While Aurelius was having his match with the first kobold knight, Jacob was sinking into meditation. Aurelius mentioned that he had to hold onto the core within him and start feeling the essence, it sounded like mumbo jumbo to Jacob. He was able to absorb the essence better with the advice, but Jacob did not understand how to grasp the core.
He experimented with speeding up the revolution of the core, it start spinning faster at his command. He slowed down the core and see the swirls getting shorter as a result, he tried moving the core but it would not budge from its position. Jacob then proceeded to try a variety of stuff with the core, from trying to shrink it or enlarge it to flattening it he even tried enveloping it with essence he drew out from the core.
Was Aurelius holding back on him? Jacob tried various methods to grasp onto the core but none of them had worked out. There was no definitive roadmap for either of them to follow, so maybe what worked for Aurelius might not work on him due to their differences. Jacob racked his brain trying to figure out a way pass the hurdle and into crystalisation, sweat was slipping down his back and culminating in his eyebrows as his forehead creased from the worries.
He would have to try something anything else, Jacob took a breath as he tried to reset his thoughts. After a few deep breaths, his thoughts started going back to the first moment when he took in essence in the church. How wonderful it felt, the surge in strength, increase in speed making him extraordinary. As he recalled the delight he felt as the essence started swirling around his body unbidden and free, like birds tethered to nothing but the air it was soaring in. The sweat he was feeling evaporated along with his worries.
He felt the exaltation as if he was right there, experiencing the feeling again. As he reveled in the feeling, the core in his body started dissipating into pure essence. Jacob realising it was his chance now started recalling the image he wanted his core to take. However other thoughts infiltrated into his mind causing the figure to be vague, consisting of a scattering of images resembling many things Jacob had experienced throughout his 20 years of life.
The scattering of images started coalescing together as Jacob concentrated on the image he want, first Jacob saw the edges of the teacup he used while he was on the train, the images flickered closer again and Jacob saw them taking the form of Flowing Water, they flickered a second time this time Jacob saw the image of his core as a simple wooden table with coffee stains, a chipped corner and so many scratches.
The table looked like the one at his house scratch for scratch, even the coffee stains were where he remembered them, he spent so much time with his friends Morg, Bedi and Donny playing assorted card games, board games and so many nights spent doing projects. Jacob teared a little, it seemed like a life time ago but he saw them just 6 days back.
The images got closer this time it was a staff like the wizards in those fantasy games and books he read, it was light brown and seemed to be made of wood. Instead of an expensive looking gem adorning the head of the staff, it was the wood itself branching off in different directions and coming back together forming a hole in the middle as the wood formed a tip.
Jacob concentrated on the image of the staff, forcing the images to coalesce around it. As moment by moment passed, Jacob kept the image of the staff from disappearing amidst the still coalescing images. His brain started throbbing from the exertion as he was forcefully holding the singular image still against the myriad of them. Another moment passed followed by another flash of images with the wooden staff at the center.
Jacob could feel his endurance faltering after the 9th or 10th flash of images, His sweat returned creasing his eyes brows and dripping down his back once again. He felt his damp hair sitting heavily atop his head. The images were almost gone, Jacob held onto the staff in the middle of them.
Another flash, this time it came with a flash of light shooting out from the staff as it stood where his core was resplendent as it was meant to be. The wooden staff Jacob saw was encased in a crystal devoid of colours, as if it was purely transparent. Its existence only apparent due to the shine.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
[Congratulations on being the 9237th to form a crystalised core during this tutorial]
[All further titles have been withheld from being award until the end of this tutorial]
The large words were still ready to be read as Jacob opened his eyes while the voice of the System was reading out what he was not reading, from the first of Earth to obtain a Job to the 9237 was a big drop in speed. Without Aurelius, Jacob might not form the crystalised core during his time in the tutorial.
As his thoughts led to Aurelius, he looked to the left and right of where he meditated. Aurelius stood right beside him looking at a desperately fighting Riley who was clearly on the backend of the fight as she dodged left and right against the constantly swinging kobold knight. Jacob got up grabbed Flowing Water ready to start moving towards Riley. However, Aurelius voice stopped him.
“Glad to see you managed to finish your crystalisation, but time runs short. Follow me, we need to do something about our situation here.”
“What? Can’t you see Riley is in danger? We need to go help her.” Jacob responded with a little aggression.
“And if you want to actually help her and our situation, we need to solve our biggest problem. Your unconventional name, gave me a hint. I’m sure you caught that too right?” Aurelius nodded at the dragonoid.
“Yea, I mean the yellow dude did not respond when I gave my name. I did not think too much of it though. I just wanted to name myself like a dragonslayer.”
“You should have thought deeper, your thoughts are only surface level. I imagined you gave the name on purpose to see if you would be caught in a lie, if it was actually a high grade being. It would know your name was fake would it not? It is trying to play us for the its own amusement and I do not enjoy being toyed with. So we are gonna confirm my suspicions.”
“Fine, how are we gonna do it?”
“Follow my lead, lets go over.”
With their whispered conversation over and Aurelius making sure the dragonoid was none the wiser. The duo moved over to the front of the now laughing dragonoid, Jacob carrying Flowing Water in his left as he followed after Aurelius. Leaving the sleeping Brian to his rest.
“Great Lord Yshavol Thornedge, I really enjoyed using the broadsword that you granted for the fight. May I have a chance to appreciate that beauty of a sword again?” Aurelius put on his most genial smile as he spoke.
“Oh? You have a fine eye for a cretin, but you are disrupting my enjoyment at this moment. The disrespectful little bitch is getting her rightful punishment right now. Should you lot really be asking about a simple broadsword instead of worrying about your own comrade?” The dragonoid raised its right eyebrow in suspicion.
Jacob got on his knees and placed Flowing Water beside him as he threw both of his hands outwards, giving his best placating voice along with feigned outrage that the dragonoid would suggest Riley was more important than viewing the broadswords.
“Great and Mighty Lord Yshavol Thornedge, The strongest and most intelligent amongst all the Lords. That redhead was just someone we met on the road and we offered her a place amongst our group for her looks, as I’m sure you are most aware. She is a beauty, but those are easily replaceable. Any time that we lowly cretins are allowed to view your wonderful collection is time much better spent than worrying about that replaceable piece of meat.”
“Well if you put it that way, alright. You cretins do know whats good for you, come over here and I will let you lot view the broadswords again.” Both Aurelius and Jacob walked to the front of the dragonoid and took a kneeling position, with both their hands up and over their head to receive the broadswords.
Without a sound, Jacob felt a weight on both of his hands as the broadsword landed on them. He took a look at the broadsword, it was just a plain sword with no adornments and no carving to mention, there were even nicks here and there on the sword. He frowned as he looked at Aurelius, this was the broadsword he was talking about?
Aurelius gave a quick nod at Jacob before he smiled at the dragonoid once again.
“Lord Yshavol Thornedge may we have a seat beside your lordship to enjoy the pummeling of that little bitch? It would be a great honour to be able to share the experience with you my lord. The fight before also left me weary and exhausted, hopefully your generosity extends to my aching bones.” Lord Yshavol already on cloud nine from the shameless pandering before, preened in front of the further compliments as it replied amidst the laughter from seeing Riley’s suffering.
“It would be beneath me to deny the both of you such a simple request, very well.”
The dragonoid still unsuspecting of the two in front of it, conjured 2 seating of stone right beside it. The stone seats resembled the ones in the city of Nativis even the backrest was the exact same, it seemed the dragonoid had visited the city before the tutorial. As the two made their way to seat beside the dragonoid, they took a look at Riley who was now off the arena and running away from the enraged kobold knight.
The two both stood right beside the dragonoid waiting for their moments, while the dragonoid was laughing at Riley’s predicament. Jacob felt his heart sink as she tripped over a rock or something but his hand tightened around the hilt of Flowing Water, he remembered Aurelius’s words that this was how they would save Riley.
Jacob moved behind the dragonoid along with Aurelius, its attention now fully held by the squirming Riley eyes filled with glee as the women who rejected his proposal was about to meet her demise. The remaining kobold knights and mages were also looking towards Riley. Jacob too smiled but for an entirely different reason from them.
As the kobold knight raised its hands up to smash Riley, both Jacob’s sword and Aurelius hand surged forth one covered with red and black essence, another with a rapidly churning water housed within a sword.
The dragonoid still laughing while the hand and sword entered its back, immediately changed to a roar of pain as both exited its chest.