, twelve vraxles flew into the safe zone, leaving the Bramble behind. They werent leaving. Aiden looked at his map and saw that Miras markernow visible to make the drop. Shes East! he yelled. At the River. The Diktyo? Yeah! That makes things much easier. Halten flapped his wings with monstrous force, seemingly bending wind and space and time to launch ahead at mind-numbing speeds toward the Diktyo River. 4. A tiny orange and white cat bounds across the rocky bluffs of Callasan Mountain. His Warp Step teleports him fifty meters at a boundbut thats too slow. Beasts are flocking to the river, and dragons approach from the skies. Mira is in trouble, and he will not stop until he saves her. The cat jumps off a two-hundred-foot cliff, creating a warp portal twenty feet down. It launches him backward into the rock face, which he bounces off to break his momentum. He repeats this five times in two seconds to shear a hundred feet off the fall. Then he lands on a bridge of raw mana and runs down the skies as if the air were as solid as land. Beasts and dragons are coming for Mirabut so is he. 5. Im not sure when I realized that what happened before wasnt an isolated incident, but when it sank in, it was terrifying. Whenever I gasped for air, I saw white silhouettes of beasts attacking me in the fog and saw the black silhouettes of real beasts behind them. I couldnt differentiate between their chattering growls and guttural cries. Everything was blending into a surreal parade of dead and living beasts, all fighting to kill me. I didnt understand. After a deep breath, I submerged myself in the rapids and called out, Yakana! One second passed, or perhaps it was ten minutes, but Yakana did answer me. Why have you brought invaders to our forest? Why have I what? A past guardian and human are killing our guardians in the Bramble. Now they are moving toward this river. Why? Yakanas voice wasnt chilling or damning, but he had the aura of someone who spoke little but inspired people to listen. I shivered and tried to breathe, and my lungs filled with water. I breached the surface, coughing out water in the mayhem, and then dove back in, trying to think. Deli Delivery! Theres a delivery! Delivering what? Equipment. The Oracle is dropping off the equipment I ordered! Yakana fell silent as I surfaced and clawed for air before coming back down. Whats going on? Can you please answer that? Ill leave after! I could always learn to evolve with Elanabut right now, I need to survive. Yakana thought silently, somehow immersing me in the feeling of him thinking right next to me. He wanted to communicate that he was thinkingweighing, deliberatingjudging. Then he spoke. These souls do not hate you. They see you as their salvation. I ran short of breath and resurfaced and returned. Salvation? This doesnt look like salvation! Lifes challenges force us to value many things. A need to sate our desires for food. Our desire to have sex and propagate. To become strong and independent and protect the people we love. Yet what happens once you lose your life? Your body? Your vehiclebut your life continues on? I hit a rock underwater and spiraled out of control, tumbling through the river until I gained purchase. I emerged from the water and coughed water from my lungs as the forests denizens howled and hissed and wailed. It was hard to believe that these beasts saw me as their salvation. I dont know! I mentally screamed when I returned. Tell me! I could feel Yakanas tonal shift before he even spoke. But his answer matched. Despair. I held my breath instinctually, grabbing onto a rock underwater and fighting to keep still. Despair? Yes, despair. What else is there to do when you do not still exist, but your soul lingers and no one can hear you? When you drift aimlessly, unable to see those you love, and in the rare instance they may pass by you, they cannot see you or hear you and may have moved on without you? To watch your home be burnt and destroyed. What then? I surfaced and returned. Id go crazy but how do they think about it? They cannot. The record captures their thoughts at death and everything before it. The brain doesnt workbut the soul remembers. It remembers its family and its home and enemies and feels despair. Such is the agony of a remnant. Remnant that sounds awful. It is. To escape that fate, souls drift to the Diktyo River to cleansebut theres a process. One must purify before they can purge themselves of their rage, hate, and anxiety. But they are impatient, for they are in pain now. I pushed off the river floor and shot out of the water, taking deep breaths. My body was buzzing with oxygen deprivation, and I didnt care about the haunting cacophony knocking at my soul. I returned. So, what does this have to do with me? I asked, clutching at my chest. I needed mental shielding just to focus. You now have a soul coreand thus, you may liberate them of their impurities so that they may purge themselves of negative emotions. How? Do you wish to help them? Forgive me for this answer, but yesif it benefits both of us. And right now, it certainly fucking does. Yakana laughedhe actually laughedand at that moment, I felt like he wasor at least used to bea real human like me. Someone who could have taught me in high school, long before most teachers grow egos like leaves and start to indoctrinate their beliefs. A mentor. A friend. The laugh was so genuine and, for that reason, so profound in this basic sort of way, that an amalgamation of souls could share ideas so genuinely. That will do. Now breathe, so that we may begin. B2 - Chapter 19 - Soul Cleansing I took a deep breath and activated mental shielding, returning underwater to chant. Yakana waited until I was situated and then asked a blunt question. Before I decide which technique to give you, I must finally ask. Will you protect this forest? I felt infinite levels of frustration after hearing that question. Everyone keeps asking me to do that they keep demanding that I do it. Theyre requiring me to do it, but I paused, hoping my honesty would bleed through. I dont even know what that means to you. And-and I dont want to live alone forever. So Ill probably try to bring people to live with me. And I doubt I can survive without a legacy, so Im guaranteed to sell resources. Im a human, Yakana. And if Im being honest, asking a human to protect a forest is like asking wolves to protect lambs. Mira. I fell silent. Brindles magic will allow you to reinforce the Brambleor remove it. I cant just teach anyone such magic. My mind became fuzzy and I escaped to the surface, where I coughed and wheezed and choked on the information. What the fuck I whispered as the souls screamed around me. Flashbacks of the Bramble ran across my mind. Killing. So much killing. Death and violence and. The hateful, wild cries of the souls felt judgmental, so I escaped underwater again. Mira, Yakana said. I heard himbut I didnt want to listen. Mira. To be a Guardian isnt to forsake your nature. It is not to make promises. It comes from having a desire to protect what is precious, and I can sense a deep love of nature. Is it enough for you to protect it? From what, Yakana? From who? What qualifies as a need for protection? These things are subjective. Yes. Theyre subjective to you. I froze. If you have a desire to protect that which you find precious, Yakana said, then you will know when there is a need. Thats what it means to be a Guardian, Mira. To what extent is up to you. At what cost is up to you. What I ask, is whether the desire exists. I I couldnt say that I would. I didnt chain myself to trees or join mycoremediation teams on Earth. I wasnt involved in politics, and I sure as hell didnt fight the government. Now, I was becoming remarkably skilled at slowing time and cutting animals in half, but that didnt change anything. If I got a tribute requirement? Sure. Id be a good soldier and fight back and do whatever, then decide whether I would continue. It was a job not a self-imposed commitment. Ask me later, I said after deep deliberation. Actions speak louder than words. Yakana seemed to smile. Good answer. Now chant. Katalxi ma alitala, spndeos silviai temnrosa I followedand instantly felt my body cave in as if it were a black hole that desired to suck everything within. 2. Aiden watched the map update. They were getting close to the riverand that was a terrible thing. If Thorvel killed Mira, his contract with Brexton would break. Halten! Aiden yelled. If we dont make contact with Mira, Ill become Brextons servant! Weve covered this! Halten screamed, dodging another attack. Then whyre you leading these things to an intruder? Theyll kill er if they see her! Were not going to herwere going to the river! Only Thorvel has a soul core. Once we approach, only he can get near. Aiden turned and saw a wyvern preparing a breath attack in Haltens blind spot. To your flank! he yelled. Halten shot upward just in time to prevent a fire blast from potentially breaking his shield and killing Aiden. Stop talking! Let me work! Aiden did, acting as Haltens eyes as he dove, swooped, and shot to the sky, doing barrel rolls as fire and wind blasted behind him from all angles. Thorvel, Haltens colossal twin, suddenly shot ahead of them, cutting off the route at the cost of leaving his back exposed. It was stupid to show ones back to their enemybut there they were. They must have had a code. Leave us! Halten roared. We will conduct our business and go. What business? Thorvel growled. To drop off these supplies. For who? Aiden gulped. These creatures were not in the First Domain and thus didnt get the announcementassuming that they got notifications at all. A neophyte, Halten said. She was dropped in this forest during the last integration. And you want to help her survive? Thorvel roared. No. I wish to save this child from his own kind. Oh, your master. Never speak such words again. Thorvel snorted but stayed silent. It seemed serious to him, too. Youre here to drop supplies for a neophyte? Yes. Take me to her. I will rid your need. Aidens heart nearly stopped. He must make contact to fulfill his obligation. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Then satisfy his needs and then I will remove your need. Then, you can take the boy and return to exile. Now take me to her. Aidens heart drummed in sixteenth notes, and he felt like he might fall off a cliff. It wasnt rightthe situation wasnt right. Two months ago, Aiden considered flying into Areswood Forest to save Mira due to the sheer injustice of her ending up in the forest. Since then, he lost interest, as she didnt want to be saved. Now, he was unknowingly being driven to kill her! Things had spiraled out of control in all the worst ways. Halten Aiden said. Halten didnt answer. The wyvern considered it carefully, doubtlessly weighing the pros and cons of selling Mira out. Halten Silence. Aiden froze at Haltens chilling tone. Then, he fell silent until the river was in sight. The river was distracting. It was far milkier and ominous than the one Aiden practiced healing magic near, and the thin mist around the water in his section was now as ghostly and toxic as London fog. Halten paused in the air, and the others followed, adhering to a code despite their disagreement. Thorvel turned to face his brother head-on. We prevent intruders, Halten said after great deliberation, we do not interfere with the Chosen. Thorvel snorted. Have you thought so little about your actions that youre just now considering your role? No. I determined that aiding a Chosen did not break our oath. But I did not consider whether harming one would. How convenient. Convenient? If it werent for that woman, I wouldnt be engaging in this farce! Thorvel paused and considered his words. Aiden couldnt see past Haltens scales, so he borrowed Haltens eyes to see the deliberation on Thorvels face. It seemed authentic. I have no attachment to a human I have never met, Thorvel, Halten said. I think her presence is corrupting, and I would surely conspire to rid her of this forest if I thought I couldbut I cant. One person may be teleported here per decade. If that wasnt by design, then why allow it at all? Thorvels eyes narrowed. That is the Founders designand the Founders were foolish. We swore allegiance to Brindlenothing more. Yes. And if Brindle sought to prevent the Chosen, he could have created a Bramble near the Divide. But he didnt. Just as he protects the Founders The forest suddenly exploded with chaotic cries. Beasts of all descriptions howled and whooped and hissed in the forest, creating a cacophony that Aiden could hear hundreds of feet up. Trees rustled in the distance from some feverish stampede, and birds flew through the air. Most dramatically, the milky fog in the river began flowing north up the river, disappearing from sight. Everything froze between the vraxles. Then Thorvel turned to Halten with fury and betrayal in his eyes. What is this? he roared. Before Halten could answer, he flew toward Mira at a speed that proved that he hadnt flown seriously before. 3. The cat bounds through the forest. His lungs feel like firehis muscles hard as icebut he presses on through the trees as the dragons draw near. Each feels like a horde of wild beasts, and there are many. The cat cannot kill one, let alone the swarm, and so he quickly opens his Guide to make a sacrifice. His Guide pops up, telling him that he has used his last Diamond Request on a soul-harvesting spell. A beautiful white cat appears beside him, bounding between trees. As she runs, she communicates the chant, and he follows along, thankful to learn its similar to the other spells he has learned. He runs on. He reaches the river as the next roar sounds in the distance, warning him to hurry. He speeds up, hopping over boulders, flying between brushes, bounding, pouncing, and sprinting toward the Diktyo River. The closer he gets, the more he realizes how different it is. To his left and far right, the water is clear and unfettered by souls, and beasts are pushing and clawing and scratching each other as they charge into it, taking advantage of the missing fog. As for where the souls are, they are where Mira is, condensed in a vortex that morphs with animal beast visages. The cat does not know what is going on but he knows Mira isnt moving, and he isnt ready to face the wyverns. He needs to get stronger. The cat blinks into a large beasts shadow, jumping onto the oxen-like creatures spine and biting down, activating the soul-harvesting technique. It is a spell to harvest souls from creatures to process into soul mana, and he uses it despite lacking a core. His body burns and his soul shudders and he wants to cry out in pain. But the pain is only temporary. He only needs to bear it for a momentso he presses on. He bounds onto another creature and a third. Soon, hes engaged in a blood bath as fast as he can move, shredding through everything in sightalways ending by sinking his canines into the beast and churning his core. He will be ready for when the dragons come. 4. Haltens body shuddered when he saw the souls congealing on the surface. For the first time since Brindle had been there, there had been a direct soul cleansing in the river, and the beasts were rioting. Birds and herbivores and predators congealed in a great mass, and one area, in particular, was a vicious, bloody riot as beasts trampled one another to get into or out of the river. There was an agitator a small one. Halten could only see its mana and aura, and both indicated that it was the size of a shalk, yet it was tearing through large beasts indiscriminately. He wanted to stop its onslaught, but something was wrong about the beastit wasnt killing. It only seemed to fight, defend, and then bite one beast after the next, leaving them feeling woozy. Is it harvesting Suddenly, Thorvel released a roar that rustled tree leaves and blew waves in the water. The beasts stopped and panicked and the vortex of souls cleansing in the river suddenly broke, spilling souls in all directions. A wave of fog hit a crowd of beasts and they bucked and thrashed and scrambled to get out of the water, some falling victim to the soul corruption. What are you doing? Halten yelled to Thorvel. What am I doing? Arent you watching this? Halten was. To his immense amazement, he saw a human swim to the surface after the vortex broke, take a breath, and return. A moment later, all the souls returned into a vortex, allowing them to watch a cleansing begin in real-time. As they spoke, thousands of souls were being purified, allowing them to move onto the next realmthousands. Not one. Not two. The human Mira was cleansing the Diktyo River! This was the most beneficial thing that could possibly happen for the river. Yet Thorvel was treating it like a threat and travesty. It only occurred to Halten then that Thorvel wasnt born when Brindle was present. He didnt get a cleansing or make the vow directly. In fact, Thorvel was seventeen thousand years younger than he was. His oath to Brindle was carried out by tradition and nothing more. Thus, he didnt know what was going on. This is a cleansing, you fool! Halten roared. These souls Thorvel turned to listen, but circumstance prevented him from learning what was happening. Hundreds of beasts had been subjected to concentrated soulsand many of them were losing their battles and turning. Suddenly, they charged and screeched and gored one another, using tusks and horns and snouts to crush the nearest beast near them. Water splashed from the river in droves. Cleansing? Thorvel roared. Shes corrupting their souls! No, shes Thorvel ignored Halten, pushing forward toward the vortex of souls. He inhaled deeply, and heat blasted through the area as fire built up in his lungs, turning the water to steam. Haltens world slowed to a crawl. The human Aiden screamed in his mind, and he wanted to stop Thorvel and beat him for his ignorance, but he could not attack so close to the water. Ranged attacks would kill the human Mira, and direct attacks would risk his soul being exposed. After two curses siphoned his soul force and a century of not replenishing it, entering even this area of the Diktyo River would corrupt his soul. It was risky on all accounts. He could not help the human Mira. Suddenly, a rock flew at Thorvel as he readied his attack. Halten and Thorvel both registered the rock and saw it for what it wasa rock. Nothing more. So Thorvel ignored it and prepared his attack, but Halten didnt. It was too unnatural for a rock to fly a hundred feet in the air, perfectly aimed at a wyverns eye. So he watched as the rock, light gray in the sun, suddenly entered Thorvels shadow and then everything changed. A blur with an overwhelming aura abruptly teleported on top of the rock, eye-level with Thorvel. The next moment, the small blur swung a paw, and three sickles of raw aura flew right into Thorvels eye as he breathed fire upon the cleansing ceremony. The attack struck Thorvels eye with the intensity of a wyverns wind blade, making his eye explode as he crashed into the forest, fire breath torching random trees in its wake. A gruesome three seconds of contemplation followed, with all the vraxles behind Halten staring blankly as the forest caught ablaze. Then, the vraxles noticed the tiny, invisible creature that attacked Thorveland they released blood-curdling battle cries. The battle had begun. B2 - Chapter 20 - Wyvern Fight The cat becomes desperate. The forest is burning, and the dragons and roaring, and Mira is not emerging from the river. He wants to drag her out, but he cannot touch the cocoon of souls around her. He doesnt understand why she hasnt emerged. Surely she hearssurely she feels the heat. Yet she hasnt surfaced. She has been underwater for over a minute. Humans are weakhumans will die if they keep submerged much longer. He wants to save her, but hes too weak. He had just used his trump card, Silverns Triumph, which allowed him to release all the soul force that he had consumed that day into a massive aura attack. Despite that, he only managed to wound one of the dragons. They are third-evolution beasts the strongest of the strong. As strong as the River Guardian, if not more, and they fly and scorch the earth in devastating attacks. By contrast, he was worn out from the single attack. Two of the dragons suddenly swoop down, roaring and flapping and screeching as they follow the cats mana signature. One gets close, but he blinks away at the last moment. As the dragons circle and screech, the cat picks up a rock with his mana manifestation. It hovers like telekinesis before him as he head-butts the rock in the air. One sees the rock and proves they learned from their mistakes. It dives and bites the rock, anticipating him teleporting into it. Yet the cat doesnt. Instead, he waits for another dragon to fly above the biting dragon and uses its passing shadow to teleport to the dragons back. Now, on the dragons back, he runs down the beasts spine for traction and jumps off, flying toward another dragons headaiming for its eyes. Suddenly, another dragon shoots from the heavens, swallowing the cat whole but that cat is an illusion. It disappears, and the real one, masked under active camouflage, still flies toward the target dragons eye. He should land the hit but he doesnt. The largest dragon, the weakest and wisest that watched him and didnt attack earlier, suddenly flies at him with prejudice. The cat thinks that he would need to warp away, but the dragon doesnt bite him. Instead, it turns its body, blocking the cats attack on the second dragon. The cat is confused, but he doesnt count his blessings. He just lets himself fall into the Diktyo River, crystal clear now that the souls were swirling around Mira, expecting the fall to break every bone in his bodyand then heal them. Such are the tactics born from desperation. 2. Keep chanting, Yakana said to me. It was difficult to do, considering that the river water was boiling with thrashing animals and roaring dragons and flickering with red light. I also couldnt breathe because I had been underwater for a minute. Why? I asked panickedly. Because she approaches. The River Guardian? Yes. So prove your worth so that you may gain her protection. My heart thumped, and I kicked off the ground, emerging and gasping for breath and returning underwater. Now chant, Yakana said. I did, and the intensity of the spell increased and my soul core was burning. The cleansing spell was similar to creating a soul core, but it was more precise. I took the souls and cycled them like a cotton candy machine. Then, I used a spell to shred the top layers of impurities that remnants collect from wandering around, collecting soul dirt as they move toward a cleansing site. Once I shredded it, I cleaned it with a purification spell that wasnt too different from the one that I used religiously. It was intuitive and it was the easiest part. Lastly, I threaded it around my core with Yakanas aid. He had melded into my soul to aid me due to the time pressure. Within minutes I was doing it, poorly as I wasnow I was giving it my all. I had seconds or even a minute to convince the River Guardian to save me. Everything was riding on this. 3. Stop, you fools! Halten snarled at the other vraxles, shielding Miras body with his own. Aiden was panicking but he didnt back down either. What are you doing? one roared. Shes purifying the souls! If you break her concentration again, it will cause mass corruption! Bit too late for that, isnt it? Thorvel got up from the forest floor. He looked over and saw the corrupted beasts thrashing and killing one another in a mosh pit. The rivers crystal water was crimson and flowing downriver with hypnotic marbling, moving from maroon to red to pink in seconds as it drifted away. This is your fault! Halten roared. You broke her concentration. You sent a mass of souls crashing into the beasts. My fault? My fault? This woman comes to our forest. Attracts intruders. Turns our kind against each other. And now shes in the forest, creating a stampede from something shes doing in the riverand you dare to say this is my fault? A flaming tree cracked in half, hitting two trees before falling to the ground with an explosion of embers and sparks. More groans and a light wind pushed the flames further. Ive given you the benefit of the doubt, Halten. I didnt attack you at full strength when I first saw you. I didnt attack you today. I even told you that I would allow you to leave if you brought me to this woman. Yet you didnt. Now, not a moment ago, you chose not to kill my attacker. Did you not? The vraxles turned to Halten and then scanned the environment. It didnt take long for them to find the orange creature floating in the river. This creature is protecting the human Mira, and the human Mira is cleansing the river, Halten said. Now youre protecting her? This is Brindles magic. LIES! The human aiden shuddered and recoiled from Thorvels unrestrained anger. His brother had indeed lost his patience and empathy. War would now be bloody if fought. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Ive been tolerant. Now Im not. That woman is bringing outside forces here to this forest. They started weakbut they became strong. Theyll only get stronger. If she dies, thingsll be as theyve always been. Now move. Halten the human Aiden said pleadingly. Somewhere between the simple shock and guilt and the current situation, he had developed a genuine awareness that something wasnt right. The human Mira was special. Whether she had been taught by Brindle or Yakana or simply came here with Brindles gifts, she was specialand she hadnt done anything wrong. Halten knew because Brexton knew, and Brexton knew that no one had made contact with her, let alone made business arrangements. The crates on his back were filled with living supplies. Thats what Brexton said to ease Haltens mind of foul playeven brought the people who packed the crate in to testify. All of them had shirts and pants and sleeves soaked with bloodfresh wounds on their face and hands. The human Mira had a tent and farming tools, and cooking supplies. She was going to live here, in Areswood Forest, without any business relationships. Now, she was demonstrating soul-cleansing magic used by Brindle so many millennia ago. No. The human Mira was specialand he wouldnt let her die without knowing her story. This is Brindles magic, Halten said. And Im not leaving until I know the story behind it. Thorvels blue body reflected orange flames from the crackling inferno beyond him. They were in a thicket of thinner trees, quick to spread and burn. The vraxles flying above seemed to be willing to let it. Is that your choice? Thorvel asked. It is, Halten said. The two paused for a momentand then charged. Aiden screamed in his mind as they rocketed forward far faster than they had ever moved. Thorvel rammed into Haltens barrier, and the specific barrier glowed blue and bounced back. Yet the force wasnt enough. Thorvel thrust further, and it bounded back again, sending Halten flying backward across the river like a skipping stone, barely missing Miras soul cocoon by a matter of feet. Thorvel didnt let up. He flapped his wings, releasing two wing blades that cut through the river with vertical strikes, creating four walls of water as they crashed toward the human Mira. Halten closed his eyes and visualized his strongest barrier. When he opened his eyes, a golden dome formed around Mira. The wind blades crashed into it, cracking the barrier as water splashed around it, turning to steam when droplets hit the fire on shore. The vraxles let out condemning statements as they flew into the fray, diving at Halten without Thorvels slightest admonishment. It was business, not bloodnot anymore. Halten responded in kind, releasing an ultrasonic cry that made two vraxles wobble and another fly away. He faced the other two head-on, blocking wind blasts as he attacked. Four times he clashed with the vraxlesonly once did he strike one. Two evaded attacks and the third circled up, allowing five more to fly in. More clashes followed as Halten bit and clawed and roared, using wind and acceleration magic to fight through the hordeall while Thorvel sent wind blades into his barrier, each releasing booms as they cracked. The fire raged on. Five brutal minutes later, two vraxles lay on the shore of the Diktyo River, each suffering grave injuries. Haltens wings were cut to shreds, and the human Aiden was suffering from mana deprivation after healing Halten so much. In truth, the human Aiden never did more than stitch the outer layer of his hide, but Halten never mentioned that. He was proud of the human Aiden and was moved by his willingness to fight for the human Mira and to fight and protect instead of begging Halten to flee like he would have done a month before. The human Aiden and a ChosenHalten didnt think that he would die protecting two humans, people he was sworn to keep out of the forest, but he didnt regret his decision. Thorvel flew high in the air, scales flickering from the forest fire raging below. It captured the attention of the attacking vraxles, so they stalled their attack to watch. Are you willing to fight? Halten asked. Till the end? Aidens voice wobbled, even through the telepathic link, as he watched Thorvel look down on the human Miras weakened barrier, preparing himself for a charge as the vraxles closed in, but he held his ground. Its my fault were here Aiden said. And more than that I dont know. Its stupid, but I think its the right thing to do. And I want to do the right thing. Halten could hear the weak heroism in his voice. On any other day, Halten would chastise the boy and lecture him on the thin difference between stupidity and bravery. Yet that day, Halten was also doing what he felt was rightalbeit for deeper reasons. Brindle Halten thought. Then he nodded. Okay. Thorvel charged. Halten extended his bloodied wings and shot forward to meet him. The two met right above Mira in a clash that sent river water exploding in all directions as a meteorite hit it. Halten gave everything he had, and that primal power that animals gain to save their young from danger took him past his limits, allowing him to cancel out Thorvel''s meteoric attack. But thats all it did. The second the kinetic forces balanced, the barrier around the human Mira broke, releasing the water it had stored inside like a bubblebringing the souls with it. 4. You cannot even imagine what its like to be suddenly ejected from a river onto hot, dry land, only to narrowly avoid a ten-ton lizard crashing down upon you. The ground shook, sending me flying on the river bed, which was now mostly dry with puddles as if it were a road after a spring rain. I could see this. Others could not. All the souls that I was cleansing expanded outward in a great fog, covering the dragon that nearly fell on me and painting the rest of the area a milky white color that flickered with oranges and reds and golds as an unbearable forest fire raged beyond me. The heat was unbearable, and the smoke burnt my lungs. I felt like I was in hell. I pressed my hands against the mud and pushed myself up, looking like a swamp-billy version of Carrie after the Black Prom, staring around me. Only then did I realize how dire my situation had become? Dragons flew around me in circles as one, in particular, stared at me with eyes fifty feet in the air, standing right in the concentrated fog of souls I had just released. Terrifying couldnt even begin to describe the situation. The dragon eyed me and then the other dragon lying in the fog. I cant believe youd give your life for this. He looked at me and spread his wings. With the raging fire to his right, he looked like a beast in Dantes Inferno or some other freakish story of demons, beasts, and gods. Tell me, human. Why are you here? I paused, trembling from the dragons pressure. I just I paused. The dragons tone didnt imply he was interrogating mehe was looking for a confession. Soon, it would kill me, and I would die for literally no reason at all. I clenched my fists and flexed my jaw, and looked up at the dragon defiantly. I asked to be sent to a forest so I didnt have to deal with all this bullshit! I just want to study plants, but AIs and gods and apparently I waved my hand to it, dragons want to fuck with me. What the fuck did I ever do to you? What did I do to any of you? The dragons eyes filled with fury. I knew that look. The look of an ego. The look of a college professor who looks at freshmen as if theyre an insignificant worm in the presence of their greatness, only to be told that they were an asshole. Nothing good would follow. Nothing but a human, the dragon snorted. I cant believe you threatened our forest for this. I trembled with fury. You know what I think? Hmmm? I think A sudden force yanked me in the air, and a moment later, I fell into a familiar bed of raw mana. It was Klineand he was moving fast. Within a second, he had teleported us a hundred meters and then again. But just as I felt hope, dragons rocketed past us, encircling us on all sides. Kline paused and hissed and backed up. I understood his frustration. It felt like someone clenched my heart with two hands and twisted in opposite directions. We were done for. But hope didnt die there. At that moment, as the large dragon slowly flew toward us, I heard a guttural roar I hadnt heard since the day I arrived. It was the River Guardian. B2 - Chapter 21 - Reputation I didnt know how I felt about the River Guardian approaching. It had been a few months since I cut the water sack planteven less since I killed the lignan bugs, leading them to panic and spread beyond their territory, killing normal beasts en masse. She let me gobut things were tense between us. Now what? I had attracted dragons that set the forest on fire and destroyed the river and there were hundreds of bodies on the ground. Crazed creatures still flailed in the distance, killing everything in sight. That wasnt my faultbut it was my doing. Sometimes, life was just unfair like that. You cant get a job because your mother embezzled money, or you get kidnapped because your father is a politician. Sometimes, your father is too poor to afford to take you to nationals to prove your talent, or youre born so rich that poor people in certain neighborhoods wont accept you. Life wasnt fair to anyone. And for me, I was in a forest that all the denizens were obsessed with protecting, and I was attracting humans. It wasnt personal. To their credit, the dragons stopped attacking usbut they didnt let us escape. They kept us pinned as they waited. I turned into the distance. It wasnt long before we saw the River Guardianand then felt her. The guardians body grew to the size of a colossus, sixty feet in height and forty across. She looked like a warehouse, eighty feet tall and a length that I couldnt imagine. Her feet shook the ground on either side of the river, and when I looked closely, I could see that the larger body wasnt realit was made out of soul force. The River Guardian could now maul the largest wyvern like a buffaloand its magic was still unknown. But not for long. It jumped to the side of the river that was on fire, lifted its snout, and used a water spell that created a vertical tsunami that turned the world into a rainbow before the water crashed into the fire, turning the forest into black steam that blasted me in the face. The River Guardian roared and released another and another and another as I created barriers. I even created a domain, but it only captured hot heat and kept it around my body, so I released it and released a water sphere over my and Klines bodies to cool off. The dragons watched on. Five minutes of silence passed as the forest lost its fire, and the crackling stopped. Then the River Guardian approached, and the dragon spoke. River Guardian Silence! The area fell silent. Why are you here? Why have you decided to burn my forest to the ground! The dragon lowered his head. Forgive me for intruding upon your domain, River Guardian. I did my duty by fighting Halten. He brought a human in here against our oath. During the pursuit, a great commotion broke out in the river, so I investigated and found that this He looked at me. Human had corrupted hundreds of I didnt corrupt the! Hold your tongue! No, you hold yours! the River Guardian roared. An intense wave of soul force hit me, and I felt like my soul was slammed out of my body, leaving me lifeless as I crashed onto the ground. It abated, but I still couldnt move. Kline was the same. This woman corrupted a few hundred souls, and you responded by burning down the forest. I fail to see the greater threat. The dragon put his head down. Even weakened, Haltens barriers are strong. I had to act, and did, but He looked at Kline with fury in his eyes. The River Guardian looked at Kline, and then at me, and then at the dragon. Halten protected this one? Yes. She walked up to the river and studied the fog within it. Human. What did you do to these souls? I cleansed them. How? Yakana taught me. Her eyes narrowed. Why? I hold Brindles legacy. The dragons jeered and flapped and circled. And that power! I yelled over the sound. That can affect the Bramble! I was honest because lies would break trust and trust was the only thing that was keeping Yakana from turning the forest against me. I wasnt sure that he could do that, but it operated under that assumption. This was my chance to build trust and prevent the need to fight the guardiansand I had a feeling I had to. When I traded goods. During the Black Harvest. Simply living. This was now or never. The dragons eyes widened when he heard about my power, and he turned to the River Guardian accusatory, judging her for not acting. The River Guardian looked at me and then the river and the fire and then into the distance where the dying dragon lay. Then she looked at my attacker. This is my domain. You have no right to be here or to judge my decisions. But this woman affects mine! This woman has proven herself! He fell silent. This woman took a water sac plant from this river. She repaid that debt by wiping out the lignan bugs plaguing this forest. She has proven herself. Yet you dare to come here and question my willingness to spare her? Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. He opened his mouth but turned away. Leave this place. Youve done enough. She turned to the forest fire. He nodded a few times silently. Then he looked at me. If I ever see you in the BrambleBlack Harvest or not I will kill you. I felt an icy static wave through my body, and I wanted to protest, but I kept silent. He turned to the dragons. Lets go. They did and left, leaving the River Guardian standing before me, looking down from seventy feet in the air and then looking into the distance. She walked past me slowly until I could see her body blocking out the sun as she passed over me like I was moving through a tunnel. Kline turned and looked toward the dragon that saved us. I didnt want to impede, but I had a debt. Well try to pay our respects. If she tells us to leave, we will. Kline nodded. At that moment, I had forgotten about the fact that a courier was on its way. And if the dragon were a courier, I didnt care. Halten saved my life. So I unclipped my backpack, searched through my elixirs, and found the Illyndra elixirs safe and sound. I knew what I needed to do. Kline followed behind the River Guardian and gave her a few minutes of silence with the dragon. During that period, we just watched, and thats when I noticed it. The strong and powerful soul on the River Guardian turned warped again, just like the night I saw her, and she became smaller and smaller again until she was normal size. Her soul was weakening. It was a front. I swallowed and rode Klines back as he moved to her. A few minutes later, I was standing before the dragon, staring at his stomach. He was alive but breathing harshly. I looked at the River Guardian. I have healing elixirs. They may help. She turned to me and then back. Hes an oathbreaker. I cannot help him. I tried to parse out the meaning behind her statement. But it seemed that she wasnt telling me otherwise. So I pulled out one of the Illyndra elixirs and created an oxygenless domain around my body, leaving my head, and went to open and drink it to prove it wasnt poisonous. I will never trust you, human. She turned away. Halten is none of my concern. Just make sure that boy leaves this forest by Harvestor I will kill him. I turned and remembered that a courier was coming and then realized, now that I was staring at a large dragon that was different from the rest and it made me realize that it was Aidens dragon. I ran around its body and found Aiden unconscious on a rein, moments away from being crushed and killed if Halten were to roll. I turned frantically to the River Guardian and found her walking through the river, which had since regained more than half of its water as the river naturally filled in the craters and gashes that my attacker left behind. Wait! Do not test my patience, human. No Your soul. Be silent! No! I think that I can fix it! She paused. I have Brindles legacy, I reasoned slowly. And he works with souls. Surely theres a spell or an elixir or a wait The River Guardian walked on. Whos going to protect this river? Me? Would you really trust me? Of course not. Then you have to survive. She paused and looked back and examined Halten. Cure his corruptionprove you have Brindles legacy then well speak. Before then, I do not want to hear hollow words from a woman whose voice lacks conviction. She walked on, leaving me alone. Suddenly, there was a splash and I turned and found Kline on a bridge of mana above the river. He had riskily cut Aiden loose, making the man splash in the water. It probably hurt, but the water was healing. A moment later, Aiden gasped for air, and Kline ran back to shore. I ignored Aiden and went around to Halten and pulled out the Illyndra elixir. I created an oxygenless domain around it and opened it and yelled to him. Halten! I yelled. Drink this! It will help heal your wounds. Halten wheezed and opened his eyes, but he wasnt looking at anything. He wasnt seeing anything. He was dying and delirious, too weak to move. A splash startled me from my reverie. I turned and found Aiden staring at me as if he had seen a ghost. I looked down and realized that I probably looked like a contactless native from some far-off Amazon rainforest, covered in mud like a serial killer soaked in blood. I used Purify, and all the dirt on my body splashed into the water, revealing a very normal-looking woman. I thought Id be feral after three months, but speaking to Lithco and Elana regularly had kept my language and civil behavior in checkespecially the latter. Yet, to my great unease, washing off the dirt only made his eyes widen further, intensifying his lookbringing it closer to horror. Whatever it was, it wasnt simple awkwardness. Uh I coughed. Im Mira. Are you bringing me my stuff? Aiden opened and closed his mouth and looked away. Uh yeah. Im sorry. Im not good with people in general and youre just not what I was expecting and What were you expecting? I uh. A surreal look of realization washed over him, and he turned to Halten. Things escalated quickly after that. Halten! My mind snapped back into the present as well. Halten! I echoed. Wake up! I have healing elixirs but they only work inside the body! Seriously? Aiden asked, using a tone that was bold and decisive. It was a serious change. Yeah. But he needs to open his mouth! Oh, right. He turned to the dragon. Halten! Mira can help you! I need you to open your mouth! Halten didnt answer. Then Aiden closed his eyes and put his hand on the dragons snout and did something because the dragon stirred and groaned. Just dont fight it! Aiden finally said aloud. Well save you! In a dumbfounding display of trust, the awkward manwho was staring at me like a terrifying grizzly bear just a moment beforejumped onto the flap between the dragons cheeks and his teeth. He crouched and grabbed and put his hands between the dragons teeth and lifted like he was doing a power clean. It only moved an inch, but he didnt give up. He dug his feet in and grabbed a tooth with both hands and put his back and shoulder into it. I suddenly snapped into focus. Im coming! As if we were a mob pushing a car to jump-start it on a country road, I climbed on top of the dragons mouth and helped him push. The dragons mouth began to give way. Still, it was remarkably heavy, but the teeth cracked, allowing me space to throw in the elixirbut I didnt have room. Kline abruptly risked everything, jumping onto a bridge of mana and running to Haltens mouth. He used mana manifestation to prop open his jaw like a tire jack as I pulled out seven of the Illyndra elixirs. How am I going to do this? I looked into the dragons mouth. No oxygen Hold on! I yelled, putting away the elixirs. Kline, prepare to jump. Kline meowed. I closed my eyes and extended my oxygenless domain into Haltens mouth. The dragon coughed and wheezed and bucked, but Kline dug his claws into Haltens lips, and Aiden wasnt even necessary anymore. Yet he also kept on. Just a second! I yelled. Calm down It took a few minutes, but his mouth stopped vibrating, and his body stilled. I gulped as I pulled out the elixirs again and opened them. Please let this work I threw in the elixirsand prayed it would save Halten. I owed him a debt, and I didnt know if I could protect Aiden until the Black Harvest. B2 - Chapter 22 - Healing The Illyndra elixirs workedsort of. I used seven test tube-sized elixirs for a dragon with the mass of a blue whale with wounds as long as I was tall, so it wouldnt do much. That said, the elixir worked from inside to out, so it spread throughout the body, plugging major damage to his organs. That alone made Haltens body stop spasming, which was a notable difference. It would have to do. I jumped into the water, pulled out a preservation chamber, and handed it to Aiden. The fog is toxic. Dip this into the water, I submerged it and pulled it out, then wait until the fog abates. Once its done, throw it onto wounds. If he wakes up, get him to drink some. Wait. Did you just say its toxic? He looked around and found Haltens body surrounded by the fog. Hes covered in it Yeah, I said. Dont make it worse. I handed him the chamber and then scaled the dragon, moving from his jaws to his snout to his head. Where are you going? Aiden asked. Im going to heal his wings. Cant get the water up that high. While Haltens snout was stuck in the water like a ramp, the rest of his body was fifteen feet high lying down. It was possible for someone to throw a water bottle back and forth, but I didnt peg Aiden as someone who could. I would try my magic first. You can use healing magic? Aiden asked. Yeah. What grade? I paused and thought about it and released something strangeI didnt know. Elana taught me spells and I wasnt sure what they were. But what I did know is that I didnt want anyone to know about my legacies. So I gave a believable answer. Gold Huh Aiden said. I waited for a response but got none, so I moved across the dragons back and to his right wing. It was far easier to navigate than I imagined, as the dragon was very large and lying flat. But that changed once I reached Haltens wings. They were a mangled mess, and each step left footprints in drying, caked-on blood. Then, I found the first wound and winced. Im so not qualified for this I put my hands onto the wound and used the connecting spell that I had enchanted the Illyndra with. To my awkward astonishment, the scales and flesh underneath mended. It was only on the surface and the wound pulled the skin together in a tight knot like it was threaded, looped, and pulled tight until it scrunchedbut it stopped the bleeding. What the hell did she teach me? I wasnt sure because it wasnt necessarily a healing spell. Instead, it connected similar elements along a blueprint, like muscle fibers to muscle fibers, and I felt like it could be used for inanimate objects. That was all but confirmed a moment later. Is everything okay? Aiden asked nervously. The fog rippled around his waist as he waded through the water. His face seemed conflicted and painedfamiliar. But I couldnt place where. Yeah, I said, standing and walking to the next wound. I was just surprised this technique works on dragons. I am, too. Dragon scales are made of alianca, which isnt in any animal on Earth. What is it He paused before he could ask what it was, almost as though he had caught himself. Never mind. I felt uneasy about leaving it there, so I clarified. Im not sure what it is, but for what its worth, its technically not a healing spell. Then what is it? It activates the elixir. Its the thing doing the healing. Oh Yeah We carried on. Aiden methodically healed Halten from underneath while I worked on the wounds up top. It moved smoothly, and within a half hour, I had healed another ten wounds and moved on. Arent you tired? Aiden asked once I went to the second wing. Huh? Tired. I can only use my spell a few times before tapping out. I looked down and found him shivering. I was going to tell him to get out of the water, but the Diktyo River put people into a miraculous state of homeostasis where the body never overheated or cooled. Thats why it was perfect for building a core. It was constantly healing. No, what Aidens shivering and pale skin indicated was something all too familiar. Here I unclipped my backpack, opened it, and pulled out a mana elixir. Drink this. Itll heal your mana channels. This rivers pretty special, but it doesnt heal everything. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. I threw him a squeeze bottle of mana syrup the size of an alcohol shooter. It hit his hands and he fumbled for it, but it popped out of his hands and into the water. Oh, sorry! Aiden looked between me and the bottle three times before he awkwardly dove underwater. Oh no I sighed. I really hoped that I wouldnt need to baby the guy or talk down his insecurities. I was excited to see another personbut that could quickly change depending on the type of person they were. Two minutes later Aiden found the syrup in the water, made some awkward excuses, and drank it. Then I got back to work. To my surprise, he joined me ten minutes later, cheeks flushed with vitality, walking up to me as if it werent awkward at all. I think I can get the bulk, Aiden said confidently, changing my interpretation of him again. He put his hands on the dragons wings. Wait, I said. You need to heal. I feel completely normal. At least give me a shot. I did. A blue light washed over the scales like the barrier on my first day in Areswood Forest, and the wound I was working on closed as quickly as with my spellbut it spread the entire length of the wing. I was stunned when it stitched ten wounds in one go. Aiden shuddered and smiled wryly as he knelt down. Sorry. Bit weak compared to you. You rode a dragon past the Bramble. I dont think youre weak. Thats all him. Then were both weak. I turned to Kline, who was watching Aiden like a murderous hawk from a large tree. That little guys been protecting me since I got here. But, I mean I pointed at Haltens healed body. I dont devalue myself, and I dont think you should either. I walked off toward Haltens tail, leaving him standing there dumbly. He followed behind. A half-hour later, Haltens wounds were healed on the surface, and Aiden helped me unload my supplies off Haltens back. It was a total pain in the ass because there were three crates, two of which belonged to the Big Big o Tools, which, as the description warned, was actually two palates of axes and tarps and knives and wheelbarrows and countless other heavy tools. I didnt have any problem lifting the pallets but my arms and body couldnt hold it. Kline could help but it was above a river that would corrupt his soul if he fell in. So he refrained and we did it bit by bit for two hours. Aiden stacked up all the supplies in the forest beyond the river and then looked at me. Now what? I pointed at the dead beasts around the river. There were hundreds. Theres a lotta good meat over there. It seems more effective when you try a new species. Aiden paused and scanned the bloody landscape. Effective? I turned to him and blinked a few times. Uh these are spirit beasts? They give you soul force. Its what allows you to do this. I picked up a rock in my hand and clenched it. It crunched and turned to gravel that I let drop out of my hand. Aiden took two steps back and I smiled wryly. That bother you? He shook his head. Thats what I want. GoodCause youll need it. Twenty minutes later, Aidens face paled when I handed him slabs of raw meat. An hour after that, I had a fire going with spirit beast ribs propped up like a teepee, cooking crudely over high heat. I would learn how to use the new stove I ordered once I learned the more important thingslike the ward and the enchanted tent. So I told Aiden to wait and set to work on those items. It turned out that, while the tent and ward both had customizable arrays and different features, they both worked the same from a fundamental perspective. There was a small chamber in each for mana cores. After inserting them, I added mana and it activated the base arrays, which were the default functions. The ward only required me to put a flag pole in the ground, load it up with mana cores, and then activate it with mana. Once I did, it created a twenty-foot barrier around us on the sandy area beside the river, and it didnt let anything in or out. It was simple and impossible to lock myself out of. The tent was even easier. It was like a pop-out tent, only more amazing. I removed it from a tiny bag and unrolled it. It was a folded square made out of ultra-thin fabric I refused to think was useful. It had no poles. I was confused but when I added mana cores to the chamber inside and added mana, it popped out into a four-person tent that had cooking arrays in the center and four blow-up beds that filled up with various forms of magic. It lived up to its nameit truly was an enchanted tent. Once I finished, I returned to Aiden, poking the fire with a stick to roll the coals, and put precooked meat into a skillet and put it onto a fire. You make this all look so easy, Aiden said. I laughed this high-pitched laugh, the type that you give when something you give is so ironic it needs a noise but lacks so much humor that a real laugh would make you look psychotic. Did I say the wrong thing? he asked nervously. I shook my head. No But trust me, Aiden. This isnt easy. He paused. You know my name? I dont think that Ive introduced myself. Youre famous, I said. Everyone watched the trial. Oh right... He paused and listened to the fire crackling for a while. So are you famous. I nodded slowly. Magine so. We sat in quiet solitude for fifteen minutes after that. Once the meat was ready, I served him tea made from leaves from the forest that I mixed with dried barriers that I desiccated. Eating it went as expected. He ate a piece of a second evolution creature and hit the ground, choking and wheezing. To his credit, he didnt ask if I poisoned him or complain in the two hours it took him to adjust and eat the rest. And when it was over, he was nothing but smiles, lifting limbs and moving fingers as if fascinated by the common function of movement for the first time. Youll get used to it, I said. Used to it He smiled ruefully. I cant believe youve been out here all this time. I chuckled and shook my head. Me either. Aiden fell silent for a while before looking up. Is it He cut himself off abruptly. Never mind. He wont ask me questions I noted, thinking about him stopping questions previously that day. No no questions about me. Thats convenient. But It was convenient because I decided that I wouldnt answer any questions after the slip-up earlier. That said, it was inconvenient because there was something I was dying to know. I just ended up asking, consequences be damned. Hey earlier, you looked at me strangely, I said. Why was that? Is it the ripped shirt? Suddenly, I remembered that I had new clothing and wanted to change, but Aiden cut me off by answering my question. Huh? No Youre just normal, I guess. I was kinda expecting a warrior or hunter or some type of goddess, he blushed and panicked and sped up his words. Dont get the wrong idea. I thought that because people dont think youre human cause its so dangerous out here. Theres myths about you already. My lips curled into an amused and entranced smile. Myths? What are people saying about me? B2 - Chapter 23 - Myths Aiden smiled and shook his head, as if the myths about me were insane all along, and said, Guess it depends on who you ask about the rumors He paused as if searching for words. If you ask the families, they see you as a spy of sorts. An elite that was transported here from some crazy secret society like them. I laughed at the absurdity. What are you talking about? Thats exactly what I am. Oh yeah? Yeah. What organization? The Illuminati. Aiden laughed. Thats what I told em, but But what? They didnt even believe that shit. I laughed and covered my mouth. He looked surprised by his own words and looked away. What didnt they believe? Isnt that kinda their thing? Oh, it is, but thats whats unbelievable. This guy I know looked at me and said, Aiden why the hell would they do things secretly? I covered my face to hide my expression. And this guys a mobster by the way, Aiden added. I lost it, snorting with laughter. Seriously? Yeah. Dude runs a gambling ring and everything. I shook my head. So why do you know him? No offense, but you dont look like a mobster. I didnt ask for it. I looked around. Well, that makes two of us. He nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face. What, you think I came here by choice? No but some do. That must be one hell of a myth. Oh, it is. To some people, youre on the run. Others think you were a spy that infiltrated Earth and returned home. I smiled. And what do you think? He looked away and swallowed. I dont know. Not like this, thats for sure. Is it the shirt? Its the shirt. I looked at my Darwin t-shirt and looked away. Well, I got some clothes in. So you might get what youre expectin tomorrow. Aiden and I laughed a few more times before I set up the ward over our tents and we went to bed. I doubted he slept. I probably wouldnt have, either, if I werent doing mental shielding training. Time moved on. The next morning, Kline pawed me awake and I got up to get out but stopped when I remembered that I had a guest. I pulled out my pocket mirror and cringed. My hair was jutting out in random directions like a poorly bailed block of hay, and my lack of makeup was more pronounced than ever. But let me tell youmy skin was fucking great. I could sell out and make a Neutragena commercial at that point. Fresh. I smiled sardonically and fixed my hair, hoping that Elana wasnt watching because I knew my idea of fixing myself up was like a half-assed excuse wrapped in a death wish. Aiden was sitting out at the edge of the barrier when I went out, eyes bloodshot from sleep deprivation, studying Halten with a grave expression. I did the same. Halten was healedbut he wasnt healthy. He was gritting his teeth and shifting around, as if in a battle with an unseen force. Whats wrong with him? Aiden whispered. He has soul corruption, I said. What does that mean? It means that malevolent beings are trying to hijack his body. Aidens eyes widened in horror as he turned to me. Malevolent souls? Yeah. I pointed to the river. From the river. We need to move him! Excellent recommendation, I said dryly. He paused and thought about it and his eyes darkened. There was no way that we could move a blue whaleHalten had to move himself. So he reconsidered. Whatll happen if they win? I swallowed nervously, feeling like the Grim Reaper. Hell lose his mind and turn against us. He naturally panicked and I tried to ignore him as he followed me through the camp, subtly begging me for things that I didnt have and couldnt do. At some point, he gave up and stopped me with a pained expression. What can I do? he asked. I took a deep breath and turned to him. You can give me some space. Im a botany major, not a soul fixer. I waved my hand to Halten. Aiden froze and looked away. Look. Im trying to help, okay? And, as it turns out, being in a forest where everything willget away from that I grabbed Aidens shirt and pulled him away from a purple-highlighted plant. Kill you you get good rewards just for breathing. So Im going to see if I cant figure out a solution and youre going to sit right the fuck over there because its not a jokeeverything will kill you here. Aiden looked at the innocuous plant and then at the rocky shore, which was outside the forest and devoid of anything but miraculous healing water. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Right Look. I dont mean to be a bitch, but Im lucky, okay? I survived a few things, got some good requests, and bought the right things to survive here. You dont have that. And if you walk into that forestyoure gonna die. Okay? So just I exhaled and rubbed my forehead. Stick out here. Well figure something out. His face contorted into a twisted hellscape of pain and insecurity, but I didnt have much choice in the matter, so I walked away to figure something out. I watched him return to camp, and then rested my back against a tree, closing my eyes. How am I gonna explain this? I thought hesitantly. I needed to learn from Brindle and Elana to save Halten, but I couldnt do that around Aiden. And even if I could, I doubted that people could casually learn soul recovery elixirs within their first few months of integrating. Hey, Lithco, I said in my thoughts. Can I interact with my patrons through my thoughts? His pop-up left me relieved. It simply said, Yes. One problem down. I went into my legacy tab and chose Request a Lecture to make a meeting with Brindle, leaving the following description: The River Guardian and one of the Bramble Guardians are suffering from soul corruption. The dragon Halten has been invaded by souls in the Diktyo River, and the River Guardian seems to be suffering from lignan bug attacks. The River Guardian calls Halten an oathbreaker for bringing me supplies, and that may be true, but she wont trust me to help her unless I can heal Halten. They are a packaged deal. I have a multi-day trip to get back to my alchemy station, and the migration is underfoot. Time is running low. Please let me know if you have a moment. If you do not, I will use requests to figure something out. Your legacy holder, Mira Hill. I sighed when I finished and then looked up into the swaying canopies on the unburnt side of the river and then kept going. The first thing I did after returning was to figure out the advanced features of the Powerful Portable Ward. The ward looked like a tiki torch that was five feet tall with a large chamber at the top. There must have been space for fifty cores. Give me the item details. A pop-up gave me all the information that I needed. --- Name: Powerful Portal Ward Barrier Grade: Platinum Basic instructions: Add mana cores to the chamber and activate it by adding your own mana to the array on the side. The more mana you add, the larger it will become. The larger it is, the more mana to keep running. Likewise, the more attacks the barrier receives, the higher the mana expenditure becomes. The barrier will break once the mana in the cores can no longer meet the demands of the barrier. Advanced Instructions: Enchant the key with a custom spell that acts as a key to enter and exit the barrier. Simply recite the chant by touching the barrier and you will be able to pass through it. You can obtain the lock once you learn how to create key enchantments. Note: Enchantment creation is not provided as part of the instructions. --- I sighed as I read the screen. Lithco. Can a silver tutorial teach me key enchantments? The basic kind. I got a gold and silver from making the Illyndra Elixir, so it wouldnt put me out too far and I needed that barrier. Lithcos answer was refreshing. Yes. Then get out here. A ray of light lit up in the skies and Lithco descended from the heavens with angel wings. He even had a tiny trumpet, but held it in a way that said, Id rather die than fulfill this role. I watched with bleary eyes until he was right next to me. Do you have to do this? Of course. If I dont outdo myself, you might think that Im a substitute for human interaction. He looked at Aiden. I frowned. Its not him. I like him, really. Its just Were days from the alchemy station. I dont have a clue how to help this dragon. And were about to get swarmed by beasts. I thought it was a miracle I got here without almost dying. How am I supposed to do this with him around? Its just bad timing. Lithco pulled out a chair and patted down his legs and then smiled at me. Mira. Just think about this for a second. The guy just rode a dragon into this forest from the heavens. And you really think this guy wont be useful? My lips parted and I thought about it. Think about it. In the meantime Lithco rudely checked his silver pocket watch and tucked it back in his trouser pockets. Lets learn enchantments, shall we? Luckily, thisll be easy. I raised an eyebrow. Easy? Yes. Its kinda like encryption. Once you open up the instructions again, it will give you a spell. Memorize the chant, then use a binding spell to overwrite it with different words. The combination of the two spells creates a key. Itll be easy, so lets get started. It was not easy. Learning how to make a key required me to activate a spell while chanting another spell, giving a different name for each word. So it sounded like, SalkaDatura, estrostramonium, on down the line until I finished the chant. If patting your head and rubbing your belly was difficult, this was like cracking your head in half with a hammer and then trying to solve a math problem. Hey. Aidens voice suddenly broke my concentration mid-spell and I turned to him with a savage gaze. His face paled and he turned away. Sorry! A pang of guilt overcame me and I sighed. Its okay. I was just about to take a break anyway. He turned to me sheepishly. What are you doing? Trying to figure out I shook the portable ward in my hand. How to use this thing. Didnt you use it last night? For us. I turned to Halten. We need it to protect him while were gone. While were gone? You mean were leaving him? I tapped the ward against the ground a few times, holding my breath. Then I addressed him. Yeah. If we need an elixir to do this, well need to travel about a week. Well need to protect him until then. A week? Aiden cried. I rubbed my eyes and constrained myself before looking him in the eyes. So what? Youd rather him die here? He folded his arms nervously and looked at Halten and back at me and then back at Halten. Is it the only way? I suppose that I can leave you with a weeks food and water under the ward. But something tells me that you wont want that. I wouldnt I was just coming here to ask what I could do He looked into the forest with a wrenched expression. Im basically worthless. I rolled my eyes. You just rode a dragon into this forest. Youre hardly useless. His eyes widened. Then what can I do? I closed my eyes, realizing that I was just blindly repeating Lithcos words like a parrot without the slightest clue why he would be useful. Then I thought about it for exactly five seconds and came to an answer. Can you like tame these beasts? It would be much faster to ride animals back to the alchemy station. His face paled and he looked at the massive pile of gigantic beast corpses that Kline had systematically piled up after extracting their cores. So no I said. N-No. I can. I think. What do you mean, you think? This isnt something to leave to chance. N-No! I can. But I just do you know how beast taming works? I shook my head. No. Its uh like business contracts. As a beast tamer, I can make deals with beasts. If one was injured, I could trade them a ride for healing, and then it would have to do it. If it doesnt, itll mess up their soul or even kill them. Woah I said. Uh yeah. It works, but um. I dont know if these beasts would even talk to me. If they have too much pride, theyd rather die. And to be honest, these arent bunnies here. Simple things arent going to cut it. I nodded and thought about it for a few seconds before looking into his eyes. Ive got some ideas. B2 - Chapter 24 - Killian Roskbaro Aiden eyed me suspiciously. You got ideas? Yeah. Give em what they want. The beasts around here want sacred food. Specialized herbs. Cores. Water from the river. And if they dont take that? Theyll attack us. And what then? I smiled enigmatically, making him shiver and turn away. Listen, Aiden. A few months ago, I was a botany major at CU. Okay? I studied plants. I paid my taxes and avoided group outings and liked Facebook posts of friends having children, so I didnt have to go to their baby showers. But let me tell you something: I killed hundreds of animals in the first week I was here. Not because I wanted tobut because there was no choice. That hasnt changed. So you have two options: you can play by this forests rules, or you can wait here for the next couple weeks while I do what needs to be done. Okay? Aiden nodded this pathetic nod. I winced and turned away. I wish we met under different circumstances. With those words, I disappeared into the forest to research what I could get to bribe the beasts around here. 2. Aiden sat down by the river, trying to process Miras words. He heard it from Elle and Halten and Elionis and Brexton, but something about hearing it from someone like him some geeky nobody from Earth made it hit harder. He understood (at least as well as anyone could understand a sudden shift and encouragement to mass murder) that it was a requirement. And after surviving the Bramble, he understood that he needed to fight to survive now that he was stuck here. But still. How could someone casually throw away the ideas and beliefs they developed as an adult? How could someone shed twenty-five years of socialization in a peaceful country and adapt to such a grisly lifestyle? He didnt know but boy, would he love to. He envied Mira because she adaptedand he was sitting around thinking about it. Can you come out, Elle? Aiden asked quietly. A sudden explosion of fireworks lit up the sky, and a pixie flew out from behind his back, doing circles like the Blue Angels while strange and wondrous music played in the background. Thiss a bit, even for you, Aiden said dryly. The music ground to a halt, and Elle turned to him with puffed-out cheeks. Cant you see I have to? That girls Oracle is a depressed loner and he had a flashier entrance than I ever have. It was shameful, Aidee, shameful, I tell you! I refuse to be outdone again. Elle crossed her arms and pouted. Aiden smiled thinly and looked at the ground. She must be pretty amazing, huh? Oh, Aid~ee, Elle said conciliatory, flying down and grabbing his cheeks with her tiny hands. That girls a total psychopath. Dont you never compare yourself to her. Aidens eyes widened. Wait. Really? Elles face cracked up, and she laughed. Of course not, silly. You think a psychopaths gonna risk their life to save some dragon shes never met? Oh he laughed, and his mood dimmed again. Hmmm you look like you feel like youre worthless. Ammirite? Aiden laughed a dry laugh and looked down and nodded. Elle gave him five seconds of silence. Then her face lit up, and she grinned. You know what I think you need? What? To speak to your patron. My what? Patron, silly. You completed the quest, didnt you? Aidens mind went blank, and he opened up his Guide for the first time since finishing the quest and saw the notification. --- Neophyte Aiden Roe has completed the following Legacy Quest. Legacy Quest: Curse Tamer Summary: Well, look at you, you little demigod seducer, you! You just went from contracting a worker spirit beast to a cursed demigod in three days. Youre on a rollso lets turn it up a notch. Theres a spicy sitch brewin in the Fourth Ring, and we need a courier who can bring goods between here and there. Unfortunately, everyone about to take the request is about to die during the tryouts. :( Thats where you come in! Tame a cursed avian in the third ring and drop off packages if / when they come in. If you do, youll get a request equal to the packages you deliver. And lemme tell youtheyre tasty. Duration: N/A Requirement(s):
  1. Make a contract with a cursed bird to drop off supplies in the fourth ring.
  2. Drop off supplies in the fourth ring.
Rewards:
  1. Legacy offer.
  2. A beast taming skill (epic).
  3. Rewards equal the highest request used by the neophyte in the Fourth Ring for successful deliveries.
Warning: Couriers are punished for failed deliveries. The punishment for failed deliveries is designated at the beginning of each drop. --- Aiden reread it until his mind wandered, and the notification went away. Then he got another notification that left him even more stunned. --- Neophyte Aiden Roe has been offered a legacy from Killian Roskbaro, a beast-taming god. Evolution: 9 Description: Omigod omigod omigod! Youve caught yourself a keeper! Killian Roskbaro is, like, the biggest name in beast taming in this dimension! Hes nicknamed the Endless Horde because he was able to tame so many beasts that people thought he tamed entire planets! In other words, hes reeeeeeally reeeeeeealy good at it. So whether youre looking to become besties with a rabbit or a freakish demigod in the fifth domain, this bad boyll teach you the art of speaking to their souls. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Tribute requirements: Tame beasts for transport between domains to aid Killian Roskbaros operations. This year, you must deliver ten animals to the second domain. Note: Tribute is growth adaptive, meaning that it grows with your skill sets. Warning: If you try to bring animals out of the Fourth Domain at any time other than the Black Harvest, the Bramble will attempt to kill them. --- Aiden looked at the screen in frustration. Uh what? Is this requiring me to sell animals? Elle rubbed her tiny cheeks in thought and smiled and shrugged and said, Kinda? I dont know. It sounds like Mr. Roskbaros lookin to get his other pupils some roided out animals to dominate in the upper domains. But hes asking for second evolutions. We got those outside. Oh, no, no. These animals Elle pointed both of her hands to the massive corpse pile that Kline stacked up following the river massacre the day before, are the uncut cocaine of powerful beasts. Pure, I tell ya, pure! Every one of those beasts got more soul force than a legacys mount in the First Domain, and those guys roid their animals to the max. Aiden smiled ruefully. So Im helping the war effort. Right-o! He frowned. Thats whatta Support Classer does, Elle reminded him. And youll be great at it. He reread the tribute requirements. I dont know if I can. Oh, flip to the next screen you little glummy guts! Aiden set aside the offer and looked at the next screen. It was a reward. The description read: --- Reward: King of the Forest Type: Skill Description: If you wanna control violent beasts without killing them, the best way to do that is to make them submit to you! With this path, your very presence will make the baddies bend to you, and the goodies respect and love you for your magnanimity. Oh, and if you want them pesky legacies to leave you alone, why dont you just build an army of beasts to tell em to shove it? Two trips to this domain, and youll leave with enough power to tell just bout anyone to do just that! --- Aidens heart drummed in rhythm, picking up speed as he got over a dozen spells and books and tutorials. See? See? This whole worlds messed up, but you got yourself a lot of means to take your life in your own hands. So? You gonna sit there and let Halty die? Let Mira do everything while you just sit there? Or you gonna get out there and make a difference? Aiden felt his blood heat up and his passion flare, and he decisively said, Ill take it. The notification went off, the screen changed, and he got a new legacy tab. Without his intervention, it opened up, and went into Patron Guidance and then opened up the Request a Lecture. Aiden watched in a haze as the options filled themselves out. The date was set to now, and Elle wrote the following into the tab: Hello. My name is Aiden; its nice to meet you. Im usually timid and soft and wishing I could cuddle with my pets, but Im trapped in the Areswood Forest, and the Migration is two days away. So, if you ever want a spirit beast from this forest, I would greatly appreciate a meeting as soon as possible. Aiden Roe. See? Just send it, and well get you that meeting right quick. Woah woah woah woah woah woah! Hold up! Isnt this guy a god? I wouldnt send this message to my math teacher, let alone a god! Oh, shush. You notice how you didnt have some introductory lecture? Why do you think that is? Hmmm? I dont know. Its cause hes waiting for you to reach out. You dont do that? Youre a spineless lily liver loser thatll be dead by nightfall. Thats what hell think. So, I Elle pointed to her little chest dramatically, eyes closed and nose raised, your wonderful little pixie bride has been a good partner and bridged that gap. She kept her eyes closed for a few seconds and then opened one to check Aidens reaction. Uh thank you? he said. Mmhm! Praise me more. Youre the best. Awww, youre so sweet. Now check that box, sign your soul away, and well get this party started! He hesitantly complied and was shocked when his patron responded immediately. He set a meeting for an hour from then. Oooooooooh, he was wat~ching you~, Elle sang strangely, fluttering up to a tree branch and sitting. I cant WAIT for you to meet him. 3. The nice thing about finding the things that animals love is that they tend to enjoy the things that they are around. Not always. Sometimes, they like the good stuff thats hidden behind a large pack of carnivores, like the bag of aleisma fruit we just picked up after piling up eighteen horse-sized carnivores outside a cave right next to the fruit, but for the most part, its just lying around. In only an hour we found a full bag of things that beasts love, left behind after the Diktyo River massacre, as I called it, and the subsequent fire. We still found claw marks and fresh corpses killed by the soul-jacked animals that were still rampaging through the forest. We could tell it was them because the wounds were savage and unpolished, and their soul core was left behind. We took the core and some meat and moved on. I hope he can find one to ride, I thought about Aiden. If he steps on something, hes toast. To me, the world was a sea of subtle colors that became more pronounced when I concentrated. Purples for poisons and golds for food. I avoided one and stopped for the other, picking up spices and fruits to get me through the trip. Aiden didnt see any of that. In fact, he didnt even have a plant identification skill! The guy would be walking around like it was a normal hike in the forest when half the things here were poisonous. It was a serious problem. Getting him an animal would change that. He could ride and stay off the ground. And if we needed to run, the animal would run. Simple as that. Dont get your hopes up. I thought. He didnt have to live through this shit I just went through hell beyond anyones wildest imagination. From day one, I almost died many times, and by week''s end, I was slaughtering beasts to survive. It changed me. Aiden? Not a chance. I was protecting him, so there was no needno desperationthat would make him change. So, I doubted that an awkward animal lover like him would do what needed to be done to survive. So, I cut my losses mentally and moved on, praying that I could do 90% of the work and get serious results. 4. Aiden was nervous as the clock struck the agreed-upon meeting time for Killian. Then that nervousness turned to fear when a humanoid walked out from behind him, covered in buzzed fur that was black as a void, making his body seem like a walking shadow, deleting the backdrop he stepped in front of as if someone simply cut the area away with a photograph. His eyes were pure white, and he stood before Aiden. I can speak, Killian said telepathically. I-I see. Well? Well what? Youve asked for a lecture. About what? Aiden felt a sharp pang of hatred for Elle at that moment. She didnt saydoubtlessly on purpose. I want to know how I can tame animals without killing them. Killian narrowed his eyes and snorted. Let me ask you a question. If you were a beast. Would you respect you? Aiden smiled wryly. Didnt think so. Then what can I do? Go out and kill some beasts. Until you do, not a single one of these creatures will let you walk away breathing. Without killing Killian scoffed. Its in a carnivores nature to kill. Its the way they survive. Its how they live and continue the cycle of life. Stop denigrating beasts with your ideals. The god disappeared as fast as he came, leaving Aiden in a state of shock. Then Aiden looked up to address Elle but she was gone, leaving him alone to contemplate what he was just told. It was the same thing, yet again. Kill, kill, kill. Natural order this. Celebrated path that. At least here, it made sense. If he didnt learn how to kill, he and Halten would die. He was certain of it. Aiden gazed at his friend, wheezing hard as he fought off the fog that was corrupting his soul. I need to he thought. For Halten. He opened his Guide and went through the skills and spells tabs, searching for something that would give him immediate power. And the more he read, the deeper his resolve became. By the time Mira returned with a huge foraging sack full of various plants and mushrooms, Aiden was ready. He looked her in the eyes and spoke from his heart: Will you teach me how to hunt? B2 - Chapter 25 - The Test Its funny how people change. Some suddenly like sauerkraut, others suddenly join a religion or find themselves in a yoga room, trying to remember where they met their wife. And I embrace change; I really do. I think of it like eventually getting it right when I was originally wrong, but sometimes, you feel like a hypocritical asshole for your change in opinion, and you dont want to give the satisfaction to the original person who was right. So you really want to downplay things or find a middle ground or something, but when Aiden asked me to teach him how to hunt, I went into full-on hypocritical mode, embracing my inner Lithcoby laughing. Did I say something wrong? Aiden asked. I croaked and groaned and rubbed my face. No its just you cant just become an athlete in a few days. Unless you got some serious magic you wont get anywhere. Its safer for everyone to just rely on us. He responded with the same expression I likely had when Lithco told me the same thing. But instead of stomping around like a spoiled child, he just asked, How did you do it? I shrugged. As I said, I turned to Kline, who was sneaking up on Aiden from the side. I got lucky. This little guys taken care of the fighting. I havent been able to do anything until recently. Oh Aiden studied Kline with a skeptical expression. Kline apparently didnt appreciate that lack of confidence because he turned invisible in front of the poor guys eyes, then blinked out of existence and returned behind Aidens back, nudging his leg. Aiden screamed and tumbled. I let him fall and didnt chastise Kline as he cut his invisibility and trotted off like a little shit. I dont care who you areno one gets to question my cat. Hes pretty amazing Aiden said. I couldnt even follow his speed. Not many do... I said, closing my eyes. Give me a second to think. He did. After a few minutes of thought, I came to a conclusion. It would be a good test. See how he reacts to killing. If he mans up, Ill do what I can. If it traumatizes him I opened my eyes and looked at the blue ward around us. I can leave em here God, Im such a bitch. My plan was pretty simple. I would take him hunting and show him the forestthe real forestand see how he reacted. If the hunt numbed him to killing and he didnt freeze up due to the dangers, Id help him out. If it traumatized him, it would be easier to leave him at the river while I made the trip back. Itd be better than having to stop halfway to the alchemy station when he broke down. He needed a reality check. It just sucked. Just a few months ago I was going through the exact same that Aiden was. I was feeling useless that I was relying upon Kline, I was questioning my humanity and lamenting that I was in this forestfighting for my lifeinstead of studying plants. I hated this system, this lifestyle, these godsall of itso I empathized on a deeper level than most people could understand. Aiden was just like mebut he was just starting his journey. And that was extremely inconvenient. I nodded. Sure. Sure what? Aiden asked. Ill take you hunting. But do you have anything to actually kill these things? Im pretty sure a normal bullet wouldnt puncture these hides. Wait, what? I nodded. You serious? Uh huh. Uh no. I looked through my skills, and theres nothing I can learn in the next day thatll let me fight these things Im pretty sure that most people cant. I suppose not I thought about it for a little and then looked back to camp. I think I have an idea. 2. Aiden followed Miras footsteps carefully, avoiding the plants she warned him off and stepping on ground cover only if her feet smushed it in. He didnt touch the trees or look ahead or do anything else. He was on parole, so far as Mira was concerned, and she would send him back into that blue prison by the waterfront if he took the wrong step. Assuming he didnt die. It was a great day. Im gonna warn you, Mira sighed. Thiss gonna get super messy. I wouldve never guessed, Aiden replied, bouncing an axe up and down in his hand. It was a wood-cutting axe, but it had runes up and down the handle and blade. Mira was stoked by how useful the axe was, considering that it was just one of many tools that Aiden delivered to her. Aiden wasnt so excited. He was only glad that Mira opted for the machete. Mira chuckled at his sarcastic reply, but the brightness in her voice dimmed. But seriously. Its gonna get messy, and just know Theres no other choice. None that I can find anyway. Aiden could tell by the way Miras voice trailed off that she didnt want things to get messy, and she was already remorseful. That left him with a deep sense of worry but also hope that she cared. They pressed on. The group hiked through meadows and thickets, brambles, and trees, stopping to pick herbs and strange fruits with sour and bitter flavors that left Aidens pallet twisted in knots. Mira loved them and looked at Aiden like he was an uncivilized savage who only ate hamburgers and unseasoned chicken. They walked on. Mira had some tough love. There were times that she would speed up and then slow down, going the hard way through things. She made him buy a gold book on poisons in the Areswood Forest and then forced him to identify certain plants that caused acute paralysis, necrosis, and other lethal ailments. Despite that, shed just move on, making him climb high rock bluffs and never offering to take a break. And at some moments, when he felt exhausted beyond measure, she would claim there was a beast and make them run. She was testing himtrying to see if he would breakand he almost did. Yet he always reminded himself that Halten risked his life to save his, and he needed to repay that favor. So he trudged on. An hour later, they were walking through a section of forest that was webbed with thick vines around all the trees. They looked like old-school telephone lines, moving from branch to branch with slackness in the bottom. It was like a jungle. They had been walking through it for about fifteen minutes when Miras body suddenly stiffened, and she yelled, Kline! frantically. Suddenly, the cat materialized a few hundred feet, looking at her in confusion. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Dont move. She said nervously and then turned to Aiden. You too. Stay still. Both of them stayed still as Mira approached. Then, she gestured, and Kline came to her slowly. He jumped into her arms as she erected a golden barrier around her body, took twenty steps back, and walked back to Aiden. Whats wrong? he asked. Whats wrong with this place Mira looked at him with a sardonic smile. Everything. She picked up a thick stick that would double as a club and threw it into the forest like a javelin. Before it even landed, strange looking vines that were slightly different colored shot out at the stick from all directions. A split second later, there was a sickening crack as that large stick that could leave a thick dent into a pickup truck snapped in half, disappearing in multiple directions as the vines came back. Welcome to Areswood, Mira said to him, chuckling ominously and pointing north toward the mountains. Guess were climbing. Watching Mira shrug off nearly dying in a trap like that nearly broke Aiden. He determined that he would never be like her. Never be so strong. At that moment, he wanted to beg her to leave him at the camp with food and gladly accept her judgment. Yet he remembered that Halten was dying, and he moved on. Three hours later, after climbing over rocks up the mountain and surviving inclines where the dirt broke under their feet, they finally found a beast. It looked like a Rocky Mountain Sheep but dark brown and with larger horns. It was standing on a bluff, staring them down, preparing to charge and push him and Mira off the cliff they were standing on. Kline was nowhere to be seen. Okay um, Mira said. Can you talk to it? Like is that a thing? Or are you communicating now? The animal snorted and shook its fur and stepped forward, sending rocks rolling. Aiden swallowed. I can try. Then I suggest you do it now. He nodded and activated the Mental Projection spell that allowed beings like Halten to speak without needing to create a projection. It was one of many skills that he had bought. Once he activated he said, Hello, very awkwardly. The beast narrowed his eyes. I was uh wondering if you wanted to make a deal. It snorted and took a few steps further and said something that roughly translated to. What the fuck are you? What am I? I mean. Im a um. Beast tamer. What did you just say? Aidens heart started drumming in massive beats like it was a Chinese battle drum. Its not what you think, he quickly clarified. I trade services and items to spirit beasts in exchange for services. Deals, Mira, Aiden said aloud. Right. Mira casually unclipped her backpack on the cliff, as if she werent concerned with dying and pulled out a bag. Its a willamore. They need medication for their teeth cause they eat rocks She pulled out a certain root, and the hairs on willamores back raised up. Give it to me, the willamore demanded. Uh it doesnt work like that. I will, but you need to do something for me. Do what? I need you to let me ride you to Ride me? You? Ride me? I should kill you for suggesting such a thing. Now give it to me, or I actually will. Whats he saying? Mira asked. He says hell kill us if you dont hand it over. Thought so Translate this for me. Okay. Weve tried bargaining. Aiden relayed it. But you didnt. That means youre just a mindless beast to us. You cant be serious. Translate it. Aiden grimaced and conveyed the message. The willamore instantly flew into a rage and charged. Aiden stumbled back, thinking he might fall off the cliff, but Mira caught him and pulled him back up just in time for him to watch all four of the willamores legs get sliced off, as if by a powerful gust of wind. It wasnt just in one piece like it was hacked through by a scythe either. Each of the legs` fell apart in four pieces as if they were chopped green onions, and blood gushed out of the stubs in this thick flood that created waterfalls down the rocks. Aiden stepped aside to prevent it from running into his boots. It was sick. I know its unpleasant, but translate the rest okay? Mira said. Aiden grimaced and looked at the blood and body parts and then back at her and then back at the beasts, unsure where to fix his eyes. Then he nodded. Okay. As I was saying, youre just a mindless beast, Mira said coldly. Aiden translated, and she continued. That means I dont give a fuck what happens to you. Ill do this all day until you give me what I want. She pulled out the river water and splashed it on its wounds. It closed them but the limbs didnt grow back. And we can do this all year, Mira said. Thisll replace your blood and keep you conscious, and I got a whole lot of it. Mira. Im here to kill it, not torture Mira whirled around, putting her back to the beast, and hissed. Were not! Now say it! Aiden looked at the beast and repeated the sentiment. Just kill me! the beast said. Mira picked up what the beast said, knelt next to it, and spoke to it directly. Ill kill youbut I want to know one thing. What will it take for people like us to ride creatures like you? What type of contract? The willamore snorted and looked at her and then Aiden. What did he say? Mira asked. Aiden bit his lip and nodded. He says I wouldve taken you anywhere for that water. But me? He said he would rather jump off a cliff than let a timid child ride him. Miras eyes widened. Its that extreme? The willamore snorted. He says he can smell it. The beast cackled on the ground, and Aiden bit his lip. He says animals have always respected the strong. Not because they want tobut because they have to. If he had a choice, hed kill you for the water or leave. But he had no choice. But against me? Hed rather die. Mira stood and turned at Aiden. Do you want to become strong? Aiden took a deep breath and remembered asking Brexton to help him become stronger. He remembered whyremembered that people had screwed him over and robbed him of his ability to work with animalsdrugged him and used him, and threatened Haltens life. He thought of all of those things as he channeled mana into the enchanted axe. The blade lit up with golden runes as he walked up to the willamore. Okay Mira understood his answer and let him join her in front of the beast. Kline. Suddenly, the willamores body froze as if there was a great weight bearing down upon it. It was the perfect setup to safely kill the beast. Aiden said a prayer to the beast and gave thanks. Then, he swung the axe. 3. Aiden and I hiked back to camp in an awkward silence. That was natural. He probably hated my guts, and I was pleasantly surprised by himfor something I would never admit to being proud of. Still, it was hard not to. He passed my tests and gave me hope. I hiked him mercilessly through the woods, passing through the roughest parts, making him weave in and out of trees in complex patterns. I sped up and slowed down and asked for total silence. And when I finally found a trap plantand a seriously messed up one at thathe didnt shut down and fall victim to a panic attack like I was expecting him to. Something was driving him, so much so that Kline and I threatened to torture an animal, and he still killed it. It gave me more faith in him. Still, I was cruel to the willamore. I didnt want to be, but I need to know if I could trust Aiden not to side with beasts during a battle. I needed to make sure he wouldnt whine and plead for me to save things and get us all killed. The Migration was starting tomorrow. There wasnt a choice. None that I could find, anyway. Still, it was eating at me, so I asked, Do you resent me? Aiden shook his head. No. Im grateful. Thats hard to believe. I paused and sat on a fungi-riddled log, stopping him. If someone did that to me, Id probably fear them. He smiled weakly and made sincere eye contact. I cant be afraid of you. Why not? Aiden turned to Kline, who had jumped onto the log and sat next to me, staring our guest down like a guard. Cause you can tell a lot about a person by their pets, and yours loves you a lot. Not out of pride or pack loyalty. No, he loves you. He would die for you. Klines eyes widened, and he jumped off the log, turning invisible. Oh yeah? I grinned. What else does he say about me? B2 - Chapter 26 - Cores Aiden shrugged when I asked what Kline thought about me. Sorry, I cant tell you. Oh, come on! I cried. Seriously, he smiled and looked away. I cant. He rescinded his right to translation, and he wont get to change that for a century, I think. I blinked twice. Wait slow down. You gotta explain this. Oh, right. You havent met anyone Well, outside this forest, the Oracle translates the things we say and even uses slight illusions to make it look like were all speaking the same language. The same thing works for animals because the Oracle can read the top layer of our subconscious. Yeah thats creepy. It is. But Kline turned that down? Aiden nodded. Yeah. Why? I cant speak for Kline. But I can say that His face contorted with frustration as if he were trying to translate something into another language when there wasnt a word. Look. Humans love animals because they cant speak. And because of that, they cant argue when they get frustrated. So your cat will give you the stink eye and slink off and then youll both get over it, theyll rub on your legs, youll pet them and life moves on. Thats best for the both of you. A cold blade plunged into my heart. So, what? Is Kline worried I wont love him anymore if he can speak? I think youre jumping to the wrong conclusions. I cant speak for Kline, but I think he loves you and your lives so much that he doesnt want anything to change it. And I mean if its good, why change it? My heart thawed, and my blood heated in a warm glow that made me feel so happy I could die. Kline materialized right next to Aiden and jumped up, clawing Aidens hand and making the poor guy yelp with pain before rushing off into the forest. Aiden grabbed his bloodied hand and laughed. I giggled and joined him, healing the wound. Then, we stood laughing until that look of depression cast shade over Aidens face again. I knew the thought loops would hit soon, and it would send him to hell, so I took action to take his mind off it. You wanna go back? I asked. Aiden nodded. The hike back to camp was silent and contemplative, and when we returned, that didnt change much. Aiden tried to speak to Halten and get him to move away from the river, which had since created a pond around the dragons body from the dam. I sat down and began heating up some meat by a campfire while throwing small pieces of jerky to Kline. He curled up next to me, and I did research on how to improve Aidens strength. Whether I liked it or not, Aiden was stuck with me for the time being, and he would be a liability if I didnt get him up to speed. So, I used an information request. Information Request: Whats the best way to make Aiden stronger, and what does he have to do to tame animals? Just come out and tell me. I have some good news and some bad news. Lithco casually walked out from behind me, tailored boots crunching on the rocky sand around the camp. Which do you want first? The bad news. Too bad. That would ruin the revelation. He sat down in his chair while my face spasmed. Youre looking good. Tell me. Lithco nodded, choosing his words and then speaking crisply. Aidens a legacy holder. Thats the good news. My eyes widened. Like me? Yep. Like you. But unlike you, his God specializes in warfare and wholesale slaughter. That sounds useful so whats the bad news? Lithco smirked mockingly. Aiden right. Cor~rect. The thing that separates Aidens legacy path from other beast taming routes is the use of soul scarsand soul scars come from killing things. Scars? As in like trauma? No Lithco looked at the river. You know how those souls remember parts of themselves? I nodded. Its like that. Every time you kill something, a sliver of its soul mixes in with your soul force. The gods call it scars because it makes the soul force coarserharder to affect or cut through. And Aidens legacy allows him to mobilize those remnants, blanketing opponents in the raw dying emotions of past victims. It causes severe dysphoria and fear, allowing Aiden to speak to them with primal authority and get them to yield. Wow. Thats god fucking awful. It is. Why is everything so terrible here? Its not, LIthco said, spreading his arms. Aiden couldve worked with animals with a Peaceful class. He couldve tended farms or been a wildlife specialist in the First Ring. But he didnt. Aiden chose The Path and this is what The Path is. He leaned in. Its not whether the gods are right or righteous for their murderous ways, Mira. Its that gods became gods because of their murderous ways, and if you wish to join them to follow their teachings youll end up in the same place. I nodded and thought about it. I was strangely okay walking that path, but Aiden I turned to the man, who had returned to shore and was now wringing the water out of his shirt behind a tree. Okay. So recap. If I want Aiden to be useful, he needs to commit mass murder. Yep. Cool. So hes worthless. Lithco smiled mysteriously. I dont know about that. Hes also been through hell, in his own way, and hes adapted quite handsomely. I mean take today for example. Once he learned about his legacy, and read that he had to kill he asked you to help him. I thought back to a few hours ago, and my perception of Aiden changed. Give em time. Its a bit dark, but lifes quickly molding him in grim and exciting ways. Lithco stood and dusted off his pristine pants. As for the rest of your query, Aiden has a platinum core. He just needs to thread it. As for you, I recommend you learn Soul Cooking. Aiden needs soul force to use Dominion, and thatll speed up the process for everyone. Amongst other benefits. Bye bye. Bye He stopped. And Mira. I turned to him. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Do be a dear and lead his mind astray. I know he reminds you of yourself, but thats not a good thing. Your old lives are gone. The best thing you can do is help him build a future. Lithco walked past me and disappeared, leaving me in a state of contemplation. It was all so much to process. Aidens requirement to become a full-blown hunter; Aidens surprising adaptability, and the fact that he went hunting specifically to kill an animal. It was all a jumbled mess. Aiden walked up. Everything good? I opened my mouth, preparing to confront him about his skill and whether he was willing to do what it took to save Halten, but then I remembered that I didnt even know if I could save Halten. It could be a lost cause. Yeah, I said quietly. Can you thread? He nodded. Yeah. But I dont have any cores. Yeah you do. Earned one this morning. I reached into my pocket and tossed him the emerald core from the willamore he killed a few hours before. Its from the willamore. Oh I cant. Its yours, I said bluntly. You have any of that syrup left? I gave him some to help Halten the day I met him. Uh yeah. I do. But, Mira Take some every fifteen minutes, I instructed. Drink a small swallow of river water every thirty. I know thats probably stronger than whatever youve taken, but you have resources and desperation on your side. So thread it up. I want it done by nightfall. Aidens face paled. N-Nightfall? Wait I cant You can and you will. I walked toward the river, moving to the other side of Halten, where Aiden couldnt see me. Where are you going? he called out. To evolve.
Aiden stared at the core with trembling hands. How the hell am I going to thread this? he thought desperately. Its an emerald, for fucks sake! Everything about what he was looking at was wrong. Aiden knew because Brexton took him to an auction so he could witness how much everything cost. That way, he knew how much the Claustra helped him. Onto the next item, the host had said when they bought it, pulling out a bright yellow core. Bright citrine, taken from a first evolution wontaran after this year''s Third Ring beast trial. It got close, killing five competitors and threading two of the cores before its death. The crowd buzzed feverishly. Starting bid is 5,000 hawks. Five thousand Aiden whispered. Thats an accountants salary. Rent for a nice apartment in Theovale cost one to two hundred hawks a month. That put the starting bid at the equivalent price of a four-year college loan. Brexton smiled and lifted a sign to bid above five thousandthen quickly had to agree to six and then seven. Once the tense bidding finished, Brexton had finalized the sale at 8,000 hawks. Eight thousand Aiden whispered. Oh, you just wait, Brexton smirked. Thiss nothing. A pale green core was auctioned next for 10,000. A light green for 17,000. An emerald like the one he was holding in the present at 35,000. He thought it was over, but then the lights dimmed, and the auctioneer smiled. Tonight, we have something very special. This core is the core of Railain Vestras wyvern. The house exploded in excited whispers as the man unveiled a green core that had been tinted blue to the point it was teal. I dont think theres an investor alive who didnt watch this wyvern conquer the Bramble. The raw power behind such a core is beyond words or comprehension. Now, you have the chance to buy its core and meat to help the Vestra buy their talented daughter another mount! Aidens heart ached when he realized that Railains wyvern had died and was now being butchered and sold for another flying beast. A cores brightness is a sign of purity, Brexton whispered, breaking him out of his thoughts. Refinement. If it was just about mana, everyone would just evolve. Turn their core from clear to yellow to greenblue. Each stage allows you to hold more mana, and thats good. But its not helpful. True power comes from the density of mana, how smoothly you can use it, the cleanness of your core, and you get that through practice, threadingcleansing. Hard. Work. And no amount of money can replace that. But if you buy one of those He pointed at the teal core. A core thats so pure that its on the precipice of changing colors before an evolution you can steal that power and ferry yourself into the next evolution. Thats why these people turn into animals when they see one. Watch. True to his warning, the audience devolved into chaos during the auction, with people yelling and threatening one another. Staff came out and threatened to remove people, but there were too many people arguing to enforce. Eventually, they just let the auction continue until a sandy-haired man named Hadrian Dante dropped a bid of one million and shut up the house. No one contested it. Not because of the price, but for who he was. Brexton pointed at Hadrian. Now that thats why everyones scrambling to get to Mira. Huh? Him? Yeah. Well, people like him. Family members. Us. See we dont need resources from the forest. That teal core? Thats all we ever thread. Whenever we need one, we just import it from the Third Domain. We can do that because we own the pipeline. But we dont share. In fact, Hadrian there just spent a million hawks and some of his reputation just to keep other people from getting one. Why? So they cant challenge us. Give one of those to an idiot who gets smart, and suddenly, you got a real problem. Rebellions strike up. Important figures start dyin... Get it? Aiden smiled bitterly. Yeah so what does Mira have to do with this? Brexton chuckled. Well, if you can''t afford good cores and the families wont let you buy good cores, what do you do? You go to the place with them. Exactly. That wyvern took eighty years and countless resources to get that way with this domains meager resources. But you go to Areswood? Shits common. Kill one beast, and youre set for life. Thats why hundreds of idiots flock to Areswood for the harvest, trying to strike it rich. And every so often, Hadrian or fuck face this or that gets in there and snatches up a core eats some meat and comes back with dreams of becoming a god. Some make itmost die. And so it goes. But with Mira Brexton grinned and let Aidens imagination fill in the details. Come on, lets go. Brexton exchanged a strange array-tattooed note for the citrine core. Then, he turned to Aiden with a thin smile, putting it into Aidens palm and closing his fingers over it. Welcome to hell. That wasnt an understatement. The next day, when he put it into his mouth and began chanting, his mana channels started boiling, and he started to scream. It was like a bucking bronco was in his arms, making him spasm as specialists yelled at Brexton, warning him that Aiden was going to rupture his mana channels while the teen casually shrugged it off and declared Aiden could handle it. The prick turned out to be right. Sixteen hours later, Aiden woke up in a recovery bed, hooked up to strange tubes with rudimentary equipment like he was in a 19th-century hospitalwith a brand new core. He hadnt threaded since. Now, he was staring at a dark emerald second-evolution core. How the hell am I supposed to do this? Aiden quickly got over his aversion and tried. He only got a minute in before crying out and spitting out the core. His mana veins were throbbing. He shakily brought the squeeze bottle to his lips, and just like last time, it felt like a cool ocean flooded into his veins. It was so much better than what he got at the Claustra Mansion. This stuffs magical He wondered where Mira got it and then kept wondering about Mira. He didnt know why, but she was helping him, trying to save him and Halten, giving him a core and teaching him to hunt and giving him valuable resources that she needed to survive. He was lucky but he couldnt take it for granted. If he wanted to survive and to repay the favor he needed to push out the sad, mopey lifes over bullshit that he was drowning in. This forest was filled with wild carnivoresnot domesticated friends. Halten was his friend, and Halten was dying. And regardless of Aidens beliefs and desires, people had drugged him, used him, chewed him up, and spat him out in this forest, threatening to chain him to slavery and to kill his friend. Over the last month, he had risked his life twice and put himself through hell. He wasnt the same person he was, and he wouldnt let that version of him rule over him any longer. Now, more than ever, he was determined to take his life into his own hands. He took a deep breathand then started threading. 4. Since I had a barrier, I walked to the other side of Halten where I was out of sight, stripped down to my underwear as Kline kept watch, and entered the river, free from the burden of clothing and a fifty-pound backpack. It was hard to concentrate on chanting when you were constantly fighting not to drown. Under the maelstrom of vengeful judgment from the souls around me, I dove underwater and called out to Yakana, hoping he could answer my questions and help me grow. B2 - Chapter 27 - Challenge the Beasts Hey, Yakana, I thought as I swam down into the River. Will you help me evolve? Or should I get a technique from my patron? He chuckled warmly after a slight pause. Am I your teacher now? I shrugged. If you want to be. I see I will teach you the chant as I did with Kline, but I recommend you wait to evolve. Why? Because youre not yet ready. Youre on the precipice of something incredible. Wait until its time. The Migration is tomorrow Even so. Waiting will make you stronger, not detract from your power. I hated that answer. These chants took hours, and I would have to evolve in the wild. After all, to my immense feelings of injustice, the first crate contained my illusionary barrier, in addition to the teleportation disks and the alchemy equipment. With Halten under my barrier, once I left the camp, we would be on our own. I surfaced, took a breath, and returned. So how will I know when to evolve? Youll know. Thanks Really helpful. I paused and thought about it. Okay, so should I learn to evolve from you or get a technique from my patron? Its the same. Its the same? How? Brindle taught me his evolution techniques. A tribe of raw emotion pierced my heart with spears of guilt in all directions. I wasnt a guardian, and worse, I was locked into a deal with a god who wanted to monetize the forest, and he didnt know about that. Accepting his help under these pretexts felt like I was using him and even betraying him. For all my faults, being duplicitous wasnt one of them. Yakana, look. I have Dont worry, child, Yakana said, seemingly reading my thoughts. The forest sees all. The forest hears all. Feels all. So I know. I instantly felt it was a contradiction, considering his response to Aidens arrival. But when I thought about it, I realized then that I ordered my equipment and never talked about it. And while Elana would complain that I didnt have the equipmentand was looking forward to when I didhe couldnt hear her, only hear me when I spoke to her, which I only did half the time to practice my ability to speak. Now breathe, Yakana said, for time runs short. I did, and when I returned, Yakana melded into my soul. Lets begin. Yakana taught me the chant step by step, which was closer to a short mantra than a normal chant, and he helped me get into the trance, circulating the mana and letting me feel what it was like to expand my core. Again, he said. I stole a breath from the surface and we went through the process again. And again. And againmaking sure it was ingrained in my mind. The last part will be up to you, he said after we were done. How will I know what to do? Remember the feeling from when you built your core and you will find the answer. I swallowed nervously and nodded. Ill trust you Thank you. Of course. I started to leave but stopped right below the glistening surface and looked down. One more thingThis dragon can I save him? Yakanas voice lost its warmth and became somber. This guardians fighting to keep its soul uncorrupted. He has succeeded at the cost of his total concentration, but he will eventually need to sleep. When it comes, so will the corruption. I grimaced. How long do we have? Five days at most. And what can we do to help him? With your skills, a soul elixir is your only option. Speak to Brindle. If he teaches you, you can save him. Now go. I felt a shiver crawl through my body, and I quickly surfaced right into the gates of hell. New souls I hadnt cleansed had drifted from the south, and their cries and desire to attack me had returned. I ignored them and clambered to the surface, feeling bitter about Yakanas instructions. It wasnt that I couldnt evolve, as I couldnt handle the amount of magic I had then. The thing I was bitter about was the Youll know when it happens advice. That concepts overrated. Sometimes, you hit a fentanyl drip in a hospital, and you know it worked. Other times, you meet some guy who seems nice, brings your mother flowers, and listens to the same music, and your hormones know that hes the one, only to find yourself divorced with two children before thirty, getting botox injections to stave off the wrinkles your bitterness earned you. I hated it. Thats what I thought about when I left the river. So when I left the fog and still heard screaming, I flipped out and turned to the river, screaming, I got out! Now shut the hell up! The screaming didnt stopbut I realized that it wasnt coming from the river. It was in camp. I immediately rushed to the campsite where Kline was studying Aiden carefully. The mans arms and face were webbed with varicose veins, and his body was shaking with tremors. Jesus Christ Aiden! I ran up behind him and performed the Heimlich maneuver, making him spit out the core he was threading. After that, he dropped to the ground like a log, tears welling in his tight-shut eyes. Kline meowed at me. I looked down and saw my half-naked body covered in sand and pebbles. Now, lets be clearit was an emergency, so I wouldnt have cared if I was full-on naked. That said, I knew that if Aiden saw me in a state of undress, he could have a heart attack. So I used Desiccation and Purify to dry and clean myself and then took that opportunity to throw on my new self-repair clothing. It was an uncomfortable time to try them out. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The Advanced Survival Clothing I ordered came with a pair of black underwear with capabilities that most people wouldnt want to hear about, a nuclear-grade sports bra that turned my breasts into a solid object, faux leather pants, a tan shirt, and a light brown jacket studded with arrays that kept my body perfectly cool, more so than bare skin. This was the summer collection, with three more seasons packed up, accessories, nightwear, and a special set I really didnt need in a forest. It was fine, functional fashion, and it suction-cupped to my ass and legs, showing off my curves. It was stunning, the perfect feature for a self-conscious person like me who thrived on baggy clothing that didnt betray my gym habits. I wouldve rather stayed undressed. Aiden was groaning on the ground as I finished. Aiden! I yelled, rushing over to him. Huh? Aiden rolled over, fumbling for the mana recovery syrup. He got it and drank some, and fell limp, gasping with relief. Here. I handed him a bottle of Diktyo River water, and he drank. The varicose veins on his skin cleared up, and his chests rise and fall became methodic. What the hell were you thinking? I asked. What was I thinking? I was following your advice. So? What do you mean, so? Look, Aiden. Following my advice is what I need you to do. But I wiped my face and turned away. Dont jump off a bridge if someone tells you to. Stanley Milgram. Ring a bell? He chuckled bitterly. Yeah. Then learn from it. Do your best, but if its gonna kill you dont. Got it? Thats God. Thats a ridiculous request. You know that? Walk a tightrope, but if youre gonna die, just teleport to safety. Kay? He snorted. Ill get right on that. I was taken aback by his uncharacteristic pushback. It was kinda nice. Not attractive, but nice. I needed that. We needed that. And at least he was busting ass and getting shit done. Okay I said. Lets do it this way. I pulled out my container of cores and opened it up in front of him, showing him a galaxy of different shades and sizes. Yellows, greens, and a few teals. There were nearly a thousand, if not above. Choose whichever you feel comfortable with, I said. I wont judge you. Aiden sat up and then looked. Then, he stared at the full container for a few seconds before he broke out into this psychotic, Hollywood laugh that expressed someone deep in the throes of lunacy. I could guess why he was laughingbut I couldnt understand it. Thats the vibe I got from him. Aiden sifted through the cores and pulled out a chartreuse one. It was hideous, a yellow-green color that was normally associated with vomit, but the look in his eyes when he said, Are you sure? told me that it was special. Whateverll help you grow faster, I said. He nodded. Thank you one sec. He paused and spun his fingers through the container, picking out five cores. Three teals, a near chartreuse, and a tan one. You and Kline want these ones the others arent as good. I cupped my hands around them. Thanks. I paused with the cores in my hand for a minute and then looked up at him with earnest eyes. I know about Dominion. His face drained of color. Huh? Dominion. Thats what its called, right? Your intimidation whatever spell. Right? How did you Information request. Oh Aiden chuckled, eyes welling with this crazed bitterness, as if life had tripped him only for him to get jumped by a gang, robbed by the cops, and then run over. Im sure its evening news fuck. All of his meekness was gone, replaced with something different. It was as if the bitterness from his treatment in college or at work had crushed his happy heart from yesteryear, and the quiet, shy personality he had embraced for most of his life was struggling to reconcile with the personality that the world was beating into him. It was terrible yet hard to rip your mind away from, like watching a car crash in slow motion. I wondered if my parents would see me the way I was seeing Aiden when I returned to visit. Yeah Aiden sighed. Thats what its called. I take it you know how the skill works? What it requires? Yes. Lovely, isnt it? Aiden took a thin breath, long enough for it to expand his lungs, then held his breath for a few seconds before releasing it. Can I ask you something? Yes. Do you think you can save him? Id say its impossible, but Ive survived worse. Whatll it take? Ill needa make an elixir but my equipments far from here, so well have to travel learn it, make it return. How far? Four days on foot. Three if we hustle. How long do we have? Five days. Aiden pressed his hands together in a forceful prayer gesture, pulled them to his chest, and thrust out his hands, tense to the point of dysfunction. So it is impossible. On foot, I said. But if we can ride animals Aiden looked at the ground. Look, Aiden. These beasts arent your friends, okay? They Its okay. Aiden made eye contact. Mira Peopleve kidnapped, drugged, threatened, and coerced me at gunpoint to get me into this forest. This world sucks. He stood up and grabbed his axe. Thisll never be the same, so we might as well get started. Okay. I stood and then looked at the ground. But sit and thread that. Shouldnt I be killing things? Dont worry about that Ill take care of it. 2. They say it''s best to rip off the bandaid, but its implicit that youre supposed to let the wound heal first. But in Aidens case, what I was about to do was the equivalent of preventing the nurse from stapling his wound shut as he died of hypovolemic shock. I reached an open meadow a mile upriver, reached into my bag, and marinated meat. I put it into my cast iron and set it directly on an alchemic heating array. Then, I fired it up. You can still speak to animals, right? Kline meowed. Okay. I want you to take all the frustration youve built up with Aiden around, bottle it up, and then scream that every other beast in the next five miles is a spineless bitch-ass pansy that grooms ugly beasts of bugs while they watch their wives get pumped. And tell em if they dont fight us, its just proof of it. Klines eyes widened, and he gave me a creepy smile that made me blush. Hey! Im just trying to say the worst thing I can! You got something better? Kline turned away and bounced his little shoulders back and forth as he trotted off. I huffed, rolling my eyes as he got into position. Then my emotions stilled. Make it count. If we dont succeed now, were fucked. Kline nodded and then turned, looking into dead space, the sign that he was staring at his Guide. With absolute trust in my little warrior, I sat down on a mica-speckled boulder that glimmered in the setting sunlight, watching him close his eyes and study a new spell. I wonder what he bought I thought, but there was no indication. Kline looked in the distance, following his eyes on his invisible tutorial teacher. Then, he stood and turned to me, pawing at his ears. I cupped my ears lightly, gesturing if I was right. He meowed. I clamped them shut. Then, I watched in a trance as my little warrior jumped up onto a boulder like Simba, looked up toward the sky, and released a roar that caused my body to split consciousness in three directions. The dissonance in my nervous system consumed me, and I wanted to fall, but only a fragment of my brain clicked into focus, and it told me to activate Mental Shielding. I did, and the reaction was like putting pure sodium into water. The second I activated, all three waving parts of my consciousness snapped together like magnets colliding mid-air, and my body turned rigid and blockish, making me drop to my knees. What the fuck was that Kline meowed worriedly and flew over to me. Im okay I said, mere moments before shedding my stomach lining on the ground. I was definitely not okay. Kline yowled and paced and grimaced, trying to say sorry. I told him it was fine as I pushed myself up and leaned against the boulder I was sitting on. Just give me a minute. Kline nodded and planned tobut life intervened. Hundreds, and I mean hundreds of howls and roars and cries, littered the twilight skies above the Areswood Forest, calling out from all sides. I just wanted to lure beasts to camp for Aiden to finish off, but it seemed that things would be far more serious. B2 - Chapter 28 - Mosh Pit What did you tell them? I screamed as I rode Klines ethereal body back to the camp. My stomach still felt sick, but there was no choice. The forest was alive and teeming with the vengeful cries of strong beasts that shook the canopies as their hooves or pawsor whatever the fuck they hadtrampled on the ground near the roots. Kline yowled a regretful yowl and sped up, warp-stepping three times before I wretched again. Kline said sorry in his own catty way but flew on, moving through trees until I got to the barrier. He skidded to a halt as we reached it, and I put my hands on the barrier weakly, calling the chant and falling through. I turned. Come on Kline. Kline turned to me and shook his head, turning to the forest as if to fight them alone. Whats going on? Aiden suddenly cried, rushing over to pick me up. Nothing What do you mean nothing? he cried as the wild cries of primitive beasts rattled my mind. Kline just challenged the entire forest! Wait what? That freakish roar that was Kline wasnt it. How can you Listen, Mira, Aiden yelled. I dont think you understand what just happened. I dont think he knows what just happened. But your little kitty cat just released an open contract on this forest. We cant runhe has to fight. He fuck. I unclipped my backpack and drank some of the DIktyo River water to ease my body and stomach. Then I closed my eyes and activated Mental Shielding to get my mind together. Ten seconds later, I was strong enough to stand and think. Kline! I yelled. I can fight, right? Kline turned back to me with eyes that said, Stay out of this. Its too dangerous! and a knot popped in the back of my brain. Oh, boy you just wait I slapped my cheeks, annoyed that my orders to Aiden and Kline were bringing both to the brink of death. I sucked at this. Suddenly, the trees around us swayed as if a vicious wind blew through them, and I heard the stomp of feet crashing through the area. Drink this! I pulled out a bright red Illydra elixir, created a domain, and knelt, opening the sealed tube and pouring it into Klines mouth, keeping oxygen out of his mouth until he swallowed. Then, I did it for myself. The feeling was absolutely disturbing. It was like liquid plastic hit my stomach and then webbed through my muscles and veins, leaving me disoriented. Yet that feeling turned to relief when my muscles started rapidly healing from the micro rips they experienced from normal physical exercise, making me feel like I had gotten ten hours of rest. It made me feel good. I cracked my neck and pulled out my machete, and turned to Aiden. I thought of something to say to him, but my mind went blank, and I realized that nothing would rationally explain what was about to happen, so I just turned back to the stampeding horde, activating the enchanted machete and then stacking it with additional mana sharpening. It was time to fight. 2. Aiden watched Mira turn back at him in a state of horror. The look in her eyes wasnt one youd find in a soldiers eyes right before a battle, the type that included a plea to a message to their loved one in case they died. Her eyes said, How the hell am I supposed to explain this? Then, she walked out of the barrier as hundreds of growls and snorts and shaking trees permeated the forests soundscape. Aidens heart pounded when he saw a herd of beasts a mile upriver kicking up a sandstorm on the rivers shore as they approached. He couldnt see them, but he bought a book with pictures, so its image popped up. The beasts were gray with bodies shaped like horses but the skin of rhinos, each with short snouts and foreheads like beluga whales. Since Aiden was surrounded by a barrier, he looked up and said, Elle. Give me the weaknesses! A delightful explosion of colorful sparkles exploded, and a pixie flew out of his chest, circling and landing on his shoulder with a tiny microphone. First up for tonights sponsored event, we got glarhans! These ugly hunky headers are dumber than they lookwhich is a profound sentiment! Far from tactical, they surround their prey and charge at them from all angles, bashing into their target and each other like a bloody game of pinball. They rely on their thick hides and sturdy bodies not to kill each other. So if youre thinkin of cutting them, you better bring a serious weapon! But if you wanna hurt em, take out their legs. One injury, and theyre basically worthless! Aiden looked up and saw the beasts, which were now almost to camp, charging at Mirawho was holding a machete. Mira! You cant cut them! They have His mind slowed when the beasts reached her. She was too late to dodge, so he imagined her mangled corpse flying into the barrier. But when he blinked, the headless corpse of the glarhan trying to gore her flew into the barrier instead. What the hell ah! He screamed as glarhans charged into the barrier at full power, crashing into each other like waves against rocksand that power was everywhere. If Mira wasnt dead after the first strike, she certainly died after. It was a sandy mosh pit outside, with beasts goring each other from all directions. No human couldve survived. Mira he thought. It all happened so fast. Stolen novel; please report. Suddenly, something happenedand whatever it was, it was terriblebecause blood splashed onto the barrier ten feet high, and glarhan limbs flew everywhere. Whats this, folks? Elle cried. In a stunning reversal, the should-be-deaders have risen up! Klines tiny body shot out of the mosh pit to Aidens right like a salmon hoping out of the water, and he landed on a glarhans back, biting into its spinal cord. With one motion, he ripped part of the vertebrae out, and the beast collapsed. What a movement! Klines going crazy out there, cutting, clawing, and crushin the competition! Absolutely incredible. Youd never know this killer calico was a house pet three months ago! A guttural roar blasted through the forest, making Elle change her tone. The glarhans stopped their stampede and looked back, witnessing a bear the size of a house enter the fray, grabbing four-hundred-pound glarhans and throwing them around. Uh oh Elle said nervously. Weve got trouble. Thats not a second ev. Aiden was dead. He was really dead. This barrier was strong, but it would crack eventually. Kline, Mira he was useless to save them, and things were too loud for him to tell Kline the beasts weaknesses. But what he could do was save himself and also maintain the barrier, so Mira and Kline could enter it. So he rushed over to the ward stick, where there was a small container of green cores. He grabbed a handful, opened up the core chamber, and froze. Half of the stones had already turned to dustand there were twenty greens in there. They severely overestimated the power of the ward. The bear roared again, and the beasts kept slamming into the barrier around him. Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck! He added the rest of the container, about twenty green cores, into the ward like he was shoveling coal. Hey Aid~ee, Elle said. Not sure Im supposed to tell you this, but she did scream it at you, so I think its okay What? he asked as he shut the container. Shield your eyes. Shut my Aiden shut his eyes at the exact moment a violent flash filled the area. It was like a nuclear bomb, so bright he could see his bones in his hands through shut eyelidsand it really fucking hurt. Aiden screamed and hit the ground as the burnt side of the forest experienced a catastrophic explosion that knocked down dozens of trees. He cried out, crawling into the Diktyo River. 3. Lets back up a moment. Less than a minute ago, a wild pack of mindless beasts crashed into us from all directions, goring the shit out of each other, and I almost died from the sheer absurdity of the attack. I can essentially slow time, but its not helpful when you have some Indiana Jones, all-walls-closing-in bullshit crashing down on you. Luckily, Kline teleported into my shadow and dragged me into a portal, throwing me to the outskirts of the mosh pit, allowing me to chop through stragglers with mana sharpening (which was now amplified by the sharpening enhancements on the machete) while he went to town on the main herd. It was hard, but it was doableuntil the bear showed up. Yeah, a bear. It wasnt even trying to look like some alien creature. It was just a normal ass bear that just so happened to be twenty feet standing, a perfect model for a Vote No On Alaska commercial, and it was pissed. It picked up glarhans like toy cars and threw them around as it tried to get to Kline. Like. Toy. Cars. The bear was casually throwing around 400-pound creatures like they were minor nuisancesand it was doing so with a speed and ferocity that crippled me with fear. It was a third evolutionthere was no doubt about that. In a fit of desperation, I slowed time and pulled Nymbral from my chest, screaming, Shield your eyes, Aiden! at the top of my lungs. Not that it mattered. Between the roaring and snorting and stomping, I couldnt hear a damn thing, so I had to make a split-second decision: save Kline with Nymbral and risk frying Aidens corneas, or prioritize Aidens eyesight. The second that Kline teleported into my shadow, I didnt even deliberate. The moment the bear turned to me I fired the shot. This bear was proof that we werent ready for the bramble. Even with my world slowed and my acceleration cranked to the max, the bear managed to doge with ghostly speed, leaving the massive laser beam to plow through ten glarhans before cutting across the river and felling trees in an explosion of charcoal and black dust. That said, it left the bear blinded. Kline seized upon that, attacking the beast from all sides with a rapid combination of Warp Step, Ethereal Bridge, and Phantom Claws, attacking from the skies, ground, and shadows. He did serious damage to the bearbut one skilled swipe sent Kline crashing into a tree with enough power to crack a spine. Kline! I thought he was dead, but Klines bloody body suddenly spilled out black ooze that covered his fur like he would grow a latex suit, and his body started healing. The bear rushed forward at that time, and something amazing happened. Right as the bear reached him, Klines body split in half, with one being visible and the other under the guise of active camouflage (something I could see now that I could see soul force). The bear, half-blind, stomped the clone, giving me time to reach Kline. I threw Diktyo Water onto Klines limping body. He healed in a moment, licking water off his fur. The bear roared as it looked at the ground and then searched for him. His eyes landed on me, and I shivered. One attack and I was dead. It roared and tried to charge, but Kline beat it to the punch. He flew through a portal into the bears shadow and jumped right onto its spine. The bear screamed and flew around in a blind rage, knocking down trees as Kline rode it like a bronco. The mindless herd of beasts could see the bears weakness and turned from the barrier, which they were beating and cracking with their heads, and charged at the bear. I was between them. Fuck! I screamed as they charged. They flew forward, and I cranked my world to a halt again, rushing between them, swinging my machete with two hands into their limbs, chopping off four before my head started to split. I jumped, activated mental shielding, and released the technique. Four beasts cried out and collapsed on the ground while the rest continued charging, ramming into the bear. What followed was a bloody mosh pit. The bear mauled the beasts, swiping and stomping them as Kline worked on its spine. And soon, the bear had taken enough damage from the front to hit the ground. Kline gave it one last go, putting everything into a Sharp Bite that ripped out the bears core with a stringy rip of muscle. The bear dropped as if it had been unplugged, hitting the ground. Klines body went limp, and he fell off its back. Kline! I rushed forward, chopping through the skull of one of the stupid gray beasts on my way to grab Kline. My body was weak and giving out, and I had mana-deprivation chills. My head was splitting from a headache, but I didnt care. I picked up my little warrior and ran, using Moxle Dilation in short spurts to dodge attacks on the way to the ward. Then I melted into it a split second before ten beasts slammed into the barrier. I had a feeling that it wouldnt be long before they broke through, but I couldnt even think. My mind was swimming, and my world was blurring. I closed my eyes and activated Mental Shielding, praying it would help. B2 - Chapter 29 - Do the Right Thing Aiden emerged from the river to find hell breaking loose on shore. Mira and Kline were on the ground, and both had black ooze coming off their fur and arms. He wasnt a doctor, but that wasnt natural, and it made him freak out. Mira! Aiden grabbed a container from Miras palette of tools, filled it with water, and splashed it on them. The black ooze on both of them boiled for a moment before dripping off their skin, and both groaned. Mira! Kline Aiden dropped to the ground, checking in on them. Meanwhile, the beasts continued to ram into the barrier, making visible cracks. Shit He got up with shaky legs and picked up the enchanted axe and faced the barrier. Only then could he understand what they were saying. They werent refined enough to speak the language, as they never had a need, but he could understand them loud and clear, and what he heard was bone-chilling. Nothing. He heard nothing. Simple, primal rage. A desire to kill after Klines challenge. Only that, nothing more. There would be no reasoning with these creatures. The only thing these creatures, specifically, would understand was raw force. Aiden laughed internally, reminding himself that he had only ever worked with domesticated animals. Zoo animals, pets, trained performers he didnt work with wild animals. He had seen them on Safaris and trips through the Amazon. He had gone bird watching in the Ozarks and saw the buffalos in Yellowstonebut he hadnt talked to any of the wild animals. He hadnt connected to them, had a conversation, or petted them. Just like everyone else, he just watched them pass. Domesticated creatures were socialized. They were trained and adapted to working and communicating with humans. Elionis had contracts with humans. Halten was chained to humans. Aidens pets, which he had barely gotten to see since coming to Dranami, had lived most of their lives with him. Things were different here. And even if they werent he didnt have a choice but to fight them. He was in their world, living by their rules. Aiden lifted up the axe like a baseball bat. Youre lucky I dont know how to swing this thing! he roared at the attacking beasts. Cause if I did, Id fuck you up! The beasts snarled and snorted and rushed forward, crashing harder. Mira and Kline got up weakly. The cat stumbled to its feet, and Mira grabbed her head with both hands as the creature beat the barrier. They were weak, but they were still in the fight. Aiden just needed to hold the beasts off until they recovered. The barrier webbed with cracks, creating light blue lines up the darker blue barrier. Three two one Howls suddenly erupted from the forest, and three-tailed lurvinesthe same species of Skia, the demigod Aiden had made a deal with, but vastly largercame to meet Klines challenge. They rushed off the mountain with their arctic fur, charging like united moose as they jumped into the fray. The glarhans turned and rushed at them, creating a 1980s-style gang fight where two sides rushed at each other with baseball bats and the intention of giving each other brain damage. Aiden lowered his axe in a daze as two sets of creatures that had never met each other or communicated started ripping each other to shreds without the slightest need to hunt and felt dazed by their mismatch. The lurvine breathed blue fire that didnt affect the forest floor, but it bounced off the glarhans skin. It only hurt when it hit their eyes, and that only made the blinded beast shoot into a frenzy. It was uncomfortable and terrible to watch. Ignore them, Mira said. She unclipped her backpack and pulled out a container with cores. She walked up to the ward and looked inside with a frown. With a deep breath, she blew out gray ash. We overestimated this thing. She grabbed a massive handful of cores, tens of millions of hawks in value, and threw them inside. Then she grabbed another handful and a third, she packed in about two hundred cores before it wouldnt take anymore and sighed as she shut it. The battle outside raged on, but she looked unconcerned as she went to the river and drank. Kline walked over to her, and she brought him water with her cupped hands, and he lapped it up. The battle raged on. These people are crazy Aiden thought, contrasting their calm demeanors and the wolves and glarhans ripping each other apart. Theyre actually crazy. But they were alive. A few minutes later, Mira and Kline went to the barriers edge and watched the battle. Just a little longer, Mira said. Kline nodded and watched on. Ten minutes later, when all the beasts were injured, Mira picked up Kline and melted through the barrier. Once they exited, all the beasts turned to them and the real slaughter followed. It was all Kline, and for the first time, Aiden could see what was happening. Or, rather, he couldnt. Kline disappeared, and beasts just started dying without rhyme or reason, sometimes twenty feet from one another. He was moving so fast he wouldve sworn he could teleport. Elle, Aiden said as he watched. The little pixie was still on his shoulder, looking at her nails. Yeah? Whats happening? Actually dont answer that question. He felt a deep pang of anxiety just by asking. Dont you worry, your sweet little cheeks, Elle said, pitching his cheek. I know youre worried about her, but theres no need. I cant tell you nothin bout those sweet little lovelies unless they tell you themselves. So dont worry. Even if Mr. Stolen Spoon tortures you for an explanation, all youll ever know was that they went woooooooooooosh! And boom and then God rained down his judgment with a bright laser, turning the land to a pillar of salt. Oh, god, I cant wait to see his face. Itll be priceless, Aiden, priceless! Aidens lips cracked into a sardonic grin when he thought about how mind-bending it was that he wouldnt be able to explain what happened to Brexton. No matter how he presented it, it would sound like a joke. Ten minutes later, Mira picked up Kline and returned to the barrier. The battlefield was mostly still, but it was still loud, filled with the dying screams of beasts missing limbs or crying out for aid. It was hard to watch. Mira walked up to him with a solemn expression. So she coughed. Kline and I are monsters and tortured these animals. She looked at the enchanted axe in Aidens hands. Will you do the humane thing and put em all down. Suddenly, everything clicked, and he turned to Mira. Wait is this why Kline challenged the forest. Mira panned her gaze on over two hundred dead or dying beasts and nodded. Yeah. Aiden smiled ruefully. Thanks. Thank me later if you mean it. I mean it. He walked to the barriers edge. Will you let me out? Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. She nodded and pressed his back, allowing him to melt through the barrier as if it were some strange permeable goo before walking into the wasteland of dying animals. He examined the scene and walked up to a dying beast that he doubted he could save with the rivers water even if he wanted to. Sorry. He activated the enchantments with his mana under the blood-red sunset and lifted the axe. His mana was two to three times more powerful than in the morning and his veins burned, feeling good. You wouldve done the same. He swung the axe. The action left him windedwhich wasnt a good sign. He then turned and saw at least sixty or seventy that were still crying out in pain. He found another that had no hope of saving and killed it. Then another. A third, fourth, and fifth. By the tenth, he stopped caring about how hurt they were and started killing the closest one in sight. By the twentieth he didnt even say anything to them. It was only around the fiftieth that he started looking for glarhans in healing condition. He didnt find many, but he walked up to the first and said: Let me ride you, and Ill spare your life. It snorted. He killed it. The same happened to the next ten. Soon, there was none left, and he turned to the lurvines, who had strangely reverted into the size of Skia, small foxes with wounds. Perhaps it was because of Skia, or perhaps it was their regal, arctic fur that screamed of purity despite their wounds, like seeing fresh blood streaks on freshly fallen snow. Or maybe it was simply that their three tails were captivating, but for whatever reason, he didnt even look at them until last. He knelt beside the largest one, who was wheezing on the ground. Let me ride you for a week, and Ill spare your life and heal you. The beast narrowed his eyes and looked away. Kill me. A week. And you can live hell, Ill spare your family if they dont hurt me. No. Why? Why? Unbelievable. You expect me to kneel to you? An unevolved who lets others fight for him? Youre despicable. Aiden gripped his axe and stood and looked up at the twilight sky. He was tired. So, so tired. Ever since he came to this hell hole, everyone had spoken like that to him. Everen. Brexton. Family members. Even Elionis and Skia and Halten. Kill this murder that. Gain power, get strong. Its The Paththe celebrated way. And so he went along with it. He made deals with Brexton and went through harsh training and started playing the game. He learned military-grade beast taming and risked his life to get here. No, he was killing beasts hed rather talk to because he had some stupid-ass skill from some stupid-ass god, and it wasnt good enough. Would it ever be good enough? Or would he just have to keep doing this over and over and over and over and over again? No. He had to try something elseand he was pissed off to make it happen. Aiden looked down at the lurvine with the most intense glare he could give. You know, Im getting really, really tired of people calling me weak. Aiden released Dominion. Souls mixed with his soul force, blanketing the lurvine, who immediately panicked, hackles raising with thick fur that jutted out like a cat. Yet, a moment later, it breathed normally and snorted in underwhelmed annoyance. What the hell was that? Thats called Dominion, Aiden said dryly. It allows me to steal part of the souls of things I kill and then blanket them on prideful assholes like you to make them kneel with fear. Well its new, and Im pretty weak, so it didnt do much. But everything you felt right there I got all of those souls in the last hour. And if you dont shut the fuck up and listen to me, Im going to kill your entire pack and make you drown in their intimate suffering. The lurvine growled and snapped. Aiden snorted and turned to the rest of the pack. Then Ill get started. Dont touch my family! Ill kill you! No you wont. You know that itty bitty He turned to the Barrier. Hey, Mira! What evolutions Kline at? She looked up. First. First thank you! He waved and then turned his eyes back to the lurvine, eyes growing darker. First evolution cat He laughed. Wow your entire pack was wiped out from a first evolution, domesticated house cat. I was gonna say that hed protect me if you tried to hurt me, but it turns out, I can probably kill you myself. The lurvines nose scrunched in, his eyes narrowed, and he moved his legs even though his body was giving up. That creature is a warriordont you dare compare yourself to him. I will be, too once I thread your entire packs cores and hit the river. Ill have a pure second evolution core by the end of the month. The lurvine snarled at him. But That could be you, couldnt it? The lurvine calmed down. I mean we have hundreds of cores and access to the river. If we gave em to you, couldnt you max your purity and evolve? The lurvines bloodshot eyes glanced at the bear and then back at Aiden. A week and a non-aggression pact, Aiden said. Ill let your family live and give you cores and river water. Do the right thing. 2. Elana watched as Aiden moved from wolf to wolf, nudging its family members as Aiden walked to each with Diktyo water and spoke to them. Even once he healed them, they didnt attack. Told you Koris lips curved into a smile as he took another shot of his amber poison. Are you ever gonna put that down? Elana sneered. Of course not, Kori said. Hapsels really outdone himself and I can tell He took a shot and exhaled with red cheeks. That hes really trying to kill me. How could I deny such dedication. Elana scoffed and turned back to the screen, where Mira had exited the barrier and started staring down the wolves as Aiden translated the things they were saying. Just admit it hes useful, Kori said, lounging on the couch. Well, not now but soon. Whyre you so confident? He smiled as he stared at the ceiling. Cause while youve been obsessin'' over your star pupil, Ive been watchin Aiden. Why? Cause they were gonna cross paths ventually. And? Thats it. No. What was he like? Huh let me see. Socially pathetic Talent wise, hes a natural at beast taming but mediocre to inept at almost everything else, especially talking to But? I think that he loves animals from the bottom of his heart, and thats never gonna change but not nearly as innocent as he looks. These last three months theyve fucked em up. Elana frowned. Speak. What do you want me to say? Hes had enough. Kids been drugged and kidnapped and introduced to all sorts of shady shit Kori laughed and raised his bottle of poison and then let it drop, drunk to the point he could barely focus. And hes done with it. Reasons, Kori. Why do you think that? Why Okay. Well that kid cant make small talk to save his life. Keeps to himself. Never gets into fights but. One night, I watched the kid rock back a glass and hit the dice table. He won a bag and went straight to a contract lawyer to read his binding. And judging by the way the lawyer teams been workin, looks like theyve found something. My guess and this is only a guess, but Im known for good ones Elana scoffed. My guess is that sneaky Claustra kid negotiated a contract with a kill switch and Aiden found it. Elana narrowed her eyes. Im listening. What? Thats all. I dont know whats goin on with that. The Claustras deal in secrets. Theyre iron-clad. Oh? Arent you gonna guess? Youre known for good ones. Now she wants guesses he mumbled, turning to her with bleary eyes. Heres what I think. I think hes gotta kill switch, and he doesnt know what to do with it. But I think thats he a wee bit vindictive. Annnnnnnnd hes gonna wait and play dumb and He cleared his throat drunkenly. The minute he gets the chance to leave hell keep stayin and waitin and bidin him time till the ideal moment to fuck them all over and hell do it. Hell snatch up his pets and hit the jungle, you best believe. Kori laughed and fell onto the couch with a bounce. And now he chuckled, followed by breaking into giggles. I think he found his way out. Oh I cant wait until he gets right the fuck out of there and returns. Its gonna be a shit show. Elana frowned. What about Mira? He dangerous? Huh? Everyones dangerous. Its a matter of the type. And that kid hell be spillin her secrets. Doubt he got that core and all that trainin for nothi. But otherwise Nah shes alright. Aidens what we aaaaaaall wish we could go back to. Go to sleep. He did and Elana huffed and rolled her eyes. She silently commented on how ridiculous it was that a god would leave himself so defenseless after so many millennia, then felt a deep emotion from it. She helped him out of his boots, laid him flat, and gave him a blanket. Then, she grabbed the bottle and thought about chucking it, but instead put it on the table and went to bed, thinking about Mira and Aiden and the whole damn forest. 3. Aiden walked up to the barrier with seven lurvines, all healed and regular size again, looking at Miras half-illuminated face beside the cooking fire. Good work, she said. Its not over yet, Aiden said with a nervous, chuckling smile. If you dont give em all the glarhan cores, Ill kinda sorta die. B2 - Chapter 30 - Change Youre lucky I didnt put these in the ward, I said, picking through the cores Kline had brought to the sand. There were over two hundred, all green to dark emerald with a teal. Yeah I um Aiden smiled wryly. Sorry. No you did good. I set aside the solid blue core and then grabbed all the cores into both my hands, sand slipping out like an hourglass. Then I purified them, and the sand broke into smaller pieces, spilling over my hands and under my fingers until there was nothing but glistening colorful gems. If theyre givin us all a ride, they can have em all. Really? Really. So? You gonna tell me the rest of the deal? Oh, right. I told em wed give them river water and cores to help em evolve. I offered it to one, but they said theyd only do it if I helped all of them. That deal sounds awful. He smiled wryly. We got a ride. Didnt wanna risk it. Thats fair. I went and looked at the fire. Anyway, were cool. Get things settled, and then come eat. And bring em this. I grabbed some marinated meat and handed him the container. Then well have dinner. He nodded, grabbed a large water jug from my gear, filled it up in the river, ostensibly to finish healing their wounds, and then took it to the barrier and looked back with a wry smile. Youll needa let me out. Oh, right. I helped him leave the barrier. Wait, I said. Aiden looked back. You said Kline created an open contract. Is that forever? He smiled and shook his head. No. Temporary contracts like that last twelve hours. I think well be alright. He turned and walked to the lurvines, as Lithco called them, who were waiting for him. I watched him heal the foxes, give them water to drink, and present the cores, which the beasts nudged around with their noses like pirates splitting loot. They looked up at me, and I looked away. Kline didnthe stared them down. Two hours passed with Aiden healing and feeding the lurvines, and at some point, I thought he would curl up with them and sleep there, so I ate dinner with Kline and threaded my core. Kline offered me the third ev, but I shook my head, put it into his mouth, and grabbed a teal. He was the bread-winner, and I was the healer and I was A-okay with that. Aiden knocked on the barrier a while later, and I let him in. He looked tired. No, the better word was worn down, a type of emotion and state that no amount of sleep could fix. I let him sit by the fire in silence for a half hour, giving him room to speak, but he didnt. So I threaded my core for a bit until he asked me a strange question that broke me out of my trance. What happens to you when you change? What happens to you? Yeah I mean. How do I put this? I dont think that I can ever go back to who I was after this. You wont. Yeah I know. Um So is that a bad thing? Do you regret all this? At night when you dont need to survive anymore? I took a sharp breath, not wanting to admit the truth, but I answered honestly. I dont I think you become desensitized to it. You accept it. Everything out heres trying to kill you, and the only thing you can do is kill back. Its actually easier that way. Liberating even. He laughed and looked up. Liberating? Seriously? Yeah, seriously, I said, shrugging. Its just On Earth, everyone was always agonizing over their decisions. Should I live cheaply to spend time with my kids, or pursue a career to give them the best opportunities? Should I speak out for what I believe in and be hated, or be quiet and be loved? Everything was an ethical or financial dilemma. But here? You kill things and eat them, or you die. Thats it. Black and white. It fixes a lot of your anxiety problems. Oh thatd be nice. I laughed. It is. Aiden stared into the popping fire, dead eyes flickering with flames and hope. Is that the reason why you decided to stay here? I pondered and nodded. I think so. Makes sense now. Well, try it out. It was strange to offer, but it was nice to speak to another person. I didnt realize how desperate I was for interaction until I offered Aiden to come with me on the journey to the alchemy station instead of demanding he stay here or simply locking him in. Humans werent meant to be alone. So while I had no emotional attachment to Aiden whatsoever, and he was a pain in the ass to keep around, part of me just hoped hed stay with me forever. Thats why I offered. But his answer was disheartening. I cant Aiden picked up a twig and threw it into the fire. Least not for now. I gotta get back and fulfill some obligations, or Halten will die. Plus, you know I dont particularly wanna die. Mustve pleased our violent overlords cause I gotta a diamond milestone for threatening and axing all those beasts. It was damn cheap, but it gave me some diamonds. So I bought that book you recommended. The one on poisons? Yeah. He laughed breathlessly. Took one look at this place What the fuck? I returned the laugh, mine equally grim. Yeah. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. We shared a brief silence before laughing together. Then we fell still. Milestone are you talking about the five-level bonus? During my first evolution, I got a bonus reward every five levels that applied a request for my books, recipes, spells, skills, and equipment. My diamond rewards for books were critical to me getting highlighting and tutorials, making it the highest windfall. If Aiden got a diamond across the board, it would increase our chances a lot. Well, kinda he said. Its not a five-level bonus. Its a bonus you get every 20% of the levels. It increases every evolution cause theres more levels. I think theres a hundred for the first ev, so thats every 20? Its more after that. Thats a bummer. Yeah. But you got a diamond across the board? Yeah. It feels like a participation award, but yeah. I did. I laughed, remembering when I got an epic request simply by stabbing a wandering reaper in the first five minutes of being here. It was the same thing. Trust me, I got some participation rewards, I smiled grimly. And youll need em. He smiled wryly. So? I said. You gonna tell me about yourself? Well, theres not much to me. Im just some loner who He tucked his knees to his chest, curling into a ball. Whats wrong? Nothings wrong No, thats not it. It just feels off to talk about myself now. Like its a like... Like Look. A few months ago, I was a shy, anti-social guy who released my rabbits and birds and lizards on Saturdays and let them roam around the house. I did it on Saturday so I had time on Sunday to steam-clean the poop off my couch. I snorted with laughter. But He looked around the forest, panning his gaze on the corpses and fire and landing on the axe. What am I now? Ive been choppin up beasts for spare souls and cores and dealing with mobsters thatre extorting me. So whats the point of even talking about myself? I lost my smile, thought about it, and shrugged. Ive killed a lot of shit. But I still love plants. Im not studying them yet. Im just trying to survive right now. But I still love plants. So you just accept that youre different now? Yeah. Oh Dont overthink it, Aiden. If you think youve lost who you are, just roll with it. Or just be whoever you want. Oh, great advice. Wonder why no one takes it. I smiled wryly. Then lie. Lie? Lie about what? You know that youre cool, or that everythings good, and positive. Aiden flashed me a smile and then looked at the trees around us, illuminated by the fire. Here? I shrugged. Sink or swim. He laughed. Look, Aiden. Try it out. If nothing else, it would be really entertaining. Itd amuse you? I raised my eyebrows and smiled. Yeah. He nodded a few times as he stared into the fire. Okay. Okay? Okay. Then Ill be waitin for it. Alright. Im getting to bed. He stood up and turned away. Goodnight. He entered his tent, and then I started my Mental Shielding training which was now far too easy and almost relaxing from the start, falling into the rhythmbut that night, there was something different that I couldnt shield my mind from. My entire body felt like it was molting like snake skin, and when I opened my eyes, I felt my skin developing a black ooze. I also thought Id lose everything within me. Illyndra elixir It was only then that I remembered that the Illyndra elixir required you to flush it out of your system after a certain timeand the way it happened was gruesome. It seeped out of my skin, and I had to disappear into the forest. Then, I purified myself and took a bath to feel sane again. It was a bad time. If that happened during a battle, I wouldve been screwed. Learning experience: with great elixirs come great consequences. I fell asleep after that and slept soundly. Kline pawed me awake in the morning, filling my ears with the sound of symphony bugs and running water. It was a beautiful, naturey sound that I adored. If the area werent filled with corpses, it would be a dream. I pulled out my foraging pan and chopped and sauteed mushrooms with meat for breakfast. Aiden tasted it and said, Wow. These taste really good. I looked at his unenthused expression as he forced them down his throat. Youre gonna have to try harder than that. He smiled wryly and shrugged. They taste like survival. My lips curved into a smile, and I nodded. Better. Lets get to work. Kline and I butchered meat from the bear, replacing all our other food within our containers. We wrapped the rest in tarps I got in Big Bag o Tools and put it into the Diktyo River, hoping it would prevent bacteria and keep it cool. Worst case scenario, it would ruin the meatbut at least we would try. After loading up, Aiden convinced the lurvines to help us pile up the corpses of the dead beasts and build a funeral pyre. Most beasts had migrated north to Arithiel Pond in the last few months but the Migration had started today, so they would return. It was critical we took care of them. To our surprise, the lurvines not only helped us pile up the corpses, but they used their blue flames, which didnt seem to hurt plants or trees, to burn the corpses to a crisp. The fire was gruesomely hot, and the bones soon turned to ash. I used Pervasive Breeze to blow the ashes across the river to the burnt forest. By the time we were done, there were no dead beasts near us. It was time to leave. Which one am I riding? I asked. The lurvines all turned to me, studying me at eye level, a fact that felt increasingly terrorizing the more someone thought about it. Aiden turned to the lurvines and spoke. There seemed to be a debate with snarling and growling and narrowed eyes until I sighed. Do I need to like beat one of them in combat or something? I asked. If so, lets get it over with. Aiden turned to me with a skeptical expression. Can you? If theres no killing. Im not risking my life over bullshit, but its just a spar, yeah. The lurvines snarled. I watched in annoyance, pissed that I made things worse. Whatd I do? Well, youre unevolved and claiming I turned to the lurvines. Spar. One on one. I pulled out my machete and flipped it to the dull side. No maiming or killing. You win, Ill ride Kline. Itll take longer but whatever. If I win, the loser needs to stop bitching and let me ride them because I dont have time for this shit. Tell them. Aidens face paled, and he complied. Once he spoke to the snorting beasts, he turned back. Theyre saying that your catll kill them. I expected Kline to hold his ground, but he huffed and rolled his eyes, and the lurvines dug their paws into the dirt, noses scrunched in as they glared at us. I turned to Aiden. Whatd he say? Aiden turned to me with a strange expression. I think it loosely translated to, Why would I need to? Like youre all weak. Can you guys stop pissing them off? I rolled my eyes. Can you tell them to cooperate? Suddenly, the smallest lurvine stepped forward. I got the feeling it was a female due to its different body structure and blue eyes. Um Aiden turned to me. Sina says shell fight but you sure? Shes the second Lets do it. B2 - Chapter 31 - Spar Aiden watched Mira and Sina face off on the river bed with his heart jackhammering in his chest. Female lurvines were smaller but far faster when they werent injured or suppressed, and Sina was the packs matriarch. Kline could handle her, sure. He didnt know how, but his speed and invisibility crushed the whole pack before but Mira? Mira come to think of it, he had never seen Mira fight. She just disappeared once and then survived a stampede of 400-pound glarhans and turned up alive and well later that night as if nothing had happened. Well? Mira asked. Aiden snapped out of his daze, looking between Mira and Sina, fifty feet away from each other on the sandy beach, waiting to fight. His heartbeat escalated, and his hands became clammy. But he took a breath and did the countdown. Three two one His world slowed down. Go. Sina rocketed forward like a bullet, making it to Mira in two bounds. Aiden thought she was done for, but Mira disappeared. The next moment, Sina jumped backward just as Mira swung the blunt side of her machete at Sinas neck from the side. It was like she teleported. The two jumped back, and Sinas demeanor shifted to apprehension. Not just her. The entire atmosphere from all parties turned tense and suffocating as if they had just witnessed something grave. It suddenly didnt feel like it was about a fight anymore. It was like they were witnessing something that disturbed the natural order and Aiden didnt even see it. Elle, he whispered. Can you give me advice on whether I should watch this? Elle appeared and sat on his shoulder, watching Mira and Sina stare off again with a serious expression. I cant say anything. Even advice? he asked. Even advice, she said. Aiden tried to look away, but his anxiety and fear were too high, so he remained frozen as they stared at each otherand began. Sina swiped her paw. Lunged. Snapped. Spun her tail. Released fire. Aiden couldnt see Mira. She kept dodging in places he couldnt see her, as if she was aware of his wariness. The battle went on at a dizzying speed. A sandstorm kicked up around them as Sina used her intense speed to keep pressure, swiping, biting, pouncing, clawingbreathing fire. It probably wouldve been even, but Sina covered her body in blue flames, making it impossible for Mira to get near her. It was devastating. Aiden could feel the flames from eighty feet away, and when Sina walked, it turned the sand to molten glass. This cant go on Aiden thought with a pounding heart. He looked at Kline, who was watching carefullytensewaiting to jump in. The battle went on. Suddenly, Sina roared and slammed the ground, and Miras apparent invisibility ended. Mira jumped out of a dust cloud, hitting the ground in a state of disorientation. Kline jumped to his feet as Sina pounced on Mirabut held back. Aiden could finally see why. Mira rolled to the side with blurring speed, dodging the strike by an inch. The rebound force threw her upward, and from only three feet up, her body scrunched into a tiny ball with perfect balance, and she landed with the reflexes of a cat, ducking just in time to avoid Sinas follow-up swipe. It all happened in a cameras flash. Then Mira swiped her machete against Sinas paw. Sina jumped back on three legs. Both took deep breaths, fumbling to obtain balance. A few seconds later, Mira looked at Sinas foot. You''re not gonna use that? Sina turned to Aiden, and he translated. She says it would be gone in a real battle. Mira nodded. Yeah. Itd be toast. Thats why shes not using it. Cool. Mira said with a red face. Sinas mouth broke into a jagged grin, and she looked at Aiden. Aidens heart started racing. She says Great spells have great costs. Sure do Mira said. Thats why you need to stop translating, shut your eyes, and turn around. Less you blind tomorrow. A sharp blade of fear cut through Aidens chest, and he turned to the other lurvines and screamed, Shut your eyes! Then he turned around and shielded his face. After nearly losing his sight the day before, he didnt give a fuck about some spar. He didnt want to know what the spell was anyway, so he shut his eyes and prayed it would be enough. 2. A dull pain from a headache assaulted my mind as I pulled Nymbral from my chest. I underestimated the lurvine no Sina. Kline made these creatures seem so pathetic, but I wasnt Kline, and she was fast. I had to use all my concentration with max Moxle Dilation to survive the lurvines relentless onslaught. It was difficult because with every swipe, every bite, every stomp, the ground shifted and quaked, and I had to jump and find balance. I ducked and moved, but even with my spell cranked, her movements were like a real-speed dog trying to play with me. It was intense. But I did manage to start counterstriking and hit Sinas chest with a shallow slash. I thought I would win, but she inadvertently learned my weakness when she roared right into my face, making my head feel like it was about to split in half as I blindly jumped out of the way. Now, after barely surviving a pounce where I had to stop time to right my body into a Dying Flamingo yoga stance to land on my feet, my head couldnt handle much more. I needed to use my trump card. The lurvines howled when I pulled it out, and Aiden yelled, back still turned. Theyre asking if youre turning this into a death match. No, I said. Ill only hit er with the machete. Or Ill surrender the fight. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Aiden communicated that to the lurvines, and Sina looked at me suspiciously. Come on, I said to her as I put my machete in its sheath. Lets get this over with. Sina took a step forward. Then she lunged. I cranked Moxle Dilation to the max one last time and called Pervasive Breeze, blinding her with sand as I dodged. She landed where I was, and I turned, charging up a shot. My world dimmed to black as the spell took root, and a blinding flash rocketed into the sky like a beacon. It blinded Sina right before she lunged at me, making her howl in pain as she hit the ground. I rushed up with the last energy I had left, dropped Nymbral, unsheathed my machete, and jumped, striking the dull side onto her skull. Then the spell cracked and my brain with it, and I quickly blacked out. 3. A group of soldiers stationed on Salca Tower, a thousand-foot watchtower outside Galfers Gate which acted as the eyes over the gate in the event of an evasion, suddenly paused their game when a bright beam of golden light illuminated the skies above the Areswood Forest. It was fleeting, only for a second like a shooting star, but it was very conspicuous. One of the soldiers dropped their cards. Oh shit. Ill call the captain. No! One pressed the scrying mirror onto the table. What the fuck. The first soldier looked between the forest and his fellow soldier twice, seeing a disturbed look in the mans eye. What? He looked around and the other two soldiers were giving him the same expression. What? What the fucks wrong with all you. Listen, and listen carefully, Tal. Theres an order to things round here. We start by tellin a contact and not tellin the cappin. If someone sees it, they contact the cappin, and the cappin gives us trouble. We tell the cappin the contract and give em a cut. The contact gives the cappin a cut. And thats how it works. Now take your cut. One of the soldiers threw a bag onto the table. It hit the wood with a thud and a series of clanks. The soldier opened the bag carefully and saw hawks inside, freezing and looking at his fellow soldiers. Wait you serious right now? Its either this or youre goin off that tower. The soldier trembled and searched for words and found none. He took the bribe. 4. Brexton spoke to a soldier on Salca Tower on a scrying mirror that allowed them to share their faces as they talked. He smiled and acted surprised, but inside, it was bittersweet. Contacts on Acropoint, Hydrahill, and all the other high points in the first domain saw it, and many in the Third Ring saw an ambient glow over the gate. So it wasnt exactly a secret. That said, a new guard needed indoctrinating so payment goes where payments due. Besides, he got a tidbit of information. It was a sharp beam of light that went up instead of down. That confirmation was enough to be worth the money. I wonder how hell explain that one, Brexton grinned. Thatll be a blast.
I woke up in the late afternoon feeling like my skin was peeling off. There was a bump every few seconds, and when I looked up, I saw the trees moving around me. I looked to my side and saw white fur, and when I turned more, I saw Aiden riding the largest lurvine, which I would soon know was named Kael, with the most miserable expression I think a human could make. Uh I rolled over onto my back and looked down. I was tied on a lurvine with a rope. Then I looked back and studied Aidens miserable expression. Oh youre awake, he said. Uh yeah. Where are we? I dunno. Following Kline He winced and turned away. Whats wrong? I asked weakly. You look constipated. I prefer the term bowel challenged. I smiled and chuckled under my breath. Pick what youre positive about. He chuckled wryly and then looked up. You ever ride an animal bareback? No. Ive never even ridden an animal. Aiden laughed maniacally. Oh you just wait. An icy splash washed down my spine when I realized the context. The lurvine I was riding suddenly slowed down. Aiden looked at me. She wants to know if you wanna ride. A dull ache in my forehead told me not to overdo it, but the part of my brain that told me not to trust foxes that grew to the size of elk was stronger. Ill ride. The lurvines stopped, and Sina, the one I fought, laid down, allowing Aiden to untie me. He pulled the rope and looped it between his palm and elbow repeatedly, skillfully tying it off at the end and attaching it to the backpack he wore when he flew into the forest. I stumbled to the side and tried to get situated on Sinas back, and she chuffed in annoyance. I could feel her resentment and anger. I felt nervous. Unlike what Aiden made it out to be, riding on Sina wasnt painful. In fact, her body wasnt exactly real. Like Kline, she was small when she slept, but her soul force and mana created an ethereal body that felt real, but it was adaptive. It was also emotion-rich. Whatever it was made of, mana or soul force, it felt like I could feel her emotions through itand she was pissed. Are her eyes okay? I asked. Aiden nodded. Theyre fine. They were in rough shape after the fight. They thought you maimed her. The water was right there, I protested. Thats what I said. But they cant just grab the water like we can. Two-step process. oh. But they honored their word. Protected you and everything. Sina turned to Aiden and snarled. What? he said dryly. Im just sayin what happened. What happened? I asked. Well whatever you did attracted a lot of attention. It was like last night all over again. These guys He looked down at his lurvine and then at the rest. Theyre not on contract to protect us. Theyre just rides; our lives arent their problems. One of the lurvines turned to Aiden and bore its teeth. Aiden rolled his eyes at the lurvine and answered it. Yeah, thats what I just said. Whatd he say? I asked. He said that they wont do it again. Meaning that they did once, like I said. They fought with Kline earlier to protect you. Aiden turned to the lurvine and said, On~ce, with raw sass that made me giggle. Why? I asked. Whyd they help? Who knows with this lot, Aiden laughed, pinching some of Kaels fur and shaking it. But probably honor duty or all that. Kael snorted and communicated something strange because it drained the blood from Aidens face. Whatd he say? I asked. His lips curved into an awkward smile. No No, what? I dont know. About what? Ugh Tell me. I looked at Kael and then at him. Its not like you said it. Aiden rubbed his face. He said that you need to protect female warriors the fiercest because Because what? He looked away. Uh Hey. Its really hot, and no ones eaten lunch. Are you hungry? Are you going to tell me? No, Aiden declared. Moving on. You? Eat? Hungry? I looked at my stomach and frowned when I realized that I was. How long have I been out? Most the day. But we spent most our time cleanin corpses again. So were down a day Yeah Were kinda fucked. But we can obviously go faster, and Keal said they can ride through the night. So what we do is up to you. I felt time pressure bearing down on me and felt the crushing anxiety of the Migration. It wouldnt be long before the beasts coming down reached us while we went up. B2 - Chapter 32 - The Torok I thought about whether we should take a break. It wouldnt be long before we faced beasts migrating for the Black Harvest. Luckily, they were far north, but we were riding up, and they were riding down. It wouldnt be long till we reached them. Getting in a break while we could was for the best. Yeah. Lets stop. Give em a break. We unmounted in an open meadow with a massive boulder in the middle of it. The rock was half-eaten by water erosion and created a majestic pillar, and it was surrounded by an almost ritualistic field of flowers that soaked up sunlight from the open sky. I untied a tarp with the third-evolution bear meat from Sina and turned to her and then the rest. I know were your responsibility, but youre our responsibility, too. And none of us are ready to face another third ev. I chopped off a piece of the bears thigh with my machete and threw it to Sina. So eat up. I fed Kline and the lurvines, then dug a ditch that I filled with water from Water Sphere. I finished by purifying it before sitting next to Kline, creating a tiny water sphere just for him. His eyes sparkled, and he lapped it up, letting me rub his tiny ears as the skeptical lurvines approached the water hole and drank. Sina waited until the last moment to eat, watching me carefully till the last. We rode on. Things sped up after the break. Part of me thought that the soul meat would make bareback bearable, as my skin and body were sturdier. I was wrong. Oh, yes, I was wrong. If youve never had something pound at your crotch and thighs at strange and foreign angles, its as terrible as it is awkward to talk about. And no matter how strong your skin is, gravity and friction are stronger. It only took two hours before I moved from discomfort to chafing, and I ended up healing myself every thirty minutes. I made Aiden drink water. Obviously. Sina was a lot stranger than I imagined. I thought she simply hated me, but every time I got uncomfortable, she would move her body in a way to ease my burden or stop to let me get situated. I asked Aiden to ask about it, and he said, When youre uncomfortable, you flail around like a dead fish and its uncomfortable, with a large smile. Whats the real reason? Aiden laughed and shrugged. I dont know. Seriously? Seriously. Thats the cold-hard truth. We rode on. That night I fell asleep on Sina as she rode through the night, and in the morning, I woke to getting stung by tiny insects. I shot awake and screamed and used Pervasive Breeze to blow them away, approaching a hand-swatting job with pure violence. Then I slapped every part of my body to kill any in my shirt, created a skin barrier, created an oxygenless domain around everything but my head, and thrust two middle fingers at the bugs surrounding my barriers. The lurvines howled with laughter. I didnt think it was funny. Neither did Aiden, who did not, in fact, have a skin barrier or a domain or really anything to protect himself with. We rode on. That afternoon, we passed over hilly sections and strange creaks that sprung up from nowhere and disappeared as fast as they came. The green in the forest shifted colors, sometimes to gray, other times brown. In one section, we were surrounded by trees webbed with pink moss and decided to stop in the forest. Aiden didnt trust the moss wasnt poisonous, but I knew that it was, in fact, edible. So I shrugged and ate some. Everyone else looked at me like a freak. I frowned and admitted it was terrible, even noting that it wasnt nutritious. Aiden grinned, and the lurvines smirked, and Kline rushed between them, warning them not to mock his human, but they just snorted dismissively, eating bear meat before we moved on. Time was short, so we picked up the pace when we left, blasting through the forest at an uncomfortable speed. I wasnt a fan, but Aiden seemed to handle it just fine, and I didnt want to get outdone, so I kept on the road until we were both just staring at each other like it was a competitionunwilling to be the first to give up. Turned out that he was really stubborn. He refused to harm his immune system from the water and his face contorted in pain. So I ended up giving up just to heal his wounds and then we continued still. It was a hard ride, but it felt to easy easy to the point it was nerve-wracking. To deal with that, Aiden actually made small talk. You know this is prime real estate, he said. Uh huh Still tryin out the positivity thing? No, Im being serious. Thinka bout it. We could turn it into farmland for settlers. Let em do all the hard work wranglin up these plants and teaching the others how to survive. Then we come in with crippling taxation and bankrupt em. Wed then buy up the land on the cheap and sell it to Walmart or something. Ooooh So we''re a government now? He looked into the forest and back with a helpless smile. Its not like we have competition. I giggled at the sheer absurdity of the conversation. I dont know what to say. Im glad, cause me neither. He laughed and looked down and then ahead again, falling silent again. After a while, he looked over. How am I doing? Better? I nodded. Better. Anything else you wanna scheme about? Nah. That took me like Twenty minutes to think up. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I laughed. You said the quiet part out loud. Oh guess so. He looked away and then fell silent again. It was my turn to put in effort, so I turned back to him. So whatre your pets names? He paused and then smiled wryly. Where do you want me to start? Gotta more than a few. Ummm. How about the one you love slightly less than the rest of them. On which day? I shrugged. Huh well, my boa constrictor Wait! You gotta boa constrictor? Uh yeah. Obviously I dont let em out on Saturd No-no-no. Back up. Are you sayin a boa constrictor came here with you? He shrugged. They had a cage for em and everything. Probably doesnt seem like it to you, but the Oracle really planned this out. No way Yeah. Crazy, right? Yeah so whats his name? Oh, his names Kline suddenly hissed, and the pack stopped moving. My little warrior narrowed his eyes and then looked to the northeast. The lurvines sniffed the air, and when they picked up the scent, Sinas fur rose like blades of grass, and his body turned to stone. What is it? I whispered to Aiden. He put his index finger to his lips, telepathically communicated with the wolves, and turned back to me. He shook his head, placed his palms together, and separated them, moving one up. Big His hands didnt stop moving. Huge My biceps flexed sporadically and my arms webbed with gooseflesh, and I listened through the deafening silence, looking through the area. The area was wide open, with thirty feet between trees, but we couldnt see due to the steep incline before us. So we just had to wait. A loud snap and sound of birds flitted through the forest, making my heart jolt. Then we heard the tremors in the ground and heard the snap of deadfall. Why arent we moving? I whispered with a gasping breath. Aiden threw up a finger. He closed his eyes, and a few seconds later, I got a message from him in my guide, showing that he had paid a silver request to communicate with me. The message read: - They said we cant outrun em. The best we can do is show respect, play dead, or pray. - I swallowed dry salivathe kind that scratches your throat, leaving the illusion your mouth is drier than it was before. Then it got worse. The trees swayed and buckled and snapped as twigs rained down from above the incline and then I saw them. Biblical creatures from times of old. They were giants, a hundred feet high, with moss-like fur that hung like Christmas lights, contrasting against their calcified faces that looked like maskssad mimes of the forest, moving over the spongy terrain. Their hands had claws and tiny thumbs and they grabbed trees to help them over boulders. They looked like giant humans but once they hit the hill, one dropped to all fours and sniffed the air with a hunched back like a wild beast. This thing wasnt even in our league. If we had to run we would die. I identified them. --- Name: Torok Description: Since I refuse to tell you the weaknesses of something that you have no chance of harming, keep still and read this instead. You have run into a torok, one of the many creatures in this forest that humbly reminds you that this forest has prevented every coordinated invasion by gods and neophytes for millions of years. So if youre getting cocky that you beat an over-glorified fire foxby sacrificing yourself and sending an Im here! beacon to all your enemies like an idiotId reconsider. Thankfully, these third to seventh-evolution beasts only fight the strong, and your weak cores and soul force may eliminate you from that category. So, with any luck, theyll continue on to the Bramble, waiting for legacy family members who have imported strong cores from the upper domains and have trained their whole lives for the Harvest. That is who they are looking for. So pray that you --- I suddenly stopped reading when Sina started shaking. I turned and found a torok staring right at us. Its eyes were pitch black in its white calcified mask, but I could feel them staring through me. I tried to breathe, but no breath came, kicking off a panic attack. My ribs ached, my mind crumbledmy body refused to work. Please no Suddenly, the torok turned to follow its pack but paused again, grabbing a tree and moving toward us with big steps. Kline was invisible, but I could see his soul force, and his soul force showed that he had his hackles raised, baring his fangs. The ground quaked under its calm footsteps, releasing muted Booms and rumbles as twigs shook on the ground. Boom Boom Boom My mind tingled from oxygen deprivation, so I took a breath, feeling nauseous and loopy. As if to justify all my fears, it dropped to all fours, scurrying toward us. Kline jumped onto Sina and told me to get on but I didnt move. Lithco said not to runso I kept still. The torok pushed its face closer until I could see its black corneas, each the size of beach balls, locked eye sockets the size of canoes. Kline hissed, and I grabbed him, holding him against my chest as the torok flipped his head right and then left, sniffing, looking right through us. Pure it suddenly said, using a deep baritone voice that shook my mind. Pure Suddenly, all the torok turned around and dropped to their foursweaving through the trees. Kline didnt shake; he forced his body under me and activated his ethereal form, making Sina drop down from the pressure. The torok pack arrived in seconds, turning their heads to me and Kline and started repeating the same word in an off-sync manner. Pure Pure. Pure, pure, pure, pure, pure. Pure. The first one suddenly reached its raft-sized palm out to grab me, and Kline ran, using Warp Step to jump between portals as the beasts screamed Pure in our minds with sharp intensity. Suddenly, one bounded over Kline and another jumped past a portal that Kline flew through. He warped to another location, but a torok jumped in front of that one, too. They can see them! All the torok blocked the portal''s entrances, threatening to make Kline smash into a hand at high speed, so he stopped, hissing and backing up. Pure pure, pure pure-pure-pure, pure. One ducked down and stared at me. You pure. Strength. Fight. I cant fight you! I yelled. Im weak! Pure, pure, pure pure. The torok cocked its head the other way. You weak. Strength. Fight. I cant! Suddenly, Sina howled in the distance. She was far slower than the rest of us, but she was running at full sprint as if she never hesitated. She caught up in seconds, bounding forward and jumping between us, skidding to a halt and snarling right into the toroks face. B2 - Chapter 33 - The Migration Intensifies The torok spared Sina a single dismissive glance before turning back to me. Pure. You weak. Strength. Sina snarled, but the torok didnt budge. It pointed to the lurvine. Weak. It pointed to me. You weak. Pure. Strength. Fight. It stood, and the others did the same. Strength. Pure. You. Fight. As if they were satisfied with their message, they walked on, continuing south toward the Bramble as they continued their chant like a mantra. Pure strength I thought. Aiden and the lurvines approached from the forest, taking silent, skeptical steps. Neither we nor they could believe what just happened. Everything good? he asked. Oh, yeah. Peachy. What do you think? Well youre alive. And thats kinda badass, given the situation. I glared at him. His fake positivity was slightly annoying, but it was also better than the alternative, so I nodded and said, Thanks, dryly. His cheek twitched as he forced a smile. So He paused and frowned and looked away, clearly unwilling to ask me a question. Never mind. I pulled out my gatling laser and blasted one in the face, I answered. Fucker laughed it off and tried to attack, but Kline sprouted wings, and he flew us around like Pegasus until they got bored and left. Aiden furrowed his brows. Thats my story. Got it He looked grateful for my unwillingness to disclose, but a moment later, Kael and Sina turned to him, and then he cupped his face in his hands and groaned. I frowned, getting the impression that he learned everything I held back and more. Whatd they say? Nothing bad its just none of my business. Whats none of your business? He took a deep, frustrated breath. Theyre sayin that the torok are seers. Thats a bad word for it, but they see souls cores potential. And apparently, the torok see you as special. They say youre pure, but many beings achieve purity. So Kael and Sina want to know whats special about you. His voice was sharp but it wasnt warning and he looked nervous just being around me. I dont know. Thats the honest truth. I had ideas as much as anyone. I had waited and threaded and cleansed with nearly unlimited resources. I thought I was approaching the maximum and Yakana seemed to validate that. But it seemed there was more about maxing out a core than I imagined. Kline meowed softly. I looked down, I saw that he was moping around, fishing for attention. The poor thing had to evolve prematurely to save my life. It wasnt a loss. Kline threaded while I did alchemy and at night when I did Mental Shielding training, so he ate through more cores than I had in two months before he evolved. That said, I was better at threading, and I had improved in the last three months, allowing me to obtain elegant control over my core. There were some things raw force, resources, and talent couldnt handle. Only time could achieve greatness. You gotta a third ev core to thread and youre only a first, I said to Kline. And you got all winter to turn that little core of yours into a raging sun. I rapped his spine with my knuckles. Youll be a god. He looked up at me with big, hopeful eyes. I mean it. I reached out my hands, and he jumped inside. It was strange to see him so vulnerable, but that was the result of the problem being permanent. No matter how strong he got, he would never have a pure core. It was heartbreaking and I could feel that. Still, his core didnt change his power. Yakana taught Kline to thread; he took cleansing elixirs and drank regularly from the Diktyo. He ate through second evolution cores and had serious talent. Kline was a god amongst beasts already, and nothing, Nothing! was going to challenge my little warrior one day. Not even me. Kline perked up, allowing me to shift my focus to Sina. Thank you. Sina huffed and sneered and looked away. I turned to Aiden. Did she say, It was my duty, or something else super insincere? Aiden chuckled but shook his head. Its about honor. That hit me in the feels, and I looked at Sina, who turned and lay to let me hop onto her back. I nodded and put Kline down, mounting her and then facing the forest. Hey Aiden, I said. He turned to me. What? Ive got honor, too. I looked him in the eye. So dont make me save your ass. With those words I took off, leading the pack with Kline, rushing right into the Migration. We had barely reached it and almost diedand there was still a long way to go. I had to get stronger. We had to get stronger. We rode on. 2. The hours of peaceful travel ended after that. The torok were like natural barriers that no beast would willingly walk ahead of, but they sure had no problem walking behind them. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. We encountered beasts every hour after, and I flew through their ranks like a Napoleonic cavalry member, using my machete to slice down beasts that Kline and the lurvines didnt kill on the first strike. I wasnt skilled at riding so I always fell off after one or two attacks, but my dilation magic allowed me to retain my balance and recover. After every battle, Aiden would say a prayer and kill the survivors. Then, I would steal some meat from each species and hit the trail once more. It seemed doable at first, but our progress quickly slowed to a crawl, and the fights became more fierce. Something had to change. Lets go up there, I said, looking at a rocky cliff hugging the mountain. Aiden turned to me sharply. For a break? Were already a day behind. Yeah, and well be a week behind if something doesnt change. So whatll change? We needa find quick power ups. So Im gonna go through my rewards and learn soul cooking. Wait. Youre gonna learn how to cook? Right now? Yeah, right now. And its not normal cooking. It accelerates soul-force intake. And unless youve forgotten, were toast if we run into another third ev. We need power, so if thisll help, were doing it. He gripped Kaels fur and looked away. I knew he saw my point, but at the same time, we were already behind. To him, a long break signed Haltens death warrant. Up, I said to Sina. She got the message and scaled the bluff, filled closely behind by Keal and the rest of the pack. It took an hour to make it up the jagged bluff, but once we were on a flat section, we had a vantage point that showed us the open forest from a bird''s eye view. I unmounted and sat on the ground, giving Kline wiggle fingers. He reluctantly came to me, allowing me to pet him. He then lay beside me, two inches away from my leg, saying, Fine, human. I will lay here, but I refuse to give you the attention you have deprived me of. I smiled and pulled out my pop out oven that I had yet to use during our intense riding schedule. Whats that? Aiden asked. Its a stove. I hadnt used it because we were riding non-stop, even through the night, so this was the first chance I got. Im going to get to work. Aiden nodded. Okay. He walked away, leaving me in silence, and then I began. I opened my Guide, and reviewed my rewards. I had three diamond rewards from my legacy quests, and three platinum from winning this years Trial of Worth, but I was quickly disappointed. Unlike requests, I was given options, and they were always within the context of my class, which included poison, alchemy, and soulmancy. Soul cooking wasnt included. Additionally, my legacy rewards were special. I had to choose options from the specilization of the god I got it from. It wasnt ideal, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good the options were. There were three out of the nine that really stood out. The first left me stunned. -
  1. Wood Wide Web Become one with the Wood Wide Web, allowing you to tap into the communication network of roots and mycorrhizal fungi that allow plants to exchange nutrients, information, and chemical signals. You cannot hear with this skill, but in areas with mana and soul-feeding plants, you will be able to sense and see mana and soul fluctuations from long distances. It also allows you to find specific plants youre searching for, so long as you understand their mana signature. The stronger your soul force becomes, the farther you will be able to see; the stronger your mana core becomes, the clearer the information will become. Before long, this skill can spread out for tens of miles with ease, covering whole planets if you become a god. You will become a seer, just like one of the many dryads in this forest. Note: This skill can be upgraded to be able to give orders to soul-reaping plants and transfer water, nutrients, mana and soul mana over long distances.
- I felt a deep pull to this option on sight. The Wood Wide Web was a concept on Earth as well. Its when mycelium creates vast webs miles long, connecting the roots of trees and countless plant forms in a phenomenon called plant-mycorrhizal symbiosis. In some locations, like the Amazon, many plants require the spread of water, nitrates, and carbon to survive in the clay-rich soil. It was a fascinating and powerful concept that had magical capabilities, and since I was already specializing in soul magic, it could become a powerful tool for scouting beasts and finding certain plants. It also sounded necessary for powerful spells I would need in the future. I couldnt imagine a world where I didnt get itbut I kept reading anyway. The next option was also powerful. -
  1. Soul, Reaper, and Harvester Pacts (Microbiota) In a stunning reminder that youre becoming far too complacent, you have completely disregarded the obvious possibility that soul-reaping and harvesting plants and fungi arent poisonous, and they arent necessarily trap plants. Therefore, you have walked past over a thousand species that were just waiting to kill you dead. Thankfully, you can turn these freakish enemies into your friends, weaponizing their souls to do your bidding in exchange for providing them with nutrition, removing threats, or any other exchange they may need. Its a natural addition to your soulmancy legacy, giving you a headstart on a skill that you may unlock years from now. Note: As a legacy reward, this skill comes with the diamond book, Identifying and Taming Soul Plants: A Guide to Identifying Soul Plants and the Spirits Inside. It provides you with soul plant highlighting in pure white. The highlight only works for species known for living in the fourth and fifth rings.
- I shivered when I read it and looked at all the unhighlighted plants around me. It made me wonder how many types of dangerous plants were there. Soul plants. Razor brambles. Freakish mushrooms. Id buy it for the highlighting, I thought. The thought of soul eating fungal and poisons cranked my danger senses through the roofand it got worse when I bought it. The forest lit up below me and when I looked over, I saw whole trees lighting up like Christmas trees. I guess it is the forest of souls I thought. Ill have to check em out later. I still had one last diamond reward. So I looked for it. -
  1. Alchemic Plant and Fungi Processing Some skills take thousands of hours to master, and your time with Elana is sparse and specialized. To maximize your time with her and have her accept you as a talented pupil instead of a blessed pupil, practice high-level processing skills that go beyond your basic alchemy skill and become better at your craft.
- I groaned when I found it. These diamond requests were extremely powerful, but they werent what I needed at that exact moment, and it was unwise to buy anything without instant value. After all, there was no value in buying something in advancebut there was value in waiting. I guess what Im trying to say is that it was illogical to buy the Wood Wide Web skill right before learning another skill but I selected it anyway and got the chime. I had no regrets about it. Of all the skills that I could use, being able to see the enemies long before they saw me was an invaluable skill. If anyone challenged me on the sanity of accepting that skill, I imagined they would need to bring their A-game and a willingness to lose. I didnt have time to learn it, but there might be a time soon when I needed it in my arsonal. In the meantime, I saved my alchemy request and all my platinums, turning my attention to what I needed most. Lithco, I said in my thoughts. Help me learn soul cooking. B2 - Chapter 34 - Soul Cooking Lithco walked out from behind me, put a fancy blue cushion on the dirt, and sat down. How much do those pants cost? I asked sarcastically. Theyre trousers, he said aloud, dusting off the charcoal pants. And its not about price. Its about being civilized. I rolled my eyes and continued speaking telepathically. What part of my request translated to the way you dress? You requested confrontation. I doth provide. I picked up a pebble and threw it at him like a child. It bounced off him the moment before I heard the real pebble hit the ground. Klines ears twitched, and he looked at me. Narrowed his eyes at Lithco and then went back to sleep. Lithco raised an eyebrow. Are you done? I pouted. Yes. Well? You gonna tell me? Ah, yes. Soul cooking. I cant tell you much about it without a skill, but I can say three things. First, it allows you to process the soul-force meat so it cooks normally. Second, doing that will refine it, increasing your soul force intake significantlymaking it a wildly sought-after skill amongst the elite. Lastly, if you get good at it, you can even align beast-specific soul force patterns with your own. Its called Adaptive Soul Refinement, and it allows you to steal certain elementslike soul forcespecifically designed to harden a beasts skin and make it part of your own. Youre nowhere near that level, but thats one of those spicy benefits of a platinum technique. I grimaced. But its out of my class Which means you needa spend a diamond. I cupped my hands into my face and groaned, capturing the attention of the lurvines. I blushed and stared ahead, refusing to increase the perception that I was crazy by staring into dead space like I was having a conversation. They know Im speaking to you, right? No~pe. These beasts dont have a guide. Youre kidding. Im not. But thats a discussion for later. Now then, I assume you want to know if its worth it? Hmmm? I held still. Yes. I dont think you have a choice, Lithco said. You need power now, and thiss crank it up for all of you now in a way that doesnt require effort. No need to thread. Build cores. Do shielding. You just throw around some meat and itll get the job done. I grimaced. I had two diamond requests left, perhaps the last two I would ever get, but there were advantages to this skill. I needed to eat three times a day, and this would give me power during every meal. And, at the very least, I wouldnt have to eat burnt meat that took me ten hours to cook. Do it I whispered weakly in my mind. I got the chime and got six books, five skills, ten tutorials, dozens of recipes, and a variety of spells. I didnt even look at them. I just opened up the tutorial. Teach me. Let me change, Lithco sighed. He got up and walked behind me. A minute later, he returned in chef gear, and I almost blew a gasket. I threw around some sarcastic remarks; he responded with sass and snark. We moved on. The lurvines watched me untie the bear meat from one of the lurvines and take it back to my pop-out stove, which blew up into a wood fire stove just by adding some mana. I then pulled out cooking knives I got from the Big Bag o Tools and a core container. I gave Kline the third evolution core and brought some to Aiden and the lurvines. Then I sat down in front of a flat rock with the bear meat on it, knife in hand, waiting for Lithco to teach me. We began. 2. Soul force aura makes you stronger and resilient to the elements, Lithco explained, duplicating my knife, rock, and meat to work with. So, naturally you have to remove those elements to make it weak to fire. Makes sense I whispered. To do that, we need to learn spells. You have enough spells to process up to fifth evolution meat although barely. And, like all things, its gonna take you time to learn it. Thankfully, the beasts dead, and the foundational breakdown spellll process just about anything. Its like trying to chisel a statue with a jackhammer, but it will work. Thats what were gonna learn today. I nodded. Close your eyes and chant. I did and learned that it had more in common with creating my soul core than threading mana. It sent icy chills through me as the world around me seemed to warp, and I felt intimately connected to the world around me, and it almost felt like foreign elements were trying to enter my skin like worms. It was disturbing. Feel that? Lithco asked. Thats you connecting to the soul network. Its all around us, permeating the air as raw mana. The chills youre feeling are coming from that raw mana trying to invade your mana channels and body. If it wins, it will corrupt your soul. I cried out and stumbled back, capturing everyones attention. The lurvines sneered and treated me crazy. Kline growled at them. Aiden smoothed it over. Whatever he said made the lurvines look at me with wide eyes and then continue a conversation. I moved on. Why didnt you tell me? I asked. There was no need, Lithco said. Whats the point of having a soul core if youre unable to withstand raw nature. Now chant. Once you feel that again, churn your soul core and see what happens. I complied, and when I did, the world of soulmancy opened up before me. 3. Soulmancy. The art of manipulating souls. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Between Lithcos initial explanation and what I learned from my domain practice, there were two types of soul mana. The first was aura, an internal usage that amplified the power or sharpness of attacks, increased your concentration and mental shielding, built resistance and attacks and natural elements, and created external pressure and domains to control your environment. The second, and one specific to soul manipulation, was called neara, an external soul mana that allowed you to communicate with people and creatures in wide networks, inflict mental attacks that distorted an opponent''s mind, allowed you to fix, strengthen, or refine souls, and to breathe life into other beasts or inanimate objects. This form of soul manipulation was truly terrifying and it was coincidentally what I was practicing. I churned my soul core while using the chant that Lithco taught me, and an icy chill of soul mana washed into my chest, making me feel a deranged sense of deja vu where I felt like I was on the verge of remembering something important. Judging by the clusterfuck you started at the river, you have learned soul cleansing somehow, Lithco said dryly. Its strange but it makes this easier to explain. You know how you feel like youre gaining something right now? I nodded. Yeah its different. Yes. Thats because cleansing only cleans the aura and neara. This allows you to thread the aura around your core and absorb it from within. The aura isnt bad. It is uniform, and its just like winding thread around a bobbin, just like your mana core. But neara is different. Theres many types, and when you absorb them all, you absorb the types for enhancing intelligence, capturing memories and emotions, and the type that enhances the nerve system. Without a core, the neara would hijack your own, corrupting your soul. But with a core, you can cleanse the neara directly, breaking it down into raw energy to feed your own. Thats why you feel like youre about to remember or experience something, only for it to be deleted a moment later. Youre taking it in and cleansing it. That was all too much to process. So how does this relate to soul cooking? When a beast consumes raw soul meat, the aura inside works as a barrier, like time seal coating on medicines that prevent active ingredients from destroying your body, Lithco explained. Once you remove the aura, the shields off, and eating it will corrupt their soul. Thats why you need to cleanse the neara inside the meat. Its actually quite involved. I looked at Kline and shivered. The thought of poorly processed soul meat corrupting his soul cranked up the pressure significantly. Lithco put his hands on the bear meat. Thankfully, youve already learned soul cleansing somehow, and what you learn here today will be useful on your path to soulmancy. So even if you mess up repeatedly, it will only help to make you stronger. I nodded hesitantly and put my hands on the meat like Lithco. Got it. Now listen carefully. This is third-evolution meat. Do not break focus and crank your soul core to the maximum possible. After two seconds, release. Do you understand? I nodded. Good, now repeat after me. Lithco chanted to reconnect me to the soul network around me, and then I churned my core to the maximum. Good, now repeat after me. Lithco had me start another chant. Not a moment later, an extreme force slammed into my core, and I thought Id lose my mind, personality, and consciousness. I spiraled into limbo, and when my spinning core caught up, I snapped back into my body. What followed was terrifying. I experienced a kaleidoscope of flashing images and intense emotions, making me cry out in pain and release the spell. What the fuck was that? I screamed. Aiden rushed over, and Kline pawed me but I put both my hands up to stop them both. Lithco remained calm. Thats what happens when your core cant process neara fast enough. Its uncomfortable now, but the ability to see images and feel emotions can allow you to take over the eyes of beasts, feel emotions and speak to souls. Everything you experienced is the nature of your new Wood Wide Web spell. I wanted to scream at him, but this was how it wasthe thing I asked for. I dug my hands into the dirt as Kline licked my wrist with his scratchy tongue. Why didnt you warn me? I telepathically hissed to Lithco. Because someone I knows got a bad habit of pushing things too far, Lithco said. And if she does that here, shell lose her mind and body and soul in seconds. So its best to feel the risks around a teacher. I released my hands from the dirt and grabbed my forearms. They felt cold and looked sickly pale. Wood Wide Web, Soul CookingSoul Pacts, Lithco said. All the diamond-level spells you just bought have the ability to destroy your soul. So dont fuck around. I nodded. He nudged his head to my backpack. Get weaker meat. I felt deep hesitation. The only way to overcome this type of trauma is to jump right back in, Lithco said gently. But try to trust me. Itll be okay. I did trust Lithco. I learned to be wary of his lessons a long time ago, but even that wariness wasnt a bad thing. From the beginning, his warnings and lessons had helped me to survive. So I trusted his sincerity and pulled out the meat I had marinated. I put my hands on it and Purified it. Then I touched it. Okay I said. Lets begin. Lithco began chanting, and so did I, sides splitting with aches, soul strained with fear. Yet the minute I started pulling the aura from the meat, it felt like there was a gentle stream that I could wrap around my soul core. It wasnt comfortable. It still had force and power, but it didnt even affect my mind. Whats going on? I asked. When your soul force is stronger than what youre interacting with, you have control over it. Before, neara was breaking out of the meat, but now, youre unraveling the aura and any neara that does make it into your soul is within your cleansing tolerance. Oh I kept churning my core and fighting against the pressure. Amazingly enough, it started fading after a few minutes until I could barely feel it. That was step one, Lithco said. Now its time to purify it. I groaned but followed along he started chanting. The moment he hit his stride, my eyes widened in amazement when I realized that it was a rudimentary version of the cleansing spell I was using in the river. Very rudimentary. It was like playing tic-tac-toe when I was accustomed to chess. Can I I asked Lithco. Yes, you can use your cleansing technique. I did, and soon, the energy within the meat turned smooth like whipped cream, uniform and mixed. Is this right? Thats better than alright. Start up your stove and try it out. I opened my eyes and looked at the meat. It looked dull and lifeless, but then I realized that it didnt have an external soul-force glow. I turned and found Aiden hugging his knees. Kline was to my right, sitting straight, eyes fixed on me. I grimaced under the pressure but pulled out my cast iron skillet, used separation to remove the rust from my last trip into the water, put it onto the heating array, and heated it up. I waited for a minute for it to heat up, created a water drop on my finger, and let it drop into the pan. It sizzled and turned to steam. I then pulled out marinated steaks and hesitantly threw them onto the pan, trying not to get my hopes up. The second the steak reached the meat, it sizzled. Oh, yes, it sizzled. And it smelled incredible. I took in the aroma of strange edible plants and herbs from the marinade and then waited a few minutes before lifting it with a normal fork. It was browning. It was actually fucking browning! I wasnt waiting a year and some change to get meat. It was browning in real-time. Oh fuck yes, I whispered aloud. Lithco laughed as he looked around. The lurvines had slowly walked up to me and Aiden was trying to shoo them away. As for my little warrior, he rudely jumped onto my lap to get a better shh~niff, and I rolled my eyes, but I couldnt blame him. It was food. Real fucking food. I felt bad that Halten was dying while I felt so much joy, but it had been months since I ate something that didnt taste like charcoal and disappointment. Twenty minutes later, I sliced up slices of the medium rare steak and took a bite. B2 - Chapter 35 - The Soulmancer Drugs. Eating processed soul meat felt like drugsor at least the way theyre described. The moment that I swallowed a piece of steak, my shoulders slumped, and I dropped to the ground. Mira! Aiden yelled as he rushed up to me. I could hear him, but I couldnt pay attention. My core and chest felt like it was taking a shower and my arms and legs felt like they were melting while getting massaged, a sensory equivalent of someone mixing blue paint into a tub of white and stirring it with a stick. It felt like I was healingtruly healingfor the first time in my life. It was magical. Kline jumped up on my chest, and I released an oof. Im okay I said dreamily, shooing him off. Its just good. Eat a bite. Kline turned to the steak, which had fallen into the dirt, picked up a piece, and ate it. Two minutes later, he was lying next to me, zoning out. Are you sure youre okay? Aiden asked. Try some, I said. He picked up a dirty piece and dusted it off while the lurvines watched on. Give them a piece first. Once you bite in, youre toast. Aiden nodded and threw Sina a piece, then Kael and the rest. One after the other, they collapsed like dominos. Are you sure this is okay? he asked. Is it okay? I laughed. Oh, yeah. Its ohhh~kay. Aiden dusted off a piece and took a bite, fighting through the gravel. Two seconds later, he collapsed on the ground, too. It felt like we were a roaming pack of druggies, and I hated that, but it was hard not to enjoy the feeling. I doubted that mortals were supposed to eat food like this. Energy was welling within us, leaving us feeling full of vitality, and I could feel my core getting stronger. This was food that was genuinely worth the money. It was just too much to explain. Twenty minutes later, the high from the food wore off, and I sat up, overlooking the forest. I stood and felt light as a feather, and when I stretched my limbs, they felt pure. I cycled my soul core, and it felt smooth and powerful. One bite had noticeably changed meand that was second evolution meat. I had a third evolution bear to tackle. My journey as a murderous foodie had just begun. The lurvines got up and walked up to me, sitting like trained animals, begging me for more. Oh, dont you worry, I said. Our nights just begun. I threaded the aura just by processing the meat, and I would need the soul processing practice to make a soul elixir. It was time to begin cooking. 2. Mintas was working his shift at the Claustra headquarters in the Caralyx Islands when an intruder broke through the gate. There was no physical shockwave from the break-in; in fact, the gate opened on its own. That said, the ward had dissolved around the mansion, and the signal of the other demigod guards posted there was missing. He flew across the veranda he was on, jumping over a railing and into the garden of the estate''s lawn. Two other demigods joined him as they rushed the cloaked figure that was walking through the gate. The man, if Mintas could even call him a man just by their broad shoulders and chest, looked like death incarnate, standing seven feet tall, wearing black robes that wrapped around his calcified skull and multi-pointed antlers. Despite his deathly appearance, every time he stood a step, the grass and flowers in the garden turned vibrant and flushed with energy. The god of death brings life. Mintass mother used to say that. It was similar to the general concept of the cycle of life, but she had adapted it to describe the gods and their decision to bring needless death upon the world. He didnt know who this individual was or if they brought either life or death, but his appearance gave a visual representation of the concept more than any story ever could. Mintas tried to appraise the mans strengthbut he found nothing. The man had no soul force signature or mana warp. None. The ninth-tier camouflaging techniques the Claustra used could recreate different mana and soul force signatures, making someone weak look strong or someone strong look weak, but those techniques bent and distributed mana. This wasnt like that. There was nothing around the man as if he had never been touched by mana or soul force in his life. It was like he was a ghost. Hold back, Mintas ordered the others. He walked up to the man with a strained chest. State your business. Im here to speak with Romulan, he said directly in Mintass mind. Hes in a meeting. Ive been told. Then make a meeting and return later. I will not. Mintass heart released flicking thumps, each reverberating in his chest as he looked at the man before him. As a demigod, Mintas had spent over a millennium fighting stronger opponents than himself and achieved a degree of mastery that only resources and knowledge could transcend. During that time, he could always gauge the strength of his opponents. It was the tension and strain they put on the world with their soul force and mana-condensing techniques. Just being around a ninth evolution god like Romulan made him kneel instinctively. Yet with this man, there was no indication of how strong they were aside from the fact that they were standing in the Caralyx Islands, the floating islands only demigods and above lived in, had just walked past a ninth-tier array and had so much control that they could mask themselves with absolute camouflaging that exceeded anything he had seen from the Claustraa godline of illusion. That meant they were a god, at the very least. It was the only explanation. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Does Romulan know you? Mintas asked. Hes expecting me. Youre not on his guest list. That doesnt matter. Mintass chest welled with hot frustration. Whats your name? Like all of the Claustras contracts, I wish to remain anonymous. Now take me to Romulan, or bring him to me. There was a silent impasse with Mintas looking at his fellow demigods. The elf put his hands together to unleash a realm, but the intruders words stopped him. I seek a meeting, not conflict. But if you insist, first think of all those bearing witness to this exchange. Because when I fightI leave no witnesses. His words turned Mintas ribs to strings, then pulled and released them. It was an extremely uncomfortable feeling. Yet Elas did not feel so much indecision or terror. How did you make it past the guards out front? Elas demanded. The man turned to him with a calm demeanor. They became hostileso I killed them. Elas unleashed a realm. A dome domain stretched out over the grounds, and pure soul force condensed into thousands of spears surrounding the intruder in a prison. Even the ground turned solid with soul force, electrified by mana, ready to strike from all angles. If someone didnt have enough soul force to freeze out the realm with one of their own or at least break through a section of the spears, they would not be able to do anything except block. Elas turned to Mintas. Activate the restriction array. Well take him in alive. Mintas heard him, but he didnt move. His eyes were glued on the intruder that was standing there, lost in thought, deciding what to do. Then, the intruder spoke once more. Tell me, how important are you to your master? A mere servant? A soldier? A leader? Elas wait. Mintas put up his hands with icy chills and turned to the beastkin beside him. Get Romulan. If Romulan is expecting him, we dont want to harm his guest. Are you serious? If Romulan expected him, wed be informed to let anyone with their description in. The guest wouldnt be killing our people! Listen, Elas. If your realm is strong enough to kill him, it can imprison him. And if hes imprisoned, theres no problem waiting. If its not strong enough to kill him, were useless to Romulan. Right now, we need to warn and mobilize the Wings. Elas clicked his tongue and conceded to the logic. Mintas nodded and released a divination pulse that spread along the land, picking up all living signatures in the area. Nine people were watching. He connected to all of them in a neara network and spoke within their minds. Inform Romulan and get the Wings. Well contain the threat. I dont want a single one of you watching. If you areI will have your head by days end. Are you insane? Elas hissed. Thats a wise decision, the intruder interjected as he watched the others rush from their posts. I pray you continue on that path. Elas sneered but complied, watching the beastkin Iakal rush into the residence with the rest, and then he waited. The intruder never moved. It seemed it would end peacefully, but to Mindass silent internal dread, neither Romulan nor the Wings arrived. There was just one Wing, one of the twelve eighth evolution gods that acted as generals and officials for Romulan Claustra, that came. How interesting, she said as she walked out in the garden. Behind her, a female human giant made of transparent soul force followed her footsteps, eighty feet in height, with two wings on her back. It was her guardian, a spirit that acted as her body in battles, and just being near it was suffocating. This was what a god was supposed to feel like. Mintas knelt. Lady Real. Do not address me. Its shameful that you did not handle this matter. There was no need for blood If a guess of Romulan kills one of our family members, we repay them in kind. If theyre too strong for our guards, the Wings will comebut not before. Thats normally true but he has no signature. Real turned to the intruder, who was standing calmly in a solid realm. It was hard to tell from the suffocating soul force around the intruder, but there was no secondary soul signature or mana warp patterns within. Wheres the ward? It just disappeared. She pulled out a small knife and rolled it around her fingers in thought. After it rolled through all her fingers twice, she snapped it into place. Strike him. Elas activated his realm to send the spears compacting on the intruder, but a colossal suffocating hand of raw soul force broke through the spears, clamping its fingers down on Elas. It dug its nails inside and spread its fingers, and a ghostly copy of Elas separated from his body, silently screaming as the realm around the intruder disappeared, taking all the spears with it. Just as the elfs chest exited his chest, his soul tore like a sheet of paper before snapping back in place. After that, his shoulders and arms fell limp but the ghostly hand held him up by the torso. Mintas watched the scene in horror, wondering how a seventh evolution demigod, who had spent centuries mastering magic, martial arts, and soul arts, had been ripped apart in the blink of an eye. He turned to Real to gauge her reaction and saw her staring with trembling eyes. Youre him arent you? she whispered. The soulmancer of Dronami. I am. You should have announced your presence, she said, kneeling. The Wingsve been trained to greet soulmancers with distinction. If you would have just Enough. Suddenly, a massive explosion of soul force expanded from his body, creating a dome over the garden that blocked all sound. This was a true realm, a completely isolated domain where the intruder held dominion over the soul force and mana. Reals body freckled with goosebumps and she released a realm of her own, obtaining a fifty-foot space of control for her and her guardianstruggling to move past that. Mintas hit the ground before then, wheezing from the strain of soul force, wondering when he had felt so powerless. Its unfortunate you would identify me so casually. The soulmancer took a step forward. That defeats my request for anonymity. He took another. It defeats your masters order not to speak of me. He took a third and kept walking. Forgive me, she said nervously. I will request a kill switch. There is no need. I gave them warnings. I told you that your master was expecting me. I clarified my reason for not disclosing my identity. He paused to let his words sink in. Then you attacked me. A piercing shriek erupted from the soulmancers chest, and the translucent white form of a wild beast entered the soul arm holding Elas in place. It pumped from the soulmancers arm to the hand, like a beast moving through a hose, as it moved toward the fingers. Real attacked faster than Mintas could process. He blinked, and she was slashing the arm in half. She succeeded in detaching the arm like an umbilical cord, but the beast was faster. It pulsed through the hands and fingers and went straight into Elass body, turning the elf''s eyes white. B2 - Chapter 36 - Romulan Claustra You son of a bitch! Real screamed when the beast entered Emals body. There was nothing left to do for the elf, so her angelic guardian slammed a massive palm down on him, releasing a shockwave that kicked dust in her domain but failed to move within his. Mintas thought Emal was dead, but he heard another screech in the dust and then Emal flew forward, grabbed onto the guardians colossal arm, and started climbing up it. The guardian slapped at it, but Emal flipped onto her wrist, using a form of mana to stick to her skin. The fight up became intense, with the guardian moving its hands in complex patterns, but Elas dodged them all, flying around like a spider flinging between webs. Emal didnt make it far before he was flung outward, but he released a cry, hooked onto the guardians hands with some type of thread, and flew forward. His hand developed claws of pure aura as he slashed down, cutting the guardians hand. She released a silent cry and flung him into a nearby wing of the building with a terrific crash that cracked the ward protecting the wall. It all happened in two seconds, leaving Mintas stunned by the savage display of mindless force. 2. Reals heart knocked on her ribcage as she stared at the soulmancer. She didnt know his name or how strong he was or even that he was coming. She was only warned once countless millennia before that if a soulmancer were to arrive, she shouldnt attack him, a strict contrast to international treaties that dictated that members of the Council of Dranami kill soulmancers on sight. Now, this soulmancer was before her, and his aura made hers feel like a water droplet hitting an ocean. If she didnt act, she would die. Still, it was difficult. Her battlefield attacks could destroy oceans and carve valleys into areas without external protection methods. Even with the aura and domain protections on the Caralyx Islands, which prevented wide-scale destruction, she could still destroy the ward around the house and cause serious devastation. She needed a contained attack that could fight this monstrosity so she chose a gravity attack. Real threw a tiny black hole outside her domain at the soulmancer. The world visibly warped as all the grass and tiles and flowers blended together in a surrealist painting of circular color. A crater formed in the ground forty feet deep as Mintas flew forward, crashing into her barrier at high speed, barely surviving being turned to dust. It was devastating. Suddenly, the contained attack disappeared, and her body seized from overwhelming pressure that brought her to her knees. The soulmancer walked up to her, clothing not so far as damaged, and asked: What do you know about me? Nothing, she said. I was just told not to attack soulmancers that came here. I didnt know you were a soulmancer. And you didnt ask. She winced. Who else knows of this soulmancer? Just the Wings so far as I know. The gods. I see Reals guardian shrieked as it flew backward like a meteorite, crashing into the reinforced gate with its eighty-foot body. Emal''s tiny elven body flew up to her, body leaving after images, and jumped onto her, moving up her arm and breastplate and finally landing on her head. Real thought that Emal had been simply taken over by a wild beast she was wrong. Emal created the same realm that he did previously, surrounding her guardians head with spears from all angles. Usually, a realm that weak wouldnt be able to attack a gods guardian, but each one of those spheres contained the aura of a demigodand there were thousands. No she whispered. Emal released a primal battle cry as he grabbed the guardians hair. Then, all the spears pierced through the guardians headhim includedmaking both of them fall limp. Real watched with an open mouth, horrified that the body of a demigod killed her guardian and then itself. It didnt make senseuntil the soul of a terrifying primal beast, at least fifty feet tall on all fours released from Emals mouth with a cry that released a shockwave. She thought it would rampage in its spectral form, but the soulmancer thrust out his arm, and the beast rushed forward, jumping into his hand, sucking into nothingness, and disappearing. That wasnt all. The soul of her guardian also dissipated, turning into a ball of energy that screamed and failed and clawed as he molded it with two hands in the distance, like a puppet master. A few seconds later, a tornado of aura and neara exploded from it, and the ball flew into his hands just like the beast. He stole her. He stole Salan, her lifelong guardian whom she raised from her infancy, into a guardian worthy of a god. Just like that, he stole her mind and spirit and absorbed her into his plaything. Real finally understood why people hated soulmancers so much. They took loved ones and friends and guardians and spirit beast companions and obliterated their personalities, stealing them for their armies. It made her furious. You son of a bitch! she screamed. How dare you? How fucking dare you! Salan is dead and has found peace, he said calmly. True death where she can rest, free from the agony of the Great Assimilation. Only her body and practical remnants remain. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Dont use her body! Dont use her at all, you sadistic fuck! Ive done her a mercy you cannot comprehendbut you soon will. The soulmancer waved his hand, and then her body collapsed into meaty pieces, leaving only the powerful remnant of a gods mind and memory to experience the attack. Then, her body and soul caught on fire with blue flames, and darkness clouded her eyes. 3. Brindle walked up to Mintas, who was unconscious from the womans gravity attack. It was rather cruel that he, the one who was reasonable and did his best to quell the needless violence, would die for the actions of others. Yet he had to. His identity was a precious secret, only known to the Council of Dranami, the gods who ruled Dranami. All of them were under a blood pact to not speak of him and to hide his secrets, lest other gods learn that a tenth evolution god entered the Areswood Forest and then ascended. Then, one of the top wonders of the multiverse would become a sensation once more, and the days of violence and warfare would return, just as they had so many years ago. There was a time when that was irrelevant. But time and peace had made his army weak, and another coordinated war for the forest could end in failure. Perhaps that was why Yakana chose Mira necessity. Desperation. Hope. The stakes were too high. If gods ever made it to the Seventh Ring, it would be a catastrophe. Brindle lifted his hand at Mintas. Pity Thats enough, dont you think? Brindle looked up and saw Romulan walk out his front door. He was wearing a suit, sporting handsome features that were still youthful, somewhere around thirty in human years, reminiscent of his distant grandson Brexton Claustra. They shared the same black hair, short pompadour, and sharp dress. He looked like a businessman even after all these millennia. Romulan Claustra, the patriarch who headed not only the legacy family branches in Dranamis five domains and the Caralyx Islands but also all Claustra lines in the extended multiverse. Romulan Claustra, a ninth evolution godthe highest most could ever hope to achieve without pursuing only the most potent of paths with the highest of resources. Romulan Claustrathe puppet master who threatened everything. I dont see how this is enough. Romulan shrugged and walked forward. Weve gotten rather mean with our kill switches. Even thinking about disclosing information will shred a persons soul. Ill let you read the binding. Brindle stared at him. Come now. Its quite a simple soul pact. Elegant even. If you dont like it, you can always kill him. But it would be a shame given the circumstances. Competent help is good to find. Romulan looked at his Wings ashes, scattering in a light breeze. His words were cheerful, but he was also warning himand the threat held sway. Brindle could kill Romulan, but Romulans network was vast. Tenth evolution gods would come to collect, and all knowledge of the Areswood Forest and plans would activate. It wasnt easy to kill a god with countless millennia of contacts, treaties, and resources. Romulan was being reasonable, and so should he. Ill bear witness. Romulan smiled and healed his protegee, waking him and then walking the sleepy, confused man into a soul binding, which indeed elegantly told him that hed die if he ever mentioned meeting or seeing a soulmancer in his lifetime, so long as it didnt meet certain conditions that would kill him in the event that everyone knew of Brindle. It was a reasonable accommodation that was stronger than his mythic-grade information suppression request. It was fair. Romulan slapped Mintass cheeks twice, smiled, and stood, turning to the house. Come now. Let us discuss the events within your humble forest. Brindle nodded and walked into the lavish home that was actually an illusionary front to a far larger building. Servants milled about as business folk moved from room to room, discussing multiplanetary negotiations between the high elites. Romulans manor was one of the few places on Dranami that, like Elanas palace, hosted individuals throughout the multiverse. Thus, there were many people there in a realm where people were sparse. Brindle followed Romulan to an inner room, but before he went in, Telgan established a telepathic link in his mind. You should see this. Forgive me, he said to Romulan. Theres something I must divert my attention to briefly. No problem, Romulan said, opening a second door. Come next door when youre ready. Brindle nodded and entered the room. He created a privacy barrier and then said, Speak. Have you accepted Miras request? Theres no need. Shes yet to establish a spell in soulmancy. Why would I aid someone in their short-term desperation? Brindle had no qualms with Mira and would seek to aid her, just as Yakana had. But she had yet to even start his legacy, instead spending all her time with her other patron god, so to get a sudden request for aid in doing something she was unpracticed in was baseless and rude. Turn on your vision. Brindle had given Telgan authorization to watch over his pupil, so she had been keeping tabs. The nymph didnt mention even significant events that threatened Miras life, so it was strange to hear a request. He opened it up and an image showed Mira performing soul cooking. He watched carefully, and he could see her separating the aura and cleansing the neara. It was a blanket cleanse, but it was still impressive. Yakana he thought again. It was increasingly perplexing to see how much faith Yakana was putting into Mira. It meant she was truly worthy, the forest was desperate, or another unseen factor. All were extreme. Brindle opened up his Guides menu and went to the tab, answering Miras request for a lecture with a certain option. He thanked Telgan, walked next door, and opened the door. Welcome back, Romulan said with a large smile and sharp eyes. Tell me what brings you here today. 4. I was halfway through eating the most profound meal of my life when I got a notification. It forced itself onto my screen, showing it was from Brindle. I opened it with a racing heart and saw a lecture for a soul-cleansing elixiron demandwith the note that said: When you get there. I looked at the note with tight shoulders, lying on the ground and looking up into the sky. The sun was setting, so the clouds were a canvas of reds and pinks and blues. Hes been watching me I thought nervously. Brindle. The writer of my books. The god that Elana fears and the forests denizens revere. Brindle. I took heavy breaths and did the only thing I could, weakly raising two thumbs to the sky for Brindle to see before crashing down. The next set of steaks was almost done, and I felt like one of the stereotypical rich elite in Death Game novels, gorging myself as the rest of the forests denizens ripped each other apart in preparation for the year''s Harvest. But I was getting stronger, so I finished my steaks, dreaming of bread, preparing to sleep for the final push to the alchemy station when I awoke. B2 - Chapter 37 - Secrets Brexton was spending time with his partner Alyan in a backroom of the nest when he got the telepathic link from Caragon, the link runner for the second domain. If Caragon was messaging him, it meant that someone higher up had made an order for him. Brexton stopped kissing her, pulled her off her clothed straddle, and answered telepathically. One second. I needa make sure this places secure. Alyan huffed and looked at him in confusion. Are you serious? Brexton lifted his index to tell her to wait, then tapped his temple twice. Then, he put his hand onto an array painted on a wall to check if it was activated. It was an interference array designed to prevent cross-neara interference, ensuring that no one could tap into the top layer of his subconscious. Youre serious, Alyan huffed, turning away. Unbelievable. Brexton sighed. Alyan had grown tired of the late nights and constant work, and while she wasntand could never bea long-term partner, he still cared about the people let into his life. So he promised to give her attention that nightand now he was breaking it. At least they were still clothedotherwise, it would be bad. Im here, Brexton said to Caragon as Alyna fixed her hair in a mirror furiously. I got a message from the Patriarch, Caragon said. Then send it to Roken. Roken was his uncle and the apparent head of the Claustra in the first domain. He did handle all the major family affairs, even if he didnt make choices. Not Trochaio, the Patriarch Romulan. Brexton took two steps back and fell onto the couch. Alyan turned to him to sneer before adding lipstick but saw his face and held back. She continued. Why didnt he just tell me? Brexton asked. He was one of the few people in the multiverse who had a direct line to Romulan, as the god was his patron, a rarity for someone with tens of thousands of distant grandchildren. It was part of that reason that Brexton was able to rise so quickly in the ranks, but it was also concerning in moments like this when Romulan didnt send him a request. Cause he needs you to take a message on your Skievan Oath. Brexton shivered. Skievan Oaths were a special type of kill switch that activated if people disclosed information they shouldnt. Usually, it would just kill a person, but the Claustra were held to a higher standard. If they broke their Skievan Oath, it would shred their soul in strange and terrifying ways. That meant it was serious. But dont worry, Caragon said. Thiss a good thing. Play your cards right, and youre ascending your uncle. No. Not a problem. Ill hit the train in a couple of hours. Well do the oath tonight. In a couple of hours? Unless theres value in having it sooner. No. Its just strange. Do you have something important going on? Brexton turned to Alyan, who was finishing fixing her makeup. Yeah. Its important. Alright. See you then. Brexton stood and mixed himself a drink at the bar. Then he watched his partner put on makeup. Thiss getting old, she said. Familys first, he said. Always has beenalways will be. No. You promised to put me first for once. Just this once. Tonight. Ten fucking minutes ago. I didnt forget. You were first then second for two minutes, now first. He walked over to her. Dont you dare, she said, slapping his hands weakly. You have no idea what Ive put you before, he said. She turned to him with a sharp expression. Its serious? Lets just say were either gonna celebrate in a few days, or everything is going to melt down and fucking explode. She swallowed nervously and took a deep breath and looked at him deeply. How exciting. Brexton flashed her a charming smile. Then he nudged his head toward the bedroom in the back. Alyan looked into the mirror and saw that she had just finished fixing her hair and makeup. Asshole.
Aiden, Kline, and I threaded cores after dinner and then slept a few hours. We woke before mornings light, loading up on Sina and Keal, both of which seemed more energetic. Their soul force felt different under me, and Klines ethereal form was almost visible. The morning felt calm, but we were attacked as the sun peeked through the branches. The lurvines flew forward, weaving between trees to avoid them as I grabbed tufts of fur. I thought I would die from a fall, but before I knew it, we were free from our pursuers, healing our chafing legs under a tree. We rode on. Things were calm after that until we were ambushed by a pack of brivelts, the bat-werewolves that ambushed Kline and me during the first week. I recoiled in fear, but I pushed out of that fear. I had grown since the last time we fought. I slowed time and lifted my machete, and one jumped at me. I dodged its attack by an inch and swung down in one motion, cutting off a leg. It hit a tree and fell into a patch of poisonous groundcover. It cried out in horror, scrambling to a tree and flying through the forest away. It was the lucky one. The one that attacked Kline hit the ground in three pieces, and the ones that clung to the lurvines burst into flames from their blue fire shielding. Sina brought the only survivor to Aiden, half crippled and twitching. He said, Wooooooow. Lifes full of opportunities to get stronger, before accepting his fate and swinging the executioners axe. We rode on. Beasts became more frequent, and we found some fighting and left them to kill each other. Some stopped fighting to attack us, and we killed them. Aiden racked up a dozen kills in a few hours, and soon, we were sitting in a patch of deadfall, demoralized with the timeline. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Over two days had passed, and we had five. Aiden thought we had four, and I warned him that I potentially couldnt even learn the elixir spell, so it wouldve been natural to give up. Yet there was something amazing about Aiden. Or perhaps strange. No maybe terrible is the word Its hard to put into words, but for whatever reason, he never dropped the grim positivity persona. It could have been because he wanted to change. Or, it could have been that he was clutching to it like a shield. But when he turned to everyone with a bright smile after an hour of sheer despair and said Well, at least we havent been attacked in the last five minutes. I genuinely couldnt tell whether he was being positive or not. He was molding himself into a new person in real-timeand if I had to choose an emotion to describe my reaction, I would say envy. It was strange. We rode on. It took another six battles that got increasingly intense before we made it to the wandering reaper site. I stared at the ground warily for a long time until Aiden asked, Whatre you looking for. My reply: My sense of indignation. It was strange. I shouldve hated the Oracle, the gods, and this entire fucked up system. But I liked who I had become. I enjoyed being in nature and living life how I wanted to. I loved knowing that I didnt have to work some finance internship that a family connection lined up for me, only to spend the next thirty years of my life coming home bone tired after happy hour to water my plants. Or, conversely, walking up to people and never having anything to talk about. My life here wasnt easy but it felt like my life. I loved that. We rode on. Things were suspiciously quiet around the Divide. The barrier was gone, but I didnt see any beasts moving into the alchemy camp. That would usually be a good thingunless you lived a life like mine. Then, it became terrifying. So I kept watch, but to my surprise, we made it to the alchemy station without issueonly to feel extremely disheartened. The entire place was trashed. The tables were flipped, jars with ingredients were shattered and thrown upon the ground, ingredients mixedassuming they didnt blow away. If there were any air-sensitive ingredients, they were neutralized. It was as if we had stumbled upon an abandoned drug lab searching for an abducted child. Fuck.
Aiden watched Mira separate ingredients into different containers with telekinesis, skillfully moving white from black grains and putting them into normal bowls. It was hypnotizing to watch her separating things with her mind and magic alone, but it also felt worthless. Right? She didnt know which was which. Then it hit him: Shes using an information request He was wrong again. As he remembered, an hour later, Mira had an alchemy god teaching her. So his guess was that a Guide projection would come out like Elle or Killian did and help her sort it. He admired her dedication and she really didnt give up. Aiden sat on the one log that didnt highlight purple somewhere or another and stared at the artificial pond next to the alchemy station. I wonder what thats for Doubt its for bathing I hope. Mira was a strange woman. She gave off a vibe that she didnt care what she wore, and she constantly grabbed the fabric around her thighs, mumbling things like, Ill find a spell to tame you, but at the same time, she did her hair every day. No he kept ignoring what she had said the first time he caught her doing it. This isnt for you, kay? She scratched a cowlick in frustration and then looked at him, sensing his unease about getting called out for something he didnt do. If it makes you feel better, its not for me, either. Then whos it he stopped himself. The Harvesters, Mira answered. Im trading supplies with em durin the Harvest, and theres a ten-to-one chance some idiots gonna try to rob me. The solution? Show up lookin like a maiden. Heh. She chuckled breathlessly. Magine it. Four months in Areswood Forest, and I show up lookin like I just finished a spa trip. Thats terrifying. Aiden returned to the present, watching Mira workwondering if she had always been like that. She was strong. Genuinely strong. Confident content. He envied that a lot, so when she gave him advice, he rolled with it, lying and being positive. It helped. Now, he had grown attached to her. Not romantically. God knows he didnt even consider dating anyone. Unless it was for work, speaking to people gave him anxiety he had to fight through. He could handle itbut he didnt want to volunteer for it. No, he wasnt attached to her romantically. But for the first time, he felt like he could have a friend. The word was could because Mira knew his secret. Look, Aiden, she had said one night after he cut off a question. Its okay. You mentioned getting held at gunpoint to get you into this forest, and I doubt they just wanted a delivery. My guess is that my guess is my guess. And so long as you keep doin what youre doin, were cool. Mira said thatbut he knew there was a serious wall between them that he couldnt patch. She was right. He had to spill her secretsbut. There were limitations. If she asks me to keep a secret, you can go fuck yourself, Aiden had said Brexton on the night of the negotiations. Brexton rocked back a glass until it was just ice and then said, Thats pretty admirablefor a snitch. Look Ive yet to meet someone who kept a secret. If she thinks Ill keep mum by default shes stupid. But if she asks for secrecy you can go fuck yourself. Brexton grinned. Fine. But you cant tell her shit about that rule. Or even allude to it. Im not gonna ask her questions. Shell figure it out. So? Brexton mixed himself another drink. It was just hard spirits with a squeeze of a purple fruit, but he made it look like an art somehow. If people were good at keeping mum, I wouldnt have a job. Aiden returned to the present with a bitter smile as he watched Mira put cabinets back together and organize them before adding ingredient jars. Mira said she understood, and Aiden didnt have a choicewithout a core, he wouldnt have made it to the Bramble, and he and Halten would have been picked off by some family or another. Stillhe still felt it was a betrayal to someone who he genuinely wanted to be friends with, and he surrendered any right to call her one. But. But what Aiden could do, the one thing that he could fight for with or without Brextons help, was to make the most of the information he had about Mira. Hey Elle. Come out here. His colorful little pixie flew out of his chest and did one circle before landing on his left shoulder. Howdy, stranger. What can your cute little pixie partner do for ya? I want you to remind me of an information request. Oooh. This sounds juicy. Aiden smirked. Maybe. I want you to tell me how I can use my knowledge of Mira to protect her on the outside and fuck over some people while were at it. But only if her Guide approves. I dont wanna fuck her over by helping. You know? Ooooh. Wrong shoulder. Elle flew to his right shoulder and put up devil horns with her index fingers. Tell me more. 3. Reality check. Half my heating arrays had been stomped, kicked, and clawed into unworkable conditions. I lost probably seventy percent of the ingredients outright, likely more once I figured out what was air-sensitive, and the ones I managed to separate and save were mixed. My counter was wrecked, and if I needed much glassware, I could forget it. I had an apparatus and some other gear. Despite that it wasnt a complete bust. Aiden brought a backpack and my gear held another bag that we stuffed with preservation containers outright, and after some digging, I pulled more elixirs from underground that I had buried. There were powerful ingredients Kline and I had bundled and put into a tree somewhere (which could still be there), and there were a lot more heating arrays than I had. Most importantly, there was still oil and alcohol in five-gallon tubs, and needed a lot of it for animals of that size. It would have to be enough. I had done what I could, and it was time to finally make the call. I went into my Guide and went to Brindles on-demand lecture. I hit request. B2 - Chapter 38 - Illusionary Barriers When Brindle put on-demand for the lecture, I thought it would take six, twelve, fourteen hours. Some delayany delay. I was wrong. The countdown gave five minutes and they were the most nerve-wracking of my life. I walked up to Aiden, who was sitting on a log beside the pond I created to practice my domain underwater. Patrol the area with Keal. Im getting started. Dont you want them here? I looked at Kline and then Sina, who was curled up next to the broken gazebo, and then back at Aiden. Itll be fine. He took the hint and nodded. Okay. Aiden spoke to the lurvines and then rode away with the pack save Sina, leaving me in a silent state of anxiety as I waited for Brindle. Sina watched me pace back and forth with her glassy blue eyes but said nothing. Then Brindle came. I wasnt sure what to expect when I saw himbut I didnt expect what I saw. Brindle was a six-foot humanoid in a cloak, only slightly taller than Lithco, with brown hands that were relatively gentle except for the sharpened fingernails on them. His body was deformed under the brown cloak. Or rather, it bunched up in strange ways that proved that his arms and chest werent smooth skin. Yet the most distinctive feature was his face. Brindle Grask had the short snout of a Shiba Inu dog with the calcified mask of a torok and antlers that werent much different from that of a buck deer. That was obviously strange. Strangest of all, Brindle didnt have a mouth that I could see. And when he spoke his first words, a strange and practical statement, it went straight into my mind, like when the River Guardian spoke to me. My name is Brindle Grask, he said in greeting. Im a Lyrindel, but your kind often refers to me as a druid. If my appearance will get in the way of your learning, speak now, and I shall mask my appearance. I found his opening statement bizarre but refreshing. It was completely practical, devoid of ego, and direct, spoken with a voice with little to no emotion, dry to the point of speaking like a tree. I had a feeling right off the bat that Brindle didnt think or feel like humanslike Elanaso they werent comparable. Your appearance is fine, I replied. You speak my language, and thats enough. Would you like me to bow to you? Or call you something? I do not care of such things. Then neither do I. Brindle nodded and rummaged through the alchemy station, taking note of the ingredients. It made me feel nervous. I liked Brindles simple demeanorbut it also terrified me. This world was cruel and unforgiving, so if Brindle entered the pinnacle of power, it meant that he had bone-chilling mindsets, and his apathy may have aided him in doing anything. Soul cores, Brindle said. Uh what? Soul cores. Where are your soul cores? Where are my I dont have wait. I unclipped my backpack, rifled through it, and pulled out a container with over a hundred milky blue rocks of varying sizes that I got from the lignan bugs. Are you talking about these? Yes. Brindle took it from my hands, duplicating it. You have more than enough to account for eer. Im glad What else will I need? A liquid preservative. Brindle turned to the tub of ethanol that miraculously survived. That will do. We also need ingredients. Store your ingredients, and I will take you to a garden, should it still be standing. I nodded and stored the cores in my backpack. Then, Brindle led me into the forest. Kline and Sina followed closely behind, with Kline being aware of Brindles presence and Sina being blind. The walk was silent yet peaceful. I sidestepped poisonous plants that were highlighted; Brindle did the same naturally, without even looking as if every plant was as mundane and common as pines. At the same time, he was fascinated by his surroundings, as if he was shocked by how much things had changedor how much things had stayed the same. I couldnt tell anything about him. Migrating beasts attacked shortly after we began our hike. Kline and Sina jumped out front, snarling at the beasts to enter a threatening stalemate, warning each other to leave their territory. Brindle turned to me calmly. Tell your companions to hold off. I would like to see you fight. I nodded and turned to them. Ill take this one. All of them. So keep out of it. They didnt move, but I stepped in front of them. I looked confident, but my hands trembled as I unsheathed my machete. There were six horned boars in a pack, and they were all strong. Im not sure about this, I said to Brindle. You can handle it. I nodded. Do not use your acceleration spell. Wait, what The boars charged. I jumped, narrowly missing a collision. They attacked again, rushing Kline. Kline could hear Brindle directly, so he dodged and climbed a tree. Sina wrapped herself in flames, and the boars snorted, stomping their hooves like horses, but backed away. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. With Kline up high and Sina wrapped in pressured flames, the boars turned all their ire to the weakest link: me. You have to be kidding me! I yelled as I dodged a third strike, skidding over loose dirt, narrowly avoiding a particularly toxic plant. The boars didnt let me up. They charged, and I narrowly dodged before slamming into a tree I was beside. Youve grown dependent, Brindle said calmly. Thats because I need it! I jumped and grabbed the branch of a dead tree, studded with thick branches that had no foliage. I only had one hand free while holding my machete, so I almost fell, but primal instincts and desperation kept me glued to it. I hung there as the boars pooled under me like a cobra pit, jumping and snapping at my feet. Do you? he asked. Three months ago, you could not dodge a reiga. Yet now you dodge horned boars without an acceleration spell. Your mind has strengthened from training. It has become refined by the souls of your quarry. Yet you still see yourself as unchanged. Im about to die! I swung around, shakily sheathing my machete and climbing onto the branch. The boars suddenly rammed the tree with the force of an earthquake, making it crack as leaves and sticks crashed down on my head. Oh hell no! I pulled myself onto the branch, hugging it like a warm. I felt so pathetic but Brindle didnt chastise me. He just watched with a lifeless gaze as I wormed my way to a thicker part of a branch where the vibrations lessened. A sudden crack made my heart stop. The boars were breaking down the towering tree, and they would succeed soon. In battle, you often get one chance, Brindle said. Its not random. You fight for that opening and seize it. I took shallow breaths as I got to the trunk and pushed myself up. Then I turned to the boars, brandishing my machete as the tree snapped and tilted. I trembled and looked down. Three of the boars were hitting the tree. Three had surrounded the tree on the other side. They were coordinated. I watched them, studying until a final strike snapped the tree trunk. Adrenaline pumped through my heart, allowing me to naturally slow the world around me. Then I saw it. Of the three attacking boars, one was slower than the others, holding back to prevent themselves crashing into the other boars when charging. I saw the opening and seized it. I swung down like Conan with max mana sharpening, slicing right through the boar''s skull. The boars charging at the tree couldnt stop in motion, so I rushed at one, cutting through one of their legs. It was a victory until the other stopped and bucked me, hitting me in the ribs and sending me flying. I crashed into the ground, rolling twice. When I looked up, I saw that Kline had sliced my attacker into sections, removing any hope of revenge. I still appreciated it. At the same time, I needed this opportunity, so I yelled, Stop! as I stumbled to my feet. The blow was strongbut it only bruised my ribs. That alone gave me a feeling of empowerment. For a second evolution beast the size of a wild boar to buck me, only for me to stand up. It occurred to me then that I had never suffered a real injury since the first week since Moxle Dilation always allowed me to dodge. Now that I was hit, I could finally see that I was stronger. That made my stomach flutter with butterflies and left me wrestling with awkward excitement and anxiety. I got this I said. I got this. Kline meowed and backed off as the other boars turned to me. Come on, you ugly bastards! I yelled. Lets do this! They charged. I dodged a charging boar, slicing down on its neck like I was chopping wood. A flower of blood blossomed from the beasts missing head, and my mind captured it like a photograph. Time then resumed, and two more flew at me in a pincer attack, bucking and snorting and kicking up dirt everywhere. I flew backward and stepped on poisonous groundcover but my boots shielded my feet from getting stung by the fuzzy barbs. Then, my back crashed into a tree, and I rolled to the side as they hit the tree. There wasnt an opening, so I backed up, only to find the one I maimed running at me with three legs. I rushed forward, moving to its awkward side and slamming my machete into its forehead like a baseball bat, letting gravity do the heavy lifting. I flew down as the remaining two turned and charged, furious that I had killed yet another one of their brethren. Yet their anger was in vain. Now that there were just two, it was easy. I dodged one, slicing off its hind ankle, making it squirt out blood like a garden hose. I moved on. The last one was even easier. It hit a tree on its last charge, and I took that time to hack its spine, sending it into a seizure. It dropped as the other stood on three legs. I hacked its skull on a dodge. It skidded across the ground and fell still. I finished off the seizing one with a chop to its skull, made sure the rest were dead, and then fell onto the ground, heart pounding like a sledgehammer striking railroad spikes. I expected Brindle to just turn to me and give me pointers but he did something that seemed uncharacteristic. He clapped. It wasnt a vibrant clap or a cheer. It was a melodramatic clap, a slow clap, but it didnt seem like he was walking in to stop a hero from fighting crime. It was a clap that simply acknowledged something. Good. I rolled over to him to gauge his facial expressions, but his calcified face acted as a mask. It didnt matter, though. The clap and acknowledgment were enough. Nothing dies in this forest, Brindle said. Those we kill become part of us. They make us strong, give us sustenance, and help us grow. And when they die, their soul purifies and becomes one with nature, acting as mana to sustain our magics. Nothing diesbut you must honor those who fall. And you do that by making their strength your own. Do not submit to your advantages. I felt a crushing weight behind his words but nodded. Okay. Let us go. Were drawing near. I stood and walked beside Brindle after that, silently led by Kline and trailed by Sina, wondering why Brindle did not ask me to butcher the animals. I wondered about a lot of things, but I felt comfortable. It was hard to explain, but Brindle felt like the wise old man who had lived through countless plagues and wars and betrayals only to find a way to be content. I wanted to be that. I walked on. Then something strange happened. We walked into a section of a forest I could vaguely remember hiking through while plant hunting at one point, and I could feel myself melding into what felt like the illusionary barrier at the temporary shelter. Only instead of finding something hiddenit just remained forest. Forest, endless forest for miles. Nothing had changed but my ability to sense it. I tried to check my map, but it wouldnt activate, likely because Brindle was there or secrecy laws. We pressed on. Twenty minutes later, the forest shifted once again. At one point, we were in a bright meadow. Then we hopped over a small creek and the world turned dark, as if someone turned off the lights. It wasnt pitch black. We could see the forest was just dense and gnarled, and the branches netted together like roots. How many illusions are there? I thought. The more we walked, the more intricate the forest became until there were stunning natural arches of leafless branches, creating a surreal forestscape that felt like hypnosis to walk through. At the end of it was a gnarled hellscape of swamp and swarming bugs. It was a terrifying section that no sane person would walk through without a Vietnam-era flamethrower. But Brindle did. He just walked ahead, forcing me to create a domain and skin barrier as I walked forward, cutting down branches that he had clipped with his fingers mere moments before. We walked on. Once we made it through that gnarled, darkened landscape, my mind filled with wonder when I saw what was on the other side. B2 - Chapter 39 - Flower of Memories Theres a certain cliche that beyond the hellish, deadly forest or inside a legendary whirlpool, theres a city of gold or lush beauty. People live richly with happy lives, unfettered by the gambling and crime and decadence of the outside world. Thats not what I found on the other side of the dark, dense forest and spiraling treesbut it was still unworldly. Instead, I found a natural cave made of branchesarchways that were unnatural, illuminated by small bugs that crawled over branches like ants, glowing orange and gold with phosphorescence as they carried on with their lives. The cave was only large enough for Brindle to walk with a hunch at first, but it soon opened up like an igloo, exposing a dreamscape of glowing green vines that hung like stalactites and fairy-like insects the size of common rocks that flew around in beautiful patterns, making a dreamy ambient section that was warm as a greenhouse and felt warm with sunlight despite being dark. And the plants There were so many plants. It was a hypnotic garden of flowers and herbs and ground cover that twisted like cake embellishments. What is this place? I asked in a daze. Its an alchemic garden. I tried to identify a beautiful blue and pink plant that wrapped together like a helix, but the guide screen didnt pop up. Why cant I identify these plants? I have omitted many wonders from my books, and the Oracle cannot read my thoughts or follow my movements. Thus, there will be a time when my books will fail you. Those times may spell tragedy. I shivered as I kept walking through his never-ending garden. I had grown so accustomed to the plants that I wouldve walked blindly into a trap plant. I looked back to see if Kline and Sina were staying on the path. They were. I moved on. Why write books at all? I asked. Arent you a guardian? My books sate peoples curiosity. There are many miraculous resources hereanyone who journeys into the Forest of Souls can see that. And as you move deeper into the forest, those plants become more profound. Its that phenomenon that leads to wild imaginations of limitless wealth and power, and the imagination is more powerful than drive or ambition. It causes many to sacrifice their lives to feed their curiosities and pursue the forest. Thus, I provided much of the truth. It ruins that romanticism and proves that while there are envious resources, they arent worth certain death to obtain. I see I really appreciated his thorough response. It convinced me that his answer was definitive, and there was nothing missing, and that was the exact concept that he conveyed. I believed it was overbut I knew something else was therethings that I was missing. Things he wouldnt trust to tell me. Thanks for letting me know. We walked on. About halfway through the garden, I left Kline and Sina on the path to move to a flower glowing like moonlight. It seemed innocuous, just one of many in a small patch, but it felt distinctive and stood out. Its beautiful It is. He pulled out a preservation chamber and dropped to his haunches. Create a domain of pure oxygen, clip, purify, and seal. I gulped. Ive never made one with pure oxygen. Then practice. I did, and to my surprise, it was quite easy. Unlike selectively removing oxygen from a domain, I just had to grab it and throw everything else out in bulk. Then, I cautiously purified a preservation chamber, clipped the flower, put it inside quickly, and sealed it twice. Good work. Thanks, I said earnestly. I looked at the plant and around. Can I ask you something? Yes. Why is there no sun in here these dont look saprobic or like they contain hyaline They are neither. These plants are nearan. As in neara soul mana? Correct. So theyre soul harvesters? Brindle stood and looked into my eyes with eyes that were green and ambient. No. Harvesters eat neara. Purifiers eat aura. Reapers are parasites that take control. Nearan plants absorb neara and balance it with their own properties. Theyre collectors. There are other types, but we neednt concern ourselves with such details when this is what we need. Lets continue. I followed Brindle to other plants, clipped what I needed and more, as I would make mistakes, and then followed him out of the garden as fast as we came. It made my heart ache to leave before studying for years, but it wouldnt be the last time. While I didnt mark it, I captured its location on my map in my mind, prepared to tell LIthco not to record my information when I went there next a privilege I had as a diamond information suppression request holder. We traveled on. The next location was in a normal part of the forest surrounded by beasts the size of rhinos. I fought one while the Kline took care of the other two. Sina watched by request and enjoyed the meat I sliced off for her, saving some for later. Then we pressed through the thicket to get the rest of the ingredients. The forest was cooling as we returned, but the fighting intensified. Kline and Sina took the lead on the way back, as I had a lot of precious ingredients, and we soon butchered meat from many different types of beasts. Yet we made it back to camp an hour from sunset. Aiden was waiting for me, but I put up my hand and pointed to the forest. Set up camp, would ya? I need time to focus on this recipe, so just do your own thing. He nodded and complied, giving me space with Brindle at the station. His patience was carved in stone. I gave Kline his third evolution core and returned Brindle, and only after a cool breeze rustled the tree leaves and left tiny waves in my pond that I realized that he had been with me all day. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. It wasnt a lecture it was like he was living with me. Uh do you still have time to teach me? Brindle nodded. Time is running short for the guardians. I winced. Do you think we can save him? Im unsure about Halten, but you can save Emael. Emael? Is that the River Guardian? Yes. I logged the name Emael into my mind and then nodded. Then its worth it. Lead the way. Then sit. I did. Brindle rolled his wrist, and a milky white and blue core appeared in his fingers. This is a soul core. It is similar to a regular core, but it contains aura and many types of neara. To use it, you must remove the aura like you do with soul meat, then selectively extract the type of neara you want. In this case, the remnants of other creatures are attacking and damaging the guardians souls. To fix that, we must strengthen their remnants while removing the invading forces. Such a maneuver is far beyond your capabilities, but I held my breath as he lifted the flower. This is the Teelia flower. It goes by many names, but the fairies call it the Flower of Memories. It absorbs ungrounded remnant neara. With it, you will be able to cleanse the remnants within the guardians. My heart fluttered. But if you dont strengthen their cores, it will erase their memories and turn them into puppets. Any hope I developed crashed together. Now sit. You must learn how to remove harmful neara from cores without blending them. That will build your core, but it will not fix damage. Lets begin by separating neara. Hold a core. I did. Then, he began chanting. I followed, and soon, I was in a trance, unraveling and winding the aura in the core. Then the neara came out, and a new chant filled my mind, immersive as cicadas and soon I was lost in the spell. Then, he added another, like a Mozart opera where multiple men and women were speaking at once, singing their songs in harmonious melodies, and the neara started to separate. I thought my head would crack in half once I focused on it. My stomach squeezed in, and my mind looped. The world became chilly and foreign, and my body tingled as the neara touched my skin. I activated my core and started cleansing. Only cleanse within not outside. I triedadding a fourth process to the spell. It pulled me in for what felt like days, and soon, I could separate the neara into twelve types. Now remove the remnant, he said. I could see it with my minds eye, like the red wire in a Hollywood bomb that needed to be clipped. Chant with me. He chanted and I followed, and soon my whole body was shaking violently as the fifth process overloaded my mind. It threatened to consume me, but I pressed forward, and an invisible force grabbed that one sliver of neara and pulled. I cried out, but I continued, forcing it out. It gave way with sudden ferocity, and I collapsed on the ground, letting the neara drift away aimlessly. Theres no way, I thought. I succeededbut at what cost? I managed to remove a sliver in a large core with seemingly limitless neara within it. I opened my eyes, and my blood ran cold. The symphony bugs were gone, and Kline was lying next to my side with Sina on my left, blocking the wind. It was already deep into night, and I had only just begun. I looked to the side and saw Brindle standing there, holding a core that reflected the moonlight, becoming one with one and alluring me so. Well done. Now come. The matter-of-factness in the way he talkedthe banal confidence that drivers have when they enter carsnumbed my anxieties and made me get up. Brindle filled a jar with alcohol and stood before it. I did the same. He then desiccated a single Teelia flower petal in a pure oxygen environment, grinding them in a pestle and adding them to the jar as I followed behind. He did the same thing for multiple other ingredients, performing Mana Extraction, a blue herb that turned the alcohol a pale blue. Lastly, he took the smallest soul core out of my container and put it into the concoction. The Teelia captures and balances impurities, so you need only perform the task that you have already done. Do that, and the ingredients will take care of the rest. I laced my fingers together and shut my eyes. I barely pulled out any before How am I supposed to do a full core? A persons will has power beyond your comprehension. Now that you know you can succeed, victory is within your grasp. Brindle took his jar and sat down, legs crossed with the jar between his legs, cupping the glass on all sides and purifying it. Then, he closed his eyes. I followed suit. Lets chant together once more. He began chanting, and I entered a trance, bringing that harmonious melody of chants together. It was calming at first, but once I entered the second part of the chant, my mind and heart strained even more intensely than before, and I gripped the jar for dear life. Sear. Sizzle. Scorch. Every word that described the feeling of hot entered my mind, but it didnt explain the feeling of boiling or popping of skin or chest or bone. My core felt like it was on fire, and I could feel my chest webbing. It was clear that the other ingredients were unlocking the full power of the core. Do not break concentration, Brindle said. For if you do, you will die. I didnt think. I couldnt. I just rode that wave of energy, memories threatening to flash before my eyes but then being shredded by my core. It was moving like a drill. The atmosphere around me cooled, and foreign elements stuck to me like glue, touching my skin and then hardening, cracking, and peeling off when it couldnt enter, giving way for more. It was intense and raw, but I rode the wave then cranked up the temperature. Halten and Emael needed a lot of cleansing, but I was struggling with a tiny stone. I had to work harder. I churned my core and soul remnant poison flew into me from all sides, bombarding me as the aura around the stone exited the glass, pierced my chest, and wrapped around my core. It became tighter and tighter, sharper and more powerful, helping me speed up as if it were going downhill. My mind started looping and straining and breaking, and I thought that I was going to go mad. But right then, in the maelstrom of neara and aura wrapping around me like a glove, Yakanas voice whispered in my ear. You can succeed on your ownbut allow me to help. I gave my consent, and his body melded into mine. Then, as if I were doing it wrong all along, Yakana helped me circulate and thread in a nuanced pattern that broke Brindles mold. It didnt seem different, it just seemed unrestrained and smooth. Soon, I was doing it naturally, and just as I was getting used to it, the core dried out, and the energy ended. I slowly opened my eyes, and Brindle looked down at me with his glassy green eyes. Again. I ground petals and ingredients into a new jar, a larger jar with a wider soul core, and then returned. Yakana gripped my soul as soon as I brought the remnants together as if he were a fish swimming in souls and helped me thread that core. Again, Brindle said. I added an even larger core to the same jar. And then another. And another. And soon, I found myself with a second jar and four cores within in. It was only once I tried to get a new core for the second jar and nearly collapsed that I stopped and listened to my surroundings. The symphony bugs were outside, and the sun was shining, and I could hear Aiden and the lurvine milling about. It wasnt enough, at least not as I imagined, but it was all I could do. I sat up slowly and looked at the jars. My tiny first jar was a pale blue but glowed. The second was a radiant blue that looked radioactive, and the third was also deep blue but less radiant, a sign of my wearing mind and soul. I had created them. If we made it, Halten and Emael could survive. B2 - Chapter 40 - Sacrifice I ate breakfast with a throbbing headache, wishing that someone would just crack my head open and get it over with. Brindle was gone. He left God knows how long ago, and Aiden was speaking to the lurvines, who had become quite friendly with him. He didnt need me for social interaction, and I was slightly jealous of that. But I was glad. I needed space to learn and grow, so having someone who could do their own thing would be nice. God, I wished he would stay around. I was getting increasingly scared to die alone, and I wondered if I could entice people to stay with me during the harvest. How freakish. Aiden walked over to me. Can you ride? Not to be pushy, but were already out of time, so if we have a shot, we gotta seize it. Kael said you can sleep on Sinas back. I turned to Sina who narrowed her eyes at me strangely, but in a way that lacked hostility, and I nodded. Yeah. But pack up the alchemy stuff. Kay? I had brought a large back from the Big Bag o Tools that Aiden tied onto Kael, and Aiden had a backpack he wore in the event that he crash-landed. Between the two, we could get a lot of the equipment. Ill get it, Aiden said. Come on, lets get you tied on so you can rest. I packed the soul elixirs and laid down on Sina, letting Aiden tie me on. I thought I wouldnt be able to sleep, but I was so so tired. I passed out before Aiden finished packing, and then I was out like a light. 2. I woke up when the forest was sweltering and buzzing with strange bugs in the distance. Large birds were calling in wobbled tones, and my skin was scratchy and sticky with sweat. It was all bearable if I hadnt slammed my head against Sinas shoulder to wake up. I bumped and slammed my head on Sinas fur, making my whole body lurch. We were moving fast. The landscape was blurring as I moved, and I turned just in time to see a beast that looked like a mixture of a monkey and a cheetah looking at me with murderous eyes. It lunged, and I screamed. Sina jumped to the side, narrowly dodging before jumping onto a large boulder and carrying on. The other beast followed, catching up in an instant. Right before it lunged, an orange and white blur jumped onto its head, and a spray of blood blew away in the wind. Kline. A haunting howl of many beasts wobbled in the distance, like Apache soldiers riding roughshod down sandy paths in what was once Mexico, hooping and hollering and fighting soldiers in the summer heat. Kline caught up again, warping into a shadow ahead of us and keeping pace. Another beast flew ahead. Kline disappeared, and he appeared on its back, biting into its spine. The beast cried out and it was loud, but it quickly became distant as we rushed ahead. So much was happening. Two more beasts caught up to us on both sides, and I could sense deep frustration in Sinas heart. She would usually cover herself in fire, but she couldnt use it with me tied to her. It was like her hands were tied behind her back. One suddenly lunged, and she breathed fire into its face, but its body still crashed into us, sending us flying into the ground. The other lunged from the side, biting into her shoulder. Without thinking, I activated Moxle Dilation, unsheathed my machete, and hacked its arm. Blood ruptured from the wound in a geyser, and it cried, releasing its jaws. The first pounced, still burning, before Sina could get up. It was a mean bite, and my left arm got caught up in it. It sunk its teeth into my forearm and ripped a chunk out of it with its flat human teeth. It was traumatic to see muscle and bone like it had just eaten a drumstick. So I screamed, slowing time, hacking through the flaming beasts eyes. It screeched and swiped its paw. I dodged narrowly and counter-struck. It dodged. Sina was up again and tried to move, but the other was attacking again. It was a hopeless situation, and I couldnt move. Under max dilation, I cut through my rope to get free, allowing me to strike and Sina to activate her flames. I was too slow. I had barely hacked through my shoulder rope when one attacked full-on. I curved my blade to it, prepared to skewer it in the nosebut the momentum would crush me. Id probably break my neck. It was over. Suddenly, another lurvine flew into the fray, snapping it in its jaws and flying away. I turned and saw Aiden just in time to see the crash. He didnt have a seat belt, so the high-speed impact flung him forward at intense speed, making him crash head-first into the ground before rolling twice and crashing his head into a tree. It was gruesome. Aiden! I screamed, trying to hack through the separately tied ropes around my waist and legs. I didnt make it in time. Sina had gotten up and continued running, rushing past Aiden low, giving me a chance to grab him. I cranked dilation to the max, but I couldnt reach him and Sina didnt stop. There was a full pack, and while I saw Kline kill a third, three more were coming up on Kael. It was going to be a bloodbathbut something remarkable happened. Kael and the whole pack surrounded Aiden. They already had their cores and drank Diktyo water, allowing them to evolve. They had no obligation to protect us by their contract. If Aiden died, it would be idealbut they protected him with their life. I saw that and cried and then disappeared as Sina flew up a boulder and pulled us deeper into the forest. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. 3. Sina ran for probably five miles before I could finally get out of my ropes safely. By that point, I jumped off and cut one of their heads off in a passion-filled fury. Sina wrapped her body in flames and ripped another to shreds. Kline caught up and killed a third. Then all went still. I stood there in that blood-soaked meadow with a pounding heart, breathing hard, mind hazy and primal and angry, trying to clear my mind but only seeing Aidenthe way that he flew forward to protect me. The way that he was launched off by the obvious physical forces he mustve known about. The sound of the crack as his head hit the tree, the blood on him, his limp bodythe lurvine protecting his life. Then, I tried to grip my hands and found that one wasnt working. I looked down and saw that half my forearm was missing and bleeding out. I panicked, hyperventilating as I forced off my backpack. With one arm and my teeth, I opened the bag and pulled out an Ilyndra elixir, ripped out the seal with my teeth, purified my arm, and then chugged it down. It was just as foreign and disgusting as I rememberedbut a lot worse. Instead of going through my whole body, it moved straight to the injury like a magnet, filling my left half with the elixir. It felt like a parasite or an Alien growing within me, snaking around until it made it to my arm. But once it hit that wound, it webbed out with magenta goo that quickly blackened. It was miraculous but it stopped as if I were 3D printing and ran out of plastic. In essence, thats what happened. There was only a test tube to replace my entire forearm. So I drank another. A third. A fourth. A fifth. And finally, after my entire arm looked like I had 3-D printed capillaries and veins and muscle to fill my arm, I drank a sixth, and the wound finally shut. My arm didnt work yetbut I could feel blood finally pumping through it, and the swelling in my bicep calmed down. It was a miracle. That was close I almost lost my arm. That was a fact. This elixir I spent so much time on was finally worth it. A miracle. Come here, I said to Kline. He had shallow wounds, so I gave him a normal healing elixir, filling his body with building blocks necessary to replace muscles, tendons, veins, and the like, and then gave him Diktyo River water to heal the wounds. Soon, he was strutting around normally, meowing and rubbing against my legsanxiety wrapping his body like a thick coat. I hope hes okay I circled around Sina, examining her wounds. Nothing looked too serious, so I brought out normal healing elixirs. I need you to drink these. Sina narrowed her eyes at me and scrunched her nose. Its the same elixir I just used on Kline. She chuffed. Why would I kill my ride? She didnt budge. Or mess with the woman who just saved me? She looked away. Just drink the damn potions. I wanna go check on Aiden and the pack, but well all die if youre injured! Sina looked at me and growled, but I popped the seal with my teeth and thrust a whole jar into her face. Drink. The fucking. Elixir! She scrunched in her nose but opened her mouth. I poured it into the side of her teeth, and she almost snapped her canines on my wrist by reflex. She gagged but held it down, exhibiting great control as she swallowed. The elixir gave her building blocks for healing. I then purified the wounds and used my stitching spell to seal them. Ten minutes later, her fur was missing in patches, but her wound was healed. Without asking permission, I jumped onto her back, and we turned around, searching for Aiden and the rest of the pack. 2. A solemn atmosphere hung in the air when we returned. The lurvines were hovering around a certain area like vultures, and I expected the worst. My heart ached as Keal looked at me and then away, giving room for Sina to join them. Aiden and a lurvine were lying on the ground. The lurvine was an abstract painting splashed with crimson and brown. It was missing limbs and was half-eaten. Another was badly maimed, missing an eye and part of its shouldera deep wound on its leg. A third was seriously wounded but could make a full recovery. As for Aiden, he was wheezing on the ground, unconscious and dying. Damn it I jumped off Sina and looked around. Im going to heal you. All of you. Just wait. Let this work I forced Diktyo River water down his throat by pouring it into his mouth, pinching it shut, and gripping and pulling his throat like a shotgun. He tried to cough, but he couldnt, so he swallowed by reflex instead. That was definitely not how people should do it, but it wasnt like I knew how to do first aid. I wasnt taught. Either way, it worked, and his body stilledbut he didnt wake up. Onto you. I tried to touch an injured lurvine, but it backed away and snarled. Come on We need to get to the river. It can save Aiden and you and everyone. Weve been running I looked around and saw landmarks I was accustomed to. That made it worse. Were so close They didnt budge, thrusting their nose to the side to get me to back away. Kline stepped in, but they barked at him, resentment welling in their eyes. It was over. Suddenly, Sina walked past me and looked at them. She turned to me and pawed my elixir, then turned her body to show them her closed wounds. She then looked at me and sneered but looked back with an intense gaze. Keal took his eyes from Aiden and looked at Sina. He then studied me with an intensity that made me feel like he was looking through my soul. Sina backed up so Kael could look at the rest of his pack. A tense minute passed, but there was a breakthrough. One of the injured walked up. My heart fluttered and quaked, and tears filled my eyes. I looked at Aiden. He wasnt waking. His wounds closed, but that was it. His brain could collapse at any moment. I walked up to the beast, unscrewed the jar with my teeth, and poured it into its mouth like Sina. The lurvine gagged, and the rest of the pack snarled and snapped and prepared to attack. But the beast gave a half-hearted growl, and dirt and grime poured from its wounds. I purified the blood from its wounds and stitched them shut, petting the fur. My left arm was feeling better now, artificial like a cyborg but functional and I sighed a breath of relief. I turned to the maimed lurvine with a wince. Its eye was gone and it was missing part of its shoulder. I cant help you completely, I said as it limped forward. I turned to Sina, hoping she could translate. Sina seemed to shrug and nudged her nose at the beast. I gave it a healthy dosage of the health elixir to build up its proteins, then gave it ample Diktyo River water. To my surprise, it rebuilt most of its shoulder, but its eye didnt grow back. It was too damaged. Once I finished, I said, Sorry. I wish that I could do more for you. But it just nudged me with its nose, backed up ten feet, and bowed its snout. I bowed my head back, and it walked away. Kline pawed at my leg. What is it? He looked down and saw a rope in his mouth. I followed his eyes and landed on Aiden, who was now on Keals back like a loose sleeping bag draped over a donkey. Got it. I tied Aiden onto Keal the best I could without knot knowledge. Then I got onto Keals back to hold Aiden in place like a seatbelt. We rode on. The rest of the trip was solemn but uneventfulbut it quickly picked up when I heard Thorvel and a pack of wyverns roar from the Bramble just like the first time. The minute I did, I realized that Aiden could be the least of our worries. I gripped Keals fur and screamed, To the riverrun! B2 - Chapter 41 - The War Resumes My heart rattled when I heard the wyverns approaching. The lurvines turned to fleebut Keal jumped in front of them, snarling and barking and snapping. Sina did the same. The pack fought back, threatening them with saliva dripping from their teeth, but they lost out, turning away shamefully. Then, they ran toward the river as a pack, moving in the same direction as the wyverns. I wasnt tied down, so the pressure of gravity and acceleration threatened to pull me off as we weaved between trees. There were probably three miles left to the river, and we were moving fast. The wyverns were moving even faster. Their cries grew more intense as we ran, and just when we thought that we would make it and have time to dunk Aiden and heal Halten, we entered the jaws of hell. Hundreds of beasts cried in the distance, crashing into trees in a bloody stampede. It sounded like a Roman battle, depicted in the Iliad or other texts from old, and it only intensified as we approached. Just when Keal jumped onto the rocky bluff above the river to get a better vantage point, we heard a new and terrifying cry that rocked the heavens. I grabbed my ears and winced, with the lurvines doing the same. It was a wyvern cry, but it was sick, deranged, primal, and furious. Then all was silent. I looked into the forest and saw nothing. A light wind blew through the canopies, rustling leaves and leaving a whirling melody that smelled of autumn and peace and tranquility. Then, there was a loud whack, and a dozen objects hit the trees in rapid succession, followed by yet another shrieking roar. It was Halten. Beasts cried out in wild hoops as they retreated through the forest. They came in countless descriptions, each vicious and raw and huge like grizzly bears or something greater, all sporting wounds from some bloody battle, likely fighting over the first to eat Halten. Seeing them fleeing from the river, like a golden stampede in the Serengeti was nerve-wracking. It only got more intense. I could hear crashing in the distance, perhaps from Emaelthe River Guardianor maybe it was just my imagination as the wyverns behind us released their cries. Circle once! I yelled. If theres an opening, take us to the river! If not, move south, well find another spot. I wanted to save Aiden, and that could happen at any part of the river. That said, I went through a fuck load of effort to save Halten, and if there were a chance to save him, I would. It didnt sound likely. He sounded as primal as the birds with soul corruption did, only he was a thousand times their size at least. But if there was a chance, I wanted to know. Kael snorted and looked at all the second evolution beastsor higherkicking up dust from the forest as if to say, Youre insane to even suggest that. Fine. I got off and untied Aiden. Sina growled at me, and I turned at her with raised eyebrows and continued. I released Aiden. Come on, Kline. Kline increased his invisible body and I put Aiden onto it, sitting on him as well. But before we could leave, Sina jumped in front of us. Wh~at? I asked sharply. Sina growled, and I couldnt tell what that meant. What?" I scoffed. Were teleporting. Okay? They wont be able to find you. I took her gesture to mean, Youre being selfish to put us in danger, but when we tried to move, she followed. What do you want? Are you worried you wont evolve in time? Here. I pulled out the Diktyo River water bottle. Thisll give you another three days to evolve. So consider our contract sett Sina growled, and Halten did the same, releasing another cry as beasts crashed into trees. Then came Thorvel and the wyverns, releasing terrible cries above us. I I looked at Sina and saw genuine concern. It was bizarre but moving as well. Yet I couldnt just back down. Not now. I told Emael and Thorvel I was going to create the elixir, and I did. I think thats what was driving me toward the river so desperately. That pact. The declaration to Thorvel that I was going to create the elixir and did. Thats why I wanted to go instead of just saying screw it and searching for another river. It wasnt rational. If I were, I would have prioritized self-preservation or at least frozen in fear when I saw the stampede of beasts. But I couldnt do that. Halten, Emael, Brindle, Yakana each one of these beings had helped me survive. Yakana helped me in the river on the first day. Help me build a core in the first week. Taught me how to cleanse to convince Emael that I was Brindles pupil and could be useful to this forest. Brindle helped me make the elixir. Emael forgave me for unbalancing the natural order. Halten protected me with his body. Aiden saved my life. I dont believe in heroics but I do believe in life debts. And right then, facing the option to run or see through the promise I made to Emael, Halten, and Aiden to heal the guardians cores and to respect Brindle and Yakanas aid in completing it, I decided that I needed to at least see the river. Thank you, Sina, I said as Thorvel and the wyverns flew over us. But I need to try. If its messed up Ill come back immediately. Ill just say screw it and leave. But I need to try. Kline. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Sina tried to protest, but Kline jumped through a portal, and we flew toward the gates of hell. 2. My stomach lurched as Kline landed in the forest. There were five beasts the size of grizzlies around us, each with different heads and bodies and claws. They rushed at us, but Kline warped again, and we blinked into a new location where beasts couldnt see us. In three more bounds, we made it to the river, where we could witness the horror of the situation. Haltens wings had been ripped to shreds, eaten by beasts along with part of its body. I instantly felt pain just looking at him, imagining how he must have lost concentration from the beasts that broke through. Now, he was rushing around with his claws on shore, plowing into beasts as they jumped at him from all angles, crushing trees and killing beasts in droves. Over three hundred massive corpses were strewn on the ground, sand dyed red, river light pink downstream. It was a scene from nightmares that made people gasp awake, then hit the bed, heart pounding, trying to get back to sleep so they can forget as they forget all dreams except the worst. Thorvel reached the river as soon as I got there, slamming into Halten and sending him flying, causing most of the beasts fighting Halten to flee. Stop! I screamed. Thorvel turned to me with murderous eyes and opened his mouth to turn me to ash, but Emael flew out of nowhere, increasing her size and slamming into him. Not in my domain! She released crushing pressure that brought me and Kline and every other beast except Thorvel and the wyverns to their knees. Even weakened, the River Guardian lived up to her name. But Thorvel didnt seem awe-inspired. He looked at her with perplexed disgust. Youre injured It will heal. Not in time! Thorvel roared. Halten suddenly interjected, attacking Emael blindly, but she turned her massive body and slammed into him like a baseball bat, sending his hulking form into the forest Thorvel had burnt down a week prior. Halten hit the blackened wasteland, and the area erupted with black dust that permeated the air. It will be fine! she screamed. No it wont! Thorvel turned to me and then to the pile of corpses. You may protect the ring, but I protect the Bramble, and the Bramble is weak this year! He looked at Halten. That traitor killed hundreds of birds, injured half of my kin, and now and now, hundreds of beasts are dead before the Migration. Do you not know what that means? My heart rattled when I felt his intensity, but Emael didnt back down. She glared at him silently, challenging him as all the beasts in the area fled, save the dying and screamingsufferingon shore. Hundreds of beasts are now dead. And that means that itll be easier this year! People will get further than theyve ever gotten. Earn more than they ever received! New blood will strike it rich, and itll give every damn one of them hope that they can go further next year! My stomach sank when I understood the gravity of the situation. The Migration culled the Harvesters, acting as a deterrent for people to go too far in the forest. Get in, get your stuff, and get out. Dont push the envelope. Thats what the Bramble was supposed to bethats how Brindle saw it. But this year This year, I had killed or inadvertently killed over a thousand beasts. Hundreds a week before. Dozens while returning to the alchemy station. More on the way back. Each one of those beasts was supposed to act as a deterrentand now, none of them would greet the Harvesters. It would start a gold rush, bringing out more people the year after. It would be a disaster. Do you know how many people are gathering out there? Thorvel screamed. Theres a fucking army! My soul wrenched at his words. Whatever this thing did, Thorvel turned to me, is bringing out an army this Harvest! And now, as were already weak, youve decided to let her livewhen your soul was weak? Are you serious! A strange pressure built within me when she looked at me, and I blurted out a protest without thinking. I can heal her! Silence! Thorvel screamed. I made a soul elixir! Brindle helped me I dont care! Thorvel panned his gaze between Emael to me. Brindle was a leaderhe isnt our god. Our pactour creedis to protect this forest. Thats all. And ever since youve come here, youve done nothing but destroy it! I dont care if its your fault. I dont care what youve done. I dont care what youve made or what youll do. Your presence is threatening everything! I bit my lip bitterly. The Oracle announced my presence without my input and started this mess. The Oracle sent me here, and I had done everything I had just to survive. It wasnt my fault but I understood. Thorvel seemed unreasonable, but his job was to protect the forest, and my presence had messed that up. Now, there was an army of Harvesters coming into the forest in three weeks to have a heyday. I refused to leave this forest against my will. I refused to see fault in my actions. But at the same time, I couldnt blame him. Thorvel narrowed his eyes at Emael and snorted. Now, even this rings guardian is injured. Pathetic. But that final addition really pissed me off. I can fix her soul! I yelled. Thorvel turned to me with rage in his eyes. Do you want to die? Do you want to protect the forest or not? I yelled. Cause Emaels sick right before the Harvest, and youre acting like healing her is worthless! Thorvels eyes widened, and he turned to Emael. You told her your name? Emael looked at me with a complex gaze. I did not. Then who? My chest twisted into a hot knot of rage and then it exploded. Brindle! I screamed. What part of Brindles student dont you fucking get? You might not care but stop treating it like it isnt true. I cleansed that fucking river, and I pulled off my backpack, jumped onto the rivers shore, and pulled out a large, vibrant jar of Teelia elixir. He helped me make these! Is that Emael looked into my eyes. Thats the Teelia elixir. Is it not? It is. Where did you get it? I just told youBrindle. No. Where did you find the Teelia flower? I looked down to see if Aiden was conscious. He wasnt, but I covered his ears with my palms, anyway. Brindle led me to a secret location, I said. Thorvel turned his glassy eye to me. Halten cried out in the distance. The wyverns surrounded him, preparing to strike. Wait! I screamed. I brought an elixir for him, too! Hes beyond saving. Thorvel said coldly. No Emael said. Hes not. She walked up to me as I opened the jar, and she snorted it with her large nostrils. Not with this. I nodded. Does that mean youll trust me? B2 - Chapter 42 - “My Kline.” Emael nodded when I asked if she would trust me. You cant mistake that flower. Its proof. I opened the jar and threw it into her mouth when she opened it. She swallowedand an explosion of soul force knocked Kline and me down, sending Aiden rolling into the pond that had developed around Haltens body. Emael collapsed in the dying river, sighing with relief. As she churned her core, the river turned milky and dense, seemingly boiling in on itself. Thats Thorvel turned to me, realizing it was the same pattern I was doing when he attacked me. Shes cleansing the souls. It helps purify the remnants so that they can be stripped of their negative memories and emotions. And thats what you were doing? Yes. Thorvel crouched down, moving his head to me. I could feel his hot breath and see his glassy eyes. His teeth were the size of torpedoes, and his nostrils were the size of basketballs. Why you? Im not sure. But Yakana and Brindle seem to think I can be a guardian. Do you want to? Not the way you do. Thorvel scoffed. Im not like you. I wasnt born here, I didnt ask to come here, and I didnt make a pact. But if Brindle or Yakana or even Emael asked me to protect this forest, I would. If I saw people destroying the forest, I would. Like during the Harvest? I swallowed. If you want me to cull their ranks, slaughter them indiscriminately, no. The Harvest is legal here and I wont commit to that. Thorvel snarled. But if theres some type of disturbance something that really threatens the forest yeah. Id protect it. Not because I had to or because I had some creed. But its like if people come to this forest, they needa treat it with respect or they can fuck off or die. He backed up, raising his head far into the sky and looking down upon me like a worm. I dont believe you, but it wouldnt matter if I did. Youre too weak to help us, and I see no value in letting you build strength for a decade while your presence attracts armies yearly. I gritted my teeth bitterly. But I looked up. If Brindles guiding you, prove it. Ill give you till the harvest to prove that your value exceeds your risk. If you succeed, I will give you access to the Bramble to collect your equipment. If you failI will kill you. I frowned. How can I prove that? Ask BrindleI wouldnt trust anything a human does. He turned to Halten screaming in the distance. You have two hours to save Halten. If he crosses this river, Ill kill him. Now move. The tightness in my muscles unraveled like a loose bundled cord, and I nearly collapsed. Thats it? I thought. Im actually free? I looked up and Thorvel was snarling at me. I nodded, zipped up my backpack, put it on and clipped it around my stomach, then rushed to the pond where Aiden was floating. Aiden! I panicked and pulled him out, lying him out and putting my ear to his face. He was breathing. Good I quickly dug a spot for his head to be halfway in the water without drowning and floated his body to it, praying that the water would fix his brainif it was damaged. Then, I turned to Halten, who was screeching and thrashing in the distance, kicking up a stormcloud of dust as he tried to move. I turned to Kline. Im checking in with Yakana. Kline nodded, and I dove into the water, braving the angry remnants that swarmed me, demanding that I break their shackles with my core. Yakana! There was no answer. I gripped a rock underwater to stay put. Yanaka As if he was a short rustling breeze, Yakanas voice called out. Youve already done what you can for Halten. Give him the elixir. The rest is up to him. Yakanas voice drifted away with the tide. Damn it I surfaced and clambered on the ashy shore on the other side of the Diktyo as Kline crossed the river on an Ethereal Bridge, hopping right beside me and meowing. I stood and feasted my eyes on a post-apocalyptic hellscape. The forest had become a charred wasteland after Thorvel burnt it downyet it was strangely comforting, reminiscent of the countless times I came to controlled burn or wildfire sites to go morel hunting. I could still remember how happy I was every time I found a patch of the alien mushrooms without risking Lyme disease from tick bites. It invoked those emotions but things were different this time. The fire was fresh, and the wood crumbled under each of my footsteps as I moved toward Halten, making me feel like I was constantly shooting for a step and missing it. Kline walked in front of me, leaving tiny paw prints in the ash below my feet. I followed him, keeping calm despite the freakish, howling screams from the dragon that saved me. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. It wasnt long before I reached Halten. He was covered in soot and brown blood, but blue and white sections lay exposed from the ashes, like a sunken vessel that would still be salvageable if recovered. But that didnt seem likely. Halten sounded like a wounded Hollywood dinosaur, voice piercing and primal. He thrashed around the charcoal, kicking up a storm that I blocked with a clean domain, and then cleaned using Separate to separate the carbon from the trace minerals. When I used the spell, the black ash turned white like falling snow. It was like an opening scene from Silent Hill. Halten! I yelled. I brought you medicine! The dragon suddenly shifted its gaze to me, roaring and screeching as he crawled toward me with broken arms and a ripped torso. It was slow at first, but he quickly hit a stridebarrelling at me like a freight train. W-Wait! I screamed. I just need you to drink something! Halten sped up, making me turn and flee as he plowed through the forest, biting through charred trees and pitting them out in a cloud of dust. He was faster than expected, and I quickly found myself on Klines back as he warped between shadows, putting a few hundred meters between us as we reached the river. The river was weak after the battles and water loss, moving hypnotically as Thorvel and the dragons watched from the other end of the riverpreparing to kill Halten if he crossed. Behind me was Halten, crawling on broken limbs like a possessed demon. Halten! I pleaded. He answered with a primal screech that bounced around my skull, plowing through the forest. We had less than a minute to deal with the situation before he died, and there was no way that I could work something out in time. I pulled out the Teelia elixir, but it felt worthless in my hands. Even if I nailed him right into the mouth and he swallowed and he blacked out instantlythe laws of momentum and inertia would carry him over the river where Thorvel would kill him. Should I lead him in the other direction? No I turned and saw Thorvel and the other wyverns. He would attack no matter what. At this point, using the elixir would be a waste. It was over. Suddenly, I heard a cough and saw Aiden crawl out of the river like a dilapidated swamp monster, body turning black as ash stuck to his wet skin. Aiden! I rushed over to him, and I knelt down. Get in the water Halten I paused. What was I supposed to tell him? It was all for nothing, Aiden. Risking your life and making this elixir. Nothing. Haltens dead. Hes lost his mind and is about to eat us, and even if we save him, one extra step and the other dragons will rip him to shreds. Get in the water, I repeated nervously. Aiden groaned and himself up. God damn my worlds fuzzy. I dont think this waters supposed to fix brain damage. Now! I yelled. Chill! Aiden said strangely. Ill talk to em. Have you seen him? I turned and saw Halten crashing through the forest, kicking up black dust as he moved. He was crawling and he was in the far distance, but he was moving fast. Hard not to. But you got that elixir right? Not gonna help. Even if it knocks him flat, hell fall into the river, and the dragonsll kill em. Aiden cupped his face like he had a hangover. So yeah. But Youre trying, right? Huh? Trying. I mean if you dont try, youre guaranteeing failure. No. if youre facing certain failure, you shouldnt risk your life and throw valuable resources at problems. Aiden rubbed his eyes, and I wanted to deck him, knocking him out and sending him downstream to end his line of thoughts, but he was so calm and collected that I couldnt. Yeah I get that, he said, but look. Some people dont have a price, and Haltens my Kline. So Im gonna try no matter what. His words stabbed my heart. So I hate to ask, but will you please try? I dont know what Id do without him! Aiden yelled because Haltens advance was getting loud. He was less than a football field away, and we had to run, but my heart felt like a pincushion. If it were Kline, Id say fuck you to the Teelia elixir and all my gear and even a fucking kidney. It was true: there are some people and companions that you can let go of, but there are others that you just cant, even if it kills you. Okay! I cracked the large Teelia elixir in my hand and then jumped onto Klines back in a reverse straddle. Ill throwbut then Im hitting the river. If you die thats on you! But Ill mourn your death. Okay? He nodded and looked at Halten, who was now only five seconds away from us, barreling through the area, breaking down trees with snapping jaws as he walked on broken limbs. His eyes were bloodshot and primal, and his face was snapping. He got within twenty feet. My world slowed naturally, and my arms weighed down with adrenaline. Everything felt like it was riding on this moment. I lifted the jar into a throwing position and cranked Moxle Dilation to the limits, nearly stopping time. It was a limit I hadnt crossed, and even with Mental Shielding, it was the internal equivalent of a small pebble hitting your cars windshield doing seventy, cracking it sharply despite being the size. But it worked. Haltens mouth was opening slowly. I waited for what felt like ten seconds for his lips to parse again, watching wood fragments and smoke billowing everywhere, and waited. Then I saw the opening. With a powerful thrust, I threw the jar as hard as I couldblue liquid splashing out in spirals as if a bullet hitting a full soda in ultra slow motionsending it crashing into Haltens mouth. I tapped Kline twice to get him to move, then sped up my world with Mental Shielding to avoid brain damage. Kline jumped onto a bridge of raw mana over the river and the liquid a second apartand everything nearly collapsed. A shockwave exploded from the area when the liquid hit Haltens tongue, and it released a blast of soul force that sent us flying. Klines ethereal body and bridge both disappeared as if the soul force blew them away like dust in a breeze, and we started falling toward the pond. I slowed time again, grabbing my little warrior mid-air and throwing him the extra four feet to shore. Then I hit the shallow water head first with a sickening crashand blacked out. 2, Haltens soul awakened within his body. It was weak, but it was still there, hanging on for dear life as vengeful souls continued to eat him on all sides. It made him want to give up. He had been fighting for a week, subconsciously praying that Emael or Thorvel would drag him out of the river even though he didnt deserve it. But he lost and suffered countless bites and damage that left him reeling. He was tired and the remnants were winning. But then something strange happened. A cooling sensation flooded his mental sphere, obliterating thousands of souls attacking him, turning them all to dust. All function returned to Haltens bodyand all the pain with it. His wings didnt work. His ribs and limbs were broken and missing sections that removed his ability to work. He was mangled and screaming out in pain. Worse, his mind wasnt straight. He was furious, angryvengeful. It was impossible not to be. The remnants had damaged that part of his soul, leaving it open like an undammed river. In that state of fevered delirium, Halten was taken back to the Black Harvest a century agothe one that landed him in chains. It was sunny with a cool breeze that day, and he was protecting Thorvels child, Asai. It was a cruel Harvest that year. Every century, the second and third domains would find a full force of third evolutions willing to sacrifice soul force to cross domains and challenge the Bramble, and it was one of those years. Only it was worse. It was coordinated, the biggest they had ever seen. Over a hundred third-evolution elites plowed through the foresthellbent on conquering it. They did a damn good job, slaughtering most of the Migrators before setting up camps a few miles past the Bramble to stay there for the year. With two days left in the Harvest, Thorvel flew to Serenflora to obtain the aid of the Drokaithe Third Rings fighting forceto crush them. It was time for serious war. The elite squad of third evolution Harvesters, led by a human woman, saw Thorvel leaveand struck. B2 - Chapter 43 - Happiness The army of third-evolution elites was prepared to face Halten. There was an elvish soulmancer in the group that tamed the Brambles soul reapers, and the beastkin in the group mustve been a poison master with a sensitive nose because he bypassed plants that Brindle never wrote about. And a human had a stealth spell beyond the likes Halten had ever seen, capturing the whole group and hiding their soul signatures, proving that they had a patron god. Twenty flew into the valley out of nowhere, determined to cull their ranks to conquer the Bramble the next year. It quickly turned to disaster. Homing spells. Water magic followed by lightning fire magic followed by wind. Four vraxles died instantly and Halten took heavy damage from the surprise attack. But what the team didnt understand was that the true guardians of the rings had pure soul cores that Brindle taught them in secret, something that no other guardian except the soul beasts had. It was passed down by Brindle and he could not teach it. No one could teach it. It was out of their domain. But it was devastating. ` Halten flew forward with ghostly speed, killing ten with a single swipe like ants. Another shot an attack, but Haltens domain alone fizzled out the attack. Water and lightning struck from above, but his barrier blocked both strikes with ease. Compared to normal third-evolution neophytes, those with purified soul force were closer to gods. Suddenly, the battle stopped when the soulmancer and three other elites surrounded Thorvels daughter, Asai. She was still a hatchling, no bigger than a second evolution beast. Well leave, the stealth specialist, a human woman, said. But this ones coming with us as collateral. Halten gritted his teeth and watched them lead her away, knowing the elites were capable of killing Asai. As for Halten, vraxles left wide-scale disaster in their wakenot single corpses from refined attacks. All of his spells would kill the relatively defenseless vraxle. The same was true of the other vraxles who were circling the skies above them, facing the same predicament, looking for an opening to strike. They found none and soon they were approaching the barrier. The people from the gate panicked, closing the gate further and further to prevent Halten from flying through. Halten screamed to them, demanding that it closed far enough to prevent the hatchling from entering. The gatekeepers complied, leaving an opening with only enough space for the humanoids to pass through. Then they reached the barrier for the trade-off, and Halten would never forget what the human leading them said to the lizardfolk in the team once she crossed the barrier first. Follow your orders. The lizardfolk turned to her sharply. You cant be serious. Its our orders. Shes only a child. Shell grow up. Halten immediately flew forward, grabbing Asai, but as he was pulling back, the elven soulmancer lifted his gnarled wooden staff and shot a strange attack that crushed the soul of the hatchling. Then they flew through the barrier, and Galfers Gate shut. Halten wasnt a normal third-evolution beast. He flew into a frenzy, shooting to the top of the wall. He then crossed it with the force of a meteorite, feeling the curse suppressing his magic. It took his magic and suppressed his soul force, but it was too slow to break his physical capabilities. So he flew at the woman with lightning speed. She screamed and dodged, but Halten grabbed her arm in his jaws, snapping it off. The soulmancer fled, but he was faster. He grabbed the elf in his claws and clamped down, piercing his body and killing him. Halten then swung his tail, slamming the lizardfolk and the woman into the wall. Thats when the defense forces arrived, attacking him from all sides while he tried to fly at the two involved. The lizardfolk had a crushed skull, but the woman was in the distance. He clawed with broken body and wings, crawling and screaming and dying just like the present. That anger boiled and popped within Halten, wondering why Why WHY was he helping humans after everything that they had done to him and his family? Thorvel had every right to hate humans and soulmancers, for both were responsible for his childs death. He was right to fear coordinated efforts to bring people into the Bramble. He was right that humanoids were evilHalten knew. Dranami was primarily filled with humans, so most of the people who chained him down and clipped his wings, and tortured him in that fucking aviary were humans. Halten released a piercing roar to the heavens, alive and angry. He saw Mira floating in the river with Kline pawing at her, yowling and crying, and scared to touch the river. His mind burned. Kill them kill all of them. He looked up and saw Thorvel, who was staring at him with complex emotions as if to discern whether his brother had returned. Either way, Halten wanted revenge, so he lifted his bloodied wings and prepared to charge one last time. Then he heard it. Halten Such a weak, pathetic, insignificant voice. It was crying, whimpering like a child. Yet it was soothing. He looked down and saw Aiden staring at him with tears streaming down his cheeks. It moved Halten, and he immediately knew he couldnt kill the human Aiden, so he pushed him out of his mind to bask in his hatred for everyone else, Mira included. Out of my way. Halten took a step forward. She saved you! Aiden screamed. I dont care! His damaged soul wouldnt allow him to feel anything but hate. He knew that, but he couldnt care. Aidens face paled when Halten yelled at him. His hair flew backward from the hot breath, and he fell into the river. Yet he immediately got up and rushed up. Halten lifted his foot and pressed it on Aiden lightly. Then he push-kicked him into the river with heavy force. The human Aiden would survive in the river. Halten expected him to stay down, but he didnt. Halten! Aiden wailed as he emerged. Come back please come back Shut up! No! Mira risked her life to create that elixir! If you kill her youre youre youre nothing but a wild fucking animal! What did you say? Halten was in painso much pain. His soul was torn to shreds, and his body was far more broken than that. And all of that had to do with Mira, even inadvertently, and he had the audacity to claim she saved him? That she was some type of hero? And more, to have the gall to call him, him! a wild fucking animal. Halten crawled forward with intense speed, grabbing Aiden out of the water with his teeth, ripping into the mans shirt as he hung twenty feet above dry land. If Aiden fell, he would die. Say that again, he said. Aiden whimpered like the coward he was, and he trembled and shook and quaked like Halten knew he would. But in the end, as tears streamed down his eyes, Aiden stood his ground. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. She risked everything to save you! Then she ran up to your mindless ass to throw you the elixir, and I still cant tell the difference between you two What! Kill me! Aiden yelled. If you want to kill someone, kill me! But keep her fucking out of it! Halten turned to Mira but found her missing. He looked around and saw her hanging in the air, too, but the person holding her by her shirt was Thorvel. Enough, Thorvel said. Why? Humans they killed Enough. Thorvel put Mira down on the rocky, blood-stained shore, where her cat bounded onto her chest and cried out, yowling and crying in relief. Do what you want to the boy, but leave this one out of it. He turned and looked at Emael, who Halten could now see had a healed soul. I made a deal with this human. You may not touch her. Halten looked around at the bloody wasteland of dead beasts and then at his wings and body and everything else. Then he looked at Aiden, and his mind finally stilled, returning to normal. That cooling feeling continued working within him, miraculous even, making him feel whole again. Calm down, heal your wounds, take the boy, and leave. Do not come back. Mess up, and she will kill you. Halten turned and saw Emael staring at him with her large, buggy eyes, threatening him. When she was in peak condition, she was the only one who could challenge Halten. In his current state, she would kill him before he could blink. Thorvel looked at Mira one last time. Then, he flew away, leaving Halten in a state of flux. He slowly lowered Aiden onto dry ground, then collapsed, feeling the healing effects of whatever elixir Mira gave him, healing his soul. Aiden fell from the shockwave, but he was soon up, hugging Haltens snout. Halten felt ashamed and unworthy of Aidens love, but he was tired. So, so tired, so he simply said, Thank you before drifting into sleep. 2. I awoke to the sight of the setting sun, painting the clouds above me with pastel shades of pink and blue. It was beautiful, just like at home, and it made me realize for the first time that our suns were similar colors. How strange I turned and saw Emael lying beside me. It should have terrified me. Emael was a massive beast with hundreds of legs with human-like hands and mossy fura creature born from nightmaresbut I somehow felt safe around her. To my side was Kline, and all around me was damn clothing that gave me chills. I used desiccate and all the water drained out of me, making Kline yelp as he was flooded. He meowed and hissed and strutted around, but I only laughed weakly and dried his fur as well. A moment later, I had tears in my eyes, cuddling with Kline on my chest, wondering what happened. It all came back in fragments, like a dream I had to chase to patch together, and I quickly remembered throwing the elixir at Halten and being blown away. Beyond that, I was clueless, but I knew that Thorvel was gone and I could hear Halten breathing on the other side of the river. I didnt want to get up, so I just lay there, watching the clouds. Suddenly, I heard a splash and the sound of swimming and groaned. I liked Aiden. I really did. I thought he was swell and good and kind, but I really, really, really didnt want to have some sort of emotional moment right after waking. But the greeting I got wasnt what I expected. Aiden came into view, looked around the corpse-like wasteland around us, let out a protracted whistle, and said something I would never forget. Look at all these third evolution beasts. Magine youll be a god by the next time I see you. I did a crunch and looked. There were creatures the size of rhinos and hippos and lions and bears all around me. Some had soul force seeping off them like dry ice under my eyes. I collapsed again. Ill need it. Yeah, probably. Halten says the neophytes are pretty nasty. Hes okay? Mostly. Hes back. I wouldnt say hes Okay. Damn near turned him into the river with all the water Ive dumped on em, but it cant heal everything and his immune systems reset. So no, hes not Okay. Id place him, at Great. My cheeks slackened into a frown. Unbelievable positivity sounds like extreme negativity. You know Ive thought about that, Aiden said confidently, looking down at me, and Ive come to a conclusion. He spread his arms grandly. Whats the difference? Oh, theres a big difference. Oh my bad. Lets try it again. He grinned cheekily and looked around. Whats the difference here. Unless, of course, you love poison and corpses and killer animals. Corpses are food, and I do love poison, thank you very much. His eyes widened, but they relaxed as if he was unfazed. And what about killer animals? I frowned. Well I guess youll have to love those for me. Team work. Positivity wins the day. Hmmm too bad. Turns out, the best way to handle this He circled the area with a grave expression but then smiled again. Is to just fucking pretend. So, I proposed, to myself, that I just should just pretend like the whole damn world is a stunning masterpiece of grim fascination and opportunity. You sound like a serial killer. Aiden chuckled and looked down. Are you much better? I raised an eyebrow. Call me a serial killer again. I dare you. He laughed but then looked away. No Look, Mira. Ive known you for like... what? A week? Yeah. So? So Ive never heard you complain. I laughed. Theres no time to complain. Oh, yes there is. I spent days complaining when we were on the road. Kael wanted to kill me. He turned, and I followed his eyes, landing on the lurvines who were lying in the trees with shamed looks on their faces. Hiking. Bathing. Cookin up drugs in the forest. Every moments an opportunity to complain, Mira, and weve had plenty. You just dont complainand thats not normal. I pouted and turned away. I didnt like people telling me that I wasnt normal. Im okay? What the fucks wrong with that? Youre actually happy here? No, Im not happy here. But I was happy. I enjoyed my life, and now that Im here, I enjoy a lot of it. I love Kline and waking up in nature and looking back on it, it was kinda cool to ride super foxes and cook up potions like some modern day witch. So yeah Im kinda happy. Is there a problem with that? Aiden smiled ruefully and shook his head. Nah. I think thats amazing. And I want to be like that, but Ill never be like that. What a cop out, I scoffed. Do some exercise. Eat healthy. Smile at people. "No..." He clammed up, folding his arms and hugging them against his body. "Hey... do you remember when the Oracle told everyone that they''d be cured of diseases?" "That was a switch." "But you do, right?" "Yeah." "Well... the thing is... it intentionally left out anything that could be perceived as part of a person''s personality." My stomach sank because I knew what was coming. "So it didn''t touch mental health?" "Yeah..." Aiden turned away and took a deep breath. "And I''ve got... depression. Not the self-imposed kind. Its clinical and Im off my meds. Magic cant fix that least nothin Ive heard of. So I doubt Ill ever get to enjoy my life. But I can pretend. And it helps so He flicked his fingers open and wiggled them like raining fireworks. Im gonna be happy. Deal with it. He walked away, and I snorted and dropped to the sand again. It was frustrating but I was also smiling. Thats something Id do I took a while to reflect on things and consider whether I was happy. I concluded I was and then thought about the day of the integration and how terrible I felt when my mom finally convinced me to get a stable job. I wouldnt have turned down such a miraculous opportunity and let all my moms hard work, fear, and care go to waste, especially when it was half a year, and I could walk away, so I would have taken the job, and I would have been miserable. But here? I was kinda happy, wasnt I? I had no regrets here. My anxiety was almost non-existent, and I spent every day hopeful. Yes, there were struggles, and I knew that I had three weeks to prove myself to Thorvel before he would kill me but I didnt hate it. Life was good. Maybe that did make me abnormaland like a killer. Who knows how I would meet difficulties during the Harvest? Maybe I would be a serial killer or worse. Eh that was a question for another time. I got up and nodded. Ill try to, I said to his demand for me to deal with his annoying fake positivity. Lets eat. That night, we sat under the stars with the lurvines and Emael, who still hadnt woken from her slumber. Halten stayed on the other side of the river while Aiden shared the campfire. We stayed quiet, knowing that it wouldnt be long before we were separated and perhaps would never see each other again. That was life. Thats what we chose. Later that night, when the smoldered fire cut pluming silhouettes under the bluish-black sky, we said goodnight and went to bed, and I stopped thinking about it. At the end of the day, I had three weeks before the Harvestthree weeks before I had to prove myself to an unreasonable asshole dragon to prevent him from killing me. Thats what I needed to focus on in the days ahead. With those thoughts, I started my Mental Shielding practice. 3. Brexton scaled Galfers Gate under the cloak of darkness. It was a nerve-wracking experience, even for him. The gate was three hundred meters in the sky, and to get onto it, he had to fly a bird onto an equally tall pole, then dismount and walk across a flimsy rope bridge. Yet he did it without the slightest warning. He and his mount wrapped themselves in Active Camouflage and flew to the top, sneaking to the gate. The pathways were empty, as no one with a will to survive was willing to stand on a gate when the Bramble started mere feet from where they were standing. It was nerve-wracking. Brexton stood on the wall as the wind blew, ruffling his shirt and leaving him chilly. He tried not to think about how high he was. His confidence only went so far and not in the direction that makes people immune to heights. He was scared, but he pressed on. He had a message to deliver, and his life depended upon it. B2 - Chapter 44 - The Last Conquer Brexton walked onto the wall walk of the gate, passing by embrasures, gaps that would let archers shoot in the apocalyptic event that the domain system broke and there was an invasion. He looked down in the dark expanse of the canopies with a pounding heart, wondering why in hell he was going to tell the entire forest he was there but he had no choice. All he could do was pray that the spell he was given actually helped him instead of sealing his grave. He thought back to the meeting he had with Caragon the night he was contacted. The man had given him a spell to use on the wall. So has anyone actually used this? Brexton had asked when he got it. No one living. Thats promising. Its actually been a few millennia since it was used. Not even during the Last Conquer? No. Whoevers giving this orders been a ghost. Not just for a few millennia but since long before that. Interesting Brexton was intrigued. There was someone pulling strings at Romulans level, but there hadnt been a hint of who they were. That wasnt to say that gods didnt know. There were high gods on the Council of Dranami, like Miras patron, Elana, who had been around for hundreds of thousands of yearsbut those gods were bound under secrecy laws as strict as the Claustra on some matters. Yet they were open about some, leading to some grand conspiracy. Plus, there was the message. Come on, Brex. Do you think your patron would want to kill you? Brexton turned to him with a thin smile. All these years, and you dont know shit about the Claustra. Brexton returned to the moment, feeling the wind ruffling his jackets sleeves as he looked down at the canopies from Galfers gate, wondering how the trees grew a thousand feet tall and why the Foundersthose who created the interplanetary domain systemchose that point for the domains boundaries. He chanted the spell. Suddenly, a high-pitched sound blasted from his body, making him cup his ears and fall to his knees. It was nearly silent from the top of the wall, and he didnt think it would go far, but a moment later, hundreds of birds swooped up from the canopies and prepared to attack. Multiple shot over the barrier in a split second, and their bodies burned with blue runes as they were cursed. They immediately turned and flew away, falling into the canopies as the rest glared at Brexton contemptuously. Twenty minutes later, they left, and the world was silent once more. Brexton sat there for another twenty minutes, feeling vindicated for being wary of coming to the top, and then finally stood. No one but birds showed up. Perhaps they had language, but they didnt speak. It was unknown. So he waited another hour, feeling like he should leave, but as he was considering leaving, he heard a humanish-whistle, and his arms freckled with goosebumps. Speak, a male voice said in his mind. Brexton got up and saw a tiny silhouette in the darkness, fluttering on the other side of the gateedging the domain. It was a Drokai, an actual Drokai. He didnt believe they existed, let alone that they would actually come to his summons. Speak, the Drokai repeated. Yes the Great Guardian has a message for you. They say that the presence of their pupil, Mira Hill, has rekindled in Areswood. The legacies and middles are gathering to meet her, and the Last Conquer is rebuilding support in the multiverse. The voice sneered. His pupil is causing this? His Brexton thought but continued smoothly. They request that you spare her from the war. He says shell be critical and that the judgment was Yakanas, not his own. Unbelievable. Leaves us dry during the last war; now, hes sparking another and telling us not to remove the cause. Is that right? Brexton considered lying to probe for information, but this wasnt his place. This order was from Romulan himself, a simple message of multiverse-level importance to deliver a message and it was big. The Oracles interface and functionality was an implant all people and companions were given at birth or upon integration. It recorded all words and interactions, soaking in all the information that people wrote, spoke, or even thought. Lastly, it connected to particles that the oracle pumped into every world, using the user as a power source, allowing it to create topographical maps ten miles from each neophyte at any given point, cross-referencing it against their database. The result was an illusion that the Oracle knew and saw all, but the fact was, if there wasnt a person within ten miles of any given location, the Oracle could only see with satellites or plants something Areswood had defenses against. The Oracle was blind and the only way to communicate with people on the ground was if there was another implanted neophyte in an area that supported the Oracles particlesor if they used a courier like Brexton. And, unless the Oracle was lying, there were no active implants in the Areswood Forest except for the annually released beasts during the Harvest, so couriers were the only option. Brexton was that courier. Thats all he was, and he wouldnt go against Romulans orders or overstep. So he pushed down the urge to probe, kept an emotionless face, and said: Im just a courier. I cant speak for the Great Guardian or his associates. The Drokai eyed him suspiciously. Send this message back: We may complybut we will never forget. Brexton bowed and smiled. With haste. The Drokai flew back into the canopies, and Brexton crashed onto the ground, chuckling maniacally with a blank mind. He had been given a level of knowledge that he couldnt imagine possessing. He had learned that Elana was not Miras primary patronshe was a blessed sub-class or a limited patron. His beautiful cash cow had pulled off something more incredible than anyone could imagine. Second, a male god, someone above even Romulan, acted as a guardian of the forest. Third, the reason everyone from the Last Conquer was wiped out wasnt because beasts or disease or poisons killed themit was because there were armies within the forest. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Lastly, the Drokai, the fabled tiny humans with wings that had been spoken about since before the Oracle but had yet to be recordedexisted. The best part was that if he told a damn soul about any of it, within strict limitations set for his security, his soul would undergo horrifying torture before being shredded to pieces. But. But! Brexton could make every move, play every piecelive his entire life around the knowledge he had just learned. Brexton turned and looked over the embrasures into the Third Ring. There, proliferating through the Third Ring, were thousands of tents. Miras existence captivated millions; the Domain Quest and godly information suppression of her intensified it. Then, Railain Vestras success in passing the Bramble proved that the strong didnt even need the Harvest to make it inside. A new wave of fervor was boiling. It wasnt another Last Conqueran attempt to end all attempts like before. But there would be another in the future that would bring out people from all across the multiverse. A Last Conquer that lived up to its name. And Brexton Claustra would be at the front of all of it. He couldnt wait to learn the secrets the forest held. 2. I woke up to the sound of symphony bugs and running water. It was just like any other day, but the campsite didnt smell gamey from the heaps of corpses lying around, trying their best to rotfailing due to Diktyo River water and purification spells I kept giving onto them. Kline and I walked out of the tent and found Emael staring at us with her large bug eyes. I blinked twice and then panicked when I saw the barrier locking her in. Sorry! Ill shut down the barrier. Calm down, human. I most certainly didnt calm down. Have I reminded you recently that Emael was the size of a double-decker bus with an anteater''s snout that split open like a crocodile jaw, exposing more rows of arm-sized teeth than she had legs? Well, if I havent, thats what was staring at me. Emael rolled her eyes and lay down. Lets talk. I nodded and sat as Kline circled me, finding a good place and lying down. About what? I asked telepathically, feeling a deep intimacy hidden behind her words. Your guardianship. Have you changed your mind since we first spoke? Kline looked up at me, and I petted his ears as I thought. I a little bit? I said reluctantly. I guess Im preparing for trouble. And I feel this I connected my front teeth and paused. I felt like anything I said would be permanent, but at the same time, I was honest by nature, so I decided to tell the truth. I feel this natural desire to help out, you know? Like, helping you wasnt to get into your good graces. It was just something I felt like I should do. Emael thought about my words and then said, Unfortunately, that isnt enough. I turned away, cloistering up. Well thats all I got. I see Emael paused and then said, The Harvest It wasnt always called the Black Harvest. For hundreds of thousands of years, it was just called the Harvest. My eyes widened, and I turned to her. What? Its true. Its only been called that for about a century since the day Halten was captured. Wait what happened? A war happened. It all started with attempts to conquer the forest, a movement called the Last Conquer, and we all got involved in it. As for Halten and Thorvel Emael recounted Halten and Thorvels story in gruesome detail, telling me about the coordinated invasion and the hatchling. After Halten was taken away, Emael continued, the Bramble lost a lot of its powerand the humanoids knew it. People started staying after the Harvest, burning down sections of forests and living off supplies that they got brought during the Harvest. Their morale was high, and each year, people were convinced theyd be part of the group that finally conquered it. And so, they finally put together the ultimate Last Conquer force. People from all over the multiverse showedtens of thousands of third warriors, specialists, botanists everything. It was the last battle. I pressed my fingernails against my palms, heart racing. We warned them before they entered. If they burned the forest, destroyed the forest, or tried to conquer itwe would strike back during the Harvest without mercy. I swallowed. They took that as a sign of weakness but we werent weak. They came in and slashed and burned and slaughtered all the second and third-evolution beasts they saw and we slaughtered every last one of them. I took a sharp breath. After that, the gate remained closed for fifty years. And when it finally opened again, they sent in five, ten, twenty people. Now its back up to a few hundred, but thats okay. Its peacefuland its been necessary. They decimated our forest. They culled our ranks and weakened us. Were still not where we once were, and we would struggle to fight off another attack of that magnitude. But then you came along. I folded my arms and looked away, feeling anxiety sharpening my ribs. I didnt ask to be here. No, you didnt. And I respect that. But now you understand why Thorvel hates you. Why I didnt trust you. And why no creature in this forest will at first. Do you understand? I bit my lip and nodded. I do. So? Knowing that if those people returned What would you do? I thought about it seriously and then said, If I was in this ring, and I was near them wed have a word I looked away. I dont know what a word looks like, but I dont think it would be pretty. And I can guarantee Klines word would come sooner than mine and it would be much harsher. Kline meowed and sat. Emael nodded and turned to the alchemy bag. Empty that, then follow me. I dumped out the alchemy equipment as if it were trash, then slung it around my shoulder, grabbed Kline like a football, and then left the barrier, touching Emael to let her through. It was early, and Aiden wasnt out. Sina and the lurvines watched me, and then we disappeared into the forest, leaving them trapped in the barrier with enough food and water to last six months. 3. Emael and I hiked in silence, moving between trees with quiet steps, sidestepping poisonous moss, and moving around crackling deadfall. Despite being so large, the River Guardian was skilled at navigating, showing a mastery that I couldnt even imagine. Arent you worried my guide will learn your secrets? I asked guiltily. If your Oracle were as powerful as it seems, this place would have been conquered eons ago. Then whats stopping it? Our denizens lack the implant that gives you your Guide. It can only see through your eyesthats wit it wants you here. As for us, we block its frequency. Weve been at war with your Oracle longer than you could ever know. Oh then how does it Ask Brindle, for I do not have the answers you seek. Lets continue. I suppressed my desire to ask about how it could create dynamic maps and locate resources. It was possible that the people who dropped me off mapped it out ahead of time because I hadnt used a dynamic map since the first week. I set it aside. We pressed on, continuing our hike in awkward silence. Things carried on like that for a few hours until we hit a part of the mountain and began hiking. I was winded by the time we got to the first ledge and didnt think I could continue up the steep incline. Climb on, Emael said during a break. She presented the palms of her creepy human-like hands that acted as her feet, giving me a boost. I stepped on them, moving up them like stairs as they moved up with a level of control found in cartoons. I giggled slightly as she helped me up, and I sat down on my knees, holding her fur. It was long, so I wiped my palms on my pants, wrapped the fur twice around my hands, and then nodded. You ready? Kline hopped onto Emael as if she were short, and then I nodded. We are now please go slow. Emael did, scaling the mountain with ease and control that made it feel impossible for me to fall. She was perfectly balanced and soon I forgot we were even climbing and laughed and smiled at how wondrous the situation was. It was then, lost in that state of wondrous euphoria, we entered another illusionary barrier, and my stomach fluttered with what I saw. B2 - Chapter 45 - Nethralis Im sure everyones heard of a legendary location. El Dorado Atlantis the Fountain of Youth. They exist in every world and get passed down from generation to generation. Well, when I rode Emael up the Callasan Mountain and entered that illusionary barrier, I found one of such locations. It was a mythical forest that I would struggle to put into words. It appeared to be the size of a football field, but the space was magical. White trees with pink leaves spread out like aspens and small rivers spread through them as if it were a zen garden filled with perfectly clipped bonsais. In the center was a large walkway with stones that had been cut and stacked together like tiles, but there were drawings in them, as if someone had cut millions of pieces of rock and stacked them together in beautiful patterns. I wasnt sure where to look. Part of me was drawn by the almost supernatural order to the path, but the other part was looking at the areas lining the walkway. There were patches of various fruits and vegetables and herbs and flowers, each five squared feet with perfect precision, separated by white stone walls. This has to be a garden, I thought. It is, Emael answered after reading my thoughts. Whos garden? Emael looked up. Theirs. I looked up into the trees and caught the sight of wings flying past as creatures moved between the branches and leaves. They did an excellent job at hiding, and I was certain that some blended with active camouflage, but I caught a glimpse of a human head on a tiny body flying past a section of leaves. Who are they? Drokai. Im sure you will have another name for them. They look like fairies, I thought and I was right. Mostly. At the end of the path was a thick wall of bushes split in the middle, like a fifty-foot hedge maze. Before we reached it, a group of creatures met us. A few were, in fact, fairies or pixies by definition. They looked just like me or Aiden, but they were around a foot tall, putting them at the size of a doll. If one were sitting on my shoulder, their head would be in a perfect spot to lean in and whisper to me. But not all of our greeters were fairies. Some were vaguely human and smaller, the size of chicken hatchlings, and they had green skin and faces that looked like they were human faces, half-sculpted before refining details. Another set was gold, the size of large dragonflies without notable human features but flying and controlling themselves as an intelligent species. All of them had the makins for cute beings, but all of them were hostile and chilling, radiating pressure that greatly outstripped my own. What have you done? a male fairy asked Emael, back straight in his green and silver armor. Im here to see Nethralis, she said dismissively. He sneered and looked at me with a chilling stare that made me feel cold and helpless and alone. Klines fur bristled, and he stood a strong front. We both knew the situation was bad. You know who this is, dont you? he said as he looked at me. I do. You mean to tell me that you know who this is, and yet you break our laws and bring her here? She is Brindles student. I know. He told us. A cold electricity crackled around my skin, making me shiver. Emael narrowed her eyes at the tenseness. Then that should be enough. It is not. Our reliance upon Brindle ended long ago. Youre not relying, Mira. Youre utilizing. The elixir. I pulled off my backpack and retrieved my last soul elixirthe first one he made. When the man saw it, he flew to it cautiously. You can open it, I said. He did with both, and when he smelled what was sealed within, he looked at me with aggressive eyes. Where did you find this? I made it. No. Not this trash. The flower! Dont say a word. Emael ordered, releasing soul pressure that made him sneer. You would seriously use this as a bargaining chip? We can save it. We can It is not for sale. If Brindle did not entrust it to you, neither will I. But you will entrust it to her? I didnt entrust it to her. I doubt Brindle did, either. Now take us to Nethralis. His nose scrunched in as he looked at the elixir. For this trash he tapped the glass jar and released it in my hands. Unbelievable. I tightened the jar and stored it, trying to keep my cool. Once I was done, he spoke to the other fairies and creatures before snorting and turning to the wall and waving his hand. Suddenly, the entire bushy wall came to life and it unraveled like a tapestry, untying hundreds of plants that had locked together like clock parts, and when it opened, I saw the most beautiful sight of my life. There was a blue pond that radiated with energy between a circle of trees. Each had trunks thirty feet in diameter, and they were carved into a city in the skies. Fairies and other species flew from one tree to the next, like flying cars, going into different rooms and buildings, or stopping to sit on the leaves or vines. Fairies washed clothing in the pond or swam or lounged on lily pads in the water as others tended rows of flowers and fungi that circled the area. Beyond that was a structure far larger than the rest, a normal human-sized house that was made of plants and roots that had gnarled into an enchanting building. Move, the man said. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. I turned and saw the path had sifted directions, walking on the perimeter of the forest, avoiding the city that I could stare at for hours. I nodded, and Kline led the way, moving beside Emael, who walked straight to the home. Is this a castle? I asked. Emael smiled strangely. No. Its been empty for many years. She walked behind the home, and I found a pavilion similar to the alchemy station, with a three-foot fence around the perimeter but an open-air section housing a table and seating and tea cups for four. The strange part was the chairs themselvesthey were human. Sit. I followed Emaels instructions, sitting at the table as Kline sat on the steps, staring toward the house and citywaiting. It was elegant white wood that seemed like porcelain, nothing I could imagine on Earth. I tried to identify it and realized that my guide wasnt working. That was for the best. I stared off into dead space with an aching nervousness until I heard fluttering. I turned and found a single fairy flying toward us. She was beautiful, sporting red hair and a gold and white dress that fluttered in the air. It seemed strange to see one approach us, but when she entered the pavilion, I understood why. A massive negative barrier developed around us, as if we had been swallowed and then spread out, turning the world black and white. Then, the color returned to normal as it retracted, sticking to the pavilions boundaries as if it were an elastic band snapping into place. Forgive me, Emael, the fairy I would soon know as Nethralis said to the River Guardian outside the barrier. If I didnt take such a precaution, Zyphrael would demand you both die as a security measure. The fairy smirked, and I did the same, even though I was fighting to breathe in her presence. Its fine, Emael replied, proving that she could hear and speak without barrier. Now then Nethralis turned to me with an amused smile that betrayed her regal air. She looked more like a Greek goddess than a pixie. If I didnt watch her pull flower pedals the size of her hands out of a purse, I would be convinced that I was just seeing her in the distance. We cant possibly have a proper meeting without tea, she said. Its fine uh can you understand me? I asked. Everything youve seen, and thats what you ask? she asked amusedly as she filled the cups with hot water that she summoned from thin air. No its just My Guide usually translates. Im worried its still working. She raised an eyebrow but then smiled and continued working, grinding petals and leaves. Dont worry. She whipped her hand, and a myriad of colors blended together, splitting apart and landing into two steaming cups. We translated thoughts long before the Oracle existed, she said, and we will do it long after it falls. I see Now tell me about you, student of Brindle. She stood before her cup and sat on its rim, throwing me off balance. I grabbed my cup and pulled it close. Well um Im not sure what there is to say. A few months ago, I was integrated into this forest, and I''ve mostly been trying to survive. Im not asking who you are, Nethralis narrowed her eyes dangerously, tapping her finger against her porcelain cup. I want to know what youre doing here. I didnt even know this place exist In the forest. Oh the gods destroyed my planet. During the integration, they asked where I wanted to go. I asked to be sent to an isolated forest where I could live off the land and wouldnt have to participate in all this god nonsense. And you got sent here? Yeah. To Areswood Forest. I nodded. Still bitter about it. Nethralis stopped tapping her finger and smiled. Of course you are. She jumped off her cup, walked to mine, grabbed the handle, and dragged it back with tiny feet. Then she flicked her hand, and her cup floated to me. I frowned as I looked at my new cup. I wasnt sure what was in it, but I sure as hell wouldnt drink it. See? she asked. One strange action one misguided sentence one lie can turn a friendly gesture into a battleground of mistrust. Let me ask you, Mira. Will you ever trust these cups, even if I switch their places again? How do you know my name? Answer me. I looked at the cup bitterly. She was accusing me of poisoning our meeting with lies, but I didnt lie. I wont, I said. I dont think Ill ever trust whats in these cups. Then why should I trust your friendly gesture? This meeting? I bit my lip. Because shes not lying, Emael said. Nethralis paused thoughtfully. I find that very hard to believe. You can still see, cant you? She didnt have a core three months ago. I saw her the day she arrived. I see so she just survived this forest alone, created two cores, and achieved this level of purity? I will not repeat myself. Then tell me how. Ask her. Nethralis turned to me. How? Yakana I said earnestly. He helped me build my cores Elana, my alchemist patron helped me to create cleansing elixirs. Brindle helped me with soul magic. You have two patrons? Yes. And ones an alchemist? Yes. And they want resources and to sell goods? Yes. Nethralis gripped the rim of her cup with a reverse grip. Tell me, student of Brindle. Do you know whats happening outside these walls? My lips trembled, and I looked away. Thorvel says theres an army out there. Nethralis paused. Thorvel told you that? Yeah. Wants to kill me to end it. And he didnt? We have a deal. Whats the deal? I leaned my elbow against the table and my forehead in my palm. Yakana wants me to become a guardian. Brindle requires me to be a guardian for their patronage. Thorvel wants me to prove I can be a guardian. I have three weeks to prove thator hell kill me. Nethralis pondered my words. How can you prove it? I grabbed my tea cup by reflex and shrugged. I dont know I reached out to Brindle yesterday. Hopefully hell have an answer. And if he doesnt? I pondered that question on my many hours of travel to the city of fairies, and I only came up with one potential answer. Brindle asked me to rid the river of lignan bugs. As a reward, he gave me access to a sacred location. If I dont have any choice Ill go there. Nethralis frowned. Whats it called? I thought about whether to tell her. The location wasnt recorded and Lithco told me not to share it with others, but at the same time, this location wasnt marked, either. Time was short, and trust was desperate, so I decided to tell her. Lake Nyralith. Her eyes widened, and then her lips curved into a twisted smile. Emael also stood and turned to me. What? I asked. He must either trust your skills without distinction Nethraliss eyes narrowed. Or he wants you dead. My stomach dropped. Brindle does not deceive, Emael said. Nephalis pondered it and then nodded. Suppose thats true. So? The fairy tapped her finger against the rim of the cup she was sitting on. Then she looked at me. Youve somehow earned the trust of Brindle, Yakana, and Emael. And since you have a deal with Thorvel, you mustve earned his trust to a degree, too So Ill trust you. But I will not protect you. If Thorvel chooses to kill you, I will not aid you in that war. I looked down at the cup in my hands. Somehow, it was still warm. That said, I will help you meet his challenge. I looked up hopefully. If we can trust one another. Nethralis pointed at the cup. Because if you want to go to Lake Nyralith youll need to drink that." B2 - Chapter 46 - Kyro I stared at the teacup like a pharaoh at a leper. Then I looked up at Nephralis with a pleading expression. You are in a city that forbids outsiders, Nephralis said preemptively, speaking to guardians that swore not to aid humanoids, in a forest that you have unknowingly inspired an invasion of. Even if I added poison to one of these cups before your eyes, my request for reciprocal trust would still not be equal. I stared at the red liquid in the cup and nodded. It was a hard pill to swallow, but I was still too weak. While it wouldnt always be the case, I was a sheep amongst wolves. The dragons and torok and fairies and guardians. There were third evolution beasts and beyond in this forest. Right now, I was on the razors edge. There was no value in refusing but everything to gain. Do I remove the leaf remnants? I asked. Or do I drink them? Nephraliss lips curved in a slight smile. I dont have a strainer. I flipped my fingers, and all the physical matter within the cup floated out, hovering in a sphere that lacked oxygen from a domain. Fan~cy, Nephralis said. I stared at the multicolored powder, radiating with neara, just like the cores I had. Why havent you extracted the neara? I looked at the cup and found that there was no essence within it. Hoho maybe you did make that elixir. Is this a test? Maybe. I returned the powder to the cup and stirred it. Then, I shut my eyes and recreated the soul extraction process Yakana and Brindle taught me, slowly extracting the aura around the plants and threading my core while unraveling the neara. I shouldve known there was something wrong right then because the aura fit around my soul core like a glove, tightening it into a rock. But it didnt feel bad, so I continued until it was done. Then, I opened my eyes and shivered at the sight. The red liquid was shifting. It moved from bright red to maroon to dark purple to black as it stirred itself. Now purify it, Nephralis said. I did, and the cup radiated with light. I put down the cup as the black particles within separated and exited the cup, flowing away in the breeze. Now drink, she said. I was entranced by the liquid, which was now clear as water and drank. My soul core froze over as if it were dipped in dry ice, and my whole body spread with chills. I tried to speak, but my throat and lungs had stiffened, making it impossible to even croak. Poison I thought weakly. As if he could hear my thoughts, Kline released a roar in response. He jumped into my lap and then onto the table, pouncing at Nephralis. The fairy put up her hand, and his body froze, hitting the table with a thud. Then, she extracted the mana within her cup and purified it. She pulled out a bubble-sized sphere of the liquid and dropped it on the table before Kline. Kiran root isnt a poison, Nephralis said calmly. Its a soul-strengthening agent. Youll need it. Now cycle your core. If you dont keep it active, itll lock forever. My heart released a heavy beat that cracked the icy frost in my chest, and I churned my core. It turned slow as if it were rusted over, but it creaked and cracked and broke free, turning like a cog in a clock, circulating freely. As soon as it did, the cold water in my chest and veins started flowing. I was now swimming in arctic waterif I slowed for a moment, I would succumb to the cold and fall into my final slumber. 2. Nephralis released Miras companion, whose hair bristled as he moved back. She needs it, she repeated. If she wouldve taken that elixir she brought, her soul wouldve exploded. Kline looked at Mira worriedly and then back at the liquid on the table. Youll need it, too, she said. Otherwise, you wont be able to journey where she needs to go. Klines eyes widened, and he looked between the liquid, Nephralis, Mira, and then Emael. You know Im not lying. He grimaced and narrowed his eyes, and then looked at Mira. Then he took hesitant steps to the liquid, sniffed it, lapped it up quickly, and then walked to Mira with rigid steps, laying at her feet. Nephralis frowned as she watched them suffer. It wasnt pleasant to watch, but it was necessary. To think you brought Kiran before our meeting, Emael said. Kiran was a rare soul root the Drokai used for soul core evolution rituals. It was a test, Nephralis replied quietly. If Mira couldnt identify and extract neara from the root, she couldnt have worked with the Teelia flower. The power within the Teelia was too much for most of her alchemists. So, it was more likely that Mira had smuggled the elixir into the forest or had an accomplice. Yet, to Nephraliss surprise, Mira extracted the neara with a cycling technique that she had never seen before. It was elegant and beautiful, like watching aura dance around Miras body. If there was any question that she was a student of a legendary soul master, it was obvious then. She turned to Emael. She really didnt have a core? Neither, Emael confirmed. She had no soul force at all. It was eerie. Nephralis stared at Mira with complex emotions. She decided to comply with Brindles request the moment that Emael brought her to Serenflora, as Brindles only method of communicating with the forest was through the Drokai, so Emaels timely visit was unrelated and voluntary. But seeing the truth Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Nephralis turned to the entrance of the pavilion. Zyphrael. The male Drokai cut his Active Camouflage and appeared outside the barrier. My lady, he said, bowing. Nethralis sat on the lip of her cup, facing him. She tapped her finger on the rim. His face twitched nervously, pushing back, but he quickly broke under her pressure. Forgive me, My Lady. I cannot leave you unguarded. She stopped tapping her finger. Get Kyro. Zyphraels face contorted in disgust. Kyro? You cant be serious. What do you care? Im sending him away. His eyes widened. Where? Kellam Pass. 3. Kyro cheered with drink in hand as he watched two earth sprites wrestle in a reinforced glass container, like bugs in a jar, smashing each other around with crazed magic. His eyes were bloodshot but he was feeling more alive than he had in months. He was one large bet away from paying off his debt a sentiment that all gamblers had. A big enough bet could pay off any debt, and this was the one. He could feel it. Those who bet on the blue sprite felt the same way as they circled the glass container in the betting den, high in the branches above Serenflora. The area was a dome made of twigs and stalks and leaves that were twisted together, and rays of light passed through the cracks for ambient lighting, keeping the area feverish and darkened in the bright sunshine. He had been there for days, on a streak he felt would never end, body surrounded by nymphs who were cheering him on. Suddenly, the red sprite cracked a tiny hand on the blues jaws, sending the blue female sprite into the reinforced glass with an impact that caused deep cracks in the glass before they repaired themselves. The crowd fell still for a moment then burst into violent cheers as the fight continued on. Thats it thats it! Kyros heart drummed as he flew in the air, pressing his hands against the glass as the red sprite whomped the hell out of the blue one, finally giving him a chance at freedom. And right at that moment, as the decisive blow was boring upon the blue spirit, the walls of the den unraveled. The branches and stalks and leaves that created the dome opened to the open sky, scorching his eyes with the threat of life and making him hiss and turn away as the crowd screamed. His hangover was bad that day, and his flask had run dry hours ago, forcing him to pay out winnings for zelbearan wine as the frenzied crowd of yelling, screaming, and betting as they threw chips onto the table. Now, he was a sullen victim of natural forces, hissing with the rest as he shielded his eyes. Multiple fairies in royal armor swooped in, turning over tables and airing out the den. Kyro hid in a corner, trying to keep out of view, but the fairy he least wanted to see called out his name. Kyro! His heart sank, but he forced himself up and walked over. Zyphrael, my good friend! I know that Im a bit late with the payments. But as any of these wonderful people could attest, I was mere moments away from Shut up, Zyphrael groaned. Do you really think I would be collecting your loans? Kyro put up his hands. You never know. I am rather strong Stop clowning. Nethralis requires your presence. Lets go. Oh I mean. He looked down. Like this? Zyphrael nodded. Like that. Now move. Kyro frowned. He was going to demand these people fill his flask, or hed choose death. 4. I cant explain what happened to me after I drank the tea Nephralis gave me, but I felt the way that liquid dripping off an oxygen tank looked. Coldyet functional. Like a machine that contained compressed rocket fuel before feeding its engines. I tried to thread aura; I tried to cleanse neara. I tried everything, but nothing helped. All I could do was churn and churn my core, hobbling along like a broken wheel. I did that for a few hours, lost in this hypothermic trance when everything started to ease up. I felt tiny hands on my shoulders, and a warmth radiated through my shaking body, warming me up, thawing me inside outallowing me to breathe. I lay there for a few minutes after function returned to my body, exhausted, listening to the distant voices around me. It sounded like I was hiding under a massive metallic pot. Thats ridiculous, a strange male voice said. This is Brindles pupil. We need to keep her here we need to protect her until shes ready. At the very least, we shouldnt be sending her off to die. We cannot house her, someone that sounded like Nephralis replied. If our rules were so flimsy that we would bend them for the first exception, we would be extinct. Then dig her a cave. Give her some bodyguards. Kill Thorvel and thrust the arrogant prick on a pike and send a message Hold your tongue! Zyphraels arrogant voice flooded my mind, and my hearing returned. You will show respect Can you not? the other man groaned. The adults are speaking. Unbelievable. My Lady, please allow me to Zyphraelstop. Kyro I understand why youre concerned, but its unfounded. Brindle gave her the route to Lake Nyralithif she dies there, thats on him. That may be, but she just got here, Kyro protested. I doubt Brindle thought shed attempt it this century. This is oh, great, shes awake. I groaned and opened my eyes slowly, using my hand to shield my eyes from the sunshine. Three silhouettes of fairies hung around me. Nephralis and Zephrael were familiar, but there was one that looked like he didnt belong. He looked like a beleaguered husband on the verge of a divorce. He had a ten o''clock shadow with bloodshot eyes and a cute little suit that was stained by various liquids. He must have been Kyroand he reeked of hard liquor and bad decisions. Uh hello? I said. Kyro groaned, and he clasped his head. Just stay out of this. Quietly please. I looked to the sky and saw the sun at its meridian, beating down hot on the grass beyond the gazebos shade. Then I turned back to him. Are you hung over? No, he said. Youre hung over. No. Im still drunk. Thats worse. I looked around for Kline and found him conked out at my feet, likely from drinking the tea or something similar. Then I turned to Nephralis. Who is this? This is Kyro, she said. And whether he likes it or not, hell be your guide to the Tranea Crypt. I frowned. I see uh whats Trenea Crypt? Now that is an ex~cel~lent question, Kyro said with forced cheeriness. Allow me to elucidate on that and the full nature of your chosen assignment. My wonderful Drokai queen has ordered me, her humble servant, to take you, an unevolved, unawakened human with a weak soul core and ostensibly no soulmancy experience, to Tranea Crypt, a graveyard where the meanest, nastiest, most vengeful souls that refuse to be purified end up. Its also a wonderful resort where corrupted beasts go to bathe in pure anger and prove themselves superior to other vengeful creatures. And, if youre not aware, youre woefully unprepared for that and all but destined to suffer a horribly gruesome death. B2 - Chapter 47 - Soul Pact Zyphrael gripped his sword after Kyro gave his cheery explanation of Tranea Crypt. Do not mock your queen, he ordered. I would never do such a thing, Kyro said, putting up his hands with a smirk. Nethralis turned to me. If you want to prove youre invaluable you need to learn soulmancy. And to do that, you need to evolve your soul core and collect souls. The best place to do both is at Tranea Crypt. I frowned and swallowed. When do we leave? Oh great, Kyro chimed, shes stupid, too. I turned to him with fury burning in my soul. You got a problem or something? Yeah, I do got a problem. I just told you that this was a suicide request for someone at your level, and youre not even considering the dangers. Thats the problem. I dont have a choice. Oh, no-no-no-no-no. Dont give me that. You always have a choice. Sure, there are times where theres a dagger at your throat, so one of the options is bluntly suicidal and not worth considering. But this is that situationand youre choosing the blade. Everything I do almost gets me killed, I snapped. And right now, I have a bloodthirsty dragon out to kill me and an opportunity to get stronger. Im going to choose the latter. And what? Youre not gonna consider running? Negotiating? Making deals and promises? Youre going to sit back and accept your fate? I understood that Kyro wanted to protect me because he was trying to do that before I even woke up. But there was something about the neverending doubt that everyone and everything in this forest gave me that got under my skin, and I found myself clenching my fists until the veins in my forearms bulged. I refuse to accept my fate, I said. And for your information, if I got a spell for every time someone thought Id die, Id be strong enough to slap that look off your face. Kyro smirked and turned to me. Oh so youre one of those people. What do you mean, those people? The type that thinks that raw will and determination can solve every problem. That mindsets gonna get you killed. That mindset is the only reason Im still alive. For now. I scrunched my nose in, half-snarling at him like a wild animal. Kyro looked between my furious expression to Nethralis, who was watching him disapprovingly, and then Zyphrael, who never lost his desire to kill the drunken fairy. Well, since common sense is being sacrificed on the altar, Kyro said. How about we have a little bet? Youre not getting out of this, Nethralis said dryly. I wouldnt dream of it, my queen, he said jovially. This is but a simple teaching moment. I frowned. Whats the bet? Well do a spar. Two-on-one. You, me, and your pretty little kitty cat right there. If you land a single physical attack on me during our spar, Ill be your guide for lifewithin set restrictions. Ill take you all the way to the lake and far beyond. Youll be blessed by my knowledge and wisdom until youre absolutely sick of it. I eyed him incredulously. Well even settle it with a soul~pact, Kyro announced, shocking Zyphrael and Nethralis. That way, if I even try to back out, itll kill me. My chest thrummed with anxiety and excitement and fear. And if you win? Ill get to hold this over your head for the rest of your life, which, by order of my marvelous queen, will be rather short indeed. Dont mock your queen! Zyphrael yelled. I did call her marvelous. Stop, Nethralis said and then turned to me. Well? Are you interested? I frowned. Whats the catch? Theres no way thats what he really wants. Of course not, she said. Hes hoping that you realize how weak you are and decide to back out. I turned to Kyro. Well, hate to break it to ya, call me dumb all you wantbut Im not going to back out. He lifted a hand to his ear. Was that a yes I heard? I thought about it one last time. There was nothing for me to lose but an immense amount for me to gain, so saying no would be absurd. Why risk your life on this? I asked. Kyro smiled. Listen, Mira. Im a gambler, alcoholic, a nightlife degeneratebut even for me robbing a cat and his owner on a sure bet is just wrong. My whole head twitched. If I thought Lithco was bad, I underestimated the sheer force of annoyance someone could trigger in my soul. Kyro grinned and turned to Nethralis. If you will. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Nethralis nodded, helped thaw Kline, and then explained how soul pacts bound the contracted users into performing the required actions. Then, she helped negotiate a deal where Kyro would have to be my guide to the lake and through to the sixth domain as long as I remained committed to protecting the forest. The one exception was the Harvest, as people thought the Drokai were extinct, and they kept that perception to ensure there was a secret weapon in the forest. I agreed. I also agreed to never speak of the Drokai, within reasonable exceptions, such as the case that everyone saw the Drokai. It was all very reasonable. An hour later, Kline stretched his full body on an empty part of the lawn, dipping down on his little arms as I stretched my back. Kyro had fluttered off with Zephrael and returned looking half as haggard. In turn, Zephrael looked twice as disgusted. Whered they go? I thought as Kyro fluttered to Kline and me. Are you ready? Nethralis asked. Yes, I said. Sure, he said. Then lets begin. Nethralis waved her hand, and a barrier formed around us. The barrier also landed over the lush grass as well, reminding me of the barrier over the Wandering Reaper. Kyro cracked his neck in his messy, alcohol-stained suit. You look ridiculous, I said bluntly. He looked down at his suit now that he was looking more sober, and he laughed. Yeah Youre right. He wiped his face, and his body radiated with white light. His suit not only purified, removing stains and liquid, but it also became pressed and fresh-looking. He smirked and rubbed his chin next, and all the hair on his cheeks and neck fell off as if he were shaving. You know that only makes you look worse, right? I asked. His smirk transposed into a frown. How do you figure? Cause it took you fifteen seconds to look like a successful Drokai instead of a homeless drunkard, and you still showed up to your queen looking like that. Kyro raised an eyebrow and blinked twice. Well actually damn. Thats a good point. He honestly looked convinced and reflective, but the next moment, he pulled a flask from his breast pocket. You cant be serious, I said. Oh, I am, Kyro said, unscrewing the lid. He rocked it back and exhaled sharply, wiping his mouth with his wrist. Change takes time, and its not gonna happen right before a fight. Youre insufferable. Then hit me. I unsheathed a machete, wondering if that was going too far, but he just lifted his flask again, saying, Scary, before drinking. Kline disappeared, leaving nothing but aura to visualize him. Kyro looked up for a split second before taking another drink. Then we struck. I flew forward with normal speed, swinging the machete as Kline warped into Kyros shadow striking from the back. Kyros eyes widened but he still dodged with seamless motion, not even dropping the flask. Kline threw phantom claws and Kyro casually jumped between the cracks, then dodged seamlessly as Kline jumped through his shadow again. I flew forward, swinging at him with practiced movements hiding Moxle Dilation. Well, at least one of you has skill, Kyro said, dodging another attack from Kline. But youre kinda a one trick pony arent you? Suddenly, a gust of raw aura swept behind Kyro, and an object smashed into the barrier, creating golden ripples. Klines active camouflage broke as he hit the ground, then reactivated. What just Something smashed into my head and sent me flying as well. It left my mind hazy and broken and raw. I had no clue what just happened. When I opened my eyes, I saw hell breaking loose. Kline was furious. I could see his aura during circles. He jumped through Kyros shadow, jumped to the side onto an ethereal bridge in the air, and released two phantom claws from the sky. Youre a savage little thing arent you, Kyro said, fluttering between strikes, circling around Kline. They were moving so fast that I had to use Moxle Dilation to keep up with it. And when I did, I was horrified by what I saw. Kyros eyes followed Kline everywhere he went, and the asshole was even drinking as he dodged attacks. It went on for a couple more seconds before he spilled some of the liquor onto his shirt and he scoffed. With a wave of his hand, a wall of manalike those that Kline could usematerialized right as Kline was leaving Kyros shadow, smashing him and sending him flying again. No Do you get it? Kyro asked, brushing his shirt. Your incredible speed isnt impressive when your enemies are naturally as fast. I thought back to the creature in the bog and to the Torok. In both cases, Kline and I were teleporting, but the creatures easily outpaced us. In one case, Kline had to create a body dopple, but in the case of the Torok, it was worthless. I stood up and called out. Kline. Lets try our formation. If we fail, just yell and charge or something. I couldnt see Klines expression but trusted him, standing and rushing at Kyro. Suicide charge? How dross. Kyro lifted his hand, and raw mana formed on the side of my head. I was ready, using Moxle Dilation to speed forward. The fairys eyes widened when he saw it, but Kline was attacking, forcing him to move. By the time he turned back, I was already swinging. Time nearly stopped as I swung at the fairy. It was so slow that my body couldnt keep up and I could see the machetes trajectory as it flew at Kyro. I thought he would start moving in some Matrix move, dodging at high speed or fluttering back. But he just smiled all the way up to the last inch and then he moved. He was fast. Even with my time slow, he nearly teleported up to me, lifting his tiny fist and cracking me in the jaw. Moxle Dilation broke, and I hit the barrier, feeling dizzy as I activated Mental Shield, crying out from the pain. Still, victory meant everything so I forced my hands over my ears and waited for the grenade to explode. 2. Kyro dodged as Kline flew at him from the side. He dodged, but not without spilling his precious liquor, and that was worse than death. He took a sharp drink and flew into the grass, grabbing the lid before flying to the top of the barrier to screw it on. Kline jumped up on invisible bridges of raw mana to chase him, but Kyro was far faster, tightening the lid. This is ridiculous It wasnt that fighting them was difficult. If he were trying to kill them, they wouldve been dead from the onset. Both of them were remarkably slow to him, even as Kline used his freakish teleportation technique and Mira used her abnormally strong acceleration technique. They were strong, but they werent anything special to real power. As for Klines Active Camouflage, it was worthless to most third-evolution creatures and high-end neophytes after it was spottedas they could see Klines auraso he needed to improve that if he wanted to compete at scale. Stillthe two had only been in Areswood for a few months! The fact that they had ambush tactics that forced him to stop drinkinga certifiable felony in his eyeswas extraordinary. But playtime was over. Kyro threw the flask into his breast pocket, determined to at least care. Kline had followed him up to the top of the barrier, jumping onto bridges of raw mana. His body was moving comically slow to Kyro, and that allowed him to see something unsettling. Kline wasnt real. He was just an aura clone. Kyro swatted away the clone and looked for the real one quickly. But as he was turning, he caught sight of Mira clasping her ears. It couldve been mental whiplash for her insane skill, but the look on her face spelled fear. I need to finish Kline suddenly opened his mouth and released a mental attack, a roar that made Kyros mind break into multiple fragments. B2 - Chapter 48 - Conspiracy Kyros mind split into multiple fragments, leaving his thoughts looping and broken. In an upper domain, such a weak mental attack would bounce off him, but the largest problem with being cursed was that it suppressed neara in the body. Neara was what increased perception by slowing down a persons world, shielded people from mental attacks, and boosted bodily function by improving the mind, nervous system, and healing processes. Once suppressed, people reverted closer and closer to base-level mortality. For that reason, the attack actually shattered his mind, and he had to activate Mental Shielding thoughtfully to snap himself back together. All of this happened in a split second. By the time Klines claw strike and pounce could reach him, he had already moved away but it was close. Far closer than ever should have been possible fighting against such young, undisciplined beings. But it was over. In a real fight, they would be dead, and in a normal spar, hed keep going. But he sure as hell wouldnt commit himself to a chaste life to be a life-long bodyguard for Mira just because of a paper cut. With her and Klines talent, that could be millennia! Maybe more! Kyro turned to Mira, and thats when his mindset turned from a flippant aggravation wrapped in necessity and morphed into a grave response. Where the fuck did she get that thing? Mira had reached into her chest and was pulling a soul weapon from her chest. Soul weapons were exceedingly rare and always terrifying. The skills it had were unknown, and he doubted that Mira had any clue what she was holdingor what it signified. Things were about to get nasty. Playtime was over. Kyro blasted across the battlefield as fast as he could, turning and lifting his hands. Two sets of raw mana developed over Mira and Kline. Kyro was a demigod with over a hundred thousand years of experience. If he couldnt end two hatchlings in a split second, even with three curses and his hands tied behind his back, he would kill himself. It was for that reason that he was so confident in making an egregiously one-sided bet to grind Mira and Klines weakness into themto force them to consider it. But the time for that was over. Sorry kids. Kline panicked and jumped for a portal, opening up one next to Mira to protect her. Mira had followed his movements the best she could, but she lost him halfway. Even at their fastest, there were slow and he couldnt even use an acceleration technique. It was admirablebut it wasnt enough. He swung his hands down. A small force of mana crashed into Mira, knocking her out. A massive one hit Kline, strong enough to create a crater in the ground if there werent a barrier. Then, the world turned still. He pulled out his flask but he didnt unscrew it. He just fluttered in silence, studying Kline and Mira with a profound gaze. No wonder everyones after them. He didnt understand why Brindle and Yakana would choose a pupil. Now that he witnessed their talent, he was convinced that it wasnt a simple fluke or conspiracy theory. They earned it through and through and shocked him multiple times with their power. These two needed protected at all costs. That said, it was extremely difficult to argue that they got where they were with a little aid and merit. There was something more serious going on, and Zyphrael that prick was the first to point it out. Thiss a conspiracy. Kyro turned to Nephralis to see her reaction and found a frown chopped on her face. The sight made Kyro feel sick as if his stomach were a still pond that someone stepped into with their bare feet. He needed a drink. He took one. It didnt make him feel better. It never did. Who gave her that soul weapon? Zyphrael pressed when no one spoke. Thats the least of our worries, Nethralis said. Two patrons a soul weapon and that magic Kyro nodded. Yeah. Thatll get dangerous a few evs up. So? Zyphrael asked. Whatre we gonna do about this? What do you mean do about this? Kyro asked chillingly. Nothings changed. Zyphrael sneered back. Nothings changed? The Oracles trying to conquer the forest. Its giving a no name soul weapons and high-level magic. And you dont think anythings changed? While none of them had access to the Oracle, neophytes with the Oracle entered the forest every year and spoke and thought about it in great detail. Drokai spies had learned all its advantagesand all its limitationsand Miras situation was far beyond what other people stood to gain by the system. We dont know the soul weapon was for her, Emael said. I doubt theyd give one to a lost cause. Thats true, Nephralis said. And I think we can agree that Mira wasnt trained for this. But Zyphrael is right. Even if that was a reward, its unprecedented. That means that either the Oracles been changed to aid in the conquering of the forest, or its going rogue. Either way dangers coming. Kyro sniffed the scarloberry brandy in his flask. It suddenly felt nauseating. But he found that sounding desperate never won arguments, so he waited for other people to speak. Luckily, Nethralis wasnt done. That said, Oracle or not, the only reason shes alive is because of Yakanas aid, she continued. Brindle and Emael as well. Shes here because she was chosen. Kyro nodded and drank, feeling that pleasant burn in his chest. Then he nodded. Yakanas enough. Zyphrael gritted his teeth. He hated Brindle with a passion because the prior guardian didnt provide them with knowledge of the Last Conquer in advance as he had with previous wars, so they were woefully unprepared for the scale of the attack. Since no one could talk to Brindle directly, and Brindle wasnt one for apologies or explanations, people had spread conspiracy theories that he was complicit, that he cut a deal, or that he simply abandoned them, even though Kyro and the elders all agreed that the likely answer was that he locked himself away somewhere and didnt come out for the forty, fifty years it took to organize the Last Conquer. Still, Zyphrael, Thorvel, and others never forgot. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Yakana was another story. Everyone trusted Yakanas judgment. His wisdom only grew over the years while he maintained a degree of his human intelligence and humanity, making his rational decision-making pragmatic instead of turning into some abstracted, life-obsessed entity. Thats why Zyphrael shut down. But why? Zyphrael asked quietly. Doesnt he know whats going on? I think he does, Nethralis said. I think thats why hes helping her. Her guard looked up. How does that make sense? Because were weak, Emael declared. The Last Conquer cost the Fourth Ring more than half our forces who knows how many from the Fifth. We havent recovered. But they have. They have an infinite supply of neophytes from countless planets. They got close beforethey havent forgotten. The gravity in the atmosphere multiplied, bearing down on everyones souls. So what youre saying, Kyro lifted his flask to his lips but paused. Is that we need a new guardian? Nethralis nodded as she stared at Mira and Kline. Zephrael reluctantly did the same. Well, if you guys stop being dicks to her Kyro drank and exhaled sharply. Shed make a good one. 2. I awoke to the light of a crackling fire and colorful lights. When I looked in the sky, I saw what Id later learn as sprites, tiny creatures that glowed in the moonlight, flying between homes in the land of the fairies. The denizens had gathered outside around the crystal pond, and they discussed the days events over drink and food. I felt a tugging on my shirt, and when I looked back, I saw Kline looking at me with blubbery eyes. Oh Kline Im okay. Once I gave him confirmation, he sucked up his anxiety and declared it was fine by jumping onto my side before crossing to the other side, stretching in front of me, and then slinking off. Little shit. Hes quite the character. I heard Kyros voice beside me, and I instinctively sat up, only to relax. Kyro was sitting on a small chair overlooking the fire, drinking a tiny bottle of wine. He didnt even consider sharing. He is, I said. Kyro wiped his forehead and rubbed his eyes. Then he cleared his throat. So um. Heres the thing. I was wrong, you were right, and were good. I raised an eyebrow. Wow how much pride did you have to shed for that one? He smiled amusedly and took a drink. Not a damn bit. Turns out, its easier to maintain relationships when you get rid of that shit. Thats true. He cheered his bottle and then pointed at the beautiful city with thousands in the square and tens of thousands of homes lit up over canopies that moved high into the sky. Welcome to Serenflora. Thanks I stared at the city in wonder. I underestimated the size by miles. Now that I could see the sprites and glow stones in tiny homes within the canopies, I understood that there could be tens of thousands of fairies in this small space. It truly was a hidden army. And if they were all as strong as Kyro Youre weak, he said abruptly, obliterating all the goodwill he had just earned. Back to that again? I asked. But we can make you stronger. I paused and reflected on his words seriously. Kline chose that moment to slink back on his own terms, laying in front of me in a range I couldnt pet him. I didnt try. How? I asked. Well, we need to get Kline a soul core and gorge him with soul force so he can ride the river. Well do the same for you. After that Well, well take a visit to Arithiel Pond and let you evolve your mana core. Well train Kline out there Wait! Arithiel Pond? You mean the place where the lignan bugs were? Um yeah. He took another drink. You cant be serious. Theres third evolution beasts there. He nodded. Yeah. My lips parted, and I stared at him in shock. So what? Youre gonna protect us? Or Nope. Hate to break it to ya, but Im cursed to the core. I can throw around one or two, but I dont have the umph to do more. Cursed? Wait. Does that mean youre from an upper domain? Ding-ding-ding. Yooooooou got it. Im a looooooong way from home. Curses are so bad I can only use elementals and soul force even after a century. And if I get beat up, I might as well be mortal. Fucking sucks. He took another drink. I looked away, feeling pain burrowing in my chest. So wait. Youre saying the Harvesters are stronger than you are? No not most of em. Well, yes, but actually Its complicated. Most these peopleve trained their whole life for the harvest. They work out and learn magic and train and kill people and play politics for twenty, thirty years before they show up. Give em your raw soul force, and even the bandits would tie their pack mules with your intestines. I shuddered. Problem is, they dont got the umph to do anything, he said. They can take down something small mother feasters children swarmers. But even a midrange second will do em in. Therell be four or five of em, hitting it with magic on all sides. Whoosh! Boom. Plow. Sparksll be flying, and peoplell be screaming, and that beastll gore the living shit out of them walk away wearing one as a wreath for their antlers. Its depressing. I thought back to the fighting. Kline earned tons of high level spells before even challenging the reiga, which were small swarming creatures. Then, we fought against the shalks, swarmers which werewhat I assumed to bemother feeders, as they ate their parents to level up after birth. Those were the weakest of the weak. But of the other two Kline fought, we injured one with a trap plant, and the white elk mangled Klines body, which left him on the verge of death. We needed magic to heal him. As for me, I couldnt even kill one of them until I learned Moxle Dilation and mana sharpening, and it took over a week to do serious damage to that bear and that was with resources. By then, I had a strong mana core and all the soul meat and cores I could handle. We were very lucky. Yes, we worked hard and risked our lives and showcased talentbut we were also very lucky. Then theres the legacies, Kyro said coldly. Theyve got the umph. My blood pressure spiked, and I looked at him with an accelerating heartbeat. Oh yes. Theyve got the umph. Im sure you think youre special because you got strong cores and meat, but the richies import both from the upper domains. Turn their kids into psychopaths kids arent normal. Ive seen em use people as bait for beasts or force people to eat fungi to test whether it was edible. Zero empathy. And theyre strong for this domain, too. They slaughter the second evs for sport. Even tag team the thirds right out the gate. If the Torok didnt show up to slap em around now and then, theyd get cocky and try to push on. Well, until they die of poisoning. But the little shits are rolling in imported elixirs and their clothes fuck. I hate those shits. It was weird to just hear a little human with wings venting like a drunken uncle, but it was useful information and proved that he cared about the right things. I dont get it, I said. If people can just import cores and meat why havent they succeeded? Kyro smirked and wagged a finger at me. Paranoia He took a drink and shuddered and sighed. Good ol paranoia He collapsed on the grass, drowsydrunk and dizzy. He looked like a doll just lying there, clearly suffering from whatever ailment was stabbing at him. So I just let him be, suppressing my desire to know the history of this world as I watched the sprites fly through the skies of Serenflora, hypnotized by the patterns they drew in the sky. I felt a paw and turned down and saw Kline staring at me with big eyes. Oh come here. I thrust out my hands, and he pretended to run, allowing me to scoop him into my arms. He squirmed, but I said, Oh shush. I couldnt catch you if I tried. He whined and pouted, but I held him against my breast and lay down again. We were exhausted. So, like Kyro, we drifted into sleep. We had three weeks to evolve our cores and get a crash course in soulmancy. So we would need it. Areswood Map and Cover Art Hey there! I''m excited for some cool updates. 1. I have official cover art you can see below. It''s sick! I''ve decided to make it exclusive to Amazon for now, so you''ll only see it here. 2. Reba Buhr, who did the audiobook for Ascendence of a Bookworm, as well as characters in Demon Slayer, Jujustu Kaisen, Violet Evergarden, Pokemon, and a slew of other Netflix, Anime, and video games has reportedly agreed to do the audiobook! https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Reba-Buhr/ If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. 3. Here''s a tentative map of the forest. I build these as I go, and the unmarked areas are subject to change, and DO NOT imply anything will happen in them. So have fun but don''t get your hopes up. Here are the links: 1. https://i.postimg.cc/bYbhtgTm/Upclose.png 2. https://i.postimg.cc/28DfFW9r/Overview-Map-1.png Cover: Maps: B2 - Chapter 49 - Circulation Training I awoke in the cottage we had tea behind. It was a truly humorless place that was so functional that fairies had to create a bed of leaves for Kline and me, considering that the bed was just an elevated block of wood with grooves for horns and a large mans body. But seeing the way the wood was knotted and grooved told me that Brindle wasnt a human under the clothing. Beyond the bed, it had a small table with a single chair, a coat rack, and some storage containers. The rest was an alchemy lab. I expected to see fairies flying around it, but when I ran my fingers over a cauldron, it felt cold and unused somehow. I had the impression the equipment hadnt been used in centuries. I turned to Nethralis when she entered. Thiss Brindles home, isnt it? It is, she replied. He helped build and hide Serenflora after a great war. This is the location he chose. Its beautiful. It is I nodded and sat down at the table. Kline hopped onto the bed and turned to Zyphrael, whose soul force was visible. Everyone knew he was there. No one mentioned it. Weve decided to help you, Nethralis said. To trust in Brindle Yakana. Do you understand? I ran my hand over the gnarled wood table, surprised to find it had a natural texture. I nodded. Yes. Well Nethralis opened a box and pulled out a number of vials. You have a three-day visa before Kyro is set to start off on your journey. Until then, we need to build your body and mind. If you take that Teelia elixir, your core would have exploded. I stopped sliding my hand. Wouldve been nice to get a heads up. He didnt tell you? I shook my head. Doesnt seem like the type. Guess not. Now then, this one I looked at the elixir in her hand. It looked like coconut milk in a shooter-sized bottle, but I could see threads of soul force within it, shifting around like oil in water, creating a hypnotizing tornado. This is called an alibista elixir, Nethralis explained. Its a form of nearan elixir like the Teelia elixir but this one focuses on the brain and nervous system. Since you rely primarily on your acceleration spell, this should magnify its effects multiple times over at your level. I wanted to say thank you, but I knew there was a catch. This one, she continued, pulling out a pink vial. This is a channel sensitivity elixir. It dilates channels and repairs them during evolutions. It lasts twelve hours. With this, youll be able to make the most of your core. I nodded. She pulled out a third and smirked at me. And this this is a tightening elixir. This takes the mana wound around your core to fill in the cracks, pushing out impurities. Since youre on the precipice of obtaining a mythical core, itd be a shame if it was just a little too loose. I frowned at her thin smile. Whats the catch? I want you to create a soul pact I looked away and shook my head and laughed bitterly. You know I ended up here because I wanted to live life on my own terms. I came here to study plants. And since then, Ive yet to study a single plant or live life on my terms. And Im getting really bitter about it. So while Im grateful and I genuinely starting to feel kinship with this forest and its denizens this type of thing is just pushing me away. To not dismantle the Bramble and structures like it, Nethralis completed. I raised an eyebrow. Nethralis threw a vial into the air and then froze it with telekinesis before spinning it. We trust you, Mira. We will support you. But youre unique in that your master created this forests defenses with soulmancy. If left to your devices, you could remove the Bramble and other similarly constructed defenses in this forest. Then its over. Do you understand the severity of your power? I nodded. Thats why I would like you to create a pact stating that you will not dismantle the Bramble or at least, that you will not take actions against the Brambles with the intention of weakening the forests defenses. Do that, and youll have all three of these, your companion will get one to drastically fix the rush job on his core Klines ears picked up, and he lay down, watching the elixir spin hypnoticallywaiting to pounce. And youll obtain normal elixirs and training. I thought about it for a few minutes before thinking, It doesnt conflict with any of my obligations Brindle was my patron and my contract with Elana specifically stated that she couldnt do anything that would willfully danger the forest. Since I couldnt find any conceivable reason that I would aid hordes of people conquer and destroy a forest for its secrets, I didnt see it as a problem. And if there was a need later where I did join that side for a purpose that I agreed with, I wasnt too restrained. What if I need to make it through the Brambles? I asked. Lets negotiate. Tell me about your obligations. I told her about my agreement with Elana and how I was to collect ingredients and send them out as tribute. I explained how it wasnt necessarily a bad thing and explained how Brindle wrote his books to ruin peoples sense of romanticism. I also argued that auction houses would still want to keep supply low for rare plants. So if we provided them the quota and more, companies wouldnt push people to participate in the harvest. Supply and demand. Controlled opposition. Nethralis considered it and agreed. Then we began negotiating going through hundreds of scenarios. The deal ended up being more of a guardrail than anything else. In the end, we agreed that I would not do anything to permanently weaken the Bramble and that I would not aid groups more than fifty each year through the Bramble or escort groups more than ten that I explicitly knew had the intention of conquering the forest or making it to the seventh domain. That was it. It sounded weak, but there were hundreds of scenarios where aiding people could damage the forest or where my attempts to advance and Rings would be hindered by my inability to use soulmancy. In some cases, there could be a need for an armistice agreement that required an escort, and I wouldnt be able to do anything. I also couldve been unable to travel through Brambles, and in the event that I needed to disassemble the Bramble in areas for security reasons, I wouldnt have been able to do it because it would have killed me. So, the final pact was extremely flexible and focused more on damage control and establishing goodwill. It was very reasonable. Stolen novel; please report. So we went through the process of tying our souls, and then my training began. Now that thats done Nethralis clapped. Lets take you to the spring. For the next day, youre going to focus on your mana core exclusively. Okay I have some third ev cores. Should I use those? Or the teals? Teal and when its time, this Nethralis pulled out a core that left me in a state of wonder. It was a polished marble that was blue and various shades of orange, like a sunrise cresting an ocean. I assume by your suggestion that you know the value of transitional cores. Yes? I nodded. I think so teal is a pure core thats naturally moved from the green to blue. So its a gradient. Precisely. The power within such a core is remarkably pure and flexible, like silk thread. Its easier to work with and is more powerful. Thats why you should always seek them out and why you should push for your core to do the same. And right now, your core is so pure that its almost blue. What were going to do is push it into the blue, and when you evolve, well have you thread this core as youre evolving. Such a thing would usually be harmful, but youve already almost evolved. If you pull it off you may achieve something fascinating. My heart pulsed and my lower back lost its rigidity. The same is true of Kline, Nethralis said. We have one for him, too. These, along with She pulled out elixirs. These channel and soul healing elixirs and training are our shows of goodwill. I thank you. Repay us this harvest. I know there will be incidents. I nodded. Ill prepare myself. Good. Nethralis stopped spinning the hovering elixir, put it into a box, sealed it, and put it onto a shelf. Lets get you to the spring. 2. The hot spring was a classic fairy tale location. Green nymphs bathed on lily pads as sprites flew around in the mist, lighting it up like fireflies. Fairies bathed in the open air with strange soaps that smelled like apricots. As I walked up, the area buzzed with nervous excitement, and fairies, sprites, and nymphs flew into the trees, surrounding us, peaking between branches and leaves and rocks as we walked past. This is Mira, Nethralis said. She is our treasured guest. A barrage of fairies said, A human? in twenty tones, quizzical and flabbergasted and fascinated and amused. It didnt seem that the Drokais thoughts on humans were set in stone. Forgive them, Nethralis said. Most of them are young and have never seen the outside before. Though, I suppose young is a relative term. Get undressed. I purified myself and stripped and followed her to the hot spring, trying to stave off the curious stares from the other fairies. Hey! a cheery fairy said, flying up to my ear. You look like us! But bigger! another chimed. I opened my mouth but found no words. Dont heckle her, Nethralis said. Were actually related. Both our species derive from Vina, who look like us Drokai, only larger than this human. Some lost their wings and became human, while others of us became smaller to adapt to our environment. Woooooow! The fairies and nymphs fluttered closer. I wanted to be excited with them, as I just heard the most intense example of evolution in the world, but I couldnt because of their intensity. Quiet down, Nethralis said as she waded into the water with her tiny legs. We are circulating. If you wish to learn and join, gather round but stay silent. The fairies squealed with excitement, keeping mum as I walked into the water. The sand was soft as cotton and the warmth of the water healed all the ailments I didnt know that I had. I passed Nethralis, moving deeper into the water until I found a ledge and could sit down. When youre ready, I want you to circulate mana, Nethralis instructed. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, pushing everything out of my mind as I did my best to remember what I learned when Yakana melded in my body. It wasnt time to be good enoughit was time to show off. I began circulating, moving the mana in complex pathways to the best of my memory. It left me feeling frustrated. There were things that I was doing that I knew I was doing wrong but didnt know how to fix, and other things I was doing right but unable to do because of blockages. Despite that, I heard gasping and dead silence. That was a good sign, so I kept pressing on. 3. Nethralis watched Mira circulate in a state of disbelief. Her pattern was familiarit was Yakanas. Many had learned it with the aid of the Lumidra flower, but the difference was that most never learned it. It was too complicated. As a result, the Drokai only learned what it felt like to circulate at a higher level, learning the nature of it so they could apply the nuance to their current techniques. As for the technique itself, it was something that only entities like Kyro practiced in the upper domains. But Mira. Mira had actually learned it somehow. Mana danced around her body, cycling between her chest and back and arms, twisting and warping and spinning in the air in complex and beautiful ways. It was far from perfect. The beauty and fascination came from her learning the pattern. The execution was extremely poor, choppy and undisciplined and wobbly, negating the fluidity of hers or Kyros or Emaels. There were also massive deficits where some areas limped along like a beast with a broken hoof or altogether ignored. But There were some deficits that looked like they simply lacked the ability to breathe. Hold that, Nethralis said. Then she signaled to one of the fairies, gave an order, and ten minutes later, the courier returned with an orange elixir. Mira. Drink this. Mira opened her eyes and saw the elixir and stared at it hesitantly but she nodded and drank it. Her body shivered and she coughed out flem in the water and asked what Nethralis gave her, but Nethralis said it would pass and then asked her to continue. Mira didand thats when the Drokai queen was convinced. The moment that Mira took a dilator, the mana functioned properly like a clogged nostril that couldnt breathe. Miras body couldnt keep up with her knowledge. You learned that from Yakana, Nethralis stated. Yes. How did you remember it? Because Yakana blended within my soul to use it, Mira answered. It was also sink or swim. Ive recently discovered that the first core I threaded was a peak second evolution core. Teal. A deafening silence cut through the area, and all the fairies turned between Mira and Nethralis. How? Nethralis whispered. Sink or swim Mira repeated with a deep breath. I only used blue cores after that. Im pretty sure it prevented me from slacking. Nethraliss heart fluttered. If Mira was a guardian, she would be a serious assetor a serious enemy. He must trust her or were very desperate she thought. This girl Nethralis was afraid of what Mira could become, but she already committed. I see well. The problem youre facing is that your cores and channels are clogged. Lets unclog them to increase their power. Kline come join us. Mira opened her eyes and looked through the mist. Kline was slinking to the side, watching them through active camouflage like a predator, stalking thempreparing to strike. Kyro was in charge of him, but even Kyro didnt have the indecency to invade the female spring. In fact, he probably shooed Kline to the spring as a way of shirking his duties. Degenerate. Is it okay hes here? Mira asked as the Drokai covered their breasts. Its ideal, Nethralis said. Were training, so if anyone has a problem, they can leave. If they stay, they can learn the chant. That changed the tune in the atmosphere, and fairies and nymphs and sprites dove into the spring like bombs dropped from planes. Nethralis opened the dilation elixir and poured it onto a rock. Drink, she said to Kline. Kline, who watched Mira drink the same elixir and could smell it, walked up and drank it without worry and lay next to Mira in the water keeping his eyes on the Drokai. Now follow after me, Nethralis said. Then she began chanting with Mira speaking the chant aloud, snapping to her words with surreal efficiency. Soon, it came into effect, and the spring rippled from the warping pressure, and the clogged mana in Miras core broke loose, sending a wave of magic pressure into the area. A few Drokai screamed and giggled as water splashed on them. Next came Kline whose core was even more powerful. Once it unclogged, it released a shockwave that sent the Drokai crying out in laughter as they took to the canopies to watch from above. As for Nethralis, she watched in fascination, thinking for the first time that Mira''s presence could change everything. These two were given everything to succeed, and they used their talent and perseverance to make the most of it. They were an experimentand Nethralis couldnt help but want to be part of it. B2 - Chapter 50 - Soul Weapon Training My training with Nethralis continued until long after the fairies flew away to their afternoon duties and the sun had reached its meridian. My body was on fire when I exited the trance, and I was shaking. Well done, Nethralis said. She handed me a potion. I accepted it. Whats this? Channel recovery elixir. Oh It was like maralune syrup, but it was a liquid. I drank it, and my battered channels healed instantly, leaving me gasping with relief. I wasnt going to ask how valuable the resource was. I didnt want to owe a major debt unless it was determined as one. Thank you, I said. Youre welcome. Lets go. Nethralis and I exited the spring and toweled off my and Klines body with Desiccation. Then I purified my clothes and pulled them over my body and returned to the home where Kyro was waiting, head in his hands, shielding his body, mind, and soul from the sun. The hangover looked legendary and his healing and detoxification magic couldnt help him. Whats he doing here? I asked. Hes here to bear witness to your soul weapon. Oh hes not gonna like that. Oh no, he groaned. I wanna see it. Then take me somewhere isolated that can take damage. Nethralis and Zyphrael led us to an isolated meadow that looked gorgeous and serene. I frowned. I dont think we should be messing with something this powerful in a place like Kyro flicked his hand, and a massive barrier swept through the area, surrounding everything but a single tree. Then Nethralis looked at Kline. Lets get you a soul core. Klines eyes widened, and he looked at me like he was betraying me, but I wasnt worried about it. I had pulled out my soul weapon and Nethralis paused and decided to stay as well. Its a bow, I said as I aimed at a tree. But youre gonna wanna shield your eyes. I put my fingers on the invisible string and pulled. As I did, it lit up with blinding light, and Kyro screamed, Stop! at the top of his lungs. I smirked and put down the bow. What? Hurtin your hangover? I turned and found Kyro, Nethralis, and Zyphrael glaring at me with an intensity that I had yet to see. What? Youre the one that sent that beam of light up? Nethralis asked. I panicked. Yes. But I was fighting a third evolution and And you wanted to use it here? Zyphrael asked chillingly. To reveal our location, too? My bodys panic turned to anger. Hey, you asked! You didnt ask what it did. You insisted on seeing it. Im sorry I dont disclose everything about myself. Exercise some common sense! Are you Enough, Nethralis said. Were both at fault. Whats important is that we fix it. Nethralis pulled a tiny bottle from her breast pocket and dumped the green elixir over Kyros head. The drunkard sobered in an instant and groaned in reliefbut it came at a cost. Teach her mana control. Great. He raised his eyebrows and pulled out a flask. Ill teach her our language while Im at it. Im sure shell pick it Nethralis whipped her hand, and the flask flew to her hand. Results first. His face turned grave. I cant think without that, let alone teach. She floated it back. Drain a fourth. Then you wont get any more until you show me results. Shes trying to kill me, he grumbled as he unscrewed the lid. Then he took a drink. Fine. He chugged at least half and then handed it back to her. She accepted it and turned to Kline. Soul core. Kline meowed and sauntered off with Zyphrael, who protested that they shouldnt let me practice at all before disappearing. Once they left, I turned and found Kyro glaring at me with crazed eyes. Youre going to become a god in thirty minutes or less, or Im going to beat the joy and nuance of mana control into you, he said. Then he thought about it and added, Savagely. I rolled my eyes at his empty threats and turned back to the tree and lifted the bow. Pull, don''t shoot. I nodded. The arrow lit up with scorching light. Then I released it without firing and turned to Kyro, whose hands were over his eyes as he grumbled, Im never going to drink again, under his breath. I scoffed. Or, you can teach me. Teach you what? How to use mana? I thought youd at least have a little control because youre using alchemy, but youre pouring all your mana into it like a broken dam. Do you scream every word you say to people? I frowned. So use less? Thatd be a start, he chuckled insanely. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. I tried again, and it halved in size, but it was still blinding. I tried it a third time with even less and a fourth. But no matter how many times I did it, the forest kept lighting up, and Kyro kept getting more frustrated. Give it up, Kyro said. No, I said coldly. No we need to do something else. His face turned serious, and he fluttered up to a branch and broke off a twig. Then he brought it to me like he was wielding a tiny sword. I saw you use Mana Sharpening during our fight, yes? I eyed it suspiciously. Yes. Then watch. He activated Mana Sharpening and turned the tiny twig into a combat knife. Then, he lowered it until there was a nearly invisible film over the stick. Despite that, when he swung at a thick branch, it sliced straight through it. He returned and handed it to me. Its about control. I chuckled and looked at the ground, shaking my head in amusement. This isnt funny, he said. Its no, its pretty funny because I picked up the twig and turned it into a machete and then turned it into a tiny pocket knife with Mana Sharpening. It wasnt nearly as refined, but it still left his eyes wide. I skin all my beasts with sticks for practice, I said. Been doing it for the last few months. He looked up with a flabbergasted expression. And you cant use a soul weapon? All the pride I had disappeared. Okay, we can work with this. Aim your soul weapon and use this stick as an arrow. Then about creating a big blade of mana, then make it as tiny as possible. I did, and to my shock, the arrow turned big, and this shrunk so thin that I felt like I was shooting a bar of iron that came from a forge rather than an angelic ray of god. Oh thank Yakana, Kyro said. Practice that. Im going to get something. My excitement grew as I continued to practice, expecting him to bring me a new resource or a fancy artifact, but what he brought me instead was Zyphrael. Show him, Kyro instructed. My face slackened into a frown, and I almost told him to go fuck himself, but I chose not to. I took a deep breath and used Moxle Dilation to slow the world, using pinpoint precision to create the tiniest arrow of mana I could. It was far smaller than the rest. Then I released it and turned to Zyphrael. The guard stared at me like he was staring down a ghost. How? Im a god, obviously. Kyro declared. I frowned. Kyros tutelage. See? Kyro turned Zyphrael and put out his hands. The guard didnt break, so the degenerate fairy wiggled his little fingers until the blonde-haired stickler scoffed and thrust Kyros flask into his hands and stared at me. If he taught you this much this fast well be expecting more. Yeah, yeah. Kyro took a deep gulp of the flask like he was stuck in the desert for two days without water and then fluttered backward aimlessly as Zyphrael turned and flew away. Once the guard was gone, I glared daggers at Kyro. What? he asked. You owe me. I do not. You do. I pulled the bow and sharpened the mana until it was thin. Not nearly as much with Moxle Dilation, but I couldnt become complacent with that. I needed more power. Kyro begrudgingly came up and started giving me tips and tricks and visualization exercises and soon I was holding an arrow so thin it barely radiated with light. He flicked his hand, and the barrier got stronger. Now fire it, he said. Wait, seriously? Yeah. I nodded and aimed and released an arrow at the tree. It hit the tree and flew right through it, crashing into the barrier on the other side. Kyro released a protracted whistle and raised his flask. Ill drink to that. He did. I felt a pang of pride but also felt apprehension. Whats that look for? he asked. You won. But I cant aim this thing. It took all my concentration to hit the treeand it didnt even land where I wanted it to. Oh that? Kyro snapped his fingers, and a flame lit up on his index. Then, he waved it like a conductor, and the flame got further and further from his finger until it was flying in the air, doing circles and eights and loops before it broke off from his finger movements and flew around his neck and head. I watched in wonder. Thats the difference between magic and physical weapons, Kyro said. Magic isnt bound by normal physics. Its only bound by your imagination. He flicked his hand, and the flame turned into an arrow and shot at the tree like a weaving snake before hitting the hole I left, passing straight through it and curving around. He turned to me with narrowed eyes. Thats why having an amplifier like that is so dangerous. I swallowed and looked at Nymbral in a new light. So how do I do that? Kyro laughed. Today? You have a better chance of achieving world peace. he took a drink. Sure. But how for later? Theres a lot of things. Levitation is one of them. He motioned his fingers, and a rock flew off the ground. I used Levisphere to pull up dozens of rocks and made them fly around in a spherical pattern. He turned to me with a frown. And you couldnt use a soul weapon? Let it go! He rolled his eyes. Its like that, but you need to control them. He picked up a sphere and started moving all the pebbles in different directions. My brain nearly cracked thinking about controlling so many trajectories but it wasnt the first time I saw it. Elana did the same with ingredients, having a lot more form in not only controlling them but using them. I also had experience using the techniqueI needed to learn it to make the Ilyndra elixir. Separation. I thought about all the times that I had separated different materials and organized them and did the same with the pebbles, spreading them into two different directions. I thought about moving half to one tree and half to the other and shooting them out. It was weak, but one set hit the tree, and another hit the barrier. Kyros face turned grave. You know thiss making you look like a spy, right? I nodded. Elana taught me this. I needed it to make an Ilyndra elixir. Whats that? Its an elixir that automatically closes wounds. To make it, you need a domain and to remove oxygen. I also use it regularly to separate ingredients and remove waste in elixirs. Okay okay Kyros lips curved into a grin. Maybe thisll be fun after all. Hours pass with Kyro teaching me how to control mana. I created water balls, and he had me use telekinesis to spread them around and reshape them. Every individual part seemed easy, but by the time I was creating a ball, making it into a hovering sphere, shaping it, and moving it, my brain had burned out. Then, he put me through mental exercises and loops and soon I needed to activate Mental Shielding just to protect my brain from overheating, but slowly yet surely, I was able to curve a water ball. Kyro developed a near-sinister smile and said, Well then. Now that weve learned how to control trajectory Let''s throw that out the window. Thiss what I want you to do instead. Aim at that tree and create an arrow. Then, create a water ball around it and rotate it. Capture that steam and momentum and then fire. My heart fluttered, and I looked at the tree with a wild smile and nodded. Okay. B2 - Chapter 51 - Rebirth My lips curved into a sinister grin as I looked at the hole in the tree, acting like a bullseye as I considered creating an arrow out of spinning water. If I had to categorize the concept into a single word, I would use terrifying. Im not a physicist, so my knowledge of the subject is rather limited, but moving water is a truly terrifying force. Unlike foam or goo, water is incompressible, meaning that its extremely difficult to compress it into a smaller area. So once it hits something at a high rate, it turns into a devastating hammer or even beam that can break through anything or cut through steel. Worse, when its spinning, and it''s a liquid, the rotational force creates a devastating shockwave with shearing force and pressure increases. Thats why shooting an empty soda can punches a small hole through it, but shooting a full can results in a small hole in the front but half the can exploding out the back, depending upon a bullets caliber. Thats what I was about to docreating a water bullet with piercing power. Instead of following Kyros suggestion, I created the arrow and then created water around the shaft instead of the tip before increasing the speed. Pierce firstthen send crashing water inside. That was the plan. Thats not what I told you to do, Kyro said dryly. Yeah, its even worse, I said with a wide grin. I sped the water as fast as I could, which wasnt very fast or efficient, and then released it. The water broke apart in a wide splash before it even hit the tree, leading the arrow to puncture the trunk but leaving water splashing into the grooves in the bark. See? Kyro said after a drink. Dont give me that, I pouted. My ways better. No, your ways harder. Doesnt matter how good something is if you cant do it. I frowned. I couldnt dispute that logic, so I didnt try. Instead, I visualized a spinning ball and created it on the tip. Your arrows going to fly no matter what you do, Kyro said. So what you need to do is shoot that waterball so it matches the speed and trajectory. I nodded and did my best, and to my shockit worked. Big time. The ball flew forward at high speed, but the arrow beat it and thats when the terror began. It pierced right through the water ball before it hit the trunk, breaking a hole. Then the moving water crashed inside, incompressible and spinning hard, creating a massive pressure build-up and shearing force that ripped through the wood like a drill. It heated the wood from the friction and the piercing point, creating a shockwave that blew out of the back. Steam shot out of both sides alongside a rain of splinters, and the tree groaned and snapped, falling over. Kyro lifted up his flask. Ill drink to that. I grinned widely as I heard a horn in the distance and heard Zyphrael fly through the area. I turned and found him and a dozen troops staring at me and Kyro. Why did you let her shoot! Zyphrael asked. Did you see it? Thats not the point. Shame Kyro took a drink and wiped his mouth with his wrist. It was damn cool. This isnt funny, Zyphrael said, casually breaking Kyros barrier and thrusting his hand toward the drunkards flask. Kyro moved at a speed that didnt even leave after images, dodging it and holding the booze back. Its not funny. Kyro took a swig and pointed at me. Miras patron taught her Stage Three Separation. Give er a few months, and shell be able to guide a few of He pointed at the tree. Those. Thiss dangerous. Everyone knows Kyro said. Everyone knows. And you know it. The guard winced. If she turns, this is on you, Zyphrael said. No, its not, but Ill accept it. Kyro flicked his fingers twice in a Fuck off sort of gesture. Zyphrael looked at me with a complex glare and then flew away with his soldiers, leaving me and Kyro alone. Now what? I asked. Now what? He yawned. Im going to take a nap. No the hell you won''t. I grabbed at him, but he casually dodged mid-yawn. And youll do the same, he said sleepily. If you mess up your channels, you wont survive tomorrow. Only then, once the thrill and wonder and fear washed off, did I understand how tired and depleted I was. Much of what I thought was excitement was genuine heat, and my channels burned. My mind was hazy, and the moment I sat down, my body started to give out. Kyro fluttered to a tree branch and lay down, lacing his hands behind his head. Rest up. Tomorrows gonna suck. I closed my eyes, thinking it would be impossible, but as soon as I leaned against a tree, I woke up to a paw tugging at me. I opened my eyes and found Kline staring at me. It was already sunset, and the sky sparkled like molten glass above us. I must have slept the instant I shut my eyes. Zyphrael was snapping at Kyro to get out of the tree and Nethralis was staring at the tree I destroyed. I petted Kline, and he purred before stretching his limbs with a yoga bend. Nethralis turned to me. Are you used to working yourself that hard? I furrowed my brow. I I know Im tired but that was nothing compared to some of my training. Thats doubtful dont forget that were opening up your channels. Your cores like a fire and were increasing your oxygen flow. Push it too hard and youll burn yourself out. I nodded and tried to get up, but my body didnt respond. See? She whipped her hand, and my body became light. I pressed off the ground, and I floated to my feet. Well train your neara tomorrow. For now, you need some sleep. Come. Lets get you some food. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. I followed Nethralis back to the home, where we ate a small feast of delicious vegetables. They even brought me a meat dish that soothed my body and mind. Nethralis smiled through all of it and then said, Sleep. I doubted I could after sleeping all afternoon but I was wrong. The moment I shut my lids, I was out once more. 2. I awoke the next morning and met with Nethralis for breakfast. Once we finished, she pulled out the box again and said, Well give your channels a rest. For now She retrieved the alibista elixir, the nearan elixir that would aid my brain and nervous system. Well work on this. Okay Is your brain in a good place? What does that mean? Because once you take this, Itll drive you to the breaking point. I didnt like the sound of that, but I still said, Great! Nethralis and I said our thanks to the fairies waiting on us and then walked into the brisk morning air in Serenflora. I expected it to be the magical, wholesome place I walked into before, but it wasnt. Something had changed. Within a period of two days, the lively, happy economy had gone into lockdown. Fairies moved metal beams into the fields in the side streets while others erected temporary buildings, filling buckets with water. Other fairies flew in circles at high speed, doing drills, turning invisible mid-flight, and playing tag. Theyre gearing up for war Correct, Nethralis said, reading my mind. We normally prepare for the harvest, but we werent expecting war. I nodded nervously. Come. She led me back to the hot spring, and we joined the fairies and nymphs and sprites (all of which were far more curious about me than the day before) and entered the water. Ingrained anxiety flared in my heart as I sat. Last time I was in the water, I unclogged my core. Now, there would be strange forces working on my brain. Alibista is a rare herb that discovers and heals broken pathways between the body and the mind, Nethralis said as a servant handed me the elixir and flew away. It does this by probing into your spiritual networkby finding your ghostand reconnecting it. Once that happens, everything that pathway was protecting you from will flood in. You must block it out or accept it. I rolled the vial in my fingers as if looking for impurities in the milky fog but found none. Are you saying that the brain damages itself to protect itself? I asked. From trauma? Yes. Did you have a bad upbringing? Thankfully not, I chuckled. It wasnt a funny chuckle; it was a sardonic, almost caustic chuckle that could strip wax floors and condemn prisoners to the gallows. But the world kinda sucks. So god knows what my brains hiding in there. If you dont know youre lucky. Drink it. The thin smile of my lips faded, and I stopped rolling the vial. I opened it slowly and whiffed a medicinal aroma, like uncoated pills. I raised my eyes to Nethralis. She nodded, and I drank. It felt like slime from my throat to my stomach, then it turned to ice, and I clenched my abdomen. God, this sucks I turned to her. How long before it kicks I saw Nethraliss facethen my vision scrambled when a cacophony of sharp noises crashed into my head from all angles. I opened my mouth like I had an earache, but it didnt help. What is this? I cried. Those are tones your ears can no longer pick up, Nethralis said. Noise pathways that died and have been forgotten. Another sharp noise stabbed my mind, and I grabbed my head like an arrow had pierced through my skull. But the river I drank from the The Diktyo mends and cleanses, she explained. It doesnt fix. It listens to your bodys orders to restore things to normal. But once you lose a limb and the phantom pain disappears, the body forgets and theres nothing to heal. Thats why Three more noises stabbed my brain in rapid succession, and I cried out. this elixir seeks out your ghost. It finds the things that your body has declared dead and revives them so that they may be healed. More noises crashed into my brain, and I activated Mental Shielding. The effect was immediate. It was like a hail of arrows when someone rushed up with a shield and blocked from above. I took a deep breath, but it wasnt much relief. The elixir was only picking up its effects. Soon, it had discovered more tones in my brain that had broken and were blasting me on all sides. I thrust my head into the hot spring, and to my surprise, it was extremely relieving. Then I felt Nethaliss hands on my back, and my mind cleared for a moment, giving me a moment of respite before the hell continued and that was just the start. When I surfaced, I started feeling sharp pains all throughout my body. It started with areas of bad posture, areas of my body that were wrongly set but ignored, and then pointed them out in my ear with a megaphone. Then came the dead areas. There were hundreds of dead parts of my body. Each one came alive with the intensity and poise of a welding arcshooting sparks into my brain. I used Mental Shielding to the max, but soon, it wasnt helping save me from anything from direct attacks. I was getting battered on all sides. But I could feel it. Healing. Real healing. Noises came but disappeared, and I felt aliveaches appeared but melded away. And with every recovery, I felt lighter, and my morale improved. The third stage changed everything. All the pathways between my brain and body got stitched together, leaving my body jolting around like I had just been tasered. My back locked up, and my mind felt like it hit a grindstone, and I started moving in ways that felt foreign and unnatural. And it was painful. Oh, yes, it was painful. It felt like I was in the boiling oil that restaurants use for sizzling fajitas plates, making me cry out. Yet once againafter every connection, my body mended and felt increasingly whole. Bring it on I thought defiantly. I could handle the pain, and I wanted to get stronger. So I pressed on until the memories hit. Then I lost my enthusiasm. Endless hours of the worst parts of my life flooded inthings that I wouldve feared remembering if I remembered them. My best friend Cindy dying of cancer in grade school; my dog Rini getting run over at fourteen. The moment that I got rejected from a crush in middle school and the shame of telling a confessor in seventh grade that I would rather die than date him. I remembered my parents arguing one night about a move. Dad had just gotten a better job offer during my second year of high school but mom was adamant that he not go because it would destroy my friends and confidence. I agreed, so he yielded. But two years later, she wanted to move into a better house after getting a promotion. He rejected her, citing that argument. She declared that changing schools and changing cities were two different things. I disagreed, so she yielded. It felt strange to remember arguments with the same severity as the memorials I went to. To put them on par with the night Alex Rothschild and Mindy Corr overcorrected on the road after prom, leading them to fishtail on the ice-glazed i-25 highway and get t-boned. Yet its strange how powerful small memories impact you in ways that you dont expect and how traumatic they can be. The fear of moving and leaving all your friends behind. The anxiety of going somewhere new and getting rejected. The uncertainty. The pain you feel when your parents argue and the stress you experience when you think about them divorcing. It was the worst. I dont remember when, but somewhere in that dark and distant place that I was experiencing those memories, I could hear crying and realized it was my own. It was rough, and I wanted to break free and then I felt it. Two small hands on my back. They rubbed my shoulder twice, and then a soothing energy spread through my body, and all the pains the elixir identified healed, correcting my posture and allowing me to breathe. The noise drifted away, and there was even tranquility in the way that I approached the memories flashing before me. Then I woke up. I opened my eyes and found that light was giving way to night, and the world felt chilly. Yet everything felt more vibrant and my emotions felt pure and clear as still water. My body felt even healthier as if I was a disgusting mess my whole life but had just shed an exoskeleton, taking all my ailments with it. It sounds cliche, but Ill stand behind it: I felt like I was reborn. B2 - Chapter 52 - The Final Day Nethralis smiled at me as she helped me out of the hot spring. I had just rebuilt my nearan pathways with the elixir, and my mind and soul felt clearer. Youre looking radiant, she said. I feel different, I said. Im sure you do." We were both downplaying it. When Yakana told me that I would know when I was ready to evolve, I didn''t think something so abstract would be possible. But I knew then that I was ready as if it were a primal instinct. It was time to evolvebut I didn''t want to say that and be wrong. Nethralis smiled. "Lets eat." Nethralis and I returned to a feast of meat and herbs. I wanted to watch Serenfloras nightlife and share in the feast outside, but she intentionally blocked any attempt for me to ask and pushed me inside. It felt odd, but I didnt question it. During dinner, she asked me about my experience. I told her about my traumas and was surprised at how easily I spoke about them. Nethralis was shocked as well, albeit for another reason. Youve really lived a sheltered life, havent you? she asked. I pieced together her observation and laughed. Oh, you dont even know. If people even argued where I went to school, police officers would break it up and threaten them with expulsion. Not everywhere, obviously. Theres areas rich with violence and killing but for a lot of us we see killing someone for any reason as whats the term? Unforgivable? No thats not what Im looking for. Some people kill and get lauded for it, but tainting? I think thats what it is. People where Im from see taking another persons life as a line you cant come back from, and youre forever scarred by it. It has a stigma. Complete opposite of what we got here. I see Nethralis thought about it deeply before saying, Then can you do it? Can you kill your own kind? If you had to? I put down my fork and thought about it for a while. Im not sure. I think I think that I paused, feeling frustrated and unable to articulate my words. I think that its easier that Im out here. Ive been killing things non-stop for months, and I dont think that the type of enemy would necessarily change things. But the thought of telling my parents thats different. And its also impossible to know whatll happen, but Im different now. Killing things is normal now. And while Id never just kill someone just to kill someone. Never murder someone. If people were attacking me yeah, Id fight back. Id try to settle it first, obviously. But if that failed yeah. I think I probably could. I see Nethralis sent for servants to clean up the mess and then turned to me. Well, well just have to see. Rest up. Tomorrows your last day. I said good night and purified my clothes before bundling up with Kline, who was too exhausted to even eat. His eyes drooped as he curled up with me, and we fell asleep. Kyro was waiting out front the next morning. Or rather, Zyphrael was waiting with two guards who were holding the degenerate fairy, whose eyes were bloodshot and depleted from what one could assume would be a terrible night. Bad streak? I asked. Bad streak? Kyro laughed. I almost paid all my debts before this guy ended my hot streak. Since then, my dry spell would cripple an optimist and lead them deep down the path of despair. Take this seriously, Zyphrael ordered. If she dies, youre gone. So I suggest you get to training. You couldve just kicked me out. Sending me on this roundabout, suicidal mission was complete unnecessary. I mean Kyro eased up when Zyphrael glared at him. Okay. Ill train her, but bring me a bottle, wont cha? If you hadnt noticed, Im a raging alcoholic, so withholding it guarantees failure. Zyphrael clicked his tongue and signaled. One guard splashed a detoxification elixir onto Kyro They never let me drink it, Kyro grumbled. then another brought him a bottle of spirits the size of a mason jar. Zyphrael dropped the bottle in front of Kyro like it was a full keg of beer. Here you go. If you die cause you were too drunk to teach her, thats on you. Come on, Kline. Kline scrunched his nose, and he looked at me as if seeking permission. Go train, I said. Kline meowed softly and trotted after Zyphrael, leaving Kyro and I alone together. Kyro wasnt the least bit bothered by the sentiment. He flicked around his wrist like a conductor, opening the lid with telekinesis. He then pulled out some liquid, filled his flask, and screwed on the lid. Then he lifted the jar and turned to the forest. Alright, come on, he said. Im gonna work you till you cry. 2. The first part of the day wasnt that different from the last time we practiced together. We worked with Nymbral, but this time, I focused exclusively on creating thin arrows and guiding them. It was a very challenging task because instead of simply sorting something, I was working with an object moving at high speed. So, while I could easily move the arrow, getting it to hit what I wanted felt impossible and Kyro forbade me from using my acceleration technique. That said, the ability to guide the arrow increased my accuracy, firing at a moving target overnight, and my brain had far more control after taking the nearan elixir the day prior. My mind felt clear and the world moved slower, allowing me to see the arrow fire as if I had Moxle Dilation working at the lowest possible output, but my body naturally moved with it. My whole body felt light. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! But it wouldnt help me start using this bow as a primary weapon any time soon. Which was natural. Hunters spend years learning how to hunt with a bow. Archers spend hours practicing every day. In fact, it doesnt matter what a person does, skill is measured in years, not days or weeks or months. Talent is hard work, and while I had magic that allowed me to break through my limitations and cheat, letting me slow time to turn fast objects into slow objects, it would still take a very long time before I could call myself an archer. That said, I practiced my ass off until I was completely drained, and then Nethralis showed up with Kline, lunch, and my second elixir. After eating, we returned to the hot springs, which were uncharacteristically empty, and she handed the vial to me. This is a tightening elixir, she explained, waving her hand to create a barrier over the hot spring. Youre going to take it and thread without a core. Thats all? Thats all. Whats the catch? The catch is that it wont add new mana. Its going to constrict your mana threads and wind them tighter, like lacing your boots after pulling them taut. Its like that but more personal. I looked at the barrier and empty spring. And? Nethralis smiled. It will be un believably painful. I sighed. Alright. I unsealed the vial, and she frowned. It doesnt seem like youre taking this serious enough. I can do pain, I said, trailing off. Ive been through some pretty awful shit in the last three months I can do pain. Everyone says that until They start screaming? Yeah. Pain is pain But I can do pain. And I did. Even with Mental Shielding cranked to the maximum, I couldnt feel anything but pain. It was like someone was standing on my stomach with a chainsaw, treating my chest like an ice sculpture, but I could handle that. I never once stopped threading. Pain I could do. Memories trauma fear there were a lot of things that could break a person things that could break mebut pain wasnt one of them. Six hours later, Nethralis was doping me up with a cocktail of channel and core recovery elixirs and herbs and teas, and before long, I had expelled all the impurities in my body, and I was lying with Kline on Brindles bed, slowly dyingwaiting for the end. But we made it. My nearan pathways were reestablished, my mind and nervous system had stronger connections, and my core was both unclogged and wound together. I could use Nymbral and I had a sensitivity elixir to use when evolving my core. In just three days, I had somehow become substantially stronger than I was before. With that thought in mind, I drifted into sleep. 3. It was dark when I awoke, and a celebration was underway. I got up and looked out the window and saw Serenflora lit up with gold lights that glittered against the pink and white trees. Sprites flew around in a frenzy as musicians beat drums and sang intense songs that rattled my bones. Kline yawned and got up, stretching his front quarters and then each back individually before rubbing against my legs. Things didnt seem too seriousso I cracked the door. Kyro was sitting on the step with a tiny bottle of wine in hand, speaking drunkenly to a dozen fairies and even more nymphs and sprites. I thought they might have been there to collect money from him or to run him out of town like a mobuntil I heard the crowd erupt into laughter. I opened the door a bit more to listen. What do you mean, Did I really do that? Kyro asked. Ive done just about everything. Do you even know how old I am? Ive been celibate for centuries cause I owed every grand elder''s parents'' money on the day they were born. You can practically gauge a familys history just by how much they hate me. A few men snickered, and the kids laughed, and the women asked for blackmail on certain elders, and the whole thing turned into a jovial party until Kyro said, Excuse me. My companion lacks common sense. Ill be right back. Kyro disappeared from my vision and then blinked into existence in front of my eyes. He reeked of aged malt and sleep deprivation. Whatre you doing? Uh watching? I said. Oh He rubbed his eyes with his palms in circular motions, taking a deep breath and saying, Let me ask this another way. Are you stupid? Stupi wait. What? Mira If you cant see or hear He turned behind him and revealed the drunken fires and war songs. Were preparing for war against you. Your kind. So, until you slaughter a few human battalions and declare yourself a wingless Drokai He began pushing me into the house. Hey, Im a guest here! Yeah you are a guest. Remember how well that worked out? Ill remind you: not good. You have Nethraliss support, but youre still gonna have to win over the rest Hey! Isnt that the human? It is! I heard about her! Kyro! Introduce us! See? I said. Ive spent a lot of time with the females over at the spring. Its okay. No its not. Because unless Earth was filled with insects, youll know that where theres people, theres disagreements, and when theres disagreements Oi! a female fairy yelled in the distance. Is that a human? What the fucks she even doing here? Shes our guess. I saw er with Nethralis. Yeah. I heard. But why the fucks she a guest. We dont allow outsiders here. Suddenly, the music stopped on our side, and fairies and nymphs and sprites turned to the house, moving up close for a better look. It might have been contained if it werent for the sprites, which glowed as they flew forward, capturing the attention of thousands of fairies as they flew up. Well, thiss your chance to win em over, Kyro said. I guess. He turned to the group. Yes, thiss her! I present Mira Hill. Yakanas chosen guardian in training. His words had impact, spreading through the crowd. Then, an explosion happened. A hundred people started asking me questions and another hundred started yelling at other people, demanding to know why I was there and when they needed a human guardian and why the hell they were breaking rules. I um No one was letting me speak. Listen I Things got worse, and Kyros face turned grim. Wheres Nethralis? I whispered. In a ceremony. Of course she is. My heart raced as things got out of control. Then, a sharp whistle cut through the crowd, silencing everyone on the spot. I turned to the source, and my stomach sank. It was Zyphraeland he looked furious. I didnt mean to, I said. Zyphrael narrowed his eyes at me but stayed silent. He instead turned to the crowd and said something that left me speechless. B2 - Chapter 53 - Risks and Rewards Ill never forget how Zyphrael introduced me or the impact it had on me. It wasnt necessarily a good thing, and it certainly wasnt bad. If I had to describe it, it was angled, but in a strange way thats functional yet ugly and universally questioned. The start of the statement was innocuous. He asked, Are you questioning Nethraliss judgment? and everyone froze and fell silent. It was as though he had absolute dominion and respect. No one? he asked. Thats strange because I thought I heard people questioning Nethraliss judgment in hosting a guest. The atmosphere turned thick and suffocating, thick and raw as drying clay. Zyphrael swept his gaze over them. Well? Does anyone have a problem? The loudest dissidents turned away. No? he pressed. His insistence made the first Drokai snap. Our laws forbid this. He paused and let her statement sink in until everyone was awaiting his answer. Then, he introduced me. This is Mira HillBrindle Grasks pupil, Zyphrael announced. A sharp silence sliced through Serenflora, wrapping the locals with a cloak of doubt and uncertainty. Some were elated, but others were cold and chilling. He wasnt finished. If that were all, she wouldnt be here, Zyphrael continued. Shes here because Yakana has seen a talent for soul manipulation and has chosen her as a potential guardian. In doing so, he has helped her develop her cores and You brought a human who can dismantle the Bramble? a fairy interrupted. Once he spoke the words, panic, and hysteria gripped the crowd and in a stranglehold. It snowballed out of control instantly, and I thought that there would be a riotbut it stopped on a dime. Silence! Zyphrael yelled. Everyone stopped flying and turned. Our leaders have weighed the risks and benefits of helping her. Nethralis. Emael. Yakana. And after meeting her and learning her motivations and seeing her talent, they have chosen to trust and build this woman and her companion. They have chosen to stand beside her, and their followers, we will trust in their wisdom and judgment, not because theyre infallible or rightbut because we must. Because that is the Drokai way. Soldiers on the outer ranks responded with a strange military grunt, a Drokai Harooh! spoken in unison for dramatic effect. Zyphrael swept his gaze over the crowd, casting judgment on all those watching, and continued. You may not agree. You may question their judgment or fear Lady Hill. But remember He paused and waited for the area to fall silent. Yakana, too, was human once. A strange feeling of vertigo stabbed into me. I knew so little about Yakana and while I had been fed basic information on him, I was told that he was an amalgamation of souls. So was the person I was speaking to, the being known as Yakana, one of those souls? Likely. Yakana was human, he repeated. And this forest stands because he died protecting it from an army looking to conquer the forest. Now, we face that same situation. Neophytes across the Multiverse are consolidating their forces while were weak, and Yakana has chosen to aid us again, and hes done so by training this woman. You may ask why? But that should be obvious. With Brindles magic, we may be able to repair the Bramble. Improve it. Breathe life into other parts of the forest and restore our soul gardens. Just as Mira would be a dangerous liability, shes also an invaluable asset if we treat her well and train her. Its a risk, but Yakana proved that the two werent mutually exclusive. And when Yakana, Brindle, Emael, and Nethralis stand behind herits hard to call our leaders foolish for doing so. The dissidents turned to me in a new light. Whats more important is knowing that we have a choice. If were called to war, do you need Miras help? Or can we do it on our own? Harooh! Do you think that will ever change? Or do you think well stand strong as we always have? Harooh! Harooh! Exactly. Our leaders made this decision, not out of desperation or fear or convenience. They did it because Mira brings with her a new hope and call for prosperity. Were not looking out the walls or into the past, were searching into the future. So focus on our preparations and believe in your leaders! Respect our guests and guardians and keep focused! Drink your drinks. Love your children! Make your peace with your gods! For tonight, we feastand tomorrow, we prepare for victory! Harooh! Harooh! Harooh! Harooh! Zyphrael sent me a sidelong glance and nudged my head toward a table at the end of the house. I didnt know what to think about it, but I nodded and sat down. Not a moment later, the dissidents broke off, and the hot springs fairies and curious denizens flooded in around me, asking me questions in a flurry. Kline jumped on the table to protect me, and the females squealed. Its him! one cried. Can we pet him? I um sure. The fairies cornered Kline at surreal speed, cutting off his ability to even create a portal, and before he could even turn back to ask why I had forsaken him, six fairies were petting and hugging and complimenting him, and despite his insistence that he was being tortured, his piercing lack of action against it told a different story about his feelings. Tell us about yourself! a young boy cried. I turned and found hundreds looking at me. Uh Im not from this world. But I can tell you about my world? Somehow, in a matter of minutes, I had hundreds of fairies and nymphs asking me questions under the sparkling light of the sprites, and I told them about Earth and its food and its machines that challenged the heavens. I told them about space travel and satellites and weird things that people did. Soon, I forgot all about my grievances and relaxed, accepting a fruity drink that Klinewho used his nose and magic to determine poisonssniffed and deemed clear. And before long I was feeling good and tipsy and loved. It was a wonderful moment. 2. Kyro watched Mira with a slight smile. Then he turned to Zyphrael with a wide grin. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Didnt know you were a softy, he said. I didnt do it for her, Zyphrael sneered. I did it for the sake of our leadership. Hoh? So all the impassioned rhetoric was all for Nethralis. None of it came from watching her grow listening to her. Secretly loving her cat. Zyphreals face contorted into a scowl. Kyro, if I could, I would I thought it was rather admirable, Nethralis said from their side. Zyprhaels cheeks flushed, and he looked away. As I said, My Lady. It was nothing. Oh, no, no, Kyro said. It was definitely something. Tell me, what was it you would do if you could? Nothing. Oh, nothing. Stop clowning, Nethralis said. Zyphrael did what was right for the Drokai and thats all that matters. She paused and watched Mira get swarmed by fairies. The children were bringing her sweets and drinks while drunk men flirted like shameless animals, and women touched her cheeks and made declarations about health and beauty. So? she asked Kyro. So what? So? Do you think that shell do it? Be a guardian? Yes. He nodded. Yeah. I do. Zyphraels eyes drifted from Kyro to Mira and then back. Why? Kyro shrugged. Shes decisive. Doesnt overthink things but the real reason is that shes got an awful personality. Absolutely dreadful. Theres this subtle temper in her. Its like smoldering coals. I cant even drink without her snark and ambition bleeding through. Untenable. Nethralis raised an eyebrow. So you like her? Absolutely not. Kyro took a drink. I love her. Poor taste in women as always, she said with a smile. Ill drink to that. So? Whats the real reason? Kyro stopped lifting his flask halfway and paused. He thought about it deeply and turned to her. Let me ask you something. In all these years weve known each other have I ever failed to repay a debt? Zyphrael snorted. You owe half this city. People will die before you pay back No, Nethralis said. You havent. No, I havent. And like it or not, I owe Brindle a debt. Kyro lifted his flask again. The fact I like ers just a plus. He took a drink. 3. Like all great nights in your life, you regret them the next day. I woke up with a raging hangover, something that I didnt think was possible, and ended up drinking Diktyo River water like a degenerate to get my stomach right again. Everything felt backward and wrong and disgusting and twisted and ridiculous. Thankfully, the water did wonders and a pleasure trip to the spring was healing beyond imagination. But there was a bit of loneliness mixed in there as I spoke to the Drokai women and cuddled with Kline. Because I knew that in only a few hours, I would have to leave this magical world and all the social interaction I could get here and return to Aiden and Halten, who would be leaving soon after. Then it would be me and Kline and Lithco and Kyro As I thought about it, I also had Elana and Brindle and Emael as well. Somehow in the dark and lonely wasteland called the Areswood Forest, I had managed to meet people. I hoped that continued. Time pressed on. I toweled off with Desiccation and accepted little fruits and gifts from the females. In exchange, I gave them cores, a universally valuable commodity, in exchange and said my goodbyes. After that, I ate breakfast with Nethralis and discussed things one last time before she saw me to the outer gates that Zyphrael had unlocked four days before. The brambles and twigs and leaves unraveled like a clock separating its gears and I walked out onto a path, which I could now see teaming with Drokai tending the flower patches on the great walkway out of the forest. Emael was there, lying in the shade with Kyro sitting on top of her, wearing a scarf over his eyes with the lean of a Mexican taking a siesta against a tree during the Mexican-American war. He looked rough for wear, leaning on two comically large bags that looked like small pillowcases, filled to the brim with strangely shaped objects, neither of which looked comfortable. There was also a boat tied to Emaels back that made me nervous. The whole sight was mildly uncomfortable but I pushed it down and turned to Nethralis to thank her, but she beat me to it. Before you go, I want you to take this. A group of fairies brought me the bag that Emael had me take. It was a full bag, but it was filled to the brim with an aromatic blend of herbs and stalks and grains. What is it? I whispered. That doesnt matter. Just dry and grind, mix two parts water to matter, and paint the paste on Haltens wings. It should heal them. Wait youre going to help him? Nethralis nodded. Youre our ally, and Halten saved your life. Since Emael trusts his motives, weve decided to help him. My heart ached as I looked between her and Emael. I I paused. I wanted to say, I couldnt possibly, but I needed them. So I swallowed my pride and said, Thank you I will repay you for this all of this. Your hospitality the elixirs the aid this Thanks are shown in actions, not words, Nethralis said. If you want to thank me, show me that my trust was founded. I swallowed and nodded. Ill do what I can. Nethralis smiled. Good. I smiled back and looked at Zyphrael, who turned away. Some of the ladies in the back, including cute nymphs, waved as sprites flew in circles. Cant be too bad if the sprites love you, Nethralis said. Then she turned to Kyro. Its time, Kyro. So if youre gonna do it, do it, Kyro groaned and shielded his eyes from the sun. He grabbed the jagged bag he was resting on and threw it to the ground with a clank. Hey pupil. Can you be a dear and hand that to the good people? I folded my arms and turned to him. What is it? All my debts. Bullshit. No, its his debts. Nethralis flicked her hands, and the bag levitated, flying toward her. She opened it, and there was a mountain of tiny gold and silver coins, as well as vials, gems, and cores. She smirked at Zyphraels gobsmacked expression and then pulled out an orangish blue core. Looks like you had to work for it this time, she mused. Yeah, because someone I know broke my hot streak, Kyro said to Zyphrael. Zyphrael scoffed. Unbelievable. Youve owed half this clan for decades and you had this? Well, yeah. If you pay back this person before that person, everyone gets pissed and demands their money. So its best just to make emergency payments and save up for one haul. Now Kyro groaned and grabbed his stomach and fluttered back onto Emaels back and lay down. Im going off to die. So at least let me suffer in silence. Zyphraels face flushed red with anger, and I giggled. He sent me a piercing glare, and I tried to lock up, but I couldnt. It was just too damn funny. Mira Emaels voice sounded in my head, and I looked back with a wry smile. Sorry. Well go. I turned back. Bye. Bye! the fairies said in the background. A dozen females swarmed Kline like he was a suave charmer, and he rolled his eyes and meowed but pawed at them gently before shaking his fur and walking off like a stoic man. It was cute. Take this. Nethralis flicked me the core she took from Kyros bag. See if you cant bribe Haltens freedom. I nodded and held it against my chest. I will. Then I walked to Emael, who created steps with her legs again, and I walked up them, getting onto her matted mossy fur again. I turned back one more time to Serenflora. It was a beautiful location a magical location that I would never forget. I waved and yelled my goodbyes as we walked through the path, exiting the illusionary barrier and scaling down the mountain. It was time to heal Halten and see Aiden off. We had a long ride to Tranea Crypt, and the Harvest was around the corner. It was time to move. B2 - Chapter 54 - The Return I rode Emael down the mountain and through the forest, which now felt simultaneously darker and more friendly somehow. Fall was coming and mushrooms we didnt see during the first trip had grown from logs, and leaves lost their structure and began the process of wilting and dying away. The first half of the journey was spent in silence. Kyro was green at the gills and a wretched mess, and Kline sat in my lap, ears twitching, keeping life as simple as possible. We were waiting on something, but we didnt know what it wasand we didnt get answers. So I asked: Can you tell me about Yakana? Emael slowed for a moment and then pressed forward. I dont know the specifics. Yakana was Brindles friend. Beyond that, its unclear. Some say that Yakana was a warrior and he and Brindle fought a mythical battle and became friends from mutual admiration. Others say that Brindle was lonely and decided to spare the human for trespassing. All we know is they met and decided to live together for at least a few centuries before the Jacksmore War. The Jacksmore War? I asked nervously. Was it like the Last Conquer? Worse, Emael said. That was long before my time, but I do know that the war spanned the forest. The outside forces decimated the Bramble and broke through the fifth and sixth domains. They decimated the Drokai in the Fourth Ring and wiped out most in the Fifth. It was a massacre. But they won? Yakana and Brindle? Yes. They won. Brindle wiped out the remaining force in the Sixth Ring. But that was only possible because Yakana blocked the ravine leading to Aelium, sacrificing his life to rout the enemy forests into Brindles trap. It was right then, passing through a swollen meadow of broken logs and yellow trees, hearing the story of Yakanas life from Emael herself, that everything I knew about Brindle, Yakana, and the Areswood Forest came full circle, and I grasped the implications of what happened. Yakana was a human. Brindle was a soulmancer. Yakana was now an amalgamation of souls. Brindle took his friend and created him into this thing and that was honestly disturbing beyond my comprehension. I didnt want to confront the situation. I didnt know if I could. This was one of the rare instances where something could be extremely sensitive or a sign of true psychopathy, and bringing it up could be dangerous to my life or relationships. I felt the waves as Emael crawled over boulders and slid between trees and tried to clear my mindbut it was to no avail. It would eat at me forever if I didnt address it. So I asked: What happened to him? Emael didnt slow down. Its as you suspect. Brindle found Yakanas soul and bound it with nature somehow. Why isnt clear. Many think he was lonely. Others think its just the way of druids or that they made a soul pact to protect the forest forever. And you? I never asked, and I refuse to speculate. Brindle has his ways. Humans have theirs. I do not plan to understand either. I see Emael crossed over a final boulder, and I could see and hear the river through the trees. She moved with us all the way to the water and stopped, turning south in the direction of Aiden and Halten and the Lurvine. You must go on by yourselves, Emael said. I do not wish to flaunt our aid nor interfere with the Harvest. Okay I said. I dismounted, untied the canoe, and helped Kyro and his clunky bag off of Emaels back. I then pulled the herb bag and slung it over my backpack straps, something uncomfortable but hardly bothersome with the amount of strength I possessed. Emael waited patiently and then eyed me seriously. Thank you, Emael, I said. I merely repaid a debt. She glanced between Kline and Kyro. I pray you continue down this path. I nodded. Goodbye, human. I felt a deep loneliness watching Emael turn and disappear. It wasnt crushing, but it was the feeling that people got when their lover, family, or friends saw them off at the airport for a trip or when parents dropped their kids off at college. I was certain we would see each other soon, but it was still saddening. Just moments after becoming accepted by the Drokai, I left. Moments after making up with her, she left me as well. Now, it was time to see off Aiden. How bittersweet. Okay how are we going to hold this canoe? I thought. I picked it up and felt like She-Hulk, as it was remarkably light. Still, it was very difficult to hold. Just as I gained thoughts of holding it on my head like African women with pails of water, I turned and found Kline staring at me with massive, glassy eyes. I froze and stared at him. He was the size of a tiger, and his whole body was there, staring at me. We locked eyes and blinked a few times before I said: What the fuck? Klines lips curved into a creepy smile, which was now a big creepy smile. No seriously! Tell me! Ugh keep it down. Kyro groaned and sat up. Klines ethereal forms evolved. Or rather, hes achieved enlightenment and can now project his soul. Humans do it, too Just please accept it. He sat cross-legged under a tree and pulled out his flask. It was empty, so he reached into his pillow case and dragged out a full bottle of spirits. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Seriously? I asked. What part of alcoholic dont you understand? Kyro asked before grumbling, Fucking kids. Thinkin I wanna be here drinkin up on all this shit under his breath. I frowned and turned to the canoe. You mind if I tie it on you? I asked Kline. He meowed, albeit closer to a baritone growl, and lay on the ground. Just leave it, Kyro said, taking a drink and exhaling in relief. Its only a couple miles besides. The reason she didnt return was cause theres a family of jaslos next to Halten. Hell, theres a shit load of third evs down there just clumped together. My heart rate skyrocketed. And she didnt tell me. Calm down... Kyro grasped his ears. Theres some typea barrier between the two sides. Pretty weak, but they look like theyre just starin at each other. Theres plenty of time to He lifted up his flask, and I snatched it away with Separation, hovering it in the air. Kyros bloodshot eyes glided over to me like a drunk following a cops flashlight at a stop. But it wasnt docile. There was true, unadulterated murder in them. As of this moment, Im the only thing standing between you and a truly gruesome death. And as such, I ask for you to treat me with respect. I slowly flew the flask back to his hand, and he accepted it without further complaint, taking a drink. We sat in deafening silence for a while before he groaned, lying back and resting his head against a gnarled root of the tree that he was leaning against. I wanted to see he sighed. But youre ready to murder things, the human boy cant see me, and I dont think I have what it takes to handle active camouflage so hows this? Ill watch this here canoe, while you and Kline go deal with the thirds. The hairs on my arms raised. How many are there? Uh twelve? I dont know. They all look pretty slow. So get in do some damage, and see if you cant scare em off. You cant be serious. You wouldve done that anyway, right? With mushroom spores poison planning. Yeah but theres not enough time. That barriers pretty weak. I dont even think that its stoppin em from fighting. The beasts on the inside look pretty nasty. Can you see? I asked. He rubbed his closed eyes. Yeah. He must have the Root Wide Web or something similar, I thought. Anywho youre pretty fucked if you dont. So try to figure it out or something. He shut his eyes, and Kline and I looked into the distance. We were prepared. Kline had his trump card, Silverns Triumph, that could convert all the soul force that he ingested into a massive attackand I had my bow. He was also far stronger than he was before. We both were. This was the perfect opportunity to test out our new skills. I calmed my racing heart and jumped onto Klines back. You ready little guy? He purred sassily. Big guy? I asked dryly. He growled proudly. Asshole. Alright, lets do this. 2. Aiden watched the family of jaslos pace back and forth. The creatures looked like Hyenas out of Mad Max, sporting red mohawks down their back and jaws as wide and thick as crocodiles. They were large as mooseand anyone who hadnt seen a moose couldnt understand the true terror of beasts of scale. An average bull mooses shoulders were six feet off the ground, and the average weight was half a metric ton. If an average compact sedan hit it doing thirty, the moose would likely stand up again, but that car would be a crumpled block of fiberglass and mangled engine parts. Thats how large they were and there were five of them. Worse, these werent moose. When their frustration boiled over and they would attack the barrier, Aidens eyes couldnt follow their movements. They were massive and fast and their bodies released wind blasts seemingly at random that destroyed all the foliage. These were third evolutionsenlightened beasts that could learn magics and the jaslos were called wind dancers from their speed and razor winds. Aiden looked at Kael, Sina, and the other six lurvines. They were twice the size they were a few days before. Each of them had evolved into their evolution beasts while Mira was away but they were the weakest of the weak as far as third evs went. In a five-on-seven with seasoned third evolutions, they were dead. Aiden couldnt even rely on the water because the jaslos used the river as a watering hole. They were third evs in a lower part of the river. They could swim in it and be fine. So yeah, if they broke through, he was dead. But hey, theres nothing like certain death and impending destruction that bonds creatures of all varieties, right? Where are you? Aiden thought as the jaslos paced back and forth, preparing to strike the barrier. It was hard to keep positive when Mira suddenly disappeared without warning and didnt return for four days. He wanted to be optimistic, but he didnt think that Mira would go away for a week and not tell him to hold still. She didnt seem like the type to do something like that. That meant that she went out searching for something and she died. Aiden still doubted that she was dead. Everyone did. Shes with Emael, Halten had told him. Shes the guardian of this forest. So long as they are together, she should be safe. Of course, he replied as he threw twigs into the fire. Did I ever question it? No, but I can feel your anxiety. Nah Im just tired of burnt meat. Aiden had tasted the sweet ambrosia of soul meat with Miras cooking. Since then, he had to cook chunks of second evolution meat for twelve hours just to get edible jerky. He couldnt imagine how Mira had lived so long. She was amazing and here he was, waiting for the end. Suddenly, the jaslos turned and erupted into a chainsaw clatter of cackling and howls. Two turned between the north side of the river to the barrier, passing back and forth before three smashed into the barrier with ghostly speed, creating cracks. Whats going on? he yelled. Calm yourself, Aiden! Halten yelled. And get behind me. Beasts are approaching from the north, so theyre trying to break through when they have the chance. Another set of thunderous cracks sounded as webs flew up the barrier, rippling blue in the sky before disappearing. Three of the jaslos turned up north, and the other two sped up, cracking into the barrier as the lurvines growled and prepared to fight. Everything was moving so fast. Crack! The barrier webbed with so many cracks that Aiden thought it would break. What the hells coming? Aiden internally cried. Suddenly, a wave of intuition washed over him, compelling him to turn toward the distance. He narrowed his eyes and saw something orange in the hot sunshine, shimmering like a mirage. Then something sparkled in the far distance like a prism of light. For whatever reason, he turned to the jaslos at that exact moment, and thats when he saw the most surreal scene of his life. His brain created a snapshot of a thousand droplets of water shooting across the beach. All the jaslos jumped in unison, dodging the strike. But at the last second, as if the laws of physics didnt matter, the water veered sharply to the left. The next moment, Aiden heard a devastating boom, and when he looked up, he saw that one of the jaslos was sent flying into the forest, smashing into a tree with a trunk at least ten feet in diameter. Despite that, the beast plowed straight through it, sending the tree crashing down on the Diktyo Rivers sandy shore. What Aiden whispered. The hell was that? B2 - Chapter 55 - If It’s Just Those Three My return brought good news, bad news, elating news, and a hint of scar-torn terror. The good news was that Aiden was alive, and seven of the third evolution beasts present were the lurvine foxes, who were now the size of horses and had longer fluffy tails. I could imagine all of them bursting into blue flames, turning the sand on the river bank into glass with every step. They were terrifying. The bad news was that Halten was out cold, if not dead, and there were hyenas the size of bull elk pacing back and forth around the barrier and they were far more terrifying than the lurvine. They looked like red-streaked buffalo, and the second they saw us on the hill we had posted up on, they rammed the barrier, intending to kill Aiden and the lurvine before we could interfere. And they were fast. I couldn''t see them move without Moxle DilationI could only see the barrier lighting up like a glowing orb. The elating news was that Kyro wasnt around, so when I jumped off Kline a half mile out, I was able to use Moxle Dilation, and when I pulled back Nymbrals invisible string, my world froze over, and my superhuman eyesight locked on the jaslo pack. The soul fog hovering over the Diktyo River stopped moving, and the forest turned silent. Then, when I cycled and fired the overpowered water-tipped arrow, it followed my instructions with eerie precision, even curving ninety degrees to hit one of the oversized hyenas in the chest. I couldnt see the impact wellbut I could certainly hear it. The beast slammed into a tree with enough force that the forest shookand then a tree fell onto the river bank with an explosion of sand. As for the scar-torn terror, it came a moment later when the jaslos turned to their comrade, cackling and howling and yapping until it stumbled onto the shore. It was clearly hurtbut the fucker was still walking, and I didnt see a lick of blood on him. Sure, the attack had spanned half a mile downhill, but the impact was still hard enough to send it crashing through trees. It was terrifying. But heres the thing: my battle strength was a new developmentand we never relied upon it. Just as the jaslos turned to chase me, Kline reached their position and released a devastating attack. 2. Aidens intestines tangled in knots when he saw the jaslo get up after the vicious attack but that paled in comparison to Klines attack. One moment, the beasts were preparing to charge in unison. Then, their snouts lifted in unison to dead airand then it hit. A massive missile strike of an attack slammed into the river bank, and one of the jaslos limbs slammed into the barrier, bringing with it a dust storm that turned its crimson blood to clay. It was the most gruesome, shocking, and disturbing thing Aiden had ever seen in his life. 3. I watched Kline release Silverns Trump in awe. It was a seventh-tier spell that allowed Kline to use all the soul force he had collected in the last twenty-four hours to amplify a spell of his choice. And, between his new soul core and the soul meat I gave him, the results of a single Phantom Claws attack was remarkable. A spray of red mist erupted from the area like the beast stepped on a claymore, and dust and debris exploded from the sandy bank as the jaslos scattered. It was powerfulbut we had been humbled so severelyso consistentlythat we knew better than to pull more than a hit and run. Or, thats what I thought. Even following the chaos, Kline couldnt escape. The jaslos used their third evolution speed to cut off his escape routes from all sides, four on one, with ghostly speed. Kline! I pulled back Nymbrals string, slowing time to capture their movements. Kline was throwing down with them, warping around and fighting back, but it wasnt fast enough. If one werent injured, he wouldve been toast. My heart thumped under the pressure as I aimed. What if I hit him? I thought. No I need to separate them That was the only way. Divide and conquer. But could I conquer? I was ambushing them because I was weak. I didnt have the strength to actually fight one head-on. And, since Halten and the lurvine were locked in my barrier, I was dead if I attacked them. StillKline and I protected each other with our lives no matter how dangerous things became. That was our codeour way of life. So I summoned deep courage and screamed, Stop ganging up on him, you dickless cowards! at the top of my lungs, ignoring the irony of my statement. One heard me and bolted straight into the forest, kicking up dust as it moved toward me. Kline released his Spectral Roar, stunning the jaslos for a few seconds, allowing Kline to release Phantom claws into one of their eyes before rushing after the one chasing me. Unfortunately, third-evolution beasts still far outstripped Klines magic, and they cut him off. I turned my attention downhill as he howled, waiting for the beast to come. Three Two One I heard a twig break up the mountain, and I cranked Moxle Dilation to the limit, waiting for the beast to emerge from the tree-locked abyss. I heard the sound of the groaning and the snapping as the jaslo trampled rotting logs and kicked up dust on the way to the hilltop then I saw it. It was man and twisted, snarling and snapping and cackling with massive jaws like a carnivorous hippo wearing a Roman helmet as it charged. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Even with my world slowed to a crawl, it looked like a dog running at a normal speed. Devastating. I swallowed the acid in the back of my throat and calmed my raging heart. Then I increased the power of the water and raised the limiter on the arrow, increasing the shaft of the arrow twenty times over flashing the entire area with a silent flashbang. It yelped and slowed before charging again, giving me time to aim. And right then, mere moments from it snapping its teeth into my thighs and ripping the muscles out, my arrow aligned with its eyeand I released it. The effect was biblical. Absolutely biblical. The beasts head exploded like an M-80 blew in the center of a ripe watermelon, making it impossible to escape blood and bone slamming into my face. Then, I saw its body fly downhill with the savageness of a firehose, crashing through two trees before the water created a rainbow over the forest. After wiping my eyes, I surveyed the damage like a parent who came out to see that their new cars windows had been broken during the night and everything inside had been stolen. Devastating. I looked up and saw Kline brawling with the jaslo. He was fighting tooth and nail with portals, clones, and tactics. Even with one crippled, it was three-on-one, and Kline had racked up wounds. Worse, I couldnt shoot without risking Klines safety, and my mind was dizzy from mana withdrawal. Nymbral and water magic took too much out of me. I needed to evolve. But that wouldnt help me when it mattered most. Run! I screamed. Kline tried, but the jaslos kept cutting off his pathwaysencircling them. It was only a matter of time. Come get me! I screamed at his attackers. Or are you afraid? They didnt even glance my way, so I turned to charge, realizing how pointless it was to run a half mile down a mountain to get there, and thats when it happened. The barrier suddenly dissolved, and seven lurvines shot into the fray. They were relatively weak and slowbut there were seven, each wrapping their bodies with blue flames as they charged. The jaslos response was ruthless and vicious. Within a second, one clamped its fangs into a lurvines neck, flames and all, and threw it into the forest as if it were a rag doll. Two more attacked, but it shrugged off their bites. Killing it wasnt an option. But. Sina and two others took down the jaslo that I crippled, and the distraction allowed Kline to break free and jump into the Diktyo River to heal. The jaslo attacking him didnt let him escape easily. It turned and lunged for Klineonly to learn that the horrifically maimed sleeping dragon was actually awake. Halten thrust his jaws at it mid-flight, snapping down on its body before it hit the water. I couldnt hear the crunch, but even a half mile uphill, I could see blood draining from its body in spurts. Halten whipped his head and flung the jaslo into the forest before opening his massive jaws at the remaining hyena and releasing an ear-piercing roar. The beast snarled and yapped and cackled, backing up as it looked at the dragon and the six lurvine. It looked at Aiden, who was on Haltens back, and snarled before looking up at me. Kline beat it, turning and rushing toward me. With all exits blocked, it processed the situation and fled, releasing a helpless call for reinforcements before rushing into the forest. I took deep breaths as Kline returned, expressing great relief and almost sadness. Oh Kline I said, cupping his massive tiger face and giggling thankfully. We won We won. I hugged him tightly and then looked back. You dont need to worry so much. Look. He turned and looked at the bloody path of destruction down the mountaintop. Badass, isnt it? I mused. Kline released a baritone meow and then strutted forward. Whats that? Kyros gonna be pissed you say? Serves him right. Bastard sent us to deal with twelve third evs. Kline meowed and lay, allowing me to get on. Then he jogged down the hill, smoothly passing through portals to close the distance between the mountain at the campsite. We got there a few minutes later and found that the lurvines had gathered around their injured comrade. Aiden had a pail, bringing water to the scene. He hit his knees and started working on the beasts throat, but the wheezing lurvine wasnt healing because a section of its throat had been torn out. Diktyo water mends it doesnt replace. Thats what we learned early on. Thankfully, I had something that could replace flesh. I pulled off the bag of herbs Nethralis gave me off my back and rushed up to them. Let me through. A few lurvine growled at me, but Sina stepped aside, allowing me past. I hit the ground next to Aiden and unzipped the bag and grabbed the ingredients, drying them with desiccation and grinding them into the pail with my hands. Whats that? Aiden asked. Herbs. I mixed them in the water until there was a paste. Hurry up. Cake this on his neck. Aiden complied, and the effectwas immediate. The bleeding and wheezing stopped like turning the knob on the running faucet. It must have been the combination with the Diktyo Water but stillit was incredible. The mud around the wounds quickly flaked off, revealing raw skin and muscle within. What is this? Aiden whispered as I poured water over the lurvines surface wounds and combed its fur. Not to be rude, but I dont want people hounding me for herbs this difficult to obtain, so Id appreciate it if you didnt mention how banged up Halten was or how we healed em, I said. Healed Aidens eyes glistened, and he turned to look at the massive duffle bag of herbs. In fact if its at all possible, Id really appreciate if you never mentioned anything about Brindle or the fact that Im his pupil or the things youve seen during battles. Im already dealing with Thorvel. The last thing I need is bandits who are prepared to rob me. I turned to him with a stern gaze. Is that possible? Can you keep a few secrets? Aiden swallowed and chose his words carefully. If its just those three things I can keep your secrets. At least to a strong degree. Aiden. I made eye contact. I get youre in whatever mess youre in. Okay? I wont ask, and I wont blame you. But dont lie to me. If you cant just tell me. Aiden shook his head. No I can keep your secrets. If its just those three things I can keep your secrets. His repetition was eeriehaunting even. It told a storytelling me that there was deep nuance in his words. That it was true but he wished he could explain why but couldnt. But for the first time, when I looked at Aiden, I saw reliefnot guilton his expression and that made me trust him. Okay. The lurvines bowed their heads in thanks when I finished healing their packmate, and I stood, sighing at them. I got that I left them for four days without warning, trapping them in a barrier in a deadly forestbut it was getting really old having to prove myself all the time. Still, this was a major victory. I had definitively earned their respect the Drokais respect Emaels respect Haltens. This war of trust was almost over. There was just one last battle at least until I left the Fourth Ring. So I swallowed back my bitterness and smiled and said, Thanks for protecting Kline. They nodded, and I picked up the pail and turned to Halten. He was a truly wretched sight. His wings were full of holes like a tattered flag pierced by bullets and cannonballsand there was no way it would heal naturally. There was too much missing. It would be like trying to heal missing limbs. I gripped the pail and turned to Aiden. Come on. Lets heal your dragon. B2 - Chapter 56 - Things That’re Precious Lets heal your dragon, I said. Aiden frowned. Hes not a dragon. Hes a wy Hes a dragon, I declared with all the bluster of a 16th-century Spanish sailor calling a Native American an Indian two years after clearly determining that America was not, in fact, India. When he shot his hands up in surrender, I exhaled slowly, shoulders slouching as I looked away. I know, okay? I gotta book so I can clearly read that hes a Vraxle. But Ive been dealin with so much bullshit that all I want is for the world to be whole. For wyverns to be dragons and alchemic herbs to be magic. Just let me dream. Hey, Im not sayin you shouldnt. In fact, I was just gonna say that he wasnt just a dragon. He was a wylin out dragon. I stared at him with the driest expression I could muster. That doesnt even make sense. Aiden raised an eyebrow mockingly. If you wanna win, you gotta meet people half way when they roll back their statements Especially when youre asking people to lie. My cheeks heated, and I thrust a pail into Aidens hand as the lurvines cackled. Lets go, I said. Yes, mam. Healing Halten was easier now that he wasnt in the river. He lay down silently as I mixed the paste and helped Aiden apply it. We smoothly traced the outside of the holes in Haltens wings with one hand above and one another. The wings healed centimeter by centimeter in real-time, filling in the wings. It was nerve-wracking because there were so many holes, but we discovered that we could make the paste with a fraction of the herbs, and it would still create a healing membrane that the Diktyo water would fix. It took most of the day, but Aiden and I chatted about his role working in a zoo and about my love for plants. It was pleasant. You ready to fly again? I asked Halten at sunset. Halten nodded. Yes, human Mira. I am ready. The wyvern looked humbled beyond reckoning and he still hadnt gotten over his lethal outburst. So I decided to even the score. Thank you for saving me. What? I hear you saved me. Thats why you were injured to begin with wasnt it? He looked away. So thank you. I looked at his healing wings. Thiss what I can do to repay you. Its too much. It I almost mentioned that Emael was helping him, but I wisely stopped myself. Just take it, okay? As you wish. See this? Thiss what its all about, Aiden said, wiping his brow as he looked at the jaslos that Kline had stacked up. If the world didnt turn into a dumpster fire, could we enjoy all this food and company? God youre insufferable, I said. Wait. What was that? I couldnt hear your sass over the sound of you smiling. Smiling doesnt have a I touched my lips and realized that I was smiling. Aiden jumped off Halten and stretched his body. See? Its better than the alternative. My smile faded. Suddenly, Kline meowed as he dragged one of the jaslos to Aiden. Whats this? Aiden asked. Then he frowned. It was technically still alive. Do you know how many attacks Id have to land to kill that thing? I unsheathed my machete and said. Ill count. He smiled wryly and took it and activated the runes on it. How sinister well. Ive done nothing but thread and eat burnt meat all week. So lets see how many itll take. It took thirty-threehacking in a wound. When he was done, I eyed his bloody body head to foot and said, Now you look like you belong here. He didnt find that funny. Ill cook. The red sun crested the horizon as we set up camp and set the campfire. I cooked second-generation steaks, and then we enjoyed the fire as the stars overtook the sky. Hey, Aiden said beside the fire that night. Kline walked between us in his tiny form and lay down, clearly designating me as off-limits for almost everything before licking himself. I smiled at my little warrior and then looked up. Yeah? His face turned serious, and he looked me in the eye and then away, searching for words. Sorry I just dont know how to Take your time. I didnt want to hear anything I expected him to say, but he surprised me. Do you think you have a chance? With Thorvel? I think I paused cautiously. I can. Id rather not talk about it, but I think I can. Think Aiden picked up a stick to throw in the fire but dropped it. You dont gotta risk it Mira He turned to me. I talked to Halten, and he says that youre still weak. They may be willing to let you leave with us. Take you out away from this. I fell silent. Theres a forest out there, you know? Theres three rings beyond that gate and they''re really big and full of colorful plants. And from what I hear theres massive forests and lakes and islands I mean this is an entire world. And now He collected his thoughts and said, You said you wanted to escape all this violent neophyte shit, right? Well He turned to the pile of corpses. Is this any better? A syringe full of ice water pumped through my circulatory system, making me shiver. How many times had I thought about the irony? The injustice of my situation? I liked living in AreswoodI didbut I was also scared feeling very lonely, and I was scared to die alonebut things didnt need to be that way. From the get-go, all I wanted was to live life on my own terms. Well, I earned that right. The Oracle wouldnt take my class from me, and, hell, if I left now, I would probably be lauded as a genius. Twenty-three, sure, but I had two cores almost a pure core, for fucks sake. I had seventh-tier magic! My life was bright on the outside. I had family, career opportunities, and a job. Once a year, I could become rich by running Harvest tours to obtain herbs, and that would satisfy Elanas requirements. If I kept the Harvesters in check, I could probably even keep Brindles legacy. But I cant, I said. Aiden grimaced and turned to me. Mira I know its stupid. Its rational, but there are some things in life thatre precious. And this forest has become of them for me. And I bought a book on this place. On sec The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I opened up my Guide and went to the book tab and searched for it to make sure they couldnt figure out that I was lying. I found a book called The History of the Last Conquer for a bronze request. I would buy it later. Its called History of the Last Conquer. Its the history of the forest. And I read that whenever people think they have a chance of surviving here, they end up slashing and burning it to the ground. Aidens eyes widened. So what? Youre going to fight these people? I fell silent and thought about what I was signing up for by staying. War. Outside, Id have an illustrious career. Here, I was condemned to war. This year next year the next decade. I didnt know when it was comingbut I knew Id be fighting this Harvest, at least to a degree. Still, there are things in life worth fighting for. Things that you believe in. Things that define who you are. I have an idea I said. I pulled out my backpack and pulled out a container. And Ill need your help. Aiden listened carefully and nodded, agreeing that it was, in fact, a decent plan for how to avoid war. Then, I pulled out the sunrise core that Nethralis gave me. And then theres this. Aidens body trembled as he rolled the core in his fingers, holding a palm under his hand out of fear of dropping it. Mira Do you even understand what this is? If you sold this, you could live like a queen for the rest of your Take that and negotiate for Haltens freedom. What? His eyes welled with tears for the tenth time that day, it seemed, and he fell silent. If you cant, negotiate with someone else. If not sell it. And if you do sell it, remember what I told you. Aiden trembled and held it. I grabbed the core and put it in a tiny preservation chamber and placed it into the bag he brought on his back. Okay. Good. I stood and looked at Aiden and thought of some things that I shouldnt have. But I turned away quietly and said, Goodnight, Aiden, leaving him in silence with nothing but the crackling fire to keep him going. Tomorrow I would be leaving for the crypt, so there wasnt much use prolonging our relationship more than necessary. So I practiced my Mental Shielding training that night to clear my mind, then slowly drifted into sleep. I awoke to the sound of loud birds and growling. Kline and I jumped out of the tent, only to find second-evolution beasts staring at us from the forest. There were fifty we could seeGod knows how many there really were. They were nervous, with the lurvines growling at them, preparing to fight. I grabbed my machete. Kline. Aiden suddenly flew out of his tent. Wait! Theyre just scared. No offense, I said, but most of the people that say things like that about wild animals get eaten. Just hold up. He walked forward nervously, closing his eyes. Then he released Dominion. I knew because I could feel it. It wasnt even directed at me, but I could feel souls clinging to my skin and could even see a membrane leaving him. It made my skin crawl. The beasts had it worse. The soul of the third evolution beast Aiden sniped at the end wrapped them like a blanket, and they backed away, tails tucked and growling. Continue your migration, Aiden ordered. We will not move for an hour. Stay and well kill you. All of you. To my surprise, they barked and yapped and then backed away, leaving the area. Aiden turned to me with a jubilant expression. Kline rolled his eyes as if to say, You have me and seven third-evolution beasts, human. Your petty magic didnt do shit. But I saw the way Kline raised his hackles that it bothered him. He was just brushing it off. I found it all amusing. Wow mere moments before the end and you were finally useful. Aidens face blushed, and he turned away. Then he forced a proud expression and turned to me. I went from completely useless to scaring off a tribe of second evs in a week. Im pretty sure that makes me a god. I studied his stiff expression that looked like it would break any second and cracked, giggling and shaking my head. Yeah. Its something else. I Actually. Im sure out there youll be one. I looked toward the gate. Huh yeah, youre right. I wonder if Skia will respect me Whos Skia? Aidens body went into full lockdown. Oh um shes someone special. Uh huh I could tell he was uncomfortable about the subject, but there wasnt a trace of the guilt that I had seen on his face before, so I let it go. I gotta get ready. I packed up my gear as usual, something they had grown accustomed to. Ever since I got separated from my backpack, I kept it on my back even during dinner time, so he didnt question why I packed up my tent and gear so soon. But I knew he could tell. It was in the air. When I came out, Aiden met me with a stoic face wrapped with minor despair. You gotta get out of here, dont you? I took a deep breath. That obvious? Well youre not going to prove yourself sitting around here. I nodded. Yeah. Well, Im not gonna ask questions. Haltens got barriers and he can fly, so He turned to the ward rod. Thats yours and we already decided. The lurvine and I are gonna pack up your stuff and it up the mountain. Not sure itll help, but at least its not on the river. His words stabbed my heart. Really? Its the least we can do. I owe you my life. Never say that again. Its so dross and we helped each other. Then thanks for saving Halten. He saved my li No what? Sure. I smiled. You owe me. So live a long ass life, ya hear? He smiled slightly. Sure. I looked at Halten and the lurvine. What about you? You leavin immediately? Aiden turned to Halten, who had a pile of corpses, including third evs, in front of him. It was enough food to feed me for a year. No he said. Halten didnt eat while you were gone, so hes super weak. Im gonna let him gorge himself and fly around a bit. We needa go back, but we still got time. I swallowed and nodded. Good. Ill give you some jerky. Id appreciate it. That meat doesnt cook. Tell me about it. We shared smiles, feeling awkward and unwilling to be the first to leave. Anyway, Aiden coughed. Well, Ill let everyone else say goodbye. The lurvine walked up, and they bowed their heads nobly. Theres no need to do that, I sighed. Theyre saying thank you for healing them and helping them evolve. Not showing gratitude would be offensive in their culture. Theyre an honorable race. Oh Well in that case, I bowed, too. Thank you for taking us to get my stuff and for saving our lives. Were all alive Sina growled, and I looked up and found her nose bunched up, dark lines cutting through her white snout. The fuck did I do? I cried. Aiden snorted and cupped his mouth. She says, he grabbed his hips sassily. Dont bow to those bowing, you idiot! He turned to Sina after hearing her growl and turned back with a surprised smile. Or to those weaker than you. Thats also against their culture. Weaker? I cried. I know its rude to bring up a womans size, but They were large wolves before. Now they were the size of horses! Aiden shrugged. Strange. For reasons that I cant quite remember or speak of, I do recall hearing that you killed a third ev. In fact He looked at the pile of corpses and saw the bloody mess. I frowned. Anyway youve earned their respect. Theyre even willing to join you I wish but. I cant. Its a personal test. Like to prove myself. That said I turned to the lurvine. Please join me during the Harvest. Ill need your help. Sina walked forward, allowing me to pet her snout while Kael turned to the mountaintop and then back. Kael says theyll be on the mountain with your stuff in two weeks, Aiden said. If they see you, theyll join you. Thank you guys Human Mira. My intestines shifted when I heard Halten initiate a conversation for the first time in what felt like days. I turned and found him looking at me thoughtfully. Yes? Thank you for staying. I nodded at his noble thanks. Of course. Halten nodded and fell silent, turning away. I swept my gaze on my companions one last time and suddenly felt very, very emotional. I need to pack up. Ten minutes later, I returned with my backpack clipped on and everything ready. Aiden walked up. I guess this is it, Aiden said. For now, I said. For now, he repeated. Im really bad at this, so take care everyone. I loaded up on Klines ethereal form. He was decidedly okay with being bad at this because he started trotting away the second I loaded on. Bye Kline! Aiden yelled. I could feel Klines reluctance or disbelief. From all of us! Kline blushed. I could feel it in his energy, and he turned back for a moment, blinking twice before turning away and running faster. I laughed and brushed his fur and turned back, waving to Aiden, Halten, and the lurvines. I was starting my next journey, but I was glad that I had the fortune to enjoy that one. In only a few weeks, I had gotten stronger, obtained allies, and even made a friend, as sketchy and weird as he was. I had met Elana and Brindle and visited a mythical city of fairies. I even got a drunken mentor-teacher or something or other that was waiting for me, doubtlessly hung over in the early morning air. It was a good lifeand I planned to make it as long as possible. With those parting thoughts, we rode on to Kyro, our modern-day Cheron, who would ferry us into the underworld. B2 - Chapter 57 - Love and Warning Kline and I reached Kyro in the midmorning. I expected him to yell at me for using Nymbrals flash, but to my surprise (which shouldnt have been a surprise in retrospect), Kyro was lying on the same root with a hangover. One of the alcohol jars he had with him had noticeably lowered. It didnt seem much to normal people, but when you consider his flask was the width of a nickel, it put things into grim perspective. So? I asked as I approached. You ready? Uh He moved his body subtly to use my shadow to shield his eyes. Give me a minute or two Ugh. I moved sharply, stealing my shadow and blinding him with the suns fury. Then I sighed. Okay Ill keep myself busy. He thanked me as I found a tree with roots that made a stool-like chair and sat down, listening to the sound of the symphony bugs as I thought about my position. I wanted to contact my family, but I was also afraid to. I was too deep in things I didnt want to talk about. War. Violence. Conspiracies. Would my parents still love me if they knew everything I had signed up for? I didnt know. But I wouldnt agonize over it. I made my choice and had to stand beside it, no matter the cost. And more importantly, I wasnt going to avoid the people I loved, so I swapped a gold request for two silvers, knowing that this could be my last message, and then set to work, writing out a letter with my mind as I watched the text fill my Guide. Two hours later, I looked up and found Kyro glaring at me suspiciously. It kind of ticked me off, so I promptly began reading. Dear Mom and Dad and Tyler and Gatsby, I said sassily. Guess who has two thumbs and a magic tent? This girl! If you think youre living in style, just know that Im living in an indestructible igloo that heats up and cools down to my specifications and even has a basic stove inside. Kline activates the array with his paws when Im not looking, curling up against it instead of me. Guess his human isnt good enough as a heater anymore. Or maybe its just that cool. Anyway, thats enough of that. Lets talk about you. I really want to know how everyone is doing. Are the guards doing right by you? Are things awkward? Is Tyler staying out of trouble? Its really hard to know whats happening with me stuck in this forest, but I suppose thats how it goes. Ill make a few guesses, though. 2. Twenty minutes later, Doug got the notification and hurriedly turned to his wife. Get Tyler. Mira just messaged us. It was Dronamis equivalent of Saturday, and Tanya refused to let Tyler practice until chores and family time were over, so he was still around. And the second he heard, he flew back to the dining room as if he hadnt inhaled his food and acted remarkably busy and unable to speak twenty minutes ago. Still, Doug did love the look of excitement on Tylers face to hear from Miraeven if it was mostly because she spoiled him rotten. Ready? he asked. Tanya gave the go-ahead, and he read the part that Mira had read to Kyro and then continued on. Ill make a few guesses, he said. After spending a hefty request to get Tyler a teacher in this uncivilized backwoods violent hellhole, they sent some elite ninja monk hitman templar gladiator to teach him, and Moms totally freaking out about it. Shes worried about his future and, you know, him dying a gruesomely violent death, and Tylers recently taken the stance that, This is just the way of the world, Mom, to her dying dismay. Tylers lips curved into a twisted grin, but Tanya forced it off his face by glaring at him and saying, Shes mocking you. No, shes not, Tyler said. Its because its true. Doug laughed at first, but as he read on, his smile inverted into a grumpy scowl. What does it say? Tanya asked. It says I bet Dads been consoling her, drawing parallels between this world and the US Marine Corps and saying that Tyler just wants to follow in his old mans footsteps. Its not helping, but you all know Tylers right. This is just how it is now. Its best just to make him as strong as possible. Suddenly, Doug felt like a fraud. Mira called out his fallacious front. It wouldve been bad if she didnt call out Tanya as well. Only Tyler was happy with the statement. That said, Miras honesty soon gripped all of them. Anyway, Doug read. Id bet Tylers teachers putting him through hell and making him thread cores every night, so hes rushing to his room. Moms probably misinterpreting that and wonders if shes alienating them and wishing she could be the Cool dad, unaware that dads have it harder in strange ways. After all, Moms probably been thinking he was a suck-up, ignoring the fact that Tylers not talking to him either, so its a lose-lose. Worse, his asshole daughter hired his son a murder coach whos surely taken over the father role, and theres only so many pickle jars to open, so Dads been feeling a bit irrelevant and searching for ways to bond. He hasnt found them, so, like Mom, hes mistakenly come to the conclusion that weve reached the age when we dont need him when, in reality, from birth till death, well always bring our troubles to him first. Tell mehowd I do? Brooooooo, Tyler laughed. She just cooked you. You know its bad when you come to an alien world with magic and swords and she still no-scoped your life. Tanya turned to him with a sinister smile. What did I say about training in the house? Tylers face paled. I said youre beautiful and exciting. Its wonderful that Mira understands you. Doug laughed and sent Tanya a forgive him glance. She did, and he continued reading. Im guessing its pretty accurate or at least in the ballpark. Its easy to guess the big things when people are acting responsibly. But what I cant guess is the little things: what your favorite restaurant is, the strange things youve experienced, and the special moments youve shared. I want to hear about your friends and dreams. Thats what I dream of hearing about when I think of visiting you. So please, tell me when you write back. Doug suddenly felt very emotional and his stomach uncoiled into an empty pit. Then, the emotional moment crashed to a halt with the next words. 3. As for me, Im luckyas alwaysto be alive, I read, watching Kyro carefully. Sounds kinda bleak to put it like that, but its the truth. With the upcoming Harvest, thousands of second and third-evolution beasts are migrating south in preparation to slaughter the harvesters, and Im in the center of it. Whats worse is that somehow, I, through a partnership that will be soon announced if it hasnt already, have the great honor and obligation to push through all these creatures to get to the Bramble this year. What a time to be alive! Thankfully, your daughters on a bit of a mean streak. Up until recently, I would attribute luck to being the primary reason that Im still alive. Now, I think Im approaching a point where I can truly survive on my own. Only took three months, ten miracles, and Jesus all but riding down on an asteroid to save me from the dinosaurs, but my fear of making it to the harvesters should be inversely proportional to the terror you should feel on the prospect of stepping past that gate. Kyro, who had become far more relaxed after I began, became apprehensive again. What? I asked. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. He fluttered to a large pink mushroom and sat on it like a tiny stool, thinking about it. Its better to feign weakness when possible. If you tell people your strength, theyll bring more people to compensate. Yeah I thought about that. But in this case, its pretty unavoidable. Elanas people will be expecting me, and that necessitates that Im capable of pushing past a small army of freakish creatures. I doubt theyll be able guage my real powerbut they will be ready. Fair He motioned his hands. Well? Seriously? I asked dryly. You get that this might be the last letter I ever send to my family, right? You are communicating with the outside world mere weeks before the Harvest, Kyro said. The fact that Im blindly trusting youre reading what you actually wrote is a sign of deep respect. I thought about his words and found them reasonable, so I read on. I am confident in surviving the beasts of the forest, but I am terrified of the Harvesters. Not the business people who would rather see me alive for repeat business but the everyday neophyte looking to achieve wealth or glory. Oh, thats good, Kyro said. Ive recently read a book called The History of the Last Conquer about the Areswood Forest and its harvests and have learned that the Harvesters are quite cruel. Its because the Harvest is the one time where obtaining a single rare herb or core can allow someone to obtain great strength or live out the rest of their days in luxury. Since no ones watching them, the Harvesters are known to turn on one another. In the past, there have been full mutinies or conspiracies to leave people in the forest. And when desperate, those left behind have burnt down swaths of the forest to avoid poisons, only to attract hordes of beasts that got dozens or hundreds killed. How interesting, Kyro said. Did you read that last night? I frowned. Oh, so youre ly~ing. Quite elegantly at that. Ill make sure to take that into consideration when appraising the trustworthiness of this alleged letter and all future correspondence. The corner of my mouth twitched. Look. Im not lying, okay? Nethralis told me a lot of itthis is just an excuse. And besides, Id wager a kidney that everything elses accurate as well. Either way, Im trying to fuck, just listen. For this reason! I raised my voice and then continued. 4. Ive been preparing to defend myself should I need to, Doug read. So if things go South, please dont think Ive gone feral. Also, tell Tyler no, youll read him this so Ill tell him directly: Do not, under any circumstance, come to the Harvest this year. Tylers arm hairs waved upward like static electricity passed over them. Doug could tell he wanted him to stop reading around Tanya, but Doug couldnt, so he pressed on. Im sure that your teacher is trustworthy, and the Dante familys power has been held in high regard, but I have a feeling itll be particularly nasty with the amount of resources Im trading. Pushing aside the number of plants that cause acute paralysis here, just showing up makes you a target for extortion or future plots. Its just not worth it. Not yet. Tanya raised an eyebrow at her son. Youre not going. Mom Kalas is making me go. Hes not making you do anything. He is, I swear. Doug felt very tired, so he skimmed the letter, praying for salvation, and he found hope. That said, if you wait, I will lavish you with cores and soul meat thatll turn you into a god amongst your peers as a reward. Tylers eyes trembled. Defy me, Doug hammered in with a booming voice, and youll be pissing regret for years because I wont give you a goddamn thing. Tanya smiled triumphantly, but to everyones surprise, Tylers face turned increasingly grave. Anyway, Doug said, pushing off the subject. I wont try to convince you that the weathers brisk in hell or that Im safe. The trials I face are dauntingbut. But Im almost there, Mom. I can feel it. Im this close to freedom. By winter, Ill have built a home, and Ill have a garden by spring, hunting in the morning and studying plants in the afternoon. Itll be a peaceful life. And Dad, your daughter has moved out of the realm of studying plants and has officially become a full-blown chemist. I cant wait to send you all the creepy and evil things I make in secret, so Mom cant see. Oh, and Tyler. You gotta stay alive because Im going to teach you the craziest spells when I see you next. Youre gonna be a monster after our vacation. Tylers grave countenance thawed, and he smiled slightly. And dont think Ive forgotten about you, Gatsby. Ive recently met some doggos thatll make you wag your tail and spin in circles. And one of ems a looker, too. And who knows, cycle enough, and you might be able to court her. Gatsby thumped his tail against the ground. Idiot dog was now smarter than Doug was. It was eerie. God I miss you guys, Doug read. Even with the down parts, Im smiling just writing this. I cant wait to visit and to bring you here when the gardens tended and my barriers are set up. It will be a dream. Anyway, Klines glaring down a massive killer bug, and shits about to get nasty. So I better go. Tanyas face drained of color at the thought of man-eating insects, but Doug brushed it off, thinking, She doesnt sound that concerned if shes still writing How strange, completely oblivious to the fact that Mira was suicidally calling a legendary Drokai demigod a bug to his face. Just know that I love you, Doug said, voice trailing off as he concluded the letter. Im missing you, and I hope to see you soon. Wish your daughter luck, and keep me in your thoughts in prayers. Your deeply irrational, recalcitrant, and stubborn daughter, also known as the creative, uncompromising, and all altogether persistent princess youve raisedMira Hill. Dougs eyes welled with tears again, and he thought about everything he wanted to reply, but he couldnt find the words. Neither could Tyler, whose expression was forlorn, or Tanya, who was still worried about the bug. So he closed his eyes and thought long and hard about it. He hoped she could wait for a bit, unaware that Mira wouldnt be able to read it for a considerably long time. 5. I smirked at Kyro. Does that meet your approval? He was stonewalling me, as I expected, but his expression was far more complex than I thought it would be. It was captivating, an expression that was equal parts solid wall and bottomless well. What? I asked. The letter was touching, it really was, he said without a hint of sarcasm. But whats this about the Dante? I swallowed, feeling a deep pang of foreboding seize my lungs. Well, someones gotta protect my family, and itd be pretty pointless if I didnt get the strongest. So I paid the Dante. Or the Oracle did. Its who it recommended. I see. I take it you have history with them? Kyro smiled strangely. If that book of yours actually exists I think you should read it. I got an ominous premonition as he turned around. Theyre on contract, I said. Two years. Oracle bound them to it somehow. I think theyre safe for now. Did you say something? He asked as he flew away. No. Good! Now lets get going. We gotta long journey ahead of us. Kyro whipped his hand, and the canoe flew out of some brush cover and slowly placed it into the water. Then he turned to Kline. The deeper we go, the stronger the soul concentration becomes. Youre safe here, but try not to fall out. I frowned. What about me? Oh, soul cores are exceptionally rare and yours is remarkably pureyou can survive well into the fifth domain. Thats the only reason Nethralis has entertained this suicide request. Now hurry up. Daylights ticking. Kyro closed his eyes as he fluttered into the canoe, and the souls drifted away from it as if there was a negative magnet repelling the area. Its a simple spell. Youll be using it for the rest of the trip as training. Uh huh I nervously stepped into the boat, feeling it rock back and forth choppily as I sat down. It made me slightly queasy, and it got worse when Kline jumped into my lap and Kyro thrust an oar into my hand. Do you know how to row one of these? Kyro asked. Uh No And this is why it pays to have wings. He lay down the bow of the canoe. Im sure youll figure it out. Just remember that if you tip it, it could mess up your kitty cat. Kline promptly jumped out of the boat, deciding that he would rather face down endless swaths of migrating beasts than trust my ability to row a canoe. The vote of no confidence was psychologically damning. Traitor. Still, I couldnt blame him. Our entire lives since coming to Areswood had been a series of life-or-death crises. There was no sense in asking for one more. Bitterness welling in my heart, I pushed off the shore with the oar, drifting sideways into the water, only afloat by the grace of Kyros telekinesis, and then stabbed at the ground until it was facing the right direction. Right then, when I was taking a breath, Kyro released his hold, and we started rocketing down the river of souls, pushing toward Tranea Crypt, where my journey with plant-based soulmancy would soon begin. B2 | Chapter 58 - On The River It was half past seven when hell broke loose on the Diktyo River rapids, three hours south of the Arithiel Pond, where I would evolve my core. It had only been ten hours since we left Aiden behind on our journey to Tranea Crypt with Kyro, our Drokai guide, and the migrating beasts were already attacking us. Kyro woke up and yelled, What the hells going on? as the canoe suddenly rocked to the side, nearly pushing his tiny fairy body into the river of souls. Shut up! I yelled as I pulled back Nymbrals string and assessed my enemies. There was a pack of carnivorous goats bucking on the riverbank, with one the size of a bulldozer sporting sharp teeth that could bite through a small car like a can opener. All of them were yapping and bahing and kicking around dust as they jumped in the water, then bounded out again. The second evs couldnt handle the fog above the river, but their mother was more than capable. She was a third ev, and the only thing keeping her hesitant was Kline, who was sitting on the back of the boat, growling at her ominously, preparing to strike. Suddenly, she released a massive battle cry and charged. I slowed time and created a hurricane arrow (as I was calling it) by creating a bolt of mana with spinning water at the tip. It was weak and hasty without time to speed up, so I yelled, Close your I didnt get to say the word eyes to Kyro before she hit the river with the force of a tsunami. Even with the world slowed, she moved with terrifying speed, so I panicked and increased the output threefold before releasing it. The arrow burst with light and blasted right through the waves, turning them to steam before slamming into her right thigh. It didnt puncture her leg, but it was enough to break her leg with a resounding snap, sending her flying forward with a splash. The splash sent the whole canoe flying, tumbling underwater. It hit two rocks and almost slammed our heads onto the ground if I werent using magic to control it. With a huge push, I used a spell to right the ship. It was full of water, but I used Separation to pull it out en masse and shoot it in random directions. Kline clambered to the hull like a weak kitten, eyes filled with terror as his claws cut into the wood. As for Kyro, the half-drunk, half-hungover fairy who had just been blasted in the eyes with Nymbrals flash before getting slingshotted into the river, flew out of the Diktyo like a flopping salmon, rocketing into the sky before screaming, Fuck off! at the top of his lungs. I thought he was talking to me, but when I turned around, I saw the third ev had gotten up, unfazed by the fog or attack and started rushing at us on three legs from behind. Kyro seemingly teleported above the beasts head. He raised his tiny hands, and a glowing magic circle formed in the sky above the beast in this large net. The next moment, a crushing force hit the mother goat from above. The impact was so severe that it left a crater in the river. The goat cried out in pain, but Kyro wasnt finished. He created dozens of spears of raw aura that lit up like beacons in my vision and thrust them down on the beast like an iron maiden. It was terrifying. Those spears would have punctured me like toothpicks in a strawberry. Unfortunately, the spears barely broke the hide of the beast, dramatically proving that skill only went so far. The curse suppressing Kyros power was, in fact, devastating. That said, Kyro didnt give up. He yelled in frustration, creating a dozen more spears that he flung into the goats eyes, eyes, nostrils, and mouth. It was brutal. You should probably pay attention, Lithco said beside me. He had been teaching me how to navigate the boat with magic in case I needed to fight for the last two hours, and he apparently decided to stay and drink tea during the chaos like a fucking asshole. Stillhe was right. Battle cries sounded all around us, and I found myself shooting small arrows into the goats offspring. I killed one, twothree. I thought Id be useless with the bow, but I wasnt. It wasnt that hard when I could slow time and control the trajectories with my mind. Kline had also joined the battle. He was like a god of death, taking out his embarrassment for clambering onto the boat like a kitten by ripping out a beasts spine. It was a mess, and before long, it was already over. The mother goat released a harrowing cry, and her children turned to her in fear before disappearing into the forest. I watched them leave with my heart drumming in my ears. The pressure was unbearable. I thought Id stay that way forever, but Kyro flew into the canoe in a panic, holding his empty bag that he had his brandy jars in. He rummaged around with savage ferocity. Where are they? he cried. Calm down, I said. Dont you tell me to calm down. Calm down. I pulled off my backpack and unzipped it and pulled out a jar of amber liquid. Its right here. I figured this would happen. His eyes widened. Oh, thank Yakana. He reached out for the jar, but I pulled it back. Youre thanking the wrong person. Oh, thank the River Guardian. I didnt hand it to him and he huffed and flew past me, sitting on the bow with his arms folded, pouting like a child. I refuse to thank you. Seriously? I asked dryly. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Yes, I refuse. You didnt wake me up when there was danger, then you screamed at me and blasted me in the eyes with your light beam without warning. He lifted a core in his tiny hands. It wasnt a sunrise, but it was London blue topaz, at the very least, dark and rich. I saved you from certain deathso were even. The least you can do is give me my booze. Hoh? Well, I saved your alcohol from oblivion. He huffed. Kline jumped into the boat, and I dried him off with Desiccation and released him to the back of the canoe again. Look, if you want a sorry, you wont get one. Beastsve been tracking us for the last six hours. How the hell was I supposed to know when theyd attack? Kyro wiped his eyes and looked around. There were dozens of beasts stalking us in the forest, slinking in the shadows, waiting to strike. It was obvious. Ugh He clasped his face. See? Dont blame me for getting drunk and passing out in a war zone. Kyro fell silent and sat on the bow, clasping his forehead, drinking from his flask. It left me feeling grumpy, so when he looked back at me ten minutes later, I had a mean mug, and he turned back. Five minutes after that, he did the same and got the same result. For the next hour, this went on and on until he was sufficiently drunk and capable of rational thinking, and guilt laced his gaze. His glances back became more frequent until he finally looked at the tiny core in his hands and sighed. Sorry. This one was my bad. He threw it to me. I caught it and stared at it almost guiltily. I only wanted an apology, but I couldnt give it back without looking like I was refusing him. So instead, I said, Here, I handed him his alcohol, and he kissed the jar, hugging it like a climate change activist who chained themselves to a tree. Only then did we move on. He looked at me for the first time, sitting there calmly as we floated downstream. Wait, he said. Wheres the oar? In its cubby. Then how are you navigating? Magic. I looked at the beasts. Figured Id need both hands to defend us, so I boughta spell to stabilize and navigate the canoe. Its been smooth for an hour. Thats probably why you fell asleep. Wait He furrowed his brow. Are you saying you learned magic when I was awake? Yeah. Well, kinda. You looked like Huck Finn with your fingers laced behind your head, blubbering drunkenly about how much you missed whatever you said. But yeah. First off, Im not sure who that is, but Im offended, he declared. Second off, Im asking how. Just your guide? I frowned and looked to my left and saw Lithco in an identical boat to mine. He looked at me and then brewed a new cup of tea for sarcastic effect. It was like he was punishing me for ignoring him and was working hard to make up for lost time. Yeah. I can buy just about any spell I want and do so at will. It even teaches me. Albeit poorly. Thats rude, Lithco said. Kyro looked at him but saw nothing. He was all in my mind. I see Kyro said grimly. He put the brandy into my backpack and then returned to the front, stripping off his peacoat-style coat and wringing it out. He made it look unbearably difficult. I sighed and flicked my hands, and all the water drained from his clothing, running in streams off the canoe into the river. Thank~you, he said. Then he looked up with a serious expression. Spells at will. Knowledge. Communication If that thing wanted to conquer this forest, it would. Lucky for you, I cant, Lithco said, sipping his tea. The families monopolize resources, so everyone who comes heres pretty useless. Well, unless theyre an upper whos willing to tank the drain. But thosere quite rare and often ineffective. Mira? Kyro looked between dead space and then me. Everything good. I thought about telling him that my Guide was a real human, but I felt that personifying the threat to Areswood Forest would make things worse, so I said, Yeah. Just zoning out. Kyro narrowed his eyes and then sat down again, immediately grabbing his flask and looking into the distance with a pensive gaze. We continued on. The next hour was spent in silence, with Kyro watching the second and third evolution beasts stalking us from the shadows. They decreased in number, but they doubled in size as we approached the mana vein under Arithiel Pond. The mana density increases, and the milky fog over the water became thicker, with the color and texture of whipped cream. We should stop for the night, I said. Stop? Kyro asked. Here? Yeah. I sent out a request to Elana to help me with my core and said shes free tomorrow morning. That your other god? Yeah. Fuck Even if Kyro hated every human and god in the multiverse, he understood that the advice and power of a god wasnt something someone should discard. It was the best move. Yeah I said. So you seriously wanna sleep here? I pulled out the blue core and my ward, which was tied in with the paddle. Well be fine. Kyro shrugged. Okay We stopped and set up camp at the river bank, putting the blue core into the ward before setting up a fire and eating. It was a peaceful night, at least while we were awake, so we sat around under the moonlight, swapping stories and listening to the fire. It was simple, but something was hanging over the conversation, and Kyros face turned increasingly grave. What is it? I finally asked. Its just Kyro looked at me. If this afternoon reminded me of anything, its that my bodys limitations are He took a deep breath. Frustrating. And once you start evolving you cant stop. Otherwise, youll permanently damage your core. So we only got one shot at this, and well be relying on Kline. I froze. Oh you cant stop evolving, he says. Tell me, Kyro. When the hell were you going to tell me this? Actually, why the hell are we even out here? If I knew this, I wouldve evolved downstream. I felt partially responsible for not doing research, but I had a demi-god, an actual god, and Lithco to help me evolve, so it wasnt like I was going to prioritize that in the hellish week I had. So I put all the blame on Kyrobut he shot it all right back. You do realize were crossing into the Fifth Ring, right? These pets He flicked his hands to the large beasts watching us with reflective eyes in the darkness. Pale in comparison to a fourth ev. That beast that shrugged off your arrow is like a defenseless child against a fourth evolution beast, and unlike these beasts, the enemies well be facing dont have any rationality. The only thing thatll save you right now is raw power and a prayer. So if we cant do this, you might as well submit yourself to Thorvel. I closed my eyes, remembering how much Kyro fought against going to the Crypthow adamant he was that it was a suicide missionso I couldnt blame him on that front. So whatre we gonna do? I asked. Kyro sent me a skin-crawling smile. I didnt like it. Not one bit. B2 | Chapter 59 - Soul Arrow Kyros plan for clearing out Arithiel Pond was either worse than nothing, or the situation was so bleak that a suicidal plan was the only option. Whatever the case, Kyro somehow convinced me to go along with it. So, after a tense night expecting a monster attack on the camp that never came, we hit the boat once more, approaching Arithiel Pond. The closer we got, the more I understood the sheer depth and necessity of his plan. Hundreds of large beasts were cycling on the shore, keeping tabs on us and each othertrying to evolve. It wasnt always peaceful. I watched a beast with antlers pike an eighteen-legged hippo creature. The attack had been going on for so long that both were injured and as soon as the fight ended, scavengers finished the victor off. Grim. These were the creatures we were up against, and it only got worse. As the trees faded away, replaced with the mana-adapted eranthia trees that looked like dead trees blanketed in snow, the beasts became even less frequent, but all of them were third-evolution beasts. They stalked us from beyond the fog, which turned into a hazy mist that had moved off the water and was now covering us like mist. It was getting far harder to see. Can these ones enter the water? I whispered. Not most of em, no, Kyro said. The Diktyos mana attracts the souls, and since the manas denser here, the soul concentrations thicker. If we didnt have cores, we wouldve scrapped this plan like sensible folk. I smiled wryly. What about us? Kline would have a few seconds at least. Cores are pretty rare and hes maxing. Youd be fine. Until you evolved, obviously. So when you finishdont fall in. I looked at Kline nervously. He was gorging himself on third evolution meat so he could use Silverns Triumph. It was a powerful attackbut there was only one attack. As for me, the plan was to evolve on the tiny island I developed my soul core on three months ago before Emael arrived. If I fell in, I would die. You said most. You mean the alpha? Kyro snapped his fingers and pointed at me. You got it. According to Kyro, every time a diverse group of beasts gathered in Areswood, there was usually one that was far, far stronger than the rest. It wasnt that there werent contenders. Beasts of that strength fought to be alpha-like lions and never let the competitors into the area. Once they were the only ones, they became the law, and troublemakers met their end. In essence, this beast had the role of the River Guardian. And like Emael, it could enter the water. Thats why were taking out the ones that can enter the water. Do that, and no one can touch you. He took another drink. Yeah, I said. Easy. Lets just take out the strongest third ev of the lot. Itll be fine. Everything will be just fine. My voice turned high-pitched, fast, and sarcastic. Just follow the plan. Are you really that confident? My arrows cant even puncture that last things leg. Just do it. Kay? Have a little more faith. And He started screwing on the lid to his flask but stopped, reflecting on whether to reopen it immediately. Dont miss. Kay? It took another ten minutes in the blinding fog and matching white landscape for us to see Arithiel Pond in the distance. And when we got there, any hope that I had faded into the mist and the atmosphere in the boat was grim. Kline trembled in my lap, ears twitching with his hairs bristled, and Kyro looked sober and alert. The fog was thin yet sprawling far into the sky, and we could see hundreds of beasts around the small lake in the distance, circling like they were performing a seance to summon Cthulhu or another mythic creature of lore. Behind them was a small hill that I didnt remember seeing. I squinted at it in the fog. I dont remember I tried to recall if I saw a hill there and I concluded that I didnt. That made me nervous as we approachedand it got grim very quickly when the hill suddenly shifted and stood. I can still remember it vividly. A colossusa hundred-foot humanoid with a long snout and ears like the Egyptian god Anubis, but chose to keep its clawish hands on the ground as if to run faster in the bleak and misty terrain. It was a creature of nightmares, objects of fear and destruction and killing, a contender to fight the Toroks, those sad mimes that told me I was pure and a future opponent. I was officially in the realm of the gods. Of course itd be a colossi, Kyro whispered. Should we run? I whispered as it fixated its attention on us. Cause I think we need to run. Just being under its gaze gave me the chills, and I suddenly remembered the time when I was six and dropped a hot cake pan for seemingly no reason at all. My mind was a scrambled mess. You cant even outrun my crippled ass, Kyro said. You think you can outrun that thing? I Just calm down and do your part. I didnt live this long just to die on some pointless suicide quest. Kyros confidence was surprisingly absolute, and when he picked up Kline and rocketed toward the creature, I felt a ray of hope. Then it was dashed when third evolution beasts bounded into the air from all directions, trying to bite, claw, stab, or screech at the pair as they flew away. But my fear reversed when Kyro dodged all their attacks with ease and disappeared through the fog as the beasts he duped turned their attention to me. I was anchored in the water, frozen in place, defenseless should a real attack happen. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Yet Kyro was blindly trusting me, so I did my part. I slowly pulled Nymbral from my chest, reveling in its white and gold appearance as I pointed it at the colossus. It noticed and turned to me and released a piercing roar but I didnt panic. I aimed and created a hurricane arrow, creating the largest, fastest ball I could, and then used the spell that Kyro taught me on the first day we left. Akina bura? Thats it? I had asked when Kyro recited the spell to repel souls from the river. It was a simple chant, and the fog repelled away from us in a way that neither a barrier nor domain could do. If its that easy, why cant everything do it? Try it out and see for yourself. I closed my eyes and created the mantra and to my horror, the souls swarmed me from all sides, releasing piercing cries around Kline and me. Kyro flicked his hands, and they disappeared. What the hell was that? I cried. The reason most beasts cant do it. The spell grabs onto soulswhat you do with it depends on your soul control. Im sure youll figure it out. He sat on the bow of the ship and yawned. Ill steer. I frowned and started four hours of hell after that, unintentionally torturing Kline by pulling souls into the boat instead of pushing them out. Then, once I got it, Kline returned the favor as he practiced. It was a rough go. But right then, staring down the colossus at the pond, it all became worth it. Akina bura, I whispered. The souls from the river rose around me, connecting to the water on my spinning sphere as if I were whipping up cotton candy. It left me feeling excited and cold, like the time before my high school play when it was finally time, but the thrill and horror of success and failure were on the table. Then the colossus charged. It wasnt as planned. Even with my world slowed, it crossed the quarter-mile distance in five seconds or less, splashing and howling and crashing through the water, raising its claws and preparing to strike. My eyes widened in terror, and I wanted to scream and run. Where was Kyro? Kline? I was going to die. I was certain of it. Then it happened. A massive array, even larger than before, activated over the beasts head, and chains of aura shot out of it, gripping the beasts head and body and arms. The chains were weak but all-encompassing. Thousands connected to the creatures body, momentarily stopping it. The colossus released a deafening cry that shocked my senses. I activated Mental Shielding and spun the arrow of souls and water faster. I aimed at its chest with pinpoint precision, where its soul force glowed brightest. I had the shot but I didnt take it. Not yet. Suddenly, Kline teleported into the shadow of a beast on shore and then jumped twice on an Ethereal Bridge. Even under Moxle Dilation, I barely captured a snapshot of Kline raising his paw and creating claws ten feet long before releasing all the power of a third evolution beast as he hit the creatures chest. A shock wave hit the water, and I almost fell in the boat. I increased the stabilization technique and then looked up. Even with Klines trump card, even after gorging himself on third evolution meat, Kline barely scratched the creatures chest, leading to trickles of blood. It roared and flexed, and the soul chains snapped in a chain reaction. It would be fully capable of killing us in three seconds. Two seconds One. But it wouldntbecause that scratch was all I needed. I released the massive soul arrow at the beast, curving it right into one of Klines scratch marks. Blood bloomed from the area in a geyser as it drilled inside, breaking through Kyros chains and sending it flying forty feet back and hitting the water. As the waves in the water stilled and the crying beasts on shore finished their cries, the world fell silent except for the sound of my ever-pounding heart. It was loud. Louder than ever before. Because that shot wasnt enough to kill that creatureand there was no way to run. Suddenly, Kyro flew over the beast and started chanting something. A massive array formed in the sky above the fallen beast, and the mana in the atmosphere warped. It kept building up steam, and right as the creature shot out its massive claw to grab the tiny fairy, a crushing force of gravity smashed it into the ground. Run! Kyro screamed. My mind kicked into overdrive as the pinned beast howled and slapped the ground as it tried to escape, and I turned and navigated the ship to shore, grabbing the boat on my back. Kline materialized out of nowhere, jumping between my legs in small form and growing until he was a mount, then sticking me to his back with raw mana alone. Suddenly, the colossus released a bone-rattling scream reminiscent of Haltens when he was suffering from soul corruption. That was our goalsending raw souls right into the beasts core to corrupt its soul, then sending it off to kill all the other beasts in the area. Run, you idiot! Kyro yelled as the mana shackles holding it down snapped. The beast thrust its hands on the ground in two booms, pushing itself up into a runners stancethen flew forward at frightening speed, grabbing a random beast the size of a rhino in its hand, putting the unfortunate beasts head into its jaws, and biting down with a sick crunch. I barely saw the blood before Kline broke off into a full sprint, weaving between third-evolution beasts. It charged at us, and I turned in time to see it swat off a bear as it charged toward us. We blinked in and out of existence as Kline rushed through shadows as we looked for a place to cut into the forest. We were moving too fast to slow down, or we would hit a tree and die, and I was holding the canoe with both hands and unable to use an arrow. Suddenly, it jumped in front of us from a distance and charged. I tried to throw the canoe, but it wasnt necessary. Kyro flew out of nowhere, creating hundreds of spears that he thrust into the creatures face. It blinded one of its eyes and sent it into a fury, chasing after Kyro, who blew past us in the opposite direction at a speed we couldnt fathom. In that brief respite, Kline slowed and then cut into the woods, weaving between trees as we sought the high ground to protect us from beasts. My guides interface read 7:27. 2. Through grace and miracles, Kline and I managed to escape to a mountain bluff without being eaten. We passed by dozens of third evs, but whether they were uninterested in eating such weak prey or if they were just terrified of the rampaging alpha below, they all scattered to the wind. Id guess it was the latter. From a mountaintop, I could see it rampaging around the pond, picking up beasts the size of elephants and throwing them like baseballs into the forest. A few of the larger beasts ganged up on it, snapping at its Achilles heel and thighs and clamping onto its backbut it wasnt enough. The creature was just too powerful, and it had no restraint. It slaughtered dozens before the pack fled, leaving only the warriors to die gruesome deaths. The battle raged on. I checked my clock again. 7:53 am. Im so fucked, I thought. My hour-long meeting with Elana was in seven minutes, and I wasnt anywhere near the pond, where I needed to be to develop my core. I was running out of time. B2 | Chapter 60 - Evolution I thought it was over. There were only seven minutes before my meeting, and I was three miles away on a rocky bluff, watching the colossus battling other third-evolution creatures. Wind blades flew through the mist while electricity flickered like the fog was a sea of storm clouds. Booms rattled, and the ground quaked. It was a warzone. There was no way I would make it in time. Then, three minutes before my meeting was set to begin, everything changed. A massive spear burst through the fog and hit the beast right in the spine, sending blood squirting out of its chest as it collapsed onto the ground with the sound of cracking thunder. The beasts released confused yet victorious cries as its challengers swarmed it, trying to eat its flesh as some fought each other in a brutal display. I watched in confused awe as they ripped it apart, an exhausted fairy flew in front of me. Hurry up, Kyro said, flicking his hand. I levitated into the air, boat and all, and then Kyro grabbed my hand. Theyll be busy eating it for at least six hours. So we need to move. Before I responded, he rocketed away as Kline growled and jumped off the cliff after us, only to plunge into the forest below. I glanced at Kyro; his face was pale, his hair drenched in sweat. Are you okay? Just shut up and worry about yourself. Do this wrong and youll turn into that creature. I broke out into cold sweats as we approached the fog. I suddenly didnt want to go, but Kyro plunged right into the mist, taking me to the rocky island that I had sat on to develop my soul core. It was in the center of the lake, less than thirty yards from the beasts eating the titan in the fog. Snap out of it! Kyro thrust my ward into my hand, then unzipped my backpack and pulled out the cores, handing me the sunrise core that Nethralis gave me to evolve and the elixir. If you dont maintain concentration, youre fucked. Uh yeah. Uh? You serious? He took all the third evolution cores and packed them into the ward and thrust it into the ground for me to activate. Then, he reinforced it with an earth spell. The ground glowed orange, and rocks wrapped around it like an anthill, locking it into place. He turned to me. Listen, Mira. When you evolve your mana core, your soul core expands, and if you dont maintain the repellent spell, hundreds of souls will suck into your core like a vacuum and break your mind. And even if you manage to break free, itll break your evolution, and youll be toast. Gone. Broken. Youll never use magic again. Do you understand? My blood pressure spiked, and my heart felt like a dagger stabbing me in the chest. We should do this somewhere else, I said. No. If you were someone else, maybe. But Nethraliss convinced you can handle this. Emael is confident you can do this. Hell, I am, too. So accept it. Own it. And focus. The beasts released roars and turned to us in unison. The sunlight caught one of their eyes in the fog, reflecting dark yellow and glassy like a reptiles. Stop looking at them, Kyro said. Well take care of them. Now wherere your soul cores? Soul uh. At the bottom. Bring em out. Ill need em. For what? Power. I dont have enough umph so I needa borrow it. Is that how Kyro clapped. Focus. I nodded and rummaged through the bag, handing him a few that he put in the tiny pocket sewn into his suit and also the pockets within his coat. We got this, Mira. So keep focused. Dont ever stop that spell. Okay? Okay. Now let me out. I nodded and swam to the barrier, which extended into the lake and helped him melt through. Ill take care of Kline. Ill take care of the beasts. Okay? I took sharp breaths. Okay. Good girl. He flew away into the mist, and I returned to the island, where I saw all the beasts returning to their meal. Even with my pure core, I was unevolved. I meant nothing to third-evolution beasts. I hoped they would stay that way when I made my debut. I sat down, dried off, opened my Guide, and froze. The time read: 8:17. Fuck fuck, fuck, fuck. I opened the tab and went into the lecture. Please be there I hit the button, and Elana appeared beside me with a chilling expression. Sorry I said. I was trying to I have a meeting with you, and you didnt think to summon me during the chaos? Elana asked. Do you think so little of me that you would confine my position and wisdom to simple spells? Unbelievable. Elana walked to the ground and created a circle in the air with her finger. It illuminated with golden light, hovering there like a halo. Then, she scratched her finger within it, creating runes that melded together. It was the type of magic that Kyro was using. Whats that? I asked. This is a sigil, Elana explained. Its a temporary array activated with an enchantment. You dont need to know how it works. I just need to burn this pattern into your memory so when I give you an enhancement, you can activate it easier. Whats it for? Its a soul barrier. If that imp truly believes you can handle using a soul spell with a gods evolution technique, hes sorely ignorant to the vast difference between us. And thats precisely why you should neither trust a Guide that only gives you what you ask for or a backwaters guide over a god. Now come. I have an important meeting on schedule and I cannot afford to delight your curiosities. I nodded rapidly and then looked at the sigil, burning the runes and lines into my memory. Then I traced it with my finger, closing my eyes and asking if I was tracing it correctly. Suddenly, my finger glowed, and I was able to draw it out myself. Im not sure why I was expecting more, Elana said. But it will do. Now sit. Close your eyes and imagine that image and chant. Her words stung my confidence, but I sat down and chanted with that image in mind. Soon, it had engrossed all my attention and I forgot about Elana. The ground beneath me warmed, and when I opened my eyes ten minutes later, the soul fog around me had repelled ten feet around me on all sides. Elana studied it thoughtfully. Passable, she said. She looked at a golden watch on her wrist and huffed and turned to watch savage beasts eat the colossus. That imps a cocky little thing. I cant believe hes brought you here to evolve. Should I wait? Elana paused, No. That thing isnt natural. He has history. And as much as I dont trust him, Ill trust his judgment on this. Now drink that elixir and pray I havent misjudged him. I tried to ignore the implications of her words as I unsealed and drank the sensitivity elixir that Nethralis gave methen I couldnt even think of them at all. I dropped to the ground, coughing, and wheezing as I spilled a third of the bottle onto the rocks. My mana channels pumped boiling watermy core turned into a forge. The mana in the atmosphere became palpable, physicalrawand the entry points for mana around my body prickled like I was being stabbed by needles. It fucking sucked. Elana looked at the elixir dripping down the rocks. Good enough. No I wheezed. I used Separation to collect the elixir, hovering it in front of my eyes. I pushed myself up and ate it like a grazing dinosaur. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Youre hideous, Elana said as I cried on the ground from the intense sensations stabbing at my mind. But itll do. Now sit. I only have the time to go through the chant. So lets begin. I gritted my teeth and sat. Okay Im ready. Now begin threading and repeat after me. Elana began chanting and I did as well. It was pleasant at first. Threading decreased the pressure and heat from my mana channels, and as I chanted her spell, my core started to expand like a balloon, allowing more mana to well inside. But it soon started to get out of control. My core was ballooning faster than my intake and it was making it feel empty and brittle as hollow ice. I was afraid it would break. Now bring out your core, Elana ordered. I pulled the sunrise core from my pocket and put it into my mouth like a Jolly Rancher. I knew that it hadnt activated, but it still surprised me that it felt like a marble, a simple marble with no known effects. Then I started threading itand promptly lost my mind. The energy within hit me like a bullet to my head. Colors exploded in all directions as if the world had been put into a blender and my core and veins felt like pipes that were bursting at the seams. Thread you fool! Elana screamed. Gods, whose idea was it to give her a peak I slowed my world with Moxle Dilation, activated Mental Shielding, and cranked my threading to the max. It felt like a risk to mix so many spells but when I did, a new world opened up. My perception allowed me to feel every last detail about my body and when I cycled, I could finally understand how it worked. I churned my core as fast as I could and the mana sucked into my core like a rolled chain unraveling as the anchor it was tied to dropped into the water. All the emptiness in the core filled like an overflowing cup. Now chant! Elana screamed in my mind. It was a reverse problem. I instantly started chanting the spell, and like a yo-yo, my chest began expanding with violent force, outpacing my threading. It was like trying to drive a clutch. I needed to increase one and decrease the other at the same time, and it was difficult. But I continued working on it for another minute before my Moxle Dilation hit the breaking point, and I was forced to drop it and suffer the temporary backlash. It took another four minutes to get back on track after that, but I made it through. Elana muttered something, half-panicked, half-exasperated once I stabilized, and said, It will do. Now continue the chant with me. She continued chanting, and so did I, and when I did, everything smoothed out, and the core expanded in with my threading. Then it contracted, and all the threading I was doing sped up. Once I was in the rhythm, I fell into a deep trance where the expansion and unraveling became second nature. I could feel it, and when my channels felt like they were fraying at the seams, an invisible force within me healed them. Medicine. Aid. Teaching. I wouldnt let everyone down. So I kept focused, moving in and out of consciousness as I followed Elanas chant. The last thing I heard her say was, I shouldntve let her use that core. This impatience is asinine. Then she disappeared into the blackness and my body disappeared, leaving me with nothing but the sensation of mana and my core. It was dark and black and terrifying in that space, and I nearly panicked, believing that I had lost my sense of sight, smell, and hearing, but I kept focused, paying attention to my core as it expanded and then filled with the raging torrents of energy coming from the core. I could feel my world trembling and shaking. I could hear my heart and see the energy flowing around me in intricate streams. I experienced my channels breaking down and healing and my nervous system flaring. Most of all, I felt immense distortion every time my soul core expanded, pulsing neara through my brain and nervous system. I fought on. Im not sure how long I was in that state. All I knew was it was a blessingand like all blessings, you only realize them once theyre gone. A loud boom rattled my mind, threatening to break my concentration. If the spell hadnt glued my eyes shut, I probably would have opened my eyes. And thank God I didnt because my mana core started wobbling like a broken tire and my channels ground against the mana like broken brakes. I activated Moxle Dilation and got it back on track. Next came a sharp wizz and the sound of something smashing against the barrier. A second attack. A third. Water splashed around me. And with each sound came a tremor in my mana core and channels. Kyros words entered my mind. Listen, Mira. When you evolve your mana core, your soul core expands and if you dont maintain the repellent spell, hundreds of souls will suck into your core like a vacuum and break your mind. And even if you manage to break free, itll break your evolution and youll be toast. Gone. Broken. Youll never use magic again. But I was lost. My concentration was broken and my body was on fire, spiraling out of control. Imagine trying to study math in a vat of boiling water. It was impossibleand that spiked my fear that I would break and die alone. Doubt twisted inside me, each wave of pain feeding my fear. I clenched my fists, unsure if I could break through Then I heard a voice of salvation. Lithco. He was right beside me, chanting the same chant that Elana gave me. I didnt know if that was allowed, and I wasnt sure it was necessary. But his voicejust the reminder that I wasnt alone that I wouldnt die alone. That I would make it through. Thank you I activated Mental Shielding to block out the sounds of the fighting raging outside and chanted with Lithco. It wasnt much but it was enough. My wobbling core stabilized, and the elixir got a chance to heal the damage. And soon, I was back in a trance. I had one hour left to go. 2. Kyro lifted a soul core to the sky. It drained in a thick fog of aura that became an overwhelming sphere of sharpened soul force. Then he flew between three beasts on the ground, dodging their attacks before reaching the fifty foot spider that Kline was fighting. Suddenly, ten wind blades shot from all sides from various beasts and the spider shot acid at his face. Kyro lifted a hand and created a sigil barrier that siphoned the rest of the soul force in the core into a barrier that blocked all spells. The core turned gray and crumbled as he reached the spider. It screeched and Kyro threw the spear into its eye. It entered with a small opening, but its entire body grew massive tumors that exploded like geysers as they hit the ground. Kyro looked down and found his hand suffering from aura burn. It was white and trembling, developing a white crust from where he was holding the soul core. Damn it Suddenly there was a boom, and Kyro turned. A four-legged beast with hand-like feet was heaving boulders and hurling them at Miras barrier. The attacks bounced off the barrier harmlessly, but the sound was deafening. Son of a fucking bitch! Kyro flew forward, but three beasts barred his way. Mira Kline blasted past the group, teleporting three times in a zig-zag before pouncing on the beasts spine fearlessly, sinking in his teeth and tugging in vain. Kline couldnt kill third-generation beasts without his trump card. He was only meant to run interference as Kyro kept them busy or killed them. But the little bastard was doing more than that. He had a habit of jarring cores, disorienting them so that Kyro could kill them. You get em, kid, he thought. But as if the world meant to spite him, the beast flailed around and rushed right into the water where both could suffer soul corruption and attack Miras barrier. Kline! Kyro tried to fly forward, but third evolution beasts blocked his path with a torrent of wind and lightning and fire, striking at him from all four angles. Get out of my way! Kyro lifted his hands and created the Tears of the Heavens sigil in the sky, letting the intense mana output from the mana vein fuel the spell. When he released it, a crushing force bore down on five beasts simultaneously, keeping them in place as he pulled out a new core and created dozens of spheres in the skies, like a chandelier of death. None could move as he thrust his hand down with the force of a hammer, bringing death to his enemies below. The attack was devastatingbut so was the backlash. Kyro lost all feeling and function in his hand from the aura burn. He glanced at the injury, then back at the pond, where Mira was struggling to evolve, and Kline was fighting for his life. It hurt him to watch because they should have never been there. They were sent on a series of suicide missions that they confidently prescribed her because Kyro was notoriously difficult to kill. It was his presence that put her in danger. That''s what he lied to her. No way, Mira said when she heard his plan. Thorvel''s gonna be pissed if we keep killing beasts. It won''t affect the Harvest, he said. Because none of these beasts are migrating. They''re pushing north to the Fifth Ring. The Harvest''s child''s play for them. Oh... Yes. Now stop worrying about Thorvel and start worrying about yourself. Shoot the alpha, have him chase off the thirds, and kill the rest. Then we''ll kill it and let the stragglers feed on ''em. That should distract ''em long enough for you to evolve. Mira believed it, but it was only partially true. It was true they weren''t migrating, but it was also true that every beast in the forest is a guardian against top walkers. Still, fuck Thorvel. Fuck Nethralis and Serenflora and everyone else. Mira should''ve been under Serenflora''s protection, getting trained for the next year. But she wasn''t. She was getting persecuted and sent off to die. So fuck their rules, their forest, and their intentions. He was going to do what was best for Mira. If they wanted anything else, they should''ve just let her be. Kyro flew forward to help Kline and Mira, preparing to sacrifice his hands and feet and eyes and tongue if necessary. That''s because Kyro had a debt to pay back Brindle and Kyro always paid his debts. 3. The sounds outside the barrier increased in intensity. I could hear howling and screaming and explosions. It was nerve-wracking, and Lithcos calming voice could only do so much. It was a war zone outside, and when I heard the water splash, I knew that hell was going to break loose. Youre almost there, Lithco said. Keep focused. Then he kept chanting. I increased my Mental Shielding and calmed my mind and chanted with him, forcing down all my fear. And right then, in the chaos, something changed. My core blocked off. It was like a clogged drain, denying all mana into it. I cried out in pain as the mana in my channels hit the brick wall, increasing the pressure. Thread! Lithco screamed. Thread harder than you ever have. Thread until it breaks! I screamed and complied, throwing caution to the wind and summoning all the raw force I could to break past the wall that built up around my core then it broke. Oh, yes, it broke. And when it did, everything changed. B2 | Chapter 61 - Kyfer Core Imagine being sick, breathing with your mouth because both of your nostrils are clogged. Picture that pain and frustration and anxiety then think of the moment when your nostrils suddenly unlodge, and you can breathe. Envision what thats like, the feeling of freedom and comfort and relief that washes over you. Thats what happened when the blockage in my core broke free. It dissolved, and mana suddenly flowed through my body like a breeze, and my core sped up two to three times faster, spinning effortlessly like an oiled machine. For a minute, things got so smooth that I stupidly believed that threading was as effortless as breathing and stopped chanting. Then, the black hole that had replaced my mana core in my spine overflowed with mana, and I cried out, starting my chant again. But that chant. I could feel how it worked. The spell started out feeling like it was taking a sledgehammer to raw ore, breaking it open in search of precious stones. Now, it felt like an artisan using their smooth hands to expand and refine clay on a potters wheelsculpting. Limitless. A thunderous boom quaked as something hit the barrier, and beasts roared in the distance. Things were getting nasty but. This was my chance. I had absolute dominion over my core, and no matter how much I fed it, it could take more. It could have been the only chance Id get to catch up to Kline and be useful. So I trusted they would call out if they needed me and pressed on, activating Moxle Dilation and churning my core as fast as I could. All the mana within the third evolution core I was threading was sucked right into my spineand did so quicker than my core or spell could handle it. So, I decided to connect to the mana in my environment as I did on the day that I established my core. I closed my eyes deeper and deeper and deeper and then gave the order. Apoklypsis. 2. Damn! How much power can she take? Kyro cried as he watched mana spiral toward Mira. If it were her watching from above, she would describe the sight as a hurricane, with her being the eye of the storm. The beasts were attracted to concentrations of mana, and Miras new Kyfer core was siphoning mana directly from the vein, attracting every beast in the area. Kyro looked to his side and saw Kline sitting beside him on an Ethereal Bridge, bloody and exhausted, watching the beastswondering if they would eat the others and move on or attack. Then, Kyro looked at his hands. One was crusted white and unusable, and the other was burnt. Things were getting bleak. 3. Kori barged into Elanas meeting, disrupting critical parts of the negotiation and causing her entire face to bulge. Worse, he did it wearing hunting attire, leather armor contrasting against the pristine white room with two formally dressed gods. May I help you? Elana asked coolly. No. You could certainly possibly help your disciple. Shes about to die. Koris words squeezed Elanas chest like a sponge, and she found herself standing. Forgive me, she said. We will need to negotiate at another time. The gods were aghast. To help a disciple? The gods were a couple, man and woman, and the man was half as incensed as the woman, who looked positively livid. Do you understand how far weve traveled to come here? Elana understood. Gods were not accustomed to being disregarded for any reasonleast of all for disciples. In god society, every servant, cook, and worker was a disciple, as those who sought ultimate power in the lower domains and became demigods would not submit themselves to the lives of laborers and servants unless they received resources and training. Thats why the idea of Elana forgoing her meeting with her business partners for a mere disciple was unbelievable. Yet. The mere thought that anyone below a high god would compare their value to her disciple was inconceivable, delusional, and offensive, and something snapped in Elana. I am aware how far youve traveled, yes, she said. And if you will forgive my intrusion, I will make up Make it up to us the man said. It cost over a billion denara to travel here and you mean to make it up to us. I will promptly reimburse you. Its not about the money. Elana took a deep breath and turned to the door. Have a wonderful day. If you walk out that door, we will take this to the Daelia Council. Oh, is that so? Elana turned around with an intense gaze. Well, if you do speak to the council, please inform them that the reason they cannot buy our upcoming line of resources is because their weak, pathetic representatives had grown complacent by wearing their councils reputation and power like a coat. And as a result, they were unable to grasp that the disciple in question is the same one responsible for obtaining resources for this product line. Elana took a step forward and released the crushing aura of a ninth evolution god, making the man fall into his chair, wheezing under the pressure. Kori took a knee, and the businesswoman''s eyes bulged. And also remind them that I neither need their money nor protection. In fact, Im unconcerned if they declare war. As, whether my disciple succeeds in making it to the harvest or not, I have the resources, power, and connections to wipe their council off the map. She took another step as the couple cowered. Most importantly, Elana said, glowering at the couple from above. Even if I needed your money and protection and couldnt afford a costly war, I will not have my disciple disrespected for the sake of a petty business deal. I have warred for less in my life and will continue to do so with people who do not understand their place. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Elana released her pressure and stormed out of the room, grabbing Kori off the ground and physically dragging his limp body along the hallway and into her room. When she got inside, she threw him onto the couch and threw two bottles of Hapsels poison on the table along with one glass, as the brutish archer didnt believe in decency, and then finally looked at the screen. Mira was in the center of the lake, surrounded in a hypnotic tornado of mana that kept growing, attracting beasts. That wasnt planned. Kori groaned and rubbed his forearms and opened the bottle and drank. You teach er that? Elana frowned. The technique was called a scala bind. It allowed users to connect into the external mana tapestry directly instead of first breathing mana into a core. It was as advanced as it was dangerous, a key separation point between mortals and demigods. Elana didnt know when she learned it, but she knew she could by the way Mira was able to learn separation. If she knew that Yakana had taught her during the night he taught her threading, she wouldnt believe it. She couldnt believe it even as she watched. No, Elana said. I didnt. So it was Yakana Kori took a long swig. That bastards making you look bad. No wonder she defaulted to him. Mira crudely turned down her evolution technique to utilize Yakana, and Elana couldnt disagree that it was the best option. Yakana was powerful, but Do you ever cease to embarrass yourself? Elana poured herself a drink and then pushed it aside, drinking directly from the bottle of amber poison. It doesnt matter where she learned it. The simple fact is that shes attracting beasts and her protectors are in the sky. Elana was watching them through Klines eyes, and he was above. Worse, when the cat turned to the fluttering imp, the tiny things hand was crusted with aura burn. At least he had proven useful as useless as he had now become. Im telling you, just trust the little guy, Kori said, scratching his head. First off, hes sacrificing his body to protect her. Second, hes not some random Drokai. Hes gotta be a demi if he cant use magic that far in, and since he cant, hes using cores and sigils to supplement. How many gods do you know that can do that? I mean, sure, theres no need but He took another drink and grimaced as he exhaled. How many gods even know an offensive sigil? Its not exactly common. Id rather just shoot someone, you know? Elana frowned. Thats what Im afraid of. Suddenly, a colossal webba (a beast that the oracle would translate to gorilla for Mira) tested the water with its toe and then jumped in, crudely believing that its soul was powerful enough to handle the pond it wasnt. It flailed and turned in front of their very eyes, and when it was done, it turned and attacked its brethren. It was the most powerful, a speed type that quickly grabbed one by the neck and threw it into the pond. Two more attacked, and it became a bloody maul in a moment, with beasts throwing each other around, some landing in the water before the rest ran away. As for the ones that remained, they turned their attention to Mira. Kline suddenly jumped onto an Ethereal Bridge, but the Drokai stopped him, pulling out mana core fragments and putting them into his mouth like broken glass, and flew down to the barrier as the beasts smashed into the barrier. He raised a massive soul core in his left hand, clearly willing to sacrifice the only one he had left, and then created a sigil that Elana had never seen before. It glowed brightly under the foggy water as if it were an array that was already placed there, and she honestly believed it was clearly using the unique properties of an enchantment. It siphoned directly from mana in the pond, creating a competing vortex as the creatures thrashing in the pond panicked. They tried to flee, but the imp threw an aura spear so powerful it caused its body to explode, sacrificing his hand in one strike. What the fuck is he doing? Kori cried. The arrow had blasted away all the soul fog, allowing them to see blood chunks rising to the surface of the water underneath the enchantmentwhich had no form and couldnt be destroyed. He just sacrificed his Koris eyes widened. Oh gods. Any doubt that Kyro was a demigod with deep connections died the instant his spell activated. The soul of the colossal gorilla materialized from the pond. It was only thirty feet standing before, but all the souls in the pond added to it like wet clay packing a doll. It became larger and larger until it was the size of the Garna colossus Mira had killed earlier, wrapped in a cloud of swirling fog. No way Elana whispered. The beasts backed up warily as they looked at it, falling still as they awaited the verdict. Then, after the soul beast sniffed the air a few times, it lifted its arms and released an earth-shattering roar. Suddenly, it flew forward, grabbing a third evolution creature by the neck. Its hands passed right through, but the beast still seized and thrashed. It grabbed its soul directly. Then it pulled, and suddenly, the beast it attacked suddenly fell limp, falling to the ground without a single wound. Well, Kori wagged his finger at the screen. At least we got our answer. Seems Brindys left a legacy, after all. The gorilla flew forward again, slamming into another beast. It barely struck, but the victim started wobbling. Suddenly, a few beasts that could use aura attacks flew forward, slashing into the fog monster. It left actual damage, and the monster roared, but it was still exponentially stronger than the beasts. It lifted its two hands and slammed down on the beasts head. This isnt good, Elana whispered. Kori wiped his lips with his wrist and looked over. Why not? You get that things on our side, right? Elanas eyes snapped open and she turned to him in a fury. Just think you simple-minded buffoon. Do you really think a cursed demigod can sustain that thing? Klines gaze suddenly turned to Kyro and found him pale and sweating. His shoulders were slouched, one eye was closed, and he was trying to open up a flask with his hands, but they werent working. He was trying to slaughter them all as quickly as possible. And when it drops Elana turned back to Mira. Hurry up 4. Ragnarok raged outside the barrier. Beasts were fighting and splashing and releasing terrifying roars before massive strikes shook the world. I felt like Winston Churchill, smoking a cigar under the shelling, drunk with power and the thrill of war. I placed faith in Kline and Kyro. If I were really in danger, they wouldve called out to me, asked me to break the barrier, and then saved me. But they didnt, so I didnt move. This was the reality of the situation: I was a strategic asset, but in a battle against third-evolution beasts, I was useless. My arrows didnt break the skin, and I couldnt even follow their movements with Moxle Dilation yet. In direct battle, I was useless. What I needed was power, and I could finally feel it flowing inot me. It was like a bottomless well. The third evolution crumbled before hell broke loose, but after connecting directly to the mana tapestry, I was pulling mana from the mana vein itself! And while my core had stopped expanding, the mana it allowed me to thread had no limits. It was so smooth, as if I had full control. I sucked it into my core in a torrent, charging with raw power. It was intoxicating. I had no idea just how bad things were outside, but I did know that I needed to prepare. So I churned harder and faster, alternating Moxle Dilation to fill my core more and more and more until I could finally feel it. Hot, blistering pain pumping through me. My core was swelling fast and overheating. I was almost to my limit and I probably wouldve hit it, too, if Kline hadnt splashed into the water outside the barrier and released a desperate cry. I opened my eyes and found that the pond was clear and sparkling with Kline swimming in it. What the hell? Whats going I turned and froze in horror when I saw a hundred-foot behemoth gorilla made of swirling clouds release a cry as beasts surrounded it. Then I understood the desperation. A tiny object flew down from the heavens like a meteorite, crashing into the water. The next moment, the colossus released a final roar before falling to its knees, exploding like the dust cloud from a nuclear explosionblanketing the world with white. B2 | Chapter 62 - Beautiful I watched the souls explode from the falling monster and dove into the water, taking broad strokes to reach the barrier. I melted through it and pulled in Kline as the fog blasted us. We made it to the enchantment but we were already infected. Soul fragments clung to Klines body in a writhing mass, like crawling maggotsand my body wasnt faring much better. I could feel alien souls trying to get into my freshly expanded core, but after churning it, it blended the neara, and I obtained relief. Kline wasnt doing so well. His body was trembling, and he gnashed his teeth in pain. No no-no-no-no-no! I put my hands on Kline, and the souls tried to transfer to me. Youll be okay, Kline. Just hold in there. Im gonna forgive me. I didnt know what to do, so I activated the cleansing technique I used on soul meat on his outer fur. Kline howled in painbut it worked. The purple wisps eating at his core exploded in all directions, leaving him panting on the ground. He meowed at me softly to tell me he was okay, but he didnt have the strength to move. I noted the power of soul attacks for later. Youll be okay Okay? Kline meowed. Okay um I need to get Kyro. This enchantment will protect you. Kline whined and tried to get up, but I pressed him down. Just wait here. Im not abandoning him. But Im not letting you die, either. Were gonna A corrupted roar cut through the soundscape, and when I turned, I saw a hazy silhouette dancing in the mist. Kline cried again and tried to stand, but I pushed him down. You dont got the energy, I said. I do. And besides, Im not even fighting. I just gotta swim to em. So just trust me. I felt lighter and stronger than I ever had, and my cores felt like table saws that could cut through steel. I could do this. Kline whined but looked down at the rocks as I took off my jacket, peering into the fogtrying to discern where Kyro was. Unfortunately, the area was as white and clouded as quartz, and it all lit up with soul force. I just had to go for it. I closed my eyes and activated the spell for repelling soul force and walked into the water, making sure that the fog repelled from my body before I dove into the water and melded through the barrier, moving deep into the fog. It was a nerve-wracking experience. My heart struck violently against my ribs, and my blood pulsed with magma, but the cooling effects of the Diktyo River healed my muscles and mind. The mana underneath was also like a blanket. It sucked into my core as if I had a new pair of lungs, and my movements felt magnetic. It was a surreal feelingalmost contradictorybut it gave me strength. Pleasure and pain, horror and healingI used it all as fuel as I plunged deeper into the pond, trying to find Kyro. It was going to be like searching for a needle in a haystack, but I would figure out how to do it somehow. 2. Elana lifted her bottle to her lips shakily. It was disgraceful, but Kori didnt judge her. His eyes just followed Mira as she swam in the wrong direction. It wouldnt be long before Mira hit the shore, where a rabid third ev was running loose. You gonna call a meeting? he asked. Elana could notify a disciple that she wanted a meeting and it would push the notification to the screen. It was something that she could only use once a year without a request. It was an option, but She wont check the notification, Elana said. Shes too savage. If she doesnt strategize first, she doesnt do it at all. Kori tapped his finger on his bottle. Yeah, I get that, but hows she gonna find him? Mira was swimming underwater in a massive pond surrounded by soul fog, searching for a tiny Drokai that looked like a doll. If she had time, it would be one thing. But a spined beast was stalking the shore, eating beasts with twitching ears, constantly turning its gaze to the water. It was only a matter of time before it attacked. Im not sure Elana whispered. She opened up her Guide and went into her Patron options, and prepared to give it a try, but as she was choosing the option, Kori yelled, Yes! Thats it! like an uncivilized barbarian. She looked up and saw Mira swimming directly toward Kyro. How? Wait Elanas eyes filled with panic when Mira surfaced and grabbed Kyroand cut the soul-repellent spellflooding her body with souls from the pond. It made Elanas heart stop. Mira had just evolved her mana core, which expanded her soul core and put her at rapid risk of soul corruption.
Lets back up. Finding Kyro was like trying to find a floating toy in a large swimming pool covered in shaving cream. It was dark underneath the water, and everything looked the same. I couldnt hear, and my ability to see souls was useless when the whole pond lit up with a concentrated aura. Yet, there was a factor that I had forgotten about. Mira Yakanas voice called out to me under the waterjust as it always had. Yakana wheres Kyro? This way If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Yakanas voice eerily shifted to my left, so I turned to follow him, swimming through the dark pond to the area where Kyro was. I thought we were savedthen heard the bad news. Hes suffering from corruption, Yakana warned. I panicked and tried to unclip my backpack and get the soul recovery elixir that I had, but Yakana said, Stop, and I held back. Why? I asked. His soul is far too weak. If you give him that elixir, he will die. Then what do I do? Allow me to aid you. Just tell me what to do. Thats how I ended up grabbing Kyro and then cutting off the repellent spell. And when I did, oh ho ho, let me tell youit fucking sucked. Yakana didnt immediately merge and solve all my problems. It was up to me to control the souls around me and stabilize them before Yakana and I blended, and while I revved my expanded core into overdrive, it didnt prepare me for what was to come. Releasing souls into a hollow soul core was the sensational equivalent of zombies smashing through your cars window and screaming at you from all sides. It was terrifyingpainfulplunging adrenaline into my brain with the aid of a firehose. Souls got it and fragmented my mind with fractured memories as beasts released blood-curdling screams in my mind. Yet I didnt give in. I churned my core like a blender, cutting them to bits while activating the cleansing spell I was using when Thorvel arrived. It wasnt sustainable and wouldnt have saved me if I were alonebut I wasnt. Yakana successfully merged with me, and an unbelievable level of power and soul control welled within me. Whats going on I thought. I could now see souls. They were white and transparent and bright, releasing wisps of gold and purple light. I instinctively knew that the gold was aura and the spectrum of purples was neara by the way they moved and interacted with the souls. Yakana was pulling those whisps toward me in a beautiful pattern, as if I were the center of the Milky Way, sucking in the gold and purple wisps in complex and captivating patterns. And when I looked at Kyros small body in my hands, I grimaced. His hands looked like they had corroded like battery terminals, white and flaky, and his soul was distorted. Or perhaps compressed like it was vacuum sealed into an even small form. That part was probably the curse, but there were also wisps of purple neara trying to squeeze themselves into a hole in his soul, like piranhas feeding on a dying fish. Kyro! I screamed. Calm yourself, child, Yakana said. I may control your cycling, but I do not control your body or mind. I pushed down the fear and held him. Tell me what to do. Chant with me. My chant locked together with Yakanas, just as it had with the Lumidran Awakening Elixir, and the patterns around me shifted. The purple neara in his body was slowly sucked away. It fought back, trying to cling to Kyros soul, but Yakana managed to gently pull it out of his body and suck it right into my core, which obliterated it. I took a deep breath, feeling exhausted, but I chanted on, changing the cadence with Yakana. Suddenly, neara leaked from my fingers, entering his body. It swirled around his soul, and to my utter astonishmentit started stitching his soul shut. 4. Elana couldnt recall the last time she had felt so stressed. Mira was in the pond, cleansing the souls around her in a way that she would expect of godsyet far more simple and elegantand she was performing an emergency soul stitching on Kyro. It was brilliant but it captured the attention of the beast. Its spines were bristled as it walked to the waters edge, sniffing the airstaring at Mira. Even for a soul-corrupted beast, it was wary, which was a profound sign. Yet it still took steps into the water. The moment it decided to pounceit would be over. Please Elana whispered. Kori grabbed her hand and squeezed. 5. Prepare yourself, Mira, Yakana said as the growl resounded in my ear. From the corner of my eyes, I could see the hazy outline of an elephant-sized creature with five-foot porcupine spines all over its body. It was stepping into the water, leaving waves that I could feel as I worked on Kyros soul. It was almost done. Almost My heart released double beats. Thu-dump. Thu-dump. Taking my breath. Pumping my mind with fire and water and pain. It will come I released my right hand from Kyros body and unsheathed my machete. Wait for it Kyro suddenly wheezed and coughed out water, rolling in my hands. That was the trigger. The beast took a deep breath and roared. My mind and body moved on their own. Moxle Dilation flooded my brain with a euphoric level of mana that I couldnt even imagine before, and when I activated mana sharpening, my blade became as long as a sword despite being light as a feather. I could feel every wave and see every falling droplet of water. And right then, watching the beast charging toward me at a speed I would expect of a second evolution creature, I knew that the backlash from Moxle Dilation would break me. I wouldnt make it to the barrierso I dove into the water and swam toward the beasts legs. As I moved, Yakana strengthened my Mana Sharpening spell tenfold, churning my core and siphoning mana directly from the mana vein underneath the pond. And by the time I reached the beasts trunk-like leg, my sword was as large as a great sword, vibrating and turning the water into bubbles. Fear and thrill and desperation in my heart, I swung the sword as hard as I could at its legand to my surprise, it cut right through the beasts kneecap, sending blood exploding out of the leg in slow motion as its body toppled at an inch a second. I wasnt done. Emboldened, I swam forward, cutting through its back leg before turning around, lifting my sword to the creatures backside, and siphoning the maximum amount of mana I could. Then, I swung with all my power. 6. Kori laughed in amazement when a thirty-foot arc of mana shot into the sky and then swung down like an executioners axe, cutting the beast in half. To Elana, it happened in excruciating detail, but she could only imagine what a normal person would see. One moment, they would be worrying about Miras life because she had no chance of survival. Then they would blink, and the massive creature would fall apart in a gory explosion, hitting the water in two halvessending the defenseless woman they were watching crashing to the shore. It was unbelievable. Truly unbelievable. And it was even more unbelievable when Mira pushed herself up ten minutes later, haggard and primal, and dug the core right out of the beasts spine as a war trophy before joining Kline at the island and blacking out. Elana watched it all in a state of wonder. Mira Hill was beautifultruly beautifuland Elana decided that she would stop at nothing to help her grow. Just the thought filled her mind with euphoria. B2 | Chapter 63 - Demigod I awoke to a gentle breeze. I cracked my eyes and saw trees moving in and out of my field of vision. It took a moment to realize that I was sitting in the canoe, drifting forward through a misty part of the forest. The atmosphere and motion were eerie, a scene right out of Sleepy Hollow or another horror classic. Kline was fine. He was snuggled up on my lap, purring in his sleep. Kyro was on the bow of the canoe, drinking from a flask with hands wrapped in cloth. Uh hello. He turned and looked at me and then back. Stop moving. You shredded your mana channels back there. If you didnt have restoration elixirs well. You shredded em. Well keep it at that. I shivered and lifted my arm and felt pain stabbing through my whole body. You cant just drop that bombshell and then move on like nothing happened. Kyro apparently got my lingo because he said, What do you think wouldve happened? I fell silent. I knew what wouldve happened; I just didnt want to admit it. So I looked to change the subject and found myself looking at his wrapped hands in genuine confusion. I remember seeing them burned when I held him, but I imagined that they would heal in the water. But upon reflection, he was floating in the water for almost five minutes before I saw them in that state. That meant that mana or soul force caused the damage. What do we need to heal your hands? I asked. He paused and reflected before turning his gaze to the water. Stop worrying about me. Just worry about yourself. I am worried about myself. If youre dead or injured, were screwed. Oh, so its all about you. Thats rude. No, thats how I talk to four-year-olds that act tough and turn down aid. He huffed. And I can help you. I have access to any spell or recipe we need, and we have just about any ingredient in this forest. So please. I looked away. Just let me repay the favor. Kyro looked back at me and then groaned and scratched his head with his wrist and looked up. Look, I know youre talented, I do, Kyro said. But theres a canyon between the things youve done, and what itd take to heal me. I know that, but I have Yakana? Kyros voice turned sharp and amused before dropping an octave. No, you dont. Souls have a protective barrier called a callasp. Its a shield against the users own aura. You messed it up pretty bad when you merged with him. How did you Kyro studied my expression and sighed. Look, Mira. You gotta get rid of this mindset that you or anything else in this forest is special. Soul mergings rare, but it isnt unique. Hell, theres a whole area of soulmancy that specializes in it. He looked toward the trees and took a drink. Sames true of Yakana. Hes an amalgamation, but hes not the only amalgamation Hes just a big one. Oh His words struck my mind with lightning, and I felt nervous excitement. Im not sure why I felt that way, but imagining the power of soul merging sent my mind spiraling. Anyway youre fine, but you wont be merging anytime soon, he said. But otherwise, youre fine. Now, if you relied primarily on aura attacks Kyro released an insane and bitter chuckle and ended it with a scoff like it was a period. I looked at his hands thoughtfully. That what happened to you? Ye~p. Kyro lifted his hands. Burnt right through the callasp and He stopped himself, shifting his tone as he said, Anyway, fixing a callasp is way out of your league Unless Brindles got a kasana bloom around? I opened my guide to check the status of the lecture request I sent to Brindle but found a notification regarding my evolution reward instead. I wanted to check it but I knew the conversation was important, so I pushed it aside, checking my lecture request instead. It was still pending. I doubt it, I said softly. Kyro studied my disappointed expression and turned away. Then dont worry bout it. Not yet, anyway. If you succeed at the crypt itll all work out. What is the crypt, anyway? I asked. Kyro deeply considered his words and answered thoughtfully. Brindle didnt start out a soulmancer. Hes a druid. But this places obviously a paradise for souls. And so over the years, the Drokai and countless others have learned soulmancy and Brindle Well, he stumbled upon it. At the crypt? At the crypt. Kyro tried to take a swig from his flask, but it was empty, so he pulled out the bottle from my backpack using telekinesis and filled it with a Separation style technique before returning to the fronttrying to mask the grimace riding on his lips. So its like a place that teaches soulmancy? Something like that. He stared into the fog for a few seconds and then elaborated. Its actually a trialor a series of trials. Three, to be exact. Step one is finding the place, which I assure you isnt easy. The second teaches you soul shaping, and the third Well, the thirds kind of a joke. But I guess you got me and well, maybe Brindle. Maybe. Youd be lucky to hear from that fucker again this millennia. He took another drink, and I responded with a wry smile. Then I looked around. I didnt see any beasts around. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Uh is it safe here? I asked. Safer, Kyro said. Nothings migrating up or down, so we should be fine. Actually, we better stop and cook. Itll be a long week. Alright. We embanked near a meadow as the sky set ablaze with the sunset. It was nice to stretch my legs and relieve myself, even if it were painful. Kyro set up the barrier but not the fire. I didnt ask questions as I pulled out the magnesium flint and rained sparks onto kindling, setting dry, dead brush and leaves ablaze. I blew on it twice as I added sticks, then pulled out third-evolution meat to try to cookbut froze. I didnt know if I could handle cleansing third-evolution meat. Last time I did it, I suffered a severe backlash. Now, I didnt have a callasp. I was nervous, but Kyro simply laughed and said, Shes nervous Now that is funny. I took that as a go-ahead and cleansed the meat. To my amazement, it was not only possible but also felt rejuvenating, as if I was filling a dry well. I tried to keep going, but Kyro stopped me, saying, Itll go bad if you remove the aura. So keep it till you cook it, and I pulled back, cooking what I had. Then I threw strips to Kline, who purred at my legs and rolled on his back and begged for attention. It was nice. The fire was warm, and the crackling calming. For the first time in a long time, I felt like the world wasnt falling apart, and I was very grateful. Still, Kyros wounds hung in the nights air like a guillotine, and his personality, thoughts, and history remained unknown. So I said. Whats your story? Lend me money and Ill tell you, Kyro responded. I frowned. I wanna know your story, not an excuse. Sometimes, theyre the same thing. I huffed. Youre a god. Demigod. And youre here. Quite so. Why? Its safer here. Quiet. Usually peaceful. His eyes glided to me. Not now. But thats natural. My frown reached limits I didnt find possible as I glared at him. Just please? Kyro chuffed and looked at me with these dark, glazed-over eyes, drunk and broken, pained and lost, and said, Why? almost accusatorily. I had never seen him so drunk. He mustve been hit far harder than he let on. Cause Im stuck with you. Might as well care or feel better about you dying. Something. Right now it just feels like I dont know. Im just confused and I dont know what to think. Kyro took a deep breath and leaned back and said, Probably doesnt seem it to a human, but Im super old. Old enough for Brindle tove saved me. Wait, Brindle that was A looooooooooooooooong time ago. Long story short, he met me before He looked at the flask and said, This. Back when I was young and ambitious and trying to conquer the forest for who knows what reason. Something stupid. Kline lifted his head and looked at Kyro. It was an interesting story. Nother long story short, fucker didnt let me pay em back. In fact, he spent the next twenty thousand years teaching me magic to prepare me to do some shit that he never had me do fucker. He took a bitter drink and looked at me with bitter eyes. Stead he says Kyro. Youre weak and pathetic. But youre not useless, curse yourself a few times and teach the next generation thats how you can pay me back. The depression scarred on Kyros face as he drank told me that Brindle didnt say thatit was the way he interpreted it. So, of course, fuckers bout to die, and I havent paid back my debts to him, so I say sure. So I spent the next millennia cursin the shit out of myself and returned to Serenflora. Got my ass chewed out by Nethraliss mom, but it was good. True to my word, I taught the kiddos and built up the army. Back in those days, I was a somebody. Had some abs and some humor. He laughed with a sad, self-deprecating laugh and shook his head. And people liked me, you know? I was useful. Back then, we we were few, actually. Jacksmore wiped us out so one person could make a difference. Well, extra long story short, the number of us grew over the next few millennia, and before long, we had quite the little settlement. And, of course the magic I could teach, well I taught all the teachers, and eventually well no one really needed a cursed idiot that couldnt use magic, did they? Kyro lifted the flask to his lips, pulled it back, looking inside as if to view his reflection in the liquid then drank it, smiling bitterly with regret. Nope, they really didnt. Every once in a while, theyd send me out to the Fifth to train the next warriors, but that stopped, too, after He paused and swayed, gripping his head. Look. Times a curse, kid. Im pretty sure ninety percent of Serenfloras my great great grand whatever, but it only takes a few centuries of celibacy and a couple wars for everyone to forget you. View you like that crazy drunkard you became, wondering why all the old folkre always so damn lenient about your antics Kyro took a deep swig and nodded. Thats just about the gist He grinned and laughed and collapsed on the ground, moaning drunkenly and giggling. Its kinda funny, isnt it? Live ten years, and you can sum up your life in ten minutes. Live twenty, and youd need a week. At fifty, people can write a tome, but live tens of millenia? And you can sum it up in seconds What a joke. Kyro closed his little eyes and passed out, groaning and curling upskillfully positioning himself to puke should the need arise. I looked to the sky after that and took a deep breath. What a story. I looked at Kline, who was watching Kyro worriedly. What do you think? He looked at me and meowed this strange meow before getting up and reluctantly curling up next to him. It made me wonder what happened when I was evolvingwhat had to happen before Kyro fell into the water like a meteorite. A vivid flashback put me back in the center of the pond, watching that massive soul monster fall in tandem with Kyro. It was his creation. And that made sense because he was Brindles student. But more importantly, he was the person who protected me with his life. That spoke volumes and told a story that no amount of drunken ramblings could express. I pulled out my Darwin shirt and laid it on the little guy like a blanket and then set up my tentbut didnt go inside. Because at that moment, I remembered something important that compressed my limbs with steam and sent my mind running. My evolution reward. I quickly opened up my guide and went to the reward. It read: Owing to incredible luck, offensive levels of aid, and cosmic talent that has allowed you to merge with a forest spirit to bypass the need for silly things like practice and talent, you have managed to establish a Kyfer core to jumpstart the road to power you never asked for. Congratulations. My cheek twitched. That said, you should be proud. No matter how much the multiverse elite beat their children and import resources, these cores just don''t form. Their users have large learning curves that you skipped with the aid of lifetime achievement skills and tutorials, resources that cost more money than you can imagine, a genetic advantage in soulmancy, natural psychomancy, the aid of two godsand at least a little talent. But no matter how you''ve done it, you are the only person in the last eighty thousand years to accomplish it. As such, you have a core that breathes mana without resistance or blockage, allowing you to use as much mana as your mind and channels can intake and handle. So long as you can survive the endless challenges that raw power can''t handle, you have a legendary opportunity for power. Congratulations. The message was bittersweet. It felt like I didn''t earn it. But when I read the next lines, that changed. It read. Aid and advantages aside, the I, the almighty Oracle who judges all and manages the multiverse, do not just provide rewards based upon outcome but rather numerous factors including but not limited to skill, talent, adherence to The Path, the experiences people face, the neophytes accomplishments and versatilityand you have gone through hell and accomplished things that no integrated neophyte has ever accomplished. You''ve risen to the occasion and have spared no opportunity to gain power, temporarily sacrificing your dreams of botany to obtain dominion over your life and build relationships with forest denizens that have rejected almost all top walkers since the Jackmore War. For that, I award you the following B2 | Chapter 64 - Schemes Reward: Soul Guardian (Eighth Evolution Seed) Grade: Legendary Description: If you thought that scary soul monster was cool, imagine having one thats smarter than you and has a penchant for eating your soul force as a food source. Thats what a guardian isin practice. In theory, theyre amalgamations, like Yakana, that refine a single soul instead of creating a network of many. When guardians arent threatening to rip your mind and identity apart, they are extremely useful, making up for your inadequacies. These parasites become part of your body, allowing you to borrow their unique abilities. If its a ground beast, you can ride it; if its a small creature, you can use it for reconnaissance or spying missions. Its different for each beast, but its almost always powerful. And unlike people, guardians can heal from any wound unless theyre obliterated by an aura attack or stolen by a soulmancer, making them ideal bodies for fighting your battles. It is just a seed that you need to help grow. So, like you, it will be a useless, blank slate when it arrives in Areswood Forest. That said, an eighth evolution seed has been refined with the souls of gods, so its potential is solely determined by your effort. Its a legendary reward worthy of your achievement. Dont get too excited, though. Its illegal to push legendary artifacts and resources into the lower domains, let alone eight evolution souls, so it will require a good deal of legal jujutsu and a multiverse-wide corruption schemeand that pales in comparison to the difficulty of actually obtaining an eighth evolution seed. The law is one thingthe chance youll find one is slim to none this year. Unless, of course, you conveniently have a powerful soulmancer as a patron, and he likes you. Then it just might be possible. I will provide you with more information on the soul guardian once I secure one. Seriously, Mira, congratulations on your achievement. Your talent, drive, and will have led you to greatness. I will stop at nothing to make sure that you get the value you deserve.
I read the screen in wonder and disbelief. The thought of having a god-level resource on my side was almost too much to take, and I had wild delusions of grandeur about riding on the shoulder of that colossus I saw at the pond. Unfortunately, things werent as they seemed. I learned that the next day at breakfast when I explained the gift for the sake of transparency. I was hesitant to do so out of fear that the gift was actually a curse. Turned out, I was right. What a fucked up gift, Kyro said. He released a long, passionate groan and leaned his back against a large rock. The meat I cooked him was left untouched. What does that mean? I asked. Well, for starters, if you dont feed it, itll eat your soul, and well, once you feed it a lot, you cant feed it a little. So once that puppys tied up on you youre pretty much stuck here forever. My stomach sank, and I suddenly lost my appetite. I stabbed a piece of meat with my fork and fed it to Kline, who didnt seem the slightest bit concerned. Plus Kyro swallowed and took shallow breaths. Someones gotta bring it here, right? That means theyll be collecting people to come live in this forest with you Thiss gotta be a scheme. Id consult Nethralis first. You accept that gift without permission, and shell probably sic the Drokai on you. I dropped my fork on my plate and cupped my face. Kyro whined and looked at me pleadingly. Dont tell me you accepted? I shook my head. I dont have a choice. Last time I got a reward, the Oracle held the competition that started this nightmare. He looked up. Why? Cause it governs the multiverse through rewards. I think it''s how it gets people to do what it wants. And since Im part of its governance, its forcing a pipeline for taxation and stuff. I dont really understand it. It just said, Its not all about you, Mira One sec. I swiped my finger in the air to communicate what I was doing to Kyro, then opened The Guide and said, Lithco. Can I refuse this reward? A pop-up materialized. If youre stupid, I suppose you could try. But Ill still refuse. Why? The pop-up turned white, and new letters wrote themselves. You are the Oracles citizen, and as such, its her job to bog you down with laws and bleed you dry with taxation. Establishing a reward and taxation network with you is vital to her function. On a side note, its extremely rude to keep calling me it after all weve been through. Its also inaccurate. Im an isolated deployment. I take orders from the Oraclebut Im not the Oracle. Its my job to keep you alive and help you grow. Its her job to scheme and rule the multiverse. I scoffed at my screen and swiped it away. What was that for? Kyro asked. Guess I cant. Worse, it sounds like youre right. Thiss definitely a scheme. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. He leaned back. "We''ll figure it out... somehow." I nodded, determined to work it out. The Oracle may have had rules, but I refused to be pushed around by it. Once I knew the situation, I would plan accordingly. That said, with the exception of being sent to Areswood, Lithco had yet to land me a bad deal. So even if it was a scheme, it was bound to have perks. That''s why I decided I would ask Lithco one night and consider the situation carefully before jumping to conclusions. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Kyro and I sat in silence for a few minutes after thet. Then, I stood up. You um you good to go? I asked. Just give me an hour. Hmmm Okay. I opened up my guide and did a bit of research. Then I looked at Kline. You wanna go for a hike? Kline stretched his limbs and meowed. You cant be serious? Kyro said weakly. It wont be long. And if we die it doesnt sound like we wouldve made it far at the Crypt. I turned to Kline. Lets go. Kline trotted off beside me as we disappeared into the woods. 2. Kyro tried to convince Mira to hold back, but it came out in jumbled whispers. He was tired, so tired. He couldnt even remember the last time he was so exhausted. Probably when he got the curse that stole his magic from him. But this was worse. With his callasp damaged, he was leaking aura and losing neara that was bound for his nervous system. He was losing energy and vitality strength It didnt matter Gods, he was tired. So, so tired He fell asleep. Kyro shot awake when he smelled an intense scent of charcoal. He looked around and saw Kline lying beside him, sparing him a glance before turning away. Mira looked over as well. She was in front of her pop-out stove. He groaned and laid against the rock again. Youre burning it, he said. Thats the point. The point? What type of point are you making? She smiled slightly. Im making activated charcoal. Why? For your hangovers. Youre pretty much useless half the day. Well, its gonna stay that way. He felt a dull throb in his head, and he wished that he could just die and come back to life when the pain was over. If I wanted to cleanse myself, Id just drink the water. No you dont drink the water because you cant, Mira said. Not sure why. Maybe its because you dont wanna be sober. Maybe its because the waters gotta cleanse your body and fight off the alcohol withdrawals. Or maybe its just cause your curse wont let itbut I refuse to think you wouldnt end your misery right now. Kyro groaned and ran his fingers through his hair, staving off the gray static in his mind. He didnt want to deal with any of this, especially because Mira was right. If he drank the water, it would remove the alcohol and send him into an alcohol withdrawal seizure that the water would also have to heala process that sucked really bad. Worse, his whole body would clean out and then drinking again hit him really hard. He knew this because he didnt have the neara necessary for advanced healing, so he had to do it once a year to prevent his body from being permanently damaged by his alcohol addiction. It sucked. Mira smirked in triumph and pulled a skillet out of her pop-out stove. When Kyro saw it, he leaned against the rocks. Thats not how you make charcoal, Kyro said. If you dont remove the oxygen, it just turns to ash. Its fine, she said. I got an oxygen-free domain around it. That was the easy part. The hard part was finding an alternative for calcium chloride. Turns out, even the rocks are useful here. Its like Candy Mountain only for drugs. She can use isolated domains of course she can of course he mumbled. Well, Im still not gonna eat it. So you can save the effort. Mira paused and then pulled out her pestle, grinding it up. Didnt you hear me? he asked. I said You know what the cool thing about activated charcoal is? Mira mused, floating charcoal into the air in a hypnotic stream. What? he asked dryly. You can mix it with alcohol. He opened his mouth to protest but held back his tongue. Son of a bitch, shes got me. Mira smirked in triumph once more and finished grinding the charcoal and mixing it with a mixture of water and kianite powder to activate it. Once she finished, she grinned like a psychopath and forced some down his throat. Since he didnt have a cup, he just had to chew it and wash it down. It was terrible, and he vowed he would never let her do it to him again. But it did work, and his stomach calmed down, allowing them to hit the water at noon, floating down the river at a brisk pace. The weather was warm, and the wood he was whittling with mana blades left satisfying shavings on the bow of the canoe. The wine had finally overtaken the charcoal, and it brought up his spirits, so he finally decided to get to know Mira. I hear you want to be a botanist. Yeah. I love plants. Even here? Especially here. Mira smiled and looked through the mist to see the forest beyond. Just because I havent been able to study them doesnt mean that I dont love waking up around them every day. I think that sychis are beautiful and that esca brush is fascinating. And just the thought that theres natural aphrodisiacs and poisons and hallucinogens dotting the landscape is wonderful. This places a paradise. And once this bullshit ends I really think Im going to love it. Hmmm Kyro stopped shaving down the wood in his hand, realizing that he was carving out a cupwondering why he would carve a cup mere moments after declaring he would never drink charcoal again. It made him realize that Mira had a powerful, almost charismatic will, and when she said something, it came into being. So he stopped questioning it and continued. Wherere you gonna live? In a big ol tree, she said proudly. Gonna hollow it out right quick and make myself a house. Ill add vents and a place for my stove and make bedding from esca brush. And then Ill read and train and eat all winter until I can go out foraging again. I mean I have all year before these Harvests. Itll be a good a life I know it. Kyro saw the deep sincerity and hope and belief in her eyes and turned away. He was learning not to doubt her as much. If she wanted to be a botanist, hed just have to wait to see it. Unfortunately, he didnt know if he ever would. The mountains that were so clear two days prior were now blanked in a thick fog that blotted everything it touched like white paint. It was immersive and cold, haunting even, and he knew exactly what was within that white and distant expanse. As they approached the fork that separated the Keliam River and the Diktyo, Mira was silent, staring up, realizing that they would soon be surrounded by the soul fog. Are beasts gonna scream at us constantly? she asked. Not that way Kyro pointed northeast toward the Diktyo. I mean, youll hear em but its diluted. But were going that way? Mira looked to the west and saw a bleak wasteland of white mist and mountain silhouettes. Ye~p. Its the overflow for souls that refuse to be purified. So everything out theres screaming like its getting tortured, and you cant see them cause the mist. Its really messed up. Mira gulped. So how do we? Kyro slowly unscrewed his flask. Thats the trial. Find the crypt while all your senses are being bludgeoned to death. And survive all the corrupted beasts lurking in the fog He took a long swig. Yep. Its a suicide mission alright. But youll be fine Youre a self-starter. If anyone can learn soul sight on the verge of death itll be you. He lifted his flask a second time to get his day started. Probably. B2 | Chapter 65 - Soul Sight The Keliam River was the gateway to the underworld. Fog blotted out the landscape, and trees that were once thinly veiled in mist were now hazy silhouettes that were disappearing the further we entered. And the fog it was alive. It curled and spun and morphed into forms that almost created faces but not quite, appearing and disappearing everywhere we looked. The sight was eerie, but the worst part, the part that gripped my mind and ate my sanity, was the sound. The souls whispered in our ears, and they screamed and shrieked and howled in the distance. How longs this gonna last? I asked Kyro, rubbing the goosebumps off my forearms. Oh, its not going away, Kyro said, unscrewing his flask. Itll stay like this all the way to the edge of the Kana Mountains. If anything, it gets worse. He took a drink. I okay. I turned to him hesitantly. So where is it? Kyro put down his flask and pointed downriver. We got about six hours that way, then He pointed to the northwest. A few miles inland. How the helld they expect people to find this place? I asked. Im sure they expected that people wouldnt. I smiled wryly. Well, thank God we have a guide. Kyro chuckled and took a long, pensive swig before coughing and shivering. What was that for? I asked. Come on, Mira. Think about it for a moment. Whats the purpose of the first trial? To find the place. Which is what you can do. Yes. But hold on. The trials to find the crypt. And why, Mira dearest, is finding the crypt a trial? I folded my arms and looked to the left nervously. Then to my right. Ahead and back. It was all white fog, screaming and howling into the distance. Even the hazy silhouettes of the trees were fading by the thick fog, leaving nothing but snow blindness and haunting voices and cries to guide the way. There was no frame of reference, no milestones or landmarks. I couldnt hear or see and could barely taste. And con~sider, Kyro said in a sparkling tone. What can corrupted beasts do that normal beasts cant? A loud screech rattled in the distance, and I stumbled, causing the ship to rock back and forth, threatening to tumble and send us into the water below. Hmmm? he pressed. What is it? These beasts Another creature roared in the distance. They can enter the water. Cor~rect. And that means that were all going to die if you dont start working on the trial. I wrapped my hands around Kline and looked forward. And what do I need? Soul sight. Soul sight? Like seeing souls? As the name implies, he said sarcastically, taking a drink. Words arent always literal. In fact, they arent most the time. Theres that, too. He took another drink. It drove me crazy to watch how much he drank, but at the same time, severe alcoholics can only physically and mentally function with alcohol unless they go through extreme measures to quit, so I just turned a blind eye, paused for effect, and asked: Is it a spell? Not exactly. Its like no, its probably a spell, at least in the way you think about it. Soul sights like a mold. Imagine that someone put a bunch of rocks and seeds and bones on a smooth stone tile. Your eyes are closed, and you cant see it and even if you were able to touch the stones, it would be chaos trying to pick up things and visualize them in relation to the other items. Now, if your life depended upon it, you would die, would you not agree? I nodded. I do. Good. Now imagine that you take clay and press it onto the objects on the tile and let it bake. Once you remove the stones, your fingers can pass over every groove in context, and whenever youre near one indent you can run your fingers around its neighbors in any direction for context. Do you understand the difference? I closed my eyes and pretended to turn the mold 180 degrees. Yeah. Even if you turn it, you can always see where things are in relation to it. Exactly. Its an omnidirectional reference thats always within context. Thats what soul sight is. ... Great. But how does it work? Well, thats a bit more complicated. Aura is generally the clay that soul sight works with. And by connecting to the aura in a place like He looked around. This you can effectively see for miles. As for how you do that I dont know. Thiss one of those things that your mind discovers during enlightenment and then takes another few decades to adapt to. I raised an eyebrow. Whats enlightenment? That Kyro paused and rubbed his eyes. Evolutions have different requirements, and for the third, you need a whole lot of neara because once you evolve, your mind expands like your core. Doesnt fix stupid, unfortunately, but it increases your ability to process information. Like your acceleration spellits limited by the amount of information you can intake before your mind cracks. That expands. And with that expansion comes the natural ability to perceive aura. Then you can use that to experiment until you figure it out. Thats just how it works for us. But youre different. You have a soul core already, and youre doing a whole lot more advanced than this. So He shrugged. So ask your fancy guide, or something. Oh okay. I opened up my guide and called out to Lithco. He showed up in a canoe, paddling right past me before slowing down. How do I learn Soul Sight? Lithco looked over at me with a slight smile. You know what I thinks funny? No. And I dont care. What I thinks funny, he said glibly. Is that you risked your life for a legacy tab you havent even messed with. I pulled up my legacy menu and went into my skills tab and was shocked to see dozens of tutorials and spells available. Soul cleansing, soul cooking, Mental Shielding, soul elixirs I mean, come on, Lithco said. Everything youve learned recently has been soul related. The fact that you havent come heres kinda offensive. No wonder Brindles not talking to you. I wouldnt either. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. I shivered and opened the legacy skills tab and saw that Soul Sight was a starter skill that was free to learn. I smiled bitterly and chose it before turning back to Lithco. Well, Im here now, so teach me. You know you look like a psycho right now, right? Kyro asked as he drank. No one asked you, I snapped. Now give me space. Yes, maam. Lithco looked between us. Tragic. Truly tragic. Shut up and help me learn this. Yeah, yeah. You know the drill. Lithco chanted the words in a smooth melody as I followed behind, slow at first and then building confidence by the second cadence. It was difficult because the souls outside were whispering and screaming and howling all around me, but there was something familiar about it as if the skill were the prerequisite to one or more of my spells, and within minutes, the sounds in the forest disappeared, and a half hour later, I obtained some clarity. It was like there were white wisps of energy moving through the blackness. It started weak, but after an hour I saw Kyros form in the white flames, and when I looked down, I saw my little warrior on my lap, practicing Soul Sight for himself. That ability was so useless and insignificant in the long-term scheme of things, but by the third hour, I learned that Soul Sight worked through connecting to the aura tapestry. It started by connecting to water droplets, and then when they came together, they created a flood that washed over the area. So, the longer I focused on it, the more intense it became until the point where I could see the forest. It was mostly blank, but some certain trees and flowers lit up like beacons as we passed. And then it got even more intense, getting to the point that it started to turn topographical, and thats when my brain pulsed with a dull throb, and the sound of the voices got more intense. I focused there, trying to keep everything together until it attacked. A beast like a praying mantis screeched in the forest, and I could see it rushing at us from the other side of the river. It moved with ferocious efficiency, and I instinctively activated Moxle Dilation and reached into my chest, summoning Nymbral. Eyes still closed, I pulled back the string and charged. There was no time for water, but I had a whole lot more power. So, I kept the output thin and low but pulled as much mana into it as I could. Kline shot up as I released the arrow. It wafted through the air, and when I opened my eyes, I saw a tornado of clear air puncture through the cloud, hitting a beast in the head and making its head explode before its body crashed into the river. The boat rocked, but Kyro righted it, looking back and letting out a long, protracted whistle. Just a second ev, but damn, was that slick. He took a drink and looked at me with a wry smirk. Fucker. Please tell me that was a cheat spell. If you learned Soul Sight that easily Id Please just tell me it was a cheat spell. Kinda. I mean it is? I dont need enlightenment or nothing. I just ask for a spell and theres a chant that teaches it. Thats ridiculous He paused. Does it Is it spoken? It is I studied his pensive expression. If youre asking if I can teach the Drokai well, yeah. He looked at me and back. Would you? Not now. Thats for damn sure. Kyro took a drink and said, I dont blame ya. His words felt genuine, and drinking was common to the point of being inconsequential to him, but there was something different about his words and actions. They were traced by a melancholy acceptance that spoke volumes. It made my bones ache. But maybe not forever. Well see. Kyros lips curved into a tired smile, and then he pointed toward the river bank. Thiss a good place to touch down. I blinked twice. Here? I thought itd take hours to get there. Youve been out for hours. Kyro stood on his little feet and stretched, bending his back twice before leading the boat to shore. Then he hopped off. You can keep going, but we dont wanna get lost downstream. Its a bitch coming back up. I docked and joined him, looking around. Everything was white as cotton, with only three feet of visibility before Kline and Kyro disappeared. I closed my eyes, activating my new skill. It activated immediately, but I couldnt see soul force past a fifteen-foot radiusand even then, I just saw a few soul plants, with the rest being white. Ummm how far away is it? I asked. A few miles, he said casually. And youre just supposed to happen upon this place? Like I said, Kyro said, cupping his mouth and yawning. This places drenched in aura. Get good enough with your skill, and you can see for miles. Course I cant do that, on account of my curse n all, but Technically and huge technically at thatyou can. So set up your fancy barrier and pray. Kyro fluttered to my backpack, pulled out his alcohol and a small container of cooked meat, and then yawned, touching down on a smooth rock and lying down. Pray for what? I asked. That you can figure it out. Dont you got any tips? Yeah Kyro yawned, bringing his shoulders to his cheeks before relaxing. Talk to your guide. I was a fourth ev before I tried this, and Brindle left me here for months before I figured it out. Months? We dont have months. Thats why I told you to pray. Now please do your thing and He yawned again. Leave me out of it. I brooded as I set up the barrier, wishing that it would stop the whispering and cries and shifting sounds in the fog. The sounds were eating away at my soul, and I was increasingly certain that our situation was just as bad as Kyro made it out to be. And since Kyro wouldnt give me any of these answers, I unfairly placed the burden on the shoulders of the other man in my life. Hey, so Im about to die here, I said to Lithco in my thoughts. How can I cut every corner imaginable and come out on top? Lithco walked out from behind me and stopped in front of Kyro, pulling out a chair and sitting right beside him, almost for spite. Then he glanced at Kline, who still hated his guts, and then to me. Normally, no, he said. But you already invested in something that excels in this exact area. My eyes widened when I remembered it. The night I learned soul cooking and went through my rewards, I did buy something that was perfect. Lithco smiled when he saw I caught on. Well, well. Then shall we begin? 2. Kyro awoke to Mira shaking him. It wasnt a frantic shake, more the type that mothers give to their children on their days off. It confused him. Huh? he groaned. It was dark outside, and when he looked over, he saw Mira smothering the dying embers of a fire. Realizing that so much time had passed unintentionally filled his heart with terror. He was getting weaker and weaker, slowly drifting into sleep and staying there longer and longer than before. His injury was worse than he thought. Everything okay? he asked. Yeah, Mira said. Were just running out of time. Best to hit the road early. Uh no offense. But the time we leave doesnt change the point where we get there. Its best to practice Its cool. Mira finished rolling up her tent as Kline circled her, looking up as if waiting for attention, then slinking off. Lets just give it a shot. If we get lost, lead us back, and Ill practice more. Now lets go. Mira cut the barrier and waited for Kyro to get moving. So he did, yawning and fluttering over to Miras shoulder. Then he sat down on it, expecting her to swat him away. But she didnt. Her eyes lit up as if he were the cutest thing in the world. If she didnt purify the stench of booze and sweat and dirt off him and then blow hot air on him like he was a dusty doll, it wouldve been cute. Instead, it made him feel a bit bitter. Mira didnt make a big deal of it, though. With surreal confidence, she walked through the forest, weaving between large fog-covered trees, dipping into small meadows, and then skillfully climbing over deadfall. It seemed lucky, but he quickly figured out it wasnt. This way, Kline, Mira suddenly said, cutting a perpendicular line into a dense and gnarled section of the forest. Kyro looked between the pleasant path ahead and the forest. Up until that point, he was certain that she was heading straight for the crypt, but now she had suddenly veered off course and was moving straight for a patch of dangerous deadfall. He closed his eyes and released a divination pulse, double-checking that she didnt sense something he didnt. The results came back negative. He could only use a fraction of his soul strength, but he could see far enough to know that there wasnt anything remotely near them. It was strange. Ummm Ive been pretty hands-off and all, Kyro said. But I feel duty bound to tell you that we shouldve kept A sudden cry rang out in the fog, a mile in the direction they were just walking. Mira developed a right dastardly grin and looked at him. What were you saying? B2 | Chapter 66 - Tranea Crypt Wood Wide Web. On Earth, the concept referred to the vast network of mushroom mycelium attached to plant roots, facilitating the transfer of nutrients and chemicals between plants. The network was vital to life on Earth. Without the Wood Wide Web, a good deal of the life in the Amazon couldnt exist, where the ground was heavy in clay or deprived of nutrients. So, having mycelium that could reach further underground for nutrients and transfer was vital for plant survival. The scope of the Wood Wide Web boggled the imagination. Humble mushrooms you saw on a hike could spread for miles underground. For perspective, the second largest organism on Earth when I left was the Armillaria ostoyae, also known as the "Honey Fungus," which was in Oregon''s Malheur National Forest. It spanned 3.7 square milesor 103,150,080 square feetcovering most of that space by spreading out in all directions. While the Honey Fungus wasnt ectomycorrhizal and couldnt form root connections, it proved the power and scope of mushrooms and the reason that they can support vast swaths of life like the rainforest. The Wood Wide Web spell was like that but magical. The first step was using a specialized mana equivalent of Soul Sight called Mana Sight that penetrated the ground to find a soul vein underground. After I walked to one and closed my eyes, I could connect to it and follow the mana pulsing through all life forms in an area. So long as the mana in an area had life formslike plant rootswithin three feet of each other, I could follow the mana trail from one location to the next. And when I found a monster, it would light up like a beacon and tell me to get out of dodge. Thats how I approached getting to the cryptinstead of fighting the dozens of beasts lurking in the fog, I simply avoided them. It was powerful, and it got to my head. Thats why when Kyro said, Ummm Ive been pretty hands-off and all, but I feel duty bound to tell you that we shouldve kept and a monster roared three-quarters of a mile out in the distance, I said, What were you saying? arrogantly and almost died. I strode forward twenty steps when Kyro suddenly grabbed my neck with telekinesis and threw me back just in time to avoid thousands of barbs shooting out of nowhere. He did the same for Kline, who hit a tree with intense force and got up hissing, but when he saw the barbs, he backed away. I felt the same, staring at them with a rattling heart. They were the size of icicles and I couldnt see into the mist where they came from. Whatever it was, it was big and there was no warning from the Guide. No notification. Nothing. Guuuuuuuh, Kyro groaned. What the fuck is wrong with me? With you? This is my fault. I think The notification didnt go off, but Kyro literally just told me not to move in that direction. No, its my fault. I havent told you anything. Not about this place or the traps or the crypts location. Im just so He sighed and looked up. Look. I dont know if you know this, but Brindle didnt uh He paused. He didnt write everything into that fancy guide and he sure as fuck didnt talk about this place. So um just be Kyro groaned and collapsed. Kyro! I flew forward and caught him before he hit the ground. Whats wrong with you? So tired, he said. Whats wrong? I cried. Just soul leak. Just be quiet a sec. I calmed down. I havent been here forever. And by that I mean tens of thousands of Oh fuck He held his head. Listen Just be careful. I dont know how youre doing whatever youre doing. But its good but pay attention. Ill do my best to show you because I dont have time to train you Dont you dare die! Oh I wont. I think this isnt the first time fuck just get going. I hugged him vertically against my breast and stood up. Okay Another roar resounded in the distance. That way Kyro pointed east. But thats the wrong direction. Better than being trapped or eaten. Fair I turned and started hiking in the direction he pointed out, trying not to communicate my panic with my raging heart. It wasnt so much the thought of dying. I was long numb to that fear. But Kyro I didnt realize that he was dying. I needed to figure out how to heal himand fast. That way, Kyro said. Should be a steep ravine there. Looks sketchy, but its actually kinda cool. If something attacks, well, it cant surround you. Pretty narrow. Just watch out from above. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I stopped on a mana vein and closed my eyes and activated Wood Wide Web. It showed me mana veins for half a mile, pointing out small creatures here and there like rabbits but no big beasts. In the center was a narrow passage of life that directly moved northwest. Okay, I said and walked forward into the cold and unforgiving mist, trying to ignore the whispering of creatures and haunting howls that were often indistinguishable from real creatures. Five minutes later, I reached the ravine. It was a massive ditch, ten feet across, with walls of dirt and roots that extended far beyond my ability to see. Wood Wide Web showed that the tree roots on the side went up probably a hundred feet. It was a tiny canyon in the mist. I walked in hesitantly with Kline in the lead. He was sniffing, ears twitching as he moved between plants. It was fine at first, but a mile in, he paused and raised his hackles. Whats wrong? I asked. I panicked and activated Wood Wide Web and saw that there were beasts on top of the canyon watching us. Perfect just perfect Kyro was asleep, and the beasts were stalking us. Lets run, I said to Kline. They jump in, well kill em. Kline nodded and increased his size to a tiger and lay down. I mounted him and Kline glued Kyro down with mana. Then, Kline burst through the ravine. There were no shadows for Warp Step but he was still fastfaster than I wouldve ever imagined. Suddenly, howls rang out, and silhouettes of creatures jumped at us from above. I pulled out Nymbral and pulled back an arrow and aimed for a silhouette. I released the arrow and missedbut I controlled the arrow to get back on track. It hit the creature in its eye, and its head burst like a rotted cantaloupe. It was a second ev. We could do this! Kline burst forth as unknown silhouettes of freakish creatures flew at us in a pack and I pulled back arrows, hitting most of them. At some point, I stopped charging the arrows, using them as a deterrent, hitting them in the skulls like I was throwing stones, and it worked. One shot after another, I shot dozens of beasts as Kline dodged over a hundred. And I thought we would make it without incident but when we got to the end, I saw a massive creature in the fog. It rose to its feet like a fairy tale troll, and I said, Oh hell no! as I lifted my bow and summoned a massive hurricane arrow. Keep going! I yelled as Kline glanced back at the creatures approaching from the back. He trusted me, flying forward as I activated Moxle Dilation and used it to create a hurricane ball the size of a beach ball. Please work, I thought as the troll took a deep breath and roared. I released the shot. I shot through the ravine like a missile, slamming into the creatures chest. Judging by the way that water exploded in all directions like it hit a wall, I ventured it didnt kill the beastbut it sure as fuck sent it flying. It flew back a hundred feet and hit the ground with a ground-shaking impact that cratered the earth and sent dirt flying down on us in all directions. Kline roared and flew forward as rocks fell around us, weaving between them until he reached the troll. Then he jumped right onto the creatures stomach as it was struggling to get up and leaped over the rest of the body as hundreds of beasts swarmed the injured giant. My chest tightened, and acid hit my throat as I pushed through. My arms were heavy as lead and when I looked down and saw Kyro still safe, I only became more intense. I would make it thereno matter what. 2. Kyro opened his eyes slowly and found the barrier over him. He looked around for Mira but didnt find her. But when he looked down, he saw human arms around his torso. Mira? He looked up and saw Mira sleeping against a statuea familiar statue. Mira had made it to the crypt. But how? There was a treacherous path on the way to the structure with a hidden passage that he was certain Mira couldnt find alone. Kyro pried his way out of her arms and looked back and got his answer: she didnt find the passage. Miras clothing was fine but she was soaked crimson. Kline was worse. His fur was matted with dried blood. Salas? Kyro thought. Thank god she had water. Whatever it was, she was alive and breathing, and she didnt have any crazy rashes. So he relaxed, and as he did, he got tired and found himself crawling into Miras lap and falling asleep. 3. I woke up with Kyro curled in my lap. It was the cutest damn shit I had ever seen, but I was too emotionally exhausted to really pay attention to him. I nearly died on the trip to what I imagined was the crypt. The whole area was surrounded by a miniature Bramble that screamed death under my Guides highlight. Half the plants were neon purplethe sign of plants that caused paralysis, necrosis, and other terrible ailmentsand half were unhighlightedwith nothing in between. I would have rather taken my chances with the neon purple than risk unmarked plants, but there was only one opening I found with Wood Wide Web, and it went through an unhighlighted section. We were careful, passing through it like heist movie protagonists dodging alarm lasersbut it was to no avail. At the very end, Kline and I snagged on an invisible bush I couldnt see in the fogand hell broke loose. My body webbed with a striped rash like I was a zebra, and it started turning black and blistering, ripping and leaking like rotting tomatoes within a minute of touching it. I drank Diktyo river water and used my cleansing cream, I did. But it struggled to fight back. My hands and wrists and arms healed and blistered and healed again in this terrifying cycle. It sucked. But we did survive. We had passed the mini Bramble by that point, and we crawled out and puked our brains out, barely making it to a freakish structure before sitting down and falling asleep. I grabbed Kyros tiny body and moved him over into a patch of grass and stood up, overlooking the Tranea Cryptor at least what I assumed was the crypt. It wasnt made of stone like some ancient burial tomb youd find in ancient Egypt or housing King Arthur. It was closer to a Hobbit hole, a round structure made of thousands of roots that had been woven together in an intricate basket. However, there was something that screamed that it was an artificial structure rather than a nest the statues. Three statues led up to a dooreach with a cylindrical podium with a crystal ball before it. The first was a simple diagonal stick on a stone block. The second looked like an abstract work of art, geometric and jutting out in multiple directions. And the third was a massive plant monster made of roots like a spaghetti monster. And upon closer inspection, I could see that it had complex arrays hiding between the roots, presenting obvious foreshadowing as to the nature of the test at hand. It was a trap. It was definitely a trap. Yet I couldnt help but examine the stone cylinders with crystal balls before each statue with fascination and run my fingers across the directions written in an ancient language on each podium with deep curiosity and excitement. I couldnt wait for Kyro to wake up. B2 | Chapter 67 - Soul Shaping In front of each of the statues was a stone podium that had a crystal ball on the top and engraved symbols from an ancient runic language on the body. So much for being helpful I thought, running my fingers over the grooves of the symbols, trying to unveil their secrets. Leaves a legacy, and no one can read the thing Kyro rustled on the ground and cracked his eyes. Oh youre okay. Thats my line. Okay, blood lady. I looked down at my bloody clothing and rolled my eyes and activated purification and all the dried blood crumbled to the ground, exposing fresh clothing. So? When were you gonna tell me you were dying? You think Id keep that secret if I ever planned to tell you? Kyro unscrewed the lid to his flask. Come on. Think for a second. Im going to beat the shit out of you. Thats a strange way to express concern for my health. He took a drink. I exhaled sharply and looked at the ground and then back at the statue. It was just a horizontal stick about the size of a motorcycles handlebars. How long do you have? I asked. He shrugged and remained silent. How do we fix it? Well, unless somethings changed theres something in there thatll fix me. Then why didnt you just say that? Cause I dont want you to feel responsible for my life. He pointed at the plant monster at the end. See that shit? Lets break down what that thing does. It starts with the other two. Youre gonna put your hand on that fancy ball, and itll draw a full soul into it. Youre gonna take the soul and shape it and mold it and put it into that stick. Not gonna be easy, but its pretty straightforward. Yeah? A flashback of Lithco taking a soul and sticking it into a plant streaked across my mind. And thatll embolden you. Kyro rubbed his lips with his wrist, groaned, and closed his eyes for a moment before pointing at the second statue. So youre gonna go to the second. Itll take you ten times longer because its an awkward structure. But you will complete it and you know what your rewardll be? I paused and studied his bitter grin and whispered, What? That. Kyro jabbed his finger at the Bramble that almost killed me. That things gonna open right the fuck up. And as soon as you activate that, he turned to the third crystal ball in front of the plant monster, its gonna attract every damn beast in the forest. What? I cried. And the only way to survives gonna be to activate that monster, he continued. And guess what? Its obviously bigger and more complicated than the other two. What? Why How? If you didnt see the danger of the open Bramble and the obviously-impossible-by-comparison monster challenge and think, Heh, lets give it a try right now, anywayyoure gonna die. The lessons to get you to go back into the world and practice and realize just how ridiculous the task is. I mean, its got like 200 tentacles, its the size of a small boulder, and plants cant move. He looked at the plant guardian with its dark eyes and Cthulu-inspired tentacles. Once you understand those limitations, you figure out that its not about stretching the souls like clay and packing em in. And thats when you practice for years or decades or even millennia before returning. You dont just come here on a two-week timeline with a cursed imp expecting to do it. Kyro took a drink. Its fucking ridiculous. They sent us here to die. His words pierced my heart and I found myself leaning against the first statues podium, arms folded, looking at the ground. Thats bleak. It is. I bit my lip. Okay, so say I can do it. Ive got some talent Brindle comes to save the day. A shooting star grants my wish This is just the second trial, right? He sighed. Yep Is there any hope of finishing it? He laughed and put his flask to his lips and then let his hand fall limp, leaning back and laughing tiredly. Then he closed his eyes and turned his head to the sky as if he were waiting for angels to whisk his soul to heaven. Who knows? Youve yet to meet my expectations. So if you survive this one maybe. Kyro shrugged and smiled bitterly, But A week? Two? Ill probably be rotting long before then. He chuckled. Who wouldve thought live this long only to die fighting some weak as third evs but He developed this sad, beautiful smile that described true peace. I promised I promised Brindle Id teach the next generation and in all these years, thats one debt I couldnt truly pay back. But I think Im going to beat the living fucking shit out of you, I interrupted. And so will Kline. Kyro opened his eyes. Huh? He turned, and Kline materialized in his tiny form, slapping him with a palm. What the fuck? he cried. Im trying to be emotional over here! Youre being dramatic is what youre being. I opened my Guide and went to the Patron tab. Brindle still hadnt accepted my request. Now help me read this. Kyro huffed and took a drink and turned around so he wasnt facing me, and said, Just stare at it. Kyro, take this seriously. I am taking this seriously. Thosere soul runes, not letters. If you stare at em, itll teach you the spells. Alright. I opened up my Guide and called out to Lithco. Is it better to use soul runes or get normal teaching? You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. It depends on the spell. He responded behind me, casually walking over to me calmly and sitting down after brushing off his pants. I knew things were serious when he didnt make some grand entrance or annoy me. All things equal, you want to use the runes. It communicates directly with the magic networks. But if you have a stronger spell, youll obviously want to use that. And this one? I asked. Lithco smiled this mysterious fucking smile and said, I dont know. Ive never even seen these runes before. You? Me. Theres a reason the Oracles interested in this forest. So he admits it. I wont insult your intelligence. Besides, theres no way youll give up the Guide for your little friends. Now, if you wouldnt mind? He motioned his hand to it. Your life is on a timer. My eyes glided over to him murderously, but then I turned back and stared at the runes, wondering if I could live without Lithco or if I could just shut it down and turn it on at will. Those were my thoughts as I stared at the runes in vain. I stared and stared and stared until my eyes were dry and itchy and blinking wasnt helping. Then I grunted and said, You gonna help? to Lithco. Me? Yes, you. Hmmm. Well, if youre asking how it works, you have to activate them first. Just feed it some mana. Itll get glowy and productive. I whipped my head to him. And you didnt think to tell me that ten minutes ago? Well, you were thinking about using me like an abusive partner. I believe your exact thought was, Im sure itd be fine to shut it off. Im sure itd be angry, but Im certain the Oracle will keep crawling back if I feed er information now and then. My eyes widened, and my cheeks heated. Hey! At least finish the thought, you creeper! Lithco rolled his eyes. Itd be sad to lose Lithco, though. Exactly! Translation: It would be sad to lose the person I complain to and ask every given question. Shut up! I yelled aloud, slapping my hand on the stone and activating the script. It glowed with yellow light. Youre almost as bad as Kyro with you I glanced at the runes and felt the sharp end of an axe split my brain. Thats the only way I could explain it. A profound wave of information slammed into me, and I fell onto my butt, staring at the runes. The more I looked at it, the more intense it became until my world disappeared, and all I could see were the runes, burning the image into my eyes then they grew. It was hard to explain, but it felt like I was a blimp in the universe, and the runes became the size of planets in the distance, and the more I thought about them, the more I was convinced that they were a form of God. Suddenly, my soul core started churning on its own, and the gold and purple soul force that Yakana had swirled around me. I turned my palm up and saw golden aura leaking out of my fingers like smoke and purple neara moving through my veins like mana. Whats going on? Then, that smoke abruptly locked into place like a still frame, and I felt an eerie wind blow around me. It felt like souls clinging to me. I looked around and saw soul remnants collecting into a ball in front of me. I felt compelled to touch it but couldnt. It frustrated me until I looked back at the glowing runes. When I saw a specific set of three, I felt an ice pick stab into the side of my head. I would have gone all in that I was going to hit the ground and bleed out after it happened, but the moment the pain faded, I had the answer. Using a technique I had never chanted to learn, I cycled my soul core in a way that created a soul film around my hands, and I heard my inner voice saying: Now touch it. I reached out my hands and grabbed the ball of souls. It was squishy and sent electricity pulsing through my body and soul core. I shivered and looked at the runes. Another stabbing pain. Another revelation. Without thinking, I grabbed the soccer-sized ball of soul remnants and compressed it into the size of a baseball. It gave significant resistance and felt like it would explode, but I held on and searched for answers in the runes, but they didnt speak to me. Figure it out My inner voice said. I knew that I needed to put the soul into the stick, so I grabbed the ball and stretched it out like taffy. It worked, but it wouldnt remain still, and it soon expanded, wobbling around until it flew out of my hands. I stared at it after that and thought, It worked, but I shook my head. Thats not the point. The ghost of Kyros voice echoed in my mind. Once you understand those limitations, he had said, you figure out that its not about stretching the souls like clay and packing em in. Then what is it? I thought as I looked at the runes. Its teaching me how to compress and insert it into something and whatever the hell that is. I stared at the last line of the runes which didnt activate in my mind. But not how to shape it. Unless I got the idea that it was like gas. You compress it, insert it, and then let it expand like foam. It was great in theory, but the preliminary trial met total failure almost immediately. Soul force was like a physical object when I touched it, and when I compressed and expanded it, it was like a very forceful sponge. I was relatively certain that if I were to put it into an object, it would be better suited to expanding and making the hull explode rather than filling it. So I thought about it more. The spell allowed me to collect soul remnants into a ball that I could compress, and that ball remained a ball instead of acting like foam. However, I could grab that ball and physically stretch it like taffy. If I did that, I could make it into a stick. So in a brute force approach, I was certain that I could fill the stick and complete the trial. But. Once you understand those limitations, you figure out that its not about stretching the souls like clay and packing em in. Once again, that wasnt the solution, and people would quickly figure that out with the wacky statue and then later a walking plant with hundreds of tendrils. That brought me back to gas or at least liquid. It was the only way. Take a soul, compress it as a gas, then put it inside the statue and let it fill up on its own. The only problem was that it didnt do that But. I looked back up at the runes, burning bright in the universe. There was that final line of runes that I didnt understand. What if those runes broke down a soul into gas? I stared at the runes in a trance for three minutes, trying to figure it out, and then I felt something. So I looked harder and sharpened my focus, and soon, minutes, hoursdays passed in that dark and sullen abyss when concepts started to form. And they were strange. It occurred to me then that most of what I had been doing was just an extension of what I had already been doing. They felt natural. I felt very little resistance to summoning souls or holding them or even cleansing them, but this this was different. It was a new concepta disturbing concept. Just the revelation made me break into cold sweats, and once I learned the spell and broke free, I sat there in silence for hours, staring into the milky white fog that curled around the poisonous bushes that nearly killed me. Then, as if that werent enough, I cut the soul-dispelling spell and let the fog consume me. It was numbing and awful, but I embraced the sound of the lost and tormented souls in the fog, beings that were too scared or angry or vengeful to allow themselves to be cleaned and freed from their torment. I wondered what compelled them to be that way and wondered how my remnants would deal with death myself. Im not sure how long that lasted, but at some point, Kline walked through the fog, bringing with him a dispelled spell that cleared my mind and muted the sound to a low decibel. Then he jumped into my lap as intrusively as possible and lay down, allowing me to pet him. I now understood the secret of soulmancybut it had costs that I couldnt even fathom. B2 | Chapter 68 - Ethical Dilemmas Kyro woke as the light was dimming. Miras repellent spell was limited, so he couldnt even see the statues anymore. It was as cold and eerie and disturbing as the time he first saw the crypt. Kyro activated his spell and cloaked the entire area, clearing the fog in a dome around himand exposing Mira. She was shaken. The poor girl was sitting with her back against the statue, staring into dead space. Her eyes werent hollow with trauma. It was just the look of helplessness that seemed to befit all manner of creatures except Mira Hill and her tiny feline companion. I told you itd be hard, he said. Mira turned to him blankly. But its not impossible The tricks I know, she said. You know? I know She sighed. Just as you can collect a ball of remnants, you can break a soul into a million loose remnants. The tricks to collect a soul or remnants, insert it, and then obliterate it, allowing the remnants to fill the space before binding it together right? Kyros eyes widened. Your Guide tell you that? No need. Just kinda figured it out. So whats the problem? Whats the problem? Mira laughed and pulled her knees in. Kline huffed and jumped out of her lap, allowing her to hug her knees. Its just the concept The thought of breaking a soul into a million pieces separating its memories and emotions and blueprint It''s disturbing. I mean It''s cool. But She hugged her knees. I mean Im not sure why, but I keep thinking about my brother. His names Tyler. Hes an idiot, but hes a good egg and I love his guts and Her eyes welled with tears. I keep thinking, wouldnt it be cool if I could just remove the trauma he got when his ex died in a lead climbing accident? I mean, the kids never been the same. Sure, hes normal but he hasnt had a girlfriend since. And if he doesnt God, I sound like my fucking mother. Kyro swallowed hard and kept silent. Mira had discovered the horrors of soulmancy far faster than he imagined, and he couldnt refute it, so he just unscrewed his flask and held back, waiting for her to speak. But yeah, she said. Itd be pretty fucking cool, right? But She paused, struggling for words. Its not so much that deleting something bads the problem. Id bet your mothers children that people would be better off if they could delete certain memories. But It''s the good memories. You know? The thought that someone could just erase his love for video games and pizza. Just edit it away to make him whatever they want Her eyes welled with tears, and she looked up aggressively. Cause thats what I do! That was my fucking job. I took plants and made them practical. Tomatoes cant survive in the cold? Fine. Lets just splice it with the genes from a flounder a fucking flounder a fucking fishand make it so that it can survive the voyage. And I mean, its incredible, Kyro. Incredible. Im not sure how many peoplere on this planet, but mine supported billions because bread didnt mold every three days and tomatoes didnt rot after four. I mean, its awesome but the thought youd do that to people people. People people love and care about. You. Me. Tyler. My family its so fucked up and Kyro wasnt one for emotion, but he balled his fists because he knew what was coming. The thought that someone can just edit in feelings and thoughts and memories Mira laughed. No wonder theres groups devoted to killing soulmancers. This shit is fucked up, Kyro. Fucked. Up. Fuck. Mira let her head crash into the stone podium she was leaning against. She winced and held her head but just leaned back afterand finally broke. Tears burst from her eyes, and she sobbed and held her wrists, and when Kline pawed at her, she shooed him away aggressively and sobbed harder. Kyro believed that he understood the depth of emotions a being could experience, but the truth was he had long since forgotten the impact of raw emotion after living so long. People come and go, children come into the world and die, wars kill, and civilizations fall. It had all become so numbing, but when he heard her sob, he remembered what it was like to come to that conclusionthe uncertainty and doubt and ethical dillemas. It really hit him, too, so he could empathize. So he just sat in silence until her haunting sobs overtook the sounds of souls crying in the fog. Then he waited longer until she calmed down and hit the turning point where hot emotions flipped to numb depression and finally spoke. Soulmancys a tool just like a sword. Mira looked up. Like a sword? Youre really going to say that this is a sword? He nodded a few times. Yes. Well thats fucking delusional. Is it? Kyro asked. Ive seen fires burn down forests burn bodies kill creatures. And Ive also seen it cook food. His voice turned low and sad, and perhaps, only for that reason, Mira didnt snap and scream and instead chose to listen. Sames true with swords. Ive seen em kill people, protect people save people kill food. Ive also seen em used to betray folks and murder people and fuck, all sorts of messed up shit. But He thought about it and then looked up. You wanna hear something strange? Mira turned away and huffed and took a breath but still said, Sure. Zyphrael. The dick head with a hard-on for Nethralis. I hate the guy. I think that hes over-devoted, zealous, inflexible, rude, and altogether a nightmare. But hes strong for his Ring really strong actually but the guys never unsheathed that sword on his own people. Miras eyes widened. In fact, I dont think hes ever killed a single Drokai. Hes fought, sure we always fight. But hes always used the bare minimum Kyro thought about it and developed a forced smile. Maybe thats what I hate about the prick. Hes so damn self-righteous that he lets the executioner cast the final blow. But for better or worse, the guys never lifted a sword or lethal magic to a fellow Drokai. And I mean the guy can, right? He can bisect an asshole and drag his torso to the mans wife but he doesnt. He can turn a person to a pile of charred bones but he doesnt Fucker. Sometimes I wish we were all equal, that people were equally cold and destructive and awful so I wouldnt feel bad about things I did eighty millenia ago but fuck. He finally gave in and drank from his flask, and laid back. Theres those people, right? They prove that magics a tool, swords are a tool, soulmancy is a tool. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Glistening rain dropped onto Miras pants, and she gripped her stomach. And for what its worth I aint never never added something to someones soul He paused. Ive deleted shit I dont regret it and trust me, Mira. You wont either but Ive never added anything. Not in tens of millennia. Shit what are you twenty? Twenty-five? Fuck. Ive faced death a hundred miles more than the years youve been alive. Youre a baby Ive lived it all experienced shit you cant fathom but Ive never ever ever added something to someones soul. Mira smiled wryly and looked at him with these insane eyes. But Brindle has, right? Oh, yeah. Kyro developed this insane grin and laughed his brains out. You dont even under~stand just how fucked up soulmancy can get, yeah? Yeah? He nodded at her. Okay? And the thing about Brindle is He paused. He doesnt see the world like we do. And I mean to be fair if you hadnt noticed He presented his hand to the dimming fog filled with tortured souls and said, Its fucking miserable being a remnant. And traumas terrible, and enemies need to be killed and disposed of by any means. So while hes inhumane or however that translates hes not wrong. If someone wants to forget, hell help em forget. If he needs an enemy to disclose something, hell implant things into their mind to get what he needs. Hes just like us, but hes a druid. Hes not a human or Drokai or whatever. Hes a fucking plant with a brain. If he didnt love Yakana and me Id think he was heartless but look Im fucking this up but just listen. Mira nodded and swallowed and balled her fist, eyes welled with hope. Youre not Brindle, Mira. Youre whatever the fuck you want to be. And if you dont want to learn how to edit souls, thats on you. Its not a soulmancy thingits a you thing. But for this this type of thing I mean look dont even know what youre doing. Just just wait until you start up on the plant monster. Once you get to the third tutorial work with a real soul youll realize that Brindle isnt so bad. Theres just wait. But dont give up. Not yet. Just give it a shot. Mira stared at him like a helpless kitten and then looked away. Okay, she said. And she meant it. She turned back to the runes and stared at them. An hour later, she started looking around in dead space, something that she had hidden well for a long time, but he knewshe could talk to her Guide. Kyro didnt like that. But at the same time fuck the people who hated it. He took a drink and scoffed and laughed at their bitterness. Its not like they were helping Mira survive. And why not? That was the real question. This was Brindles studenttheir hopeand people were petty as fuck toward her. She was unknowingly sitting in the Fifth Ring, staring at a series of statues that could kill her, doing the best she could all because Thorvel couldnt see past his rage. And while Kyro planned to kill Thorvel and the rest of the wyverns as his final act, he wouldnt be able to because he was currently dyingbecause of the same exact pettiness that inspired such a desperate plan. Fuck Thorvel and the forest. Fuck everyone. Kyro leaned back, feeling tired again and musing over the irony. He supposed it was because everyone was bitter Brindle didnt help them during the last conquerbut they were fucking stupid to expect he would. Brindle never helped the Drokai or dryads or forest elves or giants or leshens. He just did what he wanted, and that just so happened to help the entire forest. If he was growing something and harvesters burned it down or picked it, he would set up traps to slaughter anyone who tried. Thats who he was. Hell, he created the Bramble because it was the one place in the Grand Barrier that allowed people in, and people got the fancy idea to just burn down the whole area to create settlements. It was practical. Brindle Grask was a druid. He didnt think like Drokai or wyverns or even dryads, and he definitely didnt choose to socialize. The only way that Kyro or Emael or anyone talked to Brindle was if they followed him around. Hell, he left Yakana behind hundreds of times, but the human always managed to track him down. It was a miracle that Brindle found a way to keep in contact after he left. And despite that! Kyro picked up a rock and threw it into the mist. He was furious. Brindle did more for the forest than anyone. Anyone! Hell, the Drokai existed because Brindle sent Kyro to train them and build them up again. And while Kyro didnt feel worthy of praise for it, Brindle sure as fuck did. Mira suddenly stood and put her hands on the ball. It pulled soul remnants directly from the mist in a vortex, creating a ball that she squished in wonder. She compressed it with her hands, and her nose scrunched in, and she dug her foot in the dirt and let a grunt and sat down, whispering: Is it cool to mix and match? she asked to her invisible friend. I could really use a compression spell right now. And thats part of the Soul Manipulation skill, right? Huh? Yeah there is, but its the same spell. I think youre supposed to figure out how to improve the compression spell on your own. Huh? Fuck off with that. If I wanted to figure it out on my own Id kick your ass to the curb Okay, Id try to Know what, fuck you. God, youre unbearable Fuck him, too. Just okay. Then she sat down for a full hour, and when she got up, she summoned souls without the help of the ball and compressed them down to the size of a rock with a wide grin on her face. Thiss crazy to watch, Kyro thought sleepily, but he kept focused because he was fascinated. The next moment, she put the soul directly into the stick and closed her eyes. And on her first try, the souls broke apart and filled up the stick without a soul shock explosion. The ball lit up, and the next statue lit up, enticing her to move on. But she didnt. She turned to Kyro without the slightest smirk and asked, Is it okay to learn the spell on the second without the Bramble opening? He nodded. Its cool. What is it? He smiled strangely. Its actually got nothing to do with stretching souls. You were supposed to learn that from the first on. No that ones about collecting real souls and keeping them together. Then what does that have to do with a blank statue? Cause if you just do what you just did, itll be impossible for all the pieces to attach back together. Thats what the shape isit makes it difficult for the remnants to rearrange themselves. Its also too big for a soul and youll see. Huh Mira walked to the next statue and sat down. Kyro wanted to watch, but he was getting really sleepy, and even the thought of alcohol sounded bad. So he leaned back and groaned and thought. Shell be able to do it, Im sure. He fell asleep. 2. I sat in front of the second statue with an overconfident expression, first opening my Guide. I still hadn''t examined my levels, but I got something huge after completing the triala landslide of new legacy skills. And so the list went. There were skills, big and small, tutorials that reinforced what I had only learnedothers that gave me new skills entirely. I smiled in satisfaction, thinking how simple it would be to complete the next assignment. I was wrong. I had no clue just how difficult and deceptive the second trial would be. B2 | Chapter 69 - Soul Stitching The statue I was working with looked like a three-dimensional N where each diagonal moved in another direction. It looked simple enough. If I just compressed and obliterated the soul and released it, it would fill the statue. The only reason that I felt nervous was because Kyro had already told me that my approach wasnt the solution to the trial. That ones about collecting real souls and keeping them together, he had said. If you do what you just did, itll be impossible for all the pieces to attach back together. Thats what the shape isit makes it difficult for the remnants to rearrange themselves. Its also too big for a soul, and youll see. I kept thinking about those thingscollecting souls and keeping them together. Then, rearranging them. I studied those runes for hours until I thought my head would crack, and then I finally understood what it was telling me to do it wanted me to collect millions of soul fragments to make a working soul. Worse, I had to patch them together into a whole soul. It was a joke. An actual joke. But it made sense. What good would it do to put something''s consciousness and memories and emotions into a blender and then throw them into a random object? There wouldnt be one. So, a huge part of the picture was to break apart the souls and put them back together, which required someone to stretch a soul into a general shape to limit the amount of space it took to break something apart or put it together. I studied the Soul Channel Visualization spell I unlocked in my legacy tab and then walked to the first statue to see what was under the hood. What I found was fascinating. The area in the stick that accepted the soul was thinner than cheap dental floss. Confused, I summoned a soul remnant ball and then released it, watching it snap together into a tiny line. I cocked my head and summoned another ball, and tried to compress it. It wouldnt snap together if I pressed it, so I did the compression spell and figured it out. So thats how it works I thought, watching the soul spin. The remnants repel the wrong fragments, so the compression spell is actually organizing the pieces. It was like Legosthey take up vastly more space when theyre loose than when theyre connected. And if you just release them I thought as I released the ball. The remnants swirled around and snapped together like magnets. Then, they floated away to the edge of my soul-repellent space. Once they hit the fog, the soul line exploded. It was entropy. So thats the trick. If you just let em go, theyll rearrange themselves, but there must be limits. I looked over at the second statue with its strange shape. Maybe they dont go up or down or diagonal or just get clogged. I walked up to the statue and activated the channel visualization spell and laughed out loud. No wonder it attracts everything! I cried. Kyro woke up from my outcry and groaned. Whats wrong? This statue its not just big. Its massive. Yeah you like that? he asked weakly. Itd take a colossus to fit in that abomination, so you gotta make an amalgamation and stretch it to fill it. Its a lot easier than you think cause remnants naturally attract Wait. Amalgamation? Like Yakana? Kyro unscrewed his flask listlessly. Yeah. I told youYakanas amalgamations not special. I mean, he is, but its not cause hes all stitched together. That happens naturally, just like the Bramble. That fucker Brindle was just a genius bout how he designed him. He took a drink and coughed twice. Anyway, you''ve already created an amalgamation. The only thing thats asking you to do is collect a lot of remnants and keep em together in an area where the souls cant rearrange themselves. So you gotta stretch it with telekinesis. Though you already got that typea skill. Still theres obviously a lot more to learn from it than simply stretching, breaking, and binding souls. Cause that He pointed to the plant monster. That makes you stitch together full souls. Thats why the second statue teaches you to summon a real soul even though you dont need it. I studied the plant monster. So Lets run through this. When I touch the second ball, its going to call an extravagant number of souls into the area and alert the forest. Then, once I complete it, the Bramble will open up, luring things to kill me. Ye~p. And once I touch the monsters ball, itll summon the whole damn forest and tell them to attack. Close enough. So what I needa do is say fuck number two and learn the runes on three first. Correct. Well, you had to learn it first obviously. Yeah I drank some water and fed Kline and then sat in front of the statue, studying the intimidating script on the podium. There were twenty-five runes on the last statue and over a hundred lines on the current. It looked like a section of the walls in some far-off Egyptian pyramid. I prepared and took a deep breath. It was time to bring my first object to life. 2. Brindle watched Mira from his throne as Telgan, who had melded into the tree behind him, wrapped her arms around his back for comfort when watching. The trial had grown tense, and they hadnt slept in the last day. Mira continued to exceed Brindles expectations, and the current trials proved that Yakana wasnt the sole reason for her success. She had a soul affinity, as some people naturally do, and Yakanas aid had made the process of manipulating souls effortless. But the real trial had yet to begin. Youre not going to help her? Telgan asked. He shook his head. Shes capable. But Can she really do it this fast? I think youre overestimating her. Really? Yeah. That would require soul stitching right? You think she could do that on a timeline? Theres no way. Not without Yakana. Brindle watched Mira connect the soul runes with a relaxed body. It was similar to the effects of psychomancy, like when Mira bonded with Yakana the night Brindle taught her to make the Teelia elixir. It was the only reason that she succeeded that night, and with her callasp damaged, that was out of the question. Now, she had a week to solve this problembut could she? Brindle couldnt remember how long he spent on the problem. He left the crypt and returned about a century laterbut he didnt practice the problem for a long time. He had to improve his core and learn to cleanse and make pacts before he could approach the problembut Mira already had that and some. She had centuries of shortcuts between Yakana and the Oracle and his legacy. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. So, it was difficult to gauge. Lets watch, Brindle said. Okay, Telgan said. Suddenly, Mira cried out and hit the ground, shutting her eyes and ears as Kline yowled and paced around her. See? She cant even process the stitching. Shes just overwhelmed. Give her time. The soul runes were burning the anatomy of souls into her mind so she could understand what was necessary to bring soul creatures to life. It wasnt a skillshe would be fine once she understood it. And she was. Mira was nine days from the Harvest when she started, and it was seven by the time she processed the soul anatomy. She spent most of that time focused on the runes or learning spells from her Guide or eating on the ground, exhausted, but she didnt give up. It was miserable work, but things got easier a week before the harvest. He could tell she understood soul anatomy because she collected souls and stretched them, compressing and releasing them, breaking them down, and moving their individual parts. Then, she would sit down before the runes once more. Time was running out, but she pressed on. With only five days to go, she suddenly got up from the runes and stood before the Omoxilianthe plant amalgamation. You need to stop her, Telgan said. Shes way too valuable to let her die for nothing. Brindle watched Mira speak to Kline and Kyro, and the latter faced the soul forest. Then she asked Kyro a question, and he shrugged his shoulders and said something, and she returned to the third statue instead of the second, understanding that the benefit of leaving and practicing the spell later was returning when the Bramble was closed and they didnt need to activate it. Brindle knew because it was that very crypt that taught him about creating soul forests and guardians, two lessons that later translated to creating the Bramble. Mira reached for the ball. Brindle, Telgan said with uncharacteristic firmness. Brindle acted, opening up his Guide. It was too slow, and Mira touched the ball, but before she activated it, she froze and looked around her, calling out to something in the mist. Yakana he thought. Or Hurry up, Telgan said. No shes speaking to Hurry up. The last thing she needs is for some spirit to tell her to go through with it. Brindle took a deep breath and then finished accepting her request. Mira checked her Guide with wide eyes and looked to the sky and clasped her palms together and said something with the most thankful expression Brindle thought he had ever seen. Seeing that look those mannerisms It reminded him a lot of Yakana. Suddenly, he got a lecture request that read As Soon as Possible.
I waited for the thirty-second countdown for Brindle to arrive, muscles stiff, letting my back crash against the podiumtaking deep, stressed breaths. I barely noticed when the druid appeared in the fog and walked out like a sinister necromancer, footsteps leaving steam trails on the ground. Why did you stop? Brindle asked in his hollow voice. The trial? I asked. Yes. Oh I looked into the mist, heart pumping with a galloping rhythm. Yakana stopped me I think. If it was him, he used the most freakish proxy to yell, Stop! I thought a killer clown was gonna fly out with a chainsaw. Brindle stared at me blankly. Whats a chainsaw? I closed my mouth and looked away. Nothing So. You here to tell me its worthless? No. Youre just not ready. Brindle put his hand on the crystal ball and activated it. All the soul fog in the area blasted down in a tornado, and distant beasts screeched in all directions as the area around Brindle warped. What are you doing? I cried. Its an illusion, Brindle said apathetically. Im just showing what will happen. The cries of beasts got louder as they ran to the tornado warping the sky, and the trees groaned and cracked and a few minutes later, a few of the beasts flew into the Bramble, which made them cry out and die. The Brambles protecting you, Brindle said. But itll only last about twenty minutes. Why that long? Because the beasts will eventually rip through the soul forest. And A booming cry rang out in the distance. It was a goliath, destructive like a titan from Greek mythology. Theres a guardian here, too. I looked between the direction of the sound and then at the plant monster, which was maybe ten by ten feetthree meters squared. The size of a bedroom. The thing in the distanceit was breaking through trees. Hows this supposed to kill that? I cried. Its not. If the guardian sees the Omoxilian moving, the guardian will protect you instead of killing you. I see Brindle snapped his fingers, and the sound disappearedbut the massive soul ball, which had grown to the size of a statue, remained. You have twenty minutes to accomplish something that looks like this. He lifted his hands, and the soul ball broke apart into billions of pieces and arranged itself, snapping itself together in a hypnotizing display before creating dozens of full souls and a large mass of soul remnants. He then used the loose remnants like thread to stitch together the souls into one lump and then compressed them. It created a spiraling sphere the size of a soccer ball in the sky and then expanded radically, developing hundreds of limbs like spaghetti strings in the general size of the monster. You gotta be fucking kidding me, I said. Brindle waved his hand, and the soul mass entered the statue. Then he walked up to it and put his hands on it, activating the magic circles inside it. The beasts brown exterior turned green and brown and yellow, coming to life as its vines and roots twisted and coiled like an octopus. And that was the beginning. The dirt beneath me buckled, and the Brambles plants sucked underground, leaving leaves bunching up on the surface, and the Omoxilian increased in size, creating the most surreal scene imaginable. Roots grew from the earth, creating massive legs for the beast, multiplying its size. Thats even worse, I yelled. How the fuck am I supposed to do that? You practice. I dont have the time to practice. I dont have anything to practice with. Then let me give you something. Brindle motioned to the area before my feet. Sit. I did. Now chant. I did, following along with his words. As I did, I could feel the power of those crystal balls flowing right into me. Souls whisked from the air. Find the souls the whole souls, Brindle said. Identify them. Seek them out. Its difficult but in this place where only souls reside its possible. I followed his voice and his chant and thought of Separation, and along the lines of Separation, I identified certain souls and repelled the rest. It took over an hour for me to find one but I managed to collect it, bringing it down in my hypnotic state. Then I manipulated it, stretched it, separated it, and tried my best to create little spaghetti legs but failed. Picture the image in your mind, Brindle said. Any image. Things that you know better than any. I thought of Kline. Now repeat after me. I followed his chants, and the soul took another shape, forming like clay. Things became far simpler, and I gained control and created a general shape of a cat. I was excitedbut that was only a fraction of what I needed. But Brindle had more patience than anyone I had ever known. He sat down and helped me with exercises for the next two days. I did exercises pulling souls from the air and stitching them together with the spell I was given, taking teachings from the soul runes, my guide, and Brindles guidance to stitch them together before making shapes. On the second day, Brindle took me to the bushes that almost killed me and had me identify their soul channels and practice with them under the threat of necrosis and death. I learned quickly. And when I woke up on the third day, planning to start my final set of training, I found that Brindle was gone. I got up in a panic and looked around, but I was only met with Kline meowing, confirming he was gone. I was nervous and scared. It took two days to truly understand how pathetically underprepared I was, but I looked at Kyro and saw his body turning slightly blue. His breathing was ragged and his flask was on the ground instead of in his arms like a stuffed animal like it usually was when he slept. I looked at the crystal ball before the Omoxilian and swallowed hard. It was finally time. B2 | Chapter 70 - Omoxilian My heart hammered against my rib cage as I put Kyros body into my backpack, head peeking out like a toy poodle, and walked up to the crystal ball. He was dying, and I had to complete these trials to save him. But Brindle taught me how difficult it was, and I had very little practice. Now, I had to take a ball ten times that size, break it apart, stitch it together, and shape it to put it into the Omoxilianthe plant monster. It was the worst. I studied the creature. It was as terrifying as it was sillya monster made of plants. It seemed impractical with its dark eyes that likely had no purpose and spaghetti tendrils for arms. But I knew better. I chuckled nervously at the insanity of the creature. Then I looked at Kline, who was watching the Bramble, and Kyro, who I gave alcohol to ensure he didnt go into a seizurein case he did. Mom Dad Tyler I paused and looked at the white, misty sky. Your daughters an idiot and lets be real. Thats not going to change. But she loves you guys. I looked at my guide and glanced at the message my parents had sent me after my last letter. I hadnt read it because I was going off to kill myself, and I didnt want to have second thoughts about it. And right then, facing certain death, I felt the same way. Opening it would be my reward. The last thing I needed was closure. It was a good life, she says as she faces the end I mocked, get out of here. I turned to the podium. Lets just do this. I cleared my mind and placed my hands on the crystal ball and activated it. The light blinded me and the force felt like I entered the stratosphere in a rocket ship. The sky warped, and all the fog in the area sucked downward in a hurricane, touching down in a tornado that created a massive blob of souls around meand they started screaming at me. Whole souls were inside, and they were furious, screaming, crying, howling, barking, and growling at me from all sides. Son of a I activated Mental Shielding and doubled down, pulling souls faster. It was just in time. The forest erupted with angry howls, and trees crackled. Hurry I got in the zone, trying my best to recall what it felt like to be melded with Yakana. I activated Soul Sight and my channel visualization spell to view mana from all ways, chanting the spells I could remember despite not needing to. Anything. I need to go faster. I churned my core, and the atmosphere warpedthen I activated Moxle Dilation, and the gravity became crushing as I forced myself to go faster. And when I opened up my eyes, I found my entire world surrounded by souls that were swirling and separating and connecting. I grabbed two of the souls in the fog, which was far easier than I thought because they were far more whole than anything I had worked with, and started stitching them together, creating bridges between the two souls using loose remnants like Legos to bridge the two. It was an art that required immense skill and concentration, but I did it sloppily, feeling the dull throb of a headache as I quickly arranged pieces and allowed them to snap together. One down. I grabbed another one as my head started to hurt from the strain of Moxle Dilation, so I released the spell after activating Mental Shielding and heard the beasts screaming far louder and more intense than beforebut I didnt stop. Keep moving! I yelled to myself. I pulled more remnants together and stitched the third and fourth and fifth soul. It got faster until I hit the tenth soul, and hell broke loose. Howling beasts crashed into the Bramble, and Kline growled at them. Not a moment later, I heard the guardian miles in the distance. Or rather, I just heard the sound of multiple snapping trees. Hurry up! I cried, but panic always makes things worse. Yakana I prayed for Yakana because he was always there for mebut he wasnt coming. Not this time. For the first time, I was completely on my own when facing a mounting task meant for people with centuries of experience. I gritted my teeth, but I kept going. I stitched my eleventh soul, then my twelfth. The beasts crashed, and the howls increased, and the guardian roared in the distance, but I pressed forward, stitching the thirteenth, fourteenthfifteenth. Then the Bramble broke, and a beast flew through. Kline released a roar and used his phantom claws, shaking the earth as the impact hit the dirt. Time was running out. There was no choice. I activated Moxle Dilation again against the wishes of my screaming head and got to work. I stitched one after the other in a matter of seconds, creating a total of twenty before I heard the Guardian release its slow, devastating roar in the distance. Then, my head cracked like an egg, but I didnt give up. Itll have to be enough I thought, raising my hands. I lifted the soul tapestry and manipulated it, giving it tentacles like I watched Brindle do. I did terribly compared to him, and my head stabbed me with pain. Please be enough. I screamed and thrust my hands onto the Omoxilian, forcing in the souls. It was a rough go, pushing the different souls in awkward directions, and I cried as I forced things to move in different directions. Three seconds until my brain exploded. Kyro Kline Suddenly, a beast flew past me in two pieces in slow motion. Then came another boom, and the ground shook slowly. I thought I would be sick. Please! I broke apart the souls when I could not handle it anymore, allowing the rest to randomly fill tendrils rapidly and then snap them together. And, to my shock, when I looked at the Omoxilian with my channel visualization spellI had done it. I could fill it. But it wasnt moving. I eyed it up and down and then remembered I didnt activate the array. I stumbled forward, but before I touched it, Hephaestus hit my brain with his mythological hammer, and I hit the ground. Every roar and sound felt like a flash bang, and my vision grayed out. I coughed on the ground as hell broke out around me. I could hear all of it. The booms of the guardian and the cracking tree and Kline fighting creatures that kept hitting the Bramble and dying. And then I blacked out. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. 2. Get up! Elana screamed as she watched Mira struggling on the ground. Calm down, the kittys handling it, Kori said confidently. Kline wasnt the cat he was three months ago. His attacks cut second-evolution beasts the size of boars in multiple pieces and he could attack at lightning speed. He blinked into shadows and bit through a beasts leg before they even realized he had moved, and then he pounced another. For the larger beasts, he jumped onto their backs and ripped out their cores and swallowed them. His power purity was through the roof. Still, more and more mindless, soul-corrupted beasts were ripping through the soul forest surrounding the place and bringing with it poisonous plant matter. Mira had set up a water bowl of Diktyo water and put it in the shade so Kline could drink it, but it was still a menace. If Kline didnt have an ethereal form he wouldve died by then. Its not the thugs, Elana said. Its that An aerial shot showed a true colossus in the distance. It was two hundred feet tall, towering over trees as it pushed through the forest. It was a fourth evolution beasta peak specimenthe equivalent of the River Guardian. The worst part was that it wasnt a colossus by nature. It had an ethereal body like Kline, making it even more difficult to kill. If Mira didnt activate that fucking statue, she was dead. But no. Mira had fallen on the ground at the last moment as if her weak and feeble body didnt know how to handle an extra three seconds to drink water. She had a straw to Diktyo water on her backpack, for fucks sake. Shell be fine, Kori said calmly. He wasnt even drinking. His eyes were cold and focused. It gave Elana time to pause as she watched the hell break loose around Mira. 3. When I blacked out, I was transported back to a memory, something familiar, a time when I was speaking with a teacher at the FoCo cafe after class one day. It was a restaurant where people could literally pay anythingor nothing at allthat operated on the generosity of some people. My teacher paid thirty dollars for our meals in some weird gesture, and I found myself outside, wondering how the place truly stayed in business. He opened his mouth to speakthen I woke up and found a war zone around me. Things set in, and my heart raced and I wanted to activate the Omoxilianbut my mind was the mental equivalent of a windshield that had spiderwebbed with cracks. I cried out and closed my eyes and went back to that outdoor patio where my teacher was preparing to speak. It was Professor Lakely and we were talking about me potentially pursuing a masters degree in botany. I had just told him, Yeah but I dont want to work in a lab. I want to do horticulture. Not CRISPR. But thats where the money is, he said. Thats where the money is, I said. Well, I think youre looking at things the wrong way. The question isn''t whether its right or wrong to do something. Its a question of consequences. What do you mean? Well, you know that pursuing your masters wont lead you to financial security if you dont chase that career, so if you do it, youll face the consequences. The questions whether the thing you do want, the thing you love, is worth what it takes to protect it. Its that simple. So being broke. Yeah. And suffering my mothers judgment? He shrugged. Yes. I paused, and he smiled. You already know the consequences, Mira. You know that if you do this, itll be a hard road. But youre here right now despite that. I think what you really want is to know whether you can. I looked him in the eye. Can what? Suffer? No. Not suffer. I think you wanna know if itll be worth it. Whether you can do whatever you want and still enjoy your life like you are now. I swallowed. Do you think I can? Well, youre going to have to get creative. He chuckled and shook his head. But if theres anyone hard-headed enough to brute force it. Its you. Emotions welled in my heart, and my body heated up, and the sounds of screams and cries and howls surrounded us. I watched fog consume the cars and pedestrians, and the sun disappeared. Then I watched my teacher disappear in the milky abyss, and my head exploded with painand it all really pissed me off. I slipped on blood as I pushed myself up and then looked at the Omillian in front of me. It had geometric arrays within it that I had never seen. I stumbled forward as the ground quaked, and the looming visage of a true giant cast shade on the area, barely visible in the mist. It was coming to kill me and Kline and Kyroand almost had. It put its foot up above me, preparing to stomp. Fuck you! I screamed as I thrust against the arrays. My mind scrambled, and my channels burned and I cried out in painbut I pushed past my limitations and churned my cores, making all the arrays in the monster glow a vibrant pink color. Then the foot descended on me. 4. Elana pushed Kori as he laughed and cheered. Kline had barely ripped Mira away when the foot stomped down, blowing away the statue and part of the crypt. Hey! Kori cried. She did it! Not yet, you fool! The misty silhouette of a giant turned to Kline, who had returned to his water bowl and prepared to stomp her again. Yes, you fool, Kori huffed, pulling a green bottle of certain poison out of his bag along with a glass. You needa stop looking at Mira. Ever since youve returned youve become obsessed. Suddenly, dozens of massive tendrils wrapped around the giants leg. It wasnt much to start, but dozens and then hundreds of tendrils followed, preventing it from lifting its leg. If that wasnt enough, all the roots that comprised the cryptor what Elana thought was the cryptunraveled and turned into massive limbs of a creature a hundred times the size of the silly statue. As the soul forest and crypt unraveled, the tendrils shot higher and higher on the beasts legs, pulling it down. See? he mused. She succeeded. Question isis it gonna let go? Thats one freakish creature. 5. The Omoxilain wasnt what it appeared to be. It wasnt even what Brindle suggested it would be with his illusions. It didnt just pull into the forestit unraveled the entire crypts root network and shot tendrils into the mist like a deranged Kraken far off at sea. I watched as I washed Klines feet with Diktyo water. He was suffering from poisonous barbs that other beasts tracked in, and his poor feet were bloody stumps. Come on, come on, come on I whispered frantically. More beasts called out in the mist, running fast, rumbling the ground like a thunderous landslide of yapping hyenas. The soul forest was missing, and the giant was fighting and pulling out roots from the Omoxillian, who was supposed to get it to hold off but was now trying to kill it. Suddenly, the beasts tore through the most, some at us and most toward the beast. Thats when it happened. The giant suddenly lost its size as if a balloon had popped and disappeared. A moment later, an explosion of wind shot through the tendrils, blowing plant matter to pieces as an animal the size of a grizzly bear charged out of them. It took three running strides before ballooning in size again, becoming a tank before swiping a hand at a mass of creatures. The hand didnt hit, but the beasts all blew up in a gust of terrifying wind that blew crimson liquid and meat chunks everywhere. Thats when the beasts reached us. Kline was still healing, so I unsheathed my machete andwithout Moxle Dilationstarted cutting through them sloppily. It wasnt enough, but Kline used his claws and made up for the rest. But the swarm kept coming, and I thought we were lost. But Brindles explanation came true. The first moment it got, the guardian barreled toward us, slamming away the beasts and tearing their flesh and sending them flying. It was already twenty feet again, the ideal size for jumping away from the tendrils, and that was more than enough to treat the beasts like toy dolls. This wasnt a third evolution creatureit was a fourth, and it brought death like a natural disaster. Kline pulled me on and ran, but it teleported beside him, glaring at him with massive eyes. I was certain we were dead but then it looked at me and then jumped away, attacking other beasts. Come on, I said, turning to the area where the crypt was before the Omoxilian stole its roots. Let''s go. Kline looked at the plant monster wringing a dozen beasts dry like anacondas and hesitated. I said, lets go! I yelled. He thought about it for two seconds before teleporting into a nearby shadow. The area had a wood floor with a staircase. There! I yelled. Kline jumped inside without hesitation, plunging into the abyss as vines closed the entrance and left us in darkness. B2 | Chapter 71 - The Third Trial The staircase under the crypt led to the planets core, so as I walked, the walls got hotter, and sweat sizzled on my skin, turning to steam. Thats not what really happenedbut I thought it would. The staircase led down forever, moving ever closer to the abyss where there was no light, housing only the sound of insects and dank air to invade the senses. Thankfully, I had a small glow stone lamp that came with my big bag o tools, so I activated it with mana, embracing the soft green light as it made Klines shadow the size of a tiger and then a house cat in regular intervals, waxing and waning, growing and disappearing. We walked on. About ten minutes in, we finally saw light at the end of the tunnel and when we entered the chamber at the end, we found a garden of glowing plants that made my heart sing. I wanted to identify thembut my Guide wasnt working. There was no highlighting, so simply touching one could kill me. I put aside my impulses and studied the garden. It was well organized, lit by an artificial glowstone acting as a sun, and crawled with an inch of creeping soul fog that drifted along the ground. In the center was a statue of a tiny plant and another crystal ball. The final trial I thought. I took off my backpack and checked on Kyro. He was still breathing, but it came out in spurts, and his skin was deathly pale. Kyro were here, I said. I need you to tell me what plantll save you. He didnt even groan. I shook him. No change. I slapped his little cheeks. No stirring. I looked around and felt waves of anxiety. I didnt know what any of the plants were or what they did or how they would save me. I searched the entire space and found that there was no exit or placards with information on the specific plants or how to make resources from them. There was only one set of instructionsthe one in front of the statue. A tiny Omoxilian the size of a small dog perched on a podium made of vines that stretched down the mount until they touched and penetrated the grass below it. And the script. It was terrible. It had over five hundred charactersand 90% of them werent soul runes. Jesus I thought as I paced back and forth. I had less than five days and a multi-day trip to the Bramble. Even if we could shave a day off our return trip with Klines teleportation, I had a dayand it took a day to do the last task that almost killed me. What would happen this time? I didnt know and didnt want to, but the problem was that there wasnt a choice. Kyro was dying, and I had no idea how to save him. My only option was to go for it. Kline, I said as I pulled out a second water bowl and filled it with our dwindling Diktyo water. I need you to watch over Kyro. If Im not deep into something, I want you to wake me up. Kay? Unless he says not to. Do you understand? Kline meowed. Good man. I retrieved the last food container we had and opened it. Eat up. There might be another attack. Kay? He nodded and ate as I hesitantly ate a piece of steak, hydrated and sat in front of the statue and let the runes take me to a galaxy far from the crypt where soul runes reigned supreme. Thats what I expected, but it was different. The abyss was a formless abyss but teeming with white plants that shifted in the blackness like snakes, twisting and vining and growing all around me. They moved on their own, coiling around each other, building walls, and then collapsing, spreading ground cover on invisible planes below me. Around them were the soul runes. The second I looked at one, it stabbed my mind and sent me spiraling into a disjointed state of consciousness. The trial was apparent from the second I saw it. 2. The script was an enchantment that provided motion to a creature. It was the embedded equivalent of the arrays that I worked with outsidewhich was the clue. I needed to translate those arrays of connected runes into a spell made of concepts and bless the small monster to bring it to life. The second passage of runes contained the enchantment, which triggered the same part of my brain as a chant, but they were more complex. One rune had the equivalent of ten or more words, effectively capturing concepts. I was relieved by those aspects. I already had experience with enchantments from creating the Ilyndra Elixir and also with sigils, which were a different form of enchantment. I had worked with soul runes, and chants meant for demigods. Compared to an average individual, I was well suited for the task. But. What does this even mean? I pondered as I looked at a large section that didnt stab my brain. It didnt even activate. I melded back into the real world and called out to Lithco and realized he wasnt there to help me read runes or practice enchantments or anything. So I just sat down cross-legged and pondered the situation to no avail. So far, I have a spell that injects souls into objects and another that allows the objects to move with magic plants are ideal because theyre flexible. A rock cant walk or at least coil. Its inflexible. But thats not even relevant here. I thrust my chin into my hands. Soul enters the object, the object movesthe object attacks A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. I shot up and looked at the beast. Theres nothing preventing it from attacking me, I whispered aloud. I got an angry soul in a moving body, and its just gonna move around, right? So I gotta control it. I sat down and studied the runes, focusing on the section I was missing and sure enough, needles pricked my brain, and I got lost in a trance. I sat for an hour and then two and soon I had lost all sense of time and disappeared into a void where I learned how to speak with souls. It wasnt like speaking to humans. It was reminiscent of the first time I spoke to Yakana; it came from deep in the subconscious, in an area that the Oracle couldnt reach. And when I was there, I heard words but the words were actually stories, like when Yakana morphed into different animals to describe what he was. Only this was eerier. Speaking to a soul was to take on its emotions and remnant memories, which were sometimes calm and cognitive and other times furious and angry. And the worst part was that, like Aiden, I needed to convince these souls to follow my will, and to do that, I needed to make an agreement with them. Soul pact I thought upon opening my eyes. I was surrounded by the same ambiguous lighting, but Klines water bowl was empty, and the food dish only contained one piece of steak. Kline knew how to ration, which concerned me. I turned and found him sleeping beside Kyro, who was breathing heavilysweating buckets. Hold in there, I whispered as I put a finger on his forehead to check the heat. He was burning up. I stood and walked over to the crystal ball, but as I touched it, I felt a deep unease and decided to hold back and think things through for a moment longerif only to delay the inevitable. 3. Brindle had returned to pruning his garden when he got a telepathic link from Elana. He wanted to disregard her, as he did with everyone, but she was now tied to his pupil, so he reluctantly acknowledged her presence. Elana, he said without greeting, clipping a pink scallow bloom. It was a shame to clip, but it took too much energy for the other plants to survive. Brindle, Elana said dryly. Whats the third trial? For what? What do you mean, For what? Dont you dare tell me that youre not watching the crypt? Hmmm Brindle didnt like that Elana could watch where she went. It made him increasingly grateful he had the foresight to set up Oracle suppression systems throughout the forest. Answer me, Brindle. He stared at the blooms and considered her demand, wondering if he should prune her, too. He would get penalized by the Oracle for accepting her blessed subclass and then killing herbut he didnt need the Oracle. He didnt have the Guide when he was in Areswood. He accepted it because he needed a way to watch the forest and write his books to discourage people from entering the forest. As for his Mira, the Oracle wouldnt cut off his patronage if he killed Elana. The Oracle had begged him to spill forest secrets for countless millennia, and it wouldnt stop now. It also wouldnt penalize its star neophyte. Killing Elana was an optionand he thought about it often. He clipped a bloom and said: Its a golem enchantment. Elana paused. So its necromancy? Its incorrectly referred to by that name at times, yes, Brindle said. Mira needed to take a living soul and put it into an animated bodybut it wasnt as they made it seem. Souls were obliterated upon death, so only those with strong enough attachments could reattach in a soul stream unless a soulmancer seized someones neara framework before their body was destroyed. Did you teach her about soul pacts? No. Why the hell not? she screamed. Brindle stopped pruning, and the roots underneath his cloak tightened. I lack the patience for this questioning, he said. I have chosen to mentor Mira. Thats all. I do not seek to pass on my legacy or establish a business with her. Thats where we differ. So refrain from your sentimentalities when you address me, or I will not address you. Elana seethed. Fine. I will respect that, but Will you at least fulfill her reward? Brindle fell silent. The deadlines approaching, Brindle. You need to commit. Brindle turned to his sprawling garden, a multi-colored galaxy of flowers and herbs and trees of all colors, shapes, and sizes. Then he looked to the sky and waved his hand. The ethereal form of Salan, the Soul Guardian of the god Real he killed, appeared before him. She stood a hundred feet tall, chains on her hands and wings on her back, blindfolded like an arbiter of justice in her transparent white armor. She once had a personalitybut now had none. Just the potential for consciousness. A rebirth born from the person she attached to. He clenched his hand, and the woman dissolved into steam, losing soul force as she became smaller and smaller until she was as tall as he was, containing only the aura of a second evolution creature despite her neara being pure beyond anything mortals could fathom. Real used Saslan incorrectly her whole life. True guardians were meant for psychomancy, and if Mira got one she would gain immense power to protect the forestor destroy it. It was a powerful ally he was partial to providing herbut. Giving it to Mira would force him to interject himself in a Multiuniversal request. And then it would give the Multiversal Council the legal basis to send a god-level resource into the forest and send independent guards to ensure that the people Brindle sent to deliver it didnt use it for nepharis means. It would inject a legal pretext for sparking another conquer attempt. It would also put her face to face with a minor conquer attempt when Mira was barely able to survive. Brindle, Elana said. If you dont provide itsomeone else will. And I cant find one. They could pick anyone and send anyone to deliver it. Assuming they can find one. They will find one. Brindle spun his hand, and the ghostly angel and all the spare aura were drawn into his body into a vortex. If she survives this test without shattering her soul He paused. Ill consider it. Brindle cut the connection before Elana could speak and returned to his pruning. The Oracle was making a play for the forest, and providing Mira her reward both aided and harmed her. It would all depend on how she did during the trial. The trial Brindles thoughts drifted back to his pupil. If I had warned her it wouldnt be a trial. But should I have done it anyway? Brindle wasnt used to second-guessing himself. It made him feel uncomfortable. He clipped another scallow bloom and disappeared into his forest to clear his mind. 4. I took a deep breath and activated the crystal ball in front of the statue. Unlike the others, it didnt pull souls into one area. Instead, it summoned a soul from withinone vibrant purple with nearathat forcefully invaded my mind without warning. A searing pain cut through my stomach and back and brain, and I felt blood and pain and stabbing all over me. Roars of a creature blasted in my ear, and the ground shook as my body lifted and smashed into the ground viciously as creatures ripped me apart. Help! I screamed, trying to look through the silhouettes of bony bears ripping me to shreds. I was living the souls death. I was certain of it, but I couldnt handle it. It was too much, too violent, too traumatic for me to handle. Please Please will not save you from those who seek your death. The sounds and sensations of ripping beasts suddenly disappeared, leaving me suspended in the darkness with the sound of a hollow male voice. And in the darkness above me, two glassy orange eyes opened and stared into my soul. B2 | Chapter 72 - Offer to Kill Fear flowed through my veins like adrenaline, and my mind haywired as I looked at the beasts eyes. There was no face, only darkness and that glassy look that judged all. Please will not save you from those who seek your death, it said. So spare your voice. I fought to break free from the soul, but it strangled my mind and kept my body frozen on the crystal ball. Its pressure was tyrannical, and its grip on my mind was absolute. What do you want? Youre the one who summoned me. No I mean. Im here to I paused and realized that giving it a body might be the thing that it wanted. If I told it that I was there to give it a body, it would ask for more. I also didnt know what I needed from the soul. It was unknown. Youre here to what? Im here with an opportunity. I have the ability to give you a new body and will give it to you if you give me this crypts rewards. Rewards? What rewards? I bit my lip. Resources. Magic. Knowledge. I want the things that are valuable here. Youre a greedy one, arent you? Im offering you a new body. I hardly think the crypt rewards are too much to bear. Hmmm. While I appreciate your enthusiasm, I think youve failed to understand the nature of your situation. Have you searched the soul pathways in this chamber? I smiled wryly. You havent? Really? Well, take a look, and well talk. The abyss suddenly gave way to the light of the room, and my hand separated from the ball. I shivered and activated Wood Wide Web and found another chamber on the side of a stone wall. It had a door and was filled with more aura and neara than I could imagine. If there was a cure for Kyros damaged callasp, it would be there. But. The rooms were connected by a complex network of soul roots that glowed white and purple as they webbed around the room like bomb wires. My organs folded like slow-poured pancake batter just looking at it. I activated the crystal ball again, and the room turned black, and the eyes appeared in the darkness, opening right above me. I can see it. And what did you see? A room. Its surrounded by roots. I think theyll collapse the room if I try to break in there. I believe that you can help me. Youre surprisingly astute. Thank you Now then I need to get into that room and escape. Id like you to help me with those things without attacking and to talk down the Omoxilain if needed. In exchange, I will give you a body. Suddenly, a massive row of jagged teeth appeared in the darkness, a wide grin, so wide that it would take a Chelsea grin of ripped lips to get it so wide, and it said, Its rather bold for you to assume I want a body. I frowned. And its brazen to ask so much of me when youre the one in danger. Look up. The Omoxilain isnt your friendits your jailer. And your only exit is in a room that will collapse if you enter it. My aid is the only thing standing between you and certain death. I felt icy chills crawl down my limbs, threatening to condense to water and drip from my fingertips. I wanted to fold my arms, but my hand was glued to the ball, and it wouldnt let go. Thankfully for you, I also want to be freed of this place, and if you give me what I need to do that, I will bring you to the room and then take you to the surface. And what do you need? Power. You may be able to give me a body, but not the power necessary for me to escape and live. So I propose to you this: give me half your soul force, and I will aid you in the way Ive explained. Do that, and you will survive. Deny meand you will die here. I felt lightheaded and gripped my forehead with my free hand. Answer me. Give me your consent and it will be done. I tried to think but I found it difficult under the souls increasing pressure. Aura or neara? I asked weakly. What? Aura or neara? Do you want half of my aura or neara? Both. I raised my eyes and then laughed sharply, almost a hiccup, and then said, Then go fuck yourself. Im not going to turn myself into a mindless vegetable for you to survive. Ill take my chances with the Omoxiliain and hope these plantsll save my friend. Enjoy your next hundred thousand years of solitude. Its grin disappeared as I tried to pry my hand from the ball, but it wouldnt break loose. Let go of me. How interesting. You would really rather die? Then trust a creature whose idea of keeping their word is dragging my brain dead body out of this place and throwing me to the wolves? Yeah. I wont even do alchemy for you, you freak. I already got what I needed from this place. I wasnt bluffing. I had learned soulmancy and got a lot of rare plants I could potentially use to save Kyro. The true reward was surviving Thorvel. Interesting indeed. Well, I will release you now. Come back when youre ready to negotiate. Thats not happening. Well see. Youll starve a millennia before the next time I wake up. The eyes disappeared, and the world materialized around me. I released my hand and sat down and brooded, accepting Kline on my lap and petting him like a villain until he scurried off. I need to get to the surface, I thought. Still, I didnt know if I could. The Omoxilian was a creature made of wild souls. If I went up there, it would likely eat me. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Wait I suddenly had an epiphany. I got a skill for soul pacts with plants. I cant use it, but It did exist. I wondered if I could use the soul pact skill I just learned on plants. I turned to a flower that looked like a ghostly white dahlia in the garden, spreading its petals in all directions like a delicate pinecone that tried to make a perfect sphere but couldnt quite make it. It was white on the outside, but it was vibrant purple with neara channels under my channel visualization technique. If I could speak to a plant, it would be this one. Lets start there. I sat in front of it and visualized the soul runes on the placard. It immediately worked, sucking my body out of the world and into an alternate space that had form but was formless in a way that only dreams could emulate. I was on a grassy hilltop with a field of flowers spreading out for miles below me. The flowers were ghostly, releasing wisps of mana and dissipating and creating illusions in the sky. It was beautiful. Suddenly, I felt sleepy, and a tree grew from behind me, blocking the sun from my eyes as a light breeze soothed my skin. It felt perfect. Kyro would be fine, I thought. He would finally be released from his millennia of torment and suffering if I just let him go here. There were plants that would facilitate the Great Assimilation, and within days, all his regrets and attachments would drift away. Just like what was happening to me. Do you like this place? a voice suddenly called out in my head. Yes Then, you can stay here if you like. I would love that I said. But I paused and smiled and then giggled and turned to my side and said: Its funny. Life sucks. Its hard and violent and rough, and youre filled with so much pain and doubt. And compared to that God, this feels nice. I could just stay here forever. But Lifes also kinda cool. I sat up and looked over a vast meadow that led to mountains with tall peaks wreathed by clouds. And thats what youre offering, right? I said with a mellow smile. To strip my soul from its lingering memories and emotions Im not sure what youre called, but you''re in the next stage, right? After cleansing? Yes. Figured. I love that and see why creatures want it, but I cant. Not now. I just needed your help. But I think I figured it out Thank you. I groaned and closed my eyes, and complained as if I were warm in my bed, but I needed to get up. But like all days that I needed to wake up for something important, I forced myself out of the trance, breaking free from my dreams, and entered the room. Despite the annoyance, I still felt pure and relaxed and ready to face life and save my friend. I returned to the trials ball under Klines watchful gaze and put my hand on it. Within seconds I was back in the darkness with two eyes glowing in the distance. So soon? it laughed. Yes and no Im not giving you my soul, but I think I can help release you into the Great Assimilation. You want to kill me? Its eyes widened, and it stood, eyes raising as it walked toward me. Thats your solution. If I help you, youll kill me? No Ill see you free. I could be wrong, but beings end here when theyre too angry or remorseful to drift away. And after a hundred thousand years arent you tired? The anger in the beings eyes lowered, but I kept silent instead of pushing it. I already said what I needed to say. Instead, it spoke first. What do you know? I just experienced it. One of these plants took away my negative emotions and it was really nice. I wanted to stay forever but Im not ready to die. But Im 23. Im young. I still want to suffer a bit, but do you? I paused and then laughed and said, Its strange Challengers have stressed my soul or threatened to crack this ball or tried to force it, but theres only been one other who has offered to kill meand they didnt have emotions. How strange So? Are you ready? It developed rows of large razor teeth and said: No. Im here out of dutynot debt. I sleep peacefully when challengers arent here. Oh But I will pass you. Give me a body and return me, and I will aid you in getting to the next room. I will bring neither you nor your companions harm. Is that a worthy trade? I can make you elixirs or something. No All I want now is to complete my mission and sleep. Oh Well, thank you. I agree to your pact. In the darkness, a thread of gold and purple aura reached out to me, and my core created one of its own. They intertwined, wrapping and knotting before mine returned to my chest. Now enchant my body. Just know that if you cant fulfill your promiseyou will die. And you didnt think to tell me this? Would it have mattered? No The spell dissolved, and I returned to the room and stared at the small Omoxilian for about four minutes before sitting and studying the runes again. Once I felt confident in the enchantment, I stood and put my hands on the creature and chanted for about fifteen minutes until I finished. The creature moved, but it went ballistic, shooting out tendrils everywhere. I thought I was dead, but the arrays on the podium lit up, and it stopped moving. Its reset I swallowed and sat and studied the runes and tried againand again. And again. I tried for hours and then probably a full day, using Mental Shielding training in place of sleep, hungry from running out of rations. I didnt know how much time had passed or whether the harvest had started, but I pressed on. After the twentieth attempt, I finally managed to activate the Omoxilian. The tendrils twisted toward me but stopped on the ball. No arrays lit up. Okay I put my hand on the ball and saw the beast in the darkness. Its ready. Well enough. Wait. It turned its eyes to me. What? Whats your name? It smiled. Khor. The darkness disappeared, and the magic ball lit up, and the Omoxilian shimmered with golden light. Then I started to move, slithering off the podium and forcing Kline to his feet, hissing at it. Its okay I said. I walked over to Kyro and picked him up, thankful he was alive. Just hold in there He wheezed in response. It was good enough. I looked up, expecting Khor to be doing something strange to the wall, but he didnt. He first went around the room, picking flowers and herbs and loading them up before moving to a peculiar wall and penetrating it with one of his roots. I activated my channel visualization spell and saw that the network of soul roots around the room dried up, and a hole developed in the room on a side wall. Khor slithered inside, and I followed him. It led to a dark, dank passage that was surprisingly long, but after about two minutes of weaving, I found myself in the most beautiful room I had ever seen. It was like Serenflora if it was fused with the garden that Brindle led me to. It had a pond the size of a hot spring with glassy blue water with blue glow stones on the ceiling that twinkled like stars. All around it were plants and herbs, and at the end, there was a final podium. Khor led me to it. I sat down in front of it with Kyro on my lap, studying the runes. It transported me back to the endless void, but this time, information stabbed me from all angles. It was a mixture of everything I had done: establishing my core, cleansing the river, and separating aura and neara. Most importantly, it was the exact opposite of the mana core evolution spell. Instead of expanding my soul coreit tightened it again, refining it, making it stronger. Its an evolution spell I thought. I wanted to study it for hours, but time was running short. I opened my eyes. Okay, lets figure out how to heal I looked down for Kyro and found him missing. Kyro! I whirled around, searching for himand found him instantly. Khor had wrapped his tendrils around the tiny fairy and was dipping him into the water like a tea bag. It was a messy scene with the clear blue water that had a layer of plants that Khor had picked in the last room, all floating on the surface like lily pads and algae. Kline was watching the scene with the most nervous expression I had ever seen. He was terrified. Kyro Without thinking, I jumped into the water, hoping to hold him and find him okay. B2 | Chapter 73 - Soul Core Evolution I splashed in the water and felt my soul sever from my body, separating like fragments as if it had been cut into twenty pieces, but adrenaline and fear and desperation made me run faster regardless. All I cared about at that point was Kyro. Im not sure why. I barely knew the guy for a couple of weeks at most, and he was shit-faced the entire time, ranting about this and that, making my life hell during training. But I reached Kyro, and instead of Khor pulling the tiny fairy away from me as I expected, he dropped him into my hands. I pushed through the body dysesthesia and held him up, then collapsed into a shallow section of the spring, examining him. He wasnt breathing, and I was so scared, so fucking scared. Because Kyro was genuine. That obviously wasnt all. He was in pain because he sacrificed his body to save me. And he had defended me before coming on this suicide quest. And I didnt know. There was more to it. Kyro was good to me. And he was annoying and brusque at times, but he treated me well. He was a friend. I hugged him against my breast and fell back into the water, holding him tight and praying for him to wake up. Kline walked up to the water hesitantly, and despite absolutely abhorring the water, he stepped into it, letting his body increase in size as he walked so he wouldnt have to swim as he came over to us. He approached and nudged Kyro with his nose. He still wasnt breathing, but His cheeks His cheeks were still flushed red despite not breathing. I activated my soul channel visualization technique and saw something strange. His soul core was churning and getting larger. Kyro I said with tears in my eyes. Wake up I put my fingers on his chest and back and squeezed him like a condiment bottle in double pumps, feeling silly and almost like I was humiliating him as I sank into the water. I barely noticed that my body had returned to normal. It was chilly in the water, so chilly, but I didnt care. I just kept pumping his body. Kyro I dont want you to die. Not cause I need you. I won. I succeeded. Were here. But it feels hollow without you. So please come back and well drink and get drunk and God. You finally did it, you know? You paid back Brindle. And youre free. So dont fucking die Kline rubbed his face against Kyro in a way that only cats can do, and then we waited and waited and waited until I thought it was over but then something amazing happened. The strange soul patterns on his hands disappeared, and new neara in the water entered his veins in streams, cleansing his body and going into his core. The expansion of the soul core turned out to be a bad thing because it started contracting, getting smaller and smaller until it was the size of a small marble in his chest. Then it grew brighter and brighter, and his chest finally pushed back against my hands. Suddenly, Kyro flushed with vitality and his heart beat against my fingers. He took a deep, strained breath that sounded terrible but was far better than nothing. Kyro! I screamed, and the disoriented fairy looked at me like I was a giant preparing to eat him and said Who the hell are you? My stomach sank. Mira. Dont tell me Ugh amnesia never truly comes back. I hate wait Mira Oh no The problem child ugh. I thought I had escaped my torment. Hey! I cried, squeezing him. Hey! You hey! Dont prove that my hey was warranted, you idiot! I realized how hard I was squeezing him and let go, screaming, Sorry! Hey! Kyro splashed in the water and sank for a moment before floating to the surface on his back. Dont drop me Yakana whyd you choose this brat? Hey! I cried. I saved you, Ill have you know! Ugh now I owe her a debt. You certainly do not! He cracked his eyes and looked at me. Huh? You saved me, idiot. And you helped me get here. So just enjoy your debt-free existence. But if you want to thank me get over here. I grabbed him and pulled him against my chest like a stuffed animal. Is this necessary? he groaned. I was so scared I whispered. I swear to Yakana, if you cry Just shut up, okay. I held him tighter. It was a rough road to get to where I was, and I just wanted to celebrate my victory. We survived certain death time and time again to the point that it felt like it was the most normal thing in the world, and I just wanted to revel in the fact that my friend was alive. Even if he hated me or complained, I was going to call him my friend and enjoy the moment. Kyro sighed and let his body fall limp, and let me seatbelt him for about twenty minutes before he actually relaxed and fell asleep. Kline saw he was okay and left the water, shaking off his fur and grooming himself before walking to the stone tablet and studying it for the next hour. It was only once my little warrior returned that I released Kyro, who I realized was sleeping. He coughed, so I grabbed him again, and he said: Gods. Just evolve already. Were running out of time. I paused and thought about it and cringed. I could be out for an entire day when I evolved, and I didnt know how long it would take for this one. Kyro sensed my hesitation and pulled out his tiny flask, which I had kindly put into his coat pocket, and said, Listen, Mira. If Thorvel tries to harm you, Ill sic the Drokai on his ass. I may be crippled, but Nethralisll remind the bastard that hes still a kitten. He took a drink and groaned and shivered and kissed his flask. Ill also fight for you so fuck em. Just evolve. Ill take care of the rest. I took a deep breath and squeezed him tight. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Okay I closed my eyes, but before I started, he said, Wait, and I froze. What? I asked. That Teelia elixir Kyro said. Itd usually make a first evolutions core explode, but youre pretty much drowning in miracle juice right now. In fact, you should probably just dump half the soul cores you have into this spring. These plants arent just raretheyre impossible to preserve without a bunch of raging souls feeding them. Thats why the creator built this place here. Its special, so you might as well use it. I pulled out my cores from my sopping backpack and grabbed a handful. They stung my hand and sizzled like they did with Kline, and I dropped a few. I reached after them, and my burning hand instantly healed. See? Kyro said. Yeah I dumped half the cores into the water, each boiling the water and turning it to fog as if I had poured water on sauna coals. Then I swallowed nervously and pulled out the light blue Teelia elixir and studied it. Itll be fine, Kyro said sleepily, yawning widely and swimming to my shoulder, where he grabbed some of my hair to keep him anchored while he slept. I wasnt sure if it was cute or offensive, so I split the difference and ignored it. I turned to Kline. Ill wait for him. I closed my eyes and started churning soul force, cleansing it and wrapping it using the techniques I was given. Then I heard Kline splash into the water and turned to him. You ready? I asked as I cracked the lid on the elixir. Kline meowed. I cupped my hand and filled it with the blue liquid, allowing Kline to lap a bit down before he choked and sunk into the water. He looked fine, so I looked at the intimidating mason jar of elixir and shut my eyes and chugged it down. The effect was immediate and surreal. Ice water spread through my chest and into my limbs, leaving me with intense chills. Then my heart chugged like a piston as my soul core spun out of control. I coughed and dropped the last fifth of the liquid into the water. Churn, you idiot! Kyro suddenly yelled in my ear. I thought I wouldve noticed, but I realized that I couldnt see. The world was black and then I suddenly felt water crash all around me as my soul core burned out of control. Churn! I silently screamed, spinning my core like a food processor, blending everything around me. Then I activated the cleansing spell, the beginner one that whipped everything together like mixing scrambled eggs, and threw it into overdrive. Suddenly, a force pulled on my back, and I rocketed out of the water. I opened my eyes hesitantly and saw a plant tendril wrapped around me. I turned and saw Khor in his tiny Omoxilain form. He had picked me up and casually put me back into place. Pay attention, you idiot! Kyro said, putting his tiny hands on my back. I swayed. What are you A sudden force hit my back like a fastball, and my soul separated from my body. From that astral projection form, I could visualize my mana and saw Kyro forcefully spinning it faster. I said it was miracle water, not a solution, Kyro said. Idiot. Im spinning it as fast as you need to go to live, so keep up! I prepared myself, and when Kyro took his hands off me, my soul snapped back into my bodyand I almost had a heart attack. My core was moving so fast that it felt like I fell off a moving car and had to continue running sixty miles an hour. This is my fault, Kyro said, collapsing on the ground. He didnt black out, he just groaned and drank and said, Sorry. But, I mean you got this. How long do I have to keep this up? I cried. I dont know. Ummm twelve hours? A day? I dont know. How! I screamed. By evolving, you idiot. Your current core cant handle itbut your new core can. So just start youll see. I trembled and clenched my fists and clamped my eyes shut. Then I took a deep breath and recalled the runesand began. That made things worse. So much worse. My core burst like a breaking dam in the first part of the spell, allowing all the water and herbs into my core. Hallucinations flashed through my brain in fragments, and I felt like I was living hundreds of lives where I was running from some crazed beasts that required me to keep in motion then came the aura. It felt like blades, and I awoke, focusing on threading to keep myself sane. Thats it, Kyro said as he swam forward. He plucked a pink flower out of the water and crushed it up and used essence extraction. Let it all in. He put the crushed petals in his hand and blew at me. As soon as I inhaled the essence, my whole body went numb, and my spinning core was a simple fact, something I took for granted, like driving in a moving car, and I disappeared into the evolution spell. Thats how the first five minutes of my evolution played out. 2. Aiden sighed as he lay under a tree on a mountaintop, watching Halten fly. According to his friend, this was likely the last time he would fly freely. You better get go~ing, Elle said from above him. The colorful fairy was kicking her legs on a branch, watching Halten as well. Three days is optimal. More than this n youre gonna make all the richies angry with the auction. Aiden sighed again. Aw, cheer up grumpy gus! Elle fluttered down from the tree and sat on his stomach cross-legged. Haltys only a goner if you let em. Hes not coming back. Yeah, yeah. Im never going to do that again! says every person with a hangover ever. You emotion-dwellers are all the same. Is Thorvel gonna say that? That depends! Aiden sat up, and Elle flew back. On what? If Miras alive and she manages to bridge the forest. If? Elle clicked her tongue three times, wagging her finger. Dont you start asking questions now, ya hear? My little sparkly self cant tell you nothing. She used a strange Southern accent and then giggled. Of course not He looked north, trying to imagine the place that Mira had gone and whether she could survive it. But if she is? May~be. You wont know if you dont get your butt up and do the work. Aiden pushed himself up and whistled. Halten did a final circle and flew down to the mountain, perching on it. You ready? Aiden asked. Halten chuckled lightly and looked away. As ready as I can be. Okay. Lets go. Aiden loaded up and flew to the Bramble, where Thorvel and the wyverns intercepted them. Aiden expected an altercation, but they just moved aside with hostile expressions, shaming Halten as he flew over the Bramble without resistance. Its not fighting back, Aiden said. It doesnt attack its own, Halten said. And today, were guests. Arent you worried peoplell see this as an opportunity? No. Because it doesnt matter. Guests can leavebut they can never return. You witnessed that firsthand. Aiden remembered the trauma of entering the forest and nodded. Now hold on. Im stronger, but the curse is still absolute. Aiden held the reins as Halten flew high toward the gate, piercing the heavens before leveling off. And what he saw on the other side sent waves of horror shivering through him. All the greenery in the Third Ring had been blotted out with tents and moving people, milling about, speaking over campfires that billowed black smoke in the air. It had grownspreading for miles. There werent a few thousand people here. There were maybe a hundred thousand people catering to the Harvesters. It made him realize that neither he nor Mira could understand the true scope of that year''s Black Harvest. It would get messy. That was a certainty. B2 | Chapter 74 - Fuck Around and Find Out Aiden watched as blue, geometric lines flared to life on Haltens body, locking his soul force and magic once more. It permanently drained all the excess aura and neara Halten had accumulated by eating third evolution meat, retaining only the maximum amount possible for the ring. It was bleak. Still, his suppressed core was chiseled out of stone, allowing him to control his body without crashing, moving down to the landing pad. It seemed like a smooth victoryuntil archers and soldiers and adventurers of all species and descriptions arrived with drawn bows and heavy chains. It was not the welcome he had imagined. Aiden screamed at the soldiers as he dismounted and then screamed at them some more when he and Halten were shackled in chains and hauled away. He then complained and threatened and swore when soldiers locked him to a chair and confiscated all the soul cores he had and interrogated him for eight hours. Youre going to die, Aiden said as the guards walked away. And Im strangely okay with that. Unless youre gonna tell us why the Bramble didnt attack you, I dont want to hear a word from you. The commander inside the tent Aiden was in passed a letter he was reading to a soldier to look over. And dont you dare threaten us again. The Claustra arent here because they cant be. The Defense Alliances backed by the Dante, so they wont intervene. Tempt usand we will kill you. Aiden laughed and shook his head and repeated himself. Youre so fucked. The commander motioned to a soldier who walked over to Aiden and knelt beside him. You think thiss funny? Hmmm? The soldier threw a right hook and smashed him in the jawbut Aiden didnt feel it. He just hit the ground and laughed because his aura had turned him into an unbreakable rock. The soldier didnt find it funny. He whipped his hand around, holding his broken knuckles. Son of a bitch! Aiden laughed harder, which no one appreciated. Another unsheathed his sword and said, Stop laughing. The blade lit up with arrays, and Aiden suddenly fell silent, heart pounding. Thats what I thought, the soldier said. Suddenly, people started yelling orders, and Brexton and the Claustra family strode into the tent. Youre not allowed in here, the commander said. The ADA has authority here. Brexton looked at the man who was gripping his hand and the soldier with the glowing blade. It seems your blades ready. He turned to the man with the broken knuckles. Kill this man. Wait, what? Didnt you just hear me? the commander asked. This operations headed by Astermead. If the Claustra dont stand down, well summon the Dante. I summoned the Dantethats why it took all day to get here, Brexton said. But now that I amyoure dead. The commanders body flexed. I want to speak to my general. Your generals dead, Brexton said. Shes dead. Youre dead. Youre all dead. You know why? Because your people stole this. He lifted up the sunrise core, and the commanders face drained of color. And thats a violation of the alliancebecause hes He pointed to Aiden, a Claustra. Thats why the Dante and the Melhan and the Astermead Council just signed off on your entire battalions execution. Hey now. Slow down. The commander lifted his hands. No one stole anything. We just ridded him of his possessions and tied em down because theres serious questions about his loyalty, and hes refused to talk. Brexton looked at Aiden, who was on the floor, hands tied behind his back, mere moments before getting sliced by a guard. Then he looked at the man with the sword and back again. You think they deserve mercy? he asked. Aiden smiled viciously, thinking about the way the soldiers abused Halten. That was worse, in his mind, than what they did to himand he was damn pissed about that, too. Thats why he looked up and said: Can you kill them somewhere else? 2. Brexton sat at his desk, examining the sunrise core with a fascinated smile. Youve changed quite a bit. He looked at Aiden. Its not just the core but gods, youre buff now. Whatd she feed you out there? Aiden felt aura wrap around his heart, threatening him with the soul pact he had made with Brexton. It was nerve-wrackingbut he had prepared for this. A lot of meat. Second evolutions? Brexton mused. Yes. Any thirds? Aiden shook his head. No. That was true. Mira fed third evolution meat to Kline and the lurvines, but she didnt eat any, let alone feed some to Aiden. Brexton frowned. Did she kill any? Surprisingly enough, I cant tell you anything about her combat. Cants a presumptuous word. Brexton rolled the peak third-evolution core around his knuckles, placed it on the desk, and slid it across the wood to Aiden. Then he reached under the desk and pulled out bottles of liquor, and poured them drinks. The word youre looking for is wont. Its not part of your deal, but you can. I can also lie to you, Aiden said, sniffing the green drink and examining it. Im also never going to drink anything you give me again, even if its just Amorok. Hoh? You know your stuff. I have a book on poisons. Lets just say you inspired me. Brexton smiled. Its funny, Aiden continued. I used an information request to ensure I didnt spill unnecessary secrets to you. And you know what it said? Brextons smile widened. Whatd it say? That I should just remind you that Mira swore me into secrecy on certain things, so pretty much everything I tell you can be a lie. It made sense. He had to tell him certain things about Mira, and he didnt know which things he needed to tell the truth about. So, as long as he was answering questions, everything was suspect. Despite that, Brextons smile didnt fade. My, my. That is a good point. But He looked up. The best options usually to exploit that opportunity to seed falsehoods. But theres a few things wrong with that. And you know them, right? The part where Ill kill you if you lie to me? Brexton smirked. The part where youre not good enough at lying to make a meaningful ploy. So keeping silents your best option. Until I slip in the wrong thing. Okay. Brexton cheered the air with his drink, clanked the bottom against the desk, and then took a drink. Whatever helps you sleep. Now then. Lets talk about the things that she did tell you. 3. Brexton sat in his office after the meeting with a manic grin. His investment in Aiden was turning out to be a gold mine. He opened his Guide and went to the legacy tab, opening the lecture requests. He had a meeting with Romulan. I guess its about time. He took a large drink, swirled the ice in the glass, and then hid the glass under the table as the time ticked down. By the time Romulan arrived in his suit and domineering look, Brexton looked like a businessman. Patriarch. Brexton got up and shook the invisible mans hand before kneeling. Its a pleasure. Romulan nodded. Would you like a drink? His patron nodded, and Brexton opened a cabinet and pulled out imported liquor from the Fifth Domain and poured a drink for Romulan, who copied it and sat down. Time runs short before the Harvest, Romulan said. So lets begin. Brexton mixed himself a drink. Mira requested that Aiden keep her battle secrets under lock, he said. Same with the light. Romulans eyes narrowed. He wasnt happy Brexton made a deal where Aiden could withhold informationand that Brexton didnt tease it out. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. That said, Brexton said, he was an open book about everything else, including the fact that she had six mostly teal cores, and she threaded them. Romulans stern gaze disappeared. What evolution is she at? Brexton grinned. I dont think she was evolved. Aiden said she was splashin around the river just fine. Interesting And thats not all. Brexton laced his fingers. Her cats alive. Really? Romulan finally took a drink. Her pet? Yes. Brexton gratefully drank one himself. How does he fight? I dont know. Theyre either really close or have a guardian pact because Aiden didnt need to talk about his battle capacity. But we know hes evolved he has an ethereal form that can chew through second-evolution hides with ease. He also avoided the river. Romulan contemplated his words and then looked at his watch and clicked his tongue. Whats critical? he asked. Brexton grinned. Three things. Miras staying in the forest, she knows about Aidens information pact, and she still invited him to stay. Shes lonely. And I think we can exploit that. Romulan nodded and stood. Work on it. One last thing. Brexton pulled out the sunrise core. Aiden tried to buy Haltens freedom with this. Romulan glowered at him. You refused, he said with the inflection of an order. Of course I did. I told him that he was out of his mind if he thought wed release a third evolution monster into the Bramble right before the Harvest. His patron didnt relax. Then what are you telling me for? Because the Claustra are duty bound to auction itand he wants to do it tomorrow. Romulan scoffed. Tomorrow? He wants to do it tomorrow? Refuse him. Brexton took a deep breath, smile hesitant. I cannot. Why not? Because Mira Hill has left a message for the Harvestersand everyone needs to hear it. 4. Aiden entered a private car on the train to Astermead, the largest city in the First Domain. Mira had trusted him with a strategy for avoiding war, and while he threw the idea to Elle and she said, Well, it co~uld be good, but unless shes a ruthless monster under that pretty little skin, Im going to go with prob~a~bly not, he still promised Mira he would. So he was going to do it, no matter how nerve-wracking and terrifying it would become. 5. Evolving my soul core was vastly more difficult than evolving my mana core. The mana core just required me to expand my corethis spell required me to reweave the aura wrapped around my core and to rewire my neara network, which just so happened to affect my brain, hormones, and nervous system. I weaved in and out of consciousness, entering trances where I became a Lignan bug and then others where I was the beast they killed. Things would get violent until a root or plant or resource would drift to my core like a life raft, making it disappear and thrusting me right back into the typhoon around me. Water splashed around me from all angles, hitting me with mist as the water trembled and quaked and sent mist everywhere. It was cold. So cold. Yet medicine pumped through me, and I felt relief and moments later, as the sheer speed of my moving core made me queasy, I would get another hint of foreign near and get transported back to another place and time and memory, experiencing emotions and hell until yet another resource healed my soul and my core caught up, blending the neara to bits. It was hell. But I pressed on, letting the hours drift away, praying I would wake up in time for the harvest. 6. Aiden awoke in Astermead, a city that made Theovale look like a backward town in the Ozarks. It was the size of New York City, but it looked magically futuristic, with flying carriages that moved between buildings alongside flying mounts and smooth streets tattooed with arrays that made objects moving on them hover and move faster. The two had breakfast at a restaurant that served soup in large eggshells and went to a tailor to get Aiden fine clothing for the auction. Then, they burned a few hours around the city before meeting up with Everen at a restaurant. Aiden ordered the most expensive items on the menu for spite and listened to Everen complain about how everyone was trying to rip him off despite using the Claustra name. Brexton told him that he was stupid for expecting powerful people to bend down to other powerful people and the conversation went on until the food was done and the waitresses had served coffee. Then they got to business. Whats the credit system, Brexton asked. For the auction? Everens eyes turned cold and distant. Intra-domain credit. One-month payment window. Release upon payment. Brextons eyes widened. You can''t be serious. Im Look, Brexton. Everen leaned in. Peoplere pissed. Okay? You cant just throw an auction of this proportion at the last minute. No ones got the funds. Thisll crash the investment market today, and businesses would grind to a halt. Its not just the families, Brexton. Regulators were threatening to shove a sword up my ass if I did thisespecially since were hosting representatives from every domain. Its a scandal and we cant just do what we want. Intra-domain credit puts the price window too high for the small fry to tank their business. Were taking an us problem and making it a them problem. Itd be one thing if it wasnt a family issue, but its not. We already know whos buying itso whats the harm? Brexton pondered it and said. Youve done some research. I have. You do informationI do business. I may be new but the Oracles given me everything I need to start multiple operations already. So just let me cook. Brexton rubbed his forehead. His hunched posture, deep breaths, and sullen eyes told Aiden that Brexton was going to get chewed out by someone who could grind his bones to dust. Not sure what that means but fine. Just stay out of the rest of it. Whether you like it or not, this auction isnt about you, okay? Not about you or Aiden. Its about politics. Otherwise, you wouldnt have gotten the clearance. Got it? Everen looked between Brexton and Aiden. Whats going to happen? Brexton grinned. Nothing good. Nothing good at all. 7. The conversation between Everen and Brexton painted a vivid image of the hoops it would take to free Halten and obtain his own freedom. Just like in his world, Reemada was all about business and politics, stock markets, magic, and power. Setting up a single auction had multi-domain-wide consequences that forced even someone like Brextonwho had the power to execute commanders who dared to hurt one of his peopleto yield. Things were complicated, so if Aiden wanted a chance at defeating these people, he needed two things: power and resources. And that night, he found himself sitting behind the stage on a chair, hearing how astronomically rich he was becoming. Do I hear ten million? Ten million going once, goingTwenty million. Do I hear twenty one million? Going oncegoing Thirty million. Do I hear The auctioneer worked at record speed, passing through ten, twenty, and fifty million golden hawks as if they were mere informalities. Then that number swelled and swelled until people groaned and bowed out, moving closer and closer to the end until they finally hit three hundred million hawks, and the area fell still. Sold to Hadrian Dante for three hundred million hawks. That concludes this nights Aidens pounding heart drowned out the rest of the night. His mind was going white, and he felt light-headed. Breathe. When was the last time he breathed? He didnt know and suddenly couldnt and Aiden. Brexton touched his arm and passed an unnaturally soothing technique through his body, easing up his mind. Huh? Youre up, Brexton said. Theyre waiting for you. Oh Youre okay. Id offer you some booze but Give it to me. Brexton shrugged and pulled out his flask. Aiden checked to see if it was just alcohol with his book skill and then pounded at least three shots worth before exhaling and shivering and forcing himself up. Easy guy, Brexton said. Just remember. The Claustra may be your enemybut theyre also your guardians, protectors, and friends. Most people hate us. But we follow our word. So dont worry about retribution or getting heckled. Youre just the messenger so make it count. Brexton led him to the side of the stage and gave a signal to the host. And now, what you allve been waiting for, a message from Aiden Roe, the tamer who conquered the Bramble and brought this core back from the pits of hell! Vibrant applause rocked the amphitheater as Aiden hesitantly walked forward. You got this, guy, Brexton said. Aiden shielded his eyes from the burning stage lights, trying to think past the sound of feverish clapping. He was famous, he thought. Actually famous. Come over here, the host said. Aiden followed the directions and walked into a magic circle. It glowed when he stood on it, and it amplified the sounds he made like a microphone. Thank you for coming here, the host said. Why dont you tell us about yourself? Ummm what do you want to hear? Anything. Oh Ummm Aiden felt suffocated under his collar and suit and just wanted to run and hide. But he remembered his promise and pressed on. Hi Ummm My name is Aiden Roe. I conquered the Bramble and had the pleasure of Ummm Spending a week with Mira Hill. The girl in the forest. Excited whispers met his words. The anticipation was palpable. She, ummm Im really bad at this. He chuckled nervously, and the crowd did as well. But Ill try. Mira s moving. No, I mean not alive. I mean shes not in a cave somewhere, hunkering down. Shes walking around that forest like she owns the place, collecting plants and making elixirs from them. A-And Im not talking about the Bramble. I mean north. Really north. Places that take over a week to reach. I watched her ride north, and she returned with herbs that, like repaired body parts. Just naturally. His words hit the patrons like a scandal, and they burst into furious chatter and scheming. He had just confirmed their every desire and ambition. B-But. Theres a point Quiet down. Please quiet down. Aiden paused until they fell silent. I-Im telling you that because its important to understand the message she left for you all. Dead silence befell the room, cloaking it with an eerie aura that made Aiden nervous, but he fought past it. She said Im your supplier now. You put in orders, and Ill bring em. But if anyone tries to stay past the Harvest if anyone burns the forest or causes troubleshell never do business with them again and shell blacklist anyone who works with those people, um too. Theyre dead to her. A-And And she doesnt trust Ill convey that well um so she gave me this to read to you. The audience murmured as he fished a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. It wasnt hers, but he had Elle record it. He cleared his voice and spoke: Quote: Im living in the forest. I dont give a fuck about your money or your reputation or literally anything else. If you fuck up, youre out. Forever. And if you dont think everyone wont gang up on you to keep the gravy train flowingyoure out of your goddamn mind. Areswood is my territory now. And you better tread lightly. Because if you dont play by the rules, Ill take any action and make any deal to destroy you. So drop your egos and play like adults. If you fuck around, youre going to find out. A terrorizing silence followed his words. He could cut the pressure in the room with a blade, and he really wished that he had paraphrased. So, after what couldve been two seconds or a whole minute, he added: End quote. B2 | Chapter 75 - The Sprint I thought that I was hallucinating once the intense waves of soul-core evolution sensations subsided in my body. The rooms mossy walls were now picked bare, the colorful garden was now barren, and I thought I was drowning in a post-flood wreckage scene. The clear water was covered in plant fragments of different colors, and right in the center of it was a tiny human floating on his back. I then turned in a daze and saw Kline half on the shore, half on the water, like a shrimp in a cocktail glass. Then, cortisol surged in my brain when I realized we were on a time crunch. Kline you up? I whispered. We need to go. He looked up weakly, and when I activated Soul Sight to investigate, I saw that he had a soul core. It wasnt evolved. When did you I paused. Your guide doesnt work down here. Unless you somehow Gah. We dont have time for this. Kyro! I would figure it out later. I turned and found Kyro to get moving and found him floating in the watermotionless. Oh no No-no-no-no-no. Kyro! I rushed forward, creating a small wave as I grabbed his tiny body in my hands. As soon as my fingers curled over himhe promptly freaked the hell out. Hey! he cried. What are you doing? Kline woke up weakly and turned to us and then lay his head back on his paws. Then I dropped Kyro and he splashed in the water face first. I took one look at the scene and panicked. Sorry! I tried to grab him again, but he turned and whipped his hand, and a huge blast of water and plant matter blinded me. Didnt you just hear me? he asked. I paused and wiped the plant matter from my face, slapping it into the water as I glowered at him. He puffed out his chest. I slapped the water, splashing him pettily. He splashed back. We exchanged half a dozen splashes before Kline forced himself up, walked out of the water, and meowed at us with the inflection of a hiss before shaking off. Kyro and I looked at him apologetically, turned back to each other with a stink eye, and then started chuckling. It started low, but soon we were laughing. It mustve hit me then that Kyro was alive and well, and his hands were fine and healed because tears streamed from my eyes. Oh Yakana he groaned as he stared at me. Whyd you bring this thing to us. Hey! He laughed and turned to Khor, who I hadnt noticed. He was glued to the wall in the corner like a plant fixture. You ready to return? Yes. Khor said telepathically. Im so tired. My jaw dropped when I realized he could speak. He was giving me the silent treatment. Come, girl. Its time. I nodded. Just tell me what to do. He detached from the wall and walked on his viney briar legs into the other room. He pointed at the only patch of flowers that remained unpicked. You can save that flower. Fertilize soil with it, and the plants will follow you readily. Wow really? Yes. I pulled out a preservation chamber and picked one of the beautiful purple flowers and put it into my last preservation chamber as Khor crawled onto his podium and touched the crystal ball. Ready? I asked. Ready. Then tell me what to do. Just touch me and repeat the transfer spell. If you can transfer a soul from a soul medium to a plant, you can do the same in reverse. I nodded and walked up to him, putting my hands on his thorny briars. Thank you. Thank me by allowing me to sleep. Living is challenging when youve known the peace of eternal sleep. That statement hit me hard for some reason, so it took me a moment to get my head on straight. But I pressed on, fulfilling his wish. It turned out that its infinitely more complex to transfer a soul into a plant than it is to put a soul into a ball designed to hold souls. The soul sucked straight out of the Omoxilain and into the ball. As it did, I heard a lingering, Thank you, in my mind, and it made me feel a strange sense of sorrow in my heart. Is something wrong? Kyro asked when he saw me staring at the crystal ball. I opened my mouth and felt Kline pawing at my leg. I knelt and picked him up, holding him to my breast and rubbing his ears while processing my emotions. Yeah I said finally. Its just a lot to process. Whats a lot to process? I mean I dont know. It was just his gratitude. It made me realize that soulmancy its not inherently bad. And that theres things like stripping memories and emotions identity that sound heinous but arent necessarily. Kyro nodded. Thats right. Its, um He paused. Its goodunless its not. And you decide that. Wheres Brindle on that? I chuckled. Kyro smiled. Mostly good, actually. He puts all souls to rest unless they wish to live. And he sets his enemies free. All things are temporary with Brindle. Sure, hell break people or turn them into weapons for a time. But he always sets them free, even if he steals a beings casing. Its like hes a dark, twisted, backward liberator. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. He steals from the rich and gives to the poor type of thing? I asked. Uhno. Kyro furrowed his brows. He steals if he wants and gives to himself. But hes polite about it? I frowned. Never mind. Kyro turned to the door. Come on. Im not sure how long weve been here, but we gotta go. My blood pressure suddenly spiked, and I panicked. Jesus. Lets go. We ran up the staircase and reached a tunnel which seemed to go on forever, like a tunnel system in World War I. But what felt like a few miles in, we finally hit the final staircase and reached an ominous cellar-style door tattooed with a complex network of arrays. I pulled my arms to my chest. Is this safe? Of course not, Kyro said. Well, kind of. Which one is it? It leads to the guardians den. Its not gonna kill us unless, um we piss it off. Itd be a shitty trial if the reward for success was certain death. I ran my fingers through my hair. Relax, he said. You already befriended one guardian. Whats another? Emael tried to kill me without saying a word, then she barely spared me on round two. Oh, he said. Well then youre fucked. I glared daggers at Kyro, but he shrugged his shoulders and put his hands on the arrays. Wait! Im not ready! Too late. Kyro activated the arrays, and they lit up like moving cogs in a watch. Then the door unlocked with a shish and a click and opened. The smell was horrid. See? Kyro said as he fluttered out. Theres no A massive hand suddenly swiped Kyro out of the air, and I screamed, Kyro! I didnt think. I activated Moxle Dilation and the world slowed far slower than I ever imagined possible. The dirt kicked up in the cave I came out of was moving at an inch a second, but the guardian looked like a human holding a TV remote, lazily deciding what to watch. It moved that fast. I got a good look at the guardian for the first time. The giant looked like a walking cat, if anything. It had a humanish body but a short muzzle and animal ears with short hair over its entire bodyand it was holding Kyros lower half, staring at him. I pulled out my machete, but Kyro lifted his hands at surreal speed and pumped them. I sped up my world a bit and heard, Dont! The giant turned to me and cocked his head. It didnt look unfriendly. I put up my hands, and Kline shot in front of me, hissing. Hes just grumpy to see me, Kyro said, each word slow and elongated from the time dilation. You cannot challenge the crypt twice. Now if you would kindly show off your core. The beast suddenly dropped Kyro and flew over to me, walking on his hands and knees and sniffing at me at surreal speed. H-Hi, I said. I pointed at my chest. It sniffed me with its feline nose, pulling my hair towards its nostrils with every breath. Then, its voice penetrated deep into my mind. Pure I nodded hesitantly. Ive been told. It sniffed me a few times and then turned to Kyro. Help? The guardian pointed at me. Khor wouldnt let me even if I wanted to, Kyro said slowly. I released Moxle Dilation so I could hear him. The guardian looked back at me. Want? Kyro looked over. Hes asking what you want. From the forest? Yeah. Ummm live? I said, trying to make my message simple. Just talk to him, Kyro said. He understands as animals understand and can tell if youre hiding something. Oh I looked up at the guardian. Im Brindles student, and his student. Kind of. I pointed at Kyro. I have a deal with Emael and Nethralis to loosely protect this forest once a year to live here. I also have deals with humans, but I seek to use those to the forests advantage. But like I said I just want to live. Be free here. Study plants. Maybe bring a person or two in so Im not super lonely. You know? So live. It cocked its head and then stood up on its legs. Even in its smallest form, it was ten feet tall, and I saw firsthand that it could become two hundred feet tall, a true titan of legends. Now, while Im happy to see you again Kyro said. This one needs to get to Thorvel before he kills her. He paused as the beast cocked his head. We see her as a guardian. He doesnt. So if she doesnt prove that she can use yeah. Yes, Emael. Nethralis, too. You know, we could use your help. Itd be a pain to cross the Fifth as a first ev, and were on a time crunch. The guardian turned to me and Kline and then dropped into a plank position and increased in size to twenty feet. Wow Kyro turned to me. On his shoulder. Hes gonna give us a ride out of the FIfth Ring. Wait what? My heart rattled. Dont you keep him waiting. Guardians dont take kindly to hesitation. I put aside my perplexity and ran forward, turning and jumping onto the guardians left shoulder like it was a swing. Then I thrust out my hands to Kline. My little warrior looked back and forth three times in a panic and then flew forward as the beast was standing, bounding ten feet into my arms. I rocked back and forth, unbalanced from his standing and released Kline so I could grab the creatures fur, wondering how in the hell I would hold on as it moved. But once it left its cave and entered the foggy mist, it ballooned in size, and I found myself lying on the creatures shoulder like a shag carpet. I couldnt help but laugh when it stepped forward, and I could see it walking down a treeless pathhis pathwith rows of massive trees behind it. They looked so big before but now they looked tiny and insignificant. You might want to hold on, Kyro said, hitting me with a wave of magic that glued me to the beasts fur. What I wheezed. Are you Suddenly, the beast put its hands to the ground like a sprinter, and I understood. A moment later, we blasted off like a rocket ship, crashing through the forest at a speed I couldnt possibly comprehend. This was power. True power. Power that was halfway to becoming a lower god. I checked the date and time in the corner of my eye once the guide reactivated. We still have twelve hours! I yelled over the howling wind. We can make it! I couldnt help but giggle and scream with joy as the Guardian flew through the area, making our chances of making it to the Bramble before the Harvest a reality. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster as my hair flew all over the place, crashing through the foggy meadows of the Fifth Ring. It was funbut it soon turned chilling. Beasts like toads the size of two-story houses hopped around, fighting long-limbed beasts the size of trees. These were the big onesthe ones that I could see. I couldnt imagine the ones I couldntthe ones that had reached the pinnacle of the fourth evolution despite remaining normal-sized. The ones like Kline. It only took two minutes for us to exit the Fifth Ring, the area where we had to naturally split ways with the Guardian. I wanted to say thank you, but Kyro grabbed Kline and me and yelled: Thank you! Well be back on the way to Nyralith. So well see you soon! Without as much of a goodbye, Kyro seized Kline and I, and jumped off the colossus and flew at an absurd speed, soaring over trees. I turned back at the guardian, who has already turned away, moving north to the Kana Mountains, where the sacred location Brindle gave me as a legacy rewardLake Nyralithmade its home. Soon, its body blended into the mist, as if a ghost, and disappeared. We flew on. I was surprised to fly as far as we did. It wasnt by much, but we made it out of the fog and back into northern Fourth Ring territory by the time he stopped to drink his wine. And by the time he took a deep breath, alcohol dripping from his lips like a rabid animal, I knew we had survived. We had actually survived that nightmare. Now, it was time to make it to Thorvel before the Bramble began. There was no time for rest, so Kline turned into his panther-tiger form, and Kyro and I hopped on. Then we burst through the forest at ghostly speed, blinking from shadow to shadow on our way there. It was time to face Thorvel and earn the forests trust. B2 | Chapter 76 - Reunions Brindle watched Kyro rush to the Bramble with Mira and Kline with a feeling of strange emotion. It was similar to the feeling he had when Yakana died, but he had experienced it when Kyro lived. Kyro was his friend and had stayed loyal to him, even after all this time. And after sacrificing himself to protect Mira, somehow, Mira managed to save his lifeand perhaps Khors, too. Brindle examined Mira in a light he hadnt considered up to that point. His relationship with her hadnt changed. He was her guide and mentor, not a teacher. But he felt a slight indebtedness toward her. Perhaps he would gift her something special. But before that He summoned Salan, Reals former guardian, stripped and optimized for transport within the lower domains. Then, he created a link with Elana. Oh, so now he decides to speak, Elana answered in lieu of a greeting. You understand the Harvest is here, right? Must you always be so dramatic? Brindle asked with dry sarcasm. Brindle, the Harvest starts in less than 24 hours. And it lasts for a week. So she paused. Are you saying youll do it? On conditions. What conditions? On the condition that you organize the transferand no ones left behind. Brindle. Sending people there is the best gift we can give her. We have a chance to send vetted peopleof our choiceto protect Mira. To teach her. To give her company. I know you cant understand, but shes lonely. Humansll go crazy if theyre alone too long. Brindle paused, reflecting on her words. Then he said: The Bramble opens every year. If Mira wishes for guests, she will request them of her own choosingand she will vet whomever she deems worthy. Until she asks you for your aid in finding guests, we will not attempt to control her life. He said we as a subtle threat. Elana was not his equal, and he had no problem making that clear. Elana took a frustrated breath and reflected on his words and said. You got something good? Brindle looked at Salan, standing at attention. Yes. Ill see if I can make it happen. You owe me. Brindle scoffed. I will wait. Elana seethed. Well, I will not. Unlike you, I care about my pupil. She cut the connection. Brindle stood and examined Salan. Now then. He lifted his hand, and a stream of souls spawned all around him. How can we make you perfect? 2. Kyro took another shift flying us before we all had to rest. Kline had great speed but lacked stamina and had to thread his core, and Kyro was lazy, taking a casual afternoon siesta. I couldnt complain because I was useless for traveling great distances, so I just sat under a tree, reveling in the sound of symphony bugs as I hesitantly looked at the message notification from my parents. I had never been afraid to speak to them before, but if Aiden followed through and sounded my war declaration, I would have to admit to them that their daughter was preparing to fight and even kill people, if necessary, for the sake of the forest. And then what? Eventually, the Dante Familys contract for protecting my family would run out, and I would need to renew it or find new protection for them. Or I could just start a colony, right? I reasoned that if I proved myself enough, I could bring them to the forest but who in their right mind would like to live like broke mountain men during the times of old? I hadnt even survived a winter in this forest. Would they? Could they even enjoy it? In all ways, I had been put into tough positions and had put them into tough positions as a result. I slapped my cheeks. Family was family, so I opened the letter and, naturally, bawled like a baby after the first line. Dear Mira, it began, Youre still alive. That invalidates any criticisms that we have toward your reckless way of life and poor decisions. We are just so thankful. I felt something on my leg and found Kline pawing at me. You wanna hear, too? He meowed. I guided him into my lap and read on. Were also slightly bitter that you nailed our routines and mindsets so well. You practically sent your mother into a heart attack with the news of her predictability. She spent the whole night wondering if she shouldve dated that handsome, rich rockstar instead of choosing her accountant nobody okay, shes slapping my arm now. I laughed. Look, Mira. You know us. We really are just living the dreamcrunching a 9 to 5 and trying to make it in this world. It is a bit different. We had dinner with a lizardfolk family the other night. Smart folks. Versed in accounting and artwork. But God, could they eat? We watched them eat an entire roast pig equivalent on all fours from a single platter like dogs, and I could only eat a bite of steak like a petite princess and think what the fuck happened as Tanya said, Dont be prejudice honey, with the palest face Ive ever seen. Yeah, its different. I laughed even harder. But its nice sometimes. The foods decent and theres new things to experience at every corner, and your moms bought probably forty plants now, making up the housetrying to entice you home. I cried again. Its hard knowing that we wont get to see you soon, but Tyler will. Turns out your decision to get him a teacher backfired. The mans name is Kalas, and hes ordered Tyler to witness the forest as both a means to teach him humility and a source of reference for his training. Since Hadrian Dante, the scion of the family that does our protection detail, is going, its mandatory. An icy shiver crawled down my spine. Things just went from bad to worse. That said, my father wrote, The Harvest isnt exactly what we expected. The area within the Bramble is a safe zone. If anyone disturbs the Bramble, the forest attacks. So people dont fight. So the scientists and alchemists stick around there. Tyler wont be going much further than that. We hope you wont either. Therell be over ten thousand people fanning out into the forest after that and then its anyones guess. So, please Mira, stay there and wait out the Harvest. Spend time with your brother and stay safe. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. A raging torrent of emotions crashed into me like rolling waves. Without even answering my parents plea, I declared war on the Harvesters. And, worst, I was truly realizing the depth of the problem with the Harvest. I would have to keep over ten thousand people fanning out in the forest in check. What a joke. Either way, I whispered, Tylers looking forward to seeing you. We all are. If you do decide to stay safe this year, come to the gates. Well be waiting there during the Harvest, hoping youll drop by. I looked up, seeing blurry lines from tree limbs swaying in my teary cataracts. Ill find time, I whispered. I dont know how, but Ill find time. Ill find time I let my head fall against a tree. Ill find time I looked at the letter and read the last line. We love you, Mira. Were saving up silver requests to contact you. Youre more important to us than anything else. With love and kisses and a paw from Gatsbythe Hills. I laughed and cried and hugged Kline, who was abnormally huggy himself, and then we waited in silence for about an hour before Kyro finally stood up. What a helluva family. He took a swig from his flask and rubbed his forearms. Well, theyre not gonna see themselves. So lets get going. I smiled and nodded. Okay. Kline jumped out of my lap, stretched, and grew into his large cat alter persona. Your turn again? Kyro mused. Hes a Hill, I said as I saddled him. Now hurry up; lest you wanna fly. Ill refrain, Kyro said, fluttering to my shoulder and sitting down. He took a drink and said: Lets go! We burst through the forest again, faster than we ever had, moving north to the Bramble. The harvest was comingand we would be ready for it. 3. We almost didnt make it. It was an hour before sunset when we ran out of steam and were discussing a break to regain stamina. Kyro was saying something like, If we gotta fight, wed be useless at this point, and that made me nervous. It was almost better to just get some sleep and reach him during the Harvest. We had almost reached that point when we heard strange howling from a distant mountaintop, and then I remembered something that shouldve been obvious. The lurvine. Kyro put up his hands, but I pushed them down. Theyre friends. He was hesitant, but when he saw the white canines with multiple tails and blue markings, he furrowed his brow. Wait. Thosere The lurvine. Yeah, I know, but whyre they here? Cause they said theyd help out during the Harvest, I said with a wide grin. Thats presumptuous. Wait. How do you even know? Aidens a beast tamer. Now hush up. Dont you dare offend our saviors. The first to blow out of the woods was Sina. She was moving so fast that her paws thrust dirt for five feet when she skidded to a halt. When she noticed that fact and realized that her pack wasnt even close, she looked at me with an embarrassed expression, huffed, and turned around and tried to leave, acting like she was just here to warn me. Sina! I cheered, rushing forward. I missed you! She looked past sheepishly and then tried to run, but my Moxle Dilation and body had improved, even if my shielding hadnt caught up, so I caught her much faster than she was expecting, hugging her neck. She groaned and huffed and warned, trying to shake me off, but I just giggled and held onto her neck, and she eventually chuffed and stopped moving. You actually came, I said. She rolled her eyes, almost offended, and then looked into the forest as Kael and the other lurvines arrived with grinning faces. Then they saw Kline and scrunched their noses. My little warrior did the same. Oh shush, I said. Youre all big men. Seriously. You guys are monsters. Were you working out when I was gone? I couldn''t understand them but they could sure as hell understand me. I knew because the males puffed out their chests with pride as the females rolled their eyes but lifted their noses just as pridefully. They were huge and powerful. It was amazing. Well, I got snacks, but were kinda running late. Can you help us? The lurvines looked at Kyro, who had materialized on my shoulder, and then back at me. Moments minutes later, I was riding a mythical beast as we blasted through the forest. I only needed a spear to complete the image. It was so fucking cool. And we made it. It was sunset when we reached the Bramble and saw a skyline of dragons staring down at us below. I was terrified, but Kline and Sina and Kael didnt stop running. They stood strong until the very end, leading the pack into an open meadow, staring down the most ominous backdrop I could imagine. The last stretch of the forestas shown on the Guides screen during the Trial of Survivallooked like a gnarled tumbleweed mixed with rose briars from above. Up close, it looked like a mess of razor wire that snaked on the ground in all directions, with briars the size of wild bamboo in foreststhick enough to wrap two hands around it and still not having ones hands meet. There were hundreds of thousands of those briars wrapping around the normal trees that looked like pillars or growing out of the ground. Just the thought of walking into it summoned images from horror movies and books and my darkest imagination. It wasnt a joke. So you came, Thorvel said in a booming voice. I looked up and saw his massive silhouette in the blood-red sunset as if someone had taken a cookie cutter to a sheet of molten glass. I nodded. I came. And you brought a friend. He eyed Kyro, who was casually sitting on my shoulder. I assume this means youve brought word from Serenflora? I have, Kyro said. Nethralis and the Drokai stand behind Mira Hill. He narrowed his slit eyes. So she, too, has injected herself into my conflict? Yes and no. Nethralis has not protected Mira from your arrangement. However, if you harm Mira unreasonablyshe will demand reparations. Thorvel swooped down in seconds, landing on the ground before us with a tremendous boom that sent dust flying into my eyes and nose. The lurvines yapped and backed up. Are the Drokai threatening me? he asked. Yes, Kyro said bluntly, gripping soul cores that I never handed him. Wait, I whispered in horror. Kyro ignored me and pressed on. If you arent reasonable, the Drokai will take on the responsibility of guarding the forest. Neither Nethralis nor Emael will trust someone who will not live up to their word. Thorvels body emerged from the dust storm, white and blue and massive, towering above me. He glared at me, blinking his large reptilian eyesexamining my evolved cores. So what has Nethralis deemed reasonable? Throvel asked sarcastically. How will this human prove herself a student of Brindle and an ally of this forest? Hmmm? Kyro smiled mockingly. Well let her into the Bramble. He pointed to the gnarled landscape, and I instinctively balled up. If she survivesyoull shut the fuck up and leave the adults to monitor her. Blue fire developed in Throvels mouth as he took a breath but snapped his jaws shut and blew fire out his nose. The display of fury was beyond what a human could ever hope to achieve. But he forced down his rage and laughed, once at first, but it slowly picked up speed to a cackle. Thats rather bold, he said. The Harvest has yet to begin. Yes, Kyro said. Thats why if you dont want your He looked at me. Enemy to know things she shouldnt, Id recommend you accept her evolved soul core and our backing as the source of her validity. Throvels face twitched. Are you really saying that this woman can survive the Bramble? I certainly did not think I could survive the Bramble, but Kyro smiled: Yes. She will survive. And you will wallow in your idiocy for letting her for the rest of time. Thorvel grinned viciously. Do you think I wont call your bluff? Oh, I think youre stupid enough to do it, Kyro said. And Nethralis did, too. Thats why were here right now. Thorvels temper got the better of him, and he growled at me. Then he nudged his snout to the gnarled landscape. Walk until you see it. If you return without knowing what it isyoure dead. He looked at Kline and the lurvines. Alone. B2 | Chapter 77 - The Dryad Kline refused Thorvels demand that I enter alone. He hissed, declaring he would take on every wyvern there if Thorvel forced the issue. Kyro intervened and said: If you think a cat will change the outcome, youre being unreasonable. Let er keep the cat. Thorvel considered it and then nodded. Move. I dismounted Sina, who also seemed hesitant to let me go, but Kael swung his nose, and she backed off. Then, Kline and I were alone, staring down the scariest anything I had ever seen. After the last four monthsthat said a lot. Kline tugged on my pants, and when I turned, I saw he was telling me to mount him. One second. I closed my eyes and activated Wood Wide Web. In my minds eye, I scanned the forest and found something alarming. There were no beasts. I didnt see a single soul plant, either. Except for the slight soul force that all plants in the forest contain, there was nothing in the forest that seemed remotely problematic. I turned to Kyro. I thought this was a soul forest? He shrugged but kept silent. Drink this. I pulled out one of my final Illyndra Elixirs and drank down the crimson elixir, feeding Kline one as well. It would clean our bowels and stomachs out right before the Harvest, but I didnt care. If something harmed me, I wanted the wound to close up. Then, I mounted Kline, and we said our final goodbyes to Kyro and Sina and Kael. Each farewell held a concerning tone of finality that made me feel sick as we drifted into the witchs forest, half-expecting to see Hansel and Grettle strung up on briars like nooses along the way. 2. Kline and I passed spike ropes that hung from trees like jungle vines and briars that shot out of the ground. Small bugs crawled between multicolored plants and mushrooms on logs and petrified sections of briarsand nothing was highlighted. I checked my guide and found it didnt work. Of course it wouldnt work I looked up and saw Kline sniffing plants before continuing. Thank God for Kline I really need that spell. Relying upon the guide had proven far too precarious as of late. One second, I said. Let me do another scan. Kline nodded and sat on the ground as I closed my eyes and activated Wood Wide Web. The moment I did, adrenaline hit my veins like an EpiPen, and I turned back to the exit. We need to run! The moonlight at the exit was still visible, so we rushed forward with hope in our hearts. We traversed a few hundred meters before the briars moved in unison, like a Kraken''s tentacles, blocking off the exit. W-When did I looked around with Soul Sight and found that every briar in the area had a blinding amount of aura and neara flowing through it. I-It come alive? I had checked, and the entire forest was dead. Now, every briar was alive, slithering around like reapersclosing us in. Kline hissed and lifted his paw, but I activated Moxle Dilation and stopped him. Wait! I cried, speeding up my world again. Kyro wouldnt send us here to die It must be an amalgamation. Maybe we could Any hope of discourse was futile. Briars whipped at us like tentacles, thrashing the ground as Kline blinked through the shadows, zagging between them. We got about a hundred feet before it happened. A briar suddenly clotheslined me, stabbing me with its barbs as it wrapped around me like an anaconda. Kline turned and shot phantom claws at it, but it barely nudged as if it were made of iron support pillars. I screamed as it squeezed me, wondering how in the fuck I was supposed to deal with the beast. I didnt knowbut I knew one thing: the plant had a soul in itand I knew how it got there. I gripped the plant and tried to rip the soul right out of it as if the soul was in the crystal ball in the Tranea Crypt. The soul barely flickeredbut it was enough. For whatever reason, it was enough. The entire forest stopped in unison, and the briar holding me put me on the ground and unraveled itself, pulling the barb out of my stomach. I clutched my stomach as blood spurted out, followed by a black ooze that shut the wound and healed me as fast as I was injured. It was a horrifying and surreal experience. Not a moment later, Kline blinked over to me, covered in ooze himself, telling me to get one. I didnt hesitate. I jumped on, but as soon as I was mounted, the briars created an igloo around us, blocking out the light. What now I asked with a pounding heart. Ten gruesome seconds ticked down after that, and then the briars opened in unison, creating a path that moved deeper into the forest. Oh Jesus I whispered. It was inviting us deeperand I didnt want to know what was inside. But what choice was there? There was none. It could kill us right then if it wanted. Because I could see what all of this Brambles victims eventually discovered. Every briar had a third evolution soul. Lets go I whispered. Kline sniffed the ground and hesitantly walked forward, deeper and deeper, where the light from the moon was lesser, and our deaths drew nearer. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. We were about ten minutes in when I first heard the voice. It was the voice of a woman, smooth and soothing, resounded directly in my head. Who are you? she asked. Brindles student, I answered. Then, my words sped up rapidly as I tried to answer all at once. Im being tested as a potential guardian. Ive recently conquered Tranea Crypt and learned about Omoxi Please compose yourself, the briars suddenly blocked our way, no value has ever come from rushing ones self. I stopped. Kline did, too. Tell me, child. What brings you here today? The briars slowly unraveled. Curiosity? Necessity? Kline walked on. Thorvel wanted me to prove myself as a guardian. I think Nethralis sent me here to prove that I can make Omoxillains Or speak to them. How curious A circular meadow opened up around us. It was beautiful, opened to the sky like a cylindrical cookie cutter punctured a section of the bramble. In the center, a gnarled mound of roots shone in the moonlight. Under Soul Sight, it lit up with a network of bright purple lines of neara. Suddenly, the roots unraveled and shot upward, braiding themselves together, creating the torso and arms and face of a human woman. Beautiful I whispered in wonder. Come, child. Allow me to see Brindles student. Kline hesitantly approached, and when we reached the mound, I got off as he stared at the woman, as if in a trance. There wasnt the slightest amount of hostility from the woman, just a strange allure. I found myself walking up the mound in a haze, entranced by her peculiar beautya fusion of her artistic physical composition and visible soul energy that gave the roots smooth grooves. I stopped before her, and she reached forward, caressing my cheek and putting her head against mine. Suddenly, a wave of foreign signals invaded my soul. It was strange, but it wasnt unwelcome, like the way that ecstasy can spread to limbs before dissipating. How interesting. It seems the rumors about Brindles trust in Yakana are true. Uh I didnt know what to say to that, but she only smiled. Do not be wary, child. Your memories have resolved you from distrust. The Briar is open to you. All the briars curled in unison, wrapping around trees like Christmas lights. Memories I didnt know how I felt about someone reading my memoriesbut I was grateful. For the first time, someone saw that I was, indeed, innocent and really got screwed over. So I just sighed and nodded and hesitantly said: So thats it? I only needed to meet you. Yes, but if you give me a few minutes, I will give you a gift befitting your position. Roots sprouted from the ground and weaved together, creating a wicker chair. Please. Itd be my pleasure I grabbed the loops on my backpack nervously and then nodded and sat. What would you like to talk about? I just have one question a simple question but a question that must be askeda question that must be answered. Okay Imagine a treasure with miraculous capabilities. The means to achieve world peace. Eliminate hunger. Bring equality of weather, resource, and seasonwhatever your heart deems the greatest of treasures. I chuckled nervously. Seems youve already read my mind. Yes, but I cannot feel it for you. Imagine one that connects to you. One that you can feel within the marrow of your bones. I imagined wars and conflicts ending worldwide, full bellies across underdeveloped nations, and prosperitybut none of those things made me feel powerful emotions. I would like those thingsI would like all of them. The dryad was asking me to dream, not reflect ideals, but it still didnt reach me with powerful emotions because I had never experienced the horrors of war, starvation, or resource scarcity. So I needed to feel something passionate, and it always came back to plants. The Amazon was disappearing; the Great Barrier Reef was experiencing horrifying bleaching and withering away. Species of plants and animals were becoming extinct and all efforts to save them resulted in hardship. Economics was powerful. It helped people live and eat and raise children. There were trade-offs offs and I hated it. It haunted me. If there was something that allowed cut trees to grow back instantly, harvested soil to increase in fertility, fishing efforts that replaced fisha means of unlimited resources and garbage disposal that would be a dream. Unlimited resources without costs. A dream indeed. I have something in mind, I whispered. Good. Now ask yourselfif there was a genuine reason that treasure should be destroyed say if it could be weaponized or would result in the end of the world in a hundred years and you felt that it should be destroyed Could you destroy it? My lips parted as I looked at her. What kind of question is that? Just a simple question. Are you the type of person who is able to let go without regrets? To do the right thing against your own dreams and wishes? My eyes drifted aimlessly, staring at nothing in particular. I dont know. I I smiled slightly. I really, really loved this plant. Datura stramonium. I had one in my house before I left. Im sure you saw it. The things poisonous as hell. Super hallucinogenic. Just a truly unhealthy plant. And my mom she told me I would get rid of it I paused and grimaced. And that wouldve sucked. I liked it a lot. But I wouldve. Not because I needed to. Im a grown adult. I couldve said, buzz off, and she wouldve, but somethings are just more important, I guess. The dryad studied my expressions and perhaps emotions leaking through the chair like some 1970s LSD interrogation experiment. Or perhaps she was reading my memories or connecting to my soul. Whatever it was, she seemed convinced. Thank you for entertaining my question. A briar grew from the ground. It was a strange one, something closer to an arm with fingers wrapped around a green ball. Whats this? I whispered. This is my seed, she said. Just west of here you will find another river. When you are stronger, follow it through the arches and deep through the valley. Within the fog, you will see a large pillar. Follow it and push past the ravine it leads to. It will not be easy, but if you offer this seed to the great tree on the other side, you will be accepted by the guardians of the Fifth Domain. My heart fluttered at the idea that I would be able to journey deeper into the forest without struggling so much. It was overwhelming. Wait seriously? I whispered, afraid she would take it back. Yes. This seed contains all my memoriesand all of your memories. With this, I will be able to prove your intentions to any who speak to me. I grabbed the seed. I dont know what to say. She smiled and pinched my cheek like a grandmother. There is nothing to say, child. Yakana has chosen you. Not as a savior but as an ally for this forest. She looked to the south. I fear the top walkers have grown restless again, and so few of us remember the warsthe true wars. We need another ally. If this is the only cost, I will proudly take the risk. I gulped and held the seed to my breast. Ill do my best. Good. Now off you go. The Harvest is upon us. Briars unraveled on the trees in one direction, curving into arches like a walkway out of the forest. Thank you I whispered. Kline nodded his head as well, surprisingly calm as I mounted him. I hope to meet you again, I said. She pointed to the seed. You will. Oh. I turned back. Yes? Id appreciate it if you didnt talk about me. This Briars silent during the Harvest. It only awakens after its over. I froze. To prevent people from escaping She put her finger to her lips playfully. Thats our secret. If you ever want to think without people listening in, remember this chant My eyes widened as I listened to the chant and practiced it myself. It was simple, just a few words, but they seemed to harden my mind. Now off you go. This time sincerely. I nodded and trotted off with Kline, practicing the spell, mesmerized and confused and filled with wonder after everything I had experienced. It was time to return to Thorvel and Kyro and the lurvines and end this saga of distrust once and for all. B2 | Chapter 78 - Bitter Acceptance I used the thought-shielding spell as I exited the forest in a daze, still captivated by what I had just experienced. I thought Id never break free from those thoughts, but when I saw Thorvels gobsmacked expression, I couldnt help but laugh. Dont laugh, human. Why not? Kyro asked, drunkenly draped over a rock like it was a hammock. He took another drink. You forced the poor girl into The Briar expecting her to get shredded, and instead, she walked out with Escalas seed. Gods thats hil~ar~ious. Her what? He looked down and saw the seed in my hand. What is that? Its I paused. Her clone? I think if I plant it, shell grow somewhere else. He panicked. Youre taking her out of The Briar? No shes shes still in there. This is like a duplicate. She asked me to plant it in the Fifth Ring, so she can tell their guardians not to heckle me. Hah! Kyro laughed and took a swig, spilling brandy all over himself. She mustve read your memories and was like, What the fuck? I leave for five minutes, and everyone turns into an unreasonable fucking asshole. Take this. Ill fix that. Throvel growled, but he didnt speak. He just looked at the seed and then at Kyro and then the wyverns. His eyes then landed on me. Why? Cause as much as youll hate to hear it, I said, summoning up some confidence, youre not enough. Kyro snapped his fingers and pointed at Throvels fuming face. Shes got you there. I rolled my eyes at Kyro and continued. Listen Thorvel. I heard the story about what happened a hundred years ago. And Im not going to try to say that I understand you or anyone elses pain. Okay? Im not going to say that I know this forest or its history. But I do know this: what happened a century ago wasnt a serious attack on this forestand Yakana Emael Nethralis and Kyro know it. Throvel snorted, but Kyro shot him a glare that I could feel from twenty feet away, and the dragon fell silent as Kyro stood and brushed off his pants. Shes right, he said. No one likes to talk about it cause there wasnt shit we could do about it. No sense in demoralizing anyone, but its true. Look, Thorvel. I was born after the Jacksmore, so I never saw the war. But I did watch Brindle rip the soul out of a fifth evolution colossus five times your size without even attacking itand thats who the Jacksmores almost defeated. Thorvels anger cooled, but he still narrowed his eyes. Youre exaggerating. Exaggerating? Do you even know what Harrowed Pass is? Its a canyon created by an arrow. Yakana shattered the mountain so the Drokai could stage an ambush on the Jacksa Delta. And he did that as a fourth ev. I didnt know what he was talking about, but my imagination went wild, imagining a colossal gash in the land from a single arrow. After seeing my arrows make trees and dirt explode, I wondered what a peak fourth evolution being could create. I wondered what I could do after reaching the fourth evolution. Just the thought was captivating. Youre weak, Thorvel. Kyro took a deep swig and shivered. Were all weak. But this one He pointed at me. She could be another Brindleand thats what we need right now. It doesnt matter if its a human. A beastkin. A fucking anyone. We need someone, and all three of the elders picked this one. And youre gonna have to accept that. Because she just went through a lot of bullshit because of you, and no ones gonna accept another output. He sneered and looked at me. If you tell anyone Then its your fault! Kyro yelled. You forced her to come here. You forced her to learn the magic. And then I warned you that shed survive, but you sent her Hey, I said. Kyro calmed down hesitantly. I promised I wouldnt talk about it, I said. And unless you keep talking about it, I dont think my I tapped my head twice, guide can figure it out. I gotta spell to quiet my thoughts. Throvel frowned. So um are we cool? Cause I did what you wanted and I lifted the seed. This pretty much means Well, I cant talk about it. But its the ultimate sign of trust. Thorvel studied the seed and then glanced at Kyro and then glowered at me. I dont trust you. Ill live with you but I wont trust you. And just know He looked at Kyro. I will demand your execution if you cross us. I sighed in relief. Thanks. Suddenly, something dropped from behind me. I turned and saw it was my salt shaker. Wait how did? I unclipped my backpack and examined it. There was a hole from where the barb had hit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit! I unzipped the backpack and found one of my preservation chambers was shattered. Oh no Whats wrong? Kyro asked frantically. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. One of my tributes was shattered and it''s air sensitive. Shit! I pounded the ground and opened my guide but saw the following message: ------ The Guide must be able to access your thoughts to operate. Please cease any spells or techniques that obfuscate thoughts before continuing. ------ Thats hopeful I whispered before focusing on the thought-shielding spell and trying to release it. It worked, and the guide popped up with a concerning message: ------ Guide Reactivated. Warning: Continued thought suppression will result in guide restrictions and penalties. ------ Then another popup followed that negated it. ------ Scion Override: Your status as a scion has overwritten the limitations on thought suppression. However, you may not use The Guide within 24 hours following the use of thought suppression magic or techniques. ------ Well then I chuckled darkly. Please say you gave me a warning The Guide popped up, and it worked. Thank God Then, I switched to thought commands. Information Request: tell me where the nearest patch of jii plants is. I need fifty. Give me a dynamic map of the fastest way to get there. A map pulled up, and I sighed in relief. There was one only five miles away. Everything good? Kyro asked. Yeah. Its good. I stood up and looked at Thorvel. Look. Ill be covering the Harvest this year. You can watch me. If I do something wrong let the Drokai know. Okay? Im not looking for trouble. Now I gotta go. Is there anything else you want to say? Thorvel took a deep breath through his nostrils and turned away. No. He then snubbed his snout, and his pack flew away. Gods, I hate that prick, Kyro said. You only get twenty years of empathy before being unreasonables just unreasonable. Fifty at most. he turned to me. You good? Yeah. We just gotta get some plants. Thankfully, thiss the only container that broke. Okay, lets go. I petted Sinas snout and loaded up; then, we hit the road en route to the jii plants. Jiis were simple yellow plants that acted as binding agents for elixirs. They werent rare in Areswood, but they were rare elsewhere, which inflated the price. Thats why they were nicknamed First-in-Gold Mine, on account of the fact that the first people in during the harvest usually found a few and made a small fortune. That said, they were facing the waiting beasts head-on. So it was high risk, high reward. And oh, was it high risk. We passed hundreds of second-evolution beasts on the way to The Briar and dozens more over the five-mile trip to the flowers. The only reason we werent bathed in blood was because I was riding in a pack of third-evolution beasts. Every small fry simply ran when we got near. But for harvesters? I could only imagine the bloodbath it would take to reach this simple patch of flowers. We were about half a mile out when I spotted something through the thicket. It was a meadow, bathed in silver light, glowing with blue flowers. On closer examination, I realized that the color wasnt natural. It was the soul plant highlighting I got with my soul pact skill. Soul plants? I whispered curiously. Theyre neon My guide forced itself into my vision, blocking out the trees behind it. When I read it, I broke out in cold sweats. ------ Warning! You have discovered a trap plant. Name: Nearan Freeters (Puppet Dust) Type: Trap Plant Summary: Why cope with a persons bad personality when you can just obliterate it? Just throw em into one of these inconspicuous ferns, and theyll inhale spores that will eat their mind, personality, and agencyforever. Just be warned: once a persons cognitive neara is destroyed, it cannot be restored. The person will forever be a puppet that only retains motor function and muscle memory and responds to stimuliunless you happen to have a freakish magic path that could transfer a persons entire mind and soul into another body. Well, then Id suppose it would be possible to unpuppet someone illegally. Very, very illegally. Of course. Warning: Spores can spread long distances. Its recommended you keep at a distance of two hundred meters to prevent potential damage. ------ Kyro eyed me curiously as I read the screen. Damn that things handy, he whispered. Those thingsll mess you up. Pain in the ass to capture, too. Ive watched way too many people lose their minds trying to capture some. I grimaced. Whatd you even use them for? Poor mans soulmancy, Kyro said grimly. Instead of rippin a soul out of a dying creature, my students would dope one with freeters. Then wal~lah. Perfect vessel. Idiots. Oh Kyro took a thick swig and nodded. Yeah. Lets get out of here. I nodded and pulled up the map and pointed. That way. We carried on, finding the flowers in a thicket twenty miles south of the Brambles mouth, as Kyro called it, the exit of the natural tunnel that led from the gate to Areswood Forestthe place everyone would come to tomorrow. I then fed Kline and the lurvine marinated cooked third evolution beast meat to free up a preservation chamber and used it to collect well over two hundred jii bulbs, determined to sell the extra. Then we set up camp in a monster-ridden country, protected by a powerful ward and seven third-evolution beasts, and got some rest. The Harvest was hereand I would need my rest. 2. Tyler woke from one of those strange and hazy dreams that bridged the past and future with a veil of what appeared to be a spell of waking insomnia before the time leap. Most nights had gone sleepless for Tyler in the weeks leading up to the Harvest. He couldnt wait to see Mira and figure out what the hell had happened to her. Somehow, the same girl who always screamed at him about stealing all the hot shower water only to eat all the cereal had become a bloodthirsty legend that no one could shut up about. It felt like propaganda, a lie that everyone knew was fake but had been repeated for so long and with such passion that people silently accepted it was true anyway. Mira Hill. The Areswood Savage. Someone who had not only survived but also had the audacity to threaten the entire world. It had to be fake, right? But it wasnt. Unless someone else gave him a teacher and a ton of magic, his sister was actually in that forest, eating platinum rewards in place of cereal, defying everyones expectations. It made him wonder just how dangerous the forest really was. Sure, he saw the trees shoot tendrils that strangled riders as beasts ate them alive No There was no denying it. Mira Hill was the real deal. Question was, was she still his sister? Thats the thing that haunted him. No matter the outcome, he would have to face it soon. B2 | Chapter 79 - Hadrian Dante Tyler met up with Kalas outside the gates. He was with Hadrian Dante and his family, so he was given front-row seats as harvesters gathered around the colossal gate. So few knew about the gate or the forest, for that matter. The Harvest had brought out first-generation harvesters who heard a girl roaming around the area beyond the Bramble without issue and imagined that they had a chance of landing a freak kill and earning a gold request that would change everything. High risk. High reward. But the people around him had a different vibe. A different aura. Tyler could feel the people from legacy families. Being near them felt like he was deep under water, pressure bearing down on his skin. A commotion suddenly broke out behind him. Tyler turned and saw a teen with a straight blonde comb-over pushing another sharply dressed teen behind them. I dont care who your family is, what they do, or who they bribed to get you here, the aggressor said. Youre going to the back. The very back. Behind the dregs and slackwits and animals. The other teen looked at the ground. My family supplies you guys with clax. I doubt they want hostilities. Oh they supply us with clax. How problematic. I suppose that if their son messed around and ended that order, wed have to get a new supplier and put you out of business. Tyler watched the exchange with a rising sense of indignation on the other teens behalf. His mind swam with thoughts of caving in that assholes cheekbones and landing a healer a twenty thousand hawk job to piece fragments back together. He didnt always think so violently, but theres something about training for battle in a hostile landscape that brings out the worst in people. Nows not the time, Kalas said. Tyler turned to his master. The man had tribal arrays temporarily tattooed to his body for the Harvest. Dont worry, Tyler whispered. Im not. Even though he had an incomparably strong teacher, he had only been training for four months. The teens around him had been training their whole lives and had superior resources. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the disparity was too vast, too absolute. So he wouldnt inject himself into other peoples business. Youve grown, Kalas said. Thanks. The two stood in silence, mentally ticking down the time. Tyler thought it would never end, as if time had suddenly stopped and wouldnt resume until the end of the Harvest when life would suddenly speed up to make up for lost time. It was at that moment that he met Hadrian Dante. He stopped his conversation with Railain Vestra, the other rider that conquered the Bramble and looked over at him. He had sandy brown hair in a male version of a pixie cut with the mid fade so perfect that it somehow looked regal. He was standing in whitish silver armor that was not particularly flashy aside from the Dante insignia over his heart, a symbol so commanding that no one could mistake him. After a few words and a smirk that made the Vestra sneer at himbut then watch him almost longingly as he walked awayhe approached Tyler with a slight smirk. Tell me, Scion, Hadrian said as if they were already mid-way through a conversation. He turned to Kal. Do you want to kill that man? Tyler shivered and stammered out: W-What? I asked if you wish to kill that man. You do have ears, yes? Tyler hated Hadrian on contact. But the question was valid, and he spoke with renewed confidence as he turned to Kal. No, Tyler said. But I do want to kick his teeth in. Hadrian snorted. How crude. Crude? Tyler asked. What would you do? I would destroy him. Hadrian looked him in the eyes. If I were you, I would summon my people. Leverage my connections. Play games or lay traps. And I would do it discreetly. Theres no shame in fighting from the shadows when death awaits those who fight in the open. Shame only comes to those stronger than their opponents who still resort to underhanded tactics and leverage their connections. Remember that. Without further discussion, Hadrian disappeared into the crowd, mingling with other powerful college-aged men and women. Tyler watched him for a moment with fascination, but was distracted when the Harvest truly began. A woman in golden armor suddenly floated to the sky with the illusion that she could fly. For a moment, she looked like an angel. Then she spoke. The Harvest is amongst us! she announced, voice amplified by a glowing array on her shoulder. It will be the most consequential moment of most of your lives. Some will score a lucky hit and earn great rewards; most will die. The cheering harvesters fell still. Theres a reason fewer than a thousand people challenge this forest each year. Its teeming with poisonous plants that rot limbs and beasts that spears you cannot pierce. It inspires betrayals and unmarked graves. It drives people to madness. Despite that, twelve thousand people stand before me, drawn to a shallow fantasyand most of you will die for it. If that rightfully concerns youwe ask you to leave now. The crowd shifted, and Tyler could hear people leaving in the distance. He wanted to be one of them, but when Brexton Claustra flashed him a bizarre thumbs up, he kept his feet planted. It seems half of you are sane, the woman continued. The rest are free to die. Now lets set some ground rules. The Bramble is a ten-mile stretch over a paved pathway. Its wide enough for twenty-five peopleour limit is twenty. If you accidentally step off the path, the forest will attack you and everyone around you. Its that risk that leads to the other major rule: do not go into the Bramble. If youre even suspected of running off, a trained team will dispatch you. So if youre one of the many idiots talking about going after Mira Hills dropped packagethink again. She glanced at some of the younger family members, and they tensed up. Other than that, there are no other rules. File through the pathway. Once you climb the staircase at the end and enter the mouth, you must continue a half mile into the forestno matter how tired you are. The base camp in the mouth is only open to those with an ADA pineven if youre dying. Tyler looked at his pin guiltily. Thats all. Immediately following her words, the massive arrays on Galfers Gate lit up in rapid succession as Harvesters exchanged grins and back slaps and strange handshakes that Tyler had only recently come to know. As for the legacy families, they stood stoic and silent as the gate unlocked with a booming click, and it swung outward in an arc as wide as a football field. A path fit for fairy tale giants spread deep into the forest on a flat plane beyond it, narrowing until it resembled a sharp triangle, wide at first and tapering in the distance. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. On either side of that cobblestone pathway were trees and plants worthy of a Dr. Suess novel. They werent necessarily colorful (although some were). It was more their shapes. Some had limbs that curled like pasta, while others had straight base branches with connecting branches that reached upward perpendicular like comb prongs. You may begin, the leader said. Come, Kalas said, leading him into the forest in the center row, right next to Hadrian, as they disappeared into the forest. It was surreal. 2. Walking through the Bramble wasnt what Tyler had expected. The ground was smoothly paved and the cobblestones were carefully crafted, forming intricate artwork on the ground. It was meticulous and fascinating, but he tried not to look. He hadnt forgotten what happened during the Trial of Survival, and the forest within didnt disappoint. Trees were alive. Branches swayed like illusions overhead as vines coiled in serpentine twists. Flowers seemingly sprouted from nowhere, and there were vibrant plants in alien shapes. It sometimes felt like the gods had melted a crayon box in the forest, dripping the wax in abstract patterns for artistic flare. It worried him but it didnt faze Hadrian. The smug asshole was walking around with a permanent smirk on his face. It was like Brextons but far different in flavor. Whereas Brexton was drugged up and amused, hungry for thrill and chaos, Hadrian walked with a straight back and an unyielding air of confidence. That persona bothered Tyler in general, but what really got under his skin was that Hadrian Dante didnt seem arrogant. He had the air of someone who had visited the forest yearly since he was ten and had the power to back up his freakishly handsome appearance that couldnt be natural. Hadrian Dante was the real deal, and his confidence simply reflected it. He hated it. Brexton caught Tyler glancing at Hadrian and gave him a friendly wave as if to remind him that he was still there. Tyler stiffened and turned away. The trip passed on. The path was curious. Instead of the path rising with the elevation, the path continued flat, cutting through the mountain until they found themselves in a sharply cut ravine that stretched high into the heavensso high that they couldnt even see the trees. It was this phenomenon that made the time fly past, and in only three hours, they made it to the staircase that led to the forest. Reaching it wasnt a pleasant experience. It looked like the staircase to heaven, stretching half a mile into the sky with steps so steep that his mind immediately conjured scenarios of one harvester slipping, triggering a human landslide. Single fall kills two hundred on the stairway to heaven, the headline would read. What a joke. One for the road? Brexton asked Aiden at the base of the stairs, offering his flask. Aiden nodded, unscrewed it, and then dumped the contents onto the stairs without even smelling it. That mentalitys gonna kill you one of these days, Brexton warned playfully. My desire to help friends will get me killed? Aiden asked with faux surprise. That was real poison in that flask. I practically saved your life. Tell that to your killers, Brexton retorted. Then they started the climb, with Tyler following close behind. His pace only took him so far. Soon, the two were mere dots above him. Then they got farther still until they vanished entirely, joining the razor streak of sunlight in the endlessly high walls. He pressed on, wondering when it would ever end, disoriented by the experience. He had gone through hell with Kalass training over the last four months, so he was in the best shape of his life, but he was still sweating like a pig as he walked up, feeling like someone who tried to sprint a marathon, only to be left shambling like the undead, his arms begging for mercy. He pressed on. And before he knew it, he was staring at salvation, the end of the staircase where the walls suddenly opened up, exposing trees. His heart started pounding then, and his mindset flipped to a state of crazed paranoia. It all started with a simple question: Would she be waiting? Could she make it in time? Could she make it at all? That was a dark question that got darker the more he thought about it. While thousands of harvesters would meet the beasts beyond the mouth, culling the herds for the ones in the back, Mira would have to pass through all of them to get to the Mouth of the Bramble. Right? All of them. No, there was no way. She was probably in the back, waiting for a Dante to make contact. Then, she would have escorts. The question was when and where he would meet her if ever. What if she was dead? A loud commotion suddenly broke him out of his thought loop, injecting adrenaline directly into his brain. The people yelling werent the commoners on the bottom. They were elites from the seven legacy families. Get on, Kalas said, jumping in front of Tyler. Wait, you want to move toward it? Tyler cried. Its distant. Its best to see the disturbance, assess, then run if necessary. Tyler grimaced, shaking as he jumped onto Kalass back. A moment later, they were flying up the stairs at a blinding pace, passing the middle families with ease. The elites had also moved up but everyone else frozeand for good reason. Before they even made it a hundred steps from the top, he heard someone boom. Wait for orders! We still dont know whats going on! Kalas flew past the frozen scions, flying up the steps until they reached the mouth. Then they felt it, cold and chilling and oppressive. Third evolution beasts. He didnt feel a sinister aura creeping around the area like fog, just that same pressure he felt from the Dante adults standing beside himbut it felt more intense. More overbearing. Suffocating even. Dont attack, you fool! Hadrian yelled in the distance. I refuse to be dragged down by your feeble blindness. A group of younger Dante, Melhan, and other elites stood out front with their adult guardians, visibly trembling with swords and bows and hands at the ready. Blindness? Theres seven of them! And a human riding it. Now lay down your weapons. I have neither the time nor the patience to entertain your meek idiocy. Tylers heart thudded as Kalas caught up, pushing through the crowd and dropping Tyler. When he got to the front, he saw what had caused the uproar. Seven white and blue wolves stood at the end of the path, snarling and baring their canines. Each was the size of a rhino and stood on the mouth of the Bramble, a massive circular area about a football field across, lined with cobblestones. It was a bizarre scene but Hadrian had captured the essence of the situation. On the back of the smallest wolf was an objecta humanand there was only one human in the forest. Tyler stepped forward with bated breath. Mira? He took another step, and before anyone could process his actions, he started sprinting at the wolves. Hadrian and the Dante flew after him, as his family was part of his guard detailbut they didnt stop him. They just watched his expressions to see if the woman on the wolves was, indeed, Mira Hill, and once Tylers eyes filled with tears and choking emotions, they gave him space as he rushed after her. Mira, in turn, rode her wolf at him as well. No one followed them. The wolves stood on one end and the Dante on the other, both creating walls to prevent anyone from disrupting the reunion. Then he heard her voice, and he had to believe it. Tyler! she screamed. You idiot! You stupid goddamn idiot! Her voice turned hoarse as she jumped off her wolf and rushed toward him at a speed he could barely comprehend. And in the blink of an eye, she had nearly tackled him like a linebacker, taking his breath away as she squeezed him. You idiot you stupid fucking idiot, she whispered. Hey, he cried, gasping for breath. I dont want to hear that from the girl who decided to live here. What the hell are you, anyway? Princess Mononoke. Mira laughed, sucking rapid breaths to keep the oxygen flowing. He could still remember her obsession with Studio Ghibli growing up. She used to watch Howls Moving Castle over and over again. It was annoying. So he compromised and made her throw on the others from time to time. He didnt know why he thought of that memory, but it brought tears to his eyes as he squeezed her. Ive missed you, he said. Ive missed you, too She took three rapid breaths. Idiot. They held each other for what seemed like forever until they finally released. Then he looked around. Wheres Kline? he asked. Mira stifled a sob, and he couldnt tell if it was natural or just part of the emotion. But she still looked up with puffy red eyes and said, Klines gone. B2 | Chapter 80 - Tribute and Trades The cat sits in a tree under active camouflage, watching the harvesters in the distance. His human must keep them in line but does not want to killhe has no such reservations. If culling must be done, he will cull. Silently. Completely. His human is in a safe zone. The fairy said that the Mouth is protected by magicthat if someone attacks, it will kill them. His human is safe but he does not trust the harvesters. The ones out front are strong. Stronger than he is. They probably have eyes that can see him like the fairy can see him. Eyes that can see his portal. Track his movements. He felt them a mile out; he could barely feel the rest. Legacies. Thats what the fairy calls them. They are different from the rest. They are stronger than that colossusboth in strength and experience. They could evolve but dont because they cannot return. Thats what the cat thinks. Legacies. He wants them to leave his human. He doesnt trust the lurvine to protect her. His instincts were right. After his human finishes his reunion with her kin, the beast tamer rushes the lurvine, hugging them, reuniting. Many will join him, and Miras protection will dwindle. He must stay and watch for now. He will strike when the time is right. Suddenly, the youngest Dante looks up at the cat with a thin smile. Even from so far away, he sees and smiles and then looks away. He knows the cat is there, but he doesnt tell. He, too, is watching, interestedhunting. That man is dangerous. The cat hates that he is waiting to speak to his human. The man needs to breathe his last, but he cannot yet do it. So for now, he waits, watching, poised to warp into her shadow and take her away, an epic skill none can expect, even if they can counter the second strike. This is warand the cat is ready for it. 2. Hadrian Dante spotted the small cat and grinned. Brexton sold Hadrian exclusive information that Mira had a pet, and it was not only still alive but apparently strong enough to eat through dozens of second-evolution beasts. It was impressive, but he didnt expect the cat to have such exceptional Active Camouflage. It already rivaled the Claustras, and he could barely see it without Soul Sight. In fact, if Miras soul beast werent predictably watching over its master, he probably wouldnt have noticed it. Hadrian sent a side-long glance to Brexton and found that the clown was already smirking at him. It made him scoff. Never had he met someone who was reprehensible to the point of proudness. It was almost commendable and certainly disconcerting. Brexton Claustras loyalties only extended to Romulan and general chaos. He never sacrificed results for lunacy, but in any and every case where destruction was an option, he deferred to it. If he had his way, the Dante family would burn, and he got a thrill from Hadrian knowing this while he still paid him egregious sums for information. It was for that reason that Hadrian was wary of him more than any other. Hadrian turned back to the woman of the hour, Mira Hill, who had a full crowd trying to surround her but was keeping her distance as she spoke to Aiden and her brother warmly. It was clear that Aiden tamed the lurvine but it was impressive that she retained them as familiars. That fact was amazing, but he was drawn more to her appearance. It was too amusing. Despite being in the forest for four months, she showed up with smooth skin, pristine clothing, and styled hair. He had a feeling that if she had brought makeup, she would have worn it, tooall to flex her power. What? You thought I was a savage who ate meat with my bare hands? Are you mad? I would rather starve on the altar of despair than submit myself to such rabid conduct. If you entertain such foolish rumors again, I will burn you on the stake of your own ignorance. He doubted she spoke like that, but he doubted she would address his family with the same casualness that she was giving Aiden and her kin. Her patron wouldnt allow it. Elana Salieathe Eternal Goddess. Alendrias DanteHadrians patron and his familys matriarchcould not confirm that Elana was, in fact, Miras patron, but it was likely. Elana had hired Alendrias, and thereby her family, to collect goods from Mira and deliver them up the Spirit Stream. It was doubtful that an eighth evolution god could strike a deal with someone in the forest without at least a blessed subclass. The question waswho would be Miras patron god if Elana wasnt? Alendrias said there was only one person on the council but refused to say who it was. That wasnt surprising. She was the only tenth evolution god on Dronami, and she headed the Dronami Council that governed the gods and rules regarding the planet and its protection from foreign invaders. Her words were law, and the secrets she held for millennia were essential to maintaining order throughout the Multiverse. Hadrian wanted to know, though. He wanted to test her. He wanted to force her to release her secrets. To fight her soul companion and figure out the depth of her secrets. Hadrian was excited for the forest time in years. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. He waited patiently until Mira finished and finally addressed the pooling crowd. She walked to the edge of the Mouth with the lurvine, back facing the forest, and then winced as hundreds of harvesters passed by her, taking her into the forest. Hadrian. Hadrian turned and found his teacher, Kallan, nudging her head toward Mira. She was now standing with her lurvine, watching everyone pass out. It was time for business. Okay. Hadrian walked through the crowd, which parted as if by magic as he made his way to Mira. She was waiting for him with an air of apprehension. While I respect your prudence, theres no need for wariness, he said as he approached. This area is surrounded by a grand ward, and attacks are met with immediate paralysis and death of the attacker. I would be more wary of that man, he pointed at Brexton, who waved merrily, as hes the man in charge of exposing your secrets. Mira turned to Aiden, who said, I cant say anything about Brexton, an omission that all but designated Brexton as the person he was chained to. Mira looked at Hadrian. Is this your way of building trust with me? What need would I have for that? he responded, glancing at Tyler. Mira turned to her brother. Hes Hadrian Dante. He heads my security detail. My family does, but I aid them, yes. Although I am regrettably unable to during the Harvest. Because youll be slaughtering everything in sight? Thats a rather coarse way to put it, but yes. Mira pursed her lips. Please, speak your mind, Hadrian said with a hint of amusement. Its just your words. I understand they automatically translate, but its hard to believe you speak with that lexicon. Whys that? Is there a problem with accurately conveying ones viewpoints? Uh no. Its just that Actually, yes. I cant imagine that half the people here can actually understand you. Kallan took a step forward in warning of Miras disrespectful tone, but when Mira put up her hands, Hadrian said, Theres no need for hostilities. Its a valid questionone Im happy to answer. The reason is simple: why would I degrade my intelligence to enable the ignorance of others? If you ask me, its an offensive disservice to speak down to others as if they were children who need coddling instead of inspiring them to expand their mind. Mira genuinely considered it and then said: I can see your point, but Im still not sure what the value of language is if you dont communicate well with people. Hadrian chuckled. He couldnt remember the last time anyonesave Brextonwas so defiant toward him. In fact, after Kallans warning, one could even call her recalcitrant. It seemed that her warning to the First Domain wasnt a bluffit was her genuine personality. Then well agree to disagree. Now please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hadrian Dante, chosen Scion of the Dante family, and second in command in the First Domain. My family heads your familys detail, and Kallan and her team here, he turned to his teacher and four other powerful family members, will be transporting Elanas supplies between here and the Second Domain. Miras eyes widened, and she choked on her words. Forgive my rough introduction. My name is Mira Hill, Scion of the Elana Saliea. There is no need for such hesitation. I find your subversion charming. Mira blushed slightly and then turned away, unclipping her backpack. I have her tribute here. Do you by chance have some preservation chambers? I have extra and some cannot be put into the same container. We do, Kallan said. She turned to the others, who pulled off their backpacks and started unloading supplies. When Mira saw the specialty preservation containers, she started drooling. If you would like to trade for some, we would be obliged to do so, Hadrian said. Uh As if in a trance, the Mira pulled out a chamber that had about fifty cores of different colors. Name your price. Hadrian couldnt help but laugh and flash her a smile. This woman wasnt even negotiating. It was clear that she had hidden most of her valuables, and what she had brought was worth less than dirt to her, a remarkable fact considering the absurd number of green cores. We will accept trades in cores, but we would rather trade in herbs. Oh, of course. Mira pulled out her tribute, exposing the remarkably rare herbs, flowers, and fungi from deep in the forest. There was over twice as much for each. These ones are super valuable and Id rather save most of them. But I brought these to trade. Mira pulled out five more containers and stacked them up. Each container was packed with a mixed assortment of different plants, and when she opened them under a warping domain and purified them, Felio Hellara, the First Domain heir of the Melhan family, cried out from the location she was watching. Calba Root? Trana? Whats that These are the plants youre selling? Whats in those I suggest you back away, Kallan said chillingly. In fact, lets move out of the Mouth. Ill create a barrier. Wait! Felio yelled. Dont sell those. My family will outbid Mira walked out of the mouth and suddenly, the world tinted black under a sensory deprivation chamber, leaving them alone as Mira hesitantly transferred the tribute to the open containers and handed them off. And then she proved her shrewdness. Listen, I used information requests to research the price of these ingredients, and also common items right before I came here. So I know some of these ingredients would auction for hundreds of thousand hawks a piece. So its not quite fair to trade even one for those chambers. But But what? Hadrian said obligatorily, smiling amusedly. I will give you all but one of each of the tributes, plus this, she pulled out a tincture container, if you set up a life-long protection contract for my family. Hadrian furrowed his brow as he studied the container. It was simple alcohol with spores. What is this? He grabbed it and handed it to his alchemist, Tallae Dante, who studied it for about ten seconds before he started trembling in a way that Hadrian had never seen. What is it? Hadrian asked with a sharper tone. This Tallae looked up at Mira. Are these Lumidran spores? Mira grinned. Yes, yes they are. And theyre worth more than everything here combined. Hadrians smile disappeared for the first time, and his eyes drifted toward the trees beyond the barrier, now tinted black, hiding the cats Active Camouflageassuming he was there. Miras eyes widened in horror when she saw him looking at Aiden, and Tyler turned to the trees. Forgive me, I thought I saw a snara bird, Hadrian said, regaining his smile. Pray tell. How did you get these? Ill let your imagination go wild, she said dryly. Actually, Ill add this: they were a pain in the ass and youll pay for them. Assuming we dont steal them. Hadrian shrugged. Im under contract. Your family is under contract. And we only have to procure your tribute without killing you. Those are rather loose conditions, would you not agree? B2 | Chapter 81 - Kal Melhan Aiden and Tyler and Mira took two steps back after Hadrians threat, and the lurvines snarled as they moved forward. Are you threatening me? Mira asked. Its quite the opposite, actually, Hadrian said. This is a friendly warning not to display anything of such value so openly. If I were to steal such a thing, I would gain a lifetime of value. Thats better than making deals that could end at any moment when you die in this forest. Theres less risk. He passed the spore container from his alchemist to Mira. And as much as I would like to oblige you, the Dante do not accept lifetime contracts. Your family is a staggering liability, considering that their daughter has declared war on the legacies under the watchful eyes of the multiverse. Mira flushed with shame. Then, her face turned cold and bitter. Twenty years? she whispered. Hadrian shook his head. Then I suppose I should curry favor with the other families. She began packing up her containers. Eight. Mira looked up. What? Eight. Our family works in increments of ten. You have two years of protection. We will give you an eight-year extension to fulfill our decade requirement. After that, you will need to renegotiate. Hadrian! Kallan said. He turned to her. If the Dante cannot forgo conflict for ten years, our familys prestige would hold no credenceand I refuse to let that happen. I will take full responsibility. Mira looked down at her goods bitterly. Her face expressed the skepticism and remorse of someone believing themselves ready to be swindledunaware of his steep concession. But then she did something that defied his expectations. She turned to the side, ostensibly speaking to her guide, and then nodded a few times before turning back with fierce resolution. I accept on the terms previously agreed uponsubject to a soul pact. The ease at which she sacrificed three information requests for a single meeting was both concerning and delightful. As you wish. The two created a soul pact together. He led the way, as she couldnt, but her guide confirmed the process was successful, and then Mira handed the spores to Hadrian, followed by all but one flower of each of the tributes. Then she smiled wryly. I hope youll forgive my reluctance to trade these lesser ingredients. I have to live up to my reputation as a trader to retain peace. Hadrian smiled thinly. About that He looked into the forest, where almost a thousand harvesters were still in sight, funneling off the steps from hell. Pray tell, Mira. How exactly do you plan to enforce law and order over fifty square miles? Mira closed her eyes and released a thin aura pulse that freckled his arms with goosebumps. It penetrated the ground and trees as she looked to the south and said, Son of a bitch. Theyre already at it Hadrian released a divination pulse and saw that some idiots were using fire spells against beasts not five hundred meters away. The question was how she noticed. How powerful was she? He checked her core up close and froze with apprehension. His mana core was the purest on record in First Domain. He had threaded two sunrise cores and had absolute purity for his first and second evolutionsso he knew what a pure core looked like under Mana Vision. It looked like an absolute reflection of a transitional core. Therefore, his was tealthe transition between the second evolutions green and the second evolutions blue. And since Miras tiny core was the size of a third evolution, it should, at most, be chartreuse, the blend between the first evolution''s yellow and the second evolutions green. Yet Miras wasnt. It was pure white with a stroke of green that wrapped around it like a brush stroke. And that wasnt all. Mira had a soul core. He had never seen one because there was no soul stream in the first four domains, so the people who had one before the Fifth Domain were ambitious legacies risking it all in Areswood before ascension or forbidden soulmancers who sacrificed entire battlefields worth of soldiers to establish one. But, naturally, these people were few and quickly identified and disposed of. But rarity aside, there were plenty of accounts of soul cores developed in the mortal plane, and all accounts described them as spherical hurricanes in a persons chestand they were notorious for killing their hosts. But this this was a sphere of pure aura, wrapped around a vivid purple marble that was as bright as her mana coreand it was tiny. It was like a bright dot in the nighttime sky. If such a core existed, it wasnt common. He would need to research it. 2. While Hadrian was ogling my chest, I was packing up my new preservation chambers. I didnt know what they were, but the complex arrays inscribed on them promised beautiful effects for storage. I didnt care how much the containers wereI needed them and was happy. If only this raging douchebag would leave already, it would be great. I assume that youre studying my soul core, but I am still a woman, I said dryly. Isnt there an etiquette regarding these things? May I stare at your breasts in the name of science, or something? Hadrians eyes widened, and he turned away. Forgive my misconduct, he said. There is no such conduct in the First Domain because theres no soul cores. I stopped packing my backpack, heart racing again. My mind suddenly returned to that warning Brindle gave me when he offered me his legacy: The art of manipulating the souls and consciousness of living creatures is considered blasphemous by countless religions and organizations. Should people learn that you have accepted my legacy, you will be shunned by many societies in the Multiverse and hunted down by zealots. That was a chilling warning, but I didnt think that it applied to soul cores. They were common knowledge for Elana and Lithco, so I had assumed soul cores were fairly common, but I realized that I had done a lot of soulmancy-related spells to make it happen. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Ill attribute it to a recommendation from your guide, Hadrian looked toward the river, considering your location. But I wouldnt mention it to others. Most people dont have enough soul force to tell. Hadrian nodded his head, and the barrier disappeared, opening us up to hundreds of curious, staring faces. Then Hadrian waved with a single finger and walked away without so much of a Great to meet you, or opportunity to bribe him into silence. That guys a total douche, I thought. But there was something about him that was hard to ignore. Hadrian was charismatic. Not necessarily in his words but in the absolute certainty that he presented them and his oozing aura of confidence. He was right, in his mind, and it looked like he would kill anyone who fought back against his ideals. For betterand obviously worsehe was a staple of the culture, a voice of change. It made me nervous. Is it my turn? a cheery woman Id soon learn as Felio asked, hurrying forward. But before she took three steps, a blonde asshole that made Hadrian seem palatable blocked her. Melhans take precedence. Tyler suddenly clicked his tongue, breaking free from the fear and deference that he was showing to the Dante. That was remarkable, considering that all of these people were likely powerful. You know him? I whispered as the man argued with the woman. No. But I saw him in line. He was bullying people. Really? Yeah. It pissed me off. Is he powerful? I dont know. He is, Aiden added quietly. Thats Kal Melhan. Hes the heir of the largest trading company. Theyre like Amazon here. Oh I whispered. Then we probably dont want to make trouble for them. Aiden flashed me a wry smile, and I soon knew why. Kal walked up to us and then looked at Aiden and then back at me. I know you have some connection from the delivery, but I suggest you disregard this man at once. Excuse me, I said, feeling loose wires sparking in my chest. I said you should disregard him. He got wrapped up with the grimwhispers and snubbed the entire trading community while he was at it. Hell bring you nothing but trouble. I turned to Aiden and saw his eyes tremble with pain and indignation. That alone told me everything I needed to know. These people cornered Aiden and had been abusing, bullying, and threatening him ever since. In fact, he already has, Kal sneered. Hes locked in with Brexton. My guess is that he already has a deal to tell him all your secrets. Bet thats the reason I know you have a thousand cores somewhere. Isnt it? I took a deep breath, realizing that the indignation and rage that I experienced during the Trial of Worth had solidified into the type of anger problem that domestic violence awareness videos warn students aboutand this guy didnt shut up. Hmmm? he asked Aiden. Cant talk? Dont want to admit that youre a malignant I lifted my finger and he stopped talking, turning to me. Hmmm? Im I said. About ten seconds away from killing you in front of everyone present. His lips parted, mouth agape, staring at me in disbelief. Your ears He looked at them. They do work, right? Your earsthey do work, right? I responded mockingly. Im pretty sure that I told everyone in your fucking domain that I didnt care who you are or what you do, if you fuck around like a little brat, I wont do business with you. And so far, my brother hates your guts, youre insulting my friend, and youre being an asshole to my customers. So, if you would be so kind, I would really appreciate it if you took a step back and fucking killed yourself. Kals bodyguards released a blast of soul pressure that silenced the crowd. I felt the tense pressure but it wasnt unbearableothers disagreed. Half the people in the circular plaza collapsed. Kals eyes quivered when he stared at me. Then his face paled when the lurvines stepped forward, making him stumble back, scrambling for the protection of the Brambles mouth. His guards didnt hesitate. They released mana pressure that felt like I got slammed with a brick, forcing me to a knee as the lurvines stared down the eight veterans. It seemed ready to turn into a bloodbath, with other families joining in as well. The eyes are so deceptive, a cheery voice said. All that bluster looking forward when you should be looking back. The Melhans looked back and found the Dantes staring them downalong with another family. Brexton walked forward in sharp attire, injecting himself between the lurvines and the Melhans as if he didnt fear for his life in the slightest. Dont tell me youve forgotten, he said. The Dante are duty bound to kill anyone who even glances at this man wrong. He presented Tyler like a showman. And this man! He pointed to Aiden, and his eyes sharpened to the edge of shattered glass. Hes a Claustra. Kal sneered from the safety of the Mouths ward. Stand down. His guards did, returning to the plaza. Then he pressed forward with sloppy vitriol in his voice: Hear me, Mira. While youre living in this savage fantasy land of yours, I come from reality. And in reality, we control the economy. That means we control where your family can work. Where they live. All factors of life that affect their lives but dont physically harm them. And we can also make things hard for the Dante. He turned to Hadrian. Until they realize that helping your family after their contracts just not worth it. Hmmm? You get it? Im going to make your and all your customers lives hell. Expect it, cunt. He turned and looked to the east. Lets go. I took a deep breath as he left. It was true that he deserved a beat down, but I also didnt want problems for my family, and thats exactly what just happened. Shit was getting dicey. Im sorry, Aiden said softly. Dont you dare apologize. I looked at the sharply dressed teen in front of me. You Brexton? That obvious? he mused. Release Aidens contract. Oh, thats quite the demand. He put his hands in his trouser pockets and rocked on his toes. Then he smiled. Ill refuse. Unlike everyone else, I dont profit off herbs and spices. I glowered at him. Be~sides, he said. If I didnt take in Aiden here He turned to Kal, walking into the distance. That man would own him. He walked away, waving and saying, Lifes un~fair! I rubbed my face and then closed my eyes, releasing a divination pulse to see where Kline was. It turned out that he was a quarter mile to the west, near a dozen people. The soul force of half of them suddenly disappeared. Two seconds later, the whole area fell blank, with only Kline remaining. Thank God I thought. Dickish or not, Kal and his guards were strong and faced off against the lurvines with serious intent to fight. Kline could probably kill a few of them, but he would be in trouble if he took them all on. It was a miracle they werent heading in the same direction. Still, I had another problemhow was I going to kill that little fucker without his family figuring out that I killed him? Sure, they could guess that it was me. But so long as they couldnt prove it was me, the other families would protect me and my family. No one would stop this gravy train over mere speculation. I didnt realize then that I was honestly thinking about killing these people. It felt so natural. I suppose that would make sense. I spent four months fighting for my life, killing thousands of beasts, and these people werent much different. They were threatsto my familyand that wouldnt stand. Kal Melhan wouldnt leave this forest alive. I would make sure of it. B2 | Chapter 82 - Felio Hellara I had six days to kill Kal Melhan in a way that wouldnt arouse suspicion, and I couldnt jump right into it. If I were committing premeditated murder, I would at least have to mask it to avoid the magical CSI teams that the Melhans would send to investigate. I couldnt let myself forget: this brat was the spoiled prince of an 11th-century monarch, demanding a plate of only the chickens wings as the peasants died of the plague. Repulsive as he may be, he was still a prince, and once he died, there would be hell to pay. Since Kline couldnt just dispatch them, and riding off to prepare right after the fight wasnt an option, I decided to sit down and mine information about Kal from the others trying to trade from me. The woman Kal shut down seized upon the opportunity as soon as I pulled out my ingredients again. Hi are you busy? she asked. No, I said. Oh, then would you mind if we discussed a trade? My name is Felio of the Hellara family. We are prominent alchemists, and were very interested in your calba root. Is it for sale? Ummm yes, I said. Though Im only accepting trades. I dont have much need for money at the moment. I sent a sidelong glance to Tyler, who was salivating. Though I suppose a bit wont hurt. Tylers eyes lit up. Felio giggled at his reaction. Excellent. We actually expected you to say that, so we brought practical necessities. While they do not hold the same value in trade, they hold higher value in use, since you cant get them in the forest. Take this for example. Her guard pulled out an apothecary bottle filled with blue crystals. This is clax, its a mana permeable emulsifier. Its critical for topical compounds. Simply using it will boost the efficacy of your essential balms and creams by a factor of four. My muscles tightened as I stared at it. I had never experienced such a sudden and voracious hunger for something so simple. I was officially an alchemist. We also brought other alchemic staples as well The guard showed a full backpack of multicolored jars. We figured youd need them because your delivery She stopped herself and then awkwardly smiled. Ended up in the Bramble, I said. She smiled tightly. But youre right, I said. Thats what I need. Do you have a preservation chamber for the trade? Felio trembled with excitement. Of course! Here, please take the ingredients. Her guards passed me the massive backpack full of alchemy supplies, and I fell forward when we exchanged hands. It wasnt that the bag was too heavyit was too light. It felt like cotton. The inside wasnt so soft. My head cracked into the back, jangling the jars inside. Gods! Are you okay? Felio cried. Ow I said reflectively, even though I didnt feel the pain. Whats up with that thing? This? She paused with her preservation chamber in hand. Oh! Are you talking about how light it is? Yeah. Oh, thats because its a gravity repulsion pack, Felio said. You cant make objects smaller, but magic can make them appear lighter. You can carry three of these backpacks and not even feel them. My heart thumped in a positive rhythm as I stared at the bags. There were different types, including a utility belt. The backpack is yours, silly, Felio said with a giggle. You dont think we brought you loose jars did you? Seriously? I cried. Of course. I accepted her empty preservation chamber, unsealed it, and put three roots into it under her buggy eyes. She put up her hands to decline, but I said, These are for the staples. Then I picked up the rest of them and put them into the chamber. And this is what youll get if you spend all day talking alchemy with me. Her eyes sparkled and she cupped her hands to her chest in the most precious gesture I have ever seen. Really? Really. Hey! Tyler said. Arent you supposed to show me around? When people are throwing around spells and killing each other? I asked sarcastically. No way. Ill take you out tomorrow maybe. He turned his head and brooded like the teenager he was. I rolled my eyes and offered Tyler a piece of cleansed jerky. Eat this. What He sniffed the meat and took a bite. The reaction was immediate. Veins webbed up his arms as he hit the ground, groaning and moaning and snaking around like a worm. Is he okay? Felio asked nervously. Hes fine, I said. Now then. Alchemy? Felio sat down nervously, but soon, we were idly chatting about this and that, sinking hours away as other people approached and left me with gifts. She told me all about the forest and the most important Areswood biota for her familynot in trade, but in use. It turned out that the Hellara family didnt want or need the miracle ingredients I was giving to Elana because the complimentary components necessary to process such powerful ingredients were equally expensive. Cost goes both ways, Felio explained about rare elixirs. Even if we managed to make something that expensive, it would take centuries for someone to buy it. Why dont you sell it in the upper domains? I asked. Cause it wont make it past customs. Resources are categorized by purity and impact. An elixir with a high purity will kill someone without the mind or core to handle it, so theyre restricted for sale. An elixir with high impact is forced through legacy channels. Even if we wanted to sell something up the line, the Melhan would block it. The Melhan I peered into the western forest where Kal had started his hike. Seems its learned behavior. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Felios face tightened, and she looked down. You probably shouldnt talk too much about it. Usually the legacies rein their kids in if their behaviors bad for business, but Kals different. I leaned forward and whispered, Why? Because the investments too steep. Felio glanced at Brexton, who was sitting on a tree branch, kicking his legs childishly between drinks. See Brexton? Yeah. Hes a Scion. That means he has a patron godand thats very rare. The domains usually go millennia without having a new Scion, but somehow, the First Domain has two Scions at the same time, and the Melhans are mortified that their heirs sons not one of them. So theyve invested everything into him, hoping to capture their gods attention while theyre watching the harvest. Oh I whispered. Yeah I hear they spent a diamond heirloom on him. My lips curved into a complex smile. I could theoretically grasp the value of a diamond in the outside world, but I couldnt understand it. I still had six specialized diamond requests and three diamond free requests, including one I got for my level-up post-evolution. Lastly, I still had a diamond skill reward. That chalked up ten generational heirlooms under my belt, and I was fairly certain that Lithco wouldnt let me level up without at least a platinum, as levels were a reward system, not a unit of measurement, and up until that point, my achievements were so high, and my opportunities were so plentiful that I was forced into a high-risk, high reward leveling system. Felio must have sensed my thoughts because her eyes flooded with curiosity. I had to change the subject. Whatd they buy him? I asked. Oh they didnt announce it, but I heard Kal was boasting about some book. I think it identifies poisons automatically. I gripped my pants reflexively. You know something about it? she asked. I snapped out of my dark and lamenting thoughts of not being able to poison that little prick and turned to her. Oh that? I chuckled awkwardly. Yeah. Its probably the Big Book of Poisons. Its practically the only reason Im alive. Really? It really points out poisons? Points out Ill do you one better. It highlights things. I turned to the forest. And let me tell you, half the forests purple. Felio giggled, and then we chatted for a few hours. Tylers teacher, Kalas, came by to touch base with me. We discussed Tylers progress like a parent-teacher conference, and then he said he would take Tyler into the forest the next morning and invited me to come. I agreed. I needed to distance myself from Kal and find some way to get a hold of Kyro. He couldnt get involved in the Harvest by Drokai law (as one harvester seeing one of them would ruin their greatest ambush trump card), but Kals threat, as a legacy with my advantages, could tip the scales. At a very minimum, he might be willing to get me some freeter spores while I was in the opposite direction. Turning that arrogant gaggle of assholes into an Areswood 1-Melhan 0 poster would probably be more powerful than them simply disappearing. So I would ask for a favor. It was evening when Felio finally had to join her family. I snuck her some extra resources and some of my cleansing creams, and she gave me some lip balm that felt like I was kissing ice-dusted with sugar. It gave me energy and vibrancy. I loved it. Tyler was restless and jonesing for the jerky I gave him earlier, so we went into my tent and cooked marinated meat on the magical heating pit inside, swapping stories about our daily lives. Mom and Dad were boring as ever, according to Tyler, and twice as naggy. They had allegedly put a stethoscope up his ass since he started training, constantly fussing over his health, then punishing him for being alive. He recounted a genuinely harrowing tale about how Kalas had broken and healed his legs fifteen times one day to strengthen his bones, but Mom still made him do chores when he got home. According to her, Life doesnt stop for the sick. If you push yourself too hard, its going to hurt the rest of your life, and I refuse to encourage such behavior. Tyler scoffed and said, Do you think I want this? but she didnt listen. It was an interesting story to reflect on. On the one hand, I was living proof of her worries. If Kline werent around me, I would have died using Nymbral on the brivelts during the Trial of Worth. On the other hand, if I didnt push myself that far, we would have both died. It was a complex viewpoint, and I determined that the validity of that argument would be on a case-by-case basis, and it was truly unreasonable to do so when Kalas was forcing the lessons. But just as I determined that Mom was wrong and Tyler was right, I asked, Did she know he broke your legs? to which he said, Of course not! Are you insane? and the whole thing came full circle. We laughed as I served the food. Five minutes later, Tyler was lying on the ground, moaning like an addict after a plunger full of black tar heroin. I was just glad he didnt ask about Kline because I didnt want to lie to him. Thinking so, I activated Root Wide Web. Kline was back at camp, watching over us from a tree. Oh Kline I thought. I got up once Tyler fell asleep and walked to the edge of the Mouth, staring into the forest. I couldnt look into the trees or give it away, but I let him know, under his watchful, loving eyes, that I was thinking about him. Then I went to bed. It would be a long day on the morrow. The morning brought a thunder of activity. All the legacies were leaving into the forest after the culling period, so elites sat around cookfires, eating racks of soul meat that they had started cooking the prior afternoon in preparation. Felio offered me a cup of tea, and I drank it. You joining them? she asked. I nodded. My idiot brothers going, so I guess I gotta Actually In a sudden flash of inspiration, I came up with a potential solution for dealing with Kal. What I needed was fallbacks and witnesses. Having a legacy member around to establish my innocence regarding Kaland verify my guilt in dealing with bad actors during the harvestwould be useful. I turned to her. Wanna join? If we get Aiden, we could probably cover fifty miles on a foraging event. I would love to she said nervously. But her eyes turned to her guards, I cant leave my people. Would taking one do? I asked. We have a Dante guard, and if we get Aiden, we could probably Hey, Aiden. Aiden was locked in a tense conversation with his fellow beast tamerand perhaps rivalRailain, so there was a lag before he looked over and nodded and then came over. Everything good? I asked. Of course. Railian was just expressing how magnificent I was. She strangely decided to do so with phrases like, I wont let you beat me again, and Watch your back. I actually think shes in love with me. My eyes drifted to the forest, mind blank and formless as I tried to process the bullshit that Aiden just thrust into my brain. His fake optimism game had evolved so much that I was genuinely unsure if he was serious or not until I saw a slight smile on his lips. Yeah, I think she does, I said, scoffing. Make sure to get her dads permission. Oh, but thatd ruin it. Forbidden loves only exciting if Hey, I interrupted. Do you wanna go foraging with us? You could probably pick up some beasts along the way. He glanced at Felio, her guards, and the lurvines. I know you wouldnt be asking me to join so I could conveniently convince the lurvines to let you ride them, he remarked with a slight smile, but are you doing that? My lips curled into a guilty grin. To be fairthis is what friends do. They automatically assume they are going to do things together, then take advantage of that fact. Aidens eyes drifted into the forest with a smirk, but it soon turned into a gentle smile. It was really hard to claim I was just using him when I went to war with a family on his behalf. So he just shrugged and nudged his head at the lurvine. Whats in it for them? I smiled. Cooked soul meat and gratitude. Aiden took one glance at the lurvine and laughed. Theyre in. Ah-ight. Feed em a snack and well head out. Yus, I said, pumping my hands. Aiden saw my cuteness and rapidly turned away. Ill get ready. It was a strange exchange that stuck to me like a wet leaf to a jacket, holding tight for a minute before falling off and drifting away. Then I forgot about it as I convinced Felios guards to let her and one guard leave with me. They were adamantly opposed until they learned that Tylers Dante guard was joining us, and they reluctantly let us go. And thats how, as the sun spilled over the howling, winding trees of the Areswood Forest, Aiden, Tyler, Felio, Kalas, and two overpowered guards mounted gigantic third evolution beasts and flew into the Black Harvest with me like bad tourists, prepared to see the aftermath of the culling. B2 | Chapter 83 - Foraging The Black Harvest wasnt black, but it certainly was crimson. Not two hundred yards from base camp, we found severed limbs on the ground with drag marks from beasts dragging their quarry into the forest. Other trees were slashed with claws or burned, and weapons lay around like abandoned needles in the Denver city streets. I regretted seeing it, and Tyler was visibly traumatized, so I wondered if Kalas was a sadist. He certainly looked like one with alchemic arrays tattooed to his face and body daily with oil paints and his stoic expression and simple phrases. He resembled my interpretation of what Spartan men were like in the times of antiquity: Let him see true battle. Let him bathe in blood. Let him experience true violence and suffering and hardship. Only then will he be a man. Only then will he be able to paint these zealous simples on his body and thrust his face into the world. It was hellish and freakish and wronguntil I learned the reason he brought Tyler there. The scene threw cold water onto my hot head and made me shiver. It was just that powerful. It started when we entered a meadow that doubled as a gruesome burial ground. A party of harvesters lay against the cracked trees a beast threw them into, or the ground, with bent armor, from where they were stomped. It was grim, but the thing that was so unnatural was the puddles. There were quite a few in an area filled with murky crimson water. Kalas stopped us and summoned Tyler as he dismounted and crouched beside a puddle. What do you see? he asked. I looked closer and saw that it had slush in it, white and milky, cutting against the red and brown pigments marbling within. Ice? Tyler said. Yes, Kalas said. And what of the puddle? Tyler stood and stumbled back and looked in all directions. T-Theyre paw prints. I wasnt particularly impressed, obviously, but Kalass eyes drifted from the dead harvesters to me regardless: What does this speak to you? I studied the area closer and found the paw prints left the forest with minimal blood in thin spattersnot from a gaping wound. I think I paused and turned to the dead harvesters. I think one of them was very talented talented enough to freeze a giant in place, but even immobilized, they couldnt harm it. It just broke free and killed them anyway. Correct, Kalas said. And do you know why? Because its aura was too strong, I said quietly, reflecting on my own experience. If Kline had faced any other beast but a first-evolution reiga upon our arrivalwe would have died. But we did find it, allowing us to eat the meat and build our aura. Pure luck. Happenstance. Thats the true reason I was alive. Exactly. Kalas turned to Tyler. The strongest rabbit cannot harm a wolf. Remember that before you bare your fangs at a legacy again. Tyler looked down; Aiden and I did the same. Then a solemn breeze blew between us, seizing our lungs and only letting go when Kalas mounted and said. Youve seennow learn from it. Lets go. Tyler mounted his lurvine, and we rode on, reflecting upon what we learned. I was glad for the lesson because the more I thought about it, the more I was brought back to Kyros lesson, where he humiliated me and my high-level magic with gusts of raw aura. Even with every sneak attack imaginable, he destroyed us with the snap of his fingers. And while I had become stronger, sharper, and far more powerful, and while I had a weapon and experience nowI was going up against magic casters. Kline could kill twelve of the lessers in seconds, but I was already warned that these people were differentreally different. I glanced at the Dante guard. He had yet to speak once during the trip. He was just doing his job like a robot, but the way people stared at him made it clear that this man was a monster under the hooda sleeper car that looked like it just came off the lot but was cranked with a mean engine and NOS days before the race. We rode on. Most of the herbs were picked, alchemic, benign, and poisonous as we went through. Someone picked a plant that was neon purple; a mile later, I saw him dead on the ground, arm rotted like he had touched uranium at Chornobyl. More people were dying on the ground, begging for help. I gave them Diktyo water. I was going to make a trip for it anyway, so it was, ironically, quite plentiful. Kalas told me not to waste my resources. Felio said it was refreshing to see people help strangers. We rode on. It was about five miles in when alchemic resources came into view. They didnt highlight, so I didnt know what they were, but Felio did. She screeched in delight and flew off her lurvine, skillfully dodging every poisonous plant as she pulled out containers and declared the plant names like I did to my parents. That triggered something in my brain, and suddenly, I was right beside her, hearing facts about the plants, riddling off trivia about similar plants from Earth. 2. Tyler sighed when he saw Mira nerding out with Felio. Here he was, trying to keep his breakfast down after all the gruesome sights he saw, and there Mira was, throwing up her index, as she always did right before going on tirades and going off about plants merrily as if nothing had happened. Yep, he thought, shes definitely a psychopath now. He turned and found Felios guard with a similar expression. She always like this, too? Tyler asked dryly. The guard nodded with a tired smile. Its incessant. The mistress tries to get her to submit to Hellara etiquette, but no one seems willing to force her. Shes a treasure in a land of rocks. Huh He never thought of Miras behavior being a treasure. It was almost the opposite. Here Mira was the most famous person in the world, all because of some stupid decision to be a mountain woman. Now, she was in the forest, and instead of being some dirty horticulturist, she was actually a bloodthirsty maniac. It had been reversed, but seeing Mira actually speaking about flowers and fungi, pointing out edible berries, and pointing out poisons, he realized that it was kind of special, wasnt it? She was having fun. Could he say the same? Not today, but during the trip? He didnt know. Tyler looked at Aiden. You spent a week with her, right? If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He nodded. One hell of a vacation. Tyler chuckled and watched Mira cut a mushroom to explain the gill structure to Felio. So what was she like? Aiden glanced at Kalas and the Dante guard warily but chose to speak regardless. Nothing like this he said. Then again, there was no time for it. A normal Tuesday in this place could cripple a monarch, so she was always running around saving my ass. Saving the lurvines. Saving shit everyone. That girls one hell of a woman. Tyler blinked twice and then rubbed his eyes with a laugh. Then, he thought about Aidens words and realized there was nothing to say. His sister was a total badass, and he couldnt even begin to understand that. He wanted tothat was for sure. But he didnt want to ask Aiden for this tribal reason that kept eating at him the more that loverboy ogled Mira. So what? Tyler finally asked. You into my sister, or what? Aiden smiled wryly and turned to him. Do you really think your sister would date me? Tylers shoulders slouched, and he gave Aiden the deadest glance he could. Yeah. She only talks to awkward nerds. Well, not really, actually. Mira brought a boy home one night to see pictures of the guys trip to the Amazon. She was twenty, in between semestersnever had a boyfriend. The guy was weird but he was so-so, good enough, so my mom treated the guy like a god. It was as if she were saying, Dont worry, hun. Were a bundled deal. Love my daughter and Ill cook and do your laundry. Then she forced Mira into her room, insisted they shut the door, and then said theyd be downstairs with company for the next 36 hours. Practically left the girl a condom. Aiden had started laughing at some point, and when Tyler paused, he said, So? What happened? What do you mean, what happened? The guy showed her plants from the Amazon for three hours. I know because Mira was practically glowing when she came downstairs, and the guy had the bleakest expression Ive ever seen. Blue balled to the moon. Aiden laughed and then looked down. Tyler watched Mira and Felio dry out plants in real time like a pack of evil witches, then grind them with their fingers into a container with a complex expression. So probably not, he said. Probably. Aiden looked at him. What does that mean? Tylers head space blackened. Who knows? he said quietly. That same girl told that douchebag that she was seconds from killing him and I believe her. Dead serious. I can tell when shes lying He narrowed his eyes on her, thinking about Kline. And she wasnt lying. He turned to Aiden. So who knows? Maybe shell turn into a raging nympho manic and my hit list will look like video game credits. Aiden laughed. You love her, dont you? Not particularly. But shes my sister, you know? I remember hating her fucking guts. Because she was the favorite, you know? Not with mom. Im a mommas boy and all that. But not Mira. She was a daddys girl, and shed get away with murder with the guy. You shouldve seen the guys face when she stopped asking to get on his shoulders. Devastated. He laughed and shook his head. Bullshit, too. Cause I like football. Not her. I lift weights. Doug and I are practically the same person and I mentioned that at one point. And this bastard you know what he said? What? He said Well, if were so similar, youll love football and beer in college, and youll love college, football, and your little girl nine months after the condom breaks. Aiden laughed. Bullshit Tyler laughed with Aiden, and when he turned, he saw guard bro cracking a smile and Kalas well, he was just callous as fucking ever. That dampened the mood, and Tyler got back to the point. Point is, he said as the girls were closing up their fancy boxes. I dont know anymore. Ive known her my whole life, but now I feel like I dont know anything about her. But I still wanna protect her, you know? Maybe its some primal instinct, but I do. Ironic as it is. The real question is do you think so? Aiden paused and thought about it. I dont know maybe. She smiles more at my antics and thats cool. Makes me feel good. But no time soon. Why not? Youre sounding like your mother, pressin the issue. Shut up, asshole. Aiden smiled this sad clown of a smile, pausing and reflecting and saying, Cause even if in some alternate universe, my sad boy, defenseless asshole bullshit was some major turn on for her shes not stupid. Theres reasons that she wouldnt want to date me, and shes not the type of person who would entertain nonsense. But who knows one day when Haltens free and Brextons He smiled thinly. Ill move here. And who knows? If Im the only option, she just might take me. Tyler reflected on the guys words for almost a full minute before saying, God damn that was bleak. If she falls for you after that nonsense God. Youve never had a girlfriend, have you? Aidens cheeks flushed. Where the hell did that come from? The fact that youre showing interest and spewing introspective bullshit into the same sentence. Bro, if you wanna girl, you gotta Tyler paused. Never mind. Im not adding you to a hitlist. Die a virgin. He turned to Mira. Lets lets go! She huffed and looked away and said, We were already leaving. Mira tried to act all annoyed, but she was still buzzing with excitement and happiness. Alright, lets go She turned in an oddly specific direction that Kalas and both guards found suspicious. Mira looked at both of them. Ive used an information request to find one of the plants Felio told me about. If youve got a problem with thattoo bad. Felio and I will go off without you. With a huff and a dramatic flip of her hair, she trotted off with her sassy, obviously-a-strong-independent-woman lurvine. God he hated Mira. Tyler smiled and shrugged. Well? he asked the others. Lets go. 3. God, I was having the time of my life. Finding a foraging buddy in Colorado was surprisingly difficult, and the ones I hadnt werent nerdy enough, but FELIO. This woman couldnt tell you the difference between a vine and a climber, but if something could be turned into a shampoo, she could tell you the full history of it and then some. She was pointing out how essence flowed through plants and where it was collected and the different extraction methods that produced different effects. I loved that girl. Thats why I felt terrible deceiving her. Dont get me wrong. I did, indeed, use an information request to find a plant on her Christmas wish list, and her eyes were super nice and glittery when she found it. I mean, they were searched for annually with requests but only found every few years (thank God the competitors died, fell ill, or rotted on the way), so it was hella believable. So when I declared that there was something in the distance and told everyone to wait while I dealt with it, Kalas and the guards reluctantly believed me. Reluctantly was a key termand good reason. My request was to find a super rare plant relatively near one of the many ingredients on Felios wishlist, as finding a rare plant was essential to my strategy. So after I captured my rockstar super queen plant of the month, White Brantor, a rare plant that cured a form of mana sickness called Skalkna not two miles away, I considered slashing my wrists and covering myself in blood to simulate a battle, but I asked Lithco if they could tell if it was my blood, hoping the information was part of one of my many skills and he came out just to say, As much as I would be amused to see such a futile attemptyes. I told him to fuck off and returned back with a disappointed expression and said, Thought it was a raster. Turned out it was a whole lot of nothing, and we pushed on. Kalas was the sharpest, calling bullshit with his eyes, but the other two guards ignored it, likely taking the stance that, We dont trust anyone, least of all you, so carry on. Try to fuck us over, and well kill you. Whatever the case, Felio was squealing with joy over her herb, Tylers lurvine killed a land hippo studded with spikes while he was riding it (which Tyler thought was the coolest shit ever), and we returned to camp with fresh meat and two living protectees, a breath of relief for the guards. Only Aiden looked pensive and aloof, drifting into nothingness. I really had to find something that would cure the poor bastards depression. Hed be a lot more likable if his grim optimism was both genuine and confident. And he wasnt soul-chained to an information broker. There was that. As for me, I had the makings of a terrible plot to kill Kal. Now, it was just about biding my time and finding the right time to hook this fish and send him spiraling into hell. On the way back, we saw some dead fucker cut into four slices. Felio cried out, wondering what did it, and the others panicked and forced us to leave, wondering what sick and vile creature would do such a thing. But while I played along the best I could, in my heart, all I could think was, Fucker deserved it. I knew that for a fact. Because the woman was heading in our direction and those were Klines claws. B2 | Chapter 84 - Eight Rules I skinned the studded hippo Tylers lurvine killed in the middle of the base camp. The thing was a metric ton at least, and it had spikes on its back that raked the ground and tiles as we dragged it in, upping the psychological damage for those in camp. It only got more intense when I pulled out my machete and cut its head off in one swing, a very necessary step before skinning animals, and then used Separation and levisphere to drain the blood in a gyrating sphere. Tyler thought it was dope, Felio thought it was fantastic, and Lithco was probably roiling as he watched from the skies above us, but it didnt matter. Brexton had spent a solid five minutes eye fucking my soul core from the tree branch he was sitting on the night before, and while he hadnt looked sense, I had a feeling that Hadrian and the families already had 25 factoids about it. I needed an excuse for how I knew soulmancy techniques, and the basic need to eat food daily was one of them. So I launched that blood sphere into the forest like a fastball and butchered the beast like a pro before publicly cleansing the meat and throwing both rib racks over a fire in the center of the plaza. Not five minutes later, the scent and pop of sizzling meat spread through the base camp, capturing the attention of bone-tired elites who had been cooking meat for eight hours without luck. The fucks up with that? someone said. Witchcraft? another said, using the word caragona, a name rooted in the name of an evil sorcerer from a fairy tale, as Felio quickly pointed out. Dunno. Go ask her. Nah, you ask her. Then Brexton whistled from behind the cookfire he was sitting at. Everyone looked at him. Hundred hawks if you wanna know, Brexton said. Otherwise, you pansy asses have to talk to the chick. Not like she handed out free ingredients all day, or anything. I turned and saw a whole stack of untouched items I had traded, from clothing to cookware to multi-tools that I had stacked up and left on the edge of the Mouth. Then, I turned to Brexton with a complex expression, wondering if I should let him profit off these peoples hesitations. Then I remembered who he was, flipped him off, and said, Fifty hawks." Just for spite. Suddenly, I found myself with over a thousand hawks, a unit of measurement I didnt understand, and offered it to Tyler. Is this enough for rent? I asked. He popped the coin sack in his hand a few times, listening to the clack as if to confirm that it wasnt chocolate coins, and then looked up with the most insane expression Ive ever seen and said, Of course not. Get more. You son of a bitch, I said, slapping his arm. Then I said, Line up if you paid, and then I gave each person variations of, Its soul cooking. I kept attracting beasts with my eighteen-hour cookoffs, so I bit the bullet and bought a skill. People asked me what grade of request I used. I told them, Thousand hawks or fuck off, expecting that they wouldnt, but lo and behold, I landed myself another ten thousand hawks as I lied and said it was a gold request. Tyler looked like Daffy Duck, prepared to dive headfirst into a haystack of gold when I handed it to him and said, For Mom and Dad. Yeah, yeah, he said, but I knew full damn well that he''d take a fifth at least. I was about to call him out, but a woman offered me a bottle of something; Aiden rushed up crazily and checked it for GHB and confirmed it was just brandy, and the next thing I knew, I was half a bottle down, buzzing hard, screaming, Soul cookins on me tonight! Muted cheers rippled through the campsite, and soon, people were lined up with plates as I served medium rare ribs seasoned with herbs to them on my machete. Once they tasted the meat, I got countless offers to buy it by the pound. I said I would consider it as I joined random campfires with Tyler and Aiden, helping both the shy guys network with powerful people. Before long, we knew enough powerful people to get away with murder. It was a fun night, and like all good nights with drinking, it eventually got bad. Everyone kept feeding me alcohol, and my body cleansed it so fast I thought I was invincible. And it was that invincibility that led me to flip Kal the bird at his petty little campsite, then pumped my arms as people cheered. I imagined he was pissed. Ill never know because I was piss-drunk and losing control, half a step away from telling Hadrian that he was a blind eight, but his regal doucheatry tanked his rating a high-estimate three. But I didnt, and that was a good thing. Not an hour later, I stumbled into the woods and shedded my guts like a molting snake before stumbling back. Aiden forced my backpack off so he could set up my tent, and I waited on the ground while they set it up. Then, at some point, Tyler threw me onto my cot as I groaned and asked for Kline, asking, Wheres Kline come here, Kline as I fought back against the spins. Klines gone, sis, Tyler said somewhere on a distant horizon. Oh, yeah The spins won, and I drifted to sleep. I publicly proclaimed the next morning that I would never drink again. The sunlight felt like razor blades, and my head went through waves of pain that seemed to subside mere moments before exploding again. You look lovely, Felio giggled. I feel lovely, I said, clutching my stomach. Take this. She offered me a purple elixir. Is it alcohol? I asked. No. Is it water? No. Perfect. I didnt ask for more. I just chugged it and choked and nearly puked, but mere minutes later, the pain ended, and my world eased up as the harvesters making morning tea laughed. Survives Areswood but cant handle a few drinks, was the talk of the camp. I just sneered as I hugged my knees at Felios fire, drinking the tea she gave me. It tasted like peaches. So? she asked. Whats on your agenda? Hmmm I dont know. Ive been thinking about that. I can see pretty far, but people are stretching out really far. So heres what I was thinking. Im going to sell ingredients and elixirsfor information. Turn these harvesters into a sniveling pack of sketchy snitches. I paused. On other families, obviously. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Did I hear a business proposal? Brexton yelled across the plaza. Are you stalking me? I yelled back. Brexton laughed. No offense, Mira, but while youre certainly worth stalking, its not stalking if its your job. He took a drink out of his flask and then stood and stretched. And when its your job, you hear all sorts of whispers about people doing this or that, lighting firesbreaking rules. He started walking toward me. And if you were to, say, make a deal with your friendly neighborhood grimwhisper, I suppose every returner with a budget would steer clear of breaking your rulesand every idiot would end up on a list. He stopped before me, hands stuffed into the classy jacket he was wearing. The lapels were popped. Now wouldnt they? he mused. I gave him a once over to make sure that I wasnt missing something, then locked eyes with him. How about this? Ill make a deal with you for the right price for a multi-year, highly lucrative contractif you release my friend. He chuckled with a wide, closed grin. While Im honored by your deal, Im more than satisfied by the fifty million he made me last week. My eyes widened. Youre gonna have to do a whole lot better to free that manand its not happening any time soon. Its nothing personaljust business. In the mean~time, why dont we discuss Im going to kick your teeth in if you say one more word, I warned. Not today. Im giving you the benefit of the doubt and guessing youre freakishly strong. Thank you, he said quickly. But next harvest, the harvest after, five harvests from now when we have a deal Im going to kick you fucking teeth in if you dont leave me alone. He smiled amusedly, swiveled on his toes, and walked away, whistling this haunting tune that seared itself in my mind. God whatd I give to insult people like that, Tyler said, spitting into a cup after brushing his teeth. Just seeing it made me realize that I should teach him Purify and get it over with. Dont get used to it, I said. Its stupid. Just like that, I embraced my inner pack-a-day smoker aunt and spewed some hypocritical shit to start the day. Then, I rummaged through the stuff I got yesterday, found a white tarp, plastered it up on my tent, took a smoldering stick from the fire, blew it out, and then used it as a pen to write the following: Rule 1: No squatting. Leave the forest once the Harvest ends. Rule 2: No sadism. Rule 3: No needless massacres of beasts unless there''s a valid reasonotherwise, its sadism. Rule 4: No fire spells. If you cant fight in a forest without killing your friends in a forest firejust die. Rule 5: No thieving. Rule 6: No plotting to kill people. Rule 7: No killing people unless its self-defense. Rule 8: Out of space. No do shit I no like. The letters got progressively smaller the more I wrote until I was scratching the last rule, like fine print on the bottom line. Then I looked up and gave a small speech that sounded as follows: I like this forestso dont be an asshole to it! If youre don''t, and you give me verified information on people who are, Im liable to give you one of these here rare herbs I picked with Felio yesterday. Spread the word. If you tell someone and they tell me, Ill give you a finders fee. If you dont, thats fine. But if youre friends with any of the people who are guilty, or I catch you intimidating people into silence, youre out. Its a lifelong ban. So help me or suffer permanent problems. Thats all. I paused. Oh, and if you give me an innocent name, I''ll put you on a different list. I sat down and pulled out the herbs I got the day before, and the area buzzed to life with snitches snitching all over each other. It got messy, so I fished out a field notebook one of the middle families had traded me and started taking a long list of names. Everything said seemed pretty valid, but there were a few that Brexton casually outed as liars, and those fuckers got on the ground and prostrated like sycophantic swine. I glared at Brexton, who shrugged as if to say, Everyone hates mebut everyone uses me. I ignored him and continued my trading for the night, eating leftovers leisurely until people returned to camp and I informed the bad ones of lifelong bans and the mild offenders of their first and only strike. Then I sat around by the fire, refusing to look at alcohol as people swapped stories. Throughout it all, Kal just glared at me, no doubt thinking sinister thoughtsunaware that his life was ticking down. Once most people had fallen asleep, but some were still awake, I took Sina on a ride into the forest. Kyro didn''t show, but Kline did. I petted him and loved him and whispered my praise. Then I read him a list of names of rule breakers before returning back to camp and falling asleep. Then the next morning came, and the same things happened, with the exception that Aiden disappeared with four lurvines and a tent and returned with two beasts that almost sparked a riot before he explained that he was a beast tamer who needed to collect beasts as tributes. The fourth day wasnt much different for me, but it brought new developments. Aiden showed up with four more beasts, and I heard a group of elites in base camp recalling a grimly fascinating story. "I''m telling you, Dast. No one saw or heard anything. Not even Tarma." "That''s why we scan." "We did scan. It just... appeared suddenly. Then everything collapsed. We barely got Ricker out of there." "Damn... Dalker''s gonna be furious. What''d you say it looked like?" "A cat. I just saw a glimpse of its aura, but I''m pretty sure it was a cat." The woman interrogating the man turned to Brexton. "You know anything about this?" My heart raced, preparing to be outted, but Brexton just smiled and said, "I know about cats. This cat? No. Good luck with your story, though. I''m sure Dalker will be pleased." After the exchange, Brexton winked at me, and I turned away in disgust. I hated that prick. The fifth came, and there were only seven out of ten beasts under Aidens control and it started to make me nervous. But regardless of his tribute, I had already paid mineand I had something else to do. So, I chose that night to act. I positioned myself with the Dante family to chat with Tylers guard, hugging up on Kal, close enough for Brexton and perhaps Kal to hear as I talked about my plans for the following day. Hey, Im heading out early tomorrow, I said quietly. I want you to keep Tyler in the camp. Why? Hackle asked. Because Im going after a rare herb, but its cuttin through the herd. How do you know? Cause its on the way to the river and that place was packed when I was there. Im sure you could handle a third ev, but Im not risking my brothers life on it. Hackle furrowed his brow and looked at me, and found my face serious. And you can? he asked. Of course not. I run. But Im rolling with a pack of third evs and have enough umph to maim one. Theres a big difference. He thought about it. You do understand that Kalas is a Grand Alcian, right? Grand Alchy what? Grand Alcian. Hes one of the greats. If both of us are there, Tylers safe. Not if other families intervene, I whispered. And you know this. I have enemies. He nodded reflectively. That you do. So keep him here. Promise? Its up to Kalas. Keep him here, I said colder. Its up to Kalas, he said harder. But he added, But Ill try, softer. Good enough. Throughout the whole exchange, Kals eyes were burning a hole in my back. Twenty minutes later, he spoke to Brexton and handed the cocky asshole a bag of coins. The pieces were in play. Now, it was just a matter of setting the trap. B2 | Chapter 85 - Kal’s Trap I announced that I would leave for the river at five but left at three. The logic was that if they followed me directly before or after five a.m, it was obvious they were chasing me, considering that they had already gone west. Brexton was still awake when I came out. He lifted his flask in a toast as Sina stretched her limbs. I mounted her and flipped him off, and we rode on. My plan was simple: I was going to plant the white brantor into the nearan freeter pit. The idea was that Kals Big Book of Poisons wouldnt highlight themsince they were soul plantsso Kal would be confident of his safety as he walked straight into the jaws of hell. Here was the problem: Kal was doubtlessly a trained forager, so he would know the growing conditions for white brantorand would thus know if I planted it somewhere unnatural. It is natural to think that it wouldnt be so obvious, but it really is. Lets take morels for a simple example. Morels are the quintessential alien fungi. Theyre famous for their otherworldly appearance, celebrated taste, and the difficulty involved in cultivating them. Like most rare plants, morels have complex relationships with their environments that are nearly impossible to replicate in a farm setting. Morels are saprobic, meaning that they feed on dead life, in their case, trees. They also have strange, temporary mycorrhizal relationships with deciduous trees, such as elms, ash, sycamore, poplar, and apple trees, connecting to their roots to obtain nutrients. And lastly, they also grow in the spring and require a lot of light and water. With this information, foragers look for morels during the springtime, on the side of mountains that gain the most sunshine, in patches of deciduous trees, near rivers, and around fallen trees, clearings, or recent burn sites. While they do grow elsewhere, its extremely unlikely for most of these factors not to be met. Now imagine a forager chasing after a serial killer stepping into a clearing that had nothing but dry sand and rocks, exposed to direct sunlight with no water source in sight, but there was a patch of morels popping out. What would happen? They would know it was a trap! Obviously. Might as well put a sign that says, Free Morels with three arrows pointing down at them. Thats what was about to happen. I was going to lead Kal to a location that wasnt fit for white bantors and pray that he found it anyway. So what I had to do was recreate the scene and that involved creating a small creek in record timeand lead Kal to it. I rode Sina through a known trail with heavy steps, making her presence clear before veering off course over a patch of ground cover to make it clear where I left off. We then wove between plants carefully until we found a beast we could sacrifice for our cause. It was a reptile twice the size of a komono dragon, with the same general features aside from the black scales. The minute we spotted it, I said, Use your flames, and jumped off. Sina flew forward, biting the poor lizards neck and then blasting it with blue flames. The unique thing about lurvine flames was that they could burn flesh, muscle, and bone but never touch the forest vegetation. It was perfect for proving we were therebut not if it was obvious. I pulled out my machete and chopped it up and threw it into a bush, even going so far as to bury it slightly. We rode on. I was about a mile out when I made my play. I extended my machetes blade with mana sharpening and thrust it into the ground. Then I created a water sphere on its tip to create a pressure washer and had Sina sprint for the mountain, zagging left and right to avoid plants as we made our artificial creek two miles up to the mountain. By the time we hiked up to a high point and dug a massive pond to fill the stream, I was drinking my maralune syrup equivalent to heal my mana channels before rushing back down to our original location, filling the river with water spheres and using Pervasive Breeze to destroy our footsteps and blow plant matter into the distance before continuing toward the freeters. We now had the signs of a hidden creek. That would have to be enough because the next part was more difficult. Surviving the freeters myself. It was dangerous to even get a mile downwind from the freakish plants, but I had something that other people didnt: a diamond-grade soul pact skill specifically designed for the soul plants. If I couldnt approach a pack of ferns with that skill, I would demand my fucking money back. Thinking such, I approached the freeters from a distance and sat on the ground, and said, Lithco. Teach me soul pacts.
Kal lay in his tent with a raging mind. Mira had been keeping him up for days as he waited for an opportunity to send her a message. Now, once he was about to get sleep, she announced that she was leaving for some rare plant and then left hours before necessary. Now, he was just lying in his tent, trying to pretend like he didnt hear or know where she was going. His parents sent him to establish permanent trading relationships with Mira and secure as many valuable resources from her as he could. But, instead, every middle family in sight received comically valuable plants from her, and none would sell to the Melhan without a middlemanat least not around Mira. And Hadrian that fucker. If things couldnt get worse, the First Domains de facto heir had taken a keen interest in Mira and subtly warned people not to attack her. The prick even started killing people on Miras hit listor passed the order off to Brexton. The day after Mira created a public hit list, people on it started getting attacked by animals or getting cut to ribbonswith no witnesses. Everyone thought it was Aiden, but he went off with various families every day, and he was always reported on the opposite end of the forest. Everyone also agreed that Aiden didnt have the skill, temperament, or strength to pull off something like that. Or maybe he did. There was Mira fuck. There he went, thinking about her again. He kept telling himself not to, but thinking about one little thing, like wondering how hard it would be to learn soul cooking, would send him on yet another rampage that ruined every second of the next hour. But he also had to. Somehow he had to make amends with her, and he could tell the bitch wasnt the type to forgive and forget. That meant that he had to force her, somehow, and he still didnt know how he would do that, yet. He would start with a simple apology and offering her the trades he brought her as recompense, but he knew damn well that it was only a temporary strategy. It sucked. Twenty minutes later, Kal heard people undoing the flaps of their tents, so he joined them, walking out of the tent to get whatever stimulant he could find first to fend off the scratchy eyes and morning chills. He just had to keep awake and sound apathetic and gods fuck Brexton. The man walked up to him first and foremost, like an omission of guilta sign that anything that Kal did ever could have been the result of information that he gave him. Halko? Brexton asked, offering him his flask. Are you trying to get me in trouble, too? Kal asked. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. On the contrary, Brexton said. I just wanted to tell you that Mira went that way. He pointed to the west under the watchful gaze of everyone present. Hatred boiled in Kals chest. You are protecting her. No. For the right price, Ill say that I pointed out some information on another thing that just so happens to be in that direction. I fucking hate you. Everyone does. But unlike Mira, I dont care if you do. Kal raised an eyebrow. You what? Why? Because shes a woman, naturally, Brexton said. I care what all women think about me. He shrugged. Doesnt change how I act, but I do care. Youre disgusting. But I rarely sleep alone. Whats your price? Fifty bricks. Kals lip curled. Brexton smirked. You want an alibi, or not? You really gonna sell her out? Kal asked. Oh, Im not selling her out. Im preying upon your stupidity. Now Kals face twisted and contorted. Talk to Jas. Right away, half-sci. Brexton walked off with brisk steps, disappearing into his tent that he didnt know what the man really wanted. In any given scenario, Brexton stood to lose. If he told people where Mira was and Kal died, he would be in serious trouble. If he sent Kal out and Kal killed Mira, then Brexton would lose Mira, the most lucrative source of information selling. That left one thing. Im preying upon your stupidity. Was Mira really that strong that she could leave with oneand only oneoof the lurvines, and Brexton would think that Kal and five members of the Melhan family couldnt handle her? What the fuck was going on? Was it a trap? Whatever it was, he needed to be careful. An hour later, Kal loaded up his pack and then hit the road, pushing west, painfully aware of the footprints left on the trail. And as he studied the large yet soft prints, his voice turned into an echo chamber. Shes luring you in. Shes obviously luring you in. And hed say, Let her. I refuse to think shes that strong. But his voice would snap back immediately, stating things like, Neither did the others. There were so many coincidencesbut Brexton didnt have any information. That wasnt like Brexton. Sure, he openly bartered for information on the attacks, but his heart wasnt in it. It wasnt until that morning that Brexton showed initiative. Suddenly, his guard Hallard said, Kal, stopped them, and pointed off the path. The paw prints shifted off the path, disappearing into the woods. Are we still following her? Or have you changed your mind? Kal swallowed. What do you think? You think its a trap? Hallard thought of it but shook his head. I dont think its a trap. But I do think shes expecting us. And I think shell be ready. Kal nodded. You think we can take her? Hallard nodded. No matter how strong that core is, four months is still four months. No one can learn that fast. Maybe if she had all the lurvine, but she doesnt. Kal nodded and turned to Layan. She was usually on the conservative end of things, hesitant to do things unless necessary. You? She winced. I usually wouldnt, but were in a bad place and I think its safe as long as we take precautions and avoid traps. Kal established eye contact with each of his guards. No one thinks shes strong enough? Shes riding third evolution beasts. That Aiden trained, Hallard said. A soul pact is a soul pact. And beasts arent legacies, Layan said. Unless were missing something, Miras never fought a human. Shes fought beasts, and while thats impressive, a lot of thats due to her aura. But aura cant hit people. Aura cant block magic it cant use magic or tactics or strategies. Shes strong she has to be. But strong enough to take on a team of legacies? I doubt it. Just try to work it out, okay? Forcing its only going to bring us problems. Kal faced each of his guards, and they nodded. Okay. Lets go. The group walked off the path with him in the lead, weaving through poisonous plants. He could see the highlighting, so it was amusing following the paths. The lurvine often stepped into minorly poisonous plants as it bounded at full speed, but it always avoided the most toxic. I should buy one of Aidens pets he thought. Hey, Kal. Over here. Hallard pointed out an unnatural disturbance on the ground cover, and when they followed it, they found burnt remains of an erron lizardbut no fire. Its a lurvine Layan said. Yeah Kal said hesitantly. There was something so grim about the ease of the beasts death. But it didnt matter, so he said, Shes definitely this way. Let''s go, and they pressed on. It was about an hour into the hike when Kals musings turned to excited terror, mixed emotions that were difficult to process. The lurvine tracks suddenly disappeared with unnatural gusts of wind, and when he got close, he understood why. There was a drying creek on the path, potential signals for rare plants like laskai mora, raquinst, and white brantors that thrived in dry areas with sudden influxes of water, such as flooding. It was an area that he immediately planned to forage regardless of Mira, filling him with excitement. The terror was that the creek was both natural and unnatural. He crouched and pressed the dirt, and water trickled out of it. He looked at the mud on his fingers and looked at the river. There was no rock build-up on the site and the bend seemed to avoid areas too cleanly. At the same time, he was too natural to be man-made. The creek was rounded instead of hatched, lacked uniformity, and there were signs of flooding. What is it? Hallard asked. Something doesnt feel right about this creek. Lets move upstream. And so they did, moving higher and higher, and the stream just didnt end. The thought of a human making a full stream for miles was unthinkable. And it was even more unbelievable when he got to the summit and saw a trickling waterfall up the mountain pouring water into the stream. It was the most natural thing in the worldwater collecting up the hill and then running down with the force of gravity. Do you want to investigate? Layan asked. He considered it but couldnt justify it. It would take probably an hour for humans to get up a mountain like that, and for what gain? If Mira or her conspirators had somehow made a pond up the top with water magic, she wouldnt be up at the top. If she had done it No Kal said aloud. Lets go back. Miras around her. Just stay clear. I bet there are trap plants around the area. Okay. They returned to the original site and pressed over the river, and thats when there was some sign of a trap. Plant matter that had recently been cut up had blown on the other side. Yet there were poisonous ground cover or trap plants he could see. He had studied his whole life and there was nothing that pointed out. No alchemic plants or heavy poisons. There were even edible berries. Even more unsettling, it was open. It was an area of thick, wide trees with red barkslantaeasand sprawling green ground cover that served no purpose other than to feed the hella moles that were there most of the year. They walked slowly but found nothing, and soon, he was starting to feel that it was all a grand conspiracy gone wrong. But then he saw ita field of blue ferns in the distance. They didnt highlight orange for alchemic ingredients or purple for poisons. Have you ever seen those before? Kal asked. No probably not, Hallard said. I cant really see it. Kals heart knocked against his ribs, feeling uneasiness in his heart. But he nodded. Well get a little closer. With a solemn nod each, they pushed forward until they could see the blue ferns within ten meters. They were so distinctive that he would think that he would know it from the top of his head. This part of the forest had been picked dry for generations but he had never heard of light blue ferns. Evolutionarily speaking, ferns shouldnt even have that color. It didnt make sense! It was as if someone had planted them there, but when would Mira get the time to plant an entire field of these ferns? That didnt make sense either. Are they poisonous? Layan asked. No, Kal said. Not alchemic He narrowed his eyes and saw orange highlights behind them. Whats that? Whats what? Kal jumped onto a tree, pulling himself up a low branch to look. And sure enough, there was a plant with dozens of white flowers moving up its stem in the distance, highlighted neon orangethe sign of high rarity. A white brantor. And thats when Kal understood for certainthis was a trap or at least a natural warning. Because there was no way in hell Mira would have the foresight to cover her tracks, but turn down a plant of that value. She was either planning an ambush, or those blue plants were something horrific, indeed. B2 | Chapter 86 - Legacies Kal turned clockwise, completing a spin as he searched for signs of Mira. What is it? Hallard asked. Thiss a trap, Kal said. It has to be. He did another spin. I know youre out there! Come out. I just want to talk! Only swaying branches and chittering bugs met his words. I messed up, okay? Kal yelled. Im kinda a dick sometimes. And mean. But I didnt mean to piss off your brother or call out Aiden. I just thought youd be pissed. Despite his pleas, no answer met his words. No ones anywhere near us, Lysan said. What? Kal asked. Theres no one within a quarter mile of this place, she said. I just checked. Me too, Hallard said, followed by the other. Ive also been checking during the hike. The place is empty. But it is a trap, right? Kal asked. That river isnt natural, and Ive never heard of a white brantor growing near blue ferns. Have you? No, Hallard said. He turned to the other three, who shook their heads. Let me ask my guide He searched through his library of books, including two diamond requests on poisons and alchemic resources in the Areswood Forest, and found none. Its not there You think its like the bramble? Lysan asked. The guide didnt work in the Bramble, but scholars who studied what people saw within the Bramble noted that Brindle Grask, the notorious druid who authored the books on Areswood biota before fighting and dying in the Jacksmore War, did not write on the plants in the Bramble. It was clear that there were plants he intentionally didnt mention, but few were documented. Maybe Kal said. Or theyre soul plants. Kals heart raced. If the ferns were soul plants, he was staring down a field of gold. Soul plants were the most profitable plants from harvests because they were so rare. And since they were so rare, there were few soul alchemists throughout history. Families chose, instead, to sell any plants up the domains and obtain fortunes. Maybe Kal whispered as he reflected on it. 2. Tyler sat by a fire, hugging his knees. He didnt know why, but he felt dread percolating in his stomach over Miras absence, and no one would explain where she was or why he felt something off about it. Kalas and Hackle knew both, but they wouldnt tell him, and it was driving him crazy. Tyler approached Brexton, who had just woken up against his will and judgment and was lying on the ground like a starfish, sweating profusely. Wheres my sister? Tyler demanded. Brexton groaned. 1000 hawks and Ill tell you. No. Okay, ten hawks. Im not in the headspace to negotiate. Tyler retrieved ten gold coins and flicked them at Brexton one at a time. Thats ruuuuuuuuude, Brexton moaned, turning over. Shes out east. Went to the river. Thats what she said. And wheres Kal? 2000 hawks. Twenty. Deal. Tyler dumped them on Brextons body. Tell me. He went out east to check out Miras campground. Its down by the river. It was where Aiden spent the week with her. Chances are, theres a bunch of cores there. So hes robbing her? Doubt it. Fuck just tell me. This is provocation, Brexton warned. If you provoke a legacy intentionally, the Dante will not protect you. Now shoo, shoo. If youre worried about Mira, go after her. Your people have the power to protect her. He flicked his hand at Tyler. Tyler then looked at Kalas and Hackle and decided to confront them. Miras in danger, he said. She told me to keep you here, Hackle said. So dont bother. Fuck that! Tyler yelled. Calm yourself, Kalas said firmly. It wasnt a chilling tone but it sure as hell left goosebumps blistering up Tylers arms. Mira is a warrior, Kalas said. If she asked to fight alone, thats up to her. If she dies; thats her will. Tylers blood boiled. Okay. Lets do it this way. Im going up north, and Hackles going to follow me. Cause thats his job. And youre free to join if you want. Kalas took a deep breath as Tyler readied his gear. Then Tyler returned with a fierce expression. Im here to learn. And right now, we have a bullshit situation that I caused. And I have to learn from that. Now you have the power to protect my sister. And I hope that, as my teacher, youll teach me how to protect her. 3. Kal sat there for five minutes before Saska, one of the silent elites, broke the silence. Do you mind if I give my thoughts? What is it? Kal asked. I think they are soul plants. Mira has a soul core and knows soul cooking. So its not a stretch. And I think that if she did find them, and left a plant like that around, its a problem. Hallards facial muscles slackened into a frown. Yeah its also suspicious. This place isnt far from base camp. It had to be cleared out. I cant imagine a freshly integrated woman just planting hundreds of rare plants near the Bramble. At the same time, its also not something we can ignore. Kal nodded. Then well treat it like a trap. Lets go around. 4. If Kal said something, I would never know. I was a mile away, watching his soul signature like radar. Im not sure if I have ever felt so much strain on my heart as I did then, watching Kal and his goons approaching the freeters. They were dangerously close as is, but the risks were too low for certainty. For five gruesome minutes, I watched them contemplate itonly to feel cold anxiety pump through my veins. They were leaving. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. They were so close, but whether it was their experience, rightful paranoia, or general fear of the unknown, they decided not to risk it. They didnt even send one person inso it never triggered. I could still freshly remember what it was like to enter the pact with the plant. Nearan plants had the collection of consciousness, and these plants collectively made a single frankenstitched nightmare that spoke in a different tone of voice per sentence. You can speak to us? it said with the hawking caw of a bird. I have magic to make pacts with you, I replied. How strange, it said with a bearish growl. Yes. Im here to make a deal. I will try my best to lure victims to you in the next two days if you trigger your self-defense spore mechanism if they get within a guaranteed impact zone. Hmmm it cackled. Very well. It was a very simple exchange but powerful and currently fucking useless. They were thirty feet tops before the thing wouldve exploded like a fucking claymore and sent spores into their faces. Now, they were a mile out, walking away, and I didnt know what to do. I looked at a spore container I collected, wondering if I should face them. The answer turned out to be no. I wasnt strong enough. And if I tried to trigger it, I would be giving myself all my trump cards. It was all or nothing. I had to choose. I had five seconds. Ten maybe. Thats it, I thought. I looked up into the trees. I need your help. Suddenly, I heard a thump and rumble of pine needles beside me, and Kline released his active camouflage. I petted his ears and said, Thiss the plan. 5. Kal hadnt walked ten feet when he heard a blood-curdling scream in the distance. He whipped his head to Hallard. Was that Mira? Hallard froze. Yeah that was her voice, but She doesnt seem like a screamer Lysan said. Yeah Hallard turned to Kal. What are your orders? I Kals heart rattled in his ribs. He didnt know what to do. On the one hand, he felt a strange desire to save heror at least see what was happeningjust because that was how humans were sometimes. The other part of him realized that Mira was a serious problem, and if she just died, it would be to their benefit. Mira screamed again, this time coughing. The echo was louder and seemed to get more deafening by the second. And, as if Mira was 501 meters away and teleported, her choking scream suddenly grew near. What are your orders? Lysan yelled. Prepare to fight, Kal said, unsheathing his sword with a pounding heart. Miras body suddenly flew into view. She was in the jaws of a large orange and black cat and was bleeding profuselyand they were moving right for the blue ferns. Kal didnt think. He bolted toward her against his better judgment, followed by his guards, chasing after him, yelling, Its a trap! Kal stopped twenty feet from the ferns and said, What? Then Mira and the cat suddenly disappeared into nothing, as if they were nothing but an illusion. The next second, Kal barely heard the words, Barrier! before the plants exploded in all directions like a blizzard in the fall-time air. He put up his hand and screamedbut nothing hit him. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a barrier around him. He took rapid breaths, laughing and feeling amazed to have survived what was certain to be certain death. And in that moment of laughing and hyperventilation, something tickled his nose and sucked into his nostril. He sneezed. 4. They mustve seen my spore barrier, I internally screamed as Kline, and I disappeared into the woods. I had plausible deniability if I showed up to camp with wounds on my stomach. What? That sure as hell wasnt my barrier on the cat eating me, you fucking prick! But I knew these people wouldnt buy it. They turned down a 180,000 hawk plant over a fern they didnt know about, then managed to see through my trap instantly and prepared for battle. These people were going to return to camp, rob me blind, and then wage war. This was just the reality of the situation: I was new to this world and these people had been harvesting for years, decades, centuries. Who the fuck knew how long. They were stronger and more experienced. I was warned about them. Legacies. Not bandits or robbers or any bullshit like that. Legacies. Now, the question was, what should I do? Im sure that the rational brain would have had a different idea, but the reptilian part of my brain was processing the world in black and white and war, and my immediate thoughts were: I failed; now, kill. So we blinked out of sight, circling them as I pulled Nymbral out of my chest and charged a hurricane arrow. When we curved back, two of the guards were choking on the ground, and the other three were running. Ill take the man, you take the woman, then well corner Kal. No biting. Kline nodded and zagged through three more shadows, preparing to strike. 5. Kal ran forward with adrenaline pulsing through his veins. He didnt know why. They were still stronger, right? So why did they feel like prey? He didnt understand. Saska and Rosa hit the ground, coughing after the blast. God knows what happened to them. Now, Mira was trapping them. Or was she? Wasnt she in the jaws of a fucking cat? What was going on? Kal ran on until he reached the fake river, feeling hatred jutting through his veins. He tried to reach out to that fucking cunt, and what did she do? Try to kill him! No discussion. Fuck her. If he found her His thought was cut off when that cat suddenly flew in front of them, Mira in its jaws. There was blood on her body, so he thought it was real for a split second. Then he saw a golden glint and saw a bow in her hand and a glimmer of water. Barrier! Hallard yelled. Jaska threw up a heavy orange barrier, but a violent explosion of water hit it a moment later, and it cracked and shattered, sending water raining down on them. It was harmless water, but what followed was far from innocuous. Without warning, something hit Jaska from the back, sending her flying forward, and another force flew into Hallard. Then Kal was alone, afraidunable to move. He was trained his whole life for battle. He was stronger than most other people his age. But everything was happening so fast, so savagely. He had everything. Now, everything was in disarray, and his mind wasnt working quite right. It wasnt working right at all. He felt like he was losing touch. And what if he was? What if the spore reached his brain and was going to kill him? He needed to make it back and see a healer as soon as possible. And he had to warn people of Mira and her cat. In a daze, he took a step forward in the chaos. Then another. A third. It got easier with each, and by the fifth, he found himself running, using the bounding arrays on his shoes to blast through the forest. Kal needed to stay out of Hallard and Lysans way to make it back to camp. That was his joband he planned to do it. 6. I watched Kal run away with a pounding heart. Then, I was punished for watching when a wind blade flew into my chest and sent me flying across the ground. It was a savage attack that cut straight through my armor and chest. If I didnt have an Illyndra elixir pumping in my veins, I mightve died. But I did, and it snapped my body back together in time to avoid another attack. You fucked with the wrong people! the man Id later know as Hallard said. He coughed into his elbow. Youre dead! Suddenly, Kline flew into a tree with a vicious crack as well. Ten wind blades flew at him like a blender, and he barely warped away before they cut the tree to shreds, sending wood chunks flying in all directions. Without slowing down, the woman Id laster know as Lysan, turned to me and thrust her hands on the ground. I cranked Moxle Dilation to the max and hopped around with quick dexterity as she activated an earthquake spell, forcing me to jump onto splitting rocks as it shook the trees. Full trees waved back and forth, increasingly unstable, until I could see root networks rip out of the ground. This was happening in seconds. Things only got worse from there. As I was dodging, Hallard flew backward and threw a catastrophic gust of wind at me. I could only watch in horror as full boulders broke and flew at me in ultra-slow motion. In a second of real-time, I would suffer a hail storm of massive rocks to my face. Suddenly, Kline blinked to my side at a relatively insane speed, and I barely grabbed his fur and jumped through a portal before the world sped up and the rock storm blew up the entire section of forest beside me. I remember seeing that right then and there and realizing the true extent of our power disparity. That should have made sense, conceptually, considering that these were the top elites of the outside world. Still, the thought that they could unroot ten hundred-foot trees and then blow boulders in a hailstorm that turned an entire meadow to shrapnel was far out of the realm of my understanding. Run! I screamed. Kline did, bolting through a dozen warp steps as the Melhan elites flew at us at a similar speed. 7. Tyler wasnt the only one searching for Mira. Six giants with dark mossy fur and calcified masks slunk through the forest, thinking, Pure pure with one-tracked minds, ignoring adventurers that ran from themsavagely killing the ones that did. This was the last full day of the harvest, and the pure core finally left the base camp. So they spread out in search of her in all directionsdetermined to not let her return to the safety of the Bramble. B2 | Chapter 87 - Chases Hallard and Lysan weaved between trees at a speed that would kill someone in a head-on collision with a tree. Kline was barely faster, only skating by because of his miraculous ability to teleport sideways. But that wasnt enough. Hallard summoned a dozen wind blades at us at various levels, blocking all frontal and horizontal movement. Kline responded by bounding over them like a horse over a fence. Got you! Lysan screamed, throwing wind blades at Kline, expecting he couldnt dodge in the air. She was wrong. Kline landed on an Ethereal Bridge, then bounded between tree branches to avoid the blades. Good job, I whispered to Kline. Now keep him occupied. Ill search for a way out. Kline meowed. I activated Wood Wide Web to find Kal. He was a mile south. Go after Kalthen bolt, I thought. Thats the play. The idea was simple: I would chase after Kal. Once I got near, I would split away. Since their job was to protect Kal, at least one of them would have to break off to protect him. Divide and conquer. As I was thinking, branches and leaves exploded around me like fireworks, and Kline lost balance. Despite the strain, he acted fast, splitting his body into a dopple and sending it falling out of the tree, making it seem like he was dead. Lysan immediately saw through it, screaming, Its a clone! but Hallard, who was sneezing and coughing, didnt hear her. He miraculously blasted the dopple with savage wind, kicking up a dust storm that masked our escape. We seized on the opportunity, bounding through another shadow to gain a far lead. We would escape. I was certain of it. 2. Lysan looked at Hallard in horror. He had collapsed, puking and wheezing on the ground, and it made her heart ache as she reflected on how he got sick. In the moment the ferns exploded, Hallard had created a barrier over Kalsacrificing himself. Lysan then put up her barrier, but Saska and Rosa didnt make it. The spores engulfed them, causing whatever Hallard was going through. It made Lysan ill. She had a lot of respect for Hallard and now he was dying, all over a petty feud. It didnt matter that Mira was in the right. The girl was shockingly powerful, but even with that cat, she couldnt hold a candle to their group in terms of power. It was suicide to approach them, so even if Mira could hear so far away, she would have had to be a fool to try to negotiate. Especially with Kal Melhan. Lysan hated Kal. He made Brexton and Hadrian look like behaved children because, at least with them, one was obsessed with business and the other was obsessed with prestige, both of which kept their actions relatively in check. Kal had no such reservations, as his family ran a monopoly, and he enjoyed killing. He enjoyed bullying people and throwing around his authority, and he always went wild during the harvest, killing dozens of harvesters and leaving their bodies unfettered. It was all for sport. Kal was the worst of the First Domains legacy heirsa demon cloaked between periodic moments of clarity and rational judgment for the sake of business and avoiding his familys wrath. Yes, Lysan hated him and hated that she was forced to protect him. But. Hallard was her mentor, and Mira poisoned him in a cowardly trap. That made Lysan hate her more than Kal, and so she looked to her familys hier as the ultimate source of torture and pain for anyone. She would utilize him for the first time. Lysan triggered a divination pulse to check the mana signatures in the forestand froze stiff. In the five seconds that she had reflected on Hallards death, Mira had traversed a quarter mile, moving directly toward Kal. Shes going to catch him Lysan thought in horror. She turned to Hallard and said, Ill send aid. Lysan flew forward not a moment later, chasing Mira. The girl wasnt as strong as Kal, but that cat was a nightmare creature. Lysan didnt know what would happen if they collidedbut she knew she wasnt fast enough to stop the confrontation. She could only pray that Mira was just moving toward base campor that Kal had the power to defend herself. 3. Hallard felt relief watching Lysan leave, but he didnt know why. He was losing control of his thoughts. His mind would attach to things, but then it would go blank. Kal. Mira. Attack. Ambush. Spores. Kal. Mira. Attack. His mind looped because he couldnt concentrate, so he would think things, only to remember, through a sense of deja vu, that he already had thought of them. Jas he thought. Just tell him. Request: message to Jas. The guides message feature pulled up, connecting to the head guard in the base camp. He needed to call for reinforcements and explain what happened. But as soon as he pulled up the message, he forgot who he was for a moment and what he was doing, and he had to connect the pieces before figuring out what he wanted to say. But he did it. It took two more thought loops before he finished the best answer he could muster, but he did it. Then he hit send. 4. Tyler had successfully convinced Kalas and Hackle to leave, and they ended up running through the forest at dizzying speed. But they hadnt moved three miles before Kalas suddenly stopped, grabbed Tyler, and pulled him backward like a rag doll. Hackle moved only a second later, catching up as Kalas ran toward camp. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Hey, what the hell are you doing? Tyler cried. He whipped around, looking for signs of danger, but found none. That changed in less than ten seconds when a beast crested a hill. Torok! Hackle screamed. Stop moving! It was a true monster, a guardian from the pits of hell. It was a humanoid with a mask made of bone, taller than most trees, but it was curled over like an ape, running on all fours. Tyler barely registered it before it closed the distance, getting within striking range in only ten seconds. He thought it would crush them head under foot, but Hackle proved the power of the Dante in two seconds. It was hard to comprehend. One moment, the forest was green and brown and gray like any other forest. The next, it was encased in blue, as if they were in a fishbowl. It was a blue barrier, and no sooner had it gone up than the torok attacked, smashing it and leaving shadows of bright blue ripples flowing over the ground. It attacked twice more, but it held. Then Hackle closed his eyes. The next moment, Tyler experienced the level of wind magic seen in tornado movies. It didnt affect the barrier, but grass and rock and trees ripped out of the ground around them, slamming right into the torok, sending it flying and crashing through two trees like a bowling ball. Go! Hackle yelled. The barrier disappeared, and before Tyler could process what happened, he was in Kalass arm like a princess carry, sprinting toward the base camp at the speed of a Porsche on a highway. They were two miles out.
Things almost worked out for me and Kline. Hallard stopped chasing us after the last attack, and when we got near Kal and split off to the North, Lysan hesitantly chose to link up with Kal. I watched their reunion with tense anticipation, praying they wouldnt decide to team up and come after me. But to my great relief, they continued straight toward the base camp. I stopped to get a drink of water and calm my raging hard, thinking about what to do next. It was a hard question. I doubted that I could make it to the camp without a full frontal assault from the Melhan and perhaps their allies. But at the same time, their strongest fighter was down, Kal was shaken, and two of their team members were gone. If I found Aiden and rallied the lurvine, I could probably plow through the group. After all, I didnt need to winI just needed to make it into the mouth. Then I could show up bloody and declare that I killed half the Melhans after they threatened me. It wouldnt feel impressive, but everyone would know that Mira Hill, a botanist who was dropped in the forest only four months ago, killed half a legacy troop and survived the ensuing pursuit. The cat was literally out of the bag; it was best to own the narrative. If I didnt show, people could think I was dead. The only real problem was that I had no idea what I was walking into. The Melhans could make deals with the Dante or Claustra or any number of groups to kill me, and no one was obligated to help meand wouldn''t, given the Melhans influence. Gah this sucks I thought. Where are you, Sina? I had left Sina when Kline and I left our plans, and she was still missing. It would be really nice to have her near, but I couldnt sense her signature anywhere. Fuck. This was all my fault. I was kicking myself for taking such a stupid risk. Things might not have even been so bad if I let Kal be. Maybe I couldve just paid off his family with a diamond request to fuck off and never bother my family again. Perhaps I could give them another platinum to break their sons legs as punishment, leaving them for two weeks before healing. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Fuck! I said, releasing one of those screams that were muted to the point of being a whisper. A piercing scream met my wordsand it left my body trembling. I activated Wood Wide Web and saw a creature to the north moving at me far faster than Kline ever could. Move! I screamed. Toward Kal! Kline didnt hesitate. He zagged through the forest, moving right toward Kal and Lysan as if they werent a threatand that was a great call. It wasnt two minutes later when we saw a terrifying giant flying through the forest like an ape, grabbing trees with both hands and pushing off them, launching forward like a slingshot. Youve got to be fucking kidding me! I screamed within. It was a torokand my core was literally fucking pure now. Keep near Kal! I shouted to Kline. Were using those fuckers as bait! 6. Hold still! Lyscan screamed. Kals face was blistered and his eyes and throat had swollen up. In the brief time he left her and Hallard''s care, Kal likely fell or simply touched his faceand thats all it took. Thats what was so fucked up about this goddamn forest. Even with every counter-poison measure imaginableimpenetrable clothing, gloves, and cleansing productsit only took rubbing ones face once to kill them. Lysan rubbed cleansing cream on his face as he wailed. I need to send a message out she thought. It would only take a silver request to send a quick message, but she couldnt even think between running and then treating Kals wounds. Drink this, Im going to send a message. Lysan handed Kal a cleansing elixir. Then she released a quick divination pulse to check her surroundings, and her blood ran cold. Mira was rushing them at lightning speed, and something massive was chasing her. We need to go! Lysan yelled. She scooped Kal up in a princess carry and rushed through the forest, stepping over everything without distinction, praying her clothing would protect her from the poisonous hellscape she was running through. They were only four miles from base camp. They could make it. They had to make it. For Hallard. For life itself. She ran. 7. I didnt make it to Lysan before the confrontation. The torok jumped in front of us and slammed the ground with its palm, sending a literal wave of dirt and rock and vegetation flying toward us. Kline jumped through two portals in rapid succession to dodge, one right then left, and I charged up a hurricane arrow under max Moxle Dilation, pushing its limits as we pulled out of the second portal. The toroks hand was already falling on us as we exited the portal, but Kline didnt panic. He jumped forward, turned, and bounded on the creatures hand as it smacked the ground, running up his arms with full trust as I aimed an arrow at the toroks eye, yelled, Now! and released it. Kline closed his eyes, and the arrow flew forward in ultra-slow motion. Everything was riding on that one shot, so I didnt save anything for what came after. I released the arrow with partial blinding power. The arrow missed its eye but the flash blinded him before it turned its head, and the arrow hit its temple, sending the beast flying. Kline jumped off before the impact, so we flew off in the opposite direction, escaping at full speed, knowing full damn well that the arrow wouldnt have killed it. Maybe Nymbrals full form would have. But unlike the former me, I knew better. If I used Nymbral at full blast, all the torok would have stopped what they were doing and swarmed me. That was all but a guarantee. So I just had to make do with a flashy hurricane arrow and pray I could at least get closer before needing to resort to the real deal. Kline and I charged onward, determined to make it to Kal before the torok caught upand we did. Giving the duo a massive berth, I flew around Kal and Lysan, setting up my trajectory so that the torok would directly cross paths with them before me. It was perfect but Lysan was a professional to the end. She turned left to avoid the path, and I had to move left to keep pace. Then she moved right, and I moved right. We zagged back and forth as the torok charged at us like a menace, catching up with every second. There were maybe twenty seconds before torok confronted one of us. The question was: who was it going to be? --------- Author''s Note: Thanks for the wait! I really needed a day off yesterday, and I realize that I just need some days off lol. I''ve written almost three and a half books in the last five months between multiple publishing deals, and I literally had three and a half years to fulfill those commitments. XD It''s crazy. Anyway, I need two days off a week to pace myself. Do the poll to let me know which days you prefer. I''ll choose two consecutive days that get the most traction. Please note that you get three answers to choose your top options. Love you guys! B2 | Chapter 88 - The Offer B2 | Chapter 88 - The Offer Lysans heart boomed like a distant drum as she ran through the forest. Mira kept darting in front of her, and while Miras cat was getting slower as its mana drained, Lysan wasnt doing any better. Whatever Kal touched before wiping his face wasnt cleansing, and his whole throat had swollen up. So the only way she could protect him was to carry him and it was slowing her down. Suddenly, she heard a cry from a torok behind her. It sent shivers down her spine just hearing it. The last time the Melhans ran into one, it killed half their team, including a member of the bloodline. Were gonna die, Lysan thought. But they didnt. Something remarkable followed. A pack of random adventurers showed up in her divination pulse. Mira blew right past them, but they would serve a purpose. Or so she thought. Two seconds after she cleared the screaming adventurers, the torok caught up. There was a series of screams followed by a sickening crunch and the sound of shaking trees as the torok killed them; then, the torok continued running. Useless! she internally screamed. It was over. She barely even spared the next person running a second thought. And that was almost a mistake. The next person who flew into the clearing was Jas, the Melhan reserve from the base camp, and she almost passed him bybut he forced himself forward. Run east! Jas screamed. Theres another torok to the south. You need to go around! Lysans mind spun, and she turned. No! Take Kal! Ill buy time! Jas had a split second to decide what to do and decided to follow his superiors orders. He flew back as Lysan threw Kal to him and then rushed forward to meet the torok head-on. Lysan didnt want to sacrifice her life for Kal of all people. But something about Hallard sacrificing himself filled her with a sense of duty and also reminded her that if Kal survived, then Mira would suffer for killing Hallard. So she pushed forward to face the torok. It charged at her. One of its eyes was closed behind its calcified face, and it was glistening with blood and water on the left side of its body. She must have hit it Lysan thought. That same water arrow shattered her barrier despite her being an elite amongst elites. But how? Mira had barely survived an attack against them, but she shattered Lysans barrier as if it were made of tempered glass, then severely injured a third evolution torok. That core of hers had to be special. The raw power she had was staggering, and the speed at which she learned an acceleration spell that kept up with their attacks was equally astonishing. If she survived this harvest, she would become a force that only the likes of Hadrian and the adult bloodlines could rival. That was a pathetic last thought before the torok caught up. She created twenty massive wind blades, hemorrhaging her mana reserves. Nothing else would damage it. 2. Things rapidly changed for Kline and me when Lysan turned and rushed toward the torok, and another man, who I would later know as Jas, flew in from the east, grabbed Kal, and returned east. Now, he was running back, and I found myself keeping ahead of him. Turned out, that was the best option. I could see another torok between us and the base camp, and there was a group of people fighting it without dying immediately. Our only option was to go far aroundand that was a serious problem. Kline had used dozens of Warp Steps in rapid succession, and he was breaking down. Take a break! I yelled to Kline. Youre overheating. Kline didnt listen; he just kept running, only compromising by stopping his warp steps. Kline I watched in horror as Jas closed the distance. Even if he didnt attack us, the torok would eventually catch us. We were running out of time. Jas got closer and closer. Ten seconds. Nine Eight Seven Time was ticking down, and Kline was getting weaker and weaker. We were in fates hands. And the reaper relented. In a miracle beyond my greatest hopes, Sina entered my Wood Wide Web. There you are! I cried. I had left Sina behind when I rushed off to trigger the freeters and never returned. And unlike me, she couldnt see a mile ahead, and I didnt know how powerful her sense of smell was. I could imagine her rushing toward the freeters and finding everyone gone, then running around aimlessly as she tried to find our scent. But somehow, she found us after going north. Sina is coming! I shouted to Kline. Shes coming from the north! Kline acted immediately, turning north and rushing away. To our horror, Jas followed us instead of continuing east to go around the torok.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Just go! I screamed breathlessly as I watched Jass soul chase after me. Save Kal! Yet he kept rushing toward us. It was getting close. Five seconds. Four seconds. Three seconds. Kline warped in the front, resetting the time we had. His body trembled, but he earned the time, and the countdown resumed again. Five Four three Wait! Jas screamed. I dont want to hurt you! My heart fluttered, and my stomach sank. I didnt believe it. Please cure him! Jas cried. I know you can! You wouldnt be alive right now if you couldnt! Now, I believed it. Kal must have been sick. Thats why the two souls were always linked under Wood Wide WebLysan, and now Jas was holding Kal in her arms. But that didnt change anything. Your family tried to kill me! I screamed back. Then Kline warped ahead to give us space. We apologize! Jas cried. Im sure you do! Jas grunted. If you dont, Ill rob you of it! Proof youre lying, you crazy fuck! Fine! Jas paused for a second. Then I felt a crazed gust of wind crash through the trees and Kline barely dodged in time to avoid a wind blade. The blade was like an unstoppable saw that rushed forward, tearing through a tree like a hot blade through butter. Were dead I thought in horror. My world slowed. My mind swam. My life flashed before my eyes as I heard Jas get nearer. Then, as we were cresting over a hill, Sina flew over the other end, fur ablaze with blue flames. Words cannot express how majestic she looked right then, streaking across the sky like a meteorite as she flew at Jas. Before she even passed my vision, I saw a blast of dragon fire fly over me. I could feel the flames, scorching hot even above me, and Jas screamed as the fire rained down on him. He wasnt hit. I heard him dodge. But I could tell he was panicking. Kal was still in his hands, so there was no doubt about that. Kline stopped and turned around, collapsing slightly and pushing himself up. Sina didnt hold back, blowing fire in all directions as Jas flew backward, staring us down. He was faster, but he was hesitant to fight against Sina. So he backed up slowly as she growled. Just give me some Diktyo water, Jas said. You can throw it over. Then youll be a hero. Think about it. You, Mira Hill, saved a member of the legacies. We would owe you. Hell claim I tried to kill him, I said. Then I would have serious problems. And Ill do the same if you dont help him, Jas said. You cant run much further. So, which would you rather have? Kal claiming you taught him a legend, but then sparing him when it mattered? Or Kal dying and me saying that you killed him in cold blood? My heart pounded like a distant drum, taking me deep into the recesses of my mind. It was a good propositionif he were telling the truth. I glanced at Kal for the first time and saw him wheezing, face and neck swollen from some poison or another. I didnt know what happened to him, but I couldnt help but think of my first week, when I was infected with a poison that couldnt be cleansed with Diktyo and stepped through poison with bare feet, limping for miles as I fought to stay alive. Let me ask you a question, I said. Whyd you come running for Kal? I suggest you dont lie because I know full damn well you didnt randomly run right into us, then decide to take the long way round for no damn reason. Jas grimaced and turned away. What happened didnt matter. Say someone did warn mewould that change my offer? I scoffed. And offer that you may rescind. Unless we make a soul pact, he said. Thatd require me to get right up close to you. Ill leave Kal under the care of your enemies. If I kill you, they kill him. Fuck, I whispered. It was a good offer. I had already confined myself to the fate that the Melhans would know what I did. So, it only made sense to frame things better. If I made a soul pact that required him to sing my praises, claiming that I heroically decided to spare him for blah, blah, blah, the shit that the legacies cared about, that would be great. But. You know, thats a real good dealif you had any weight, I thought. He furrowed his brow. Look, I shouldnt need to tell you this, but kids are a reflection of their environment. And thats mostly their parents. The simple fact is, 90% of people who fall victim to drugs come from families where the parents party and drink and neglect them or live in an area where theres a lot of other kids that fall in those conditions. Whether thats their fault or their parents fault or anyone elses fault is irrelevant. The simple fact is, kids reflect their environmentand that kids a fucking monster. Jas turned away. See? You know. And I know because I got super drunk the other night and bribed all sorts of people with expensive shit, and people told a whole lot of bleak stories about that kid. What he does with his free time. What he does during harvests. The number of people he kills or has executed. The way he bullies people. And thats not behavior that my parents would allow. And yet youre killing people, Jas snapped back. He looked at Kline. That beasts been killing people all week under your orders, right? Would your family approve? No. Its going to break their heart. But theyll forgive me once they learn who we killed. I looked at Kline and laughed. Im going to make that list public, and youll see only three things on that list that we killed people for: fires, sexual assault, and conspiracies. And while I havent heard about assaults, there''ve been dozens of people who found a rare plant and started killing their crew to monopolize it. Those are the people who we killed. Thats it. And I dont think thats unreasonablekilling monsters. I looked at Kal. Or letting them die. Jas smirked threateningly. And youll die for it? If you attack me, Ill attack him nonstop. I looked at Kal. Now I suggest you scurry off. Unless you want him to die. It may sound reckless to go this route, but there was a torok between us and base camp, and Kal looked like he would croak at any moment. I would risk it. If I announced that I fucked up an entire legacy party, they would think twice before attacking me next yearwhen I was far stronger. Jass lip curled, face twitching and ugly from creased lines from snarling. Then he turned and ran away. I stumbled back against a tree and took deep breaths before pulling out mana syrup and Diktyo water with shaking hands and turned to Kline. Drink up, little buddy. I opened them and used a levisphere to release the liquid because I couldnt hold it. Kline lapped it up and then Sina and Kline surrounded me as I used my water bladders straw to drink Diktyo water. Five minutes later, when I was breathing normally, I turned to Sina, who had curled next to me like a small dog, and laughed. Youre a queen. She turned away. Thank you, I said. For coming back. She glanced at me and then away. How amusing she was. Just give me a second. I activated Wood Wide Web, hoping for good news, but I found none. There was another torok in a standoff with something with a powerful soul and another peculiar sight that left me uneasy. How strange I thought. A powerful soul next to a weak soul Dont tell me The most powerful soul of the harvest nestled next to the weakestthere was only one combination that matched that signature. Tyler -------------- Author''s Note: By virtue of democracy, I''m taking off standard weekends. There were almost a thousand votes, probably more by the time this autoposts, and there was no close contest. This week has already gone through Saturday, so I''m taking off tomorrow and then starting the normal week on Monday! B2 | Chapter 89 - Silvern’s Triumph Seeing Tylers signature in Wood Wide Web gave me mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was clearly alive and next to a very powerful person, likely Kalas, who had a different brightness of aura than anyone save Hadrian. On the other hand, there were two torok signatures, and the fact that Tyler and Kalas were staying still instead of running to base camp likely indicated that there was a third. My mind ran a mile a minute as I tried to figure out what to do. Could I even help him? I wondered. These people are far stronger than I am Ill probably get in their way. Kalas was stronger than Lysan and Hallard, and both of them threw me around like a rag doll. If I tried to help him, I would probably just get in the way. But I thought. He cant fight if hes watching Tyler. If someone was watching him, he could fight It was a hard question that was driving me crazy because the thought of saving myself while Tyler died was out of the question. He was familymy brotherand I protected my family. If it were Kline out there, I would rush out there in a moment if it gave him a chance to live. Thats just what we did. Besides, knowing Tyler, that was what he was planning, wasnt it? To bring out Kalas and Hackle when he heard that the Melhan family had followed me into the woods? I would like to think that wasnt necessary, but God knows it wouldve been helpful if they had rushed to my aid when shit hit the fan. Fuck! I didnt know what to do. Suddenly, as if to answer my question, Kline meowed nervously. You want to help him? I asked. He meowed. And you think we can actually help? I dont want to go if well just get in the way. He didnt respond. Those words seemed to pierce his heart and ego. You think we can protect Tyler and let Kalas cook? I asked pointedly. He looked up and nodded. I smiled and turned to Sina. Hey. Were about to do something really, really stupid in the name of love and family. Im sure as someone who travels with a pack, you understand. Sina nodded. So you dont have to join us. But Id really appreciate it if you did. Youre strong, tactical, and I think if its us three, we can protect one little idiot while the heavies work I paused. That said, theres nothing I can offer you but my gratitude and loyalty as an ally. Trying to offer anything else would feel wrong. Sina huffed and turned away. Thought so I thought with a wry smile. But to my amazement, she started trotting off south toward the carnage. I laughed and pointed to the southeast. We need to go that way. Sina froze, and I couldve sworn she blushed. I tried not to laugh as I got on Klines back. You doing good, little guy? I asked him. Kline nodded and meowed. Good. Then lets go. 2. Tyler watched Kalas nervously. There was a battle raging in the distance between Hackle and the torok, and while it had stilled for a few minutes in a standoff, something suddenly triggered the torok into action, and seismic waves started to break the ground and rattle the trees. Despite that, Kalas didnt even pay it mind. He focused on the west and east in two specific angles, as if he could see another two torok there. Tyler was getting the feeling that it was lucky that they hadnt been overrun already. Everything okay? Tyler asked. Kalas hushed him, and he fell quiet again. Things stayed that way for about ten seconds before Kalas suddenly shifted his gaze north with a complex expression. What is it? Tyler whispered before clapping his mouth, expecting to be chastised. But Kalas didnt. He just turned over and said: Your sisters coming, and shes bringing allies. Tylers heart soared. Seriously? Dont get confident, Kalas said chillingly. This could save youor seal your fate. Tyler gulped. Kalas watched the forest intently. Then, he turned east and northwest in rapid succession. As I thought. Whats happening? The torok are attracted to her core. Theyre stopping their battles to chase her. Kalas sighed. At least youre safe. Wait, did you just say they? Tyler cried. You mean that theres multiple? Yes. And multiple are chasing Mira? Kalas turned to him sharply. If you wish to save her, you can die. Tylers spine locked straight, and he trembled.Stolen novel; please report. Youre weak, Tyler Hill. Pathetic. Useless. We came here to prove that; have you still not learned anything? Those words stabbed Tylers lungs and twisted. But that pain turned hot and angry, boiling into fury. Then what was the point of coming out here? To damage my confidence? Dont be foolish. We came here so youd learn not to pick fights with your seniors. Not rush toward them, as youve already done today. Tell me, Tyler Hill. Do you think your sister would have rushed toward you if you werent here? Tyler folded his arms and looked for a rock to sit on. He found none and thought it would be stupid anyway, so he kept standing. Listen, to me, Kalas demanded. Mira came here so you can live. Now shes clearing the way. He forcefully picked up Tyler without further discussion and burst through the forest. So live. Tyler almost cried as he was hauled west through the forest, moving toward the mouth where he would live the rest of his life, knowing that Mira died for him. After all, he had witnessed how fast the toroks movedand there were more of them. She wasnt Hackle. She couldnt fight them. She was going to die, all because he didnt listen. Resolve yourself! Kalas hissed. You were foolish, but you werent wholly wrong. You understood your weakness enough to summon allies who could protect Mira. Thats not to be ashamed of. But life does not work out as we wish, and you must learn when you are a liability, rather than an ally. Before, it was arguable. Now, youve lost all virtue. So keep silence. Tyler shut his eyes and bit his lip to keep from crying. Then he said, Kalas Once we get back to base camp please save her. Kalas started to answer but then stopped, turning pensive as he flew through the forest. 3. My plans changed in an instant. Instead of saving Tyler, I found myself running for my fucking life. Because there were three torok, and the two Lysan wasnt facing were rushing toward me. Thankfully, the one who fought Lysan hadnt resurfaced, and something abruptly made one cry out, halting it in its tracks. It all gave me hope, but that didnt change that the last one, which was guarding the base camp, flew at me like a rabid dog. My only consolation was that Tyler and Kalas took that opportunity to rush to safety. Thank. God. That said, I was pretty bitter about that. I mean, I didnt get to sacrifice myself like a war movie hero, rushing in to save Tyler like a legendary Mongol, riding a war panther as I shot arrows at my foe. That was a cool fucking image in my mind, but in reality, I was acting as bait, and Tyler would never know just how cool I really was. Gah! It was so petty, but it kept me angry and focused as I flew through the trees on Klines back, Sina in tow, listening to the distant crack of trees as this creature flew at me. Suddenly, Wood Wide Web picked up another signature. Another one? I cried. They mustve been waiting for me I shouldve expected this. Why wouldnt I have? The torok were obsessed with my corethen I purified it into a Kyfer core, obtaining the ability to breathe mana and thread without limitations. I was still unsure what it did, as I hadnt been pushed to mana deprivation since then, but it didnt matterthe torok thought it was the best thing since sliced cheese, and they waited all damn week in hiding until I finally left camp to trap me. Suddenly, I heard screaming in the distance, and when I checked Wood Wide Web, I released a frustrated grunt. Its unreadable! I internally screamed. There were over a hundred dots in the area, all fleeing south to the base camp. It made sense; it was the last full day of the Harvest, so people were heading home. Suddenly, I heard the torok in the west screech and slam the ground, followed by harrowed cries of harvesters before the beast kept rushing. Go south! I yelled. The Brambles our only shot! Both Kline and Sina nodded in unison. There was no way we could outrun the toroks if we went north. We learned last time how fast they were, and while we improved, we had already learned that they were slightly faster. Our only chance was to get east to give Tyler a chance to get to the Bramble, then juggle back and forth like a soccer player and fly into the Bramble. I doubted that the Melhan would get involved if there were toroks aroundassuming that they even made it through the torok to get to base camp, to begin with. Either way, we needed to risk it. It was our only hope. Suddenly, a torok blew into the clearing behind us, and Kline picked up speed, leaving Sina behind. Once he realized that, he slowed as I acted, pulling out Nymbral. I felt it was impossible to hit the thing, so I took another strategy. I summoned the most intense hurricane arrow I could, then aimed at its legs. It roared as I released the arrow, dodging the strike. I was ready. I curved the arrow to hit the ground it was landing on. A geyser of dirt and water blew up at its feet like a modern explosive shell. It wasnt enough to hurt it, but it fell forward, crashing into a tree with a loud thud. It earned us timebut not for long. The one in front of us had almost caught up. Do you have a Triumph? I yelled to Kline. He meowed. Okay. Ill shoot an arrow left. Sina, you go right. Kline, go wherever its vulnerable and use it! Kline meowed, Sina barkedwe flew forward. It wasnt five seconds before it crashed into my field of vision, stepping on harvesters who seemed to appear all around us out of thin air. There were dozens, and they were all screaming and crying and yelling for help. We were all so close to the Mouth. Less than a quarter mile, probably, according to my soul scan. Yet in the game of life or death, it didnt matter if you lost by an inch or a mile; dead was deaddead was absolute. And it was a problem. As soon as I summoned another hurricane arrow, I aimed and found a group of harvesters where I needed to shoot. Son of a bitch! I yelled. Get the fuck away from there! That was a stupid thing to say, considering how desperately they were trying to flee. But it turned out not to matter, anyway. The torok stomped on one, and three flew away from a seismic shock. Then it picked up a fourth and hurled their screaming body at me. You got to be Kline warped out of the way right before the screaming body hit the earth, leaving my imagination to fill in the details of the impact. Adrenaline was already pumping through my veins. Moxle dilation was on a low setting, so I could use it without fear of cracking, and I didnt know how many arrows I could make. Ill need to use it, I thought. There was no choice. We were close. Nymbral was a possibility, so long as it didnt blind Sina and Kline and sign our death warrantand I felt that it just might at this point. I was a lot more powerful. I still needed restraint and testing. Fuck. In the meantime, I had a hurricane arrowso I used it. The torok jumped at us, and I used its inability to dodge to attack. I thought it would be a direct hit, but that was naive. It thrust out its palm, and a huge gust of wind blasted toward us. Kline barely warped ahead in time to avoid it, but it hit Sina and sent her crashing through the forest. Sina! I criedbut had no chance to think about her. We had warped near the torok to avoid the wind, and it responded by slamming the ground with its palm. The earth shattered in an intense wave, and I thought we were gone for. But we werent. Kline jumped in the air like he was climbing a staircase, dodging rocks midair as it rushed above the torok. I thought he was just trying to escape, but my little warrior was a total badass. He used his vantage point above the torok to launch us down like a meteorite. The torok thrust its palm straight at us. It darkened the sky as it engulfed us, and time shut down at that moment. But Kline Kline was something else. He lifted his paw and released Silverns Triumph, releasing all the aura he had collected that day, including the feast of third evolution meat that we ate for breakfast for that exact reason. The effectswere devastating. Four massive blades sheared right through the toroks arm, cutting it in thick ribbons under my slow motion, and continued on to hit the torok in the head. The blades werent enough to slice through its skull completely, but it was enough to break through its calcified mask and reach its brain. With a final geyser of blood, the torok fell to its knees and then fell to the ground like a robot that ran out of batteries, quaking the ground as Kline landed on its body and released a battle cry under the harvesters shocked gazes. B2 | Chapter 90 - The Final Stretch Thirty or more harvesters witnessed Kline killing the torok, and I felt a rolling drumbeat of pride well up in my chest as I reveled in his victory. The world now knew our presence, reputationand legacy. After a few seconds of triumph, I suddenly remember Sina getting blasted away, and I turned and screamed her name. Kline acted upon my call, bolting off to her. He was far weaker than before, having used his one and only trump card, but Sina was our family nowand we protected family. As we approached, we saw the torok and a blast of blue flames. Shes still alive! I cried as I summoned another hurricane arrow, preparing to unleash Nymbrals true power if necessary. Kline released a battle cry and flew forward. Sina was bleeding, but the torok was screaming in pain, too. Its arm fur was blanketed with blue flames, and it was slapping it on the dirt to put it out. And it was then that I remembered that Sina wasnt a third-evolution beast for nothing. You can do this! I yelled as we flew into the area. Light it on fire, and well The torok slapped the ground, and the ground under Sina rippled, preparing to explode like the trap spikes in video games. Kline was faster. He blinked through a shadow, jumped forward with intense speed, bit Sina by the nape of her neck, and flew her over the earthquake in a summersault. We all crashed onto the ground in unison, flying over poisonous ground cover and triggering fear in my mind. But to my amazement, I barely felt it. My skin was hard as steel, and adrenaline was flowing through me like cheap booze at a college party. I didnt even need Moxle Dilation to slow the world and barely felt it when the spell broke. I just jumped to my feet as the torok finished extinguishing the flames on its arm. Then I stared off with it, studying the bone mask that hid all its emotions and intentions. Pure it suddenly said. Yeah I said. Pure but weak. It laughed sharply and pointed at the dead torok. Strong Fuck me I groaned. I mounted Kline, who turned toward the Bramble, staring at a particular shadow. Somehow, I understood what he was thinking in an instant, so I turned to Sina and then glanced at the Bramble, telling her to leave. She resisted, and I didnt fight herI let Kline communicate the plan. While they conversed with their eyes, I turned to the torok and said, Lets do this. Best one wins. Pure strong fight Yeah, something like that, I said. Lets go. Kline broke eye contact with Sina and rushed at the torok, who released a battle cry. They were two forces rushing at each other like enemy soldiers in the time of ancient Rome, but there was no collision. Before we got too close, Kline jumped, twisting one hundred and eighty degrees mid-air before melting through a shadow as he landed. We popped out fifty feet behind where we originally started, then broke for the Bramble, keeping pace with Sina, who had already started sprinting. The torok roared and charged after us, slamming trees with its fists, furious that it got duped. I readied another arrow and fired it, forcing it off course as we bounded through the trees, passing by dozens of screaming harvesters. We crested a hill and could suddenly see the Mouth of the Bramble. Images of reuniting with my brother and feasting as we made insulting faces toward the toroks played out in my mind like a dream. We were almost there. It was so close but so far away. Three more torok flew at us from the clearing, flanking us on four sides like a diamond. The walls were closing in all around us and one torok stood in front of the Mouth like a goalie, with the goal being the grand ward protecting hundreds of watching Harvesters. They were like animals, the harvesters, each hooping and hollering and screaming for blood or victory, uncertain each as to what would happen. But what they didnt know was that they were all vulnerableevery last one. But then, a series of rapid miracles happened. I raised Nymbrel and searched for Tyler. With us so close, I could permanently blind himand the thought haunted me. But I didnt have to worry. Brexton stood out front with a hand over Tylers shoulder. He waved; then, a bubble of shadows engulfed the two. That was my permission. So I charged Nymbrel to take out the goalie but found the walls closing in. My world was moving slowly, so I could see how things could play out. One shot would kill onebut, blind or not, the other two would catch up. And thats when the other miracle happened, or perhaps something that just surprised me. Aiden released a cry and charged, sending the lurvines spreading out to take out the other two. Six-third evolution beasts flew into the fray, spewing blue flames that lit the toroks ablaze. This was my chancemy only chance. I slowed time to a crawl as I charged up the bow, forcing out the image of a torok kicking one of the lurvine in a gruesome wave of blood, thinking about only survival and victory. Everything was riding on this, so I churned my core, filling the arrow with a seemingly limitless supply as the world tinted to a charcoal void like I was wearing welding goggles. More black barriers like the one Hadrian used for trading popped up as if they got permission, and so I charged it past its limits. Then I gave the order. Shut your eyes! I screamed at the top of my lungs. Kline and the lurvines all knew, so they followed my lead, sliding to a halt, shutting their eyes, and burrowing their face in the dirt. I then aimed the beam right at the middle torok and released it. The flash was so blinding that the torok didnt even dodge. It just covered its face in pain as the laser tore through its chest and crashed into the ward. It was so powerful that the grand ward cracked, fighting to reform itself as streaks of gold bent around it like I had just poured molten glass onto the edge. This was the true power of an epic soul weapona weapon meant for fighting demigodsnot mortals. I wasnt a fan. If it cracked the barrier, Tyler would be opened up to the toroks furybut it survived, repairing itself in real time once the beam calmed down.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The torok stood there for what felt like eternity, anchored to its feet, unfettered because the arrow didnt have any knockback force whatsoever. Then, it dropped like a falling tree, forcing Kline to warp and jump to avoid the seismic attack. Things were still after that, save the screams from the blind and wounded Toroks and harvesters who werent blocked by the barriers. Hurry back! I screamed. Kael barked, and Aiden screamed, Lets go! with a strained voice, proof that closing his eyes and burying his face wasnt enough. Yet he survived, and they flew back to the ward without issue. We would make it. Kline and Sina bounded forward, fanning out on either side of the Titans body as we went for victory. We were there. Fifty feet. Fourty. Twenty. Then, right before we cleared it, Jas flew out of the barrier. My world stopped as I made eye contact with the Melhan I denied and sent away not an hour before. He had made it back, and there was fury in his eyes. No, wait! I screamed. Jas didnt. He waved his hand, and a vicious gust of wind blasted us backward, sending us spinning backward before hitting a boulder at high speed and hearing sickening snap. Adrenaline saved my mind, but when I tried to push myself up, jolts of searing pain pulsed through me. Wha I looked down, and I nearly threw up. My left leg had shattered from the impact, and it was jolting out at a traumatically unnatural angle. It must have hit the rock at just the right angle to fuck me up. My head was throbbing from Moxle Dilation breaking so abruptly, so it would crash once the adrenaline wore off, and that was just the start of the problems. Kline was weak after using Warp Step and Silverns Triumph, and Sina was running blindly toward the barrier. We were alone, and the toroks, who were smashing the ground randomly and screeching, would eventually hit us. I had read that they had a bad sense of smell and everyone and everything was screaming, so they might have never known where I wasbut they would eventually hit that ground, and rocks would fly into my neck like shrapnel, killing me in front of everyone. All over some cowardly act. I suppose thats what Jas would say about me. But come on. What I just did was brilliant. It was one thing to kill your enemy, but stopping something that fucking cool from coming to fruition? Fuck that guy. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, wondering if Kalas would come to save meand who would avenge me, if anyone, if I died. Then I remembered that I could still see souls, and when I checked, I saw Kalas standing right next to Tyler, not doing a goddamn thing. As for avenging, the only one who could was Tyler, and he would need a lifetime of wealth to buy the stuff I snacked on. It wasnt happening. It was bullshit. So bullshit. Way too much bullshit. It pissed me off, and when I looked around for Kline and found him in his shorthair cat form, tiny body broken and blistered with attacks, that pissed me off, too. Rage boiled up within me, so I forced myself to claw my nails in the dirt and pull, crying out from the pain but unwilling to give up as I crawled toward the barrier. I would fight until the end. If Jas was a cowardly prick that decided to kill me once i got there, he would have to bear the shame of that. I reached Kline and grabbed him by the scruff, and I continued on. It was dreamlike being there, head throbbing, endorphins numbing, toroks blasting and buckling and bursting the ground, fighting for a simple chance of lifebut it was truly something special. I dont mean that sarcasticallyIm being honest. Despite the pain and horror I felt, I was absolutely determined to survive, so the suffering subsided in a large wave, and I pressed on. I would make it, god damn it. Even if everyone just watched me callously, they would have to come out and execute my ass before I gave in.
Hadrian watched Mira with a sense of admiration and respect. That attack of hers welded the weak harvesters eyes shut, blinded the Middle Families members, and even left Hadrian with itchy eyes even after shielding them with a sensory deprivation barrier. The others Dante had been temporarily disabled despite maximum shielding, so the only people comfortable were the Claustra, who specialized in light and illusion magic. They had managed to shield thirty random people, including Jas Melhan, and they all seemed fine, but that was it. If Brexton hadnt yelled, Close your eyes! and created a shadow barrier, they couldve all been blind. He could only imagine how many people would be weak and defenseless after that attack how many she could kill without contest. And the blast Just staring at the torok, chest blown out on the ground, was enough to make him shiver. Power. This was true powerand it made his heart sing. It was like a ballad of power and survival, and Mira was the heroine. She managed to survive at least four toroks with the help of her companions, and she only failed because Jas Melhan decided he was going to execute her for denying Kal healing in the forest. Just the thought of it ruined his high and filled him with anger. He turned to the family members and found them all gazing upon her with dread-laced masks, eyes trembling with fear. Were Hadrian to ask these cretins how he should approach her, they would proclaim that he should chop off her head while she was weak and feed her brother to the dogs, ensuring that no future Hill could rise up against the legacies. And yet Were they all so weak as to let a fledgling outdo them? It was pathetic to watch these grown men and women cower like mangy animals in the face of raw power. Hadrian turned to Jas, who was trembling in front of the barrier, looking around like a skittish mongrel, traumatized and beaten, praying that no one would call him a coward and demand his execution. Unsurprisingly, everyone did, but no one would say it. These people were not warriors like their parents and patrons; they were children and cowards who would not dare to question the Melhan, especially after seeing Kal, who was in a coma, and hearing Jas make extravagant claims about Mira, each becoming more unbelievable, baseless, and contradictory than the last. Jas would get away with it and Hadrian didnt like that. If Jas were to step out of that barrier, Hadrian would punish him for his cowardice and bear the consequences. But Jas wouldnt. He was firmly planted on the ground, wanting to finish Mira off, but too smart to leave the barrier. So Hadrian looked away and watched Mira crawl and cry out in agony. Hadrian wouldnt intervene. It seemed cold, but Kalas and the other legacies were doing the same. Tyler couldnt understand. He was screaming and crying and begging people to help her, but they couldnt. No one would deprive Mira of her moment of glory; no victory or death would ever match what she just accomplished, and theyas strangers and not alliesrefused to corrupt it by helping her. Tyler couldnt understand the legacies laws or customs or culture and perhaps never would. But that was his problem. This world wasnt his; it belonged to Hadrian and all those beneath him, including Kalas and the people who also understood. They all abided by customs. Save one. Brexton glided past Hadrian like a phantom, so perfectly invisible that he didnt even notice him until he was a foot away. Brexton stopped when he was discovered and put up his finger to shush Hadrian before walking behind Jas under the cloak of invisibility. For a moment, they just stood there as Jas looked back and forth nervously then Brexton said, Boo! and the Melhan cried and stumbled out of the ward. Hadrian smirked and walked out of the barrier. Jas reached out his hand, asking for help up. Hadrian replied with a sneer. Oh Jas turned away in shame and tried to push himself up. But before he got halfway, Hadrian grabbed his skull. W-What are you doing? Jas cried, realization dawning in his narrow-minded brain. Im a Melhan! No, Hadrian said. Youre a rogue coward that brought shame to your familyand disregarded our pacts over mere speculation and lies. W-Wait! Jas screamed. Then, his face bubbled with tumors, turning bright red before exploding. Mira stopped crawling and watched with trembling eyesthen, she carried on, dragging her broken leg over the ground. Hadrian looked up and saw the toroks rushing around, slamming the ground behind her. There was still a chance. B2 | Chapter 91 - Aftermath Hadrian watched the carnage carefully. Aiden and the lurvine had found their way back to the barrier but were temporarily blind and suffering, so they werent going to help Mira. Her only consolation was that the torok had poor senses other than sight and sound, and their sight was burnt and their sense of hearing was damaged by the screaming everywhere. Still, they were thrashing around, smashing everything in sight, and they were getting dangerously close to hitting Mira. Mira was moving, though, and Hadrian thought shed make it until one of the torok decided to sacrifice itself and run to the barrier. Unlike the lurvine, which had a soul pact with a harvester and could thus enter the grand ward, it would kill any other beast that entered the mouth. But the cretin crudely determined that it would rather suffer death than live without its eyes, so it charged. Mira was five feet awaybut she wasnt close enough. Or, rather, it was. Mira made it, but this cowardly invalid dared to sacrifice its life rather than fight or live and train. It was no better than Jas, who had denied Mira her glory. Not again. He refused to let such a grotesque act desecrate this moment of glory. 2. I had never had such powerful mixed feelings toward anyone as I had Hadrian. He just watched me crawl for my life, crying and sobbing and fighting without doing a goddamn thing. Then Brexton scared Jas, and it changed. Hadrian casually executed another family member, giving her hope. But then he ruined it by continuing to watch her with his arms folded. It was total bullshit. Everything was going down to the wire, and I almost made it when the torok charged. For a moment, I thought that everyone would just let me die as my brother screamed for them to help, but the bastard actually decided to act. And god, I hate to give him credit, but it was really something. He lifted his hand, and a blast of cold chilled my bones. Thousands of thick spears of ice formed above his head, glistening colorful prisms on the ground around me. Each of them radiated with an intense aura, spinning like bullets. It was suffocating. You disgust me, Hadrian said to the torok. He flicked his wrist, and the blades flew past me, impacting with piercing, bloody, squelching sounds. Each sound was followed by crackling as the wounds froze, cracked, and reformed. I held my breath and listenedthen my body bounced from the seismic wave of the titan falling to the ground. It took me thirty seconds of blinding pain to recover from the impact, but I was so close, so I grabbed Kline and pulled him forward. Three feet, two, one It was gruesome work, but after one thrust of my arm, I felt a buzzing chill and the sensation of cool tile on my fingertips. Then, I heard a chorus of cheers. Cheering. Fuck these people. I found no glory in pain and suffering and all that other bullshit. I just wanted to survive, and I was crawling over the ground with a thirty-pound backpack and a cat. But it did feel a little good, I guess. So I kept pushing, pulling, clawing, and gasping until my whole chest was on the tile, and then I crawled some more. Im not sure when I got my whole body in, but I imagine it was about the time when Kalas callous ass released him. Mira! Tyler screamed. He ran up and pulled my backpack off me like a normal, decent person and said, Wheres your healing stuff? You have healing stuff, right? No need, Hadrian said. He motioned to a rough-looking blonde with a hook nose and a tight bun, and she knelt beside me, grabbing my broken leg. It was facing eight oclock, a truly terrifying sight, and this bitch had the great idea of man-handling it like a baseball bat. This is going to hurt, she warned as if I werent actively screaming. Then I heard a crack and blacked out. 3. It wouldve been nice to see the miraculous effect of healing magic and whatever other voodoo they pulled off, but it was far better to just blackout and time-travel to a moment when I wasnt in a state of agony. I woke up out of pain with Aiden and Tyler beside me, and that was a great relief. Uh I looked between them. Wheres Kline? Aiden smiled. He pointed down, and I found my little warrior snuggled against me. Oh thank God I said, letting my head crash back on the pillow. Sina? Safe, he said. I hope you dont mind, but I healed their eyes with your Diktyo water. Thats perfect, I said. Everyone else? Tyler and Aiden grimaced. What? I asked. Well, eighteen people are permanently blind now, Aiden said, thirty-six with partial blindness. It was originally about a hundred, but I knew youd hate that, so I used water on them, too. That wasnt all. Brexton, Hadrian, and well, a bunch of families healed as many as they could as a sign of goodwill toward you. Its honestly a miracle we could heal that many. Diktyo water truly is incredible.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The pain felt from blinding people was far too great to worry about people helping. It sucked. Bro, tell her the good news already! Tyler demanded. What good news? Aiden asked. What good dude, youre inept as fuck. Tyler turned to me in exasperation. A hundred and eighty three people survived Harvestrvest because of you. Two hundred. Hell, maybe more. Theres still a day before the end ofHarvestrvest, give or take. And if you didnt kill and blind those things, those things wouldve killed all of them. But there were two still alive, I said. Yeah, but one ran away, and Hadrian killed the third, Tyler said. It was fucking epic. That guys a monster. Apparently, hes only been threading third evolution cores the last two years. Yours included. I bet he couldve taken at least two of them by himself. Maybe three. Oh Thats all I could muster as I looked up at the ceiling, trying to process what happened and whether I did the right thing. I mean, I permanently blinded eighteen people, and that was well within the not-a-statistic category where you can feel empathy for each and every one of them. I get that these people came here prepared to die, but still. I wouldnt blame myself forever, but I felt it would be wrong not to care deeply about it. You want a moment alone? Aiden asked. No I said.Im glad youre here. I paused and reflected and then said, What about that lurvine I could still remember one getting hit. I healed him, Aiden said. Not to boast, but thats practically the only thing Im good at. My eyes widened. You Yeah, me. That was my job during the trial Oh My excitement peaked, and then cold reality crushed me back down again. How strange I swallowed. Speaking of families How''s Kal? Hows Kal? Tyler laughed, becoming strangely animated. That guys toast. He still hasnt woken up but hes in a rude awakening when he does. Why? What happened? What happened? he repeated obnoxiously. His whole partys dead. Thats what happened. And thats only the start. Everyone also knows that he threatened you and then tried to kill you, but no one knows what happened. The guy that tried to kill you kept saying that you went around and killed all of them. But a search party went out and found three of them wandering the forest aimlessly, walking right over poisonous plants. Two of em died before they even showed up, and the one who survived returned as a husk. They chose to just end the guys suffering. How is any of this funny? I asked chillingly. Tyler locked up and turned away. Its just Hadrian. He killed that guy, right? And he told everyone he didnt and if anyone said otherwise, he would eradicate their family tree. He looked away, seemingly realizing that his admission made things worse, so he quickly corrected. And he was protecting you. Said it was their fault, and if you did kill them, you were justified, and if you didnt, their family had aggressively disregarded the will of whatever council or government. He pretty much said if people blamed you, they were pathetic losers. It was just really cool I guess. Oh That was the third time I had said that, but it had a different twang, a different energy and emotion. I see What about the last one? The woman? Her? We dont know. They found a dead torok in the woods, and Hackle didnt claim it. Thats all we know. Really I said nervously. Then I collapsed, not particularly caring whether Lysan lived or died. If she were alive and waiting, Id just have to kill her. If it were me and Kline and the lurvines I could probably swing it. Probably. The problem was still those blind people. I felt awful about it to the point I couldnt think about survival or really anything. Wheres my backpack? I asked. Actually, just leave it. Aiden? Yeah? Aiden asked. When I leave, I want you to sell some stuff I give you. And when you do, I want you to give all the money to the blind people and maybe I dont know. This world has magic, right? Im sure theres some type of ultra-elite blind swordsman shit. I can practically see with my eyes closed. Get a teacher and teach them soul and mana sight or something. Look I paused. Find a way for them to live Actually that sounds difficult. Can you figure out who I can ask? No, its okay, Aiden said. I got a guy who sells things. Hes pretty much using me, but hell beg and claw to do this for you. Theres profound benefits to people using you. You should try it. I sent him a long, mocking sneer. You still gotta work on that optimism. Trust me, Im trying. But every time I get into the groove, some challenging things happen. Its a great learning opportunity. Another five years of this, and Ill be able to lie to my mother. I blinked twice, shocked by the fact that he said that with a serious face. Then he cracked a smile, and we burst into laughter. It was warm. Somewhere in that state of mind that couldve trenched in deep with thoughts of despair, having a little positivity went a long way. Blindness wasnt a true hindrance in a world of magic. Mana sight. Soul sight. Training. There were ways to see without seeing, and even if these stupid mother fuckers would just use it to learn how to kill things again, they would be able to enjoy their lives. Thats all that mattered. I sighed a breath of relief. I did it. Somehow, I did itand we all survived. 4. It took about four more hours before I left the tent, feeling like Alexander the Great as people greeted me. A large group of people were bandaged up or bleeding out, not getting a whole lot of help from anyone, and stragglers filed in from the forest. It was the last daypeople would be leaving for the gate in a few more hours. Hadrian had put some toroks meat onto an open flame, but looked bitter it wouldnt cook. Hell, it would probably take three days to cook that meatmaybe more. I owed him, so Kline and I braved the stares from others as we approached. Shes awake, Hadrian said with a slight smirk. I coughed and turned away, telling myself not to hate him and that arrogant smirk. Thank you. For what? Hadrian asked. Never mind, I said, turning and walking away. Oh, come now, Hadrian said. Its a simple question with a simple answer. For what? Im sure you see many things Ive done as worthy of praise, but I see none. Not saving my life? I asked dryly. I recall you dragging yourself through the barrier without a partys aid. Hadrian shrugged. And I wanted this meat. Its the Dantes policy to never feast upon anothers quarry. Its shameful enough to fight beasts you injured. I sighed. So you did it for meat? I recall telling you that. Meat that wont cook for three days? Weve saved some, of course. Many backpacks worth. I took a frustrated breath. What about protecting me from that Melhan guy? What do you mean? That man died in the torok attack. He narrowed his eyes. Dont you remember? I nodded. Now that youve reminded me See? Theres nothing to thank me for. I looked around at the others who kept touching their eyes to check that they were actually healed. What about healing those people? Oh that, Hadrian said with an evil grin. I expect favor for that. So I suggest you dont thank me. B2 | Chapter 92 - Dream Offer Do you? I laughed after Hadrian said I owed him. Youre truly insufferable. You know, I was going to thank you by cleansing some torok meat for you give you some real power, but since theres nothing to thank you for, and youre being an ass, I guess I wont. Hadrians smile disappeared, and his eyes sharpened. Oh, a normal look, thank God, I said. Mira. Wh~at? Can you truly? Do what? I asked, putting my hand from my ears. You must el~uci~date on your intentions. Cleanse third evolution meat, Hadrian said. This, meat. I looked at the torok meat. I can try. If I dont owe you anything after this. Its done, Hadrian said. Okay good. Let me get my machete. Actually, thisll do. I picked up a stick from the cookfire pile and used mana sharpening to turn it into a blade. Then, I carved off a piece of torok meat under everyones watchful stares. It felt good. Mask off. Considering that I blinded half of them and a good deal probably saw Klines ethereal form, the cat was out of the bag. Might as well tell a grand story for future generations in case I died during the winter. I then grabbed a heaping chunk the size of a chuck roast and said, This is what you get. If you were nicer, you would have gotten more. Now come to my tent. Would you really punish me for being myself? Hadrian asked. Or do you enjoy obsequious men who are afraid to express themselves? I immediately thought of Aiden. No, I dont. I paused and looked at him. But Im not into whatever you are, either. I never implied you should. I paused. Lets just get this over with. Tyler nearly freaked out when Hadrian entered my tent, but once he learned that Hadrian wasnt trying to bed me, or at least Id rather die than bed him, he just wanted to join. Hadrian was, after all, his new hero. I hated thatbut I understood why. So I let him come in as I slapped the meat onto the inner stove pit like a baker and then closed my eyes. I examined the aura and found it dominating and overflowing, so I erred on the side of caution and cut off a sliver the shape of a steak to start with. Thats wise, Hadrian said. I was starting to think you were holding back on those torok. Shut up, I said, breathing in and then cycling. Words cannot express the overwhelming difference between the torok meat and the other third evolution meat I had worked with. I imagined the colossus at the pond would be even greater, but I never cleansed or ate it. We were running for our lives. So this was the first time I felt real auraand it was overwhelming. I cried out and sucked it up, activating Mental Shielding to regain control. The aura burst out like a busted fire hydrant, but I grappled hold of it and started threading. Tyler was oblivious to what was happening, but Hadrians face was lost in wonder as he watched me thread all the aura and then cleanse it. His gaze was so intense it was uncomfortable. But I was too tired to care and collapsed on the ground, panting hard. I lied, I said. Im giving you a fourth of that chunkand thats it. Hadrian laughed breathlessly. Thats more than enough. He looked at the meat with fascination and then waited patiently for me to do the rest. I did. It was faster during the second attempt, and after an hour, I finished the fourth and was absolutely exhausted. Youll be stronger than me next harvest, Hadrian remarked. Considering all that meat out there. I wont be able to eat it all, I said. I need to return north. Also, dont flatter me. It only took one encounter with yall to learn how weak I really am. I looked away. Raw power doesnt mean much. Hoh? Hadrian hummed. So you did kill them? What do you mean? Those people got lost in the forest. I narrowed my eyes. Dont you remember? Hadrian scoffed and turned away. Such statements dont work unless the answer is both shared and obvious. Anything else is an admission of guilt. I smiled wryly. That was a good point. He did know, but there was no reason to confirm it. Would it bother you if I did? I asked Hadrian, watching Tyler. Of course not, Hadrian said. Care to elaborate? I asked. I refuse to remark on self-evident matters, Hadrian said coldly. That was rude. Rude? As opposed to what? You wasting my time to validate your insecurities? Just asking I shuddered at the finality in his words. I seriously didnt understand why he was casually okay with me killing the Melhans, one of his supposed allies. There were laws and customs here that were markedly different than those from home, and Hadrian seemed to take the approach that researching the reason that the sky was the color it was was a waste of time when the question was whether it was blue. Then I turned to Tyler. You? Hadrian rolled his eyes, rolling his entire neck with it, and said, Ill take my leave.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Dont hit your head on the way out, I said, giving him a peace size for ultimate effect as he wrapped his meat and left. Then, I waited for Tyler to stop smirking before addressing him again. Tyler, tell me. Tylers shallow grin faded, and he turned away. I Listen, I think if it were anyone else, Id think it was badass. Hell, if Hadrian did it, Id think it was dope But? I asked. He grimaced. Not my sister. I mean Im not bothered by anything you couldve done. Even if you killed someone in cold blood out here Id love you. But What happened to loving plants? I ran my fingers through my hair. Ive been asking that for four months. You still like them, right? he asked. I nodded. I do. Its just been a matter of survival up until this point. I think youve seen that but thats over. I have power and the right to live here. Now I have a whole year to just do alchemy and study plants and whatever I want. Its just been delayed. Tyler nodded absentmindedly. As long as theres a reason. I nodded back. There is. Love you, sis. Love you. We hugged, and then he looked at the meat. So um he coughed. Do I get some of that? I chuffed. Youre unbelievable! So was that a yes? No! Seriously? I presented both my palms up with an open mouth as if to say, Are you actually being serious? But he was, and I knew I would normally say yes anyway. But the simple fact was that I couldnt, so I told him so. Actually yes, I said solemnly. This meat would probably make your chest explode or something. I traced the lean lines on the meat with my eyes. That meat Ive been feeding youits nothing like this. Im not even sure I could eat this, and Ive been eating nothing but third evolution meat the last two weeks. Wait, did you just say third evolution? Yeah, third evolution. But theyve been nothing like this. I see I reflected on the situation and then turned to him. Im going to build a home here. Real living quarters. And when I do you should stay a year. Ill train you and give you crazy elixirs and stuff. Okay? In the meantime, just focus on your training. Ill buy an extension of Kalas''s training. Oh about that. Tyler retracted his digits into a packed fist. Fuck that guy. He didnt do a damn thing to help you. He couldve. I know damn well he couldve, but he didnt. He was just going to watch you But hes the strongest, I said, pushing his cheek to look at me. So use him. When if Kal wakes up. Youll need that strength. He nodded hesitantly, and I felt ill. I was so close to killing him and his whole damn family sneakily. Now, I was relying upon Hadrian to protect my parentsand it wouldnt be pretty. The Melhans invested a diamond request into the kid. Justified or not, they would be out for blood. Tyler and I finished our conversation just as Felio checked up on me. Thank goodness youre okay! she said, putting her hand to her breast. I am I said, slicing some meat. Are you hungry? Thiss probably the only time youll get to eat something like this. Her eyes widened, and then she smiled. How is it that I come in to check in on you, and yet youre the one thinking about me? Im just offering you some food. I looked at her. Isnt that what friends do? Felio stared at me dumbly, as if I had just shattered her mind with a sledgehammer, then fed her the fragments like cereal. Is that wrong? I asked nervously. Where Im from, you just kinda like certain people, and thats enough to be like friends. Is it different here? Felio looked away awkwardly. Uh maybe? For normal people. But the Legacies everythings an arrangement. Im not sure its the same. Oh well come hang out. As of this moment, were in an arrangement. Her lips curved into a smile, and she giggled. Okay. But dont put it that way to anyone else. Ill get some tea. I blushed and laughed, and then we drank tea while I cooked torok meat. Twenty minutes later, her guard checked on her and found us sprawled out on the floor of my tent, buzzing like we chased the dragon in an opium den. They panicked and tried to save her life, but she just giggled like a maniac and pointed out the meat. Eat some I said. If youre man enough. Ten minutes later, he stumbled out of the tent to get someone else to extract her, but I made the same offer, and the woman took it well. Felio giggled about it the whole time because there was no way that a guard would turn down third evolution torok soul meat when there wasnt a threat to her life. So we fed her whole damn family until the tent was full, and we were stuffed. Its almost over, isnt it, I whispered on my back, staring at the ceiling. Yeah Felio said. You sure you dont want to come back with us? Our family would give you anything to join the Hellara. Like a signing bonus? I asked with a creeping grin. Felio didnt smileshe nodded with a fierce expression. They would give you the best teachers, a mansion, servants, fine clothing Wait youre being serious, I said. Of course. Every family would. But our family specializes in alchemy and growing alchemic herbs. If you joined us, you would be free to fulfill your passions. My heart fluttered when I saw her guards nodding. In an instant, my entire world was turned upside down. I was just offered my dream life and even more. I was being offered a secured future and a promise to let me return to Areswood every year. It was the best deal I had ever heard. But If I did, what would it have all been for? All the pain and struggle and fights with Drokai and dragons and beasts? The times I almost died? My deals with my patrons? My promises and friendship with Kyro? The mysteries of the forest and my dreams of living in a tree and studying plants. All of it wouldve been for nothing. And that hurt like tooth pain to think about. Maybe another year, I answered. Itll still be open then, right? Felio nodded. Yes. I smiled. Okay. Ill see how bad winter is here and well talk. Mistress, its time to go, a guard said. Felio puffed out her cheeks. I laughed. Ill get ready, too. Im heading to the gates. Really? she asked. Yeah. But what about your stuff? Oh, about that I said with a wide smile. I couldnt wait to see her face when I unveiled my portable ward. It was worth it. The whole campsite was stunned when I dragged all the gifts and trades I got outside the Mouth, as the pathway shut down during the year, and unveiled my ward, revealing that I had left all my stuff out in the open in a challenge, daring people to steal it. Then I picked up Kline and put him on my shoulder. Excuse me, Felio said. But when did you get that cat? Wait you dont know? I asked. Um no? Peopleve been whispering about you being with a large Wait My lips curved into a sinister grin. Then, I turned to Tyler. You ready? He nodded. Then, I turned to the other side of the plaza. Hey Aiden! Aiden looked up from a makeshift stable he was at. He had a zoo of creatures of all chimerical shapes and types lined up in a procession. Yeah? he asked. You coming? I asked. Yeah. You gonna say goodbye to the lurvine? Whats the point? Im coming right back to cook this meat. Unless they want to turn down a soul buffet? The lurvines hairs bristled, and they lowered their heads. I giggled and approached them, petting Sinas snout. Ill be back, and well feast like youve never feasted. So guard this place, kay? She huffed and turned away, but Kael gave his nod of approval. I glanced at the lurvine that was injured saving me and bowed my head. Thank you I said. He almost died saving meand it was only hitting me then. I lifted my hands, and he walked forward, allowing me to pet him. Ill be back soon. I turned south toward Galfers Gate. Come on we got to go. B2 | Chapter 93 - At the Gates I finished my goodbyes and joined a procession, walking toward the gates, a truly mind-bending experience. It was very cool once we got to the bottom and walked straight for the rest of the trip. What a beautiful, wasteful, and inefficient design. Thats what I thought as I chatted with Felio and Tyler. Kline kept jumping between my and Aidens shoulders during the trip and when Tyler tried to reach for him, Kline jumped onto the ground, seemingly willing to walk before letting someone touch him on purpose. Felio giggled at the scene. Whats her name? Felio asked. Kline, I said. And hes a boy. I nudged his little butt with my foot, and he huffed, walking beside Aiden. Felio folded her arms. Its hard to believe that hes Shhh I put my finger to my lips. The times not right. Youre a bit evil, you know that? Felio mused. I I stopped my retort when we exited a particularly dense patch of trees, and I could see the gate for the first time. It was a wonder, like the Great Pyramids, the type of structure built by Zeus to keep the Titans locked away. Whoa I whispered. Yeah. Its something else, isnt it? Yeah Whats it even for? Keeping people from trying to enter the Bramble ahead of the Harvest, Felio answered immediately. Its also a symbol to mark the path. Every other part of the divide throws you into the Bramble. Wait you mean that the Bramble stretches the entire forest? Thats right, she confirmed. And its even harder to get over the mountains. This is the only safe path into the forest, so we stick with it. Whoa I was gobsmacked by the sheer scale of the Bramble. It was a 500-square-mile garden weaving between mountains. It mustve taken thousands, or even tens of thousands of years to create it. Just thinking about it made me feel insignificant, and also guilty for wavering in my convictions after only four months. Everything okay? Felio touched my shoulder, and I shivered. Yeah, I said. Im just nervous about seeing my family. Felios face lit up. Theyre going to be so happy to see you. Is that public knowledge or something? I asked hesitantly. No, of course not. She looked at Tyler. I can just tell. He turned away. Oh I said dumbly. I wish I was that confident. I was sure that my parents would love me after it was all said and done, but I was worried about what they would say to me to their friends and colleaguesor if they would say anything at all, being quick to acknowledge my existence than switching the subject to avoid the pain or shame of the matter. What does my daughter do for a living? Nothing, actually. She gave up the perfectly good chance at life we gave her and went off to live in a forest like an antisocial psychopath. But shes doing okay, I guess. Wish we could say the same about ourselves. Shes been out there, blinding and killing people, earning us enemies and god knows what else. But other than that, shes great. A total peach. It was a joke. There was no way that they would ever be able to look at me the same. Ill be okay, sis, Tyler said abruptly. Ill back you up. But No, seriously. Im still not sure why you did what you did but I think it needed to be done and you were damn cool doing it. Seriously. Oh Tyler My eyes welled with tears at his mildly disingenuous bluster, and I knocked him with my elbow. Then I took ten more steps before my mind filled with panic. I threw around my backpack and searched for my pocket mirror. It hadnt shattered (as it was made with polycarbonate rather than glass), but somewhere in my life or death journeys, the mirror had popped out of the frame and bent and warped. No I rubbed my face, thinking about how Elana was already shunning me for forgetting when I woke up. You cant be serious right now, Tyler said. You know youll wig them out if you look good right? This isnt for them, you jerk, I snapped back. Its for A boyfriend? Die. I said. Here. Felio pulled out a mirror and handed it to me. Oh my God, youre a lifesaver. I immediately set to work, purifying my body and fixing my hair. It was a mess, but Felio pulled out a brush and said, Here. Sit down. I did, and she brushed my hair while I sat there like a sad puppy, mildly humiliated as I let her doll me up and apply light makeup. She enjoyed it thoroughly. I didnt. Well, maybe a little. If Tyler wasnt laughing at me. Thankfully, Aiden couldnt pile down because he couldnt stop his parade of beasts, so he continued on ahead, saying, If I dont see you later, Ill see ya next year. As for Hadrian, he just smiled and said, Interesting, before moving on, which was actually kind of nice to hear for some reason. But what little confidence I had was ruined when Felio finished, and Tyler said, Hey you actually look like a girl, and I nearly broke his ribs. That wasnt welcome. You can keep itall of it, Felio said, handing me the makeup, mirror, and brush. Ill bring you more next year. Oh, and take this. She handed me her backpack. It was a whole other pack, but it was light as air. What is it? Its my field equipment, she said. Its not much, but its enough to do intermediate alchemy. My heartbeat stalled, and I looked at her with trembling eyes. Then I dropped the pack and fished through mine. Surely theres something Stop. She grabbed my hand. But I muttered. Its not free. Oh then what do you want? For you to wait on your stuff, Felio said, looking into the Bramble. I saw you looking for it, but its not worth it. Not now. Just wait a few years. If ever. A lot of people have entered the Bramble over the years, and very few survived. I swallowed hard and looked into the forest. It was an honest, thoughtful request. With Felios alchemy equipment and the supplies I traded me for, I could do just about anything at my skill level. And next year, I could order new alchemy equipment entirely.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Yes, I would go after it. Not necessarily for the alchemy equipment, but because of the teleportation arrays and illusionary ward. But for now, I didnt want to risk my life. I had barely scratched the surface of soul pacts, and I was talking about conquering the most notorious soul forest in perhaps the entire multiverse. I would wait. Okay, I said. Felio hugged me. Thanks, friend. Now go see your family. My eyes welled with tears. Okay, friend. She giggled, and we walked to the gate together. 2. Doug waited outside Galfers Gate with Tanya and their dog, Gatsby, writhing in anxiety. His intestines were so tight and knotted he felt like plucking one would release the snapping twang of a guitar string. For the last two days, he saw harvesters stagger out of the gate like the walking dead, each missing limbs or shaking and wheezing from unknown illnesses. He watched one harvester put down their friend, only to realize their arms were green and rotting just by holding their friends. Panic. Panic everywhere. Screaming, bartering, pleading, apathy. It was a warzone with a government and family members with the means to save people, but watching apathetically with the mindset that, You knew the risks, so bear the consequences. These were the people that she was with for the last week. It was terrifying. Yes, Mira had spent four months in there, dealing with plants that liquefy muscles and rot bones and peel skin, but that didnt make things easier. If anything, it was a reminder that she could die any day, and having Tyler out there made it worse. What if they were both dead? No. He pushed the thought out of his head for the tenth time since breakfast and put on his mask. His wife wasnt taking it well. She was trembling, arms foldedtears welling in her eyes. The sight pierced his heart with conflicting forces. He didnt want to console her when he needed consoling, but she was his wife and this was what husbands did. Dougs job, in his mind, was to support his wife and enable his children. In the case of the latter, his goal was to give them the freedom to do whatever they wanted. Tanyas job was to be emotional, worry, research, and veto things when their kids were in danger or things went too far. And right now, she was doing her job extraordinarily well, and he wasnt. Come here Doug wrapped his arms around her, and she sobbed in his chest. The two stood there in silence, letting the world crumble around them. Then, time sped up, and the area burst with motion and hysteria when someone exited the gate. Doug looked up and almost collapsed to his knees. Aiden had arrived with ten beasts. One was the size of a rhino, an animal that could flip a car with ease, but it had large jaws that could bite through a motorcycle. The others werent better. There was something that looked similar to a jackal but it was the size of a tiger, and there was another beast that was blunt and cracked around the edges, as if it were trapped in stone and loosely broken free. These were the animals of Areswood Forest. The Claustra family approached Aiden and Brexton, conversing for a few minutes before Aiden broke off and circled the area. Once he spotted Doug and Tanya, he waved and said, Shes coming! Tylers okay, too! Doug tried to answer, but Brexton waved Aiden over, forcefully introducing him to a woman. Shes coming Doug whispered. Tanya stopped sobbing, holding her breath as she processed; then, she started wailing, tears of joy this time. Gatsby pawed at her and Doug wished he could just leave her in his care, but Doug also understood that a dog couldnt replace his love, so he held her tighter. Then there was a shift. Brexton suddenly turned toward them, stopping Dougs heart with a serpentine gaze. Only it wasnt fixed on him. It was someone right beside him. Doug followed Brextons gaze and saw a towering man with a sandy brown crew cut staring at him. He would later know the man as Typhus Dante, the head of the Dante in the First Domain and Hadrians surrogate father. He wouldnt have thought that if he didnt make eye contact. Beyond the white and blue wyvern crest denoting him as one of the Dante, he didnt look particularly inhumanebut his eyes told another story. They were sharp and chilling, piercing and exacting; just locking glances left Dougs soul shivering. Typhuss wifeor what Doug assumed was his wifewas the opposite. She was the most objectively attractive woman he had ever seen, but she lacked power, control, and agency, as if she were hollow, self-starved, and brittle, like a beautiful antique doll whose eyes seemed to follow you when youre alone at night. It was like she had no soul. Doug? Tanya whispered. Youre hurting me. Doug realized that he was squeezing her too tightly. Oh, sorry. Just keep still. Why? The man smiled thinly, then shot Brexton with a chilling glare before turning his gaze back to the gate. Nothing Doug whispered. Time slowed down for about ten minutes until things shifted again. A procession of cheering and screaming from the crowd behind Doug blasted his eardrums. He turned to the gate with a galloping heart, hoping it was with Mira, but found Hadrian walking through the gates. His team was carrying someone, and the sight of them caused a riot of activity as family members called for healers. But soon, the group dispersed, leaving Hadrian to speak to the Melhans alone. The Melhan father was stone silent and amicable, but his wife was hysterical, screaming at Hadrian and the Dante for answers before her husband dragged her and her son away, ending the public spectacle that would surely cause them much-dreaded humiliation. Doug was relieved when he left, feeling nervous about the hidden story for a reason he could place. Hadrian walked up to Typhus, performed a strange bow, then clasped the womans hand with hollow tenderness. Report, Typhus ordered. Ive returned with four packs of torok meat, two pounds of soul cleansed torok meat, two peak torok cores, and ingredients requested by Miras patron god, Hadrian said. Soul cleansed torok meat? Yes. I believe its best not to grandstand regarding our Harvest. It has yielded a bounty with thorns. Typhus shifted his gaze into the crowd where the Melhan family disappeared. And of the Melhan? he asked. I told them the Dante would report in private. The same would be prudent of us. Hadrians eyes glided to Doug, and he turned away. Should we leave? No, Typhus said dryly. I have something to give Ms. Hill. Hadrian raised an eyebrow. What is it? Nothing thats childrens business. Hadrians face twitched, but he turned away. Yes, father. Doug focused on the gate nervously, watching the path. He suffered in silence, clutching Tanya for another half hour before the atmosphere shifted for the last time. Shes coming! someone yelled. Then, hundreds or even thousands of people who had gathered to see Mira pressed up against crowd control barriers as members of the press flooded the area. Dougs heart pounded steadily as he squinted, looking through the path. There was a group walking forward, and people at the front said, Shes with the Hellara, followed by, Thatd make sense. Doug laced his fingers with his wifes and pushed forward. No one stopped him, even the family members. He wanted to think they had respect, but they were both flanked by Dante guards. Whatever the case, the path magically cleared, and once he reached the gate, he could finally see Mira. She was Beautiful. And it made him laugh. It was just so absurd that she would disappear into the forest to be a mountain woman and leave a normal girl. Mira was running before he choked out a third laugh, flying at him with supernatural speed as she called out to them. That made him and Tanya cry. Laughing and crying, he welcomed his children as they rushed over the barrier line, entering the Third Ring. He almost couldnt believe Mira entered as if feeling that he was blessed that she accidentally crossed and chained herself to civilization, but when she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed, sobbing and communicating her emotions, he felt the sorrow and knew she wouldnt stay. Tyler wrapped around Tanya to complete the natural order. Daddys Girl and Mommas Boyjust as it always was. Gatsby flew forward with energy that only Labrador Retrievers could manage, wagging his tail and zagging and jumping around them as Mira laughed and petted him. Kline, who was jumping back and forth on Miras shoulder in an extreme game of Avoid the Lava, finally got fed up with the hugging and sobbing and activity, so he jumped off, stretching his legs. Gatsby took that as a declaration that he wanted to play and flew at him. Kline dodged as if by magic, moving so fast that Doug saw an afterimage. Gatsby turned his face right, left, back, forward, zagging twice, and then spotted Kline. As if understanding he was bested and couldnt win by normal means, he plowed through Doug, Mira, Tanya, and Tyler, catching Kline off guard with the sheer brazenness of the action. But Kline didnt get spooked. He just jumped to the place Gatsby would land, waited, and then slapped the dogs snout before bounding back onto Miras shoulder. Gatsby hit the ground and then looked around, howling slightly, and the rest of the family couldnt help but fall victim to a spurt of laughter. Be nice, Mira giggled, rubbing Klines ears. Hes your brother. Kline huffed and put his nose in the air, thought about it, then stared down at Gatsby like a commoner before a king and meowed authoritatively. Gatsby sat down, adding a tail thump. It seems youve both become bossy, Tanya laughed, wiping her eyes. Kline meowed, turning down the sass a little bit. It made Tanya melt. Mira turned to Tanya, then the crying restarted as they embraced. It was probably hard for them, having seen each other the day of the summoning, only to be ripped apart and sent off to another world. It made Dougs heart ache thinking about it. But they were finally reunited. Finally. He turned to his son. So? Did you behave? Tylers lips curved into a No, but its not my fault, expression, complex yet expressive, sad almost and complete. His eyes said, Well talk. Doug didnt press him. B2 | Chapter 94 - Confession Doug participated passionately in the I missed you parade that followed, then watched in awe as Mira casually said, Oh, I brought you souvenirs, and then pulled out a mixed bag assortment of plants, elixirs, and special water that could heal any laceration and cleanse almost any poison. Lastly, she said that she gave Aiden two containers of plants that would sell for Fuck You money and would buy them a mansion. Tanya chastised her daughter for developing a sailors mouth, and Mira said sorry sheepishly. Just like things were before they left. It felt nice. To be reunited. If only there werent a thousand people crowding around them, trying to get a look at the Savage of Areswood, it would have been perfect. It flustered Tanya, but Mira wasnt phased. She grabbed a handful of multicolored vials and yelled, Gifts from Areswood! before throwing them into the crowd, sending the participants into a feeding frenzy. Theyre like sharks, Mira grinned. Are you trying to encourage them? Doug asked. She looked him in the eye and said, I own this forest now. I need to teach people that somehow. Doug was stunned into silence. Mira was confidentdefiant evenspeaking like a sailor, wearing beautiful makeup, and now she was speaking like a queen. It was inspiring at first, but the absurdity got too much and he burst into laughter. What? Mira pouted. Its just His eyes welled with tears. Here I was, thinking youd show up with grisled features and hair patches ripped out, scarred up and amputated, or something. Yet here you are, wearing makeup and talking like a queen. Miras face reddened to the tip of her ears, and she looked away shyly. I gotta know, he pressed. How did a few months in that forest Civilize her? Tyler interrupted. Yeah, me too. How did it civilize If you dont shut up, Ill demonstrate how to kill a grown beast with your bare hands, Mira warned. Mira! Tanya said. What? He just called me uncivilized. Tanya tried to retort but then realized how silly the whole thing was. Everyone cracked some awkward smiles, then shared some chuckles, letting it go. Lets eat, Mira said. It only takes an hour to get back. I got time. Doug check the sky and found the sky bathed crimson under the sunset. At any moment, the sun would fall and cloak the world in darkness, leaving Mira to return to Areswood under moonlight. But she didnt seem bothered. She just sat down and pulled out tubs of meat. It tasted terrible, but its effects were addictivedrug-like euphoria and a feeling of energy and power. Mira laughed when she saw Gatsby on the ground, thumping his tail listlessly. Yep, its something else, she said. Now if only it tasted good Thank God I have real spices now I dont know what any of them are, but the traders gave me a cookbook. Only you would be worrying about spices, Tanya said. They laughed about it for another thirty minutes before Mira gave Gatsby a double pat on the stomach and stood. I gotta go, she said, stretching. Then her face turned grave when she remembered something. Whats wrong? Doug asked. She bit her lip and winced. Theres something I need to tell you. And I dont know how Just say it, Tanya said. Thats worse, Mira said. Just do it, Doug said. His daughter bit her lip, and Tanya scoffed when she conceded, mumbling, Always does it when you say it. Listen, Mira paused. These Harvests Theyre terrible. This year, people were robbing and killing each other or worse and people tried burning down the forest. Its bad news. Doug gulped. And I decided to stand against it, she said. To protect the forest and the good harvesters. So thats what I did. Kline and I took out the trash. What does that mean? Tanya asked. We killed them. Tanyas eyes widened in terror and Doug felt a hot blade stab his intestines and twist. The unimportant ones, Mira clarified. Im not trying to make enemies. Doug felt like she was living out crucial information, so he looked at Tyler, but his son turned away aggressively. I didnt see it, Tyler said, but I hope she did it with a hatchet. I fucking hate these people. Tyler! Tanya snapped. What? Tyler asked. Someone broke Miras leg and threw her at a pack of giants and no one did a damn thing. The fact shes chatting like this is a miracle. Doug whirled to his daughter. Mira Mira took a frustrated breath. Well, that happened, too. But that wasnt the reason No, that actually was the reason. Its evidence of it. But I chose to do thisit wasnt out of self-defense. Well not all of them. Tanya embraced her and started sobbing, but Doug had more trouble processing the situation. He would love his daughter if she was convicted of homicide. He would hide a criminal record, pick her up after a prison sentence, and then celebrate Christmas together as if nothing happened. Would he be disappointed? Absolutely. No one wants their daughter to be a criminalbut he would love her all the same. This was no different. But he just didnt understand why she did it. She went into the forest to love plants. Then, she came out wearing makeup, talking about how she proactively started killing people, living up to the bombshell threat she made to the entire world. Was there someone out in the forest brainwashing her into doing their bidding? Or was it Mira Doug said. Mira gazed at him intently. Your Guide Did it tell you to do this? he asked. No. But I guess it kinda encourages it. If I asked my Guide to summarize this situation, he would probably say, You did the right thing, obviously. And your parents are reacting the way theyd obviously react. It just is what it is. Unless youre an idiot. If you are, feel free to wallow in your misery. Youd be a perfect role model for sad philosophers who sacrifice themselves on the altar of duty.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Doug listened in amazement. She used an accent and an entire personality, proof that she had spoken with her Guide far more than he had his. It occurred to him then that maybe thats all she spoke to. And that made him sad, so he just broke down and hugged Mira. As long as theres a reason he whispered, repeating, As long as theres a reason Mira finally broke down, crying and holding her dad, and many cheered in the greater audience. Then, Mira spoke with Tanya, who likewise said about the same sort of thing. And while they felt they should have dinner and spend the week thinking and speaking on it, the moon was rising, and there were only four more hours or so before the Bramble became a deathtrap again. Mira knew that and nodded, standing up and dusting off her pants. Next Harvest, Ill pick you guys up. Its completely safe in the safe zone and I got a barrier. Well spend a week together, kay? They nodded, and Mira looked at Tyler. Then she broke down and pulled out a container full of small bottles. Theres nothing special here, but Im sure its all expensive. Its cleansing stuff, for your core. She pulled out another container. And some meat. Really? Tyler asked with glittering eyes. Yeah. Now practice nonstop. Next Harvest, Ill load you up with all of the goods. Okay? By then, Ill have a home, too. So well be able to visit. So keep your head down and dont start shit. Like you? Tyler said. Like me, she said. Unless you didnt see what that got me. Tyler sharply looked away. I gotta go, guys. She patted Gatsby one last time. Ill write soon. Maybe theres a higher request with better uses. God knows I earned enough levels yesterday. Tylers eyes widened. Wait! How many did you get for killing that thing? Whatd you get? Mira opened her guide, cocked her head, and said, I dont know. 2. I stared at the screen in mild confusion. It read: - The status of Kal Melhan is unknown. Levels and rewards for the Harvest will be calculated once his condition is clear. - I see I thought. Itll probably give me more if he dies or wakes up brain-dead. Makes sense. I wonder what insane sort of reward I would get for wiping out a legacy troop What do you mean you dont know? Tyler asked nervously. Thats my way of saying Im not going to tell you, I said dryly. The last thing I needed was Tyler running his mouth and the Melhan confirming that I was responsible by virtue of my reward system. Thats no fair. Lifes not fair. I looked at the moon and then at the gate and all the people. Its time. Without further ceremony, I walked toward the gate, but before I got there, the man next to Hadrian said, Wait, and walked up to me. I paused and shivered at his overwhelming presence. It stole my voice and left me speechless for reasons that I couldnt fully explain. Part of it was his aura. Hadrian was the strongest of the Harvest, or perhaps simply tied with Kalas, but this person, despite looking thirty, had a century or more on him. If one of Kals guards had that aura, I wouldve said, Thanks for the warning, have some free shit on me. And considering that Hadrian casually killed a torok, I was afraid of this man to my core. My name is Typhus Dante, he said with a strange bow. Mira Hill, I said, mirroring it. May I help you? Yes, he confirmed. The Dante family was tasked with bringing you this. A ring on his finger glowed, and a sphere formed in the sky. He reached his hand through it, his arm disappearing into a void before returning with a small box. What is it? I asked. Im unaware, he said with stone finality. I ran my fingers over the arrays carved into the box, searching for the open point, but I found none. He smiled slightly, a tempered version of the arrogant smirk Hadrian had learned so well, and said, That is a magical lock. The sender will likely teach you the chant to unlock it. Oh I whispered, heart drumming. A memory of a reward screen flashed across my mind: Soul Guardian (Eighth Evolution Seed). Grade: Legendary. Thank you, I said. Be careful with it. Personal deliveries like this attract unwanted attention. I turned to the crowd and saw some of the middle family members staring at me like a hawk. Now go, he said. I wouldnt want my sons latest interest to die over short term gain. I nodded and waved to my family and walked toward the gate. Mira! Brexton yelled. My face twitched, but I remembered that he saved my brother from permanent blindness, so I reluctantly whirled around. Wh~at? I smacked. Forgive my intrusion, but I do believe that you wanted to make some sort of message, did you not? Brexton looked at Kline. Ive asked everyone to wait. My lips curved into an awkward smile. Theres no need. Come on, Kline, lets go. I waved to Aiden, who stood with the Claustra, then turned around. Kline jumped off my shoulder and turned into his panther formsparking an explosive reaction. I-Its true! a harvester yelled. Thats the cat that killed the torok! No way! Yeah. I watched it happen! Shut up. You were back at camp. Theres no waywhat? Klines body dissolved with Active Camouflage, and the rest of the crowd devolved into a feeding frenzy of crazed speculation. Some people were yelling, Its the Rawkan! and another said, Thats the cat! You killed Casla! I considered turning around and saying something like, Shouldve followed the rules, but the more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that giving a grand reveal without saying anything was some chilling mobster shit, so I just walked down the path, listening to them freak out, revel and squeal about it until their voices became distant and I was alone once more.
The lurvine were waiting for me when I returned. They had killed another few dozen beasts looking to feast on the torok, and they were acting like normal canines, waving their tails waiting for their rewards. I smiled and petted Sinas snout, and said, Come on. Lets feast. As of that moment, I was living in that area until the torok meat stopped working. And there was probably twenty-five to fifty tons worth to work through. It was time to eat. 3. I had forgotten about the toroks cores, and to my surprise, two of them still had themthe one I shot and the one that Kline killed. It seemed that Hadrian and the legacies left the ones that were ours and took the rest. As for the scavengers, they were too weak to even penetrate the hide of the torok, let alone rip a baseball-sized mana core out of its spine. I held it in awe. It was a sunrise core, blue and orange, like a marble formed from two colors of molten glass. It radiated with power as I rolled it in my palm. I had a feeling it would feed me all winter. Or at least a couple days. Only time would tell. In the meantime, I had time to eat as much of the meat as I could and load the rest in backpacks Id tie to the lurvines. With any luck, it would be all I ate all winter, so by spring, I would be twice as strong. Game plan. Nice. I spent two weeks camping, lounging, and eating the torok before the wind got chilly, and I remembered that I still had to move multiple crates worth of goods to a home I had yet to buildand snow would probably start falling in eight weeks or less. So I reluctantly loaded up supplies onto the lurvine with the help of the tarp, some rope, and all the gravity backpacks worth of supplies. Then we packed off to the Diktyo, lurvines guiding me to the equipment I left with them and Aiden. Im not sure when I started to feel something was off, but I found myself checking my Wood Wide Web obsessively near the mountainbut no one showed up. Then I approached my stuff, expecting it to be plundered and burned, but found something else had happened. Basic survival gears missing, I thought, rummaging through the pallet of tools and equipment. But she didnt burn it. Is that a message? Or I didnt know what it meantif anything. Was it a truce? Or to let my guard down? Maybe she planned to track me down and kill me later, and it was better to inherit all the equipment elsewhere. I wasnt sure what would happen, but it was clear that she wasnt a problem for now. She would probably lick her wounds and get stronger before facing me or just stay down south, where she knew the plants and landscape. Whatever the reason or rationale, she wasnt stopping me from getting my stuff, so I packed up as much of the equipment as I could on the three massive foxes and then rode north. I worked so damn hard to set up my home and live my life, and I had a whole year with Thorvel, the Drokai, or harvesters to mess with me. Those were my thoughts as I filled up containers with Diktyo Water and turned north. It was time to make a home. B2 | Chapter 95 - Long Due Rewards It was hard to believe that all the hell I went through over the last four months had finally concluded. Winter was coming, bearing its own flavor of difficulties and tragedies, I was sure, but at least I didnt have to deal with Thorvel, Drokai, guardians, legacies, harvesters, or any of that other BS for an entire year. A year. An entire goddamn year of doing whatever I wanted, aside from harvesting my tribute. It was going to be so nice. I couldnt wait. True to my word, Kline and I decided to build our home on the exact location where we had woken up upon integration, just for spite. I took a deep, satisfied breath as I looked at the colossal trees surrounding me. Four months ago, a reaper sprouted from the exact spot I was standing on, sticking to Klines fur. I had to cut him loose with a pocket knife to survive back then. Now, I was standing on its corpse with a machete, flanked by my little warrior, who was now strong enough to kill one of the strongest beings in the Fourth Ring. It was satisfying, empowering, and soothing, giving me a sense of advancement and perseverance. Dronami was an accursed planet, an abhorrent source of alarm and agony. It embodied every A-prefixed synonym for awful and similar strings of sharp words for every letter of the alphabet. But it was also quite cool in some ways. I mean, I was a quasi-immortal superhuman, for fucks sake. How couldnt that be cool? Kline didnt feel so empowered. He slashed at the grass where the reaper snagged him, bitter memories playing out on his frown. I giggled and pulled his tiny body against my chest, fighting back against his protests as I cradled him in my arms. Cheer up, grumpy gus, I said. This is our new home. I gave us a spin, showing him the open field of colossal trees with thirty-foot diameters, each perfectly sized for little apartments or facilities. There was the making of an elven village all around us. That one, I said, pointing at a tree. Thats going to be our home. And that one, I pointed at the one opposite it, is going to be my alchemy workshop. And that one. I pointed at the one that the reapers had used to sling my backpack in the air like a sacrifice. Thatll be our meditation chamber. Well thread our cores there. What do you think? Klines eyes widened, and he released an emotional meow. I giggled and held him against my chest. Then lets get started. I didnt know what I was doing, but I figured that the first step to creating a home from a hollowed tree would be to hollow it out. So I pulled out my machete and started hacking one up. It was hard to imagine what it would be like to do that with a hatchet, like in My Side of the Mountain because my mana sharpening cut through the tree like a laser cutter through foam. Because of the ease, I took my time, carving thoughtfullymethodicallypulling out the wood and piling it up in my new courtyard to use as kindling. It felt easy at first, but the repetitive movement wore me down, and I found myself sitting in the tree, watching the sun casting its sunset glow over the meadow. Well continue it tomorrow, I whispered. Lets eat. Kline meowed and zagged back and forth rearward, playful and energized for no reason. Play with Kael, I said, nudging my head in the direction the alpha lurvine left in. Kline lay down grumpily as I set up my pop-out stove and cooked torok meat, but he soon forgot his beef when I fed him small strips as they finished cooking. The lurvines returned from their hunt as I was setting up a campfire, dragging a bearish creature into the meadow and nudging it with their noses, asking me to cook it. Youre so spoiled, I muttered, but I chuckled and skinned the beast, cleansing and cooking ribs over the fire as I lay, looking up at the canopies that were changing to their fall-time colors. Soon, all the plants would be dead for the year. How ironic. But that was okay. I had eight months of foraging and botany after winter, so I drifted into sleep and hit the construction effort hard the next day. By mid-afternoon, the tree was generally hollow in a miners shaft sort of way, and I didnt know how far I could hollow it before it turned shaky. I realized it was silly to even worry about it. It was twenty feet in diameter, the size of one of those overpriced studio apartments people suffer in to live in the city instead of on the outskirts. Thiss getting satisfying, I said, crashing onto the floor, hurting my butt from the jagged surface. What a pain. I wonder if theres magic for this. I activated my guide to check for spells and thats when I got some news I wasnt expecting. 2. What the fuck is wrong with him? Leeka Melhan screamed as she paced back and forth in Kals room. Her son had woken up, but not only was he unable to remember his name, but he had also lost the ability to create coherent sentences. Isnt that obvious? her husband Reasan asked. He has what Hallard had. And what did Hallard have? she asked venomously. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. If I knew that, do you think Id keep that from you? Even if it were confidential, Id tell you to shut you up. Leeka tried to slap him, but he caught her wrist and wrapped his free hand around her neck, stopping before he touched her skin. Then he pushed her off as she sobbed, wondering how she had ever married someone so heartless. His son was a vegetable, and he was staring at him with apathetic scorn! Quit your hysteria, Reasan commanded. Whatever happened to himhe deserved it. He was a failure. He was always a failure. And you enabled him. And now what, Leeka? Now were down Dont you dare bring up requests, she warned. Dont bring up requests? We spent two heirlooms on him! He was our son! Of which there can be many! The next lot is next century! she screamed. Due to the potential for immortality straining resources from overpopulation, there was a strict child-rearing pool that spanned centuries, even with priority given to legacy families. Their son was dead, and they wouldnt have another heir for at least a centuryif at all. I cant believe youre thinking of children. Its ridiculous! He picked up a mana lamp and threw it against a wall as she sobbed. No He paused and stormed out of the room. Leeka thought he was gone, so she knelt beside Kal, muttering crazed nothings in grief. Then Reasan returned in a fury, holding three plants. He lifted them to Kal. Tell me what color they are! Reasan demanded. Reasan! she screamed. You need to shut the fuck up. She did as he thrust the plants in front of Kal. Kal blinked thoughtlessly and pointed at the poison clasa plant, and said, Purple. Yes! Reasan said. And this one? He pulled out an alchemic herb. Orange, Kal said. Oh than the gods. Reasan! Leeka screamed. Her husband cast her the most damning glare she had ever been subjected to, and she fell silent. Im three seconds from divorcing you, he warned, stripping you of your titles, and then demanding reparations from your father. So I suggest you shut up. Leeka sobbed and fell silent as Reasan brought out more plants to ensure that his son still had a purpose for him. It was a nightmare that she thought she would never wake from.
I wasnt sure what the Melhans were experiencing, but I imagined it was brutal. I got the notification that Kal had woken, followed by a message that read: - Scion Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 25 to Level 26. Youve leveled up! You have received two requests:
  1. Information Request
  2. Free Request | Grade: Epic
Description: You have to be the only psychopath who popped their kill cherry on a pack of roaming legacies. Not only did you effectively kill three of them, but you also reduced the Melhan heir to an invalid whose only purpose in life is to say the words Purple and Orange. Congratulations. - I gulped and read the rest aloud. Putting aside the banter, your feat is unprecedented for a recent integree, so it was deemed worthy of the utmost praise. In fact, you were one kill away from getting a legendary reward, but alas, theres always someone competent enough to escape and ruin the party. But rejoice an epic request is still an epic request. Consider bolstering your fighting capabilities. Right now, your battle capacity stands somewhere between a double-barrel shotgun and a nuclear weapon, and both have obvious drawbacks. I bet theyre pissed I thought about the Melhans, leaning my back against the wall of the hollowed tree, staring at the notification aimlessly. I was afraid to keep reading for some reason, but I forced myself to press on. The next read: - Congratulations! Scion Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 26 to Level 27. Youve leveled up! You have received two requests:
  1. Information Request
  2. Free Request | Grade: Gold
Description: You survived a chase with two legacies. It seems inconsequential, but that is worthy of ten levels for normal folks. - The next was essentially the same, only it was for surviving a race with multiple torok instead of the legacies, which was, in fact, a challenge worthy of a reward. The fourth notification was when things got interesting. It read: - Congratulations! Scion Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 28 to Level 29. Youve leveled up! You have received two requests:
  1. Information Request
  2. Free Request | Grade: Diamond
Description: Part of becoming a god is winning the respect and admiration of those around you. You managed to not only captivate the harvesters but also inspire powerful families to act upon your vision, healing those youve wounded to curry favor. That is a remarkable feat. - Reading that was a breath of fresh air, proving that killing wasnt the only way to earn levels. The next was equally enlightening. It read: - Congratulations! Scion Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 29 to Level 30. Youve leveled up! You have received two requests:
  1. Information Request
  2. Free Request | Grade: Diamond
Description: Part of becoming a god is making laws and enforcing them through violence and fear. This year, you managed to establish laws, then enforced them like a shepherd behind the scenes, even going so far as to strike terror into the hearts of offenders in a grand reveal. Even if you die, that sign-off will be remembered for generations. - I smirked and quickly read through the next. I earned a gold request by delegating my killing to others, namely Kline, who registered as my follower. Since he killed over eighty people upon my orders and enforced my laws, I proved I had talent in managerial killing. They were all sort of grim, but the next one was absolutely vindicating. It was a diamond request that rewarded my stubbornness. It read: It takes a very stupid person to turn down a mansion, prestige, power, wealth, teachers, and your dream job to live in a shitty forest, but somehow you managed to stick to your convictions, even though theyre atrocious most of the time. That stubbornness will kill you, but egos are what makes gods gods, separating them from mortals who do whats best. You chose to live an isolated life to pursue your passions, and for better and worse, youre keeping with them, even after everything youve been throughand what youve been through has been truly a biblical sight to behold. - If things stopped there, I wouldve been satisfied, fully rewarded for my bad behavior and decisions. But the last reward put the rest to shame, encapsulating all the hell I had gone through in the last four months. It was long overdueand it was worth it. B2 | Chapter 96 - Soul Guardian Congratulations! Scion Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 32 to Level 33. Youve leveled up! You have received two requests:
  1. Information Request
  2. Free Request | Grade: Epic
Description: In case you thought I ignored your actions prior to the HarvestI havent. The Oracles been grumpy that her attempts to witness these alleged deeds have been blocked by magic, so she has held off on making judgments, instead categorizing everything into a single concept: the promise of guardianship. From brokering deals with guardians, guards, and Drokai to conquering crypts and obtaining sketchy, unknown seeds in the Bramble, you have, somehowby virtue of the simple fact that everyone around you says soearned the respect of the forest. This is a first since the standardization of Oracle chips and perhaps since the days of Brindle and Yakana. Congratulations. - Wow thats satisfying, I said. Its also strange. I wonder how much its seen My conversations with Brindle were encrypted by virtue of patron god privilege, and the voices of Yakana and Emael occurred within my subconscious, where the Oracle couldnt record them. And Serenflora, the crypt, Brindles soul garden, and The Briar were all cloaked in anti-guide magic. That meant that the Oracle was indeed blind. Most of what happened was alleged through afterthoughts and conversations with Kyro, Thorvel, Aiden, and Halten when spoken aloud. It was kinda relieving to read that. I wonder if Lithco had to argue my case to the Oracle I thought. I did. I jumped when Lithco melted through the trees walls like a ghost, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Who welcomed you into my home? I cried. Seriously? Lithco asked. Seconds from singing my praises, now banishing me like a Hollywood vampire? Youd benefit from some consistency, you know that? My cheek twitched. Why cant you let me appreciate you in silence? Because people thrive on praise. You can hear my thoughts. When you share them. And its not the same thing. My shoulders slumped. Im waiting, Lithco said, turning his palms up. Thank~you, I sassed. Then I paused and looked away. Seriously, thank you. Was it really that hard? Youre sounding like Hadrian. You asked me to be like this; it seems that you have a thing for it. I blushed furiously and looked away. Say that again, and Ill never let you hear a thought I say again. Just an observation. He then smiled at me mysteriously. What? I asked hotly. Well? I had a pretty little present delivered. Dont you want to open it? I quickly fished through my backpack and pulled out the box. It was a white cube the size of a ring box, tattooed with intricate arrays woven together like black lace. My eyes trembled just looking at it. This is the Soul Guardian, Lithco said. Lets open it. I nodded. Okay. Then repeat after me. Lithco chanted as I echoed his words, refusing to close my eyes out of fear I would miss something. A magic glow lit up the arrays, slowly, filling the black lines with golds and blues and greens like dry canals being flooded with water. Then I heard a click, and the box separated from the top down, like a peeling orange, revealing a smaller box with a simple ring inside. It had a clear stone on the end. This is it? I muttered. No, Lithco said. The guardians inside. The rings just to prevent you from dropping it during the summoning ritual. Oh Put it on. On your index. I rolled my fingers over the smooth silver band and slid it on, finding it fit snuglydesigned for me. Once on my finger, I felt something pulling on my soul. Soul Guardians are an extension of your mind and soul, Lithco said. Once you summon this guardian, it will link to you, and you will be able to manifest your aura directly, borrowing her body, or letting her fight independently beside you.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Whoa I whispered. Summoning her is just like any other chant ritual, but youre special, Lithco continued. Soul guardians utilize psychomancy, a form of soulmancy. Since youre naturally more knowledgeable in this area than your average demigod, well use a seventh tier summoning ritual. Delusions of grandeur swam in my mind, and I found myself wondering if I would have some superpower that could punch Hadrians teeth in if necessary. But I tried to roll it back. All I had was advantages; experience taught me that I was useless outside of traps and guile. It seems youre learning, Lithco said with an amused smile. I turned away and rubbed the ring with my thumb. So? What do we need? Well start by creating a soul well, Lithco said, pulling out the container with the rest of my soul cores. There were still around fifty. If you didnt learn from Kyros hands, these are too potent in their raw form, and most people would struggle just to touch them, let alone activate them. Therefore, youll need to create an extract that allows you to drink the aura. I immediately thought about dumping half my soul cores into the crypts pond. Seems you already know, Lithco said. That creeps me out, I said. I should block my thoughts. Lithco scoffed. Have you forgotten that Im teaching you something right now? I swear, youre so worried the Oracle is trying to conquer the forest that youve lost all respect for its value. Its hard to trust anything thats actively using me, I said. You shouldnt trust her, Lithco said. Shes obviously trying to use you, but thats against the point. Youre using each other, and if you ask me, youre getting the better deal. Not only are you being given the most lavish privileges and opportunities Ive ever seen, but youre also not being barred from countering her efforts. Sure, you may get penalized for suppressing your thoughts, but its a small price. And your privacy request really put a gear into her pants. That request is binding, so shes had to get real creative in getting what she wants. And what does she want? I asked. To learn the secrets of the forest, obviously, Lithco said. Whether she gets it by turning you into a god or using your data a century after your deaths irrelevant. I ran my fingers through my hair and stopped at the top, finding myself strangely relieved to get confirmation of the Oracles motives and that my diamond request truly was binding. I was suddenly considering seeing what an epic request would do. I sighed in frustration. How do you make a soul well? I asked, switching the subject. Lithco shrugged. Mix them with a bowl of Diktyo Water and then extract the aura and neara into it, blending it to stabilize the neara, just like you would making an elixir. Thats all. After that, you can drink it as necessary. I hesitantly nodded. Okay. I poured some cores into a bowl of water. Save ten, Lithco said. Youll want them for soul elixirs later on. I held back, filling the bowl with about forty, then set up my ward, preparing for a long grind. Once finished, I followed his steps to create the soul well, an intense undertaking. There were forty cores, and I ended up grinding for six hours before falling unconscious, and then waking up for another twelve-hour shift. This continued on for three days and nights until I finished on the fourth, shivering from the chilling wind as I resolved myself to begin. The soul well was intimidating when it was all said and done. It glowed bright white under my Soul Sight, and it created a suffocating pressure in the room that routinely freckled my arms with goosebumps. Rest up, Lithco said. This will be the most challenging experience of your life. I heeded his warning and slept, preparing myself for pain and suffering as I drifted to sleep. The next morning I skipped breakfast, cleansing my body with Diktyo water and meditating. Then I summoned Lithco before my witches brew of blended soul aura. Take the lead, I said. 2. To Elanas ever-increasing annoyance, Kori kicked up his feet on Elanas table and pulled out a different flavor of poison he bought off Hapsel, who was increasingly bitter and thus increasing the potency. Still, she kept inviting the half-demon to every major event for reasons that she still struggled to admit to herself. Thisll be good, Kori said as Mira began threading upon Lithcos suggestions. Ten to one she doesnt follow instructions. Oh, shell follow instructions, Elana said. The question is: whose instructions? You think Yakana will come out? Doubt it. Then who? Brindle. He turned to her. How does that make sense? Brindle hasnt made contact with her since his decision, right? Correct. But dont forget what he sent her. Its an entity capable of capturing memories and thinking independently. Gods know what that thing loaded into her guardian. Wait youre saying Miras body suddenly glowed with bright white light, and Lithco began yelling and snapping his fingers in front of her before telling Kline to back off. Told you, Elana said. Huh Kori popped the cork of the poison bottle. Thisll be interesting. 3. Something went wrong when I summoned my guardian. I had followed his chants and watched, through Soul Vision beyond my eyelids, as a faceless mannequin snaked out of the ring like a cobra from a basket. It was terrifying thinking that I would be assimilating with that soulless puppet, the literal makings of a horror movie. Yet I was compelled to continue, so I extracted her further and opened up my core to accept her, but then I lost control of her and she walked up alone, grabbed my shoulders with icy hands, and then put her forehead against mine. Before I could scream, my whole vision went white, and when color and shadows returned to the world, I found myself in the most beautiful forest I had ever seen. Or perhaps it was a garden. There were white trees with pink leaves and vines that wrapped around trees like anacondas, blooming flowers like morning glories in a dozen colors per vine, like serpentine rainbows. That was just one sight. There were plants of every shape, color, and description, wondrous and alien, even by Areswood standards. Even the grass was fantastic. It felt holographic, turning gradients of green and orange as a light breeze combed through it. It was the Christians Garden of Edenthe Elysian Fields of ancient Greece. Welcome to the Ethereal Gardens, Brindle said. I whirled around and found him sitting on a throne of roots. He was still wearing his normal cloak, but his antlers felt regal, like a crown, and the dryad wrapped around his body from the tree made him look like a man. This is my home. B2 | Chapter 97 - The Life of Gods Anxiety seized my lungs as Brindle stood and approached me. He was infinitely more god-like in his world than in my mundane and deadly life, and it captivated me immensely. If you have any questions, I will answer them later, Brindle said. Youre here to learn the truth of soul guardiansthe truth of what they are. My bodys movements suddenly froze, and my limbs then started moving subtly on their own. When I glanced down, my arms had disappeared, replaced by the wraithly arms of another woman, milky white and transparent. What is going on? Brindle waved his hand, and a portal of liquid mercury swirled into life before me. It captivated me, drawing my eyes forward before it suddenly snapped into a mirror, and I found myself staring at my reflection. I was a ghost of a woman with modest proportions, strong and wrapped in robes. Despite being clearly capable of seeing, when I stared at myself, I could see that I was blindfolded, and there were broken shackles on each side of my wrists, chain links jingling silently every time I moved. This is a soul puppet, Brindle said. As youve probably been able to surmise, she can make memories and move independently. She can even develop a distinct personality and express deep emotion. And for that reason, many view these puppets as real people. His voice deepened. Theyre not. Icy ripples of static tingled through me, and I found myself closing my breath. They were once people, Brindle said. They lived and breathed and felt deeply about their lives just like youand that mustnt be denied. I experienced a sudden wave of vertigo; then, I blinked and found myself in another body, a younger bodythe body of a girl chatting with their parents. The next moment, she was training in swordplay with her father, who let her land a strike only to scoop her up and put her on his shoulders against her protests. It was a cute memory and then it was gone, replaced by an image of the same man bleeding out on the ground as she shook his body, screaming for him to get up. Smoke billowed through the village, and the acrid stench of sulfur loomed over the environment like a guillotine. Suddenly, an invading soldier rushing through the flames saw her and had a change of heart. He said, You need to go! and picked her up, but she didnt find value in his pity. She was older, and when she put her hands on his face, his eye ruptured and exploded from a heat spell, forcing him to release her so she could run into the forest. Memories came in rapid spurts after that, transporting me through an entire lifetime. Growing up on the streets, fighting kids, adults, and soldiers, getting taken in by bandits, and later being reformed by knights. Growing up in barracks, having difficulties making friends, working until my hands bled, then working some more. Then, I was on a hilltop battlefield, stepping on a body for leverage so I could take my sword out. All around me were signs of magical combat. Trenches from wind blades. Smoldering grass. Impact craters. But I loved a sword; the intimacy and exactness. So I turned to the battlefield, watching geysers of dirt explode with every spell, and decided to rush back in. I lived that victory, then suffered a defeat, only to win again. Years felt like weeks in those memories, and before long, fifty years had passed, and I entered the Second Domain. Three major wars after that, she took a trial and entered the third. I experienced it all. The constant training, struggle for resources, difficulties of finding teachers, and not having opportunities to earn requests. I experienced life for common people, rank and file soldiers, and lived a numb life of apathy, hatred, and boredom. Then, I met a man and watched an awkward relationship bloom into a contented situationship, only to turn mildly happy when she had a son. I watched her raise him, train him as her father taught her, and then fought beside him and her husband to enter the third domain. She watched both die in the battle to enter the Fourth. In her grief, she spent a century embroiled in bloodshed within the Fourth Domain, the cruelest and darkest of the domains, where people were so close to achieving their dreams that it drove them into madness. I watched her transform and lose herself only to be saved by a comrade and friend. Her name was Real, a woman with a similar story that saved her life. Decades and later centuries passed by living together, warring on their paths to becoming demigods. We shared resources, trained, taught each other, and made it to the Fifth Domain, where we embarked on a multi-century journey to challenge the Spirit Stream, a Diktyo River of souls that moved into the sky along a stream of thick mana, taking raw energy to floating islands that acted as a jump-off point for interuniversal travel and godhood. They thought they would make it until they saw the requirements. I was there, in person, staring at the rules. Deathmatch Free for all, Real said, scoffing. These fuckers never change. Whens the next one I whispered, reading through the poster. Three Centuries! Real said with a beaming smile. These sadists really know how to touch a womans heart. I kept reading skeptically. What? she asked. I want to know why, I said. The memory suddenly flashed, and Real had locked herself in her room. I knocked on the door. What is it? Whatd they say? Real was silent for a moment. Then she laughed and said, Said its to break attachments. Gods dont have time for sentimentalities. Said that even if we wait, theyll just make us kill each other up top if they find out, and we showed up together. Gods are the fucking worst. I sat on the other side of the door, back to back, and said, Thats fine. Ill just stay behind. I looked at the ceiling of our ramshackle home and chuckled. To be honest, Ive been doing this so long that I forgot why I was doing it. I think Im just doing it to keep doing it. But Im not angry anymore. Im satisfied, and you helped with that. So just go if you want to, kay? Ill stay behind. Or just stay here. Either way, you have my support. Real trembled on the other side of the door. I cant I just cant. You need to be there You need to be I cant do this without you.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Then stay? I cant! If I dont then what was this all for? I felt a pang of sadness and pain and suffering, and as I opened my mouth to respond, I blinked, and the time and place had changed. I was cooking food when Real came in, speaking like a maniac. Guardians are allowed! Real cried as she clasped my hands, and suddenly, the past and present blended in a strange dysesthesia my lungs couldnt handle. Whats a guardian? I asked. Its when someone creates a soul pact to stand beside another and protect them for life. If you do that, youre inseparable. I smiled wryly. Hey, it doesnt say you gotta follow my orders, Real said. You just gotta stay with me. If we get attacked, the responses obvious. I wasnt convinced. Oh, come on. Whatre we doing now? Not like women like us have anything else going on. I smiled thinly. Come on. I gotta meeting with a guy who works in guardians. Just hear em out, kay? If you dont like it, you dont like it. You can continue your plan to waste away and die a shriveled hag in a few millennia. Hey! What? Just saying. Youre young and pretty. If theres even a chance at keepin that, you should at least ask. I smiled slightly, warm feelings of the past contrasting with the sharp pain of the present. Come on, lets go, Real said, dragging me out of the door. I didnt want to. I did anyway. The consultation didnt match up with reality. The soulmancer had the appearance of a modern doctor, well groomed and calm, demonstrating a habit of flashing trusting smiles. I heard the most convincing shill on how we would be together forever and how wed be able to share resources and even be connected by emotions, giving both of us a deeper sense of satisfaction. And after almost a millennia of life, torment, and bloodshed, hearing that I could stay with my best friend was something truly relieving. After all, we had spent centuries living and fighting together. It was hard to believe that that trust would ever break, and if things got bad, we could just work through it. It was a dream that I was consideringeven if I knew it was only a dream I would never agree to. Yet, at that moment, I wanted it, and the man could tell. He cracked jokes and brought us tea, and I drank it. Thats when everything turned. I blacked out before I could even feel fear, and when I woke up, I couldnt speak. Real kept trying to talk to me, but my voice box wouldnt work and my mind was swimming, fading even. She cant speak, the doctor said. She cant what? Real whipped her head to him. Whatd you just say? She cant speak. If she could, your brain could make you doubt yourself. It can have devastating psychological consequences. Im okay with that! No, youre not. You and your guardian are as one. To argue with her to argue with yourself. If you do that, it will split your personality. Real sneered and shook her head. I didnt agree to this. You did agree to this, he said chillingly. Or did you misinterpret the words follow your every command? I felt extreme feelings of betrayal and pain, and when Real saw my expression, she panicked. Salan I can explain. She can, said the doctor. Your friend paid to turn you into a soul slave, now shes regretting it because youre not the lie we sold you. But dont worry; your suffering will end the minute your friend pays her bill. I blinked, and years passed, and during that time, I ascertained that I was a loosely pieced-together soul without a physical body. I was dead but trapped in limbo, waiting to become a slave. And during that time, my mind started looping into insanity. I felt ire and pain I never thought imaginable, and the emotional descent into insanity sparked physical changes in my body. My body sprouted wings to fly away, but it didnt help me move, and when I gave up, my mind created shackles and a blindfold, symbolizing my enslavement and desire to never see Real again, but my will wouldnt allow it. I broke my will but kept my shackles, leaving the cuffs on my wrists. That was the story behind her appearance, and it made meMira Hillstart crying. I woke up in the garden again, where Brindle stood before me apathetically. Salan died the day her friend killed her, Brindle said. The soulmancer recollected her mind, but it wouldve broken apart, become feralemotional. As you experienced, a soul without a vessel is shackled to agony. It will never get better. It will only become more painful until the day a soul dies. But I suddenly returned to Salans life. Real was there, saying promises I didnt want to hear, and then I felt an injection of foreign neara, and all my pain faded. I knew that I was disappearing, and all my rage and regrets would disappear, but I was immensely grateful for it in ways that are impossible to describe. I immediately accepted my fate and let myself drift away. Then, I woke up in the Ethereal Gardens with a sense of tranquility as Brindle continued. Life is precious until it ends, Brindle said. And when it does, letting go is the only option. Then what about Yakana? I tried to ask, but no words came out, and Brindle couldnt hear me. He was just a ghost, a phantom memory of a moment long past, recorded and shared for me in this sick song and dance. Fortunately, we are all set free at one point whether we want it or not, but there are times when people capture a soul body before it joins the Great Assimilation. When they do, the prior owner feels no torment because they do not exist. No matter what the person was, they are no more; they are a simple vessel for a persons means. Most crudely call such an entity a soul puppet because they can move and follow directions, but not think for themselves. Thats what a soul guardian is before binding it to a host soul. Once it does, it borrows the intense thoughts and emotions of the host, becoming one with them. Experience it. I woke up again in Salans body, but I wasnt the same person. Instead of feeling rage and betrayal, I felt grief and remorse and rage of another type. Every emotion I felt was magnified, and Reals emotions were intense, driving me to act boldly. Real, for her part, let me, as our thoughts were one and the same, despite mine being more intense. Real looked like the puppet, staring blankly as I battled her enemy, ripping off their limbs and throats in broad daylight. Then she would steal the demigods soul core and thread it to allow me to grow larger and larger until I was a colossus that stalked the battlefield, shattering mountains with sword strikes. And those feelings never subsided. The life of gods was cold and brutal. It was filled with constant killing, murder, and slavery contracts to serve higher guards for millennia. Hundreds of memories flashed before my eyes as I lived through the years, watching gods rise and fall, constantly accepting bleak resources to build myself. I realized how insignificant my alter egoMira Hillwas when I saw entire planets collapse under the strain of nuclear attacks that wreathed whole mountains in flames and left craters the size of canyons in the earth. I watched every form of magic imaginable, things that would turn me to dust, used against titans the size of mountains. I felt the weight of time as I watched Real rise in the ranks over centuries, blinking between years like they were days, and I felt my personality shift, getting crueler and forgetting the things that made me me as Real forgot her friend, and developed a friendship with the soul she became. I then blinked and woke in the Ethereal Gardens as Mira Hill once more, feeling confused and pensive. Everything you felt was a reflection of Reala story of oneself told from a third person perspective. You felt Reals doubts, self-consciousness, and regrets, but you felt none of your own because you werent a person. You acted independently and felt emotions, enjoyed praise as Real enjoyed praise, and were pleased with your friendshipbut you were not friends like Real and Salan were friends. You were not friends like you and Kline are friends. I thought back on it and nodded absentmindedly. It was hollow Brindle couldnt hear me, so he continued. Your guardian is not a person. You can love and appreciate them, and they will return it in form, but no matter how hard you wish it so, they will never be one. They are part of you; they think as you think, live as you live, and experience the joys, pain, and contentment that you do. So if you wish to treat yours with respect, find peace within yourself, and it will share that wealth. I nodded solemnly. And once you do, you can truly become one with your guardian and use them as an extension of yourself. This is the true nature of a guardian. Brindle reached out and touched my upper chest, and then my mind experienced a wave of dysphoria as he and my soul guardian merged. Then, I was staring through Brindles eyes, feeling his thoughts and muted feelings, staring at his body in the mirror. I looked at myself apathetically, then I felt my guardians presence return and angel wings sprouted from my back. I was suddenly all versions of me: Mira Hill, Brindle Grask, and my soul guardian, and they all felt natural together. That was the last thought I had before the wings spread, and I shot into the air. B2 | Chapter 98 - Kira I felt free as I flew through the air, using Salans wings for flight, feeling Brindles subtle emotions calming what would have been a raging heart. Brindle then raised his arms, creating a sword out of thin air and using it to cut the clouds. I watched in mild amazement and enjoyed the last stretch of the flight before touching down in front of the mirror. Then, my and his body separated and I started walking on my own, proving that I could be independent before our minds linked again, and I found myself following his will. You and your guardian are as one, Brindle said. Her body is your body when youre linked; your intentions are her intentions when you are not. Do not bind yourselves with the shackles of obsession like Real did; respect your guardian for what she is, and love her as such. Okay I whispered. Brindle waited a few seconds as if to let me speak and then said, Give her a name to accept your orders, and we will begin. Kira, I said without hesitation, accepting a name that felt strangely natural to me. Brindle couldnt hear me, so he waited a few minutes before he touched my chest, and we assimilated once more. He then sat and said, We will now chant. An overwhelming sense of understanding, power, and knowledge that seemed so clear but I knew would disappear filled my mind. So I focused on it with every ounce of my being, trying my best to memorize the profound secrets Brindle was loaning me. 2. Elana and Kori watched Mira in the real world, watching her guardians body shape and reshape itself, sharpening her wings and developing strange features like claws and then melding them away. The human body then transformed into a massive elk with eight razor-sharp antlers and bright white markings on its ghostly body. What type of bullshit is this? Kori asked, exhaling after a shot of blue poison. She was given a guardian, not dozens of them. Its just one soul, Elana said. Hes teaching her how to shape it. And shes just casually learning spells that advanced? I doubt it. Its more likely that he copied part of himself into the guardians soul, and now its imprinting it onto Mira directly. Thats even more unfair! Kori cried. I mean, Im genuinely happy for her. Shes my girl. Im also tired of godding, and I dont really care how strong my peers get. But come on. Theres advantages and then theres this. Elana smiled thinly, glancing at him. Youre just mad because she used your bow better than you could at that time in your life. Damn straight I am, Kori said, taking a thick swig of the liquid. Elana smiled genuinely and reached out her hand. Give me some of that. No, Kori said childishly, hugging it to his chest. Itll kill you. What man would I be if I gave my other girl something so irresponsible. Call me a girl again and Ill end your suffering. Would you kiss me first? Elanas chest bubbled with flustered anger, and she turned back to the screen, refusing to answer him. Kori smiled, but he didnt push his luck. He turned back to the screen, watching the soul morph into different shapes, emphasizing wings that tested the range of their capabilities. Seriously though, he said. This has to be against the rules. Arguably, Elana confirmed. But its in a gray area. Patrons have no restrictions on the means and limits of what they teach their disciples. And even if he augmented the guardian, its fine as long as its only a guardian. And thats assuming the gods can prove it. It did make it through multiple independent reviews. Good point Suddenly, there was another shift, and all the aura in the soul well sucked into the guardian. Elana stood up and screamed, What are you doing? Thats going to kill you! There was over a months worth of raw soul force that sucked into the guardianand Mira hadnt yet assimilated with it. Once she did, it would rip her body and soul to ribbons, and she doubted anything she could do would stop that. 3. The first part of the simulation was unbelievably funfreeing even. The spell Brindle gave me allowed me to shape the soul to my needs, imprinting vast information about the inner workings of these animals and their bodies. It wasnt enough to ask for it to create an elk; I needed to understand the inner workings, the pieces of clocks that made them tick, their muscles and heart and circulatory system, all the way to the last details. In the future, I would be able to use soul scans to do this work, but for the present, Brindle taught me a few, the ability to create wings and a spirit elk, a partial homage to my childhood. While I was learning this, Brindles assimilation allowed me to feed my guardian with the soul well, absorbing every last bit. I was excited about it at first. But as it shone brighter and the intensity of its pressure started bearing down on my chest, I began to feel fear. The time has come, Brindle said. Its time to assimilate. Well start by scanning your body and creating a clone for seamless simulation. He chanted, and as I did, I felt a dissociating sensation as knowledge of my body was imprinted upon my soul, teaching it to me by feel in the most abstract sense of the word. Now shape your guardian, Brindle ordered. I did, creating a perfect clone of myself. Now channel all the soul aura to its chest, Brindle said. He led my body, chanting as I swirled all the soul aura until its chest had the brightness of a flashbang. I could barely handle it, so I closed my eyes deeper and activated Mental Shielding to keep focused.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Now prepare yourself, Brindle said. If you enhanced your soul as I suspected you would, this process could kill you. So it will take every ounce of your concentration. I felt like I shouldve cried out and complained, but Brindles mind was assimilated into my own, and there was an inhuman sense of calm within him, tempering my emotions and mind and guiding me. His spells and experience would yield the same results regardless of how much aura was in the soul guardian. It was absolutethe spell of god far beyond the realm of human understanding. I closed my eyes further and then began chanting, words flooding in from Brindles mind, and then the soul sat between my legs and leaned back. 3. Elana tried sending a warning message through the guide, but she didnt make it before the assimilation. She waited in dread as the two assimilated, then stood when the screen flashed with vibrant white light. Yet when the light faded, she could only stare at the results in amazement. A nebula of soul force surrounded Mira. It cycled around her at dizzying speed, like a vortex surrounding her arms and chest and head and entire body. Aura entered her body in complex networks that were hard for Elana to follow, breathing in and out. She was watching a circulation technique, just one of many, but it was vastly more complex than any she had ever witnessed. Brindle Elana muttered in disbelief. She was witnessing the power power of a true god, a tenth evolution god. Even as a ninth evolution god, the distance between them was incalculable, and no amount of resources would ever change that. Her foundation was too weak and her experience too shallow in the face of such overwhelming might. Brindle was a god above gods, only rivaled by the likes of Alendrias Dante and other figures across the multiverse who had long reached a level where their power stopped being calculated. Mira didnt even scream as she processed enough soul force to destroy a third evolution soul core. She just trembled, absorbed in concentration as she processed it. Whats even going on? Kori laughed, wiping light tears from his eyes. I have no clue. Elana slumped in her chair. Its not normal assimilation. I think Brindles used this soul guardian as a vessel to reform Miras soul core I genuinely think hes preparing her to become a god Oh Kori chuckled insanely. You better catch up. Hes making you look bad. Elana pouted and folded her arms. She didnt like to lose, and she refused to let that thing outperform her as a patron god. 4. It took at least three days before I finished threading the soul well, and most of the time was spent in a feverish, dreamlike trance. It was reminiscent of my time establishing a mana core with Yakana, but it was even more intense, complex, and unworldly. My soul core unraveled completely, then wove itself back together, knotting into an interlocked ball that fit together like a puzzle, connecting a new ability to experience the flow and understanding of aura. And my nearan pathways shifted as well. Something in the guardians mind helped calibrate my neural networks and nervous systems. It didnt affect the way I thought or affect my personality, but I felt like I could think far faster and deeper than before. After that calibration happened, even the most intense moments became far simpler, and my Mental Shielding spell felt weak and irrelevant. The whole experience was almost spiritual, but at some point, my body gave out, my soul core tightened, and I was forced into a state of unconsciousness for what couldve been days. I probably wouldve died from dehydration, but when I woke, I found my backpacks water blatter beside me, ostensibly from where Kline put the straw in my mouth and squeezed it to release Diktyo water. It took a while to acclimate to my new soul core. I was in a state of healing for about two weeks, and I could barely eat or talk. I spent most of the period leaning against Sina as Kline curled in my lap, feeling like a permanently damaged vegetable that would never heal again. But slowly yet surely, vitality returned to my cheeks, and I started to get used to my soul cores new circulating. The timing was ideal. Fall time was in motion, and my skin was permanently studded with goosebumps and razor stubble. It was imperative to build my home before winter so thats what I did. I started by accessing my rewards tab, too desperate to worry about the costs. I went to the Skills tab and looked through my options, finding the exact thing I needed at that moment: Name: Construction Magic Grade: Gold Description: Dronamis version of power tools, this skill provides spells that replace modern power tools, from drills to lathes, with superior use and functionality. It also offers basic blueprints and instructions for creating structures. This is enough to build a cozy little village. Assuming youre competent in construction after twenty-four years of calling your father to your house to do simple things like using Draino on your sink and turning the toilet valve. I wish I could deny this I whispered, nose twitching as I bought it. Well, it is what it is. Hey Lithco. Lithco let out a deep sigh from the pits of his soul when I bought it, crawling into the tree house lifelessly. Unless you didnt learn anything from learning battle magic, he said, you shouldnt use new magic for short term needs. If I could learn Separation, I can learn construction magic, I said. It took you months to learn Separation. Months I learned advanced mana control. Mira Just teach me, I said. You can laugh when youre right. He expressed his disagreement with another sigh. Since we dont have specifications to work with, lets just start buffing down the wood, he said. Well do this with a mana lathe. Its a variation of mana sharpening that requires you to spin the blade. Most people use a disc to do this, like sharpening a knife with mana sharpening to act as a stabilizer, but we dont have one. So I suppose its time to practice pure mana control. I rolled up my sleeves, and he smiled wryly. Six hours later, I was lying on my back, staring at the dark ceiling in the earthy tree in despair, wondering how in the hell I was supposed to learn how to create this lathe. It was like using mana sharpening, but I had to make a cylindrical shape and then spin it rapidly and smoothly, applying it to the area that I wanted with precisionand I couldnt even create a cylinder of raw mana to save my life. Kline would do it, whipping his palm around, but he didnt know what to do with it and didnt particularly care. So he was just showing off. This sucks I groaned. I wish I could just do it with aura. Using aura was second nature, and ever since I assimilated with Brindle, I felt like I could just reach out into dead space and grab the stuff, turning it into a blade. But Why couldnt I? I was able to create an elk from a blueprint! It then occurred to me that I had never tried, so I gave it a shot, spinning my soul core to release aura. Then, I reached outand grabbed a blade of it. You got to be kidding me I turned to Kline excitedly, and he was staring at me, mouth agape. He lifted a paw, and a blade formed. Is this a competition? I asked. I focused on the blade, and I created a combat knife from it, adding details until it looked like a bonafide Bowie knife. Kline tried, failed, and then yowled prissily, jumping out of the tree in a fury. Come back! I cried, laughing at the same time. Saucy little kittys competitive, I guess, I thought in lesser terms. Then I turned back to the blade. Somethings not right, though I reshaped the knife into the pistol I left in my room before the integration. I couldnt squeeze the trigger, and it wouldnt have fired regardless, but it was still eerie. Thiss way too easy Wait is this Kira. It just hit me then that I had spent weeks in recovery, but I had yet to call for Kira. I wanted to, but I was worried I would need a tutorial but merely thinking about her made her materialize from my body. I stared at her blankly. Kira was the same guardian that Brindle showed meSalanthe same one whose memories I had experienced. She still had wings, broken shackles on her wrists, and the blindfold wrapped around her eyes and her partially transparent hair. She was the soul guardian of an eighth evolution god, and she was staring right at me. B2 | Chapter 99 - New Home I studied Kiras form with apprehension. Part of me felt pity, knowing that Kira was once Salan, and Salan had created the shackles and blindfolds after her betrayal, during the period the soulmancer had killed her and bound her soul together, but hadnt reconciled her emotions or separated her ego. I thought of that period of agony, pain, and hatred, and it made me sad. But I could also see that the ugly hook scar Salan had gotten on her cheek when she was fifteen was gone, a virtue of Reals perception of Salanthe person she wanted Salan to be. If I wanted to, I could imagine her without a blindfold, and dress her to suit my whimsey. I used my mind to remove her blindfold and saw two beautiful eyes staring at me intently. Kira cocked her head quizzically, and I cried out, stumbling backward. She smirked smugly and then offered her hand. Not a person my ass I whispered as I let her help me up. It was a very surreal situation that left me emotionally conflicted. Then I thought about the fact that I was supposed to be able to use her, and I imagined her punching the air. She did. Thiss so fucking cool, I said. Kira flicked her hair like a diva and turned away before shooting me a sassy glance. Dont tell me this is my inner personality I said, dead-toned and lifeless. Kira huffed silently, putting her hands on her hips. No, theres nothing wrong with you being like this, I said. Its a problem that Im oh whatever. I tried to create a combat knife out of aura again, and while I could create a general shape like with mana sharpening, I couldnt make the blade. Knew it Kira. Fuse with me for a second. Kiras aura snapped back into my body without the slightest sass. It felt natural, comfortable even. I presented my palm to dead air and imagined my datura plant, and it grew on my palm before my very eyes. This isnt just a guardian I whispered. Shes intelligent clay. I clenched my hand, imagining her hand overlaid on my mind, and it wrapped around the plant. I could feel it like it was a real plant. This is insane I muttered. Shes actually an extension of my body Kline had returned and was watching me closely. Turned out, Im not super talented, I said. Im getting help. Meet Kira. Kira separated from my body, blindfold returned. Then she took one look at Kline and clasped her hands over her chest, rushing up and kneeling to love Kline. He hissed and clawed at her hand and was shocked when his claws found purchase. She cried silently, and puffed out her cheeks and then reached to pick him up. He was confused, so she managed to scoop him up as he wiggled to break free. Thats more like it, I giggled as Kline struggled. Shes part of me, Kline. The intense parts. He zagged back and forth to avoid her, but found her shockingly nimble and difficult to outmaneuver. Thiss my love for you! I called out. Kline hissed and jumped out of the tree again, warping into the woods. Kira watched in a stupor and then fell on her knees dramatically. Oh, girl, I said. Well get along. She turned and smiled this wonderfully genuine smile. Sorry to ask, but do you think you can help me level this floor? Im shockingly inept. Kira nodded, waved her hand, and a blade of aura sheared straight through the floor, sending wood shavings flying everywhere. Wow It occurred to me that Kira had about fifty thousand years of muscle memory stored up and was fully independent. This was the power of a legendary gift. Okay Well, Im going to figure out the lighting situation so I stop feeling so worthless. Can you handle this? Kira gave me a, Seriously? Dont lump me in with your incompetent ass. look. Oh no you didnt, I said sharply. She wiggled her shoulders and continued. I didnt know whether to laugh or complain, so I compromised by huffing and setting to work. 2. It turned out that lighting would be the easiest aspect of building my home. I just had to enchant a simple mana core, and a second evolution core would supply light for the rest of time. The question was which core I should use, as the color of the core determined the color. I had blue, green, and yellow, and while yellow was the obvious choice, I had a strange fascination with using a blue core to have a Hollywood crime syndicate vibe. I had a dozen after the Diktyo River massacre, when third evolution migrators attacked Halten, but I still ended up using the toroks core to be as badass as possible. I grinned when it was set up. I think thiss wildest thing Ive ever done. Then I frowned. Ill need to thread it soon. I rarely took off my backpack after the trauma of it getting stolen the first day, and that carried over to most things. Leaving my torok core at my home unattended was out of the question. Ill switch it for another tomorrowThe story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I checked to make sure there was a suitable blue core in my collection and then nodded to myself. I was feeling surprisingly weak when I finished the light, so I sat down on a section of smoothed floor. Why am I feeling so tired I whispered. I turned and found that Kira had almost buffed the entire floor into an even circle, and was now smoothing the walls. It was as if she was crazed, OCD, and desperate to complete it. Yep thats me, I chuckled, eyes drooping, nodding off. Kira abruptly turned to me in panic, glancing between me and the unfinished wall a few times desperately before bursting into a ball of soul mist. It was strange, but the next moment, all that soul force flowed into my body, renewing my vitality. It was then that I realized that I was a shriveled grape en route to being an empty husk from overusing her. Duly noted I laughed, closing my eyes. Ill need to do some testing. Kline came in and pawed at me worriedly. I petted him aimlessly to let him know I was okay, then drifted into sleep. I woke twelve hours later and learned from my mistake the day before. This time, when I summoned Kirabecause obviouslyI had her finish the floor, then released her until after lunch, when I ate torok meat to replenish my aura. Then, I had her buffer the walls while I practiced mana control. I felt like a bum letting my soul guardian do the skilled portions of the labor, but what was the point of having a legendary soul guardian if I didnt use her? To be honest, the only reason I didnt lounge around completely was because she showed off her marvelous skills and gave me the smuggest look imaginable, visibly judging my poor mana control. Every time it happened, it rekindled my passion to learn as I brooded over her attitude. Despite the sass, Kira was marvelous. After only two days, I had a room the size of a studio apartment, perfectly circular with smoothed walls and a beautiful grooved floor. The ceiling was satisfying as well. It was heaven. I put my hands on my hips and nodded. Thanks, Kira Now onto the chimney. Creating a chimney was strangely difficult. Chimneys are built upward because smoke rises, and theyre easy to build with bricks stacked in a rectangle. But I was in a tree, so building up was impossible. I thought about creating a diagonal chimney, but after spending a gold request on a ventilation system blueprint packsomething critical for building an alchemy labI learned that a diagonal chimney would be a disaster because it would be difficult to create waterproofing systems. Chimneys had a cap, like an umbrella to prevent water from pulling through, in addition to weep holes for draining water that enter the chimney, and a crown that protects the masonry from water. All of these things would be extremely difficult to make with a diagonal chimney, and without them, water would enter my home like a water slide. No thanks. So instead, I had Kira fly me thirty feet up the tree, and I chopped a large cave into it with my machete. Once I could stand, Kira partially fused with my body, helping me to drill thirty feet down with an aura lathe. Kira then changed her size into a thinner form and jumped down the hole like a spelunker, drilling weep holes and using clay to create drainage channels. She returned an hour later, and I sat down exhausted, feeling extra useless. That night, I carved a chimney cap to prevent water from getting in, which looked similar to Chinese pagodas from the times of spears and emperors. It sucked. So Kira made a new one, followed by creating a crown with wood and clay to waterproof it. A few days later, Kline and the lurvine took their smaller forms and gathered around the fireplace as I cooked a stew with meat my little hunters had brought back to camp. It was wonderful. The next order of business was the table, counter, bed, and shower situation. I thought about it for a while before getting a strange idea: instead of creating tables to put on the floor, we could drill down deeper into the floor deeper, leaving the wood in the place where we wanted the furniture. This was possible because I thought that a treehouse wasnt a treehouse if it wasnt elevated, so I built five feet up. Now, we drilled four feet down, leaving a large cylinder in the center to act as a table, and counters on every wall, making one extra wide for my bed. Once we hollowed the area under the counters out, we had a perfect table and location for a bed. It was beautiful. I high-fived Kira and put the heating array I got from the temporary shelter right into the center of the table, creating a heating source that wouldnt burn down the house. I finished by putting a magical cot and new sleeping bag I traded for during the Harvest onto the bed cut out, and I finally had a home. It was beautiful, too, filled with smooth grains with spiraling age lines lumber is known for. If I were still in Colorado, such a home would go for two million in a town like Aspen or Breckenridge. What a surreal place to live. I then got to work with preparation for winter. I salted and smoked torok jerky while the lurvines lounged around in the living room in their fluffy little fox forms, sneaking glances at mewaiting for me to drop scraps. No matter how big or prideful canines are, theyre always the same. Kline thought the same, strutting with an air of superiority while he waited for dinnerthen demanding twice as much. Little shit. I loved them all, getting to know them intimately as the trees changed colors and fell. We developed a little routine after the home was done. I started my day by snuggling with Kline. After a modest breakfast, we would thread our torok cores for an hour before Kline snuck off to practice the new skills he got during the harvest in secret, and I went on hikes, training with Kira on clear days, and picking mushrooms on days following the rain. It was amazing to fuse with her body. I could move far faster, and if I hit the ground, she was like a shield. I could make my body larger like I was piloting a tiny mech robot. And my wings I could create wings. But I couldnt use wings. Believe me, I tried every day, and I got better, but its impossible to understand how unequipped humans are for flight. It was like having two more hands that youve never used before. Then, once you got used to it, you needed to learn significant control and overcome the fear of falling. And if that wasnt enough, I was in a forest with canopies that blocked flight. What I needed was an open field to practice, and I vowed to find one in the spring. Time passed on like that, and before long, the air was chilly, the plants were dead, and I found myself huddled in my new home at the onset of winter. I had very few ingredients for alchemy or botany purposes, and my home, now sporting a small kitchen furnished with a stove and equipment I got in the Big Bag o Tools, was functionally set for winter. So, I decided to bundle up and live the good life. Those days were remarkably boring, but they were also gratifying. To practice my mana shaping, I used a mana lathe to carve chairs for the table, creating one for each member of my family. The first twenty came out terribly, but after I asked Kira to teach me, she showed me techniques as I carved, and soon I was creating subpar furniture on my own. It wasnt much, but it was great progress. And it was fun. Every night was a new day for training, threading, reading, and cooking, and I got all the cuddles I wanted from eight fluffy animals. It was comfortable. And yet That sense of loneliness I returned, and I found myself pulling up my gods tribute requirements to find a reason to bring them in, but no dice. Brindles tribute said: Fight the harvesters, should their actions indicate war on the forest. That wasnt surprising. He fluctuated from thoughtful to ambivalent toward me, and I wasnt sure that there was any familiarity between us. He was hard to figure out. Elana was differentvery different. And after I was finished researching the plants she wanted for her tribute, I decided I didnt want to speak to her until necessaryif ever again. B2 | Chapter 100 - Lysan’s Return Lithco, I said, reading the tribute screen. Can you help me really quick? A sudden thump and crash in the chimney made me yelp and stumble off my chair, and when I turned to the source of the sound, my face twisted into a nasty scowl. Lithco crawled out of the fireplace, covered in soot, wearing a red and white Santa suit, hat and all. Seriously? I asked as the lurvine looked at me like a paranoid schizophrenic. Seriously, Lithco said, pulling off his hand and pounding it on his hand to release charcoal. Thank you for asking politely this time. Makes all the difference. I regret it. Im sure you do. Lithco pulled out one of my chairs and sat down, surprised it didnt snap under him. Good work. Thanks I sighed, pushing myself up. What did you want to talk about? he asked as I sat down. This tribute Thiss just to push north, isnt it? Lithco smiled thinly. What makes you think that? Well, for starters, six out of the seven named plants arent alchemic. Four are mildly poisonous, and the other two are decorative at best. And the one that is alchemic has prolific alternatives pretty much everywhere. Then why does she want them? he mused. Because theyre Fifth Ring plants, I said. Mostly. They grow on the border between the Fourth and Fifth Rings. But the second requirement: twenty random specimens picked within Misty Row, even if they grow within the Fourth Domain, proves that she wants me to move north. Detective Hill strikes again, Lithco said. Just curious, whyd you feel the need to ask me the obvious? To complain, I said. Honesty doesnt make things more agreeableor charming. I dont care if whatever. Lithco, whats Misty Row? Now that thats an important question. Misty Row is a Bramble, of sorts. It acts as the challenge to move from the Fourth to the Fifth Rings. You got to be kidding me. Im not. Lithco pulled a cup from midair and used a heated water sphere to make himself a cup of tea as he elaborated. But unlike the Bramble, this ones more familiar. What is it? Its a hollow. Thats an area where souls attempt to separate, resulting in soul fog. Youve already experienced this, yes? You mean like near the crypt? Yes. Lithco sipped his tea, giving me an urge to make one myself. I had a tin of tea leaves following the trading during the Harvest, so I made myself one as I continued. So she saw me narrowly survive one hollow, now shes been emboldened? Emboldened? The way I read it, she wants you to show up and challenge it yourself. It seems silly to let you collect twenty random plants one foot into Misty Row unless she wants you to prioritize your safety if something goes wrong. Shes trusting you wont skimp, but also accounting for your well being. If you ask me, this is a sign she values you. Oh Now I feel bad. I whispered, boiling water for tea on a heating array. Dont worry, she cant hear you, Lithco said. It would be chaos if gods could directly spy through the eyes of their disciples. I dont care I said. Elanas been good to me. As long as she doesnt fuck me over, I want to do her right, too. Thats the honest truth. Lithco laughed breathlessly. Just wait till you get there. No tributes ever free. I connected my finger tips, took a deep breath, and smiled. Just how dangerous is it? Misty Row? Dunno. The Oracle cant see in it, and the few people who survive it say think and report things that are too unbelievable and inconsistent to believe. Its likely that something in the fog induces hallucinations, or at least create wide-scale illusions. Great I said. Just great And the area on the border? Ralls Delta? Dangerous. I recommend you up your game before you attempt it. I exhaled and sipped my tea, mumbling threats about how I would cut Elana off if she ever pulled something like this again, but I think, deep down, I was excited for another adventure. Is that all? Lithco asked. Yeah I said hesitantly, wondering if it would be weird just to ask him to chat. I thought it would be psychologically damaging to admit that I was already lonely, so I decided against it, opting instead to enjoy the night snuggling with my furry companions until I started my Mental Shielding training. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I wasnt looking forward to it. The second stage significantly improved my Moxle Dilation, but it was proportionally worse, bombarding me with direct pain signals, piercing shrieks, and even tastes. But I committed that night, as always, pushing until the hell disappeared, leaving my mind clear and meditative until Kline licked my hand in the morning and we started the day. It was a slow winter, but it was great to recharge, and I would enjoy it before spring hit and Id have to worry about learning an epic spell, tribute, and training. I earned the respite, so I decided to enjoy it. 2. Lysan was cold and miserable for the thirtieth time that month. It was now winter, and it was dangerous to leave her base camp. The poison soaked into the freshly fallen snow, and that made it through the cracks in her pants and boots, and she found herself burning through her cleansing elixirs and the Diktyo water she had collected. She would eventually run out, then it would be game over. Her only consolation was that she had a backpack full of torok meat that she cooked over a week that would last her months, but one rip in her tent, one wrong step, one anything would kill her. Lysan was desperate and she had a radical solution. She would kill Mira Hill and steal her home. Lysan didnt know where it was exactly, but she was within a few miles of it in The Divide, where the beasts were weaker. She had migrated there for that purpose but found tracks from the lurvine. She feared they would find her, but to her great relief, they always moved north to hunt as third-evolution beasts. Thats the only reason she had avoided confrontation. But it seemed inevitable at this point. Lysan no longer wanted revenge against Mira. She hated Mira and always would, but she didnt want revenge. Mira was justified in what she did, and sometimes, people were just destined to hate each other. That said, she didnt have any problem killing Mira to survive. It would come as easily as breathing. And she planned to. It would all come down to one major attack. Those lurvines were strong, but as long as she avoided their flames, they were third evolution pups against someone who took down a torok. She could easily take about three. That meant that if she killed or injured three at once, she could handle the next three and run away, prompting the cat out on its own. Then she would kill it before going after Mira and her gear. It was all or nothing. The ultimate gamble that would determine whether she lived or died. Everything was riding on this one fight for survival. So she created enchanted traps for the cat and developed strategies for dealing with Mira. Hit the lurvine with a massive strike, Lysan thought. Injure as many as possible. Then run. The cats the fastest, so Ill lead him to the traps, alone. I can do this Lysan unsheathed her sword and lined the tip of her blade with a mana augmentor. It was an expensive substance called trayg, and it was famous for turning normal instruments into mana amplifiers. It would allow her to use her sword and spells simultaneously, and would increase their devastation. She would hold nothing back. Shed kill the cat, then run, picking off the lurvines one at a time. Even if she died, she would take the cat with her. She was determined to do so. Mana swirled around the sword in whisps, and her breath released plumes of steam. Her feet were cold and wet, burning from the poison in the snow. She winced and drank some Diktyo water, healing herself. It was all or nothing. The moon reflected over the snow as she approached, walking silently with a sound dampening skill, slinking silently, heart pounding as she got within a half mile, putting her in range of her divination pulse. Lysan released a pulse and discovered a miracle: Mira, Kline, and the lurvine were all in one location, sound asleep in their true forms. One good strike could kill them. Lysan hope for the first time since coming to this forest but it didnt last long. An icy spider crawled down her back, and she felt goosebumps freckle up her arms even within her jacket. She immediately activated a divination pulse, searching for mana signatures within half a mile from herand found nothing of interest. Trap? Lysan silently asked. But what type? She would see amateur mana traps and enchantments. Mira didnt have enough skill to hide anything from herbut what if she werent alone? What if there was a hermit living in the forest, training her? Lysan was expecting as much, but Mira was alone and there were no signs of traps. Youre just paranoid Lysan thought. But the hairs on her arms still stood on end, and her body was locking up. And you cant afford to turn back tomorrow theyll know theyll be hunting you. You have to do it. Its her or you; shes gotta go. Suddenly, an icy chill approached from behind her. Her body locked up and she checked her divination pulse. Nothing. Yet she could feel a strong wave of aura, so she forced herself to turnthe last motion of her life. A beautiful woman stood behind her, a wraith, blindfolded and wearing broken shackles as jewelry. Her body was slightly transparent, dripping with aura and malice. By human reflex alone, she opened her mouth to scream from the fear and shock, but a blade of raw aura sliced through her throat and voice box. Lysan grabbed her throat as she hit her knees, trying to keep the blood in her body. She looked down, expecting the ground to be soaked red, but her blood was flowing upward. She looked up and saw it bubbling in a Levisphere. She panicked and tried to grab her Diktyo water, but the wraith kicked it out of her hand and then started dragging her through the forest as she choked on her blood. With every second, Lysan increasingly lost focus, but she was alive long enough to see her final destination. It was a natural trench between two boulders, a natural grave. The wraith threw the bloodsphere right into it, then she picked Lysan up by the hair, lifting her blindfold so she could look in her eyes. What Lysan saw chilled her to the bone. Her eyes were identical to Miras. And the scorn in her eyes danced with feelings of betrayal. Betrayal as if Mira wouldve invited her. What a joke. Mira was a killer. She had her cat slaughter people while she smiled and laughed and traded with people, then left camp to trap and kill her entire party. She was a psychopath. The wraiths eyes filled with indignation and she lifted her sword to finish her off, but before she ran the sword through her lungs, the wraith turned into the forest. Lysan followed her eyes the best she could, and found her vision doubling. Six sets of paw prints imprinted in the snow from an invisible body, eerily silent, moving forward. The part of Lysan that wanted to survive, did one last scan and found three large cats. You she silently declared, vision blurring, confused. It was Miras catbut there were three. And they werent illusions. Each had mana channels moving through an ethereal body. What? Lysan activated soul sight as the cat paused, and she saw that only one had a soul core. The others only had a skeleton of nearan networks in its brain and nervous system. These werent illusionary dopples. They were ethereal clones. The cat narrowed his eyes at her, and then meowed at the wraith. The wraith looked at her and then nodded, throwing Lysans body before the cat. She hit the ground with a thud, gasping for breath while one cat pressed its palm on her lower spine, the second grabbed her hair and pulled her flat, and the third put its canines on the area where her soul core was located. Then she felt a piercing pain and she blacked out. 2. I woke up one morning with a teal soul core on the table, in addition to a sword, a dozen vials, some equipment, a bunched up pair of pants, and some boots. The sight left me with a horrified sense of dread. B2 | Chapter 101 - Demon of the Kana Lysan I muttered as I gazed at the clothing stacked up for me, looking at Kline, who was stretching one leg at a time. Did you kill her? I asked. He looked up and meowed dejectedly, shaking his head. Then she got away? He looked away, then shook his head again. So shes dead? He meowed. Then how? Kline looked up and pointed at me with a paw. I didnt Wait Kira? Kline meowed and jumped out of the flap, clearly annoyed. Kira I whispered. Kira separated from my chest. Did you kill a human? I asked. She nodded. I frowned, feeling deep anxiety about the fact that my soul guardian had left my body and killed someone without my permission. Kira huffed, reading my thoughts. Was she trying to kill me? I asked. She lifted both her hands and then pointed at the sword as if to say, Obviously. The fuck you think she was here to do? Have tea? Oh thats wild. You protected me in my sleep like a guardian. Kira rolled her eyes. No Im not trying to be look. Thank you Kiras lips curled into a smirk, and she flicked her hair like a diva, turning around dramatically. Then she burst into soul force, sucking back into my chest, escaping while the praise was hot. I laughed this sharp, chew toy laugh, then crashed onto my bed, cackling like a maniac. My soul guardian killed someone while I was sleeping. She was a guardiana real fucking guardian. What a trip. In that grim and twisted state of fascination, I didnt think about the fact that Lysan, a woman that I had met, fought, thought aboutworried aboutand felt anxiety for, suddenly died. It was something that was subtle and started to eat at me in the days ahead, so I went to look for her corpse, but I never found it or signs of struggle. Kira and Kline had hidden the body without the slightest trace, keeping her death in a state of limbo that was hard to believe, like getting a letter that a loved one died in war but never seeing the body yourself. She was just gone. That was hard to process, but it was still liberating in a sense. So I pushed on. So did the others. The lurvine felt inferior for not catching wind of Lysan, so they began taking turns during the night patrolling the area outside the home. Kline kept training, likely increasing his mana sense and soul-sight skills in addition to whatever madness he was cooking up. As for me, I took one bad hike and experienced the true danger of winter. Poison from the plants seeped into the snow, and it got into my boots, transforming my ankles into cankles. If I didnt have Diktyo water, I wouldve lost my feet. Now I know why people die I hissed, pulling off a sock and drinking more water. So much for highlighting. The highlighting meant nothing when the Oracle couldnt identify plants. So I said, Lithco, give me a skill thatll let me sense poison like Kline does. A skill popped up. It read: Name Poison Sense Grade: Platinum Description: Youve known about this spell for almost six months, living in a forest thats nearly 50% poisonous biota, but it still took almost losing your feet to read this? Its a miracle youre still alive. But since you are, lets talk about it. Poison Sense is a fourth-tier spell that augments your senses and makes you particularly sensitive to poisons. This includes creating specific sensations when you touch, taste, or smell poisons and helping your brain catalog certain plants visually as well. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Some poisons are immediately identifiable, but for those that arent, they become enhanced once you identify them as poisonous and your brain remembers them. Since you have a book that identifies poisons on sight, this is a spell that can rapidly increase your ability to sense poisons in land, water, air, and snow. Note: This spell is a general spell and also helps you catalog certain spores as poison, albeit less effectively. Ill take it, I said. Now teach me. Lithco arrived in Lithco fashion, as usual, then we waited until the swelling in my ankles toned down, and we set to work. Enhancing my senses was strangely familiar, as Mental Shielding enhanced all of them in strange and terrible waysbut it was still uncomfortable knowing it was real. I could smell the earthy wood in the room and the smell of metal and dirty clothes. The pelt I made for the door smelled awful, and I was suddenly worried about rot from my untreated floors. I now knew why Kline was so judgmental when I didnt Purify in the mornings, and I had a lot more respect for him. Over the next few days, I tested it, walking in the snow, sensing poisons, and even tasting them if Kline deemed it safeholding Diktyo water present, of course. Touching it made my finger tingle, and tasting it made my tongue numb. It was aggressively declaring something was poisonand that was concerning. I wondered what alcohol would taste like. Kline wasnt a fan of the skill. He felt like I stole yet another job from him, so he continued to train in secret, preparing for the day he would prove he was the big man on campus. It was funny at first, but he kept pushing himself, coming home each day more tired than the last, plowing through the torok meat I gave him, then eating the quarry he killed during his hunts before I cleansed or cooked it. It concerned me, but not enough to raise alarms. Life was easy at my current power level and location. So I just trusted Kline would be alright and fell into a comfortable routine. A few weeks later, a blizzard hit, halting the hikes and activities for the rest of winter. It was a bad one, too. As the winds howled and blew snow through the flap, we found ourselves barricaded in the tree house, shaking for warmth. The lurvines returned indoors, taking turns becoming their full size to block the door with their bodies. Sina was in her first evolution form, blocking the fireplace, and every alchemy heating array I had was on full blast. It wasnt a joke. Every time I dumped my pee bucket, it would freeze mid-air before crashing to the ground in icicles. But it was warm inside, and we ate well, regardless. It was a strange experience. Once the howling winds and shaking branches subsided, we kept inside, cozying up for a month of indoor isolation. I went stir-crazy the first week but soon came to enjoy it. Every day was a new opportunity for training, threading, reading, and cooking, and I got all the cuddles I wanted from eight fluffy animals. I got to know each of them intimately. It was comfortable, and I soon fell in love with it. And yet A lingering thread of loneliness hit me, and before long, I was calling Lithco into my room just to read me a physical copy of A History of the Jacksmore War by Jackala Treoan, which I picked up for a silver. Bloody and broken, the troops staggered through the Jacksa Delta, loading up their boats before the wraiths finished them off," he read. "Those who survived the mist suffered a bleak winter that year, losing all but one platoon to the beasts and blighted snow. Upon the next Harvest, when the Bramble opened and reinforcements arrived, the beleaguered survivors recounted how a single attack turned the tides and ruined them all. It was an arrow. A single arrow streaked across the river during the great battle, shattering the Kana mountains in a plume of volcanic ash that blotted out the landscape. Swarms of corrupted beasts emerged from that gorge, crazed and unconcerned with life as they ripped through the soldiers. The survivors recounted it in great detail, but once they finished, they fell into deep silences that never truly ended. The only voice that remained was Jacksmore the Little, who said, Brave the Ravine and pray, for the Demon of the Kana preys upon that harrowed pass. Kanas demon, I whispered in wonder. Are those mountains named after Yakana? Lithco put the book in his lap. No. Its quite the opposite. In Elandan, the language of the time, Ya was the word for demon. Demon of Kana I whispered. Precisely. To this day, we dont know what Yakanas real name was. We only know of his spirit, the human guide who appears under the effects of Lumidra spores. He has taken the form of an archer in the past with eerily similar characteristics described in history books. Thats why we speak about him as the same person. Oh I whispered. Im sure you now realize how strange it is for Yakana to choose you, Lithco said, staring upward as if to see through the ceiling and beyond the universe. And why people would be wary of you if they found out. Take a look at Harrowed Pass sometime. Youll see. I nodded and laid down, staring at the ceiling as Kline hopped onto the bed and snuggled. Yakana I whispered. What happened to him? God, youre like a child. We have all winter to read this book, yet you want to jump to the ending? I shot him a stink eye. Do you think Id read something like this for fun? I hated the Iliad. I dont even like violent movies. This sucks. So you really wanna skip? he asked dryly. I folded my arms like a child. No. Ill wait. Good. Then Ill take my leave. Make sure to think about the spells you want. A years a short time to practice for high-level spells. Okay I said, trailing off as he disappeared. I opened my guide and then groaned as I read between the two epic spell options I narrowed it down to. They were too large, like soulmancy, and I felt that I could spend the rest of my life on one and would fail if I chose both. So I pushed it off, promising myself that I would consider it seriously during the springtime when my training started up again. I then closed the guide, staring into dead space, thinking about Yakana until I drifted into sleep. That night, I had dreams of community and war, wondering what drove Yakana to stand up to a goliath armywondering if that would be my fate, too. 2. A servant led Hadrian through an elaborate ballroom with his father. They had just finished dinner with the Melhan family before a room full of guests, seeding the illusion that they were on good terms despite the rot festering under the surface. Brexton had sold the Melhan information that Hadrian killed Jas and saved Mira, and the full story about what happened, or at least the part Hadrian knew of it. It was now time to discuss. Thank you, Hadrian said to the maid as she ushered him and Typhus into an ornate guest room. Reasan Melhan sat at the table with his wife, Leeka; Typhus sat beside Hadrian. The maid served tea. Then they stared at each other in silence until Leekas anger boiled over. B2 - Chapter 102 | Trouble on the Horizon Hadrian made eye contact with Kals mother as she screamed, Well? Are you going to explain yourself? Leeka, Reasan growled. His wife trembled and quieted, but she didnt calm down. Typhus looked at Hadrian, so he spoke. Your son broke the trading alliance by attempting to kill our business partner, Hadrian said. Leeka scoffed. Then, he continued forcefully, his guard returned and proclaimed that Mira had assaulted the other Melhans and poisoned Kal, but then later stated that he requested to heal Kal but she refused. Why would he request aid from someone who tried to kill your son? It didnt make sense. Many such inconsistencies proliferated his testimony. I pointed out each and told him not to take action, pending interrogation, but he chose to disregard my order and launched an assassination attempt in front of every family at the harvest. And so you killed him without a trial? Leeka asked. No, I killed him for breaking our alliance not once but twice, and potentially a third time, as his shameful attempt to kill Mira failed, Hadrian said. You keep saying that, that doesnt make it true, Reasan said. From what I hear, you demanded that no one speak of what you did. Correct. I told them not to speak of what happened, and did so for your benefit. Or would you have rathered hundreds of harvesters spreading rumors that a little girl who integrated mere months ago bested the Melhan family? Reasans face folded with disgusting creases. Hadrian felt the sight was unbefitting of the glory of the legacy families and turned away in disdain. Reasan prepared to snap when Typhus intervened. Listen Reasan, he said. The Melhan broke our agreement the moment they attempted to confront Mira in the woods; what happened afterward is irrelevant. It is relevant! Leeka snapped. No, its not, Typhus said chillingly. Its also shameful that you would openly advocate a conspiracy that your entire family fell victim to a petty trap. Its disgusting. Leeka stood, but Reasan yanked her back into her chair and then turned to Hadrian coldly. What trap? Are you dense? Hadrian asked. Watch your tone, Typhus scolded. Hadrian nodded and then glared at Leeka. The Melhan followed Mira into the woods to confront her. Likely in self-defense, she led them to a location with nearan eaters, or simply released spores she collected up north as a weapon. So you admit she killed them, Leeka said. Have we said anything to the contrary? Hadrian asked. We have not. We have only pointed out that your family provoked Mira Hill, then broke our arrangements by following her into the woods. The fact that Mira Hill genuinely bested the Melhan family by any means, motives, or purposes is another matter, and I recommend you deny it and make no allusion to it, with your actions or otherwise. You recommend? Reasan looked at Typhus. Are you really going to let him speak to us like this? I will not chastise my son for words I wouldve spoken myself, Typhus said. Reasans lip curled and he sent a warning glare to keep Leeka silent, then shifted his gaze to Typhus. You wont get in our way next Harvest, will you? If youre referring to retribution on Mira Hill, then yes, Typhus said. We will stop youand there will be severe consequences. Leekas eyes widened in shock. What? Mira HIll is a strategic asset, Typhus said, not just to us, but every family. Since Mira Hill has broken no laws, cultural or otherwise, we will not permit you to seek vengeance upon her for a problem of your own making. Reasan narrowed his eyes. Strategic? Your contract forbids you from doing business with our competitors. Our contract forbids us from doing business with a list of competitors, Hadrian said, a list that lacks the name Heath and Roe Enterprises. Youve gotten cocky, havent you? Reasan asked. Hadrian laced his fingers. Youre allowing this? Reasan asked Typhus. Typhus leaned back. Allow what? Him to tell the truth? Leeka trembled like a possessed tea kettle, then exploded, screaming, Out Out. Out! Get out of my house! As you wish. Hadrian stood and examined her one last time before leaving. Her face was plum red, and she was hystericalas it should be. Leeka lost her son, and there was a century, by law, before she could give birth again, and Reasan would discard her long before that, stripping her of her wealth, influence, and prestigeif not her life. It was possible that she would revert to a lowly concubine or even an exalted maid.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. People so desperate would do anything and her husband would soon join her in such desperation. 2. You need to see it, Aiden, Everen rocked back a glass of amber liquor. Aiden was in a back room of the Nest with him after their latest auction, listening to the feverish music of the club blaring through the door. Its ten stories alreadyand its all full, Everen said, speaking of the new Heath and Roe Enterprises headquarters. Hell, were paying for warehouses for the storage. Uh huh Aiden said, sipping on his drink. Ah, come on, Everen said. You have to be at least a little excited. Youre a millionaire. Eight digits off one Harvest and the numbers are climbing. And shit, you dont gotta do a damn thing. He took another drink and snorted lightly. At least look a little pleased. Aiden swirled the ice in his glass, then looked up. I am pleased. Just not about you taking a cut off Miras sales. Everen narrowed his eyes. Youre still on about that? Yeah. Because this whole business is predicated on our relationship with her. So what? Were just supposed to tank the costs of the auctions? The organizing? The bribes the whole lot. Were supposed to tank that for nothing? For nothing Aiden drained his glass and leaned back. Ten stories full. Warehouses. If you asked me, weve profited rather handsomely. The least we can do is treat her requests. Everen pointed at him. Now thats funny. He stood and mixed a drink at the private bar, then turned around. You get that her familys loaded right? Her victims or whatever they are have teachers. She needed that doneand I did it. Without me without us she would be shit out of luck for money. No... Mira can make deals with anyone; the same isnt true in reverse. See this? This is why politics gets all fucked up. Youre thinking in ideals and you dont know shit all about what youre talking about. He took a drink and coughed, setting the glass down while he caught his breath. Then he looked up. Miras got two options, he said. Us or the Melhan. Thats it. No one else can sell. Theyre wrapped up in so many deals they cant even move straight. So its us or no one. Make sure she knows that before she starts making crazy demands again. Aiden took a deep breath, pushing down his desire to play his cards and put Everen in his place. He had researched the subject half a year ago, and he had kept his findings to himself. Someone like Everen could always find a loophole to his loophole. It was best to keep his cards close to his chest. Suddenly, the door opened, bringing the raucous sound of the betting floor as Brexton strode in. He looked between them and said, What? I thought youd be more pleased. Oh, I am, Everen said. He looked at Aiden. Not the same for this one. Oh, come now, Brexton said. Ive never seen this man happy in his life. The fact that hes heres proof hes about it. If you say so Everen sighed. Im going to get out of here. I have an afterparty with the Shoals. After all, one of us never stops working. He sneered at Aiden subtly. Come by and see our office. I have a shiny placard on your office door. He left, and Brexton toasted him, leaving Aiden staring at his empty drink. Well, doesnt do much if its empty, now does it? Brexton traded the empty glass for the one he was holding. It was a multicolored drink, but it didnt contain common poisons, so far as his guide could ascertain, so he took a risk and drank it. There you go, Brexton said. Few more of those, and you''ll be celebrating with the rest of us. Aiden laughed. Whats there to celebrate over? The Melhan are out to kill Mira, I have ten guards outside to protect me from assassinations, and a wars gonna break out over our company any day now. And to top it all off, Im still not working with animals. Its bullshit. Brexton shrugged. Well, I can fix one of those Till then, try not to worry about things you cant control. Your lifes been out of your hands since you pacted that demiand that just is what it is. You made a mistake you didnt know you were making and the rest is history. Try not to think too much about it. Brexton poured a rock glass, frosted it with magic, then put it down, drinking from the bottle instead. He pointed at the foggy glass after. For when youre done with that. Aiden looked at his drink and then back. How are you like this? Like what? So cheery? Youre a degenerate. Im surprised youre still functioning. Brexton grinned. You really want to know? Yeah, I do. Brexton approached slowly, then placed the bottle of spirits in front of Aiden. Then drink up, and Ill teach you. With any luck, youll be halfway appealing by next Harvest. Aiden studied the bottle. It was the bad optionbut at that point, bad was preferable to miserable. So he grabbed it, hoping that a small bit of Brextons madness would rub off on him, allowing him to embrace the optimism that always felt so forced and help him to escape one day. He spared a second thoughtthen he drank. 3. I didnt know what type of scheming was happening in the outside world, but it seemed rather serious, judging by the message I got from Aiden a week later. Spared no time using his privileges, I muttered. I had whitelisted Aiden and Felio with my parents, and while I hadnt heard from Felio, Aiden had already found a message worth a silver request. Wonder what it is Kline jumped onto my chest. You wanna hear? I asked. He meowed. Wanna know what type of shit storm you caused? His mouth curved into a creepy smile. Youre ridiculous, I said. Well whatever. It reads: Dear Mira, Ill start with the good news, the great news, and the fantastic news. The good news is that I managed to sell the resources you gave me. Even with Everens fee, it raked in extravagant sums, so the Harvesters have mana vision teachers already, and your familys moved into a mansion on the outskirts of Theovale. Thats the great news. Just note that theyre rolling in dough now, so Id prepare yourself. Next time you see them, your mom will be wearing a mink coat and gaudy jewelry, singing your praises. God, I hope not, I said as Kline meowed disapprovingly. Then I continued: Now for the fantastic news! Kals a vegetable and the Melhans are getting their asses kicked. Turns out, we made so much money that the families are pulling a coup against them to get a slice for themselves. Thats a great thing because they hate your guts and want to kill you, so its good to have allies. I gulped. Even the Dante are on your side. In fact, they have added a dozen more guards to your family and are providing them with resources and trainers. And if that wasnt enough, theyre making you the offer of a lifetime (to hear them tell it.) According to Hadrian, the Dante are prepared to provide you senior guards next Harvest, if you were to house three guards next year. They would all be women, of course, unless you would like men. They, of course (yes, they said of course), would attend to your every desire. God, its awkward to write this. Anyway, youre one deal away from having the strongest allies in the First Domain. Congratulations. Now, I know that youre probably not sold on it, so I told them Id ask. Just know, Im practically at knifepoint here to get a reply, so this would be a great opportunity to see if were actually friends. So please write back. Ha ha. Save me. Aiden P.S. Its a heavy cost, but a platinum request will let you send one two-way message a month to anyone you wish for life. Just about any family would send you a platinum request for exclusive rights. Just saying. I blinked twice when I got a prompt asking me if I would like to reply, but I ignored it and opened my guide. Lithco. Buy the platinum messaging service. I got the notification saying it was bought, then opened up a message to my family and found that there was nothing to tell them that they didnt already know. Tyler was getting training from multiple people now, and their safety was locked in. The question was whether I should take the Dante up on their offer. Chapter 103 - The Last Days of Winter Hey Lithco, I said. You think I should take the Dante up on their offer? Sure, Lithco said, blinking into existence at my kitchen table. If you want the Drokai to kill you. True I grimaced. Do you think I can hold my own next year without them? Probably not, Lithco said. You got the raw power, but the skill barriers still too high. Theyll be sending a senior at least. So if you wanna take em, youll need to up your game. So Im fucked no matter what I do? Not at all. You can make alliances and deals, set trapsorganize. You know whats coming, so you can plan for it. Id focus on getting your tribute. By the time you finish up that, youll be a lot stronger than you are now Or dead. Great Well, that answers that. I sighed. Well, time to go. I gotta write these back and go back to avoiding all this BS. I flicked my hands at him, and he scoffed. Youre gonna rub someone the wrong way with that attitude one day, Lithco said. Oh wait, you have. Bye~ I chimed. He chuckled and left, and I made dinner, trying to clear my mind. I couldnt, so I committed to Mental Shielding training. That did the trick. Then I wrote Aiden, thanking him for everything he had done for me and letting him know that I was considering the Dantes offer and would get back to Hadrian after judging my situation come next Harvest. Once that was done, I purged the Harvest, tribute, and Melhans from my mind, crashing on my cot and committing to Mental Shielding to free myself from reflection. That worked. It always did. Then I fell asleep before dinner and didnt wake for what felt like a long time. I spent a few days enjoying my winter, only to find myself going stir-crazy. To fill up the time, I drew out blueprints of an alchemy workshop, sauna, bathhouse, and meditation facility for threading and mana-shaping exercises. They would be crude, but I planned on ordering a significant amount of supplies to haul back in the fallassuming I didnt die. I pushed that aside and finished my plans. Once I finished, I braved the cold to begin. I started with the bathhouse, tunneling down a large room, then drilling a fifteen by fifteen square pool into itleaving steps on all sides. It would be paradise once I figured out how to waterproof or tile it. Kira didnt want to wait. Once she finished sanding the tub, she sat on one of the steps and leaned back with this satisfied expression, and I giggled my head off. I really wondered if shed bathe with me. It would be a grand time. My next project was the alchemy station, which was far more complicated. I wanted to take part, so I used my mana drill to crudely drill through the base area, which was three feet high. Then, we crawled in like miners, drilling four feet down, leaving table-sized countertops. Once completed, we drilled up, leaving blocks above the counters. It looked strange until we hollowed out the areas above the counters, creating massive shelves for alchemy ingredients. I did the same for the area under the block table. In just a few days, I created a space with four countertops and enough shelves to contain a thousand jars and preservation chambers. Things were shaping up nicely. Creating the ventilation system was the hardest. It required me to learn basic arraycraft to create suction magic that pulled in gasses like a hood and disassembled arrays for breaking harmful chemicals into their base parts. But it was a challenge and gave me something to do for the rest of winter. The last space was the meditation chamber, which was a simple room with no counters. I built it up high, in case I wanted to drill down and create furniture, but for now, it was just a simple space with no distractions. Once I decorated it, it would be beautiful. And then I was done and that made me sad. There was still something so empty about the place. And I knew what it was: The lack of people. During the cold and distant nights when the wind would howl and pat against my door, I would think about bringing people here. My brother to train him. Felio to do alchemy. I wondered if they would come. Tyler was almost certain to join at one point if I promised him spells, meat, and elixirsif only after he turned eighteen. As for Felio why not? She would have access to ingredients that only grew in the spring and summer and no family bullshit to worry about. Sure, it was dangerous, but if I proved I could survive with my limbs intact, it wouldnt be that hard of a sell. One year would make the Hellara family extravagantly rich from resource collection, and their daughter would amass power at a speed that rivaled the likes of Hadrian. The question was whether shed risk her life and I wasnt certain. It was nerve-wracking, and I didnt want to create a home or two that only served to remind me of my loneliness. So I pushed it off a few days until my anxiety bubbled over, and I wrote to my family. I told them about my life and my quirky little village. I spoke of creating a bath and a home and my fluffy, fiendish friends that kept me company. Then, I hinted at how safe the forest was in certain conditions so they wouldnt have to worry so much. Dad wrote back with high spirits, expressing his jealousy of the bath, and joked about coming to visit. Mom wasnt keen on the idea, but she was looking forward to joining me next Harvest from the safety of the Mouth. Unlike me, they would have twelve Dante guards surrounding them at all times, so they wouldnt have to worry about anything.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. As for Tyler, he just said, Thanks for making my life hell. The Dante were apparently shoveling resources down his throat and working him after Kalas finished beating his weakness into him. There was no rest in his life. But he was determined. I could tell he felt worthless this year and wanted to make up for it. He had a long way to go, but I was certain he would get there at some point. All of them wished me Merry Christmas and told me Gatsby sent his love. That melted my heart a bit. I loved them so much. Their reply reminded me thateven if they never cameI still needed to make somewhere they could live to remind them that they were always welcome. So when the ice on the tree bark started to melt, and sun rays pierced through the dead canopies, I went out and started building four homes for my family and future guests. One had a simple table, a chimney, and a flat floor to sleep twenty if necessary. Then, I hollowed three tree houses like mine with different layouts. To be honest, all three were better than mine by a mile, as I had improved, but they werent my home. There was something special about the first, so I just smiled at the thought of my family and friends having better places to sleep than me and called it a year. Id furnish them in the spring. The rest of winter was spent indoors, threading and mana shaping during the day, and then cooking and reading books on Areswood plants before storytime with Lithco and Mana Shielding practice. And like most things you think might never end, it blinked by in a flash, and I only really noticed when the torok core crumbled to stone and the sound of distant birds chirped in the distance. The sun sparkled over the snow, and the ice thawed in areas, exposing earthy smells. It was almost spring, and I was so excited to start foraging for alchemic supplies and poisons. I spent those two weeks before spring hiking with Kline, watching as the seeds that lay dormant during the winter began to germinate, breaking down their protective coatings and allowing the plant to sprout. I found a patch of flowers that had already bloomed, evidence they might be geophytes like tulips, having underground storage organs like bulbs that contain water and nutrients for rapid germination in the spring. Or perhaps they were clonal propagators, like strawberries, plants that reproduce asexually and grow new stems and leaves every year but never truly die, existing dormant under the ground for winter until its time to reproduce. I didnt check because there was a certain romanticism in a forest of unknown plants, and I wanted to soak it in before my cheat skills filled my head with unlimited amounts of information. I also didnt want to get my hopes up because I desperately wanted there to be clonal propagators in the area, simply because what they symbolized immortality. Individual strawberry plants die every few years, but their ability to create exact clones of themselves allows them to live forever in the right environment, and they never need a sexual partner to do it. How romantic. Once I soaked it all in, the spring began in earnest, and the foraging and learning began. It was a wild time, with my identification skills supercharging the process and I wanted it to be even faster. So, I finally committed to using the legacy reward I got for completing Elanas legacy quest. It was a reward, meaning that I only got three options, but one was obviously the winning ticket. It read: Skill: Alchemic Scrapper Grade: Diamond (+) Description: While its nothing to be particularly proud of, the Oracle has ascertained that you dont care about the grand pursuit of alchemic purity and instead hope to have as much funand fix as many problemsas you can. So, instead of providing high-level skills to make the most of the miraculous resources in the forest, this skill scans the area for plants within a quarter-mile radius of your hike zone and provides recipe suggestions based on available ingredients. There are over 50,000 tier 1-4 recipes as part of the skill, but dont get complacent: you must have created the general creation type previously and have used at least 25% of the key active ingredients (non-synergistic additives) for tier 1 recipes to trigger, 50% for tier 2, 75% for tier 3, and 90% for tier 4. So youll only gain benefit if you branch out, creating concoctions out of everything until every plant you see highlights recipe combinations, and never getting complacent with the low-hanging fruit. Note: This skill will link to your atlas and supporting books to recommend locations to create alchemic recipes. The more books you collect, the more powerful the skill becomes. Bonus: As a legacy reward, the Oracle is offering you the The Dronami Alchemic Codex 14: Areswood Forest (Rings 4-6) book. It provides dynamic highlighting for alchemic plants in orange. I read the description with a wide grin. Score. I bought it and immediately set to work, collecting alchemic herbs as they popped up and storing them in the surplus of preservation containers I got through trades and Felios equipment. Since there was a lot, I foraged indiscriminately, picking poisons, herbs, and perennials, preparing for alchemic madness when I got back to my home. And thats what I ended up doing. I returned to my alchemy workstation, which was now stocked with over a hundred chemicals, in addition to Felios dynamic heating arrays, glassware, and other supplies that I had on hand, giving me a Breaking Bad set to get that show on the road. And oh, did I make the most of it. I crafted like a mad scientist until Kline meowed at me, demanding his dinner. Okay, okay I said, breaking focus for the first time in almost a day. I exited the flap and found the lurvines waiting for dinner as well. Youre spoiledthe whole lot of ya, I declared. Then I proceeded to cook them lavish portions of meat because I was totally that woman. Then it resumed. I hit the alchemy station the next morning, working ceaselessly, creating a kaleidoscope of various medicines. Headache medicine. Tooth numbing remedies. Clarity boosters. It didnt matter what it was. If I had the ingredients and the recipe, I would make it, making the most of Felios equipment. It had dynamic glassware with arrays that automatically separated different liquids, had measuring lines, and adjustable heating pads. I didnt know what half the equipment did at first, but Lithco taught me as part of my skills. He was my full-time teacher and let me shoot the shit with him after hours. It was nice but it wouldnt last forever. I had less than five gallons of ethanol, a necessary ingredientby definitionfor elixirs. I also was lacking in terms of sugars for syrups. Time was running out. The obvious solution was to make somebut that was way easier said than done. It took about a thousand pounds of grapes to fill a cask of homemade wine. One. Thousand. Pounds. That was off the table. What I needed was grain. With a single bushel (fifty-six pounds for those in the know), I could create two gallons of ethanol. And since I could distill with Separation, I would only need to wait a week for the grains to ferment into alcohol to collect pure, sweet alcohol. But that left another problem: grains were harvested during the summer and fall. My only hope was to find tubers like potatoes that I could harvest in the late spring. Then Id need to plant grains if I was serious about living here and I was. So I kept going, making plans as I started concocting poisons, skillfully learning how to work with them and store them. And now I whispered, blotting a particularly nasty poison on a stick. It sizzled on contact, releasing a plume of acrid smoke. I immediately Separated the poison from the stick, then threw the latter out of the lab to save my precious tables. Then, I stared at the corrosive droplet of liquid hovering in the air. I wonder I flicked my fingers, and the rest of the poison in the vial came out, swirling in a green dance as I created a water sphere around it. I went outside, pulled out Nymbral, put the poison water sphere on the tip, and charged up a hurricane arrow. Then I decided against it, as I was right next to my home, so I used Separation to put the poison away. But I hadnt even gone inside when a burning desire to test it out took root, and I found myself hiking through the forest to give it a shot. Two miles in, I stopped before a towering tree. It was a football fields distance from me, but when I activated Moxle Dilation and Mental Shielding, my concentration and enhanced senses made it feel like it was right beside me. I pulled out Nymbral, popped the poison bottle, and charged up a hurricane arrow, adding the entire bottle of poison. Then I aimed at the treeand let the arrow fly. B2 | Chapter 104 - A Case for Colonization My corrosive poison arrow was devastating. It exploded on the tree, splashing at least fifty square feet before the arrow blew a hole through the trunk. The center and surroundings sizzled and smoked, peeling bark as if it were meltingturning the tree to mush. The nearby areas werent much better. The water created a poisonous mist on the rebound, and it soaked into the plants, withering flowers and ground cover and bushes. It turned the area yellow and smokey. I grinned. This isnt even fair Assuming it doesnt splash me, too. I shuddered, unzipping my backpack to place the poison bottle inside, but hesitated. I did a thorough check to make sure there was no poison left in the bottle before I stored it. If it breaks in there all my stuffs ruined I thought. And its sure as shits not going into my pocket I need unbreakable jars. Ill buy some next Harvest. Or just grab my stuff from the Bramble. But I didnt say that aloud. I returned home and established a springtime routine. I would thread as usual, then make breakfast and go on a foraging trip, picking up plants and returning to make elixirs and poisons until sunset, when I would return to my nightly routine. Weeks flew by like that, and I finally felt at peace. My life was everything I wanted when I came here, and so, so much more. I had a real home with real equipment, a way to contact my family and hobbies. I even had a train of fluffy animals to keep me company and the power to do whatever I wanted. It was my dream come true. But, like all dreams, I eventually had to wake up and face realities that I was avoiding. That day came when I returned home one day and found a certain fairy sitting on a branch above my tree house, drinking a tiny flask. Kyro! I cried cheerily. Gah Kyro groaned. Whyd you have to be happy? I was sent here to admonish you. I frowned. Admonish? The hell does that mean? What do you think it means? I know what it means. Im wondering why. You do know that Kline and I wiped out a legacy troop and eighty bad apples, right? Kyro unscrewed his flask and swigged it. Im aware. Then? I asked. Then Kyro whirled around his index, capturing every home in my little village. You decided to colonize? Dont be dramatic. I just want guests. Thats what the Jacksmores said. He took a drink. At least thats what Brindle said they said. Whatever, the Drokai believe thats what they said, and thats all that matters. I scoffed. Why cant you just let me live? Im policing the damn Harvest. And by next year, Ill be even stronger. Then stronger after that. Cant you just let me be? Nope. Kyro flew down and pinched my cheeks, then patted my stomach. Youve been eating good. I slowed time, using months of second stage Mental Shielding training and the nearan upgrade Brindle gave me. Kyro caught it as it was happening and flew away, but he was far slower. Despite that, I still couldnt catch him. He was like trying to swat a fly. Just how fast are you? I cried. Not as fast as I can think! Kyro said. This is getting unfair. You dont get grabbing privileges until we hit the Fifth Domain. My curses showing. I folded my arms. We? Yeah, we. Or did you forget your soul pact? Im your guide till the Sixth Ring. Yeah, but Im not traveling. Doesnt matter. I scrunched my nose and pointed at the homes. Im inviting Felio. Shes cute, friendly, harmlessa legacy. Shell be able to see you. Yeah. He pointed at them as well. Thats why theyre pissed, idiot. We stared at one another for almost a minute before I said, Soul pact. Yeah, soul pact, he agreed, unscrewing his flask. Problem solved. Thats it? I asked. Id wouldve said the same thing if I were lying. Kyro shrugged, taking a drink. My eyebrow twitched. In any case, its whatever, he said. Well figure it out. Until then, are you going to invite me in? Its nipply out here. He rubbed his arms. Im going on a hike, I said. Yeah, youre going on a hike, he said. But that doesnt mean that I have to suffer. He opened the pelt flap to my home and knocked on the ward. So? You gonna be gracious or what? My nose scrunched in, but I said, Fine, activating the key and pushing his tiny body into the house. Then I took a three-hour hike to clear my head, expecting my entire little village to be reduced to cinders when I arrived, but instead, I found Kyro lying drunkenly on my countertop, head shaded by a handle of liquor. Did you dismantle my ward? I cried. Couldnt get this in here if I didnt, Kyro said lazily. But I put it back. Youre unbelievable! But you love me. The fuck I do.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. You could shorten that sentence to, I do. He took a drink. Or if you insist on four words, Youre right, I do. I seethed, but I was indeed glad to see Kyro and grateful for the company, so I just unlaced my boots and used Separation to pull all the water and poison from my clothing. I created a ball and considered splashing Kyro with it, but I didnt want to be mean. Kyro was my friend. So I kept silent and cooked a pot of High Ev Stew (the name I gave to pure meat gruel I ate almost exclusively) and offered him a bowl, but he denied it, pulling out jerky from his backpack. Then I ate, wondering if hed eat if I made him a quality bowl. I made him one on the boat ride to the crypt, but I think it got lost, and I was too nervous to ask if he kept it, especially since it was a trashy whittled thimble made by an unskilled woman with big hands. But things had changed; I now had Kira to help me. What are your plans? Kyro asked. To pick plants for my patron god in Misty Row, I said. Ugh your god put you up to that? Yeah. Is that a bad thing? No its just a pain in the ass. Youll need to do some serious training. Thats all I can tell you. Whats the mystery? Dont want your friend listening in. My eyes widened, and my lips curved into a wry smile. Fair. Still sucks. It does, but Ill handle it. But first what the hells that thing in your chest? I grimaced. Its clear as day, Kyro said. Freakishly so. You look like Brindleand youre clearly not Brindle. Kira separated from my body, and Kyros jaw dropped. This was a legendary reward I got for developing the kyfer core, I said. Theres no way I could have a soul guardian like this otherwise. It was also hand delivered from the Dante, so its the easiest to explain. Kyros eyes trembled as he stared at Kira, who had misinterpreted the attention and started striking subtle poses. But it wasnt funny, and he wasnt amazed. His eyes glinted with horror and carved through my ribs on a second glance. What? I asked nervously. Mira Kyro said. His tone was unsharpened but frosty, icing my bones and capturing my full attention. Who gave that to you? I swallowed. Brindle. He cupped his hands and groaned like a fog horn. Were fucked. Were seriously fucked. Whats the problem? I asked. Whats the problem? Kyro laughed. Soulmancys illegal, so its not like people just have engineered souls lying around. That thing had to be registered somewhere. And if it wasnt, thatll spark a glaive investigation. Either way, peoplell be crawling here to investigate. Glaives? I asked nervously. Anti-soulmancer specialists, he said. Their kind doesnt take kindly to soulmancy. If they find out youre practicing, fanatics and officials alike will hunt you down. Brindles warning he gave me before I accepted his legacy played out in my mind. His introduction had the following note: The art of manipulating the souls and consciousness of living creatures is considered blasphemous by countless religions and organizations. Should people learn that you have accepted my legacy, you will be shunned by many societies in the Multiverse and hunted down by zealots. Thus, to accept my legacy, you must commit yourself to a life of power. I knew it was a problem, but I didnt think problems would arise so quickly. Thats why the Drokai planted all those soul plants this year, Kyro said. That way, there were natural explanations for your soulmancy. But this. He eyed Kira up and down and then shook his head. Get rid of it, he demanded. No. Yes, Kyro said. Unless you want a horde of specialists hunting you and your family down. I grimaced and looked away. Cant we just hide her? I can separate her up to a half mile, probably twice that if I keep eating third ev meat, I said. Also I transformed her into a field of flowers. Would that work? Kyro stared at the ground in wonder. What the helld he give you? he whispered. Then he looked away and started pacing. Yeah No, this is good. We can buy a few years this way at least maybe a decade if we make the right moves. And by then He studied Kira up and down. Yeah this might work. I got a bad feeling about what he was thinking, watching him reflect silently all night before submitting to my Mental Shielding training. I thought there would be time to discuss it the next day, but I was wrong. Kyro was gone in the morning. He left behind his bottle of spirits, so I imagined he would be back by sundown, but he wasnt. Nor was he there the next day. So, I did my best to ignore it and continue my routine of foraging and studying alchemy while I waited. I even tried out recipes from a book I got from families who traded me spices. It was written in another language, but the Guide translated it so I could read it. The food was strange and foreign but miles better than what I was eating. So, I made it a routine to forage for mushrooms, nuts, and early berries and use them with spices and meat for dinners. And before long, I was back to my routine until I had forgotten all about Kyro and the glaves and everything else, enjoying my springmaking the most of Alchemic Scrapper, which was now suggesting recipes like wildfire and taking me to strange locations to find cool stuff. It was great and then Kyro returned, bringing friends with him. They were ghostlike, the Drokai, suppressing their mana and aura by distributing both into a small cloud, then blending in with nearby soul plants. They even shaped it to mimic their location. I didnt even notice them until I returned and found a whole council of them sitting near my treehouse. Welcome, I said nervously. Can I make you some tea? 2. Nethralis and the guests took me up on my offer, so I ferried them into one of the extra homes, as Id rather die than show them how messy my room was, and made them tea on the heating array. I used the best tea I got from the trade, which was high class, and used tiny cup prototypes I was making with Kira, tiny utensils that were proportionally the size of tea cups. It surprised them. Forgive me for not having chairs, I said. Im not skilled enough yet. No, this is more than accommodating, Nethralis said. Im glad. Zyphrael clicked his tongue when I put a tiny cup in front of him. Then he sneered when Kyro downed his tea and filled the cup with liquor. The rest of the elder Drokais kept silent, watching me with distrustful eyes. I sat and glanced between them. Where would you like to begin? Ill start by explaining who these people are, Nethralis said. These Drokai make up Serenfloras Grand Council. They are here today to bear witness to the soul within you, and discuss your plans for the future. I nodded at them, trying to remain composed. Lets start with the soul. Kira, I whispered. Kira separated from my body, stunning the council members. She bowed to them, removing her blindfold to seem more human and amicable. This is Kira. Shes a soul guardian who previously served an eighth evolution god. Kyros eyes widened with the council members. I never told Kyro what she was, and her soul force matched an evolved soul core. It still surprised me that he didnt have a clue. Her power has reset, I clarified, but her potential is limitless. And this was a gift from Brindle? Nethralis asked over the sound of the councils stunned murmurs. It was a gift from the Oracle, but Brindle supplied the guardian. I believe he modified her because I can shape her at will. I shaped Kira into a patch of flowers. The larger she is, the dimmer she becomes under soul sight. However, there are limitations on how far she can stretch. So shes noticeable if she isnt masked, I said. I can also keep her at the better part of a mile away from me, and that distance seems to increase with my aura intake. Most importantly, she can act independently, making her capable of moving. It seems youve done your research, Nethralis said with a slight smile. As much as I could in a short period. My familys at stake here. Ill do what I can. Thats good to hear. I nodded and waited for her next words. If you dont mind, she said after a pause, I would like to hear your plans. Though, I would like to clarify that Kyro has already informed us that you wish to bring in guests and has made an argument for it. We have agreed provisionally, subject to certain conditions. So you neednt spend your time pandering to us needlessly. We simply wish to know what your plans are. Kiras eyes widened and she developed a hopeful smile, lips cracked. Interesting Nethralis said. I swallowed awkwardly, hoping she wouldnt realize that Kiras initial hostility didnt reflect my own. Um yes. I coughed. Kline and I eliminated an entire legacy family, save one, this year, along with eighty offenders of my laws. I plan to keep collecting tribute and policing them to the best of my abilities, though next year may prove dicey. In the meantime, I would like to invite family and alchemists to stay with me. I dont think humans evolved to be alone. The council members mumbled, and Nethralis nodded. Thats reasonable, but well go further. The Council will extend your rights to a full colony of permanent residents, subject to conditions. B2 | Chapter 105 - Negotiations I gripped my tea cup when Nethralis said there would be conditions. What are the conditions? I asked. First, you must show us Ecalas seed, Nethralis said calmly. Without going into detail, we will all accept your intentions as legitimate upon seeing it. One sec. I closed my eyes and activated my thought-shielding spell, earning a few pleasantly surprised smiles from some of the council members. Then, I got a notification that said: - Warning: Guide functionality will be suppressed for the next 24 hours if you continue your thought suppression spell. - I ignored it, then unzipped my backpack, pulling it out of a preservation chamber that contained the seed. As soon as they saw it, even the scowling fairies lightened up. Even Zephrael lightened up when he verified the seed was genuine. Thats enough, Nethralis said. We all know what this means, yes? They nodded. With this in mind, were offering you permanent residence for a full colony on two terms. First, the residents must make a soul pact that prevents them from speaking of us, and also prohibits them from harming the forest, Nethralis explained, subject to soulastic limitations. A group of the Drokai elders grumbled, but the others remained unfazed. Forgive my ignorance, but what does that mean? I asked. Unlike laws, soul pacts work upon intention. If I say we want your help to reinforce an area of the Bramble, and you do it, but later I claim that youre bound to reinforcing it forever, it wont be soulastically sound and the spell will warn the offending party instead. Oh thats cool. It is. In this case, signing a pact wouldnt prohibit you from seeking retribution if we or the forest turns on you. Soul pacts do not offer immunity to offending parties. Thats reasonable. And the second request?That everyone, including you, will sign a soul pact that prohibits you from taking any action where you will benefit from you or others conquering the forest unless you are soulastically provoked. I frowned. What if theres a justifiable reason to do so? Zephrael and the hardliners scoffed, but Nethralis put up her hand and pointed at the seed. Its a valid question. And it has the same answer. So long as theres a soulastically justified reason for you to conquer the forest that isnt for the sake of personal wealth, prestige, or ambition, I see no reason to deny you access. These provisions arent to deny you freedoms; on the contrary, its to create trust so you can expand your influence without our permission. I released my grip on the teacup, then gripped it again hesitantly. Why? What prompted this sudden change of heart? To encourage you to stay, Nethralis said. Even though I glanced at Kira. Nethralis glanced at her as well. Its because of her. See, soul cores are rare, even for Drokai elders. Your ability to hide your soulmancy will not last, and the glaves will come to investigate. Thats a certainty, whether you live or not. But since theyre coming, we will need strong allies, and this soul, in addition to your proven talent for soulmancy, proves you are up to the task. Therefore, we seek to improve our alliance, not through trade, but simply by letting you enjoy your life. Kyro said it was what you seek most of all. I glanced at Kyro, who shrugged and drank liquor from his tiny cup. Well hes right. And thats really all I want. And yet the only people thatll come here are the people who can benefit from the forests riches. Thats a logical fact. And the person I wish to invite, aside from my family, is named Felio Hellara. Shes an alchemist from one of the legacy families. The Drokais faces scrunched in. But shes not like them. She loves plants and horticulture and is very kind. Her guards adore her. Shes not like the legacies I killed last year. I really want them to stay a year, but their family would never agree to a soul pact that prevents one of their own from conquering the forest. I see Nethralis said. Just to clarify, you were the one who killed the Melhans with the freeters, correct? I was. Why? Because they threatened me and my family, I said. I could also tell they would be trouble, just like the other families. I wont claim to be a shrewd judge of character, but I will say that Felio is very different than the others. Nethralis turned to the others, who seemed pacified after my admission of killing the Melhans. Then she turned back. Then what would you propose? I will gladly require soul pacts to live here. As for spending a year here to visit, I think that a soul pact that prevents visitors from releasing any information or secrets that could be detrimental to me or the forest would suffice. The requirements would not only include keeping quiet about you, but all significant secrets. At the same time, it would encourage people to come, learn from me, pick plants and perhaps even stay. A soul pact is a soul pact, and that one would be more flexible and easier to enforce. Nethralis leaned back and communicated with the Drokai telepathically. Many were visibly unpleased. After a few minutes, she returned her gaze. Forgive us, but agreeing to let legaciesof all peoplelive with you seems like a contradiction to our mission. We are flexible, but we must have certain assurances. Hmmm I pondered it. Soul pacts are quite powerful. One of my rules would be that the person who joins cannot do so with the purpose of obtaining information to later harm me or conquer the forest. That would be a critical test to ascertain someones motives. Thats true, but its not enough. I looked downtrodden at the table. What about a contract? Ill help to police the Harvest, within reasonable expectations and my abilities, for nine years. In exchange, I can have that provision.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Nethralis narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. Why nine years? Because thats when my familys protection services run out. After that, Ill need to do whatever I can to protect them. They are my priority. Nine years Nethralis turned to the council members and then back. Please leave us to deliberate, and well reconvene in an hour or so. I nodded and left the room, leaving them to chat amongst themselves. An hour later, Kyro found me drinking tea at my table nervously, and said, Theyre ready. I nodded and returned to the room, standing before the council. We agree to your terms, subject to your promises, Nethralis said. As a sign of good will and honoring our investment, we will offer you teachers and elixirs to build your strength. Do you accept. I nodded quickly. I do. Then lets make the pact. We did, and within an hour, I stood before a council of clapping fairies. Kyro then sacrificed two full glasses of brandy to get me tipsy in celebration. It was a fun night, mostly with me getting to know the friendly Drokais and winning over the skeptics, and it ended with an unexpected twist. Just as I was leaving, I found Zyphrael sitting on a rock outside my house. We stared at each other, waiting for the other to speak, but neither of us did, so I said, Good night," and opened the flap of my home, but he said, Wait, so I paused. What is it? Just five months ago, you told us you had no plans to be a guardianand you meant it. Now, youre claiming that youre planning to police the Harvest for nine years? Thats a big shift for a couple months. It is, I said. What changed your mind? I scoffed and turned to my door. You guys left me alone. Good night, Zephrael. I opened the flap, and Kline strutted past the fairy with a smug expression, jumping into the tree. Then, I followed him, shutting the flap and preparing for my Mental Shielding training. It would be interesting while I was tipsy. 2. The next morning, after a long breakfast and early afternoon conversation, Nethralis asked to go on a hike with mealone, to Zyphraels dismayto discuss my training regiment. After an hour of idle chatter, she finally asked, What type of magic teacher are you looking for? Im not sure I answered. Ive have powerful skill options, but the moment I choose an area, Im stuck with it for life. Ive been crying about it all winter. Can I ask what they are? she asked. They can be anything, but I stopped under the shade of a tree, sitting on a rock while opening The Guide, which had only recently unlocked from my thought-suppression penalty. Ive narrowed down the two that appeal to me. Interesting Nethralis fluttered to a tree and sat on a large knot, crossing her leg elegantly as if it werent the cutest thing I had ever seen. Then I returned to my options, then I winced and read. The first skills name is Tears of the Fallen. The description reads: By virtue of your grim fascination with Hadrians Icicle Dance and your sudden, violent shift to a life of bloodshed, the Oracle has offered you one of its demigod grand arsenals. Tears of the Fallena skill that extracts blood from your enemies and uses it to create blades to kill them. It not only gives you a flashy arsenal of grim visuals, but its also practical. The spell extracts mana and aura from your enemys blood, so the only cost is your ability to control blades with telekinesis. Its supremely powerful, but the limitations are obvious, namely that you must wound your enemy to use it, and the number and size of the blades are contingent upon how much they bleed. That said, blood is the ultimate conduit of spiritual energies. You can sharpen even the smallest blades with aura and mana, and by mixing your neara or a soul into the blood, you can give blood a mind of its own. The potential blending with soulmancy would be fascinating. Just be warned: blood manipulation, like soulmancy, is a primary area of study. Its recommended that you only choose one other primary magic. Otherwise, you risk failure for all paths. I looked up and saw Nethraliss eyes staring at me blankly, mouth agape, lost in realms of empty thoughts. Is that bad? I asked. Obviously not, she said sharply. We wouldnt have anyone to train you, but such a skill I wouldnt announce it. I gulped. Whats the other? she pressed. Oh right. The other ones called Dreamscape, also a demigod spell. Its an illusion magic that utilizes my soulmancy to simulate real entities Ill just read it. It says: In a truly bizarre turn of events, you have suddenly and unequivocally gained the ability to create physical manifestations with your spirit aura using your spirit guardian as a conduit, I summoned Kira and turned her into a majestic eight-point elk and pet it, and you seem to enjoy it. This opens you up to the path of a spiritual illusionist, a person who can bring wide-scale illusions to life with ethereal forms and nearan independence, giving them dominion to act independently on a battlefield as a physical object. As a soulmancer, youre not limited to mental cloning. You can fill the world with aura and neara, making it truly indistinguishable from the real world. It will also teach you how to capture your changes in arrays, sigils, and enchantments, allowing you to create the worldscapes that drive the Oracle crazy. Naturally, this is an advanced skill set that requires extensive practice and surreal levels of mana and soul force, but with your knack for traps and ambushes and Klines One Beast Army, which works in a very similar way, you can become an unstoppable team that can survive even the bleakest situations with guile, tactics, and raw force. I expected a similar reaction to this spell, but I got a different one entirely. Nethraliss eyes were sharp and determined. Whats One Beast Army? she asked. I I looked at Kline, who was slinking off into the woods. Kline. Thiss serious. He turned back sheepishly, then smiled creepily. What? I asked. Suddenly, Klines body split into three, and they circled the tree, each crunching twigs under their feet. Nethralis stumbled off the knot she was sitting on and touched them, examining them carefully. Ethereals how? she whispered. Are you a soulmancer, too? Kline rolled his eyes. Ill check, I said, opening the One Beast Army spell and reading. In a striking reversal, by reading this spells description, youve proven you dont have the imagination necessary to My eyebrow twitched, and I skimmed forward. One Beast Army allows Kline to create an army of ethereal clones, breaking up his power to fight as a mass. The skill injects copies of his nearan pathways into each clone, allowing each to work independently. The more resources Kline gives to each, the closer they will be to his original strength, making it flexible in intense battles with powerful enemies and wiping out large armies of weak foes. It truly is one of the most devastating available skills used by gods. I looked at Kline, who had created a fifth clone to show off the potential. His face expressed exhaustion, and I knew it was just a matter of time before he gave out. Youre literally going to be an army I whispered. Kline puffed out his chest with pride. Choose that one, Nethralis said. Dreamscape. Huh? I said. But Her decisiveness caught me off guard. Dreamscape was the cool spell, but I felt like Tears of the Fallen had a far more brutal impact and practical value. Hearing it dismissed outright was jarring. Mira. The Drokai have existed a hundred thousand years without being caught because we are masters of such illusions. Not only do they have immense usefulness in protecting your secrets, but they also have immense battle capacities. With a large enough illusion, you can single-handedly change the course of battles. And with Klines skill, you will effectively become an army. If you go this route, we can teach you. It will also be vital for passing through Misty Row, she added in my thoughts. I activated thought suppression immediately. What does that mean? I replied with my thoughts. Brindle created misty Row upon his exit from the Fourth Ring, she said. Its a maze of fact and fiction, built upon illusions and traps of nearan origins. If you want to survive Misty Row, understanding illusions is a critical aspect. Wow I considered her admission and the spells. After some reflection, I asked, Cant I just learn both? You can teach me, right? Youre stretched thin as is. Splitting your time further would result in failure. I swallowed hard. Im just not sure simply because some people are just good at things and others arent. Anyone can learn anything, but some people have to work twice as hard to achieve the same results. I would rather have something that I can do twice as well with the same amount of work. You know? I understand, she said. But you still must learn it if you want to reach Aelium. Thats where Escala wants you to take her seed, yes? My eyes widened. How? You said she gave you the seed to clear your name, yes? Aelium is the place to do that. I see Well cant I try it out? See if I just want to bargain for the cliff notes? Thats respectable. Ill send an illusion master and an alchemist to train you by weeks end. You can decide then. She smiled and turned toward camp. Come, lets head back. I agreed, and we returned, eating lunch and chatting one last time before they announced their departure. I said my goodbyes and saw them off, then took the rest of the day off to relax. On second thought I muttered. Maybe I shouldnt bring people here. Its exhausting Despite saying that, I enjoyed having people to talk to, and I was already counting down the days until my teachers arrived. B2 - Chapter 106 - Trant and Reta Nethraliss teachers arrived with Kyro in the mid-spring, when mushrooms were peeking their heads out behind logs. I thought I would hate the influx of people, but I turned out to be wrong about it. Kyro slunk into one of my homes and spent his mornings and afternoons day drinking, and I got along with the two teachers Nethralis sent just fine. The first was Trant, the alchemist. He had about six centuries of horticulture experience and a knack for going on tangents about even the smallest little thing. He would flutter through the forest saying things like: These are genna. You can identify them by the trileaf pattern and the blue vein on the leaves. Theyre pretty common around these parts, and theyre easily confused with reshata once the petals drop. Completely different plants. You can tell by the vein, thats key. And then I would say, Great. So whats it used for? Its not marked as an alchemic plant. And hed finish by saying, Oh, thats because its not. Its completely useless. Utterly useless. Absolutely useless in every way. Ive dissolved it, ground it, tested it, and even tried to enhance poison with it, but its just one of those plants that exists just to exist. Waste of a solid year of my life. Here, now thiss a plant thats not worthless. Then, hed proceed to outline a plant that was technically not useless but was damn close, passionately rattling off factoids about it. We got along just fine. Reta was a completely different person. I liked her, I really did, but she was one of those teachers who insisted that I watch long before I got startedif I started. Illusion magic isnt for people who cant dream, she had said. And you refuse to sleep. I was convinced she was lying to justify her habits. Reta had a voluntary case of narcolepsy, and Id find her sleeping in the morning, afternoon, and evening, only wide awake at midnight when shed bang around the house without concern for my Mental Shielding practice. It was hectic. I really wished that she wouldve just let me give her a home, like Kyro and Trant, but she insisted she stay so she could sleep on my chest, an experience she described as heaven. I wasnt a fan, but I got used to it. It was sort of cute. I just wished she would have been as enthusiastic about teaching. While I worked with Trant daily, soaking in information on plants and alchemy like a sponge, she would ask me seemingly random questions like, What do you see right there? and when I told her, she would say, Now look closer. Then Id do it again, and shed answer, Oh and go back to sleep. Other times, she would talk like a demented philosopher. Why do you accept those plants to be real? she would ask. Because they show up in soul sight, mana sight, and smell like plants, Id say. Did you check any of those things recently? shed ask. Then Id get excited and activate all of them and find that the plant was actually real. The sun rose and fell many times as she promoted this philosophical, descriptive-heavy questioning that never came with commentary, hints, or teaching. I kept expecting her to release an illusion, but they never came. She just slept or stared aimlessly into the woods, saying, Thats enough for today. Go train with Kira. Practice is best done alone. I wanted to snap, but I really did need time to train with Kira. So, I went into the woods and fused with her body, practicing with my wings, bow, and machete and movements, but it still bothered me that I was losing out on an epic spell training, and one day, I just snapped. Are you ever going to teach me anything? I asked one day. Weve come here every day for a month, and you havent even shown me a single illusion. Thats because you havent questioned the nature of reality, she said. You should really sleep. Your Mental Shielding training is holding you back. Whats the point of dreaming? I asked. I dreamt my whole life and it obviously didnt help me. Thats because you werent trying to learn. The purpose of dreaming isnt to make you more creative; its to teach you how far you can push reality before you realize something is wrong. I rolled my eyes. My sleeping brainll believe anything. I once had a dream that I was handing out dogs to homeless people in a soup line. Felt totally normal to sleeping me. The second I woke up, I instantly realized how crazy it was. Hmmm Reta said. So youre saying that handing out dogs in a soup line was completely unbelievable. Yeah, obviously. And youre saying that your waking mind can accurately ascertain that something is a dream by the absurdity of it? I narrowed my eyes, feeling anxiety bubble up in my guts despite Reta retaining her same sleepy expression. Yeah mostly. If its absurd enough. Hmmm She looked into the sky and sighed. Youre gonna wanna step back. Huh? I said move, idiot. A bird suddenly let out a piercing screech, and when I turned, I saw it diving at us. Reta pushed me back as it hit the ground, kicking up dust as Reta threw up a barrier.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I gasped and pulled out my blade, but things took a turn for the strange. The bird landed and became a goat that charged at a tree, leaving thundering strikes on the ground as it galloped forward. And through Retas barrier, I watched it ram into a tree. The wood cracked and splintered, groaning as it hit free fall, hitting dozens of nearby branches as it plummeted to the ground. It hit with a terrifying boom, but instead of shooting wood shrapnel everywhere, the tree burst into a cloud of pink flower petals that danced around in a cyclone. I pushed myself up and stared blankly into that tornado of petals, realizing it was an illusion. But as soon as I thought that, a dryad that looked identical to Escala formed out of petals. And right then, noting the wondrous powers of magic, I was convinced that what I was seeing could actually be real. I didnt believe it, but I wouldve approached the situation as if it were, and Id later learn that those were one and the same when the topic was battle. Reta snapped her fingers, and it all disappeared. I turned my head to the left with choppy motions and saw the grand tree was still there. You knew an illusion was coming, Reta said. And then you watched a bird turn into a ground beast that hit a tree that exploded in a plume of flowers. That was she yawned, absurd right? I tried to answer, but words escaped me, leaving me stranded and confused. Beast, human, Drokaiit doesnt matter, Reta said, rubbing her scratchy red eyes. The brain has an unlimited capacity to view deceptions as reality. The question is why, and dreams are the best teacher on the subject. Thats enough for today. My eyes were wide open, my ribs were rattlingmy heart was leaping out of my chest. The thought of casually leaving before an explanation was out of the question. Reta. You cant just leave after that! I already told youI cant teach you this. I can teach you the technical aspects. That you find it believable because everything has cause and effect. You see the hooves hit the ground and you hear each one, with sounds that appear plausible, with lighting that feels natural. And you feel it Reta swooped down and put her hand on a rock. Suddenly, the ground vibrated under my feet, creating thunderous patterns like hooves. And when you see, hear, feel, and smell things, its hard to deny theyre real, Reta said. But it''s more than that. Try she yawned again, to think of what wouldnt have worked with your senses alone, and then figure out why it worked anyway. Until you can tell me that, youll never convince people of anything. Reta fluttered off, leaving me frustrated, confused, and reeling. I didnt figure out why it worked. Not one bit. It was all too unbelievable yet strangely believable, and it all happened in seconds. It would take a while, and that hit hardest of all. That night, Reta asked, How was your hike? as she crashed her face into my chest. Terrible, I said. Now get up, I still have training, you dirty fairy. Just a few minutes. I grabbed her body like a doll to peel her off, but she clung to my shirt, stretching it until I could see down it. Girl, I swear to God Ill sling you across this room, I warned. Reta groaned and let go, accepting her fate as she crashed onto the bed. I fixed my shirt and got up as Kline pawed at the poor woman like a ball of yarn, something she strangely accepted despite Kline being the relative equivalent of a colossal tiger to her size-wise. Then she was out, and I was left brooding. I thought that Mental Shielding training would help, so I gladly suffered through an endless barrage of sounds, tastes, and sensations, but I found that I still couldnt get the confusion out of my mind. And when the barrage ended, and my meditative trance began, I realized that I didnt dream and decided to give it a shot. I ended the spell, peeled Reta off the bed and hugged her to my chest, and went to sleep. That night, I had violent dreams about war. The things I saw in Real and Salans memories; the things I read in the Jacksmore histories. It was vivid to the point I lived it, feeling the sights and trauma and pain. Then I woke up, gasping for breath as I came to in the real world, clutching for bearings as I sat up from my sleeping bag, drenched in cold sweats. Maybe you shouldnt dream after all, Reta said from the other side of the room. She was on my table, using a cloth-covered dinner plate like a futon. At least until you work that thing out. Theres nothing more cruel and unusual than a grieving imagination. First you deny me training, now you tell me to give up I seethed. Impassioned by my dream and slightly unstable, I turned to her like a rabid animal. You shouldve just told me you wouldnt teach me before wasting my spring on this nonsense. Theres five months till the Melhan attempt retribution, and I need to spend one of them harvesting. Reta sighed. I understand your frustration, but its meaningless. Youre facing elites, not normal foes. And when you face people with skill, spells without foundations are worse than nothing. Thats bullshit! I yelled. I was outnumbered five to one against elites, and I won thanks to spells I learned in four months. Reta made eye contact and said, Traps and guile are only useful when you have time to implement them, opponents arent expecting them, or you have enough skill to make knowledge of them irrelevant. Right now you still cant explain why my illusion affected youyet you want to use it? Tell me Reta split her body in two, but one of the illusions was obvious. It wasnt flying correctly, and its face was slightly off. She might as well have been made from CGI. Do you believe this illusion? I shook my head. What about this illusion? She created Kyro. He looked and sounded absolutely identical, but when he lay on my bed, it didnt ruffle my sleeping bag. No I said. What about now? Kline jumped through the flap like a golden retriever, bright-eyed and happy, weaving between my feet. His personality was so different; it was obvious he wasnt real, despite him looking and sounding like Kline. No I admitted. See? Reta asked. Technical skills arent enough. You must study, research, examine, understand? Then why are we learning this now? Im going to die this summer if I dont have training. Then train elsewhere. I stomped out of my home and forced my way into Kyros. When I opened the flap, he shielded his eyes and groaned. He looked like a castaway, with a beard and a bottle of spirits, punch drunk on the floor. This better be good, he said, rolling over. Train me, I demanded. No. Why not? You have two teachers. I have one. That sounds like a you problem. Kyro. If you want to live here, you need to earn your keep. Kyro turned to me with malice in his eyes. Okay. Ill train you. But if this is how youre gonna go about this, I wont hold back. So you best temper up. Otherwise, youre bound to lose a limb. I took a hesitant step back when I saw his serious gaze and put my back against the wall, bunching my arms together. Whats tempering? I asked. Ask Trant. I think he was already working on it. Until then, Im going back to sleep. Push the issue, and well start immediately. Kyro was hungover, and I was pissed. This wasnt a good combination, so I said bye and met Trant in the forest and asked him to temper my body. He said, Todays a great day. Theres no reason to destroy it with tempering. So enjoy it. Well temper tomorrow. I was impatient, so I huffed and sat on a log, watching the little fairy dance around the forest, picking things and rattling off factoids. And before long, I was roaming around with him, discovering, foraging, and loving everything I came across. I loved Trant. Until the next day. It started after threading. I stretched in the brisk morning air, reveling in the smell of fungi and earthy leaves. Then I turned to Kline. You going off to train? I asked. He sauntered off into the woods without even looking at me. Fine, dont say bye, I grumbled, entering my alchemy station. Trant wasnt there, so I went to check for activity at his house, and as I moved, I heard sounds from the bathhouse. I opened the flap and found Trant carving something into my baths floor with my knife. Chapter 107 - Body Tempering Leaving your initials? I asked. Hate to break it to you, but this is my bath. If you leave your mark, Ill just buff it out. No, no, Trant said. Of course not. I havent carved my name in something since He chuckled slightly, evilly almost, and then said, No, this isnt my initials. You cant just laugh like that and not say anything. Of course I can. Come see. I walked into the room and found an array carved onto the floor. It had an almost perfect circle carved in despite not using tools. It had three layers and had the most complex array of runes I had ever seen. What is this? I asked. Its an adaptive temperature array, he said. When the body goes through tempering, it experiences fluctuations in heat. This automatically adapts. I remember this one pupil tried tempering a hellspike in one go; it flash boiled the water. Youd think this wouldnt keep up, but it did. Froze it in an instant, but the hellspikes a hellspike, so the ice exploded. Blinded the idiot for a week. He was in debt for years. Whats a hellspike? I asked. Its a weed that releases heat when it touches water. Infinitely useful. Sprinkle a bit on snow, and youll heat up in a blizzard. Have an enemy? Blind em and their eyesll boil. Need some information? Threaten em with a welder. Truly remarkable. Infinite indeed. And someone casually tempered it? What does that mean? One moment. Trant put his tiny hands on the array and activated it. It glowed with golden light, but not completely. He clicked his tongue and fluttered to a roughly carved section. Kira, I whispered. Help Trant. Kira materialized and quietly peeled the fairy off the floor and then used her free hand to carve the array with precision magic like a laser cutter. Now that is nifty, Trant chuckled in amazement. Squeezing her fingers in the name of science. Trant wiggled out of Kiras grip once she finished, then enchanted the circle. It worked like a charm. Thank~you. He bowed to Kira, then grabbed a bucket of strange liquid from the corner. He used Separation to pull a white paste out of the bucket and then slathered it into the tub, applying it evenly as Kira helped him without prompting. Yeah I said. So anyway, back to what we were talking about. Whats tempering? Oh, tempering. Yes. If elixirs build the inner body, tempering builds the exterior by applying a magic coating. Its like this paste You have some strong wood here, but what happens when its exposed to hot water? It warps. Rots. Molds. So what do you do? You strengthen it. Put protective coatings on it. Enchant it. Thats what tempering is. That seemed slightly confusing, but it was nothing compared to the English language, where mixing, baking, frosting, glazing, and decorating were all collectively called baking. Makes sense I said. So he was boiling his body to become heat resistance? He paused. No, forgive me. Tempering is broken into two parts: glossing and activating. He was glossing grosha root, which works like this array. When heat reaches it, it releases magic to cool itself. To make a gloss permanent, you have activate it, otherwise the bodyll just shed it. And he activated it by boiling the water? Yes. Guts of iron, that one. Became one hell of a heat shield during the last war. He was celebrated for it, actually. I chuckled sardonically. So he won on out in the end, huh? Oh, no. Hes dead. Survived the war, but not long after. People like that either die young or live forever. Never know these days. I frowned deeply and swallowed hard. What about me? Am I boiling alive today? No youre in for something different, Trant said, tone darkening. Right now, youre one impact away from instant death. I immediately thought back to fighting against the Melhans. So what we need to do is temper your body to survive a serious impact, then train that acceleration technique of yours to surpass the elders. And well be doing this in two parts. The temper today is quite remarkable. It automatically becomes stronger than steel when an attack has a certain velocity. Once your done, your skinll be able to bend a sword. After that, well improve your bones. Now come, lets make some tempers. Trant led me to the alchemy station once the bath was drying then started to teach me the ropes. Tempersglosseswere just like any other alchemic creation. They could be made into creams, elixirs, tinctures, mixes, or any other type of base, but most were dried and dusted and mixed, prepared to put into a bath to coat the persons skin. So, the process was almost insultingly uncomplicated, but I still got alchemic creation advancements for making them. It was ideal. What exactly am I making? I asked as I dried and crushed plants.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Im not sure what youd call it, but we call it sheal skin, which is the word for enchanted metals and skin. Obviously. Theres different strengths you can get. So we use grades of metal and enchantments for the names. But you can just call it metal skin. Its a necessary temper for dealing with wind blades and lances. One of my pupils came in and told me that his eyelid blocked a wind blade. Lost sight in the other eye when he didnt blink fast enough, but one of them was saved. Good batch. Im not sure what to say about that I said. But it sounds powerful How do you make it? This, Trant said, lifting a jar with an ominous black vine inside, is called reever weed. Its famous for peeling a persons skin off. Excuse me what? I asked sharply. And these, he said absentmindedly, lifting a jar of golden leaves that had a slick shine that glimmered when the sun hit them right, these are ilain leaves. They fuse mana in your skin, creating a second layer. Combined with consistent healing, youre creating a magical layer thats very strong and heals very fast. Hold up, lets go back, I demanded. Why? he asked. I think you understood me right? It peels off skin. Is there something confusing about that? No, no. Theres no way. That means you simply dont like the prospect, but if thats the case, you should be looking at these leaves because theyre your salvation. I mean no one wants to walk around without skin, right? he asked, laughing twice awkwardly. Then he caught a glimpse of my stern face and turned away sheepishly. Right the reevers the activator. Its whatll activate the ilain and give you magical skin that can survive steel and heal rapidly. Its the most powerful temper we have. I I opened up my mouth without words, then said, I appreciate that, but its not going to heal immediately right? Oh, no, no. You wont lose your skin for any amount of the time. Because well use these He opened a bag, and I looked at the herbs inside in shock. Wait these are the plants that healed Halten. Youve seen them? Good-good. Then Im sure you dont need an explanation. This peels the skin, this covers your muscles with strengthened artificial skin, and this heals your real skin. And since well create a wrap, all of them will work continuously. So while youre technically losing your skin, its always healing in real time. Its not that bad. I once knew a guy who drank this You can stop, I said. Just lets get this over with. He nodded and helped me mix a waterproofer. Once we finished, we created a disgusting-looking clear slather that looked like shredded frog slime. I filled the water in my new bath, mixed in the temper and activator, dunked my whole body, including my head, since it only attacked skin, and lathered my entire body in the healing herbs while Trant slathered me up with a waterproofing agent. And let me tell ya. From a rational perspective, Trant was either lying about it not being that bad, or he was an absolute psychopath, and I can say for certain that he was both. The next twelve hours were the worst yet, and there were a lot of worst moments. In fact, Im not sure anything has challenged what I experienced that night, and Ive experienced some horrifying things over the years. Its so bad Ill let your imagination take over, but Ill say two things: I never fully trusted anyone again, and you bet your sweet ass that I studied everything that he gave me after. You shouldve warned me, I said. I wouldve handled it. Trant smiled bitterly, and I have to admit, I found his argument very persuasive. Im sorry, Mira, but I did the best I could. I told you what it did; that much was honest. But had I gone into detail, you wouldve spent the whole time feeling like youd permanently lose your skin, and youd go into a panic attack. And thats dangers. Ive watched pupils die because they hyperventilated and passed out in the water, all because they get all sorts of grim visuals in their head. He spun his finger around his temple. Down playing it makes people focus on the pain, not the potential. Trust me. Ive been leading this for centuries. Its the only way. His eyes were sad and pained, and that made me feel guilty, so I got dressed and changed the subject. So what does this do? I asked. It better be worth it. Try to cut yourself, Trant said. I was hesitant, but I was determined to see if it was worth it. So I grabbed my machete and nervously tried to cut the back of my forearm without mana sharpening. The instant the edge touched my skin, the skin came alive, snapping into a sheet of metal. I pressed down and it didnt even leave a red line on the skin. In a delirious, dreamlike state, I pushed harder and harder until I grabbed a table for better leverage, preparing to saw it. Hold it! Trant cried. Thats gonna break at some point, and your muscles arent as strong as your skin! You need a whole lot of tempers before you attempt that! I snapped out of my trance and smiled crazily, chuckling when I realized what I was doing. It was just so damn captivating! Well, at least we know it works, Trant chuckled nervously. Now let''s get you a tempering calendar. You can pick the tempers, and I expect you to research them. Planned on it I whispered. What about Kline? I turned into the woods, where he was watching us. Trant turned to my invisible warrior as well, as if he were clear as day. Oh, hell be whining about it. So well get him scheduled. But for now, go foraging. Mushroom huntings best at twilight in these parts. 3. Tempering was the most brutal form of power building, but it was also the most fulfilling. In just a few weeks, I was able to grab sticks out of the fire with my bare hands and withstand the equivalent of a nine-millimeter bullet. Even Klines fur wouldnt burst into flames when he lay in the fire to show off. It was quite the spectacle. Kyro and Reta came out to watch Trant test my body with spells and blades, with the former drinking between spells like a redneck watching Nascar. It was annoying, but the way he expressed surprise when I tanked a dozen hits at a time was sort of satisfying. It was good to be appreciated. Trant didnt like it so much. He kept saying, Your soul force is so abnormal for your stage. Im not sure if this is working, but Im afraid to take it too far. You might explode like a ripe vegetable if I push it. That statement filled me with dread, but at some point, Trant said, Well, thank the dryads youre sturdy up here, he said, tapping his temple, Cause if we cant test, its best just to make you indestructible. I liked the way that soundedand really appreciated Trant and his teachings. Then, I appreciated him more once I started training with Kyro. So? Kyro said when I walked in one day. You think youre hot shit now? I think Im desperate, I said. Well cant argue with that. Kyro took a drink and fluttered out of the dark room without cutting his stubble off, braving the sunlight with only his hands for shields. I was concerned by how far in the woods he took me, but I embraced it, steeling my resolve until I could handle the fear of the battle once we got to a rocky meadow. You sure you want to do this? I asked. Dont have a choice, I said. Trant pumped my organs with vira leaf. So if you dont rattle my organs, Ill just have to let you beat my ass later. Oof. Kyro ran his fingers through his hair. Im disgruntled, but Im not that disgruntled. Come on. You need to Kyro disappeared, and then I felt a cannonball hit my stomach, sending me flying into a tree. I hit the bark with an intense impact, shattering the wood as nuts and sticks fell on my head. I coughed out blood and felt my vision blurring. Chapter 108 - Stories Kyro groaned after he hit me, taking a sip from his flask as I bled out internally. Then he pulled out a tiny bottle from a bag on his back, pushed me over, unzipped my backpack, pulled out my water bottle, squirted some of the liquid into it, then forced it down my throat. It was like the Illyndra elixir. The feeling numbed my entire digestive system, and my stomach repaired itself while I could feel it. It was a disgusting experience that made me puke once I was finished. Note to self, Kyro said. Bodys strong, but organs are weak as hell. What a pain. I coughed. You couldve warned me! That skin of yours automatically hardens if threatened, Kyro said. And your guardian acts independently. Catching you off guard was the only way. Otherwise, I wouldnt. Trust me, I dont get off on abusing little girls. Are you trying to piss me off? No. He took another drink. A dull throb of a headache made waves through my mind, and I pushed myself up. Did that count? Or did the water nullify it? Oh, it doesnt matter how you heal most of the time. Only matters if its tempering your healing system. So we can do this all day. And its gonna help? Yeah. Then hit me. Again? Yeah. This soon? Yeah. But Im fighting back. Kyro sighed and clutched his head as if he were hung over. Then said, Well I guest theres no way around it. Drop Kira and well get started. I released Kira without complaints and told her to back off. Then, the training began. Continuous skin peeling was the worst thing I had experienced, but that was the next worst. Even slowing down the world to a crawl, I could barely see him hit me, and with each blow, he ruptured my organs, treating my ribs and abs like a xylophone. The only organ he spared in our mock battles was my heart. But when Trant arrived to check in on us, Kyro then ruptured it because he knew Trant could heal me. That was the most terrifying experience of my life. It was awful. But. What a trip. Even in a single afternoon, his hits did less damage to my organs. By the end of the day, I could almost handle a full hit. Or so I thought. The next day, after shedding all the excess vira leaf tea in ways that I wont explain, I drank more and went to training, only to learn he was holding back. My organs exploded all over again, and he didnt hold back on anything but my brain. I thought I was going to die, butas was the case the day beforemy organs got stronger until I remembered how excited I was about the progress Till the next day when I found out he was still holding back. This happened for five days straight, but at the end of it, Trant and Reta watched Kyro send me flying so hard that I broke through a tree, and I didnt cough out blood. It just felt like a normal impact, like the aftermath of a cartoon impact where the wall craters, but the superhero gets up just fine after some wheezing. It was surreal. Got some renlock? Kyro asked Trant as I was brushing myself off. Shes not ready, Trant answered. Her cores are really something, but they can only do so much. Id wait a couple years. Dont want her body to explode. You got some? Kyro asked Reta after getting rejected. Shes not ready, Reta said. She is ready, Kyro said. This girl can handle just about anything. That might be so, but I dont have it, Trant said. Our leaders benevolent like that. Kyro took a swig. Indeed she is. Can you stop talking about me when Im right here? I asked. Nope, Kyro said. Unfortunately not, Trant said. I huffed and half-sat, half-leaned against a boulder. So? What now? Now, well enhance your mind, Trant said. And Ill continue beating your guts in. Kyro gulped down liquor. Till you can keep up.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Great I groaned. That week, Trant pulled out a ton of elixirs, and we set to work. Or, rather, he created elixirs. They were beyond my skill level, but he still taught me what he was doing, and it was very informative. Then, I drank them in the morning before practice and found that they werent pleasant. Some felt like I imagined meth would feel like, driving my brain into overdrive as I overanalyzed Kyros movements. I could follow his movements very well under Moxle Dilation, but my mind couldnt process the information and would just freeze up as I watched him hit me. The next day, I would take the opposite, drinking down an elixir that allowed me to think and analyze a battle with absolute clarity, but I couldnt see his punches, even after pressing my acceleration spell. It felt like a violent yo-yo, shooting up and down without ever finding a middle ground. But somehow, through the laws of entropy, muscle memory, and adaptive learning, I was able to capture his movements a little, or at least see him ball up aura before hitting me. How did you get this fast? I asked after a particularly devastating attack. I almost caught you the other day! You almost caught me moving normally, Kyro said. You dont think youre the only one with an acceleration technique, do you? Thats just how fast you really are? What happened to being suppressed? I am suppressed, Kyro said. Youre just slow. Now you ready? I could tell he was hiding something, but I didnt push it. So we continued to play this song and dance, boosting my mindtraining it. Since I never dreamt, Reta never taught me anything during that period, and I accepted that. I needed her extra time to train with Kiramy secret weapon. I couldnt use her during the Harvest, but I figured I would need her in Misty Row. So I focused on that, fusing with her body and practicing drills with her so that I could counter Kyro with my full strength. I would practice Dreamscape or Tears of the Fallen next winter when I could focus on it. Right then, I needed power, so I just wrote her off. And perhaps out of spite or because I learned some lesson I wasnt aware of, she actually decided to teach me something one day. It came out of the blue. Reta suggested a hike, so I took her up on it, but she spent the whole time sleeping on my shoulder. But on the way back, she woke and gave me the most impactful lesson of my life. It came when the symphony bugs reached their crescendo around six p.m., their most active time of activity during the springtime. Reta rubbed her eyes and sat up as if in a trance, waving her head back and forth. Tell me, Mira, she said sleepily. When you hear the dreena, what do you imagine? You mean these bugs? I asked. Yes. Musicians, I said. Yes musicians She lifted her hands like a conductor, and an ensemble of Drokai with strange stringed instruments appeared all around us, playing the melody I was hearing. It matched perfectly. In Drokna, we have this saying: Gaelea iasa, skela trask ah. Those told the truth lie to themselves. It means that people hear what they want to hear, and look away from the things that they dont want to see. And its the job of an illusionist to make them hear what they want to hear, and turn away from the things they dont. Suddenly, wolves howled in the distance. I immediately shot into action, activating Wood Wide Web, and saw nothing there. I sighed a breath of relief but then heard a bug near my foot. I looked down to pull my foot away, and when I did, I found a plant highlighted neon purple under the ground cover. Ah! I screamed, stumbling back and hitting the ground. I scrambled up and looked into the ground cover and found the plant missing. What? See? Reta said with a protracted yawn. Youve lied to yourself, convincing yourself that no one can see this highlighting but you. Why? Because if you didnt, you would have to question not only your surroundings but also your tools of survival. You wouldnt be able to function. So you lie and lie and lie, and the moment that someone challenges that, you fall victim to it. But I muttered in a daze, lost and confused. How? Can you actually see the highlighting? Of course not, Reta said. Then howd you know what color to highlight it? It was perfect. Was it? Covered in ground cover, peeking out, shaded by shadows. Was it perfect? I searched for a retort but found none. It wasnt perfect, but it was close enough, Reta said. Part of that was the story I told you. I stopped us, spiked your blood to distract you, then startled you with a bug, making you see a very poisonous plant that was hiding in a plausible location. You wouldve had that reaction no matter what, as youre conditioned to fear purple plants, even if theyre not highlighted. I took a sharp breath, speechless. But I know what your highlighting looks like she waved her hand, and the entire forest turned into a sea of purples that looked eerily accurate. Because I asked you about your highlighting early on, then painted plants purple throughout our hikes. Some caught your interest; some made you avoid them. I painted hundreds to figure out what the highlighting looked like, masking them behind barriers to route you away from questioning them. Now, I can route you into any trap I want. It is this tactic that has allowed the Drokai to win large-scale wars for countless generations. I swallowed. Thats super impressive. And I see the value in battles and assassinations. But that wouldnt help me in a normal fight, right? You have books at your disposal. You should never move anywhere without having knowledge about your enemies. Besides, I did tell you about storytelling, right? I heard a rustle and saw Kline in his invisible form, glowing with soul aura as usual, but he vanished abruptly. Everyone sees soul force, Reta said. Leave the poor girl alone, Kyro said drunkenly. I didnt believe he was real, but I still felt intense anxiety that he might be behind me, so I still turned around. To my shock and dismay, instead of seeing an illusion of a fairy, I saw a tree talking with a huge, jagged mouth. What the hell did you A sharp blade suddenly pressed against my neck from behind, and I swallowed slowly, cold sweat pouring down my back. Youre dead, Reta said. This is disgraceful, I said, rubbing my throat after she released me. Three for three, one after the other. Even when I knew it was an illusion, I looked anyway. Mira youre not listening to me, Reta said. I groaned and looked at her. I am listening. But youre not learning. Mira youre not falling for the sights and sounds. Youre falling for the story. Kline stalking us to protect you. Lithco showing spurts of concernas he does. All of them are believable, so when they happen, youd rather suggest Im tricking you by saying theyre not there than accept that theyre fake. What if they are there? What then? Thats why you looked, even though you knew it was an illusion. You fear the day it is real, and Kyro thinks you hate him, fluttering off to drown himself in booze. I stared at my palms absentmindedly, lost in a prison of self-reflection. Then I whispered, Those told the truth lie to themselves. Those told the truth lie to themselves, Reta said. The job of an illusionist is to match images to a persons narratives. Do that, and you can control just about anyone. I stared at her in awe, and she yawned, sitting on my shoulder and leaning on my head to sleep. Does this mean that youre going to teach me? I asked. No Youre still not dreaming. But She yawned again. Ill go with you to Misty Row. If you wont dream at night, well dream when youre awake. I watched her lay her head down and drift off into sleep. Then, I stared into dead space, thinking of the implications of leaving months ahead of schedule. But if I were ready, it would change everything. B2 - Chapter 109 - Graduation Fight No, Kyro said when I asked him if we could go to Misty Row early. He was sitting under a shady tree with a leaf over his head, hunched over like he was enjoying an afternoon siesta. Retas going, I said. She wants to show me something. And I dont want to die. We have to go there anyway, I reasoned. This is just a couple months ahead. Months of intense training, he corrected. Go learn some magic or something. Im trying, I said. But Nethralis is insistent I learn Dreamscape but wont teach me anything. If we go, I can start learning it. Do you need permission? he asked. I dont recall anyone teaching you anything. I smiled wryly. Its not that. I just dont want to commit to a lifelong art before I know what Im getting myself into. Is that so hard to understand? Challenging strong enemies when youre weak is a death sentenceis that so hard to understand? He pulled the leaf off his head. Also, Reta was telling me that sleeping on your Finish that sentence and Ill murder you. Just a comment. He put the leaf back on his head. I huffed a few seconds before saying, Look Kyro. Its you, me, Kline, and Reta. I barely have to take a few steps into the Row. Then whats the point of going? He pulled off the leaf again, eyes bloodshot and unenthused. I turned away. Right, he said. Heres whats gonna happen. Youre gonna be adamant that were just going to pick your plants and leavethen that witch is going to take your hand and pull you into the mist to teach you the true meaning of terror. Then something bads gonna happen and were all gonna die. He unscrewed his flask defiantly. That witch? I asked. So this is personal? He crossed his arms. Lithco. We dont have time for this. The Melhans are gonna try to kill me this year and I dont know any serious magic. Tell me that I have better odds against Melhan seniors alone than a short field trip through Misty Rowwithout alliances with the families. Cause thats what Ill need to survive this year if I cant hold my own. Kyro groaned and drank, then paused before screwing on the lid and drank again. Then he released his lips and turned to me. Okay, you want to do this? Fine. But you gotta prove it to me. One hit. You hit me once, well go. Fail at that, and youre gonna shut up and keep grinding. Fine. But I get Klinewere a team and hes raring for a rematch. Fine. But Im fighting back. I swallowed. Fine. Alright get Kline and well do this thing. He flicked his fingers to get me to leave, but Kline pushed through the flap of the house. Kyro groaned. Yakana why did you choose these he sighed. Whatever. Kyro fluttered up to his feet, then walked out of the tent like the living dead, catching his breath once the sunlight hit his eyes. Where are you going? Reta asked. To fight, Kyro said. Its your fault. Reta yawned. Sounds fun. She fluttered onto Klines back and lay down. Kline sneered but kept walking, secretly enjoying the insinuation that he was comfortable, and we continued on. About halfway through the woods, we crossed paths with Trant. He was like a flower childholding small flowers in his arms like a Broadway bouquet of roses. Whats going on? he asked. Are you coming to forage? I could really use some help. I just found a patch of Ill send Mira if she lives, Kyro said. I smiled wryly. I really wanted to know what he found and if it was actually super valuable, but Kyro kept fluttering on, and I followed. It apparently wasnt that powerful because Trant swooped over me and sat on my shoulder. Then, he chatted frivolously as we continued into the forest. 2. Elana regretted inviting Kori when he burst into the room at high speed, nearly cracking her door from opening and shutting it so hard. But she didnt chastise him. Her eyes were glued to the screen. Why didnt you invite me sooner, Kori said. Im dead sober. That sounds like a good thing, she said. Not when Im around you. Elana glared at him. What? You think I could talk to someone so beautiful sober? Spare me, mighty queen of eternal beauty. Elanas face stiffened in embarrassment, and she turned back to the screen sharply. Just watch.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Kori sat right next to her, proving that he wasnt, in fact, afraid of her. He smelled nice. No time to grab liquor, but extra time to get ready, she thought. He passes. Whats special about this? Kori asked. Girlys been fighting him for weeks. Im not sure, Elana said. I got a notification of an important event. Its probably a graduation fight. Interesting Kori leaned back. Do they have a real chance? Probably not, Elana said. But we dont know the rules. So lets wait. Elana and Kori watched as Mira and her party reached a clearing in the forest. It was made from dried deadfall, rocks, and sprawling ground cover, making it a location you wouldnt want to fall in. Can you figure out the rules? Kori asked. The silence is killing me. Elana opened her guide and sent out a request to listen in, the first time she had. Blood drained from Miras face as she read the request, looking toward the sky as if to find Elana, unaware that the view switched dynamically for storytelling. Then, Mira smiled guiltily. Thats right, Elana said. Fear me. I cant believe you didnt reach out once this spring. Well, you are sending her off to her death, Kori said. You know shes actually going to go in there, right? I refuse to let you insult my disciple, Elana snapped. As if she would die so easily. She watched Mira with absolute faith and confidence. The request was granted and sound flooded into the room, and name tags floated on each of the people present, including Reta and Trant. You ready yet? Kyro asked with a surprisingly manly voice, amplified by magic to sound more human. Yeah Mira said. My patrons watching. That cool? If youre okay being shamed before a god, Kyro said. Trust meI dont plan to be. Big words. He looked at the others. Okay. Lets get some ground rules set up. You have five minutes. If you and Kline land a hit on me, you win. Then, Ill guide you and Reta to Misty Row. If you lose, youll be grinding with me all summer, and youll figure out something sensible for the Harvest. No bad deals. Mira and Kline nodded, and Kyro took a swig of a tiny flask. Last rule, he said. No whining. I plan to beat you ruthlessly, in seconds if possible. If you lose like that, it just proves that youre worthless and need to train. So I dont want to hear about it. Any questions? No, Mira said, but I do have a comment. She pulled out Nymbral. My arrows now have poison in the hurricane tips. So if you get speckled with the mistor inhale itit counts as a hit. What type of bullshit is that? he cried. Real life, I said. Isnt that what were simulating? Kyros face twitched. Fine. Hapsel is gonna be pissed, Kori said with an evil grin. You wont tell him anything, Elana said. Remember your pact. Yeah, yeah. Kori leaned back. Dont talk about your precious pupil. But I still think you should tell him. Elana prepared to admonish him, but she agreed that it would be amusing if he knew. Shhh. Its starting, she said. Kline shook Reta off his fur, launching her into a patch of ground cover. To Elanas surprise, Reta didnt cry out. She just smelled the plants to make sure they werent poisonous, yawned, and accepted her fate, letting her head drop to the ground as she fell back to sleep. Thats a gift, Elana said. It is indeed, Kori said, watching Mira and Kline stare off against Kyro. Any last words? Kyro asked. Yeah, Mira said. Dont ruin your liver when we win. Tough talk for someone who cant avoid my attacks. Alone. But I have Kline. Hiding behind someone else? Classy. Hes not someone else. Hes my little warrior. My soul mate. My sword, shield, and friend. I refuse to be ashamed of having such a loyal friend and ally. Kline meowed and looked at Mira lovingly. She scratched his little ears. Cute, Kyro said. Now get ready. Well begin in three two one. go. 2. Kyro wasnt fucking around. The second the match began, he created a sigil over my area, creating a frost spell that made my body shiver and ache. But I disregarded it, activating Moxle Dilation and maximum acceleration as I jumped over ground cover. I thought I escaped, but dozens of aura spears formed in the skies above me and flew down with savage ferocity, cutting through the ground all around me like missiles as fast as my slowed world could process it. There was nowhere to run so I had to use my trump card. But before I could, Kline jumped in front of my body, allowing himself to get impaled by three spears homing down on me. I could see every drop of blood and panicked at the sheer ease the blades cut through him and how forcefully his corpse was flying down on me. Kline! I internally screamed. But before I could catch him, another Kline grabbed me by the shirt and jumped through a portal. We blinked out of existence, coming out on another side. Kyro turned to us to launch another attack, but two invisible Klines jumped at him from both directions. They were fast, the speed of a playing dog, even under my Moxle Dilation, and something didnt add up. Kline had an acceleration spell now, and I reminded myself that in the ease of living during the winter and spring, I never checked his new spells after the Harvest. But that didnt matter. What did matter was that Kline was distracting Kyro. I took advantage of that, charging a hurricane arrow and activating Soul Sight. I verified that the two clones fighting Kyro were nearan clones, so I didnt hesitate, shooting the hurricane arrow. The bolt locked on Kyro like a homing missile, following him around the battlefield. He was fast, but I curved the arrow into Klines clone, making it explode in watery mist, sending it spraying toward Kyro. Kyro panicked, activating a barrier at the last second. He didnt get hit, but it earned us precious time. I mounted Kline and he flew forward, running on dead air toward Kyro, multiplying a dozen times, creating clones of me as well. It only earned a second as Kyro scanned them and determined which one was which, but it gave me time to charge an arrow and for Kline to jump between clones like a shell game, fusing with them and then multiplying until there were fifty clones of Kline in the air. I couldnt help but laugh. My little warrior was practicing non-stop in a forestalonefor almost six months, two more than it took him to learn to kill a torok, and the results were savage. I couldnt blame him for wanting to show off. Kyro wasnt so enthusiastic. He thrust out his hands, creating a sigil that erupted with fire. Checkmate, I thought, preparing to launch the arrow into the fire. It would create a plume of poisonous steam that would be hard to avoid. Then a bolt of horror hit methat attack would kill both of us! I clicked my tongue, but Kline was ready. He waved his paw, and a wall of mana formed above Kyros head. Now it was like a pool tablehit the wall, and it would explode with mist, a savagely effective way to ensure I would hit someone even if I missed. Thanks! I launched the arrow at the mana wall. Kyro flew backward when it hit, avoiding the poison rain. Kline didnt let up. He circled him, going around as I charged up another arrow. I felt like the Greek god Helios, fighting with a chariot in the sky, and it was a lot of fun but it soon turned to horror when I felt intense aura behind me. I turned and found dozens of aura arrows had formed behind us. Klines fur bristled, and he turned, swiping his paw, and a massive phantom claw ripped through the arrowsbut the rest still flew at us. I created the most powerful domain I could, a natural aura barrier to aura attacks, and to my amazement, the aura arrows exploded as soon as they hit it. I was stokedand so was Kyro. Got you, he said from behind us. He expected me to be shockedbut I grinned. Kira separated from my body. B2 - Chapter 110 - Graduation Elana listened to Kori cheer with mild satisfaction. Kira had separated from Miras body when Kyro attacked from behind, and she was wiping the floor with him. Kyro was purely on the defensive, flying around, shooting walls of aura spearsbut it didnt matter. Kira weaved through all of them, swinging a sword at Kyro, shooting spears at himcatching the ones he sent her way. It was a brutal, fast-paced adventure, and Mira was still in play, charging up an arrow. She was sweating. Just because Kira could act independently didnt mean that Mira wasnt doing anything. She was supplying her aura and controlling the general strategy of the battle, making sure she worked in sync with Kline, who had created clones and was battling once again with Mira on his back. It was a high-speed back-and-forth that was exciting to watch. So much for teaching you! Kyro cried. This is three five eight on one! This is us versus a monster! Mira yelled. Kori laughed in delight. This girl Her only two modes are cute plant! and talking shit. Elana grinned as she watched Kyro fly around the battlefield, throwing dozens of aura blades in all directions while he avoided Kiras strikes and dozens of Klines phantom claws coming at him from multiple clones. Kira was good. She was bound to Miras mind and body. So, her speed was limited to Miras speed; her aura was limited to a portion of Miras. Even her spell mimicking was limited to Miras understanding. Yet despite being weaker than Mira in raw power, she was vastly stronger in battle capacity. Kyro was far faster, and his mental fortification was staggering for his domainbut he was still in trouble. So, for the first time, he pulled off his backpack and yanked out the core, letting the small leather pack fall to the ground like a sword sheath. Guess hes getting serious, Elana said. Kyro was too strong for his domain, so his mana and soul force were limited. But there were ways to get around that, mainly through dangerous mana-siphoning techniques that pulled mana directly out of stones. It was very dangerous to do with soul cores because raw aura was corrosive, but it was relatively safe with mana cores, so long as the practitioner was skilled and didnt overheat their channels with overuse. And Kyro was skilled enough. The core lit up in his hand, and he waved the other, shooting ice lances at Kira and Klines clones en masse. One hit a clone, and the entire body froze, cracking with ice that formed and broke in rapid succession. The other Klines followed, dropping from the sky like hailhitting the ground and bursting into raw mana. This guys good, Kori said. Whats he dodged at this point? A few hundred attacks? Yeah, but its over, Elana said. Mira was sweating heavily, and Kline was the same. They were using proxies to fight the entire round, and now they were collapsing. Yet Mira didnt give up. She charged up a final hurricane arrow. Kira picked up the pace, attacking rapidly, forcing him on the defensive as Mira aimed. Then she fired the arrow, hitting Kira, causing an eruption of water as Kira burst into thousands of pieces and rained down toward the earth. Mira watched the mist settle with anticipation but it was all in vain. When the smoke settled, Kyro was still dry, under a barrier. Well theres that. Kori leaned back and put his boots on Elanas tea table with a dry expression. No wonder no one survives the forest. The Drokai are monsters to the core. Elana ignored him, watching Miras eyes droop and Kline revert to his normal form in her arms, conserving his power to keep them suspended in the air. Come on she silently said. She wanted Mira to win so badly. 2. I had to give it up to Kyrohe was far stronger than I ever expected. He won against Kira, four Kline clones, and my hurricane arrows. He didnt even have a droplet of water on his tiny body. All our combined power and tactics, and we couldnt hit him with a single microdroplet of mist. I hugged Klines tiny body to my chest, watching Kyro. He was waiting patiently, breathing hard as the mist settled. He refused to lose by any degree of technicality. He was a monster. You did good, Kyro said, panting hard. Im apt to let you go anyway. Dont pity us, I said. Bets mean nothing if you have nothing to lose.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Thatd sound nobleif we werent talking about betting. I laughed bitterly. Lets just get this over with. Kyro smirked, and then his body disappeared. I slowed time to the maximum, watching his body move toward me at lightning speed. And at the last moment, I called Kira back into my chest. Then, I spread my wings and launched into the air. By the time Kyro processed what happened, Kline had already jumped out of my arms, swiping his paw with what Id later learn was a weakened version of Silverns Triumph. The invisible claws smashed into Kyros barrier, causing the tiny core in the fairys hand to light up like a flash bang. Then the world sped up, and Kyroand his barrierlaunched into the ground like a meteorite. I took deep breaths, sweating like a swine, vision blurring as I watched the dust storm settle. When it did, I frowned deeply when I saw no one there. I looked around and found Kyro right next to me, appearing out of nowhere, staring at the scene in horror. Were you trying to kill me? Kyro cried. Wait how did you get there? I asked you a question first! No, we werent trying to kill you! If he wanted to kill you, hed have used his trump card and this whole place would be gone. Now answer me! That was me. Reta flew toward us lazily. Trump card or not, that last attack was really dicey. So I pushed Kyro out of the way and created a clone. She flicked her fingers and Kyro shot to the side and disappeared, and a clone popped up in his exact place. Illusions look real in battle. Shit I said, flying in place with Kiras wings. Did we almost kill him? No, Kyro said. The barrier wouldve held, but it wouldve burnt my channels. He looked at his hands and winced. Ugh this sucks. Im so weak. Weak? I laughed. Then I looked away. Whatever. Burnt channels or whateverdoesnt matter. We hurt you. Admit it. Kyro scrunched his nose, and we stared off. Just do it, Reta said. She earned it. Besides, Im the teacher here. Im not even sure why you were fighting over going to the Misty when it was my call anyway. Now pack up your stuff. Were leaving tomorrow morning. Without awaiting a reply, she flew back toward my little village as we watched. Kyro snorted with a twitching eye. Witch. 3. Elana sighed when Kori burst into uncontrollable laughter, rolling onto his side. Witch! he cried. And that face! Arent you the least bit excited she won? Elana sneered. Of course I am he laughed. Theyre one and the same. Lazy Sleeps saved his channels from Miras wrath, and he calls her a witch! Suddenly, the audio feed cut off, leaving only the sound of Kori''s laughter to haunt her ears. Are you done yet? she asked. Of course not, he said. She won. Ill be celebrating for weeks. Then youll do it alone, Elana said. Unless you want to celebrate with me, Kori said, offering his hand. Elana smacked his hand lightly, then looked away, hiding her facial expression. She refused to celebrate her disciple''s victory with the whims of a lower god. The fact that she even briefly considered it was a sign of her elevated mood. Elana had a feeling of pride for her disciple. She had come a long way since they began learning together, and she hoped that Mira would ask for a lecture soon. Elana wanted to congratulate her. 4. Words cannot express how ecstatic I was after winning against Kyro. It felt like the harder he brooded, the more euphoric I became until I felt like only life-crippling drugs could counter my enthusiasm. I was literally humming as I made a mushroom vegetable stew with torok meat and freshly hunted meat the lurvine brought back the night before. I partially felt bad. It didnt feel good to revel in Kyros misery, but his misery was proof of the results legitimacy, and I loved that. He sat in the corner of the room, lurking in the shadows like the mysterious alcoholic adventurer in fantasy novels, just waiting to save Frodo Baggins or whoever. It made me giggle. So he said as I stirred the pot. Whend you learn how to fly? Oh I cant fly yet, I said. Not in a battle capacity, anyway. But Ive been practicing during the time Reta shouldve been training me. So a lot, he laughed quietly. Yep. I stirred salt into the stew, tasting it. It was far from seasoned, but I only had so much salt. Next year, I would pay for forty pounds of the stuff with other raw seasonings. In the meantime, I seasoned it with the herbs I picked and prayed it worked. It did that night. Well, good job, he said. Genuinely caught me off guard. I stopped stirring and put down the handle. Well you did good, too. Obviously. How do you even keep up? Youre actually nerfed, right? Kyro tried to drink but found his flask empty. One sec. He flew to his bottle, popped the cork with both hands and then used a form of separation to fill the flask. Then he put the cork back and sat on it, taking a drink. Ugh He swallowed hard and shivered, reveling in the taste before looking over. I can see it. He tapped his temple twice. Its easy to suppress cores, but its really hard to suppress neara. Do it wrong, and youll turn someone into a broken puppet. To get around that, the domain just doesnt touch it. So when Im flying around, its like the world stops. So when I even see the hint of a problem, I can start moving and correct myself. Thats ridiculous. He laughed and took a drink. I wish. Why not? Cause my body cant keep upand thats worse. He shook his head. Cause then you can watch your people die and cant do a damn thing about it. Acceleration only goes so far at my level. Oh I slowly picked up the soup handle and stirred, worried the action would come across as dismissive. Ahhh save me the pity, Kyro said, stretching out. Im just rambling. Now gimme a scoop of that. He pulled out the original cup that I carved for him and brought it to the stew. You still have it I whispered. Well yeah. Its not like a throw away present. Know what? Forget it. He turned away with the tiny cup, but I used telekinesis to pull broth and some meat chunks out of the pot and fill it up. Thanks, I said with a warm smile. Kyro quickly turned away. Just focus on you. Id rather you not die during our trip. He fluttered back to his corner, sat, and sipped the cup hesitantly. Then his tiny eyes widened. Its good. I smiled warmly and nodded. Yeah. It is For sport, I served Sina next and got the same aggressively bashful reaction and giggled. Kline was waiting, so I served him and the rest, and we enjoyed a large feast, inviting Trent and waking Reta. It could be our last night in our little village togetherso we made the most of it. Once everyone left, I sat down to write a letter and hesitated. It was a battle between desire and practicality, as what was practical was still unknown. Regardless, it was the type of letter that could have a profound impact on my life, so I decided to write it all the same. So I sat down with a pen and paper, which felt most comfortable, and I began. B2 - Chapter 111 - Start to a New Adventure Felio sighed as she prepared for bed. She loved her lifeshe really did. She could grow plants and concoct alchemic creations, and learn to her heart''s content. But there were things she didnt like. Namely, corsets. Suffocating beneath restrictive garments was something she expressly didnt like alongside arranged marriages. Her genius had allowed her to sidestep a union up until then, but recently, she had attended mixers to meet a pool of suitable men and get her acclimated to marriage. If she found someone she liked, her family would consider them; if she didnt, they would arrange a marriage. That was their way of saying that she should choose and she was trying. The last thing she wanted to do was get stuck with a sadist like Kal Melhan. Felio collapsed on her bed, activating an array under the sheets to make the mattress form fit to her body. Then she replayed the conversations she had with three men that night. Why are they all so She winced. Boring? She closed her eyes and rolled over, thinking enviously of Mira and her freedom. Aiden contacted her on Miras behalf that winter, and she was still alive and extending a branch. But she didnt get her hopes up. No one had survived the year in Areswood for centuries. Full battalions led by families had vanished without a trace. There wasnt even any message despite promises of them. People just disappeared. It wasnt always that way. In the past, even small groups would survive periodically. But not anymore. So even though Mira had that cat and a pack of third-evolution beasts protecting her Felio didnt get her hopes up. No one survived the year. No one. Felio sighed, and then she got a notification that sent her mind reeling. It read: You have a message from Scion Mira Hill, as if destiny itself had intervened and demanded them to talk. Wait Felio said, looking out the window. Its summer She survived. Felio quickly read the letter, and her heart raced, and she couldnt get to bed. So she just lay there until the sun crested the horizon, then left her room, greeted her guards, flew down the stairs, and met her mother and father at the breakfast table hours before breakfast, a sacred time when the two of them shared a room in silence, practicing their keen ability to ignore each other. Is there a reason youre here so early? her father asked. Wearing that? her mother said, eyeing her sleepwear. Yes no. I couldve waited till I was dressedbut this is urgent news. So urgent you couldnt get dressed? her mother pressed. Let her speak. Her father put down his teacup. What is it? I got a letter from Mira, Felio said. The rooms atmosphere shifted drastically, and her father immediately pointed to the servants and guards in the room. Out, he said. They left, and he eyed Felio carefully. What does it say? Its an invitation Read it. But these are personal.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Read. It. Felio gulped, declaring to warn Mira to write decoy letters because she was terrible at lying and paraphrasing the next time they spoke. Then she read: Dear Felio. I would officially like to invite you, upon certain conditions, to live and study alchemy with me in Areswood Forest next year. It sounds crazy, I know, but as it turned out, living here isnt so difficult when you have a home and youre being protected by seven third-evolution lurvines and a killer cat. Its actually quite nice. Her mother glanced at her husband, trying to judge if he would even entertain such a letter. He did. Its also rich with so many plants, Felio continued. I wish you could see it during the springthe way that vines curl up trees and moss blooms in crazy colors. The way that flowers pop up in swarms, killing ground cover before releasing toxic petals and dying for the year. Its a beautiful alchemic paradise. Speaking of which, killing that torok gave me a diamond reward and I spent it on an alchemic highlighting book. As a result, I have three hundred jars of expensive ingredientsand Ive emptied them five times. Theres just so much to make. I cant go on a hike without leaving with a new recipes worth of ingredients. Felios father gripped his teacup to maintain his composure, but Felio could see the liquid rippling subtly. So I did the only rational thing, Felio read. I made creations. Dozens of them. And Ill be doing more next year. Ill be ordering a hundred pounds of equipment and enough preservation chambers to fill up a storage room. It will be an extraordinary yearand Im inviting you and eight guards to join us. I will provide soul cooking, comfortable housing, and ingredients. You wont even need to leave my alchemy workstation if you dont want to. Oh, and I made a bathhouse as well. Its gonna be a blast. Felio blushed reading it. Im sure this is a cultural thing, she said. Or maybe its to bathe alone? Im not sure. Its just Leave it, her father said. Her customs dont concern me. Felios mind churned at the realization that her fathers indifference to Miras customs might actually mean he was considering this proposal seriously. Continue, he ordered. Oh, right Felio looked at the screen again. Theres just a few limitations. To join me, I will ask that you and your guards make a soul pact that verifies that you are coming to learn alchemy and get stronger, and not to collect information to harm me or conquer the forest. To that end, the soul pact will also prohibit you from disclosing significant information that can have a serious impact on me or the forest, as it pertains to me. Absolutely not, her father said. Wait Felio said quickly. It also says: This pact wouldnt prevent you from disclosing what you did or how I lived or my daily habits. It also wouldnt stop you from speaking about the way I survive or tips for doing so. This soul pact is designed to ensure you and your guards coming here in goodwill with the intention of studying alchemy at the time of your visit, and to prevent you from speaking on secrets you learn from me or as a direct result of you being with me. Its therefore provisional and doesnt stop you from later resuming your activities. You would only be bound to secrets you learn during the trip. Considering that you are bound to be in such a position for the rest of time, it doesnt seem like a bad deal, especially when considering the amount of wealth, power, and knowledge you can gain by coming here. So keep that in mind. Felio looked up nervously and found her mom glaring at her dad, who seemed reflective and thoughtful. He didnt speak a word. He just rotated his hand to keep her reading. Right. Um Right. She writes: Just know that the Melhan will likely try something shady, so I ask you to answer me at the Harvest itself, subject to the situation at that time. But beyond that, Im reasonably certain that I can keep you and your guards alive with relative luxury next year. So please let your parents know how much value is here and extend my offer. Naturally, this offer extends to the following Harvest as well. Just consider it. Warm regards, Mira Hill. Felio looked up at her father. Well? Ill speak with your mother and my associates, her father said, turning to her mom. Until then, you will continue on as usual. Trip or otherwise, you cannot push off marriage much longer. Felio nodded and bowed. Yes, father. She wore a mask of obedience, but inside, she was roiling with ambition and hunger to leave and live and practice alchemy without the politics and marriages and strife. She desperately wanted to goand she would do everything in her power to do so. 3. I woke to the sound of symphony bugs in the darkness. They woke early in the summer, when the mornings were hot and humid, and there was nothing better to do than mate. To my surprise, Reta was already up, checking the contents of the gravity pack I loaned her. It was much more functional than the massive pack she flew in like a reverse hot air balloon. You raring to go? I asked quietly, waking the lurvine regardless. Im ready, Reta said. If thats what youre askingyes. I slowly pulled out a chair and sat down. You think well die? Maybe, Reta said. Just seeing isnt enough. I nodded and looked down. Then let me write my family. She nodded and let me bleed my soul on the pages before transcribing it and sending it out. Then, I packed my backpack with empty preservation chambers, useful elixirs, Diktyo water, and my tent, sleeping bag, and stove and walked out into the morning air, where Kline was waiting, Sina and the lurvine behind him. I smiled. You guys ready for a hunt? Kline and the lurvine sent me hunters grins. Good, I said. Then keep up. I spread my wings and took to the air, flying west toward the Cable River, which would take us to Misty Row and, eventually, to Harlan''s Pillar, the landmark that would lead us to Aelium, the core of the Fifth Ring, where I would eventually plant Escalas seed and gain entrance into the Fifth Domain. Kline ran up the air beside me in my cat form, letting Reta hug and ride him. Kyro groaned and trailed from behind, complaining that I was a show off as Sina and the lurvine howled and rushed after us, sprinting in a packunwilling to be outdone. Our next adventure had officially begun. B2 - Chapter 112 - Desperation Leeka Melhan checked the time from her bed stand. 4:17 p.m. Her brain processed the time and then promptly forgot it. That had been happening more often as of late. She hadnt slept in months. Her eyes had deep bags because her body was breaking down faster than her healing. It was hard not to. She had spent her days learning new duties, from childcare negotiations to house managementduties held by high servants. Her place as the First Domains Melhan Matriarch was only there so long as it took to finalize legal arrangements with her family and find a suitable plaything to amuse her husband for the next century until he could obtain a new child. Then, that heartless thing would drop her, too, in favor of a real wife to bear his children. Her emotions boiled over again, but something told her to check the time, so she did, and the time clicked. 4.20 p.m. I need to make it Leeka got dressed and quickly snuck down the stairs, considering using mana masking methodsunderstanding the consequences of getting caught doing so. She chose not to. She made it to the bottom, glaring at maids to warn them to look away, then headed for the door. Just ten more feet. Where are you going? Reasans deep voice resounded behind her. She turned with practiced calm. To find entertainment, she said. I havent left this house for months. He smiled sinisterly. Why do you think that is? I refuse to entertain this. If you wish to beat me, do it. Its grounds to end negotiations. His smug smile soured, and he silently sneered at her. Now if you dont have anything else, Leeka said, striding to the door. A maid opened it. I have eyes on every mercenary troop in Helscope and beyond, Reasan warned. Well kill them if you speak to them. Leeka trembled and whirled around and screamed, Why arent you fighting for your son? Because your son has led us on the path to ruin! he yelled. My son? Yes, your son! You raised him. You enabled Thats because you were never there! Why would I be there for your job? She scoffed. Unbelievable. Watch your tone. She fell into a defiant silence. Listen Leekathis is your fault, but its not beyond salvaging. Mira will have orders this yearand Heath cant deliver. Thats why the Melhan will supply her and offer to end hostilities if she ends this embargo. And maybe thenjust thenwe can overcome this nightmare that your son brought upon my family. And if you do anything that ruins this arrangementI will kill you. He took a step forward with vicious eyes. And thatll be a mercy, Leekabecause what Ill do to shame after your death will dishonor your family as much as mine has been. Do you understand? Leeka touched her neck by reflex and nodded. Reasan presented the open door with his hand. Enjoy your entertainment. Leeka hugged her hands to her stomach and walked out the door, lost in her thoughts. She couldnt remember giving the address to the entertainment district. She just woke up there. And only through paranoia did she shake her tails with illusion and mana suppression techniques to disappear. She couldnt even remember where she was going, but she found herself staggering into The Nest, ordering a drink to the sound of raucous music and deranged gamblers.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. One man had won a large pot of hawks, and a woman shamelessly straddled him and dropped her dress top, exposing herself to a cheering crowd. Another man spilled his drink in the chaos, and a man in a suit punched him in the face, screaming at him. It was loud, but the musicians played louder to drown out the sound and keep the fever pitch going as the man was beaten in a silent mime dance. In that fevered dream of grand delusions and rich lies, Leekas mind twisted and gnarled and knotted out of her fear, and she found herself laughing. Just a poor little laugh. Almost a cry for help more than a point of humor. Yet it was also vicious. Vindictive. Malevolent. Raw. I refuse Leeka thought. Suddenly, the image of a certain servant entered into her mind. A brunettebeautiful. Her name was Esalan, and she headed the house, issuing edicts to the other servants. She was respected, admired, feared Reasans ex-wife. Not his last wife. Leeka didnt know what happened to his last wife. But this wife was one of those who likely turned out okay in the end, finding purpose in ordering people around and being her husbands plaything when Leeka wasnt in the mood to entertain him. Esalan. Once a beautiful woman, a powerful woman, a head of state, heading to meetings and mixers and auctions to represent the Melhan on the world stage. Now, she was a maid. A proud, respected, admired, beautiful maid but a maid nonetheless. I refuse, Leeka thought again. And for a moment, she seemed to get a glint of clarity, and she could see, sullenly, that the reason that she enabled Kal in the first place, the reason she raised him strong and mean, was to prevent people from pushing him aroundpeople like Reasan from pushing him around. The best way to prevent people from pushing you is to be the person pushing. Thats what she thought somewhere deep down. Now she could see it. But then the moment passed, and she said, Ridiculous, and lifted her hand to order a drink. On the house, the bartender said before she asked, pushing over a golden-lined glass with a straw. It had a fruity drink inside, a mixture of colors in a frosty slush. What is it? Leeka asked. Traitors Reprieve. But Im not Dont waste my time. Hell be here soon. Who Leeka bit her lip and stared at the drink. She drank. It was spiked with sallaa unique anxiolytic stimulant. She knew it on contact because she took it often. It was especially popular because it didnt influence decision-makingit cleansed the mind and calmed the nerves. Reasan and other business leaders used it before every substantial meeting. And they would do it in front of each others presence so that there could be no question of a persons mental state after the fact. Suddenly, a man said, Lady L? She turned and saw a well-built man who was definitely her type staring down at her. Yes? Come with me. She nodded and followed the man down a corridor and walked into a room where Brexton Claustra waited with a charming man with long brown hair in a ponytail. Welcome, Brexton said. Lady Melhan, this is Gaska, a man who pillages for profit. Gaska, Lady Melhan, a woman whos seeking such a person. Gaska smiled a charming smile, leaning back in his chair to appraise her. She didnt speak, and he found that humorous. I would think the Melhans would have more experience with this type of thing, he said. Gods know their competitors do. Brexton laughed and cheered the air with his drink and drank. Its not you, Leeka said. She turned to Brexton. Its you. Why would you help me kill her? The Claustra kicked up his feet on the table, knocking a heel over an ankle as he shrugged with a gentle smile. Can I ask you something? he mused. What? she asked. Do you really think Id respond to that statement? Leeka Melhan frowned. Of course not. Brexton smiled and leaned back. Youre here to hire a mercenary. Ive connected you to a dependable one. Respected and frequented by your competitors. A fact that meets your standards, yes? Leeka frowned and eyed the mercenary. He was one of the Cackling Kings, a well-known mercenary group that had a two-century track record of maintaining a one-year flip rule whereby they refused to work for an individuals competitors on the same general conflict for one year. As far as mercenaries were concerned, it was a sign of wealth and professionalism. She looks rather spooked, now dont she? Graka asked. Indeed she does. Brexton narrowed his eyes. Youre not thinking about backing out are you? She swallowed and shook her head. No. I want her dead. Well, we can surely try, Graka said. But lets get some ground rules straight. He leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees. I aint fightin a Dante. I aint fightin a Melhan. I aint fightin any of the families. Well ensnare her, bribe her, threaten her, and mess er mind up to get her to leave The Mouth alonebut if she starts making deals or sticks around, its off. Were suicidal, sure, but were not idiots. Leeka turned to Brexton sharply. He shrugged. Best youre gonna get. Graka raised his eyebrows. Money? Leekas eyes trembled, and she considered the profound implication of setting out a hit on Mira Hill. She would become a world enemy. But. What was there to lose, really? She didnt want to live without her sonher only sonthe only one she would ever have. She didnt want to go through the abuse and humiliation that was sure to follow. Leeka Melhan had no futureat least not one she felt deserving of. And she would rather die avenging her son than suffer a bleak life without meaning. So she reached into her purse and pulled out a gem that shimmered in the light, reflecting shades of black and gray on the furniture like a nighttime prism. Grask gulped. Brexton knows of a marked area with a million hawks, Leeka said. Try, and youll get half. But if you succeed this will be yours. Leeka watched hunger flicker in the mans mind when he saw the artifact, and she could tell that even if it killed him, he would try everything he could to kill the woman who killed her son. That was good. Very good. It was too late to turn back now. Mira Hill would fall next year before she could accumulate any more power and influence in this world. Mira Hill would fall. She would. Chapter 113 – Illusions Kline and I enjoyed our one-year anniversary in Areswood in a rickety boat, drifting down Cable River, a body that connected to the Brute, the forest''s second major river and the one that would lead us to the Fifth Domain. We werent the same people we were before. We werent alone. Seven small foxes joined us in the boat, in addition to three pixies with colorful personalities, and each one of us was armed to the teeth with magical abilities and superhuman strength. Kline could multiply his body into five independent clones with physical abilities, dozens of clones, and a trump card that could destroy a three-story building. I had wings and a soul warrior and could slow time to a crawl, move at intense speeds, and fire blinding arrows that could sink naval ships. Our furry friends could transform into the size of rhinos and cover their bodies with flames, and the pixies had powers and knowledge I couldnt comprehend. So when beasts the size of elephants charged at us, the animals would take turns killing them, and when pterodactyl-sized avians swooped down from the sky, I would practice flying with my to kill them when I thought I could. It was surreal, but not nearly as much as simply riding in that boat. We were in a land beyond time, a return to the age of large leaves and dinosaurs where colossal beasts roamed poisonous landscapes that laid waste to monsters and men and modern technology. A place that had been abandoned as a death trap in centuries pastforgotten at the fringe of what people could conquer during a single week during the Harvest. And so, while I had read books about the Last Conquer and the Black Harvest and the Jacksmore War, each depicting the efforts of people in conquering the forest, I didnt believe it until we found a rune-tattooed boat with the Jacksmore crest on it. It was covered in moss and dirt and grime but was otherwise fully functional protected by magic long past. It was an unnerving experience because it proved everything I had read was true. Reta, my illusion teacher, woke up after a two-day ride down the Cable and looked around sleepily. Were getting close. I snapped out of the thoughtless trance I had grooved into over the hours. The trees had opened up, and a deep meadow stretched out over the horizon. The area was so flat, and the trees were so sparse that I could see through them for probably almost a mile. Seeing it brought back memories of the second half of Lithco reading me the History of the Jacksmore. Fear of the Kana was so great he read beside my bed that the troops finally resorted to the Cable, a place of trauma and horrors that extended countless tomes from different generations. Many had bluster and enthusiasm, but as soon as the trees thinned on the river and Ralls Fort came into view, broken and torn through age and battle, all were silent. They would soon reach the Brute. I swallowed and scanned the area for the fort and lamented finding it. It was terrifying to look at ancient ruins made of modern materials instead of stone. The eighty-foot walls were tattooed with arrays, but it didnt help the soldiers from the beasts that came and ripped through the steel like can openers, exposing smaller buildings like internal organs, each sprawling with plants that even I felt apprehensive about getting near. It was a ghost town the size of a small city. A last resort in horror movies as the protagonist runs for their lives from dinosaurs, zombies, and thieves seeking refuge only to find cannibals and cultists lurking within. Gods, its getting hard, Kyro said, sipping his flask as he lay on the bow of the ship. I know you got books, but you still look like a spy when you do this. Soul pact, I said, reminding him that I had proven my story and intentions honest. Yeah, yeah, he said. Stills weird, though He took another drink. What does your book say about this place? It was built at the staring of the Jacksmore, I said. People kept dying on the Brute, so they decided to breed soldiers. They succeeded for a time, leading to hundreds of expeditions, many fruitful to the Delta a few to Aelium. And what those people found was super valuable. And well, people are people, and over the centuries, colonies sprung up with warring people and factions wanting to return to safety. So they warred over them. In the end, a leader named Kalibra Maxna destroyed the walls and lured thousands of beasts into the walls. The place never recovered. It was just a wintering spot after that. Thats interesting, Kyro said strangely. He took a swig from his flask. Youre so apathetic, I said. Is that so It is. Kyro took another drink, unconcerned with what I thought. We moved on. It took thirty minutes of eerie silence to pass the once proud city and make it to Ralls Delta, a full meadow. One look at it left me with immense apprehension. Beasts the size of triceratops lay on the ground like a pride of lions, watching us from the distance as other beasts spotted the land. Fast beasts, slow beasts a whole ecosystem that could support the cycle of life were present, and we had to pick plants in the center of this open field.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Hey, Trant, I said to my alchemy teacher, who decided to join at the last minute. Can you tell me where these plants are? Trant shrugged. Who knows where plants are? I havent been here for centuries. But I can point them out. Theyre everywhere. Practically weeds, really. I remember one of the trips, we picked up some seela because my friends wife had a kidney Not now, I said. Tell me after we get them, kay? Cause theres that. I pointed in the distance, where there was a small army of beasts dotting the landscape, a swarm-type beast with large animals. Thiss in and out. Fast. Brutal. Got it. Trant raised his eyebrows and said, Oh, before chuckling. I do hate strangas. He rummaged through the gravity pack I let him carry around on a tiny string, and he pulled out bottles of crazed potions. Whatre those? I asked. Oh, youll see, he said. Kyro snorted and took a drink unconcernedly. Youre about to see how a true alchemist does battle. He pushed himself up and stretched, putting his flask into a pocket in his jacket and shivering. Okay, lets do this, he said. Kline jumped onto the boats railing, but Reta turned to him. Stick back and protect the boat, he said. Not to be rude, but itll be dangerous for you to get near those things. Kline meowed and rolled his eyes. Reta yawned. No, you can take him. Its him She pointed at Trant lazily. Thats who you got to worry about. Come on. I guided the book to the shore and tied it to a stump as Kline and the lurvine jumped onto the beach. Then, I summoned Nymbral, and Kira picked me up under the arms as the pixies took to the sky. Handle the skies, Kyro said as we took flight. The grounds taken care of. That was hard to believe. There was a stampede of stranga in the distance, six hundred strong, and a hundred other beasts. God knew how many insects, birds, and other creatures were hiding out in the wide canopies, shading the ground. I brushed up on strangas using Deadly Beasts in the Areswood Forest book. Name: Stranga Description: A freakish blend of the wildebeests that killed Simbas father in The Lion King, porcupines, and 19th century Apaches, strangas are warm creatures that travel in packs of five hundred or more and scream and shoot arrow-sized quills out of their backs from the front like arrows. Their sonic screeches and stomping hooves and large horns scare off even the strongest of beasts. Yet their major weakness is that they are remarkably stupid and easy to herd like sheep, a fact that beasts exploit to herd into natural barriers for their territories. But as interesting as this information is, its basically worthless because if those vials are what I think they are, theyll all be dead within the hour. So just keep your bow trained to the sky and learn why no one survives the winter in Areswood. Now Im curious, I thought as Kira soared over the land. It seemed ridiculous, but the description was apt. Because things got terrifying the second we passed the trees into the open field, the strangas were. Five hundred doesnt sound like a large number, but when half-ton of animals are in a field, they blot out the land and give the illusion that the beasts will continue forever, stretching out like a black and silver ocean. If you wouldnt mind, Trant said to Reta. She covered her face and let out a long, protracted yawn before releasing her hands and waving them in an X. The whole world changed. Thats the only way I could explain what happened. The skies darkened and shows cut across the land and all the beasts that were uniform suddenly changed. Half of the beasts shifted and morphed into different animals, clumped in clusters and various sizes and shapes, each releasing different cries that seemed to startle themselves. And now a little confusion, Trant said, opening two bottles, drawing out the blue and red liquid at a distance, then covering us in a barrier and oppressive domain as he mixed them. The liquids turned purple and sizzled like metal-eating acid in movies, bubbling and popping and turning into a thick mist that caused instant panic in the strangas, who were already panicked and screaming from seeing their mortal enemies mere feet away from them. Then, Trant whipped his hand, and the mist blew out in a fine fog that almost disappeared instantly. It didnt look like anything. Like perfume sprayed into a house fan. It just disappeared despite the smell remaining and circulating in the room and the effects were instantaneous. Beasts started coughing and sneezing and screeching for a few minutes in a chain reaction that spread a quarterway through the group. Then we waited. And now, Reta said, lifting her hands like a conductor as the animals panicked and started running. She looked like she did that day when she conducted the symphony bugs, but the effects were devastating. A chorus of screams and ripping sounds and squeals and panic spread through the ground, and when I looked down, I saw dozens of beasts in all directions, killing and eating each other. Thats all it took? I asked in horror. No, Trant said. Thats an illusion, but A stampede broke out with strangas running from mortal enemies as massive clumps of strangas worked together to trample the different beasts. It suddenly became clear what had happened. This wasn''t like the situation with the lignan bugs, where I poisoned them, and they started killing themselves haphazardly. Reta, at a glance, had set up the battlefield so that large groups of strangas would act like strangas, fighting and herds to kill lesser groups of beasts. And those beasts were lone strangas who were unprepared to fight for themselves. They fought back, but they were out of their element for swarm beasts and got lost in confusion, wondering why their kin were suddenly trying to kill them. They ran but quickly got pierced by quills and horns and trampled upon by the swarms of their herd. It was tragic. Many fled in the direction of the boat, and I panicked, but Reta yawned and whipped her hand, and thousands of different beasts suddenly populated to the north, creating a wall. The confused and terrified beasts panicked and turned to flee from the illusions, only to get mauled by a wall of stranga. Then, the maulers turned and fled. What the helld you give them? I cried. Deliriants, Trant said. Simple deliriants. Create some confusion and paranoia and beasts cant tell fact from fiction. They just see their mortal enemies. Then you add a tiny drop of something to make the beasts a little more aggressive, and its over. Once your friends start killing each other, everything breaks down. Kyro unscrewed his flask. Thats why so many people die in Misty Row. Course, this witch couldnt just show you this to get her lessons across. Shes gonna throw you right into the hell pit. My heartbreak checked against my ribs when I realized that the hellish illusionary death pit and stampede spreading out below us was a microcosm of Misty Row. Spare me your grumbles, Reta said, rubbing her eyes. Misty Row is nothing so crude as this. Im almost ashamed to resort to such petty tricks. Petty? Trant said. I apologize we can only immobilize hundreds in seconds. Of mindless swarm beasts, Reta said. I was having a hard time processing what I was seeing. True, they were mindless herding beasts that would take a long time for most to actually die of their injuries, but it didnt change the fact that Trant and Reta devastated an entire army of them in minutes. It made me realize that illusions, poisons, alchemy, and perhaps even a bit of soulmancy and killer beast companions were a powerful and flexible combination that could truly challenge full armies. I thought Reta was being dramatic and elitist in her assessment of this powerful demonstration, but I couldnt have possibly known then just how terrifying illusions could become. But I would, soon. I turned from the skies and looked toward the Brute River, and I wouldve sworn I saw a trace of mist from the side of a bend. My heart was shaking, but I couldnt help but be excited. Chapter 114 – Entering the Mist It took two hours for Reta and Trant to clear out the rest of the strangas, and I spent most of the time on the ground, shooting stray birds. Kiras weakness was that she borrowed an immense amount of soul force when she performed actions; the greater the action, the more aura and neara she took. So I couldnt watch most of it. I just had to stay on the ground, listening to the dying screams of animals like a child, as the grown-ups did the hard stuff. But before long, Trant was back. Theyll take care of the rest, he said. Lets find the plants. We did. We roamed through the area, picking up plants and killing charging animals, and it made me feel empowered and overconfident. Most were second-evolution beasts, but there was a third ev that flew out of nowhere, a freakish cyclops gorilla that flew at me at the speed of a bullet train. I activated Moxle Dilation, and the beast slowed to a snail''s pace. This was the power of a seventh-tier spell and five months of intensive training with a higher stage of Mental Shielding. I hadnt truly used it aside from using it on Kyro, who made it feel like it wasnt working, but now I could see it was. Kira flew out of my chest, circling it as I aimed Nymbral. The creature didnt have a chance. Kira cut its Achilles Heel, and when it turned, I rocked its head with a fully charged hurricane arrow. It all happened so fast that this poor creature felt like it had been sniped. Time sped up. I wonder what Kline can do at this point I thought. My little warrior now had an acceleration spell in addition to his hellish skills. I wanted to see it in action. Hey, I found some, Trant said relaxedly as if he wasnt worried about a third evolution beast. I turned and found him hunched over a pile of pink and white flowers. Seela. Like I was saying on the boat Trant riddled off this slightly disturbing story about how his friends wife got a horrifying infection and how he had Frankenstitched this plant with heavy chemicals to create an on-the-spot body-saving creation. It made me shiver. I added plenty to a preservation chamber. It was the last plant we needed, so we packed up and headed back. I expected it to be calm near the boatI was wrong. A whole pride of terrifying beasts had attacked, and they were stacked up like sandbags around the boats. Three or four were eaten to the bone and Kline and the lurvine were licking their fur when I arrived. I touched down and covered my nose from the acrid stench of sulfur and burnt flesh but still smiled at my companions and said, Great work. Kline felt like the praise wasnt genuine enough, and he ended up hopping into the boat, but Kael and the lurvine accepted head pats. As for Sina, she huffed in annoyance and walked over to me, begrudgingly allowing me to pet her. I giggled and rubbed her neck fur with both hands until she jumped into the boat with Kline. Reta and Kyro finished up and returned, and soon, we were floating down the Cable River on the boat. I felt nervous as the Brute River appeared in the distance, and for the first time, I felt truly insignificant. The Diktyo River was never supposed to be traveled by humans. It once burrowed underneath the Kana mountains like a train tunnel, blocking further access to the Fifth Domain. Yakana changed that by blowing a hole through the mountain to let the possessed beasts that I fought in Tranea Crypt get into the Fifth Domain and kill the Jacksmore Troops. It was a river for souls that had been turned into a weapon. Nothing more. But the Brute. The Brute was like the Mississippi, a body of water so vast that you thought you had entered the ocean. It was truly surreal to see it and wonder how a river could span a mile in widthor even tenand how you ended up there after years of life on dry land, sitting in front of computers between gardening. It brought back memories of the passage Lithco read about the Brute. It was so biblical and unbelievable that it borders on hyperbole, the fancied accounts of great storytellers that capture the imagination. But it was an apt description. The soldiers who had never seen the Brute gasped in awe, Lithco had read, and the ones who had shivered. For there was never a sight more majestic or terrifying than the Brute River, a body so vast the soldiers only saw the horizon and small peaks at the other end. The freshman feared it would swallow them wholethe veterans knew that it would. Kyro saw my face and chuckled. Whatd your book say about this one? Not enough, I said. Keep your Soul Sight active, Reta said sleepily, crawling onto my shoulder on all fours like a bug. The waters safest, but theres beasts below. Great I whispered. Kyro sat up and screwed his flask lid on. Just keep focused. Were not dying today. I have shit to do. Like what? I asked. Drink and wallow in my misery, he said. Obviously. Good enough. Those words cast the boat into silence for the rest of the trip as the Cable River got sucked into the current of the Brute like a car merging into traffic, and despite the bumpy drop-off, it was quite gentle moving down. Slow, hypnotic, and peaceful, the eye of the storm and period of peace that would lull soldiers into a false state of securityand allowed the ones who experienced horrors to escape upstream. I knew it was dangerousbut it was still hard to believe. I saw no soul activity under the surface, and the water was just so gentle. Kline snuggled in my lap and slept as I petted him in mesmerized motions, floating so smoothly that I felt like I was riding on a cloud. Or worseIf you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. that we werent moving at all. Reta spooned Kline, and Trant stared at the plants on shore. Only Kyro sat on the bow of the ship like a 16th-century sailor going off to war, one arm over a kneeeyes trained on the water. I tried to join him, but I just couldnt. Not till I could see the mist. Or rather, knew it was the mist. When I looked from the skies, the water stretched so far ahead that I was convinced that I was looking at clouds drifting over still blue waters, like a painting of an ocean. But it wasnt. As we approached, the clouds never shifted positionit just got heavier. What I had originally seen was the runoffdrifting steam from the top of a cooking pan. Below, on the surface of the water, the fog was thick and oppressive, like insolation foam that sprays on thin and then fills whole areas with thick white fluff. And the way it moved. It wasnt like smoke, curling and unraveling and drifting. It moved the way syrup moves: slow, uniformdeliberate. I checked my guide to see if it was working as we approached. It activated just fine but then it disappeared as I was staring at it. Thats the moment that my heart thumped and my bluster disappeared and I suddenly wanted to go home. At least youre getting serious, Kyro said. That witchs a psychopath. Been awake for hours and played dead. My eyes widened, and I turned to Reta, who sighed and rolled over. Shes here to learn, she said with waking clarity that stunned me. So let her. Kyro glanced at me sharply and then back at the water, and we floated on. I suppose that was when the horror truly began. The point my senses lied to me and my sense of reason lost all meaning. I was waiting. Waiting for the mist. Focused on it. Prepared to be swallowed by that white, murky abyss and lose my sight and senses. Yet it didnt come. The fog was far further out than I had originally believed, and it wore me down and I remember thinking: So it was an illusion. Its messing with our sense of distance. It was, I was certain. It had to be. Because, unlike that thick, swallowing fog around Tranea crypt, we were out in the sunlight, passing by a full forest of ever-changing plants. It didnt occur to me that we were in the thick of it until asking about it was irrelevant. I just dont see the point in it, I said. Is this to make people feel safe again? Kyro snorted but said nothing. Reta stared forward silently, glancing at Trant to keep him mum. What? Am I supposed to figure it out? They said nothing. We floated on. Then it came. The Kraken. Translating its appearance as anything else would be pointless. It had tentacles that shot out of the middle of the sun-glittered Brute in massive waves. Even a half mile out, those suction cups were unmistakable, and their morphing color clear. And the waves, I could feel them. They rippled across the water, like throwing a rock face into a still pond. The ripple started slowly but quickly bubbled into a massive wave. Kira! I cried. My second half appeared, grabbing the ship and pulling it toward the shore as the water crashed into the boat. And it was real water. Let there be no mistake. I was soaked to the bone when it hit, and the ship almost rolled, and I choked as my lungs rejected it. Kline whined and jumped onto dead air, trying to pull me up while Sina dragged a lurvine out of the water. Oh, yes. Real water. And so this kraken was a real kraken. Because it created those real waves. And so when it flew forward, slapping the water with tentacles before a huge head emerged and submerged in our direction, creating another wave, I yelled, Kira, to the shore! Kira acted, pulling us with savage ferocity, shooting the boat straight onto the shore. The wood hit the rocky beach with a scraping jolt, and we fell to the side of the ship, clambering up on the wet and slippery floor. But we made it. I had never been so grateful to see dry land. I felt like a castaway, drifting off after a shipwreck for days, only to land on a beach. My heart fluttered, and I tried to jump onto shore, but Kyro grabbed Kline and me and threw me back into the boat while Trant restrained the lurvine with strange magic. Fuck you! Kyro yelled, jabbing his finger at Reta. Im not playing this game. He whipped his hand, and suddenly, a barrier shot out toward the wave. It was a real wave, alright. It hit the barrier with a crash, but the terrifying part, the part that chilled me to the bone and made me fear Areswood more than anything else I had seen, was the fog. The fog. That lingering, stretching foam that seemed so distant appeared out of nowhere, curling like smoke after Kyro cut through it. Then, Kyro turned to the shore, which was still vibrant, beautiful, and sunny, and waved his hand. The shore exploded, leaving nothing but fog and water. The shore I almost jumped on was water, and below that water, within my soul mist, was a plant. A smaller kraken of a plant that writhed with tentacles and disappeared into the water as soon I directed my Soul Sight onto it as if it knew it was caught and was trying to disappear. I crashed onto the ground, trying to process what just happened wondering why I hadnt been prepared for something so obvious. Why didnt anyone write about this? I screamed within. People survived it. Dozens of them! But then I remembered a particular section of what was written. It answered the mystery of why so little was recorded about Misty Row, but the section also, now that I was living it, warned me better than any myth or legend could. It read: Jacksmore the Little tied the men to the boats on the voyage, and many of them drowned from capsizing. They thought he was mad, but those nearest him praised their captain as the sanest of all. Many Rallans believed he sacrificed his troops so the few could survive, so they kept their distance upon his return, scorning him behind closed doors and banishing him to a life of solitude. His troops were scorned, too, and many were forced onto boastsscreaminginvoluntary guides for the trip to Aelium. Yet neither they nor their parties returned, and soon, they were all dead, leaving only Jacksmore the Little with the knowledge of the mist and the dangers from within. That knowledge stayed with him alone, and no one dared to approach. Only a single boy was able to coax knowledge out of him before Jacksmore took his last voyage north. That boy was no other than Trantam the Great, then only twelve years of age, unaware of what life had in store or how much Jacksmore the Littles words would have on him. But he did understand later. When asked what Jacksmore the Little told him that allowed him to survive two trips to Aelium, he recounted the words with reverence: Link arms and cut the mist, he said. Thats the only way youll survive. I blinked back to the real world, feeling sick to my stomach. Those words were enough. Right then, lost in the mist, looking into the water that I almost fell into thinking it was dry land, restrained in boats to prevent us from killing ourselves and others, I finally understood that Jacksmore the Little gave us the best advice that I could only begin to fathom. The shore reappeared along with the glittering sunlight, but it was suddenly ten feet away. But who knows how far it really was. I pulled out my bow and summoned a thin arrow and shot it toward the shorecutting the mist. It shot out like a shining star, shifting the world with it. The atmosphere warped as it punctured a hole through the mist, allowing me to see the real shore. It was in the exact location that the fake one was. Cut the mist I whispered. Its what Kyro didand it was what we would need to do to survive. I turned to Kline and the rest of the party. Kyro Reta, Trant. Get on my shoulders. Kael lead the pack. I need you all to touch me at all times. Sina, Kline, and I are riding on you. Do not stop touching for any reason. If were attacked, Im shooting. Kyros stabbing with spears. Or Klines cutting it with claws. Ranged attacks only. Reta huffed like a vindicated diva, flicking her hair on my shoulder. Kyro sneered but sat on my other shoulder, and Trant sat on my lap. Sina and Kael gave me looks of bitterness when I treated them as liabilities rather than warriors. I bared my teeth at them. This isnt a joke, got it? Another wave of water hit Kyros barrier. Were God knows how many miles into this bullshit, and none of us are ready for it. So, as of this moment, were going to hit the shore, Im going to grab the first plants I can see, and were heading back. And since we cant trust our eyes or ears, were going to trust our touch. Because I can guarantee that in five minutes were all going to look like monsters or some other bullshit and if youre not touching, youll freak out. My mind flashed back to the scene I witnessed earlier, the terror that followed when half the stranga shifted into the form of their natural enemies, only to get gored to death from their own. And that was indeed crude compared to the tricks that plant used to lure me into the water. So shut up, stick together, and keep focused, I ordered. If any of you act tough and run off, for any reason, no matter how justified you think it isI will punish you. And believe me thisits gonna be savage. Chapter 115 - It Begins Its amazing how it only takes one instance of your senses failing you to cripple your ability to function normally. I learned that once we tried disembarking on shore and neither I nor any of my other companions would step onto the ground. We were terrified it was actually water. Words cannot express how glad we were when our feet touched down and kept planted. It was surreal. I tried using a domain to force away the hidden aura and neara around me, and it worked. It cleared up the real ground as if we were in a bubble within the illusion. Went straight for a domain, Trant said. Good, good. Thanks I paused and turned to Kyro. This is a form of soulmancy, right? What makes you think that? he asked. Were surrounded by soul force. I threw a rock past the domain. It cut through the sunny environment, leaving the mist that curled into existence and then disappeared again. So is what were seeing like a soul illusion? I asked. Not exactly, he said. Were just in a hollow, like the area outside the crypt. Illusions and soul force are two separate things but appear unique when blended together. Keep that in mind. I didnt like that response. As for what makes it dangerous, Kyro said. Activate your Soul Sight. I did one better, putting my hand on the ground and using Wood Wide Web. What I saw was bleak beyond my wildest imagination. This is like the Bramble. Despite the sunny visage that seemed sparse of trees and heavy plants, what I saw under my Soul Sight was something different in entire. There were large trees and sprawling plants and bulbs like Wandering Reapers moving under the ground. And many were crawling like snakes or slithering like the rootstrangler mushrooms mycelium. It was an entire jungle, but when I looked around me, I saw only a sunny clearing, a river bank with nothing but sunlight, and lush ground cover building up on the water. Thats ex~actly what it is. Trant said brightly. Its a Bramble for those who can conquer a Bramble. Just think about it. It wont be long before you can navigate the Bramble. Gotta kill you somehow, right? He chuckled awkwardly, then saw my gaze and turned away sheepishly. Thats all. But I paused, remarkably confused. But you guys can survive this, right? Id rather not. Kyro said, unscrewing his flask. He took a long drink. In case youre wondering if theres a fancy trick around this placetheres not. Least not one thats sustainable. And solutions aside, its still a fuckin nightmare. Bad enough when youre alone. But with people He glared at Reta with malice and resentment in his eyes. Reta glanced at him sharply. Your girls got gods, guardians, and families fighting over her. Shes Brindles student and Escala trusted her with her seed. If you want someone like this to have any hope of survival, you need to put down the bottle and train her, not sit around wishing she could live a normal life. Alright, Kyro said sarcastically. Then let me train her. Mira. What youre looking at is Brindles true masterpiecea soul tapestry that connects illusions and enchantments to omoxilians. I turned to him sharply. Omoxilains you mean from the crypt? Yeah. One in the same. Kyro looked to the sky. This is Brindles legacy. Illusions and plantmancy. Course theres alchemy, but that was just a little hobby of his. This this is what won the war and kept winning wars long after Brindle was gone. I studied his expression. You almost look pissed about it. No, Im pissed at the Drokai. He stopped screwing on his flask lid, Wont praise or support Brindle or protect his pupil, but theyre sure ready to traumatize her to recultivate his powers. Thats not fair, Kyro, Trant said. This is just what we know how to do. Have you forgotten where Brindle learned his illusions and alchemy? Us. Its what we do. How would we teach her anything about blood arts? No ones even seen it before. And when it comes to teaching illusionary arts and soulmancywhere else better to learn than here? Kyro took a drink. Im not saying we shouldntve come here. Its just a matter of when. Im so sick of Mira needing to resort to desperate measures to get stronger when we should be protecting her until she is. You act like were not here, Reta said. This isnt a trial. Were not throwing her into the wilderness to fend for herself. No matter how much she feels like shes going to die Reta covered her mouth and yawned. Shell be fine. Kyro glowered at her. Shes right, Kyro, Trant said, glancing at me, Kline, and the lurvine. Were not here to put them in serious danger. The only reason we came out this far is. I followed his eyes, and for the first time, I saw itHallans pillar. It was a statue of a human. A large one, too, like the Statue of Liberty, but the size of a mountain, something you would imagine seeing in Greek myths. It came out of a thick layer of milky fog that was visible even through the illusion, giving the illusion that it was so tall it was protruding from clouds.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Yet we could tell that the ground below it was reasonably level because of the statues proportions. It depicted a man holding a book with his arm out as if to cast a spell or admonish believers for their sins. I shivered looking at it, remembering the passage Lithco read to me about it. The passage read: When Trantam the Great, then thirty, returned to build his army, he called Jacksmore the Little a fool. To deny Aelium is to deny the will of the gods! he said. They made their will clear when they built their vestiges in the mighty forest that conquers all. What proof have he? asked many. His response was simple: See for yourself, their grandeur. On the Brute, you will not miss itthe pillar Hallan has spoken of. No matter which way you move, no matter how far you run, it will always be there, beckoning you into the real fog and toward the Empyrean Steps. And why would you go anywhere else save the path the gods intended? Those who walk the staircase are met with paradise, of which only some belong. Its there that we may pass and reach the Sixth Ring of this forsaken forest. He could not have known then how much any promise could betray him. Aelium was the location where Escala asked me to plant her seed. I would eventually need to go there, but right then, I needed to avoid it at all costs. Thats actually behind us, isnt it? I asked. Its best you not look at it, Kyro said bluntly. Trust your Soul Sight, not your eyes or ears. That domain isnt as useful as it appears. I looked at my bubble in the illusion, which exposed sun-dampened vegetation that contrasted against the illusionary world. I kicked a plant and it moved. It was real. Now lets go, Kyro said. Sina walked forward cautiously, Kline and I on her back, the Drokai on my shoulders. Kael brushed up on her, and then we walked into the mist. Everything felt fine for a time. Most of the plants in the forest had aura or neara in them, so I could accurately see what lay ahead before it entered my domain. And while my Guide couldnt identify poisonous plants, my Poison Sense, as well as Kline and the lurvines, could. They skillfully navigated without issue. Thirty minutes passed like that, and there was a period of great ease and relaxation as if nothing wrong could happen. And like getting lulled by the gentleness of the Brute River, I thought we would make it back to the Ralls Delta in a few hours without incident. Until we saw the flower. Trant forced us to stop when we spotted it in my extended domain. It was beautiful, a flower that bloomed with radioactive pink light with a translucent white stem and what appeared to be three veils, like the rings around mushroom stems. The light it radiated was dim, but it was enough to illuminate the rocks and grass beneath it. What is that? I asked. Cailain, Trant said in awe. Its a regenerator. Theyre exceptionally rare and those who find them horde them. Theyre truly remarkable. You can cut off its leaves and theyll grow right back. Petals. Ovaries. Doesnt matter. As long as you dont cut it past the gravula that lowest veil on the bottom, see? If you dont cut below that, itll just keep regenerating. I could just sit here all day and collect a bag full Nope, Kyro said. Its not happening. Oh, hush. I wouldnt go that far. Im just saying I could. What does it do? I asked. Its a temper. It gives the user the ability to heal far more rapidly. Far more rapidly. Its a full mutagen. Never the same species after. Just changes you. How fantastic. That didnt sound fantastic, but the possessed look in Trants eyes told a different story. It was also the point I shouldve reigned him in. But I couldnt. I was too transfixed on the plant, which had features that I had never seen on another. The areas enchanted, Kyro said dryly. You know its enchanted. If you go after it, even though you know its enchantedIm not going to save you. Yes, yes, Trant said, checking the string around his stomach was well knotted. If I dont return, dont come looking for me. Now if you would be so kind as to give me a preservation chamber. No I said. Oh, please. Ive lived for generations. If I finally die over something so trivial, I will deserve it. Kyro scoffed. And if we all die because we let you do it, then well Let him, Reta said, sitting up on my shoulder. Itll be instructional for everyone. Kyro frowned and nudged his head at my backpack. I hesitantly grabbed a small preservation chamber and handed it to him. Thank~you, Trant said. Dont expect me back. Excuse me, what? I cried, but he was already gone, fluttering to the plant. I subconsciously slowed down time as he approached a petal, watching for enemies, trying to hear over the sound of my pounding heart. Seconds felt like minutes as he got near, and I gulped. Then he touched the petal he exploded so violently there was nothing but blood mist raining down. I watched it in slow motion. There was no mistaking it. It was real. It was real. It was actually fucking real. Trant! I screamed as Kyro cupped my mouth. I tried to struggle, but he was using some strange magic, so I pulled on the string instead, praying that it would all be an illusion and he would tug back and I could yank him along, reeling him in like a fly rod. Yes, like a fly rod. And he would cry and complain and huff and tell me to let him go. But thats not what happened. It returned to me, split, charred, and covered in blood. I immediately burst into tears. We need to go, Reta said. Its starting. She waved her hand, and the ground within my domain shifted, showcasing different ground. Whats going on, I cried. Have you forgotten? Reta asked. Illusions dont need soul fog. It just does that to get you reliant upon it. The souls are different. I locked up, hugging my arms close to my body. My domain gave me a false sense of security even though Kryo had warned me. It felt shameful. I was suddenly snapped back to reality when a sudden rumble came from the ground. Insects like lobster centipedes emerged from the ground behind us like cicadas in swarms, making me cover my mouth. The lurvine exchanged glances with Kline, keeping calm until the illusionary insects reached us. They didnt know whether they were real or notuntil they assaulted us with real force. Sina cried and jumped back, igniting her feet in blue flames. An acrid stench of burning matter filled my nostrils, and the lurvine broke formation. Stick together! I screamed, but it didnt matter. It was too confusing and I wasnt paying attentionbut that only lasted a second. I activated a fresh Wood Wide Web pulse and the area lit up like a Christmas tree, exposing omoxilians popping out of the ground like reapers, each with razor blades for leaves. And in an area over twenty meters from the area where the insects emerged was a large plant under the ground that was controlling them via large tentacles. It was a true kraken lurking underneath the surface. I pulled out Nymbral. Then I charged a sharpened arrow and shot it like a laser beam. I streaked silently into the mist and disappeared, but I knew it hit because all the omoxilians suddenly died, and the illusion of insects dissolved with them. Whew, I whispered. That was crazy. Suddenly, something stabbed my shoulder from behind, and Kyro screamed, Get down! The force sent me flying off Sina. I turned and thrust out my hand, desperate to grab Sina and keep touching at all costs. God knew what would happen if I lost touch with them even for a momentbut I knew it would be terrible. Chapter 116 - Grieves The legends were true. No matter how far we walked, the fog around the colossal statue never disappeared. It was already in front of us, tempting us to turn around. And the worst part was that there were times that it got physically closer and that only seemed to enforce that we were getting closer to it. And at some point, I almost gave in. Trant was dead. Kline was shaken. Omoxilians of all sizes were attacking us. And while I could see them, the visuals were disturbing. Im not sure how much time passed in that state, but it left me going crazy. Trants death was playing in my ears, and I could hear him. Dont freak out, Trant said. It was all just an illusion. I turned sharply the first time it happened, and Kyro turned to me. What is it? Trant you heard him, right? He furrowed his brow. What are you talking about? I turned to Reta. You heard him, right? No, she said apathetically. Focus ahead. I tried, but you cannot imagine what its like to focus ahead when you hear your dead teacher speaking right behind you. Ten minutes later, when my arms got jittery, Trant said, Im coming up. Dont fight me. Trant fluttered ahead of me and sat on Sinas headbut she didnt notice. Neither did Kline. Or Kyro. Or Reta. And that was all impossible to believe because Trants body was half shredded and bloody. I thought about just playing dead forever, Trant said in his reasonable voice. Once you think someones dead, its almost worse to think theyre alive again. I studied his harrowed appearance, and my heart raced. Youre dead. I watched you explode. I slowed time. Theres no way an illusion did that. What are you talking about? Kyro asked. You really cant see him? I asked nervously. Kyros face twitched, and he took a sharp breath as he stared at where Trant was sitting, and his nose scrunched in, and he glared at Reta. Were getting Mira out of thisand then Im going to kill you. What? I cried as I looked at Reta. Whats going on? Its called the grieves, Reta said. Its rare, but Its not rare! Kyro yelled. Its a known symptom. Or did you forget what you did to Aleand? Are you that fucking cold that youd forget about him? Whats going on? I cried. Panic had overtaken my bones, making my posture break down. Kline felt something was wrong, but he looked at me just like Kyro was as if something was very wrong with me. Reta said nothing. Kyros shoulders trembled, and I was convinced that he would rip her larynx out and feed it to the omoxilians. I wanted to stop them, but I couldnt speak. Whats going on? I whimpered. Grieves, Trant said. Its when someone dies, and you keep seeing them. Its not too common on the outside because if you notice it, your brain rejects it. But here, where youre expecting illusions and distortion, your brain embraces it. And once you get the grieves, its permanent. Once people leave this place, they can never differentiate between fact and fiction. Paranoia gets pretty bad. Stop, I whispered. I remember this one time, Trant chuckled in the way that he always did. We brought back a woman who thought that normal granda weeds were the cure to mana sickness and so she picked tens of thousands of them and stored them in a room. Stop, I pleaded. Oh, I suppose thats not the topic to talk about right now He glanced at me and away sheepishly, just as he always did. Mira, Kyro said. Im going to get you through this, but youre going to have to trust me. Can you do that? I nodded with tears streaming down my eyes. Good. Youre experiencing psychosis, and what you gotta do is treat everything by your Soul Sight as an illusion. Everything. And to do that, you need to let go. Stop trying to see fact from fiction. How the hell am I supposed to do that? Focus on the feeling of me on your shoulder. And the feel of Kline in your arms and Sina underneath you, and then close your eyes. I trusted him, so I closed my eyes, and everything calmed. I focused on soul sight, but something was off about it. I was seeing things, but it was distinctly different than what I was seeing before but I embraced it and relaxed. But then I heard Reta say: Youre being deceived. I snapped my eyes open and Kline was in a trance, staring at the sky blankly as a spike vine wrapped around his neck. And it was bright under my soul sight. Powerful. Kline! I screamed, grabbing him and pulling him back. Calm down! Kyro screamed as I pulled back. How? I creamed as I turned to him. When I did, I found that Kyro wasnt Kyrohe was a sickening flower with thousands of petals moving into a row of teeth. I screamed. Trust me, Kyro said from the plant. Then, his voice distorted. Trust me I slapped it and pulled out my machete, but a force bore down on my arm and I saw other vines around my arm. I screamed, and the Kyro clone wrapped down my other arm, and they pushed me down, and I cried and screamed for Kline, and then Enough! Kyro screamed. A snap resounded, and the entire world changed. The pillar and the impending fog disappeared for the first time, leaving a world that matched perfectly with my soul sight. It was a freakish world filled with eight-foot plants that looked like helixes or scarecrows or bushes that looked like spaghetti monsters. A rockface created a path to our right, and it was filled with moss that studded it like toad skin, and fungi sprawled over the place. And despite the alien nature of the world, it was relieving. It matched the soul sight perfectly and it actually seemed believable.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. I turned and saw Kyro had returned, holding down my shoulder. The plant was gone, and so was the world, and when I looked for Kline, I saw him pacing back and forth on Sinas fur, staring at me with worry in his eyes. You got your point across, Kyro said to Reta. She gets it now. Layers upon layers. Trant, get over here. I searched for Trant on Sinas snout, but he wasnt there. Instead, he flew back with a full container of the flower petals. Sorry, he said apologetically as he sat on my lap. When he did, I could feel his weight. Here, this will help. He lifted the preservation chamber, and when I grabbed it, I could feel the cool glass. What did you learn? Reta asked. If you open your mouth again, Im seriously going to kill you, Kyro said. Reta sighed. Are you done? I swear to Can someone tell me whats going on? I yelled. Thats what I want you to figure out, Reta said. Or do you want this all to be for nothing? I swallowed. Is this real? I whimpered. Sort of, Kyro said. The only way to counter illusions of this scale is to freeze them out or simply create another illusion. Thats what Retas doing. Shes taking in information from the soul sight and creating something thats closer to reality. Well, minus the fog. So while this is fake, its truer than everything youve been seeing. I looked around at the alien landscape and shuddered. And Trant? I asked weakly. Im very real, Trant said, flying up and hugging my neck. Touch really is the best indicator in the mist. Well, unless you get hit by a swarma plant. But Retas been navigating us around those. Kyros made her out to be worthless up there, but shes been herding us through the worst of it. Whats a swarma plant? Im glad you asked, Trant said chipperly. Swarma plants shoot numbing mist onto their victims that remove their ability to sense touch. Nasty little things. Once you get hit, you cant tell if youre touching anyone. And if you get hit with one of them here He chuckled insanely, then caught my glare and looked away nervously. Mira, Kyro said. Its over, okay? Were gonna get out of here and well actually teach you how to avoid this shit in the future. Reta took a deep breath and said, Not until she tells us what she experienced and what shes learned. Question me all you want, but Nethralis sent me to teach Mira. And if you keep interfering, Ill have Nethralis remove you until trainings over. Kyro gritted his teeth, and I put up my hand and hugged Kline against my chest and said: Let me ask you something. When I heard Trant, and asked you if you heard it, did you really not hear it? Reta turned to Kyro, and he grimaced and said: Mira I never heard you say that. My eyes widened. Wait what? Neither did I. But you answered That was an illusion. I didnt say anything until you attacked me and tried to unsheath your machete. My heart pumped erratically, spurting panic and adrenaline. You? I asked Trant. I didnt, he said. When I noticed the cord got cut, I figured that you thought I died. And the last thing I wanted to do was show up. The world lost focus, and I felt sick, on the verge of collapsing on the ground and shedding my stomach. It was all too much to take in. Mira, Reta said. Let me ask you something: you could feel Kyro on your shoulder. Why did you suddenly attack him? What made you believe he wasnt real? I-I dont know, I said. Think. I-I dont know. I was convinced he was real because he was yelling at you and threatening you and thats what happening here. T-The story. I believed the story. So if you believed the story, whyd you suddenly change your mind? Thats what I cant figure out. I-I think I was just so devastated and confused and I thought I was crazy. And then something weird happened. I trusted him and closed my eyes and I thought This is weird. Right? Like, I trusted him so much that I fell into a trap that in retrospect seemed obvious. And as soon as I woke up and saw Kline in a trance he looked really possessed and there was a vine around his neck. I started crying. A-And when I turned to you, I could see a plant that looked real and I could see its soul. And its voice changed So the mist convinced you were crazy so youd distrust yourself, then used your relationships against you, and then turned you against us. Why? I reflected on it. B-Because I took rapid breaths, coughing out phlegm. It knew. It knew we could see it, so it tried to break us apart and turn us against each other. Good girl, Reta said. Theres only another mile or so. Lets get out of here. It was amazing how effortless Misty Row became with Retas illusions. She could change the entire world around us, and when there were enemies, she clearly described them so we could fight them, and at some point, the only traps left were natural plants. And that one Trant said with a bright smile as he pointed at a green-speckled mushroom. That ones really neat. Its called Mad Mans Reminder because its super hallucinogenic, and the people affected are known to talk like a mad man. And thats interesting because it keeps reminding people that what theyre seeing is an illusion. Keeps them on their toes. I heard that back in the early days, they would spike one cup of tea with the spores, and someone would get them to act as the reminder. Super fascinating. I shuddered and held Kline against my bosom and rode on. Right before we reached the barrier, Kyro gave me a warning: Were about to leave but keep your soul sight active, he said. The tricks to walk another ten miles after you leave with soul sight present. Once you go another ten without seeing omoxilians, you genuinely start to believe youre gone. If you dont go that far, youre going to be paranoid that youre still in an illusion. Great lets do twenty. As you wish. There was no barrier to exit Misty Row. In normal circumstances, the illusionary world would gradually blend with the real one until you walked out without knowing you were part of it. But with Retas illusionary world, the world suddenly shifted back to the one I saw six hours before and I took a deep sigh of relief. I patted Sina and Kael beside her and said, Lets run. Lets fucking run far, far away from this place. And we did. We broke out in a synchronized sprint with the lurvine blasting up the river bank with prejudice, jumping over boulder, plant, and stream as we rushed ahead. Before long, we were back at Ralls Delta, and then we turned at the fork and ran, ran until we could see Ralls Fort, the abandoned city of a lost generation of conquerors. By the time I saw it, I was genuinely convinced that we were back in the real world. So thats why they built it so far from the Delta I said. Correct, Kyro said, sighing in deep relief as he drank on my shoulder. Hey Kyro I said. Yeah? Does the term grieves really exist? He froze and gulped. It does, Reta said. Its a condition where people cant dissociate between fact and fiction after prolonged exposure in the mist. Its called grieves because its usually triggered by death and the grief from it. I glanced at Kyro and he trembled slightly before hardening his expression and taking another drink. It happens, Reta said.It happens in the way that soldiers die from bad orders. It happens the way that accidents ruin lives. It happens. And sometimes, it happens from mistakes the victim makes as well. She glanced at Kyro and then at me. But theres something particularly terrible about grieves. Once someone you care about loses their mind, it sticks with you for a long time. And that mist remembers, Kyro said. It never forgets. My heart ached when I remembered that I wasnt the only person who was experiencing hell in the mist. Everything that happens in that mist becomes forever, he said. You see it again. Live it again. Friends call out to you, beg for help. Secrets the souls heard but you didnt get repeated. And it lies and lies I fucking hate that place. He took a drink. Im just glad youre okay. Im just glad youre okay. I was glad, too, and I told him so, thanking him and Reta and Trant for the experience. Then we carried on until all was calm, and I had time to reflect. Only then did I remember the cailain petals in my lap and realize that we had actually completed my tribute mission and come out with a plant that was valuable enough to satisfy a god. I wondered if I would give the plant to Elana. Because there was no way in hell, I would ever search for it again. I said that, proclaiming my stance that I would only go through Misty Row one more time to reach Aelium and never again. I went even further and declared that I would beat it and make it look as effortless as Reta did so I wouldnt even have to experience it. And I meant it. I wouldnt return until I could navigate it like Reta, then would cast aside illusions as the devils work and never look back. Yet when I went to sleep that night, my brain was alivealive with sinister ideas about how to confuse, divide, and break opponents with illusions. Misty Row had changed my perspective on what they were. In the past, I imagined people changing their visual identity for subterfuge or creating hundreds of shadow clones to confuse opponents. But now. Now, I could see that there were thousands of subtle and darker ways to use illusions on enemies and I couldnt wait to use them. Chapter 117 - Illusionary Training I thought that I would live in fear that everyone and everything was an illusion after returning from Misty Row, but it was a lot easier to prove than I initially thought. Any illusion can be dispelled through a process known as freezing, the use of raw mana to overpower nearby magic in the air. Since illusions are made of mana, they get blown away, at least for a time. Freezing is simple, effective and genuinely proves what youre looking at is real, so long as your mana can overpower illusions, which are usually quite weak. Another major indicator of reality is the limitations of illusionary arts. The souls in Misty Row can read surface thoughts but not memories. Profiles of individuals are built within the mist with the help of inner thoughts and physical presence. But ultimately, they cannot recreate your house or let you sleep or live your life. Once youre back in the real world for a few days, any desire to freeze your normal location disappears. Lastly, it just comes down to Soul Sight. There werent any killer plants, and everything you see matches up with your eyes, nose, and divination spells. It was quite easy and thank God, I thought I would be traumatized for life. Yet I wasnt, and after a few days'' break, I had collected my thoughts and then returned to training with newfound vigor. Without announcement, I sat down in my meditation chamber and learned the first stage of Dreamscapea spell that took me three days. Once I emerged, I skipped speaking to Reta and went right into the woods to train only to find her waiting for me. Oh, so now you want to train me, I said, watching Kline disappear with Active Camouflagepreparing himself for a kill shot. Youre she yawned and sat down on a branch languidly, ready to learn. I was always ready to learn. But you didnt want to learn. You cant learn Illusions through memorization. If you dont have a fascination with illusions if you arent creative youd be better off doing something else. Riiiiight, I said. Well, Im going to scan this tree. If you want to give me tips, feel free. Scanning was the first step of illusions. It was the process of recording information from objects so you can recreate them later, much like taking a photograph or building a 3D model. I needed to build a library of illusionary objects, so I placed my fingers on the cool, cross-hatch bark of a nearby and closed my eyes to scan my first object. Unfortunately Dont do that, Reta said. My cheek twitched. Excuse me, what? Dont do that. Id usually let you suffer a bit to learn your lesson, but Kyros threatening She yawned. To kick me out of your house. Ill kick you out of my house. Yeah, yeah So why shouldnt I scan this tree? Because itll make your brain explode. She flew to my tree slowly, gracing me with her waking presence, and then picked a fluff of moss off the tree. When you scan something, it copies the information within an object so you can recreate it. It sounds easy, but the first time you do it, you will be overwhelmed with information about wood and moss and roots and leaves, and all the chemicals within each. Youre not copying the way it looks, youre copying the way it moves, its lightness, the way it bends in the wind. And thats natural because you cannot blend lighting. Observe. She put her hand on the tree and scanned it. Then, she moved to the center of a meadow, which was far sunnier, and recreated the tree perfectly, including the lighting and shading. My brain glitched out when I saw it. I had never seen something so wrong. There were shadows where the sun was shining on it, and when a cool breeze ruffled nearby trees, its leaves didnt move. It looked like a bad video game asset thrown in a random location. When we create an object, we dont create lighting for it, Reta said. We just recreate it and let it interact with the real sun. Its like this stick. She picked up a stick with telekinesis and held it to the light, then moved it into her shadow and turned it sideways. Once you create something, the physical world will interact with it, even in the illusion. So you just need to recreate something. But to do that, we have to recreate the object as it is to the very foundation of its core. And if you try to do that on such a massive object, when your brain knows nothing of the inner workings of trees, you will be on bedrest for the rest of the day. Instead, analyze this. She handed me the pinch of moss, and I frowned. Just this? I asked. Just this. I was skeptical, but when I scanned it, I was grateful. Because the data from that small piece of moss felt like someone took an ice pick to the back of my skull, and I hit my knees as my brain absorbed a seemingly endless supply of abstract, esoteric knowledge on the inner workings of mossa recipea collection of the shapes, sizes, colors, and physical attributes. It was terrible.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Ten minutes later, the information stream finally ended, and Reta brought me a pinch of greenish-gray moss. Now scan this. Just give me a minute, I said, cradling my head. Trust me, she said. I do not trust you. Then do it because I said so. I am your teacher. When you want to be I grumbled, accepting it. I closed my eyes. Round two. I activated a mana scan, and to my shock, the amount of information I took in was less than a quarter. The moss was different, but I had already captured chemicals and moss-specific attributes and it didnt need to rehash what it already learned. Chlorophyll was chlorophyll, whether it was in a leaf, moss, or fern. See? Reta said, fluttering to another tree branch and lying down. Mana scans arent painful. You just need to do it the smart way. So scan these objects. Dont come back until youre finished. Reta gave me an absurd treasure hunt of random ultra-specific objects. Rocks from within an underground creek, pine needles from a dark thicket, every tranan mushroom in a patch (a mushroom notorious for having ten thousand caps in a three-foot area). It was absurd, but I needed a break, so I didnt argue. Come on, Kline, I said. Kline dropped his Active Camouflage, exposing his position on the branch above Reta. If I didnt have a consistent passive form of Soul Sight present at all times, I wouldnt have even noticed he was there, lurking, preparing to strike. It was terrifying. Kline sneered and jumped off the tree, obtaining his full sight and laying down to let me mount him. Then I did, and we went on our hunt. That night, we spent the night in the forest and hit the ground running, picking pine needles in the thicket that the River Guardian had chased us through on our first day after picking the water sack plant. Then, we found a branch off of the river and traveled aimlessly to areas known for those mushrooms. We didnt finish even a quarter of the list, so we slept at the old alchemy station and hit the hunt early the next morningand then repeated that process the next day. It took two and a half days to complete her mana scan treasure hunt, and when I was done I felt like I learned nothing. But when I returned and found a massive pile of plants, rocks, and objects that Reta and Trant had collected, I realized that the scavenger hunt had nothing to do with finding objectsit was about giving me a break. Whats this? I asked. A congratulations, Reta said, rubbing her eyes. For completing the Misty Row trial. An apology, Kyro corrected, glaring at her. A gesture born of mixed emotions, Trant said. Everyones glad you conquered half of Misty Row and came out alright. We were all pretty worried. So Reta did this to get you to take a few days off while we helped out for once. I glanced at Reta, who quickly averted her gaze and lay on a branch. Im your teacher, she said, facing away from me. This is what teachers do. She loves you, Trant said. Now come, come. Look at all these plants we found. I went to the pile and gladly sat down, listening to lectures on plants before Trant handed them to me to scan. We did that most of the day, as Reta slept and Kyro drank, and by the end of it, the data overload I initially experienced during each scan had waned substantially. You feeling good? Reta asked at sunset, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. I nodded. Then scan the tree. I looked at the two-hundred-foot tree with its thirty-foot radius with deep anticipation. You sure? I asked. She nodded. Youd be amazed what happens when you do things the right way. I smiled bitterly and walked up to the tree, resting my fingers on the bark. Then I closed my eyes and started the scan. It felt like someone chopped my frontal lobe with an axe, but the feeling subsided very quickly, leaving me with all the information on the gigantic object. Thats it? I asked. Thats it, she confirmed. Thats what happens when you learn all the individual elements first. She pointed at the seemingly random pile of organic and inorganic objects. Now scan that tree. I followed her eyes and found another tree of equal size. I nodded and scanned it, and to my bewilderment, I only got surface-level information. It was like I was just copying its shape. Now do that for a few thousand objects. Reta stretched her arms and rubbed her eyes. Build up a library, and well start working on conscious creatures. Till youre done, Im going to sleep She fluttered away, but before she got too far, she turned to me one last time. And dont neglect your training with Trant. Mastery is determined in decades, not days. Make sure to live your life. With those words, she disappeared, leaving me to train. And train is what I did. I copied objects until my brain eroded, and I couldnt think straight and Kline had to drag me back to camp. The next two days I did the same. By the third, when Trant realized that I was too dedicated for normal alchemy lessons, he decided to spend his days with me, teaching me about plants and alchemic principles as I scanned the plants. Then we went home, where Kline and the lurvines had stacked up quarries from their hunts. Kyro became more proactive and helped skin and butcher the meat. She actually ate when I cleansed and cooked the meat with spices that Trant collected. Then, I would hug Reta against my chest until she fell asleep and lay her down so I could do my mental shielding training. Time passed like that until the trees turned color, and the air became chilly. Most of the plants had fallen victim to fall, but I enjoyed the long hikes and practice. It was my dream come true. Yet I couldnt feel completely content about it. The Harvest was only twenty days away, and I still couldnt use illusions offensively, and the tension only rose by the day. I wasnt ready. It was miserable, but just three weeks before I was set to leave for the Bramble, Reta was wide awake in the morning. Whats up? I asked as I got out of bed. Today Im going to teach you and Kline about battling with illusions. My mind sharpened, and I nodded resolutely. Then we began. I spent the next two weeks training heavily with Reta. And when it ended, I felt vindicated for continuing to trust that she would come around. Because when that woman wanted to teach she could. It was so impactful that one week before I was set to leave when I searched the Equipment tab for items to order for my little village, I found myself surprisingly confident in protecting the items I was thinking about ordering. So, I didnt hold back, using all the platinum and gold rewards that I had earned during the Trial of Worths rankings. Chapter 118 - A Surprising Lecture I expected the rewards I earned from the Trial of Worth rankings to be filled with mythological weapons and strange elixirs, each perfectly suited to bring one closer to godhood. Or something. Instead, they seemed to match exactly what I wanted to the point the three options I had for platinum and gold ended up the final picks. It was the true nature of a reward. The options read: -
  1. Powerful Pocket Ward (Platinum): When the most practical treasure you have only protects one, get two. And since you have something more permanent, why not get a small one to carry around while youre traveling? Knowing you, youll get yourself into a suicidal situation youll need a powerful barrier.
  1. Cloak of the Predator (Platinum): Reward your cats hard work by getting an Active Camouflage cloak. That way, the fancy Active Camouflage he worked so hard for wouldnt be worthless when his loud, highly visible, smelly human is near him.
  1. Arrays for Days (Platinum): Like the Big Bag o Tools, Arrays for Days is a large collection of powerful arrays for every occasion, from water production and heating to ventilation and purification. There are hundreds of pre-keyed arrays for functional use cases, with enough functionality to service a small village or at least the public spaces.
  1. Kit Estate (Gold): This kit contains everything you never thought you prayed youd never have to touch, from caulking and tiles to metal support pillars and concrete. Everything you need to build homes and bathhouses is in this large delivery and more, providing magical alternatives to electric accessories. Just be prepared to make multiple trips, as it will take up about ten pallets worth of space.
  1. Portable Furniture (Gold): Despite the boring name, Portable Furniture comes with sixty-two benches, tables, couches, beds, and other items thatlike your pop-out stove and bedsmagically inflate into comfortable furniture variations. They come upholstered, making them fashionable to your requested desires. It is enough for eight homes and your communal spaces.
  1. Bulk Alchemy Staples (Gold): Over a thousand pounds of Alchemy staples, primarily consisting of ethanol, creams, sugars, and oils that are requirements for alchemic creations but are hard to make in nature. It also contains many acids, alkalines, binding agents, and more.
  1. Trade Route Spices (Bronze): One hundred pounds of salt, twenty pounds of sugar, ten gallons of cooking oil, ten pounds of butter, two hundred pounds of flour, ten pounds of coffee beans, and a full supply of other spices.
- Those were the items that I picked, with the bronze being the only one I spent a free request on. I wanted more, but I still had epic-grade alchemy equipment, an illusionary ward, and teleportation circles in the Bramble to collect when I was ready. After Misty Row, I was relatively prepared. I just needed to learn more about soul pacts with plants and soulmancy counters. It was approaching. For now, though, I was satisfied with this. There was only one problem. The moment I submitted it, I got a nasty notification. It read: - Warning: Aiden Roes company, Heath and Roe Enterprises, is unlikely to be able to fulfill your requests. There is a high probability that the Melhan family needs to be involved. Do you agree to this provision? - Hey Lithco, I said after some reflection. If I give you an information request, can you tell me how the Melhans are approaching me this year? Lithco and a chair blinked into existence before me. Not as much as you would like. He sat down. The Melhans have privacy protection for their familys operations like you do. However, I will be able to tell you about the familys stance, as its been made to the public. Give it to me. Done. Lithco leaned back. Interestingly enough, the head of the family, Reasan Melhan, knows youd be in this predicament, and hes hoping to exploit it to rebuild ties with you. Its important to remember that Reasan never gave his son an order to be a psychotic maniac. Doesnt make him a good personhes not. But he wouldnt have done anything so irresponsible. I frowned. And you think hes being honest? I can ask him to release an analysis. Wait, what? If someone makes a request of interest, the Oracle sends the person with a privacy request an invitation. I see I paused. Do it. He did, and not a minute later, Lithco chuckled. Well, thats a testament of its own. What? He looked at me. He already agreed. And I can confirm that hes genuine about rebuilding ties and he has not made any plans to harm you. So wait. Theyre not sending a hit squad? They''re is the wrong word. Hes not sending a hit squad this year. Your embargo has affected everyone in the family, and many are furious that you humiliated their name and killed their heir. So they might. I see Still, that does mean that the Melhan family wont show up and demand a public challenge or force you to make deals with the Dante for protection. Theres bound to be troublejust not unreasonable trouble. I nodded absentmindedly and said, Indicate that Im willing to negotiate if it doesnt cost anything. Theres no sense in not talking. Also can you set up a meeting with Elana? She didnt deserve to be in the dark so long. Lithco scoffed. What? Am I your servant? Well in a matter of semantics.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. I refuse. Come on! Youre the physical embodiment of The Guide. Lithco rolled his eyes and wiggled his fingers and froze, chuckling insanely. What? Seems youre quite popular. Elana wants to meet tomorrow morning. What? Its been three seconds. It seems shes been waiting. Lithcos lips curved into a sinister grin. Good luck. He disappeared before I could react, leaving me in a state of terrorized limbo. Yet I was excited. It had been over a year since Elana and I last talked, and I kinda missed her. So, I pushed my thoughts aside and carried on with my day, finishing strong as I prepared to meet my teacher. - It was a brisk fall morning when I found myself frozen stiff, crumpling under the glare of my abnormally beautiful teacher. Elanathe Eternal Goddessfamous for dealing in eternal youth and age reversal at the level of ninth-evolution gods. She was furious. Not because I hadnt seen her. But for a much more simple and almost petty reason. While I am willing to forgive your loose adherence to your image when youre in isolation, I will not permit my disciple to dress like a sloven around others, least of all her master! Yes, maam I said, averting my gaze. And why did you not reach out to me? That Drokais understanding of alchemy is laudable for a forest dweller, but it lacks in depth. I cannot believe that you would temper your body without at least consulting me. What if you destroyed your body? I grimaced and kept silent. Well? she hummed sharply. I understand you lack the proper respect for gods, but you could at least give me the mortal courtesy of petty excuses. Look, I said after a sharp breath. I was pushed around by gods and families and systems all last year. And I just wanted to live my life. Go on hikes and study plants and do some alchemy. Otherwise I paused. Otherwise, I probably wouldve gone to live with Felio. Lived in a luxurious home. Studied alchemy. The whole nine. I enjoy my life, but if this year was like last year, I wouldve left. Elana unfolded her arms and pulled out a chair from a spatial dimension and sat down, crossing one leg over the other. There was a surprising amount of empathy in her eyes. Plus I continued. I was pretty pissed when you sent me off to Misty Row, and when I got back I probably wouldve blown up on you. Her lips pursed into a poker face. What happened there? I wasnt pleased when you suddenly cut the feed. I laughed. I didnt cut the feed. Half the Brute between the Delta and the visible mist is actually the mist. It sucks you in ten to fifteen miles before you even know youre in the mist. Her eyes flickered with interest. Whats in the mist? Hell, I said and looked away. Absolute hell. Look Im not going to talk about it, kay? But I promise you this: If you ever send me back there for tribute, I will cut all ties with you. Elana studied my face, then said. Understood. Now will you tell me what those are? She glanced at the preservation chamber I was cradling against my thighs. Cailain, I said. Its a regenerative temper. Im going to use most of it, but I will be giving you some. The other plants I found in the mist were useless. Elanas composure broke, and she stood, walking to me and asking politely for the chamber with a gesture. I handed it to her, and she stared into it with glassy, frozen eyes. Do not use these, she whispered. What? Why not? Theyre supposed to heal my body. If youre an uncivilized fairy, she said. If youre a god, you can turn this into a temper that regenerates limbs. But you wont be able to do it with what you have. I will be sending you ingredients this year, next year if I cannot expedite them quickly enough. Do not take this opportunity for granted. It costs a great deal to send ingredients between the realm of gods and the mortal plane, and I will not do it again. I paused, mouth agape, lost in the idea that Elana was sending me ingredients from the land of the gods. I cant I paused and rescinded my words. What do you want for this? For you to survive, she said. Such is the goal and aim of a true master. I was silent, stunnedastonishedseeking answers for questions on her motives. But I just nodded. Thats enough for today, she said. Any more, and you will be tempted to improve yourself and I forbid you from using any more tempers or elixirs. Am I understood? I nodded. Good. She stood again and looked down upon me. Youve done well. Next year, I will be light upon your tribute, but expect a serious test when I feel youre strong enough. Thats all. Elana disappeared, leaving me staring at the petals in disbelief. It seemed that the trauma of Misty Row was productive, after all. I spent my last few days practicing my battle illusions with Reta and Kyro, then going home to cook and eat and enjoy life with my friends. This could be the last week of my life, so I would make it count. Before I knew it, the fall time had accelerated, and it was time to make it back toward the Harvest. This time, I felt like a gangster. There were hundreds of migrating beasts and none of them attacked us. They mustve smelled torok murder on Kline and me because even the largest of beasts kept their distance, watching us from a distance. It felt damn good. Kline was clingier after Misty Row, so to Sinas huffing displeasure, he had me ride him like a war panther. He was smug about it, and Sina was like a jealous child, walking up to me on our breaks and lying down against me quite forcefully, looking around to make sure there weren''t any enemies. It was seriously cute. I showered her with affection, and Kline got butt hurt, so he transformed to his smaller size to jump in my lap and let me pet him. I get that they were warring, but I was the victor. Kael was also a bit jealous. He was the alpha male, and Sina was the alpha female. At some point, it was expected that they would have children, and it was surprising that they hadnt already. My guess was that they were pushing toward the third evolution first, as a pregnancy would permanently slow them down. Now that they were, Kael was a bit more aggressive and Sina was wholly stuck to me like glue. I was flattered but I kinda wanted them to have kids. Just imagining a baby lurvine was far much to handle. The cuteness would make me explode. It was surreal to be thinking about something so insignificant in the middle of the Harvest migration, but there we were, the alphas of the forest, with time to spare. Things didnt get serious until we reached the Bramble and found a pack of third-evolution chimeric lions near the Mouth of the Bramble, where they had spent the year eating the dead toroks to the bone. The scene was biblical: a stare-off between two strong packs in a giant graveyard, staring each other down through gaps in the late toroks yellowing rib cages. It was time to test our strength before the Harvest began. Chapter 119 - An Important Question Nature versus nurture. That was a question that had been around since the times of Plato. Are intelligence and other attributes determined primarily by ones environmentor their genes? That was a hard question to determineeven in my case. Staring down six chimeric creatures, the smallest being the size of a hippo, each with the shaggy mane and body of a lion and the face of a gorilla, protecting a massive one lurking in the back, I asked myself that question. I had only been in Areswood for a year and some change, but despite that, I felt confident fighting third-evolution beasts that had spent their lives hunting and building their strength. These were apex predators of their domain, beasts that even the strongest of top walkers with decades of magic and fighting experience struggled to overcome, yet Kline and I were facing them at the first evolution. It seemed so ridiculous. Yet. We both had gods helping us. I had Brindle and Elana, and Kline had a phantom cat god named Miriselle. We both had the system and a seemingly endless supply of magic and tailored tutorials. We feasted exclusively on meat that only elites could afford, often far stronger than they could buy, and we utilized alchemic ingredients that sold for millions. We also had resources that had never been sold, resources in ancient crypts and illusionary grottos that only the gods could lead us to. And even if that wasnt enough, even if our advantages only went so far, I had the spirit of Areswood Forest and a soulmancer god that fused with my body to help and teach me to do the impossible. We were the very essence of nurture. And yet Could just anyone do such a thing? No. I was a born prodigy in soul arts, which allowed me to fuse with Yakana. Kline was a born hunter with incredible hunter instincts and talent. Those factors allowed us to make the most of these resources, enabling us to compete on the same playing field as third-evolution beasts after just a year. I suppose I could ask Yakana what he thoughtif I wanted to. The point was moot. Whether it was nature or nurture, I planned to kill these beasts despite all limitations. Kline, I said. Lets try the poison drill. His lips curved in a creepy smile as he assumed his panther form and cloned himself three times. I pulled out three jars, peeled the rawhide coverings off a sticky substance, and stuck one to each of their backs. The chimeric gorilla lions growled as we did it, approaching slowlyhesitantlyas if they knew. That was good for us. I used Kiras wings to fly into the sky and pulled out Nymbral. And the fight began. They flew at me at haunting speed, racing to kill me before I could use the weapon they sensed as a grave threat. They released heavy wind slashes at me in the air. But I could see them. Moxle Dilation was an acceleration spell designed for demigodsnot fledgling mortals with their first taste of power. And even with my current heavy mental limitations, when I slowed time, the air and beasts flew at me with the speed of running humans. Not great but manageable if you had homing arrows and a teleporting cat. One of Klines clones blinked out of existence and appeared beside the leading chimera. He lunged with his acceleration spell, grabbing the beast by the nape of the neck and dragging it into a tackle. I dodged the wind blasts preemptively and released a hurricane arrow that struck the poison bottle on their fur, and it exploded in a glorious plume of mist that covered three of the beasts. It was heavy necrotic poison, and it burned their eyes, sending them into a thrashing frenzy as they rammed into the toroks ribs and rolled on the ground, clawing at their eyes in vain. They would probably heal. Eventually. These were apex predators. But they would never get the chance. Klines clones flew into portals and came out beside each, using Phantom Claws and Sharp Bites to rip the thrashing creatures to shreds. Each attack was weak against third evolution beasts, especially coming from clones, but even paper cuts killed when stacked up enoughand soon, the creatures were bleeding out. There were only three leftThis book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. and they were bigger. The two in front were twice the size of the ones we killed, and the one in the back was twice the size of the larger ones and exuded a dripping aura that felt cold and eerie, like Florida humidity turned cold. Yet we didnt back off. I charged another hurricane arrow, and the two in the front split off. Klines clones gave chase as I cracked a fourth bottle of poison and used Separate to add it to a hurricane arrow for two chances. I shot it at the creature to the right as it weaved back and forth. It was faster, dodging the attack but Kline was even faster. His clone jumped through a portal right in front of the arrow, and the bottle of poison exploded, soaking the bottom half of the beast. It roared in pain but kept charging toward me like the other. The one on the left was fast. It lunged at Klines true form, and a vicious battle broke out. The beast was eight times the size of Klines panther form at least and released wind slashes that rattled the earth and sent rocks blazing across the battleground. Kline was faster, though, ducking between portals and slashing at its legs in the dust. The chimera didnt take it lying down; it swiped between portals, landing a hit. But Kline got right back up and continued the battle. I charged an arrow and pointed down, preparing for Kline to teleport so I could release it, but the poisoned beast caught up first. It released this freakish roar that rattled my and Klines brains. A mental attack like Klines spectral roar. My body disconnected, and I hit free fall. But as it lunged at me, my wings disappeared, and Kira shot out of my chest, spinning to the side and slashing a sword at the beasts paw with a sword. The sharpened aura cut right through it with an explosion of blood that poured everywhere in a cyclone. The beast roared and hit the ground between Kline and the other beast as Kira caught me in a princess carry, giving me time to collect my head with Mental Shielding. The chimera fighting Kline thought I was out for the count when Kira put me down and attacked her. So it didnt see the hurricane arrow I sent at it until it was too late. It smashed into the beasts side and sent it rolling. Kline recovered a second later, pouncing on the pawless chimera I injured. He ripped the creatures throat out with his canines, then rushed off at the beast I had just hit, multiplying into five forms that attacked from all sides, ripping apart the creature like wolves tearing apart a baby calf. Once the other creatures were dead, the alpha released its roar and joined the fight. The battle cry seized my lungs and made me freeze up. No. It was something else. It was pressuresomething akin to Aidens Dominion. Whatever it was, it locked me up as the beast approached with thunderous steps, crunching over torok bones as it walked slowly, menacingly, applying dominance. Yet Kline didnt back down. He walked up equally slow, making it seem as though the two would have an old-fashioned quick draw. But it didnt work like that at all. Im not sure when it happened, but Kline had spent one of his epic skills on Dominion himself, and when he released it, my arms bubbled with goosebumps as I felt the soul fragment of the torok Kline killed pour out of him, along with the powerful third-evolution beasts he fought at the pond while I was evolving, and hundreds of other second evolution creatures. Each had minimal pressure, but the collective feeling was enough to make me lock up and fold my arms against my chest like a child curling up. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was also enough for the chimera to back away but Kline didnt let it get far. I think he felt a little emasculated after only killing injured beastseven if that was the planso he didnt hold back any longer. He and his clones disappeared in advanced active camouflage that was getting difficult for me to see, even with Soul Sight active, and he jumped into five different portals. The creature turned and slammed one of Klines clones as it was jumping out of a portal and tried to escapebut Klines clones jumped out of four positions at once. They latched onto the beasts Achilles heels, making the beast flail around and stomp its feet. The attack obliterated two clones, but the real Kline used his full power to rip through the right hind ankle, and the beast hit the ground. Then, two more Klines materialized and shot out from both directions, jumping onto the beasts back as they clawed and bit and slashed up its spine. A second later, the beast stopped, dropped, and rolled like a fire drill, destroying those clones but the battle was over. Kline pounced during its roll and slashed the creatures neck, and it never fully recovered after that. My little warrior wore it down and killed it on his own. His magicOne Beast Armytruly lived up to its name. What a remarkable sight. I was proud of himand a bit terrified. But that was okay. I felt safe. Kiras intense personality expressed absolute jealousy, and she snapped in my body, materializing again as armor. I giggled and rubbed the armor and hugged myself. You did amazing, too. I felt a huff in my soul, and then she calmed down as I watched the rest of the fight. And just like that, six powerful third-evolution beasts were dead, and I got another level. It read: Congratulations! Scion Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 33 to Level 34. Youve leveled up! You have received two requests: Information Request Free Request | Grade: Platinum Description: In a stunning reminder that the Oracle is a homicidal maniac, she has awarded you an extra level grade as a reward for your first massacre. They grow up so fast. :) Im joking, but not really. Youve caught the Oracles attention by directly aiding in the death of a whole pack of high third evolution beasts, and the Oracle gauged that you could kill them all by yourself but exercised remarkable teamwork and strategy. Had you aided Kline in killing the peak third evolution, you would have gotten a diamond, but alas, you care about his feelings and long term benefits of cooperation and thus got stuck with a platinum. So, if you want that diamond, make sure to massacre a bunch of strong harvesters this year. Kay? I felt slightly bitter about the grading system but also proud and excited. I had only been here for a year, so it wouldnt be long before we could push for the Fifth Ring and visit Lake Nyralithalso known as Lake Symmetrythe mythical location that Brindle gave me as a reward for completing his trial. It was further down the Keliam River where Tranea Crypt was located. I just had to continue down the river and enter into the western Fifth Domain, where the two-hundred-foot Egyptian guardian colossus was located Easy. Hah. Id give it time and practice my plantmancy this year. I had a feeling that the crypt was just the tutorial for what was to come. Besides, I had to do learn soulmancy to enter the Bramble and get my stuff safely, anyway. All in due time. With our strength now, another year would make us strong enough to take on the legaciesor at least their children. It was moving fast. Soon, I''d have my gear and I''d be a peak second evolution being, the highest I could go without losing the ability to leave the forest. Then, I could explore and collect stronger resources, learn greater alchemy, and purify my mind, body, and soul. I could almost taste it. It was just a matter of surviving this yearand with Reasans intention of patching things up, I could do just that. Sorry, Aiden, I thought. Looks like youre not exclusive anymore. Maybe for a little. Well see. Not that he cares I sighed as I walked up to the largest beasts corpse. Kline was roaring on its body cutely in triumph, and I was going to snuggle him to my hearts content. I sprouted wings and flew to him, enjoying the view from the top of the gigantic body. This forest was ours. Thats what I thought. And suddenly, I didnt feel so bad about being a guardian. In fact, that had a nice ring to it. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for my brother and parents to arrive. And when they did I grinned. How amusing that would be. How amusing, indeed. Chapter 120 - A Father’s Daughter Doug Hill wasnt a religious manbut he found something when his daughter was born. She was his first childhis only child at the time. And even now, she was his only daughterirreplaceable. He could still remember naming her. Tanya was very pregnant at the time, and she could never get comfortable. So she asked her doctor, and the asshole told her, Sleep on your left sideit increases blood flow, and for the first time in his and Tanyas marriage, she forced him out of his coveted position on the left side of the bed (to which she had banished him so many years before) so that when she slept on her left side and woke up, she was in a perfect position to talk to him, or in practiceroutinely wake him up at 1:00 a.m. with statements like: What do you think about Rose? And while he never remembered his dreams, Doug imagined himself on the beach somewhere, drinking margaritas between firing .50-caliber Browning shells at a dragon or whatever good dreams men usually have, mere moments before the hand of reality slapped him awake with yet another name. Hmmm? Rose? What do you think about Rose? Its been cherished for generations, yet so few women have it. Cherished by your generation. Our. Yeah, our So? So what? And so itd go until he would roll around and groan and say, Whats wrong with Alison? And she would get angry and say, You cant just pick the same name every time we speak. And somewhere in the midst of a few dozen sleepless nights like this, he ended up going, Fine Whatever. Just give me a second. He thought about it seriously for the first time, moving through a catalog of names that were socially acceptable enough to be middle class but steered away from basic names like Sarah that are reserved for nervous parents who think that being too different would hurt their childs opportunities. Somewhere in that list, he found a few and chose the one he liked most, knowing it would get rejected anyway, and said: Mira. He could still remember the way it rolled off his tongue as if it were a magic spell, mere words in a magical tome that lay dormant until chanted. The sensation raised the hairs on his arms, and he turned to his wife, who was lost in profound contemplation. Then she said yes Softly. Weakly. Determinately. Their daughter was named Mira Hill, and when she came out of the womb and cried and screamed, and Doug panicked and feared hed snap her neck if he held her tiny red body wrong, the doctor thrust her in his arms And it clicked. Just everything. That Mira was his daughter, someone he would protect then and forever with his wife, and the first words out of his mouth were Mira. Mira. What a troublesome name. It seemed so clich, but this girl was born to love plants. Doug had to board up the dog door because she would crawl outside. After Tanya started screaming for her and Doug stopped reloading shotgun shells or reading his books and joined her, they would always find Mira out in the garden, dirty as a beggar, giggling and touching plants. Oh, yes, she loved plants. So he bought one for her. It happened sporadically, really. He swerved off the road when he saw a gardening store, grinning slightly, feeling like hed terrorize his wife a bit with a prank joke on Miras gardening adventures (lovingly, of course), and when he got there, he saw the perfect plant. It looked like a Chia Pet. He doubted kids had seen them at the time, not with their cellphones and Netflix and such, and he considered that. But he remembered. His grandfather made one with him; it was a clay pot statue with holes, and you would plant seeds in those holes, and when you water it, the chia plants would grow out of it, wrapping around the statue like vines, as if it were from an ancient civilization that was left behind for generations. It was similar to the small leaves for those pets, but it was a sprawling ground cover he could keep in a dish pan. She could crawl all over it because it was soft so soft and gentle, yet sturdy enough not to get cut up and leave stains. Most of all, this plant (Soleirolia soleirolii, as Mira would later insist upon) was called Baby Tears. And so it goes What started out as a joke turned into a small obsession for Doug. Tanya would always catch him coming out of Miras room and check his hands because he was always doing something, and even when he was clean, she would still open up the door and find a third of her bedroom was a sprawling mess of Baby Tears or, in later years, a small garden with real flowers.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. And when Tanya complained about the good carpet, like his and her mothers before them, he ripped out the carpet and replaced it with hardwood floors and even spent three weeks on weekends plumbing a sink into the room so Mira, who was three at the time, could wash her hands at her mothers insistence. Tanya would always sass him afterward, saying things like, I ask you to change our brakes, and youre too busy, Mira wants plants and you suddenly have time, and he would have to schmooze her into forgiving him. But the funny thing The thing that only men with responsible mothers would understand Is that you know when a wife is angry and disapproves. You can feel it in your bones. And Tanya she would always sigh and tell him to wash up for dinner and let him get away with it, week after week, month after month, year after year for decades, even after Miras walls had morning glories vines up them and he had to rip out the wall and part of the floor when he thought it would be cute to add oyster mushrooms to Miras Magical Garden. Because she loved it too. Because while most parents know how fast children get bored of things, Mira would never get bored of plants. She would always jump up and down when Doug brought new plants, and then he and Tanya would drink wine and watch Mira as she picked at her Baby Tears and poked at her daisies or demanded they eat her carrots (once she was old enough to start a serious garden). Now, Doug was walking down a pathway through a prehistoric forest as armed guards reminded everyone not to trip and leave the path, or the plants would start killing everyone. This was his fault. It was all his fault. But if she still had that goofy smile. Hed be okay with it. Thats what he told himself anyway. In truth, he didnt know what to think about his daughter, who left for the forest and started killing harvesters and riding beastsbut he was still so excited to see her last year. Now was no different. He really wanted to see her more than anything. Tanya laced her fingers with his and squeezed. He squeezed back. Meanwhile, they walked on, surrounded by Hadrian and other Dante guards, as Brexton and Aiden walked ahead. It was the ultimate entouragean indestructible party. But there was something wrong with the scene. Aiden wasnt the person he was the year before, and Brexton was surprisingly calm. Doug had only met him a few times, but the kid was a freak who sculpted his brain like a bodybuilder builds muscle. He was charming but unnatural, so seeing him have a casual conversation for an hour with his hands in his jackets pockets just felt wrong. And that eeriness put him on edge and primed him for the horror of seeing a black dot on the horizona human that wasnt Mira. It was a man in black, whistling this haunting tune that spread through the traveling line of harvesters with amplification magic. Hadrian didnt stop walking and soon scoffed when they approached. Must you insist on being a clown? Doug squinted his eyes and saw that the mysterious person ahead of them was Brexton Claustra. Then he looked at the perfect clone walking beside Aiden, and the man exploded into a plume of sinister black smoke. Tanya trembled. You did hear him right? Like on the way? Yeah he was having a conversation. I heard it. Isnt that something? Aiden said, turning around with a slight smile. Engineers spent a century trying to make holograms a real thing when they were doing it wrong all along. Turns out, all you need is a bit of magic, and you can practically touch the caller. Doug was stunned and blinked, and Aiden blinked twice. Then his lips turned into an amused grin, and he turned around. It was an illusion. And dont worry, These people are scary, but Miras a lot scarier. I guarantee it. He took a drink from an elaborate flask, and he walked on to meet Brexton. Whats that look for? Brexton walked up to the group, and his lips twisted in strange angles, and when he looked at Doug he couldnt help but laugh. What? Doug asked. I just Brexton grinned. Well, lets just say, I thought that Mira would like um sugar coat things? What does that mean? Tanya snapped panickingly. Brexton turned to Tyler, who turned away sheepishly. Tyler Maxwell Hill, Tanya said. What is he talking about? I dont know, Mom, Tyler said. Something killy or something? I doubt shes covered in blood, but Im guessing thats the general idea. Doug and Tanya turned to Brexton. Youll just have to see. And oh, they did. The scene was so much worse than their wildest imagination. Before Doug ever saw Mira, he saw twenty-foot ribs protruding up from the earth like jagged yellow arches. They were massive, something from the times of Gods and titans, and the bones extended a football field in length between the fractured limbs of various titan bodies. And in front of that was a massive pile of fresh corpses, one of which was the size of a double-decker bus. And flanking both sides were massive wolves the size of elk. Tanyas face drained of color, and Doug held her back, and Tyler yelled, Mira! with the cheeriest goddamn voice Doug had ever heard before running off to this death pit without any concern or consequence, flanked by Dante guards. What? Doug looked up and saw Mira sitting on a rib above the corpse pile, waving at them like she was a windshield wiper. What the hell is this? Tanya whispered. Mira Isabella Hill! What is this! Tanya flew after Tyler, and somehow, both of them seemed to disregard the beasts! True, they were briefed on these massive creatures, but it didnt matter! They were still to hell with it. Doug ran after them, fighting past his old age and out-of-shape body to get there first. And before long, he could see Mira, and his mind blanked out, and he started crying when she jumped off the rib and over the corpses and landed on the path, and started running to them, too. It wasnt until she was lifting Tanya and carrying her to Doug for a double hug that he realized that he was bawling. Mira was thereand she was sobbing, too. She gripped both of them and said esoteric, gargled things as she hugged them, squeezing too tight and letting gotrying to find the right pressure. Ive missed you, Mira said first. Ive. Doug choked, and Tanya answered for him: Weve missed you, too. Mira released the two of them, hugged her mother for about five seconds until she got the point across, and then flew into Dougs arms. She might be older and a bit scarier, but she was still a daddys girl, and how grateful he felt for it. Because just as she was a daddys girl, she was his baby girl, and he loved her more than anything. Thats all that mattered. Everything else became untethered and threatened to disappear forever until Aiden coughed uncharacteristically and said: Soooooooo are we just going to pretend like the corpses dont exist? The whole family turned to him, and he looked away with faux awkwardness, smirking as he turned and walked away. For whatever reason, this made Mira burst into laughter and more tears. Yeah, Tanya said, breaking out of her trance and looking at the massive stack of corpses. Why are these corpses here? Mira glanced away sheepishly as the rest of the harvesters crowded around. Well, funny story, really And thats how the harvest began. He had no idea then what he would see or experience or what impact it would have on him. All he knew was that he was with his daughterand that was enough. Rain or shine, corpses or killinghe loved his daughterand that was enough. Chapter 121 - Harvest Rules I spent about twenty minutes with my parents, but by that point, I had to stop because thousands of harvesters had stacked up, waiting for me to speak, preparing to take my rules seriously this year. I planned to address themI just wish that I had my wings to do it. Kira had taken the form of a tree right outside of the Bramble a couple of miles away. Anyone who saw her wouldnt dare to get close. The Bramble wasnt a joke, and no one got near it, opting to move at least a quarter mile north before moving east or west. My secret was safe but it left me wingless. I was salty about it, to say the least. Regardless, I jumped onto one of the torok ribs to address the crowd. It seemed daunting to address a mile-long line of harvesters, but a glowing green sigil appeared in front of my face, and when I eeked in surprise, the sound carried for a mile. I cupped my mouth, and the harvesters roiled with laughter. I blushed and then spoke to the best of my ability. Ummm. Im not good at speaking, so Ill keep this brief. Last year, I wrote some basic rules on a board. Thou shalt not murder, rape, raze, or pillage and all that. Theyre pretty common sense, so I didnt care if people read them. This year, it doesnt matter either. Be decent. Dont steal or scheme or hurt each other, and you best not sling around fire magic unless you can put it out. Pretty simple, yeah? No one answered me, but there were enough nervous shifts and whispers to convince me they got it. Good. Cause if you dont follow the rules, Kline will collect. And if you didnt notice him beside me, youre screwed. Kline materialized in his panther form on another torok rib, causing an instant panic. Many had searched for him with Mana and Soul Sight but failed. It was a damning reminder thatat some pointupper-level active camouflage was genuinely invisible to weaker opponents. And a word to anyone planning to hunt my little warrior, I said. You better be a troop of legacies because he was the one that killed I pointed down. These peak thirds. So unless you can kill that, youre just gonna be reward food. And thats welcome. Cause he could always use another diamond. The legacies smirked; the others looked away. It was awkward. Thats all. Now, unless youre trading or got a permit, get the hell out of the Mouth. Youre taking up my family time. With those words, Klines body disappeared, and the harvesters nervously filed into the forest with him. As I waited for them to pass, Reasan approached me. I knew it was him immediately. The man was like Hadrian and Kalas, someone who was dripping with magical pressure, but he also walked like a king, causing the crowd to separate naturally to let him through. You Reasan? I asked. I am, he said dryly. I smiled wryly at his disapproving tone that indicated I was rude. Forgive my lack of etiquette, I said. I havent spent five minutes in the civilized world. And Im kind of a wild child anyway. So lets just talk. Is that okay? This seemed to satisfy him because he nudged his head, and workers riding flat, long-tusked creatures unloaded chests and placed them before me. Once opened, they exposed a small ward, a black cloak, a chest with stacks of array tiles, and a bundle of what I could only guess was portable furniture. Then he nudged his head and I saw palettes of magical building supplies, proving that the only thing that Heath and Roe Enterprises could get me were alchemic staples and spices. It was a power flex. Im here today to apologize on behalf of my son, Reasan said. He nudged his head again, and my heart stopped cold. Kal was standing there, hidden behind two guards. I slightly panicked but calmed when I realized the teen wasnt blinking. He was a vegetable, as I was already informedan eejit farm worker from the House of the Scorpion. Were a business family, Reasan continued as he gazed upon his son. While we, like all legacies, are known for our ruthlessness, we do so for business purposes only. There is no place in our family for sadism, so the reports of my sons behavior have shocked me. Are you seriously saying you didnt know? Surprised as I was, I couldnt help but scoff at the bold claimbut he didnt back down. Correct. I havent heard from my son in years. My eyes widened. I understand your worlds culture is different from ours, he said, and legacy culture is more distinct still. In our culture, the heads do not see or support our children until their deeds capture our attention. Why not? Because if they cannot become great with the familys name and resources alone He narrowed his eyes on his son. Theyre useless. I couldnt believe what I was hearing. The difference between our cultures was too stark. It felt cruel and it didnt surprise me that Kal ended up so twisted, but at the same time, Felio was one of these people. I glanced at Brexton and Hadrian as well, watching them engage with others. What about them? I asked. Do they know their parents? Of course, Reasan said. Those two are true heirsscions. Brexton has already succeeded his uncle, and Hadrian controls the Dantes enforcement division. Both have earned the blessing of their families god. I studied the two with newfound respect. By contrast Reasans voice curled in disgust as he looked at his son. My son did nothing to warrant my attention, let alone attract our god. I frowned. Then Why did you spend your requests on him? Because the gods are active, he answered. Romulan, AlendriasElana. You three have the blessings of ninth and tenth evolution gods. The entire multiverse is watching, so we had to represent our godbut Kal humiliated her instead. Its unforgivable. I pursed my lips and took a deep breath. Well I believe you. As for this I glanced at the goods. Then, I turned to Aiden, who was hugging Kael. He caught sight of me and pointed to his chest.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. I nodded. Oh, Aiden said. Ummm I have no idea what you just said, and I like it that way. But if youre asking if I still hate business and love animals . He gave me the thumbs up and led the lurvine away, clearly indicating that he stood near me to approve my business arrangement. It was interesting. I watched him leave slowly, then turned back to Reasan. Aiden hates the idea of breaking up his monopoly, I said sarcastically. Reasans face stiffened. But this is about practicality, I said. To be honest, I dont even care if you raised Kal to be a sadist. What I want is a very light, conditional reasonable soul pact that you wont fuck me over the first chance you get. In an aggressive shift, his nervous face snapped into a hostile glare. Hey, this is your call, I said. I have a nearly endless supply of high-quality resources that only I can get. If we patch this up, youll be rich. If not, itll be war. But Im not looking to get one over on you. This pact itll work both ways, and itll contain safeguards and kill switches. Its not for businessI just want to make sure youre not going to harm me or the people I care about over some petty business shit. I dont think thats too much to ask. Reasans eyes drifted off in thought, and he said: Speak to your Oracle to word it in the way you desire and we will negotiate. I only deal in concretes. Thats fair. Until then he said. His guards brought a tiny treasure chest to me. Please accept this gift as a personal apology for my sons behavior. They opened it, exposing an aquamarine necklace. My Guide instantly popped up with a text window. - Name: Pendant of Reflection Grade: Diamond Description: In a sign of absolute sincerity, Reasan Melhan has presented you with a timeless treasure from the upper domains that he should have given his useless son. The Pendant of Reflection is an enchanted stone that automatically releases a pressure barrier that blocks any projectile that moves toward you above a certain speed. It must be charged but can block spores and attacks up to Fifth Evolution if it has enough mana. This treasure was worn by Reasan for centuries, so you should probably be genuinely surprised and grateful. Unless, of course, you want to be a total bitch. - My eyes trembled, and when I looked up at Reasan, he sighed and nodded. I swallowed and nodded back. Thank you. It seemed that was all he was searching for because before I could offer him anything in return, he left without saying goodbye, disappearing into the crowd as the guards offered it to me. Brexton let out a long, sharp whistle once Reasan walked away. Got yourself a treasure from a head. Pretty much puts that into perspective. Anywho I hope you like my gift, too. He stuffed his hands in his jackets pockets and turned on his heel. What gift? I called out. Oh, youll see, he said strangely. You seriously cant miss it. I didnt know what he meant, and I didnt want to find out, but there was still a full harvest ahead, so I pushed it aside and waited for the crowd to thin. Then, I returned to our camp, which I had already set up before the harvesters arrived, and set to work dealing with family representatives. It quickly got hectic. I tried to have conversations with my parents, but the legacy and middle families were determined to be the first to bring me gifts and kiss ass. So I spent three hours stacking up gifts like Christmas presents and networking with people. And I was grateful for it. It kept my mind occupied, away from certain realities I wanted to avoid, like what my parents would think of their daughter killing large beasts and promising death to her enemies. But I couldnt avoid it forever. God. Seems our little girls a businesswoman, Dad mused to my mother. Careful what you wish for, right? Doug! She slapped his shoulder. Alright, alright he said playfully, covering his head. Shes a queen. I got it. Our princess became a queen. You dont have to make a big deal of it. Moms lips puckered into an involuntary smile, and Tyler frowned, folding his arms as he gazed at the loot pile, which included about twelve pallets, mostly containing the homebuilding and alchemic staples that Aiden brought me, but also weapons and tomes and history books and elixirs and all sorts of things I would have to research later. Certainly feels that way, doesnt it, Tyler said bitterly. Dont be jealous, Mom said. Its an ugly trait. Yeah, but its really hard not to be, isnt it? He glanced at her and me and then the goods. Besides, its okay to feel proud and inferior at the same time, right? He smiled ruefully, and I walked up behind him and hugged him around the stomach. Hey! he yelled. What are you doing? Im taking you with me, obviously. The hell you will! Mom interjected. Not this year I said, turning to her. But next year maybe? Mom was shocked that I was being serious, but Dad was different. He raised an eyebrow and lowered the other one like Dwayne The Rock Johnson, an impression he spent years perfecting for no reason at all. Then he looked into the forest and back, and I ended up giggling. Here? he asked, making me giggle harder. Yeah. Its pretty safe where I live. In fact I was hoping to show it to you. Moms face paled, so I quickly said, Of course you could say no! I just thought Know what? Forget it. It was stupid to suggest it. Wait Dad said, lifting his hands. Youre being serious? He looked into the forest. I thought isnt this forest like deadly? It is. I nodded and pulled off my backpack, reaching inside and grabbing a handful of multi-colored vials. But I have cleansers, healers, boosters, anti-venoms Im like a drug dealer. And besides, look at my companions. I patted Sina, who was lying behind me, silently protecting me from myself, I was sure. Then, I pointed at the other lurvine, who loomed in the distance like mythical ghosts, fur flickering orange by firelight as they pawed at bunnies and dogs and cats and snakes and even an uncaged cockatiel. For the first time, I realized that Aiden brought his goddamn pets to Areswood Forest, and I was having trouble processing it. Well, theres that, Dad said strangely, not seeming to notice. Plus not to brag, I said, but Im kinda strong. I flexed my bicep, which was actually surprisingly refined. Mom scoffed and laughed and covered her mouth, a weird combination that communicated the way her exasperation and nervousness clashed with her amusement and surprise. But seriously, I said as I turned to the torok skeletons. I killed one of those things. Kline killed another. And that was only four months in. Im pretty sure we could take anyone except Hadrian Brexton and the big guns at this point. And the area Im in is pretty safe. Moms conflicted face hardened a bit, and she said: Mira. I suppressed the knot in my throat. Yeah? Are you sure youre okay? I smiled thinly and got up and set up some wood in a firepit, then struck my magnesium flint onto some dead leaves. I suppose thats relative, isnt it? I asked softly. If you ask these people, Im doing great. If you ask the Oracle or the gods, Im a prodigy. But if youre asking me if Im okay by our worlds standards probably not? Im not normal. Klines actually out there killing offenders right now; thats not a bluff. And I dont feel much of anything about it, cause after a thousand thingsve tried to eat me it just seems necessary. Mom shifted uncomfortably and sat beside the fire as the embers kindled and smoked. That said, I added. I have a friend, and we like talking about plants. I go on hikes and Oh, and I have a large bath that heats and cleans itself and an alchemy station with hundreds of places to store plants, and this year, Im planting a garden. I think youd love it. Its like staying in Breckenridge during the winter well, without the skiing. You dont want to go outside. Oh, and I also have I felt my chest starting to cool, warning me against getting carried away with what I said. Look I guess what Im trying to say is that its actually really nice to live here now. And while my outlooks have changed, who I am hasnt. So yeah Im being dead serious when I say that I want Tyler to stay for a year. I wouldnt say that if I didnt think that I could protect him. And if you saw where I lived, youd understand. Mom took deep breaths, and Dad shrugged and shook his head and shoulders helplessly. Well shes here, right? he said to my mother. Got her face all dolled up, and shes clean and uninjured. And Tyler I know Mom hissed. But She nudged her head to the forest, where we periodically heard booms and cracks and saw rugged men walk in with mean mugs. Its stupid. Everyone dies here except Mira. Thats why shes famous. Its bad enough shes living here. But She glanced at me and away. I just care, okay? I cant bear to lose them. I sat down and hugged her, and she hugged me back as she wept slightly. Doug turned to me. We got the Dantes, right? They can go? Well, they have to if you do, I said. But they have to sign a soul pact. Cause I dont want people ransacking my home next harvest. But they already know about it, and its actually in their favor. So yeah. I think so. He looked at Mom. Then shouldnt we? Just to check out where our daughters living? Tyler walked up with eager eyes, pressuring her with a steely eagle glare, and Dad sighed and shrugged. She swallowed back tears and nodded. Okay. I sighed a great breath of relief. Kline and I had split harvest duties. He was the protector while I handled the business and relationships, which I would solidify the next day, and to bring people back to our camp. I was just glad I was upholding my end of the promise. If only Felio would come, too, it would be perfect. Chapter 122 - Mira’s Role The trading came after breakfast. No bullshit. All energy. The harvesters were jazzed up because I fed them soul-cleansed meat the night before, preceded by some grim demonstrations and visuals that I regretted showing my parents in hindsight. It started out well-meaning. We had a lot of fresh meat but nothing that the harvesters could eat, so the lurvine trotted into the forest to bring back a strong second ev for the camp while I skinned and butchered the third evs for myself. It was routine. Simple. Comfortable. Till the lurvine dragged a lion-sized creature right into the Mouth under the harvesters watching glares, leaving huge skidmarks of blood through my campsite. My parents panicked, so I panicked and cleaned the gore. To do that, I used Separate to pull all the blood out of the ground and grass and add it to a cool, gyrating levisphere of blood. I did this routinely to drain quarry of blood before butchering, so I did it without thinking, draining the fresh kill as I had from the third evs stacked up the day before. The blood drained from the massive creature like a horror movie scene, and by the time I looked up, people were lively and laughing about something. I was confused about what they were on about, so I turned and saw this hypnotic hurricane of blood, twice the size of a beach ball in widthand my parents were staring at it like greenhorns on a crabbing ship, all white-faced and ready to puke. So, of course, I panicked and threw that sucker right into the forest, meaning for, you know, it to just splash somewhere and create a little puddle or something. No. I wasnt thinking, so this thing hit a tree, and something like twenty gallons of blood between all these various beasts exploded, turning the first third of this tree into Carrie White from the Black Prom. So yeah. After that fiasco, I yelled, Foods on me tonight! in a cracky voice, and the harvesters started cheering. Hadrian made a comment, and I wanted to punch him. Brexton lingered and said some things, and I wanted to ignore him. Soon, I was swarmed by people who hid my shame. It turned out to be in my favor because I realized how high these people got from the meat, so I drugged em up the next morning, preparing to negotiate prices and curry favor with them while they were hopped up on magical smack and already grateful to me. I was ready to run a fire sale on these drugged-up schmucks, but the first person to visit my tent of herbs and treasures was the person who I seemed to dread most for unknown reasons that werent linked to fear or apprehension. Its been a year, Hadrian said with his arrogant smirk. Indeed it I stopped speaking when I noticed his soul core. It had expanded to twice its size, and it was brighter. So youve evolved? He smirked. I have. Been threading soul cores? A few. But for the most part no. So what did you do? He shrugged and stayed silent, his arrogant smirk withstanding. So? I glanced at about two hundred preservation chambers of different plants. Then I glanced at a bag and pulled out a few more. I didnt find anything particularly rare this year, I said. I stayed close to home and focused on my food and shelter. But what I do have is plants you cannot get during the harvest. Spring and summer annuals. Ive separated them by effects. Thats hard to believe, Hadrian said. Excuse me what? I looked up and saw him holding a box similar to the one that Kira was inside, tattooed with complex arrays everywhere, only it was larger. Whats Hmmm? He raised an eyebrow and smiled in a gotcha pose. If you didnt find anything sweet, then why would an alchemy god send you something? he mused. I dont believe Ive ever known a god to send us anything. I sharpened my gaze on him. Dont worry, were business partners, Hadrian said. Youre obligated to my familynot me. It seems you remember this time. He offered me the package. I grabbed at it, but he pulled it back. Then he finally handed it to me. Ill never understand why people felt the need to do that, but it pissed me off. What do you want? I asked coldly. My alchemist will shop for me, Hadrian said. But I would like to buy your quarry. I doubt well find anything that strong this year. Do you have something to offer? Cause if you want it cleansed, itll cost ya. His smirk curved into a grin. Just the meat. Ill take care of that myself. I looked at his core again. So youve learned the secret, huh? How to get stronger killing, cleansing, and eating? Hadrian mused. Yes. I didnt know there was so much value in servants work. He turned and opened the flap to the tent. Wait. He turned back. Im taking a ride with my family tomorrow. Were going to tour my home, and I dont want your people to disclose where it is. Will you make the deal we talked about? His eyes flickered with interest. Of course, he said. As long as your wording is the same. We do plan to lay all your secrets bare. We might as well begin with the basics He suddenly paused, and his eyes glided to the left.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. What? I asked. Its just I get this strange feeling I swallowed. That what? Its just Your pacts wording is very nuanced. Yes? While you may disclose information about my daily habits, lifestyle, and things that I teach you, and recount your own experiences to your own benefit, you must maintain absolute silence, both in words and actions, regarding information of significant magnitude, that can have an obvious negative impact on my life, or that I ask you keep secret with a reasonable argument about how it could do so. That is what you said, yes? I nodded. Yep. Pretty much covers everything. Everything He pointed at me and smiled. Everything indeed. Humor me, Mira. Why do I get the premonition that my men will return begging exception to interrogation out of fear that they will die speaking of even the most mundane of inquiries? My heart kicked, and Hadrians grin grew, but I kept my face calman ideal model for sculptors. You might be right, I said. There could be a full settlement outside these walls, filled with past harvesters who actually survived the winter but chose not to return because they found the Fountain of Youth. And amongst them could be a powerful mage who has dedicated his life to passing his legacy down to me before he passes. And in such a case, you likely wont hear anything from your guards. Or I smirked mockingly. It could be that everything in this forest is worth extravagant amounts of money, so most things they say could be bad for my health. He frowned. Trust me, there will be plenty to learn. But considering I have a patron god and deal in multi-million hawk resources, you should expect large holes. He smiled mockingly. I believe we should test it. Ill send one man with you on your tour. Well see how little he can tell. Is that acceptable? I thought this news would overjoy me. I was almost begging the Dantes to drop their guards from my excursion, but now that there was only one, I had a twisting feeling wrenching at my guts. Hoh? he mused. Do you not feel confident in protecting them? You were so eager to bring Felio this yearI assumed you were ready. Not against legacies, I said. No legacies will harm you, Hadrian said. Ill give you a one-day reprieve where no legacy leaves this Mouthand returns on the same day. Do you still not feel confident? I didnt. But I nodded and said: Thatll be enough. Good. Hadrian left, leaving the room empty and cold. It was hard to explain what I felt at that point and how the negative emotionsanxiety, fear, apprehensionmixed and marbled with excitement, anticipation, and ambition. Then, it all disappeared in a snap when Felio nervously entered my tent with a female guard. Once I saw her, I couldnt help but laugh away my hesitations. She walked in like a child on their first day of school, eyes flitting to me, wondering if it was still okay to be friends. Felio! I said brightly, giggling and offering a hug. Mira! she called back, accepting it. I didnt want to impose. Oh nonsense, I said dismissively. Come look what I found. Twenty minutes later, my dad walked into the tent and paused my and Felio''s enthusiastic conversation about ingredients to say: Hey angel. Theres a long line out here. People are getting restless. I blushed. Oh, thanks, Dad. Give me five minutes. He nodded. Then I reached into my backpack and pulled out two containers of the plant she requested last year and said, I brought these for you. Now feel free to take anything you want. Her eyes twinkled. You didnt! I did. Now pick your poison. Im pretty much handing out things this year. Felio giggled and reached for something and then paused and looked up at me. Wait. You did reconcile with Reasan, right? I did. Then well it may not be necessary. With the Melhans out upon proper assurances my family has permitted me to join you if you will have me. Really? I asked with a bright smile. Felio nodded. I have eight guards all female um can you accommodate them? The more the merrier, I said. They do know about the pact? She nodded. Yes. Great! Then lets pack you up some plants in case you change your mind, but you can practically forget about them. Theres millions of plants in the spring. This place looks like a graveyard right now. Her eyes sparkled, and her humorless guard said: Mistress. You must contain yourself. We have not agreed yet. Felios face flitted into a rueful smile. Forgive me. Please give us anything you see fit. We will discuss it once you finish your trading. I did, and she left, leaving me with a massive line of families trading alchemic treasures, gear, and tempering resources for plants. With the exception of the Claustra and Dantes alchemists, I chose to give each family two types of ingredients I wouldnt give to the others, giving quasi-exclusivity, something they all appreciated. And as the midafternoon hit, and all bundled up as a fall wind storm shook the trees, Reasan finally came in. You didnt need to come in last, I said. You may not think it, but honor is important to us, Reasan said. Oh, I believe it, I said. But Im also mildly convinced you wanted to see how much I saved for you. I will not be offended if you only left me a scrap, he said. But yes. I am curious. Well I pulled out a preservation chamber with pink tri-leaved herbs. I only gave some of these to the Dante. Theyre teraniskicus. Known soul cleansersto help build your soul cores. I was was hesitant to give them to anyone, but Hadrians evolutions already driving demand for next year. Might as well make a fortune this one. Yeah? He smiled and pulled out a tiny elixir in a vial. I got no popup, so I stared at it hesitantly. Open it, he said. Your Guide will be able to tell you what this is. I accepted it and then created a domain to isolate my environment. As expected from an alchemist gods disciple, he said with a strange smile. I opened up the bottle and Lithco walked into the tent behind Reasan, lifting a copy of it and smelling it as my eye twitched. Thats Reaina, alright. What is it? I asked with my thoughts. Just as the soul cleansing elixirs you made cleansed your soul, and the Lumidra Elixir cleansed your mana channels, Reaina Elixir cleanses the human brain. But its not nearan, I said, staring at it with Soul Sight. It wasnt shining purple. Its not, Lithco confirmed. This is a vessel supplement. Just as mana channels flow through your physical body, and they will be disrupted if your body is hurt, nearan channels move through your physical brain. By building the brain and body directly, you improve the environment your channels move through. I held up a one-moment finger to Reasan, who seemed amused. How much is this worth? I asked Lithco. Thats relative, isnt it? he asked. How much are those preservation chambers worth? Theyre one of the cheapest gifts youve gotten, but you cherish them the most because you need them. I looked at the large stacks of high quality preservation chambers that I got from trading with the Dante. I had about two hundred total from last year, and now I had about five hundred moreand they were all of remarkable quality. And Lithco was rightthey were the thing I cherished most because they were the thing I needed most. Like your plants, you cant get this anywhere in the first domain, but LIthco grinned malevolentlythe type of grin I liked. Just as theres alternatives, you need to prove the sames true the other way around. Otherwise, hell feel you owe him. Oh I smiled and then handed Reasan the vial and said, Thats a bit too valuable for plants that have alternatives, I said. So how about I add some of these to the trade? I pulled out an arm hammock of multi-colored bottles and small preservation chambers. I have some serious tempers here, I said. And some health balms, but I think that the thing you guys need are these I put down the elixirs and plucked a dozen vials off the ground. Anti-toxins, anti-venoms, anti-inflammatoriesand some Diktyo Water. Things thatll let you survive a harvest. I looked up and saw Reasans face shift, his expression tightening as if he was suffering from severe constipation. Please remember that Im an alchemist gods scion, I said. So lets be equals, yeah? Twenty minutes later, I crashed onto my bed, staring at the small vial with an evil grin, thinking about Reasans priceless reaction to learning that his priceless treasures werent as priceless as he once thought. Sure, none of my elixirs were of equal quality, but what I proved was that I could make something substitutable. What? You have a brain builder? Next year, Ill make one. And who knows, with the ingredients I have, it might be eight times more powerful. That was the idea. I sighed, gripping it against my chest. Work was finally over. My role was finally done, and my family and Felio both agreed to come back to my little village. Everything was ready, but now the part I was struggling most with was knocking on my door. Better get back to my family, I thought. Ive barely seen them I took a deep breath. Just a few more minutes 2. Brexton left a clone in his tent and walked into the forest under the guise of absolute invisibility, traveling a few miles until he heard a bird whistle. He turned and followed the sound, walking mere inches away from Graka, the leader of the Cackling Kings, the mercenary troop hired by Leeka Melhan to kill Mira Hill, before suddenly materializing and saying, Boo. Chapter 123 - Brexton’s First Gift Graka honestly didnt know Brexton was there when he materialized, so the mercenary leader cried out slightly and stumbled back as his eighty-nine fellow mercenaries readied spells and swords. Brexton stuffed his pockets with his hands and leaned against a tree. I fuckin hate you lot, Graka said. I bet you do, Brexton said. Well, lucky for me, Graka said. I dont gotta deal with ya. Deals off. About that No about that. Miras travelin with Dantesand that was against the deal. "You''re not worried about the Hellara? Their whole troop''s coming." "Fuck the Hellara. No one fuck''s with those fairies ''cause there''s no reason to fuck with ''em. But no one fuck''s with the Dante because no one can fuck with the Dante. That''s the difference. If we kill one of their guys, we''re dead." "Then don''t kill ''em." Brexton shrugged. "It probably won''t be hard to manage. First offthere''s one Dante. The Hollow. And he has to protect Mira''s entire family. Mother, father, brother. Then you got Cassain and her squad. They''re going to protect Felio. Neither of those groups gives two shits what happens to Mira. They have their orders. So lead ''er away, and you have Mira, the lurvine, and maybe her cat. That''s it. Oh... and maybe Aiden. Kalas is refusing to come." "Aiden?" Graka picked his executioners axe off the ground, gripping it like a clubgiving him strength to say what he needed to say. He took a deep breath, and said, "Tell me, Brexton," with with a voice so rough it sounded like his throat was ground on sandpaper. "Do you think we''re weak? Why ever would you think that? Brexton mused. Cause you gotta hard-on for that girl. And you aint hidin it from no one. Makin exceptions, hookin up your kid. I heard you spent a few months trainin Aiden how to schmooze her and everythin. Now you''re hookin'' them up right before the ambush? Brexton shrugged. Not exactly. I gave him the option, but what he does with it is on him. Don''t fuck with me, Brexton. You''re really gonna tell me that you''re gonna piss away your two cash cows for a few mil? No. There ain''t no way. Youre either plannin to betray usor you think shell wipe the floor with us. Brexton stuck out his lower lip and nodded. Yeah. Its pretty much that one. Cause shes already so strong, you cant even follow her. Shed literally see ya a mile away Dont know how, but thats what I want to find out. So youre sacrificin us? If you can kill er, whats there to sacrifice? Brexton smirked. But hey. Ill make ya a soul pact. I promise I wont betray you during this event. That means, no scheming, and I wont help them... Help either of you. I''ll just lead ''er to the ambush ''cause a thousand hawks says you can''t, and then I''ll just sit back and watch. Yeah? He held out a hand for a shake. Youre serious? Im serious. Plus, your pays tripplin cause the guards. Grask snorted. Wintrah? Theyre seriously sendin that croon? Yeah. The rest are stayin around the Mouth. Deal is, the Dante are protecting Mira from the legacies. So theyre sticking around for a day after she leaves and coming back a day before. Hadrians orders. Grask gripped his axe and turned to his rugged, ragtag team of unkillables, and said: What do you think? They shrugged and took drinks from flasks and kept whittling dolls out of wood chunks and grumbled out some, Fuck that guy. Lets do it-s. These degenerates werent famous mercenaries for nothing. They were strong, mean, and stupid, ready to go. And Brexton knew calling them all weak would drive them off the deep end. Now it was time to up the ante, make his soul pact, and help set them up for the ambush. Then, he could just sit back and watch as the chaos unfolded. Brexton was born from chaos, and his philosophy was that if Mira couldnt survive the ordeal, she wasnt worth wasting his effort over. She killed a torok after three months and had a years training after; she had Klinethe Rawkan as spoken in whispers legendsand the Drokai. Oh, yes, the Drokai. Thats information that he had but couldnt disclose or hint at, but he could certainly use that information, and what he wanted to know was whether they would save her. Cause Brexton Claustra got this funny little feeling after he learned about the ease with which Mira survived. It was that the reason that people didnt survive living in the forest was because these clandestine creatures killed themand if people only killed them, the forest was free game. And were, say, one of these mercenaries to survive this ordeal and tell someone, and Brexton was to naturally buy this information and then kill everyone that knew well, the Claustra would be the most powerful and wealthy family in Dronami and far beyond. Cause the thing about Claustra soul pacts is that they didnt operate like other soul pacts, and anyone dealing with them had to operate on the expectation that they were out to exploit any and every loopholeeven the Drokai. Someone up high saved Mira Hill from the Drokaiand that action had a price. 2. Brexton had two gifts that year, and I wasnt sure if the positive one was even positive. I was sitting around a fire, telling crazed stories, when it happened. Wait, you killed em with aphrodisiacs? Tyler blurted, falling onto his back with laughter. My mom sneered at him and looked back. Honey, thats disgusting. It was effective, I said. Remember, even the bunnies here could rip open a pitbull. So you gotta do what you gotta do.Stolen novel; please report. Well thats my daughter for you, Dad said. The hell does that mean? Mom asked. Tyler laughed even harder. Stop that! she cried. Thats when his first gift showed up. Hey, can I join you guys? Aiden asked, cockatiel on his shoulder, an entourage of animals at his feetbunny in his arms, petting it like a melodramatic supervillain. It was ridiculous, but it wasnt just his Snow White persona that separated him from the last time I saw him. He looked different. He was dressed up in a charcoal gray button-down and belted slacks and black boots and a stylish overcoat. His hair was sculpted with clay, and he had a lot more muscle than before. He was attractive now, not some geek. I knew that this was the look of a gangster, but it still had a good aesthetic. Uh sure, I said. Thanks. Can you take Lindy? He offered me his bunny, which I accepted. The cute thing was a supernova of fluffiness, and I almost squealed as the rest of the animals swarmed me. Seems the animals love you, Dad said. Yeah see this? This is the proper use of powers. You have a mighty beast tamer here and he chooses to use his powers for good. Look at him. Hes a gangster, Mom, Tyler said. Dads eyes sharpened, and he glowered at Aiden, who put up his hands playfully and said: The good kind. Oh? Whats a good kind of gangster? my mom pressed. The kind that loves animals? he suggested sheepishly. He looked nervous, but he was smirking and both my parents started smiling and laughing slightly. They couldnt help it. The fucks up with this? I thought. And then I couldnt live without knowing the answer, so I bluntly said, The fucks up with you? Well thats one way to say hello, he said with a puckered smile. I glared at him. What? he asked with a wide grin. Seriously? Is this like a play or something? See this, Mira? Thiss why no one changes. The moment your gloomy ass starts dressing well and cracking a few jokes, suddenly youre a gangster and a con artist running gags. Dad laughed, and Mom shot him a glare, and Tyler sat up with an amused expression. Yeah but Tyler said. Normally, the girls start swoonin and start going, what happened to him? Is he cool now? Or whatever they ask. But youre a bit too different. Yeah, its a conspiracy, I said. He didnt respond. He looked at his cockatiel. You see this? All these accusations and not one persons question if its because Im surrounded by cuties. A white and black cat meowed. Yeah, you tell em Tiny, he said. I couldnt help but smile a bit when he glanced at the bunny in my arms and then back up at my smile. Well, conspiracy aside I said. its good to see youre okay. I am He turned to my parents. And what about you guys? Youve spent a couple days in paradise. Did it match the brochure? Mom scoffed and looked at the torok bones and the stack of massive corpses, and Dad touched her shoulder and spoke for her: Its as advertised. Tyler burst into laughter, and I got dragged right into it. Oh, good. Now, you gotta go in deep sometime. See your daughter in action. Shes always somewhere between, oh, pretty flower, and grrrrr Im going to kill you! Its a great time. What are you doing? I asked him, blushing and slapping his shoulder. What? I was your Damsel for like a couple weeks. Dont tell me I dont get to speak about it. I locked arms with him like a bull, and Tyler said, Whoa. Get a room. Excuse me what? I asked sharply. Oh, thats rude. You can turn me down, but you dont gotta be so mean about it. Wait. Turn you I turned to him with wide eyes, only to find him smirking at me. You jerk! Whend you get so annoying. Oh, calm down Dad said. Aiden right? I dont think any of us know much about you. Oh, forgive my rudeness. My names Aiden Roe Im a beast tamer, obviously. I was pretty nerdy a year ago, but after the Oracle forced me to fly Halten over the Bramble Halten? Mom asked. Oh, the wyvern. His names Halten. Most animals have names if you ask them Dad nodded and motioned. Right, I um Wow, the pressures suddenly a lot more intense. He saw my intense gaze, and his facade started cracking. Right. Umm. anyway. Like Mira, the legacies wouldnt leave me alone. So the Claustra picked me up. Since then, Ive worked in the Nest as a bartender from time to time, but Im not really a gangster or anything. I actually spend most my time working with the beasts I bring back from the Harvest, prepping them for travel to the upper domains. Oh Mom said. Yeah, he said with a mellow smile and distant eyes. But I am a bad boy now, so watch out for me. Im what you would consider a bad influence. He popped the lapels on his jacket, and Dad chuckled and Tyler eyed him strangely. Hey. Do you think you could help me dress like that? Tyler Hill, Mom said. What? Dad said. Hes sharply dressed. Weve been trying to get him in button ups for years. Mom frowned. Wouldnt be so bad if he wasnt killing people. What? I blurted. Training to, Dad said. Yes, you can, Tyler. But youre not to go to The Nest, and if Brexton shows up, youre gonna leave. Break our trust on this and you wont get it back. Id rather you do heroin than hangout with that man. Aiden laughed and looked down. Good choice. I looked between them and then sighed. Aiden did seem like he belonged, but there was something else to it, something that drove him here. I knew it. Hey Im enjoying you being here and all, but do you need something as well? I asked. The Aiden I know wouldve waited until tomorrow when he could catch me alone. But there is no tomorrow, Aiden said. Oh right. So you know then? Yeah. And, ummm He scratched his head. Well, I heard you had this tour and that you have a non-disclosure pact. I wouldntve been able to make it a year ago, but my pacts been modified to allow for the conditions. So if you ummm he blushed and winced and looked away. You know, wanna hang out again, we actually can. I blushed, too, and looked away. So thiss the gift. I thought. Fucker I didnt know what I thought about it. There was so much going on, and if it were the old Aiden, I wouldve said no, kinda viewing him as dead weight. But this Aiden was interesting. It didnt matter if this was a ploy or a theatrical performance. So long as he committed to my soul pact, which would literally kill him if he disclosed certain information or was lying about his intentions, he wasnt a danger to me. And I wanted to dissect his brain and figure out what was going on. Ill think about it, I said. If you can keep up this shtick for a couple more hours, Ill allow it. Cause if you cant, and this was all some rehearsed event, it was impressive, but youll need another year of training before I buy it. I said it with a straight face, but when I turned, I cracked a smile, and he shrugged. Ill try. And he did. It was so much fun that I decided to ignore the fact that he drank something out of a flaskthe same type of flask that Brexton drank fromlikely the same stuff Brexton drank. It would be a long day tomorrow, and the last thing I had to worry about was whether Aiden Roe was walking down a bad path. That was his problem. It wasnt like he was living with me. Right? With that thought, I drifted to sleep. The party left at dawn. Hadrian made a morning declaration reiterating that no legacies were to leave for another day and was forced to come back a day early. He didnt give them a reason, but Brexton and the rest of the legacies loosely agreed. Except, of course, Felios party and Aiden, all of whom were sharing lurvines, two guards for each lurvine, Felio and I on Sina, Aiden, and Tyler on Kael, and Mom and Dad on Nika, the most passive and gentle lurvine. Lastly, there was Malo the Hallow, as some called him, a bleakly depressed Dante who looked like he wanted to die. He was on his own horse-like creature, and that was good ''cause I had doubts he would be useful if push came to shove. In truth, I was wondering if any of these people would be more useful than having a few of the lurvines unburdened. That way, they could go to town. I also didn''t feel comfortable having my parents on Nika, who was known for being slower despite being as sharp as a razor. After all, I wanted them to be able to flee. However, Aiden had a moment of leadership when he sensed my worry and said: Give em the weakest you can with the highest amount of general capability. When the fighting starts, you want the strong ones as unhindered as possible. This is the ideal setup that uses their strength and intelligenceboth the humans and lurvine. It was a nice statement that made everyone feel powerful in some way or another, and I couldnt help but smile. Then we set off, unaware that Brexton hadnt returned to his tent last night or that there was an entire procession of mercenaries moving along with him. Chapter 124 - Brexton’s Second Gift We were about an hour into the illusion by the time I caught it. It felt like the way LSD flashbacks are describedlong stretches of clarity followed by a sudden shift into a state of delirium. We were talking. Aiden was making us laugh about some crazy drunk offering him a million hawks if he would: Just get that monkey to strip! he recalled. And I kept telling this woman, thats a monkey, you loon, he said. You might as well ask a human to unzip their skin. But this lady wouldnt have it. She kept saying that if she paid anyone a million hawks, they better get nekkid. Mom scoffed, and Dad laughed and said: So whatd you do to her? I sicked the dogs on her, obviously, Aiden said. Kicked her right out of the club. If I was half the gangster I shouldve been, we wouldve chopped her up and fed her to the pigs. Aiden! My mom snapped, and Tyler howled with laughter. The slightly charming thing about the new Aiden was that he wasnt a gangster, but he played up the card as this amusing form of self-deprecation that seemed like a technique rather than a personality trait. We could tell it was taught to him somewhere, but no one could seem to care. But at some point in the story, I noticed the shift, and my face went pale. Hey? Felio said. Whats wrong? I broke out of this trance, looking around. I saw nothing. Just heard the branches go whiiiish, whiiiish in the fall-time breeze as freshly turned leaves fell gently to the ground. I I paused. Its nothing. Felios head guard, Cassain, didnt buy it. She and Malo the Hollow, as he was called, both released heavy divination pulses. We cool? Aiden asked. I dont see anything, Cassain said. Molo agreed. I wasnt convinced, so I released a blast of raw soul force to blow away any illusion. Nothing changed, but I still wasnt convinced. I learned things in the mistand those things were playing out. I was certain of it. Still, I said, Yeah, and we moved on. But that feeling of distortion only got worse. A suspicious number of boulders cropped up out of nowhere, but Wood Wide Web struggled to identify if they were real. This was the problem with bouldersthey had no soul forcebut werent black dots, either. Theyre just objects that dont show up, but the twisted roots underneath them do, making them indistinguishable from grass or groundcover in places. So when you saw a boulder, you tended to just accept it. Only these boulders had mixed roots under themgroundcover that gnarled with the rest of the twisting, wavy forest. And I sensed, through a sense of deja vu and vertigo, a feeling that the forest was leading us somewhere, giving us neat and easy obstacles that were easy enough to go aroundso easy and effortless you wouldnt dare to move off the path. At first, I thought the Drokai were doing it, but I quickly threw that asidebecause you could tell who was creating an illusion. They have a flavor. A style. A personality. Misty Row had the feeling of a simulation, a dream world that was intentionally perfect and sunny, while there were secondary illusions of terror wrapped within. That way, when you cut through the mist and saw what was lurking within it, you were convinced of its authenticityeven if it wasnt. This blend of obvious fiction and grim realism made you feel like you were in a lucid dream, so when the bad things happened, like dead friends suddenly coming back to life and speaking to you, you didnt believe it was true but you interacted anyway. That was the danger. Brindles illusionsor the Drokaisthose I had walked through on the way to Serenflora or the various hidden gardens in the forest were boring, marked by absolute realism. Thats the way that they were designedto be real, only to hide certain things and lead you astray if you got too close. And to do that, the illusions were mostly created with real life. I could only imagine Brindle spending centuries shaping Areswood Forest, placing rocks and planting poisons to ensure that people never got near enough to the things he was hiding to break the illusion. Then there was Reta. Retas illusions, the ones she trained me with, were pure stories. To Reta, it didnt matter whether individuals knew you were creating an illusion or not. What mattered was that the story was just believable enough to make the victims second guess themselves, forcing them into a state of cognitive dissonance that made them question whether everything was fact or fiction at a time when calm and clarity were needed most. The illusions I was experiencing werent any of thoseand I couldnt tell what was wrong. All I knew was that I was experiencing partial illusions, insanely accurate depictions that were indistinguishable with Soul Sight or Mana Sense. It felt eerieand almost perfecttill I saw a bush that I recognized. Thats not poisonous I thought. Hold up. I halted the procession and rode Sina near a purple-highlighted bush and askedIf you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. What color is this? to no one in particular. Malo''s eyes, which looked like a glazed fish most of the trip, suddenly sharpened to a terrifying degree and said: Light green. Thats what I thought I muttered in horror. Turn off highlighting, I commanded. Nothing happened except a few plants changing slight colors. They have highlighting I muttered and whipped around with a pounding heart and screamed. Whos there? Its the Claustra boy, Malo said. I cant believe he had the nerve to do this. Wait, you mean Brexton? Aiden asked frantically, whirling around. His voice was dripping with genuine surprise, fear, and confusion. Just chill out, I said to him. No ones blamin you about shit. Aiden didnt have the balls to set me upand I didnt believe he would. So I turned to Malo. How longve you known? I didnt, Malo said. If it was easy to detect, he wouldnt be a legacy. Jesus I released a blast of raw mana, and the illusion around the purple bush turned it light green, and I cursed. Whats going on? Mom cried. Shhhh Dad cupped his hand around her mouth and said: Let them do their thing. Malo jumped off his horse and put his hands on the ground. Then I felt this overwhelming blast of soul force that flew on the earth. It rustled the ground cover like a breeze in all directions, combing through the plants. Then he clicked his tongue and pulled out the gnarliest sword I had ever seen. It was obsidian with white veins on it, and it meant business. I looked down on this man a lotbut it wasnt justified. Whoever this guy was, he wasnt a throwaway. I followed Malos lead and jumped to the ground, activating Wood Wide Web with far more mana and soul force, and focused with Mental Shielding and Moxle Dilation active and then I saw them. Spectral ghosts of hazy soul force in Wood Wide Web. There were about twenty ahead of us, a collection of humans, beastkins, and a lizardfolk wrapped in advanced active camouflage that appeared to be coming from elsewhere. I scanned the rest and found thirty more from the back and twenty on either side. They were all distant, but they were closing in at a faster speed as if they knew we had spotted them. As much as I wanted to keep my trump card secret, I learned many lessons from Misty Rowand I wouldnt play coy when dealing with illusions. I whistled, and branches rustled in the distance, followed by closer branches, and finally, there was a silent thud beside me, only visible because the ground cover bent. Thanks for coming, I said as Kline materialized in his panther form. I was a bit annoyed at first, but now I looked down at him. Did you know? He turned away in shame. Yeah, theyre pretty far away. I pulled out my new portable ward, fished out the strongest third evolution core I had, and put it inside. Then I jammed it into the ground and said: Everyone off the lurvine and gather around me. Except Malo. It took a few rapid exchanges, but Aiden, Mom, Dad, Tyler, Felio, Cassain, and all her guards complied as I activated the ward. I then created a passphrase for the ward, which was the same as my other one, and melted out of it. Good work, Malo said. Thanks, I said. You have a plan? I nodded. Kline and I are going to take the bulk. I need you to protect us. Can you use Soul Sight? Well enough. And you can distinguish neara? He eyed me cautiously. Can you? I can. Good. Then well run numbers; you run detail. If that means anything to you. It does. Lady Hill, Cassain said. I turned to Felios head guard. What? I know were not Dantes, but we are legacies. Are you really turning down eight guards? I need you to protect my family, I said. I cant fight while worrying about them. So just focus on them and Felio. If we only whittle them down by half, youll be able to finish them off. That strategy caused a commotion of dissent from many, and I pumped my hands. Also I said loudly. I dont have much control over my power. Right now, its like a sledgehammer. Im trusting Molo here will be able to hang with it simply because he has a cool sword. Seriously? Cassain asked dryly. Seriously, I said. Well, youre right Cassain looked at Molo and then into the woods. Okay. Ill protect them with my life. Mom and Felio started crying, but Aiden kept cool and said: Dont worry. I watched Mira kill a stampede of monsters in the first few months. Then I watched her kill a literal giant. Shell be fine. I thanked him silently, then leaned against the barrier. They were quite a ways away, so I decided to take that moment to calm everyone down. Tyler, remember when I started off about some memory to get them talking about stories, keeping them focused during the fifteen minutes it took for the Cackling Kings to enter the clearing. Then they fell silent, and the mercenary leader walked out front. Id later know this man as Grask, and he was gruff business and full of bluster. Listen, guys, he said to the legacies. You know who we are, and we know who you are. And you and you and you. He pointed at Molo, Felio, my family, and Aiden. And cause of that, we can assure you that we arent gonna touch any of you. This isnt about youwe just want the girl. Kline stepped out in front of me, releasing a guttural growl. Who sent you? Molo asked. Noneya, Grask said. But I can say its from the tippy top, and if I feel youre gonna go round runnin your mouth, well kill you all. Cause my employer doesnt want a war. So the Melhan? Molo said. Grask shrugged. Could be anyone. But I assure yayoull want to take the offer and pretend you never saw nothing. Cause if you do cause a war, youre the people theyre targeting first. I circled the area, logging each person''s soul and mana force before touching the ground and releasing Wood Wide Web. I found one last person. Are you fighting? I yelled behind Grask. Hey, arent you listenin to me? Grask snapped. But I ignored him, waiting for a reply. I didnt get one. Guess it doesnt matter, I said. Ill warn you right now, girly, Grask said. I dont like being ignored. Then you shouldve brought more people, I said. After half a year of fighting with Kyro and beasts with soul cores that lit up like Christmas trees under soul sight, I didnt even feel like this was a serious challenge. I mean, it might have been with magicbut they made a fatal flaw. And you shouldnt have circled us, I said. Kinda hard to use magic, now init? I walked forward, and my body multiplied into another. Clones? a mercenary laughed. Others nudged each other, whispering about how funny it was that they thought I could take almost a hundred well-known mercenaries with clones, but they stopped laughing when the clones didnt stop coming. Three four five. Suddenly, there were ten as I circled the group. When I finished a half-circle, there were twenty, and they started walking in opposite directions, splitting apart into more clonesmultiplying like blood cells. Cassain, Aiden, I commanded. Cloak Felio and my parents in a deprivation barrier. Or just turn em around and shut their ears if you dont. Do release them till I say. Mom and Dad protested for less than a second before Cassain cloaked them and Felio in a sensory deprivation barrier, leaving only Tyler, who needed to know the firm realities of hell. My confidence spooked the mercenarys leader because he snapped into action. Stop her, Grask said hesitantly. Mercenaries moved toward my real body but stopped when all my clones suddenly lit up with aura, creating identical clones that all looked real under soul and mana sight. What the hell is this? one asked. Where is she? another followed. That question only got harder. Not a moment later, there were fifty clonessixtya hundred. And they werent just visual. Each one of them kicked rocks and stomped the groundcover and made shifting sounds. W-What the fuck is this? Grask yelled. Brexton! You son of a bitch! You said you wouldnt interfere! But no words met him. And then, to everyones hypnotized horror, Kline joined my ranks, multiplying into clones. Only his were a bit differentand none were the wiser. Chapter 125 - Terror Grask Rykan was a mercenarya hired killer. And after a lifetime of warfare, he had seen his fair share of fucked up shit. He had watched close friends walk around with their intestines spewin out in their hands like bloody pasta fallin out of a bowl. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. He saw things so bad he didnt even compare them to other terrible things. Grask Rykan had seen the lot, and he was reminded every few nights with a vivid night terror that woke him up screamin, scarin the shit out of whatever whore he was payin that night. But had never seen anything as fucked up as what Mira Hill pulled out of nothin. Her clones were pure terror. Distilled terror. Raw, unfiltered swill that hit the gut and didnt let up. They didnt die. There was no slash and poof like poppin balloons. Nah, none of that shit. Someone would bisect the vestige of this sneaky whore at the waist, and the whole damn corpse would fly off, spewin blood everywhere. Yeah, the soldier knew it wasnt blood. It just made em tinglebut their comrades didnt know it wasnt real. So there was this gruesome slugfest as established mercs blasted through four of them a second, sending so much blood flying everywhere that you could barely see. And that blood it looked damn real that blood. It stuck to the clothes and dripped, and when a merc wiped their hands on their chest, it got on their hands No, it smeared on their hands. Blood doesnt wipe on your hands. It doesnt collect on your hands. It doesnt pool on your hands. No, it smears on your hands, and when you touch your face with your hands, it smears on there, too. And there was a damn lot of people smearin, and no one knew what was what at some point, cause the damn clones kept multiplyin like rabbits, and they just didnt disappear. But that wasnt the worst part. It was just the prerequisitesetting the stage for the true horror. And the true horror was when the mercenaries started goin invisible. Grask saw Mira. She ran through the crowd, not even killin people. She was a blur he could barely even follow, but she touched people, and then they went invisible. And no one noticed they or anyone else was goin invisible, cause Miraor Brex, or another fuckin Claustrawas creating carbon fuckin clones of these assholes, mana signatures, blood smears, and all. And once enough of em went invisibletheir clones finally started movin on their own. Thats when the gruesome shit started happenin. Cause everyone was convinced these clones they were killin were illusions till a bisected Mira clone chopped off one of these fake mercenarys feet. It wasnt real, but it was so damn shocking, seein this Mira clone crawlin on the ground with her guts smearing out, swinging her machete, and cutting through what they thought was a real mercenary. Shit, even the invisible mercenaries were watching themselves scream without their feet, confused as fuck, and when they tried to speak, no sound was comin out. So naturally, people started thinkin these clones were actually real, and the panic set in. There was so much screamin and yellin that no one could think, and everyone was buildin up like a boilin canpreparing to explode and start spewin fucking spells all over the place. But all this happened in like thirty, forty seconds, a minute at most. And there was so much blood and screamin and yellin that no one could think or get a fix on their mana sight, which wasnt fuckin workin well for the rooks for some reason. So they made it another full minute before the spells started shakin, and during that period, things just kept getting worse. You wouldnt think that was possiblebut oh, yes, it was. Mira started syncing her clones over the invisible mercs, and soon, the mercenaries were killin each other while trying to kill her clones. It was a fucking nightmare, and people were just too confused and overwhelmed to do anything about it. But Grask? He knew what was goin on. He blew through the Mira clones, kicking invisible people out of the way before their fellow mercenaries could kill them. And in this mess, he actually found Mira. Her clones had mana signatures, but it wasnt the real thing, and he knew it. He was starin at the bonafide Mira Hill. She was movin so fast he could barely keep up with herbut he could. And he had the experience. So he followed her, watchin her sync with clones and chopping up mercenaries, and prepared to strike. But he couldnt. Cause here was the thing. The funny thing. The hilarious fuckin thing. The cat stopped him. The cat. Even half an annual after the harvest, everyone was talkin about that crazy fuckin cat. Who was gonna kill that cat? How would they kill that cat? Will you kill that cat? People were offerin him crazy sums to kill the damn thing, and Grask collected a few hundred thousand, charging ten people for the same service. And now dozens of those cats were in front of him, running around with Mira clones, creating sick confusion everywhere. But they were illusions. They were all illusions until they werent.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Grask shot out at Mira, cutting through two Mira clones and one of his mercenaries to slash this bitch to ribbons. But before he got there, that cat came out of nowhere to block the path. That was okaycause he was gonna slash that fucker to ribbons, too. But it wasnt a clone. The cat caught his sword in his teeth. It was strongbut tough tits. It was way less experienced than him. Got you! Grask yelled. His sword burst into flames, and the cat yowled as it tried to escape, but Grask didnt let it. He flew forward with an acceleration spell and bisected the things skull. Clean cutlots of fuckin blood. Then the cat hit the groundcool. One of them was finally down. But when he turned around, what did he see? Another cat, and this one was far fuckin strongerand faster. It grabbed Grasks throat in his jaws and couldve ripped it out right then and therebut thought better of it for some reason, throwin him to the ground instead. Whyd it fuckin hesitate? Grask thought. And then he got this funny feelin. A messed up feelin. And he knew it was a ridiculous feelin, but he still couldnt help but feel it, and it was this: The Claustra werent involved, and Mira and her cat didnt even consider him a threat, and they were gonna rip off his limbs and smash his core and do all sorts of things, but they werent gonna touch his voice boxcause they needed him to disclose his partner. Now, wasnt that a funny feelin? Retreat! Grask yelled for the first time in his life. The Claustra are in on it! No one needed to tell his men twice. They turned and fled, but a dozen of them suddenly erupted into blue flames. Grask laughed. He actually laughed. Cause between Miras fucked up illusions and this cat that could apparently fuckin duplicate itself, everyone forgot that there were seven third evolution lurvines and a fuckin Dante. Grask turned and saw Molo the Wallow standin next to a barrier with seven Helara family membersnot even doin a damn thing other than watchin. Were the Cackling Kings so arrogant that they really thought they could take that many legacies? No. It was two minutes into the fight when a wave of explosions rocked the earth. His mercenaries didnt give a fuck anymore. They were blasting the area with wind and fire and trees got blown to splinters. It was like a goddamn shredder, and dust and smoke was goin everywhere. Each attack killed a whole lot of everything. There were these huge ass craters from these attacks, and trees were fallin everywhere. You either had a barrier or died; even the lurvines were runnin and dodgin and breathin fire to stop attacks. The pace was devastating. Normal people couldnt cope. But despite the rockin earthquakes and devastation, mercs rarely ever released two spells. Grask recovered just in time to see Mira decapitate one of the better mercs, and three of the illusion cats werent illusions. They both wrestled down mercs. Robina put her hand on one of the cats, and it bubbled and exploded into meat chunks and blood mist, but Mira flew forward and stabbed her in the head. Grask followed Mira around the battlefield and decided that if precision didnt work, he would blow er to bits. So he got up and lifted his hands, and about five hundred large rocks levitated. He was gonna launch them out, blowin away any merc who was dyin or didnt have sense, but before he could, the real cat flew out from behind him. No, there was two. He kicked one, and the other bit his standin leg, and the whole damn thing just disappearedbone and tendons and all. He hit the ground, and when he looked down, he saw that there was a huge fuckin hole in his leg, and when he looked to the side, he saw the Rawkan eatin it right on the battlefield. You son of a bitch! Grask screamed. Ill kill you! Ill Thatll be enough of that. Mira put her machete against his neck, and when he glanced around, he saw that all of his men were dead, or dyin, with half of em wrapped up in a heat blast of blue flames. Heh Grask laughed slightly. Now aint that somethin. Who hired you, Mira asked. Listen girly, he said, speakin with this bittersweet voice he didnt know he had in em. Ive been doin this a long fuckin time. Probably ten times longer than your scrawny ass has been alive. And in all that time, Ive gotten tortured and twisted somethin savage. One man took my balls off, and I needed to unload my entire cache to get a healer that could backtrack the entire goddamn record. He laughed. Never worked the same. Miras muscles tensed, and he could feel itgenuine disappointment. He knew that feelin well because he was feelin it too. Two centuries of buildin, and this is what he gets? Done in by some little girl who got dropped in Areswood for a year. Ah whys life so unfair? He didnt know, but he had his codeand it was the only positive virtue he had left. And in all that time, Grask said. Ive never once outed an employer. Guess youve never met a Claustra, Molo said. I dont care who you are. They will crack you like an eggshell. Good thing the Claustra betrayed ya, Grask said. And that Claustra kid has a soul pact not to get involved not that he needed to. Molo frowned. That gave Grask a last victory before Kline the Kitty Cat, the Rawkan as the posers called him, though I guessed he was one of those posers now, too Whatever it wasit walked up, multiplyin into five real ass bodies with the center bein the real deal. Guess I really didnt get my ass kicked by some petty illusions. Thats a relief. A blade suddenly severed his throat, and he couldnt breathe. Blood spurted out in large gushes, and he hit the ground, gurglin up a storm as the cats jumped him. Didnt think you had it in ya Grask thought of Mira Hill. His mind then fell blank when he was hit with about eight waves of painand then darkness clouded his eyes. 2. I closed my eyes as Kline finished Grask off. I didnt feel so bad about killing the mercenaries up to that point. These people werent civilizedthey were animalsbeasts trying to kill me despite never having a conversation. It was really easy to discount those people, but Whyd he have to be decent at the end I thought. That sucked. Hey, I said to the lurvine, Do me a favor and burn the bodies. I can hang with the killing, but not the eating. Sina and Kael and the rest nodded and then stalked through the battlefield, burning the corpses to ash simply by walking over them with their blue-flamed bodies. I could feel the heat on my skin. It was so hot that sweat dripped on me and instantly turned to steam. Without my tempering, it wouldve likely cooked me alive. Thats why the lurvine rarely fought. But now that I could withstand itthey could go all out. And now that they could, the devastation was incalculable. Not five minutes later, the battlefield was black with six inches of gray ash. Pervasive Breeze. I flicked my hand, and a blast of wind sent the ashes into the forest, leaving only glimmering cores on the ground, all sparkling like Arabian jewels. Each was on the waning cycle of green when dark emerald green lightens again in preparation to be teal. And something about these was far more refined. I think it would be a different experience than most beasts. Ive gotten stronger I thought, clenching my fist. And colder but stronger. And strongers what I need. My new life was special. It was hard to put into words, but I felt like I had a purpose. Between a life of studying plants and learning alchemy in the forestthe place I loved mostbeing a guardian started to appeal to me. I wanted to protect this forest and its secrets. I wanted to protect Yakana and spread Esclaras seed in the Fifth Ring. I wanted to explore further and find new lands, and between tactics, natural poisons and bioweapons, alchemy, illusions, and Moxle DilationI wanted to conquer the whole damn thing. For the first time, I felt truly empoweredand I looked forward to the future. But that was for tomorrow. For now, I needed to deal with the rat watching us in the forest. Chapter 126 - Brexton’s Job I heard the chime as Grasks body crackled to ash. - Congratulations! Scion Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 35 to Level 36. Youve leveled up! You have received two requests: Information Request Free Request | Grade: Diamond Description: I seems like just yesterday I wrote, They grow up so fast :) Are you in a hurry to lose your humanity? Youd think so. And I suppose I should warn you that the old you would be disappointed and horrified by who youve become. So now that youre becoming strong enough to overpower people, you might want to think of strategies for how to win fights without killing. That said, start that path tomorrow. Murder Mode is great when staring down serious opponentslike right now. - I thrust my hand into a patch of smooth yellow ground cover and rooted my fingertips in the dirt. Wood Wide Web. A tidal wave of concentrated mana and neara pulsed through the ground, and this time, a human lit up like the North Star. The prick even had the audacity to be standing twenty feet away from us. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeew! Brexton belted a protracted whistle and clapped twice. I felt that pulse. Dont suppose anythings getting past that. Aiden snapped on sight. What the fuck are you doing? What do you mean, what am I doing? Brexton asked. Im doing my job. And you used me to do that? Aiden asked, trembling. The fuck I need you for? Brexton asked, throwing up his hands mockingly. Mira was comin here, with or without you. If anything, I saved you from suspicion. Now pipe down, kitten. The adults are speaking. I studied Brexton cautiously. He had to be powerful if he had the balls to stand twenty feet away from the group that had just slaughtered eighty-something mercenaries. Kline was also circling Brexton with frustration, mortified that he didnt sense hima coping mechanism. Did you get what you wanted? I asked. Oh, yes, Brexton said. I got what I came here for, but why stop at the minimum? Im practically high on conspiracy, and its not even three p.m. Well youre going to have to stop, I said. Cause youre either leaving or were fighting. And as you can see, Im not new to illusions. Brexton grinned widely. In~teres~ting. I am curious just how versed you are. He lifted his fingers, and I slowed the world down, watching them rise like a mortar launched at a firework showpreparing for it to explode. Then he snapped his fingers at what felt like normal speed, and the entire world shifted into an alternative dreamscape, an endless desert with cracked clay ground. I could feel the heat and sand against my skin, and my throat became scratchy from the gusts of dry heat. It was incomprehensible, but this wasnt the first time I experienced something like this. I snapped into battle mode, thrusting out my hand. The desert shifted again, this time into a simple world with multicolored shapes that recreated what I saw in Wood Wide Web. In other words, it was a visual representation of what I saw with my spell, represented with shapes with primary colors. It seemed like a simulation, CAD modeling software engineers used, or the landscape of early 3D video games. Brexton was right in the center of that, represented as a bright red, human-shaped toy. I unsheathed my machete and rushed \to kill him. Counter Illusions? Brexton mused as he dodged my strike with ease. His words came directly into my mind, and he spoke at regular speed, as though I didnt have Moxle Dilation active. That confirms it, Brexton said. His voice exited my mind and fractured, echoing everywhere around me. The heat spell and wind spells he was using disappeared, but a new and terrifying spell replaced them. One eliminated all smells around me, and the second muted all sounds except his voice. Now, we were in this bright video game-like world, and my sense of reality was breaking. Once the rest of my senses failed, Brexton shut the lights off as well. I turned back and forth and found myself in a pitch-black void that stretched endlessly. Oh hell no! I released an intense blast of raw mana to freeze out the illusion, and the normal world reappeared, exposing five Klines running in circles, Malo with his sword unsheathed, and Aiden, my family, and the Hellara in the barrier. And in the mere seconds it took to identify it, the void returned, eating the world slowly.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. I turned and searched for Brexton, but I couldnt sense himand darkness soon clouded my eyes. Youre impressive, Brexton said from somewhere in front of me. I activated Wood Wide Web, but it showed Brexton standing in twenty places at the same timesoul signatures identical. If that werent enough, the whole damn web was corrupted. The soul signatures were uncorrupted, but all the mana signals the forests plants were picking up showed us in a large city. Did he hijack my spell? I thought frantically. But surely you dont think Brexton said strangely from behind me, Ethat a year of training would prepare you to fight a master, did you? I turned and found Brexton in the void, his body captured in a theater spotlight. He was walking toward me with his hands stuffed in his pockets. I whipped my hand, and a blast of raw mana shot at him. It cut straight through the void like the Misty Row mist, exposing no one. Just empty forest before the void swallowed it again. I released a frustrated screen. Just face me! Oh, Mira I heard Brexton from behind me and tried to turn, but he wrapped his hand around my throat from behind, lifting my chin and holding him against his strong chest playfullyseductively. You know thats not how we operate. I tried to release a blast of mana to break his illusions, but a strange force rattled my minda mental attack. It made it impossible to think straight, and I instantly activated Mental Shielding. And I doubted he felt I would recover as fast as I did because he wasnt monologuing. So I took that moment to search for Kira. I activated my soul core and felt the link two miles away. I visualized her moving from my location to hers, passing through two thickets, around a rock face, over ground cover and a small stream, before climbing a massive tree that she was waiting on. Kira I ordered. She spread her wings and prepared to fly, using her sword to pierce through Brextons backrunning us both through. I drank an Illyndra elixir during the chaos I would survive it. But just as Kira was launching off, a silver flash cut the void, and my whole body tingled with buzzing mana. It felt like ants were crawling over me, and Brextons hands freckled with goosebumps. Enough. Molo stepped forward with slow, hypnotic steps, sword out with two hands on the hilta professional with no need for flash. His presence was so overwhelming that Kline simply stepped aside as he passed, afraid otherwise to move. Awwwww, Brexton groaned and released my neck. And she was just about to reveal something exciting. I know it! I clenched my fist in frustration. Youve done your job, Molo said, and youve made your point. Leave. Aw, Brexton said, rolling his head. But now you know I was behind all this. I cant just force people into soul pacts with you being all cool and such. Stop being a clown, Molo said. If Hadrian was worried about this excursion, he wouldve sent the Dante to stop you by now. Brexton clicked his tongue, turned to me, and unscrewed his flask. You werent supposed to hear that. He took a swallow. Family politics. Theyre easy to misinterpret. Oh, its easy to interpret, I said. You played around with my familys life for your joband he let you do it for the sake of politics. Brexton paused, thought about it dramatically, and shrugged. Okay, its easy to interpret. Are we done? I asked. He nodded and took a drink. Were done. he screwed on the flask slowly, deliberatelythoughtfully. Once he finished, he looked up and said: On second thought, I feel its only fair to warn you I know you have a teacher. An icy shockwave hit my body, and my legs turned to water. His words were both threatening and absolute. I mean, we all knew you had a teacher, but now I know you have a teacher, Brexton said. And that informations gonna sell for a whooooole lotta money. Seems kinda mean, really, but a find like that? I cant make an exception. Why do you think that? I asked. He smiled and pointed at me. Cause you cant scan your own body spewin out intestines. My arms prickled with gooseflesh as Brexton turned and walked away cheerily, saying, It was fun playing with you. Glad Ill never have to do it again. With those words, he disappeared into the forest. No one tried to stop him. I couldnt stop him. I couldnt even think straight. I understood how he figured out that I had a teacher, and there was no speculation on the matter. Im so fucked I thought. I imagined I would be fine, considering Netheralis suggested I learn illusions and Reta taught me the strategy. But it was still a serious problem. Is it true? Molo asked. I glanced at all the people in my party. Yeah, I have a teacher and that information could have a devastating impact on this forestcause my teachers kill invadersThats how they keep it safe thats why no one survives. Hint about any of this, and your soul will explode. Invisible chains wrapped around their hearts; I could tell by the way they clutched their chests. I released a frustrated sigh. I was going to tell them anyway, obviously, but Brexton I wonder if theyll kill him I thought as I leaned against a tree and let my back scrape against it as I sat down. No he knows I have one, but not who they wont take the risk. Brexton knew I had a teacher, but that could be anyone. Past harvesters, ancient rulerssapient beasts. He didnt know Drokai existed, and there was no reason to think otherwise. The Drokai had evaded detection for tens of millenniaI doubted that would start a year after I arrived. But there was a nagging feeling that there was something very, very wrong. 2. Brexton stalked through the forest with a serene smile. Nothing was happening to him. Nothing. And that was amusing because he felt eyes on him. And that was the damnedest thingcause he couldnt sense a goddamn thing. The soul blending was absolute. He stopped and looked around. You should kill me, you know, he said. I may not be able to talk about youbut I can talk about Mira having a teacherand people are gonna start probes and probes and probes until they find you. No response. But youre not. And Im kinda disappointed. Brexton took a drink from his flask and shivered. And that makes me wonder, yeah? he said. Why wouldnt you? Sure, Mira would be fucked if that happened. My uncle would send the whole fighting force and wipe her out next year. But how does that affect you? Hmmm Unless He grinned. Shes a bit special, isnt she? Bit useful? Bit worth protecting? He chuckled and shook his head. Oh how I look forward to the future. He took another drink and watched on, feeling slightly crazy for talking to himself till he neared the base camp, and the eyes disappeared. Excited indeed, he said, repeating: Excited indeed. Chapter 127 - Problem Child It was an awkward ride to my little village. My parents kept demanding answers after seeing nothing but ashes and a bag of cores after the incident, but Aiden and the legacies wouldnt say a word. Not because they couldnt. The soul pact we made didnt keep them from speaking amongst themselvesonly to others. Yet no one wished to talk about it except Tyler, who was far more frustrated than the rest. Mira are you really gonna pretend like that didnt happen? he demanded, riding beside Felio and me. Im not going to stop asking you until you explain it! Illusions, I said. Bullshit. That wasnt just illusions. Youre rightit wasnt. Kline can multiply himself. Thats not an illusion. Im also not an illusion. I just move faster than your mind can process, so you didnt see me running around." Tyler took a deep breath through his nose. Thats not what Im talking about. Then what are you talking about? I asked. Those clones! he said. Dont you dare say those were illusions. I saw them killing people. No, you saw them killing other illusions, I said. Watch. I jumped off Sina, knelt, pressed my fingers into the earth, and released a massive scan of mana. You see this? I asked. I examined the twilight passage we were in. It had medium-spaced trees and large patches of sprawling purple-flowered ground cover that wasnt actually poisonous. Otherwise, it was a classic patch of forest with ferns and rocks and a rotting log partially eaten by insects. Is there anything strange about this forest to you? I asked. Dad and Tyler exchanged glances. No. Well its not real. I picked up a stick and duplicated it with magic and threw the real one to Tyler so he could feel it. Then, I clenched my fist, and it passed straight through the illusion stick to prove it wasnt real. I finished my demonstration by throwing it into that purple flower ground cover, and all the plants reacted, shaking and waving from the force of the impact. What the hell? Tyler cried. Illusions copy all the information of their targets. The objects'' sizes, weights, densitiesall the way to their chemical breakdowns. It also captures the atmosphere, gravity the whole nine. It then creates a carbon clone of the target. From a light perspective, its real, so it interacts with the sun just like any other object. And once you clone the whole world, the object becomes real to the other illusions. And what youre looking at here is nothing more than an illusion. I snapped my fingers, and all the plants in our small area disappeared, leaving a white void underneath. I clone the world, then turn the original invisible, I said. I snapped my fingers, and the world returned. Now, when I create illusions, they interact with the world as if it were real. I created a few Mira clones and had one pick a flower, a second step over ground cover, and a third sit beside a tree. The plants bent and crushed and snapped, and rocks flew around. Wait Tyler''s eyes widened. So those people. I cloned them. I snapped and created a mercenary clone and had one of my clones hit it in the face. It yelled and crashed into the ground cover as Tylers eyes trembled. As for my clones I said. I clone a bit of my mind into them. So theyre autonomous. Thats why it doesnt matter if I have fifty or a thousand of these clones. Theyre moving on their own, and the worlds moving with them. My brains not doing anything well, kinda. Is this over? one of my clones asked. Probably not, I said. But high five for showing off. I high-fived my clone, and my Dad laughed. This isnt funny! Tyler yelled. I glared at him. Whats not funny? Tylerwhat more do you want from me? The truth! he yelled. Cause nothing youre saying makes sense. If youre just copying things, how the helld you get your dead corpses to kill people? Theres a huge difference between throwing a stick and whatever the hell you did back there. I grimaced when I saw Dad staring at me with concerned eyes. I couldnt see Mom, thank God. Felio didnt see either, and I was glad for that. Hell, I was regretting showing Tyler cause the simple fact was, my illusion was designed to inflict maximum trauma on its victims, and I just casually let him see that shit. Youre right, I said quietly. You cant copy something thats unnatural. And thats how Brexton knew I had a teacher. Cause theres an immeasurable gap between scanning something and creating independent illusions. The only way I could do that is if I scanned another persons illusions. A masters illusions. But what about The Guide? Aiden asked. Couldnt it teach you? The Guide cant use mana, I said. So theres nothing to scan. Tyler chuckled and then shook his head and chuckled some more. What now? I asked dryly. I-Its just He flashed this bitter smile. Its just so stupid I spent a solid year with the best teacher in the domain, hoping to catch up with you even a little. And I convinced myself, I actually convinced myself that you had this crazy weapon, and that was it. You know? That weapon killed that giant. But then I show up, and this happens. Its like a bad joke. I looked between Tyler and Dad and Felio and the guards and back. Thats what youre worried about? He looked up and shrugged.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I scoffed, and my body trembled, and I repeated. Thats what youre worried about? I just killed eighty people, and youre acting like this is a competition? Tyler froze when he heard the passion in my voice. Its not, I said. I did what I had to do to protect myself and my loved onesbut I didnt want to do it. I didnt think it was cool or a great opportunity to show off. I simply did what needed to be donejust like all the other times Ive needed to kill things over the last year. And its for that reason I can just brush it off like its nothing. But youre different, Tyler. Cause unlike me, you actually asked for this life. So every action you make, every life you take, every fucked up thing you do is on your head. And if you keep up this immature bullshit, youre gonna look in the mirror one of these days and think, What the fuck happened to me? And you wont want to admit that all the killing and harm you did was all to be famous like your sister. Tyler tried to rebut my statement, but I threw up my fingers, counting as I barreled on. And for what? I asked. Did you really think you could catch up? I have an alchemy god who helps me make the best elixirs with the best ingredients. I exclusively eat soul meat, and Im drowning in high-level requests. Theres no way that you or anyone else out there can keep up. Lifes not fairget over it. I jumped on Sina again, made sure Felio was ready, and then rushed ahead. My parents tried to keep up, but Aiden said the lurvines would find me. I was gratefulbecause I didnt want to speak to a goddamn person. I got that my brother was young and wanted to prove himself and that people with famous siblings tend to get crushed by societal expectations and whatnot, but this wasnt the time or place for this. Not at all. I expected the monster treatment from my parents during the next break, but my mom wrapped her hands around me and said, Oh, honey as if I hadnt said anything. And then I smiled and shed a couple of genuine streaking tears and thanked her. Dad sat beside me a while later when I was cooking. Instead of trying to cheer me up with something that validated my insecurities, like, Ill love you no matter what, he just said, Thank you. I turned to him. For what? For what? He laughed at my absurd question. For protecting us, but also talking to Tyler. He needed that. I turned to him intently, listening intently. Dad took a deep breath. Hes been so dead set on catching up with you for the last year that its starting to cause problems. He put a kid in the hospital a few months ago. I whipped my head to him. What? Dad pointed at my steak, which needed to be flipped, and I turned it. Then he said: Im not going to say that he did the wrong thing. These kids are fuckin terrible. Ive never been so pro-spanking in my life. I smiled. But its starting to change him, Dad said. And thats not necessarily a bad thing. This worlds different kids grow up. But we havent seen him smile in God. Six months? Longer? It feels like years. I smiled wryly. Not sure today helped with that. No dont suppose it did. But He paused and searched for words. Weve been dreading the day that he actually you know kills someone. Cause this world It''s not like the military. Youre not just trained to kill people and then be put into positions where you have to. I mean, people just kill each other. Its mostly illegal, specially around the peacefuls. But for other pathers? Its like semi-legal, I guess? Point is, its personalnot professional. And I think that this experiencell make sure he keeps with the military, you know? Instead of putting more kids in the hospital. I swallowed, nodded, and kept silent, plating a partially burnt, curled, and extra-dry steak and handing it to him. God he said. Its in moments like this, I question whether I taught you anything. My lips puckered into a smile, and I laughed. Then he laughed, and I laughed more, and when we paused, I said: You got the next one. Give that one to Aiden. He cocked his head. Why Aiden? Cause hes pouting again, I said. He deserves punishment. Dad paused, looked at this ultra-expensive, high-class superhuman meat, and said, This is punishment? Then he erupted with more laughter, and I giggled. What are you too gabbing about? my mom asked, smiling from the contagiousness. Nothing I laughed, Hand this to Aiden, would ya? Its his punishment. Aiden perked up like a grazing gazelle hearing lions, and when he stood and prepared for this punishment, my dad handed him a steak. Whatd you do to it? Aiden asked. Theres no poison in it. Did you spit on it? He lifted it, and we laughed even harder. Is it cause its burnt? he asked. Cause I feel that punishments adequate, but Im still expecting worse. Shut up, I said sharply, picking up a rock and throwing it at him playfully. He dodged surprisingly well, but the steak went flying. He rushed forward with a lot more dexterity than I expected, but Kline shot out of nowhere, snapping up the steak in his jaws. You little shit! Aiden cried. Now, Mom, Tyler, Felio, and the Hellara were laughing. Even Molo had a strange smile as Kline pranced around, not even chewing the steak, just flaunting it, taunting Aiden with it. Guess he thinks you deserve to starve a round, I said, giggling harder. The hell I do! Aiden cried. I call upon the court for a proper trial! I liked clowning Aiden more and more, and I was relieved that he had recovered from his funk. I was glad we were all feeling much better. Twenty minutes later, we were on the road again, flying through the forest far faster this time as everyone got to riding the lurvine. And by nightfall, we had already reached the halfway point and stopped in a moonlit meadow. I felt better after our moment, but after Felio and I stopped chatting and we rode in silence for a few hours, I started to feel a bit guilty about Tyler. I knew that I did the right thing, but how I went about it was wrongor at least not ideal. Tyler was trying his best to get stronger just like I was but there was no way he could get stronger. It mustve been frustrating to stand around as mercenaries rolled up, threatening his loved ones. I wouldve hated that. So I thought through things, and that night, after handing out bowls of stew to family and friends and guards who insisted they couldnt accept it, I sat beside Tyler. Im guessing Dad told you? he asked. Yeah, I said. So youre here to lecture me again? Nope. Then what are you doing? Im inviting you to live here. He turned to me. What? For a year, I said. Next year. See my guide just told me I should probably chill on the whole killing stuff. He says that the me from yesteryear wouldve hated the current me, and I should dial it back. Seriously? he asked. Yeah, seriously. I paused. Its not a luxury to think that way. When push comes to shove, you gotta be able to protect yourself. But at some point, Ill be strong enough that killing wont be necessary. Itll be like grown men fighting children. He smiled wryly. Must be nice. I just invited you to stay here, you goon! I grabbed his skull and ruffled his hair as he cried, Hey! and clawed me off. I stood, not really in the mood to coddle my brother, and said: I think itll do you some good. Find some inner zen and all that. Plus, Ill give you some of those advantages I was telling you about. Ill crank you with so many elixirs and tempers youll be damn near indestructible on the outside. He eyed me with hungry eyes. If you want powerIll give you power, I said. Then my eyes narrowed on him. But I wont help a bully. A narcissist. Or a murderer. He froze and folded his arms over his knees while avoiding eye contact. He nodded. Good, I said. Oh, and Ill ask Dadbut youre gonna have to convince Mom. So get your begging face on. Wait! Tyler cried. What? Im a legal adult now! I turned to him. I know. But Im not fucking up my relationship with our parents over this. I walked away. Tyler did his best. Mom said no, Dad said yes, Tyler bitched to meclassic situation. We all went to sleep grumpy. It didnt matter. His coming ultimately came down to how smoothly things went with Felio and how well Tyler did. So, at the end of the day, his vacation here would depend upon himselfand if he couldnt come, he was the only person to blame. But I hoped he did well next year so I could fix him up and make him strong. Not because I wanted him to stay with me. But because he was my family. Inconvenient and annoying as it wasthats what family does. We arrived at my little village at nightfall the next day, and by that point, I was exhausted and sick of hearing Tyler bickering with Mom. I thought my whole damn vacation would be like that. But once my parents gasped and ahhed about the colossal Redwood-sized trees, I was reminded how absurd my little village was. It was like a five-star ski lodge and resort in the middle of the deadliest forest this side of the multiverse. I still couldnt wait to see my parents reactions when they saw this new home. Chapter 128 - Village Tour I was certain that my mother could never make a face more amusing than she did when I activated the lighting crystal on their new home. She probably expected some cave or some shanty hovel where she would have to huddle up with the hides of terrifying monsters. Instead, I greeted her with a full studio apartment, a queen-sized bed (complete with an inflatable top I just bought), and a full kitchen and bathroomwith a tub. The tub had the original heating and purification arrays from the temporary shelter, so it was self-filled, heated, and cleaned, and the kitchen was stocked with equipment from the Big Bag o Tools. It was a beautiful space, complete with rocker chairs beside the fireplace. I announced all these things in a grand tour and then finished with, Its not much maintaining the straightest face I could. Oh, please, Mom said, slapping my arm. I smirked and hooked my arm around her, poking her in the ribs as she cried, Stop it! Dad turned to me with a tired smile. Please stop antagonizing your mother. His mouth said he was being valiant, but his eyes said: She takes it out on me. I let go, put my hands behind my back, and said: What do you think? Dad scratched his head. Dont take this the wrong way, but did your teachers make this? No~pe, I said. Just me. Dad could tell by my eyes that there was more to the story, but I wasnt going to have the knowledge of my soul guardian weighing on their soul. If the grieves started an investigation, they could start demanding knowledge out of everyone. My parents could claim that a soul pact prohibited them from answering any inquiries on things regarding Mira Hill that could be of grave impact or importance, but that wouldnt save them from torture. So I was going to hide that from my family as long as possibleif not forever. So when Mom asked, How? I created a drill out of mana and spun it. It wasnt perfect, but it was enough to genuinely carve through wood smoothly. Practice. I looked around. And its easy when you dont need support pillars or drywall or whatever. I literally just carved out a section of the tree. It wasnt that complicated But it looks nice, doesnt it? Dad chuckled wearily. Yep. Its something He paused. Special. Its something special to think everyone called this place an unlivable death trap. Then, we ride in a straight line to multimillion-dollar sky lodges with lighting and self-cleaning bathtubs. I smiled wryly as I remembered my first four months in Areswood, but then developed a bright smile and said: I wouldnt come here alone. Dad laughed and Mom shivered and then we set to work setting up the new inflatable bed, which had self-cleaning sheets on it. Once they tested it, their eyes widened in shock when they realized it was better than their bed at home. We had a good laugh about it, ending off a wonderful introduction. I felt warmth overtake my heart as my parents finally started to calm down and feel better about my life here. It couldve been super traumatic for them, but it all worked out somehow. As I was leaving, Mom said: Seriously, Mira. This is incredible. I smirked and raised my eyebrows. If you think thiss coolWait until you see the bathhouse. The next morning, she and all the other women saw itand it turned into a huge ordeal. Felios guards declared they would bathe togetherbut they were flabbergasted at the idea of taking one with Felio or myself. The concept of public bathing wasnt a thing there, and I suppose it wasnt as commonplace in the United States as it was in Japan, Turkey, or Russia. But, I mean, come on! This wasnt a bathit was an artificial hot spring, complete with rocks and steam. And what was the point of a hot spring if there wasnt group relaxation and girl gossip? If Felios not part of it, then whats the point? I asked. Cassain blushed furiously. Dont give me that face! I cried. Then I clapped my hands twice as I said, Girl. Talk, ending the statement with, Re~laxation. Is same sex stuff super common here or something? No, Cassain said. Then whats the problem? Id get the hesitation if I leaned that way, but I dont. This is just a luxury resort! It was a Roman bath in a colossal tree. You couldnt convince me this wasnt the coolest shit to ever exist. If I opened this in Aspen, Colorado, Id be a millionaire by years end! We dont mean to offend you, Felio said. But my family also has reservations. I think a term that might explain this is royalty. The thought of anyone seeing me bare is out of the question. I took a frustrated breath. Then I studied Felios body (which certainly didnt help anything), and then left and returned with a bathing suit I got with my clothing bundle. How about this? I asked. Probably be a bit tight on you, but I refuse to live knowing that the coolest part of this whole goddamn village isnt going to see usage. Felio started giggling uncontrollably, and my Mom turned around, mortified by my public outburst. The guards took it seriously, though. Cassain held a roundtable conference, hearing arguments from each, the winning being, We were told to respect her culture. Cassain wasnt convinced. Yes, but we were also told to exercise common sense. The group went back and forth, duking it out until Cassain finally turned to me and said: I believe we have found a compromise. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Ten minutes later, I found myself wearing my underwear in a hot spring, getting giggled at by Felio. What? I grumbled. Its uncomfortable. Its not that bad, hun, Mom said. You need to respect other peoples customs. People need to respect my customs! I cried. Felio snorted and rolled over in her bathing suit, and Cassain apologized again, and I just accepted it, grumbling and declaring that I would buy bathing suits wholesale the next year. On a serious note Mom said once everyone calmed down. Whats that thing on the floor? I glanced in the water and saw the massive array Trant and Kira carved into the bathtub. We had painted over it again, but the grooves were kind of hard to miss. Its an equilibrium array, Felio said. Isnt it? Yeah, I said. Thats exactly what it is. Mom raised an eyebrow. What is it? It matches the heat to your body temperature, said Asail, another one of Felios guards. I was starting to think they didnt speak, so I was glad to hear another woman talk. She had classic brown hair and brown eyes and a longish face that made her look a bit quirky. She was probably new to the Hellara because she looked normal amongst a sea of people with abnormal faces and bodies that had to be magically altered somehow. Once you activate it, it feels like youre sitting in nothing, Asail explained. Then whats the point? Mom asked. Its for tempering, Felio said. You add compounds to the water, and it soaks into your skin. Oh Mom whispered in wonder. Yep sounds kinda gross, I prefaced, but you couldnt even stab me with a Bowie knife right now. My skins harder than steel. Well, at a certain velocity. Its still spongy when it matters. Mom blushed, and I rolled my eyes. Shael? Asail asked curiously. I nodded. Yeah. I didnt know it grew around here, Felio said, clasping her hands against her chest excitedly. It doesnt, Cassain said coldly, narrowing her eyes on me. Felio might have been an alchemy master, but Cassain was likely ten times older than her. So she knew her stuff and called me out. But if she thought Id stutter, it was in vain. I didnt create soul pacts just to play this secret bullshit. So I just told the truth. It doesnt. My teachers gave this to me. They also carved that array. Teachers? Felio asked, emphasizing the S. Yeah, ones an herbologist, I said. Hes got centuries of experience out here. Youre gonna love him assuming he shows. Felio gasped with excitement. Oh, girl, I said. If you think thats cool, just wait till you meet Elana. Shes, uh I paused and chuckled nervously. Amazing. I was blasted with questions after that, and I told some stories as they relaxed, making sure they got the full hot spring experience. By the end of it, most had forgotten that there was anything controversial about this bathtub. And thank God. I would live and die on this hill; hot spring legitimacy was my equivalent of my fathers demand for physical menus at restaurants. Once I used Separate to remove all the water from everyone present and throw it back into the tub, and then purified the water, we got dressed and walked out with relaxed glows. You never change, do you? Tyler grumbled. Thought youd never get out. It was the same thing he said when we lived together, something I felt indignant about because my makeup routine was comically short. Come now, Tyler, Aiden said charmingly. If you ever want a good woman, youll have to learn to appreciate their flaws. Dont you start, I warned him. Aiden put up his hands with a wide smile. I grunted and rolled my eyes. I cant handle you. But hes right, Dad said. Kind of. Hes got the right idea, at least. Mom put her hands on her hips. What does that mean? That youre supposed to accept your women, he said. He was just wrong about your ticks being flaws. Ooooh! Felio said, nudging my mom. You caught yourself a keeper. Dad put his hands on his hips and turned his head like a superhero. Oh, God, Mom said. Just go already. I agree, I said. And you. I turned to Aiden. Dont you have tribute to collect? About that, he chuckled. The only requirement this year is to push deeper into the forest. I get that he wants me to get stronger beasts next year, but right now It just kinda feels easy. Kinda feels easy. Those three words were a roundhouse to my temple. I got that same exact questbut it was not fucking easy. Not at all. Misty Row flashed against my mind, and I took a deep breath. You mean like out there, right? I asked, pointing to the north. Aiden knew something was wrong immediately. No It checked off the minute we got here. I nodded my head a few times. Take your bath. What? he asked. I said, take your bath! Why are you so angry? Mira! He turned as I stomped away, ignoring Tyler, who had suddenly lost his irritation over the wait when Felio apologized to him. Bastard was damn near chivalrous speaking to her. Not just herall the women. He just was an ass to me. But I was relieved. Even after everything I had gone through, Tyler still treated me like a sisterand that made me glad. I just needed to cool off. And it wasnt long before my mood improved anyway. Kline had to leave to maintain law and order during peak scheming season, the time when harvesters killed off teammates to increase their share of the spoils. Since the Cackling Kings were gone, I wasnt in serious danger. So he begrudgingly passed off the role of protecting me to Sina, who huffed and rolled her eyes as if to say, What do you think Im doing? This woman cant tie her shoe without courting death! Kline huffed and it was just the cutest exchange. The whole thing brought my mood up, and it only increased when the men arrived with proper reactions to a luxury mountain town bathhouse. They had relaxed faces as they sat down, complimenting my breakfast. Even Tyler was singing my praises. See this? I asked Cassain. Thiss what its all about. Lady Hill, Cassain said, but I put up my hand and rolled my eyes. Im just giving you shit. Felio giggled and nudged Cassains shoulder, and I apologized to the blushing woman by handing her the first bowl of soup. And thats how the vacation truly began. My brother treated me like a sister; Felio and her guards were settling in, and Aiden recovered his new charm without a brood fest. The only person who hadnt changed was Malo, who just sat with his back against a tree, sword propped up lap to shoulder, staring into the forest, releasing divination pulses periodically to check for enemies. I wondered what would happen if he met Kyroanother man conflicted by his past, dealing with it in a very, very different way. I soon forgot about him the moment I showed Felio my alchemy lab. That was the best. I had never seen anyones eyes sparkle like that. She rushed around like Tinker Bell booping things, asking things like, Can I touch this? and Whats this called? Its beautiful! as she went through my ingredient collection. Once she stopped, she looked at the equipment and gasped, saying, Youre using it! about the equipment she gave me the year before, followed by rushing out of the lab and returning with bags of equipment, saying, Look what I brought us! with a bright smile. It truly was a gift. A real gift. This was the reason I liked Felieo. She was on the other end of the extreme. While I was an unromantic tomboy who was surviving hell, she was a girly princess pruning gardens. Soft spoken, quick to please, lovingbound to be motherly and smother her children with love and affection. Im not sure how such a woman was born from legacy society, and part of me expected her to have a dark side underneath this bubbly facade, but nope, Felio Hellara was the real dealthe airheaded princess of Theovale that most people adored. And I did, too. I watched her roam around as I imagined a parent watching their children during Christmas, opening up the Lego sets they were craving all year. This is nice, I thought. I expected it to be a lovely year. Her antics put me in a generous mood, so I reached into a drawer, pulled out handfuls of multicolored bottles, and walked back to my family and the guards, who were sitting around an afternoon fire, and said: Who wants gifts? I only had one day with my family before having to make the trek back to base campand I planned to spend it spoiling them. Chapter 129 - An End to a Vacation My brothers eyes lit up like shameless Christmas lights when he saw the elixirs, and I sighed. Family was a different breed. What are those? Mom asked cautiously. I shrugged. Cleansing elixirs, channel boosters, sensitivity enhancers. Im not sure what these things are worth money-wise, but theyre pretty valuable. Can I see? Felio asked. I have an appraisal skill. Go for your life. I turned and let her pick out tubes from my hand. Felio hadnt even finished when her mental fortitude broke, and she collapsed into a hailstorm of sloppy snorts and giggles. I frowned. What? She couldnt stop laughing. What? Tyler asked frantically. Money says those things are worth crazy money, Aiden guessed. Y-Ye Felio couldnt even finish her confirmation. I shrugged. Y''all are acting like I care about money. If I had a million hawks worth of elixirs, Id still be passing them out like party favors. Felio almost screamed with her giggling. What? I cried. I was so exasperated. S-Sorry. Its just its just everything here is a theoretical elixir. These would get a few million each. An outbreak of activity exploded, and soon, my family and the guards were hovering around the elixirs. What does that mean? I asked. I dont understand I had recipes for these. No Felio laughed and coughed and forced herself to calm down. They exist but thats because the properties of the plants are recorded to their composition. So the Oracle can generate recipes from them, even though they dont exist. Does that make sense? I laughed mockingly. No. That doesnt make any sense. Its like cooking, Malo said from beside us. He was staring into the forest, as usual. If you know a vegetable is edible, you know you can fry and salt it without it killing you. And the books left behind here provide a full composition of the plants. Thats not the problem, I said. First off, these books arent completely accurate. Second off, if you dont know the missing elements, how do you know they wont react to certain chemicals? Because Brindle also left behind alchemy books, Felio said. So, we know about these compounds we just havent seen them before. Thats why theyre called theoretical. In theory, we know what theyll do but weve never seen them. I keep forgetting Brindles name is on the books I thought. Everyone knew Brindle Grask lived in this forest, but most thought he either died or decided to live in the Seventh Ring. The part Brindle and the Oracle kept hidden was that he left the forest and became a god a secret that would spark a never-ending gold rush to conquer the forest if it came to light. Still, Felios knowledge of him was irrelevant. Yeah, but I said, feeling frustrated. I couldnt believe people would drink these despite knowing they were hypothetical. Id drink them with Diktyo water. But rich people are obsessed with eternal life? I just couldnt see it. They normally buy twoone for a guinea pig and one for themselves, Felio clarified, appeasing me. But for the most part we can treat Brindles notes as reliable. Theres only been six known discrepancies in over a hundred thousand harvests, and they always applied to unknown plants. Why would Brindle write these books if he was just going to spread paranoia? True I muttered. I also reflected upon my studies with Lithco. Hey Lithco. How concerned should I be about plants that arent highlighted? Dont you ever read? I do, but I was raised on Google. You kids He rolled his eyes and said: You dont have to worry much here. Such cases are remarkably rare to the point theyre not even worth discussing. But once you reach the Fifth Ring, youll need more skills like Poison Sense and your soul pact skills. It would also be a dead giveaway that something valuable is hanging around, Cassain added. A century or so ago, a Calgan family troop walked into an area surrounded by thorns that shot out at all angles. It killed all but one, and the guy who survived was a living disaster. We couldnt even treat his wounds because his arm was bubbling and popping and releasing this terrible gas that was killing people. Those are the type of plants that arent written about. I immediately thought of the thorn bush outside of the crypt. My body webbed with a striped rash like I was a zebra and bubbled with blisters that rotted like cherry tomatoesall within a minute of touching it. If I didnt have Diktyo water and cleansing creams, I would be a skeleton whose only purpose would be to serve as a warning for others.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. I thought it was crazy that teams wanted to go back, but it turned out that all the other cases of undocumented plants led people to powerful plants. So we went back, and we found a flower whose pollen cured a rare form of mana sickness. It wasnt even written about, but just being around it made your channels burn with power. Someone suffering from the sickness paid money to get near it, and sure enough, it cured him in twenty minutes. I folded my arms and leaned against a tree. Have you found any crazy plants? Tyler asked. I smiled wryly. Ill take that as a yes, Aiden said. Wait, seriously? Felio asked excitedly. I didnt say anything, I said. Though it does make me curious about this place. I looked at the ground beneath us. What does that mean? Mom asked sternly. I kept silent. Mira Isabella Hill. Some things never change I whispered, chuckling. Then I looked at them. Were literally standing on the death site of a third evolution beast Its strange Does that mean were treasure hunting? Felio asked excitedly. Absolutely not! Cassain said. Didnt you just hear me? She said its dead, right? Felio turned to me expectantly. Yeah. Its dead. Its the first thing I ever killed, actually. Wait, what? Tyler cried. What happened? Dad asked. Ill tell you tonight, I said. For now who wants some theoretical elixirs? Youll only find them here. So step right up My exceptionally lackluster ringmaster introduction elevated the mood a bit, and everyone agreed to put off the story. Twenty minutes later, we were back in the bathtub, just my mom and me, as she emptied her stomach from a cleansing elixir. She kept declaring that she would never trust me again, but when the hell ended, and she finally walked out of the bathhouse and saw herself in the mirror, she was a perfect advertisement for the elixirs. And that was natural. Her wrinkles shrunk, and her skin smoothed. The white and black age marks on her skin vanished, and the mole on her neck was gone. Her teeth were porcelain. It was so overwhelming she started crying, and soon there was a stampede to go next, consequences and warnings be damned, and Felio just thought it was the funniest thing in the world. Oh God, I said. Whyd you give her a mirror? Felio watched my mom look at herself in the mirror from every angle and giggled. I think its cute. I guess It was cute, but it was also kinda vain, so I was worried she would get a bit of an ego and start wearing a feather boa and speaking to servants. I mean, she already had the money. But when Dad came out and got squealed at by Mom, he hugged me, apathetic to his own improvements, and said, Thank you for making your mother feel special. That was all it took for me to remember why I was doing this: To improve the lives of my family. So I smiled gently as Mom flashed smiles in the mirror and wiggled her shoulders gleefully, saying things like, Saina and Easile are going to lose it when they see us next. That night, we celebrated our new bodies by poisoning them with extravagant amounts of wine and brandy. Dad taught his daughter how to cook a steak properly and vowed to bring me a grill next year as he was obviously coming back. Once we finished eating, I told them all about the Wandering Reaper and how I killed it with my mycological knowledge. So, yeah, you can kinda say that the oyster mushroom experience saved my life, I said. They ate our wall! Mom cried. I forgot to dispose of my storage container of oyster mushrooms before a two-week trip up the Rockies, and they ate through the tubs plastic, the drywall, and a stud within the wall. It obviously didnt cause the house to collapse, and it wasnt as bad as termites, but it looked terrible. Dad had to spend a buck and two weeks replacing the stud at my mothers insistence. I told that story, and Felio giggled her head off. And then I returned the giggle when I got a story about Felio from Cassain, who was practically Felios mother. It was a good night, and I wish it never had to end but it did. My family and I would have two days to travel together on the way back to base camp, but it wasnt the same as vacationing. Still, we had no choice. The Harvest was only a week, and if we missed the deadline, they would be here for a full year, so we set out with Malo and Aiden after breakfast and a detox elixir to ease the hangover, leaving Felio and the Hellara behind with a lurvine, a years supply of dried meat, Diktyo Water, and a box of cleansing elixirs. Then, our second adventure began. It had a rough start because Tyler wouldnt stop trying to convince mom to stay. Come on, Mom you saw how safe it was, he pleaded for the tenth time. Just stop, I finally said. Youre asking the wrong person. Im the person you need to ask and the answers no. I already told you my conditions those arent going to change. What are the conditions? Dad asked. Tyler turned away. To exercise some patience, I said. And hes already bombing it. That shut him up, but he was soon talking about his friends and the nonsense he was doing on the outside, and before we knew it, we were already camping for the night. We set up our tents in a wide meadow and enjoyed the sight of a family of herbivores passing through it. Dad then cooked steak, and we got right back to drinking with Aiden, making the most of my detox elixirs and numbing our feelings about separation. As we finished, I sat next to Tyler and snuck him a bag of elixirs, creams, and tempers. Whats this? he asked. Good stuff, I said. Powerful stuff. The guidell tell you. He smiled ruefully. Sorry for being a dick. Nah, Im sorry, I said. I spent the first few months feeling worthless. Kline fought everything. He brought the meat, protected the camp, and whatd I do? I just sat around, trying to learn a simple spell. It sucked His eyes widened. But I searched for words. I wasnt worthless, you know? I made us elixirs got us cores. Made poisons and aphrodisiacs used fungus to kill things And at some point, I did catch up. But it took patience and doing things right. I punched him in the shoulder. Do it right. I looked into the forest. And enjoy it. It makes it fulfilling. Tyler nodded solemnly. Okay. We hugged, and Mom got all sentimental, saying, You have no idea how happy it makes me to see you two getting along. I smiled and nodded. Me, too. Then she leaned back drunkenly and said: Goooooood. Why did you bless my daughter with such a fine home? I wish her comfort, God, I really do. But with this theres no way shes coming back. I giggled. You can join me, I suggested. Lord God, she said. Forgive me. I believe Ive raised a foolish child. Hey! I cried. Right? Tyler said. Oh no you didnt, I said. I dont want to hear that from you. What does that mean? he asked. Wow Dad said with a mellow, sleepy smile. We couldnt even make it one night being civil. We paused and then burst into laughter. Even Malo seemed to crack a smile before drifting off. It was a good night. It was just hard knowing it would be the last for a year. On the morrow, I would finally finish out another harvest and start moving gear to base camp. A new era was beginning an era of friends and family staying with me. I knew it. Cause next year, once Felios parents got a billion hawks'' worth of elixirs and saw how strong their daughter had becomeeveryone was going to try to live with me. Soon, I would pursue my passions while living with great people. But first, I had to survive the legacies. It was a hard road, but I would stop at nothing to make it happen. Chapter 130 - A Message to the Multiverse The next day was relaxingfor my parents. I spent two hours and boatloads of mana hiding bodies strewn about with illusions. It was good practice, but it was sloppy enough for Tyler to notice. And he called it out, obviously, because he was an idiot who wanted to prove he could see through illusions and then the whole thing turned into a stir when my parents found out what I was hiding. I hated my brother. But you know who I hated more? Brexton Claustra. He waved to me from the safety of the Grand Ward when I returned. How was it? Brexton asked. Kill yourself, I said. Not you, he said. I turned and saw Aiden staring at him with a grim smile. It was fun, Aiden said. Did you ask her? Brexton asked. Not yet Aidens facade cracked. I saved it so it wouldnt get awkward if I got rejected. Oh no I thought. Here it comes But things didnt play out like I was expecting. Instead, Aiden turned to me with a shocking amount of confidence and said: Can I live with you? I stumbled back. What? Not with you, but in your area? Aiden clarified. Id like to learn beast taming and escape the gangster life. You know witness protection. I narrowed my eyes on him. So why does Brexton look so eager? Cause I have to report to him annually for the next ten years, and thisll give him more information, Aiden said. That was the deal for letting me accept your soul pact. I frowned. Your soul pact still applies, though, he quickly clarified. Hes just great at extracting information by piecing it together. So There''s an obvious downside. Still Id appreciate it. Just tell her the truth, Brexton said. Tell her: My God has required me to ask, and Brexton will allow Halten to make trips to the forest alone if I go. I turned to Aiden, who glared at me with such intensity that I froze. I refuse to accept pity, he said. If you dont accept me, thats your decision. I genuinely want to live with you, but I will only accept it if you wouldnt have minded a few minutes ago. How the hell am I supposed to decline him now? I thought. I already invited him, but its awkward now I invited Aiden to live with me before. Its true that I was desperate for companionship, but I also didnt mind him. I wasnt romantically attracted to Aidens gloominess in the same way I wasnt attracted to Hadrians intense narcissism or Brextons whatever the hell Brexton was. But I didnt mind being his friend and wanted more people to live with me. Besides, he signed a soul pact with me. And considering that my life was a bombshell of devastating secrets, it could be dangerous for Aiden to even tell Brexton what my favorite color was after this. I was a woman of my word, and considered Aiden a friend, so the answer was an unconditional yes. I was curious about something, though. Hey Brexton, I said. He smiled. What? What did I heal Halten with? Diktyo Water, he answered with so much confidence that I wouldve thought he was telling the truth. From the river. Correct I lied, muttering to myself. And the bear? Howd I kill it? Oh, girl, Brexton said with a wide grin. If you think you can mine information from me, youre clearly mistaken. Already did. I turned to Aiden. Youre in. A lingering frown slowly developed on Brextons lips. It seemed that he knew Halten was in the river, but he didnt know about the herbs one of the secrets I asked Aiden to keep. If Brextons interrogation was that thorough, he shouldve known about the herbs but he didnt. And it showed on his brooding face. But if you do, I warned Aiden. You gotta stay two years and babysit my brother a bit. Aidens face melted into a pleading wince but I was dead serious. He smiled grimly and said: Okay. I offered my hand. He shook it. Then I glanced at the construction equipment and gifts family members brought me. Now start loading up. If youre staying, youre earning your keep. He nodded. Yes maam. And about my pets He glanced at his pet cages and for the first time, I understood the bizarre reason behind his decision to bring them. If you wanna risk em in the forest, I said. We can create a home for them. I doubt you want them roaming around. His eyes lit up. Thanks! Ill load up everything. Hadrian watched our exchange with amusement, and I flipped him off. He developed this charming smile and turned away, continuing his conversation with a woman. I hate that guy I thought. I hated his attractive appearance and confidence, which was the polar opposite of his horrendous personality.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Mira. I turned and saw Reasan approaching me. I know it wasnt you, I said. Yet it may be from my family, he said. If it is, I will make amends next year. Before then, I will spare no expense to find the perpetrator, no matter who they may be, and exact punishment. I grimaced at the tone and inflection in which he enunciated punishment. I would appreciate it, I said. And if you could please announce that Kline and I killed the entire mercenary troop by ourselves. That would be useful. His eyes widened. Verify with Malo, I said. He nodded and bowed his head. I accept your request. Until next year, Scion Hill. I watched him leave as my parents approached. Our guards are heading out, Dad said. We gotta go. Already? I asked. Hadrian says you need time to unload the equipment on the plaza, Mom said, hugging me. I glanced at Hadrian, who smiled at me again. I almost threw a brick at him. Then I looked at the gear on the plaza. There were almost eleven pallets, and we had to move them to a place they couldnt be stolen, as we also had several metric tons of third evolution meat to bring back to camp, too. We would need to make at least three trips. I was just glad that soul meat didnt rot until its aura broke down. Still, I would need to take it first to make sure other creatures didnt eat it during the trip. It was a pain and I needed to start immediately. That is a good point I muttered begrudgingly. Take care of it, Dad said, hugging me. Were not going anywhere. I nodded hesitantly. I can write you once a month for free now, so expect it, okay? I cant wait, he said. Mom gave me another hug. I know it probably doesnt seem like it sometimes, but Im very proud of you, she said. I just get overwhelmed. And I think thats a fair reaction. I laughed and then shed a few tears with her. Then Tyler walked up. We stared at each other for a few seconds. Ill do better, he said. I nodded. Ill do the same. We hugged, and that was that. The three blended with the line of exiting harvesters and disappeared. It was bittersweet and emotional until Brexton passed by me like a ghost. See ya later, King Killer, he said with a ghostly, seductive voice. Then his body disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, and when I used Wood Wide Web at maximum potency I couldnt find him just a sea of other harvesters I couldnt recognize. He blended in so perfectly. I frowned at my weakness and whispered: Catch ya next time. Suddenly, I heard an outbreak of terror, and when I turned, I found Kline walking in his full form as the crowd of harvesters parted for him like the Red Sea. I smiled. You get some good rewards? Kline developed a creepy smile. Good kitty. I patted his head in front of the terrified harvesters. With any luck, peoplell learn their lesson this year. Just like the Cackling Kings did. I glanced at the harvesters, who backed away. I was suddenly glad that I asked Cassain the name of the mercenary troop. Lets get going. Aiden and I loaded up the lurvines, and we ran supplies ten miles in before dropping them and returning, effectively moving them out of the plaza and to an area that wasnt well trafficked to prevent harvesters from stealing them. Then we started our first trip back to the campmoving as fast as we could. 2. Brexton wasnt a sadist, but he could slightly empathize with them the first time he saw Everens face since his return. The businessman had burst into Brextons office, demanding to know where Aiden was and why Reasan Melhan had exclusive deals with Mira Hill. Whatd you expect to happen? Brexton asked amusedly. Dont give me that shit, Everen said. You released his soul pact. Part of it, Brexton corrected. Doesnt matter. You did this. No you did this, Brexton gently pointed his index finger at him. I didnt convince Aiden to go. If anything, I gave him every reason to stay. Offers of prestige, women, taming contracts. And you know how many of them he accepted? Everen frowned. Come on, Brexton said. Give it a guess. Everen scoffed. A few? Brexton created a zero by connecting fingers and thumb. He made trades for training and resources, and negotiated his pacts. Thats it. Why? Because he wanted to live in Areswood. Tell me, Everen. How in the fuck didnt you know that? Everens eyes flitted around, subconsciously looking for somewhere to run. He had been crushed and knew the hammer was coming down. In fact, it could turn dangerous. Heres another question, Brexton asked. How many times did Aiden have to tell you not to dick around with Miras finances before you figured out he had a thing for her? Hmmm? Everen looked away. Thats stupid. You know its stupid. And people are stupid, Brexton said. Thats why I have a job. He walked to the bar and pulled out a bottle of brandy. Do you want some? Everen shook his head. Your loss. Brexton poured his drink and then leaned against the front of his desk, mere feet away from his guests. Heres the thing, Everen. Youre a lot better at business than I thought youd be. Ill admit it. Youve built an empire out of nothing in just a year. Its impressive but Youre an asshole. In fact I dont think you know shit about people. Everens cheek twitched. Cause if you did, youd know that Mira wants to survive and has a vested interest not to piss off Reasan Melhan. So this was expected. But these favorable deals shes making? Thats all you. You look like youre enjoying this, Everen said. Oh, I am, Brexton said, taking a drink. Cause now I get to see if youre actually good at business, or if youre just good at abusing your advantages. Everen nodded a few times. Okay well, enjoy the smaller paychecks. Brexton laughed with a wide grin. Oh you poor thing You think Im losing out? Let me ask you something. Do you think I would ever do something that would make me lose? Everen tensed up. Brexton leaned in and spoke softly. Ill tell you a secret. Im about to make more money than this entire domain combined. And even if Mira brought you ten pounds of Lumindra, I would still look at you like the untalented parasite you are. Brexton suddenly arced his arm, slashing Everens throat with a dagger. Everen tried to scream, but he couldnt. He could only collapse onto his knees, holding his throat as blood drained between the cracks in his fingers. Brexton dropped to his haunches, eyeing the seizing man mockingly. And let me make something clear to you, asshole. Your business may be called Heath and Roe but thats only a technicality. Cause Aiden is a Claustra and if you ever fuck with a Claustra again, this thing youre experiencing right now this terror desperation sensation its going to be real. Do you understand? Everens face turned purple as he rolled on the ground, but his eyes said he understood. Brexton snapped his fingers, and the oxygenless domain he was suffocating Everen with disappeared. The blood returned to clear, unmanipulated water, spewing onto the floor. Everen saw it and coughed, holding his neckunconvinced. Now get the fuck out of here and make my boy some money. Cause if you dont, Im going to show you just how many holes there are in our contract. He kicked Everen in the ribs and then returned to his desk, where he was drafting the most important series of letters he had ever written. Once Everen coughed and wheezed and left, Brexton placed his fingers on his desk and a series of arrays lit up, wrapping the entire room in glowing wards. Then he leaned back and read what he wrote. To the 81,382nd Multiversal Coalition, As you are aware, Scion Mira Hill, who has recently become famous for integrating directly into the Areswood Forest and obtaining the patronage of Elana Saliea, the famous Eternal Goddess, has survived an entire year in Areswood Forest. Im pleased to announce that I, Brexton Claustra, Scion of the renowned Romulan Claustra, have unconfirmed yet reliable information on the reason Mira Hill has survived and elite teams have not. I am calling an information auction and am inviting every god within a five-year travel range of Dronami to participate. A sinister smile crept onto Brexton''s lips. Yeah that sounds nice. He looked up toward the sky, as if looking for confirmation. Five years yeah. Thatll be enough. I wonder how powerful shell be by then. Five years felt like forever, but he knew it would fly by. And when it happened oh, would it be worth it. Chapter 131 - Settling In It took a full week of back-and-forth trips to bring all the construction supplies and meat back to my village, but there was nothing but time, so we enjoyed it. Once Aiden and I had finished, and there was a mountain of supplies and treasure in the middle of my little village, I called a round conference in the Wandering Hotspring, soaking with everyone, including Aiden, as Felio was in a conservative bathing suit and I was petty about my culture. It was funny watching Aiden blush furiously and the guards brood a bit, but once I got down to business, everyone forgot their hesitation. Its fall time, I said. And falls for building and preparing. Winters for soaking and eating. And spring and summers for nonstop hikes and alchemy. I eyed each of them. That cool with you? Cassain nodded. Whats there to be done? Right now, salting meat and building homes. Thats pretty much it. Then well take care of it, she said. You and the Mistress Hellara can work on your research. I smiled wryly. As nice as that sounds Its really inefficient. Cassain and the other women frowned. I know youre strong, Asail said. But do you think so little of us that you dont think we can cook and carve? My lips curved into an involuntary grin. Youll see. I thought that my mothers face was priceless when she saw her room, but nothing could beat Cassains panicked face the next morning when she saw Kira swoop down from the heavens like an angel. We were in the central area between the main buildings, and Kiras wings blasted the dirt with enough wind to make the guards cover their faces as they screamed to get into battle formation. It was totally something I would do to show off. Meet Kira, I said over their yelling. My soul guardian. Kira snapped into my chest and opaque white wings sprouted behind my back. What the hell is that? Cassain screamed, jumping in front of Felio. A soul guardian, I said. Shes an autonomous, intelligent being that grows with my soul force. Its like how do I explain this? A clone? But a lot stronger and made purely out of aura and neara. Shes a badass. Asail was the first to speak. Sure but doesnt that mean Youre a soulmancer? Cassain sneered, clutching her chest as the soul pact sealed the revelation as a secret. If we wouldve known this, we never wouldve come here! Her words made sense. Hiding soulmancers was an executable offense if it was proved by the grieves, so they wouldnt have come. That said: Im not a soulmancer, I lied. I got this soul guardian as an involuntary reward. Hadrians father delivered it to me last harvest. So you dont have to worry. That said, you all need to keep this secret because, deserving or not, it will trigger a grieves investigation. And if the grieves were to demand information, you can tell them where I got this guardian. Our pact allows for it. Cassain lowered her sword and bowed. Forgive me for my outburst. The others did the same. Felio ignored them, saying, Can I pet your wings? Sure, I said as she approached. Cassain naturally opposed it, but she let her pet the wings regardless. As soon as Felio proved it was safe, Aiden said: Can I pet them? Touch me and Ill kill you, I said. He grinned and put up his hands. I hated that grin because it proved that Aiden knew that my response wasnt a sign of hating him and that fact made me hate him a little. Or rather, it made me hate Brexton. I wasnt sure what that guy taught Aiden, but it bothered me for reasons that I couldnt quite explain. Once I finished, I turned to the trees behind the main loop. Can I show you what this bad girl can do? Everyone watched in amazement as Kira burrowed through a tree with a massive aura mill, cutting a hole through the wood with a five-foot diameter. It created a space in seconds, and it happened so fast that massive clouds of sawdust were billowing out of the trunk at rapid speed. As you can see, Kira is a lot better at just about everything, I said. I normally practice with her in my body, but we have a lot of trees. So instead, Im gonna cleanse meat to replenish my aura, and Ill have you all cook and dry it into jerky. By the time we finish, she should have houses ready for you. Felio and her guards nodded blankly as Aiden laughed. What am I going to do? he asked. I dont know, I said. Do you have a diamond request? I do, he said. Felio and her guards turned to him, stupefied. And a platinum? I asked. He laughed. And a platinum? Yeah, I said. He nodded and blushed at the expressions aimed at him. Get the Big Book of Poisons and Poison Sense skill, I said. Youll need both if you want to leave this campsite without me.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. He looked into dead space. Done He looked around and started laughing uncontrollably. Yeeeeeeeeeeeep, I said. Turns a zero percent survival chance to fifteen in two seconds. Oh my God, Aiden said. I feel like I could be a surrealist painter with this book. Then be a painter, I said. Ill find something for you to do, but just keep yourself occupied until then. What a tyrant, Aiden grumbled. Didnt know Id end up in a poor house. I rolled my eyes and turned to Cassain and noticed they were looking behind me. I turned and grinned when I saw that Kira was already deep inside the tree, blasting out wood in huge piles. The work just kept getting faster as she got more space. Okay, lets get to work. Felio and her guards were mostly useless at first. It took actual cutting techniques to cut through the meat and it wasnt very skilled more like blunt chops. So I had to cut the meat, carve it, remove the aura, and cleanse it before they could cut, salt, and dry it in strips. But, after the initial start, it became a smooth factory. Kira blasted through trees, I fed her with aura from the meat and then passed it off for the others to do the busy work. And I suppose I liked it. I had company helping me do the things I did on my own last year, and it was nice. Can I feed him? Felio would say, glancing at a lurvine that watched us cooking. Only if you give everyone something, I said. They get grumpy if things arent equal. Well, except Kael and Sina, theyre grumpy when things are equal. The group chuckled and smiled, and soon, all the apprehension about the bathing and the soul guardian was gone, lost in a sea of pleasant, simple work. During the evenings, I would cook, and we would sit around the large round table in my house, eating food that I made and swapping stories with Aiden, who was surprisingly interesting after a few swigs from his flask. Arent you supposed to be running your business? Felio asked curiously. Oh that? he asked. Naaaaaaah. My job consists of three things: avoiding my office, spending the money, and reminding Everen that Mira doesnt have any use for money, and thus he cant dick her around. I grinned. Is he trying to dick me around? Ah, nah, Aiden said. Hes just you know a businessman. A numbers guy. Im sure he pissed himself when Daddy Melhan showed up with exclusive deals. I laughed. What? You didnt tell him? Course not, Aiden said indignantly. Everens a numbers guy, but Im a fuck you guy. If he wants twenty percent in hidden fees for Miras shit sure, you can. But fuck you. Next year, Ill show up with some fancy plant, and hell have a ten percent discount below the sale price waiting for you. You feel me? Shake em down a bit. Felio burst into contagious giggles. What? he asked with a wide smile. Its just you said she snorted. You werent a gangster. I started giggling. Yeah, tough sell, guy. What? he asked playfully. Its not like I asked for this guy to demand a shakedown, but you he was asking for it. Who was I to refuse him? Now, Cassain and the guards were snorting with laughter. And its just like that one guy from The Godfather said: Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. This was the new Aiden. He was a lot of fun, but with every drink of that flask, I was worried the good times wouldnt last forever. But for now at that moment I didnt want to ask him. I just wanted to pretend. I would ask soon. Right now, it was all about enjoying the chilly fall breeze and searching for the last harvest of mushrooms for wild stew in the mornings before twelve-hour shifts cutting and cooking meat for the first week. -------- Felios room came out comically better than my own. It had smooth floors and flourished detailing and a queen sized bed on a nice pedestal. There was a full drawer and closet for her clothing and a wood bath the size of a jacuzzi. And as in my place, there was another table, but this one was smaller since Kiras emotions her feelings of jealousy wouldnt let anyone have the meeting table but me. Good job, Kira, I said with a wide smile. Kira flicked her hair, and the woman laughed. What do you think, Felio? I asked. Felios eyes were wide and glistening and overjoyed. I wouldve been happy with anything, but this this is beyond words. That made it worth it. Kira acted for me, offering a hug. Cassain tried to stop it, but Felio hugged her and giggled, saying, Your armors so uncomfortable. Kira transformed into a dress and hugged her deeply. I was jealous of how deep and meaningful that hug was and Kira was all about it. She felt emotions far more powerful than I had, and she loved my friendship with Felio. The day went on. Soon, I had introduced the other guards to their personal rooms, which were equally quality but with less flourishes and detailing, and once I finished, Aiden, who was living in one of the guest houses with his pets, said: You saving the best for last? he asked. Or am I a guest? Havent even started it, I said. Im not sure how to make it. I was actually thinking of making it like how do I explain this Ah, dont tell me, he said. Im excited to see. My cheek twitched. Well, whatever. Do you at least have some guidelines? He thought about it and then smiled. Yeaha bar. I raised an eyebrow. You serious? He shrugged. Yeah. Why? He paused and thought through his words, and then shrugged. Come check it out sometime. I havent made it yet, you ass! I grabbed a stick with telekinesis and threw it at him. He caught it with his fingers and said: You asked! You guys are cute, Felio said. I pulled the stick out of his hand with telekinesis, put it back in the exact position it was in before I picked it up, as if I had reversed time, and said: Forget this ever happened, and left. Truth was, I was interested in the new and improved Aiden but not what came with him. Commitment. Splitting my time. That liquid in his flask. I had to get stronger. Travel. Hit Lake Nyralith, get my equipment, and push to the Fifth Ring. I had shit to do. So no matter how much my hormones and increased confidence were telling me to finally give in to my temptations, I needed to keep focused. And if my opportunity with him passed me by Well, whatever. Im sure that someone else would come along. After all I was creating an actual village, and once Felio returned with raw power and expensive elixirs, my village would be attracting the best and brightest. There was bound to be someone in that pool, right? These were my thoughts as I walked through the forest, unaware that I had lift. Then, as if waking up from a hypnosis session, I realized I was half a mile deep. I was completely alone except one. I sat down and said, Get over here. Kline trotted up beside me, brushing against my legreminding me that he was the only man Id ever need. I smiled and put him on my lap. Things were better when it was just us, I whispered. In ways. He meowed. But you like Sina and friends, right? He turned away. Come on, be honest. He glanced back to snub my response, but my discerning eyes made him blushthe expression whereby a cats eyes widen in panic and they run away. Yeah you do. I hugged him as he tried to run away, using Moxle Dilation as my new cat lady reflexes. Then, I held him against my chest. Well you know what? I love you more. Kline fell limp in my arms. I love you, Kline, I said. After a while, I finally put him down and stood up. Now then Im gonna start practicing. You wanna keep me company? He jumped out of my arms and started walking back toward camp, only to circle around and lay by a nearby tree. He just wanted to see if Id panic. You little shit I crouched and rubbed his twitching ears and closed my eyes. Okay lets see if I can make some soul pacts with the plants here. I needed to master soul pacts if I wanted to enter the bramble without being attacked. So I was determined to practice, unaware that what I would see beneath the surface would chill me to the bone, and answer a whole lot of questions about the Oracles motivations for summoning me to Areswood Forest. Chapter 132 - The Truth Behind Mira’s Placement Ive never seen someone so embarrassed, Felio said to Aiden around the campfire, laying strips of meat onto a rack above an array. The fire wasnt enough to cure thousands of pounds of meat, so they were using expensive alchemy gear to do it. Its really cute, she added. Nah that wasnt just embarrassment, Aiden said mellowly, cutting meat strips. Boys never know what girls are thinking, Felio said. This one does, Aiden said. Oooooh, so confident. Though, come to think of it, you are a Claustra. Its what we do, he said. Claustra were trained to be social weapons and understood peoples intentions. He wouldve changed with or without Miras influence. Awwww, thats no fun, Felio whined. Youre supposed to be yourself around women. Aiden pulled out his flask. Its funny that people here say that, too. He took a drink. Cause its equally bullshit. Cassain snorted. So what? Youre just gonna keep lying to yourself? Aiden raised an eyebrow. Ive been quite candid, yeah? If you call drinking water out of a flask candid, sure. He put the flask into his lap slowly. What gave it away? Smell, sight, guide, Cassain said. But even a peaceful would notice that youve never filled it. Aiden smirked. But not Mira. Cause shes purposely avoiding it. Felio frowned. Ive been meaning to ask you about that, too. Why are you doing that? Are you just mimicking Brexton? Aiden nodded. Keeps me in character. So its all just a lie all of it? Asail asked. He shook his head and looked to the sky. No. If you lie enough, you become your lie. And Ive lied enough in the last year to become at least half of this. And its made me happier. Im more confident, people like me more So why not? It makes me feel good. Besides I promised it to Mira. And for whatever reason, I never forgot it. So you do like her! Felio cried. I knew it! Knew it, knew it, knew it! Aiden rolled his eyes and stood up. Think what you like. Im going to go talk to her. He started whistling, hands stuffed in his pockets and walked in Miras direction. 2. Theres an area in Areswood Forest called The Divide thats located twenty miles north of the Callasan Mountains (the north end of the range Serenflora is located in) and five miles south of Arithiel Pond, where I developed my core. This area is unique, as it naturally separates the weaker beasts in the south from the stronger beasts in the north for no apparent reason. It was unnatural, a phenomenon without parallel. In the Amazon, differences in canopy density change the sunlight and heat in certain regions, naturally demarcating areas that certain species live in but the area directly above, below, and inside The Divide is largely homogenous. It largely has the same access to water, acoustics, and soil. The natural explanation, therefore, was territorial behavior, like wolf packs demarcating territories yet territorial borders are created to prevent conflict between equally strong forces. In this case, the strong were voluntarily separating themselves from the weak. So why? I got my answer when I activated a nearan scan necessary for making soul pacts with intelligent plants. It was different from Wood Wide Web in that it didnt highlight aura signatures. It just spread neara through the pathways like light through fiber optic cables, highlighting nearan plants only like blimps in radar. It was fast, efficient, and went far further. It was for that reason I could see far below the ground and what I saw underground sent shivers crawling down my spine. There, deep underneath the surface, I saw a colossal wall of neara that spanned as far as I could see, strongest in the divide and thinning out as it expanded. It was as though the entire forest had a soul that started in this location and I had a guess as to which spirit it belonged to. Is that Yakanas soul? I whispered. It was the only thing I could imagine would be so massive. If so I grimaced when I saw a colossal web of mycelium moving toward it. It was the Treskirita the soul-eating fungus that I released into the area to kill the wandering reaper. My heart pounded in double thumps, and I turned to the river. To my horror, there was a box of raw mana near the river, which was containing the original Treskirita, which spanned for miles. It was like it was in a huge gardening box, intentionally placed there to perform some type of function for the river but blocked off from the rest of the forest. Its contained I muttered. It occurred to me that this mushroom was separated from this area for a reason but I had taken it out of its box and set it loose inside. Why hasnt anyone mentioned it? I whispered. Did they know? No they had to have knownIf you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. I was Brindles student. I was Yakanas guardian. Yet neither of them had mentioned it. Was it not a problem? I wasnt sure, but I knew something else for certain. My chest heated and my muscles bulged and I screamed, Lithco! Been a while, Lithco said, appearing on a branch above me. He was standing, but he sat down. I was starting to feel like an audiobook reader. Wipe that smirk off your face, I said. You know what Im about to ask. I cant assume the things you want to ask, let alone answer them, he said. Well then take a guess, I said. Thats an order. Ho ho, he said amusedly. Then he looked at the ground and said, If I had to take a guess, I say you want to know if the Oracle brought you here to inoculate the forest with a soul-eating mushroom? Spot on, I said. Now answer me. I deserve that much. Lithco shrugged. Yeah. Thats about the gist. My muscles spasmed and I sat on a nearby log. Why me? Why you? He scoffed. Mira. Do you even understand how rare you are? Not you. Not botanists and climbers. But I mean your situation? Finding someone with mycoremediation skills who asked for this forests ultra specific criteria within this specific planets integration period. The oracle had better chances of finding a wedding ring at the bottom of the ocean. I smiled wryly. So I wasnt special. No, Lithco said. Youve certainly proved to be but you werent chosen for it. You had one role to inoculate forest. From waking up on the reaper, to leading you to the Treskirita that was it. So you sacrificed me! I screamed. Hows that even fair? Lithco laughed. Dont look so surprised. You knew the Oracle was using you from the beginning. You know its designed to produce mass murderers. Stop pretending to be outraged just because you got answers. I balled my fists and trembled, then shifted my feet to avoid poisonous groundcover. You were warned, Mira, he said. If you cant fulfill your position, the Oracles gonna place you where youre needed. Thats what I told you from the beginning. Convincing people to make stupid decisions is how she fulfills her quota for plumbers. She has rules, sure, but she opts for the thing that needs done. All of this. This entire life. The pain, the struggling, the killing it all started by one stupid decision you made in a rebellious state of panic. Arguing it was anything else is just an exercise in grumbling for the sake of nothing. Deja vu hit me like a dump truck. It had been a while since we had this conversation, and I was growing tired of it, so I decided to be proactive. Whats down there? I asked. Lithco shrugged. Dunno. But it has nearan veins all the way in the First Ring and those veins activate when individuals trip on Lumidran spores. A rather remarkable scientist conducted an experiment on this phenomenon. It was called I cut him off. Its Yakana. Yeah, he said. Probably. And you want to kill him? He shrugged again. Oracle does. If youre trying to conquer a forest, its rather inconvenient to have a communication network that can span hundreds of miles, no? I knew it I watched the Treskirita mycelium move toward Yakanas soul. How long before it reaches it? Judging by its growth, you have till next harvest, he said. I nodded. I can make a pact with that thing, right? The mushroom? he asked. Yeah. Soul pacts were already the focus of my training, as I needed to learn them to enter the Bramble and get my stuff. So by focusing on them, I could accelerate my schedule. If I could solve this problem through soul pacts, it would be the ideal solution. You can, Lithco said. But not at the moment. That thing just ate hundreds of reaped souls. Trying to make a deal with it in your state would probably break your mind. I sneered and closed my eyes, activating Moxle Dilation and Mental Shielding for absolute concentration. The best way to learn anything, I thought honestly. Is to jump inand work backward. I dug my fingers into the soil and activated the soul pact skill. 3. Sina and Kael caught up with Aiden in less than ten seconds after hearing Miras scream. They were all running when they heard her, and none of them wasted time. As they approached, Aiden jumped in the air with superhuman power as Kael barreled past him and then fell on top of the lurvine, clawing his way up into a sitting position. This wasnt something he couldve dreamed of doing a year ago, but supernatural powers, magic, and intensive training tended to change things quickly. The group blew into the clearing where Mira was located, only to find Kline in his panther form in front of her, growling at them to leave. Whats wrong? Aiden yelled. Kline swiped his paw, and invisible slashes cut through the earth, sending a chilling warning. Aiden ignored the bravado. Youre not going to kill me, he said, jumping off Kael. Mira would never forgive you. Kline roared. Yeah, yeah, youll never forgive me if I get near, Aiden said. But Miras not hurt. Which means talkings useful. So just chill. Its fine, Mira said quietly. Just let him through. Not like theres anything to see, anyway. Aiden found Mira sitting with her back against a tree, staring into the canopy with a furious expression. What was that? he asked. Your advances were too embarrassing, she said. Aiden chuckled and walked over to her. Great, hes making it worse, she said. When he didnt say anything, she sighed. Would you believe it if I just said it was nothing? He shook his head. I felt that Whatever it was. Everyone did. Was it you? Mira clutched her head and winced. Yeah. It was just another form of divination pulse Im trying out. It''s a bit extensive. Come on, he said. Youre not even trying to act convincing. She took a deep breath and said: Listen, Aiden. I look forward to you living with me. I really am, okay? Im digging the new confidence humor stuff. Its great. But lets get something clear: if I leave this forest? If Im training? If I hint at something strange? Anything? I dont want you anywhere near me. She grimaced at her coldness. Lifes not fair. He looked away, stabbed by the ten-year wall that stood between them. But she said. Ill trust you with a secret. Dont tell anyone Im using different divination spells. Got it? He nodded. If its just that, I can do it. She eyed him strangely as if she had made the connection that he said those same words the last time he made a promise a sentence, through any given words, he was required to say after accepting secrets. He felt she got it. Aiden knew that her distrust wasnt personal. It just sucked. She had done so much for him, but he hadnt done anything for her yet. Guess Ill just make her smile, he thought. Its good enough. Aiden offered his hand. I thought you liked living on the edge. She eyed him sharply. What? I told you I was dangerous. Ignoring my hand nows an insult to your past judgment. Mira groaned. Youre unbearable. But you just accepted my hand. Mira sighed and studied him. Then she said, Come on, we still have stuff to do. 5. I returned to camp and made excuses about my training and told some jokes and settled back in. Everything was fine on the surfaceand in some ways, it still was. I couldnt practice soulmancy around Felio or anyone else for their safety, so ninety-five of my time would be focused on alchemy, foraging, and prime living. But that last five percent could prove the difference between life and death of this forest. That night, I contacted Brindle and told him about the Treskirita. He didnt tell me if it was important or not, but Lithco sent me a message: - Patron God Brindle Grask has submitted his tribute requirements: Remove the Treskirita miranita from The Divide. Special Condition: Remove it with soulmancy. Note: Special conditions are a means for your patron god to reward you for your performance. If you complete the special condition, you will get a reward. - I read the message over and over again. Guess theres no choice. Chapter 133 - God Level Resources It was two a.m. when I finally gave up on Mental Shielding training. I couldnt stop thinking about my new tribute requirement. So I filled my time by researching how to kill the Treskirita mushroom with soulmancy. I started by going into my rewards since I still had book rewards from completing the Trial of Worth at the top, but I only found books on general soulmancy and alchemy. I sighed. I guess its not gonna help me foil its plans I had to buy a book with my free requests, and that was annoying, but the stakes were high enough to justify it. Lithco, I said. Give me a book on how to murder soul-eating mushrooms, including with soulmancy. A popup displayed the following message: How to Murder Mushrooms: Everything You Need to Know About Mushroom Murdering (Soulmancy Edition) Would you like to buy this book for one gold request? I smiled mockingly. Trying to get back in my good graces? I asked. A new pop up materialized to the side. It read: Yes. At least youre honest I sighed and crashed my head onto my new inflatable pillow. This beds the shit I sighed again, this time in satisfaction as I snuggled my new inflatable bed, and said, Just buy it and tell me what I want to know please. Lithco materialized beside my bed like a man waiting for his sick daughter to wake up in the hospital. Well, theres a couple ways. I glanced at him and then back at the ceiling. Start with the ones youre not recommending. He shrugged. You could destroy your home by digging a huge hole and then use magic to just burn and stab and bludgeon it to death. Pass, I said. Brindle was clearly opting against that option, so I would avoid it unless absolutely necessary. The second option is to destroy the soul by feeding it a corrupted soul. That sounds ominous. It is. And as you can imagine, its a rather bleak science. Ill consider it. Whats the third? Convincing it to leave. So making a pact. Yeah. Well thats convenient, I said. So? How am I supposed to do that? I get the concept but I shivered when I remembered what it was like to connect to that mushroom in the woods. It was like listening to the shrieks of tormented souls peeking up from hell. The mushrooms had eaten so many souls when they consumed the reaper, and they were all shrieking as they were slowly digested. Can I even talk to that thing? I asked. Of course, Lithco said. You just need to refine your nearan channels. Rather convenient, considering itll improve your Moxle Dilation. Plus the pacts will help you with the Bramble. Rather convenient indeed, I said. But theres definitely a but here, isnt there? Rather astute guess, he said. There is indeed a restraint. And that is that its remarkably dangerous to play with your mind. But if you were to say ask your soul guardian for help or Ouija board Yakana into existence or, you know speak to Brindle, you might be able to make it happen. I rubbed my forehead. Play with my mind Please tell me this isnt going to be another hallucinogenic adventure. It can be if you do it wrong, you are stealing the neara from another creature and you can readily go insane, but But what? Its also convenient. Because you already have the makings. Instead of blending the aura and neara in soul meat, you extract the aura and neara separately. The good stuff. Not the memories and what not. Do that and you can juice your mind every time you eat food. Well that changes everything, I said. How long will this take? Ten years Lithco said. For someone with talent. Lithco! I snapped. But were you to have a soul guardian or a forest spirit or a god My eyes widened and dimmed. I see. Kline ruffled the sheets and curled up next to me. I petted his fur. Well, guess I know what Im doing this winter. Kira fuse with my mind. I wasnt even sure if I could do thatand I mildly regretted it. The instant I did, my mind was blasted with memories from Salans mind. Im not sure when I got a grip on reality, but I separated the second I could, panting hard. Mira? Felio asked. Are you okay? I mustve been screaming I thought. I opened the flap and saw Cassain holding Felio back, along with the entire troop. Yep, definitely screaming I thought. I just started the second stage of Mental Shielding, I said. Ill do it in my isolation barrier from now on. Asails eyes widened. Second stage? I blinked twice. Yeah? Oh, I suppose thats not common. I think you need a platinum to get to the second. Diamond gives you three. No Asail looked at the others. I mean its been a year and youre already on the second stage?If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I smiled weakly. Mental Shielding requires nearan fortification. You improve that with cleansed soul meat and a soul core that can purify it. If you practice daily on your current diet, you should be fine. They smiled grimly. Well get you guys some rewards, I said. Till then Felio frowned. Im not sure if I can sleep after that You wanna come in? Sure. I glanced at the concerned guards with dead eyes. Do you spy on everything she does when shes home? Cassain tried to answer, but she shut her mouth. Look, youre my guests, I said. So youre welcome to come in as guests, but you really need to stop babying her. Cause Im not doing this for a year. Now please go to my parents house and keep watch with divinations. Kal, Dain, go keep guard. Kal and Dain, two of the male lurvines, stretched their limbs by the fire, then scampered out the door in their tiny fox forms, jumping out before becoming the size of grizzly bears and lying behind the guards. If you insist, you can stand guard outside the door with them, but you wont be able to in the winter. The snows blighted and carries poison. So just God, get used to it. Felio looked at them. Please? Cassain grimaced and looked at the massive beasts behind her. Duty or not, she would just get in the way if there were serious danger. She finally capitulated and said, As you wish, and bowed. But before she left, she said: If you wish to do this often, would you mind if we built a guard station outdoors? I will keep it within reason. As a reminder, the trees were thirty feet in diameter, and there were thirty feet between trees. So the village was quite large and spacious, even with the group area. Do you have the skills to build? I asked. We can get you a blueprint. But I have no idea how to use them. Ive lived a long time, Lady Hill, Cassain said. I am more than capable of building or fixing any station. I thought about it. Then how about this I explained my plan and the guards were skeptical but agreed, subject to certain conditions, and we separated for the night, with them moving into my parents home, which was the closest to us. Then Felio and I were alone for the first time. I made tea for us when they were gone, bringing Felio a cup. I dont know how you can stand that. She smiled dimly, staring at the table. You get used to it. Im sure, but I sipped my tea and took a deep breath. Theyre gonna need to get used to it. She raised an apprehensive eyebrow at my tone. Why? Can you keep a secret? I asked. Her heart iced over, and she clutched her chest, a sign she would keep any secret without question. I loved Felio. Yes, she said. I smiled gently, then tapped my finger against the teacup. I felt it wasnt enough, so I activated Wood Wide Web to make sure Cassain and the other guards were in my parents house. Mira? Felio asked nervously. I sighed. I have god-level ingredients. She blinked at me in horror. What? You heard that right. I swallowed hard. Elana my god sent me resources because I have this extremely rare flower. And I dont have the skill to make iteven with my gods help. So Ill need your help. Is that okay? Her eyes widened in shock. Dont get the wrong idea, I said. Im not sure if therell be enough for both of us. But I will give you a diamond request here and now if you help me with it. No, I couldnt She shot up and tipped over her teacup in the process. It spilled in a wave, but I flicked my fingers and the tea separated from the table and filled up the cup before the cup righted itself again. It was so surreal that she forgot to protest. And therell also be the reward, I said. If we succeed, youll probably earn a diamond or even epic. Felios eyes trembled. Can you keep another secret? I asked. She clutched her chest and sat down again. Sorry I said. But Ill say thisKira? Shes an epic reward. So if we pull this off if you create a resource that makes a ninth evolution god stop what shes doing and send god level resources all the way to the first domain its possible youll get one. Tears streamed from Felios eyes. Not because she was sad, relieved, or excited; she looked like she was staring at her house as it burned down, blank-faced and lost. But I cant she whispered. Yes, you can, I said. Cause judging by the immediacy in which Elana sent me these ingredients I dont have a choice. If I dont make it this year, itll probably die. She gulped and took deep breaths, and then looked away, trembling. I-I cant. Im sorry, Mira. I cant. I know this sounds dramatic, but if I messed this up it would weigh on me forever. I grimaced. I wanted to say, Its okay. Because no matter what, you have a better chance than I do. But if I were to do that, it would push the burden onto her. It would sound like: What? Do you really want me to fail? Are you that selfish? Thats how it would sound. So, I quickly recovered. Oh, relax, I said. I doubt she would send me god-level resources if she thought I couldnt do it. So Ill be fine. Still, this place is full of all sorts of brews and potions to keep secret. Besides, theres still girl talk. We cant have your guards around all the time. Im sorry she whispered. Cause friends make secrets and do things together, I said. No strings attached. She looked up with blubbery eyes. Were going to have the coolest year ever, I said. And nothing will change that. Felio started crying and saying, Okay! Till then, you wanna hear what spring times like? I asked. Its the best. The mood elevated the instant I started talking about plants, and before we knew it, we were in high spirits, giggling and laughing like friends should. It was nice. She left a couple of hours later, and her guards sighed a huge breath of relief, demanding to know why her tear ducts were crusted over and the whole thing turned into a cute nightmare. I then started Mental Shielding training. There was a lot to do on the morrowso I needed to get serious. ------- I woke before dawn, stretching my limbs with Kline. You ready for a run? I whispered. He stretched each of his legs individually and pranced out the door. Sina got up, but I said, Im flying today. And I swear, she gave me the most miserable expression ever, so I grabbed her tiny fox body in my arms like a panda bear holding their cub and sprouted wings. You can run on your way back, I said as she squirmed. Then I exited, spread my wings, and shot into the sky. I needed to work on my soul pacts and find some way to contact Yakana without dunking in the Diktyo River. I had evolved, so my core was open, and while I was confident I could survive it at my strength, I didnt want to risk nearan corruption. So, I was determined to find some other way to reach him. But first, I needed to practice. And thats what I did. I traveled about ten miles north from camp, into the strong zone, where I knew Cassain wouldnt feel the divination pulse, and then put my hand onto the ground. Lets see if I can shorten the range, I thought. I tried to shorten the range of the nearan pulsebut no dice. It just shot through the ground indiscriminately and spread for miles in all directions, making certain plants and trees light up in my minds eye like a constellation. Guess I cant I gotta be careful. Controlling neara here felt like trying to control light. Im sure there was some type of way to shut it off, but that was in the future. For now, I just needed to make due. Suddenly, I picked up a nearan signal that lit up like the north star in a dim constellation. Whats that I whispered. I picked up Sina and flew an additional three miles north to the soul signal I picked up underground. I almost dived into the clearing it was in since it seemed so innocuous, but I froze when I saw the plant and realized that it wasnt highlighting blueand I couldnt pull up anything about it. It wasnt just that. It was in an innocuous area, but the ghostly white plant was on a large hill dotted with orange biota that looked exactly like flowers but I was skeptical because it was fall time, and the air was chilly. That wasnt to say that it was unheard of to have flowers in fall time. There were countless fall bloomers on Earth, including perennials like chrysanthemums and goldenrods and annuals like marigolds and cosmos. Still, to see this large field of flowers in fallit was suspicious. Then I realized that they were orange mushrooms mimicking the appearance of flowersand the plant on top was radiating almost violently with mana, not neara. The plant with roots I saw with my nearan pulse (as I decided to call it) from afar was actually thick mycelium strands that mimicked roots. I stared at the plant strangely and whispered, Is it symbiotic or? Whatever I was looking atit was unmarked, and it was bad news. Chapter 134 - The Devourer From the outset, I was inclined to believe the mound of nearan mushrooms with the mana flower on top was a symbiotic bait-and-switch scheme where the fungi were protecting a valuable plant as a way of luring in prey. It was a good scheme. The mushrooms would kill the host, decompose it, and potentially provide nutrients to the mana-intensive plant. There was just one problem with that theory: saprobic mushrooms decompose dead matternot live prey. Even pitcher plants, famous carnivorous plants that lure in prey and decompose the body for nutrients with the help of mushrooms, only host the mushrooms to digest their dead prey. Once again, it wasnt living. It was hard to draw a hard parallel for that theory. Another grim suggestion was that the fungus was parasiticlike cordycepsand took over the brain and nervous system of its prey, making the victim search for seeds of powerful plants to use as lures. Then, the prey would return, plant the seeds, and die, providing nutrients for the plant. While that was a possibility, there was another explanation, evidenced by the fact that the flower was completely whiteleaves and stem. That told a different story. The flowers parasitic, I muttered. Ghost plant. Indian Pipe. These ghostly white plants obtain nutrients by infecting mycorrhizal fungi for nutrients instead of through photosynthesishence the reason the stems were white instead of green. Thats exactly what I was seeing. And yet But then I winced. Why would intelligent fungi let itself be infected? Unless this is just the worst fucking plant ever. That wasnt off the table. This was Areswoodand the forest was as grim as it came. So it wasnt inconceivable that a sentientor even sapientfungi couldnt purposely attach itself to powerful plants and use them as a lure to bring in prey to kill. Then, it would decompose them to provide for a ghost plant. A bait and switch, symbiotic, parasitic death plant that killed live prey. Either way, if that flower was bait, it had to be goodand while a normal plant would require years or decades of study to make sense of, I had a special luxury: I guess I should just ask it, I thought. It was a nearan plant; after eating countless fragments of intelligent consciousness, it likely became intelligent itself. That was the essence of nearan plants. I flew a hundred meters away and touched down on the ground. Then I touched the ground and shot a nearan pulse at the plant, connecting to it in the same way that I connected with the freeters and the herbs within the crypt. Yet this was a different type of plant. It was ghostly. Chilling. Empty. It felt like I was sucked into a void once we connected, with my vision turning black and murky. It was empty inside. So empty. But I could feel a soul within that darknessa large soul. A powerful soul, like a shark hiding in pitch-black waters. The word that came to mind was Devourer. This wasnt a soul harvester. It was a soul devourerand somehow, I understood that there was a legitimate difference between the two. What do you want? I asked into the abyss. A laugh echoed in the darkness, but there were no words. Yet I could still understand this creature somehow, so I answered it: What can I offer you? I asked rhetorically. The corpse of a peak third evolution beast. Suddenly, the ground rubbled in the real world, and mycelium shot through the ground toward me. I severed the connection, spread my wings, and grabbed Kline and Sina before launching into the air. Not a moment later, mycelium shot out of the ground and wrapped around the trees. I laughed and flew another hundred meters away. Then I shot a pulse and watched as the creature shot its hyphae at me above ground, stretching it further and further until the hyphae were thin as angel hair pasta. I flew back another hundred meters and put my hand on the ground again. Lets try this again, I said. I sent out a nearan pulse and reconnected to the void. Once I was within it, I skipped the lecture and said: I have a peak third evolution beast meat outside my house right now. Its probably rotting, but I think you like that type of thing. Yeah? I smirked when he bellowed. Great so then. If I gave you this carcass what do I get out of it? A large white flower suddenly bloomed in the darkness, and when it expanded its petals, I could suddenly, by virtue of a strange form of telepathy, understand what the plant didand why so many creatures died to capture it. It was unique. Special, even. Or perhaps special wasnt even the word but rather a specialization so rare it might as well be uniquebecause of the relationship between the various forms of magic. Mana. Aura. Neara. This flower had all three. I didnt notice until it unraveled, exposing a complex network of mana knotted together with aura and neara. It was beautiful, marbled together like slowly mixing purple dye into white frosting. Satisfying. Lithco I whispered. Whats the relationship between mana and neara.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. I got no answer. Right Im in my subconscious I swallowed the lump in my throat and negotiated. Ill trade you the beast for the flower. The darkness laughed back at me. Peak third evolution isnt enough? I laughed. Well then, how about this? Ill give you the meatand I won''t kill you. Suddenly, I could see thousands of mushrooms in the darkness, each filled with plumes of dangerous spores, and the beast was threatening to erupt: I laughed again. I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Mira Hilland I am Brindle Grasks pupil. If you insult me with such a weak threat again, Ill corrupt souls and force-feed them to you. The soul roared, and a wave of complex emotions waved through my body. My muscles shuddered, and my mind tingledbut I pressed on. Yeah, thats right, I said. Brindle. And right now, one of your fellow soul eaters is trying to eat the huge soul underneath us. And my chances of convincing it to fuck off is zero to none right now. So, how about I sweeten the pot? Ill give you the beast, I wont set you on fire, and Ill put serious effort into convincing the mushroom thats trying to eat Yakana to fuck off. Yeah? 2. Felio sat on the porch of her home, petting Sina and the lurvines. Mira didnt call them by name. She was a bit of a wild child, speaking to them through some strange form of animalistic telepathy, but Felio wouldnt have it, so she memorized their names. Sina, Kael, Kal, Ryn, Viel, Lira, Dain. Now, if only I could remember which one was which. Felio spent a good deal of time doing it todaybecause Mira was goneand it eased her anxiety. She almost had an anxiety attack when she woke and found Mira was gone, so she focused on the lurvinekeeping her mind off the worst. Felio wasnt worried about herself. She had over a thousand pounds of jerky and seven beautiful lurvines that brought in fresh quarry. She was protected and fed, clothed and sheltered. So she wasnt worried about herselfshe was worried about Mira. Felio had never had a friend, in the way that Mira described them. She had acquaintances. Family relationships. Courtships. The idea that people would just spend time together because they enjoyed each other''s presence was a foreign concept that she was aware existed, but she had never experienced it herself. Then, Mira just showed up, talked to her about alchemy and plants, invited her to stay, and even went so far as to offer her requests for help on projects way out of her control. Why? For no reason whatsoever. Or for friendship. Felio loved that, and the idea that Mira would die was too much for her to bear. So she was anxious, petting the lurvine, watching Cassain and the guards lay concrete for the guard building across the way, expecting the worst, stuck in a maelstrom of anxiety, And thats where she was when Mira suddenly returned. It was an absurd sight. Mira didnt just show up with Kline and a rabbit or sweaty from practice. She flew in with angel wings, swooping in and yelling, Ill explain later! as Kira shot tentacles of aura into the meat they couldnt harvest before it started rotting, hooking it and pulling it into the air. Wait! Felio cried. Take me with you! Cant! Mira yelled as she flew away. This ones actually dangerous! Dangerous? Felio cried, jumping down and rushing after her. Cassain flew out of nowhere and held her back. For you! Mira said. Im fine. Promise! Then she disappeared. But as Felio walked to the lurvine, Mira returned and said: Hurry up and get ready. For reasons that are hard to explain, I set up a meeting with my God in two hours, and I need your help. See you soon. With those words, Mira destroyed any doubt that she would die while multiplying a new type of terror that was far, far worse somehow. Two hours? Felio cried. She wanted to protest, but Mira was already gone. And to her immense displeasure, Mira had demanded her help for a god-related matter mere hours after Felio declared that she couldnt help her. Whats going on? she cried. Yet there was no chance to hold back. The person Mira was meeting with was one of the most famous goddesses in the multiverse. As an alchemist, Felio would rather commit suicide than turn her down. So she ran to her room and quickly applied her makeup. It was going to be a long day. 3. According to Lithco, if I wanted to make a pact with the roostrangler attacking Yakana, I needed to boost my nearan channels to be able to withstand the power it obtained by eating hundreds of souls from the Wandering Reaper and nearby soul plants. Unfortunately, obtaining nearan resources was difficult, so I would need to get it from soul meatwhich was remarkably dangerous. Thats why LIthco told me that I would need help from Brindle or Yakana, something difficult to do when I couldnt contact Yakana without risking my core in the river and with Brindles unwillingness to help me unless I was in a crisisand I had already done most of the work. Yet this strange plant would change that. If I could make an elixir from it, it would increase my nearan channels dramatically, allowing me to learn neara threading without, you know, scrambling my brains like undercooked eggs. It wasnt a solution to my problem but it made training possible. Dronami was telling me to succeedso I would heed its call. Luckily, I had a path to victory. The cool thing about plant soul pacts is that theyre just like any other soul pact. I told it that I was trading the meat and a promise to attempt convincing this thing to back off, and it, in exchange, told me that I could have the flower and it wouldnt harm me or my companions during the exchange. So I brazenly entered the beasts kill zone, fully aware that it would die if it tried to break its word. Ive brought the meat, I said, unloading it a hundred feet before the mound that was freckled with a patch of mushrooms that looked like California poppies. As I approached, wondering whether I should fly to pick the plantand worrying if my wings would destroy the mushrooms or spread its spores. I was strong to worrybecause some ultra bleak shit happened instead. As if this mushroom were Stephen Kings IT, the mound split apart like a horizontal mouth, exposing hundreds of tentacles of mycelium. Oh hell no I thought. My heartbeat hit unhealthy fibrillations, and I tensed up, body wrapped in goosebumps. Come on, Mira I thought, dont back out now. I walked forward slowly, entering its mouth, terrified it would snap closed on me, creating a prison of moist dirt and thick mats of sentient hyphae, but when I saw it pulling a bulb out of the ground, like a ghostly white coconut, only the size of a tennis ball, and noticed it was connected to the flower, my heart fluttered. Its a bulb flower I thought with fascination. It was hard to compare this plant with a tulip, but there I was, viewing that parallel with distinct confidence. I pulled out the largest preservation chamber I hadpraying it would be enough. And the second I opened and purified it, I screamed when the walls shifted around me. I thought it was closing, but to my amazement, it was just filling the chamber with dirt and mycelium. What the hell was that? I thought. Then I got a strange link from the plant that said, Feed, and I understood. I couldnt pick this flower I needed to keep it alive. I nodded as its tendrils brought the flower and bulb to the chamber, tucking them neatly inside the dirt and mycelium it filled the chamber with. Then, I closed the lid. Leave, it said through strange telepathy. Thank you, I said. On my way out, I saw hyphae dragging six hundred pounds of meat toward the plant. I jumped out of the way as the meat entered the mouthand then the spread dirt mound and hyphae teeth snapped closed. Two words: nightmare fuel. I chuckled insanely after the experience. Fuck. That. I turned to Kline and Sina pleadingly. Lets go. I made a meeting with Elana before leaving, and I was already late. I prayed Elana would forgive me when she saw me with an unidentified plant. Chapter 135 - Numina Anima You''re late. Elana was furious as she watched me wheeze. I had lost soul force dragging six hundred pounds of meat through the sky, and I had to run seven miles through the mountains to get to the meeting. Yet she had zero empathy. And youre hideous, she added. Im sorry I said. For both And you brought a friend to a professional meeting? Elana pressed. Felio trembled and averted her gaze. A meek one at that, Elana added. This is I put my hands on my hips, arched my back, and took a few more breaths. Felio Hellara. Shes the heir of the largest alchemy family in the First Domain. Elanas countenance shifted as she eyed the skittish woman up and down. Really? Yes I said, taking a last deep breath. Im hoping she can help me with this. I retrieved the flower, presenting the chamber to her. What is this? Elana asked. Its unidentified, I said. But its a Numina Animaand a strong one, too. I know that for a fact. Elanas eyes flickered with curiosity. Where did you get it? I turned to Felio. Secret? She nodded and clutched her chest as the soul pact took root. I turned back to Elana. I got it in the northern region, probably ten miles south of the Kelium. I found it with a nearan scan and made a soul pact with it. Elanas eyes flickered angrily. You made a soul pact with it? For what? That I would try to My soul core activated, warning me not to say anything. I I cant. I mean one of my soul pacts isnt permitting it. Elana narrowed her eyes. Then what can you say? I leaned against a counter, searching for words. Then, I realized something convenient. Theres something bad going on in the forest, I said. I obviously cant tell you what it is, but Brindles tribute requires me to fix it. I simply promised that I would try to do it. Since Im already doing it, Ive lost nothing by making the pact. Elana studied me suspiciously, but after countless years of experience, she could doubtlessly sense the truthand this was the truth. And how does that relate to this plant? she asked. Because to accomplish Brindles tribute this year, I need to double the strength of my nearan pathways, I said. Elana scoffed and then opened her copy of the plant container and pulled out the bulb and plant with telekinesis. Rather convenient that you would need exactly what you just found She glared at me. Have you looked at your tribute? I was scanning for nearan plants on purpose, I mumbled, pulling up the tribute. When I saw it, my stomach sank. - Requirements: One alchemic ingredient that has not been found in the last thousand harvests and also has significant value, either in use or monetary value. - I slowly placed the preservation chamber onto the ground so I didnt break it. So you didnt know, Elana said. I shook my head. No. I didnt And you understand that if you fail this tribute, we are disconnectedwhether I wish to separate or not. Right? I took a deep breath and looked up at the alchemy labs ceiling. Yes Well, do you still want to discuss this plant? she asked. No, I said resolutely. Ill send this to you; I can find another way to boost my nearan channels. I cant even begin to start paying you back for the resources you sent me and I need your elixir a lot more right now. The elixir Elana sent me ingredients to make would allow my body to heal rapidly after wounds, acting like an unlimited Illyndra elixir. That was truly a priceless treasure that I could not repayso getting rid of this plant would be the tip of the iceberg for paying it off. My uncharacteristic reaction pleased Elana greatly, and her mood shifted. I appreciate your respect, she said. Its rather rare from you. As for this plant, if youre certain it is safe, we can create an elixiras Numina Animas require ultra-specific conditions to survive and are thus the same in basic usage. My eyes shot up at her. But, Elana said. I forced down the fist in my throat. But? I echoed. Next year, I will require another unmarked plant of apparent value. Do you feel confident in finding another unidentified plant? My mind suddenly flashed back to the crypt, reminding me I had another unidentified plant with me. However, it was a plant that made soul plants easier to controland I couldnt give that to anyone, as it would trigger my soul pact against risking the forest. That wasnt all. I used resources to heal Haltens wings. I saved some of those ingredients. Thatll work I thought. ButIf you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Id rather give you this plant than risk our relationship, I said. And besides, I have a pact to prevent harm to this forest. If I give you the wrong plant, it could spark a new conquer attemptand it will kill me. I also cant give you anything Brindle brings me to its just a mess. But if I find a rare plant that cant be harvested like this Ill send it. With or without tribute. I owe you, but unless youre searching for poisons, youre asking for something thats both sensitive and potentially impossible. I see Elana said. I expected her to be furious, but she was very reasonable. What about poisons? she asked. I can guarantee you a poison, I chuckled insanely. If I cant find one in my travels, I know the location of a plant that triggers necrosis in seconds. It took a whole bottle of Diktyo water and cleansing elixirs to survive a single prick. Elana''s eyes drifted in thought, and she muttered to herself. That orc would probably trade his She turned to me. If you are unable to find something suitablethat will do. I nodded. Deal. Elana seemed strangely satisfied by the arrangement, making me feel that my respect toward her was worth more than the plant. Gods lived for hundreds of thousands of years. She likely wasnt impatient to get resources in the first few yearsif centuries. Instead of pursuing the conversation, she turned to Felio. As for you Felio trembled. Yes? Im going to list out processes. I want you to demonstrate them. If you are adequate, I will allow you to aid her in creating a proper Numina Anima elixir. I assume you understand the profound value of such an opportunity. Yes, Mistress! Felio cried, bowing dramatically. I would be honored. Elana smirked and glanced at me as if to say: See? This is how you properly respect a god. I gave her a look that said, I value youbut theres no chance in hell Im bowing. Elana rolled her eyes. Lets begin. --- Watching Felio made me realize just how pathetically untrained I really was. She levitated dozens of ingredients, mixing and fusing them in the air, creating compounds as if they were nothing. Through it all, she did so with scientific exactness, maintaining multiple domains while operating to ensure that sensitive ingredients did not get contaminated with foreign gasses or compounds. The idea that Felio would act as my aid was absurd. Keep focused, Elana snapped. What youre witnessing is skilled labor and you can hire that. But normal alchemists lack recipes, knowledge, ingredientscontracts. Whether youre a warrior or an alchemist, success is determined by resultsnot what you personally perceive as skill. And when you achieve results, you bear the achievement. I winced and glanced at Felio. To my surprise, she had a gentle smile as she listened to us. Shes right, you know, Felio said. Most of my time is spent managing people. I only perform alchemy during my research. I raised an eyebrow. Youre a manager? Yes, she said. I manage nine thousand alchemists and oversee the supply chain of herbs and ingredients from our gardens and beyond. I only give demonstrations to teach new She saw me cloistered up, arms folded against my chest self-consciously, and giggled. Thiss what my family does, silly, she said. Ive been doing it since I was five. And in fifteen years, you will achieve even greater heights, Elana interjected. Now cease your comparisons and prep your ingredients. My mind snapped into focus, and I nodded. I pulled out the plant, purified it, and lined up bowls on the countertop. How should I process it? I asked. You will extract the ovary, as it is the area in which Numina Anima fuses aura, neara, and mana, Elana explained. You do this live, and extract all three elements into the juice within the bulb. I glanced at the tennis ball-sized bulb and nodded. I cant extract neara without cleansing it, is that fine? I asked. Thats the safest method, Elana said. That said, I am curiousare you aware of the type of Anima youre possessing? I froze. You dont know? Elana shook her head. Not without physically seeing it, she said. However, Numina Anima are fundamentally the same when making basic treasures. I see I thought back to the monster within the plant and shivered. Im not certain of the type, but I can say it was unique. Unlike the other plants that felt vibrant and living this plant was a void It was as if it devoured its victims without a trace. And the consciousness within could create images, but they were purely illusionary. Elanas cheek twitched, her nose scrunched in, and she said, Are you certain? Youve left nothing out? I knew something was wrong. Yes. Is that fine? Never ask a question that you know will spark conflict, Elana lectured. Now rejoice in your fortune. If this plant is as you describe, you need notand should notcleanse it. Unravel the mana and aura, and the remaining neara should be used directly. Now begin. Elana was pissed, and I knew that this plant was far more special than I believed. She turned to Felio. You have proven yourself worthy, and I will permit you to aid my pupil. Now shed your cowardice and stand straight. Yes, maam, Felio said, standing straight. She did not shed her cowardice. Itll have to do, Elana said. Prepare thirty-seven grams of stramba fused with estran, stabilize it to three atmospheres. Mix with seven liters of ethanol and eight grams of M7 sugars. Felios eyes trembled. Seven liters? Did I permit you to ask questions? Elana asked. No, maam! Felio cried. She immediately got to work as Elana turned back to me chillingly. Whatever she gathered by my admission left her in a foul mood. What are you waiting for? she asked. Desiccation extraction or surgery? I asked quickly. Elana thought about it. Surgical. I have changed my mind and will accept the leaves and stem for tribute this year. Yes, maam, I said gratefully. I purified a bowl and cracked the bulb above it, trying to withstand the heinous stench of the orange liquid oozing out of it like egg yolks. Then, I gently pulled back the leaves of the plant and stared in awe at the inside. It was just as I had seen in the darkness. The white ovary was radiating with pulsing mana, mixing with complex channels of aura and neara that were woven together like threads. I felt like a criminal for plucking it out like an eyeball and placing it in the nasty yellow liquid. Desciate the outer layer to release the rest, Elana said. I took a pained breath and looked into the cavity. There was plenty of ovary left, crumbled off from where I ripped it out. She wanted me to shred the lining holding it in place. Wait I suddenly got an idea. I touched the inner lining and used Dreamscape to clone its inner framework, and sure enough, I was able to gain absolute information on the plant. Using that, I isolated the lining. Then, I used Desiccate to target it, making it shrivel. Lastly, I targeted the dried dust, using Separate to remove it before dumping the rest of the ovary inside my bowl. Wow Felio whispered. She looked at Elana. Did you know she could do that so well? Elana frowned. No, I didnt. I wanted to know if she would utilize her servant. I turned to Felio apologetically, but she just giggled and continued her work, mixing a floating blob of activating chemicals and alcohol in the air. She was spinning it, kneading it, skillfully letting the bubbles inside pop on the surface to release the newly created gas. Perform the extraction, Elana ordered. I sealed the flower into a preservation chamber and then performed mana extraction on the bulb. It did nothing. The aura is locking it in place I whispered. Then release the aura, Elana said. Dont we want them together? I asked. We do. Thats why we added it to the plants Anima. It is the liquid within that bowl that causes the two to create bonds. If you unweave the threads in the juice, they will attract and weave themselves back together. Thats amazing I complied, methodically unthreading the aura in the ovary and adding it to the juice. Once I finished, I unthreaded the mana, and sure enough, the two weaved themselves back together like helixes. Wow Felio noticed, and her eyes glittered. Elana wasnt yelling at her, so it mustve meant she was done. Is it ready? I asked Elana. It is. Mix them under one percent oxygen. I froze. Then I remembered the apparent lesson Elana was giving me and said, Felio? implying that I needed help. My friend giggled at my awkward approach to giving orders. Id love to, she said. Felio created a domain, and we swapped places, allowing her to take over as she added her chemical compounds to the nearan liquid. The second the compounds met, beautiful and extraordinary things happened. The liquid transformed from orange to a rich, metallic blue, creating stripes of gold within it, marbling in the liquid, which quickly thickened like syrup. The end result was like looking at a blue and gold candy cane that had yet to cool. Right then, I got the chime. Chapter 136 - Helix of Annihilation - You have created an unrecorded elixir. As its creator, it is your duty to name your creation. What will you call it? - Void Helix, I whispered. - You have chosen the name: Void Helix. Are you sure this is the name you want to give your creation? - Absolutely not, Elana snapped the moment I said it. Do you think you can name an elixir whatever you wish? I winced as Felio looked at me. Please tell me there isnt some elaborate taxonomy. No, Elana said. That is the Oracles job. Your job is to create a name that attracts the gods. The more intriguing the name, the more valuable it becomes. That includes Oracle rewards, monetary success, and multiversal prestige. And I refuse to allow my pupil to give this elixir such a hideous and unbefitting name. I sat down on the nearest stool, eyes drifting in frustration. But it is fitting. Whatever this came from connecting to it was like entering an endless void. Thats the only way to describe it. No, you can describe it as a harmonizer, Elana said, because thats what it is. Youre staring at one of the most valuable categories of biota in the multiverseand I refuse to let you label it by your crude interpretation. I raised an eyebrow. Harmonizer? Whats that? Elana tried to answer but paused, searching for words. There are five stages to soul assimilation, and this plant accomplishes four, placing it at the edge of where soul force breaks apart into mana. That is why its able to bridge aura, neara, and manaits pure soul force. Woah I whispered. No wonder shes pissed, I added in my thoughts. Do you understand now? Elana asked. Yes, I understand, I said. Though Im still not sure what you want to name it. Putting harmonizer in the name is boring. You neednt put the name into the title, she said. You just cant name it crudely. I guess not My lips curved into a playful grin. Then what about Helix of Annihilation? Its flashy enough for the murderverse, right? I was joking, but the notification came up regardless. - You have chosen the name: Helix of Annihilation. Are you sure this is the name you want to give your creation? - To my surprise, Elana didnt chastise me for wasting my time nor demand I fix my hair and personality. She genuinely pondered it and mumbled to herself: Its still crude If I may, Lithco said, materializing from behind me. He captured Elanas full attention. Mira has already garnered multiversal notoriety, he said, so the name is less important than the lore. And between Areswood Forest and the nature of the ingredients, that name certainly tells a story. Helix of Annihilation has a seventy-six percent chance of capturing the interest of at least a hundred councils. Elana mustve been a numbers woman because she turned to me. You have my blessing. I turned to Felio. Is Helix of Annihilation fine with you? For the first time, I noticed she was crying, giggling, and overwhelmed with emotions. What? I asked panickedly. Its just the reward I just got this reward and now youre asking me. She laughed harder. No You name it. I wasnt one for going back and forth with the whole, No, I insist, game, so I just sighed and accepted the name confirmation. - Congratulations! You have created the elixir Helix of Annihilation. Your name has been added to the annals of history as a pioneer crafter. Would you like to make a public announcement? - Should I announce it? I asked. Absolutely not, Elana said. It would be foolish to announce your expertise this early. I agree, Lithco said. Nearn manipulation is highly regulated and limited primarily to the upper domains. If you announce your soul manipulation to the universe, it would immediately trigger a grieves investigation. Oh I whispered. I was hoping to send you some as a thank you. There were over six liters of the elixir, and I only needed a dosage. This was a supply I could give to my entire village. Is that so? Elana asked with a gentle smile. Niceties aside, you should send her some, Lithco said. Its only a matter of time before the grieves organize an investigation. By then, it would be useful to have multiversal bargaining chips. Oh nice! I said. I looked at Elana, who shrugged and said: Send me half with your tribute. You and your She glanced at Felio strangely. Friend have impressed me. I can salvage these elixirs into something sellable.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Just had to ruin the mood, I muttered. Did you say something? Elana asked. No maam. Elana developed a warm, amused smile and then turned to Felio. I have aided you in obtaining a powerful reward. I expect you to teach my pupil in compensation. Felio bowed further than Ive ever seen anyone bow. Thank you, Mistress! At least one of you has manners, Elana muttered. Then she looked at me and said: Train well this spring and winter. I expect you to be prepared to create our elixir on your own. She turned to Felio. This one, while capable, lacks the heart for it. With those words, Elana disappeared, souring my mood further. Yet Felio didnt even notice. She cried and hugged me, and I stumbled back, saying, What? 2. Felio and I shared a very emotional dinner with her guards. She didnt stop crying for almost an hour, and Cassain and the guards thought that I hurt her and warned me off. Then, they turned pale, docile, and apologetic when they learned what happened. I still cant Cassain looked between Felio and me at the dinner table that night. This isnt an elaborate prank, is it? I stopped cutting my steak and sighed. Is it really that surprising? She created an unrecorded elixir a first in the history of the multiverse. And its promising to be a powerful one, too. Why wouldnt she get an epic for it? Its just not fair! Felio cried. It was your ingredients. Your recipe. Your god. And you did all the alchemy, I said. Do the Melhans deserve alchemy credit for supplying your resources? No. Besides its not like I didnt get anything. I got a diamond request and the elixir. Both are big deals. That was a lie. I was staring at my notification, and it read: - Congratulations! Scion Mira Hill is eligible for a legendary campaign. Description: Wow. In a bizarre twist of fate, you, the woman who asked to be isolated in a forest, are about to enter the multiversal stage. Upon becoming a multiversal figure, you are eligible for a legendary campaign. By accepting the call, all levels and rewards you would receive for actions related to the campaign will be foregone until the completion of your campaign. If you finish the campaign with significant standing, you can receive a legendary reward. Campaign: Become a Multiversal Alchemist Description: Your access to exclusive resources, competence in obtaining ingredients, and your relationship with a famed multiversal alchemist puts you in a unique position to enter the multiversal stage. To accomplish this campaign, you must establish yourself as a multiversal figure through your alchemic actions. Requirements: Any actions that relate to gathering, processing, using, or creating alchemic creations. Examples of your actions include:
  1. Learning soul manipulation
  2. Creating a soul pact with plants
  3. Performing alchemy
  4. Managing Felio
  5. Creating and naming an unidentified creation
Future developments:
  1. Taking the Helix of Annihilation
  2. Using its effects to create a gods tribute request
  3. Selling the elixir on the multiversal stage
All alchemy-related actions will contribute to the quest until you give up or the Oracle determines that youre unwilling or incapable of contributing to the campaign. Would you like to accept the legendary quest? Note: You will still obtain levels and rewards for any actions that are unrelated to alchemy and resource gathering. - This is what I obtained for completing the Helix of Annihilation, so shrugging it off as if I only got A diamond request and the elixir was disingenuous, and saying that Felio did all the work was absurdand she told me so. Yeah, I get that, Felio said. But I couldnt have unraveled the neara. I dont even know what you did. Cassain and the guards locked up. Relax, I said. I didnt unthread the neara. This plant already had pure neara, so I just unthreaded the aura, and it released. Its not like I turned water to wine. It would be nice if you could, Aiden quipped, taking a drink from his flask. You sure? Cause if I could, Id turn whatevers in that flask to water. Aiden smirked. Its already water. I rolled my eyes. Seriously, though, Aiden said. What does that elixir do? Explain it like Im five. It synchronizes your mind, magic, and soul, I said. Literally. It upgrades your brain with magic. Beyond that, I dont know. My god doesnt know. No one knows. I ended the conversation because I didnt want to share with anyone but Felio, so I didnt want to entice the guards. Unfortunately, they already knew. Well, we sort of know, Felio said. We cant make them because we dont have the resources, but Hadrian and Brexton have had them imported. What does it help them with? I asked, suddenly curious. Im not sure, Felio said. Im not sure, but I can guess, Cassain said. The elixirs help with magical processing. With Brexton, it extends the range of his spells and allows him to multitask. Same for Hadrian. It allows him to use his ice spears in multiple directions without losing focus. So thats why he could keep up I whispered. I had Moxle Dilation, yet Brexton could keep up. It didnt make sensebut now it did. Itll be a boon to take it. You know said Maine, one of the guards. I didnt think it was possible for you to catch up to the legacies, but Im starting to think its possible. Asail studied me as if she was appraising me for the first time. Actually now that I think of it. If this is as powerful as it says, you actually might. Especially with Kira, Cassain said. I blushed as the group dogpiled me with praise. Aiden rested his chin on his palm and looked at me. You know what I think we should do? I glanced at him tepidly. I think we should start a fire he said, get cozy and then write Hadrian a message telling him that hes not Gods gift anymore. Cassain almost spat out her tea, and her cheeks puffed out to keep it in. Felio giggled at her reaction, and most of the table turned boisterous. Why not? Aiden asked. Do you understand how nonchalant you were about not getting an epic reward? Who cares if I didnt get an epic reward! Why are you so hysterical? Felio giggled uncontrollably, falling onto Cassains shoulder for support. It didnt do much good because the guards were also laughing. Could you imagine if Reasan heard you say that? Aiden asked. That guy would fall on his sword in shame. I smiled wryly when I was reminded of the outside world. Come on, Felio said. Lighten up! My smile got wryer. When did I become the no-nonsense party pooper? I wondered. It wasnt a good trait. So I smiled. Dont force it, Aiden said. Asail snorted, and I blushed and pointed to the door. Out. Hey! Hey! Aiden threw up his hands. Ill be good. I promise. I smiled helplessly and then looked at the others. Can we just screw it. Theres booze right? This girl just got an epic request! Why arent we celebrating! Wait I ran outside and into the conference tree, where I had stacked up two years'' worth of unsorted treasures and gifts from harvesters, and pulled out a box that contained bottles of what appeared to be wine. I returned victorious, presenting the bottles. Can I see that? Cassain said. She grabbed one, and her eyes widened. I dont care how much its worth, I said. It was a gift from God I cant even remember who. Felio started giggling again, and Aiden extended his hand. I passed him a bottle, and he laughed. This things like one hundred percent poison. The table went silent. The good kind, Aiden said. Apparently, the wine riselmore wine a random family member gave me was like a sixty thousand hawk bottle of poison meant for those whose bodies, like mine, cleansed booze too fast. So, as one progressed, people just stopped drinking wine and took to drinking literal poison. He explained that I said: Fuck yes Lets get it. An hour later, I was tripping and puking my guts out as Asail rubbed my back. I treated it like normal alcohol, which I could drink like spicy water, and ended up tripping before puking. But I had zero regrets. I missed my poisons. I really needed to make some this year I put it onto my to-do list, right next to learning soulmancy, telling a killer mushroom to fuck off, and creating an elixir of Immortality. But first, I had a Helix of Annihilation elixir to chug down. I had a feeling that it was going to be an unpleasant experiencebut I was excited for the results. Chapter 137 - The First Elixir The air was getting chilly when I finished the Helix of Annihilation, and the dry and breezy mornings wrapped my body with goosebumps. I shivered and remembered how much I hated the cold. Last year, I didnt think too much about it. I was so busy surviving and building and just living to care, but I had gotten spoiled with Felio and Aiden there. Not only did I have people around me but civilization was taking root. Outside my home, Cassain and the other guards had successfully built the framework of a building, focusing on a small portion only. Unlike on Earth, the people here had enormous strength and could heave pillars by handthough they didnt need to with anti-gravity magic. Earth magic leveled the ground and formed stone tiles and flooring, magic lifted pillars, sword techniques cut trees into even planks. It all happened so fast. When youre waging war, its easier to build cities to establish supply lines than it is to constantly ship between outposts, Asail had explained one day after I toured the construction site. So pretty much every soldier knows how to build. Ive probably built twenty cities. Oh I replied in wonder. Then we continued chatting. As we did, I learned that Viridia was vastly larger than Earth, with more people in the First Domain than Earth itself, so when people wanted to outflank their enemy, they just built strategic cities in poorly documented areas to commence their assault. And since aura and neara prevented the breakdown of a human body, soldiers lived a long time and battles moved slowly, methodically, and without a sense of urgency. That meant Cassain and the guards, who had been recruited to the family for their strength and prowess, had built full cities that swelled with populations larger than Fort Collins during wartime. Thus, between their experience and magic, they had laid the foundation of a building that would take a year in only a month, but with only two weeks left, they were now building furniture, temporary walls, and beds to serve us in the winter, as Felio planned to stay over quite often. It all felt so civil and normal, so I had gotten lazy with my training and instincts and started complaining about the cold. But now, as I felt it on my skin, I realized I had to finish what I was doing before I could take the elixir, as it could debilitate me for days or even weeks. I should finish his house I had created everyones house but Aidens. He was living in a guest room, which worked, but I wanted to do something special for him, but I didnt know what. Now, I had no choice. So I set to work with a certain concept in mind, pulling out my wings and mana drill to practice as I worked. A week later, owing mostly to Kiras endless prowess and the help of two of the guards, I finished his lodgings, completing the last thing I needed to do before I moved on. I clapped my hands once and examined my work with a satisfied expression and smile, standing beside Kira, who had her hands on her hips. You wanna tell him? I asked. Kira grinned and merged with me, and we rapped on Aidens bearskin door. He called out to his pets, shuffling around, saying, One minute! Dont open the door! as bunnies screeched their terrible dying screech birds fluttered around. Once he finished chastising his creatures, he opened the door and said, Hurry in. Aidens demeanor was interesting. His actions were purely practical, practiced, and professional as if he were a zoo keeper. But his charm was gone, and his appearance was odd. It was only once I saw him in regular clothing that I realized that he had been wearing fine-tailored outfits all this time, even in a forest, and now, he was slouching around in mortal wear, a weary look on his face. Or maybe that wasnt fair. It occurred to me then that he looked normal. The shift in his mood, tone, and personality was natural, not a deterioration like Kyro or a slothful demeanor like Reta. He wasnt particularly happy or smiling, but he wasnt sad like Malo. He was just Aiden. The real Aiden. Sorry about my appearance, he said with a tinge of self-consciousness. I wasnt expecting anyone. He looked around for his flask, patting his pockets with growing despair. You dont need that shit to speak to me, I said. Oh, trust me, he said. I do. I scoffed. Are you saying you need booze to suffer me? He froze and looked at me with horror in his eyes, and then he looked away. Look. Come back in five minutes. Ill be normal. This is normal, I said, forcing myself in and sitting down defiantly. Two cats and a dog smelled me, curious about Klines scent, then looked to the door. Kline mustve sensed them through Mana or Soul Sense that he had been found and pushed himself in, not even disguising himself. He strutted up dominantly, reminding these slutty cats not to whore themselves on my shins, or there would be consequences. It was cuteand a bit concerning. Layla, one of the female cats, had been eyeing him like a god, but now she looked afraid. Animals might dig men that scared them, but I didnt like it, so I hissed out a Play nice, and his strutting tail drooped. He snorted at the dog and bunnies and cats and jumped into my lap. Aiden, who had panicked only a moment before, had this amused smile on his lips and it was gentle and pure. This was Aiden. Save the booze, I said. I came here to tell you that your place is ready. I glanced up and saw a snake curled around a branch, watching Aidens cockatiel. The snake was likely under some type of contract not to kill the bird, but that didnt stop it from wanting to do so, and the cockatiel was still wary. This wasnt a place for petsit was too small. Aiden snapped out of his gentle demeanor and looked away. This is so awkward, he grumbled. How am I supposed to get into character when I already fucked up. I knew it, I said. Youre pretending. No, Im practicing. And you told me to do that. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. I smiled guiltily. Besides, things are better this way. He found his flask on his bed stand, and when he shook it, I could tell it was completely full. He hasnt drank it today I opened my guide and saw it was almost five. Thats a relief. He took a swig and turned to me with this charming smile. Yet the awkwardness of trying to change suddenly broke loose, and he smiled wryly. Can we just go? he asked. Sure, I said. Come check it out. I led him to his new home, which was in the outer circle, away from the original homes I had built. It seemed intentionally out of the way, but when I opened the door, he saw why. No way The house was a birdcage of sorts. It had a ceiling, but it was designed with metal hinges that rotated, so when I pulled a string, it opened up, exposing a vast open space with fifty-foot vaulted ceilings filled with thick perches like tree trunks. There was a pole that rose to the right where a snake could climb up to a set of branches and then bird perches on the other side. There were also built-in dog and cat houses, wood cages for birds, and pens for the bunnies and far more than necessary. That way, he could get more. There was even a massive den that took up a fourth of the space for the lurvines, complete with a bed that he could sleep in. For cuddling while you sleep, I said. He laughed. Are you joking right now? Nope, I said. You didnt need to He swallowed back his words, afraid to look ungrateful. Its not a big deal, I said. Its quick work when your guardian can fly, and you only need to carve things. The only real work was handling the hinges, ventilation, and plumbing, and you can thank Cassain and the others for all of that. He walked around, sliding his hands on the countertops, examining the fridge that had cooling arrays in it, already stocked with meat and snacks. He checked out the bathroom with a comically large tub in proportion to the room, fit for bathing pets. There was even a water bath for the birds. Do you like it? I asked. His eyes glistened a bit, and he looked away. You know He tried to say something quirky but fell flat and said: First off I love it. I He paused again. Its almost surreal its like you captured everything I could ever want He laughed again and looked away. Jesus Its just Spit it out, I said, laughing after. I just It just seems ridiculous. You almost read my mind and I know nothing about you. I love plants, I said. And alchemy. Hikes. Kline I turned and found Kline rolling around my ankles. Food. He smiled slightly. Guess I did know all that Its just theres more. A lot more. Obviously You cant just claim to be a gardener at this point. I prepared to say something my mind was telling me to, but I held back and said. Maybe one day. One day what? he asked. I opened up the flap of the door, letting Kline out. Im going to be brain dead for a few days, so if you need me or want to say something or pretty much anything just dont. I closed the door and visited Felio and Cassian in the new guard building, letting them know I was disappearing, then I walked to my meditation chamber and set out enormous amounts of food and a bowl with a self-filling water array, preparing for a long grind. Can you guys watch over me? I asked. Kline rolled his eyes but then saw Sina nodding reluctantly, and he glowered at her. I know you can handle it alone, I said. But if theres a disturbance and you need to leave, shell protect me. Sina snorted and looked away, displeased that I was talking down to her. But when Kline looked to the door, I sent her a glance that said, Play along. You know how he is, and she perked up. Kline didnt fail to notice. He pretended that he didnt. Thanks, you two. I left out the love you, but I kissed my finger and booped Klines nose, making him wrinkle his snout and paw at himself. Then he turned and lay down as I set up my portable ward and pulled out the Reaina Elixir that I got from Reasan. I wonder if I should take this first I wondered. According to Lithco, the elixir built up the physical brain so that the nearan channels could develop fully. This is a vessel supplement, he had explained. Just as mana channels flow through your physical body, and they will be disrupted if your body is hurt, nearan channels move through your physical brain. By building the brain and body directly, you improve the environment your channels move through. I studied the tiny vial carefully. It seems as relevant as it gets. Hey Lithco, I said. Should I take this before the Helix of Annihilation? Oh hoh, he said, melting through a wall as if it was a space portal. I was wondering if you were going to continue treating the legacies gifts as trash. Are there a lot of good things? I asked. He rolled his eyes. If you think Im going to save you the time it takes to look at them, youre mistaken. My job is to build you up, not make you lazy. I smiled wryly. Can you at least tell me if theres anything applicable to this situation? He thought about it. No. Nearan elixirs and their supplements are very rare because the beasts arent strong enough to justify it. I see once I do this, should I practice Mental Shielding? He gave me a damning expression. Didnt you just hear me chastise you? Didnt you sell me a diamond Mental Shielding skill? I sassed. He frowned. I smirked. He folded because it was his job to. Yes, he said. But only the first stage. That elixir is going to open up the floodgates on your brain and all your sensations will be heightened. If you overdo it, your concentration will shatter and you can hurt yourself. I nodded. Then Ill begin. I popped the cork on the vial and gulped down the contents and let me tell youit was a terrible experience. Imagine someone cranked up the volume on absolutely everything, and not only were you getting blasted the loudest setting in your earphones, but you could also see the grooves on your wood wall and taste stray dust. I could also feel the ground so intimately that it was uncomfortable, and I wanted to shift around. It was just like the second stage of Mental Shielding training but natural, and for that reason, I forgot to activate the actual training. When I finally remembered, I was already on the rise with the drug, so when I used it, the effect was devastating. I was blasted at all angles by sounds that were too loud for my normal senses, so it felt like someone put a pot over my head and started slamming it with a hammer, and my sensations and tastes exploded. My mind scrambled and waved and circled around, swimming and yanking out of the water. It was terrible. So I did what I usually did in those situationsI activated Mental Shielding, the skill rather than the practicing. In an instant, I understood the true nature of the spell because I had heightened awareness of it. The spell made the sensations drift through my mind, passing by me and going into a distant void where they slowly disappeared. The best way to explain it was as if you screamed into a long cave; at first, it was loud and overbearing, but after a few echoes, it drifted into nothingness. Or maybe not. The spell normally just dampened the stimuli around me, but under the effects of the elixir, I realized that the dampening was just pushing it further into my mind. By contrast, under this heightened awareness, I realized that I could just take all those noises and sensations and Make them disappear. Its hard to understand just how different this is from a normal mortal experience. After practicing with each of my sensations individually and then combining them, practicing making them disappear altogether, my mind itself went into a distant void that those who practiced meditation dreamed of. Nirvana. Or perhaps harmonization. There was nothing in that void. It was complete, empty, and mind mind was empty as well, until I got a lingering thought that infected my mind like a virus. Neara In that expanse, I tried to summon my nearan network, and it suddenly appeared before me as an illusion or hallucination, just like when I was connected to that strange fungus a week prior. I could suddenly see wisps of neara moving in complex networks, and I could move themand when I moved them, strange and wonderful and sometimes terrible things started to happen. Chapter 138 - Dreaming While Awake I could suddenly feel my nearan networks and could see a visual representation of the nearan pulsing through it. Once I focused on one, sounds would appear or disappear depending on how I allocated the neara. I could heighten my senses and taste and even increase focus depending on how I utilized my mind. I solved a calculus problem in my head and found that I could write the numbers in my head with picturesque clarity and work through them with ease. I could even recreate memories of past battles and remember what I did. After a while, my head experienced a splitting pain, so I released it, and the world sped up, flooding my senses once more. Once I tested and trained my nearan channels, tuning my ability to allocate resources, I activated the second stage of mental shielding. It blasted my mind twice as hard, making me grit my teeth, but I also grinned when I accepted those sounds and sensations and made them disappear, one by one, sending them into the endless void until I was once again in a state of silent blackness. Who knows how long that went on, but at some point, I started to dream. I didnt know that I was dreaming at the time. Everything just switched outside of my nearan control, and I could suddenly create pictures in my mind. It was hard to explain, but I could create vast forests, make snow, and build buildings from scratch with my thoughts alone. I filled the forests with plants and beasts and then tested my creativity by going through my memories, bringing out past foesthe colossus in the Fourth Domain, the omoxilian, and Brindle. Finally, when I couldnt believe how intricate this power could be, I brought my dad into my dream and had a conversation with him. What is this? I asked. He shrugged. How am I supposed to know? Guess you wouldnt. Any guesses? Ill give you mine if you give me yours. He paused and said. That came out wrong. If a man ever tells you that, kick em in the balls and strangle them. Ill help you hide the body. I giggled, wondering if my dad was actually there. As soon as I wondered that, he dissolved. This is a dream I whispered. I whipped my hand, and all the plants in the forest came to life, writhing and twisting, poking out and retracting, all like wandering reapers on the hunt. I could control the forest and its plants and do whatever I wanted. And when I used them, everything I did looked natural. So this is the power of dreams I sat down and closed my eyes, listening to the sound of birds and a gurgling stream I made to increase the serenity. And somewhere in that doze, the world disappeared again and I woke up. Kline was pawing at the barrier when I opened my eyes, and when I saw his concern, I released the barrier. He rushed up, rubbing his body on my nose until I sneezed. Are you concerned or vindictive? I cried. You little shit. He yowled. Oh come here. I held him against my chest and slept for another hour, waking up to see orange sunlight peeking through the cracks in the bearskin flap. What time is it? I muttered. I checked the clock, and the time was six p.m. on the day after I began. I mustve slept after finishing I thought. I didnt question it too much. I cleaned myself up and walked out like a zombie, getting swarmed upon entering my house. How are you walking? Cassain asked. You should be resting? Huh? I asked tiredly. Im fine. That wasnt the Helix. It was the Reaina Elixir. Felios eyes panicked. You really shouldnt be standing. Relax I sat down at my table and closed my eyes. I know I need to rest. I think Ill veg out for a couple days. Just eat and do nothing. Oh! Felio left the room and returned with some soup. If thats the case, Ill take care of you. Let me heat this up. I loved Felio. Okay I watched her cook for a few more minutes and then blacked out. I weaved in and out of consciousness for three days after that, always waking in a foreign world before my dreams fragmented and I returned to the real world. It was as if I couldnt unlock that feature again because my brain was too tired. This continued until the dreams stopped coming, and I was draped in comfortable black velvet and drifted off. I woke to find Kline snuggled on me. Felio was beside the fire with Aiden and the rest of the guards, feeding the needy lurvine. Are you awake? she asked nervously. Uh yeah, I said. Oh, thank goodness, she said, clutching her chest. How long have I been out? A few days, Felio said. I tried to sit up, but I was too weak. Dont force yourself, Cassain said. I was shocked you were still standing after taking that. Most people are out for weeks.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Weeks? I asked. You wouldve thought hed warn me. Theres no need when theres The Guide, Asail said. I checked my guide for information on the Reaina Elixir. Sure enough, it had that information front and center. Oh I groaned, collapsing on the bed. That means Im gonna be dead after the helix. Probably, Felio said with a concerned frown. Stop sayin it like its a bad thing, Aiden said, leaning back in his chair. With any luck, you can just skip the winter. This place is cold. Its already snowing? I asked. Yeah, he said. Well, buckle up, I said. Were probably gonna be huddled in here all day. Say it like its a bad thing, he mumbled, smiling as he took a swig from his flask. Back to Druggie Charmer. I looked at Felio. Can I have some soup? Certainly! Felio fed me, and we spent the rest of the day talking. I recounted my experience, and Cassain and the guards listened with rapt attention when I told them I did Mental Shielding training and achieved a mental breakthrough. They asked if I still could control neara. I told them that I wouldnt even try. The thought of thinking about anything was out of the question. I felt like I sprinted twenty miles, and even walking five minutes could permanently damage my body. So I took it easy. Two days passed like that, then three. Only on the fourth day did the scabs on my brain heal, allowing me to think normally again. I then waited another three days before I tried testing things outbut when I did, I was amazed by what I experienced. It all started with testing illusionswhich required high processing. I summoned tiny Greek soldiers on the countertop and had them salute me for practice. It was a small thing, but Felio saw it and giggled in delight, making me blush and start laughing along with her. You like that? I asked. Check this out. Soon, I was creating little battles with them, imagining the Battle of Troy, and Cassain, Aiden, and the rest were standing around me. This looks so complicated, Felio said. Nah this is nothing, I said solemnly. Cassain and Aidens faces stiffened as they recounted the last time I used illusions. I realized I messed up when Felios mood shifted as well, so I quickly changed the subject. You know, I got some inspiration when I was dreaming the other day, I said. And I want to practice. Do you mind if I recreate some of my memories for you? Of course, you would all have to agree to keep it secret. Youre so paranoid, Felio said with a slight smile. Youre acting like other people could just survive this. Shes right, Asail said. If anything, youre just gonna scare the mistress. I frowned. Yeah I probably shouldnt. Felio panicked when she saw me second-guessing herself. No! I wanna see! Come to think of it, none of it is positive, I said. But its all your story! she cried. I paused and reflected on that. I want to know more about you, she said. Suddenly, I felt Aidens rapt attention as well. He was kind enough not to speak, but he was interested. I asked him anyway. You too? Yeah, he said. I looked between Felio and the guards. So what do you want to see? Im not sure I can even do this, but Ill try my best. The three looked around at each other, unwilling to be the person to take the plunge. Finally, Cassain smiled and said: Im not sure about the others, but Im curious about your first day. I smiled wryly and then took a deep breath, chuckling as I looked at the floor. Okay I can try. I laid on the center of the floor with Kline, backpack splayed on the ground, and then the entire room shifted to the place I woke up. It was the exact location where I built my village, but it was summer, and the grass was still in bloom. There were also no tree houses or baths or fire pits. It was grass and moss and vegetation. And despite there being walls in my house, it didnt look or feel like there were any, so my audience could see an endless expanse of summertime forest. Wow so this is what it looks like in the summer Felio said with sparkling eyes. Dont start smiling, I said grimly. Suddenly, that blue ripple washed over the trees. It was too bright and dense as the original, lacking the subtleties of the barrier, but it still got the message across well enough to make Cassian tense. I then sat up, acting out the scene, and thats when the reapers came, blooming out of the ground, sticking to Klinewho didnt play along with the skit. He raised his hackles in the real world and jumped back when he saw the reapers, lifting his claw to strike. I activated Moxle Dilation, grabbed him, and threw him onto the bed. It all happened so fast, and it left my audience bewildered, scared, and chuckling insanely. Lets just create clones, I said, holding him against my chest. I created clones of Kline and me, and then I truly began, showing the reaper attacking Kline, followed by my desperation as I cut him free with my knife. And then I showed the chase and thats when the difficulty began. Running forced me to create illusions every second, constantly shifting for areas that were expansive. It was like an animation of sorts, constantly shifting. My mind couldnt handle it, so the details in the distance turned black, and the details in the world started scrambling. It felt impossible but I wasnt done. I activated Mental Shielding and took all the excess things in the worldKline and the bed and the house and my audienceand made them drift away. All my superfluous thoughts about creating things and trying to practice illusions I left them to drift away. And soon, once I disconnected from the world, I started to dream while I was awake just like in my dream. The world grew largermore accurate and detailedand I felt like I was there again. I felt my heart racing as I jumped over ground cover, weaving past bushes and avoiding endless reapers, and then I recreated the survival mode screen I got as I burst through the area. Without thinking about Felio or the story, I showed them the plan screen, and then memories came to life in illusions in rapid succession. The Diktyo Riveralmost drowningthe souls within it. Then, picking the water sack plant and running from the River Guardian as it passed through the forest, and then how I ran into the wisteris bush and slowly succumbed to poisoning. My head was throbbing, but I was desperate to continue, so it sped up, showing me limping through the forest without a shoe, almost dying, moving back toward the reaper, slurry in hand, trying to make it before I succumbed to the poison and died. I wanted to show them the ending so badlyI wanted to relive it. But I couldnt. My brain shattered, and I blinked away, bombarded with sights and sounds that were much worse than Mental Shielding training. I realized my group was yelling. Hey! Aiden cried. You cant just stop it there! Mira Felio whined. Im so invested Aiden said. I looked up and the guards were looking at me. Everyone had their arms tensed on the table, leaning in, frozen and tense and waiting. They were all into it, but when Cassain and the guards saw my expression, they yelled, Mira! and I blacked out again. So that happened. When I woke up, Felio was lying beside me in bed, afraid and trembling slightly, and all the guards save Asail were asleep in the guardhouse. They were probably taking shifts watching over me. Aiden was gone, and I realized what happened. I have a long way to go I thought. I suddenly realized that with enough processing power, I could recreate anything I sawI could dream while I was awake. It was powerfulbut I couldnt even last five minutes with an illusionary area the size of my room. I had a long way to go, indeed. Just as I thought that, I remembered being connected to that nearan fungus, in that dark void, staring at the blooming plant. It contained an awakening for mana, aura, and neara communication. I thought about having three and a half liters of the Helix of Annihilation that contained that plantand thought about the effects. I swallowed nervously. I had a long way to go Or not. Chapter 139 - Collecting Souls I was bombarded with questions and chastisement as soon as I woke up. You shouldn''t push yourself! Felio cried. Agreed, Aiden said. But can you do it again? I almost feel cheated with that cliffhanger. Don''t encourage her! said one of the guards. I''m not! I mean, well, at least tell us. Forget the story, Cassain said. It''s amazing you could do that. I felt like I was living it. I agree, Felio said. How much have you practiced? I cradled my head. Ill answer everything later. Just I see. Cassain was the first to stand up. Forgive us for intruding during your recovery. No problem I said. I think I''m going to get some rest. Okay, Felio said. You want some soup? Sure. I laid on my bed as the group dispersed, but I didn''t sleep. The real reason why I couldn''t answer the questions was because my brain was on fire. I opened up my Guide. There was something I felt I needed to dosomething with obvious consequences. For once, I was going to message Brindle before starting something big, unaware that I was reaching the first major turning point in my life. And, of course, it wasn''t positive. It all started with an innocuous message. It read: Ive obtained a Numina Anima elixir to build my channels. This should allow me to increase my nearan strength to communicate and negotiate with the Treskirita. Im unsure how much of the elixir to take and am seeking guidance to establish a strong foundation for my nearan pathway. I will wait one week for your reply. I got a message when I tried to send it. It read: - Warning: Requesting the aid of a god for a tribute quest will eliminate the bonus reward you can receive, regardless of whether your patron chooses to aid you. Do you still wish to send the request? - This was a hard decision. Up until that point, all of the bonus rewards I had received had aided me significantly. At the same time, foundation was everything. Establishing my Kyfer core built my strength and earned me Kira as a rewardbut I only did that with Yakanas help. Yakana. Brindle. Elana. Kyro. It wasn''t a stretch to say my success was born from the aid of others. And this was a pivotal moment. I made my decision and amended my message, adding: Please note that Im actively declining the bonus reward to request your help, so I would appreciate a reply, if only to reject me. I sent it, kicking myself because I didnt think I would obtain his aid, but two days later, I got a reply from Brindleand that''s when the trouble began. It read: Kill a beast and use the soul extraction method from the crypt to capture its soul before it dissipates. That was an enigmatic responseand it made me nervous. Soulmancy Soulmancy was illegal. Reviled. Taboo. Cassain already made it clear that my being a soulmancer would put Felio in danger, and she wouldnt have come if she knew. At the same time, a grieves investigation was a certainty, and I had to get strongerand that included soulmancy. So I put on a coat and protective wear the morning after the message, before the others awoke, and entered the bitter snow to start this journey. Kline, I whispered. He took his battle panther form, and I climbed on his back, and we set out south to easier territories. Finding second evolution beasts with Wood Wide Web felt cruel because every time I sensed one, it was certain to die. Kline warped right next to the beasts. Then, I jumped off, stabbing it with my machete while attempting to use the spell. Unfortunately, the soul burst too fast. It was like death instantly made souls explode like frag grenades. I clicked my tongue on my fourth attempt, capturing less than half of the souls. I need one of those crystals I thought, referring to the crystal balls at the crypt. Yet I didn''t have one, so I pressed on. After a dozen kills, I had a breakthrough. I learned that I activate the skill before the kill. Once I learned that, I experienced significant improvement. It was messy work. All of the soul force slammed into me, and sometimes, it just hovered around in large mounds. Then I had to organize it. The question was how. The soul repelled itself until it was in the right place, so I spent half the day remembering how to do that. Once it was over, I snuck back into the campsite like a cheating spouse. Luckily, no one questioned me when I arrived. Felio just offered me food in the guard quarters, and they asked me how my day was. I told them it was good and enjoyed the night as usual. The next morning I exploited Wood Wide Web to the fullest, repeating my training, knowing full well that Brindle wouldnt accept half-assed bullshit. So I trained and trained and trained that day, then did the same for two weeks in the blistering cold, in blighted snowstorms and poison gusts, doing it over and over until the souls I stole from second-evolution beasts created perfect spheres that snapped together. Nice, I thought as I sent Brindle a message. Complete. During this two-week period, I packed second-evolution meat back to the camp and cleaned it. Felio, Aiden, and the guards were getting much stronger and could likely handle third-evolution meat. Yet no one particularly caredthey were just tired of dried meat stew. It was nice and I prepared to spend a few days after completing my task indoors, but I got a message from Brindle that night. It read: Stolen story; please report. Capture the soul of a third evolution beast. I dropped my spoon in my stew when I read that, and Felio turned to me quickly. Whats wrong? she asked. Tribute, I said. Well, not really tribute. Elana just wants me to find these damn snow flowers, and its getting really annoying. Oh, so thats where youre going? Felio asked. Yeah, I said hesitantly. Aiden smiled slightly. What? I asked. Its just His eyes drifted up. The Claustra have this rule: never tell half-truths when you can just keep silent. Youre sneaking offwe get it. No ones questioning it, so just keep mum. I smiled wryly. Elana really is giving me tasks. Cassain studied Aiden, who studied me. He furrowed his brow as if he was surprised that he was wrong, or at least half wrong, and then he said: Well, share or keep secrets. Pick one. Then Ill keep secrets, I said. I dont want anyone running after me. Like we would, he said. You know how cold out there it is? I do. I smiled grimly, yet thankful for the advice. Felio paused hesitantly and then said: Is it dangerous? Is what dangerous? I asked. Finding those snow flowers? I nodded. Yeah. Its some bullshit. I already searched southnow I need to go north. Everyone understood the implications, but they didn''t try to stop me. The next day, Kline and I traveled deep into the north, where we started finding third-evolution beasts. We were still strongerbut they were incomparably stronger than the other foes we had been facingand the environment was deadly. At one point, a boorish creature with massive tusks and huge nostrils used wind magic to send a blinding wall of blighted snow at me. Thankfully, I managed to close my eyes in time, but I didnt even get to take its soul because my entire face had swollen up, and I couldnt see out of the puffiness. I drank Diktyo water, but there wasnt enough on hand, so I had to take my chances with the Diktyo River. When I got there, I dunked my head in the river, and low and behold, foreign souls tried to take over my body. I had a strong enough core not to get corrupted, but underwater, Yakanas familiar force called out to me. He spoke simply: Get out of the river. I did. It took me a few hours of drying off with Dessicate and warming up by a fire before I could convince myself to fight on, but I did. The battles were fastermore vicious. Kline and I could move faster than the jackals and cats and sprinters, and after my recent power-up, third-evolution beasts might as well have been second evolutions under Moxle Dilation. They moved slow, and I moved fast, cutting through them with intense mana sharpening. Capturing a third evolution soul was incomparably more difficult than a second evolution soul. It had more pieces that were locked together in complex networks. It was like every soul piece was a twelve-sided die from Dungeons and Dragons, and it fit together with thousands of other dice. It was a puzzle and it was frustratingly difficult to do. I failed a lotand it felt wasteful. We brought one beast home a night like clockwork, but most was still going to waste. So, we ended up cleansing the meat and leaving it for the beasts. If there were fewer beasts in the forest, I could at least make them stronger. Not just to protect the forestbut as a future investment in my strength when I later ate them. This wasn''t about survival. It was about desperationa fight to get stronger and protect the forest. So, I did what I had to do and gave back where I could. Then, I went home in the evenings, bringing home fresh meat to Felio and friends. By that point, they were eating third-evolution meat in small quantities, and while it was intense, they were flushed with vitality and excitement. It was nice. I felt like a breadwinner, and Felio was my country wife, with the way she treated me. We moved on. I made a breakthrough in the midwinter. The beasts were getting stronger since I was feeding them, but I was improving as well. With every kill, I was inching toward soul stasisthe point where souls reconnect and stabilizebefore I broke off. I was using Moxle Dilation with my new Mental Shielding techniques to block out the world as I did it. It was slow yet steady. Just a few more. And then I broke through. One day, I just blinked and found myself staring at my first static third-evolution soul. Two days later, I was able to do it consistently and thats when I knew that I had succeeded. I messaged Brindle: Done. I got a message not five minutes later. It read: Collect Diktyo Water in a jar. Then, capture the soul into the water in the same way you did the crystal ball. Collect three third-evolution souls. I suddenly got an eerie premonition about what was happening. He wants me to save it I didnt want to get Felio involved in my soulmancy, but my tribute, patron, and forest were on the line. Besides, I brought her in despite knowing the grieves would get involved sooner or later. So I was guilty on that front already. Right? I wasnt convinced by my justification, but I followed his instructions, filling a preservation chamber with fresh Diktyo water and then going on a hunt. It took three days, fifty miles of travel, and eleven beasts to get ten full souls into the chamber, but I finished. Thats when I got a message that was far worse than I was even expecting. It read: Fill your bath with Diktyo water and one liter of your elixir. Assimilate the souls into the water and call for Yakana. If he deems you worthy, he will aid you. I read it a few more times. So youre not going to help me? I cried. I couldn''t believe it. I paced back and forth in the snow, causing Klines eyes to glide back and forward as he kept an eye on me. Okay, let''s recap: since I can''t contact Yakana through the river, I''m going to create my own river with river water and casually throw the souls of the angry animals I just murdered into the water. Then, I''m gonna fight off their attempts to take over my soul, hoping Yakana will show up. And Im going to do this at camp, in an open and sketchy display of soulmancy, all while I try to absorb a liter of this shit? I''m going to die from dehydration! I ran my fingers through my hair. I can block people out, sure, but what if I start dying. What if they can''t I stopped. There was no sense in getting flustered. So I calmed down, took three large breathsand screamed. I was fifteen miles from camp so no one was there to listen except the falling snow and howling wind. I then grunted and got onto Klines back, making a strategy for the way home. I didnt have a good one when I arrivedjust a backpack full of souls, which I was afraid reeked like marijuana. I had an image that Mommy Cassain was going to find it and turn me into the grieves. Naturally, she wouldnt do thatand couldnt do thatbut still. It didn''t change the shame. I felt like a drug mule at an airport, and it showed in the way that I spoke. So? Cassain said at dinner. Did you find it today? Uh what? I looked at her. Find what? She eyed me suspiciously. The snow flower. Huh? Oh no. Why would you think that? She narrowed her eyes. Because it''s obvious something happened. Fuck, I thought. Is everything alright? Felio asked. Uh yeah, I said quickly. Im just a bit rattled, is all. I had a big battle today. A bad one. Felios eyes flickered worriedly. Seriously? Yeah, I said. Around here? Asail asked, looking around nervously. I put up my hands when I realized people were concerned. No, it was twenty miles north on the river. But it was pretty nasty. It used wind magic to blanket us in blighted snow, and my whole body swelled up. I had to jump into the Diktyo, but since I have a soul core, hundreds of beasts tried to claw their way into my soul. It was like diving into the pits of hell. Cassain and the guards studied my expression and realized I wasnt lying. Thank God I had a story I thought. I looked for Aiden to see if he was calling bullshit, but he wasnt in my room. Thank God. The fire pit crackled. Wheres Aiden? I asked nervously. In my panicked state, I was expecting her to say, He went looking for you today just because, you know, I was guilty of some planet-destroying shit and assumed the very worst, but Felio just smiled weakly. Hes in his room, she said. He thinks you need space, so hes giving it to you. Oh well, thats kinda true? I sighed in relief. Its actually considerate. There''s something about the opposite sex that makes you I don''t know. Try harder? That''s a bad term because I''m not trying to do anything. I think we''re just evolutionarily primed to I paused when I saw their smirking faces. What? It''s not like that. It actually wasn''t, but the awkward atmosphere indicated that I couldn''t talk my way out of it, so I quickly changed the subject. Anyway, I''m taking a break, I said. It''s been a month or so, so I think I''m ready to take the elixir. I''ll be doing it tomorrow. Felix and the guards smiles disappeared. Understood, Cassain said. What time? Before light. Okay. We''ll be ready. An icy tingle dripped down my back. Wait what? Ready for what? Watching over you, Felio said. And that''s when I knew things would get complicated. And I had no way of knowing how complicated this ritual would actually become. Chapter 140 - Helix of Annihilation Felio and her guards watching me was not an option. Of all the satanic cult witch soulmancer shit I could do, taking a milky jar of third-evolution souls and stirring them into my bath water like Kool-Aid was probably the worst. So I had to make up an excusefast. No offense, but Im not going to leave anyone with my unguarded body for multiple days, I said. I turned to Felio. Even my best friend. You have to, Mira, Felio said. You could die of dehydration. And thats why Im filling my bathtub with DIktyo water, I said. That way, its impossible to die. The group looked at me as if I had declared that I would eat peanut butter on pickles, something that many may have heard tastes okay but still feels wild and out of bounds. I have a wheelbarrow somewhere, I said. Im filling up storage bins with water and bringing it back to the bath. Itll take most of the day, but it should be done by tomorrow. Thats Felios eyes widened, and she giggled in delight. Such a strange and wonderful idea. Mistress, this isnt funny, Cassain said. Felio giggled harder. But it is. Can you imagine it? Mira hauling something as priceless as Diktyo Water by the wheelbarrow just to bathe in it? Soon, they were all laughing at the absurdity. One obstacle down, I thought. With the big problem out of the way, I could set to work. It would be a long day on the morrow. And it was. Rigging up this wheelbarrow was easier than I thought because Asail and the guards helped me with their technical experience. They also taught me how to make bags out of tarps for the lurvine and insisted they come along to help. Itll take forever, Asail said. Just let us help. So, with guilt in my heart, we set off for the river as a team, filling the wheelbarrow and all the tie bags with water as I used Separate to bring a massive sphere of floating water back to camp. The river was only about a couple of miles away, but it depleted all my mana. I had a Kyfer core, and it recuperated absurdly fast, but it was still a first-evolution corea fact that confused my guests regularly. Yet it was strong enough for each trip, and soon it was complete. I was glad for their helpit really would have taken forever. It was late afternoon when we finished and we enjoyed a long, rejuvenating meal and bath to heal up. Ah, that was the best, Felio said with a satisfied smile, coming out from the bath. I agree. Get some rest, guys, I said as the night came to a close. When are you doing it? Cassain asked. Early tomorrow morning, I lied. Okay Felio said nervously. Ill be fine, I said with a reassuring smile. With those words, I returned home and performed Mental Shielding training until one a.m. Immediately following, I used Wood Wide Web to determine that all of them were sleeping. Perfect. Kline stretched his legs as we traded the warmth of our house for the bitter cold and trudged through a snowstorm to the location where I hid my soul jar. We then returned to the bathhouse. It was cold inside, and I shivered as I activated a heating array and let the place heat up. I turned to Kline. Stay inside unless you need to warn people off, okay? He meowed and brushed against me. And you can get into the barrier now, right? He meowed. My ward required a password, and while he couldnt speak my language, he found a way to translate it into something he could use. Lets test it. I activated my new ward over the bathtub, and he melted through it with ease, stopping right before the water. Good kitty. I scratched his ears and he sauntered off, laying down on guard duty as I prepared my ritual. I opened my bag and pulled out the jar. It shone like a star under Soul Vision, and I gulped as I dunked it underwater. Lets do this, I whispered. I opened it slowly, using my spell to assimilate the souls into the bath as I had with the water in the jar. The effect was disorienting. Just like the Diktyo River, a fog pooled over the surface, and the bodies of the souls formed in the mist, roaring and screeching and howling as soon as I stuck my feet inside. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. I need to concentrate in this? I cried. I wisely decided to contact Yakana before I threw a liter of this elixir into the water and prayed for the best. Luckily, the moment I dunked my head I heard a warm, familiar chuckle. Did Brindle put you up to this? He did, I replied. Why? Youve seen, right? I have acquired a Numina Anima. And you wish to use it to save me? So its true? No, Im simply guessing what youre thinking, given what Ive heard. So you were listening? I was always listening. Though its hard to communicate. I emerged from the water and took a deep breath to the sound of screaming souls. Then I submerged myself again and said: I see So, is that really your body down there? Ah Brindle. Yakana chuckled darkly. He has not told you? I frowned at his tone. He hasnt. So can you? Im seriously worried that things gonna eat you. Unfortunately, I cannot. Why not? I cried. Because I cannot let my situation influence your decisions. As a guardian, you must act alone, determining what is right and wrong for yourself, as there are no consistent answers. Humans destroyyet that might also protect. Some people are friends, but they can quickly turn foe. If you pursue this route, you do so without a guarantee that you will ever know the truth. You have done this far on a simple whimand thats how it shall be. Will you continue? I smiled wryly. I dont have any choice. Then lets begin. But first, tell me. What has Brindle told you to do with your Numina? Pour a liter of it into the water and pray youll help me. Yakana fell silent. Wonderful, I said when he didnt answer. Is he trying to kill off the problem child? No Yakana said. But he does place great trust in you. I can only aid you so much. Should you lack the willpower or skill, your mind will drift away into a place between consciousness and death, and you will never think again. I emerged from the water and laughed, piercing the sound of screaming souls. Wonderful, I said above water. Truly wonderful. Of all the things I hated to toy with, it was my mind. Questioning my sanity. Changing my personality. Having people say, Youve changed as if my old personality was dead and gone. I liked the old you, theyd say. But youve changed. Yes. I was stronger now, but for what? Memories played in my mind like a movie reelall of them interactions with my family. Laying down the law before my brother. Telling my father I killed people. Killing mercenaries in front of my parents. I had changed so much since I was dropped into a forest where I was required to change. Change or die. Those were the rules. Change or die. Those To be honest, I liked who I was now. I was more confidentin control. During the springs and summers, I could walk around to my hearts content. I wasnt fettered by societys worries, and my skills made food a guarantee. I was set for life and proud and content. I liked who I had become. So change wasnt necessarily bad, and if it happened I wouldnt regret it. Otherwise, it all came down to risk, and so far, Yakana and Brindle had not done me wrong. So I submerged once more and said: If he trusts in me, Ill trust in him. Please help me, Yakana. Ill need it. As you wish, Yakana said. I emerged from the water, poured a third of the elixir into the water, and watched as the entire tub turned a mixture of light blue and gold. Despite the array in the tub constantly regulating the temperature, it began bubbling and steaming like a cauldronbut the steam wasnt hot. It created a new compound I thought. Thats concerning. The only way it would boil like that was if the two liquids created a new compound that had a lower boiling point. Still, I was told to do this, so I listened. I put away the elixir and stepped into the bath. I expected it not to feel like anything due to the temperature regulationbut it did feel like something. Something magical. Literally magical. Words cannot express what it was like to walk into that water. It was as if my body, mind, and spirit harmonized to enjoy the sensation. The souls felt the same way. They stilled their screaming and lay dormantsatisfied and calm. Thiss amazing I thought as I drifted to the center. Once in the bath, I slowly laid on my back, floating with my ears under the water, letting my mind drift off. Everything was so nice It was like lying on the cloud. So peaceful. So serene. My soul was pulled to it, and I remember thinking, Just let go Just let go. Total relaxation. Free your mind and all that. Then, in that state of blissful harmony, I heard a voice yell: Mira! And I snapped out of my daze, rolling over in the water. You mustnt sleep! Yakana warned. If you sleep, you will be lost. The struggle with Numina Anima is not falling victim to its sirens call. Suddenly, I remembered the plant from the crypt. The way that it tried to lull me into giving uptelling me that it would eat my soul and set me free. My heart pounded at the thought, and I took deep breaths. Exercise a will to live, Yakana said. Embrace a desire to stay the same. And I will keep your mind focused. I nodded. Now lay I hesitantly lay in the water, trying not to succumb to sleep. It was like waking up in the early morning, warm and snuggled in the blankets before school, on the precipice of sleepa dangerous state where you could sleep in and ruin your life. Yet it was absolute and the stakes were deadly. Repeat after me, Yakana said and began chanting. The chant sobered me up. My cores and brain heated and they started warping and twisting and knotting together. First hot. Then cold. Then, my imagination exploded like fireworks, and I found myself standing in a forest. The wood bloomed to life with thousands of flowers, vines, and leaves, crawling and twisting up tree trunks at a rapid speed. Then, eeeeeer! A sharp noise ripped me out of the forest, and I was suddenly on a crosswalk in New York, holding up traffic. I looked up, and the massive clock tower read 8:23. It had stopped ticking. What? I thought. Boom! The sudden crash and splash of water resounded in my ears. I was now in the middle of the ocean after being thrown off a boat. Then came the scratching of pencils, and when I opened my eyes I was lying on my bed as a little girl, coloring pictures of plants. Crash! The glass cake pan I used during high school suddenly exploded when I dropped it in cold dishwater. Reeer. I was on a sports bike for the first time in my life, holding onto my dads torso. Wake up, Yakana said. I snapped out of these fevered dreams and gasped for air, listening to Yakana chant. Seeking salvation, I chanted, too. Focus on something, Yakana said. Perhaps a memory. I didnt even have to will it. Memories bloomed in my mind, this time less fragmented. I lived through Salans life before she became Kira, I relived my memories with Felio, I became Felio and took over what I perceived to be her life. I became everyone and no one, and then I heard Yakana laugh. I snapped back to consciousness and whispered: What? Its Brindle Yakana said. He must trust you. Trust me? I echoed. Why? Because he left a piece of him with Kira. Another? I asked. Yes. Is it a message? Yakana chuckled. No child. He left you so much more. Allow me to show you. Chapter 141 - Brindle’s Memories I awoke in Areswood Forest, using magic with my gnarled, rooty hands to prune a bush. My cuts were so smooth. Deliberate. Elegant. I could feel the plant within my body, and with every snip, I was relieved by stress as if I personally were undergoing acupuncture or a massage. I couldnt just feel the bush. It could feel the forest. I felt its soul, pulse, and life within me. Not everyone could feel this. There was a man laughing on a log beside me, clearly oblivious to these sensations. What are you laughing about this time? I asked in Brindles familiar, ghostly voice. I just cant get over it, the man said. I moved to another branch. Snip. If people knew the mighty Brindle just gardened the forest all day, he said, how would they react? I sighed and examined the bush. The whole plant highlighted, but not in the way that Miras Guide highlighted. It wasnt like Mana or Soul Sight, either. It was something else. I could see the life in the plant and understand where there were blemishes. With a wave of my hand, a thousand blades of aura shot up the bush, clipping a thousand small stems simultaneously. The leaves and moss slowly drifted to the ground in clumps. Ah, come on, guy, the man said. I wasnt making fun of you. I turned and saw a blonde archer sitting on a rotting log, whittling a wooden statue of a tiny human with wings. He had a simple wooden bow beside him that looked handmadeand his voice sounded familiar. Yakana I thought. Then, I said: I am what they believe; thats why they fear me. I stood and noticed a tree lacking nutrients. I scanned the area for a suitable location that I could relocate it to. Once I found one, I put my palm on the bark, cycling my soul core to find a soul. And for the first time, I realized that the sensation of having a random soul in my core was no different than having Kira within me. They were one and the same. I then began to chant to perform this magic, and Miras mind chanted with me. The magic synced with the memory, and the sensations felt real instead of dream-likeI could feel magic flow through this treesearching out its nearan veins. This tree wasnt a soul treebut all living things have the ability to have a soul, and what a plant lacked, one could create. I pulled out a soul from my body, copied its nearan structure as if it were a lump of meat, and then imprinted that same structure into a tree, carving new gateways as I inserted the soul. Another chant and the tree groaned, and the ground shook. Ah, come on, man, Yakana said as he got up hastily, staring at his statue. I chipped it. Do you really need to move trees? The tree was indeed moving. Its roots were like an octopus as it pulled its way out of the ground. I do, I said. If you do not like it, you are welcome to leave. I put my hand on the ground, and all the plants between the tree and its new location lit up with aura, protecting them as the tree walked over them. The dirt shifted, rocks moved, and the whole place became a jumbled mess, but the plants and their roots remained intact without the slightest harm as the tree resettled into its new location. Brindle then used a spell on the ground, and nutrients were distributed to the ideal placement for the plants. Not only had he moved the plantsbut he also helped them grow. I understood then the secret of plantmancy. If I were to attempt to use the plants as vines to trap feet or spew poison, it would naturally destroy them. But by protecting the plants, I could do with them what I wished. They would just settle back into the ground where I could distribute resources and help them grow again. And right then, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. I felt its purpose, meaning, and the way that it was meant to be used. Mira was learning this remarkably fast as well, as she was under the effects of the Helix of Annihilation, which was syncing with my mind, body, and soul. She was learning soulmancyactually learning itin real time. Oh, please, Yakana said after I told him he could leave. Its been, what? Twenty millennia? Thirty? Youd be devastated if I left. I paused. Perhaps so. See? People need each other. And youre people enough. Now, come on. Fix what you wrought. Yakana presented his wooden statue and showed me the chip in the wing. I took it, sliced a nick off a tree, and grafted it onto the wing flawlessly before aging the wood to match the color. Thank~you, Yakana said with delight. See this? Thiss why I keep you around. Why you keep me around? I said with a dark chuckle. Yet there was a bit of warmth. You heard me. I rolled my eyes. Come on. Its time. Yakana and I traveled to the Bramble, the deep part beyond the wyverns, and Brindle began planting seeds. Mira could feel the way I connected to the plants in the forest, attuning myself to their spirits without contractsmoving plants with soulmancy and resettling them. Mira heard the way I spoke to themshowcasing not love but basic respect. Despite Yakana being a human, he did the sameas if it were natural to him as well. Yakana also knew soulmancy and tended to the forest, hedging plants and planting new seeds. We removed dead plants and remediated burned swaths, bathing the land with life in areas that had grown dim. Through it all, I chanted, allowing Mira to learn the magic I used. She saw the Bramble from the inside, the vines twisting, the bushes shooting poisonthe mushrooms releasing spores. She learned my spore mediation and filtering techniques as I walked around. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. I walked for ten years in a time-lapse, showing Mira how we rebuilt the Bramble and watched it grow stronger than before. Once we finished, we said goodbye to Halten, the great wyvern guardian who Mira saw in a pathetic state, and then traveled through The Briar to meet Escalathe Dryad who gave Mira her seed. The large, spiny trees in The Briar retracted as I approached Escala. Is it time for you to leave? Escala said as she spun to life. When I got close, she touched my face with her beautiful hands. It is, he said. Then take this. She gave me her seed, just as she did Mira, and that was the end of the exchange. You couldve at least said goodbye, Yakana said as we walked away. I get that youre a grumpster, but even Dryads have emotions. Do they? I asked. They do. Like humans? Eh like halfway there? I mean, youre all heartless freaks compared to the rest of us irrational monkeys, but she was clearly sad you were leaving. Is that so I turned and closed my eyes. The entire forest pulsed with warm energy that came from his chest, and when I finished, Yakana grinned. Now thats how its done, he said. Was it really that big of a deal? I asked. Yeah, Brind. Its the small things that make the most difference. The two disappeared, moving to what was now Misty Row. It was a wasteland back then, a natural Bramble even before my influence. How longs it gonna be this time? Yakana asked. Until its done. Two ten millennia if Im lucky, Yakana said wearily. At least let me eat first. I rolled my eyes. There was no time for a true defense; it would take a few centuries at most. But Yakana still teased him and ran off as I planted new seeds and provided them nourishment, energy, and protection. I could feel the seeds growing within the shells the moment they were planted. I then dug up miles and miles of land, changing the soil composition for growth, and ventured into the forest to get seeds from the deadliest plants, organizing them, shaping themhelping them grow. This process went on for weeks, months, and then years, and soon, there were plants everywhere, and we continued pruning and shifting until it was done. Once I finished two centuries later, I summoned the Drokai with a call. To Miras surprise, one she recognized appeared. Reta. It was actually Reta. Mira didnt know how old Reta was, but unless this was her mother, this was her. But this Reta wasnt sleepy. She was prime and awake. This places awful, Reta said. So, what do you need me for? To make it worse, I said. I want you to teach greater illusions to the walkas. Her eyes narrowed. For what reason? So I can take their souls and confine them to this place. Thats twisted. Thats the point. Its sick but Ill do it. She looked south. Theyre coming. I can feel it. I nodded. They are. Later that day, I walked through the forest, experiencing illusions from the walkas, monkey-like humanoids that used illusions to confuse and trap their prey. They had raw trickery, lacking finesse, but equally horrifying, capturing voices and screamings but being unable to mimic speech. They were masters of sound and used magical mist and distortions to lead people into objects and then used the sensations to match illusions. I used a stronger version of Wood Wide Web to find them and then brought vines and moss and plants alive, wrapping them around the beasts legsconfining them in capture before bringing them back. Mira found the rest a horrible experience worthy of grim A Clockwork Orange. I tied the creatures up as Reta taught them how to speak and mimic emotions. Years later, she set them loose, allowing them to return to their brethren and teach them what they learned. Then, we waited for years for these teachings to reach the new generation, and sure enough, the Walka beasts were using intelligent illusions to gruesome effect. Are you ready? Reta asked. I nodded. Lets begin. I returned to the forest and slaughtered thousands of them, using soulmancy to confine their souls to the deadly plants in the bramble. Each plant was forcefully crafted into a reaper containing the souls of these terrifying beasts before Yakana, and I nodded and took to the forest. During this period, Yakana slaughtered thousands of beasts, tethering their souls to the river as an artificial fog. From the beginning, Yakana spent the ears carving statues of his prior commanders and friends on the way to Aelium, immortalizing them. The first became Harlan''s Pillarthe illusionary pillar that guides people to the Empyrean Steps that lead to Aelium. The steps led to a world of giants and primordial beasts, so Yakana made the statues giants as he killed these beasts and chained their souls to the Brute River. This continued all the way till he reached Aeliumthe Land of Reconciliation. It was a world as beautiful as Serenflora, filled exclusively with mana and soul plants that radiated light. It extended for miles with gnarled trees, a perfect land for elves. Unsurprisingly, it was the true home of the Drokai and another creature called Ragmonds, small, intelligent, bearish creatures with hands. They could walk and build but chose to walk on all fours with travel. They had built a civilization within it. I visited this place with Yakana before we split off to fight the invasion that had since started in the Fourth Ring between the Drokai and the invaders. Yakana and I had both evolved to a fourth evolution at that point and could no longer return to the Fourth Ring to help them, so we stayed in the fifth domain. I took a shortcut to the Sixth Ring north of Aelium, and Yakana moved down the steps and through Misty Row, taking up shelter in the Jacksa Delta, where he would later fight with Jacksmore the Little. While he moved, I met with Erisa, the queen of the Drokai, in Aelium and planted Escalas seed on Sakana, the beautiful golden tree in the center of Aelium. It was also the guardian of the forest, a treant of colossal caliberterrifying to see come alive. Due to my establishing Serenflora, helping the Drokai, and protecting the forest, I was welcomed with open arms. Where will you go? asked Erisa when I tried to leave. To the Sixth Ring to create my final Bramble, Brindle said. You are not strong enough, she said. Then teach me. For the next two centuries, I fought fourth and fifth evolution beasts with her aid, working on my soulmancy. Since I was pushed to the edge, I used every spell I had, allowing Mira to learn all the tricks of my trade. She learned how to fuse beasts, alter minds, and corrupt souls. She learned how to connect roots and communicate with others through long-range telepathy. She learned how to create weapons of pure aura, deceive animals, and bring colossal omoxillians to life. Mira had no hope of learning tens of thousands of years worth of magic at once, despite the powerful elixir attuning my soul to hers, but she soaked up more of it than she ever found possible. She wanted to keep learning this way forever but the Jacksmore war was in full bloom by then. Yakana used an arrow around that time to create Harrowed Pass and use corrupted souls from the Keliam Riverwhere the crypt wasto attack Jacksmore the Little on the Jacksa Delta. The war was commencing, and time was running out. So I began work on the Crown of Thornsmy Sixth Ring brambleand while Mira would never see it be used, she understood why the Jacksmore War ended. It was just that powerful. Yet it came at a cost. I was too late to return and found that Yakana had wiped out most of Trantam the Greats armythe successor to Jacksmore the Little. He did so, saving Aelium from a massive attackbut did so at the cost of his life. For the first time in my life, I felt sadnessor what Yakana described to me as sadnessa deep sense of loss. And without even questioning my motives, I spent the fifty years following the war collecting as much of Yakanas soul as I could find and then, much later, fulfilled his wish to protect the forest in death. ------- I suddenly woke up as Mira, Mira Hill, not Brindle Grask, Mira Hill, Mira Isabella Hill, Mira girl-stuck-in-a-bathtub Hill, heart pumping, lungs gasping, listening to the sound of roaring and screeching again. Yet it didnt come from the water. The water was still, and the souls on the surface were calm. I looked around and Kline wasnt there. I dunked my head to clear my mind, and Yakana said: Concentrate, Whats going on? I cried. Nothing of your concern. Your friend has it covered. Felio? No. Your beast tamer. Now calm down and consolidate your gains before losing them. Repeat after me. I didnt trust Aiden with my or Felios life, but I did trust Yakana and Kline, so I lay and drifted off into another state of assimilation. I experienced no memories, only trained and trained and trained through mental simulations in my brainleaving Aiden and Kline and the lurvine to deal with whatever was going on outside. Chapter 142 - Nearan Extraction Whatever Mira did, it angered the entire forest. Thats how it felt, anyway. Felio had been terrified since the third evolution beasts roared and hollered all around them, and Mira was nowhere to be found. Or rather, Mira, her protector, was locked in her bathhouse when they attacked. Cassain and her troop prepared to defend them with their lives, fearing death, circling the campsite with the lurvineyelling at Felio to go inside. Yet Felio couldnt move. She was terrified, trembling, and coldfrozen. Then he came. Dont worry, Aiden said as he approached. He rubbed his hands together and shimmied his shoulders. Son of a bitch. I knew I shouldve brought a better coat. Are you really clowning? Cassian hissed. Relax, he said. The lurvine can handle thisand weve got Kline in reserve. Yes, but theres an army of them! another guard snapped. Even if you can handle them, you cant defend us on all sides. Shes right, Asail said. And you cant fight freely if youre protecting people. Aiden groaned and rubbed his eyes. Let me ask you somethingwhat am I? Cassain turned to him. A beast tamer. Yeah, a beast tamer. Aiden turned to the lurvines. And what are these? Aiden closed his eyes, and all the lurvines erupted with power that made the pressure from the beasts around them pale by comparison. He was augmenting their power with a spell, and the whole army of approaching beasts retreated a few steps. It wasnt just that. The lurvines power was also significantly cleaner than when the guards saw them fight the Cackling Kings, indicating that Aiden had also tuned and refined their cores. Like Aiden yawned. Do you really think I came here to do nothing all day? Guh. Whatever. Ryn. Vindicate me. The second smallest lurvine erupted in flames and then blitzed into the dark forest. The enemy beasts hiding in the darkness were suddenly illuminated by the flames, and when Ryn reached them, flames shot out in a chain reactionengulfing beasts. She then flew forward, grabbed a beast twice her size by its throat, and ripped it out. Thank God something happened, Aiden said. Ive been feeling like a leech. Beasts charged on all sides, and Kael howled, sending all but Sina rushing into the forest in a star formation. Their bodies were engulfed by flames as they bit, scratched, and clawed. Through it all, Kline stood in front of the bathhouseprotecting his partner with absolute strength of will. It was a massacreseven peak third evolution beasts, each augmented and refined by a powerful beast tamerkilled over thirty third-evolution beasts in five minutes. Felio had never seen such a one-sided fighteven from Mira. Felio turned and saw Aiden wearing a serious expression. For all his bravado and theatrics, he was actually focusedensuring they were safe. It felt like she had noticed him for the first time. 2. Mira remained in the bathhouse long after the fight, but judging by the way that Kline entered and exited every hour without a changed expression, Felio knew she was fine. Despite that, Cassian wasnt thrilled. Theres a lot of soul force coming from that bathtub, Cassain said at breakfast. The elixirs in there, and thats mostly neara, I think, Felio said. No, I can see that just finetheres something else, too, Cassain said. Its like shes bathing with powerful beasts in there. I noticed that, too, Asail said. God, its soulmancy, Aiden bent two fingers in a quotation mark gesture. Get over it. The atmosphere shifted for the gloomy, and he rolled his eyes. Seriously, he said. Her soul core gives her ridiculous power. This meat gives everyone who eats it ridiculous power. That neara those elixirs. Theres so much power in what you call soulmancy that its absurd. And were in a forest full of souls. Did you really think she wouldnt utilize it while living here? Cassain looked away bitterly. Look, the grieves are coming, Aiden said. And you knew that. He looked at Felio. Your parents knew that. Everyone knew that. And Miras kind enough to avoid saying a word about it. So just accept the truth and stop prying. The more you question it, the less soulastically secure your deniability becomes. So just chill. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Asail swallowed. Thats true, but The grieves destroy planets. Weak planets, Aiden said boldly. They destroy weak planets. This planet has a tenth evolution god just chillin on a floating island in the Fifth Domain, and theres a dozen other ninth evs surrounding her. Dronami is the highest exporter of beauty products on this side of the multiverse, its a powerhouse in information gathering, and theres all sorts of other sketchy shit that must be happening to keep this place going because gods just gravitate here for seemingly no reason at all. Its weak for resources, its cramped, theres no space, and you cant conquer galaxies. Theyre just chillin here. You get how strange that is, right? Felio stopped drinking her tea, confused by Aidens foray into multiversal politics. The others were equally surprised. Im a Claustra, Aiden said. An accidental Claustra, but a Claustra nonetheless. And because of that, Ive been made privy to this places inner workings. And I can tell you that the grieves are coming, and theyre gonna find out real quick that they cant just bully us around. Besides He looked to the bathhouse where Mira was. Mira can take care of herself. Do you know something we dont? Asail asked. Whats there to know? he asked. You watched her kill off a mercenary core like it was nothing, right? After this and that other elixir y''all are screwed. A few more years of this and even Hadrianll look like a kitten to herand itll be at least a few years for them to get hereif not twenty. By that point? Aiden laughed. Oh God. Its all Brexton talks about. Felio didnt see Mira kill the mercenaries, so she didnt know how strong she really was. But now she had a new appreciation for Miras strength. Aiden leaned back. So just chill. Let er do her thing. Stay in your room if you feel like shes doin anything sketchy, and enjoy the rodeo. Worst case scenario, you have to live here till the grieves are gone. And seriously. Compared to Theovale, this places a dream. 3. The Helix of Annihilation made the Reaina elixir feel like a root canal in comparison. It was smooth and gentle till the end. I lived through Brindles memories, learned his magic, and then disappeared into illusionary worlds where I could practice them. Or at least I thought I could. There was real mana in my veins, but whether it was real magic or just a dream that connected magic pathways was unclear. I just disappeared into that active dream, walking the path of a soulmancer, experiencing Brindles world and his memories. I could now understand why he told me to take a full liter if Yakana helped me. He knew that he had given me the key to survival within Kiras soul. If Yakana trusted me enough to show me this gift, it meant that he could trust me, too. I accepted his gift with gratitude, and when it ran out, I felt a deep urge to leave the water and sleep. The water was crisp and clear, hovering with souls that were no longer screaming. In fact, they no longer held a form. They had just dissipated into a thin layer of soul fog. Good night, I thought as I ran my finger through the mist. I sucked all the souls into my fingertips, and when the sphere formed in my handit burst into a million prisms under my mana sight like shattered glassdrifting into the wind as raw mana. Wait I thought in horror. Did I just harmonize them? My body shivered with anxiety when I realized what I had done. I just deleted a soul its real. Brindles powerI had assimilated it. Or at least a portion of it. I touched my chest and pulled out a ball of soul force. It was Kira. I broke her apart into aura and neara and then pieced her back together with absolute confidence. No way I suddenly felt weak, and when I noticed Klinehis glittering eyes perked up. He hopped through the barrier and then paused when he realized how much emotion he was showing. He turned his nose sharply and tried to walk away, but I scooped him into my arms, still wet, as he yowled and cried. Oh, calm down, you baby, I said. I dried us both with Dessicate and then put him down. Lets I yawned weakly. Go to bed. At least, thats what I wanted to do. When I walked out, my eyes trembled when I saw Cassain and the guards butchering over thirty massive beasts in the blistering cold. What the fuck? 4. Felio recounted what happened to me as Aiden shrugged and drank from his flask. Stop treating it so lightly, I said to him. Why? he asked. Thats what you do. Well, Im different, I declared. Spoken like a true adult. He took another drink. It was a good point, so I sat in awkward silence, waiting for someone to ask what happened. No one did, so I offered it up. I killed a lotta third evolution beasts, I said. They mustve teamed up when I was down again to finish me off. I trust you, Cassain said unconvincingly. And even if there was a reason, I dont want to know. All that matters is that were safeand your lurvine ensured that. Aiden lifted his flask to me, and I understood; they saw the witchcraft and didnt want to discuss it. I was thankful. Okay I said. Lets build ourselves a skinning hut. We dont want to keep in the cold. I needed to learn how to extract neara from soul meat, so the huge influx was a boon. So I went outside and found the largest tree away from the camp and dug a cave into the trunk to block the wind. Then the lurvines dragged the beasts in, and we sat around like Imuits in the snowstorm, butchering meat until we had huge stacks lined up in the natural refrigerator outside. During that period, I went to my soul cooking skill and looked up how to extract neara, and when I read the description, my eyes deadened. Well, obviously, I thought, as if the description was fundamental to the point of stupidity. It wasnt until I extracted all the aura from a two-hundred-pound block of third-evolution meat in one rope, threading it with absurd speed, that I realized something was very wrong. What the hell I then looked around to make sure no one was watching and then effortlessly pulled out the nearan types responsible for memories and emotions and threw them into the wind as if they were completely inconsequential. This is so cheating Is everything fine? Felio asked. I was cleansing the meat before cutting and I suddenly stopped. Yeah, I said. Its just that thiss gotten remarkably easier since taking that elixir. Everyone turned to me. I think I should be able to work on the neara, I said. So Ill be leaving some meat aside to practice. Cassains ears perked up with curiosity. What are you doing? Im saving the neara, I explained. Usually, you unwrap the external aura and then blend the neara because theres memories and emotions wrapped in it. But with this much control, I should be able to remove only the memories and emotions, leaving the neara that supercharges your brain. Imagine like. How do I put this? Imagine that Reaina Elixir. Itll be like taking one of those every time you eat. The cave fell still, leaving nothing but the howling wind. I grinned. Trust me, I said. By the time you leave here, youll feel like a god. Chapter 143 - Dreams and Soulmancy Just as aura gives you natural armor and increases your strength, neara shields the mind and makes it perform better. Its like steroids for your mind without any backlash, as it is, in itself, a workout. I found that out that night when I took a bite of nearan meat when everyone fell asleep and was blasted with sensations far, far worse than Mental Shielding. I activated Mental Shielding to avoid the backlash, but I still felt like my mind was on fire, and I regretted going straight for third evolution meat even in low quantities. It was truly bizarre to have that experience after the last elixirs I had. Im not sure what I expectedbut it was not that. Yet once it was done, my mind was left with the runners high of mental exhaustion, and for the first time in a long while, I willingly went to sleep. In my dreams, I awoke in a second life in a world that I could create, much like when I took the Reaina Elixir. It put me in control to create anything and everything, and when I asked for people, it created them to speak to me. Heya, a man said in a city I built. You must be the new girl. I cant believe this is a dream, I said. \I wish it wasnt. Just one thought, and Id be blown to smithereens. I thought about that possibility, and his body actually exploded and I screamed, closing my eyes, and then suddenly, all the hot blood on me disappeared and I was back in the void, and when I asked where the city went, it returned. The sounds and smells and tastes. So thiss why Reta sleeps, I thought. This worlds messed up, so shes made her own I walked through this world, turning buildings into large trees, clocks into gnarled wreaths, and steampunk trains into rotting logs. I filled the world with colossal beasts and had them stalk through my new forest. I cloned my body a thousand times, seeing if the last one was weaving through small details as well as the first, and found it so. And when I suddenly woke, I took heaving breaths, annoying Kline, who tried to snuggle but failed and whined, jumping off the bed to find a new location away from the lurvine. Sina woke and looked up at me. I said, Go back to sleep But she didnt. Instead, she watched as I created small illusions of people in the sky and grimaced at their lack of details. Hadrian and Brexton and Reasan were easy to copy in detail, but if I were just trying to create a random face, it wouldnt work. I guess its just showing whats possible But I wonder. I closed my eyes and tried to remember that mans face in my dreams. The details. The grooves on his forehead. The creases in his clothing. The backdrop he was in. Once I did that, his body came to life, details and all, right before me. I stared at it with a grin. So I can replicate the things I dream about. I guess that''s why its called Dreamscape. I felt so much excitement over the prospect that I didnt notice that Kline and the lurvines were staring at me. When I turned to them, I smiled sheepishly. Lets get some second evolution meat. This nearan meat is I laughed. Good. Its real good. They stood up, and I checked the time. 3:24 a.m. Thats soon enough, I said. I felt energized and awake and antsy as I waited for my little furry friends to stretch up and take full size. Then we left three lurvines on guard and flew through the forest, determined to get some prey. Felio exited her tree at sunrise to find me. It was cold outside, but she bore it and found herself in my cave as I skinned some beasts. Why are you? she whispered. When did you? Why? Thats a lot of questions, but look what we found. I picked up a shalk. I found a little tribe. First evs. Perfect for nearan practice. And Im pretty sure you can eat it. Now come help me. The sooner we do, the sooner we can have a hot bath. Felio groaned and rubbed her eyes and lamented everything, but she said, Okay, and went back into her house. She didnt make it five minutes alone before being surrounded by Cassain and the rest of the guards. I sighed. Well, we could use some help. An hour later, we had skinned and butchered the shalks, and I had threaded the external aura and removed the bad parts of the neara. Hey, I said. I think that all soul anythings are kinda secret, right? Lithco calls me a prodigy, or that I have an aptitude for it. But Im scared thatll, you know, kill me. Weve already made that pact, Cassain said. So dont hold back. Just dont demonstrate anything that would implicate you as more than a soul cook or a threader. Well, in that case I lifted the shalk meat. I assure you that thiss safe. And itll blow your mind. Asail grimaced and looked at Cassain, who stared at the meat and then me and then Felio. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Ill eat it first, I said. Ill eat half, hand it off to you, and you can wait a few days. Deal? They reluctantly agreed, and an hour later, I had cooked half the shalk into a stew and was eating it with a feeling of energized euphoria. Thiss almost enjoyable I thought. Third ev is a whole different animal. A few days later, Felio and the guards had a very different experience. Felio cried out in pain and a few other guards panicked and the whole thing would''ve gone sideways if it weren''t for Cassain and Asail, the most experienced of the guards, having strong nearan channels after over a century of life and strength-building. Cassain finished first and held Felio until it was over, and they all went to bed. But the next morning, everything had changed. Felio walked into my home with the widest eyes I''ve ever seen and said, "I can see everything." She was so serious that I couldn''t help but burst into overwhelming laughter, and she pouted and cried, "I''m being serious! I can really see everything. The... um... details! I can see the details!" The outburst only made it funnier, and so it took a while to calm down. But during breakfast, when I ate more, I offered it to her and started laughing again. "Want to see everything again?" I asked. She didn''t find it funny. That morning after breakfast, I stood and stretched and looked at Felio. You wanna do some alchemy? Felio giggled at my lax mindset and said, Sure. After that, we had nothing else to do for the winter, and I was done with my power-ups, so Felio spent the late winter teaching me alchemy in preparation for spring. As the plants grew and the snow disappeared, Felio and I spent six hours a day exploring the outside world, with her riding on Sina as I walked around. Cassain and Asail took turns accompanying us, bored to tears as we talked about different plants. Yet Cassain was sharp and knew when to weave in and out, and she always caught me when I subconsciously used Brindles magic. Whys there haircap here? Felio would ask, crouching before certain moss. Whats a haircap? Cassain asked dryly, kindly allowing her to geek out despite probably knowing what it was, anyway. Haircap isnt a species, its a type, she said. And this ones known for thriving in arid ground. Its great for dry climates because it doesn''t have roots. It has what are known as rhizoids that are kinda like mushrooms. They can sink deep underground to find water. But this place She looked into the forest and found that it was covered in grass and stems. Its not arid at all. I put my hand on the ground and used some spell I didnt even knowassuming it was a spell at all. It was just a form of mana penetration that went underground to discover nutrients. Its because I turned and walked up to the ground cover and frowned. This things soakin it all up. I kicked the plant almost aggressively. I used the guide to read the description. --- Name: Tragla Description: Nicknamed the water hog, this invasive weed has absolutely no purpose in this forest other than to bully smaller, more useful plants into leaving their home or dying. Kill it. I know you want to. --- Yep. I used Kira to create a hoe out of aura and ripped up the ground. What are you doing? Felio cried. Gardening, I said. Felios lips pursed together, and she giggled. Areswood? Youre gardening Areswood? Proudly, I said. I thought it was normal, but Cassain watched me like a hawk. On the way back, I could feel her gaze, so I said, You can just ask, you know. Forgive me, Cassain said. Im just curious what spell you used back there. Its just a spell for tracking moisture. I opened up my menu and asked Lithco what spell could do that. He answered, and I read the name he gave me aloud: Moisture Measure. Real stupid name. Im guessing it doesnt have a real name and its part of a bigger spell. Yeah Cassain said. But why did you learn it? Its a horticulture skill. I felt an icy chill wash down my back. Nothing gets past this woman. Its annoying. I learned it during the winter, I said. It might not look it, but Im actually here to study plants. And since I have a huge surplus of rewards at any given time, I feed my interests without holding back. Oh Cassain nodded. Thank you for sating my curiosity. As we walked, I thought about it. Is it really worth worrying about? I obviously learned it, but theres no way anyone could know how I pushed it aside and went on. In the late afternoons, I traveled to the river to play with the souls, separating them, binding them, and pulling one out and putting it into a plant. I found some things challenging, as if I were rusty, but as I practiced, I realized that I could put real souls into plants, reinforce them, and bring them to life, wiggling and screeching and trying to break free. Then, I could pull out their souls and harmonize them. No cleansing necessary. I could simply skip that stage and break down their souls and release them into the air. What a beautiful power I said. A flashback of Brindle corrupting a strong soul he pulled out of his core and forcefully shoving it into the core of a colossus in the Sixth Domain flashed across my mind. I watched the way it broke the beasts mind, body, and soul and sent it into seizures as Brindle restrained its body with roots and trees and killed it with a blade of aura. And terrifying I returned home after that and found Felio in the alchemy shop, swooning with delight as she roamed around. When I walked in, she quit humming and smiled. You wanna learn some alchemy? she said. I might be nervous about messing up your elixir, but if you tell me what you need to do, I can teach you. My heart suddenly soared. Please! And so Felio taught me. I requested a meeting with Elana simply to ask what processes I needed to learn, and she came out for five minutes, complaining all the time, to give me a list. But I could tell she appreciated the initiative, and we continued on. We ate nearan meat every day, and I could feel my mind growing stronger. And after dinner, I entertained my guests with images of Earth and its weird cultures. I enjoyed watching Cassains face blush and squirm and crumble when I showed her beaches and bikinis and other normal yet crude cultures unfit for Dronamis culture. Aiden sat there all the while, egging them on, having me show them movies and rocket ships and planes and all the things from Earth. Then, we would wake up for breakfast and do it all over again. It seemed like I blinked, and suddenly, I was touring the guard station that Cassain and the guards had built, having Kira help create furniture and set up arrays to heat and cool it. It was about that time that my alchemic exploits were bearing fruit, and I knew that by summer, I would be in a better place to attempt the elixir. As for the treskiritaI now knew what to do. There wasnt any guesswork. There werent any internal disagreements about digging it up or speaking to it or injecting it with a corrupted soul. I knew what to dobecause Brindle taught me what to do. Yet I was afraid, and thats all there was to it. I lay in bed at the end of the spring and lamented it. Theres no sense in trying to tell something to stop eating, I thought about the soul-harvesting mushroom. And if I corrupt it, itll just spread the corruption to Yakana. That means I have to lure it out. And to do that I grimaced. I need a fourth evolution soul. Chapter 144 - The Case for Poisons Fighting a fourth evolution soul was just as dangerous as it sounded. Obviously. Through Brindles memories, I had seen these souls, and while he handled them with the ease I handled second-evolution beasts, I was not, in fact, Brindle. Obviously. This was an important distinction. And for the record, I couldnt even replicate the things that Brindle did when fighting because I didnt have the mana or soul core necessary. I didnt have the muscle memory, either. I didnt have anything. Even with all my advantages, it would be a very, very long time before I obtained even a fraction of his power. He didnt live here for sixty thousand years for nothing. Yet it was undeniable that my advantagesmy Kyfer core and evolved cores were far stronger than his likely had been. I had god-level resources, an epic weapon, Brindles memories, the Anima Numina elixirsinsights. So it wasnt unreasonable to think that I could at least kill a fourth evolution beast. Right? I wasnt surebut I was going to plan and prepare. Hey, Lithco, I said one night. Can you add highlighting to show which poisons will kill fourth evolution beasts? I wont alter the highlighting system just to help you kill yourself, Lithco said. There was no flashjust seriousness. Its a requirement, I said. You saw Brindles tribute, right? I did, he said. And I recall giving you solutions. Poor solutions, I said. I talked to Yakana. Corrupting it with a soul could spread the corruption to the soul. Ripping it out of the ground at this point would be impossible and you cant convince a beast to stop eating meat by offering it a salad. Three solutionsall impossible. So if Im going to fulfill Brindles requirement and fulfill my soul pact and tribute, I have to. Lithco scoffed. Well? Youre going to get yourself killed over a soul pact with a plant. I hope youre satisfied. Fucking idiot. I glared at him, but his eyes narrowed, and I relented. I happen to like Yakana, I said. And I resent being used to hurt him. And now youre going to kill yourself? he asked. Cause thats what youre doing. I took a deep breath. Well, whats done is done. Are you helping me or not? He ran his fingers through his hair. Done. Known poisons that can kill higher-level beings are highlighted in crimson. Lower level poisons that can stun or harm beasts are in bright red. Thanks, I said. You asking for my help this time? he asked. I thought about it. Yeah. Ill be asking you for a map of flying beasts. Im just going to follow the Diktyo past Harrowed Pass. With any luck, Ill find a ground beast I can snipe from the sky with poison hurricane arrows. Lithco considered it. Well, if any idiot can kill three evolutions above their station, its probably the girl with a soul bow, limitless mana, and wings. I nodded. Well, first, Ill recommend this skill, Lithco said. Its free with a reward. I studied the screen in a state of perplexity. - Skill: Core Bleeding Description: Drain mana cores to augment your attacks. - Hey um I paused. Not to be weird, but the last time Kyro did this, he jacked up his hands pretty badly. No, Lithco said. Kyro did this with soul cores, which is like holding dry ice with your bare hands and then sucking liquid nitrogen from them. Mana bleeding is different. It feeds mana directly to your core, and since your core cleans mana without resistance, its theoretically possible that you could drain an entire third evolution core without resistance. Well, there will be spell backlash, but it wouldnt be from your core. Uh what? I asked with a gaping mouth. Yes, you heard that correctly, he said. And if you ask me, if these gods want you to save their forest, theyll have to accept you nuking one of these fuckers with an annihilation ray. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. I chuckled, slowly at first and then with increasing intensity. Lithco. If I did that, I couldnt collect its soul. Then get close enough and then annihilate an entire meadow or something, Lithco said. Youre underestimating the power differential between third and fourth evolution beasts. If you want to fight one without getting obliterated, you better nuke one and pray it stays alive, or you need to evolve. And I can tell you right now, if you evolve now, youre going to take a piss on all your gains. So get the techniqueand nuke it. I dont care how you nuke it just nuke it. I sighed and accepted the skill. Teach me. The next morning, I flew a few miles away from my village. Then, I pulled out a first evolution core. As I chanted, the energy left it and entered my own. Its just like threading, I thought. No its not, Lithco said. It applies the same principle, but you never thread it. You just spin the mana around your core and release it onto the right path. If you dont, the mana will build up and cause you serious damage. Great, I responded. Im glad youre looking out for me. I dont want to hear it, he said. I grumbled, but I practiced. When I failed, I threaded the mana around my core. That was smooth, Lithco said. Its pretty natural, I said. That elixirs made threading significantly easier. I can thread a second evolution core in an hour. A third in five or six. Well, then theres hope for you yet. I didnt get used to it on the first day. Or the second. Or the third. But on the fourth, I was finally able to move mana through the channels I chose while bleeding the cores. Once I learned how to release it, I charged up a hurricane arrow while draining a first evolution core, and the hurricane sphere ballooned to the size of a beach ball. When I released it, it ripped through multiple trees, sending them spinning and flying into other trees with a terrifying crash. Well then, Lithco said. Now imagine that, but think Death Star. You realize that Ill alert the entire forest if I do this, right? I asked. Well, yes, Lithco said. But its better than guaranteed death. I sighed and pulled out a second evolution core and said, How about instead of water, I nuke the river with death spores? Lithco laughed. And then go in there yourself? I sighed. Whatre the chances of tricking these beasts with illusions? One hundred percent, he said. If if you knew what the beast cares about. How they perceive the world. Whether they can see mana or soul force. Fourth evs are a completely different breed. Not only do they possess magic, sometimes multiple types, but they also have stronger intelligence and power. I know I thought. But Its hard to watch things through Brindles eyes because his brain could process them in ways that made it possible for me to keep up. And his strength was so absolute that it never felt like a fight until he was facing entities that crushed entire valleys. The enemies grew fewer yet vastly stronger. I knew this, but it was still hard for me to process. Okay I said. I think Ive finally admitted that Im out of my league. So instead why not bait one with poison? You did hear the part about intelligence, right? he asked. Of course, I said. So well just treat them like humans. And well I pondered it for a while and said, Humans are super egotistical toward weaker prey, right? Maybe we can I got a pretty terrible idea, and when I threw it past Lithco, he said, Its not what I wouldve recommended, but if you can pull it off who knows. I smirked and continued my annihilation ray practice. That was my backup plan.
If you ever need to announce to your guests that youll need to step out to kill a colossus and to not expect you back that night or really ever just dont. It just sucks. I sat around the dinner table, avoiding life, picking at my food and when the awkward conversation got too much, I blurted out the truth. Im killing a fourth evolution beast this week. If I die, the lurvine will take care of you. At least, thats what I think I shouldve done. Or, actually, not. There was simply no rational way to put things, so I pulled the classic left for a pack of cigarettes and never returned move and said: Ill be going on a trip soon. Ill be gone for a few days. Cassain put down her fork. Wherere you going? I didnt find those snowblooms, so Im going north to find something else, I said. North Felio said. Arent we near the top? Not really, I said. The Diktyo goes up for probably twenty miles or so before it even reaches the Keliam River. And then theres still a bit through Harrowed Pass before it hits the Fifth Domain. Youre rather comfortable with that information, Asail said casually. Last year, my tribute required me to enter the Fifth Domain, I said. Half the guards dropped their forks. I shrugged. Look, guys. I have a god supplying me with extraordinary wealth and power, but that comes with a serious price. So yeah, you should expect this. Especially considering that Im required to go there next year. Felio bit her lip. What about tomorrow? Nowhere tomorrow, I said. Before I go, Ill need your help. Well, if you got the guts for it. Cause the alchemy Im doing is really, really dangerous. The guards protested, but Felios eyes were set ablaze. I dont care what it is, she said. Lets do it.
One does not simply make poisons. The reason why is quite simple: if theyre good enough to kill your enemies, theyre good enough to kill you. And the stuff we were making was designed to poison beasts the size of blue whales that ate people. To make these poisons, we obtained a lot of equipmentgas masks, filters, and portable domains. Felio also set up domain wards that kept fumes localized. Thisll keep the fumes contained, she said. But if you prick your finger, youre still in trouble. Well, then avoid it, I said. Cause Diktyo cant cure what were working with. Excuse me, what? she asked. Plants are loosely ranked, I said. For example, wisteris is ranked at third evolution, and Diktyo only clears poisons up to two. Beyond that, you need stronger antidotes. Anyway, Im not ever planning to let either of us touch this stuff, but make sure you stay away from it. Felio nodded. Okay so what are we making? Dunno, I said. Lets go search for the gnarliest poisons this ring has to offer. I just got an upgrade that shows me layers of toxicityand its the best thing ever. Chapter 145 - Making Poisons If fruit is natures way of saying, Ill reward you for spreading my seeds, poisonous plants are its way of saying, Get used to me, cause Im the only option you have. Thats not completely true, but its generally true. Poisonous plants produce poison to prevent getting eaten or knocked down. They produce poison that poisons the soil to tell other plants, Buzz offthese are my nutrients! and ward off fungus and parasites. This comes at the expense of lower reproduction rates. Whereas animals eat berries and poop them out miles away with ease, these nasty suckers often create pods that literally explode to fling the seeds, use the wind to disperse the seeds, live near water to send off seeds like coconuts, or merely drop them and say, I did my job. Hopefully something kicks them around this year. So yeah, theyre generally the opposite of fruits. The question is: why are some plants more deadly than others? There are many reasons. Sometimes its just an evolutionary dice roll that just happened to make plants more poisonous, but the main reason is to you know actually work. After a year of eating aura and neara, my body flushed toxins faster than any bacteria could take root, and my stomach lining was harder and stronger than steel when it needed to be. I could eat hemlock and be fine. And when all the beasts can eat hemlock, the hemlock needs to get deadlier to prevent the plants from being eaten or trampled. So its not necessarily that Areswood Forest was particularly poisonousit was simply that its weakest poisonous plants had to be horrific by Earths scale just to survive. And just as Earth created freakish abominations like the manchineel tree, where the fruit, leaves, bark, and sap were horrifically poisonous, and eating the apples causes severe mouth blistering, and being near it when it rains could blister your skill (and eyes if you touch them), this forest created some freakish entities that could kill creatures up to the realm of demigods. So yeah, it was poisonous as fuckand I knew it was poisonous fuck, but it realize how poisonous as fuck it was until Litcho added a poison scale and suddenly the neon purple plants were rarely just neon purple. They were red and crimson, signs that they could kill third and fourth evolution creatures. Okay then I said as I approached a bush. Stay away from this thing. Is it really poisonous? I read the description. Itll cause acute paralysis if you just touch it. And youre touching it? she cried. Of course not! I said. Have you forgotten? I have Kira. Shes like a cheat code for life here. Kira walked out like a runway model, posing twice for Felio as she cut the plant with shears and put it into a preservation chamber and handed it to me. Thats so not fair, Felio said. Of course its not, I said. If it were, I would die. Felio giggled and said, Whatre we doing now? Well, first Im giving you a warning not to tell Cassain. Felio covered her mouth as she giggled. Next, were gonna find some burrs, I said. Burrs are seed pods that are spiky and stick to a persons jeans or an animals fur like velcro. Its their genius method of spreading seeds far and wide. Theyre also annoying as hell. Oh I see! So youre going to poison the burrs and have Kira lob them like steel balls at it? Or actually, I dont see at all. I kinda get it but not at all. Im not sure if you could visualize it even if I explained it. But lets just say Im not getting near it. Thats the main thing. Felio nodded solemnly, and I said: Come on. We gotta find some burrs. Actually Thiss gonna feel like a chore. Lithco. Give me the best poison recipe for this plant and use an info request to show me where the ingredients are, plus the burrs. Lithco sent me a list, and we simply hiked to the next location. So? Felio asked. When am I gonna meet your Guide? I snorted. Never. Oh, come on! she cried. Maybe when youre older, I said. Im older than you are! Where Im from, that saying means, Never. She pouted. Maybe when I return, I said. Which wont be long. When are you doing it? she asked. The second Im done, I said. Its gonna take a few days. Maybe weeks Its not exactly a do it at will sorta plan. Well thats relieving, she said. It is. Now lets make some poisons. We returned to the lab, and she asked, Okay. Whats the game plan? Well, the odds that I can pierce something strongs hide is out of the question, I said. So what I was thinking is something that can bypass fur and absorb through skin. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. So a skinseep, she said. Yeah, a skinseep, I said. One that can break alotta fur. So, I was thinking of adding a surfactant. Maybe just soap. Soap breaks surface tension, which would allow the barbs to actually move past the fur and reach the skin. But if theres a surfactant on the barbs it might not stick she said. Unless youre just adding it to the poison? Thats the one, I said. Somehow we gotta distill the oil from this plant, dilute it with water but not too much water, and mix it with soap so when the burr breaks on this thing''s fur, the poison splashes onto the skin. Water helps pass the bodys membranes to allow the poisons to reach inside the skin; then, the oils stick to fat, which keeps the poisons present. And while I got a recipe to do this, I said. Actually doing it is a different matter. And thats what Im here for, she said. Can you show me the recipe? How do I do that? She clapped her hands. Bring out your Guide! Absolutely not, I said. Ill bring out mine, she said. I Whatever. Lithco. Come out. Yes, mistress, Lithco said as he walked through the flap door of the alchemy like a gentleman. My entire face spasmed. Ooooh! Felio said. Polite and handsome! Strange attire but Thank you, Lady Helara, he said as he approached. Oh, no, I said. Hes neither. Actually, handsome eh. But polite? Absolutely not. And those clothes? He looks like Edgar Allen Poe. Whos that? Felio asked. Someone quite handsome, Lithco said. He wasnt handsome! And I dont look like him, Lithco said. Im clearly modeled after the Roaring Twenties. Poe looked like a beggar who just so happened to live in a stylish era. I rolled my eyes, and Felio giggled. You two are close, she said. He tucks me in and reads to me at bedtime, I said. Now, can you bring it yours? Oh, sure! Felio said. Keenai. A kid around thirteen suddenly appeared, sitting on one of the counters. He lifted his hand. Hey. That was it. Hey. So chill, I said. Maybe I shouldve asked for someone who talked less. Im not sure if thats the best idea, Keenai said. I talk the same amount when Im asked questions. Its just that Felio keeps me out around the clock, so I have to be quiet. Keenai! Felio cried. What? he said. She clearly finds it cute. I practically had a grinch smile when I learned that Felio had her guide out at all times. I just dont like to be alone, Felio whispered. And thats perfectly normal, Lithco said, turning to me. Perhaps you should Id rather die, I said. Now can we make some poisons? God, youre like one of those toxic lovers whos ashamed to show off their partner to their family and friends. I pouted. It really was like that, but Youre not my lover, I said. I designed you to be intentionally rude and critical of me. Who would want to have someone around like that when they have guests? What? Felio cried with a bright smile. You asked him to be rude? She did, Lithco said. And she doesnt even have daddy issues. Strange, right? I trembled, feeling picked on. Ah, its cool, Felio said. But why? To keep her alive, Keenai said. If you ask me, its genius. I frowned. Isnt it kinda normal? Not really, he said. Most people pick enablers or trainers. People who tell them what they want, or people who instruct them like teachers or coaches. Theres not a lot of people who pick counterweights specifically designed to adapt to their personality, let alone for practical purposes. I blushed slightly. Well the world was exploding and I needed answers. But Whatever. Can we make some poisons now? Lithco smirked. I suppose. Lady Helara, if you would. I humbly suggest you let Kira and Mira desiccate and crush the plant. You can create the safety domains and prepare for distillation. Well take it one step at a time. I like him! Felio said. Suck up, I grumbled to him and we began. Two hours later, I was staring at three liters of transparent liquid. Its hard to believe this is poison I muttered. Let alone I read my pop-up: - Congratulations! You have made your first Fourth Evolution poison. Name: Deadly Craskina Description: Nicknamed the Frozen Moment by yours truly, this poison seeps through the skin and causes instant paralysis to lower beings, including the seizing of the heart and other organs. To a fourth evolution beast, it will have a smaller effect due to their size and cleansing ability, but it will certainly slow or kill them. P.S.: Its technically a Fourth Evolution poison simply because it works with a Fourth Evolution poison. Its not special, but it sounds cool, regardless. Little victories, am I right? Note: Rewards for this achievement will be added to your alchemy chain quest. You can cash in this chain quest at any time for lower rewards. - But I guess it is I picked up a golf ball-sized barb with dozens of spikes with telekinesis. I had over a hundred. So lets get filling. Felio smiled wryly. Okay Not you, I said. Kira. I wouldnt let you touch this to save your life. That doesnt make sense, Lithco said. No one asked you, I said. But thank you. So cute, Keenai said dryly. Right? Felio squealed. I sighed, and we moved on, watching Kira fill these balls with syringes like filling donuts. Then we loaded them into a special bag within my backpack. Are you sure they wont poke out the back? Felio asked. No, I said. But thats why Im covering myself with Kira at all times. Shes way too useful, Felio said in awe. Shes a gift from the gods, I said. Anyway You leaving? she asked. Tomorrow morning. So lets eat a nice dinner. That night, we ate a wild mushroom soup with salad and regular meat for simple pleasure and told stories, and then Aiden said: Hey I know thisll be dangerous so Youre not coming, I declared. No, he said. Im too much of a wuss for that. He turned to Kline. Im just wondering if Big Man over here wants a power up. Kline hissed. Fine, Aiden said. Let Sina get stronger than you. Youll always be the favorite, but Kline scrunched his nose in and looked at Sina, who rolled her eyes and pretended she didnt even care, and Kline turned away sharply. Yet he opened one eye and peeked at Aiden, who had a slight smile as Felio, her guards, and I giggled. Then Kline yowled, and Aiden said: No strings attached. Thiss just my way of helping protect this place. And Mira. Aiden glanced at me, and I looked away like Kline. Like Mother, like Son or whatever. Learned behavior. I was a mess. Kline huffed. No, I wont play with your mind, Aiden said. Or hurt you. Seriously. Mira would kill me. Okay, know what? Forget it. Kline shot up and hopped off the bed, and I chuckled as he paraded over to Aiden in a way that said, You may accompany me back to your quarters. Hey, I said. Wait up. I wanna see! Aiden chuckled. Mira hes never gonna let you see him training. Never show your cards till youve purr~fected them. Thats his philosophy. Kline hissed, and Aiden chuckled and said, Well be done by morning. I watched them leave with a bit more warmth and respect for Aiden. It was just nice having more people around, but he was actually coming through. It was nice. The night slowly came to a close shortly after, and we said our goodbyes. It was a somber moment. Even Cassain and Asail and some of the other guards gave me hugs. They could tell that this was a big deal and they might not see me again after. And it got harder as I hugged Felio, and she started crying. Oh, come on I groaned. Look, Ill survive just to avoid these tears or whatever. So just cheer up. Felio rubbed her eyes and said, Come back to us. I will, I said. Then they left, and I practiced mental shielding at the peak Second Stage until an hour before morning. When I opened my eyes, I saw Kline staring at me with a mana core that shone like a star. What the hell happened to you? I asked. He strutted back and forth proudly, and I laughed. I was kinda worried about this mission, but now Kline puffed out his chest. We got this. It was time to poison a Fourth Evolution beast. Chapter 146 - Fourth Evolution Beast Its not an easy thing, poisoning a fourth evolution beast. In fact, its not easy poisoning a third evolution beast or a second evolution beast because beasts have great nosesespecially the supernatural beasts from Areswood Forest. To poison a beast, you either have to stab them with the poison, soak them in it, ideally with a hurricane arrow, or mask the poison so well that even their superhuman (but for beasts) senseslike smellis completely worthless. And the stronger the poison is, the more difficult this becomes. And sometimes, even after mixing your poison with soap and squeezing it into golf ball-sized barbs to hide the smell, youre not convinced thatll work, so you do whats best instead Confuse the beast and try to feed it simultaneously. How does this work? Well, it starts with the preythird evolution beasts. It was confusing that I wasnt ready to fight a fourth evolution beast when I could fly around and turn third evolution beasts into mouse traps, but there we were, Kline in my arms, flying through the very top of the Fourth Ring, following Wood Wide Web, finding these beastsa process that was quite difficult after I had culled most of the northwest population. And for what? Was I going to just chop up their limbs, cleanse their meat, and then throw it as an offering for a fourth evolution beast? Of course not. That would scream trapnot confusion. So, instead, we just wrangled them up. I dropped Kline from the sky. He multiplied, and beat up the first asshole we saw. And when they were broken and bruised, I carefully stuck twenty of these barbs into its fur and left it with Kline. I returned twenty minutes later, put a barb into the fur of a small second evolution creature I found, and then smashed it. Deathinstantly. Suddenly, this intelligent creature understood that if it moved too fast, it would die. And it communicated the tale to the other beasts that joined it. I became a cowboy and Kline the herding cat. Two days later, I managed to herd five third evolution beasts, all well-fed on soul meat and terrified to move too much because of the barbs in their fur. Once they had all gathered, we made them move along the Diktyo like prisonersen route to the Fifth Ring. The closer we got, the more they slowed down and looked at Kline and the others. It was clear that they recognized that death was coming, and they wanted to know whether Kline, the poison, or being eaten was the worse death. And when we turned a bend along the river and entered Harrowed Pass, the soul pressure shifted so dramatically that I could barely breathe. The beasts bucked in distress, and I looked around with bated breath. The area we had been walking through previously was called Typhans Gorge, which is a narrow passage that comes after you pass the Keliam River (where the crypt was) and continue past the mountain thats right above our area. It was a gorgeous canyon with lush green plants growing up the towering walls cut between two mountains, but when we reached Harrowed Pass It was obvious. It wasnt just obviousit was mythical. You take certain things for grantedlike how ravines and gorges and canyons are all creations of water erosion. Some have foliage like ditches; others are curved walls of stone, always moving and twisting and curving slightly like rock does But not Harrowed Pass. Harrowed Pass was a tunnel of obsidian that stretched for twenty miles. It was punched out of a mountain, so you could actually see where the mountain had curved up top before most of it had fallen to the ground due to erosion. Everything else was igneous rock where Yakanas arrow had melted through the mountain, turning everything to white-hot molten stone before cooling into charred rock and obsidian glass. And it was not welcoming whatsoever. There was crazed plant life within this monstrosity, and it was surrounded by crushing soul pressure that was utterly unnatural. It was like walking from a dry desert into a sauna and knowing that behind any one of the massive boulders that had fallen from the top of the mountainnow surrounded by strange, evolutionarily warped plant lifethere could be beasts the size of houses that could run faster than a bullet train. This was not what I imagined when I came to do this. I was expecting mountains and hills and preparationsnot half a mile of solid, unperturbed land before the first major rock to act as cover. Once I entered that tunnelI was fresh meat. Luckily, I wasnt going into that tunnelthe other creatures were. Alright, in you go, I said. The beasts broke free and decided to rush Kline at the same time with an Ill take you with me! approach, but Kline teleported us far away, right before a piercing roar of toroks echoed in the forest behind us and made the beasts fall still. These were my illusions, standing between the Fourth Ring and the Fifth, preventing my prey from turning and fleeing. They werent real, but they certainly sounded real. The sound grew deeper and deeper as the toroks approached, running on hands and legs, towering eighty feet tall with calcified masks. They turned the corner, saw these third evolution beastsand roared. These creatures suddenly didnt know that I was there, or Kline was there, or about the beasts in Harrowed Passthey had been challenged by not one Torok but five. They turned and ran right into Harrowed Pass as I watched, forming a poisoned hurricane arrow, just in case, flying and flapping in the sky with Kiras wings as I watched the chaos my illusions were creating. These beasts ran and stumbled, and when one of them turned to fight the torok, I made its body invisible and showed the others the image of the torok ripping it in half and swallowing its blood. Absolutely gruesome work. Something I had dreamed of and practiced. These beasts ran faster and faster and faster until a confused fourth evolution creature walked out from behind a large boulder. It was not as large as a torok. In fact, it wasnt even half the size of a torok. It was probably twice the size of a rhino with large jaws like an alligator, despite having the general body of a Triceratops. And when it saw the stampeding crowdit took a piss on my plan. It didnt eat them. It didnt scratch them. It didnt even get near them. It just opened its mouth, and it released a blast of wind so savage that it ripped all five of the beasts to meat paste as the poison and blood flew right back at me. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. I instantly activated my personal wardand let my battle instincts take over. I suddenly remembered Brindle battling with soul guardians that he had made, summoning them, fighting somewhere between a Pokemon trainer and a necromancer. My mind became attuned to that, and I yelled, Kira! Kira launched out of my chest, wings and all, allowing Kline and me to plummet thirty feet to the ground. To any sane human, watching me intentionally fall and release my hurricane arrow in a random direction to avoid landing on it wouldve seemed like the worst-case scenariobut it was inspired. That blood wind carried terrifying amounts of poison, and Kira flew right into it. She let her body explode into a spider web to catch as much as possible before snapping back into human form as she flew through the pass. The creaturewho likely didnt even smell the poison when it obliterated the intrudersmet her head-on. The two collided before I even hit the ground. My mind took a snapshot of it in Moxle Dilation. Kira thrust out a sword a hundred meters awayand the beast ate her. Just that fast. Even in Moxle Dilation, I merely saw an after-blur as it snapped its massive jaws down. I felt deep terror when I hit the ground. I probably wouldve twisted my ankle with the ground being so rough, but Kline teleported to the ground and jumped up to catch me. And then he teleported again, just in time to prevent this thing from eating us. It moved a quarter-mile in five seconds, and Kline barely made it through a portal before it closed in. He immediately jumped into another portal, hoping to reenter the Fourth Ring, but the creature blocked off the path to the ringeven though we were so close. Kline split his body into six and had all six fly into portalsbut it was futile. It teleported before Klines next portal and slammed its paw into my little warrior, sending us both flying. Or, at least partially. The attack should have killed us, but an invisible wall shot up just in time to absorb half the impact. Not that I felt it mattered. I hit the ground so hard that rocks shattered on contact, and the impact took my breath away. And this creature it knew. It knew that I had poisoned itnot once but twice. I lifted my head and my vision unblurred and I couldnt help but chuckle at its grimacing expression. You like that? I asked wearily. Youre slowing because of some pretty terrible poison. But you know whats worse than poison? I created a fist under its gaze and flipped it the bird. It roaredand then Kira reformed within the creatures stomach, shredding it with the gnarliest paper shredder of blades that my imagination could create as the poison kicked in. It hit the ground as I stood, wheezing and bucking, and then realized that its legs werent working. Ill admit, I said, as I pulled out a container and filled it with Diktyo Water inside the passit was stronger. A lot stronger. Its medicinal properties would heal much more than second evolution poisons. The beast saw freshwater, and it tried to take it from mebut it tried to stand and failed. Dont worry, I said. Youll be in it, soon. Its eyes filled with panic as I put the container down. You know that was a lot worse than I thought it would be. And I really mean a lot. If I had gone after you whew. Id be meat splatter right now. And if that poison wasnt the gnarliest shit I had ever even looked at Id be toast before I reached the rings divide. But lifes just not fair, is it? Sometimes, youre born in a forest with plenty of food. Other times, youre born in a desert. And sometimes, you live your whole life dominating the forest, survive the toroks, claw your way up, and then take up shop in the attack site of someone with true power, and that mans cowardly friends successor comes in to poison you and shred your insides with a lot of memories and tools and allies she barely earned. Kira ripped out of its stomach and dissolved into pure soul force, allowing all the poison and blood on her to splash onto the ground as she sucked back into my body. Then I used her to make an executioners axe. But dont worry, I said. Youre about to feel so much bliss, youll wonder why you tried so hard to live. Its eyes widened in fear, and then I plunged the axe down, crushing its skull. I flicked my hand and captured its core in one motion. I had Brindles memories and partial experience now and could feel his power in my soul, but it still didnt mean I could handle it. My soul core churned out of control, and I gripped my chest. I need to strengthen my core. I said, transferring the soul into the water and shutting the container. Dont you think I looked up. Kyro? Kline was glowering at the little fairy as he sat on a tree branch. Kyro took a swig from his flask and pointed at Kline. Can you explain why hes growling at me? I just saved your life. He thinks you couldve done more, I said. He doesnt realize how weak you are. Hey! Kyro said. True as that may be, you dont have to put it so harshly. I took deep breaths to calm my beating heart and said, Kline, we gotta leave this ring. Kline gave Kyro the stink eye and then pranced twenty steps into the Fourth Ring, then continued giving him the stink eye. Stop looking at me like that, Kyro said. I know this is hard for you to believe, but Im a demigod. Im from the Seventh Ring. If I enter the Fifth Ring, Ill get minor magic back. Yay, well all still die. He took a drink and fluttered down from the branch as I mounted Kline. I know, I said. I actually get it now. Yeah about that, Kyro said. Can you explain how you can move from struggling with Third Evolution soul gathering, to suddenly performing a flawless harmonization on a fourth evolution beast in a few weeks? Can you explain how the Drokai avoid detection so well? I asked. No, he said. Then dont whatever. Brindle gave me his memories. Well, up to the end of the war. He found you past The Crown, so I didnt see you. Kyros eyes widened to the size of saucers or dimes or whatever. Tiny little shit. Youre not joking, he said. Nope, I said. My core is disturbingly malnourished, but after I visit Lake Nyralith and evolve my cores, I should be able to perform soulmancy. Or at least, a portion of it. Just like that? he asked. Just like that I said. Guess Brindle and Yakana are all in on me being a guardian. I can even navigate the Bramble. Kyro gulped. Dont worry, I said. I think something in Brindles mind also fucked me up a bit. Cause Ive been gardening the forest a bit and my viewpoints on I lifted my bucket and looked at the beasts corpse. Are a bit heartless. Or just apathetic? Anyway, the only thing Im bothered about is losing the soul meat to the poison. It wouldve been a boon. Kyro laughed and looked to the sky with watery eyes and said, Please, for the love of whatever gods you believe indont become like Brindle. I raised an eyebrow. I thought you loved Brindle? I also love Reta despite her being a heartless bitch who thoroughly traumatized me, Kyro said. He lifted his flask. Like the drinking problem? He took a drink and shivered. So thats why you call her a witch Yeah, Kyro said. That woman She''s a demon. A born killer. But shes also the main reason weve survived this long. So yeah, when Nythralis sent you a teacher, she sent you the best. A bit hard to work with these days, but the best. I thought back to her creating the Misty Row with Brindle. Yeah shes something. Anyway He waved his hand back toward my house, and we walked on. Much of it was spent in silence, but he did say, So hows your village? and I told him. I asked, Are you guys gonna visit? They cant talk about you, and he said, Well wait a few years. I nodded. Thats wise. But I do want to meet Felio. My eyes lit up, and then they dimmed, and I said, No. He furrowed his brow. No? Yeah, no. Cause once you meet her, youre always going to say, You should be more like Felio, and Im going to hate my life. How strange. If you know Im going to say that, dont you think that you should probably be more like Shut up, I said, and we walked on. We were about four miles outside of the village when we finally stopped. I set my gear down, and Kyro asked, Here? I nodded. Here. I dug a trench and lined it with Diktyo Water, and used one of Brindles techniques to prevent the ground from absorbing the water before adding the soul water and binding the soul within the water. You really do have his memories Kyro said. I nodded. I do. How long is this going to take? he asked. Till fall, I said. Yakanas soul is large yet thin. This soul is not only pure, but it has more aura and cleansed neara than miles of Yakanas soul. It should divert course and strain all of its resources to get here as quickly as possible. Kyros lips curved into a strange smile. Yeah, I said. I know. Yakana will live, but that thingll do substantial damage and potentially block out key communications for centuries. Kyros face turned grave. Yeah, I said. This is the right thing to do. So just sit back and watch, and Ill show you something incredible. Kyro scoffed. You do get that Im a soulmancer, right? Well, then youll watch someone with tens of millennia less experience do shit that you learned over millennia. He frowned. Youre turning into a total bitch. I chuckled and grinned and said, Then you guys shouldntve spoiled me so much. Memories. Teachers. Soul guardians. Elixirs. Guides. Ive been eatin from a golden spoon. The least I can do is show you that it was worth the investment. Kyro smiled and lifted his flask. But you dont have to be a bitch about it. I laughed and nodded. I liked Kyro. I liked him a lot. I finished building the soul well and stood and stretched. Well, youre welcome to dinner whenever. But I gotta go. What are you doing now? he asked. Im going to use that flower we got from the Row, I said. Elanas sent me god-class ingredients to turn it into an elixir of Immortality I paused and looked at him. Tell Trant. I get you have a no-fly policy right now, but this might be the only chance he gets to see ingredients of the gods.