Chapter 3: Plate of Protection

A zone is a distinct and separate realm with its own set of laws and characteristics that sets it apart from the mundane world. Though it exists within its own bubble, it cannot exist without the interplay of energies and influences from the outside world.

These mysterious spaces exist on the fringes of reality, appearing as if they are a part of the surface, creating an alternate reality that merges with the real world.

—And once you delve into that space. The rules that concern the outside world would no longer apply; a force so strong that it bends you to its will.

A note to his friend. - Rugues.

***

"We've arrived, just an hour's walk from your home," Ben clapped. He conjured a viscous slime to envelop his hands. It made contact with an unseen barrier, seemingly composed of ethereal elements, observing as the slime dissolved from his grasp."Your father was right. It’s disrupting the balance of the anima within the slime, altering its very essence."

"Alas, your father is quite a researcher."

"Here, take these glasses. You're still a novice when it comes to understanding the design of an appraisal skill," Ben revealed a pair of glasses.

(I'm still thinking about where to put this) -Author

***

Lionel was feeling frustrated and recalled his past training sessions. It had been a month since he started learning how to channel anima in its most basic form. The exercise that his uncle gave to him felt almost as if he was trying to contain a leaky sponge, requiring more energy than he anticipated. He complained about the time required for him to master the skill, his capacity for absorbing knowledge should have been more than enough.

But even if he wanted to stop, once he learned of his uncle's strict training, the only thing he could do was stare from a distance and puff his cheeks in frustration.

"Stupid uncle."

"Here, you'll need this." Ben threw a peculiar object toward Lionel. "Get used to it, if you don't want to get lost."

Lionel caught the object with ease. It was a plate crafted from a rare and mysterious alloy, imbued with magical properties that allowed it to flow like a liquid and harden upon impact. Its circular shape measured about ten inches in diameter, with edges intricately carved with ancient runes and symbols from a distant kingdom. The center of the plate was smooth and polished, with a small circular imprint serving as the focal point for channeling anima energy during an incantation.

"What's this beside the plate? An instruction manual?" Lionel said. "I thought we were doing a hands-on training, not reading!"

"No, and you'll need it more than the plate," Ben said. "It's similar to the parchment you'll see every morning, but it's a more advanced version. Let's just say it's more useful to have if you feel bored doing training. If anything, It’s a good way to keep you engaged and make the most of your time.”

"Or else, your father will kill me if he knew that I've been training you to the bone without giving you something in return." Ben shrugged.

"Wierd..." Lionel examined the parchment closely. The parchment was a rough, yellowed sheet of animal skin, its edges worn and cracked from age. Faint markings ran across its surface, barely seen under the dim light. Lionel squinted, tracing the strange script with his fingers, but it wasn’t just the text that caught his attention—it was the weird markings.

After examining it closely, Lionel realized that the parchment was engraved with a unique inscription he had come across while sorting through his father's collection of scrolls. Every morning, he would find a parchment at the entrance of his home. He would unroll it and gain insight into the current events of the kingdom. The spell inscribed into the parchment was a newly crafted inscription that could detail the events of different kingdoms. It was a spell that continuously filled its knowledge whenever it passed through a settlement filled with people.

From tales of battles, through kingdoms from afar, to the depths of mystical realms, the parchment chronicled it all. The inscription was a breakthrough, a marvel of a new era.

Aside from the parchment that his uncle had given him. Lionel held the piece of metal given by his uncle and rested it around his hand. The inscriptions imbued within the item were made of a highly complicated structure, designed to bind one's soul and engrave it onto an object. The plate wasn't particularly special as he thought, it was similar to the identification card that a kingdom issued to citizens upon registering their identity. The [Party Plate], commonly referred to as [Party], was a semi-artifact forged with two rare metals: Ethereal Silver and Celestial Gold. The plates were one of the Empyria treasured inventions, and for a kingdom to flourish, it needed to ensure that every citizen was equipped with one.

The [Party Plate] symbolized that unity, binding the fates of its bearers together in a shared mind. Not only does the plate enhance the individual performances but also their connection to their comrades, making each party greater than the sum of its parts.

"May the spirit guide us with its light, and cast the enemy from our sight," Ben recited.

Lionel stood off to the side and watched as threads of anima swirled into the plate, saturating its surface with a mysterious energy. The air hummed with power, and he could almost feel his soul tugging on the object as if tethering itself to something greater than his body. It was as if he was residing in a space beyond the material world, hovering at the edge of some unseen realm. The sensation was both disorienting and exhilarating, as if his consciousness stretched out to touch something vast and ancient, yet unknowable.

[Party]

Lionel Argentine.

Lvl: 2

Ben Rensula.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

[Hidden]

Ben's eyes radiated with bright light as the energy from the plate flowed through him. For a brief moment, he felt a presence lurking in the depths of his mind. He stood there, still and silent, as if in a trance.

Lionel felt uneasy witnessing the strange sight before him and called out to his uncle, which interrupted the spell. "Umm, uncle, you're acting weird right now."

Interrupted by a sudden noise, Ben's eyes returned to their usual state, and he noticed Lionel's curious eyes, "It's an ancient ritual that has been passed down for generations."

"But why does it feel so strange?" Lionel asked, still trying to adjust to the sensation.

"History," Ben turned silent for a second, staring intently into Lionel's eyes. "Not everything about the world is simple, not even for a ritual that promised miracles."

"Remember, not every miracle appears as a gift—"

"Sometimes, it can be a curse."

"Forget what I just said," Ben persisted, brushing aside the mood. "The feeling you had just now is simply a remnant of the past, and there's no need to look past it."

Hearing his uncle insistence, Lionel nodded. His uncle was right, there are some things that are best left unsaid. He was well aware of the knowledge that the artifact held, its rich history, and the spirits that still clung to their past, whispering untold myths that seemed to endure for centuries.

Recalling the days in his childhood, Lionel remembered spending time in the quiet, dimly lit library, surrounded by the strong scent of old books and the gentle sound of pages turning. One particular book came to mind, with a quote that still held a special place in his heart, offering comfort and inspiration.

Even today, he could still feel the words tracing around his finger.

Lionel recited the passage through a careful hush. "Once a man decides to follow their own journey, they too must be prepared to contend against the world."

His eyes briefly shone for a moment but then faded, "I'm not the naive child you think I am."

"Well?" Ben caught a glimpse in the boy's eyes. "I'd have to say—books do come in handy."

***

"The air here feels thick and heavy, Uncle," Lionel said, observing the forest with uneasy curiosity. "It’s like my chest is being pulled by an invisible force."

"You’ll get used to it," Ben casts a light spell to illuminate their surroundings.

As Lionel crossed the threshold separating the mundane world from the ethereal realm, he heard a strap of wood creak ominously. The towering trees loomed high above, their branches tangled into a dense canopy that filtered the sunlight into an eerie, dim glow. The forest was thick with the scent of decay and rot, and the ground squelched beneath his feet, releasing a pungent aroma of damp earth. Moss and fungi thrived in the humid environment, creeping up the tree trunks and carpeting the ground in a lush, green blanket.

Amidst its strange and unsettling beauty, Lionel noticed faint traces of past battles—bloodstains marring the edges of the grass and scraps of torn cloth scattered about. He drew his enchanted staff, holding it at the ready and scanning the dense bushes for any sign of danger.

"Well? This is unusual for a low-level zone," a voice murmured through the rustling leaves.

Lionel’s senses heightened as he heard the voice nearby. He froze, his body tense, and peered through the dense foliage. He saw the movement of something massive and knew immediately it wasn’t a simple goblin. His heart raced, sensing the looming threat. He gripped his staff more tightly, the runes etched into its surface glowing fiercely in a blue light.

"Whoa, whoa, kid, that’s a staff your dad shouldn’t have given you," said Ben, stepping out from the bushes and shifting back into his human form.

Lionel’s eyes widened in astonishment as he watched his Uncle Ben transform from a panther into his human self. He stared in disbelief, trying to process the unexpected revelation.

"Wh-what was that for?" Lionel yelled in surprise.

"What do you think?" Ben smiled. "I came here to find the quickest route. I can’t just leave you to face the monsters alone, can I?"

"How did we even get separated in the first place?" Lionel asked, scratching his head.

"Just like you said before—the ‘thing’ that ‘forcefully pulled’ at your chest," Ben trembled in laughter.

"Huh, but how?" Lionel pressed, still skeptical, not noticing the amused glint in Ben’s eyes.

Ben took a deep breath, his laughter fading. "It’s a bit complicated. The forest has a way of distorting reality, pulling people apart, and then bringing them back together. It’s part of the zone we were just talking about—the space that warps everything around it. That’s how we got separated. The zone manipulates paths to confuse anyone walking through it."

Lionel raised an eyebrow. "So, it wasn’t me just wandering off?"

Ben chuckled. "No, not this time. The forest does that on purpose. It's a way to test anyone who ventures too deep."

"Great. As if this place wasn't creepy enough," Lionel muttered.

"Sshhh, quiet. There's a place and time for everything," Ben grimly said. His eyes darted back and forth at the speck of blood dripping through the sharp edge of the grass.

He knelt and gently touched the blood, intrigued by the powerful anima lingering within it. "The blood is still warm. Peculiar."

Ben examined the blood closely, his eyes narrowing as he traced the crimson stain with his fingers, feeling the faint residual energy that lingered within. Then, he cast a spell, muttering incantations as the blood dissolved and seeped into the earth, rejuvenating the soil.

"This is indeed unusual." he spoke, drowned by the static hum of the forest. The forest filled his mind with dense fog, blocking his senses for clear answers.

"Strange," he could feel the blood writhing in agony, foiled with anima corruption. "You don't get to see this every day."

"Uhh... What are you doing uncle?" Lionel coughed, interrupting his thoughts.

"Doing my job," his uncle replied, staring thoughtfully at Lionel. "The land craved its blood, and I simply appeased its wishes."

"Huh? Not this again." Lionel's face suddenly drooped with exhaustion. "Seriously? Another one of your cryptic sayings? Uncle, are you even listening to me?"

"No swords, no scraps, trinkets, or even splintered bones, as if they were all wiped away without a trace," Ben mumbled as he continued to search around the perimeter for any signs of what could have caused the strange occurrence.

"Bounty Hunters, or perhaps bandits?" Lionel blurted out.

"Not a bad guess," Ben chuckled. "Ever heard that blood is the highest currency in magic?"

Lionel's eyes widened in realization as the idea dawned upon him. "It didn't... disappear," he murmured.

"Exactly," Ben twirled a drop of blood on the tip of his finger. "Everything else was destroyed, but the blood remained. It's not riches they're after, but the blood itself. And a high-quality one at that."

"You might want to try putting your glasses on." Ben vaguely smiled.

Lionel put on his glasses. Through the lenses, he could see the complex details of the blood and its essence. It was thicker than any blood he had ever seen before, with a viscosity that could only come from a powerful magical source. He could feel the pulsing magic energy coursing through it, almost like it was alive.

Lionel marveled at the blood's complexity. "I can see why someone would be after it."

Ben chuckled. "That's why I always carry a pair of these," he said, tapping his glasses. "They come in handy in situations like this. A good hunter knows the value of his prey."

Lionel raised an eyebrow. "But those glasses aren't yours, Uncle," he said, squinting through the lenses Ben had worn.

"You caught me," Ben admitted with a chuckle. He took off the glasses and handed them to Lionel. "Try it on. They enhance vision and can even detect magic. Quite useful for an Anurand like me, wouldn't you say?"

[Rogue's Old Appraisal Glasses]: A pair of glasses that allows the user to see the properties and details of any object, magical or not. The level indicates the strength and accuracy of the glasses, with higher levels providing more precise and in-depth appraisals.

"You stole these from my dad," Lionel said, puffing out his cheeks in a questioning manner. "I'll bet mine are brand new."

"Well, you could say that." Ben gave a small shrug. "In any case, I was doing your dad a favor. I helped him test these glasses to determine if they were worth keeping.

"And I must say, they've proven useful on more than one occasion," he chuckled.