Ezekiel was at a loss for words. He had been to plenty of places in the world. Though much was still beyond his reach. Yet the sight before him was the most magical.
The area was shaped like a massive bowl with several mountain peaks surrounding it. The sky was dark, but utterly clear, with just a hint of fading orange light peeking over the mountains in the distance. The starlight slowly became the main source of illumination.
From here, Ezekiel could see a vast forest with snow covered trees in one area, while steam and warm air blew in from another. Multiple biomes appeared all over the Spirit haven. Trees from different parts of the world were all around. Not one singular type stood out beyond the rest.
Clear streams glittered as fish and other aquatic animals splashed around. Calming lights and taunting shadows flickered and flitted about as different lifeforms ran around through the grass and trees.
In the distance, the glow of molten rock emanated from the mouth of a massive cave. One that was littered with gemstones of all sorts. Mundane, of course, since there was no possible way for the mana in this haven to accumulate into mana crystals.
All thanks to the countless Spirits that were absolutely everywhere.
A rainbow of colors slowly meandered around the haven. Each one took the form of a variety of different animals. Spirits that Ezekiel had never thought existed, in the shape of creatures he recognized, and many that he did not, stopped and looked at the caravan for a bit, before slowly turning and walking away.
This was like no wilderness that Ezekiel had ever experienced before. The Spirits, wild as they were, were so calm, so relaxed. It was as if there was nothing that could disturb them.
“Your mouth is gaping.” Invera said. Ezekiel shut his mouth with a dull ‘click’ before he slowly made his way over to the Lightning Spirit.
Behind him, Ezekiel could hear the gaps of shock and awe from the various guards. Each one was just as amazed as he was at the sight in front of them.
“This place is amazing.” Ezekiel couldn’t help but gush as he spoke. “Are you certain it's alright for us to be here?”
Ezekiel couldn’t help but feel like this was a sacred place. One that was meant purely for Spirits. While he felt no particular discomfort being there, it still seemed to him like he and the rest of the Mages were out of place.
“It is fine. Given that this place will not exist within a month or so, it is of little consequence for you and your companions to be here.” Invera’s reminder that this haven was only temporary was like a bucket of cold water being poured down Ezekiel’s back.
A part of him wanted to keep this place as pristine and beautiful as it appeared to be now, forever. But something inside Ezekiel told him that such a thing wasn’t right. That the life and death of this haven was as natural to the world as breathing was for humans to live.
“Come along. My flock members will deal with your group. You need to come with me. As does the girl from before.” Invera turned from the group but waited for Ezekiel to move.
Looking back, Ezekiel saw Callrond, Spina, and Morty gather around the caravan. Warren and Evelyn had taken charge of the group, and the Legendary birds were instructing them of where they could go for the moment. But Riley was running towards him.
He briefly saw his parents looking at him, but something that Callrond said made them turn back.
“You’ll see them before you set out on your task. Now come along.” Invera impatiently swatted Ezekiel’s head.
Riley, who had just arrived, gave Ezekiel a questioning look. But he just shook his head, and the two followed Invera further into the forest. Their Spirits joined them as they walked into the unknown.
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The path that Invera took Ezekiel and Riley through was incredibly twisted. What was worse was the fact that he could tell that their path was moving. After turning one corner, Ezekiel would look back, only to see that the trees that they had passed had moved. As had the stones, and even a small creek.
It was enough to make him somewhat paranoid. To the point that he worried about how Riley was taking it. But much to his surprise, it appeared like she hadn’t noticed a single thing. That, alone, was enough to tell him that Adepts and those below that were not a threat in this place.
It wasn’t long before Ezekiel and Riley arrived as a peculiar sight. What looked like a massive stone pillar with giant roots growing into it that glowed with a radiant light. Nearly a kilometer wide, it was a massive plateau in the center of the Spirit haven. It reached several hundred meters in height. Perhaps even several kilometers. Ezekiel couldn’t tell from this angle. Though, the maze of the forest hadn’t allowed him to see this previously.
It partially reminded Ezekiel of Morncrest, but only because it was obviously connected to a Legendary Life Spirit. The similarities were small, however, since Ezekiel could tell that this Spirit was not a forest Spirit. Given that such Spirits were utterly immobile, that was likely a good thing. He didn’t want to imagine what would happen to such a Spirit when the haven met its end.
“From her, you will climb on your own. I will meet you at the top.” Invera then took flight, disappearing above the top of the plateau. Well beyond what Ezekiel could see.
For a moment, Ezekiel and Riley just stood there. Staring at the mountain tall, kilometer wide pillar that stood before them. Several large trees grew out from the sides. Large enough for them to stop and rest on if need be.
Looking more closely, Ezekiel could also just barely make out water running down the side. As well as fire light flickering at greater heights. Near the very top, he even thought that he could see sparks of lightning. To him, it appeared that the only Element that wasn’t present was Death. But for all he knew, that was a deception, or perhaps it simply wasn’t visible from his and Riley’s current position.
“This is gonna take a while.” Ezekiel muttered before looking at Riley. “Shall we?”
Riley, who was staring at the top of the massive pillar, turned to look at him. Her face was pale beneath the darkened evening sky. But she gave a shaky grin and a thumbs up.
With that, the pair began their climb.
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Back with the caravan of guards, Warren and Evelyn were overseeing the setup of their temporary encampment. For the most part, the supplies that had been provided were enough to last them for the month. But that was only the food and other consumables. Actual shelters were basic tents, and there were few of those. With most of the guards sleeping in the wagons and carriages.
Now that they weren’t going to be moving anywhere anytime soon, it was decided that a more solid base would be better.
“Careful! We need to keep a uniform level of toughness throughout the full breadth of these walls. Otherwise, they’ll come crumbling down on top of you while you’re sleeping!” Warren was strict as he commanded the Cavern Mage guards to construct simple four walled structures.
The stone and earth were pulled from the ground. Ten-foot, by ten-foot walls rose eight feet high on one end, and ten feet high on the opposite side. From there, wooden roofs that were woven and tightly sealed to prevent water leakage were placed on top. Small chimneys connected to a tunnel that led underneath the huts for heating were created as the finishing touches.
Basic bedrolls and blankets were all that were used for bedding. It ended up taking several hours just to make the one hut. Warren had hoped for at least two, but for now, they would rotate who would rest in the huts, and those that would continue resting in the wagons.
Neither was particularly comfortable, but they were enough to keep everyone safe from the elements. It was just unfortunate that there weren’t that many guards with elements suited for building.
“I am surprised at your resourcefulness. Human buildings have always been fascinating. Even simple ones like this.” Callrond gently poked the side of the hut with his wing. He was extremely careful not to push too hard. Even his feathers were tough enough to break such a flimsy construct, after all.
“Your praise is appreciated, Protector Callrond.” Warren said with a nod of his head. On his shoulder, Theo warily eyes his fellow Radiant Spirit. “I am surprised to see you are still here. Is your sister recovering well?”
Callrond flinched at the reminder, but still replied, nonetheless.
“She is indeed. But it will be some time still before she joins us in the skies again.” The mood turned somber for a little while as the Legendary figures sat in awkward silence.
“... If I may, what exactly will be requested of my son? I am fully aware that our presence here is not appreciated by many. And it would comfort me to know what will happen.” Warren quietly asked.
Glaring into the forest, Warren firmly flared his mana in one specific direction. The presence of several Wild Spirits suddenly disappeared. Fleeing far away from the Legendary Hunter who had just blasted them with a warning.
Callrond seemed to chuckle at the sight. He immediately sobered as Warren turned his gaze towards him. He held Warren’s stare for a few seconds before sighing.
“There are two things that will likely be asked of him. The first will be to recount, if not directly share, his memories of the Mythical Hunter from your Empire. Such an experience might very well be enough to push Invera to the next level. She has remained stuck at the peak of the fourth Tier for decades, if not centuries.” Callrond turned to gaze into the distance. Towards the massive pillar plateau that Ezekiel and Riley were climbing. “She would no doubt reach the fifth Tier within the next century, or so. But this your son’s experience would certainly shorten that time.”
“... And the second thing?” Warren didn’t allow himself to be distracted by the possibility of a new Mythic being born. Given the power she displayed, Warren had already suspected that Invera was beyond most Legendaries.
Callrond turned an eye back to Warren, his face still pointed at the center of the haven in the distance. He was beginning to get mixed feelings about Ezekiel’s family.
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“He may be asked to step in and settle some conflicts with a few of the humans that are infringing on the wilderness to the south. Conflicts that, due to our own territorial disputes, prevent us from merely teaming up and wiping out.” Callrond sighed as he saw Warren tense up in anger. “There is nothing stopping you and your wife from aiding him. Beyond the contracts that you are bound to.”
Callrond’s final statement made Warren pause. His mouth partially opened as he made to speak before he stopped. That was not as bad a situation as he had thought it would be. Depending on the power of the forces that were creating conflict.
“Why do you need Hunters to intervene? What exactly is the issue with your territorial disputes?” Warren was curious as to why the Spirits couldn’t deal with this on their own. It was obvious that they were powerful and had sufficient numbers to fend off almost any incursion. So why were Hunters needed?
“Simply put, it is a matter of pride, and territory. Here, in the haven, all of us Legendaries hold council. But outside, in the wilderness, we rule our territories with might. To ask for the aid of another Spirit would be to cast aside one’s might and bow one’s head in service. Even in territories with allied rulers, simply asking for help would be the same as forfeiting their territory. Just to a Spirit, rather than a Hunter.” Callrond’s explanation was simple, but still eye opening for both Warren and Theo. Neither of whom were particularly familiar with the means and methods of more powerful Wild Spirits.
“Hunters sit outside these... practices, between Spirits. Don’t they?” Warren was still familiar with how Hunters interacted with Wild Spirits on Expeditions, however, so he had some insight on the situation.
“Indeed. Bonded Spirits are exempt from the territorial disputes of we Wild Spirits. Thus, asking for aid from a Hunter, and their Bonded Spirit, would not indicate forfeiture of territory. Instead, agreements can be made for services.” Callrond explained. “I know of your Guild Expeditions. So, this shouldn’t be a strange thing for you.”
Indeed, it wasn’t so strange. Now that it was put into perspective. Not only that, but Warren could understand why it was Ezekiel that had to do this as well. He was the one that was a friend to these Spirits. Thus, he was the one that they trusted to deal with in such situations.
It was a well-known fact that Hunters who had made deals with Spirits in the past were better to have present when passing through said Spirit’s territories.
Thinking back on it, Warren realized that this was actually a very fair deal. The resolution of conflicts throughout several territories, in exchange for being granted access to one of the Fjorya Spirit’s havens. This was a very good deal. Especially since, with the sheer number of Spirits here, it was likely that at least a handful of Spirits would bond with some of the guards.
Now, Warren just had to figure out how he was going to explain this to Evelyn. Who was currently fretting over Wendy and Ellen, in order to keep herself occupied from rushing after their son.
“One more thing, Warren Luminance.” Warren turned to Callrond once more. “Tomorrow, I would like to bring your daughters somewhere special. You, and your wife, are welcome to come along. But I must insist that your daughters accompany me tomorrow. At first light.”
“Why?” Warren warily looked at the Radiant Spirit. Not certain if this was part of the deal Ezekiel made or not.
“To introduce them to my own daughters. Nothing more.” Callrond chuckled at Warren’s wide-eyed gaze.
The Radiant Spirit couldn’t help but feel amusement, now knowing where Ezekiel got his own expressions from.
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Back at the pillar, Ezekiel and Riley had made it more than halfway to the top. For the most part, the only thing that made the climb difficult was the fact that the only way up was fairly convoluted. It was obviously easier than the sheer mountain side that Ezekiel had to climb for his trial. But the sheer number of obstacles, as well as the fact that he needed to support Riley at times, made it a hassle.
What was worse, was the fact that Riley had refused Ezekiel’s offers of help. Insisting that she could make the climb herself. That she needed to, or she wouldn’t be able to prove herself to the Legendaries that awaited them at the top.
Ezekiel didn’t really think that it mattered. But he didn’t like that she was putting herself through all this. Especially when he knew she would be feeling guilty for holding them up.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Ezekiel looked down at Riley as he stood next to her. They were currently perched on one of the massive tree branches that stuck out of the pillar. They were illuminated by the glow of a lava flow that poured down the pillar behind them.
Riley looked up at Ezekiel for a second, still breathing heavily. Seeing that he was standing tall and unbothered, she couldn’t help but feel frustration bloom in her heart.
She knew that she was slowing them down, but she wanted to show that she wasn’t a weakling that was just being dragged around or tagging along without contributing.
It wasn’t like she could just tell him to head up on his own either. They were both asked for, and both knew that her safety wasn’t assured if he left. This pillar was the home of Legendaries, not Adepts.
“I’ll be alright...” Riley muttered after a few seconds. Her breathing eventually steadied, and she stood up to begin their ascent once more.
“... It’s interesting, isn’t it?” Ezekiel suddenly said. “How the color of the lava changes so easily depending on how hot it is.”
Riley looked at Ezekiel in befuddlement. An eyebrow raised in confusion. She didn’t get what Ezekiel was trying to say. Though she did turn to the lava flow all the same. Trying to see what Ezekiel was seeing.
“Is this something you wanted to teach me? Something I need to Understand?” Riley had guessed correctly but didn’t understand how the color of the lava had anything to do with it.
“Somewhat. It’s one of the things I wanted to talk about. With an example right here, I figured I’d use it.” Ezekiel rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. He thought about going for the ‘wise old master routine’ but quickly realized that that was a bad idea.
“To keep things simple, do you know what lava is?” Ezekiel asked.
“It’s just rock that got heated up and melted, isn’t it?” Riley knew that this was true but didn’t get what Ezekiel was trying to say.
“It is, don’t worry. That wasn’t a trick question.” Ezekiel waved his hands up and down to try and calm Riley down. “But let me ask you something. Could your flames make lava?”
Riley tilted her head to the side, nearly sending Celia off her shoulder. As the little lizard climbed back up, Riley held her hand out, making a bright orange flame. It was hot and would certainly burn a lot of things. But it would take a long time before she could melt a stone. Probably too long to maintain without running out of mana.
“... What does this have to do with the color of the lava?” Riley finally asked after looking at her fire for a little while.
“Well, as the heat from Flames is applied to stone, and the stone gets hotter, it begins to glow and change color, right? That would mean that the color of a Flame would indicate its heat. Perhaps that’s something you can begin working on.” Ezekiel tried to explain. He really needed more time for this. “Instead of trying to make your Flames hotter, or trying to make more of them, maybe you can try changing the color. Perhaps that will do something to your Flames automatically.”
Riley looked at the fire in her hand once more. This time, with a wide-eyed expression as she allowed her curiosity had now peaked.
“After all, for Glacier magic, the temperature changes water to ice, and vice-versa. Different aspects tied to the same element can change entirely different things.” Ezekiel hoped that he was making some sense. At least, he hoped he wasn’t confusing her.
He knew that, without context, it might be difficult to obtain Understanding. But knowing that the color of a Flame indicated its heat was knowledge on its own. Perhaps it would be enough.
Perhaps Riley’s imagination, and control over her flames, would allow her to change its color and, in the process, its temperature. It was magic that he couldn’t use himself, after all. Perhaps there were rules that did and didn’t apply to Flame Magic, versus Void Magic.
“And since hotter things glow brighter, turning white, then maybe changing the color will change the Flame, since it seems to be tied together...” Riley muttered to herself. On her shoulder, Celia was also staring deeply into the fire in Riley’s hand.
‘Hopefully this will get her to experiment a bit. I don’t know how Flame Magic works, but fire turns blue when it gets hotter, then white when it’s a step up from blue. I’ll go more in depth when I get the chance later on.’ Ezekiel thought as he watched Riley play with the fire in her hand.
While he hadn’t seen this from an outside perspective before, the look of intense focus on Riley’s face was something that others had told him he had as well. When he was going through a state of enlightenment.
Gently palming Shine’s pommel, Ezekiel quietly whispered to his Spirit.
“Keep things under wraps for now. We’re taking a bit of a break.” Ezekiel then turned his gaze upwards. They hadn’t been given a timeframe to arrive. So, he figured that taking a slightly longer break would be okay.
Unseen to all, Shine gently tugged on what Mana they could from Ezekiel. Several barriers were put into place around Riley. They did not disturb her, however, as the fire in her hand slowly changed from orange, to red, to a dull yellow. With minor changes in temperature. Slight, but still present.
Riley’s focus intensified as she continued to stare at her own flames. Celia was doing the same. Her mana mingling with Riley’s. Slowly, it seemed like she was coming out of her enlightenment. Less progress had been made than Ezekiel had hoped for.
“Those are not the only colors that exist.” Ezekiel whispered. Just barely loud enough for Riley to hear. This nearly startled her out of her focused state of mind. But she quickly fell back into it as she tried changing the color once more.
This time, the fire went from orange to yellow, and then to slightly green. But rather than seeing any changes in the heat, it seemed like the fire dropped a bit. It got closer to Riley’s hand, nearly touching it. Though it still didn’t burn her.
This surprised Ezekiel and Riley both, and a new gleam seemed to appear in Riley’s eyes. One that didn’t appear in Celia’s. The Little Spirit’s soul was still too weak to consolidate an Understanding inside it.
Ezekiel just rubbed his chin in thought. He figured that the Magic aspect of these Flames would mean things were different but hadn’t expected fire to suddenly have what seemed like a weight to it.
However, it wasn’t long after that the fire went from green to slightly blue. This time, the temperature had an immediate jump in temperature. The jump in heat was so great that the fire, which had drifted closer to Riley’s hand, actually burned her. Snapping her out of her focused state of mind.
“AH!” Riley immediately dropped her hand. Releasing the mana that held the Flame together.
“Shit!” Ezekiel reached for his waterskin. The water was still cold due to the enchantments on it. “Here. Cup the water in your hand.”
Riley did as she was told, hissing in pain as a large burn appeared on her hand. This would make climbing the rest of the way much harder. But even with the pain in her palm, Riley seemed to be a million miles away as Ezekiel treated her hand as best that he could.
Looking into Riley’s eyes, Ezekiel could practically see Riley’s mind racing a million kilometers a minute. Clearly, this new discovery related to her magic had sparked her interest. An Understanding nearly there.
Even now, as he watched Riley use her other hand to control a regular fire, Ezekiel could sense that the mana that she was using was less than before. Not by a lot, but enough to be noticed.
“Well... I think it would be best if we continued. While I don’t think we’re on a timer, we should probably get up there before sunrise.” Ezekiel was looking into the distance now. The sun was still nowhere near rising, but they had been sitting for nearly an hour while Riley had tried to change her Flames.
Riley suddenly looked panicked as she stared at her hand before turning to the pillar next to them. The lava was still glowing brightly.
“I think that, this time around, I’ll do the climbing for both of us.” Ezekiel said, crouching low so that Riley could get on his back. “I didn’t before, because you said you didn’t want me to. But I think you’ve earned it after what you’ve managed to achieve.”
Riley opened her mouth to protest, but Celia nipped her ear. She flinched, but the little lizard Flame Spirit didn’t hold on this time. Instead, Riley just looked between her Spirit and Ezekiel.
“Okay.” She said as she climbed onto Ezekiel’s back.
“Hold tight.” Ezekiel tightened his own grip, just in case Riley couldn’t hold on. Then, with Shine humming in preparation, Ezekiel leapt as high as he could. Riley’s body pushed down on him as he leaned forward. So that she wouldn’t just slide down his back.
With Shine having temporarily canceled their gravity, the force pushing down on them was mostly just the wind pressure. But it was still significant, given the speed that they were now rising.
From roughly two thirds of the way to the top, they rose another tenth of the way in just a few seconds. Ezekiel couldn’t help but flinch as Riley screamed in his ear. A discomfort, but given how much faster they were traveling, it was still worth it.
Finally, after roughly a minute, Shine slowed their descent by letting their gravity return to normal. The pressure made Riley wheeze, just a bit, as gravity exerted itself on them. Ezekiel also had to whip out one of his hands to catch the edge of the top before they could start falling again.
His strength was enough to pull both himself and Riley up without issues, however, and after he got about a dozen feet from the edge, Riley pushed herself off of him. Falling to her knees and heaving at the ground. She didn’t throw up, this time, but it was obviously a close thing.
Ezekiel, on the other hand, looked towards the center of the massive plateau they were now on.
Specifically, at the gathering of over a dozen Legendary Wild Spirits that were looking directly at him and Riley. Almost all of them were intensely glaring at the two Hunters.