Pragna is still searching for a suitable book for yigg to practice. He checked out many books. But all of them either needed higher level cultivation or very stringent conditions. As they came to the end section he came across a thick black book. On the front cover there is golden embroidery of a huge tree. Yigg immediately attracted to it, picked up the book. Pragna started reading it along with yigg. This martial art seemed to be designed by some unknown person. This book rather than emphasising on attacks, it seemed more like a pedigree for growing a world tree.
To start learning it, first someone needs to grow a parasitic tree in their body. Then slowly according to the book you should raise that plant with all the ingredients mentioned in the book. Most would not even dare to try such thing. Why? Because by the time the tree has grown to its full potential, there good chances it will take over the host. But in case of Pragna he has no need to worry about such things. Even if yigg gets powerful in the future, it can never overthrow Pragna. Such is the soul-weapon and its master relationship.
As they both read, Pragna started taking note of things he need for yigg. The book is listing so many wide varieties of seeds, plants and minerals. Pragna made a mental note to go to botanical section for further references regarding these items. After sometime his library card started buzzing. A message flashed in it saying he has to meet Agarthala.
He looked at yigg and yigg is completely engrossed into reading that book. Like a child fascinated by colourful pictures, it is constantly staring at various descriptions of flora and fungi. Pragna decided to meet Agarthala by himself. Inside the library he is extremely safe, so there is no need to have his soul weapons with him all the time. Worst case scenario he can summon any time he wants them.
He told Biazib he is leaving. Only for entry Biazib need Pragna’s help, after that he can leave anytime he wants. He returned back to his office through the portal. When he went to the Agarthala’s office, Agarthala handed him sheet of paper. Agarthala said,” These are sections you have to visit and arrange the books. Right now this is your top priority.”
After saying that he took out another book and while handing it to Pragna he said, “Your training schedule has been finally arranged. In library we have a custom built portal that leads to different dungeons. You have to go to all the dungeons I marked in the book. This starts in another 6 months, so make your preparations.”
Pragna asked, “What is a dungeon?”
Agarthala replied, “Even that is explained in the book. Also please visit those sections first.”
Pragna who is listening asked,” Before I do this can I first visit the elemental section?”
Agarthala hesitated and then said, “Alright you can go there first. But that section is under partial maintains of elemental realms. So there will certain bureaucratic formalities that need to be finished if you want access to that realm.”
Pragna nodded and left the office. Agarthala watched him as he left. People usually in Pragna situation would be confused and lost. Yet every time Pragna comes across new things rather than losing courage he faces them head on. If it is just that Pragna can be considered an optimist, but Agarthala knew what the upcoming miseries of Pragna are. All Agarthala could do is simply watch. Agarthala sighed to himself, yeah simply watch.
POV CHANGE
James is reading a manual related to sabre-arts. Today should have been the happiest moment of his life. One of his dreams has been finally fulfilled. He is in martial art section reading one of the finest blade arts manual the entire battlefront has to offer. If he tried to obtain it outside the library, even if he spent his entire fortune maybe he would be allowed to take glance at it. But here in library not just one, he can read about all kinds of fighting styles.
Yet on such a happy day James is distracted. Not with happy thoughts but with nagging suspicions. After he became a soul weapon, James slept for a long time before he could wake up. Once a being becomes a soul weapon, they become a part of master’s soul. Because of his dragon heritage he could feel how powerful Pragna’s soul is. It’s like watching giant pyre that can never be extinguished. The weird part of is that, this is flame that never rages, it’s always calm.
But what that is distracting him is not this. When he was sleeping inside Pragna’s soul he felt resonance from inside. He thought those resonance came from flame spirits. But as he gradually awakened up the resonance became higher, it became unique. After Pragna contracted with yigg, he suspicions are confirmed. Pragna has other soul weapon inside him and he has no clue.
POV CHANGE
After leaving Agarthala’ office he went straight to the Elemental section.
After he entered the elemental section unlike other section there were no soul puppets hovering to guide them to their destination. Instead there were gigantic portals. Each portal has a symbol on top of them representing their respective realms. Pragna walked up to the portal which has a flame burning a top of it.
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After he entered it he found himself standing in a vast office. There were various counters and waiting queues. What surprised Pragna is how lavish the entire place is. Even the crystal cauldron could not measure to the extravagance of this place. The entire floor seemed to be made from fiery red marble. There were humungous pillars supporting the roof. Some Pillars are studded by precious gems, while some seemed fire of different colours condensed to form them. If any creature that does not have fire resistance walks here they would immediately turn into ashes. When Agarthala said there would be lot Bureaucratic work here, he was expecting a gaudy looking setup like the one he found at entrance of library.
There different kind of flame spirits busily moving around. He saw wide variety of spirits that are mix of different elements, with fire always being pre-dominant one. As he was checking around, he found an empty counter. He went near it and he found a bored fire spirit that seemed to be made of hot fuming air. Before he could check here status, he heard slight hum kind of voice from other side. A wispy hot projection formed from the spirit which formed into a hand pointed at top of the counter. IT read, “STATUS READING OF STAFF IS BANNED.”
Pragna warily laughed and said, “Sorry this is my first time here.”
The fire-spirit did not have any face. So he did not know how it reacted. Then Pragna heard a voice that seemed like howling of wind, “What do you need sir?”
Pragna stated his purpose, “I am a library employee and I want to check books on fire elementals.”
The fire spirit who is listening asked in a casual voice,” Sir Can you show your identity?”
Pragna showed her his black card and immediately there is change in the attitude of the fire spirit. Black card in library is only given to librarians. There are many other jobs in library. But a librarian is a future major-mover and shaker or is already one in battlefront. The fire spirit that looked a hot cloud condensed into a humanoid form. With a smoky a hair a man that seemed to be made out of hot air appeared behind the counter.
He said, “Sir before I can give you the access I have to confirm to what class you belong to?”
The fire spirit knew that the one in-front of him is definitely a big shot. Even if he has low status by fire elemental realm standards, he is a librarian!
One of the two powers in battlefront that can force elemental realms to bow down is the owner of the library. So having a sub-ordinate of such powerhouse remembering you is definitely good future investment.
Pragna said, “Young fire lord.”
The fire spirit could not believe his luck! The fire lords are practically royalty in fire realm. To meet one here of all places, even the passing by people are staring at Pragna.
The fire spirit immediately recovered from his daze and asked, “Sir to which faction do you belong to?”
Pragna looked confused, “Faction?”’
This time it is fire spirit’s turn to get confused. Usually only beings with incredible luck or from well-established families can gain elemental lord status. Off-course there is one rare case…
To confirm his doubts the fir spirit asked, “Sir from which mortal realm are you from?”
Pragna answered, “12 fire islands.”
The fire spirit immediately checked the database. It found that the place has been house for stone gorillas. But the man in-front of him looked not like any species found in that place. Looking at the evidence the fire spirit came to one conclusion of rarest occurrence. The fire spirit stared at Pragna thinking a naturally formed young fire lord.
Once in a while a non-sentient being gains intelligence and in the process gains a class way beyond belief. There is no recorded evidence why it occurs, but it happens. Once in a while non-sentient being over course of evolution become elemental lords. In case of fire lords, usually volcanos or highly condensed mana stones achieve this. But beings like that even after evolution usually take a crude humanoid forms. The higher the clarity in the physical structure, higher the intelligence. The being in-front of him is definitely proper humanoid.
Of-course in Pragna’s case it is furthest from the truth. But no one can draw a proper conclusion when data is insufficient.
The fire spirit brought a glowing red orb and asked Pragna to place his hand on it. After that a reading is displayed on the screen saying young fire lord. After identifying his status fire spirit started saying, “Sir your credentials check out, but once someone gains elemental lord class they usually are sent an invitation. I don’t know how we missed you, but can you please give your consent for registration?”
Pragna thought for a second and asked, “Is the registration necessary?”
Fire spirit looked confused when Pragna asked that question. Usually people jump at the mere chance to be registered into elemental realms. But then again he remembered that the being in-front of him is a naturally formed young fire lord. To him everything must be new.
Fire spirit said, “It is mandatory sir. Also after registration you will have greater access to the books here.”
Pragna thought about it. Though his registration may bring him into spotlight, inadvertently showing his location to his unknown enemies, right now the pros of finding information outweighed the cons of getting found.
He agreed for the registration. During the registration he is asked about his faction affiliation. Then the fire spirit said, “Sir we have many factions in fire realm sir. For example my faction hearth-burners, are basically deal with alchemist and such. If you sign contract with us I can guarantee an exclusive offer just for you.”
Pragna slightly smiled at the business pitch. He asked, “Is it necessary that I have to pick a faction right now?”
The fire spirit felt like a deflated balloon. He said smilingly weakly, “No, actually you can choose it anytime you want. It has nothing to do with registration process. But in future if you change your mind, please consider hearth-burners.”
Pragna after finishing registration he went to the fire elemental book section via the portal shown by the fire spirit.
After Pragna left, the fire elemental took out a communication device and started sending messages to its faction. Usually for 1000 years at best 10 young fire lords are born. Even before they are born their affiliation is already decided. Very rarely Unaffiliated are born. So, whoever can get Pragna’s acceptance first they will gain elemental lord with least investment….
While that was happening Pragna entered the fire elemental section. Apart from the extravagant setup during the entrance, the section seemed like a standard library setup. Of course every section in library has its own theme. Here in this section the theme seemed to be from lower temperature to equilibrium to higher temperatures. Which means highly classified information at the centre, while misc. at far ends.
Pragna went straight to the equilibrium section and started reading