Ikrei P.O.V.
With my mind cleared, I was able to figure out two things.
First, normal was never going to cut it again. Just like many women base their judgement on their best experience. I also realized that only awakened women were now in my range of vision.
‘Normal feels flat to me.’
“Smart man, Puri. No women unless he gets the one he wants. If she’s normal it won’t matter, there is no comparison. Brilliant my chubby pal, really wise.”
Second, that old man was something. I felt how his cleansing travelled all the way through. Even through my ring and into Yun Hee. A malgrunian receiving a Zurian discharge, painful, really painful.
He did say he knew the Patriarch. Another monster then.
‘Not really sorry this time. Follow your lord.’
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Sarkan P.O.V.
‘The members of this generation are a bunch of unruly sprouts. What do their many lives serve for? Did the malgrunians put something in their water?’
In front of me was one of those complicated cases. Akathos’ boy, Ikrei.
“This is the second time you have arrived late. Do I have to put you on a leash, like a dog?”
“No, Lord Sarkan. It won’t happen again.” The kid slightly bowed.
‘He is picking up on some easterner customs, heh?’
“Better not. Report.” I waved him to speak.
He began the recollection of everything that had transpired in general terms. Many things are kept private, we don’t intrude. The freedom of our order, the reason for our existence. The only thing we go over in detail are the execution of the orders and the final result. The manner in which the results are achieved is entirely their problem.
No, not really. We have people tailing many of them to prevent severe mishaps like the Regressors. Our Sachears must feel like they are on their own. And in some ways, they are.
We will protect them from unforeseen variables and aid them a little bit. But if they fail with their own plans and cannot deliver within the parameters of their choices; well tough luck, they die.
The principle of the seal coins just in a larger scale. If you are not good enough you can’t keep it. If you are not worth nurturing now, come back in your next life. Our world is harsh; we must be harsher.
Such a case was this kid. I couldn’t probe fully.
‘Akathos will get mad. No, don’t want that.’
“Have you resolved your soul alterations? Are you balanced?”
“Yes, Lord Sarkan. I am better now. Would you like me to tell you how?”
“Save that for your master if you wish, I am only temporarily supervising. We protect liberty, Ikrei. Your life your choice. We are just making sure that you survive so you can make that choice freely later.”
I hope the kid gets it, not having his memories makes it difficult.
“Yes, Lord Sarkan.” I wonder if he really does.
“Just prepare thoroughly for your next hunts, the cease fire has granted a little flexibility. Don’t disappoint the faith your master and Freslia have in you.”
“I’ll do my best, sir.”
“You are the one who called her taskmaster?”
“Huh…yes…I think I did.” He was fidgeting.
“It’s fine. She’s gone from Deathbringer to Taskmaster and now reclaimed the name, Ballbuster! That eyepatch of hers has made her really popular with the rank and file.”
We finally shared a laugh.
‘Hope things go well for you kid.’
“I am not sorry for banging your head. Do what you are told. Freedom is earned. Dismissed.”
“By your order.” The kid left in a hurry.
I pressed the crystal communication artifact on my desk. A speck of blue light glimmered.
“Lukia, be kind and tell Isoray it is his turn to report.”
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“How far ahead are you in your development of the third core?”
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“I am a third of the way in. Lord Sarkan.” Isoray was polite as always.
“You will enter a forbidden rift next week, without guards. Make proper preparations.”
“Yes, lord.”
“Now, how are you doing with the mastering of Lord Tanin’s little gift?”
“Sure you jest lord. The spell is a masterpiece. Truly worth the name.”
“You are bound to us by the seal, you cannot betray us. But you are not truly bound to the Will. Our arts are no less powerful than the ones in the empire. Using the Starlight Barrier without the aid of the Will, will be troublesome. We still expect you to master it. How about it, are we as simple as you originally thought?”
“I must admit it has been eye opening, lord.”
“Very well, reach a fully developed Third Core before the Grand Light Celebration. You can do this, correct?”
“I won’t disappoint you, lord.”
“I can always trade you a sage art for some of Zimas schematics, remember that.”
“Yes, sage. I’ll talk to Zimas about it.”
“Finally, I won’t intrude nor care about your personal affairs but I understand that you are getting quite close to the princess. Remember, just like in the empire there are certain things one must do and things one must not do. She is one of those cases, you either marry her or you do not. There is no bedding period here, it will be considered betrayal and the seal will take your life. She is not only royalty but also special, her father didn’t send her here accidentally. Consider your options.”
He was a little surprised by the news but not much.
‘He is quick to mask his reactions, good. But that doesn’t work with me.’
“I will, lord.”
“Dismissed.”
“By your order.” He also left in a hurry.
Like this many more Sachears passed by until it was time to deal with the most problematic one.
“Lukia send Krigsain here.”
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“How long until your second core is reestablished?”
“No later than two and a half weeks, sir.”
‘Krigsain is less polite than Isoray, tsk.’
“Since you had a forced restart, we will take this opportunity to make some changes.”
Krigsain raised his eyebrow. He was definitively surprised.
‘See. The Will does not tell you everything! Why? You are not ready yet.’
I stood up and walked around my private space looking for some parchments a written magical parchment and a closely guarded crystal.
‘I don’t even carry it around with me in my rings.’
The magical crystal activated displaying an image and pictures, body measurements, estimated affinities, Will convergence, the works.
This was the true personal file of our belligerent chosen one. Only four people have access to it. Lord Akathos, the Patriarch, the Archsage and myself.
My personal sealed space is not as elaborate as Akathos is but what it lacks in complexity is replaced with a serious gut punch. If anything ever feels wrong or I die, the entire place will self-destruct instantly. The castle will be gone and whoever intruded seriously injured, most likely dead.
Ascension master killer array.
‘Maybe that is why people don’t like coming here? Or am I just too icy?’
My disobedient charge finally became serious when he saw his file floating in the crystal magic mirror.
“There are two more unaccounted possibilities I won’t mention here. But we have narrowed it down to four for our purposes. Whoever you fought protecting the temporal timeline was a regressor, a descendant of the ancients, another child of mana or lastly and more worryingly, a transmigrator.”
“I am sure you have a plan in mind, when you bring this up?” Krigsain questioned.
“Your current reading for Will convergence is 87, publicly. On this floating record before you, 90. But the Archsage has determined that your convergence level is to be measured around 95.”
Krigsain was subtly shaken.
‘A glint of worry in the eyes of the troublemaker, finally!’
“Look Krigsain, I don’t care what you are, only that you help and follow orders. You hear?”
He only nodded.
“You will undergo the special body tempering technique art of the Archsage, specifically tailored for someone like you. You will lose some muscle, get leaner but you’ll become living ipsrum, eventually a demigod body. The strongest body there is. But there will be drawbacks and we expect your level of Will convergence to push you through. So, if you got anything to say, now is the time.”
There was a considerable time in silence.
“I don’t like you, Sarkan. I don’t like most of your sage friends. But you are all very capable, just too heartless.”
“We dwell in probabilities, maximizing resources and outcomes, not too different from you.” I retorted easily.
“Not like me. You want to win with acceptable loss, I want to preserve with maximum gain. Sounds similar but it is not.”
“Any suggestions on how to resolve our differences, young one?”
“Tell the Archsage I want permission to fight as I wish. Plan as I want, do as I feel. If you do that, if you tell me to fight in the depths of darkness, I will. I want the same thing as you, but our methods differ, that is all. That also includes having someone on my tail. The outcome we seek is different.”
I wanted to laugh but I only smiled. Rebellious to the end.
“I won’t ask how many lives you have lived. Can you deal with the dangers listed? Specially the last one?” I was indeed interested in this.
“Yes, I met a few. Quite interesting characters.”
“Alright, the subject of our next class is determined then. Secrets of the World: Restrictions and rulers. I will have it rescheduled and time it with Akathos’ return. The transmigrator business is out, we will only talk about other worlds and realms subtly. Do work around that, do not spill anything, most of our Sachears are having a hard time with the Regressor business already. They need a pep talk on that.”
“Sure thing, just make sure my message gets to the Archsage with the proper respect. He truly is a man with a kind heart, I have no idea how he became the head of such a bunch of pragmatists.” He was pointing at me.
“Very well, I’ll notify the Archsage. You will get an answer in a week, the Council of Elders will have to assemble for this one. Cheeky, you punk.”
“I do my best, sir. So, what’s this body tempering I have never heard about?”
“Another masterwork from the great sage. A marvel, the triumph of his many lives. Rújiā Jīngāng Xīngtǐ, Ruism Vajra Star Body. A farewell kiss to a long gone friend of his. Developed in his sealed space away from all eyes, even the gods. Until yesterday when I was notified. It will merge with your existing Star Body; this has to done before entering third core to maximize the effects. This is the power of Lemuria, the power of our faith and the consequence of our diligence.”
“Ruism? The long lost sect? A monk’s art?” The troublemaker was wide-eyed.
“Yes and one of the drawbacks for such immense power is dealing with the Hidden Hand, that’s where the Will comes in. Furthermore, to use this art you will have to live according to the tenants of Ruism. You can have your women but they will have to be fiancées and wives. No more games.”
More wide eyes, too wide. For a second, I thought I might have to bring Mikros in for emergency procedures.
‘You want trust, absolute trust? Take that you little woodpecker!’
“Your excessive love for women is dangerous. Do you take us for fools? Your heart might be in the right place, but your cock is not.” I said with finality.
The longest stare down in the history of the Andurin ensued.