I search every nook and cranny of the cave, unable to find where Onyx went. I feel a connection in my chest that I can only surmise links back to Onyx. A reassuring sense that he’s alive and well flows through the connection. Suddenly, the ground beneath me starts to shake, followed by a loud boom. I run toward the bed, dodging rocks falling from the ceiling. I grab Thistle who is jolted awake by the commotion and hide under the bed, waiting for the shaking to stop.
I pet Thistle as we wait out the shaking and a large stalagmite crashes down on the bed. It juts out of the mattress above me, missing my head by an inch. After ten minutes, the world quiets down once more. I let out a deep breath and crawl out from under the bed. I notice the mess the cave is in. Countless stalagmites stick out of the floor throwing the room in an array of different colours.
What the hell was that? I grab my sword and stride out of the chamber. Thistle hops out of my hands and onto my shoulder, emulating Onyx’s behaviour.
We walk through the dark halls of the cave, passing the intersection and entering the outside world. The first thing that catches my eye is a large white beam heading up into the sky in the distance. Roars and cries fill the air of the rainforest. Animals and beasts run past me.
“Eeeeeek,” a large hawk swoops down, targeting my head.
It manages to leave a scratch on my cheek before I unsheathe my sword and slash it in two. A horned rabbit hits my knee, followed by a huge mosquito landing on my arm and drinking my blood. I leave the mosquito to Thistle and use Life Steal on the rabbit, stabbing through its head. Deciding it’s enough, I head back into the cave, escaping the chaos outside.
I enter the main chamber and take inventory of what I have. I pull out my new artifacts from my last dungeon run and scan both.
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Oasis Flask - Usable Artifact
Abilities:
* Water supply: Generates water from ambient moisture, providing the user with clean water when supplied with Mana or Chi. Costumes 1 unit of energy per refill of the flask.
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There’s no force in the description. I shrug and dump the two points I gained from my last dungeon into force. A strange feeling, different from either mana or aether appears in his chest. It feels as if a light had been illuminated in a dark room. My heart starts to race at the new sensation, as I try to understand it. I activate the skill on the flask and the little light in my chest splits into two smaller lights. One races through a channel in my hand into the flask.
The flask starts to feel heavier and I open the lid to find water within. Smiling, I chug the entire flask and fill it up once more to give some to Thistle. I look at the other artifact I attained.
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Phantom Summoning Marble - E rank - Force
Skill:
- Capture Monster: Grants the user the ability to bind a Monster. The user can then summon and unsummon the monster at will.
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I pocket the marble, wondering what the distinction is between monsters and beasts. I wish I had gone to the academy. At least for a little bit so I can learn more about this world I live in.
I pull up my void status to look at it.
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Status(Void)(Hidden)
Age: 16
Name: Elijah Ashborne
Level: 59
Affinity: Void
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Strength: 18
Agility: 18
Constitution: 44
Mind: 31
Aether: 108
Bonuses added:
+100% Aether
+10% to All stats
SEED Form → Chains of the Eternal Edge. (SOUL SEED)
Titles:
* Cosmic enlightenment
* The Progenitor of the Chains of the Eternal Edge.
Primary Artifact:
* Void’s Pact(Under Fusion With Cosmic Sense)(Unavailable)
Void Secondary Artifact/s(0/3):
[Stat Points: 0]
Quests: None
Shop;
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I squint in confusion at the various changes shown across the board. I expand the seed form and the section with the titles.
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Titles:
Cosmic enlightenment
You have grasped a truth from the cosmos. Stealing a piece of the infinite tapestry. You have unlocked a soul seed.
The progenitor of the Chains of the Eternal Edge.
You have created a new sword form implementing your Soul seed into its understanding. As the seed grows into a galactic tree, you gain a new sword form. 11 more steps until a galactic tree is formed
* 10% to all stats
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Soul seed → Sword forms
First form - Honō no Kiri (炎の斬り) - Blazing Slash
* Description: A powerful horizontal slash imbued with soul fire, capable of igniting targets.
* Effect: Sets enemies on fire, dealing immense damage to the enemy’s soul
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I shake my head in disbelief. A tiny light blooms once more in my chest distracting me from my screens. I let out a smile, remembering my new Force aspect. Unsure of why, but just the thought of wielding this force, intoxicates my mind. I focus on the present and try to create a list of my goals.
I need to get strong as strong as possible in the next two years and reunite with Thalanda. That large light in the sky is probably visible from all over the continent. Thalanda will eventually have to come near whatever that light is and we can meet there. Making up my mind, I close the screens deciding to deal with what they mean later. I get ready to leave the Chamber. I affix my sword onto my back and create a bag using my blanket, stashing all my belongings inside. I cut a strip of fabric from the blanket to hold Thistle and strap it around my chest.
I wait out the chaos outside, playing with the marble, debating whether I should bond to it or not. I finally walk outside after the sun sets. Everything is silent in sharp contrast to this morning's commotion. I keep as quiet as I can as I head out of the cave keeping a hand on the hilt of my sword. Every step I make causes twigs to snap and leaves to crunch, making me feel as if the world is imploding with noise. I grimace but forge onward.
The beam of light shooting up into the sky stands out amongst the dark forlorn background of the night. Hours stretch on and I don’t encounter any monsters or beasts during my trek through the night. As a hint of light starts showing in the east, I climb up a tree. The first rays of dawn break through the darkness, casting a warm glow on the horizon.
I open the flask and take sips of the cold and refreshing water. In the distance, I see the ending of the rainforest and the beginning of a new region filled with sand. I squint my eyes and stare at a shifting and swirling white dungeon that lies right in the middle. My head tilts in curiosity. I leap from the tree I’m sitting on to the branch of the next tree. My body feels like air and I grin at the strength flowing through my limbs.
I continue until I reach the outskirts of the rainforest. The dungeon beneath me twists, deforms and reforms continuously. The sky becomes painted with colour and the dungeon shines to match it creating a beautiful image. I look down at the blanket strap to see if Thistle is awake to see it but the little rabbit is curled up and sleeping. My thoughts flash back to Onyx and I feel on the tether that’s now connecting me to him. I get a feeling that he’s alive, so I ignore it, leaving it for future me. I scan the dungeon.
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Bursting Dungeon - 30 seconds remaining
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I wait for the timer to tick down and pull up my primary artifact’s second ability to check something.
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Spirit Shield: Generates a protective barrier of ethereal energy that absorbs both physical and magical attacks. Scales with Constitution and force added.
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I cast the ability down onto the portal. A single light flows out of my hand, creating a thin, spectral shield around the portal. I instinctively feel the ability to add more force into the ability to strengthen it and I do so. The barrier remains ethereal but is now more stabilized in reality than before. The portal pops, creating an open door into the dungeon, and a giant centipede slithers out.