Ikrei P.O.V.
I hastily explained some of what had recently happened to the illusion version of my string pulling master for several minutes, close to thirty minutes. I wanted to keep going but he stopped me half way through. I was sitting in my previous lotus position silently waiting.
Something about the threads of probabilities and reality. Even with Pricks Krigs’s explanations, Akathos thought process was elaborated. Instead of summarizing and simplifying, the future lord goes into expanding and educating.
‘A teacher’s teacher.’
Two hours of walking around me and talking to himself until, ultimately, he turned to me.
“If what you say it’s true then let me reiterate a few things and then I’ll tell how things are going to be. Just answer my questions.”
I readily agreed.
“First, I have a hard time believing you. Freslia and Mikros are involved? I am the master of Eriel? You are Ikrei?”
“Yes, yes and yes, elder.” I waited.
“Second, the probability of what you describe is so low that I can’t accept it, yet. Sagecraft Sycophantic Soul Pill, you completely sure that it was that pill?”
“Yes, elder. Lady Mikros said as much.”
“I’ll check on them. I still don’t really believe you but I’ll say this, you have a unique situation. Tri god blessing, one main and two minor. Darkness, flame and the Will, affinities plus the Seal of Amaterasu, incredible.”
Main puppet master trickster had checked on me further after the initial exchange.
‘I am special or Eriel was special, what gives?’
“I can tell you how all this happened if you can tell me a few things too.” I needed more answers.
“No! Your little story is enough as it is, if you are wrong, you could alter many things with your words.”
I felt that the covering Akathos used while expanding his core energy was similar to shameless one eye, shining blue eye style.
What I used to call strange powers at the beginning was clearer with my training with godly energy. Akathos and Freslia have a weakened version of the Will’s covering.
My new understanding still didn’t explain how Freslia was able to kill or destroy stuff with the wave of a hand.
‘Pricks Krigs has a stronger feel plus something else.’
“If you are right all you have to do is wait. This reality or illusion will start to breakdown eventually at least one of the magnitude you are describing, things that make no sense will begin to happen. That’s when you will have the ocassion to leave or the controller releases you from the so called illusion. You understand?”
“That sounds easy, what’s the catch, elder?”
‘Too many times already, you aren’t going to trip me, puppet master!’
“Here’s what is going to happen. I am an Andurin, an elder and my loyalty is to the Will and the members. In this case, my priority is Eriel not you. But you mentioned Regressors. There’s no way for you to know this unless there’s some truth to your words.”
‘Is this good or bad?’
I was getting fidgety.
“I’m going to figure out things from my end. I’ll do a special ritual with their blood and your blood. If any of the three of you refuses to willingly participate, I’ll consider you threats, for there’s no reason to refuse an open request from an elder.”
Akathos instructed me to present my right volar wrist. I did as I was told, stretching out my right forearm and turning for a cut.
SPURT!
In a single motion he collected enough blood for a small blue flask. It disappeared into his ring.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“You are to continue to be Eriel and do what Eriel does, hang out with his friends. I’ll be watching all of you closely. You are henceforth required to follow all instructions and summons from me.”
I guzzled my own saliva. Akathos gaze was like a hawk’s.
‘Oh, shit! Bad, this is bad. Crazy eyes, crazy eyes, like mad pirate!’
“Don’t even think about playing tricks, you hear, Ikrei?”
He smiled.
----------------------------------------
Following puppet master instructions, I found myself working alongside the reason for the current set of circumstances. Freslia and Mikros.
I was to bring him proof that they were who I said they were. Akathos would do his own thing, of course. But up until this point, he had found nothing. Their souls are theirs like they always had been, not a grandmaster healer and a blade for war.
In short, the two next to me were their younger selves in this reality, not the monsters that put me here. Allegedly.
“Sir, have a look at the instructions in the papyrus. The line has many people, one hundred and twenty. Be patient, please.”
I was ushering people in for memory awakening. The secret process and magical ritual of the Andurin. The blessing of the Will, to grant the people the ability to remember their past lives. For others, the process could include full awakening and pre-selection into the order. The restrictions like age and the like were repeated continuously.
The order charged a pretty penny for each customer, individually. They were making bank, in the tens of thousands of Ucra each time.
I was in Katopr, third largest city in the Bilfrorst kingdom and this famous place, Orgis.
“Only Soul Merge, Nascent Soul or above practicioners can remember their lives without our aid. The Will is truly benevolent with the masses and the many awakened and cultivators.”
Mikros expanded while guiding another person.
“The order is making a fortune by doing this.” I stated a fact.
“A good deed is a good deed. Nothing wrong from benefiting.” Freslia interjected preparing more papyrus handouts.
Orgis was composed of six grand buildings, placed inside a circle formation. Their walls, white and adorned with gold, carbuncle, onyx, jasper, diamonds with dozens of underground floors each. All this with bridges, artifact lamps and a harmonious design that matched the forest that surrounded it.
Six buildings, sixth day the week. The day of Ioƛl and all that.
Orgis closes down public service that day, only for the order.
We were at the bridge of the main building that was opened to the public.
OrgisMB [https://i.imgur.com/4goMzlb.png]
“Why is this thing built here? Shouldn’t it be in Kotar?” I asked out of extreme curiosity.
“You did hit that head pretty bad, huh?” Freslia padded me in the head.
“There are plenty of unorthodox, zurians, even people from the empire applying their craft here. Proselitizing efforts are high with and by the zurians. Plenty of political underpinnings.”
Mikros words opened up my understanding.
‘The Andurin try to get along with everyone but will mercilessly strike back, be it friend or foe if something’s off.’
I gulped again, Akathos considered me some kind of foe.
OrgisLibraryofArts [https://i.imgur.com/F14ftpF.png]
With the last of the papyrus delivered, we headed for a brunch. I was starving and I wanted more info from the untrusthworthy cherry bomb duo.
The dinning halls were top notch, far more luxurious than anything in Malaktaraf. Everything was orgon crystal or gold, even an ipsrum knife for certain beasts’ meats to retain flavor.
“So, you are really going to go out with Basgram, sister?” Mikros passed the wine around.
“A man’s man, why not?”
I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears, Freslia was fawning over a guy.
‘Your acting is incredible! Either that or this is Ciel taken up a couple of notches and the Basgram guy is the power rod.’
“Where is he? Wasn’t he supposed to join?” I asked.
“Training Eriel, unlike you he puts in murderous hours. I can’t believe you were selected instead of me!” Freslia was sulky.
“If we are fighting at the same realm, I think I can take you.” I wasn’t going to back down.
“Ohh. What’s gotten into this guy?” Mikros was smiling, I had no idea why.
“Hype, you are pure hype. Cause it is all, hypothetical.” Freslia countered.
Mikros slammed the table with a laugh.
More eating and many silly questions until I popped one of my many real probes.
“Say, Fresie, how long have we known each other?”
“Fresie?! You hearing this guy, Mikry? I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
Freslia stuffed a piece of bread in my mouth.
“Zaraki!!!”
The crazy bird acquiesced to Freslia’s call. He was targeting the top of my head.
SWOOSH. The fly by missed by a quarter finger, we were connected after all. He landed on the table and started eating an apple.
“I’m your soul master, what are you doing?!”
He just turned and gave me a right lateral flexion with those green eyes.
“Don’t hurt Freslia.” That was what the delirious bird said.
‘She started it. I’m Ikrei, you know this, crazy feather!’
A left lateral flexion from wild beak, I felt the rebuke.
“You crazy!”
‘Never argue with fools and drunkards. Add Thurskan drinking hybrid magic birds to that list.’
“Serves you right. You don’t say that to the one who has been together with you since the two of you entered the order.” Mikros placed her hand on my forehead.
Three breaths.
“He seems okay sis, he is just weird.”
“What’s up? You have a girl, don’t you?!” Freslia nugged and pressed.
“I don’t, your asses are the only ones I know around here.” I still wasn’t backing down.
“Don’t even think about putting your hands on mine, just saying.” Mikros stated a joke that wasn’t truly a joke.
“Beautiful as you are even with blue hair, you are a hard pass.”
“Blue?! Hey yo—” A complaint that would never come.
“It is time to go, Eriel, master’s waiting.”
With no real new info except that we were really close, I headed with Darin and Zaraki towards the underground training ground in the fourth Orgis building.
“Go, go, go darky!” Freslia waved away joyfully.
‘Can’t get used to this dammed illusion!’