This discussion went on for a quite long time and even the talk about the progression was included. Even though it was just the battlefield of words alone, the two beings weren't that easy on each other. They went at each other with information that both found worth telling. None of them was victorious in the end, but eventually, both got what they wanted. Calling it a truce or draw was more than enough.
As 36 was left satisfied, he watched Wisher disappear away into the vortex of energy. Towards the ceiling, he was gone in a few moments, with a sneer appearing at the last second. The time for the next meeting would be similar.
36's gains this time far outweighed the answers that weren't even that important to him. What he earned was the base knowledge of things that would come later and it was quite worth the effort on his part.
He even got some rough sense out of Allan's progression. It seemed his own definition of it didn't appear to follow his overall knowledge. The Trials were harder than he anticipated, but that was his guess for now. At least it seemed that way, and it kind of surprised 36. So far as he could tell, the limits and Trials were always the same for each individual. That meant the base beginning for the holders of the Diary began before the Spark.
That was at least what he figured from Wisher's words, and it was something that would have to be hard to manage. For example, if a Lord of the 2nd planet core would come into contact with the book, he would never be allowed to participate in the Trial. It was the case where the source of the beginning was somewhat strange and unordinary. It followed some progression chart that 36 was unaware of. Same with Allan as he got the Diary of the Body, or it may be more correct, how Diary of the Body got Allan instead. None of the questions about the Diary and holders were answered at all in this conversation. He couldn't perceive the truth that lay somewhere beyond the veil of mysteries at the moment. It all may mean that he will be unable to move on, but he won't give up.
With how Allan progressed over the past 18 days, he began to see certain changes that shocked him. Allan's progress left him startled and caused him to even had some doubts that he wasn't of mortal origin. That may come from the fact that he told him about his father, who was an energy user. A user of an unknown path, but the clear description that Allan used was more than enough. Though, there was also one strangeness in that story of his. Someone who had some strange method to accompany the energy into the swords wasn't anything 36 was familiar with. Although he had some doubts about Allan's words. The origin of his father was questionable, to say the least.
With that being done, he figured he will return to his own research that would never cease to exist. Even though he didn't figure out anything about the potential of the hidden pages, he at least knew they exist. He could only wait for his next summoning or undergo some research. Wait or wait some more. There was no clear winning argument.
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Back in the real world, and place of the mortals.
The town, which counted a few tens of thousands of mortals lived the same day as usual. Although the talk of war left some people rather tense, everyone tried to live their lives as best as they could. People were stubborn folks, but culture and community would never disappear. Even history could repeat itself and nothing would change. Even the flow and disappearance of the kingdom from the ground up wouldn't be any different in the far future.
Mankind would stick together to form nations and kingdoms for their own gains and peace. The case of that went on for long as one nation could remember. After all, what went when one nation went to raise in power? What happened before that? Would there be an old kingdom that lost the luster of power through time? That could be the case as time was an unmovable force.
With the notion of the incoming war that can't be stopped, no one understood why would Timeless Kingdom want to invade this neutral region. Perhaps only a very few individuals knew the truth or had the ability to perceive it. It could very well be the royalty in charge of that kingdom, which had a long stretch of history. The hierarchy of the Timeless Kingdom was rather harsh and every individual within the royal family had to undergo martial training. Military drills, combat training, and some gossip even assumed some immortals were involved.
That, however, was more often than not a misconception and a legend. But even that wasn't interesting, or even in motion to interest to the ears of peasants or common folks.
There was no need for them to know what royalty who were beyond their senses would eat or do anything with their lives. All of this was the history and natural state of ages that came to become normal. Commoners long accepted the truth that leadership would always prevail over their lives. Some accepted it as a form of a god. Others liked it for the simplicity that could make their lives simpler. In truth, accepting the differences in status went through countless years. Most royalty would be in the power for a long time after all, with generations. The time that would change could only be in the flow of power and war.
Such a situation was anything but unknown to the free people of neutral regions. This one, in particular, named the Tricloud region had its neutrality for three reasons. Long ago, the 3 schools formed an alliance in this region but still remained some individuality. Acting for their beliefs and similarities, they acted as simple protectors of the common folks. One way or another, the Tricloud region was created in the name of neutrality. Providing a ground for all kinds of reasons was the premise of successful creation. One may say they were protectors, but that could be the wrong way to think about that. The reasoning or their true intentions were rather similar to any kingdom or nation in the world.
They've got plenty of things to care about, and people who decided to live under their protection caused an influx of changes. One could say that money could change any man, or not if the intentions were like that from the beginning.
The so-called Tricloud Alliance was underneath the 3 schools. It was the only organization in this region and forming it was the power of the three schools. This alliance began when the Tricloud region was officially recognized as an independent region by surrounding hegemons. The end product was the following creation of a new independent region which took ages. What it even entailed in order to make it work was only known by people at the tip of the mortal world at that time.
Any talk which had the form of brand new nations was a topic that could shake many opinions and involved countless wealth. Some kingdoms would detest the possibility of forming new nations in their surroundings. Politics, military, geological locations, and so on were all very integrated into them.
But this Tricloud region succeeded a few hundred years ago. The base year was rather loose since the three schools had a much longer history than that. It wasn't even publicly known. That was one of the reasons they managed the path toward the creation of this Tricloud region. The basic alliance of the three schools was all it needed. No nation or kingdom had malice towards the neutrality they promised, so it went well.
However, this was like a sword that had only one sharp sword pointed at oneself. The other part of the sword was dull and wouldn't cut anything. Tricloud region would always stay neutral towards the conflicts which happened in the surrounding history. All in order to have no talk about the possible invasion into the Tricloud itself. Promising neutrality meant little if one who was invaded was neutral. In truth, it was more complicated than that, as the root of the problem was centuries old.
The war was already coming, and whatever the cause was, isn't important. There was some sort of loophole that went unnoticed through the craft of politics. The fault could be in the form of Tricloud schools which had personal talks with the past hegemon. Certain deals were accepted all those centuries ago. Others were forced upon them without their willingness and choice.
Such was the word of mortals, where the undeniable fact of greed was well known. Be it the energy that fueled certain individuals, one could only be helpless when trying to change the status of man. Against the bigger picture of the thousands of years old hegemons, one would find things hard to change.
Even the world that Allan knew all of his life acted with similar rules. Nothing was final and everything was subject to change in the flow of robust time. Such as the human heart and even the immortal's ego could be swept in the motion of ego, greed, craftiness, and death.
Such people were something even Allan met in the past. A being who played with nature as he saw fit. An immortal with the name of Lord Gao. An overwhelming man pierced his gaze into the existence of Skoll. He wanted to get him for himself through the motion of power and greed. It took a lot of effort, but Lord Gao managed to do exactly that, but that wasn't something that Allan was aware of.
This war which was already happening in the Tricloud region could go on for long years. There was no knowledge of why or what for. Depending on the source and reactions, the Tricloud alliance will act against this war. It was at the stage where it will soon begin to change, but it was hard to tell the future or see the act of the Timeless Kingdom.
One thing which was safe to say was that the military prowess of this region was at least unknown to anyone else but the Tricloud Alliance. Each part 3 school had a different view of this upcoming war. Deciding to approach things in different ways was the start of this upcoming madness that will end many lives.
Yet, the war started before they even had a chance to get to know the reasons or try to negotiate. A nation that had a long history of military conflict was much more terrifying than one would guess.
In one ordinary road. An unnoticed caravan was coming into the view of the river, which would later flow to the Griontesse city. It was close to the home of Zigmund and the company of Allan. Their goal was unknown since it looked like a regular caravan of travelers. Even when war conflicts were out there, it didn't mean there are no places that lived outside of that. People farm, travel, trade, and live since this was about all that one could do anyway.
One wouldn't though that inside of this caravan were people who engaged in high-grade military operations. The personnel who were in charge of managing smaller or bigger parts were inside. They were traveling even through the motion of war to an unknown location in a time of need and uncertainty. It was even more questionable why they were traveling to this part of the region at all, but the course was a secret. After all, there was no indication that such people were inside at all.
In one carriage were sitting five people. Three men and one woman were glancing and talking to the chubby person who was sitting in the corner. This man was Rengiward. In the past, he was the one who was dealing with Zigmund's request to access certain hard-to-find materials. Of course, he was generously rewarded afterward. Taking it with great hospitality and a great amount of work from his side was the best kind of work. The gems and jewels he got from Zigmund were far from normal.
The amount of wealth in that transaction was about 1/3 of his annual profits. That in itself was absolutely ridiculous, but that kind of work came with the price of getting it done. He watched the rewards countless times. The precise work and craftsmanship that was necessary to make them must have taken long ages. A treasure such as that was his favorite to seek out.
It was to his disappointment, that the follow-up after that massive transaction came something else. A thing he would never hope for, but a thing he wished for in his dreams. He got an opportunity at one of the Tricloud schools for work. One which no one would be able to seek out, so he never agreed to a deal as fast as that. Rengiward had a certain goal in mind with this work and a certain ambition. Merchant stuff was at this point a side job at this point, as a sizable reward was somewhere else.
It wasn't in this carriage, but in truth, it wasn't that far off. A mission, as well as a harsh reality, was pressing him to follow the direction of the School of Terz. None of the 3 schools was the kind to allow anyone in. They somewhat managed and forced this merchant to conditions he wasn't willing to take later, but he already accepted the terms. Too bad.
Though, this work also came with something he was great at. Operating as the management of the defenses with military operator general Embody was his general task. A rather surprising one, but considering the number of logistics and management, he was one of the dozens of workers who were put on that task. It was a workflow that he didn't like at first, yet he had to. For him to end up at the high rank of the logistical rank was just the start. After a few weeks of undergoing some talks with them, he no longer complained, and gritted his teeth and worked.
Right now, he acted as the operating merchant with a mission unknown to him. Across from him were 3 men, with the middle one being the leading factor in this mission. A man he knew very well, and he held a certain amount of respect. The right-hand man of general Embody. Reez Dias was his name. He was a man of smaller stature than the two bear-like figures on each of his sides. A clean-shaved face with long black hair was neatly flung across his shoulders and back. Wearing an unsuspecting uniform with the small emblem of three clouds on their chest was about everything that indicated their standing.
“Mister Dias, are you not willing to tell me more about this task of yours? I believe you didn't tell me enough.” Rengiward told him for like 15th time with a nervous face. He was coming to this part of the region again after being away for so long. There was a reason for his nervousness, as the cause was something familiar he knew a bit about. Yet, he was more clueless about the truth once he found out more about his own informants.
“For the 15th time, I am unwilling. There is no need to tell more, as we will be there in a day or two at most.” Dias talked with a rather pleasant, yet bored voice. One could hear the hidden power and strength within his commanding tone, but he wasn't the kind that talked like that all the time.
Rengiward rather shut his mouth as he asked about it quite a few times. He didn't want to anger anyone in this carriage, as he was still a newly appointed worker for this small division.
“Why in the world do they want information about that man?” He thought to himself and rather chose to remain outside of this topic.
Talking and figuring out all kinds of information he was curious about was the only good source of time beyond these people. All 4 of them were in his peripheral vision. Each was part of the Tricloud alliance for as long as they know. Not like the subsidiary group, or people, but the kind who already had a certain standing in Tricloud as a whole.
All of them didn't mind the sudden guest of this chubby man who seemed nothing but an ordinary man. It was to their surprise they heard their superior talk about the task. It revealed the mission and his involvement were needed.
It was a simple one. Rather too much for these people, but that was the outside knowledge of that. It could go deeper while the captain Reez Dias wasn't one to decline any missions. They already traveled for a few hours, and they saw the Tricloud region in a new light in this traveling condition.
Griontesse region in the south had a lot of resources. From farmers, timber plantations, and most of all, ores which weren't lacking even after hundreds of years of mining. It was no surprise that a lot of resources were put into this region and even the Tricloud alliance acknowledged its importance. Both in a strategic way and for future distant future. Though one way or another, the war started far away from this place, and Dias was questing this sort of decision to send his team to this distant part. Outside of the war, he was somewhat angry, but there will be no way he will voice it or show it outside.
His grim overlook wasn't the kind that was shared by the rest of his colleagues. Even Rengiward included, the 4 people acted carelessly and without worry. As if they were on vacation for a few days, they found it nice to not worry about some deadly mission for once.
Only Rengiward was somewhat upset about the summer, which was already around the corner. Sweating, he had to rest every so often, and this carriage wasn't that comfortable too. Choosing this day and age for the war, he couldn't help but curse the creative words towards the Timeless Kingdom in his mind.
The source of their mission would come later. Until they will arrive in Griontesse city, they had to remain traveling incognito. Once at the destination, there will be a small-sized office of the Tricloud alliance. Rest would come later there. People in charge of such offices were generally people of retirement, or penalty caused by martial laws in the military.
Time flew as the flowing water, and the place that Sarey had chosen for the 2nd training was right before her eyes.
Unstoppable waves and water were hitting the only bother in their way. The surface of the river wasn't the calmest because of some storm or something that happened the last day. There was also a much stronger current from the waterfall that was fiercer than usual.
Allan was in the middle of the river and was taking the brunt of this river. In particular, inside a part that he wasn't using the last time, as he found it weak. He already moved twice since then, and with great precision and power, he was making his way forward. The middle of this mountainous river would no longer pose a threat to him, but... it still could if he wasn't careful enough.
Pacing forwards and back in the middle of this river, he seemed like a madman who never knew what he wanted. He pushed himself forward for a few meters against the current and then, with his front facing the current; he backed a few meters to his previous location. This was his idea, which he incorporated into this training. It was mostly towards his balance, but all of this was harder on his center of gravity and legs. His muscles always felt quite hard and overworked when he made it almost a hundred times back and forth.