Chapter 259

A Quick Power Nap

The moment I relaxed my mind and rested, I felt my perspective shift and twist as my consciousness split from one point of input to four. And not just for one moment but for hours, then days, then weeks.

Most of the activities were routine.

First Simulacrum and Second Simulacrum spent most of their time reading whole catacombs of stories and subjects.

During the melding of minds, I was met with a surprising number of rare and or unique skills. Though to be honest, most seemed like they were tailored for my recent rendezvous with the odd world that seemed to absorb mana and drain you dry slowly.

Not only that but the libraries seemed to be pulling similarly themed skills that were linked in progression.

Take for instance the new rare skill gained from my First Simulacrum.

New Skill Gained: Energy Depletion Resonance has increased to level 1. Energy Depletion Resonance is a Perception, Intelligence, and Willpower X2 based skill.

New Skill Gained: Void Analytics has increased to level 1. Void Analytics is a Perception, Intelligence, and Willpower based skill.

Compared to the skills I gained from my Second Simulacrum.

New Skill Gained: Advanced Energy Depletion Resonance has increased to level 1. Advanced Energy Depletion Resonance is a Percetion X2, Intelligence X2, and Willpower X4 based skill.

New Skill Gained: Filling the Void has increased to level 1. Filling the Void is a Dexterity, Endurance X2, Perception, Intelligence, and Willpower based skill.

There was definitely a theme there. Worst of all, the images and information portrayed seemed like it could have come in extremely handy while I was almost dying.

The Void wasn’t a real thing, but rather a concept, an idea.

A warning.

The story was about a planet that once housed all forms of magical life was inhabited by millions of life forms, all of which were allowed to use and draw for the magic that it offered in abundance.

Then slowly for whatever reason the inhabitants of the planet began to leave, trying to go out and explore new worlds and planets. As each race of creature left, they also took a fraction of the power the world had offered them.

These were all stories of the apocalypse, where the skill was only gained after reading multiple series that all ultimately spoke of a singular planet of power. One that was eventually stripped bare of its natural resources by people who left and then came back, only to end up taking more of the sacred energy of the planet. Energy that was then taken to once again, go out and conquer more of the universe.

Yet, they didn’t seem to realize the issue.

At least that is what I took the story as, a warning. Or maybe an allegory? Always hard to realize what exactly the difference between the two were.

Then after the updates on skills, the boosts to experience from completing so many different reading related tasks for so many days.

I still find it to be the most enjoyable effect that not just my reading, but having my Simulacrums read and pass along information gives me experience points.

Cumulative Experience Gained:

75,080 / 37,540 / 37,540

Ding.

Level up.

Divinely Akashic Qi Master has increased by one level to level 327.

Quintessential Ethereal Simulacrums Master has increased by one level to level 358.

Quintessential Ethereal Healer has increased by one level to level 485.

Once again, I was getting close to another major level. Namely my level 500 threshold for being a healer, which would be both a class upgrade and a new or upgradable aura. Honestly, that was an extra headache that I was not yet ready to deal with.

Also, it was clear that the experience that I got for both breaking all the thirty-five instances of Fae Time Stasis, along with my helping thirty-four of those people achieve their written goals for their Royal Bloodline awakening process gave me a total of 1.7 million experience points. Which Equated to 870K for my primary class, and of course 435K for my secondary and tertiary classes.

Which put all of my Attributes at a very respectable rating for all.

Physical

Base

Bonus

Social

Base

Bonus

Mental

Base

Bonus

Strength

166

1099

Personality

135

1195

Perception

245

2722

Dexterity

207

1917

Sociability

133

1199

Intelligence

235

3065

Endurance

191

1335

Attractiveness

117

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2591

Willpower

249

4005

I was surprised that I finally broke the four thousand Attribute threshold for bonus Willpower. Also, looking at the advancement showed that my Base Willpower was almost at the new maximum limit. Meaning I would likely have to find another way to increase my base maximums. That or maybe start focusing on my other Attributes. I know my Physical Attributes are doing well, but really, this sadly shows me just how anemic my social skills are.

Which is odd, as there are five of me, meaning I should talk a lot, right?

Though part of me realizes that my worrying about Attributes that are only a few dozen points above most people’s maximum rating for Attributes is a bit much, I see it as something that is entirely needed.

Particularly in the new Void Realm, where you get your energy drained away from you constantly.

Still, I have to say that the information that is provided by my Simulacrums is very well received. For in addition to the new stories and information gained from First and Second Simulacrums. My Third and Fourth Simulacrums also had a lot of information to pass along.

Third Simulacrum was scouting out the general theme of the 300th floor of the Arcanarus Tower, and found that it was a pirate theme. One that I really wanted to get involved with, especially as my ship the Prankenstein is easily the fastest and soon to be most durable and capable of ships.

Only now in my dream-like state, where I slowly unwind my mind and let my thoughts relax a little, do I realize that I have not used Arcane Geomancy on my Prankenstein ship.

For a moment I have a dream of my ship becoming its own sentient version of the Flying Dutchman, complete with ability to wield and deploy Glitter Bombs, Illusionary Arrays, and a myriad of other defensive capabilities that will allow the two of us to work in tandem to sneak aboard different vessels, steal treasures and escape into the night unseen.

Tingle.

My cold little heart tingles at the ability to conduct pirate operations against other pirates, and for the first time be able to keep my treasures, thanks to the fact that I no longer have to suffer through the Broke flaw.

As soon as I have that thought, my mind of course races to the next thought of how I first learned all my thieving skills from many trainers, the most important of which being good old Mickey Eight-Toes. The man who I have entrusted to act as my second in command for my own Thieves Guild.

Of course, that reminds me that I am the worst as I have not even checked in on the Thieves Guild, or old Mickey since assigning him the position, and straddling him with hundreds of new children to train. Yet, something else I need to add to my to do list.

For a moment, I think about getting up and working. Especially as I cancelled the Qi Manifestation training for this morning and I’m just wasting time.

I’m about to get up, when I pause to realize that Zero, my bonded familiar is not in my arm resting for the two of us.

In panic, I flail about, trying to find out what happened, only to see Zero caught in between a Cassie sandwich as the little scamp worked his way free and then snuggled between my Simulacrum and myself, while getting warmed by the amazingly soft fur of Ms. Kujo.

For a moment, I think about getting up, but then I realize this is likely one of those perfect moments that I will look back on and wish I had enjoyed a bit longer.

Relaxing my mind for a second time, I feel the deluge of so much information being funneled into my mind from my other Simulacrums stop. Then in that moment of calm, I find my mind relaxed enough to finally go to sleep.

***

The world has changed. Once again, I find myself inside that new Void Realm. At least that is what I consider that realm to be, and so far, all the literature I’ve found seems to denote it as such.

For a moment, I panic. As I wonder first how I got here, and second I worry about having my whole body drained the way I had felt moments ago.

Fortunately, nothing happens.

Only after a few seconds of watching do I realize that I’m not really here, but rather my mind is here.

I can also tell that my thoughts are in the Void Realm, due to the environment. There at the very center of a raging sandstorm, stands one tiny island of calm in a sea of disruption. That tiny island is of course the island of solidified mana, Qi, and ephemeral energy that are all clinging desperately to one particular area.

Even now, I can see the time lapsed images of how the storms will slowly devour the tiny island of life, in the sea of destructive chaos.

There are also signs of life, a small tree sprouting from one of the clumps of energy from my back that fell like a clump of ephemeral mud.

Standing over the tiny tree is the ancient elven spirit.

For a moment, it is an image of awe and wonder. The tiny sapling begins to grow and sprout first one branch, then a second, followed shortly by tiny leaves on each.

However, there is a problem, the tree, like all things requires energy to grow. So just as the tree begins to grow, the energy around it, the protective land of life that appeared in the vast sandy desert of relentless sandstorms begins to shrink.

The old spirit watches the tree struggling for life, fighting to grow, but ultimately draining more and more of the energy around it, energy that is not native to the environment around it.

Time continues to pass, while I don’t know how fast time is going, it is clear that this is more than the amount of growth a normal tree could have in a single day.

The old witch just stares at the sapling, bending over to take it in. Somewhere during this time she got an old gnarled staff that she uses for balance against the sand.

She watches it as if it is some odd science experiment that should erupt into an active volcano, but instead just sits there, growing and using up so much of the magical resources around it, that its roots finally grow past the protective magical boundary. A boundary that is constantly shrinking around it.

At this point, I too am curious about what will happen. Can the tree survive on its own? What exactly is happening?

As if feeling my thoughts, or perhaps finally noticing the fact that my consciousness is here, watching not only the sapling but her spiritual reaction to the plant, she pauses. Then she seems to look expectantly from me to the plant.

A plant that is now starting to wither as parts of it grow past the protective magical barrier around it.

Is she letting it die? I find myself thinking.

Then just as I have that thought, the spirit angrily glares at me.

Fear.

In that one glare, I experience true fear.

That is the look of death. Not only that, but the look spoke volumes, and let me realize something. That spirit couldn’t do anything. She had no magic.

Just as I was getting drained, she who had been there for so long had been sucked dry. Somehow able to move about by sheer willpower alone. At least, that is what I gathered from that brief connection we had.

At my realization she seems to nod to herself, before staring back at the tree.

There we both watch the tree who is in its final stages of life and death. By now the tree continues to consume the energy around it to grow and repair the damage it has caused. But that only causes the residual energy to wear out twice as quickly, as the tree quickly begins to burn away the last bit of resources it has, until everything is gone.

Then we both watch as the sapling crumbles to dust, and then slowly that dust gets picked up by the constantly blowing sandstorm around, until its shape and form are gone, leaving behind an empty spot where it stood.

***

GASP!

I awake to realize that I had apparently been holding my breath for so long that I was forcefully ejected from my slumber.

Startle.

My sudden awakening causes a massive chain effect of slumbering people awakening. Zero charges to life, swimming up and instantly going into a fighting pose.

“What? Who is it?” Zero asks, whipping his head around violently trying to identify any source of trouble.

Even our bed, Ms. Kujo, also startles to a one-quarter sitting position as she tries to see what would possibly spook me.

“Sorry, sorry, false alarm.” I say, calming myself down as I wonder what the heck that dream was about.

Also, I wonder just how scarry that ancient spirit truly is. I could all but feel malice and anger radiating from her, but yet despite all of that, she didn’t seem to react to me at all.

For a moment I wonder why, but then remember that my last name Spiritlight means that I am at least neutral to all spirits. Realizing that, does that mean I would have been attacked by that clearly unhinged ancient guardian spirit had my last name been something different?

Then before I could get too lost in my own thoughts, Zero pulled me back to the present.

“What happened?” Zero asked.

“I just…” I said, pausing to wonder if any world first announcements appeared to narc me out. But then realizing that nothing was said, I begin to wonder if it wasn’t that big of a deal. With that, I just shake my head and answer truthfully. “I apparently have really weird dreams.”

Hearing that, Zero just turns to face me as he seems to take me in.

“Anything we should be aware of?” Zero presses, a note of concern in his voice.

“I mean, the dream was fairly generic as far as nightmares go. In the Void Realm, there was a master spirit that saw a tree I planted try to grow, only to be eroded away by the way it grew too quickly.” I state, before continuing. “Likely a metaphor.”

“A metaphor for what?”

“Hopefully ways to be a better horticulturalist?” I respond.

“Uh-huh.” Zero states, clearly not buying what I am offering up.

There is a moment of pause, as four sets of eyes all stare at me. Two from the Kujos, one from Zero, and the final from my own Simulacrum, who stares oddly.

That would have to be the tell, the way she stares so vacantly. Then I wonder if I seem to stare vacantly as well?

“So what should we do?” Zero asks, clearly trying to get me to act on some of this information.

At this point, I try to remember the checklist I had before going to sleep. There were a few things that I wanted to do, things that I would either need to take care of today, or let them slide for yet more time.

That’s when I remember my thoughts on more of my obligations that I passed off to others.

“Want to come with me and check in on Mickey eight toes?” I ask.

“Your old instructor?” Zero asks.

For a moment I paused, wondering how he knew about Mickey, but then realized he was with me when we rescued Mickey from Plativia. At least he was in tattoo form on my arm, which means he does get my memories of that time, despite not being able to contribute due to his sleeping.

“Yeah, want to go say hi?”

“Yawn, sure.” Zero says, stretching and seeming to have a hard time waking up.

“You tired?” I ask, wondering if he is okay.

“A little bit,” Zero replies, before continuing. “I don’t know what you did, but sometime after you left the Arcanarus Tower, I got excessively tired.”

Hearing that, I instantly know he is talking about my time in the Void Realm, but I have to ask. “Wait you don’t remember going to the Void Realm?”

“Void what now? I remember you taking the three infiltrators from Arcanarus Tower, and then reappearing in Timult, but nothing in between.” Zero states, before continuing. “Speaking of which, I am still really tired and think I could use another nap.”

Slink.

With that Zero, not even waiting for my reply flies straight towards me and instantly melds with my arm becoming his customary tattoo form.

Realizing how tired he is now, and how he needed to break free from me to actually go to sleep separately, I realize whatever happened to me in the Void Realm also had a major impact on Zero as well.

This frightened me, as I suddenly wondered if Zero was the tree that I saw withering away. Or if that was yet another obscure metaphor for something else entirely. Or maybe it wasn’t a metaphor at all, and was the odd spirit’s way of telling me that there was a tree there that I could save if I went back to give the tree some love and attention.

So many things, but first things first. I need to check in on Mickey and see how my Thieves Guild is doing.

Finding Mickey is easy, as his aura stands out easily to my mind, as I’ve spent many hours in his presence.

Poof.

The minute I arrive, I realize I might have been a bit late with my Guild Leader duties.

“AHHHH!!”

Kinds were screaming wildly, as they ran around the open classroom where a very bedraggled Mickey Eight Toes was desperately trying to get through a lesson, while easily avoiding random knives and other weapons being hurled in his direction.

“Stop that, you know that is not proper form!” Mickey chided, but seeing him struggle, I realized this might have been too much of a task for anyone to accomplish, even Mickey.

For a moment, I wondered what to do to help.

Then I saw the moment a little hooligan diverted their throwing target away from Mickey and towards me instead.

Clink-clank, clatter.

I easily knocked aside all the weapons thrown at me with Telekinesis, before taking a moment to center myself.

“Hello Mickey, you look like you could use a break. What do you say, I take over here for a moment.” I say, my voice sweet like honey.

Mickey who looked extremely tired and exhausted paused for a moment. “You sure?”

Clink-clatter.

More weapons were thrown by the kids. Kids who had pushed kind Mickey farther than he could apparently handle.

“Oh yeah, I’ve got this. Give me about ten minutes to get the little tykes all settled down.” I respond.

“If you're sure, they are quite the handful?” Mickey pressed.

“Oh, I’m sure.” I respond.

Mickey took that for what it was, nodded once and then quickly left the room. Slamming the door behind him, as he braced his body against the door.

Seeing his reaction to leaving and being granted a small reprieve, I realized we were beyond half measures and placating gestures.

It was time to fully express myself and how discontented I was at the action of these kids.

And that’s just what I did…