EPISODE 104: SIX — 5
— Edryan Queendom, Year: 7291. Season: Color Fading.
“Interesting… this [Chosen] he is not like the other,” a voice said into the emptiness.
It watched—observing how the [Chosen of Madris]—Lawruthian trained. Well, attempted too at least.
“His attributes are outstanding… as high as the first generation of New Gods. He has the potential to do what I couldn’t…
…
How unfortunate that the past of others haunts him, ” the voice said. It was light, feminine, but filled with a sense of exhaustion. The voice held youth but its tone, and sound were filled with the wisdom of an elder.
The voice watched. It watched a young man perform the same punch. Once, twice—thrice and so on it continued in a rhythmic pattern. It was the same punch, one straight and taught by the Royal Knights of Edryan for thousands of years. It was a punch that was established by the first Edryans when the Magi-humans left Union.
It was a punch—one ever so simple—that was thrown to shatter that very union.
He punched—again and again.
Finally, after a few hours of the same routine, he paused as his companion approached him offering guidance and stew.
They sat together and the feminine voice watched—a pang in its chest it all but did its best to forget. It watched as the two magi chatted and laughed together. They found pleasure in one another’s company despite the circumstances. It was beautiful… it was something the voice once had when the light of the sun illuminated her day.
Now the voice only enjoyed the eternal light between day and night.
The sun never rose in the Hall of Attributes. Only the illusion of it rising and setting accompanied the voice since… oh… the voice had forgotten how long since.
Time passed and another few cycles of not day nor night came and went over the Hall of Attributes. One trial for one person was completed, yet the other continued to struggle. Not for a lack of trying, the voice understood, but having such Power wasn’t always good. The [Chosen of Madris] strength served as a detriment—blocking him from achieving the same results as his companion. His frustration grew, as did that of the voice.
“Ugh, it’s so simple… why does he not understand… if he can pass the trials then…
…,” the voice began but paused at the end—hesitant on whether to finish.
It’d been long since the voice wished for something. It’d been long since the voice hoped for freedom. When it was first placed here, the thought of someone accomplishing the goal set out for it was the only thing in mind. The voice established its presence here because it knew… it knew it would fail in its quest.
Its love… for the light of the sun was far too great and… deep down it, she knew she couldn’t extinguish that light.
“Then I can be free… damned whether he meets the requirements or not, I deserve to rest. I gave Her everything, and it took from me…, everything.”
----------------------------------------
My brows creased as I looked around, pausing in my punches.
Madria quickly took notice and called out to me. “What’s wrong? You’ve only just re-begun.”
I looked through the tall grass—my Intent sweeping the area, then to Madria after I found nothing. “It’s nothing… I just felt strangely like something was watching me, but it must be nerves.”
She frowned and looked toward the grass herself, but I went back to punching.
A few of the not night cycles passed since Madria discovered how to control Power. The same could not be said for me. I’d been struggling to get a grasp on bringing my power down to more… manageable levels. Yet no matter how I attempted, concentrated, mediated… nothing worked.
“Describe the sensation for me again,” I called out to Madria.
She sat there, dust on her clothes, but eyes still bright with life as she watched me. In these past few not night cycles, Madria had become the breadwinner. Without her here, I would have starved.
“It’s soul, ” Madria began. “It’s all through your soul. The Goddess was the one who guided me in understanding. Although Her connection here is limited—there is still enough sensation to understand what she was leading me toward.”
She stayed silent for a few moments as I processed her words. Comprehending Power was-
“You know… I can guide you in prayer. The Goddess can guide you as she did me.”
My next punch paused for a fraction of a second, barely noticeable, before continuing. Praying to Goddess Madris… I… I thought about it—but my reservations were still present.
Madria watched me silently, and I continued to keep quiet. I didn’t know how—nor did I want to talk to Madria about my complex feelings about the Goddess. I didn’t even understand what I truly felt about her. When I first died and came to Edryan—undoubtedly, I held a strong dislike—disdain to even address her as Goddess Madris in my thoughts… only Madris. It was only later, as those feelings settled—did I call Her Goddess Madris.
Now, what feelings did I hold about Her?
I don’t know, truly I held no answer… but I would not pray to Her. Not yet.
“There is more to this trial, and I do not know if the Goddess’s help will block me from receiving Alidra—the first [Chosen of Madris] inheritance. It’s best I learn it myself.”
“Then we should ask… how would one learn what to do within the trial if they were dropped here with nothing but the clothes on their back,” Madria said.
There was another hesitation between punches—this time slower, as I pondered over Madria’s question.
How would one learn what to do if they were dropped here with nothing but the clothes on their back?
I paused, turning to face Madria as my head silently cocked to the side.
“ By starving? ”
----------------------------------------
The voice giggled. Well, that was one way to learn. Some, those from an older time, may consider it the only proper way to learn. Attribute control was an only skill, one only taught after a youth was well traveled into the realm. The Shattering of Union halted that.
“If you must starve to get here quicker, then carry on. I do not wish to be kept waiting much longer,” the voice, she , said.
She’d truly lost track of the amount of time she’d been stuck here. Unable to pass on and with no knowledge since the last failure came. That one was mixed with elements she knew could not solve the riddle to the Goddess’s problem.
So she failed him.
“Ugh, perhaps I shouldn’t be too hasty. The last time I was… a remnant snuck its way in here… trying to finish the job its father couldn’t.”
The voice turned her attention back to the pair of magi.
“That is stupid Law,” the woman, Madria, said. The voice smirked at the name, she’d already guessed whose descendant that one was.
“You can’t starve yourself to understand Power. It’d take you days to truly be at a low enough point to successfully attack. Why don’t we turn our attention elsewhere,” she huffed. “There is still Endurance.”
“I think I figured that one out,” the [Chosen]—Lawruthian said.
The girl seemed surprised, and the voice continued to watch. “Oh, this reminds me of the Great Plays on the Unera Stage. When those funny-looking creatures emerged. The not-quite humans but not-quite elves. Funny short creatures…,” the voice trailed off…
She’d forgotten the name they gave themselves.
“I’m not sure, but the pillar eternally seems to grow larger the closer we approach; however, the distance never shortens… what if we put our all into reaching it…? Until our Endurance bottoms out to zero,” Lawruthian continued.
“That’s dangerous, zero stamina, and you’d stop moving—if something happens in that vulnerable state,” Madria’s voice trailed off. She didn’t need to continue for the message to be understood.
“I’ve been counting the days. It's almost been three weeks since we were transported from Starglow valley…,” he began, shaking his head. “I have to return. I have to try… something —anything. I don’t know what my mother would do, and if I know her… then time is almost up. ”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
The voice grew curious at the mention of the [Chosen of Madris] mother, but her attention was quickly brought back to the topic at hand.
“I don’t—no—I can’t allow her to revisit that pain and mentality when she was the [Iron-Blooded Queen]. I know what she did was for the good of Edryan but killing your family friends… everyone you know due to {Greed}? I don’t want my mother to turn back into the monster she had to be to save Edryan. She… She doesn’t deserve that, ” Lawruthian — Chosen of Madris, finished.
All the while, the voice stayed silent—brooding on the words spoken. There was one word in particular that caught her attention.
“{Greed}…? They can’t have been playing with sins, can they? How much time has passed? Sins are an extension of…,” the voice trailed off—struggling to recall.
The pair continued to argue, and the voice stayed fixated on {Greed} and Sins.
“She would not have allowed the magi to touch sins… knowing Mother… she’d exterminate them before that…
…
So, how did Sin affect the magi…?
…
Oh, how much time has passed?
…
No—that is not the question I should be asking.
…
What did the last [Chosen] do?
I’d stopped him from learning too much here once I recognized the signs of remnants but… I must have been too late…
…
Lawruthian… hurry. ”
----------------------------------------
“La-ian… urry. ”
My head whipped around as I searched for the voice. It was quiet—barely a whisper—but I was certain I heard something.
Madria frowned, “is something wrong?”
“Did you hear that?”
Her frown grew deeper, and she gradually approached me until she was within touching distance. Gently, she placed her hand on my leg and the touch of divinity entered me—doing its best to clear any ailments. Those I knew of and those hidden under the system.
“I’m fine, but I don’t want you to try to stop me Madria. Time is running out and my mother… I don’t want her to fall into old habits. I’ve been shaping Edryan into the country I know it can be. I can’t afford any setbacks.”
Madria breathed in deeply before a long, heavy sigh escaped. “Ok Law, I won’t stop you… but promise me one thing…”
I nodded, our eyes locked as she next spoke. “Promise to take care of yourself better in the future. {Starving} is not a joke. The de-buff can drive you to do unmentionable things… How do you think goblins were created?”
“I’ll be careful, I have you watching my back and making sure I’m ok… and goblins… well, we both read the history books in the library of Final Hope. That was an extreme case and has never been repeated,” I began.
“But it doesn’t mean it can’t be,” Madria finished.
***
GrrrrrrrrrRRRRRoooowl.
Status Effect: De-Buff
Name:
{Hunger}
Description:
Uh, Oh! You haven’t eaten in a while. That’s not good.
Function:
-25% reduction to all regeneration stats.
My stomach growled, and I was glad my back faced Madria. I didn’t want her to see the look of embarrassment that crossed my face.
She hummed merrily as she stared the pot of stew—rabbit meat and other goods we’d been able to procure were tossed into the pot.
During the few cycles, we hadn’t just trained for me to understand Power. We’d been exploring this place and doing our best to understand what was being asked of us. Several times we’d try to approach the other two pillars, but somehow the Pillar of Power and Endurance would find itself in front of us again. It seems until we mastered both attributes… nothing would change.
Gggggrrrrroooooaaan.
Madria stirred the pot and the smell intensified as it mixed with the scent of burnt firewood. She brought her spoon up and slurped—loudly. Quite unlike her, but I knew what she was doing. It made me smile knowing that she cared, but this was the only way I could think of that would help me achieve understanding Power.
If I had time, hell if I had an extra week to figure things out, then I’m certain I could. Time was the only thing I always seemed to lack. The moment my system unlocked, and I turned sixteen… there was never enough time anymore. Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, my and final third year would be starting at Imperius Academy.
“Let’s hope I get to enjoy it…,” I muttered.
I stood and move a distance away. I needed to get away from the smell, and it was time to start practicing again—as I did, I thought over the levels of {Hunger} and de-buffs in general.
Like all things related to the system… it came in five levels. {Hunger} was the Common and easiest to get. Only when it progressed did it become a problem.
{Starving} was when you truly needed to worry. That's when not only regeneration but attributes became affected. It was considered the Uncommon {Hunger} de-buff. It was dangerous, but it wasn’t until rare and later than those around you should also become worried.
{Ravenous} is when you truly strength. If the loss of attributes was the only thing you needed to worry about… then it was nothing to write home for. However, its secondary effects were the true concerns.
That goes for {Mania} as well until you reach the final tier… {Gluttony}.
One of the Sins, which would have you, and the noble who allowed his citizens to starve to such a point hanged by the noose.
Sins were not a joke, and each alongside the Virtues held serious consequences. I didn’t know the full range of effects they could do, but after learning the history of my mother and why she did what she did… I learned the history of one.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
“This is only temporary, and I can stop it whenever I want…,” I spoke to comfort myself.
I need to get to at least {Ravenous}, dangerous, but a solid two days of no food nor water should get me there if I’m lucky.
I chuckled—who knew I’d be counting on luck to starve myself.
“I’ve experienced pain before… soul extinguishing pain… come on, Lawruthian… this is nothing.”
I continued to practice my straight punches. Each time I threw a punch, I did my best to come to the state Madria felt she conquered the Trial of Power with.
I drew deeper and deeper into my mind. Not until the point in which I feel into the soulscape, but to the zone I usually felt when having a heated discussion with Minerva.
It… I wasn’t the same without her. I missed the voice chirping at me here and there. I miss the weight on my shoulder letting me know she was present. If she was here, I’m sure a chirp or two would put me on the right track without having to resort to such measures…
She wasn’t here.
My fist tightened, and I threw another punch—each time the waist-high grass would rustle from the force of my blows.
Minerva was still out there… and as far as I could tell, she was ok. That… was what was important. Our bond was soul deep and no distance would interrupt that.
I couldn’t communicate with her for now, but I was sure that had to do with Aspect Rasheed’s domain. It must be similar as to why Madria was unable to communicate with Goddess Madris.
I smiled as I punched, somewhat understanding how Madria felt when she was unable to contact the Goddess. She was strong and… I’m glad she chose to follow me to Starglow Valley. It was nice having a friend and someone I could count on… someone who would console me. It was… nice… having her as a friend and maybe… maybe… more.
I felt good around her, confident, and she was my type…
I chuckled internally… Minerva would have a fit if she knew my thoughts right now.
“I’m going to rescue you buddy. The moment I’m out of here an able,” I swore to myself.
Knowing Minerva, she wouldn’t give up anything without a fight.
Sluuuuuurrrp.
I continued to punch, rolling my eyes as Madria deliberately made eating noises. She hadn’t let go of her perfect mannerisms until I told her my intentions. I found it cute how she deliberately went out of her way to try to persuade me to eat. It was so… like her to do that, and I appreciated it, truly.
But I knew the true history of my mother and what she did.
She did not earn the title [Iron-Blooded Queen] by playing nice.
She killed anyone and everyone who blocked her path from achieving her objective. I didn’t want her to start another civil war, tearing up Edryan searching for me.
“I have to tell her I love her more often.”
The punches continued to flow, and the not-quite night emerged in a startling violet. Only now did I pause my punches.
Grrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuh.
“By starving, huh?”