Tosen P.O.V.
Entering the halls of the Grand Temple of Sphoria has always been reassuring and welcoming to me. But that was not the case today. I was summoned, summoned by the High Priest.
The ornaments, paintings and statues of the great and lesser spirits of Malgrun were discomforting to me today. The corridor felt small. Before twenty breaths, I reached the High Priest’s private room.
“Have a seat Zigur Tosen, let’s talk a little.” With a wave we proceeded to sit.
Lyros long smooth purple hair was eye catching. Surely a consequence of the “Rite of Fire” from his appointment. The hair is a signal of approval from Malgrun. All blessed of Malgrun are powerful but a change in appearance by the blessing itself is another thing entirely.
‘He is so lucky, tsk.’
“Thank you, High Priest. May I know what is the purpose of the summoning?”
“Tosen, how is your awakening progress going?”
I pondered for a few minutes on how to answer the probe.
“It is reasonable, as long as I don’t die during the war.”
“Cautious, just like in the report and your fighting style is the same. This is pleasing.” He gave me a wide smile.
‘It gave me chills, too many to be truthful.’
“The report from my people states that you were the one that suggested working with Bolger. Even more, you were the one that fought the Claimere one on one. You can bridge a half realm difference, punching above weight. This is commendable.”
“Thank you great priest. I do everything with dedication.”
‘Cautiously respectful always does it.’
“Part of the problem for our ranks is our ability to increase realms and power quickly when compared to others. Quick growth, lack of a proper base. Mass production of elites. Glass canons. Sometimes in our rush, we don’t know what we got. The very selfish nature of our souls. But you are different, so different that I would like you to explain to me why a talent like you is rooting like this?”
My fingers trembled slightly on the armrest.
‘What does he know? What have I done? I’m not quite following here.’
“Your affinities with the negative energies are exceptional, strange even. Tell me about yourself, why are you being suppressed? Why are you not dead? Be succinct, there’s plenty that I need to take care of.” His blessings encased us inside the room.
‘His eyes are shining red. He is giving no room to be political here.’
I decided that the best course of action was to retell my little life in a brief summary.
“High Priest, the story goes like this….”
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The High Priest threw me a seal coin. It had the Ryaltar, the Temple of the Phoenix on one side, the full-fledged winged phoenix on the other.
“You have done well to toil and lower your head for so long. The Rigel house is exploiting your deed to the maximum. Now, the difficulty to ascend a realm without support at your point is great. I’ll deal with Duke Rigel’s son for you. Tell your woman, Mila, to come here on the next night of the full moon. This is my offer.”
“I’ll serve you with proper dedication, master Lyros.” I bowed respectfully.
There really wasn’t much to think about when someone throws you such a juicy bone. The war opened up a window where there were only tall thick walls.
“Lord Malgrun giveth, Lord Malgrun taketh.” We said in unison as our energies fused.
“You are to go and participate in the current operations of the Kazardim through the continent. I am going to test your judgement, do as you please. Bring me heads, resources and benefits. If I am pleased, I will help you to breakthrough to Core Condensation realm and aid your path of Soul Integration. Use the coin to enter the arts repository here, you are permitted to choose three of your realm or lower, strengthen yourself.” He gave the order and the reward.
‘Praise you Lord Malgrun! Good riddance Zoer, bitch of the dukes!’
“AER ARLUN SPHORIUM!” I exclaimed.
“AER ARLUN SPHORIUM” Master Lyros chanted in return.
‘The words have never sounded any sweeter than they have done just now.’
Malgrunian for true soulfire enlightment or verily burning soul ecstasies. Malgrunian is always a little tricky with its double, triple meanings.
‘First the Andurin, then you. I’ll reach your neck somehow. Cocksucker Shirkon!’
I left filled with a fire in my belly, gratefulness in my heart and vengeance on my mind.
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Sixth Seat P.O.V.
Somewhere in the depths, the underground prison of the Ryaltar, the place where only the Grand Chamber has access.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Tell me what I want Eruch, you could truly ascend immediately. We will give you one of the feathers of the phoenix.”
His eyes finally showed an almost imperceptible reaction.
“That’s it, just imagine the possibilities. Another realm, another place, another world. Anywhere you want to go. Or perhaps even finding the remnants of a lost soul in The Void, you could bring that person back Eruch.”
For a split hair, he reacted at my last words but then went back to his impassive tattered self.
“Your brethren did come and did cause turmoil in our capital. If this wasn’t Sphoria, the destructive blast from their fight would have leveled many cities at the minimum. Since your kind last came here we have invested trillions upon trillions of coins and resources in kinetic resistors, formations, wards, diffusers and all that jumbo that you love to talk about. Your brothers cannot destroy this place anymore…I do wonder how did you guys bypass our detection magic and defense mechanisms. A deal with the ancients? A deal with the empire? Reverse Ugra Ladnah? A very unique and lost art? Many, many questions. And you WILL answer them, he he.”
A long silence followed.
“This is tiresome; your uncooperativeness will only bring even more death to your brothers. More people than what’s needed will die because of your refusal. Maybe, if I bring you the heads of a couple of your Claimere you will start to change your mind?”
Several hours later…
He was still behaving like a statue, sitting there on the floor of the massive torture soul inhibitor formation.
‘So this is the so called will of Andukir? Irksome. If I can’t break you, I’ll break her.’
“We will talk again, you left me no choice, this was your choice. You guys like that, don’t you? I’ll head into the Void and retrieve her soul, I’ll make her my plaything and you might change your mind, maybe. But remember, if you would have spoken from the beginning, none of what has transpired would have, YOUR CHOICE. See you next time, son of the tempest.”
I used many of his titles trying to make him reminisce. It worked slightly.
‘This will be extremely dangerous. I’ll need ample preparations for a trip to true darkness. Thankfully, we have war, procuring the resources will be far easier. Come to papa little followers of the star, give me your blood!
I walked away unable to contain my own laughter, Malgrun was happy.
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Ikrei P.O.V.
GRAWL! GURRR! GRAAAWL! GRAWL! GURRR! GRAAAWL!
The panthers were targeting my position. Two breaths of distance, three of them. Their almost reaching claws at arm’s length. The setup charges went off.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOOM!
The three panthers were blown away in various directions. My recently acquired mastercraftsman platinum orgon armor infused with the Will was in full effect. The armor took the brunt of the explosion. I dashed into one of the gurgling floating panthers, meeting the beast midair.
Three breaths. SWISH! SWISH! SWHOOSH!
The power gained from Yun Hee finally stabilized, allowed me approximately five kinetic slashes or attacks. The amount of power used would determine the duration time of my “awakened state.” The third attack, the final stab, perfectly entered the heart of the bleeding panther. Two legs torn off by the slashes.
I waited for the reaction of the others and kept an eye for other possible incoming beasts. The panther begrudgingly received her death, her eyes filled with unwillingness. She bled out.
No other beasts came charging in. The encompassing sound wave of the explosions scaring away many.
“Your life, for mine. I won’t say I am sorry beautiful creature. May you be born an angel in your next life.”
The core was intact. Moon panthers have their core in their head. The core position is different for each type of beast. Some are truly rare, multicore beasts.
‘That’s three down. Nine more to go.’
The body was a mess, so no pelting today. I swiftly made an exit from that part of the jungle to the nearby cave I had setup as my base for the night. As a hunter, overusing equipment to compensate and destroying valuable pelt is sacrilege but as a dying awakened it’s a different matter altogether.
“Three hours to the first hour, this is going to be hard.”
I carefully inspected my orgon mastercraftsman cables placed strategically in the cave’s entrance. I went deeper into the cave to spend some quality time with my new assignment. Opening hours for the Inverted Titty were always in the afternoon.
“The sixth day of the week is the busiest but I have to be back in the fortress in the day of Ioƛl. Cultivators don’t give a rat’s ass for the sacred day of others. It is gracious enough that they let me leave.”
I took my ketar out of my ring as I placed my gains in a properly sealed box for the cores. I need the money, so I need to write something for the boss.
“How do these women get money just for hanging upside down? I know their mammary glands are huge but still, that’s money for nothing!” I complained picking my strings.
‘Wait, wait, wait…boss did say to make it funny, did she not?’
I started scribbling furiously with her “rookie” gift, the magi pen of the cultivators on a parchment. With the help of sister Kuyun’s “music box.” I had penned my first original work by the sixth hour.
‘Well, I added a little of Krigsain’s simple yet strange chord progressions too.’
I used my daily intake of Akathos’ pills to recuperate. They were so good that as long as I slept even if it was for fifteen minutes, I would wake up feeling refreshed. This was all part of my little plan.
“For your eyes only is NOT, for eyes and ears only. There is a loophole there. I just have to be very careful.”
I slept soundly just like a fully fed fearbeast.
‘Not exactly, I did miss someone’s derriere.’
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Near the time of the ninth hour in the private owner’s lounge on the third floor of the Inverted Titty Bar…
“♪Spend money for nothing, tits for free
Come on Kal, pass me some rum
Get the ketar, and have some fun
U don’t get always what u see
Get u need, but not from me
Spend money for nothing, tits for free♪
I finished playing the last repetition of the chorus before my new boss and her two assistants. I stored my ketar back in my ring and waited silently. The jaguar leather couch felt uncomfortable somehow.
“Leave the glyph behind for a while, we will rework it a little but you pass. We will name the song, our bar, be understanding. Brett, that was interesting, interesting indeed.” She nodded happily.
She handed me an unopened sealed parchment. They were my instructions and “activities” as an operative from this day forward. One time read, remember the codes and use the artifact for coded messaging.
‘This will be useful when I create my own code for personal use. The secrets of the world class still have a few meetings left.’
Yǐngr’s fashion sense was impeccable, she was wearing a long white wyvern jacket this time.
“Remember my words.” Yǐngr was stern, very stern.
“Never get caught. We don’t know each other if you do, absolute deniability. Destroy the evidence.” I repeated the warning she gave me yesterday.
She handed me a crystalink, magicraft quality or as she calls it sky level artifact pearl bead. This will relay orders and be used as a communication device. I was told it was fully encrypted, not that I really understand what that means, other than it is safe to use.
“Don’t disgrace your order, we put a nice price tag on your services. Your clients are paying premium because of the star on your cloak, even if is not the official heptagram. Westerners like westerners, the way of life. Now, go make us some money.”
“Yes boss.” I bowed my head a little.
‘Small time agent mode activated. Hunt, music, money, hanging tits and good liquor. What’s not to like? Thank you, beastly beauty taskmaster, for the second time.’
I chuckled as I left.